A suction pad includes a body and a sponge member. The body includes a negative pressure chamber, and a plurality of communication passages communicating with the negative pressure chamber. The sponge member includes a plurality of cavities opening toward a workpiece. The cavities communicate with the negative pressure chamber through the communication passages, and flow passage adjustment valves for adjusting a flow passage area are arranged in the communication passages, respectively. The suction pad further includes a pressure detection port for detecting pressure in at least one cavity among the plurality of cavities.

A suction pad includes a body and a sponge member. The sponge member made of a material having a semi-open and semi-closed cell structure includes a plurality of cavities opening toward a workpiece, a tubular stopper attached to the body is disposed in each of the cavities of the sponge member, and a suction passage formed in each stopper communicates with a negative pressure chamber formed in the body. The height of the stopper is set to a dimension that prevents the sponge member from being compressed to a maximum compression amount and allows the sponge member to be compressed until the sponge member exhibits airtightness.

An end effector is disclosed for an articulated arm. The end effector includes a valve assembly including a plurality of supply channels, each supply channel including a supply conduit, a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the supply conduit, and a supply conduit plug. The supply conduit is in fluid communication with a vacuum source. During use, each supply conduit is either at vacuum such that the pressure within the supply conduit is substantially at a vacuum pressure, or is at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum pressure because the supply conduit plug has moved to block a portion of the supply conduit. The pressure sensor of each supply conduit provides a pressure sensor signal responsive to whether the pressure in the conduit is either substantially at vacuum or is at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum.

The multi-element pneumatic gripper equipped with a pump which enables attaching the products by a suction cup, is characterized by the fact that the gripper of a multi-element pneumatic telescopic actuator which ends on one side with a sucker with a weight and a steel ball inside the weight and on the other side is connected to the supply system, whereas an electromechanical uptake is located at the base of the first element of the pneumatic telescopic actuator, wherein in the first embodiment the supply system consists of a vacuum/pressure pump, suction and discharge lines, a valve which supplies air to the system, a three-way valve and a pressure sensor, and wherein in the second embodiment the supply system consists of a vacuum/pressure pump, a suction line, a valve which supplies air to the system and a pressure sensor.

A system including a gantry structure; a first and a second saw head movable along at least part of the length of the gantry structure; and a first and a second lumber support also movable along corresponding lengths of the gantry structure. A controller moves the first saw head and first lumber support adjacent a first location along a board and moves the second saw head and second lumber support adjacent a second location along a board, and operates the first and second saw heads to cut first and second ends off the board. The controller then moves the saw heads and the lumber supports relative to the board to third and fourth locations and operates the first and second saw heads to cut third and fourth end pieces off. The saw heads and lumber supports optionally move together and rotate around respective vertical axes to enable angled board cuts.

Provided is a sensing device to be applied to an actuator including a shaft that is movable in an axial direction, the shaft including a hollow part formed on at least a tip side of the shaft such that an interior of the shaft is hollow, the actuator being configured to generate a negative pressure in the hollow part to suction a workpiece to a tip of the shaft, thereby picking up the workpiece. The sensing device includes a flow sensor provided in a middle of an air passage to detect a flow rate of air flowing through the air passage, the air passage being a passage through which air sucked out from the hollow part flows when the negative pressure is applied to the hollow part, and a pressure sensor provided in a middle of the air passage, to detect a pressure in the air passage.

A suction device includes a valve, a piezoelectric pump, and a housing. The valve includes a valve casing and a diaphragm. A first ventilation hole, a second ventilation hole, and a third ventilation hole are formed in the valve casing. The diaphragm is fixed to the valve casing and forms a flow path in the valve casing. The second ventilation hole is opened under atmospheric pressure. The piezoelectric pump has a suction hole and a discharge hole. The discharge hole is in communication with the first ventilation hole. The housing has a cavity. A suction pad is attached to the cavity. The housing forms an enclosed space together with the valve and the piezoelectric pump. The enclosed space is a space that is in communication with the cavity, the suction hole, and the third ventilation hole.

The multi-element pneumatic gripper equipped with a pump which enables attaching the products by a suction cup, is characterized by the fact that the gripper of a 4-element pneumatic telescopic actuator which ends on one side with a sucker with a weight and a steel ball inside the weight and on the other side is connected to the supply system, whereas an electromechanical uptake is located at the base of the first element of the pneumatic telescopic actuator, wherein in the first embodiment the supply system consists of a vacuum/pressure pump, suction and discharge lines, a valve which supplies air to the system, a three-way valve and a pressure sensor, and wherein in the second embodiment the supply system consists of a vacuum/pressure pump, a suction line, a valve which supplies air to the system and a pressure sensor.

An end effector is disclosed for an articulated arm. The end effector includes a valve assembly including a plurality of supply channels, each supply channel including a supply conduit, a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the supply conduit, and a supply conduit plug. The supply conduit is in fluid communication with a vacuum source. During use, each supply conduit is either at vacuum such that the pressure within the supply conduit is substantially at a vacuum pressure, or is at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum pressure because the supply conduit plug has moved to block a portion of the supply conduit. The pressure sensor of each supply conduit provides a pressure sensor signal responsive to whether the pressure in the conduit is either substantially at vacuum or is at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum.

An end effector is disclosed for an articulated arm. The end effector includes a valve assembly including a plurality of supply channels, each supply channel including a supply conduit, a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the supply conduit, and a supply conduit plug. The supply conduit is in fluid communication with a vacuum source. During use, each supply conduit is either at vacuum such that the pressure within the supply conduit is substantially at a vacuum pressure, or is at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum pressure because the supply conduit plug has moved to block a portion of the supply conduit. The pressure sensor of each supply conduit provides a pressure sensor signal responsive to whether the pressure in the conduit is either substantially at vacuum or is at a pressure that is substantially higher than vacuum.