A gripping tool, which can be used by a manipulator device for picking-up and handling pieces, includes a plurality of gripping devices (50), distributed in groups, each group consisting of one or more gripping devices. The gripping devices (50) of each group of gripping devices are mounted on a same supporting body (P), which is made in one-piece by an additive manufacturing technology.

A vacuum chuck system may include a vacuum chuck and a vacuum stopper collection and dispensing system. The vacuum chuck may include a ceramic plate with a retaining surface. The retaining surface may include a plurality of depressions and a plurality of openings, each of the openings being disposed on a bottom surface of one of the depressions and fluidly coupled to a vacuum pump. Vacuum stoppers may be used to seal one or more of the openings so as to restrict the vacuum area of the vacuum chuck. The vacuum stopper collection and dispensing system may be used to collect vacuum stoppers from and dispense vacuum stoppers onto the retaining surface. In addition or in the alternative, an electromagnet or a robotic arm may be used to move a vacuum stopper from a blocking position to a non-blocking position on the retaining surface.

Robotic systems with variable gripping mechanisms, and related systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the robotic system includes a robotic arm and an object-gripping assembly coupled to the robotic arm. The object-gripping assembly can include a main body coupled to the robotic arm through an external connector on an upper surface of the main body and a vacuum operated gripping component coupled to a lower surface of the main body. The object-gripping assembly can also include a variable-width gripping component coupled to the main body. The variable-width gripping component is movable between a fully folded state, a plurality of extended states, and a clamping state to grip a variety of target objects of varying shapes, sizes, weights, and orientations.

A method includes steps of: capturing an image of a container; recognizing at least one object in the container based on the image; determining at least one first coordinate set corresponding to the at least one object; determining at least one second coordinate set that corresponds to target one (s) of the at least one first coordinate set and that relates to a fixed picking device of a robotic arm; adjusting position(s) of unfixed picking device(s) of the robotic arm if necessary; controlling the robotic arm to pick up one (s) of the at least one object that correspond(s) to the at least one second coordinate set with the fixed picking device and/or at least one unfixed picking device.

The robot hand holds a wire harness having a long harness main body and a connector connected to an end of the harness main body. The robot hand includes a fixed holding portion which holds the harness main body a vicinity of the end thereof, a pressing portion movable relative to the fixed holding portion in a longitudinal direction of the harness main body held by the fixed holding portion, and a driving unit which moves the pressing portion in a direction away from the fixed holding portion such that the pressing portion presses the connector outwardly in the longitudinal direction of the harness main body.

A device for gripping an object includes a base element and at least two gripping arms held on the base element. The at least two gripping arms are movable relative to one another and the base element into a configuration suitable for gripping and picking up the object. Preferably at least three gripping arms are provided, with each arm being able to move independently of one another relative to the base element, and a sensor such as a camera provides signals to electronics which can determine the position of the at least three gripping arms and control movement of the gripping arms into position to grip and pick up the object. A method for gripping and picking up an object using the gripping device is also provided.

A connection of two adapter parts of a modularly-constructed supporting apparatus includes a first adapter part which has an end-side attachment with a partially spherical recess, a second adapter part which has an end-side spherical attachment for insertion into the partially spherical recess in the first adapter part and has a clamping ring which bears against the spherical attachment, on its half which is averted from the partially spherical recess, and a connecting clamp which engages behind the attachment and the clamping ring on sides which are averted from one another and also fixes the attachment and the clamping ring axially and radially in relation to one another, wherein the attachment and the clamping ring each have at least one weakening region for deforming the attachment and the clamping ring when the connecting clamp acts on the attachment and the clamping ring. The connection is secure when tools, workpieces or the like of a relatively high weight are held by the supporting apparatus.

A machining system having plural machining devices installed at plural points in a robot arm. the machining system carrying out machining to a processed object made of metal be by using these machining devices, the machining system further having a control device that controls drive of the machining devices so as to offset processing reaction forces by at least one of a thrust force and a torque to be obtained when the machining devices carry out machining to the processed object simultaneously between the machining devices.

Disclosed is a cable-driven parallel robot capable of changing a workspace, in which the cable-driven parallel robot is provided with an end effector having a plurality of modules that can efficiently move to upper and side parts of an object without interference. Module-direction changing standby stations are provided on each of opposing sides of an upper frame such that the modules of the end effector are coupled to the module-direction changing standby station for direction change standby, so that the modules can efficiently move to upper and side parts of the workspace without interference, thereby maximizing work efficiency. To this end, there is provided a cable-driven parallel robot including: an installation frame, and upper and side frames; a plurality of driving units; a plurality of cables; the module-direction changing standby station; and an end effector provided with a plurality of modules.

An end effector adaptor device for a robotic arm may have a body adapted to be secured to a working end of a robotic arm at a proximal face, the body having a distal face configured for connection of an end effector thereto. A proximal connector is in the proximal face, the proximal connector configured to be connected to a complementary connector at the working end of the robotic arm for signal and power transmission between the robotic arm and the body. A distal connector is in the distal face, the distal connector configured to be connected to a complementary connector at the end effector connected to the distal face for signal transmission and/or power transmission between the body and the end effector. Circuitry is between the proximal connector and the distal connector.