An attaching mechanism includes a fastening member, a first member, a second member including an insertion portion through which the fastening member passes, and a third member configured to enable the fastening member to pass through the insertion portion when the third member is located at a first position, and engage with the fastening member and disable the fastening member from passing through the insertion portion when the third member is located at a second position. When the third member is located at the second position, and the fastening member is moved toward a predetermined direction, the third member is pressed by the fastening member toward the predetermined direction, and the second member is attached to the first member.

A first adapter of an end-effector exchange device includes a piston driven by supply and discharge of air, a cam member integrally coupled to the piston, and an engagement ball configured to be in contact with a side surface of a cam portion of the cam member. A second adapter includes a separation operation hole into which a release operation tool is inserted, the release operation tool being configured to come into contact with a side surface of the cam portion is inserted.

A robot hand includes a motor with a rotary shaft, an accommodating member accommodating a distal end of the rotary shaft, a plurality of swing members swinging with respect to the accommodating member due to rotation of the rotary shaft, and a plurality of claw members swinging with the plurality of swing members.

Provided is an attaching/detaching structure that operates reliably with simple operation. The attaching/detaching structure attaches/detaches a second connecting member (4) to/from a first connecting member (3). An operation chamber (8) formed in a base member (5) of the second connecting member (4) is connected to the outside of the base member (5) via an insertion hole (7) opened to a seating surface (6) of the first connecting member (3). Two clamp arms (10) and (11) are provided in the operation chamber (8) so as to be symmetrical around an axial center of the operation chamber (8). An engaging portion (16, 17) is formed at one end (10b, 11 b) in longitudinal direction of each of the clamp arms (10, 11). An engaging member (32) protruding from the second connecting member (4) can be inserted into the insertion hole (7). A lock portion (34) in which the engaging portions (16, 17) can be engaged is formed in the engaging member (32).

An automatic tool exchange coupler and an automatic tool exchange device are provided that achieve further improvement in the user-friendliness of the automatic tool exchange device. The coupler includes a coupler body, a first direction switching valve and a second direction switching valve that are provided to a first side surface of the coupler body. The coupler body has: in a first side surface, an uncoupling input port being connected to a pipe for introducing a gas for uncoupling; and in the second side surface opposite to the first side surface, an uncoupling output port being configured to connected to the uncoupling port. The uncoupling input port is located at a position where a center of the uncoupling input port is radially offset with respect to the uncoupling output port by at least an amount corresponding to a length of a diameter of the uncoupling input port.

A tool exchange device includes a male member and a female member. The male member is attached to a side of a main body of an apparatus. The female member is attached to a side of a tool. The male member and the female member includes a plurality of coupling portions mechanically connected to each other, and a connector portion that connects a power supply path arranged in the main body and the tool to each other. The plurality of coupling portions and the connector portion are provided in each of joining surfaces of the male member and the female member. The plurality of coupling portions are arranged around the connector portion.

A tool changer 30 with a master half 32 and tool half 34. A securing mechanism has a clasp 70 and a cam 72. The clasps 70 move between a release position and a grasping position. In the grasping position, the master 32 and tool halves 34 are secured together with one another. The cam 72 moves the clasps 70 between the release and grasping positions. From a release position, the master half 32 engages the tool half 34. The master half 32 moves laterally with respect to the tool half 34. This, in turn, moves the cam 72, and thus the clasps, from their release positions to their grasping positions. In the grasping position, the clasps 70 grasp the tool half 34, the cam locks 72 in its grasping position and the master 32 and tool 34 halves secure with one another.

A slide portion of a first adapter is fitted into a slot of a second adapter, and a ball is disposed between a cam member supported by the slide portion and an opening edge portion constituting the slot. The ball can advance toward or retreat from an engagement groove of the opening edge portion by movement of the cam member. By operating a release button connected integrally with the cam member and also sliding the first adapter and the second adapter relative to each other, the ball retreats, and the first adapter and the second adapter are separated from each other.

A system comprising an articulated robot arm including assembly of links interconnected with motorized joint units at joints between the links for movements of the links relative to one another, one of the links being a base link. A docking cradle is adapted to be connected to a structure and configured for being releasably connected and for supporting the articulated robot arm. A coupling configuration is between the base link and the docking cradle for powering contact to be made. A clamping system includes one or more clamp members and a clamp lever for locking the base link to the docking cradle at the coupling configuration.

Devices, systems, and methods for automatically exchanging a first end-effector on a robot arm with a second end-effector housed in a docking station. The first end-effector has a clamp that either engages or disengages the robot arm based upon an application of force of the robot arm onto the end-effector. The clamp has a spring loaded clip that disengages the first end-effector to allow the robot arm to move away from the released first end-effector. The robot arm is configured to automatically move to a port of a docking station housing the desired second end-effector using magnetic coils on the robot arm and the docking station to guide the robot arm.