A link actuation device includes: a parallel link mechanism including a proximal-side link hub, a distal-side link hub, and three or more link mechanisms coupling the distal-side link hub to the proximal-side link hub such that a posture of the distal-side link hub can be changed with respect to the proximal-side link hub; actuators for changing the posture; and a teaching unit including a conversion unit configured to calculate coordinates (Wt (=Xt, Yt, Zt)) of a distal-side link center of the distal-side link hub, which are expressed in orthogonal coordinates, from rotation angles (βn; n=1, 2, . . . ) of the end link members. A normal vector is applied to equations of a plane and of a sphere, and the equations are rearranged and used in the conversion unit.

A link actuation apparatus that actuates a parallel link mechanism where a spherical drive mechanism is constructed includes a controller configured to calculate, based on spherical trigonometry, an attitude of a second link hub from angles β.sub.A1 and β.sub.A2 that represent the attitude of a first end link member with respect to a first link hub in two of at least three link mechanisms. The link actuation apparatus capable of performing forward transformation in real time is thus provided.

A motor drive circuit for a robot includes a switching unit switching among a normal state in which regenerative power is supplied to a regenerative capacitor, a first state in which a voltage is applied to a first resistor, and a second state in which a voltage is applied to the first resistor and a second resistor based on a detection result of a detection unit, wherein the switching unit switches to the first state when the voltage applied to the regenerative capacitor detected in the detection unit is equal to or larger than a first threshold in the normal state, and switches to the second state when the voltage applied to the first resistor is equal to or larger than a second threshold larger than the first threshold in the first state.

A motor drive circuit for a robot includes a switching unit switching among a normal state in which regenerative power is supplied to a regenerative capacitor, a first state in which a voltage is applied to a first resistor, and a second state in which a voltage is applied to the first resistor and a second resistor based on a detection result of a detection unit, wherein the switching unit switches to the first state when the voltage applied to the regenerative capacitor detected in the detection unit is equal to or larger than a first threshold in the normal state, and switches to the second state when the voltage applied to the first resistor is equal to or larger than a second threshold larger than the first threshold in the first state.

Articulation having three degrees of freedom for a robot, comprising a platform (2), three motors (3a,3b,3c) each connected to a ring gear (4,4a,4b,4c) via a pinion (5a,5b,5c), each ring gear (4,4a,4b,4c) being arranged inside a hollow disk (6a,6b,6c) stacked on the base, such that each disk (6,6a,6b,6c) is as one with a ring gear (4,4a,4b,4c), each disk (6,6a,6b,6c) is moreover itself as one with a disk head (7,7a,7b,7c) extending in the same direction as the stack of the base and of the disks (6,6a,6b,6c), for each disk head (7,7a,7b,7c), an arm (8,8a,8b,8c) is connected in rotation on one hand to the disk head (7,7a,7b,7c) and on the other hand to the platform (2), each motor (3a,3b,3c) being at least partially contained inside at least one disk (6,6a,6b,6c).

A method for controlling a servomotor with a converter includes monitoring a circuit of a direct-voltage DC link that is connected to an input circuit for flow of an electric current; switching off a first switching device to end the supply of the direct-voltage DC link from an electrical grid if a stop signal occurs; braking the servomotor by control of power semiconductor switches of an inverter circuit in a regenerative braking operation, to reduce the rotation speed of the servomotor, if the monitoring detects that an electric current is not flowing after the first switching device has been switched off; and switching off a second switching device to prevent feeding electrical energy from the direct-voltage DC link into the servomotor if the monitoring detects a flow of electric current after the first switching device has been switched off.

An arm module includes a housing with a first connection side controllably rotatable relative to a second connection side, about an axis of rotation. The first connection side has a rotatable first connection device. The second connection side has a second connection device fixed to the housing, with a rotation-compatible data transmission device for transmitting data signals along at least one transmission path between the first and second connection sides. The transmission path includes at least one wireless transmission sub-path for wireless transmission of data signals, and at least one wire-guided transmission sub-path for wire-guided transmission of data signals. The rotation-compatible data transmission device includes at least one first wireless transmission unit and at least one second wireless transmission unit, interconnected via the transmission path and arranged to wirelessly transmit and receive data signals along the wireless transmission sub-path. An industrial robot can have a plurality of such arm modules.

A waste sorting robot comprises: a frame and a manipulator moveably mounted to the frame and comprising a gripper for interacting with one or more waste objects to be sorted within a working area. The waste sorting robot comprises a conveyor for moving the one or more waste objects towards the working area. At least a portion of the manipulator is rotatable with respect to the frame such that the gripper is moveable lengthways along the conveyor within the working area.

Provided is a parallel mechanism consisting of: a first module including a first plate having a first hollow formed therein; a second module disposed to be spaced apart from the first module, and including a second plate having a second hollow formed therein; and a power transmission unit provided in a space between the first and second modules, and including a third plate connecting the first and second modules in parallel, wherein the first and second modules form a symmetrical structure on the basis of the power transmission unit, a first range of motion in the first module is amplified, by means of the symmetrical structure, to a second range of motion that is wider than the first range of motion in the second module, a working space is formed in a space communicating with the first and second hollows, and the third plate is provided outside the working space.

A parallel link mechanism includes a proximal end member and three or more link mechanisms. Three or more link mechanisms connect the proximal end member to a distal end member. In three or more link mechanisms, a first center axis of a first revolute pair unit and a second center axis of a second revolute pair unit intersect at a spherical link center point. Fifth center axes of respective fifth revolute pair units of three or more link mechanisms overlap each other and intersect with the spherical link center point.