Abstract: An apparatus for braking a rotating member having an engaged state and a disengaged state is disclosed. Rotation of the rotating member is inhibited by the apparatus when the apparatus is in the engaged state. The braking apparatus includes a housing, an actuator, and a first brake structure. The first brake structure includes a brake pad having a contact surface. The brake structure is pivotally connected to the housing and further connected to the actuator. The actuator is operable to cause pivotal motion of the brake structure, thereby causing arcuate motion of the contact surface toward the rotating member. The frictional force between the rotating member and the contact surface and elastic deformation of one of the rotating member and the contact surface causes further arcuate motion of the contact surface toward the rotating member and places the apparatus in the engaged state.

Abstract: A removable robotic sensor assembly is removably coupled to a robotic arm having a work tool secured thereto. The removable robotic sensor assembly includes a sensor for obtaining data from a work piece. The removable robot sensor assembly further includes a gripper assembly coupled to the sensor. The gripper assembly operable to alternately couple to and decouple from at least one of the work tool and the robotic arm when said work tool is secured to the robotic arm. The gripper assembly and said sensor form a sensor assembly.

Abstract: An adaptive welding method and apparatus adjusts the amount of weld material deposited in a fillet weld based on gap width and gap orientation. The method includes the step of obtaining nominal area information identifying a nominal weld cross sectional area between a first plate and a second plate to be welded. The method further includes the step of obtaining gap width information identifying a width of a gap between the first plate and the second plate. The method still further includes the step of determining a supplemental area defining the cross sectional area in excess of the nominal weld cross sectional area, the determination based on the gap width information and a predetermined gap orientation. The method yet further includes the step of controlling one or more weld parameters based on the nominal area information and the determined supplemental area.

Abstract: A displacement sensor measures displacement or distance in a plurality of orthogonal directions. In one embodiment, the present invention comprises an apparatus for determining a distance to an object. The apparatus includes a sensor housing, an optical source, an optical detector, and a means for selectively redirecting incident and reflected light. In particular, the optical source is affixed to the sensor housing and generates an incident light beam. The optical detector is also affixed to the sensor housing and detects a reflected light beam, said reflected light beam comprising a portion of the incident light beam reflected off of an object to be measured. The optical detector is further operable to generate an information signal containing information pertaining to one or more characteristics of the reflected light beam.