Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An interchangeable tool including a finger of a shape suitable for various components is mechanically detachably mounted to a robot arm. This eliminates the need for seeking the origin of the actuator for each interchange. By interchanging fingers themselves, the entire end effector can be reduced in size and weight.

Abstract: A tool stocker for holding a tool is equipped with a stocker-inclining member that inclines the tool stocker and also equipped with a mechanism that adjusts an attaching/detaching position at which an interchangeable tool is attached to and detached from a robot arm. The attaching/detaching position can be adjusted by using the tool stocker so as to fit moving paths of the robot arm appropriately.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A tool stocker for holding a tool is equipped with a stocker-inclining member that inclines the tool stocker and also equipped with a mechanism that adjusts an attaching/detaching position at which an interchangeable tool is attached to and detached from a robot arm. The attaching/detaching position can be adjusted by using the tool stocker so as to fit moving paths of the robot arm appropriately.

Abstract: An interchangeable tool including a finger of a shape suitable for various components is mechanically detachably mounted to a robot arm. This eliminates the need for seeking the origin of the actuator for each interchange. By interchanging fingers themselves, the entire end effector can be reduced in size and weight.

Abstract: To realize a force control robot including a force sensor having a high sensitivity and a high rigidity, an end effector (1) including finger modules (100) for gripping a part is coupled to a robotic arm (3) through the intermediation of a force sensor (2), and the force sensor (2) detects an external force applied to the finger modules (100) based on displacement of the end effector (1) that occurs with a rotation center (C) on a longitudinal axis (Z) of the robotic arm (3) as a fulcrum, to thereby correct an operation of the robotic arm (3). An end effector housing (109) supports motors (105) for driving the finger modules (100) at a position on the robotic arm side with respect to the rotation center (C) of the force sensor (2). Accordingly, the rigidity of the sensor can be increased.

Abstract: A gripping apparatus includes a palm and a plurality of fingers having joints to grip a tool with the palm and the plurality of fingers. A palm side contact surface is provided on the palm and brought into contact with a tool side contact surface of the tool, and holes are provided in the palm side contact surface into which projections provided on the tool side contact surface of the tool can be inserted. Engagement of the projections in the holes determines a position of the tool in a tangential direction of the palm side contact surface and a position of the tool in a rotational direction around a normal line of the palm side contact surface which is a rotary shaft center.

Abstract: To realize a force control robot including a force sensor having a high sensitivity and a high rigidity, an end effector (1) including finger modules (100) for gripping a part is coupled to a robotic arm (3) through the intermediation of a force sensor (2), and the force sensor (2) detects an external force applied to the finger modules (100) based on displacement of the end effector (1) that occurs with a rotation center (C) on a longitudinal axis (Z) of the robotic arm (3) as a fulcrum, to thereby correct an operation of the robotic arm (3). An end effector housing (109) supports motors (105) for driving the finger modules (100) at a position on the robotic arm side with respect to the rotation center (C) of the force sensor (2). Accordingly, the rigidity of the sensor can be increased.

Abstract: In a conventional technology, it has been difficult to precisely position a gripping object when gripping the gripping object. Therefore, in the present invention, a multifingered hand includes a palm and a plurality of fingers having joints, to grip a tool with the palm and the plurality of fingers. The palm has a palm side contact surface brought into contact with a gripping object side contact surface of the tool. The palm side contact surface is provided with holes into which projections provided on the gripping object side contact surface are inserted. Moreover, when the projections are inserted into the holes, the tool is positioned in a tangential direction of the palm side contact surface, and the tool is also positioned in a rotational direction around a normal line of the palm side contact surface which is a rotary shaft center.

Abstract: A detecting device for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet contained in a sheet containing portion includes a rotatable arm portion brought into contact with the sheet contained in the sheet containing portion, a stopper portion rotatable in association with the arm portion for determining the position of the arm portion when there is no sheet in the sheet containing portion and whose rotation is regulated when there is no sheet in the sheet containing portion. And when the sheet in a conveying path is to be pulled out, the arm portion is retreated from a position determined by the stopper portion due to the pressure of the sheet being pulled out.

Abstract: A detecting device for detecting the presence or absence of a sheet contained in a sheet containing portion includes a rotatable arm portion brought into contact with the sheet contained in the sheet containing portion, a stopper portion rotatable in association with the arm portion for determining the position of the arm portion when there is no sheet in the sheet containing portion and whose rotation is regulated when there is no sheet in the sheet containing portion. And when the sheet in a conveying path is to be pulled out, the arm portion is retreated from a position determined by the stopper portion due to the pressure of the sheet being pulled out.

Abstract: A process cartridge includes a frame body, a substrate having a memory element, and a cartridge electrical contact and a cartridge pushing portion provided on the frame body. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus on which the process cartridge is loaded includes a main body electrical connector and main body electrical contacts. The cartridge pushing portion moves the main body electrical connector so that the process cartridge moves in a direction to be electrically connected with the cartridge electrical contact when the process cartridge is loaded on the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge pushing portion operates so as to give a pushing force for pushing the main body electrical contact in a direction to be electrically connected with the cartridge electrical contact. In this way, the main body electrical contact and the cartridge electrical contact can be stably reliably brought into contact.

Abstract: A fixed member 11 is provided with an input terminal 2 to be connected with a battery 100 and an output terminal 9 to be connected with an electric load 101. A movable member 12 is provided with the first current pass 4 that has connecting terminals 1 and 8 to be connected with the terminal members 2 and 9 respectively in a state where the movable member 12 is attached to the fixed member 11. The fixed member 11 is provided with the second current pass 15 for connecting the terminals 2 and 9 separately from the first current pass 4, and terminal protecting contacts 30 and 31 included in the second current pass 15.

Abstract: A process cartridge comprises a frame body, a substrate having a memory element and a cartridge electrical contact electrically connected and a cartridge pushing portion provided on the frame body. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus on which the process cartridge is loaded comprises main body electrical connecting means and main body electrical contacts. The cartridge pushing portion moves the main body electrical connecting means so that the process cartridge moves in a direction to be electrically connected with the cartridge electrical contact when the process cartridge is loaded on the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The cartridge pushing portion operates so as to give a pushing force for pushing the main body electrical contact in a direction to be electrically connected with the cartridge electrical contact. In this way, the main body electrical contact and the cartridge electrical contact can be stably reliably brought into contact.

Abstract: A code multiplexing/reading apparatus includes a first register. Two codes that reside in a predetermined relationship are outputted from the first register, which are superimposed on a video signal to be recorded by operation of switches. Consequently, a video recording device records a code-multiplexed video signal on a recording medium. When the code-multiplexed video signal is reproduced from the medium by a video reproducing device, two codes taken out of the reproduced video signal are compared with each other by a comparator. When the two codes are “1001101” and “0110010”, the inversion of the former code agrees with the latter code. Therefore, the former code is outputted as a predetermined code from a second register.

Abstract: Disclosed is a connector having a terminal which is rendered into an electrically connectable state with a counterpart terminal by engaging with the counterpart terminal; a housing for accommodating the terminal therein; and an arc suppressive member which is provided at such a position as to be electrically connectable to the terminal and rendered into contact with the counterpart terminal when the terminal is being disengaged from the counterpart terminal so as to keep on electrically connecting the terminal and the counterpart terminal. The arc suppressive member has such a construction that an amount of discharged arc when the arc suppressive member is detached from the counterpart terminal is smaller than an amount of discharged arc when the terminal is disengaged from the counterpart terminal. With this arrangement, arc discharge at the disengagement of the terminals is suppressed.

Abstract: A fixed member 11 is provided with an input terminal 2 to be connected with a battery 100 and an output terminal 9 to be connected with an electric load 101. A movable member 12 is provided with the first current pass 4 that has connecting terminals 1 and 8 to be connected with the terminal members 2 and 9 respectively in a state where the movable member 12 is attached to the fixed member 11. The fixed member 11 is provided with the second current pass 15 for connecting the terminals 2 and 9 separately from the first current pass 4, and terminal protecting contacts 30 and 31 included in the second current pass 15.

Abstract: Disclosed is a connector having a terminal which is rendered into an electrically connectable state with a counterpart terminal by engaging with the counterpart terminal; a housing for accommodating the terminal therein; and an arc suppressive member which is provided at such a position as to be electrically connectable to the terminal and rendered into contact with the counterpart terminal when the terminal is being disengaged from the counterpart terminal so as to keep on electrically connecting the terminal and the counterpart terminal. The arc suppressive member has such a construction that an amount of discharged arc when the arc suppressive member is detached from the counterpart terminal is smaller than an amount of discharged arc when the terminal is disengaged from the counterpart terminal. With this arrangement, arc discharge at the disengagement of the terminals is suppressed.

Abstract: A circuit breaker includes, a cylindrical portion having a gunpowder and a exploding unit for exploding the gunpowder by application of electric power to the gunpowder, the cylindrical portion being provided with an opening at at least one end; a base material securing the cylindrical portion, at least the surface of which is made of insulating material; a conductor fixed to the base material and having a break portion located at a position opposite to the opening of the cylindrical portion, the break portion being broken by explosive force of the gunpowder; a first metallic cover portion covering the cylindrical portion and the break portion; and a second metallic cover portion covering the base material from an opposite side to the cylindrical portion, wherein the first and second cover portions are fixed to the base material by directly connecting the first and second cover portions each other.