Abstract: A compact, simple design of a device for guiding a hose, in which the device has a channel with a lateral, longitudinal opening.

Abstract: A robot control system is provided for facilitating coordination amongst various robotic machines. The robot control system includes a plurality of robot controllers, such that each robot controller having an associated motion system adapted to control at least one robotic machine and the associated motion system is adapted to receive motion control commands from more than one robot control program. The robot control system further includes a remote instruction source that supplies motion control commands to the robot controllers, and a mutual exclusion mechanism residing on either the remote program instruction source or one of the robot controllers, where the mutual exclusion mechanism prevents simultaneous access by more than one robot control program to a given robotic machine. In operation, motion control commands are propagated from the remote program instruction source over a computer network to a selected group of the robot controllers.

Abstract: A system for controlling a plurality of robots and a method for controlling said system. Said system comprises a plurality of controllers, each having an associated motion system adapted to control attached robots, with each motion controller being able to receive motion instructions from at least one motion instruction source and at least one of said motion instruction sources being a control program, as well as a computer network over which said controllers communicate. In this way, the invention can be applied to solve problems which are commonly encountered in coordination activities such as load sharing, mating of parts while processing, fixtureless transfer, teaching, manual motion of coordinated operations, and time coordinated motion.

Abstract: Accompanied by the optimization of the possibilities of use of a robot, particularly with regards to low cycle times and high loads, damage to the robot through exceeding the energy absorbable by the structure is still prevented when robot parts strike against the mechanical structure as a result of faults or errors, according to the invention in a method for controlling the movement of a robot, the kinetic energy of moving robot members (Gi gi+1, . . . , gn) about an axis (Ai) is limited to the energy absorbable in damage-free manner by a mechanical buffer associated with the corresponding axis (Ai).

Abstract: An amusement ride includes an output member having an anthropomorphic robot arm adapted for six degrees of movement. The ride further includes a passenger station in moveable engagement with said output member, a platform, and optionally a ticket reader.

Abstract: A wearing ring, particularly for protecting a cable guide hose on a robot, with an inner ring and an outer ring having in each case two half-shells is characterized in that the half-shells of at least one of the rings can be locked together.

Abstract: In order to reduce the risk of damage on external objects, material articles or persons during the operation of a robot, particularly a miniature robot, the invention provides a method for limiting the force action of a robot part, such as a robot arm, on such an external object during a collision in such a way that as a result of a maximum permitted force, maximum force Fmax, acting on the object in the case of a collision, a corresponding, maximum permitted kinetic energy, maximum energy Ekin,max of the robot part is determined, continuously and at adequately short time intervals the actual kinetic energy, actual energy Ekin, of the robot part is determined and on exceeding the maximum permitted energy Ekin,max, the actual operating speed V of the robot is reduced.

Abstract: On joining a fibre-reinforced plastic part, such as a plastic fibre-reinforced robot arm, to a functional element such as a gear, as a result of the flow characteristics of the plastic in the case of a high pressing action or high pressures, the joints are no longer stable or resistant and instead tend to loosen. To obviate this problem, the invention provides a fibre-reinforced plastic part, in which several metallic parts (6) engage through at least one fibre-reinforced shoulder (4). On one side of the shoulder or shoulders (4) is provided at least one metallic abutment (8) engaging over several metallic parts (6) and a functional element (2) is braced from the opposite side of the shoulder or shoulders (4) with the abutment (8) against the front ends (6a), facing the latter, of metallic parts (6).

Abstract: A robot has a robot structure, preferably a plurality of interconnected arms. The robot also has drives for driving the arms, and a plurality of electronic drive units for operating and controlling the drives. The electronic drive units generate heat when in operation and are distributed on the robot structure at spaced locations from each other. A thermal insulation is arranged between the robot structure and the drive electronics. A cooling device is arranged on the drive electronics and is spaced from the robot structure.

Abstract: For monitoring the state of a motor brake, the invention provides a method by means of which in a measuring sequence in speed-regulated operation, the brake is applied for a short time and over this time a motor current is measured and the brake torque determined on the basis of the thus obtained measuring data.

Abstract: A robot with at least partly externally located cables, particularly robot tool supply cables having a length reserve in the area of the A3 axis of the robot is characterized by a base part located on the robot and having elements for guiding the supply cables and with a leg pivotable against the latter on which is located at least one of the elements for supply cable guidance.

Abstract: A method of avoiding collisions between a robot and at least one other object such as another robot is provided in which the user does not need to make any provisions in a robot program for avoiding collisions and defining common work-areas. Furthermore, the method allows for automatic configuration of the workcell from a collision avoidance standpoint. It determines automatically which components have potential collisions with which other components. Since the inventive method is based on predicting the configurations of the moving components over a period of time sufficient enough to allow the machines to stop safely and checks for interference, a priori knowledge of trajectories is not required. If a collision is predicted the machines are commanded to a stop on or off their paths. In this way the inventive collision avoidance method can also be used as a safeguard with other explicit methods.

Abstract: A protective hose, particularly cable guidance hose, for a robot having at least partly externally positioned cables, particularly supply cables for robot tools is characterized by a flexible hose end piece terminally positionable on the protective hose and whose wall thickness at least zonally differs over its length, its wall thickness having a minimum value in the central area.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for fixing a cable guidance hose to a device, such as in particular a robot. In order to ensure an optimum, damage-free fixing of a cable guidance hose and in particular the cables guided therein, the cable guidance hose (19) is held in axially fixed manner and at least one holding part (8, 21) connected thereto is held in axially fixed, non-rotary manner on the device (R).

Abstract: For optimizing data processing in a safety system for a machine, such as a robot or the like, while permitting a simple, safety-uncritical diagnosis, the invention provides a process for processing safety-relevant data in a safety system for a machine, such as a robot or the like, with several nodes connected in a ring and which is characterized in that in parallel in each node are processed the data received by it, which are retransmitted to the next node and for diagnosis purposes a diagnostic unit is provided which passively receives the data present in at least one node.

Abstract: A device for compensating the weight of a robot arm of a robot with a spring cylinder and having at least one helical spring is characterized in that there is at least one mechanism for the insertion and removal of at least one further, replaceable helical spring and preferably a pretension of at least the replaceable helical spring is adjustable. The device according to the invention makes it possible to modify the spring constant of the spring cylinder in order to individually adjust the compensating force desired for compensating the weight of the robot.

Abstract: An apparatus system is provided with at least one robot and with a control unit accommodated in a control cabinet. To improve the integration of robot and technology control units and to utilize synergistic effects, at least one additional, independent electronic system different from the control unit for the robot is provided accommodated in the control cabinet.

Abstract: In a robot area monitoring device, in which at least one area of a rotary movement about at least one robot axis is monitored, initiators cooperating with part annular cams arranged coaxially to the axis to be monitored are provided, the initiators being connected to an evaluating device.

Abstract: A method and a device for controlling a robot on the basis of data from sensors with their own sensor data structures. For solving the problem of adapting to different sensors and their data structures and consequently permitting in simple manner the use of different sensors without intervening in the actual robot control program, according to the system the sensor data are processed to robot control data with a control data structure usable by a system control program and a processing device suitable for the same is provided.

Abstract: A mechanism controller for controlling power to motors of a mechanism having several motors, such as a robot. Each motor has a resolver for indicating the motor position. A driver unit is associated with each motor to supply power to the motor. Each driver unit includes a monitoring unit to monitor indications from the resolver of the associated motor. In one embodiment a control unit is connected to the driver units in a series circuit to control power to the motors and to receive the monitored indications from the monitoring units. In a second embodiment, the control unit is connected to the driver units in a ring circuit, rather than in a series circuit. Preferably, each driver unit also includes a memory device, and the control unit can send commands to the driver units and receive data from the driver units in sets equal in number to the number of driver units so that the commands and data do not need to include the addresses of the specific driver units.