Abstract: A clamping unit includes a clamping mechanism that takes a clamping state when a pressure in a pressure-acting chamber defined in a case is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value, and takes an unclamping state when the pressure in the pressure-acting chamber is larger than the predetermined threshold value. The case of the clamping unit has a first outer side surface and a second outer side surface that are provided with a first opening portion and a second opening portion, respectively, which are in communication with each other through a supply and discharge port via the pressure-acting chamber.

Abstract: An actuator whose total length can be reduced is provided. An actuator (2) includes: a casing (7); a hollow shaft (8) rotatably supported by the casing (7) via a bearing (9a, 9b), the hollow shaft (8) including a bottom portion (8b); a screw shaft (14) coupled to the bottom portion (8b) of the hollow shaft (8), the screw shaft (14) sharing a common center line with the hollow shaft (8); and a nut (15) threadedly connected to the screw shaft (14). The nut (15) is capable of moving in an axial direction of the screw shaft (14) to enter between the hollow shaft (8) and the screw shaft (14).

Abstract: This hollow shaft member 10 includes paired diameter-reduced sections 11 respectively formed at both shaft ends of a hollow shaft-like tubular material by performing swaging processing on both the shaft ends, and an intermediate section 12 located between the paired diameter-reduced sections, and having an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the paired diameter-reduced sections. Shapes of connection boundaries between the intermediate section 12 and the diameter-reduced sections 11 are formed as perpendicular step-shaped sections 13 stepped substantially perpendicular to an axial direction, and the perpendicular step-shaped sections 13 are formed by the swaging processing.

Abstract: To provide a sensor that can be downsized in order to ensure a stroke of a moving member when the sensor is mounted on a track member, and a movement guide device including the sensor. A sensor that is attached to a movement guide device having a track member extending in a longitudinal direction and a moving member attached to the track member in such a manner that the moving member is movable in the longitudinal direction includes: a housing that houses a sensor substrate; a shielded cable connected to the sensor substrate; and a cable bushing that holds and secures the shielded cable to the housing. The cable bushing has a conduction hole that allows the housing and the shielded cable to be electrically connected to each other, and the housing has a conduction part that can be inserted into the conduction hole.

Abstract: A hand mechanism (2) comprises a plurality of finger units. Each of the plurality finger units is equipped with a first finger link unit (211) including a fingertip, a first joint unit (22) provided at an end portion on a finger base side of the first finger link unit (211), a second finger link unit (212) connected to the first finger link unit (211) via the first joint unit (22), and a second joint unit (23) provided at an end portion on a finger base side of the second finger link unit (212). A suction mechanism (600) is provided on at least one predetermined finger unit of the plurality of finger units (21). The suction mechanism (600) is provided on a dorsal surface (216) of the first finger link unit (211) in a predetermined finger, and suctions and retains a target object by generating negative pressure.

Abstract: A rolling guide device includes a track member, a moving member, and a plurality of rolling bodies. Rolling-body rolling surfaces that come into contact with an rolling-body outer circumferential surface of a rolling body are respectively formed in wall surfaces of a pair of wall portions included in the track member facing each other, a scraper including a pressing portion that presses the rolling-body rolling surfaces is turnably installed in the moving member, the scraper includes at least an attachment portion and a pressing portion, and is formed such that a frictional force of the pressing portion with respect to the rolling-body rolling surfaces is smaller than a frictional force of the attachment portion with respect to an attachment shaft formed in the moving member.

Abstract: This autonomous moving robot is an autonomous moving robot for reading a sign disposed along a movement path using an imaging unit mounted therein and being guided and moving in accordance with the sign. The autonomous moving robot includes a calculation unit having a limited-range search mode. In the limited-range search mode, a first scanning range is set in a part of a captured image captured by the imaging unit on the basis of a registration position of the sign and the sign is searched for in the first scanning range.

Abstract: An actuator system that picks up workpieces aims to shorten tact time and to reduce damages to workpieces. The actuator system includes an actuator that picks up a workpiece, an external force detection sensor that detects a physical quantity that is correlated with an external force that is applied to the workpiece, a head unit that is connected to the actuator and the external force detection sensor without a communication network, the head unit being configured to control the actuator based on a sensing result from the external force detection sensor when a pickup request signal that is a signal requesting pickup of the workpiece is received, and a control device that is connected to the head unit over the communication network, the control device being configured to transmit the pickup request signal to the head unit.

Abstract: A motion guiding device includes a supporting body and a moving body. The moving body includes a moving body main body, a cover body and a circulation component. The cover body includes a first lubrication groove. The motion guiding device is further provided with a lubrication path component, the lubrication path component including a second lubrication groove having a cross-sectional area less than that of the first lubrication groove. When a lubricating oil is used as the lubricant, the lubricant is supplied by a lubricating oil lubrication path formed by the first lubrication groove and the second lubrication groove. In this way, in the motion guiding device, the lubrication path may be widened when the lubricating grease is used to lubricate, while the lubrication path may be narrowed when the lubricating oil is used to lubricate, so that a good lubrication may be easily achieved.

Abstract: A screw device is provided which applies preload with a single nut and can easily detect preload. The screw device of includes: a screw shaft having an outer helical groove; a nut fitted on the screw shaft, the nut having an inner helical groove, and a return path to which a passage formed between the outer groove and the inner groove is connected; a plurality of rolling elements placed between the passage and the return path; and a strain sensor attached to an outer surface of the nut. At least one hole is provided between an attachment surface, to which the strain sensor is attached, of the nut and/or a vicinity thereof and an inner surface of the nut.

Abstract: Provided is an actuator in which a load applied to a shaft and a workpiece is controlled. The actuator includes a support part that rotatably supports the shaft, a linear motion motor that moves the shaft in a direction of a central axis, a connecting member that is at least a part of a member connecting a mover of the linear motion motor and the support part, a strain gauge that detects strain of the connecting member, and a control device that controls the linear motion motor, based on the strain detected by the strain gauge.

Abstract: A clamper mechanism for a motion guide device includes a clamper block having tapered faces, clamper rolling elements arranged between the tapered faces and both left and right side faces of a track member, and a clamper rolling element holder attached to the clamper block with an interposition of an elastic member. When an elastic force exerted by the elastic member acts in a direction in which the clamper block and the clamper rolling element holder are separated from each other, the clamper rolling elements bite the tapered faces to bring the clamper block into a state restrained to the track member. When an external force against the elastic force exerted by the elastic member acts, the clamper rolling elements are brought into a free state within the tapered faces to bring the clamper block into a state not restrained to the track member to exert a stable clamping force.

Abstract: A mobile robot includes: a drive unit that changes a moving speed and a travel direction; a detection unit that detects a plurality of detection target objects 11; and a control unit 27 that acquires a distance Z and a direction ? to the detection target object unit, calculates a travel direction in which the distance and the direction to the detection target object satisfy a predetermined relationship, and drives and controls the drive unit on the basis of the calculated travel direction. The control unit calculates a distance x in a direction orthogonal to the movement route between the detection target object and a current position of the mobile robot and the direction to the detection target object, calculates a difference ?x between the distance x and a certain distance Xref, and executes drive control for the drive unit to cause the difference ?x to be 0 (zero).

Abstract: A motion guide apparatus which can prevent the motion guide apparatus from rattling when being used in an environment Where an excessive moment works thereon. A crowning is formed at an end of a loaded rolling element rolling surface of a movable member, and a chamfer is formed at an end of the crowning. Let a total length of the crowning and the chamfer in a length direction of the loaded rolling element rolling surface be L. Let the diameter of a ball be Da. L/Da>4 is set. A maximum depth D of the chamfer is set to equal to or greater than the elastic deformation amount of a rolling element rolling surface of a track member, the loaded rolling element rolling surface of the movable member, and the rolling element under a radial load equal to or greater than 60% of the basic dynamic load rating.

Abstract: A flying robot executing predetermined work, the flying robot comprising: a body unit; and a propulsion portion comprising a plurality of propulsion units configured to cause propulsion to occur by driving rotor blades, the plurality of propulsion units being provided on the body unit; the flying robot further comprising: a contact support unit configured to contact a predetermined contact surface to be capable of supporting at least a part of the body unit; a sensor configured to detect an inclination of the body unit; and a control unit configured to, when the contact support unit contacts the predetermined contact surface, and the predetermined work is being performed, execute posture control to drive at least one of the plurality of propulsion units based on the inclination of the body unit detected by the sensor so that the inclination of the body unit is kept within a predetermined angle range.

Abstract: A preload detectable screw device is provided which can detect preload with accuracy and can reduce the influence of generated heat on the output of a sensor. A screw device (1) includes a screw shaft (2), a nut member (3), a plurality of rolling elements (7, 8), at least one axial strain sensor (24) (B, D) that is attached to a surface of the nut member (3) and detects strain in an axial direction on the nut member (3), and at least one circumferential strain sensor (24) (A, C) that is attached to the surface of the nut member (3) and detects strain in a circumferential direction on the nut member (3). Preload of the screw device (1) is detected on the basis of outputs of the axial strain sensor (24) (B, D) and the circumferential strain sensor (24) (A, C).

Abstract: A mobile robot includes: a drive unit that changes a moving speed and a travel direction; a detection unit that detects a plurality of detection target objects 11; and a control unit 27 that acquires a distance Z and a direction ? to the detection target object unit, calculates a travel direction in which the distance and the direction to the detection target object satisfy a predetermined relationship, and drives and controls the drive unit on the basis of the calculated travel direction. The control unit calculates a distance x in a direction orthogonal to the movement route between the detection target object and a current position of the mobile robot and the direction to the detection target object, calculates a difference ?x between the distance x and a certain distance Xref, and executes drive control for the drive unit to cause the difference ?x to be 0 (zero).

Abstract: A flying robot includes a body portion, a propulsion portion including a plurality of propulsion units configured to generate propulsion force by driving rotor blades, the plurality of propulsion units being provided at the body portion, a plurality of leg portions configured to support the body portion, each leg portion of the plurality of leg portions including at least one joint and being configured to be able to change a posture of the leg portion, and a controller configured to control the plurality of leg portions when landing on a landing surface from a flying state, and the controller controls part or all of at least one leg portion among the plurality of leg portions to adjust a tilt of the body portion from when the at least one leg portion comes into contact with the landing surface until when landing on the landing surface is completed.

Abstract: A motion guide apparatus which prevents a retainer from falling-off. A motion guide apparatus includes a track member having a rolling element rolling portion; a movable member having a loaded rolling element rolling portion facing the rolling element rolling portion of the track member; a return path; and a turn-around path connected to a loaded path and the return path; a plurality of rolling elements placed in the loaded path, the return path, and the turn-around path; and a retainer configured to hold at least one of the plurality of rolling elements. Grooves into which an end of the retainer in a width direction thereof enters are formed in the loaded path, the return path, and the turn-around path. A width of the grooves in at least a part of the turn-around path and/or in the return path is greater than a width of the groove in the loaded path.