Abstract: A vacuum chamber for a gripper including at least one fastener plate and at least one pneumatic accessory fastened in a perforation in the fastener plate. The pneumatic accessory is held in the perforation by an elastically deformable tubular interface including an external groove in which the periphery of the perforation is received so as to provide sealing between the plate and the interface, the interface defining a channel extending between a first end of the interface extending inside the chamber and a second end extending outside the chamber, at least a portion of the pneumatic accessory being inserted in the channel of the interface.

Abstract: A method for lifting a tank car is provided. The method can include positioning a lifting apparatus above a tank car, pulling at least one of the first arm and the second arm outward to place the lifting apparatus in an open configuration, lowering the lifting apparatus in the open configuration to surround a tank of the tank car, connecting the second end of the first arm to a first tank car support, connecting the second and of the second arm to a second tank car support, and raising the lifting apparatus to lift the tank car.

Abstract: A valve for use within a vacuum cup of a vacuum gripping system is described. In one example, a vacuum cup includes a bellows and a valve assembly seated within an inner chamber of the bellows. The valve assembly includes a body disk seated within the inner chamber, a control disk seated toward a suction cup end of the bellows, a spring positioned between the body disk and the control disk, and a control stem extending through the central valve aperture of the body disk, through the spring, and secured to the control disk. When the control stem is seated within the central valve aperture, the valve assembly restricts fluid suction to within the inner chamber. When the valve control stem is unseated from the central valve aperture, the valve assembly conveys fluid suction to the suction cup end of the bellows.

Abstract: A vacuum system (10) and method (100) used for creating a dynamically controlled vacuum system (10) for lifting processes (Wc) are disclosed. The compressed air used for an ejector (3) is varied by calculating the required vacuum levels (V?) during the lifting process (Wc). This reduces the air consumption.

Abstract: This disclosure relates generally to a robotic gripper to hold a writing and object creation device for writing and object creation. The robotic gripper includes clamping unit, spring loaded slider unit and outer housing unit. The clamping unit include a finger collet with three or more flexible finger positions equispaced within 360 degrees with two areas of contact on each finger in front part for firm gripping. The spring loaded slider unit include a middle housing to transfer a force from the writing and object creation device to a force sensitive resistor (FSR). A micro actuator induces a required force to the writing and object creation device based on feedback from the force sensitive resistor. The middle housing includes a plunger shaft connected with a preload spring. The outer housing unit configured to hold a micro actuator, cotter pins, locator pins to the micro actuator, and a push pull key.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a robotic gripper comprising a body and two robotic fingers mounted to the body. Each robotic finger includes a first link, a second link, a third link, a fourth link, a first joint, a second joint and a third joint. The first joint connects the first link and the second link, and the second joint connects the second link and the third link, and the third joint connects the third link and the fourth link. These links and these joints are comprised of elastic material and are formed in one piece.

Abstract: A lateral gripper includes a gripper mount, and two gripper jaw modules assembled on the gripper mount. Each gripper jaw module includes a sliding block and a gripper jaw. The sliding block drives the gripper jaw to slide on the gripper mount. The gripper jaw is configured to grip a drill box by multi-point contact, so that the freedom of the drill box is restricted, and the drill box can be stably carried by the gripper jaw modules.

Abstract: There is provided a gripper, a gripping device, and an industrial robot that can more reliably grip a workpiece without using a granular material. The gripper includes integrally: a palm portion; a plurality of finger portions protruding from a periphery of the palm portion and configured to fall toward the palm portion by deforming the palm portion in a thickness direction; a connecting portion formed in a position surrounding an outer edge of the palm portion on a side opposite to a side formed with the finger portions, the connecting portion connected to a case; and a high-strength portion provided between the palm portion and the connecting portion, the high-strength portion having a predetermined length from the outer edge of the palm portion in the thickness direction of the palm portion, and the high-strength portion being less likely to be deformed than the palm portion.

Abstract: A grip apparatus is provided. The grip apparatus includes: a housing formed therein with an accommodation space opened downward to accommodate an object; an elastic membrane provided in the accommodation space and surrounding the object; a fastening member at least partially positioned between an inner periphery of the housing and the elastic membrane to fasten the elastic membrane; and a winder configured to pull the fastening member by winding the fastening member.

Abstract: A robot hand includes holding members radially receiving a tape reel between flat-plate-shape main bodies facing each other, and an actuator configured to open and close the holding members. The holding members are openable and closable between a reel hold position and a tape pull-out position, the reel hold position is a position at which a distance between inner surfaces of the main bodies is greater than a distance between outer surfaces of pair of side plates of the tape reel, the tape pull-out position is a position at which a distance between outer surface of the main bodies is smaller than a distance between inner surfaces of the pair of side plates. The holding members include rail portions and cut-outs provided in the rail portions.

Abstract: An end effector for a robotic arm. The end effector includes an angle compensator for attaching a suction cup, a vacuum control valve, a vacuum generator, a level compensator, and an extension tube which are sequentially connected along a central axis and in fluid communication, and a vacuum sensor connected to the vacuum control valve for measuring vacuum, a proximity sensor attached to the extension tube 121 for determining position of the level compensator. The vacuum is generated when compressed air passes the extension tube, the level compensator and the vacuum generator along the central axis. The level compensator provides compensation along the central axis.

Abstract: An end effector for engaging flexible packaging materials includes a frame, along with a first and second wheel mounted for rotation with respect to the frame. The first wheel and the second wheel are mounted to the frame relative to each other so that the outer surfaces of the two wheels are positioned opposite of each other. The first wheel and the second wheel can be driven in opposing directions to effectively define a roller intake which can be used to draw the flexible packaging materials of a target parcel between the first wheel and the second wheel. The end effector of the present invention can be combined with a robot to provide an improved system for engaging the flexible packaging materials of a parcel.

Abstract: The pet waste vacuum is a vacuum cleaner. The pet waste vacuum is configured for use in picking up the elimination of a companion animal from a surface. The pet waste vacuum incorporates a housing module, a vacuum module, a storage module, a collection module, and a control circuit. The housing contains the vacuum module, the storage module, a collection module, and the control circuit. The storage module is the structure that receives and contains the elimination. The vacuum module provides the motive forces necessary to: a) draw the elimination into the collection module; and, b) move the elimination through the collection module and into the storage module. The control circuit is an electric circuit that: a) controls the operation of the pet waste vacuum; and, b) provides the electrical energy necessary to operate the pet waste vacuum.

Abstract: An improved scooper apparatus is provided. The scooper having an article-engaging assembly including a pair of article-engaging implements configured to open and close via a handle member. The article-engaging implement has a generally concave interior surface creating a bucket-like configuration. An integral tubular member extends laterally from the article-engaging implement and terminates in and forms a raised lip at a perimeter edge of the tubular member. A bag-retaining member is disposed near the tubular member and is adapted for selectively engaging the perimeter of the open end of a flexible bag for collecting.

Abstract: A self-holding drilling system utilizes a vacuum gripping base and an air extraction pump to apply a holding force toward an object surface while maintaining surface-ward pressure on a drilling apparatus mounted therein. The pump extracts air from two discrete, but coupled volumes: a volume associated with the vacuum gripping base and a volume related to one or more piston tubes mounted transversely to the vacuum gripping element and movably coupled to the drilling apparatus. The surface area of the piston tubes is less than the surface area of the vacuum gripping base, which ensures the holding force is sufficient to prevent the drilling system from lifting from the object surface while also ensuring a driving force on the drilling apparatus is always less than the holding force. Thus, the operation of the drilling apparatus automatically drills into an object surface without requiring manual pressure on the drilling apparatus.

Abstract: A system includes thermally protective, narrow reverse-action tweezers with a self-aligning clamp for frictionless positioning with secure connection to a sample preparation system plunger for cryogenic transmission electron microscopy.

Abstract: Systems and methods of a robotic arm coupling for connecting a tool with a robotic arm are disclosed. In an embodiment, the robotic arm coupling includes: a mounting interface for mounting the robotic arm coupling on a robotic arm; a coupler interface on which differently actuated tools are releasably and interchangeably coupled; a fluid inlet port connected to an external fluid source to receive a pneumatic fluid; a plurality of interface fluid ports; at least one valve in fluid a communication with the fluid inlet port and settable to at least a first and a second operating state; and a suction device configured to apply a fluid suction pressure to an interface fluid port when a fluid pressure is provided to the suction device.

Abstract: An end effector for use in the packaging industry has compression wedges that bookend subgroups of carrier assemblies on the end effector. The compression wedges are attached to the frame of the end effector via wedge blocks, which may be fixed to the frame or slidingly engaged with the frame.

Abstract: The disclosed technology includes a device for collecting animal waste. The device can comprise a collection portion, an inner shaft, and a rotating blade assembly configured to rotate a blade to collect the waste into the collection portion. The inner shaft can be affixed to the collection portion such that the waste collector can remain upright without the assistance of the user. Furthermore, the collection portion can be configured to retain collected waste until the waste is emptied. The blade can be modified to collect different types of waste on various surfaces.

Abstract: A workpiece gripping device includes a gripping body part that includes a slit into which a plate-shaped part of a workpiece can be inserted; and a positioning mechanism that includes an engagement part that is structured to be engaged with the plate-shaped part of the workpiece in the slit of the gripping body part, in order to position the workpiece.