Abstract: An articulated direct drive robotic manipulator providing rotation of first and second arms about first and second parallel axes including first and second motors for driving the rotation of the first and second arms. A pedestal is mounted on a base, the first motor is directly coupled to a rotatable column in the pedestal for providing a first robot arm with a first degree of freedom, a second motor is coupled to a rotatable column coaxial to the first column for providing the manipulator with a second degree of freedom by rotation of the second arm. The distal end of the second arm includes support for an end effector for movement about a third axis which is a vertical axis and a fourth axis which is a rotational axis and support for a quill. Also included is a modular device adapted to be coupled to the end of the quill which can move within horizontal planes passing through the third axis to provide a fifth degree of freedom.

Abstract: An end effector comprises a force sensor cooperating with an output flange at the wrist of a robot arm. The force sensor includes a cylinder mounted in the robot arm having a piston whose outer end is attached to the output flange of the arm at its outer end; its inner end comprising one side of a pressure chamber pressurized to a known level. The piston is mounted on bushings for sliding linear movement within the sleeve of the piston along the axis of vertical movement of the arm, but levers or other mechanisms may be used to provide the required motion. The pressure in the chamber is calibrated to a known level of a pressure which is to be applied to the part being worked by the end effector. The piston carries a position encoder; when the pressure within the pressure chamber is exceeded, movement of the position encoder is detected and signaled to a position controlling computer.

Abstract: A direct drive robot which includes a pedestal having two motors which rotate around a common axis to directly drive rotation of first and of second linking arms which are rotating in a plane perpendicular to this pedestal. The first, inner link is preferably driven through a column directly driven by a first motor rotor, the column supporting the inner end of the link. The second, outer link is driven by the second coaxial direct drive motor through a simple, highly-tensioned belt and pulley arrangement. As a result of this direct drive arrangement, movement is provided about two separate parallel axes by two arms arranged perpendicular to the first axis which mounts the two major driving motors of the robot. These two arms are linked together between this major pedestal and the end effector of the robot, centralizing the driving motors at the main stabilizing pedestal, while providing rapid rotational movement around each of the two axes.