Abstract: A robotic arm has a pair of gripper fingers designed to grip a variety of containers, including capped and uncapped test tubes as well as containers having unique gripping means. The fingers each have upper and lower projections separated by a groove, the respective projections facing each other when mounted to grippers on the robotic arm. The projections and groove serve to firmly hold the containers as well as self-align the unique gripping means on initially unaligned containers within the fingers as the fingers close around the containers. The fingers have clearance to avoid contact with caps on capped test tubes. Stops are provided at the top of each finger to engage one another and prevent fully closed fingers from deforming. The robotic arm may be transported along a rail mounted above the instrument and a gripper assembly, having a gripper arm, mounted to the robotic arm may be rotated above the instrument to move the container to various locations within the instrument.

Abstract: A robotic arm has a pair of gripper fingers designed to grip a variety of containers, including capped and uncapped test tubes as well as containers having unique gripping means. The fingers each have upper and lower projections separated by a groove, the respective projections facing each other when mounted to grippers on the robotic arm. The projections and groove serve to firmly hold the containers as well as self-align the unique gripping means on initially unaligned containers within the fingers as the fingers close around the containers. The fingers have clearance to avoid contact with caps on capped test tubes. Stops are provided at the top of each finger to engage one another and prevent fully closed fingers from deforming. The robotic arm may be transported along a rail mounted above the instrument and a gripper assembly, having a gripper arm, mounted to the robotic arm may be rotated above the instrument to move the container to various locations within the instrument.

Abstract: A robotic arm has a pair of gripper fingers designed to grip a variety of containers, including capped and uncapped test tubes as well as containers having unique gripping means. The fingers each have upper and lower projections separated by a groove, the respective projections facing each other when mounted to grippers on the robotic arm. The projections and groove serve to firmly hold the containers as well as self-align the unique gripping means on initially unaligned containers within the fingers as the fingers close around the containers. The fingers have clearance to avoid contact with caps on capped test tubes. Stops are provided at the top of each finger to engage one another and prevent fully closed fingers from deforming. The robotic arm may be transported along a rail mounted above the instrument and a gripper assembly, having a gripper arm, mounted to the robotic arm may be rotated above the instrument to move the container to various locations within the instrument.

Abstract: A two-axis optical wrist which can be used in combination with an industrial manipulator having associated therewith a laser beam delivery system. The two-axis optical wrist for laser application provides two additional degrees of freedom which in combination with a three-axis industrial manipulator provides the five degrees of freedom necessary for industrial material processing laser systems to position a laser beam anywhere within the work envelope of an industrial manipulator.

Abstract: A robot laser work cell combines a plurality of systems which include an orthogonal axis manipulator system, a laser beam delivery system, a safety enclosure system, a coolant chiller for the laser beam delivery system, an air filtration and drying system in communication with the laser beam delivery system, an exhaust system for removing toxic fumes from the area proximate the output of the laser beam delivery system and a variety of precision table and other fixturing means which can be used in combination to function as the work cell of this invention. In an alternative embodiment, a laser package is mounted by a modular wrist onto the Z-axis of the orthogonal axis manipulator and the laser beam delivery system.

Abstract: An electronic AC electric energy measuring circuit converts a di/dt analog input signal into a pulse width modulated signal responsive to the amplitude of a current component of an alternating current energy quantity to be measured. The pulse width modulated signal is produced by a first modulator circuit including an integrator circuit deriving both a modulating frequency signal and a current analog signal proportional to the current component. A multiplying circuit receives a voltage analog input signal and applies it to a reference input of a second modulator circuit. The modulating control of the second modulator circuit receives the pulse width modulated signal so that the multiplying circuit produces a variable amplitude and pulse width modulated signal having an average value equal to an average power measurement.