Abstract: A robot includes a plurality of joints including a first joint and a second joint, wherein each of the first joint and the second joint including a first support member, a second support member facing the first support member and configured to be displaceable relative to the first support member, an elastic member configured to connect the first support member and the second support member, and a torque sensor including a detection unit configured to detect a relative displacement amount between the first support member and the second support member, and wherein a number of the elastic members of the torque sensor in the first joint is different from a number of the elastic members of the torque sensor in the second joint.

Abstract: A robot includes at least two joints having a first joint and a second joint. The first joint is provided with a first drive source, and the second joint is provided with a second drive source. A motor drive substrate for driving the first drive source and a motor drive substrate for driving the second drive source are differentiated in size.

Abstract: A sensor includes a structure and a detector. The detector is arranged to detect a deformation of the structure. The structure has at least four elastic sections. The at least four elastic sections are discretely disposed in an imaginary plane.

Abstract: Force sensors capable of measuring only forces in xyz coordinate axis directions are installed in fingertips, respectively, and forces and moment forces acting on a robot hand are calculated based on positional information about each fingertip. This structure eliminates the need for using large force sensors to thereby enable downsizing of each fingertip, and enables detection of loads and moment forces acting on the robot hand.

Abstract: A driving device includes a driving unit disposed on a fixed member, a supporting member, an output member, an elastic member configured to couple the supporting member and the output member, a first scale, a first sensor configured to detect the rotation angle of the output shaft of the driving unit with the first scale, a second scale, and a second sensor configured to detect the relative displacement between the supporting member and the output member with the second scale. One of the first scale and the first sensor is disposed on the fixed member. The other of the first scale and the first sensor and one of the second scale and the second sensor are disposed on the supporting member. The other of the second scale and the second sensor is disposed on the output member.

Abstract: A driving device includes a driving unit disposed on a fixed member, a supporting member, an output member, an elastic member configured to couple the supporting member and the output member, a first scale, a first sensor configured to detect the rotation angle of the output shaft of the driving unit with the first scale, a second scale, and a second sensor configured to detect the relative displacement between the supporting member and the output member with the second scale. One of the first scale and the first sensor is disposed on the fixed member. The other of the first scale and the first sensor and one of the second scale and the second sensor are disposed on the supporting member. The other of the second scale and the second sensor is disposed on the output member.

Abstract: A sensor includes a first support portion, a second support portion, an incremental encoder, a magnetic-flux generating source, and a magnetoelectric transducer. The incremental encoder includes a scale supported by the first support portion and a head supported by the second support portion. The magnetic-flux generating source is supported by one of the first support portion and the second support portion. The magnetoelectric transducer is supported by another of the first support portion and the second support portion.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to sense forces from a fine external force to a large external force with high precision, and enable high-precision control. A multi-joint robot arm has a first sensor arranged in an end portion, and second sensors arranged in joints, respectively. The first sensor and the second sensor have different detectable ranges from each other for a detectable force. A controlling apparatus selects which sensing result of a sensor should be used between sensing results of the first sensor 131 and the second sensor, and controls a robot arm by using the selected sensing result of the sensor.

Abstract: Force sensors capable of measuring only forces in xyz coordinate axis directions are installed in fingertips, respectively, and forces and moment forces acting on a robot hand are calculated based on positional information about each fingertip. This structure eliminates the need for using large force sensors to thereby enable downsizing of each fingertip, and enables detection of loads and moment forces acting on the robot hand.

Abstract: A sensor includes a first support portion, a second support portion, an incremental encoder, a magnetic-flux generating source, and a magnetoelectric transducer. The incremental encoder includes a scale supported by the first support portion and a head supported by the second support portion. The magnetic-flux generating source is supported by one of the first support portion and the second support portion. The magnetoelectric transducer is supported by another of the first support portion and the second support portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a force sensor correcting method which is simple and capable of performing correction, with the force sensor remaining mounted at the end of an arm without an exchange of an end effector. In the present invention, a force sensor 1 of one robot 101 has already been corrected, and a force sensor 2 of the other robot 102 is an object to be corrected. First, hands 3a, 3b of a pair of robots 101, 102 are made to abut on each other (abutting step). A detected signal of the corrected force sensor 1 of the one robot 101, generated by execution of the abutting step, is converted into a measured value indicating a force or a moment (measurement step). Based on the measured value obtained in the measurement step, a value indicating a force or a moment acting on the hand 3b of the other robot 102 due to a reaction generated by the abutting step is obtained (calculation step).

Abstract: The present invention provides a force sensor correcting method which is simple and capable of performing correction, with the force sensor remaining mounted at the end of an arm without an exchange of an end effector. In the present invention, a force sensor 1 of one robot 101 has already been corrected, and a force sensor 2 of the other robot 102 is an object to be corrected. First, hands 3a, 3b of a pair of robots 101, 102 are made to abut on each other (abutting step). A detected signal of the corrected force sensor 1 of the one robot 101, generated by execution of the abutting step, is converted into a measured value indicating a force or a moment (measurement step). Based on the measured value obtained in the measurement step, a value indicating a force or a moment acting on the hand 3b of the other robot 102 due to a reaction generated by the abutting step is obtained (calculation step).

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic force sensor that can precisely detect and correct variations in a magnetic field generated by a magnetic flux generating source. Therefore, a displacement magneto-electric transducer, which detects a change in the magnetic field caused by an external force, and a fixed magneto-electric transducer, where the change in the magnetic field caused by the external force does not occur, are provided to face end sides of magnetic poles of the magnetic flux generating source. The fixed magneto-electric transducer detects a variation of the magnetic field caused by, for example, changes with time and environmental variations such as a temperature rise in the interior of the sensor. On the basis of a detection amount thereof, an operational section performs a correction operation, so that a sensitivity coefficient or an offset of the displacement magneto-electric transducer is corrected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a force sensor correcting method which is simple and capable of performing correction, with the force sensor remaining mounted at the end of an arm without an exchange of an end effector. In the present invention, a force sensor 1 of one robot 101 has already been corrected, and a force sensor 2 of the other robot 102 is an object to be corrected. First, hands 3a, 3b of a pair of robots 101, 102 are made to abut on each other (abutting step). A detected signal of the corrected force sensor 1 of the one robot 101, generated by execution of the abutting step, is converted into a measured value indicating a force or a moment (measurement step). Based on the measured value obtained in the measurement step, a value indicating a force or a moment acting on the hand 3b of the other robot 102 due to a reaction generated by the abutting step is obtained (calculation step).

Abstract: A slip ring includes an exterior, a plurality of brushes, a plurality of rings, a brush fixing member that causes the plurality of brushes to contact the plurality of rings and supports the plurality of brushes, and a rotating shaft inserted into the plurality of rings and supports the plurality of rings. The slip ring also includes a reference signal generation unit configured to generate a reference signal, and a detection unit configured to detect a signal, wherein a circuit is formed by the reference signal generation unit, a first brush, which is at least one of the plurality of brushes, a first ring that contacts the first brush, and the detection unit, and wherein a state of contact of the first brush and the first ring is detected based on the signal detected by the detection unit.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to sense forces from a fine external force to a large external force with high precision, and enable high-precision control. A multi-joint robot arm has a first sensor arranged in an end portion, and second sensors arranged in joints, respectively. The first sensor and the second sensor have different detectable ranges from each other for a detectable force. A controlling apparatus selects which sensing result of a sensor should be used between sensing results of the first sensor 131 and the second sensor, and controls a robot arm by using the selected sensing result of the sensor.

Abstract: A force sensor that detects external force includes a sheath, a pressure member configured to be provided on the sheath, a sensor unit configured to detect force applied to the pressure member, and a slip ring unit configured to supply power or transmit signals through a contact between a brush and a ring. The sensor unit and the slip ring unit are stored in the sheath, and power is supplied or signals are transmitted between the slip ring unit and the sensor unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic force sensor that can precisely detect and correct variations in a magnetic field generated by a magnetic flux generating source. Therefore, a displacement magneto-electric transducer, which detects a change in the magnetic field caused by an external force, and a fixed magneto-electric transducer, where the change in the magnetic field caused by the external force does not occur, are provided to face end sides of magnetic poles of the magnetic flux generating source. The fixed magneto-electric transducer detects a variation of the magnetic field caused by, for example, changes with time and environmental variations such as a temperature rise in the interior of the sensor. On the basis of a detection amount thereof, an operational section performs a correction operation, so that a sensitivity coefficient or an offset of the displacement magneto-electric transducer is corrected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic force sensor that can precisely detect and correct variations in a magnetic field generated by a magnetic flux generating source. Therefore, a displacement magneto-electric transducer, which detects a change in the magnetic field caused by an external force, and a fixed magneto-electric transducer, where the change in the magnetic field caused by the external force does not occur, are provided to face end sides of magnetic poles of the magnetic flux generating source. The fixed magneto-electric transducer detects a variation of the magnetic field caused by, for example, changes with time and environmental variations such as a temperature rise in the interior of the sensor. On the basis of a detection amount thereof, an operational section performs a correction operation, so that a sensitivity coefficient or an offset of the displacement magneto-electric transducer is corrected.

Abstract: A force sensor that detects external force includes a sheath, a pressure member configured to be provided on the sheath, a sensor unit configured to detect force applied to the pressure member, and a slip ring unit configured to supply power or transmit signals through a contact between a brush and a ring. The sensor unit and the slip ring unit are stored in the sheath, and power is supplied or signals are transmitted between the slip ring unit and the sensor unit.