Abstract: A robot traveling system, which enables sufficient space to be secured by a machine that is installed along a rail. The robot traveling system is provided with a rail, a carriage which can move along the rail and which supports a robot, a drive mechanism which drives the carriage, and a cable track which houses a cable which has a connecting end which is connected to the robot and is laid at the bottom side of the rail along that rail.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a suction unit capable of sucking an object and a transfer unit moving the suction unit. The suction unit includes a base member; a plurality of nozzles provided for a plurality of types of objects; a housing room formation unit attached to the base member, forming a housing room for housing the other end portion side of the plurality of nozzles, and including a sealing unit facing air outlets; a negative pressure generation unit generating negative pressure inside the housing room; and a drive unit driving the plurality of nozzles such that the air outlet of a nozzle selected from the plurality of nozzles in accordance with a type of the object is separated from the sealing unit, and the air outlet of a non-selected nozzle is bumped against the sealing unit to be sealed.

Abstract: A hand as an end effector. The hand includes a base, a hook element associated with the base and capable of hooking and lifting an object, a holding element associated with the base and cooperating with the hook element to hold the object therebetween, and a drive section causing a relative movement between the hook element and the holding element. For example, the hook element is arranged movably in a direction toward and away from the holding element on the base, and the drive section drives the hook element. Alternatively, the holding element is arranged movably in a direction toward and away from the hook element on the base, and the drive section drives the holding element. A handling robot includes an arm and the above-described hand attached to the arm.

Abstract: A holding apparatus and a holding unit are disclosed. The holding apparatus (4) includes a base plate (21), a fixed holding member (22) fixed on the base plate, a first movable holding member (11) arranged in opposed relation to and operated in collaboration with the fixed holding member, a second movable holding member (12) operated in collaboration with the first movable holding member in operatively interlocked relationship therewith, and a drive device (19) for driving the first movable holding member and the second movable holding member in operatively interlocked relationship with each other. Both the second movable holding member and the fixed holding member face one side of the first movable holding member. Therefore, holding power can be increased easily without a large space.

Abstract: A robot handling system using a robot hand to convey a workpiece, provided with a first wrist element at a front end of an arm of the robot, a second wrist element perpendicular to this, a third wrist element perpendicular to this, and a connecting means connecting the third wrist element and a hand body of the robot hand, the hand body being arranged so that an inertia moment of the hand body about a vertical axial line becomes larger than the inertia moments of the hand body about two mutually perpendicular horizontal axial lines, the connecting means connects the third wrist element and hand body so that a third axial line of the third wrist element and the hand body are arranged in a horizontal plane, and a posture of the hand body is changed about the vertical axial line in the state with the third axial line of the third wrist element arranged in a horizontal plane. Due to this, the robot hand can be made to rotate over the limit of the allowable inertia moment.

Abstract: A robot hand includes a drive unit having a pair of moving elements provided so as to be movable in a lateral direction with respect to a center axis extending parallel with a longitudinal direction of an arm part to which the robot hand is attached, a pair of gripping claws each coupled to one of the pair of moving elements of the drive unit, and a joint for coupling the pair of gripping claws to each other so as to be pivotable. Each of the pair of gripping claws has a base end coupled to one of the moving elements so as to be pivotable and a front end for engaging with a workpiece. The pair of moving elements are operated to approach and move apart from each other in a lateral direction with respect to the center axis, thereby making the pair of gripping claws pivot about the joint and making the front ends of the gripping claws move apart from or approach each other.

Abstract: A hand as an end effector. The hand includes a base, a hook element associated with the base and capable of hooking and lifting an object, a holding element associated with the base and cooperating with the hook element to hold the object therebetween, and a drive section causing a relative movement between the hook element and the holding element. For example, the hook element is arranged movably in a direction toward and away from the holding element on the base, and the drive section drives the hook element. Alternatively, the holding element is arranged movably in a direction toward and away from the hook element on the base, and the drive section drives the holding element. A handling robot includes an arm and the above-described hand attached to the arm.