Abstract: An energy conversion apparatus includes: a first switch module, a motor inverter having a first bus terminal connected with a first end of a battery and a second bus terminal connected with a second end of the battery through the first switch module, a motor winding having a first end connected with a midpoint end of the motor inverter, and a second switch module and a first capacitor connected in series. A first end of the serial-connected second switch module and the first capacitor is connected with a second end of the motor winding. A second end of the serial-connected second switch module and the first capacitor is connected with the second bus terminal.

Abstract: Provided is a seal member or a ball joint capable of satisfactorily maintaining sealing performance between a ball portion of a ball shank and a ball receiving portion of a holder for a long time even when the ball shank is used under a condition that the ball shank is pivoted repeatedly with respect to the holder at a large pivot angle and at high speed. The seal member includes: a base portion having an annular ring shape and is to be fixed to the holder; a retaining portion formed on an inner peripheral side of the base portion integrally with the base portion and is recessed into a conical shape toward the holder; and a lip portion formed along an inner peripheral edge of the retaining portion so as to be held in sliding contact with a spherical surface of the ball portion of the ball shank.

Abstract: A device and method for judging the presence or absence of an abnormal clearance between paring elements of a passive joint of a robot. The device has sections configured to: calculate a score for each motion path, wherein the score is increased when the paring elements of an objective pair collide with each other and is decreased when the paring elements of the other pair collide with each other; generate a robot motion for moving the robot along the motion path having the score not lower than a predetermined threshold; measure a drive torque or a current value of a motor when the robot is moved according to the generated robot motion; calculate an index value based on a magnitude of variation of the measured drive torque or current value; and judge as to whether the abnormal clearance exists in the objective pair, based on the index value.

Abstract: A parallel link robot includes a base portion; a movable portion that is disposed below the base portion; a plurality of arms that link the base portion and the movable portion so as to be parallel to each other; and a wrist shaft that is supported by the movable portion so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis in a substantially vertical direction. A pair of marks indicate a relative phase between the movable portion and the wrist shaft about the rotation axis are on the movable portion and the wrist shaft, at positions visible from the upper side or the lateral side.

Abstract: A device and method for judging the presence or absence of an abnormal clearance between paring elements of a passive joint of a robot. The device has sections configured to: calculate a score for each motion path, wherein the score is increased when the paring elements of an objective pair collide with each other and is decreased when the paring elements of the other pair collide with each other; generate a robot motion for moving the robot along the motion path having the score not lower than a predetermined threshold; measure a drive torque or a current value of a motor when the robot is moved according to the generated robot motion; calculate an index value based on a magnitude of variation of the measured drive torque or current value; and judge as to whether the abnormal clearance exists in the objective pair, based on the index value.

Abstract: A device and method for easily detecting an abnormality of a joint part of a delta-type parallel link robot having a link ball structure, by estimating a friction torque of a ball joint of the robot. A controller of the robot has: a control section configured to control the motion of the robot; a torque measurement section configured to measure or calculate, during the robot is operated, an amount of change in a drive torque, based on a current value of the motor, before and after the robot represents a specified posture where a sign of a relative angular velocity between a ball and a housing of the ball joint is changed; and a judgment section configured to judge that, when the measured amount of change in the drive torque exceeds a predetermined threshold, a friction state of the ball joint corresponding to the motor is abnormal.

Abstract: A parallel link robot is provided with: a base portion; a movable portion that is disposed below the base portion; a plurality of arms that link the base portion and the movable portion so as to be parallel to each other; and a wrist shaft that is supported by the movable portion so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis in a substantially vertical direction, wherein a pair of marks that indicate a relative phase between the movable portion and the wrist shaft about the rotation axis are provided on the movable portion and the wrist shaft, at positions visible from the upper side or the lateral side.

Abstract: Provided is a seal member or a ball joint capable of satisfactorily maintaining sealing performance between a ball portion of a ball shank and a ball receiving portion of a holder for a long time even when the ball shank is used under a condition that the ball shank is pivoted repeatedly with respect to the holder at a large pivot angle and at high speed. The seal member includes: a base portion having an annular ring shape and is to be fixed to the holder; a retaining portion formed on an inner peripheral side of the base portion integrally with the base portion and is recessed into a conical shape toward the holder; and a lip portion formed along an inner peripheral edge of the retaining portion so as to be held in sliding contact with a spherical surface of the ball portion of the ball shank.

Abstract: A device and method for easily detecting an abnormality of a joint part of a delta-type parallel link robot having a link ball structure, by estimating a friction torque of a ball joint of the robot. A controller of the robot has: a control section configured to control the motion of the robot; a torque measurement section configured to measure or calculate, during the robot is operated, an amount of change in a drive torque, based on a current value of the motor, before and after the robot represents a specified posture where a sign of a relative angular velocity between a ball and a housing of the ball joint is changed; and a judgment section configured to judge that, when the measured amount of change in the drive torque exceeds a predetermined threshold, a friction state of the ball joint corresponding to the motor is abnormal.

Abstract: A parallel link robot (10) including ball joints (42a to 42d) which are arranged between driven links (22a, 23a) and a drive link (21a) and between a driven link and a movable part (12), at least one of these ball joints including a ball (44a) and a housing (42a) which covers at least half of the surface of the ball including the maximum diameter part and further including with a covering part (45a) which covers the area around the ball of the ball joint.

Abstract: A monitoring apparatus is connected, in parallel with a motor, to a plurality of power supply lines. Each of the power supply lines has a different phase. The monitoring apparatus includes a first isolator that selectively allows a first current to flow from a first power supply line to a second power supply line. A second isolator selectively allows a second current to flow from the second power supply line to a third power supply line. A control module controls the first isolator, controls the second isolator, and receives a first signal corresponding to a total current. The total current includes both the first current and the second current. The control module selectively generates a phase failure signal in response to the first signal indicating that a failure of at least one of the power supply lines has occurred.

Abstract: A method includes receiving N power signals, each having a different one of N phases, over N power supply lines, where N is an integer greater than two. The method further includes selectively activating a first switch to allow a first current to flow from a first one of the N power supply lines to a second one of the N power supply lines. The method includes generating a signal based on the first current, and selectively generating a phase failure signal when the signal is less than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method includes receiving N power signals, each having a different one of N phases, over N power supply lines, where N is an integer greater than two. The method further includes selectively activating a first switch to allow a first current to flow from a first one of the N power supply lines to a second one of the N power supply lines. The method includes generating a signal based on the first current, and selectively generating a phase failure signal when the signal is less than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method includes receiving N power signals, each having a different one of N phases, over N power supply lines, where N is an integer greater than two. The method further includes selectively activating a first switch to allow a first current to flow from a first one of the N power supply lines to a second one of the N power supply lines. The method includes generating a signal based on the first current, and selectively generating a phase failure signal when the signal is less than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first optocoupler and a control module. The first optocoupler selectively allows a first current to flow from a first one of a first pair of N power supply lines to a second one of the first pair. N is an integer greater than two. The N power supply lines each provide a phase signal. The control module controls the first optocoupler and determines an occurrence of a phase failure of the phase signals based on a first signal, which is based on the first current.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a first optocoupler and a control module. The first optocoupler selectively allows a first current to flow from a first one of a first pair of N power supply lines to a second one of the first pair. N is an integer greater than two. The N power supply lines each provide a phase signal. The control module controls the first optocoupler and determines an occurrence of a phase failure of the phase signals based on a first signal, which is based on the first current.