Abstract: Apparatus and methods for adaptively retooling robots include programmable adapters for detachably connecting at least one robotic peripheral to a robot, providing peripheral information associated with the robotic peripheral, and causing the robot to adaptively reconfigure based on the peripheral information.

Abstract: A massage device that includes a housing, an electrical input, a motor, a switch in electrical communication with the electrical input and the motor and configured to selectively provide power from the electrical input to the motor, an actuated output operatively connected to the motor and configured to reciprocate in response to activation of the motor, and a treatment structure operatively connected to a distal end of the actuated output. The actuated output is configured to reciprocate the treatment structure at a frequency of between about 15 Hz and about 100 Hz, and at an amplitude of between about 0.15 and about 1.0 inches. The combination of amplitude and frequency provides efficient reciprocation of the treatment structure such that the treatment structure provides therapeutically beneficial treatment to a targeted muscle of a user.

Abstract: A gripper for a robot has a gripper mechanism with a jaw motion input, and a motor speed reducer combination including a speed reducer and a motor. The speed reducer has a motion output. The gripper mechanism has a first pattern of mounting features arranged about the jaw motion input. The speed reducer has a second pattern of mounting features arranged about the motion output. The first pattern of mounting features and the second pattern of mounting features are arranged so that the motor reducer combination may be mounted to the gripper mechanism in at least four indexed positions about the motion output and the jaw motion input.

Abstract: An impact wrench, includes a housing including a handle. A rotating anvil is supported by the housing and includes a polygonal head adapted for receiving a socket thereon. A socket retention device is mounted to the polygonal head of the rotating anvil for securing a socket to the polygonal head. A socket release mechanism includes an actuator mounted to the housing and operable to disengage the socket retention device from the socket to allow the socket to be removed from the anvil.

Abstract: A device for forming containers from heated parisons of thermoplastic material, which includes a heating section and a blow molding unit provided with at least one blow molding station. The parisons are held along at least a portion of a transport path between the heating section and the blow molding unit by a carrying element, which has a head that can be inserted into a mouth section of a parison and which includes at least two positionable clamping elements. At least one of the clamping elements is positioned in a recess provided on a side of the head relative to a longitudinal axis of the carrying element. The recess has upper and lower sliding surfaces that extend obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis for acting on the clamping element. The upper head part and the lower head part are braced relative to each other by at least one spring.

Abstract: A core barrel assembly having a driven latch mechanism that can lock the core barrel assembly axially and rotationally relative to a drill string. The driven latch mechanism can include a plurality of wedge members positioned on a plurality of driving surfaces. Rotation of the drill string can cause the plurality of wedge members to wedge between an inner diameter of the drill string and the plurality of driving surfaces, thereby rotationally locking the core barrel assembly relative to the drill string. Drilling systems including the driven latch mechanism and methods of using the driven latch mechanism are also described.

Abstract: A tool securing device capable of clamping a tool to a machine spindle as well as assisting in the removal of a tool from a machine spindle, all in a tool-less manner. The tool securing device includes distal means to be releasably gripped by a machine draw bar as well as means to releasably engage a tool.

Abstract: The present invention is provides a fitting assembly for a hand tool with enhanced snapping capability, operation smoothness, and reduced manufacturing cost. The fitting assembly contains a body and one end of the body has a fitting member. The fitting member has a radial through channel connecting two opposing sides of the fitting member. Two steel balls and a conical spring in between are housed in the through channel. By simultaneously compressing the both ends of the conical spring through the steel balls on the fitting member, and as the smaller rings of the conical spring are squeezed into the larger rings to effectively reduce the length of the compressed conical spring and to align the steel balls' engagement direction and the axial direction of the conical spring, the fitting assembly provides enhanced snapping capability, operation smoothness in connection and detachment, and reduced manufacturing cost of the hand tool.

Abstract: A manually actuated robotic tool changer includes a rapid coupling mechanism. The tool changer includes a master unit having a piston moveable along its axis between an unlocked position and a fully locked position, and a tool unit that is coupled to the master unit when the units are adjacent and the piston is moved to the fully locked position. A piston movement control mechanism selectively allows free axial motion of the piston between the unlocked position and a nearly locked position, when the control mechanism is actuated. The piston may be biased toward the locked position, allowing the master and tool units to be rapidly coupled by positioning the units adjacently, actuating the control mechanism to allow the piston to rapidly advance to a nearly locked position, releasing the control mechanism to restrict free axial motion of the piston, and manually advancing the piston to a fully locked position.

Abstract: The device serves for blow molding containers. Preforms of a thermoplastic material are heated in the area of a heating section and are subsequently transferred to a blow device. The blow device is provided with at least one blow station for deforming the preforms into the containers. The preforms are held along at least a portion of their transport path by a support element which over at least portions is loosely inserted into an opening section of the preform and is tensioned after the insertion within the opening section. Along an outer circumference of the head are arranged at least two clamping elements at a distance relative to each other.

Abstract: A clamping unit for releasably holding a tubular toolholder shank has a base member with a canister sleeve mounted therein. To secure the canister sleeve within the base member and to minimize movement caused by tolerances, retention bolts are threadably mated within the base member to engage a slot within the canister, wherein the relationship between the retention bolt and the slot is such that the retention bolt is intentionally misaligned, so that when engaged with the canister slot, the retention blot resiliently deflects and provides both an axial force and a lateral force upon a canister sleeve.

Abstract: An automated tool includes a quick change spindle assembly. In another aspect of the present invention, the quick change spindle includes an attachment assembly for interchangeable fastener drivers. A further aspect of the present invention employs release member to actuate a drive member in the spindle assembly causing a retainer to uncouple a fastener driver with the spindle.

Abstract: A dual-contact tool holder is provided for a lathe/miller, including a tool seat having an inner circumferential surface in which a circumferential groove is defined and an operation barrel having a circumferential surface in which holes are defined for receiving therein steel balls. The operation barrel forms a central bore in which a connection bar is movably received. A lid is mounted to an upper end of the operation barrel. The connection bar is coupled to a draw bar of a ram, whereby the draw bar of the ram, when caused to move upward, drives the operation barrel upward via the connection bar, causing the steel balls to move upward and tightly engage the inner circumferential surface of the tool seat to generate a dual constraint force for enhancing the fixing of a tool rest.

Abstract: An apparatus for releasably holding a tubular toolholder shank by axially reciprocating a lock rod between a locked and unlocked position. Compression balls following a helical path on a torque nut are used to retract a compression sleeve, which in turn compresses springs against the lock rod to move the lock rod into the locked position. As a result, a repeatable lock rod force is possible with a pre-determined and self limiting rotation of the torque nut. The same helical groove may be used to advance the compression sleeve against the lock rod to urge the toolholder from the base member.

Abstract: In a robotic tool coupler, a rotating cam member having a plurality of surfaces formed therein urges a plurality of ball members in one tool coupling unit radially to contact an angled surface in the other tool coupling unit. Further rotation of the cam member exerts a radial force through the ball members onto the angled surface. A component of that force is directed by the angled surface toward the opposite tool coupling unit, locking the two units together. The cam member may include a failsafe surface and/or a failsafe lobe to maintain the two units locked together in the event of a loss of power to positively actuate the cam member.

Abstract: A robotic tool changer comprises first and second units, operative to be separately attached to a robot and a robotic tool, and further operative to be selectively coupled together and decoupled. The first and second units are coupled and decoupled by an electric motor. Power from the electric motor may be applied to couple and decouple the first and second units in a variety of ways.

Abstract: An individual support device (5) for a container provided with a neck (6), including a support member (4) that engages inside the neck (6) and support elements (7) which are elastically retractable in the radial direction and bear with friction against the internal wall of the neck (6). The support member includes a substantially axisymmetric cylindrical base (8) having a peripheral channel (9) defined between a core (10) and an external wall (11) perforated by at least one row of apertures (12) of circular contour, balls (13) forming the support elements (7), arranged in at least one row in the channel (9) opposite respective apertures (12), the balls (13) having a diameter greater than the diameter of the apertures (12), and elastic return mechanism (14) between the core (10) and the balls (13) such that the balls are pushed back into the respective apertures (12) and project outside thereof.

Abstract: A coupling for torque transmitting devices is disclosed. The coupling employs polygonally shaped first and second ends having retaining balls held within each of the corners of the polygon. Pin cones are provided in each of the first and second ends. Actuation of a set screw or the like causes each of the pin cones to push the retaining balls radially outwardly in a simultaneous fashion thereby engaging a first and second members to be coupled.

Abstract: In a finishing apparatus, a plurality of works are retained at distances from each other in a direction of an X-axis. A single spindle is disposed on a table movable in the direction of the X-axis, the spindle has an axis parallel to an axis of each of bores to be finished, and is capable of being advanced and retracted axially. A measuring device is provided that measures an inside diameter of each finished bore and which is advanced and retracted independently from the spindle in a direction along the axis of each finished bore. A combination tool is mounted at a tip end of the spindle and finishes an inner surface of any of the bores to be finished, even if the position of insertion of the combination tool into each of the bores is changed.

Abstract: An arbor for temporarily securing a reel to the shaft of a machine such as an unwind machine. A plurality of blades are extendable and retractable from a cylindrical body by means of an axially shiftable cam assembly. The cam assembly shifts in response to an actuator which is mounted on the end of the support shaft which extends from one end of the arbor. In one embodiment the cam assembly carries annular cam members and in another embodiment the cam assembly defines cam grooves having ramps which receive bearing member in cooperation with aligned cam grooves in the blades.

Abstract: A tool holder of the hollow taper shank in a tool machine is disclosed. A resisting block supported by a spring is received within a tool holder. As the short knife is disposed within the tool holder, the elastic force of the spring can be overcome. At first, a plurality of steel balls and a resisting block are pushed inversely until the front edge of an wider portion of the short knife passes through the steel ball. Now, the spring will release the energy from elastic deformation so as to enforce the resisting block to move forwards and outwards so as to return to the original position. Thereby, the knife can be firmly secured.