Abstract: A substrate transfer apparatus includes two transfer arms pivotably arranged on a support table on opposite sides from each other with respect to a center of the support table. Each of the transfer arms includes: a first set of parallel links, a second set of parallel links, and a substrate holding member. The first set of the links is pivotably connected to the second set of the links at one ends thereof. The other ends of the first set of the links are pivotably connected to the support table. The substrate holding member is provided on the other end of the second set of the links. The each of the substrate holding members moves outward from the support table by stretching of the transfer arms and returns to the support table by bending of the transfer arms, and the transfer arms are bent in an opposite direction to each other with respect to the support table.

Abstract: Herein disclosed are a method and an apparatus for indexing a moving portion of a robot to a mechanical origin. First and second reference holes are formed respectively in the moving portion and a holding portion supporting the moving portion relatively movably. A plug gauge used has a foot to be fitted in the first reference hole and a probe attached to the foot and sized to be inserted into the second reference hole. The plug gauge is fitted in the first reference hole, and the moving portion is then moved in a first direction relative to the holding portion by operating a drive unit. This relative movement of the moving portion is stopped when the probe of the plug gauge comes into contact with the inner wall of the second reference hole.

Abstract: In a multi-jointed robot, position controllers are located at each of the joints of the robot and are interconnected by a unitary bus. The bus carries a loosely-regulated voltage to all of the controllers and also includes data conductors connected to the controllers for disseminating position commands which are time-division multiplexed.

Abstract: A manipulator, having six degrees of freedom of movement and having a force sensor mounted thereto, is controlled by computing forces and moments applied to the regions of the manipulator from the output of the force sensor. When a force and/or a moment in excess of an allowable load and an allowable load moment of the regions is applied to any region, the joint subjected to the largest load is stopped to save energy consumption of the manipulator. Alternatively by driving the joint in the direction of lessening the load and the load moment, forces and/or moments are prevented from being applied to the regions of the manipulator. Therefore, optimum design is made possible with regard to the strength of the regions of the manipulator and reductions in size and weight of the manipulator can be achieved.

Abstract: This invention is a flexible limb capable of changing length, bending in any direction, twisting, and changing cross-sectional size. Its skeletal structural design promotes optimal simplicity of control, ease of construction, lightness, and stiffness.

Abstract: The position/force of a machine tool or robot end effecter having at least two degrees of freedom of movement is controlled. A first setting device sets the position command and/or posture command of the working tool on a machine. The instant position and/or posture of the working tool is detected. The force command and/or moment command for commanding the force and/or moment to be applied to the working tool is set, and the instant force and/or moment acting on the working tool is detected. A computing device determines from the position command and/or posture command and the instant position and/or posture, the position and/or posture offset in terms of the coordinate values of an operation coordinate system. A second computing device determines from the force command and/or moment command and the instant force and/or instant moment, force and/or moment offset in terms of the coordinate values of the operation coordinate system.

Abstract: A vehicle of the invention comprises at least two transfer arms including means for causing expansible positioning fingers to penetrate into the tubes of a steam generator and for extracting said fingers from said tubes. The vehicle also includes at least two pivoting fastening heads which contain said expansible positioning fingers. The heads are interconnected by one of the telescopic transfer arms, which arms extend perpendicularly to said pivoting heads. The other telescopic transfer arm is fixed to one of the heads and it extends perpendicularly therefrom with its opposite end carrying a tool support. Such a vehicle is particularly suitable for inspecting and maintaining tubes in tube apparatuses, e.g. the steam generators of pressurized water nuclear reactors.

Abstract: An apparatus is disposed below a tube plate in a chamber of a steam generator which is accessible through a manhole, for examining and/or repairing steam-generator tubes in the tube plate. A tool or inspection-instrument carrier of the apparatus includes a pneumatic swivel cylinder detachably connected to the apparatus. The swivel cylinder has a housing and an output shaft. A feed unit is supported on the output shaft. A flexible shaft is axially movable by the feed unit. A compressed-air motor is associated with the housing for driving the flexible shaft.

Abstract: A closed loop multi-link robotic apparatus is actuated to produce two-dimensional motion with respect to a base member. The base member is coupled to an actuator which, in a practical embodiment of the invention, moves the base member along a part which is rectilinearly orthogonal with the respect to the two-dimensional motion. A correlator, which may be an electronic system, controls the actuator to produce a predetermined composite three-dimensional motion which can be adapted to performed industrial automation tasks. Adjustability of the system is achieved by providing a mechanism for adjusting the length of one or more of the links. Additionally, other elements may be varied, such as an angular relationship between various ones of the rigid links or the angular relationship between an end-effector coupler and the multi-link system. In some embodiments, the changes in link length may be correlated to the position of the actuator.

Abstract: A workpiece transfer apparatus includes a first arm mounted at its lower end on a base for angular movement about a first angular movement axis extending substantially horizontally. A second arm is mounted at its upper end on an upper end of the first arm for angular movement about a second angular movement axis parallel to the first angular movement axis. The first arm is longer than the second arm. The apparatus further comprises a holder device for releaseably holding a workpiece. The holder device is mounted on a lower end of the second arm. The holder device and the first arm are disposed respectively on the opposite sides of the second arm spaced from each other in the direction of the first and second angular movement axes, so that the holder device, when moving horizontally, does not interfere with the first arm. The first and second arms are angularly moved respectively by first and second drive devices.

Abstract: A direct teaching type robot in which in the playback of the robot an electric power corresponding to a playback command is supplied to an electric motor from a servo driver so that the electric motor is driven to move a moving arm of the robot and in the teaching operation the moving arm is directly moved by an instructor to teach its movement to the robot includes breaking means provided in the servo driver for breaking a current generated by the electric motor when the electric motor is rotated in response to the teaching operation of the moving arm so as not to flow into the servo driver, whereby operation force by the instructor for moving the moving arm of the robot in the teaching can be reduced.

Abstract: An articulated device to be used for pointing satellite antennas, especially of data relay or like telecommunication satellites. It comprises at least three articulations rotatable about their respective axes coupled in pairs by arms. These rotation axes intersect at a remote virtual rotation center coinciding with the antenna's focus. The device allows pointing of an antenna by moving its reflector, while maintaining the antenna feed at its focus, thus avoiding antenna radiation pattern distortion.

Abstract: A robot device is provided, particularly for scaling vertical surfaces, comprising a frame structure 1 having four sides 2 to 5, preferably in a rectangular configuration, adjacent ends of each of the sides 2 to 5 being pivotally coupled together by pivots 6. Each of the side members 2 to 5 is provided with suction devices 7 associated with the pivots 6 thereof and a linear actuator 9 is provided between two adjacent sides which is sequentially controlled by a microprocessor to sequentially change the configuration of the frame structure 1 to effect travelling movement of the robot device.

Abstract: A vertical revolute joint robot having an offset wrist, which is capable of rapidly calculating respective joint angles on the basis of a target position and orientation of an end effector, and hence is excellent in operation accuracy.A robot arm consists of first to third links, and the joint axis (Y0) of a first joint (1), which couples a base fixedly disposed within an operation space to the first link, extends perpendicularly to the axis of the base, whereas the joint axis (Z1) of a second joint (2), which couples the first and second links to each other, extends along the axis of the first link. The third link is mounted with a wrist offset relative to the arm, and an end effector is mounted on the offset wrist. A computer provided in the robot calculates a fist joint angle (.theta.

Abstract: A universal joint boom assembly comprising two boom segments having paired eared ends connected end to end by means of a universal joint with one of its set of ears parallel to an X axis and the other set of ears parallel to a Y axis which is perpendicular to the X axis. An offset X axis hydraulic assembly and an offset Y axis hydraulic assembly interconnects the boom segments to cause pivoting of the boom universal joint so as to lean a boom segment in the direction of the X and Y axes respectively.

Abstract: A plurality of distribution type controllers are provided for corresponding portions of an object to be controlled. One of the controllers, which has the lowest operation rate, executes control items relating to the entire object and the portions of the object, and the other controllers execute control items relating only to the portions of the object.

Abstract: A multi-joint arm robot apparatus comprises a multi-joint arm having a plurality of unit arms coupled in tandem with each other through joints, and a movable support for supporting the proximal portion of the multi-joint arm. The multi-joint arm robot apparatus has motors for controlling joint angles of the joints and a motor for moving the movable support. These motors are driven by a control system. The control system controls the motors to obtain proper joint angles, in such a way that the joints of the multi-joint arm are put into a given path when the movable support is moved a given unit distance.

Abstract: A handling apparatus includes a base member having a rotating shaft, of a multijoint arm having one end portion thereof connected to the rotating shaft, a holder mounted at the free end portion of the arm, for holding a wafer, a stepping motor for circling the holder together with the arm about the rotating shaft, and another stepping motor for pivoting the arm joints. The multijoint arm is constituted by a plurality of parallel crank mechanisms arranged on corresponding planes in parallel with the circulating plane. One of the links constituting the first-stage parallel crank mechanism is fixed on the base member. During nonuse of the apparatus, the respective parallel crank mechanism overlap each other on the base member. Pulleys are mounted on joints of the arm, and a wire is wrapped around the pulleys. When at least one of the pulleys is pivoted, the parallel crank mechanisms are displaced, thereby extending or retracting the arm.

Abstract: A lifting device incorporating first and second arm assemblies with associated rotatable shafts and a platform rotationally connected to the second arm assembly so as to maintain a fixed relationship to a reference surface as the first and second arm assemblies are angularly moved from one position to another. The shaft associated with the first arm assembly is rotated about its axis as the first arm assembly is angularly moved so as to impart similar angular movement to the platform through a rotatable shaft of the second arm assembly; thereby maintaining the platform's fixed relationship to a reference surface. A second embodiment of the lifting device provides an additional device to adjust the angular orientation of the platform with respect to the reference surface, which allows the platform to be maintained in a level orientation when traversing an inclined reference surface.

Abstract: A six-legged, insect-like, self-propelled walking robot (hexapodal arthrobot), includes twistor-pairs in the waist, hip and knee of each leg and walks by pr0gramming fluid pressure in these twistor-pairs at the joints of respective legs in a predetermined controlled sequence. As a result of a predetermined sequence of six controlled variable pressures, this six-legged robot firmly plants three of its legs on the ground for providing stable ground support for walking. The three legs on the ground are propelling the robot forward with walking motion, while the other three legs are lifted and swing forward to an advanced position and are then lowered onto the ground for taking over their support and walking role in their turn, while the first three legs are then being lifted and swung forward to an advanced position, and so forth, for providing a stable forward walking motion. By reversing the sequence of six controlled variable pressures, a stable reverse walking motion is produced.

Abstract: A load balancing mechanism (10) disclosed includes an arm (12) including first and second arm portions (14,26). A support post (22) is rotatable about its vertical axis A and supports arm (12) by first arm portion (14) for pivotal movement in a vertical plane and also for rotational movement about axis A. First arm portion (14) includes parallel spaced members (16,16') defining a parallel linkage arrangement. A piston and cylinder balancing arrangement (38) connects post (22) and first arm portion (14) allowing upward and downward pivotal movement of arm (12) and is responsive to such upward and downward pivotal movement to provide balancing of a load thereon. The second arm portion (26) can be longitudinally moved relative to a second mount (32) to increase or decrease the length of arm (12) without having to change the force applied via balancing arrangement (38) to maintain balancing of the load.

Abstract: An assembly robot has rotational arm and a lifting axis and three rotational axes. A first rotary joint for defining the first rotational axis is mounted in a lateral projection of the lifting column. The assembly makes possible large pivoting angles.

Abstract: The described and improved multi-arm invention of this application presents three strategies for adaptive control of cooperative multi-arm robots which coordinate control over a common load. In the position-position control strategy, the adaptive controllers ensure that the end-effector positions of both arms track desired trajectories in Cartesian space despite unknown time-varying interaction forces exerted through a load. In the position-hybrid control strategy, the adaptive controller of one arm controls end-effector motions in the free directions and applied forces in the constraint directions; while the adaptive controller of the other arm ensures that the end-effector tracks desired position trajectories. In the hybrid-hybrid control strategy, the adaptive controllers ensure that both end-effectors track reference position trajectories while simultaneously applying desired forces on the load.

Abstract: A workpiece transfer (conveyor) mechanism wherein two powered foldable arm structures are supported on a transfer carriage to extend the reach of the transfer mechanism. Each arm structure comprises two pivotably connected arms, each of which is powered to move at a different angular rate. The arm structures are operable to shift the workpiece along the carriage while the carriage is moving between the loading point and the unloading point.

Abstract: An industrial robot has a robot unit (10) comprising a fixed base (12) and movable robot components (16, 18, 20) operatively controlled by driving motors (M.theta., MW, MU, M.alpha., M.beta., M.gamma.) provided with absolute position detecting encoders (EC.theta., ECW, ECU, EC.alpha., EC.beta., EC.gamma.). The swivel body (16) among the movable robot components, mounted on the fixed base (12) is mounted, on its mount, with the driving motor (M.theta.) for operatively controlling the same, and is mounted with and holds a battery (46) for supplying a backup voltage to the encoders of the driving motors (MW, MU, M.alpha., M.beta., M.gamma.) for operatively controlling the movable robot components (18, 20). The battery is connected electrically by cables (48, 49) to the encoders (EC.theta., ECW, ECU, EC.alpha., EC.beta., EC.gamma.).

Abstract: Swinging arm robot comprises at least two swinging arms and motor-operated articulated drives. Each motor of the drive is arranged on an articulated part of an articulated axle. At least one swinging arm is not provided with a motor. The motors of the two articulated axles, which are assigned to the one swinging arm, are each fastened at an adjacent articulated part.

Abstract: A wrist mechanism including: at least three rigid elements each having an element axis, said rigid elements being connected in series so that adjacent two elements are rotatable relative to each other about a rotation axis, the rotation axis of said two adjacent rigid elements intersecting said element axes thereof, each rotation axis of each rigid element intersecting adjacent rotation axis; a first rotating mechanism for rotating every second rigid element relative to the other rigid elements; a second rotating mechanism for rotating the other rigid element relative to said every second rigid element.

Abstract: A movement trajectory generating system of a dynamical system uses neural network units (1, 2, 3) including cascade connection of a first layer (11, 21, 31), a second layer (12, 22, 32), a third layer (13, 23, 33) and a fourth layer (14, 24, 34), to learn a vector field of differential equations indicating forward dynamics of a controlled object (4). Conditions concerning trajectories of a final point and a via-point of movement of the controlled object and locations of obstacles are given from a motor center (5). While smoothness of movement is ensured by couplings of electric synapses using errors with respect to those conditions as total energy, least dissipation of energy is attained, whereby trajectory formation and control input for realizing the trajectory are obtained simultaneously.

Abstract: A multi-axis electric spraying robot adapted for use in a hazardous environment includes a base having a first pressurized compartment and an arm assembly having a second pressurized compartment in which compartments electric motors are respectively located. The arm assembly is supported for movement on the base at one end thereof. The arm assembly includes a wrist adapted for connecting the opposite end of the arm assembly with a spraying tool. One electric motor is provided to drive each axis. The compartments are pressurized to prevent flammable gases or vapors from entering the first and second compartments during operation of the robot.

Abstract: A linkage mechanism, such as an industrial robot, comprises an electronic motion controller and a set of self-driven joints. A controller receives a series of end effector positions from memory or from a host control system which define a routine for the mechanism to execute in relation to a predetermined reference frame such as cartesian coordinates. Angular values for the joints are computed in real time which follow the predetermined reference frame values in a manner which avoids the problems of singularities and which efficiently accommodates kinematic redundancy. A corresponding drive signal is generated for each joint.

Abstract: An automated machine comprising a handler mounted with a rotating aptitude about two perpendicular and intersecting rotational axes, having a free end fitted with a mechanical hand comprising an intake head. A vision system is permanently installed at the point of intersection of the rotational axes in a base unit comprised of a cradle which supports a rotatable turret which has an extension arm attached to another end of the handler. The handler is comprised of two branches comprising a folding arm that are joined together at one end with devices provided for symmetrical movement of both branches when an external force is exerted on either of them. The automated machine contains devices for deployment and retraction of its folding arms so as to grasp and release an object detected by the vision system installed in the handler apparatus.

Abstract: A robot manipulator uses multiple robot arms to grasp and move an object. The object is moved by the coordinated motion of the arms. Because of inaccuracies in the coordinated motion of the arms due to mechanical inaccuracies or to imperfections in the model used by the controller to evaluate the interaction of the arms with the environment, the actual motion of the arms may be slightly uncoordinated. This may result in the application of unwanted forces to the object which may distort or break the object, the arms, or both. A multiarm accommodation arrangement evaluates the forces applied by the arms to the object to determine the net forces, and generates position accommodation signals which are summed with the several mutually coordinated arm control signals to tend to cause the forces applied to the object to be zero or a desired finite value. In a particular embodiment of the invention, an outer loop provides position accommodation to control forces applied by the object to an external load.

Abstract: A digitally controlled industrial robot comprises a set of unitized and integrated joint drive modules which can be assembled in series to form an arm. The joints are of two basic types, pitch joints and roll joints, with the roll joints providing rotation about the longitudinal axis of the manipulator and the pitch joints providing rotation about axes which are substantially perpendicular to and offset from the roll joint axes. Any number of joints may be assembled to comprise the manipulator, permitting the configuration of a kinematically redundant manipulator. A servocontrol derives feedback from sensing the motive force on a driven member and compensates the drive signal accordingly. More particularly, the torque exerted on each roll and pitch joint is measured and used for feedback to provide stability and optimum bandwidth for the servomechanism.

Abstract: Toy apparatus in a playset including a robotic arm module for handling toy vehicles advanced along a path past a plurality of stations including a pickup station, an immersion station, and an exit station. The robotic arm module has gripper members actuatable for picking up the toy vehicle at the pickup station, then dipping the toy vehicle into a liquid and then depositing the toy vehicle at an exit station. The robotic arm apparatus is in the form of a parallelogram linkage which enables twisting action of the gripper members as well as up and down and sideways movement.

Abstract: A writing doll having a body portion, a head mounted on top of the body portion, a pair of legs protruding from the bottom of the body portion, and a pair of arms connected to the body portion. The arms include a pair of hands with one hand formed to hold a stylus. The writing doll includes a forearm motion control system mounted in at least one of the arms near the stylus hand for moving the stylus hand along an axis in a X direction. A shoulder motion control system mounted in at least one of the arms near the body portion for moving the stylus hand along an axis in a Z direction, and an elbow motion control system mounted in at least one of the arms between the forearm and shoulder motion control systems for moving the stylus along an axis in a Y direction. The doll also has a control means connected to each motion control system for providing control signals to control the movement of the motion control systems in each of the axis directions.

Abstract: A robot apparatus includes a robot having a swingable arm, a wrist mechanism mounted on the arm, and a running mechanism for displacing the robot in a prescribed direction. The wrist mechanism is coupled to an attachment member by an actuator having a fluid cylinder substantially parallel to the arm. When a component to be attached to a workpiece is held by a jig mounted on the wrist mechanism, the fluid cylinder is actuated to lift the wrist mechanism in order to correct the jig for the distance it is lowered due to the weight of the component. The wrist mechanism includes a bracket mounted on the arm by a support shaft, the bracket and the support shaft having fluid passages for supplying fluid under pressure to a torque actuator disposed in the bracket. The running mechanism is disposed in a pit defined in a floor on which the robot apparatus is located.

Abstract: A robot for surgical operation which comprises arm structure mounted at its one end of a vertical support and extending in a predetermined direction.The robot comprises a drive mechanism mounted on the other end of the arm structure and adapted to extend substantially horizontally further in said predetermined direction. A head or trepan is mounted at the extended end of and driven by said drive mechanism. Light transmissive fiber or the like mounted on the trepan takes an image of the patient and a controller process the image through video data processing for driving the arm structure, thereby controlling the position and tilt of the trepan with respect to the patient.

Abstract: A controller retrieves from memory a series of discrete end effector positions consisting of location and orientation of the end effector. Joint angle values are computed in real time corresponding to intermediate points along the path in a manner which provides smooth end effector motion, avoids the problems of singularities and efficiently accommodates kinematic redundancy. In particular, end effector reorientation between successive goal points is smoothly accomplished by rotating the end effector about the eigenvector of the two successive end effector orientations.

Abstract: Work-handling apparatus, such as may be used in automatically loading and unloading a press in the manufacture of metal pressings, is arranged to reciprocate a work-handling attachment substantially linearly. The attachment is pivotally mounted on a crank lever, which is pivotally mounted on a crank arm, which is pivotally mounted on mounting means, the pivot axes of the crank arm, which is pivotally mounted on mounting means, the pivot axes of the crank arm and the attachment being substantially equi-distant from that of the crank lever. By means of geared connections between the mounting means and the crank lever (in the ratio of substantially 2:1), and between the crank arm and the attachment (in the ratio of substantially 1:2) the attachment is caused to maintain a substantially constant orientation during linear movement resulting from the coordinated rotations of the crank lever and the crank arm.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of positioning a robot intended to perform inspection and maintenance operations within a nuclear plant, and especially within a vessel of a pressurized-water reactor. The robot, which comprises an articulated arm, is controlled so that it initially attaches its head at one end of the arm to a support point having known coordinates. Then, supported on this point, the robot brings and attaches a foot-plate at the other end of the arm to a working support position having known coordinates adjacent the access opening of the vessel. The head is then released and the robot operated to move and position the head through the access opening and into the operating zone in the vessel.

Abstract: A system for controlling acceleration and deceleration of a horizontally articulated robot computes the distance from the center of rotation of the robot (A) having a plurality of arms (3, 5) angularly movable in horizontal planes to a reference position such as a wrist (51) at the distal end of the arms (3, 5), and establishes an acceleration for the movement of the distal end of the arms (3, 5). A servomotor for angularly moving the arms (3,5) can effectively be utilized and the arms (3, 5) can quickly and smoothly be moved.

Abstract: In a robot control apparatus, the results of processing regarding inertia terms of a motion equation are stored in accordance with the position of a robot arm. The computation period of the inertia terms can be set to be larger than a drive torque computation period. The robot is controlled with the same precision and, moreover, drive torque can be computed at a shorter computation time.

Abstract: The end of a robot arm includes two links, a first or inner link supported rotatably about a central axis and an end link at which a tool is carried. Located between the links are a rod and a tube whose longitudinal axes are concentric. Each of four gimbal rings is used as a member of a universal joint that connects the links, the rod and the tube. The links are connected by two universal joints in series, and the rod connects these joints. The links are also connected by two other universal joints in series and the tube connects this second pair of joints. The first and second pairs of universal joints connected in series are connected to one another in parallel. Gimbal rings rotatably supported on the tube and on the links for angular movement about yaw axis provide rotational support for the links and the connecting rod about the pitch axis. Actuating rods connected to the inner set of gimbal rings produce articulation of the wrist about these axis when the rods are actuated.

Abstract: A robot system in which a force (torque) exerted on an end effector disposed at an end of a robot to hold an object is sensed to achieve a positioning control. The robot system includes a unit to sense an inertial force exerted on the end effector and the sensed result is fed back so as to remove the influence of the inertia force, thereby effecting an accurate positioning control.

Abstract: A covering for a mechanical linkage comprises a material which is substantially impermeable to both liquid and particle contaminants and conforms to the outer surface of the mechanical linkage. Because the covering conforms to the surface of the mechanical linkage, the covering does not have loose portions that billow and rub together as the mechanical linkage operates. This lessens the possibility of pieces of the covering and contaminating material detaching and falling from the mechanical linkage. The covering also comprises access openings whereby the mechanical linkage can be serviced without removing the entire covering. In a preferred embodiment, the covering comprises a plurality of sections, each section having fasteners for securing the sections about the mechanical linkage. The separate sections can be individually removed and replaced in a relatively short period of time.

Abstract: A robot arm usable for an industrial robot adapted to freely bend to realize a pattern of movement having a high ability of movement, excellent reachability and high accuracy by virtue of a comparatively small amount of rotational movement and a comparatively large amount of translational movement. The robot arm has cylindrical arm portions (14, 15, 16) flexibly connected to one after another via joints, and the arm portions comprise one upper arm (14), at least one intermediate arm (15) and one lower arm (16). An arm portion which belongs to a certain joint is formed with joint faces (21) which are inclined with respect to a longitudinally extending axis (29). A joint axis (22) of this joint extends at a right angle with respect to each of the joint faces (21). Each of the arm portions is freely turnable about the joint axis (22) independently of adjacent one or plural arm portions.

Abstract: A device to guide an object (A) around two axes (R.sub.1 and R.sub.2).A motor (M.sub.1) controls rotation around an axis (R.sub.1) by three gears (51, 70, 71); a further motor (M.sub.2) controls the rotation of a fork joint (C) around another axis (R.sub.2) by two other gears (26, 27). It simultaneously lets run the entire first motor (M.sub.1). The gears are calculated so that the main shaft (72) of the object (A) moves around (R.sub.2), but does not then revolve around (R.sub.1).

Abstract: An electric control apparatus for an industrial robot the arm of which is actuated to carry out machining of a workpiece by means of a machining tool attached thereto. The control apparatus includes a force sensor arranged to detect reaction force acting on the tool, a memory for memorizing a maximum reaction force detected by the sensor during each machining process of the workpiece in a plurality of split sections of a teaching line, a comparator for comparing the memorized maximum reaction force with a set value indicative of a limit of reaction force acting on the tool and for producing a signal therefrom when the memorized maximum force exceeds the set value.

Abstract: A method of controlling the movement of an articulated arm to permit the arm to move an end point thereof more freely and more directly to a preselected target. This smoother operation is obtained by a computer calculating the change in joint angle using an iterative pseudo inverse Jacobian having a damping factor. The damping factor is adjusted for each iteration based on the distance necessary to reach said preselected target.

Abstract: The horizontal movement actuators 3 of an industrial robot arm 2 are deenergized after an initial engagement between a workpiece 8 grasped by a robot hand and a base member 10 disposed on a support table 12 so that any axial misalignment between the workpiece and a hole 11 in the base member is automatically corrected with the guidance of a chamfer 8a, 10b provided on the workpiece and/or the hole.