In a robotic arm structure (10) which includes at least two links (link 1, link 2), υ motion is provided about a primary axis (z1) at the proximal end portion of the proximalmost link (link 1). R motion proceeds radially from the primary axis (z1) whereby the distal end portion of the distalmost of the links (link 3) can be moved in a radially extending straight line. An end effector (18) is pivotally mounted for rotation relative to the distal end portion of the distalmost link (link 3) about an end effector axis which is parallel to the primary axis (z1). The structure (10) is improved by adding one or more of yaw, pitch and roll motors (servo motor 3) for rotating the wrist of the arm (10) about the respective axes. A sensor array senses the r, υ, z and one or more of yaw, pitch and roll motions and creates and transmits electronic signals representative thereof to a computer controller (96) which monitors and controls the r, theta, z and one or more of yaw, pitch and roll motions. Non-radial straight line motion and three-dimensional motions are possible. This has applications in picking up semiconductor wafers, flat panel displays and data storage disks even if the object is misaligned and/or the holding cassette or work station is misaligned from the usual operation plane of the arm (10).

Robot having multiple degrees of freedom

The invention provides cyclic peptides which inhibit platelet aggregation without causing prolonged bleeding time. The invention provides RGD or KGD containing peptides which are cyclized and contain hydrophobic moieties adjacent to the carboxy terminus of the RGD sequence. Peptides of this nature are also provided which contain in addition to the hydrophobic moiety an adjacent positively charged moiety. Such peptides have a high affinity for the receptor IIb/IIIa and a low affinity for the fibronectin and vitronectin receptors. Such peptides can be administered in a suitable physiologically acceptable carrier to therapeutically treat thrombosis.

Method and composition for treating thrombosis

A system for dispensing medicaments such as pills and having a plurality of dispensing cells. There is a manipulator arm (30) for moving to a cell (12) and receiving medicament (20) dispensed therefrom into a vial (36), and a controller (16) to control the manipulator arm (30). There is an indicia reader (40) that reads indicia (28) on the cell (12) at a selected location and the controller (16) determines whether the medicament (20) indicated by the indicia (28) matches the medicament (20) of the prescription.

Medicament verification in an automatic dispensing system

Motion of a substrate-transporting robot arm (34) is controlled in order to compensate for inaccuracies and deflections encountered during operation The compensation is effected by synchronizing elevational and planar motions of the robot arm (34) such that the trajectory of the substrate (32) is made coincident with the object axis of the substrate (32) The substrate (32) may be a semiconductor wafer, an LCD panel or an end effector (47) of the robot arm (34) The synchronized motion is achieved using a controller (45) issuing control signals to arm actuating means (40, 41, and 43) based on synchronization algorithms developed during analytical or experimental robot learning sessions

Robot motion compensation system

An improvement is set forth in a robotic arm structure which includes at least two links. θ motion is provided about a primary axis at the proximal end portion of the proximalmost of the links. R motion proceeds radially from the primary axis whereby the distal end portion of the distalmost of the links can be moved in a radially extending straight line. At least two independent end effectors are pivotally mounted for rotation relative to the distal end portion of the distalmost link about an end effector axis which is parallel to the primary axis. The structure is improved by adding independent yaw motors for rotating the end effectors independently.

Dual robotic arm end effectors having independent yaw motion

In a horizontal revolute robot, an upper end of a ball screw (21) of a direct-acting actuator (100) is rotatably supported by a top plate of a column (10), and the lower end thereof is coupled to a drive unit (40) disposed on a base plate of the column. A first link (220) is pivotally coupled to a coupling member (210) of a manipulator (200) fixed to a slider (30) of the actuator, and a second link (240) is pivotally coupled to the first link. The ball screw is rotated by the drive unit to move the manipulator along the ball screw in unison with the slider, and servomotors (230, 250) of the manipulator are driven to turn both the links within a horizontal plane, so that a wrist portion of the robot is positioned in a robot installation space for robot operation. Since no base is required to turnably support the actuator, the robot is small-sized, light in weight, and low-priced. Since the lower movement limit position of the manipulator is low, the range of action of the robot is wide.

Horizontal revolute robot

A direct-acting actuator for an industrial robot has an elongate ball screw or feed screw which is attached or detached quickly and safely in a narrow working space. In attaching the ball screw, upper and lower end portions of the ball screw, diagonally inserted in the inside space of a column (10), are respectively fitted into holes (12a, 33a) of a column top plate (12) and a plate member (33) of a slider (30) through a passage (12b), formed in the top plate and opening in a slider-side end face of the same plate, and a passage (33b), formed in the plate member and opening in the distal end face of the same member. Then, the lower end of the ball screw is coupled to a reduction gear (52), and a bearing unit (22) mounted on the upper end of the ball screw and a ball nut (34) threadedly engaged with the ball screw are respectively fitted into the holes (12a, 32a) so that the bearing unit and the ball nut are fixed to the top plate and the plate member, respectively.

Direct-acting actuator for an industrial robot

A light, miniaturized horizontal articulated robot capable of being moved in a large space, and fabricated, assembled, maintained and transported at reduced costs. A ball screw (21) in a direct-acting actuator (100) is supported rotatably at its upper end on an upper plate of a column (10), and connected at its lower end to a driving unit (40) provided on a base plate of the column. A first link (220) is connected pivotably to a connecting member (210) of a manipulator (200) fixed to a slider (30) in the actuator, and a second link (240) to the first link. The ball screw is turned by the driving unit to move the manipulator with the slider along the ball screw, and a servomotor (230, 250) for the manipulator is driven to turn the two links in a horizontal plane, whereby robot work is carried out as wrist of the robot is positioned in a robot-provided space. Since a base on which the actuator is supported pivotably is not required, the robot can be made smaller in dimension and weight at a lower cost, and the space of movement of the robot becomes large owing to the low downward movement limit position of the manipulator.

Horizontal articulated robot.

Waagerechter gegliederter roboter.

This invention relates to a direct-acting actuator of an industrial robot which can fit and remove an elongated feed screw rapidly and safely within a limited work space. When a ball screw is to be fitted, the upper and lower end portions of the ball screw inserted diagonally into an inner space of a column (10) are fitted into holes (12a, 33a) of an upper plate and sheet member through a passage (12b) formed on a column upper plate (12) and opening in that end surface of this upper plate on the slider side and through a passage (33b) formed on the sheet member (33) of a slider (30) and opening in the tip surface of the sheet member respectively, the lower end of the ball screw is connected to a decelerator (52) and a bearing unit (22) fitted to the upper end of the ball screw and ball nut (34) meshed with the ball screw are fitted into the holes (12a, 33a), respectively. Then, the bearing unit and the ball nut are fixed to the upper plate and to the sheet member, respectively. The ball screw can be removed in the procedures reverse to those described above.

Masayuki Hamura

Papers

Horizontal revolute robot

Direct-acting actuator for an industrial robot

Horizontal articulated robot.

Waagerechter gegliederter roboter.

Direct-acting actuator of industrial robot