Patent ID: 8528955
Filing Date: 2013-09-10
Classification: A21C,B25J,B65G,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A robotic packaging apparatus comprising: an articulating robot arm, an end effector mounted to an end of the robot arm for collecting work products, said end effector rotatable with respect to said robot arm about an upwardly extending axis, a cable management apparatus positioned between said robot arm and said end effector, said cable management apparatus including an arcuate race, an elongated cable carrier extending in an arc of said arcuate race about said upwardly extending axis and having a first cable carrier end positioned at a first position at said arc of said arcuate race, and a second cable carrier end positioned at said arc of said arcuate race and movable along said arc of said arcuate race toward and away from said first cable carrier end, said cable carrier having a substantially fixed length such that the cable carrier accumulates in a U-shaped intermediate cable carrier portion when said second cable carrier end moves toward said first cable carrier end, and a cable including utility lines extending along said cable carrier for connecting the utility lines between said robot arm and said end effector.