Patent Description:
Conventionally, robots may be used to open and close a lid of a container. The container includes various containers related to, for example, food (e.g., a drink container), beauty (e.g., a cosmetic container), and painting (e.g., a paint container), which are made of resin, glass, metal, etc. Some of the containers use a screw-type lid (screw top lid).

For example, one conventional technology of a robotic system which opens the lid of such a container, discloses to grip a conical tube (container) and its cap by separate hands, and rotate the cap by one of the hands to open it (e.g., Patent Document <NUM>). Moreover, another conventional technology discloses to respectively grip a hard part and a stopper of a container by pairs of gripping claws, and relatively twist the hard part and the stopper so as to detach the stopper (e.g., Patent Document <NUM>).

Additional related art exists, that relates firstly to a container and closure pickup device, which move relative to each other to close the container with the closure (<CIT>). Moreover, a cap with a protrusion and a position indicator is known (<CIT>). Robots for rotating caps as such are also known, for instance from <CIT>, and <CIT>.

However, in patent documents <NUM> and <NUM>, since the separate hands grip the container body and the lid, respectively, and the hand(s) is rotated in an opening direction of the lid, the hands are required to be controlled separately, which increases an operating time. Moreover, the control of the plurality of hands requires cost and time. In addition to this, since the opening state of the lid is determined based on a rotational angle of the hand, the lid may not be actually opened when a slip occurs between the lid and the hand. The additionally known art described in paragraph [<NUM>] does not solve this issue.

Therefore, one purpose of the present disclosure is to provide an end effector and a robot having the end effector, capable of appropriately opening and closing a screw-type lid while gripping a container body.

In order to achieve the purpose, an end effector according to claim <NUM> is provided. Specifically, the end effector according to the present disclosure is configured to open and close a screw-type lid for closing an opening of a container body and includes a container gripper configured to grip the container body, a lid gripper configured to grip the lid and be movable on a screw axis of the lid, a rotating part configured to rotate the lid gripper, a guiding part configured to guide the lid gripper being rotated by the rotating part to move on the screw axis, and a detector configured to detect that the lid gripper is moved to one of an opened position and a closed position of the lid. The "end effector" as used herein and in appended claims includes a wrist part of a robotic arm. Moreover, the rotation of the rotating part includes a "forward rotation" and a "reverse rotation.

According to this configuration, while the container body is held by a container holder provided to the end effector, by gripping the lid by the lid gripper provided to the end effector and rotating the lid gripper by the rotating part, the lid can be moved on the screw axis to be opened and closed. Thus, by the single end effector, the screw-type lid which closes the opening of the container can be appropriately opened and closed.

Moreover, the guiding part may include a guide configured to inhibit the lid gripper to rotate relative to the rotating part, and allow the lid gripper to move on the screw axis relative to the rotating part.

According to this configuration, the lid gripper can be smoothly moved on the screw axis along the guide while being rotated together with the rotating part.

Moreover, the container gripper may include a container chuck configured to grip the container body from sides. The lid gripper may include a lid chuck configured to grip the lid from above.

According to this configuration, the container chuck can grip the container body placed on a table etc. from sides, and in this state, the lid chuck can grip the lid from above to appropriately open and close the lid.

In another aspect, a robot according to the present disclosure includes any one of the end effectors described above.

According to this configuration, while the container body is held by the container holder, the end effector provided to the robot grips the lid by the lid gripper provided to the end effector and rotates the lid gripper by the rotating part, and thereby, the lid can be moved on the screw axis to be opened and closed.

Moreover, the robot may open and close the lid by the lid gripper of the end effector, while gripping and moving the container body by the container gripper of the end effector.

According to this configuration, the container gripper of the end effector grips and moves the container body, and at the same time, the lid gripper can grip the lid to open and close. Thus, when the work includes moving the container, time required for a series of works can be shortened.

Moreover, the robot may include a robotic arm, and a controller configured to control operation of the robotic arm. The robotic arm includes a link, and a wrist part rotatably provided to a tip of the link. The container gripper is attached to the link. The rotating part is included in the wrist part. The controller may stop the rotation of the rotating part when the detector detects that the lid gripper is moved to the opened position or the closed position of the lid.

According to this configuration, the end effector can be disposed at the suitable position for the container by the robotic arm having the link and the wrist part, the container gripper provided to the end effector can grip the container, and the lid can be gripped by the lid gripper to be appropriately opened and closed.

Moreover, the container gripper may be servo-controlled by an external axis control of the controller.

According to this configuration, container bodies made of materials different in their hardness, such as resin, glass, and metal, can be gripped by the container gripper being appropriately servo-controlled by the external axis control, and thus, this operation can be controlled in cooperation with the operation of gripping and opening and closing of the lid by the lid gripper.

Moreover, the robotic arm may have at least two robotic arms, and the end effector may be provided to at least one of the two robotic arms.

According to this configuration, the end effector provided to at least one of the two robotic arms can grip the container body by the container gripper, and grip the lid by the lid gripper to open and close, and the other robotic arm can perform work in parallel with this. Thus, different works by two robotic arms can be performed simultaneously.

Moreover, the robot may be an articulated robot.

According to this configuration, the articulated robot can easily perform the operation of moving the container body and the lid three-dimensionally to dispose them at suitable positions.

Moreover, the robot may be a dual-arm robot.

According to this configuration, the single dual-arm robot can easily perform the open and close work of the lid of the container by the end effector provided to one of the arms, and another work by the other robotic arm simultaneously.

According to the present disclosure, the single end effector can grip and appropriately open and close the screw-type lid while gripping the container body.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present disclosure is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. This embodiment exemplarily describes an end effector <NUM> provided to a robotic arm <NUM> of a robot <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. As one example of operation of the end effector <NUM>, opening operation of an upright container <NUM> from above is described. Note that a concept of an "up-and-down direction" and a "left-and-right direction" as used herein and in appended claims coincides with a concept of an "up-and-down direction" and a "left-and-right direction" indicated in <FIG>.

<FIG> is a front view illustrating the end effector <NUM> according to this embodiment. The end effector <NUM> is provided to a tip part of the robotic arm <NUM> (<FIG>). In this embodiment, a rotating part <NUM> of the end effector <NUM> is included in a wrist part <NUM> of the robotic arm <NUM>, and the wrist part <NUM> which is the rotating part <NUM> is included in the end effector <NUM>. The rotating part <NUM> (the wrist part <NUM>) is rotatable centering on a wrist rotational axis T. The end effector <NUM> is provided with a container gripper <NUM> which grips a container body <NUM>, a lid gripper <NUM> which is provided on a screw axis X of a lid <NUM> to be screwed onto the container body <NUM>, and grips the lid <NUM>, and the rotating part <NUM> which rotates the lid gripper <NUM>. The screw axis X is coaxial with the wrist rotational axis T. Therefore, by the rotating part <NUM> being rotated in a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction centering on the wrist rotational axis T, the lid <NUM> can be rotated by the lid gripper <NUM> in a direction to be screwed onto a screw portion <NUM> (<FIG>) of the container body <NUM>, or a direction to be loosen (to be detached).

The rotating part <NUM> is provided with a guiding part <NUM> for the lid gripper <NUM>. The guiding part <NUM> is provided with a guide extending in the up-and-down direction. In this embodiment, a linear guide <NUM> is provided as the guide, and the lid gripper <NUM> is provided to a tip of the linear guide <NUM>. Although the linear guide <NUM> is allowed to be displaced (advanced and retreated) with respect to the guiding part <NUM> in the up-and-down direction (in the direction of the screw axis), a rotation relative to the guiding part <NUM> (the rotating part <NUM>) is not allowed. Thus, when the rotating part <NUM> rotates, the guiding part <NUM> rotates together with the linear guide <NUM>. The guide may be any guide, as long as it does not rotate relative to the guiding part <NUM>, but rotates together with the guiding part <NUM> when the rotating part <NUM> rotates, and is allowed to move on the screw rotational axis X. Then, also the lid gripper <NUM> provided to the tip of the linear guide <NUM> rotates integrally. The lid gripper <NUM> is guided by the linear guide <NUM> so as to be movable in the up-and-down direction on the screw axis X of the lid <NUM>.

The guiding part <NUM> is provided with a first limit switch <NUM> as a detector which detects that the lid gripper <NUM> is retreated (raised) to one predetermined position on the screw axis X of the lid <NUM>, and a second limit switch <NUM> as the detector which detects that the lid gripper <NUM> is advanced (lowered) to another predetermined position on the screw axis X. Each of the limit switches <NUM> and <NUM> detects that a detected part (not illustrated) of the linear guide <NUM> which moves integrally with the lid gripper <NUM>, moves to the predetermined position. These limit switches <NUM> and <NUM> detect whether the lid gripper <NUM> moves to an opened position or a closed position of the lid <NUM> on the screw axis X. The detector is not limited to the limit switches <NUM> and <NUM>, but may be other positional sensors. The linear guide <NUM> may be an air cylinder. When the air cylinder is used, an air cylinder with an automatic switch can be used. In the case of using the air cylinder with the automatic switch, a built-in switch constitutes the detector. Moreover, the detector may detect a rotational speed (including a rotational angle) of the lid gripper <NUM> (the rotating part <NUM>). For example, when the container <NUM> is configured such that the lid <NUM> is removable by three rotations, the detector may detect that the lid gripper <NUM> (the rotating part <NUM>) is rotated three rounds or more (the number of rotations which does not cause a problem if a slip of the gripper occurs, e.g., four or five rotations). This case of detecting the number of rotations can also be included in detecting that the lid gripper <NUM> is moved to the opened position of the lid <NUM>, since the lid gripper <NUM> is moved to the opened position together with the lid <NUM>.

The lid gripper <NUM> is provided with a lid chuck <NUM> at a lower end of a lid gripper body <NUM>. The illustrated lid chuck <NUM> extends downwardly, above the container <NUM>, to the left and right sides of the lid <NUM>, and grips the lid <NUM> from the left and right sides. The lid chuck <NUM> acts to grip the lid <NUM> from the left and right sides by a drive <NUM> (e.g., a motor). A driving mechanism of the lid chuck <NUM> may be a known mechanism which opens and closes the lid chuck <NUM> in a facing state. Moreover, the lid chuck <NUM> may be, for example, a V-shaped chuck which horizontally grips the lid <NUM> from the left and right sides, or a chuck which grips at a plurality of places (e.g., three places) from above. The state in which the lid gripper <NUM> is hung down from the guiding part <NUM> is illustrated in the drawings.

The container gripper <NUM> includes a container gripper body <NUM> in a substantially L-shape extending downwardly from a tip part of the robotic arm <NUM> (a fifth link <NUM> described later), and is provided with a container chuck <NUM> extending laterally from a lower-end part of the container gripper body <NUM>. The container gripper <NUM> is provided to a part of the robotic arm <NUM> nonrotatable about the wrist rotational axis T. The container chuck <NUM> acts to sandwich the container body <NUM> from both sides by a drive <NUM> (e.g., a motor) provided to the container gripper <NUM>. The drive of the container chuck <NUM> may be any known mechanism which opens and closes the container chuck <NUM> in a facing state. When the container chuck <NUM> is expanded in an opening direction (a direction orthogonal to the drawing sheets), the container chuck <NUM> can be downwardly lowered without being contacted to the container body <NUM>. Gripping surfaces (inner surfaces) of the container chuck <NUM> are formed, for example, in a shape conforming to an outer surface of the container body <NUM>. For example, when an external shape of the container body <NUM> is circular, each of the gripping surfaces of the container chuck <NUM> may be formed to have an arc-shape so as to conform to an outer surface of the container body <NUM>. When the external shape of the container body <NUM> is rectangular, the gripping surfaces of the container chuck <NUM> may be formed to extend in parallel to each other along outer surfaces of the container body <NUM>. If the container chuck <NUM> is servo-controlled through an external axis control of the robot <NUM>, its gripping force etc. can be appropriately controlled according to the container body <NUM>. Accordingly, container bodies <NUM> made of materials different in their hardness, such as resin, glass, and metal, can be appropriately gripped.

<FIG> are views illustrating an operation example of the end effector <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>, where <FIG> is a front view, and <FIG> is a view seen in a direction of an arrow II illustrated in <FIG>. <FIG> is a front view illustrating the next state of the end effector <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. <FIG> is a front view illustrating the next state of the end effector <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. With reference to these drawings, an operation example is described, in which the screw-type lid <NUM> closing an opening formed in an upper-end part of the container <NUM>, is removed to open the container <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the container chuck <NUM> of the end effector <NUM> is positioned on both sides of the container <NUM> placed on a table <NUM>, and the lid chuck <NUM> is positioned so as to be grippable of the lid <NUM>. Then, the container chuck <NUM> grips the container body <NUM>, and the lid chuck <NUM> grips the lid <NUM>.

Then, as illustrated in <FIG>, the rotating part <NUM> rotates the lid gripper <NUM> in the opening direction of the lid <NUM>, and thus, the lid chuck <NUM> and the lid <NUM> rotate integrally. The screw-type lid <NUM> is moved upwardly along the screw portion <NUM> of the container body <NUM> by being rotated in the opening direction. Upon this movement, the linear guide <NUM> provided between the lid gripper <NUM> and the rotating part <NUM> moves upwardly, which allows the displacement of the lid gripper <NUM>. The linear guide <NUM> is detected by the first limit switch <NUM> when it moves to the one predetermined position at which the lid <NUM> is detached, and accordingly, the rotation of the rotating part <NUM> is stopped. Here, the lid <NUM> is detached from the container body <NUM>. Since the detachment of the lid <NUM> from the container body <NUM> is detected based on the moved position of the lid gripper <NUM> on the screw axis X, whether the lid <NUM> is detached can be detected appropriately even when a slip occurs between the lid <NUM> and the lid chuck <NUM>.

Then, as illustrated in <FIG>, the container chuck <NUM> gripping the container body <NUM> is opened to release the gripping of the container body <NUM>. The lid <NUM> detached from the container body <NUM> can be transferred to a predetermined place by the end effector <NUM> while being gripped by the lid chuck <NUM>.

Although this example describes the opening operation in which the end effector <NUM> detaches the lid <NUM> from the container body <NUM>, a closing operation is also possible through an inverse operation, in which the container body <NUM> is closed by the lid <NUM>. Upon the closing by the lid <NUM>, the rotating part <NUM> rotates the lid gripper <NUM> in the opposite direction so as to screw the lid <NUM> onto the screw portion <NUM> of the container body <NUM>, and thus, the lid gripper <NUM> and the linear guide <NUM> of the guiding part <NUM> are moved downwardly. Then, when the second limit switch <NUM> detects that the linear guide <NUM> is moved to a position at which the closing by the lid <NUM> is appropriately achieved, the rotation of the rotating part <NUM> is stopped. In this manner, the operation inverse of the opening operation can close the container body <NUM> by the lid <NUM>.

<FIG> is a front view illustrating another operation example of the end effector <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. In this operation example, the lid <NUM> is detached by the lid gripper <NUM> in the air, while the container body <NUM> of the container <NUM> is gripped and moved by the container gripper <NUM>.

According to this end effector <NUM>, the container <NUM> is moved while the container chuck <NUM> of the container gripper <NUM> grips the container body <NUM>, and the lid chuck <NUM> of the lid gripper <NUM> grips the lid <NUM>. Then, the rotating part <NUM> rotates the lid gripper <NUM> while the container <NUM> is moved, and thus, the lid <NUM> is rotated to be detached from the container body <NUM>. According to this, for example, when repeating a work of detaching the lid <NUM> from the container <NUM> closed by the lid <NUM>, and placing the container body <NUM> at a predetermined place, the lid <NUM> can be detached in the air while the container <NUM> is moved by the end effector <NUM>. Therefore, a cycle time of the work can be shortened. Note that the lid <NUM> may be detached while the container <NUM> is placed on the table, and then, the container body <NUM> and the lid <NUM> may be moved while being gripped.

<FIG> is a front view illustrating an operation example of the robot <NUM> having the end effector <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>. <FIG> is a front view illustrating an example of a cooperative work between the robot <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> (hereinafter, referred to as a "first robot <NUM> ") and another robot <NUM> (hereinafter, referred to as a "second robot <NUM>").

The robot <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is an example in which the robot <NUM> is a <NUM>-axis vertically articulated robot. However, the first robot <NUM> is not limited to this embodiment. The first robot <NUM> may be any industrial robot corresponding to its use. Alternative to the vertically articulated robot, the first robot <NUM> may be a horizontally articulated robot. Alternatively, a single robot can perform different works by using a coaxial dual-arm robot.

In the first robot <NUM>, the robotic arm <NUM> is provided to a pedestal <NUM>. The robotic arm <NUM> includes a first link <NUM> turnably coupled to the pedestal <NUM> via a turning axis S, a second link <NUM> swingably coupled to the first link <NUM> via a lower-arm swinging axis L, a third link <NUM> swingably coupled to the second link <NUM> via an upper-arm swinging axis U, a fourth link <NUM> turnably coupled to the third link <NUM> via a wrist turning axis R, and the fifth link <NUM> swingably coupled to the fourth link <NUM> via a wrist swinging axis B. The wrist part <NUM> is rotatably coupled to the fifth link <NUM> via the wrist rotational axis T. As described above, the rotating part <NUM> is included in the wrist part <NUM>. Note that the first robot <NUM> is provided with servomotors as actuators, rotational angle detectors, etc. (none of them are illustrated) for the respective axes. Since a vertically articulated robot of a known configuration can be used as the first robot <NUM>, more detailed description of the first robot <NUM> is omitted.

The end effector <NUM> is provided to the tip part of the robotic arm <NUM> of the first robot <NUM>. As described above, the end effector <NUM> is provided with the container gripper <NUM> which grips the container body <NUM>, and the lid gripper <NUM> which grips the lid <NUM> to be screwed onto the container body <NUM>. The container gripper <NUM> is attached to the fifth link <NUM>. The lid gripper <NUM> is provided to the tip of the linear guide <NUM> of the guiding part <NUM> provided to the rotating part <NUM>.

A positional control of the end effector <NUM> by the robotic arm <NUM>, the gripping of the container body <NUM> by the container gripper <NUM> of the end effector <NUM>, the gripping of the lid <NUM> by the lid gripper <NUM>, etc., are controlled by a controller <NUM>. The controller <NUM> includes a processor, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, an I/O interface, etc. The controller <NUM> controls each part by the processor executing calculation processing using the volatile memory, based on a program stored in the non-volatile memory. The controller <NUM> detects by the first limit switch <NUM> (<FIG>) that the detected part of the linear guide <NUM> which moves integrally with the lid gripper <NUM> is raised to the one predetermined position, or detects by the second limit switch <NUM> (<FIG>) that the linear guide <NUM> is lowered to the another predetermined position, and then, stops the rotation of the wrist part <NUM>. The raised position of the lid gripper <NUM> is set to the opened position where the lid <NUM> is removed from the container <NUM>, and the rotating part <NUM> is stopped in the state where the lid <NUM> is removed from the container <NUM>. The lowered position of the lid gripper <NUM> is set to the closed position where the lid <NUM> is screwed onto the container <NUM> to the another predetermined position. The opened position and the closed position of the lid <NUM> are set according to the container <NUM>.

Then, in the example illustrated in <FIG>, the lid gripper <NUM> of the end effector <NUM> detaches the lid <NUM>, while the container gripper <NUM> of the end effector <NUM> grips and lifts the container body <NUM> of the container <NUM>, which was placed at a predetermined place on the first table <NUM>, and moves it onto a second table <NUM> different from the first table <NUM> (while moving from left to right in the drawing). That is, according to the first robot <NUM>, the container chuck <NUM> of the container gripper <NUM> provided to the end effector <NUM> grips the container body <NUM>, and the lid gripper <NUM> grips the lid <NUM> and lifts it from the first table <NUM> (the state illustrated in a two-dot chain line). Then, the lid gripper <NUM> is rotated by the rotating part <NUM> while the end effector <NUM> is moved by the robotic arm <NUM>. Accordingly, the lid <NUM> is raised along the screw portion <NUM>, and the linear guide <NUM> which moves integrally with the lid gripper <NUM> is detected by the first limit switch <NUM>, and thus, the rotating part <NUM> is stopped. Here, the lid <NUM> is detached from the container body <NUM> (the state illustrated in a solid line). The gripping and moving of the container <NUM>, and the detaching of the lid <NUM> by the first robot <NUM> are controlled by the controller <NUM>.

Therefore, for example, when repeating the work of detaching the lid <NUM> from the container <NUM> closed by the lid <NUM>, and placing the container body <NUM> at a predetermined place, such as on the second table <NUM>, a part of the work can be performed in the air during the moving. Thereby, the cycle time of the work can be shortened.

In the example illustrated in <FIG>, the container body <NUM> from which the lid <NUM> is detached while the container <NUM> being moved, is placed on the predetermined place on the second table <NUM>, and a predetermined amount of paint (liquid) is poured into the container body <NUM> by a liquid supplying part <NUM> provided to a tip part of the robotic arm <NUM> of the second robot <NUM> different from the first robot <NUM>. The liquid supplying part <NUM> may have a known configuration provided with a container having a predetermined amount of paint therein, and an open/close valve which discharges the paint. Note that a predetermined amount of paint (liquid) may be extracted from inside the container body <NUM> by the liquid supplying part <NUM>. Since the second robot <NUM> is a <NUM>-axis vertically articulated robot same as the first robot <NUM>, the same reference characters are given to the same structures so as to omit description. However, the second robot <NUM> is not limited to this embodiment. The second robot <NUM> may be any industrial robot corresponding to its use.

According to this example, since the second robot <NUM> can move the liquid supplying part <NUM> which pours the paint into the container body <NUM>, to a stand-by position, during the detaching operation of the lid <NUM> while the container <NUM> is moved by the end effector <NUM>, a series of works can be performed promptly. Particularly, for example, when a plurality of paint are mixed so that paint in a desired color is made, the plurality of paint can be mixed promptly, and thus, the work time can be shortened.

The gripping and moving of the container <NUM>, and the detaching of the lid <NUM> by the first robot <NUM> are controlled by the controller <NUM>. Moreover, the moving of the liquid supplying part <NUM> and the pouring of the paint by the second robot <NUM> are also controlled by the controller <NUM>.

Moreover, although <FIG> illustrates the example including two robots of the first robot <NUM> and the second robot <NUM>, a single coaxial dual-arm robot may be used, for example. In the case of the dual-arm robot, by one of the arms being provided with the end effector <NUM>, the other arm can pour or extract the liquid, and thereby, a series of works can be efficiently performed by the single robot.

Moreover, other works include placing the container body <NUM>, from which the lid <NUM> is detached, inside a case, etc. In this case, the end effector <NUM> provided to one of the robotic arms <NUM> moves the lid <NUM> toward the case while detaching the lid <NUM>, and the other robotic arm <NUM> can open a door of the case at an appropriate timing. Therefore, the end effector <NUM> is capable of shortening time required for various works performed to the container <NUM> having the screw-type lid <NUM> to be opened and closed.

As described above, according to the end effector <NUM>, the single end effector <NUM> can open and close the lid <NUM> while gripping the container body <NUM>. Moreover, since the lid <NUM> can be opened and closed while the container <NUM> is moved, time required for various works can be shortened.

Moreover, since the gripping of the container body <NUM>, and the gripping and the opening and closing of the lid <NUM>, can be performed by the single end effector <NUM>, expenses required for equipment which opens and closes the lid <NUM> of the container <NUM> can be reduced, and thus, a cost reduction is possible.

Although the embodiment describes the case in which the lid <NUM> of the container <NUM> is opened on the table <NUM>, and the case in which the lid <NUM> is opened while the container <NUM> is moved, the lid <NUM> may be closed while the container body <NUM>, from which the lid <NUM> has been detached, is moved to the predetermined place. Also this configuration can shorten the work time.

Moreover, although in the embodiment the configuration of the end effector <NUM> provided to the robotic arm <NUM> is controlled by the controller <NUM> of the robot <NUM>, the end effector <NUM> may be controlled by a configuration other than the controller <NUM> of the robot <NUM>. For example, the end effector <NUM> may be provided with a configuration corresponding to the rotating part <NUM>, and the rotating part may be rotated by a configuration other than the controller <NUM> of the robot <NUM> so as to rotate the lid gripper <NUM>.

Moreover, in the embodiment, the container <NUM> is disposed upright on the first table <NUM> or the second table <NUM>. However, even when the container <NUM> is disposed to be inclined, the work can be performed in the inclined state by the operation of the robotic arm <NUM> being controlled, and the disposed state of the container <NUM> is not limited to that described in the embodiment.

Claim 1:
An end effector (<NUM>) configured to open and close a screw-type lid (<NUM>) for closing an opening of a container body (<NUM>), comprising:
a container gripper (<NUM>) configured to grip the container body (<NUM>);
a lid gripper (<NUM>) configured to grip the lid (<NUM>) and be movable on a screw axis of the lid (<NUM>);
a rotating part (<NUM>) configured to rotate the lid gripper (<NUM>);
a guiding part (<NUM>) configured to guide the lid gripper (<NUM>) being rotated by the rotating part (<NUM>) to move on the screw axis; and
a detector (<NUM>, <NUM>) configured to detect that the lid gripper (<NUM>) is moved to one of an opened position and a closed position of the lid (<NUM>), wherein
the end effector (<NUM>) is provided to a robotic arm (<NUM>),
characterized in that
the container gripper (<NUM>) is attached to a link (<NUM>) of the robotic arm (<NUM>), and
the rotating part (<NUM>) is included in a wrist part (<NUM>) of the robotic arm (<NUM>), the wrist part (<NUM>) is configured to be
rotatably coupled to the link (<NUM>).