Patent ID: 8237388

Claim:
A manipulator comprising: a working unit including an end effector axis and at least one posture axis by which an orientation of said end effector axis is changed; a mechanical unit disposed on said working unit for operating said end effector axis and said posture axis; an end effector axis actuator for driving said end effector axis, and at least one posture axis actuator for driving said posture axis; a controller for controlling movement positions of said end effector axis actuator and said posture axis actuator, thereby operating said end effector axis and said posture axis; and a torque generation detector for detecting a timing at which torque is generated on at least one of said end effector axis and said posture axis, wherein, when said torque generation detector detects said timing, said controller controls the movement position of said posture axis actuator so as to be shifted by a predetermined amount in a same direction as a direction at which an interference torque is generated by said mechanical unit, and wherein said torque generation detector detects said timing based on said end effector axis reaching an end of a movement range.