The invention relates to a robot for manipulating food products such as fresh, fully or partly prepared (meat) products, such as hamburgers, sausages, beef steak, etc.

Robots are used in many plants for processing food products. Because food products, such as meat, are often not uniform and are, in addition, subjected to stringent regulations regarding food safety and hygiene, robots which are suitable for these purposes often have to satisfy different requirements to the robots which are being used outside the food industry.

However, it has been found that many robots do not meet such requirements or only to an insufficient degree. This greatly limits the choice of the type of robot in such applications. The modification of already known types of robots in order to make them suitable for the food industry also has various drawbacks. Thus, for example, a SCARA robot has a high processing capacity due to its high speed, but it also consists of various moving and pivoting components which have to be modified in order to render them suitable for use in the food industry. Such modifications, i.e. the screening off of the components, have other drawbacks, because they make for example cleaning the robot more difficult. Another drawback is the fact that such robots are mainly efficient with products which are highly uniform. However, food products such as meat are often not uniform, thus reducing manipulation thereof and rendering it less reliable.

There is therefore a need for an improved robot which is suitable for use in the food industry in which at least some of the abovementioned drawbacks of the prior art have been eliminated.

It is therefore an object of the mutual invention to provide a robot which is versatile and reliable for use in the food industry.

This object is achieved in a first aspect by means of a robot for manipulating one or more food products, such as meat, comprising: a stationary base comprising at least one wall section for enclosing at least one first drive unit in the wall section, the first drive unit comprising: a toothed-belt drive; a motor for driving the toothed belt, and a plurality of a first series of magnets which are arranged at a fixed distance apart on the toothed belt; the robot further comprising: a manipulator, such as a gripper, for manipulating the one or more products, wherein the manipulator is adapted to move the one or more products from a first to a second position and is adapted to be arranged on an external wall of the wall section of the stationary base, and wherein the manipulator comprises a magnet for bringing about a magnetic attraction between the manipulator and at least one of the magnets on the toothed belt of the first drive unit, so that the products can be manipulated by the manipulator along a first translation axis when the motor of the first drive unit drives the toothed belt.

As has already been indicated, robots in the food industry have to satisfy more stringent requirements than robots which are being used for other non-food- related applications. Often, delta robots are used in the food industry or three- or five- axis SCARA robots. Not only do these robots have a complicated architecture, but in addition they comprise many individual components which fall under the food safety requirements. Therefore, lubricating components, such as greases and oils for example, have to be screened off. It is therefore quite challenging to comply with the hygiene requirements.

The present robot does not have such drawbacks, because it is able to pick up food products, such as meat, and manipulate them and is able to reach all coordinates within the operating area, while only a limited number of components of the robot are moving. The majority of the robot is stationary and enclosed in the housing. All moving parts which are susceptible to, for example, becoming dirty or attracting dust or which require lubrication are enclosed in the housing.

The interface between the stationary part of the robot and the moving part which is formed by the manipulator forms a contactless transmission due to the magnetic interface between the two parts. The inventor has surprisingly found that the present design not only comprises few moving parts, but in addition provides a very hygienic device due to the contactless interface which, in addition, is robust and through versatile.

In one example, the wall section of the stationary base further comprises a second drive unit which is arranged perpendicular to the first drive unit, the second drive unit comprising: a toothed-belt drive; a motor for driving the toothed belt, and a plurality of a second series of magnets which are arranged at a fixed distance apart on the toothed belt, wherein the magnet of the manipulator is able to bring about a magnetic attraction between the manipulator and at least one of the magnets on the toothed belt of the second drive unit, so that the food products can be manipulated by the manipulator along a second translation axis when the motor of the first drive unit drives the toothed belt.

In one example, the stationary base further comprises a second wall section, opposite to the first wall section, in order to define an operating area of the manipulator between the two wall sections, wherein the second wall section is at least adapted to enclose a third drive unit, which corresponds to the first drive unit, in the wall section, wherein the first and the second drive unit are driven synchronously; and wherein the manipulator is able to move the one or more food products from the first to the second position in the operating area between the two wall sections, and wherein the manipulator comprises a further magnet in order to bring about a magnetic attraction between the manipulator and at least one of the magnets on the toothed belt of the third drive unit.

In a simple form, the robot may consist of a stationary base with a single wall section. In a simple form, a single drive unit is arranged on this wall section by means of which the manipulator can be displaced along a first linear axis.

However, in a more elaborate embodiment, the base comprises several wall sections and in particular at least two opposite wall sections. In this case, these wall sections each comprise a drive unit, so that the manipulator is supported and controlled from two sides. This benefits the stability of the manipulator, as a result of which the latter can move at greater speeds and/or is able to displace a greater weight and/or can operate with greater accuracy.

In another embodiment, several drive units are arranged in a single wall section. This has the advantage that the manipulator can be displaced along several linear axes, for example along an X and a Y axis in case the drive units are arranged perpendicularly with respect to each other.

A wall section may also comprise a plurality of drive units. This means that several the X and/or for the Y movement, for example by forming rows of drive units arranged in parallel. In this case, the manipulator may be moved from a first X, Y coordinate to a second X, Y coordinate by the drive unit of the X movement displacing the manipulator of the first drive unit for the Y movement to a second drive unit for the Y movement. In this embodiment, a matrix of magnets is therefore incorporated which are situated on the drive belts of the various drive units.

In a further embodiment, the magnets of the drive unit may also be arranged in a circle instead of in a straight row. When the magnets form a circle and the magnets of the manipulator are arranged in a corresponding circle shape, it becomes possible to rotate the manipulator about an axis of rotation. This rotation may also be brought about, however, by the fact that the manipulator comprises a drive shaft which is provided with a gear wheel transmission at the end. By driving the gear wheel, the shaft is rotated and the manipulator or a gripper coupled thereto will be able to rotate about an axis of rotation.

In one example, the stationary base comprises a first and a second wall section, opposite to the first wall section, in order to define an operating area of the manipulator between the two wall sections, wherein the first wall section comprises the first and a second drive unit, and the second wall section comprises a third and a fourth drive unit, wherein the manipulator comprises at least two magnets which face the first and second wall section, respectively, and wherein the first and third drive unit may be controlled synchronously in order for the manipulator to manipulate the one or more food products along the first translation axis, and the second and fourth drive unit may be controlled synchronously in order for the manipulator to manipulate the one or more food products along the second translation axis.

In one example, the manipulator comprises a first and a second pair of axles, each comprising two axles which are arranged in parallel between opposite wall sections and which are provided with the magnets at the location of the wall sections, and wherein the first pair of axles and the second pair of axles are arranged in the stationary base so as to be perpendicular with respect to each other, and wherein the manipulator further comprises a gripper assembly which is arranged at the crossing of the first and the second pair of axles.

In one example, the manipulator is provided with a plurality of magnets at the location of the wall sections.

In one example, the magnets are arranged in a matrix with the mutual distance corresponding to at least a part of the first and/or second series of magnets of the first and/or second drive unit. Preferably, a wall section comprises a matrix of magnets which are arranged on the toothed belts of the various drive units arranged in two directions. The manipulator also contains a plurality of magnets which are arranged in a matrix. The position of these magnets at least corresponds to a part of the matrix of magnets in the wall section. As a result thereof, at least a number of magnets on the toothed belts and the manipulator will always be attracted to each other during movement of the toothed belts. In addition, this facilitates the transfer of the manipulator to another drive unit because only some of the magnets are attracted then.

In one example, comprises a plurality of parallel first and second drive units are arranged in at least one wall section of the stationary base.

In one example, two first drive units which are arranged parallel to each other at a slight distance apart are arranged in the at least one wall section, between which a plurality of second drive units which are arranged parallel to each other at a fixed distance apart comprises.

In one example, the manipulator further comprises an axle which is adapted to rotate about an axis of rotation of a gripper which is attached to the manipulator.

In one example, the rotation is brought about by the fact that the axle is a hollow axle which accommodates a drive shaft which is adapted to allow the gripper to rotate about the axis of rotation when the drive shaft rotates.

In one example, one or more of the magnets of the manipulator and/or one or more of the drive units is a neodymium magnet.

In one example, one or more of the magnets of the manipulator and/or one or more of the drive units is an electromagnet.

In one example, the manipulator comprises a gripper which comprises a matrix of extendable needles which are adapted to be inserted into the one or more food products.

In one example, the needles are arranged in groups which are arranged in the gripper at mutually different angles and which are adapted to be inserted into the one or more food products at different angles.

In one example, the wall sections are sealed and are at a subatmospheric pressure, more particularly they are at least substantially vacuum.

In one example, the wall sections are sealed and are at a superatmospheric pressure. In one example, the robot comprises at least one camera unit for recording the presence of undesirable objects in or near the operating area.

In one example, the robot further comprises at least one motion sensor for detecting movement of the manipulator, and wherein the movement of the manipulator is compared with an expected movement, and the drive units are brought to a stop when there is a discrepancy between the detected and the expected movement.

In a second aspect, a robot platform is provided for manipulating one or more food products as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, which robot platform comprises a plurality of tile-shaped robots which are arranged in a matrix configuration, the plurality of tile-shaped robots at least comprising one or more robots as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims.

In one example, which is applicable according to all above and below aspects of the present description, the robot is a tile-shaped robot which is adapted to form a robot platform which consists of several such tile-shaped robots which are placed against each other. In another preferred embodiment, however, the tiles are also placed at a slight distance apart. In addition, in one example, the robot is provided with five motors. One motor is fitted on the bottom of the tile and more powerful than the other four motors. This single larger motor is adapted to cause a rotating movement of the entire tile, while the other motors are adapted to cause a linear movement in the X and Y direction. The four motors are arranged in two groups of two motors with an electromagnet on top. The magnet is sufficiently powerful to be able to displace the entire platform in an X direction.

One advantage of the magnets is the fact that they can take over the platform which is driven by the magnets of the robot from one another. Due to the fact that the magnets can be activated and deactivated, as they are, after all, electromagnets, they do not counteract one another and do not cancel one another’s magnetic force.

For each band, are is preferably two electromagnets in order to cancel the rotational deviation or at least to counteract it. This is achieved by simultaneously engaging the platform at two points. The magnets are thus synchronized for each band. Preferably, each magnet has a neodymium counter-magnet in the platform which is placed at a certain position, depending on the desired movement. Preferably, the magnets are thus electromagnets and preferably the magnets comprise neodymium. They preferably have a diameter of approximately 15x15 mm and a minimum attractive force of approximately 0 Newton and a maximum attractive force of approximately 100 Newton. The force used is adapted to the product to be transported.

According to all aspects and examples of the present description, the term magnets is understood to refer both to electromagnets and permanent magnets, but in particular and preferably to neodymium magnets which can be energized. What is meant thereby is that these magnets can be arranged in a grid. Because the magnets are used to transport a platform, they are preferably dynamic in such a manner that the magnetic force can be brought into at least two states of different forces. For example, in a state in which the magnets operate at 100% of their original (permanent) magnetic force, and at approximately 10%. This may be brought about by energizing these neodymium magnets. This may be characterized as a coil enabled magnetic switch or a coil energized magnetic switch. By energizing the magnets, the magnetic force may either pass to a state in which it is largely canceled and thus only operates at 10% of the original magnetic force, or may be amplified so that it operates at 100% of the magnetic force.

The coil enabled magnetic switch operates by means of activating and screening off the neodymium magnet. To this end, a wire having a low electrical resistance, for example made of copper, is used which can be energized using 24V direct current. The magnet may to this end be arranged in the center of a coil which is made of this (copper) wire which is wound around a carrier. This carrier is preferably made of plastic.

In a non-energized state, the magnet is in the normal state in which the magnetic force of the neodymium magnet is determined by the intrinsic properties of the magnet. However, when the coil is energized using 24V direct current, the magnetic field produced by the coil will cancel the magnetic field of the magnet entirely or at least partly, thus producing a weakened magnetic field.

By means of this switchable magnetic field, it becomes possible to use a grid of magnets to move the platform which is being transported by the magnets.

The platform preferably has minimum dimensions of 400x400x130 mm. The operating range of the platform is at least 323 mm around the center of the tile. Because the robot is able to rotate 360 degrees, this range is therefore a diameter. The platform is preferably at most 600x1000x130 mm and is thus adapted to a standard size for cardboard boxes of 600x400 mm. Because the design is couplable, there is actually no maximum size. Preferably, the robot is made from a single RVS panel which makes the design aseptic.

The range of the robot is preferably approximately 850 mm in the X direction and 500 mm in the Y direction for a size of the platform of 1000x600 mm. However, this range may be increased to approximately 2850 mm in the X direction and 1400 mm in the Y direction.

Due to its design, the working surface of the robot is at least 80% of the surface of the platform and more preferably 85%, and still more preferably approximately 90%.

Preferably, the size of the most compact tiles is 400x400 mm. Since they rotate, they are preferably a slight distance apart. To this end, it has preferably circle which is kept free of 557.2 mm. For safety reasons, a tolerance of approximately 5 mm is added.

A platform may for example have dimensions of 390x390 mm for this tile. The maximum distance which a platform can then bridge is 167.2 mm, being the maximum intermediate distance which is necessary to make rotation possible. This distance is smaller than half a platform, which is advantageous for equilibrium. In addition to the fact that this dimension is therefore smaller than half, it is also attached to an electromagnet which is only released when the tile has been transferred to the adjacent robot of the adjacent platform.

Therefore, a platform is preferably at most 10 mm smaller than the robot tile, so that every platform can be displaced at all times without touching another platform. The reason for this is that there is then a gap or distance of 10 mm.

In a third aspect, a manipulator is provided, the manipulator comprising a gripper, the gripper comprising a plurality of needles, which are arranged in a matrix configuration and are arranged in a wall section of the gripper so as to be movable, and wherein each of the needles is adapted to move separately from the other needles in a length direction of the needle, and tapers at a first free end, and is provided with a blocking element at a second end in order to limit the movement of the needles against the wall section of the gripper. In one example, the gripper further comprises a motor which is attached to a wall section of the gripper for rotating the plurality of needles about a longitudinal axis of the plurality of needles.

In one example, the gripper further comprises a carrier element, wherein the carrier element consists of two parts which are movable toward each other, each of the parts comprising two U-shaped elements, wherein a deformable material is tensioned between the two U-shaped elements in order to move one of the two U- shaped elements of the two movable parts between a first and a second state, in such a way that the deformable material is arranged under the plurality of needles in the first state in order to at least substantially entirely cover a surface near the free end of the needles and parallel to the wall section of the gripper in order to support the one or more food products, and in the second state veers to one side of the gripper, so that the plurality of needles can be placed freely over the one or more food products.

In a fourth aspect, a manipulator is provided, wherein the manipulator comprises a gripper, the gripper comprising at least two side walls and a bottom wall, wherein the bottom wall is attached to the side wall so as to be movable, so that it can slide out with respect to the side wall, the side walls comprising at least one magnet which is arranged on a toothed belt and is driven by a motor in the gripper, the bottom wall comprising guide parts which extend along the side wall and comprise magnets so that the bottom part can slide out with respect to the wall sections when powering the magnets in the side wall, and wherein the bottom part is provided with several passage openings for receiving a plurality of needles which are attached to the gripper so that the gripper, in a first state, in which the movable bottom wall is arranged against the gripper, is adapted to introduce the needles into the one or more food products, and the one or more food products can be removed from the gripper by sliding out the movable bottom wall.

In one example, the needles of the gripper are arranged at one or more angles in the gripper.

In one example, the magnet in the wall section has a magnetic force which is configured to disconnect from the extending guide parts in case of undesired forces on or by the bottom part.

In a fifth aspect, a manipulator is provided, the manipulator comprising a gripper, comprising four motors and four L-shaped gripper elements, wherein each of the motors is adapted to allow a respective L-shaped gripper element to rotate about a longitudinal axis at an angle of at least substantially 90 degrees in order to slide the ends of the L-shaped gripper elements under the one or more food products.

In one example, the motors are accommodated in a closed housing and the L-shaped gripper elements are releasably attached to the housing and are attracted to the motor by means of magnetic force, so that the L-shaped gripper element rotates about a longitudinal axis upon rotation of the motor.

In a sixth aspect, a manipulator is provided which is designed as a vending machine, which means that the gripper and the platform are adapted to be arranged in a vending machine or merchandiser wherein products are placed in the apparatus on shelves and wherein the products are manipulated by a gripper and platform in accordance with one or more aspects and/or examples of the present description.

More preferably, a vending machine is furthermore provided which is adapted to add water or another liquid to prepackaged food. To this end, the device is provided with a needle or another introducing member which can pierce a covering foil/film or another penetrable material of the product, so that (hot) water or another liquid can be introduced. In this way, the vending machine is adapted to prepare instant soup or similar products. Preferably, the device is to this end furthermore adapted to take the product to a predetermined position where the needle or introducing member can introduce the liquid and then further manipulate or only move to the dispensing location of the machine.

In a further example, the machine is adapted to eject and optionally provide a readable code, such as an RFID chip, barcode or QR code. Thus, the consumer may, after he/she has eaten or drunk the food obtained from the vending machine, return the packaging in a collecting bin or container which is adapted and intended for that purpose and which is provided with a sensor for recording the readable code. This makes it possible to automatically process a deposit for the packaging by for example immediately paying it or crediting it to an account of the purchaser.

In yet a further example, which is an example for all aspects of the present description, the magnets are neodymium magnets or electromagnets in which each side comprises a neodymium or electromagnet with mixed poles on each side in an assembly such that magnetic levitation is produced in order to prevent contact between magnets which are or are not separated by a wall. The invention will be explained further in more detail by means of non limiting examples shown in the figures, in which:

Figs. 1a-1c show a robot according to an aspect of the present description;

Figs. 2a-2d show a robot platform according to another aspect of the present description;

Figs. 3a-3c show a robot platform matrix with robot platforms as shown in Figs. 2a-2d, according to a further aspect of the present description;

Figs. 4a-4c show a gripper according to another aspect of the present description;

Figs. 5a-5d show another gripper according to another aspect of the present description;

Figs. 6a-6b show yet another gripper according to yet another aspect of the present description.

Fig. 1 shows a robot according to an aspect of the present invention. The robot is adapted to manipulate one or more food products. This may be meat, such as raw meat or partly or fully processed or prepared meat, such as precooked fillets or sausages. Preferably, the robot is adapted to pick up, move and/or manipulate the food products one by one. This is understood to mean that the products can be manipulated in various directions, such as an X, Y and a Z direction, but also preferably about various axes, such as a rotation about an X, Y and/or Z axis.

The robot 10 comprises a stationary part or a stationary base 11 which consists of wall sections. These wall sections enclose an open part 12 of the robot where the movement of the components takes place and which defines the operating area of the robot where the products can be manipulated.

The right-side part of Fig. 1a shows what the interior of the stationary part looks like. It contains a number of motors and driving or guiding rollers 13, 14, 15, 16. One or more magnets may be provided with the motors and the drive belts which are, in particular, toothed belts so that a position can be determined and set in a simple and correct manner. These magnets form the coupling with the manipulator 17, 18, 19 which is situated on the interior of the stationary part 11.

The motors, magnets and other moving parts, such as the toothed belts, are entirely enclosed in a closed housing which consists of various wall sections. This ensures that these parts do not become soiled in the production environment, as a result of which these are particularly suitable for use in food processing. The manipulator is decoupled from the drive by the closed wall sections, but retains a transmission through a magnetic coupling between the two parts. In this case, the magnetic force is chosen accurately to ensure that it is sufficient to maintain the attraction between the manipulator 17, 18, 19 and the drive 13, 14, 15, 16. On the other hand, this magnetic force is not so strong, so that when one of the elements is blocked or if an undesirable situation occurs, such as the presence of a body part, the force of the magnets is broken, as a result of which it is always possible to prevent an unsafe situation. In particular, this magnetic force is between 10 N and 1000 N, more particularly between 10 N and 500 N, still more particularly between 10 N and 100 N and most particularly between 25 N and 75 N.

Figs. 1b and 1c show other views of the robot 10.

By means of this robot 10, products can be manipulated in an X, Y, and Z direction. The material from which at least the wall sections, but preferably also the other parts of the robot, are made is stainless steel or polyoxymethylene (POM).

The manipulator 19 preferably comprises the gripper (not shown) by means of which a product can be gripped and held. This gripper is arranged at the crossing of two axles 17, 18. By displacing these axles along two wall sections 11 of the robot, the gripper can be displaced in an X and Y direction. To this end, a first side of the axle 17, 18 facing the wall is provided with a magnet or magnetic material, so that the magnet on the inner side of the wall, which is displaced by the toothed-belt drives 13, 14, 15, 16, can be displaced. When the toothed belts are driven, then a fan element within the wall of the stationary part of the robot will be displaced. Because this is provided with a magnet, the magnet or the magnetic material on the other side of the wall, in the open part 12 of the robot, will be attracted and move concomitantly. By incorporating several such toothed-belt drives in several wall sections, several axles 17, 18 of the manipulator can be displaced and the gripper, which is arranged at a crossing of the axles 17, 18, can be moved along an X and a Y direction. By providing the gripper itself with a motor and axle, or a toothed-belt drive, it is also possible to make a displacement along a Z direction. In addition, a further manipulation may be provided by rotation about one of the axles. Thus, the gripper 19 may, for example, be provided with an additional motor which makes rotation about a longitudinal axis of the gripper 19 possible, so that the product can be rotated about its axis. The movement of the Z direction can also be produced by means of a spline shaft which is driven by drive 16. To this end, the axle which projects from drive 16 has a square shape. This means that it has a square cross section. By rotating this axle, a movement or drive may be provided. This may drive a further toothed belt in the fan, as a result of which the magnet on this toothed belt is displaced in the Z direction, that is to say in the vertical direction along the wall section 11 , so that a Z movement of the manipulator is made possible.

Figs. 2a-2d show various views of another aspect of the present description. They show a robot which is based on the same magnetic transmission and which therefore has the same advantages. This robot also has a covered housing in which only some parts are movable and prone to dust and soiling. However, these parts can easily be removed. After all, they are not permanently attached or connected in a complicated manner to the stationary part of the robot, but are only held in place by the magnetic force, both when stationary and while moving.

The robot comprises a housing 21 and a tray 22. In this case, the tray has the gripper function in order to carry a number of sausages, as is shown in Fig. 2a. This tray, or more generally gripper, is adapted for manipulating along the top side of the housing 21 of the stationary part of the robot 20. To this end, the tray is provided with one or more magnets. These magnets are indicated by dots in Fig. 2d. The magnets are attracted by magnets which are arranged in the housing and are, in particular, attached to the toothed belt 27 of one of the toothed-belt drives 25, 26. This toothed-belt drive produces a movement of the manipulator or gripper, in this case a tray 22, in a first direction. Due to the fact that the toothed belt itself is arranged on another toothed belt which is arranged transversely thereto, a second direction of movement may be provided. This makes it possible to displace the tray in a first and second (X, Y) direction along the top side of the housing 21.

The magnet 27 on one of the toothed belts 25, 26 may furthermore be provided with a series of magnets which are arranged in a ring shape. By making this ring-shaped magnet configuration rotatable, the tray can also be rotated so that it is not only possible to adjust the position of the tray, but also its orientation.

The robot 20 as shown in Figs. 2a-2d is preferably suitable to provide a matrix configuration of such robots 20. This is shown in Fig. 3a which shows 4x4 robots which are placed against one another as tiles. The tray 22 can be moved and preferably rotated via these tiles. Figs. 3b and 3c show different views and cut-away views of this robot matrix configuration 30.

Figs. 4a-4c show various views and states of a manipulator or a gripper according to another aspect of the present invention. This gripper 40 is a so-called perforation gripper, which means that it is provided with at least two, but more preferably four or more needles, by means of which a product, as shown here a chicken or turkey 42, may be picked up and manipulated.

Fig. 4a shows a housing part 41 of the gripper 40. This housing part accommodates the motors and the drive 45. This drive is adapted to move a part of the housing, the bottom panel 46, upward and downward and thus to produce two states. In a first state, which can be seen in Fig. 4a, the needles 44 are free, which means that they have a free end which can be inserted into the turkey 42. To this end, the entire gripper 40 may be moved toward the turkey. In this case, the needles 44 will be inserted in the turkey and hold the turkey. The needles are in this case preferably arranged at an angle, as a result of which they are inserted in the turkey at different angles and the force with which the turkey is held is increased. As can be seen in Fig. 4b, the turkey can then be removed in the other state. This is brought about by moving the bottom panel 46 with respect to the housing 41. This is made possible by providing the bottom panel with an upright guide part 44. This guide part is adapted to move along the wall of the housing 41. As this guide part is provided with one or more magnets and corresponding magnets are arranged on the inner side in the housing 41 on the drive 45, the guide part can move up and down in a first direction, so that the bottom panel 46 connected thereto also moves up and down and the turkey 42 is dropped, as shown in Fig. 4b.

Fig. 4c shows a view of the gripper 40 with a housing 41 which is not cut away, as a result of which the position of the guide part 44 is clearly visible.

This gripper 40 also has the same advantages as all embodiments and aspects of the present description, namely that the majority of the components are accommodated in a closed housing. This has the advantage that dirt and dust cannot enter, so that there is no risk to the products to be processed. In addition, this makes cleaning of the gripper or robot much easier. To this end, the moving part which is formed by the panel 46 and guide part 44 connected thereto can easily be disconnected from the housing 41, since they are only attracted to each other by magnetic force. Also, in this case it is thus preferable to choose this magnetic force such that there is sufficient force to manipulate the products, but the components can still easily be disconnected from each other to such an extent that when there is sufficient resistance from undesirable objects or body parts, the moving parts can no longer move.

As indicated above, the gripper in accordance with the present description is very safe to use and particularly suitable for use as a cobot, that is to say that it is adapted to cooperate closely with humans in a safe manner to such an extent that there are no risks to humans. The reason for this is that the gripper makes use of magnetic transmissions which have a magnetic force which is chosen carefully and accurately such that there is sufficient force to pick up, deposit and displace the products at the required speed, but the force is, on the other hand, limited so that, in case of obstruction by a person, there is no risk of injury and the magnetic transmission is canceled before this scenario occurs. Preferably, the gripper is therefore adapted for manipulating articles of at most 10 kg.

Figs. 5a-5d show yet other embodiments of a gripper according to an aspect of the present description. This gripper 50 comprises a bed of needles 54 which are arranged in a number of rows and columns as a matrix. The needles 54 project through a bottom panel 53 and are partly arranged therein to be freely movable. This means that the needles taper at a first end, so that they can be inserted into a product, and are provided on the other side with means which limit further movement. The example shown in the figures shows needles which are provided with a thickening near the end facing away from the product, so that the needles can partly slide in and out in a length direction. These needles 54 are not energized, that is to say that they are arranged freely in the bottom panel 53. By means of a top part of the housing 52, the gripper 50 is attached to the robot and is preferably provided with an additional motor 51 , as is shown in the figures, so that the entire gripper 50 can be rotated about a longitudinal axis.

Fig. 5c shows an example of the gripper 50 which encloses a piece of corn 55. As can be seen, the needles follow the contours of the product and as such the product is held securely, as a result of which the orientation of the product is fixed. If the gripper moves in an X or Y direction, the product 55 will be moved concomitantly because the needles hold the product securely. If the product also has to be lifted and thus a movement in a Z direction has to be carried out, the gripper may be provided with an additional element 56. This element is in the form of four U-shaped elements arranged on the underside of the gripper at the location of the free end of the needles. Between two U-shaped elements, a deformable material, such as a textile or fabric, is arranged. By moving the two U-shaped elements away from one another, the underside under the needles is enclosed by this deformable material. In so doing, the product, in this case the corn cob, is supported by the deformable material, as a result of which the corn cob is supported during displacement of the gripper in the Z direction.

Figs. 6a-6b show two views of a gripper according to another aspect of the present description. This gripper comprises a stationary part 61 which is enclosed in a housing. This housing contains motors 63 which correspond to the number of L- shaped elements 62a-62d. These L-shaped elements are adapted to rotate about an axis, and preferably through 90 degrees or more than 90 degrees, so that the ends of the L-shaped elements can be rotated so that they end up under a product to be manipulated. To this end, these L-shaped elements are provided with magnets 64 which provide a transmission only through the magnetic force, as is also the case with the other examples and embodiments of the other aspects of the present description. To this end, the motors 63 are provided with a magnet or magnets which can cause the magnets of the L-shaped elements to rotate, so that these are able to turn about a longitudinal axis, as a result of which the free ends can be rotated so that they end up under the product.

In this embodiment as well, the magnetic force is such that the L-shaped elements can easily be removed from the housing. This not only makes it simple to clean them, but, in addition, the resultant system is particularly safe, because in case of undesirable actions, blocks or the presence of undesirable objects, the magnetic force is exceeded and the elements come apart. On the other hand, the magnetic force is sufficiently strong that the elements remain attached and the magnetic force is not canceled even with relatively heavy products and relatively fast movements.