JP2020138294A - Robot system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a robot system capable of sufficiently securing load capacity.SOLUTION: A robot system includes: a robot which has an arm; and a hand which is connected to the arm. The hand has a first gripping section having first claw section and second claw section which are brought close to each other or are separated from each other; a second gripping section which has a third claw section and a fourth claw section which are brought close to each other or be separated from each other; and a drive section which drives the first gripping section and the second gripping section. The first claw section is connected to the third claw section. When the drive section brings the first claw section close to the second claw section, the third claw section is separated from the fourth claw section. When the drive section separates the first claw section from the second claw section, the third claw section is brought close to the fourth claw section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a robot system.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a robot system including an articulated robot and a controller for controlling the articulated robot. The articulated robot described in Patent Document 1 has a robot arm and an end effector attached to the tip of the robot arm. Further, since the end effector of Patent Document 1 has two working parts and each working part can perform different kinds of work, it is possible to omit replacing the end effector for each work.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-003374

However, in the above configuration, the number of driving units increases as the number of working units increases. Therefore, the weight of the end effector is increased, and the payload is reduced.

The present invention has been made to solve at least a part of the above-mentioned problems, and can be realized by the following.

The robot system of this application example includes a first robot having an arm and
With a hand connected to the arm
The hand has a first grip portion having a first claw portion and a second claw portion that approach or separate from each other, and a first grip portion.
A second grip portion having a third claw portion and a fourth claw portion that approach or separate from each other,
It has a drive unit that drives the first grip portion and the second grip portion.
The first claw portion and the third claw portion are connected to each other.
The second claw portion and the fourth claw portion are connected to each other.
The fourth claw portion has a second portion located farther from the first claw portion than the third claw portion in a direction in which the first claw portion is separated from the second claw portion.
When the driving unit brings the first claw portion and the second claw portion closer to each other, the third claw portion and the fourth claw portion are separated from each other.
When the driving unit separates the first claw portion and the second claw portion, the third claw portion and the fourth claw portion come close to each other.

It is a figure which shows the robot system which concerns on embodiment. It is the schematic of the robot shown in FIG. It is a block diagram which shows a robot system. It is a flow chart which shows the control method of a robot by a control device. It is a detailed flow chart of the posture adjustment step shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the hand attached to the robot (the first robot) shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the hand attached to the robot (the first robot) shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the operation of the hand attached to the robot (the first robot) shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the operation of the hand attached to the robot (the first robot) shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the hand attached to the robot (second robot) shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the hand attached to the robot (second robot) shown in FIG. It is a side view for demonstrating the operating state of the robot system shown in FIG. It is a top view for demonstrating the operating state of the robot system shown in FIG. It is a side view for demonstrating the operating state of the robot system shown in FIG. It is a top view for demonstrating the operating state of the robot system shown in FIG. It is a state explanatory drawing which shows the attitude adjustment step. It is a state explanatory drawing which shows the attitude adjustment step. It is a state explanatory drawing which shows the attitude adjustment step. It is a state explanatory drawing which shows the attitude adjustment step. It is a state explanatory drawing which shows the attitude adjustment step. It is a state explanatory drawing which shows the attitude adjustment step. It is a state explanatory drawing which shows the attitude adjustment step. It is a state explanatory drawing which shows the insertion step. It is a state explanatory drawing which shows the insertion step. It is a block diagram for explaining a robot system mainly on hardware. It is a block diagram which shows the modification 1 centering on the hardware of a robot system. It is a block diagram which shows the modification 2 centering on the hardware of a robot system.

Hereinafter, the robot system of the present invention will be described in detail based on the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 illustrates three axes (X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis) that are orthogonal to each other. Further, in the following, the direction parallel to the X-axis is also referred to as "X-axis direction", the direction parallel to the Y-axis is also referred to as "Y-axis direction", and the direction parallel to the Z-axis is also referred to as "Z-axis direction". Further, in the following, the tip end side of each of the illustrated arrows is referred to as “+ (plus)”, and the proximal end side is referred to as “− (minus)”. Further, the Z-axis direction coincides with the "vertical direction", and the direction parallel to the XY plane coincides with the "horizontal direction". Further, the + (plus) side of the Z axis is defined as "upper", and the- (minus) side of the Z axis is defined as "lower". Note that in FIG. 2, the force detection unit 120 is not shown.

≪Robot system≫
The robot system 100 shown in FIG. 1 is used, for example, to insert a connector 93 into an insertion hole 911 formed in a substrate 91, and is a first robot, a robot 1A, and a second robot. It has a robot 1B and a control device 5 that controls the driving of the robot 1A and the robot 1B.

Further, in the robot system 100, as shown in FIG. 4, a display device 401 having a monitor and an input device 402 as an operating device composed of, for example, a mouse or a keyboard are connected so as to be able to communicate with each other. ..

As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate 91 has a rectangular shape and is placed on a workbench (not shown). Further, an insertion hole 911 into which the connector 93 is inserted is provided on the side surface of the substrate 91 on the + Y axis side. Further, a flexible cable 92 is provided on the −Z axis side of the insertion hole 911. A connector 93 is attached to one end of the cable 92, and the other end is a fixed end fixed to the substrate 91. On the other hand, one end of the cable 92, that is, the end on the connector 93 side is a free end.

The cable 92 is, for example, a flexible long FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) or an FFC (Flexible Flat Cable). Although the cable 92 has flexibility, in a state where no external force is applied, the cable 92 maintains a state in which the connector 93 faces the + Z axis side, that is, an upright state, without bending under its own weight and falling down. It has enough rigidity to allow it.

The connector 93 is a polyhedron, and the case where the connector 93 is a hexahedron is illustrated as an example. The connector 93 is inserted into the insertion hole 911 by the robot 1A. Then, in the inserted state, the cable 92 and the circuit (not shown) of the substrate 91 are electrically connected via a terminal (not shown) in the insertion hole 911.

<Robot 1A>
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the robot 1A is a so-called 6-axis vertical articulated robot, and has a base 110 and a robot arm 10 connected to the base 110. The robot 1A and the robot 1B are each a single-arm type articulated robot, but the robot 1A and the robot 1B are not limited to this, and for example, one or both of them may be a SCARA robot, and the robot 1A and the robot 1B It may be a so-called double-armed articulated robot in which the robot 1B is integrated.

The base 110 is a portion for attaching the robot 1A to an arbitrary installation location. In this embodiment, the base 110 is installed on, for example, the floor. The installation location of the base 110 is not limited to the floor or the like, and may be, for example, a wall, a ceiling, a movable trolley, or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the robot arm 10 includes an arm 11, an arm 12, an arm 13, an arm 14, an arm 15, and an arm 16. These arms 11 to 16 are connected in this order from the proximal end side to the distal end side. The arms 11 to 16 are rotatable with respect to adjacent arms or bases 110. Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the arm 16 has a disk shape and is rotatable around an axis O6 with respect to the arm 15. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the center of the tip surface of the arm 16 is also referred to as a predetermined point (predetermined portion).

The robot arm 10 of the robot 1A constitutes the first arm, and the robot arm of the robot 1B constitutes the second arm.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a grip portion for gripping the cable 92 or the connector 93 or a hand 17 which is a first grip portion can be attached to the robot arm 10. For example, the robot arm 10 has a configuration having a female screw or a male screw used for mounting the hand 17 by screwing, bolting, etc., or a mounting portion (not shown) having an engaging portion such as a hook or an L-shaped groove. Has. As a result, the hand 17 can be easily attached to an appropriate position. The configuration of the hand 17 will be described in detail later.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a force detecting unit 120 is detachably provided between the arm 16 and the hand 17 so as to be detachable from the arm 16 and the hand 17. The force detection unit 120 detects the force applied to the hand 17. Note that this force also includes a moment. The force detection unit 120 is composed of, for example, a 6-axis force sensor, a 3-axis force sensor, or the like. Further, the force detection unit 120 outputs the detected force detection information to the control device 5. As will be described later, the force detection unit 120 functions as a detection unit that detects contact between the hand 17 and the connector 93. Since the force detection unit 120 as the detection unit is a force sensor, it is possible to quickly and accurately detect that the hand 17 has performed the second grip, as will be described later. Therefore, it is possible to prevent or suppress excessive tension applied to the cable 92. The detection unit is not limited to the force detection unit 120, and may be configured to detect the contact between the connector 93 and the hand 17 using a pressure sensor or a proximity sensor, for example.

As shown in FIG. 3, the robot 1A has a drive unit 130 including a motor, a speed reducer, and the like for rotating one arm with respect to the other arm or the base 110. As the motor, for example, a servo motor such as an AC servo motor or a DC servo motor can be used. As the speed reducer, for example, a planetary gear type speed reducer, a wave gear device, or the like can be used. Further, the robot 1A has a position sensor 140 which is an angle sensor for detecting the rotation angle of the rotation axis of the motor or the speed reducer. As the position sensor 140, for example, a rotary encoder or the like can be used. Further, the drive unit 130 and the position sensor 140 are provided on each of the arms 11 to 16, for example, and in the present embodiment, the robot 1A has six drive units 130 and six position sensors 140. Further, each drive unit 130 is electrically connected to the control device 5 via, for example, a motor driver (not shown) built in the robot 1A. Further, each position sensor 140 is also electrically connected to the control device 5.

<Robot 1B>
As shown in FIG. 1, the robot 1B includes a base 21, a first arm 22, a second arm 23, and a work head 24. The robot arm 20 is composed of the first arm 22, the second arm 23, the work head 24, and the like.

Further, the robot 1B includes a drive unit 25 that rotates (drives) the first arm 22 with respect to the base 21, a drive unit 26 that rotates the second arm 23 with respect to the first arm 22, and a work head. It includes a drive unit 27 that rotates the shaft of 24 with respect to the second arm 23, a drive unit 28 that moves the shaft in the vertical direction with respect to the second arm 23, and an angular velocity sensor.

As shown in FIG. 3, the drive unit 25 is built in the housing of the first arm 22, and includes a motor 251 that generates a driving force, a speed reducer (not shown) that reduces the driving force of the motor 251 and a motor 251. Alternatively, it has a position sensor 252 that detects the rotation angle of the rotation shaft of the speed reducer.

The drive unit 26 is built in the housing of the second arm 23, and includes a motor 261 that generates a driving force, a speed reducer (not shown) that reduces the driving force of the motor 261, and a rotation shaft of the motor 261 or the speed reducer. It has a position sensor 262 that detects the rotation angle.

The drive unit 27 is built in the housing of the second arm 23, and includes a motor 271 that generates a driving force, a speed reducer (not shown) that reduces the driving force of the motor 271, and a rotation shaft of the motor 271 or the speed reducer. It has a position sensor 272 that detects the rotation angle.

The drive unit 28 is built in the housing of the second arm 23, and includes a motor 281 that generates a driving force, a speed reducer (not shown) that reduces the driving force of the motor 281, and a rotation shaft of the motor 281 or the speed reducer. It has a position sensor 282 that detects the rotation angle.

As the motor 251 and the motor 261 and the motor 271 and the motor 281, for example, a servomotor such as an AC servomotor or a DC servomotor can be used. Further, as the speed reducer, for example, a planetary gear type speed reducer, a wave gear device, or the like can be used. Further, the position sensor 252, the position sensor 262, the position sensor 272 and the position sensor 282 can be, for example, an angle sensor.

The drive unit 25, the drive unit 26, the drive unit 27, and the drive unit 28 are each connected to a corresponding motor driver (not shown) and are controlled by the control device 5 via the motor driver. In addition, each speed reducer may be omitted.

Further, the angular velocity sensor 29 (sensor) is built in the second arm 23. Therefore, the angular velocity of the second arm 23 can be detected. Based on the detected angular velocity information, the control device 5 controls the robot 1B. Further, the angular velocity sensor 29 is installed on the distal side of the base 21 with respect to the drive units 26 to 28.

The base 21 is fixed to, for example, a floor surface (not shown) with bolts or the like. The first arm 22 is connected to the upper end of the base 21. The first arm 22 is rotatable about a first rotation axis along the vertical direction with respect to the base 21. When the drive unit 25 that rotates the first arm 22 is driven, the first arm 22 rotates with respect to the base 21 around the first rotation axis in a horizontal plane. Further, the position sensor 252 can detect the drive (rotation amount) of the first arm 22 with respect to the base 21.

A second arm 23 is connected to the tip of the first arm 22. The second arm 23 is rotatable about a second rotation axis along the vertical direction with respect to the first arm 22. The axial direction of the first rotation shaft and the axial direction of the second rotation shaft are the same. That is, the second rotation axis is parallel to the first rotation axis. When the drive unit 26 that rotates the second arm 23 is driven, the second arm 23 rotates in a horizontal plane around the second rotation axis with respect to the first arm 22. Further, the position sensor 262 can detect the drive (rotation amount) of the second arm 23 with respect to the first arm 22.

Further, the second arm 23 has a housing, and the angular velocity sensor 29, the driving unit 26, the driving unit 27, and the driving unit 28 are arranged inside the housing, that is, on the bottom plate 231.

A work head 24 having a shaft is installed at the tip of the second arm 23. The shaft can rotate about the third rotation axis along the vertical direction with respect to the second arm 23, and can move (up and down) in the vertical direction. This shaft is the third arm of the robot arm 20, and is the most advanced arm of the robot arm 20.

When the drive unit 27 that rotates the shaft is driven, the shaft rotates forward and reverse (rotates) around the Z axis. Further, the position sensor 272 can detect the amount of rotation of the shaft with respect to the second arm 23.

Further, when the drive unit 28 that moves the shaft in the Z-axis direction is driven, the shaft moves in the vertical direction, that is, in the Z-axis direction. Further, the position sensor 282 can detect the amount of movement of the shaft in the Z-axis direction with respect to the second arm 23.

Further, various end effectors are detachably connected to the tip end portion of the shaft, that is, the lower end portion. The end effector is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include those that grip an object to be transported, those that process an object to be transported, those used for inspection, and the like. In this embodiment, the hands 18 are detachably connected. The hand 18 will be described in detail later.

Although the hand 18 is not a component of the robot 1B in the present embodiment, a part or all of the hand 18 may be a component of the robot 1B. Further, although the hand 18 is not a component of the robot arm 20 in the present embodiment, a part or all of the hand 18 may be a component of the robot arm 20.

<Hand 17>
As shown in FIG. 1, a hand 17 is attached to the tip of the robot arm 10 of the robot 1A. The hand 17 has a function of gripping a cable 92 having a connector 93 at one end. Further, the hand 17 can be rotated around the axis O6 by the rotation of the arm 16.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the hand 17 has a first grip portion 17A, a second grip portion 17B, and a drive portion 17C for driving them. The drive unit 17C is, for example, a drive source composed of an air chuck, a motor, a solenoid, or the like, and is electrically connected to the control device 5 to control its operation.

The first grip portion 17A has a first claw portion 171 and a second claw portion 172 that can approach and separate from each other. The first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 each have a plate shape extending in the axis O6 direction of the arm 16, and their opposing side surfaces approach and separate from each other.

Further, the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 are arranged in this order from the side where the second grip portion 17B described later is provided. The first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 may be in contact with each other or may be separated from each other in the closest state. Further, the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 are configured such that the separation distance is larger than the maximum outer diameter of the cable 92 in the most separated state.

In the present embodiment, the first claw portion 171 is connected to the drive unit 17C, and the drive unit 17C is configured to approach and separate from the second claw portion 172. That is, in the present embodiment, the position of the second claw portion 172 relative to the drive portion 17C is not displaced.

As described above, in the first grip portion 17A, the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 extend in the direction in which the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 intersect or separate from each other. .. As a result, as will be described later, the cable 92 can be gripped in a state where the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 are close to each other, and the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 are separated from the state. Then, the grip of the cable 92 can be released.

The second grip portion 17B extends from the base end portion of the first grip portion 17A in a direction intersecting the axis O6, that is, in a direction orthogonal to the shaft O6. The second grip portion 17B has a third claw portion 173 and a fourth claw portion 174 that approach and separate from each other.

The third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw portion 174 are configured to approach and separate from each other. The third claw portion 173 is configured to be movable along the extending direction thereof. On the other hand, the fourth claw portion 174 projects from the tip portion of the first portion 174A extending along the third claw portion 173 and the tip portion of the first portion 174A in the direction intersecting the direction in which the third claw portion 173 extends. It has a second portion 174B and the like.

In the present embodiment, the third claw portion 173 is connected to the drive unit 17C, and the third claw portion 173 is moved along the extending direction by the drive portion 17C, so that the second claw portion 174 is the second. It is configured to approach and separate from the portion 174B. That is, in the present embodiment, the position of the fourth claw portion 174 relative to the drive portion 17C is not displaced.

As described above, in the second grip portion 17B, the third claw portion 173 extends in the direction in which the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 approach or separate from each other. Further, the fourth claw portion 174 has a first portion 174A extending along the direction in which the third claw portion 173 extends, and intersects the direction in which the third claw portion 173 extends from the second portion 174B. The first portion 174A protrudes in the direction, and the second portion 174B and the third claw portion 173 approach or separate from each other. As a result, as will be described later, the cable 92 can be gripped in a state where the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 are close to each other, and the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 are separated from the state. Then, the grip of the cable 92 can be released.

Here, the first claw portion 171 and the third claw portion 173 are connected, that is, fixed, and the first claw portion 171 and the third claw portion 173 form an L-shaped member. The L-shaped member moves along the extending direction of the third claw portion 173, so that the first grip portion 17A and the second grip portion 17B open and close. When the first grip portion 17A is in the open state, that is, when the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 are separated from each other, the second grip portion 17B is in the closed state, that is, the third claw portion 173 and the fourth. The second portion 174B of the claw portion 174 is closed. On the other hand, when the first grip portion 17A is in the closed state, that is, when the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 are in close proximity to each other, the second grip portion 17B is in the open state, that is, with the third claw portion 173. The second portion 174B of the fourth claw portion 174 is in a separated state.

In this way, one drive unit 17C drives a member in which the first claw portion 171 and the third claw portion 173 are connected, so that the first grip portion is the first grip portion provided in different directions. The portion 17A and the second grip portion 17B can be driven, respectively. That is, in the hand 17, the first grip portion 17A and the second grip portion 17B operate in conjunction with each other. As a result, the weight of the hand 17 can be reduced as compared with the conventional configuration in which the drive unit is provided for each grip portion. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the weight occupied by the constituent parts of the hand 17 among the payload of the hand 17, and the work that the hand 17 can perform increases.

Further, the direction in which the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 approach or separate from each other and the direction in which the second portion 174B of the third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw portion 174 approaches or separates are the same directions. Therefore, the driving unit 17C drives the connecting body of the first claw portion 171 and the third claw portion 173 in only one direction. Therefore, the configuration of the drive unit 17C can be simplified, which contributes to reducing the weight occupied by the constituent parts of the hand 17 in the payload of the hand 17.

In addition, the first grip portion 17A and the second grip portion 17B can perform two types of grips, the first grip and the second grip, respectively. This will be described below.

As shown by the solid line in FIG. 8, the first grip portion 17A can perform the first grip for gripping a portion in the middle of the cable 92 in the longitudinal direction. In the first grip, the cable 92 is sandwiched between the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172, but the holding force thereof is relatively weak, and the cable 92 is restricted from moving in its radial direction. While maintaining the cable 92, the first grip portion 17A is slidable on the connector 93 side.

With this first gripping, it moves in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 8, and stops moving when the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 come into contact with the connector 93. As a result, while gripping the cable 92 with the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172, the surface of the connector 93 on the cable 92 side and the upper surface of the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 come into contact with each other, and the connector 93. The movement of the is regulated. Therefore, the connector 93 is gripped by the first grip portion 17A. This grip is called a second grip.

In this way, the first grip portion 17A can perform a first grip that grips the cable 92 to a slidable degree and a second grip that grips the connector 93.

On the other hand, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 9, the second grip portion 17B can perform the first grip for gripping the intermediate portion of the cable 92 in the longitudinal direction. In the first grip, the cable 92 is sandwiched between the second portion 174B of the third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw portion 174, but the holding force is relatively weak, and the cable 92 moves in the radial direction thereof. The second grip portion 17B can slide on the connector 93 side by following the cable 92 while maintaining the regulated state.

With this first gripping, it moves in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 9, and stops moving when the third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw portion 174 come into contact with the connector 93. As a result, while gripping the cable 92 with the third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw portion 174, the surface of the connector 93 on the cable 92 side and the upper surface of the third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw portion 174 come into contact with each other, and the connector 93 The movement of the is regulated. Therefore, the connector 93 is gripped by the second grip portion 17B. This grip is called a second grip.

In this way, the first grip portion 17A and the second grip portion 17B can perform a first grip for gripping the cable 92 to a slidable degree and a second grip for gripping the connector 93, respectively. ..

A tool point is set at the tip of the hand 17 as described above, that is, at least one of the first grip portion 17A and the second grip portion 17B, and the robot 1A has this tool point as the origin. The tip coordinate system is set.

<Hand 18>
As shown in FIG. 1, a hand 18 is attached to the tip of the robot arm 20 of the robot 1B. Further, the hand 18 can be rotated by the rotation of the shaft. The hand 18 has a function of gripping the connector 93 whose second grip is being performed by the hand 17 and rotating the connector 93 to adjust the posture of the connector 93. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the hand 18 has a pair of holding pieces 181 configured to be in contact with and separated from each other.

Each holding piece 181 is connected to a driving unit composed of, for example, an air chuck, and the driving of the holding piece 181 is controlled. This drive unit is electrically connected to the control device 5 and its operation is controlled. Further, the connector 93 can be gripped between the holding pieces 181 by approaching them in the contacting direction. The gripping of the connector 93 can be released by separating the holding pieces 181 from each other.

In the illustrated configuration, the hand 18 has a configuration in which the connector 93 is gripped by a pair of holding pieces 181 but is not limited to this, and the hand 18 has a configuration in which the connector 93 is gripped by three or more holding pieces. Alternatively, the connector 93 may be gripped by suction.

Further, a tool point is set at the tip of the hand 18, that is, the tip of the holding piece 181, and a tip coordinate system with the tool point as the origin is set in the robot 1B.

<Image pickup unit 19>
As shown in FIGS. 1, 10 and 11, the imaging unit 19 is provided at the tip of the robot arm 20. As the imaging unit 19, for example, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera or the like can be used. The imaging unit 19 is located in a state of being retracted from each holding piece 181 of the hand 18, that is, on the robot arm 20 side. This makes it easier to prevent each holding piece 181 from interfering with the connector 93 when gripping the connector 93.

Further, the imaging unit 19 has a light source 191 at its tip end, that is, at the outer peripheral portion of the lens. As a result, even if the space in which the robot 1A and the robot 1B work is relatively dark, or the connector 93 is behind the robot 1A depending on the position of the lighting installed in the space, the image of the connector 93 is good. It can be done clearly.

Further, the image pickup unit 19 is electrically connected to the control device 5, and the image pickup result, that is, the image is transmitted to the control device 5. The images referred to here include still images and moving images. The imaging unit 19 is not limited to the CCD camera, and may be a spectroscopic camera. In this case, the spectroscopic data, that is, the spectroscopic spectrum is transmitted to the control device 5.

An image coordinate system is set for the image output by the imaging unit 19. The tip coordinate system of the hand 17, the tip coordinate system of the hand 18, and the image coordinate system described above are associated with each other, that is, a state in which calibration has been completed.

<Control device>
As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 5 has a function of controlling the drive of the robot 1A, the robot 1B, and the like, and is communicably connected to the robot 1A and the robot 1B. In addition, each of these may be a wired connection or a wireless connection. Further, in the illustrated configuration, the control device 5 is arranged at a position different from that of the robot 1A and the robot 1B, but may be incorporated in one of the robot 1A and the robot 1B, and may be incorporated in both of them. You may be.

Further, the control device 5 is connected to a display device 401 having a monitor (not shown) and an input device 402 having, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a teaching pendant, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 5 includes a control unit 51 including a processor, a storage unit 52 including a memory and the like, and an external input / output unit 53 including an external interface (I / F). Each component of the control device 5 is connected to each other so as to be able to communicate with each other via various buses.

The control unit 51 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), and executes various programs and the like stored in the storage unit 52. As a result, it is possible to realize processing such as control of driving of the robot 1A and the robot 1B and various calculations and judgments.

The storage unit 52 stores various programs that can be executed by the control unit 51, for example, a program for executing a control method described later, reference data, a threshold value, a calibration curve, and the like used during the control operation. Further, the storage unit 52 can store various data received by the external input / output unit 53. The storage unit 52 includes, for example, a volatile memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory) and a non-volatile memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory). The storage unit 52 is not limited to the non-detachable type, and may have a structure having a removable external storage device (not shown). Further, the storage unit 52 may be installed at another location via a network such as a LAN (Local Area Network).

The external input / output unit 53 includes an external interface (I / F) and is used for connecting the robot 1A and the robot 1B, the imaging unit 19, the display device 401, and the input device 402. Further, the external input / output unit 53 functions as a reception unit that receives information related to the image from the image pickup unit 19.

In addition to the above-described configuration, the control device 5 may have other configurations. Further, various programs, data, and the like stored in the storage unit 52 may be stored in the storage unit 52 in advance, or are stored in a recording medium such as a CD-ROM, and the recording medium. It may be provided from, or it may be provided via a network or the like.

Here, the control device 5 can perform position control and force control as control operations for driving the robot 1A and the robot 1B.

The position control refers to a control for driving the robot 1A or the robot 1B so that the tool center point is located at a predetermined coordinate, for example. That is, the position control refers to the control for driving the robot 1A or the robot 1B based on the position information of the target and the position information of the tool center point. Such position control is performed on the premise that there are no obstacles in the path to the target position, and the robot arm can be moved at a speed faster than force control, which contributes to quick work. The speed of the robot 1A or the robot 1B in the position control may or may not be constant.

The force control refers to the control for driving the robot 1A based on the detection result of the force detection unit 120. Force control includes, for example, impedance control and force trigger control.

In the force trigger control, the force detection unit 120 detects the force, and the robot 1A or the robot 1B is made to move or change the posture until a predetermined force is detected by the force detection unit 120.

Impedance control includes copying control. First, to briefly explain, in impedance control, the force applied to the tip of the robot arm 10 and the hand 17 is maintained at a predetermined force as much as possible, that is, the force detected by the force detection unit 120 in a predetermined direction is possible. The operation of the robot 1A or the robot 1B is controlled so as to maintain the target value as much as possible.

<Control method>
Next, the control operation performed by the control device 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 24.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, this control method is a control method performed by using the robot 1A and the robot 1B, and includes [1] preparation step, [2] gripping step, and [3] imaging step. It has [4] posture adjustment step and [5] insertion step.

[1] Preparation Step The preparation step is a step of preparing the robot 1A to which the hand 17 is attached and the robot 1B to which the hand 18 and the imaging unit 19 are attached. Here, "preparation" refers to the process of starting up the robot system 100 in an operable state when the robot system 100 performs connection work such as calibration of each coordinate system described above.

Further, in the preparation step, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the robot 1B is driven to move the hand 18 and the imaging unit 19 to the + Z-axis side of the position where the connector 93 is naturally located. , It is preferable that the hand 18 and the imaging unit 19 face the −Z axis side. As a result, the [3] imaging step and the [4] posture adjustment step can be smoothly performed. In addition, this movement may be performed at the same time as either [1] preparation step or [2] gripping step.

[2] Gripping Step The gripping step shown in FIGS. 12 and 15 includes a first gripping step and a second gripping step.
The first gripping step is a step of causing the hand 17 to perform the first gripping for gripping the cable 92 so as to restrict the cable 92 from moving in the radial direction of the cable 92. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the hand 17 is moved to the position P1 and the cable 92 is connected to the cable 92 with the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 of the first grip portion 17A separated from each other. Bring it closer.

After that, the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 are brought into close contact with the cable 92, so that the first grip portion 17A is in the state of performing the first grip. As described above, in the state where the first grip is performed, the cable 92 is in a state in which the movement in the radial direction is restricted by the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172. The holding force is such that the claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 can move or slide along the longitudinal direction of the cable 92 while being gripped.

The first grip may be performed by force control or position control. In the case of position control, the first grip can be performed by setting the closest distance between the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 to substantially the same value as the maximum outer diameter of the cable 92. Further, in the case of force control, a target value is set in advance, and when the force detected by the force detecting unit 120 when the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 come into contact with the cable 92 reaches the target value. In addition, the drive of the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 can be stopped.

The position P1 is a coordinate stored in the storage unit 52 in advance, and the coordinate may be input by the operator or may be a coordinate specified based on an image previously captured by the imaging unit 19. In this embodiment, the position P1 is an arbitrary coordinate in the vicinity of the fixed end of the cable 92.

After such a first gripping step is performed, a second gripping step is performed.
The second gripping step is performed by moving the hand 17 to the + Z axis side, that is, to the connector 93 side, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, from the state in which the first grip is performed. The hand 17 is moved until it comes into contact with the connector 93 while performing the first grip. Then, when the force detection unit 120 detects the contact with the connector 93, the movement of the hand 17 toward the + Z axis side is stopped. As a result, while gripping the cable 92 with the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172, the surface of the connector 93 on the cable 92 side and the upper surface of the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 come into contact with each other, and the connector 93. The movement of the cable is restricted, that is, the second grip is performed.

In this way, the control unit 51 first grips the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 to grip the cable 92 so as to restrict the movement of the cable 92 in the radial direction. The first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 are moved toward the connector 93 with the first grip being performed, and the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 171 are moved based on the detection result of the force detection unit 120. The movement of the claw portion 172 is stopped, and the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 are subjected to the second grip for gripping the connector 93. By sequentially performing the first grip and the second grip on the hand 17, the connector 93 can be held in a stable and simple manner. As a result, for example, the connector 93 can be stably gripped while omitting the complicated process of imaging the connector 93 with the imaging unit 19, specifying the position, and going to grip the connector 93.

In this second gripping state, the orientation of the connector 93, specifically, the orientation of the cable 92 in the circumferential direction is random each time. That is, in the state where the hand 17 is performing the second grip, it is not known whether the posture of the connector 93 in the circumferential direction of the cable 92 is appropriate.

[3] Imaging Step The imaging step is a step in which the imaging unit 19 images the connector 93 in which the hand 17 is holding the second grip, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. Further, as described above, since the hand 18 is located at the position shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 in advance when performing the imaging step, when the gripping step is completed, the process can be quickly shifted to this step. The image captured in this step is transmitted to the control device 5.

[4] Posture Adjustment Step The posture adjustment step is a step in which the hand 18 is used to grip the connector 93 in a desired posture when the posture of the connector 93 in which the second grip is performed is not the desired posture. As shown in FIG. 5, the posture adjustment step has the following steps [6A] to [6D].

Step [6A] is a step of causing the hand 18 to grip the connector 93 in which the second grip is performed, as shown in FIG. That is, in this step, the connector 93 is gripped by the first grip portion 17A of the hand 17 and the hand 18. As a result, it is possible to prevent the connector 93 from being unintentionally dropped when the connector 93 is handed over between the hand 17 and the hand 18.

As shown in FIG. 17, step [6B] is performed by the second grip portion 17B by moving the hand 17 in a direction away from the hand 18 while maintaining the state in which the hand 18 grips the connector 93. Release the second grip. As a result, after this step, only the hand 18 is in a state of gripping the connector 93.

Step [6C] is a step of rotating the hand 18 around the axis O6 to adjust the orientation of the connector 93 to a desired posture, as shown in FIG. In this step, the amount of rotation of the hand 18 is determined based on the imaging result obtained in the [3] imaging step, that is, the image.

Specifically, for example, a plurality of feature points in the captured image are extracted, and the arrangement of the feature points is compared with the arrangement of the feature points in the image of the connector 93 having a desired posture stored in advance in the storage unit 52. A method of calculating the amount of rotation can be used. Another method may be used, such as a method in which the center line of the end face of the connector 93 is compared with the center line in the image stored in the storage unit 52 in advance and the rotation amount is obtained from the deviation amount.

Through such a step [6C], the connector 93 can be in the desired posture. The desired posture referred to here is a posture in which the connector 93 can be inserted into the insertion hole 911 in a desired direction by following a preset path with the hand 17 holding the connector 93 thereafter. Say that.

As shown in FIGS. 19 to 21, step [6D] is a step of causing the second grip portion 17B of the hand 17 to grip the connector 93 in a desired posture held by the hand 18. That is, in this step, the hand 17 and the hand 18 grip the connector 93 in a desired posture. As a result, it is possible to prevent the connector 93 from being unintentionally dropped when the connector 93 is handed over between the hand 17 and the hand 18.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 19, the portion between the third claw portion 173 and the second portion 174B of the fourth claw portion 174 is located on the −X axis side of the cable 92. The grip portion 17B is moved, and then moved in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 19, that is, toward the cable 92 side. Then, as shown in FIG. 20, the third claw portion 173 is brought close to the second portion 174B of the fourth claw portion 174 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 20, and the first grip for gripping the cable 92 is performed. .. In this first gripping state, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 21, the cable 92 is gripped at a position separated from the connector 93.

In the state where the first grip is performed, the cable 92 is in a state in which the movement in the radial direction is restricted by the third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw portion 174, but the third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw The holding force is such that the portion 174 can move along the longitudinal direction of the cable 92 while being gripped. The first grip may be performed by force control or position control in the same manner as described above.

Then, from the state where the first grip is performed, the hand 17 is moved to the + Z axis side, that is, to the connector 93 side as shown in the direction of the arrow in FIG. That is, the hand 17 is moved until it comes into contact with the connector 93 while performing the first grip. Then, when the force detection unit 120 detects the contact with the connector 93, the movement of the hand 17 toward the + Z axis side is stopped. As a result, while gripping the cable 92 with the third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw portion 174, the surface of the connector 93 on the cable 92 side and the upper surface of the third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw portion 174 come into contact with each other, and the connector 93 The movement of the cable is restricted, that is, the second grip is performed.

Then, as shown in FIG. 22, the hand 18 is released from the grip of the connector 93, and the hand 18 is retracted to the + Z axis side.

The control unit 51 causes the imaging unit 19 to image the connector 93 held by the first claw unit 171 and the second claw unit 172, and based on the imaging result of the imaging unit 19, the connector 93 is a robot that is the second robot. It is gripped by the hand 18 attached to 1B. Then, the control unit 51 adjusts the posture of the connector 93 by the hand 18 holding the connector 93 based on the imaging result of the imaging unit 19. Then, the control unit 51 causes the third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw portion 174 to grip the cable in a state where the posture of the connector 93 is adjusted by the hand 18.

That is, by performing [6A] to [6D], the posture of the connector 93 is adjusted to a desired posture from the state where the first grip portion 17A is performing the second grip, and the second grip portion 17B again. It is possible to make the second gripping state. Therefore, in the subsequent insertion step, the connector 93 can be inserted into the insertion hole 911 with simple control.

[5] Insertion Step The insertion step is a step of inserting the connector 93 into the insertion hole 911 of the substrate 91, as shown in FIGS. 22 to 24. Specifically, first, the tip of the hand 17 that is secondly gripping the connector 93 in the desired posture is moved to the preset position P2 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. The position P2 is on the + Y-axis side of the substrate 91, and the position in the X-axis direction is the same as the center of the insertion hole 911. At the time of this movement, as shown in FIG. 23, the posture is adjusted so that the end surface of the connector 93 opposite to the cable 92 side faces the insertion hole 911.

Then, as shown in FIG. 24, the hand 17 is moved to the insertion hole 911 side by force control. Then, when the force applied to the hand 17 when the insertion of the connector 93 into the insertion hole 911 is completed, that is, the force detected by the force detecting unit 120 reaches a predetermined value, the movement of the hand 17 is stopped.

The predetermined value used in this step is a value stored in the storage unit 52 in advance, and as described above, in order to detect the contact between the hand 17 and the connector 93 when performing the second grip. It is a different value from the value used.

Through the above steps, the insertion of the connector 93 into the insertion hole 911 is completed, and the work of the robot system 100 is completed.

As described above, the robot system 100 includes a robot 1A as a first robot having a robot arm 10 as an arm, and a hand 17 connected to the robot arm 10. Further, the hand 17 has a first grip portion 17A having a first claw portion 171 and a second claw portion 172 approaching or separating from each other, and a third claw portion 173 and a fourth claw portion 174 approaching or separating from each other. It has two grip portions 17B, a drive portion 17C for driving the first grip portion 17A and the second grip portion 17B, and the first claw portion 171 and the third claw portion 173 are connected to each other. The second claw portion 172 and the fourth claw portion 174 are connected to each other, and the fourth claw portion 174 is separated from the third claw portion 173 in the direction in which the first claw portion is separated from the second claw portion 172. Also has a second portion 174B located far from the first claw portion 171 and when the drive portion 17C brings the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172 closer to each other, the third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw When the portions 174 are separated and the driving portion 17C separates the first claw portion 171 and the second claw portion 172, the third claw portion 173 and the fourth claw portion 174 approach each other.

In this way, one drive unit 17C drives the first grip portion 17A and the second grip portion 17B by driving the member to which the first claw portion 171 and the third claw portion 173 are connected. Can be done. That is, in the hand 17, the first grip portion 17A and the second grip portion 17B operate in conjunction with each other. As a result, the weight of the hand 17 can be reduced as compared with the conventional configuration in which the drive unit is provided for each grip portion. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the weight occupied by the constituent parts of the hand 17 among the payload of the hand 17, and the work that the hand 17 can perform increases.

Further, the robot system 100 includes a connector 93 provided at one end of the cable 92, a force detection unit 120 which is a detection unit for detecting contact with the hand 17, and a control unit 51 for controlling the robot 1A and the hand 17. By further providing, in the grip performed by the first grip portion 17A or the second grip portion 17B, the grip can be accurately performed by the force control described above.

<Other configuration examples of robot system>

FIG. 25 is a block diagram for explaining the robot system with a focus on hardware.

FIG. 25 shows the overall configuration of the robot system 100A in which the robot 1A, the robot 1B, the controller 61, and the computer 62 are connected. The control of the robot 1A and the robot 1B may be executed by reading the command in the memory by the processor in the controller 61, or by reading the command in the memory by the processor existing in the computer 62 and executing the command through the controller 61. You may.

Therefore, either one or both of the controller 61 and the computer 62 can be regarded as a "control device".

<Modification example 1>
FIG. 26 is a block diagram showing a modification 1 centering on the hardware of the robot system.

FIG. 26 shows the overall configuration of the robot system 100B in which the computer 63 is directly connected to the robot 1A and the robot 1B. The control of the robot 1A and the robot 1B is directly executed by reading the command in the memory by the processor existing in the computer 63.
Therefore, the computer 63 can be regarded as a "control device".

<Modification 2>
FIG. 27 is a block diagram showing a modification 2 centering on the hardware of the robot system.

FIG. 27 shows the overall configuration of a robot system 100C in which a robot 1A and a robot 1B having a built-in controller 61 are connected to a computer 66, and the computer 66 is connected to a cloud 64 via a network 65 such as a LAN. ing. The control of the robot 1A and the robot 1B may be executed by reading the command in the memory by the processor existing in the computer 66, or by reading the command in the memory through the computer 66 by the processor existing in the cloud 64. It may be executed.

Therefore, any one, two, or three of the controller 61, the computer 66, and the cloud 64 can be regarded as a "control device".

The robot system of the present invention has been described above based on the illustrated embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the configuration of each part is replaced with an arbitrary configuration having the same function. be able to. Further, any other constituents may be added to the present invention.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the so-called 6-axis vertical articulated robot and the SCARA robot are exemplified as the robot possessed by the robot system of the present invention, but the robot may be, for example, another robot. Further, the vertical articulated robot is not limited to the single-arm robot, and may be another robot such as a double-arm robot. Therefore, the number of movable parts is not limited to one, and may be two or more. Further, the number of arms included in the robot arm included in the movable portion is not limited to the configuration shown in the figure.

100 ... Robot system, 100A ... Robot system, 100B ... Robot system, 100C ... Robot system, 1A ... Robot, 1B ... Robot, 5 ... Control device, 10 ... Robot arm, 11 ... Arm, 12 ... Arm, 13 ... Arm, 14 ... arm, 15 ... arm, 16 ... arm, 17 ... hand, 17A ... first grip, 17B ... second grip, 17C ... drive, 18 ... hand, 19 ... imaging, 20 ... robot arm, 21 ... base, 22 ... 1st arm, 23 ... 2nd arm, 24 ... work head, 25 ... drive unit, 26 ... drive unit, 27 ... drive unit, 28 ... drive unit, 29 ... angular speed sensor, 51 ... control unit , 52 ... Storage unit, 53 ... External input / output unit, 61 ... Controller, 62 ... Computer, 63 ... Computer, 64 ... Cloud, 65 ... Network, 66 ... Computer, 91 ... Board, 92 ... Cable, 93 ... Connector, 110 ... base, 120 ... force detection unit, 130 ... drive unit, 140 ... position sensor, 171 ... first claw part, 172 ... second claw part, 173 ... third claw part, 174 ... fourth claw part, 174A ... 1st part 174B ... 2nd part, 181 ... holding piece, 191 ... light source, 251 ... motor, 252 ... position sensor, 261 ... motor, 262 ... position sensor, 271 ... motor, 272 ... position sensor 281 ... motor, 282 ... position sensor, 401 ... display device, 402 ... input device, 911 ... insertion hole, O6 ... axis, P1 ... position, P2 ... position

Claims (9)

The first robot with an arm and
With a hand connected to the arm
The hand has a first grip portion having a first claw portion and a second claw portion that approach or separate from each other, and a first grip portion.
A second grip portion having a third claw portion and a fourth claw portion that approach or separate from each other,
It has a drive unit that drives the first grip portion and the second grip portion.
The first claw portion and the third claw portion are connected to each other.
The second claw portion and the fourth claw portion are connected to each other.
The fourth claw portion has a second portion located farther from the first claw portion than the third claw portion in a direction in which the first claw portion is separated from the second claw portion.
When the driving unit brings the first claw portion and the second claw portion closer to each other, the third claw portion and the fourth claw portion are separated from each other.
A robot system characterized in that when the driving unit separates the first claw portion and the second claw portion, the third claw portion and the fourth claw portion approach each other. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein the first claw portion and the second claw portion extend in a direction in which the first claw portion and the second claw portion intersect or separate from each other. The third claw portion extends in a direction in which the first claw portion and the second claw portion approach or separate from each other.
The fourth claw portion has a first portion extending along the direction in which the third claw portion extends, and the fourth claw portion extends in a direction intersecting the direction in which the third claw portion extends from the first portion. The second part is protruding,
The robot system according to claim 1, wherein the first portion and the third claw portion approach or separate from each other. The robot according to claim 3, wherein the direction in which the first claw portion and the second claw portion approach or separate from each other and the direction in which the third claw portion and the fourth claw portion approach or separate are the same direction. system. A detector that detects contact between the connector provided at one end of the cable and the hand, and
The robot system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a first robot and a control unit for controlling the hand. The control unit
The first claw portion and the second claw portion are made to perform the first grip for gripping the cable so as to restrict the movement of the cable in the radial direction.
With the first gripping performed, the first claw portion and the second claw portion are moved toward the connector.
Based on the detection result of the detection unit, the movement of the first claw portion and the second claw portion is stopped, and the connector is gripped by the first claw portion and the second claw portion. The robot system according to claim 5, wherein the grip is performed. A second robot and an imaging unit provided in the second robot are provided.
The control unit
The image pickup unit is made to image the connector gripped by the first claw portion and the second claw portion.
The robot system according to claim 6, wherein the second robot grips the connector based on the imaging result of the imaging unit. The control unit
The robot system according to claim 7, wherein the posture of the connector is adjusted by the second robot holding the connector based on the imaging result of the imaging unit. The control unit
The robot system according to claim 8, wherein the cable is gripped by the third claw portion and the fourth claw portion in a state where the posture of the connector is adjusted by the second robot.

Images