JP4986154B2 - Robot, robot controller, robot control program, simulator for creating robot control program - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a robot, a robot control device, a robot control program, and a simulator for creating a robot control program, and in particular, a robot that can work safely in cooperation with a human, a robot control device applied to this robot, and a robot control The present invention relates to a program and a simulator for creating this robot control program.

Currently, many industrial robots work with humans at work sites such as factories. Conventional industrial robots mainly work in a dedicated work area where workers cannot enter. However, in recent years, there has been an increasing demand for development of a robot that can perform the same work on behalf of the worker in order to reduce the labor cost of the worker.
It is desirable that a robot that can work in the same way as an operator can be introduced without modifying facilities such as factories. Therefore, recent work robots are required to have a size and a drive axis that are close to those of humans and that can enter and work in the same work area as humans.

For a robot that operates in the same work area as a human, there are various methods for preventing contact with the human during the work. Examples of such conventional techniques include Non-Patent Document 1 and Non-Patent Document 2.
Non-Patent Document 1 describes that a virtual space that permits the operation of a robot that works in cooperation with an operator is defined. According to the technique described in Non-Patent Document 1, it is possible to control the stop position and speed so that the robot in operation does not come out of the virtual space by monitoring the motion and axis of the robot.

Non-Patent Document 2 describes a simulator that represents the motion trajectory of an industrial robot in 3D graphics. According to such a simulator, it is possible to easily determine the operation and its range in which the industrial robot does not come into contact with the worker, and further the work procedure.
Non-Patent Document 3 describes a technique for monitoring the movements of both industrial robots and workers. In the technique of Non-Patent Document 3, when an industrial robot and an operator enter a region where there is a possibility of contact, the movement of the industrial robot can be stopped. According to such a technique, it is possible to prevent the operator from coming into contact with a robot that is heavier than a human and is harder, thereby ensuring the safety of the operator.

Elan (Germany), “Collaboration with people and robots without safety fences” http://www.schmersaljp.com/pdf/SafetyController.pdf (2007/09/25). Nippon Delmia Corporation, “Catalog DELMIA / IGRIP” http://delmia.jp/download/pdf/igrip_j.pdf (2007/09/25). OMRON Corporation “Safety Guard Switching Unit G9SX-GS”, Safety Component Catalog 2008, pp. 530-554

Regulating the operation and work area of the industrial robot naturally reduces the degree of freedom of work using the work robot. On the other hand, when the operation of the industrial robot and the regulation of the work area are relaxed, there is a possibility that the industrial robot is likely to come into contact with the worker and the safety of the worker is lowered. In addition, industrial robots frequently stop and work efficiency may be reduced.
Therefore, a working robot that works with the worker is required to satisfy a trade-off condition of ensuring the safety and efficiency of the worker while suppressing a decrease in the degree of freedom of work.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has focused on the degree of trouble caused by contact between the industrial robot and the operator on the condition of the operator. The object is to provide a robot, a robot control program, and a simulator for creating a robot control program that can ensure the safety of workers while minimizing restrictions according to the degree of trouble. And

  In order to solve the above problems, a robot according to claim 1 of the present invention has a plurality of parts, and is a robot that can automatically operate by moving the parts, and detects the position of the part. On-site determination that determines whether at least a part of the space including the part has entered a preset access restriction space based on the position detected by the robot part detecting unit and the robot part detecting unit And an operation stop means for stopping the operation of the robot when it is determined by the entry determination means that the part has entered the space including the entry restriction space, It is set according to the type, the part of the human body that may be present in the space in which the part has entered, and the restrictions on the operation of the part.

  According to such an invention, whether or not to allow the robot to enter in consideration of the type of a specific part of the robot, the part of the human body that may exist in the space where the part has entered, and the restrictions on the operation of the part. Can be judged. For this reason, the freedom degree of operation | movement can be raised rather than controlling the approach of a robot uniformly. Further, by considering the specific part of the robot, the type of space range, and the restriction on the operation, it is possible to surely prevent the robot from coming in contact and to ensure safety. For this reason, this invention can provide the robot which can also ensure the safety | security of an operator, restraining control of the operation | movement of a robot to required minimum.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the robot control apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention, in a robot that is automatically operable, based on a robot part detection unit that detects the position of the robot part, and a position detected by the robot part detection unit. Access determination means for determining whether at least a part of the space including the part has entered a preset access restriction space, and the part enters the space including the access restriction space by the entry determination means. An operation stop means for stopping the operation of the robot, the access restriction space is a type of the part, a part of the human body that may be present in the space into which the part has entered, It is set according to the regulation concerning the operation of the part.

  According to such an invention, whether or not to allow the robot to enter in consideration of the type of a specific part of the robot, the part of the human body that may exist in the space where the part has entered, and the restrictions on the operation of the part. Can be judged. For this reason, the freedom degree of operation | movement can be raised rather than controlling the approach of a robot uniformly. Further, by considering the specific part of the robot, the type of space range, and the restriction on the operation, it is possible to surely prevent the robot from coming in contact and to ensure safety. For this reason, this invention can provide the robot control apparatus which can also ensure the safety | security of an operator, restraining control of the operation | movement of a robot to required minimum.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a robot control program that is automatically operable and is detected in a robot part detection step for detecting a position of a predetermined part in the robot and the robot part detection step. Based on the determined position, at least a part of the space including the part is preliminarily determined in accordance with the type of the part, the part of the human body that may exist in the space in which the part has entered, and the restriction on the operation of the part. An entry determination step for determining whether or not the entered entry restriction space has been entered, and an operation stop for stopping the operation of the robot when it is determined in the entry decision step that the part has entered the entry restriction space. And a step.

  According to such an invention, whether or not to allow the robot to enter in consideration of the type of a specific part of the robot, the part of the human body that may exist in the space where the part has entered, and the restrictions on the operation of the part. Can be judged. For this reason, the freedom degree of operation | movement can be raised rather than controlling the approach of a robot uniformly. Further, by considering the specific part of the robot, the type of space range, and the restriction on the operation, it is possible to surely prevent the robot from coming in contact and to ensure safety. Therefore, the present invention can provide a robot control program that can ensure the safety of the operator while minimizing the restriction of the robot operation.

  The simulator for creating a robot control program according to claim 4 is a simulator for creating a robot control program that can be automatically operated, and a part that specifies a predetermined part of the robot as a hazard source. The space is classified into a plurality of types based on a person and an object existing in a space where at least a part of the hazard source specified by the specifying means and the part specifying means can enter, and the classified space is a hazard target An entry restriction space determination that determines an entry restriction space where entry of the hazard source is not permitted, based on conditions including the hazard object setting means to be set to, and the hazard object, the hazard source, and a restriction on the operation of the hazard source And means.

  According to such an invention, it is possible to create a simulator that determines whether or not to allow the robot to enter in consideration of the specific part of the robot, the type of space range, and the restrictions on the operation. For this reason, the freedom degree of operation | movement can be raised rather than controlling the approach of a robot uniformly. Further, by considering the specific part of the robot, the type of space range, and the restriction on the operation, it is possible to surely prevent the robot from coming in contact and to ensure safety. For this reason, the present invention can provide a simulator for creating a robot control program that can ensure the safety of the operator while minimizing the restriction of the operation of the robot.

Further, the simulator for creating the robot control program according to claim 5 is the visualization data creation for creating visualization data that visualizes and represents the determination result by the access restriction space determination means in the invention according to claim 4 A means is further provided.
According to such an invention, it is possible to visualize an access restriction space that overlaps and exists in the space for each safety policy, hazard source, and hazard target. For this reason, the operator can deal with each entry restriction space individually.

The simulator for creating the robot control program according to claim 6 is the invention according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the access restriction space determining means is configured to at least a space that the hazard source can reach. A range in which a part and the hazard target overlap and a range in which the hazard source is prohibited from entering in accordance with a restriction on operation is determined as the access restriction space.
According to such an invention, it is possible to define the entry restriction space with a sufficient margin, and it is possible to increase the degree of freedom of operation of the robot when the restriction does not hinder contact with the robot.

The simulator for creating the robot control program according to claim 7 is the invention according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the hazard target setting unit is configured to define the space as the space. It is characterized by classifying into a plurality of types according to the part of the human body that may be present and setting it as a hazard target.
According to such an invention, it is possible to adjust whether or not it is possible to enter depending on the size of the obstacle caused by the contact. For this reason, human safety can be increased efficiently, and the degree of freedom of movement of the robot can be increased.

Further, the simulator for creating the robot control program according to claim 8 is the simulator according to any one of claims 4 to 7, wherein the access restriction space determination unit is configured to operate the hazard source. The entry restriction space is determined based on a condition that regulates at least one of speed, posture angle, presence / absence of exposure, and rotation angle.
According to such an invention, it is possible to adjust the availability of entry according to safety-related regulations. For this reason, human safety can be increased efficiently, and the degree of freedom of movement of the robot can be increased.

Further, the simulator for creating the robot control program according to claim 9 is the entry permission space which is a space in which entry of the robot is permitted in the invention according to any one of claims 4 to 8. The permitted entry space setting means further sets a closed space of a polyhedron in a space excluding the restricted entry space determined by the restricted entry space determination means, and sets the closed space as a robot. It is characterized in that it is set in the entrance permission space.
According to such an invention, the operation of the robot can be controlled using simple parameters that define a closed space of a simple shape such as a rectangular parallelepiped. For this reason, it is possible to contribute to size reduction, cost reduction, and improvement of control response of the robot control device.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment of a robot, a robot control apparatus, a robot control program, and a simulator for creating a robot control program according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
Prior to the description of the configuration of the present embodiment, the concept of the present invention will be described first.
In the prior art, as in Non-Patent Document 1, the movement and position of the robot are restricted so that the robot does not enter an area where the robot may come into contact with the worker (referred to as the worker area in the embodiment). There is something to do. In addition, as in Non-Patent Document 3, there is one that stops the operation when the robot enters the worker area. In such a conventional technique, the entry of the robot into the worker area is uniformly regulated regardless of the part of the robot entering the worker area and the position in the worker area.

  In contrast to such a conventional technique, in the present embodiment, the degree of trouble caused by contact between the robot and the worker is classified in advance according to the part of the robot that comes into contact, the part of the worker, and the operation restriction of the robot. And the freedom of movement of a robot and a working position is raised by relaxing the regulation for preventing the contact where the degree of trouble is light. In addition, the robot is stopped for contact that is considered to be a major obstacle, and the occurrence of the contact is surely prevented, thereby preventing the safety of the operator.

Next, the concept of the degree of trouble caused by contact will be described.
(1) Hazard In this embodiment, “potential possibility of trouble that cannot be tolerated by the user” will be referred to as hazard hereinafter. That is, whether the contact with the robot is permissible is determined by the user according to the type, usage, and situation of the robot. The hazard is determined by an element (hazard source) attributed to the robot part, an element (safety policy) attributed to the robot operation restriction, and an element (hazard target) attributed to the worker part.

  If the determined hazard permits entry, the robot is permitted to enter the hazard source and the hazard target. On the other hand, if the determined hazard prohibits entry, the robot is prohibited from entering the hazard source and the hazard target. In addition, when a hazard source that is prohibited from entering the robot enters a space determined based on the hazard target, a safety control program described later forcibly stops the robot.

In the present embodiment, the entry of a worker or a robot into a predetermined space is hereinafter referred to as entering. The term “entering” includes not only direct entry of an operator or robot directly into the space but also entry of at least a part of a space with a margin added to the space where the worker or robot exists.
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a hazard source and a hazard target. The robot R shown in FIG. 1 works in the same area as the worker W. Note that the same area here means that the robot R and the worker W exist in a space that is not separated by a fence or the like.

The robot R includes rotating units 101 to 106 that are rotated by a motor (not shown). The robot R has the workpiece 107, and a range a indicated by a broken line is a range (reachable area) that the workpiece 107 can reach.
The rotating parts 101 to 106 and the workpiece 107 are all hazard sources. The hazard source is an element caused by the robot side that determines a hazard that occurs when the worker W comes into contact. In the present embodiment, the hazard is set on the basis of the degree of damage that the worker W receives when mainly touching. However, the hazard referred to in the present embodiment may be determined not only based on the damage on the operator side, but also based on the damage received by, for example, fragile parts on the robot side.

  In the present embodiment, blunt hazard sources, sharp hazard sources, biting hazard sources, and environmental hazard sources are set as hazard sources. The blunt hazard source corresponds to all parts of the robot's enclosure. A sharp part among the parts of the robot R is set as the sharp hazard source. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the workpiece 107 corresponds to a sharp hazard. However, in the present embodiment, the sharp hazard of the robot R is not limited to the workpiece 107, and other parts such as an end effector may be set as a sharp hazard together with the workpiece 107.

A rotation mechanism that functions as a joint of the robot and the periphery of the rotation mechanism are set in the biting hazard source. In the example of the robot R, the reachable area set around the rotation units 101 to 106 and the rotation units 101 to 106 is set as the biting hazard source.
The environmental hazard source is a hazard source generated by the robot and the surrounding environment of the robot. For example, if there is a wall around the robot R, there is a possibility that the worker W enters and is caught in the space between the robot R and the wall. In such a case, the part of the robot R that forms a space with the wall is set as an environmental hazard source. Note that the environmental hazard source may correspond to the space between all parts of the robot's enclosure and the surrounding area.

In the present embodiment, the hazard source is not limited to the above. In the present embodiment, an arbitrary part can be set as a hazard source according to the configuration and function of the robot.
In the present embodiment, the hazard target is set for the head zone b1, the arm zone b2, the foot zone b3, and the trunk zone b4 based on the head 108, the arm 109, the foot 110, and the trunk 111. did. The head zone b1 is a space where the head 108 and neck of the worker W can move and reach. It should be noted that such a space to be a hazard target is also referred to as a reachable area with the head or the like in this specification.

  The arm zone b2 is a reachable area from the shoulder of the worker W to the tip of the hand. The foot zone b3 is a reachable area from the base of the worker W to the tip. The trunk zone b4 is a reachable area from the underside of the worker W to the buttocks. The head zone b1, the arm zone b2, the foot zone b3, and the trunk zone b4 are indicated by broken lines in FIG. The arm zone b2 and the foot zone b3 are collectively referred to as a limb zone.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the limb environment zone and the trunk environment zone are set as hazard targets based on the relationship between the worker W and the surrounding environment. The extremity environment zone is a space in which the reachable area of the operator's arms or legs (limbs) overlaps with a space within a predetermined range from an object such as a wall or shelf in the work area. Note that the predetermined range in the limb environment zone refers to a range of about 10 cm around the object.
The trunk environment zone is a space where a reachable area of a worker's trunk overlaps a space within a predetermined range from an object in a work environment such as a wall or a shelf. Note that the predetermined range in the trunk environment zone refers to a range from an object to a length approximately equal to the shoulder width of the worker.
In the present embodiment, the above-described head zone b1 and the like are determined based on the posture and position where the worker W normally works.

  The safety policy is a regulation related to the operation of the robot and the working posture. In the present embodiment, as a safety measure, the restriction of the movement speed of the robot (speed restriction), the sharp part posture angle restriction, the sharp part exposure restriction, the stenosis restriction, and the extremely low speed restriction with an alarm are set. Speed regulation is to regulate the moving speed of each part for all parts of the robot. Due to the speed restriction, the moving speed of the robot R can be suppressed to such an extent that the worker W is not damaged even if the robot W comes into contact with the stopped worker W.

  The sharp part posture angle restriction is to restrict the angle of a sharp part such as the workpiece 107. According to the sharp part posture angle restriction, it is possible to restrict the tip of the workpiece 107 from facing the movement direction or the vertical direction of the robot R. The sharp part exposure restriction is to restrict the exposure of a sharp part by covering the workpiece 107 or the like with a cover or the like, or storing it inside the robot. Such regulation can prevent the worker W from being damaged by a sharp portion even if the robot R contacts the worker W.

The narrowing restriction is to restrict the turning angle of the turning unit 101 or the like. Such restrictions can prevent the fingers, clothes, and the like of the operator W from being caught in the rotating portion. The extremely low speed regulation with an alarm means that the robot R moves at a lower speed than that regulated by the speed regulation while issuing an alarm. According to such regulation, contact with the robot R can be avoided based on the judgment of the worker W.
In this embodiment, the safety policy is not limited to the above, but arbitrary regulations are set according to the configuration and function of the robot, and any of the set regulations is used as a safety policy for hazard determination. Is possible.

This embodiment considers the hazard sources, hazard targets, and safety measures described above, and whether or not at least a part of the space including the hazard sources regulated by the safety measures is permitted to enter the hazard targets. Can be determined.
Note that the space including the hazard source is, for example, a space including the workpiece 107 illustrated in FIG. 1 and is a reachable area in the present embodiment. Further, “entering” means that, as shown in FIG. 1, a reachable range of the workpiece 107 indicated by a range a enters the arm zone b <b> 2, and a range c in which both overlap is generated. However, the present embodiment does not limit the space including the hazard source to the reachable area, and the space may be narrower than the reachable area or may be a range obtained by adding a margin to the reachable area. .

Based on the hazards described above, an embodiment of a robot, a robot control apparatus, a robot control program, and a simulator for creating a robot control program according to the present invention will be specifically described below.
(2) Simulator FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram for explaining the simulator 201 for creating the robot control program of the present embodiment. The simulator of this embodiment is a simulator for creating a robot control program that can automatically operate. And as shown in the figure, the space based on the reachable area specifying unit 201a of the hazard source for specifying a predetermined part in the robot as the hazard source, the person and the object existing in the space where at least a part of the hazard source can enter The hazard target identification unit 201b that sets the classified space as a hazard target, the hazard target, and the hazard source and the hazard source operation based on the conditions including restrictions on the operation of the hazard source, An entry restriction space determination unit 201c that determines an entry restriction space that is not permitted is provided.

  In addition, the present embodiment includes an entry permission space setting unit 201e. The access permission space setting unit 201e sets a polyhedral closed space in a space excluding the access restriction space, and sets the closed space as an access permission space of the robot. In this way, the entrance permission space is set as a combination of n rectangular parallelepiped spaces, for example. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the robot enters the access restriction space when the robot leaves the access permission space. The movable limit value setting unit 201d sets a detection value for detecting that the entry permission space has been exited.

  By setting the entry permission space, it is possible to detect the movement of the robot using the coordinates of the vertices of the rectangular parallelepiped as parameters. A closed space constituted by n rectangular parallelepipeds is a relatively simple parameter of a combination of six vertex coordinates. From this, this embodiment can control the operation of the robot by a simple logical operation and a numerical comparison. For this reason, the responsiveness of robot control can be improved, the robot controller can be miniaturized, and the cost can be reduced.

The simulator 201 also includes equipment layout data d1 indicating the layout of an area (working area) where the robot and the worker work, robot data d2 related to the robot to be controlled, safety policy and safety policy data (safety data). d3) Data relating to the worker's work area (worker data d4) is input.
The facility layout data d1 includes the width, dimensions, height of the work area, and the positions of walls and shelves in the area. The robot data d2 includes data indicating the shape and size of the robot, the movable part, and the operating state.

The safety data d3 includes data relating to regulations such as the robot operating speed and the angle of sharp hazard. Further, the safety data d3 includes data indicating whether or not the entry of the hazard source to the hazard target is permitted for each safety measure. Specific examples of data indicating whether or not entry is permitted will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 8.
The worker data d4 is data indicating an area where the worker W can enter in the equipment area.

In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the worker data d4 includes an average physique of workers or a physique set with a maximum margin from the viewpoint of safety. It also includes the work posture and work position of the worker.
The hazard source reachable area specifying unit 201a inputs the robot data d2. Then, based on the shape of the robot, at least one of a part including the sharp shape of the robot, a rotatable part, and a part that can contact a person or an object is specified as a hazard source. Then, the reachable area of the identified hazard source is identified. The identification of the hazard source is not limited to that performed by the simulator 201 side. For example, the operator may specify a part to be specified as a hazard source on the robot data d2. In such a case, the hazard source reachable area specifying unit 201a specifies the designated part as the hazard source and specifies the reachable area.

  However, the present embodiment is not limited to the configuration in which the hazard source and the reachable area are specified by the reachable area specifying unit 201. The hazard source of the robot can be analyzed at the time of designing by a robot manufacturer or the like, and the part that becomes the hazard source and its reachable area can be specified. If the identified hazard source and reachable area data are input as the robot data d2, it is possible to identify the hazard source and its reachable area without providing the reachable area identifying unit 201 of this embodiment. .

The hazard target specifying unit 201b inputs the equipment layout data d1 and the worker data d4. Then, based on the equipment layout data d1 and the worker data d4, as described above, the work areas are classified into a plurality of types based on people and objects that exist in a space where at least a part of the hazard source can enter. Then, the classified space is set as the hazard target.
Specifically, the operator layout data d1 including the size, height, and height of the work area, the position of walls and shelves in the area, and the worker including the average physique, work posture, and work position of the worker. Based on the data d4, the work area (space) where the robot and the worker work is determined according to the human body parts such as the head, arms, and legs that may be in a space where at least a part of the hazard source can enter. Thus, the space is classified into a plurality of types, and the space thus classified is set as a hazard target. As a result, the hazard targets of the head zone b1, the arm zone b2, the foot zone b3, and the trunk zone b4 are specified. In addition, the limb environment zone and the trunk environment zone are identified as the hazard targets from the relationship between the walls and shelves in the work area and the hazard targets such as the head zone b1.

  Based on the relationship between each identified target hazard and the reachable area of the hazard source, the access restriction space determination unit 201c specifies a space range in which both overlap. Furthermore, the access restriction space determination unit 201c inputs the safety data d3. In consideration of safety measures such as speed regulation and sharpness attitude angle regulation concerning the hazard source, the target hazard and the reachable area of the hazard source overlap, and the hazard source is in accordance with the regulation on operation The range where entry is prohibited is determined as the restricted access space. In other words, in the present embodiment, even if the reachable area of the hazard source and the hazard target overlap, they may or may not be set as the restricted access space depending on the safety measures of the hazard source.

The safety data d3 is data designed in advance by a manufacturer or the like as an option. The simulator 201 may input and set this data.
When the entry restricted space determination unit 201c prohibits the entry of the hazard source into the space, this space is set as the entry restricted space. Note that when the entry restriction space determination unit 201c permits entry of the hazard source into the space, this space is not set as the entry restriction space.

  In the present embodiment, the entry restriction space determination unit 201c sets the entry restriction space using a table set as the safety data d3. 3 to 8 are diagrams for explaining tables for setting the entrance restriction space of the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a table for determining the entrance restriction space when the robot is not regulated by safety measures at all.

  In the vertical column of the table in FIG. 3, hazard targets such as the head zone and the extremity zone are described. In the horizontal column, the hazard sources such as the blunt hazard source and the sharp hazard source of the robot are described. In the column where the vertical column and the horizontal column intersect, ○ indicating that the entry of the hazard source is permitted in the combination of the hazard target and the hazard source, or × indicating that it is prohibited is written. . The determinations of ○ and × shown in FIG. 3 are made when no restriction is imposed on the hazard source.

According to the table of FIG. 3, entry of blunt hazards into the head zone is prohibited. For this reason, the head zone is set as a restricted access space for blunt hazards. Similarly, the head zone is set as a restricted access space for both sharp hazards and skeleton hazards, and entry is permitted only for environmental hazard sources.
In addition, the tables in FIGS. 4 to 8 are the same as those in FIG. However, the table of FIG. 4 is for the case where the safety measure is speed regulation and the operation speed of each hazard source is limited to a certain speed or less. The table of FIG. 5 is for the case where the safety measure is the sharp part posture angle restriction and the posture angle of the sharp hazard source is limited. The table of FIG. 6 is for a case where the safety measure is sharp point exposure restriction and a sharp hazard source is covered. The table of FIG. 7 is for the case where the safety measure is stenosis restriction and the rotation angle of the biting hazard source is limited to a certain angle or more. The table of FIG. 8 is for the case where the safety policy is the extremely low speed regulation with warning, and the robot operates at the very low speed while issuing a warning.

  By comparing FIG. 4 to FIG. 8, even if the combination of the hazard source and the hazard target is the same, the space where they overlap may or may not be set as the restricted access space by safety measures. Recognize. For example, in the case of a sharp hazard source, all hazard targets are set in the access restriction space even when the speed is restricted. However, entering the trunk zone and the trunk environment zone is permitted by restricting the acute posture angle. Further, by entering a cover so that the sharpened portion is not exposed, access to all hazard targets is permitted.

In addition, the result of the determination of ○ or × in the tables shown in FIGS. 3 to 8 is that the hazard target such as the head zone or the extremity zone is taken when one safety measure (including unlimited) is taken. It describes the one-to-one relationship with the hazard source.
When a plurality of safety measures are taken, the entry restriction space can be determined by comprehensively determining each table of the plurality of safety measures. For example, for the same combination of the hazard source and the hazard target, it is possible to permit entry if it is permitted in any safety policy table, and prohibit entry if it is prohibited in all tables. Such a determination can be easily realized by taking the logical sum of ○ and ×.

Further, for example, as shown in the table of FIG. 4, when the speed is regulated and the reachable area of the blunt hazard source and the reachable area of the sharp hazard source overlap with the head zone, the blunt hazard Access is permitted and entry of sharp hazard sources is prohibited.
In such a case, if even one hazard source is prohibited in one zone, the space is set as the robot entry restricted space, and the entry is allowed only when entry is permitted for all hazard sources. Can be allowed. Such a determination can be easily realized by taking the logical product of ◯ and X shown in FIGS.

  In the present embodiment, the entry restriction space determination unit 201c creates visualization data for visualizing the determination result of the entry restriction space. An example of the image displayed by the visualization data is shown in FIG. In FIG. 9, a plurality of hazard targets for the worker W are collectively represented by a zone 301. Further, the reachable area of the workpiece 107 which is a sharp hazard of the robot R is indicated by 303. A range 302 is a range where the zone 301 and the reachable area 303 overlap. In the image displayed by the visualization data, the range 302 is displayed in a color that can be distinguished from other portions.

Further, in the visualized data, portions where the other plurality of hazards overlap with the zone 301 are also displayed in a color different from the range 302. As a result, the operator can see a plurality of entrance restriction spaces superimposed on the space. In addition, if the color at the time of display is set to a specific color according to the hazard target or hazard source, it is possible to improve convenience when taking safety measures according to the type of hazard.
The visualization data is sent to the display 202 shown in FIG. 2 as necessary and displayed on the display 202. The display 202 may be integrated with a simulator. It may also be a separate body.

In this embodiment, it is possible to set an entry permission space on such visualization data. That is, the operator can draw an arbitrary rectangular parallelepiped on the visualization data while viewing the visualization data displayed on the display 202. The entry permission space setting unit 201e detects the coordinates of the vertices of the rectangular parallelepiped, and sets the inside of the closed space defined by the detected coordinates as the entry permission space.
The simulator cited as Non-Patent Document 2 generally has a three-dimensional CAD function. The entry permission space setting unit 201e can be easily configured using such an existing function.

  The movable limit value setting unit 201d sets a movable limit value for detecting that the robot has entered the restricted access space. In the robot, the position of each hazard source can be detected using a pulse signal or the like output from a motor for driving the robot. The robot control apparatus described later has a dedicated IC chip that converts such a pulse signal into an orthogonal coordinate system based on the floor surface and outputs information indicating the positions of all hazard sources. Therefore, the movable limit value setting unit 201d sets the limit value as a numerical value represented by an orthogonal coordinate system.

The calculated movable limit value is sent to and stored in the memory 203 shown in FIG. 2 and later downloaded to the robot. The memory 203 may be integrated with a simulator. It may also be a separate body.
In the above simulator, the reachable area specifying unit 201a of the hazard source functions as a part specifying means. The hazard target specifying unit 201b functions as a hazard target setting unit, the access restriction space determination unit functions as an access restriction space determination unit, and the access permission space setting unit 201e functions as an access permission space setting unit.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining a program for explaining processing executed in the simulator explained above. In the simulator 201, first, the facility layout data d1, robot data d2, safety data d3, and worker data d4 are downloaded to a memory (not shown) (step S1001). Then, the hazard source reachable area specifying unit 201a specifies the hazard source of the robot based on the robot data d2 (step S1002). Then, an operation for specifying the reachable area of the specified hazard source is executed to specify the reachable area (step S1003).

  Next, the hazard target specifying unit 201b specifies a hazard target by calculation based on the facility layout data d1 and the worker data d4 (step S1004). The access restriction space determination unit 201c checks an area where the hazard source reachable area and the hazard target overlap (interfer) with each other (step S1005). If there is no overlapping area (step S1005: No), it is determined whether or not the entry restriction space has been determined by a combination of all hazard sources, hazard targets, and safety measures (step S1008).

On the other hand, if there is an area where the hazard source reachable area and the hazard target overlap (step 1005: Yes), the table shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. It is determined whether or not to set (step S1006). When it is not set as a restricted area (step S1006: No), the process proceeds to step S1008.
When the overlapped area is set as the restricted entry space (step S1006: Yes), the movable limit value setting unit 201d has the hazard source standing in the space determined as the restricted entry space by the restricted entry space determining unit 201c. When entering, coordinates indicating the position of the hazard output from an IC chip (not shown) are calculated. Then, the calculated coordinates are set as the movement source limit value of the hazard source (step S1007).

  After completion of the above processing, the access restriction space determination unit 201c determines whether there is a combination that has not yet been determined (step S1008). If there is a combination that has not yet been determined, the process cannot be terminated (step S1008: No), and it is determined whether the reachable area of the hazard source and the hazard target overlap (step S1005). Moreover, since it determined about all the combinations, when it is judged that a process may be complete | finished (step S1008: Yes), a process is complete | finished.

  Moreover, step S1007 is not limited to what sets the coordinate which shows the position of the hazard source at the time of entering the access control space. That is, in the above-described flowchart, the process of step S1007 may be omitted to determine all the entry restriction spaces, and thereafter, the entry permission space may be set based on the entry restriction space. In this way, the movable limit value setting unit 201d sets the coordinates indicating the position of the hazard source when exiting the entry permission space as the movable limit value of the hazard source. In this case, when the hazard source comes out of the entry permission space, the robot control device considers that the hazard source has entered the entry restriction space.

(3) Robot (robot controller)
Next, a robot to which the control program created by the simulator described above is applied will be described. In the present embodiment, an entrance permission space is set, and an example in which the fact that the hazard source has exited the entrance permission space is considered to have entered (entered) the entry prohibition space will be described.
FIG. 11 is a diagram for explaining the robot according to the present embodiment, and is a functional block diagram of a robot control device 1101 applied to the robot. The robot controller 1101 shown in the figure has a power source and a control unit that are separate from the configuration for controlling the operation of the robot, and can independently determine and execute an emergency stop.

  The illustrated robot control device 1101 is provided in a robot that can automatically operate. And the hazard source monitoring part which detects the position of the hazard source which is a predetermined site | part in a robot is provided. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the robot has four hazard sources A to D, and a hazard source A monitoring unit 1101a, a hazard source B monitoring unit 1101b, and a hazard source C monitoring unit 1101c are used to detect the position of each hazard source. The hazard source D monitoring unit 1101d is included.

In this embodiment, the robot control device 1101 downloads the movable limit value set by the simulator 201 and uses it for control. At this time, in the robot control device 1101 on the robot side, information on the safety policy set in advance by the robot manufacturer or the like is preset as an option. By selecting one of a plurality of preset options on the side of the robot controller, the operation of the robot can be regulated by the selected option.
In this embodiment, the robot control device 1101 downloads the movable limit value set by the simulator 201, and loads and uses only the movable limit value corresponding to the safety policy set in the robot. .

In addition, the hazard source A monitoring unit 1101a and the like input signals (coordinate signals) indicating the coordinates of the positions of a plurality of hazard sources of the robot. Then, when the coordinate signal of the hazard source corresponding to itself among the input coordinate signals matches the movable limit value of the hazard source, the emergency stop unit 1101e is notified that the coordinate signal matches the movable limit value. To do.
Upon receiving a notification from the hazard source A monitoring unit 1101a or the like, the emergency stop unit 1101e determines that the hazard source has exited the entry permission space (entered the entry restriction space). Then, in order to stop the operation of the robot, an emergency stop signal is output to an emergency stop CPU (not shown) of the robot.

In the above configuration, the hazard source A monitoring unit 1101a, the hazard source B monitoring unit 1101b, the hazard source C monitoring unit 1101c, and the hazard source D monitoring unit 1101d function as a robot part detection unit and an entry determination unit. The emergency stop unit 1101e functions as an operation stop unit.
In this way, the robot can download only a small amount of data of the movable restriction value and operate by safety control taking into account the hazard source, hazard target, and safety policy. For this reason, it is no longer necessary for the robot to have a large memory or a function of constant communication, and an increase in size and complexity of the robot can be avoided.

(4) Robot Control Program FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the robot safety control program of this embodiment. The illustrated flowchart is mainly executed by the emergency stop unit 1101e.
The emergency stop unit 1101e downloads movable limit value data via the safety control device 1101 (step S1201). Then, it is determined whether the entry of the hazard source A is notified from the hazard source A monitoring unit 1101a (step S1202). When the entry is notified (step S1202: Yes), an emergency stop signal is transmitted to stop the robot (step S1206). When the entry is not notified (step S1202: No), it is determined whether the entry of the hazard source B is notified from the hazard source B monitoring unit 1101b (step S1203).

  If the emergency stop unit 1101e is notified of entry from the hazard source B monitoring unit 1101b (step S1203: Yes), the emergency stop unit 1101e transmits an emergency stop signal to stop the robot (step S1206). When the entry is not notified (step S1203: No), it is determined whether the entry of the hazard source C is notified from the hazard source C monitoring unit 1101c (step S1204). Then, when entry from the hazard source C monitoring unit 1101c is notified (step S1204: Yes), an emergency stop signal is transmitted to stop the robot (step S1206). When the entry is not notified (step S1204: No), it is determined whether the entry of the hazard source D is notified from the hazard source D monitoring unit 1101d (step S1205).

  Further, when the emergency stop unit 1101e is notified of entry from the hazard source D monitoring unit 1101c (step S1205: Yes), the emergency stop unit 1101e transmits an emergency stop signal to stop the robot (step S1206). When the entry is not notified (step S1205: No), the process returns to step S1202 to detect the entry of the hazard source A again.

It is a figure for demonstrating the hazard source and hazard object of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a functional block diagram for demonstrating the simulator for creating the robot control program of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the table for determining the access control space of one Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a table for determining the access control space when the robot is not regulated by the safety measure at all. . It is a figure for demonstrating the table for determining the entrance restrictions space of one Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a table for determining an entrance restrictions space when speed regulation is carried out. It is a figure for demonstrating the table for determining the access restriction space of one Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a table for determining an access restriction space when sharp part attitude | position angle control is performed. It is a figure for demonstrating the table for determining the entrance restricted space of one Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a table for determining an entrance restricted space when sharp part exposure control is performed. It is a figure for demonstrating the table for determining the access control space of one Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a table for determining an access control space when stenosis control is performed. It is a figure for demonstrating the table for determining the access restriction space of one Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a table for determining an access restriction space when warning very low speed regulation is carried out. It is the figure which showed an example of the image displayed by the visualization data of one Embodiment of invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the program for demonstrating the process performed in the simulator of one Embodiment of invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the robot of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the safety control program of the robot of this embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 101 Rotating part 107 Workpiece 201 Simulator 201a Reachable area specifying part 201b Hazard target specifying part 201c Access restriction space determining part 201d Movable limit value setting part 202 Display 203 Memory 1101 Robot controller 1101a Hazard source A monitoring part 1101b Hazard source B Monitoring unit 1101c Hazard source C monitoring unit 1101d Hazard source D monitoring unit b1 head zone b2 arm zone b3 foot zone b4 trunk zone

Claims (9)

A robot having a plurality of parts and capable of automatically operating by moving the parts,
Robot part detecting means for detecting the position of the part;
Based on the position detected by the robot part detecting means, at least a part of the space including the part enters an entrance restriction space that is set in advance,
An operation stop means for stopping the operation of the robot when the entry determination means determines that the part has entered the entry restriction space;
The robot is characterized in that the access restriction space is set in accordance with the type of the part, the part of the human body that may exist in the space where the part has entered, and the restriction on the operation of the part. A robot part detecting means for detecting a position of a part of the robot in a robot that can automatically operate;
Based on the position detected by the robot part detecting means, at least a part of the space including the part enters an entrance restriction space that is set in advance,
An operation stop means for stopping the operation of the robot when the entry determination means determines that the part has entered the entry restriction space;
The entrance control space is set in accordance with the type of the part, the part of the human body that may exist in the space in which the part has entered, and the restriction on the operation of the part. . A robot control program for a robot having a plurality of parts and capable of automatically operating by moving the parts,
A robot part detecting step for detecting the position of the part;
Based on the position detected in the robot part detection step, an entry determination step for determining whether at least a part of the space including the part has entered a preset entry restriction space;
An operation stop step of stopping the operation of the robot when it is determined in the access determination step that the part has entered the access restriction space,
The entrance restriction space is set according to the type of the part, the part of the human body that may exist in the space where the part has entered, and the restriction on the operation of the part. . A simulator for creating an automatically operable robot control program,
Hazard target setting means for classifying the space into a plurality of types based on people and objects existing in a space where at least a part of a hazard source set in the robot can enter, and setting the classified space as a hazard target; ,
On the basis of conditions including restrictions on the operation of the hazard target, the hazard source, and the hazard source, an entry restriction space determination unit that determines an entry restriction space where entry of the hazard source is not permitted;
A simulator for creating a robot control program characterized by comprising:   The simulator for creating a robot control program according to claim 4, further comprising visualization data creating means for creating visualization data that visualizes and represents a determination result by the access restriction space determining means.   The access restriction space determining means is a range in which at least a part of the space where the hazard source can reach and the hazard target overlap, and the hazard source is prohibited from entering in accordance with the regulation relating to the operation. The simulator for creating a robot control program according to claim 4 or 5, wherein a range to be entered is determined to be an entry restriction space.   7. The hazard target setting means classifies the space into a plurality of types according to a human body part that may be in the space, and sets the space as a hazard target. A simulator for creating the robot control program according to any one of the above.   The entry restriction space determination unit determines the entry restriction space based on a condition for restricting at least one of an operation speed, an attitude angle, presence / absence of exposure, and a rotation angle of the hazard source. A simulator for creating the robot control program according to any one of claims 4 to 7. It further comprises an entry permission space setting means for setting an entry permission space which is a space where the robot is allowed to enter,
The entry permission space setting means sets a polyhedral closed space in a space excluding the entry restriction space determined by the entry restriction space determination means, and sets the closed space as an entry permission space of the robot. A simulator for creating the robot control program according to any one of claims 4 to 8.

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