JP4333625B2 - Robot arm and humanoid robot - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention comprises an upper arm part, a lower arm part, and a hand part, the torso and the upper arm part are connected by a shoulder joint, and the upper arm part and the lower arm part are connected by an elbow joint, The hand part and the hand part are connected by a wrist joint, a robot arm whose upper arm part can be rotated or rotated around each of a roll axis, a pitch axis and a yaw axis constituting a shoulder joint, and the robot arm In particular, a robot arm that can widen the work space of the robot arm, which is narrowed by interference between the robot's chest and the robot arm, without extending the length of the robot arm. The present invention relates to a humanoid robot provided with the robot arm.

  With the arrival of an aging society and the decline in the workforce, it is desired to realize a society where robots can live together in cooperation with humans and the environment. To that end, research to bring the robot to a more compatible motion mode and research to bring the robot's motion space (work space) closer to that of human beings to alleviate the intimidation and fear created by the robot. And the automotive industry and so on. These robots are called humanoid robots (humanoid robots), and include various assembly tasks in factory production lines, human life support operations (such as care for disabled people and shopping), and danger areas such as construction sites. From work to work, the desired application area is extensive.

  Non-patent document 1 discloses research related to the former, that is, research for making the movement mode of the robot more compatible. Here, we focus on the movement of the arm of a humanoid robot and try to apply a cybernetic shoulder that simulates the movement of a human-like shoulder to the robot. This is to try to simulate a human-like shoulder movement by always locating the center of rotation between the link fixed to the upper body (torso) and the link to which the arm is fixed.

  An invention that satisfies both the former and the latter is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The present invention relates to a robot motion control apparatus and control method that can control the running and jumping of a robot more smoothly by paying attention to the leg portion among the movements of a robot having a plurality of movable legs.

Masafumi Okada, Yoshihiko Nakamura, “Humanoid Robot Project” [searched on January 25, 2005], Internet <URL: http: // www. ynl. t. u-tokyo. ac. jp / research / shoulder / shoulder-j. html> Japanese Patent No. 3599244

  According to the humanoid robot disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, by applying a cybernetic shoulder, it is possible to realize a movement closer to the movement of a human arm, while the movable range of the robot arm (work space) Cannot spread. Further, according to the robot motion control apparatus and control method disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is possible to widen the movable range of the robot from the movement of the leg of the robot, but the movable range (work space) of the robot arm is reduced. It does not correspond to spreading.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. A robot arm capable of making the movable range (work space) wider than the conventional arm without increasing the arm length, and the robot arm The purpose is to provide a humanoid robot equipped.

  In order to achieve the above object, a robot arm according to the present invention includes an upper arm portion, a lower arm portion, and a hand portion, and the body and the upper arm portion are connected by a shoulder joint, and the upper arm portion and the lower arm portion are It is connected at the elbow joint, the lower arm part and the hand part are connected at the wrist joint, and the upper arm part rotates or rotates around each of the roll axis, pitch axis, and yaw axis constituting the shoulder joint In a possible robot arm, the upper arm portion is provided with a separate yaw axis that can rotate around the yaw axis in parallel with the yaw axis of the shoulder joint.

  The robot arm of the present invention can be applied to industrial robots and various actuators applied in production lines. Like the known robot arm, the upper arm portion has three degrees of freedom around the shoulder joint, and is configured to be rotatable or rotatable about each of the roll axis, the pitch axis, and the yaw axis. If the elbow joint connecting the upper arm and lower arm has 2 degrees of freedom and the wrist joint connecting the lower arm and hand has 2 degrees of freedom, the robot arm has 7 degrees of freedom as a whole, and the elbow joint is 1 In the case of the degree of freedom, the robot arm has 6 degrees of freedom. Here, the pitch axis is an axis parallel to the left and right shoulder axes of the robot, the yaw axis is a vertical axis, and the roll axis is an axis perpendicular to each of the pitch axis and the yaw axis. It is.

  Rotation or rotation of the upper arm around each axis of the shoulder joint is performed by a servo motor unique to each.

  In the robot arm of the present invention, a yaw axis separate from the yaw axis of the shoulder joint is provided in the middle of the upper arm. The axis of this separate yaw axis is arranged in parallel with the axis of the yaw axis of the shoulder joint, and the second yaw axis can be rotated around the yaw axis of the shoulder joint. Yes.

  In conventional robots, when the upper arm rotates around the yaw axis of the shoulder joint, a part of the upper arm and the end of the robot's chest interfere with each other, limiting the work space of the robot arm in front of the robot. I was receiving. On the other hand, according to the robot arm of the present invention, the separate yaw axis can be rotated around the yaw axis at a certain distance from the yaw axis in parallel with the yaw axis of the shoulder joint. The robot arm portion from a part of the upper arm portion to the hand portion can be rotated in a wider range than in the past with the shaft as the rotation center.

  In another embodiment of the robot arm according to the present invention, the shoulder joint has a first axis that can selectively form a roll axis or a yaw axis by rotating or rotating around the pitch axis; A first pulley having the first axis as a rotation axis is provided, and a second axis parallel to the first axis is provided in the middle of the upper arm, and the second axis is a rotation axis. A connecting member fixed to the first pulley and the second shaft are connected, and the first pulley is indirectly coupled with the rotation or rotation of the first motor. The pulley can be rotated, and the second shaft can be rotated around the first axis via the connecting member in accordance with the rotation of the first pulley, and the rotation or rotation of the second motor can be performed. In response to the movement, the second pulley can rotate about the second axis indirectly, and the third motor First axis in response to rotation or pivoting is characterized in that it is configured to rotate or pivot about the pitch axis.

  The first shaft center and the second shaft center are parallel to each other, and the first pulley and the second pulley are rotatably mounted around the respective shaft centers. The two shaft centers are connected to a connecting member fixed to the first pulley. The connecting member and the second shaft center are rotatably connected to the second shaft center. With this configuration, the connecting member that forms the upper arm can be rotated or rotated by the rotation of the first pulley that forms the shoulder joint, and the second pulley can rotate around the end of the connecting member. Or it can be rotated. Therefore, when the upper arm moves around the yaw axis, the robot arm from a part of the upper arm to the hand rotates around the yaw axis at a position away from the shoulder joint by the length of the connecting member. Compared with the prior art, the movable range of the robot arm in front of the robot becomes wider.

  The rotation or rotation around the pitch axis of the robot arm is performed by driving a third motor (servo motor) embedded in the body. A first shaft perpendicular to the drive shaft is fixed to the drive shaft of the third motor, and a first pulley is mounted around the shaft. When the robot arm rotates about the pitch axis by the rotation of the third motor and the robot arm needs to be rotated about the roll axis, the first axis may be arranged in a horizontal plane. If it is desired to rotate the shaft around the yaw axis, the first shaft may be disposed in the vertical plane.

  Further, the fact that the first pulley rotates indirectly in accordance with the rotation or rotation of the first motor means that the driving shaft and the first pulley of the first motor are not particularly limited. It means that it is connected via (gear, belt, etc.). This also leads to the second pulley indirectly turning around the second axis in accordance with the rotation or rotation of the second motor.

  According to the present invention, the movable range of the robot arm can be expanded over a wide range without increasing the number of motors used and without increasing the degree of freedom of the shoulder joint. This is because the first axis constituting the shoulder joint and the second axis provided on the upper arm portion move in conjunction with each other.

  In another embodiment of the robot arm according to the present invention, a belt is stretched between the drive shaft of the first motor and the first driven roller, and the first driven roller and the first pulley are idle pulleys. The belt is stretched over the drive shaft of the second motor and the second driven roller, and the second driven roller and the second pulley are connected via the idle pulley. It is connected by a wire.

  The drive of the first motor is first transmitted to the driven roller via the belt. Each end of the two wires is fixed (or engaged) to the driven roller. The two wires are turned through idle pulleys, and the other ends of the wires are fixed (or engaged) to the first pulley. With this configuration, the drive of the first motor can be transmitted to the first pulley via the belt, the driven roller, and the wire, and the first pulley is fixed by rotating the first pulley. The second shaft can be rotated around the first shaft via the connecting member.

  On the other hand, the driving of the second motor is similarly transmitted to the second pulley via a separate driven roller and two separate wires, thereby rotating the second pulley around the second axis. It becomes possible.

  Furthermore, the humanoid robot according to the present invention includes the robot arm.

  By using the humanoid robot provided with the robot arm described above, the movement range of the arm is greatly widened, so that the operation of the arm closer to a human can be realized. The humanoid robot here is a broad concept including humanoid robots and industrial robots. Further, the humanoid robot includes an embodiment provided with the leg jumping performance and the running / walking performance described above.

  As can be understood from the above description, according to the robot arm and the humanoid robot of the present invention, the upper arm portion is provided with the second axis that can rotate in conjunction with the first axis constituting the shoulder joint. By doing so, the movable range of the robot arm can be expanded over a wide range without increasing the arm length of the robot arm and without increasing the degree of freedom from the shoulder joint to the upper arm.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a torso-robot arm of a humanoid robot according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the structure of a torso-robot arm of a conventional humanoid robot. . FIG. 3A is a schematic diagram illustrating a movable range of a robot arm of a conventional humanoid robot, and FIG. 3B is a schematic diagram illustrating a movable range of the robot arm of the humanoid robot of the present invention. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the rotation of the robot arm about the roll axis, and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the rotation of the robot arm about the yaw axis.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a left robot arm in one embodiment of a humanoid robot, in which the right robot arm and legs are omitted. The illustrated robot arm 1 is an embodiment having a total of 6 degrees of freedom: 3 degrees of freedom at the shoulder joint, 1 degree of freedom at the elbow joint, and 2 degrees of freedom at the wrist joint (rotation by pulleys 83a and 83b). . In the robot arm 1 constituting the humanoid robot 10, the upper arm 2 is connected to the body 9 via a shoulder joint 81, the upper arm 2 is connected to the lower arm 3 via an elbow joint 82, and the lower arm 3 Is generally configured by being connected to the hand portion 4 via a wrist joint 83. A drive shaft of a first motor 61 that rotates the robot arm 1 about the roll axis protrudes from the side of the body 9, and further, a second motor 62 that rotates the robot arm 1 about the yaw axis. The drive shaft is protruding. Further, a third motor (not shown) is built in the body 9, and the robot arm 1 is fixed to the drive shaft of the third motor so that the robot arm 1 can be rotated or rotated around the pitch axis. ing.

  The details of the rotation of the robot arm 1 around the roll axis and the rotation around the yaw axis will be described later. For example, as to the rotation around the yaw axis, as shown in FIG. The robot arm is rotated around the pitch axis by the motor of the first shaft 51 and the second shaft 52 that is the rotation axis of the second pulley 54. Are arranged in the vertical direction. The drive shaft of the first motor 61 and the driven roller 71 are connected by a belt (not shown) so that the motor drive can be transmitted to the driven roller 71. Each end of the two wires is locked to the driven roller 71, and the wires are locked to the first pulley 53 via an idle pulley 56a. One end of a connecting member 55 is fixed to the first pulley 53, and the other end of the connecting member 55 is rotated by the axis of the second pulley 54 (second shaft 52) and the second shaft 52. It is connected freely. With this configuration, the drive of the first motor 61 is transmitted to the driven roller 71 via the belt, and the rotation of the driven roller 71 is transmitted to the first pulley 53 via the wire. The communication member 55 rotates in response to the rotation of the first pulley 53, and the second shaft 52 can rotate around the first shaft 51 by the rotation of the communication member 55.

  Further, the drive of the second motor 62 is transmitted to the driven roller 72 via a belt (not shown). One end of each of the two wires is locked to the driven roller 72, and each wire is locked to the second pulley 54 via the idle pulleys 56b and 56d and the idle pulleys 56c and 56e. ing. With this configuration, the drive of the second motor 62 is transmitted to the driven roller 72 via the belt, the rotation of the driven roller 72 is transmitted to the second pulley 54 via the wire, and the second pulley 54 is The second shaft 52 can be rotated.

  The rotation of the robot arm 1 about the roll axis causes the robot arm 1 to rotate about the pitch axis, and the first axis 51 and the second axis 52 are arranged in a horizontal plane. With this posture, the robot arm 1 can be rotated about the roll axis by the same operation as the rotation about the yaw axis described above.

  FIG. 2 shows a robot arm constituting a conventional humanoid robot a. The shoulder joint is provided with three servo motors for rotating the arm about three axes, the upper arm 2a, the lower arm 3a, the hand 4a, etc. connected to the first shaft 51. The configuration is basically the same as that of the robot arm of the present invention. As is clear from comparison with FIG. 1, the difference from the robot arm of the present invention is that the upper arm can rotate around the first axis 51 in parallel with the first axis 51 constituting the shoulder joint. The second shaft 52 (and the second pulley 54 rotating around the second shaft) does not exist.

  FIG. 3 shows a difference in the rotation range of the robot arm caused by the difference in the configuration described above, and is a view of the humanoid robot as viewed from above. FIG. 3a shows a rotation range of a robot arm in a conventional humanoid robot. When the robot arm 1a is rotated about the yaw axis about the shoulder joint, the end of the robot arm 1a and the body 9 interfere with each other when the robot arm 1a is rotated to the arrow x.

  On the other hand, according to the robot arm 1 of the present invention shown in FIG. 3B, the second pulley 54 rotates to the arrow y around the first pulley 53 constituting the shoulder joint. As a result, the portion from the upper arm portion 2 to the hand portion 4 can be rotated to the arrow z, so that the movable range around the yaw axis of the robot arm 1 is remarkably wide.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the rotation of the robot arm 1 around the roll axis, and is a diagram seen from the obliquely rearward left arm of the humanoid robot 10. First, when the robot arm 1 is rotated about the roll axis, a third motor (not shown) is rotated to rotate the entire robot arm 1 about the pitch axis (z axis in the figure) (arrow w). The posture shown in FIG. In such a posture, the first axis 51 and the second axis 52 which are parallel to each other are disposed in the horizontal plane, and the second axis to the first axis 51 (x1 axis in the figure) is the center. The robot arm up to the hand part 4 can rotate in the direction of the arrow y1. Furthermore, the robot arm from the third pulley 57 to the hand portion 4 can rotate in the direction of the arrow y2 around the second shaft 52 (x2 axis in the figure).

  Returning to FIG. 4, a belt 58 a is stretched between the drive shaft of the first motor 61 and the driven roller 71, and the driving force of the motor is first transmitted to the driven roller 71. Each end of two wires 59a1 and 59a2 is locked to the driven roller 71. The direction of each wire is changed via idle pulleys 56a and 56a, and the end of the first pulley 53 is engaged. It has been stopped. One of the two idle pulleys 56a, 56a is hidden by the first pulley 53, and its description is omitted.

  One end of a connecting member 55 is fixed to the first pulley 53, and a second shaft 52 is rotatably connected to the other end of the connecting member 55.

  The two wires 59a1 and 59a2 can appropriately change the rotation direction of the first pulley 53 while pulling the first pulley 53 alternately by normal rotation and reverse rotation of the rotation direction of the driven roller 71. The connecting member 55 can rotate according to the rotation of the first pulley 53, and the second shaft 52 can rotate around the first shaft 51 according to the rotation of the connecting member 55.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the rotation of the robot arm 1 around the yaw axis. First, when the robot arm 1 is rotated about the yaw axis, a third motor (not shown) is rotated to rotate the entire robot arm 1 about the pitch axis to obtain the posture shown in FIG. In such a posture, the first axis 51 and the second axis 52 that are parallel to each other are disposed in the vertical plane, and the second axis is centered on the first axis 51 (x1 axis in the figure). The robot arm up to the hand 4 can be rotated in the direction of the arrow y1. Furthermore, the robot arm from the third pulley 57 to the hand portion 4 can rotate in the direction of the arrow y2 around the second shaft 52 (x2 axis in the figure). This corresponds to the movement of the arrow y and the movement of the arrow z shown in FIG.

  Returning to FIG. 5, the belt 58 b is stretched between the drive shaft of the second motor 62 and the driven roller 72, and the driving force of the motor is first transmitted to the driven roller 72. The driven roller 72 is engaged with the ends of two wires 59b1 and 59b2, and the direction of each wire is changed through idle pulleys 56c and 56b, and further through idle pulleys 56e and 56d. The direction is changed and locked to the end face of the second pulley 54. The two wires 59b1 and 59b2 can appropriately change the rotation direction of the second pulley 54 while pulling the second pulley 54 alternately by normal rotation and reverse rotation of the rotation direction of the driven roller 72.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the second pulley 54 and the third pulley 57 are connected by a wire without an idle pulley, and the third pulley 54 is rotated according to the rotation of the second pulley 54. The pulley 57 can rotate.

  The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to this embodiment, and there are design changes and the like without departing from the gist of the present invention. They are also included in the present invention.

The perspective view which showed the structure of the trunk | drum-robot arm of the humanoid robot of this invention. The perspective view which showed the structure of the trunk | drum-robot arm of the conventional humanoid robot. (A) is the schematic diagram which showed the movable range of the robot arm of the conventional humanoid robot, (b) is the schematic diagram which showed the movable range of the robot arm of the humanoid robot of this invention. The schematic diagram which showed rotation around the roll axis | shaft of a robot arm. The schematic diagram which showed the rotation of the robot arm around the yaw axis.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Robot arm, 2 ... Upper arm part, 3 ... Lower arm part, 4 ... Hand part, 51 ... 1st axis | shaft, 52 ... 2nd axis | shaft, 53 ... 1st pulley, 54 ... 2nd pulley, 55 ... Communication member, 56a to 56e ... Idle pulley, 57 ... Third pulley, 61 ... First motor, 62 ... Second motor, 63 ... Third motor, 71, 72 ... Follower roller, 81 ... Shoulder joint , 82 ... Elbow joint, 83 ... Wrist joint, 9 ... Body, 10 ... Humanoid robot, 10a ... Conventional humanoid robot

Claims (2)

It consists of an upper arm, lower arm, and hand, and the torso and upper arm are connected by a shoulder joint, and the upper arm and lower arm are connected by an elbow joint, and the lower arm and In the robot arm that is connected to the hand part by the wrist joint, and the upper arm part can rotate or rotate around the roll axis, the pitch axis, and the yaw axis constituting the shoulder joint,
The upper arm part is provided with a separate yaw axis that can rotate around the yaw axis in parallel with the yaw axis of the shoulder joint ,
The shoulder joint includes a first axis that can be selectively configured as a roll axis or a yaw axis by rotating or rotating around a pitch axis, and a first axis having the first axis as a rotation axis. A pulley is provided, and in the middle of the upper arm part, a second shaft parallel to the first shaft and a second pulley having the second shaft as a rotation axis are provided, The connecting member fixed to the pulley and the second shaft are connected, and the first pulley can rotate indirectly according to the rotation or rotation of the first motor. The second shaft can rotate around the first axis via the connecting member in response to the rotation, and the second pulley can be indirectly rotated in response to the rotation or rotation of the second motor. The first axis rotates or rotates around the pitch axis according to the rotation or rotation of the third motor. It is configured to be rotated,
The first motor and the second motor are fixed to the body;
The shoulder joint further includes a first driven roller and a second driven roller connected to the trunk.
A belt is stretched between the drive shaft of the first motor and the first driven roller, and the first driven roller and the first pulley are connected by a wire via an idle pulley. The driving of the first motor is transmitted to the first driven roller via the belt, and the transmitted driving of the first motor is transmitted to the first pulley via the wire. And
A belt is stretched over the drive shaft of the second motor and the second driven roller, and the second driven roller and the second pulley are connected by a wire via an idle pulley. The drive of the second motor is transmitted to the second driven roller via the belt, and the transmitted drive of the second motor is transmitted to the second pulley via the wire. robot arm which is characterized in that it is. A humanoid robot comprising the robot arm according to claim 1.

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