DE102022131887B3 - Input device for controlling a robot - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an input device (4) for controlling a robot (15), comprising a locking device (10) which is designed to allow the actuation button (7) to lock into one of several discrete locking angle positions depending on its rotational angle position when the The actuation button (7) is in its first height position (H1), and the actuation button (7) is to be stored in a spring-biased manner so that it returns to a basic angular position, so that the actuation button (7) rotates in a first direction of rotation by a first angular amount and/or in an opposite second direction of rotation can be manually deflected by a second angular amount from the basic angular position against its spring preload and after manually releasing the actuating button (7), the actuating button (7) automatically returns to its basic angular position due to its restoring spring preload when the actuating button (7) is in its second height position ( H2).

Description

The invention relates to an input device for controlling a robot, comprising a base body, an actuation button which is rotatably mounted on the base body about an axis of rotation and is linearly adjustable along the axis of rotation between a first height position and a second height position, and a rotation angle sensor which is designed to detect the rotation angle position of the Actuation button, and a position sensor which is designed to detect the position of the actuation button in the first and / or in the second altitude.

The DE 10 2018 129 153 A1 describes an input device for manipulating a robot, comprising a floor plate, a movable portion held in a three-dimensionally movable manner with respect to the floor plate, and a detector that performs detection by detecting movement of the movable portion with respect to the Floor plate into amounts of parallel movement along a first axis and a second axis that extend parallel to a predetermined surface of the floor plate and are orthogonal to each other, and an amount of parallel movement along a third axis that is orthogonal to the first axis and the second axis.

The DE 10 2016 225 687 B4 describes a robot control panel, having a first holder, which is designed to positively hold a separately portable robot operating handheld device that can be removed from the robot control panel, a second holder different from the first holder, which is designed to positively hold a separately portable tablet computer that can be removed from the robot control panel is designed, and a communication device which is designed to connect a handheld device control of the robot handheld device and a tablet computer control of the tablet computer to a robot control in terms of control technology.

The DE 20 2015 008 715 U1 describes an operating device for controlling or programming a manipulator with six independently controllable degrees of freedom, having three input arrangements, each of which is set up to specify a movement of the manipulator along the x-axis, y-axis or Z-axis of the manipulator and a rotation of the manipulator to specify the corresponding x-axis, y-axis and Z-axis of the manipulator, the x-axis, y-axis and z-axis of the manipulator being orthogonal to one another, and the main axes of the operating device or the orientations of the three input arrangements are essentially perpendicular to each other.

The EP 0 593 047 A1 describes a control device comprising a housing in which a joystick is movably mounted along three axes, with sensors connected to the joystick to generate electrical signals which provide the magnitudes and signs of the movements of the joystick. A rotating keypad mounted on one side of the housing can assume two operating arrangements depending on whether the controller is used with the joystick pointing up or down. The rotation of the keypad is detected by the sensors and can be used to change the sign convention that exists between the axes of the controller and the axes of the machine.

The US 2015 / 0 153 842 A1 describes a multi-axis joystick and associated multi-axis optical displacement measuring means. The displacement measuring means may include one or more light emitters and one or more light detectors mounted in a planar hexagonal arrangement. The relative position of an adjacent moving reflector assembly can be measured in six degrees of freedom through changes in the detected light amplitude.

The JP 2007 - 094 930 A describes an input device equipped with a joystick that can be moved independently along two mutually perpendicular directions X and Y. A detection device 3 detects the amount of displacement of the joystick in the X direction and in the Y direction independently of one another. The joystick can also be moved independently along the Z direction, which is oriented perpendicular to the X direction and perpendicular to the Y direction. The detection means also detects the amount of displacement of the joystick in the Z direction.

The JP H08 - 066 882 A describes an input device with an operating handle. A displacement of the operating handle is carried out using displacement sensors along the X, Y or Z axis recorded. When an operator releases the handle, the action of a spring return mechanism returns it to a home position. Rotary movements of the handle around the X, Y and Z axes are recorded by a force sensor. In this way, the linear mobility during operation of the handle can be improved, since the handle always returns to its basic position when released.

The object of the invention is to create an input device for controlling a robot fen, which offers a high level of functionality despite its ergonomically simple design.

• - einen Grundkörper,
• - einen am Grundkörper um eine Drehachse drehbar gelagerten und entlang der Drehachse zwischen einer ersten Höhenlage und einer zweiten Höhenlage linear verstellbar gelagerten Betätigungsknopf,
• - einen Drehwinkelsensor, der ausgebildet ist zum Erfassen der Drehwinkelstellung des Betätigungsknopfes,
• - einen Positionssensor, der ausgebildet ist zum Erfassen der Position des Betätigungsknopfes in der ersten und/oder in der zweiten Höhenlage, und aufweisend
• - eine Rastvorrichtung, die ausgebildet ist, den Betätigungsknopf in Abhängigkeit seiner Drehwinkelstellung wahlweise in einer von mehreren diskreten Rastwinkelstellungen einrasten zu lassen, wenn sich der Betätigungsknopf in seiner ersten Höhenlage befindet, und den Betätigungsknopf in eine Grundwinkelstellung zurückstellend federvorgespannt zu lagern, so dass der Betätigungsknopf in einer ersten Drehrichtung um einen ersten Winkelbetrag und/oder in einer entgegengesetzten zweiten Drehrichtung um einen zweiten Winkelbetrag aus der Grundwinkelstellung entgegen seiner Federvorspannung manuell auslenkbar ist und nach einem manuellen Loslassen des Betätigungsknopfes der Betätigungsknopf aufgrund seiner zurückstellenden Federvorspannung selbsttätig in seine Grundwinkelstellung zurückkehrt, wenn sich der Betätigungsknopf in seiner zweiten Höhenlage befindet.

The task is solved by an input device for controlling a robot, comprising:

• - a basic body,
• - an actuation button which is rotatably mounted on the base body about an axis of rotation and is linearly adjustable along the axis of rotation between a first height position and a second height position,
• - a rotation angle sensor which is designed to detect the rotation angle position of the actuation button,
• - a position sensor which is designed to detect the position of the actuation button in the first and/or in the second height position, and having
• - a locking device which is designed to allow the actuation button to engage in one of several discrete locking angle positions depending on its rotational angle position when the actuation button is in its first height position, and to store the actuation button in a spring-loaded manner so that it returns to a basic angle position, so that the actuation button can be manually deflected in a first direction of rotation by a first angular amount and/or in an opposite second direction of rotation by a second angular amount from the basic angular position against its spring preload and after the actuation button is manually released, the actuation button automatically returns to its basic angular position due to its restoring spring preload when the actuation button is in its second height position.

The base body can be part of a housing into which the input device is integrated. For example, the base body can be a component such as a housing of a hand-held device. The handheld operating device can form a human-robot interface, such that a person can make manual input on the handheld operating device in order to be able to control functions of the robot, in particular by the person controlling a control device of the robot using the handheld operating device. In addition to the input device according to the invention, the handheld operating device can, for example, have additional input means, such as a keyboard, an emergency stop button, enabling button or other buttons or switches. The handheld operating device can also have display means, such as lamps or displays. Alternatively, the input device according to the invention can be designed as a self-sufficient hand-held device that has no further input means and control devices in addition to the control functions that can be controlled manually using the input device according to the invention. In the simplest case, the base body can be a carrier plate or a circuit board on which the actuation button is mounted.

The operating button forms a handle that can be operated by a person's hand. The actuation button can, for example, have the shape of a basic geometric shape, such as a ball, a cylinder or a cone. Alternatively, the operating button may have a more complex shape. The actuation button can be adapted to the fingers or hand of a person, in particular according to ergonomic aspects.

The actuation button is mounted on the base body or on a component connected to the base body. The mounting of the actuation button is designed in such a way that the actuation button can be rotated about an axis of rotation on the one hand and, on the other hand, can be adjusted linearly along this axis of rotation, namely between a first height position and a second height position of the actuation button. The actuation button is not only rotatable, but also linearly adjustable. This means that the actuation button can be rotated about its axis of rotation like a rotary control and can also be pushed in or pulled out again in the direction of the axis of rotation.

To detect the rotation angle position of the actuation button, the input device has a rotation angle sensor. The rotation angle sensor can be designed as an absolute value encoder. Alternatively, the rotation angle sensor can be designed as an incremental encoder. The rotation angle sensor can in particular be designed to generate an electrical signal which contains information about the current rotation angle position of the actuation button.

To detect the axial position of the actuation button, i.e. in the first and/or in the second height position, the input device has a position sensor. In a simple embodiment, the position sensor can be formed by a switch. The switch can have a mechanical switching element which, when activated, closes or alternatively separates an electrical circuit in order to generate a switching signal. The switch can be assigned either to the first height position of the actuation button or to the second height position of the actuation button. Alternatively, the switch can be used for detection at least two different states can be formed. Accordingly, the switch can be assigned to both the first height position of the actuation button and the second height position of the actuation button. The switch can, for example, have two separate pairs of electrical switching contacts, one pair of switching contacts being assigned to the first height position of the actuation button and the other pair of switching contacts being assigned to the second height position of the actuation button. In a specific exemplary embodiment, a pushbutton switch can, for example, be assigned to an axial end face of the axis of rotation of the actuation button, so that in one height position of the actuation button the pushbutton switch is actuated, ie activated, by the axis of rotation of the actuation button, and in the other height position of the actuation button the pushbutton switch is actuated by the axis of rotation the actuation button is not pressed, so that it is then not activated.

As an alternative to a simple electrical switch or electrical button, the position sensor can be designed to combine functions with the rotation angle sensor. If the rotation angle sensor is designed, for example, as an incremental encoder with photoelectric scanning, the position sensor can also be designed as a photoelectric switch or button, the scanning structure of the rotation angle sensor being raised or lowered with the actuation button and the photoelectric switch or button thereby changing the position of the actuation button can be detected photoelectrically.

The latching device according to the invention combines two different latching characteristics for the actuation button.

In the one possible axial position of the actuation button, in which the actuation button is in its first height position, the actuation button has a first latching characteristic in which the actuation button has a relatively large rotation angle, for example at least 90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees or 360 degrees , can be rotated away and during rotation it skips several successive locking angle positions at equal intervals or, when the actuating button reaches a desired rotation angle position, locks into the nearest predetermined locking angle position.

In the other possible axial position of the actuation button, in which the actuation button is in its second height position, the actuation button has a different, second locking characteristic in which the actuation button only rotates by a relatively small angle of rotation, for example only 10 degrees, 20 degrees, 30 degrees or 45 degrees, can be rotated forward and/or backward and in such a rotated state is under spring preload, so that when the actuation button is manually released, it automatically swings back into its basic position.

Accordingly, due to the design of the locking device according to the invention, the actuation button behaves when it is in its first height position in such a way that the actuation button can selectively lock into one of several discrete locking angle positions depending on its rotational angle position.

In addition, due to the design of the latching device according to the invention, the actuation button behaves when it is in its second height position in such a way that the actuation button returns to a basic angular position in a spring-biased manner when it is released. If the actuating button, when it is in its second height position, is deflected manually in a first direction of rotation by a first angular amount and/or in an opposite second direction of rotation by a second angular amount from the basic angular position against its spring preload, it jumps after the button is manually released The actuation button automatically returns to its basic angular position due to its restoring spring preload.

The latching device can have a driving disk which carries a plurality of ribs which are arranged evenly over a circumference and which extend in the axial direction away from a base plate of the driving disk in the direction of a ring gear of the latching device which is separate from the driving disk and which corresponds to the number of ribs of the driving disk Number of tooth heads and/or tooth bases evenly distributed over a circumference.

The driving disk and the toothed ring work together to form a locking mechanism, which performs its locking function when the actuating button rotates relative to the base body of the input device. Accordingly, in a first variant, the driver disk can be connected to the actuation button or the driver disk can be formed on the actuation button and the toothed ring can be connected to the base body or the toothed ring can be formed on the base body. In an alternative or reversed second variant, the ring gear can be connected to the actuation button or the ring gear can be formed on the actuation button and the driving disk can be connected to the base body or the driving disk can be formed on the base body.

The driving disk can, for example, have a circular disk-shaped base plate, with a plurality of ribs arranged uniformly distributed over a circumference being fastened like a blade ring on a circular disk surface of the driving disk facing the toothed rim or being formed in one piece with the base plate. At the first height position of the actuation button, the ribs of the driver disk are out of engagement with the tooth tips and/or tooth bases of the gear ring. In the second height position of the actuation button, the ribs of the driver disk are in engagement with the tooth tips and/or tooth bases of the gear ring, ie the ribs are immersed in the tooth bases between two adjacent tooth tips. The ribs of the driver plate in interaction with the tooth tips and/or tooth bases of the ring gear thus act in the manner of a claw clutch.

The ring gear can be mounted in a torsionally elastic manner about the axis of rotation of the actuation button with respect to the base body or the driving disk.

If the actuation button is in its first height position, the ribs of the drive plate can rotate over the tooth heads without being influenced by the gear ring, without the ribs coming into contact with the tooth heads. In this arrangement, the actuation button can rotate freely, which is not influenced by the gear ring. If the actuation button is in its second height position, the ribs are in engagement with the tooth heads, so that when the actuation button is turned or the drive plate is rotated, the gear ring is also rotated. However, the gear rim is not mounted freely rotatable with respect to the base body, but is fixed to the base body in an elastic manner, so that the gear rim only moves forward and / or by a relatively small angle of rotation, for example only 10 degrees, 20 degrees, 30 degrees or 45 degrees can be rotated backwards and in such a rotated state is under spring tension, so that when the operating button is manually released, it automatically swings back into its basic position. Due to the coupling-like connection of the actuation button or driving disk and the gear ring, the actuation button or the driving disk can only be rotated forwards and/or backwards by a relatively small angle of rotation, for example only 10 degrees, 20 degrees, 30 degrees or 45 degrees, so that In such a rotated state, the actuation button or the driver disk is also under spring tension, so that when the actuation button is manually released, it automatically swings back into its basic position.

To achieve the spring preload, in a special embodiment, the ring gear can be connected to a hub in a torsionally elastic manner by means of elastic and/or resilient spokes, which is attached to the base body or mounted on the driver disk. The hub and spokes are part of the sprocket. The hub, the several spokes and the actual ring gear, i.e. the tooth heads and the tooth bases, can be designed, for example, as a one-piece plastic component, in particular a plastic injection-molded part.

The multiple spokes connect the tooth crowns and bases of the teeth in an elastic manner. For this purpose, the spokes can each have a shape that deviates from the purely straight-radial extension. The plurality of spokes can, for example, be designed to be simply curved or multiply curved in the direction of rotation or against the direction of rotation, for example, to be designed to be curved in an S shape. Such a curved course of the spokes achieves elastic deformability of the spokes. Due to the elastic deformability of the spokes, the outer ring of the gear rim or the tooth heads and tooth bases can be rotated relative to the hub by a certain angle of rotation when a torque is applied. If the torque drops, the outer ring returns to its original position.

The base body of the input device can have a plurality of locking projections on an inner wall, which are arranged evenly over an inner circumference and which extend radially inwards in order to interact with the ribs of the driver disk in a locking manner in the position of the actuation button in its first height position, so that the actuation button depends on its Rotation angle position optionally engages in one of several discrete locking angle positions.

The locking projections can also be mounted in a resilient manner on the inner circumference of the inner wall of the base body. The locking projections can move radially outwards when the driver disk equipped with the ribs is rotated over the locking projections with a minimum torque. If no moment is exerted on the driver disk or on the actuation button, for example if the actuation button is released by a person, then the ribs of the driver disk move away from spring-elastically preloaded locking projections, so that the locking projections can relax into their basic positions and those with the ribs Equipped drive plate is automatically pressed into a predetermined, discrete locking position by each Locking projection penetrates between two adjacent ribs.

The number of locking projections arranged on the base body evenly distributed over an inner circumference can be coordinated with the number of tooth heads and/or tooth bases of the gear ring arranged evenly distributed over a circumference in such a way that the ribs of the driver disk are aligned with the tooth bases in any rotary locking position of the actuating button, so that when the actuation button is manually repositioned from its first height position to its second height position, the ribs of the driver disk can dip into the tooth bases of the gear ring.

The number of locking projections arranged on the base body evenly distributed over an inner circumference and the number of tooth heads and/or tooth bases of the gear ring arranged evenly distributed over a circumference can be the same. Alternatively, the number of tooth heads and/or tooth bases of the gear ring, which are evenly distributed over a circumference, can be a multiple of the number of locking projections on the base body, which are arranged evenly over an inner circumference. The respective number of locking projections or tooth heads and/or tooth bases determines the angular resolution of the locking positions.

The actuation button can have an axis of rotation which is mounted on the base body in a height-adjustable manner in the axial direction, so that the actuation button is linearly adjustable between its first height position and its second height position, with an axial adjusting device being provided which selectively adjusts the actuation button either in the first height position or In the second height position, it can be manually released by latching or spring-loaded.

In addition to the rotatable mounting of the actuation button, the axis of rotation forms a height-adjustable slide which carries the actuation button so that its height can be adjusted, i.e. it can either be manually pulled out axially by a piece or can be manually pushed in axially by a piece. The actuation button can thus be manually adjusted back and forth between its first height position and its second height position. In a first alternative embodiment, it can be provided that the axis of rotation and consequently also the actuation button engage in its first height position and/or in its second height position. In this case, the axis of rotation or the operating button remains in its assumed height position when a person releases the operating button. If the actuation button is to be changed to the other height position, a minimum force specified by the locking device must be overcome in order to move the axis of rotation or the actuation button out of its current locking position. In a second alternative embodiment, it can be provided that the axis of rotation and consequently also the actuation button is spring-loaded in its first height position, in its second height position or in a basic position in between. This means that in this case the actuation button can be pushed or pulled to its first height position or to its second height position, but after the actuation button is released it automatically returns to the basic position.

The rotation angle sensor can comprise a rotation angle sensor which is designed to detect the relative rotation angle position of the actuation button with respect to the base body of the input device.

The rotation angle sensor can be designed as an absolute value encoder. Alternatively, the rotation angle sensor can be designed as an incremental encoder. The rotation angle sensor can in particular be designed to generate an electrical signal which contains information about the current rotation angle position of the actuation button.

The position sensor can have an electrical switch that can be activated by the actuation button and is configured to detect the position of the actuation button in the first height position and/or in the second height position.

In a simple embodiment, the position sensor can be formed by a switch. The switch can have a mechanical switching element which, when activated, closes or alternatively separates an electrical circuit in order to generate a switching signal. The switch can be assigned either to the first height position of the actuation button or to the second height position of the actuation button. Alternatively, the switch can be designed to detect at least two different states. Accordingly, the switch can be assigned to both the first height position of the actuation button and the second height position of the actuation button. The switch can, for example, have two separate pairs of electrical switching contacts, one pair of switching contacts being assigned to the first height position of the actuation button and the other pair of switching contacts being assigned to the second height position of the actuation button. In a specific exemplary embodiment, a pushbutton switch can, for example, be assigned to an axial end face of the axis of rotation of the actuation button, so that in one height position of the actuation button the pushbutton switch is actuated, ie activated, by the axis of rotation of the actuation button and in the other height position of the actuation button the pushbutton switch is not actuated by the axis of rotation of the actuation button, so that it is then not activated.

As an alternative to a simple electrical switch or electrical button, the position sensor can be designed to combine functions with the rotation angle sensor. If the rotation angle sensor is designed, for example, as an incremental encoder with photoelectric scanning, the position sensor can also be designed as a photoelectric switch or button, the scanning structure of the rotation angle sensor being raised or lowered with the actuation button and the photoelectric switch or button thereby changing the position of the actuation button can be detected photoelectrically.

The input device can be connected to a robot control device, which is designed and set up, when the actuation button of the input device is manually actuated, when the actuation button is in its first height position, depending on the rotation angle position of the actuation button, an electric drive of a joint assigned to the set rotation angle position To activate the robot from several electric drives of several joints of the robot for the powered adjustment of the assigned joint.

The robot can have multiple limbs and joints. Two adjacent links can be connected by means of one of the joints, so that when the joint position of the respective joint changes, the two adjacent links are adjusted relative to one another. Each joint can be adjusted automatically by an electric drive or in manual operation. For this purpose, a robot control device is provided, which can control all electrical drives of all joints of the robot. If the input device according to the invention is connected to the robot control device, an individual electric drive can be selected by means of the input device on the one hand in order to be able to adjust a specific joint in a controlled manner and on the other hand the selected electric drive can be driven either forwards or backwards by pressing the actuation button of the input device in order to adjust the joint in question in the desired manner.

The input device can accordingly be connected to a robot control device, which is designed and set up to drive an activated electric drive of a joint of a robot when the actuation button of the input device is manually actuated when the actuation button is in its second height position, in order to drive the relevant joint of the robot To adjust the robot when the control button is manually turned in its second height position.

Specific exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the attached figures. Specific features of these exemplary embodiments can represent general features of the invention, regardless of the specific context in which they are mentioned, if necessary also viewed individually or in further combinations.

• 1 eine perspektivische Darstellung einer beispielhaften Eingabevorrichtung,
• 2 eine Explosionsdarstellung einer beispielhaften Rastvorrichtung,
• 3 eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Grundkörpers mit Rastvorsprüngen, eines Zahnkranzes und einer Mitnehmerscheibe mit Rippen der Rastvorrichtung gemäß 2,
• 4 eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Zusammenbaus des Grundkörpers mit Rastvorsprüngen und des Zahnkranzes,
• 5 eine Seitenansicht auf die Rastpaarung von Mitnehmerscheibe mit Rippen und dem Zahnkranz in einer Trennstellung gemäß der ersten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 6 eine Seitenansicht auf die Rastpaarung von Mitnehmerscheibe mit Rippen und dem Zahnkranz in einer gekoppelten Stellung gemäß der zweiten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 7 und 8 eine perspektivische Darstellung einer Anwendungssituation an einem Roboter, bei der eine Person eine erfindungsgemäße Eingabevorrichtung betätigt, um in der ersten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes einen Antrieb eines bestimmten Gelenks auszuwählen,
• 9 und 10 eine perspektivische Darstellung einer Anwendungssituation an einem Roboter, bei der eine Person eine erfindungsgemäße Eingabevorrichtung betätigt, um in der zweiten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes einen ausgewählten Antrieb zum Bewegen des Gelenks anzusteuern,
• 11 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer ersten Ausführungsform einer Eingabevorrichtung in der ersten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 12 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung der ersten Ausführungsform der Eingabevorrichtung in der zweiten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 13 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer zweiten Ausführungsform einer Eingabevorrichtung in der ersten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 14 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung der zweiten Ausführungsform der Eingabevorrichtung in der zweiten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 15 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer dritten Ausführungsform einer Eingabevorrichtung in der ersten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 16 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung der dritten Ausführungsform der Eingabevorrichtung in der zweiten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 17 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer vierte Ausführungsform einer Eingabevorrichtung in der ersten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 18 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung der vierten Ausführungsform der Eingabevorrichtung in der zweiten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 19 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer fünften Ausführungsform einer Eingabevorrichtung in der ersten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 20 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung der fünften Ausführungsform der Eingabevorrichtung in der zweiten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 21 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer sechsten Ausführungsform einer Eingabevorrichtung in der ersten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 22 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung der sechsten Ausführungsform der Eingabevorrichtung in der zweiten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes,
• 23 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer siebten Ausführungsform einer Eingabevorrichtung in der ersten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes, und
• 24 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung der siebten Ausführungsform der Eingabevorrichtung in der zweiten Höhenlage des Betätigungsknopfes.

Show it:

• 1 a perspective view of an exemplary input device,
• 2 an exploded view of an exemplary latching device,
• 3 a perspective view of a base body with locking projections, a ring gear and a driver disk with ribs of the locking device 2 ,
• 4 a perspective view of an assembly of the base body with locking projections and the ring gear,
• 5 a side view of the locking pairing of the driver plate with ribs and the ring gear in a separation position according to the first height position of the actuation button,
• 6 a side view of the locking pairing of the driving plate with ribs and the ring gear in a coupled position according to the second height position of the actuation button,
• 7 and 8th a perspective view of an application situation on a robot in which a person operates an input device according to the invention in order to select a drive for a specific joint in the first height position of the actuation button,
• 9 and 10 a perspective view of an application situation on a robot, in which a person operates an input device according to the invention in order to control a selected drive for moving the joint in the second height position of the actuation button,
• 11 a schematic sectional view of a first embodiment of an input device at the first height position of the operating button,
• 12 a schematic sectional view of the first embodiment of the input device in the second height position of the actuation button,
• 13 a schematic sectional view of a second embodiment of an input device in the first height position of the actuation button,
• 14 a schematic sectional view of the second embodiment of the input device in the second height position of the actuation button,
• 15 a schematic sectional view of a third embodiment of an input device in the first height position of the actuation button,
• 16 a schematic sectional view of the third embodiment of the input device in the second height position of the actuation button,
• 17 a schematic sectional view of a fourth embodiment of an input device in the first height position of the actuation button,
• 18 a schematic sectional view of the fourth embodiment of the input device in the second height position of the actuation button,
• 19 a schematic sectional view of a fifth embodiment of an input device in the first height position of the actuation button,
• 20 a schematic sectional view of the fifth embodiment of the input device in the second height position of the actuation button,
• 21 a schematic sectional view of a sixth embodiment of an input device in the first height position of the actuation button,
• 22 a schematic sectional view of the sixth embodiment of the input device in the second height position of the actuation button,
• 23 a schematic sectional view of a seventh embodiment of an input device in the first height position of the actuation button, and
• 24 a schematic sectional view of the seventh embodiment of the input device in the second height position of the actuation button.

In the 1 an example of a minimalist robot operating handheld device 1 is shown. The robot operating handheld device 1 has an emergency stop button 2 and an enabling switch 3. The robot handheld device 1 also includes an input device 4 according to the invention.

The input device 4 is used to control a robot 15 ( 7 until 10 ) and has a base body 6 and a base body 6 rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation D and along the axis of rotation D between a first height position H1 ( 5 ) and a second altitude H2 ( 6 ) linearly adjustable actuating button 7.

The input device 4 also includes a rotation angle sensor 8, which is designed to detect the rotation angle position of the operating button 7, and a position sensor 9, which is designed to detect the position of the operating button 7 in the first altitude H1 and/or in the second altitude H2. Different versions of rotation angle sensors 8 and position sensors 9 are available 11 until 24 shown.

The input device 4 also has a latching device 10 according to the invention.

The latching device 10 is designed to allow the actuating button 7 to engage in one of several discrete latching angle positions depending on its rotational angle position when the actuating button 7 is in its first height position H1, and to store the actuating button 7 in a spring-loaded manner so that it returns to a basic angular position, so that the actuating button 7 can be manually deflected in a first direction of rotation by a first angular amount and/or in an opposite second direction of rotation by a second angular amount from the basic angular position against its spring preload and after the actuating button 7 is manually released, the actuating button 7 automatically returns to its position due to its restoring spring preload Basic angular position returns when the operating button 7 is in its second height position H2.

The input device 4 combines the two types of input: rotary operation - in the first altitude H1 - and jog operation - in the second altitude H2 - in one input element. A consciously carried out switching by axially adjusting the operating button 7 is possible light a switch between the two input types.

The input device 4 can be used here, for example 1 and 2 is shown as an example, have the base body 6, which can be part of a minimalist robot operating device 1.

In the embodiment variants shown, the input device 4 has a rotatable actuation button 7, which is placed on the base body 6 as a rotating support. The input device 4 also has a plurality of circularly arranged ribs 11 on a drive plate 12. A central hub 13 of a ring gear 14 guides the rotary support or the actuation button 7, which can be rotated about the axis of rotation D. The hub 13 has an annular groove 16 on its inner peripheral wall, which interacts in a form-fitting manner with an annular bead 17 on an outer jacket wall of an axle stub 18 of the actuation button 7.

The ring gear 14 has a ring of axially upward-pointing tooth heads 19 and tooth bases 20 on the outer peripheral region, which are elastically connected to the central hub 13 of the ring gear 14 via spokes 21 or spring elements 21a. This is particularly in 3 and 4 visible. The spokes 21 or spring elements 21a are designed in such a way that they only allow a tangential rotation of the toothed ring towards the center, but counteract any displacement in the axial direction.

Accordingly, the locking device 10 has a driver disk 12, which carries a plurality of ribs 11, which are arranged evenly over a circumference and which extend in the axial direction away from a base plate of the driver disk 12 in the direction of a toothed ring 14 of the locking device 10, which is separate from the driver disk 12 has a number of tooth heads 19 and/or tooth bases 20 that correspond to the number of ribs 11 of the driving disk 12 and are evenly distributed over a circumference.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiments, the toothed ring 14 is mounted in a torsionally elastic manner about the axis of rotation D of the actuation button 7 with respect to the base body 6 or the driver disk 12.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiments, the ring gear 14 is torsionally elastically connected to a hub 13 by means of the elastic and/or resilient spokes 21, which is fastened to the base body 6 or mounted on the driving disk 12.

The ring gear 14 is mounted within the outer jacket of the base body 6, which includes one or more spring-loaded locking projections 22 on an inside.

The locking projections 22 are in the undeflected central position of the ring gear 14 exactly at the level of the tooth heads 19, in particular 4 illustrated.

In free rotation mode, that is, when the actuation button 7 is in its first height position H1, as shown, for example, in 5 is illustrated, the radial sides of the ribs 11 of the driver disk 12 touch the locking projections 22 during each segmental rotational movement, so that on the one hand a pleasant and easily controllable locked input movement is created, in which the individual steps can be felt tactilely and, on the other hand, the ribs 11 of the driver disk 12 come to a stop exactly between two adjacent tooth heads 19, ie above the tooth bases 20, as soon as the operating button 7 is manually released by a person.

While the ribs 11 of the driving disk 12 run axially over the tooth heads 19 during rotational operation, they do not touch them, as shown in 5 is shown, and only touch the locking projections 22, in particular run over them in a looping manner, are in inching mode, ie when the actuation button 7 is in its second height position H2, as is the case, for example, in 6 is illustrated, the ribs 11 of the driving disk 12 by an axial displacement of the actuation button 7, in particular of the driving disk 12, in the tooth bases 20 of the ring gear 14, as shown in particular in 6 is shown, and touch the opposite tooth flanks of two adjacent tooth heads 19 on both sides.

If an input is now made, i.e. a manual rotary movement using the operating button 7, it can no longer be turned freely. Rather, it can be deflected from the central position for a certain pivoting angle against the spring force of the spokes 21.

Accordingly, the base body 6 of the input device 4 can have a plurality of locking projections 22 on an inner wall, which are arranged evenly over an inner circumference and extend radially inwards in order to interact in a locking manner with the ribs 11 of the driver disk 12 in the position of the actuating button 7 in its first height position H1 , so that the actuation button 7 selectively engages in one of several discrete locking angle positions depending on its rotation angle position.

The number of locking projections 22 arranged on the base body 6 evenly distributed over an inner circumference can be coordinated with the number of tooth heads 19 and/or tooth bases 20 of the ring gear 14, which are evenly distributed over a circumference, in such a way that the ribs 11 are in any rotary locking position of the actuating button 7 the driver disk 12 is aligned with the tooth bases 20, so that when the actuation button 7 is manually repositioned from its first height position H1 to its second height position H2, the ribs 11 of the driver disk 12 can dip into the tooth bases 20 of the ring gear 14.

In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the actuation button 7 has an axis of rotation D, which is mounted on the base body 6 in a height-adjustable manner in the axial direction, so that the actuation button 7 is linearly adjustable between its first height position H1 and its second height position H2, an axial adjusting device being provided , which fixes the actuating button 7 either in the first height position H1 or in the second height position H2 in a manually releasable manner or in a spring-loaded manner.

If the angle of the free rotation of the actuating button 7 or the driving disk 12 in rotary operation according to the first height position H1 of the actuation button 7 and also the limited reset rotation in jogging mode according to the second height position H2 of the actuation button 7 are measured by a sensor and evaluated together with a detection of the axial position of the actuation button 7 or the driving disk 12, both functions can be implemented in a single input device 4.

This novel input device 4 offers the user a very centered input, which enables a very efficient workflow despite the minimal number of keys. This is illustrated below using the example of manual axis movement in robots 15.

The robot 15 to be operated with the input device 4 has lamps 23 on each axis, which light up to indicate the selection of a specific axis using the input device 4. This is specifically in 7 and 8th shown. The actuation button 7 or the driving disk 12 is in the first height position H1.

In this jog mode, the user can simply scroll through the axes using the input device 4 by selecting the axes one after the other each time the operating button 7 clicks and the respective associated light ring lights up.

Accordingly, the input device 4 can be connected to a robot control device 24, which is designed and set up, when the actuation button 7 of the input device 4 is manually actuated, when the actuation button 7 is in its first height position H1, depending on the rotational angular position of the actuation button 7 to activate the electric drive of a joint of the robot 15 assigned to the set rotation angle position from several electric drives of several joints of the robot 15 for the driven adjustment of the assigned joint.

Actuating, pressing, depressing or depressing the actuation button 7 in the direction of its axis of rotation D, ie the actuation button 7 is brought to its second height position H2, as specifically shown in 9 and 10 is shown, confirms the currently selected axis selection and changes the mode to single-axis manual control mode.

In inching mode according to 9 and 19 the rotation of the actuating button 7 is limited to a defined angle by the driver-tooth engagement of the locking device 10. The rotational movement of the selected axis, in particular its speed, can be proportional to the deflection of the actuating button 7 from the locked zero position.

Accordingly, the input device 4 can be connected to the robot control device 24, which is designed and set up to activate an electric drive of a joint of the robot 15 when the actuation button 7 of the input device 4 is manually actuated, when the actuation button 7 is in its second height position H2 to drive in order to adjust the relevant joint of the robot 15 when the actuation button 7 is manually rotated in its second height position H2.

Various design variants are shown schematically below, which can implement the functions shown above. The 11 , 13 , 15 , 17 , 19 , 21 and 23 each represent the rotation operation according to the first altitude H1, and the 12 , 14 , 15 , 18 , 20 , 22 and 24 each represent the inching operation according to the second altitude H2.

In the first embodiment of the input device according to 11 and 12 the driving disk 12 has a cylindrical central one Axle stub 18, which serves as the axis of rotation D of the operating button 7. Axially, the driver disk 12 is held in a form-fitting manner via an annular bead 17 of the driver disk 12 in one of two possible annular grooves 16 of the hub 13 of the ring gear 14 and can axially between both positions (first height position H1 according to 11 and second altitude H2 according to 12 ) can be moved.

The ribs 11 are firmly connected to the driving disk 12 and touch the ring gear 14 during rotation 11 not. The base body 6 is only in contact with the driver disk 12 via the spring-loaded locking projections 22, which can be felt to be passed over in a tactile manner.

This haptically noticeable click function of the locking projections 22 in cooperation with the ribs 11 can alternatively be implemented using magnetic pairings instead of mechanical locking marks.

A measuring disk 25, in particular a bar-coded, partially transparent ring, which is attached to the actuation button 7 or to the driver disk 12, serves as the rotation angle sensor 8. The measuring disk 25 or the ring runs in an optical sensor 26 arranged on the base body 6, through which the measuring scale of the measuring disk 25 can be detected and evaluated in terms of position. The arrangement of the measuring disk 25 and the optical sensor 26 also allows an axial displacement of the actuation button 7 or the driving disk 12.

The actuation button 7 or the driving disk 12 is in the lower position, ie in the second height position H2 according to 12 , the ribs 11 snap into the ring gear 14 and the click function of the locking projections 22 in cooperation with the ribs 11 is coupled. A switch 27 registers the change of the actuating button 7 or the driving disk 12 into tipping mode 12 .

Accordingly, the rotation angle sensor 8 can comprise a rotation angle sensor, such as the measuring disk 25 and the optical sensor 26, which is designed to detect the relative rotation angle position of the actuating button 7 with respect to the base body 6 of the input device 4.

Accordingly, the position sensor 9 can have an electrical switch 27 which can be activated by the actuation button 7 and which is configured to detect the position of the actuation button 7 in the first height position H1 and/or in the second height position H2.

In the second embodiment of the input device 4 according to 13 and 14 In contrast to the first embodiment, it is not the additional switch 27 that registers the axial displacement of the actuation button 7 or the driver disk 12, but rather the rotation angle sensor 8 or the measuring disk 25 and the optical sensor 26.

Either the same or a further sensor element 28 can evaluate the measuring disk 25 and, by coding it, detect both a rotation and a displacement of the actuation button 7 or the driving disk 12.

In the third embodiment of the input device 4 according to 15 and 16 In contrast to the first and second embodiments, the optical sensor 26 and/or the sensor element 28 can also look directly at the inner lateral surface 29 of the actuation button 7 or the driver disk 12 and, for example, via reflection or via optical detection of a pattern or a regular or irregular surface structure detect a rotation and/or displacement of the actuation button 7 or the driver disk 12.

In the fourth embodiment of the input device 4 according to 17 and 18 As in the third embodiment, an optical sensor 26 can measure a rotation of the actuation button 7 or the driver disk 12 via the inner lateral surface 29 of the actuation button 7 or the driver disk 12. In contrast to the third embodiment, a further sensor element 28 measures the axial position of the driving disk 12, for example as a proximity sensor or as a rocker arm button. As a result, the separate switch 27 can be omitted.

In the fifth embodiment of the input device 4 according to 19 and 20 the structure is reversed in that the ribs 11 are no longer rigid, but are connected to the driving disk 12 in a sprung manner by means of the springs 30. In return, the ring gear 14 is firmly integrated into the base body 6. The measuring system is constructed analogously to the fourth embodiment.

In the sixth embodiment of the input device 4 according to 21 and 22 In contrast to the first to fifth embodiments, the hub 13 does not have two annular grooves 16, but only one annular groove 16 and a large recess 31 in which the annular bead 17 is located in the lower area, in tipping mode 22 , can move freely axially.

A central spring 32 always guides the axle stub 18 of the driving disk 12 back into it the upper position accordingly 21 , in which the annular bead 17 snaps into the individual annular groove 16 and the central spring 32 is no longer in contact with the axle stub 18 of the driver disk 12.

With this structure, the actuation button 7 always returns to the selection mode (rotary operation) and does not have to be actively retracted.

The seventh embodiment of the input device 4 according to 23 and 24 has a fundamentally different structure. Here, the units of the driver disk 12 and an intermediate frame 38 with locking marks 33 and an angle measuring system 34 form a classic jog dial, which can be moved axially to a lower frame, the base body 6. The two parts are secured against twisting via a guide 35.

The driver disk 12 and the intermediate frame 38 are mounted in a bearing 36 so that they rotate freely relative to one another.

The driver ring 37 carried on the driver disk 12 is pushed into the lower position into the toothed ring 14 suspended elastically in the base body 6 and limits the rotation.

In summary, it can be stated that the input device 4 disclosed here can significantly reduce the number of hardware input elements, in particular to a single central control element, and despite or precisely because of this, a very efficient operation of an operating interface or a robot 15, in particular with regard to manual movement of the robot 15, in particular enabling the joints of the robot 15 to be adjusted in the axis space.

Claims (11)

Input device for controlling a robot (15), comprising: - a base body (6), - an actuating button (7) which is rotatably mounted on the base body (6) about an axis of rotation (D) and is linearly adjustable along the axis of rotation (D) between a first height position (H1) and a second height position (H2), - a rotation angle sensor (8), which is designed to detect the rotation angle position of the actuation button (7), - a position sensor (9), which is designed to detect the position of the actuation button (7) in the first altitude (H1) and / or in the second altitude (H2), and having - a locking device (10), which is designed to allow the actuation button (7) to engage in one of several discrete locking angle positions depending on its rotation angle position when the actuation button (7) is in its first height position (H1), and the actuation button (7) to be stored spring-loaded so that it can be reset to a basic angular position, so that the actuating button (7) can be manually deflected from the basic angular position against its spring preload in a first direction of rotation by a first angular amount and / or in an opposite second direction of rotation by a second angular amount and after a When the actuation button (7) is manually released, the actuation button (7) automatically returns to its basic angular position due to its restoring spring preload when the actuation button (7) is in its second height position (H2). input device Claim 1 , characterized in that the locking device (10) has a driver disk (12) which carries a plurality of ribs (11) which are arranged evenly over a circumference and which extend in the axial direction away from a base plate of the driver disk (12) in the direction of one of the driving disk (12) separate toothed ring (14) of the locking device (10), which has a number of tooth heads (19) and/or tooth bases (20) which correspond to the number of ribs (11) of the driving disk (12) and are evenly distributed over a circumference. having. input device Claim 2 , characterized in that the toothed ring (14) is mounted in a torsionally elastic manner about the axis of rotation (D) of the actuating button (7) with respect to the base body (6) or the driving disk (12). input device Claim 3 , characterized in that the ring gear (14) is connected in a torsionally elastic manner to a hub (13) by means of elastic and/or resilient spokes (21), which is attached to the base body (6) or mounted on the driver disk (12). Input device according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that the base body (6) of the input device (4) has on an inner wall a plurality of locking projections (22) which are evenly distributed over an inner circumference and which extend radially inwards in order to be in the position of the actuation button (7) in its first Height position (H1) interacts with the ribs (11) of the driver disk (12) in a latching manner, so that the actuation button (7) engages in one of several discrete latching angle positions depending on its rotation angle position. input device Claim 5 , characterized in that the number of locking projections (22) arranged on the base body (6) evenly distributed over an inner circumference is based on the number of tooth heads (19) and / or tooth bases (20) of the gear ring (14) evenly distributed over a circumference is coordinated so that in any rotary locking position of the actuating button (7), the ribs (11) of the driving disk (12) are aligned with the tooth bases (20), so that when the actuating button (7) is manually repositioned from its first height position (H1) in its second height position (H2) the ribs (11) of the driver disk (12) can immerse in the tooth bases (20) of the ring gear (14). Input device according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , characterized in that the actuation button (7) has an axis of rotation (D) which is mounted on the base body (6) in a height-adjustable manner in the axial direction, so that the actuation button (7) can be adjusted between its first height position (H1) and its second height position ( H2) is linearly adjustable, an axial adjusting device being provided which fixes the actuating button (7) either in the first height position (H1) or in the second height position (H2) in a manually releasable manner or in a spring-loaded manner. Input device according to one of the Claims 1 until 7 , characterized in that the rotation angle sensor (8) comprises a rotation angle sensor which is designed to detect the relative rotation angle position of the actuation button (7) with respect to the base body (6) of the input device (4). Input device according to one of the Claims 1 until 8th , characterized in that the position sensor (9) has an electrical switch that can be activated by the actuation button (7), which is configured to detect the position of the actuation button (7) in the first altitude (H1) and / or in the second altitude (H2 ). Input device according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 , characterized in that the input device (4) is connected to a robot control device (24), which is designed and set up when the actuation button (7) of the input device (4) is manually actuated when the actuation button (7) is in its first Altitude (H1) is located, depending on the rotation angle position of the actuation button (7), to activate an electric drive of a joint of a robot (15) assigned to the set rotation angle position from several electric drives of several joints of the robot (15) for the driven adjustment of the assigned joint. Input device according to one of the Claims 1 until 10 , characterized in that the input device (4) is connected to a robot control device (24) which is designed and set up when the actuation button (7) of the input device (4) is manually actuated when the actuation button (7) is in its second position Altitude (H2) is located to drive an activated electric drive of a joint of a robot (15) in order to adjust the relevant joint of the robot (15) when the actuation button (7) is manually turned in its second altitude (H2).

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