Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
  • B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
  • B25J9/00—Programme-controlled manipulators
  • B25J9/16—Programme controls
  • B25J9/1615—Programme controls characterised by special kind of manipulator, e.g. planar, scara, gantry, cantilever, space, closed chain, passive/active joints and tendon driven manipulators
  • B25J9/162—Mobile manipulator, movable base with manipulator arm mounted on it
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
  • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
  • G05B2219/39—Robotics, robotics to robotics hand
  • G05B2219/39173—Dynamic interaction between vehicle and manipulator
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G05—CONTROLLING; REGULATING
  • G05B—CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS
  • G05B2219/00—Program-control systems
  • G05B2219/30—Nc systems
  • G05B2219/40—Robotics, robotics mapping to robotics vision
  • G05B2219/40298—Manipulator on vehicle, wheels, mobile

Definitions

• Robot arm system and method for transmitting an information signal upon detection of a critical condition in said robot arm system
• the present invention relates generally to robot arm systems and methods for transmitting an information signal upon detection of a critical condition in said robot arm systems.
• It relates more particularly to the field of robot arm systems which include two robots provided with control means: - a first robot comprising a poly-articulated arm equipped with several articulations, and - a second robot of the mobile vehicle type, equipped with means for carrying said first robot.
• Robots with polyarticulated arms are traditionally used either by being fixed to the ground, or by being mounted on a linear axis if the volume of work becomes significant.
• the mobile vehicle robot does not generally make it possible to ensure a sufficiently rigid connection with the ground, a necessary condition for a robot with a polyarticulated arm not topple when it moves dynamically within the framework of carrying out a task. of work.
• a control of the forces transmitted between the robot with polyarticulated arm and the mobile vehicle robot is then necessary to determine and to ensure the good stability of the system, whatever the movements carried out.
• the stop modes of the robot system (emergency stop, braking at the end of the cycle, etc.) must be taken into account because they constitute extreme conditions in terms of dynamic stresses.
• the objective of the present invention is thus to propose a robot system comprising, on the one hand, a first robot comprising a polyarticulated arm and, on the other hand, a second robot of the mobile vehicle type, whose stability and mechanical integrity are guaranteed.
• the objective of the present invention is also to monitor the dynamic behavior of the two robots, regardless of the application envisaged.
• a robot arm system which system comprises two robots provided with control means:
• a first robot comprising a polyarticulated arm equipped with several articulations
• a second robot of the mobile vehicle type equipped with means for carrying said first robot.
• said system includes security means comprising: a) means for collecting physical parameters relating to the movements of said associated robots,
• the collection means include:
• the robot arm system advantageously includes means for assembly between said first robot and the carrying means of said second robot; and said assembly means comprise at least part of said collection means, advantageously in the form of a multi-instrumented interface.
• the means for measuring the dynamics of the movements of said robots are chosen from:
• means for measuring the accelerations and speed of at least one of said robots comprising for example an inertial unit, advantageously provided at the level of the assembly means between the robots, and / or
• the means for determining the simulated forces comprise a computer program comprising program code means for determining said simulated forces from a simulated environment integrating said collected physical parameters and simulated dynamic parameters, when said computer program is implemented by said means to determine the simulated forces applied;
• the means for determining the forces advantageously include: means for determining the simulated forces applied to said robots, means for determining the real forces applied on said robots, means for comparing said real forces and said simulated forces, and means for adapting the simulated dynamic parameters integrated by said simulated environment constituting the means for determining the simulated forces;
• the means for detecting a critical state of said robots include a computer program comprising program code means adapted to compare the real and / or simulated efforts with pre-established critical efforts having three levels of security: immediate security, to determine an immediate critical state, predictive security, to determine a critical state in the event of braking at nominal parameters, emergency security, to determine a critical state in the event of emergency braking;
• the means for transmitting an information signal include means for transmitting said information signal to the control means of said robots, and / or means for transmitting said information signal to an operator;
• the control means of at least one of said robots advantageously comprise a computer program comprising program code means adapted to control said robot taking account of said information signal, when said computer program is executed by said means control ;
• the means for determining the real and / or simulated forces, the means for detecting a critical state of said robots and the means for transmitting an information signal are grouped together within a computer connected to said robots; - Said second robot consists of a machine of the forklift type comprising a motorized rolling chassis which is equipped with carrying means in the form of lifting forks.
• the invention also provides a method for transmitting an information signal in the event of detection of a critical state in a robot arm system according to the invention, said critical state corresponding to a stability / equilibrium defect of said associated robots. and / or to a mechanical stress greater than the mechanical resistance of said robots.
• This process includes:
• the determination of the simulated forces advantageously comprises a determination of the said simulated forces from a simulated environment integrating the said collected physical parameters and the simulated dynamic parameters.
• the determination of the forces applied to said robots preferably comprises:
• immediate security to determine an immediate critical state
• predictive security to determine a critical state in the event of braking at nominal parameters
• emergency security to determine a state critical in case of emergency braking
• the information signal is transmitted to the control means of at least one of said robots and / or of an operator; the control means advantageously control at least one of said robots taking account of said information signal.
• FIG. 1 is a general perspective view of a first embodiment of the robot arm system according to the invention, in which the two robots cooperate by means of assembly means comprising means for collecting the real forces transmitted by the first robot on the second robot;
• FIGS. 2 and 3 are partial and enlarged views of the robot arm system according to Figure 1, showing two alternative embodiments at the level of the assembly means between the two robots;
• FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the robot arm system according to the invention, which is here equipped with means for collecting physical parameters relating to the movements of the associated robots in the form of means for measuring the dynamics of the movements of said movements robots;
• FIG. 5 is a side view of the mobile vehicle type robot, equipping the robot arm system according to Figure 4;
• FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the first robot of the polyarticulated arm type, belonging to the robot arm system according to Figure 4;
• FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the physical parameter processing chain so as to detect a critical state of said robots and to issue an information signal in the event of detection of said critical state; for the sake of simplification, this FIG. 7 also schematically represents the means constituting the security means (in particular certain functional modules of computer programs).
• the robot arm system 1 comprises a pair of robots:
• the first robot 2 is intended to be carried by the second robot 3, above the ground.
• the first robot 2 comprises a polyarticulated arm 21 carried by a base 22.
• the polyarticulated arm 21 here comprises several segments 21 1 which are interconnected by motorized joints 212 (for example in the form of electric motors).
• the poly-articulated arm 21 has a final segment 211 which carries a tool head 213.
• This first robot 2 also includes control means 23, for example in the form of a control bay carried by the base 22 (FIG. 1).
• the control means 23 take over the control laws allowing this first robot 2 to carry out the movements necessary for the accomplishment of its task.
• control means 23 are advantageously equipped with an external communication device 231 (FIG. 6) making it possible to transmit the information of positions, speeds and accelerations of the motorized articulations 212 of the polyarticulated arm 21, to a IT device described below.
• an external communication device 231 FIG. 6
• This control bay 23 can be placed on one side of the base 22, opposite the polyarticulated arm 21, to create a counterweight and to improve stability ( Figure 1).
• the base 22 is also equipped with assembly means 24 with the second robot 3 (shown in Figures 1 to 3).
• these assembly means 24 are in the form of sleeves which are adapted to cooperate with a complementary fork of the second robot 3.
• the second robot 3 advantageously consists of a vehicle of the vehicle type with automatic guidance or self-guided vehicle or VGA (in English “Automactic Guided Vehicle” or AGV).
• VGA in English “Automactic Guided Vehicle” or AGV.
• This second robot 3 is for example in the form of a forklift, which comprises a chassis 31 provided:
• - carrying means 32 adapted to carry the first robot 2, for example in the form of a lifting fork
• control means 33 adapted to control the means of locomotion and the carrying means 32, and
• the control means 33 support the control laws allowing this second robot 3 to carry out the movements of the first robot 2 necessary for the accomplishment of its task.
• control means 33 are also equipped with an external communication device 331 (FIG. 4) making it possible to transmit information to a computer device described below (in particular physical parameters P).
• the robot arm system 1 comprises safety means 4 which are designed to detect a critical state of said robots 2, 3.
• critical state is meant in particular a mechanical critical state, namely in particular:
• the security means 4 include:
• the collection means 5 ensure the acquisition of physical parameters P relating to the movements of the associated robots 2, 3.
• effort is meant in particular the external force which urges a structural element and which generates constraints.
• this notion of “force” is advantageously understood to mean the forces exerted by the first robot 2 on the second robot 3, and which generate mechanical stresses on the latter.
• the intrinsic data of the first robot 2 of the polyarticulated arm type are advantageously identified beforehand by conventional methodologies. These intrinsic data allow, taking into account the effective displacements of this first robot 2 (polyarticulated arm), to know the forces generated by it on the second robot 3 (mobile vehicle).
• movement dynamics is meant in particular the physical parameters relating to the movements of the two robots 2, 3 (acceleration, speed, position, etc.).
• the collecting means 5 comprise first means 51 for collecting the forces applied by the first robot 2 to the second robot 3.
• the collection means 51 are therefore advantageously located at the assembly means 24 provided between the first robot 2 and the second robot 3.
• These collection means 51 are advantageously in the form of a multi-instrumented interface.
• These collection means 51 thus participate in determining, in real time, the real forces Er which are exerted by the first robot 2 on the second robot 3, and in deducing therefrom the tilting threshold as well as the various mechanical stresses.
• the collection means 51 advantageously comprise means for measuring displacement of the first robot 2 relative to the second robot 3.
• These collection means 51 here comprise a tightening system with screws 51 1 and an elastomeric pad 512.
• This pair 511/512 is disposed between, on the one hand, the base 22 of the first robot 2 and, on the other hand, the assembly means 24 (for example in the form of support plates).
• the screws 511 then make it possible to constrain, in a calibrated manner, the elastomeric buffers 512.
• These collection means 51 also include a displacement sensor 513 which is designed to measure the deformations of the elastomeric pads 512.
• the collection means 51 advantageously comprise means 515 for measuring the mechanical stress of the first robot 2 relative to the second robot 3.
• These collection means 51 comprise several strain gauges 515 located between, on the one hand, the base 22 of the first robot 2 and, on the other hand, the assembly means 24 (for example in the form of support plates).
• the collection means 51 making it possible to capitalize the complete torsor of the resulting efforts.
• the collecting means 5 comprise second means 52 for measuring the dynamics of the movements of at least one of the robots 2, 3.
• the carrier means 32 of the second robot 3 can be equipped with first means for measuring the accelerations and speeds 521.
• These first means 521 are for example in the form of an inertial unit making it possible to measure the accelerations and speeds of the first robot 2 during the movements of the second robot 3, but also during the movements of the carrier means 32.
• the second robot 3 can be equipped with second means for measuring the speed of advance and rotation 522.
• These second measuring means 522 are for example in the form of rotary encoders and / or tachometers.
• Such a rotary encoder can be chosen, for example, from incremental rotary encoders and absolute rotary encoders.
• tachometer is meant, for example, mechanical, optical, or eddy current tachometers.
• the first robot 2 can be equipped with third measuring means 523 for measuring the dynamics of movements which are associated with the motorized articulations 212 of the polyarticulated arm 21.
• the third measurement means 523 consist, for example, of structures of the rotary encoder type which are integrated in each motorized articulation 212. These third measurement means 523 thus determine the positions and speeds of each motorized articulation 212 of the polyarticulated arm 21, thanks to the control means 23.
• the different collection means 51, 52 described above in relation to Figures 1 to 6 can be used in combination (at least two means), or independently of each other.
• the determination means 6 are able to calculate the real forces Er and / or the simulated forces Es which are applied to the robots 2, 3 and / or which are intended for apply to these robots 2, 3.
• real effort is meant the efforts that occur in reality between the two robots 2, 3. This real effort here corresponds to the data from the measurement sensors.
• simulated effort we mean the theoretical efforts which are calculated by techniques making it possible to imitate, as faithfully as possible, real efforts thanks to programs integrating mathematical models based on parameters which intervene in reality.
• these physical parameters P collected by the collection means 5 are transmitted to a computer device 10 (also called a computer) for their processing.
• a computer device 10 also called a computer
• This computer device 10 advantageously of the automaton type, comprises:
• processor that is to say a device which executes calculation instructions
• the determination means 6 are then advantageously in the form of a computer program, the program code means of which are designed to determine the real forces Er and / or simulated Es which are applied to the robots 2, 3 and / or which are intended to be applied to these robots 2, 3, when said computer program is implemented by said computer device 10.
• the computer program includes several modules ( Figure 7):
• a first module 61 to determine the simulated forces Es
• the first module 61 determines the simulated forces Es which are intended to be applied to these robots 2, 3, from a simulated environment (also called “simulation environment") integrating the physical parameters P collected and simulated dynamic parameters, when said computer program is implemented by said computer device 10.
• a simulated environment also called “simulation environment”
• the computer program is advantageously designed to adapt the simulated dynamic parameters which are integrated by the simulated environment.
• this computer program also includes (Figure 7):
• a third module 63 adapted to compare the real forces Er from the second module 62 and the simulated forces Es from the first module 61, and
• a fourth module 64 adapted to adjust the simulated dynamic parameters which are integrated by the simulated environment constituting the first module 61.
• the critical state detection means 7 are also in the form of a computer program which is intended to be executed by the computer device 10.
• the critical state detection means 7 comprise a computer program comprising program code means adapted to compare the real forces Er and / or simulated Es with critical forces Eç pre-established, when said computer program is executed by the computer device 10.
• the critical state detection means 7 are responsible, on the one hand, for the collection of the data coming from the determination means 6 and, on the other hand, for the software processing of these data via an algorithm stability calculation.
• the computer program can comprise a module 71 adapted to compare the real efforts Er and / or simulated Es with critical efforts Eç pre-established chosen from efforts likely to cause a lack of stability / equilibrium of said robots 2, 3 associated ( figure 7).
• the pre-established critical forces Ec advantageously have three levels of security:
• the last case is where the operator triggers an emergency stop on one of the robots 2, 3.
• the robot arm system 1 undergoes a sudden deceleration from a given speed. It must be ensured that it does not cause tilting.
• the second robot 3 (mobile vehicle) is fixed and the first robot 2 (polyarticulated arm) is moved manually; knowing the position of the robot arm system 1, it is possible to perform a tilting calculation, and to limit the acceleration and speed of the movements of the first robot 2 (polyarticulated arm); in this case, the movement of the second robot 3 (mobile vehicle) can be prohibited;
• the second robot 3 (mobile vehicle) is fixed, and a program of the first robot 2 (polyarticulated arm) will be executed; we can pre-calculate the stresses on the robot arm system 1 and, in the event of an overshoot, propose to execute the task in degraded mode;
• the control is that conventional of the second robot 3 (mobile vehicle);
• the two robots 2, 3 are executing a program; we can therefore estimate the tilting and, if necessary, prohibit or degrade the operating mode
• the safety levels are advantageously known and expected, any overshoot inducing a deterioration in the operating conditions which may go as far as stopping the two robots 2, 3 to ensure the stability of the assembly.
• the computer program can include a module 72 adapted to compare the real forces Er and / or simulated Es with critical forces Eç pre-established chosen from forces capable of causing a mechanical stress greater than the resistance mechanics of said robots 2, 3 ( Figure 7).
• the means for transmitting an information signal 8 are also in the form of a computer program which is intended to be executed by the computer device 10.
• a portable digital device 11 digital tablet, mobile phone, etc.
• control means 23, 33 of at least one of the robots 2, 3 then advantageously comprise a computer program comprising program code means adapted to control said robot taking account of said information signal, when said program the computer is executed by said control means.
• control means 23, 33 then control two robots 2, 3.
• the system 1 continuously executes a safety method, which is intended to emit an information signal in the event of detection of a critical state in the system 1, said critical state corresponding:
• This security process thus monitors the dynamic behavior of the two robots 2, 3, regardless of the application envisaged.
• this security method comprises a succession of operations which are executed by the computer device 10, namely:
• the operation for collecting physical parameters P includes for example:
• This collection operation A then allows operation B for the determination of the forces which are applied to said robots 2, 3 and / or which are intended to be applied to said robots 2, 3.
• This determination operation B allows the calculation:
• the real environment notably uses the first collection means 51 to determine the real forces and couples exerted on the carrier means 32 of the second robot 3.
• the simulated forces Es are preferably determined from an operation for calculating the dynamics of the first robot 2 (operation B3) in a simulated environment integrating the collected physical parameters P and simulated dynamic parameters.
• This simulated environment is advantageously in the form of an algorithm which is designed to estimate forces as a function of the data coming from the collection means 5, or as a function of simulated data (emergency stop, maximum dynamic braking, etc.) .
• This algorithm advantageously makes it possible to define the simulated forces and couples that the first robot 2 exerts, or will exert, on the carrier means 32 of the second robot 3.
• a data fusion algorithm allows to take and compare the two real Er and simulated Es environments.
• Merging involves taking the actual data envisaged at all times, and comparing them with those estimated. We run the simulation in parallel with the reality of the movements (spatially) and with the force measurements, in order to verify the smooth running of the sequence.
• the determination of the forces applied to the robots 2, 3 advantageously comprises the following steps:
• the stability control operation (operation C1) makes it possible to determine three levels of security:
• - predictive safety S2 i.e. a critical state in the event of braking at nominal parameters (for example, the simulated environment makes it possible to determine stability in the event of maximum braking respecting the dynamic parameters programmed in system 1 ),
• the C2 mechanical strength calculation operation can generate an information signal.
• the information signal is transmitted to the control means 23, 33 of at least one of said robots 2, 3 (operation D1) and / or of an operator (operation D2).
• control means 23, 33 control at least one of said robots 2, 3 taking account of said information signal.
• control means 22, 33 can send information to at least one of the robots 2, 3 so that they- these adapt their operating mode (speed reduction for example).
• corrective measures can consist of:

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Orthopedic Medicine & Surgery (AREA)
• Robotics (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Manipulator (AREA)
• Numerical Control (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2018
  • 2018-09-28 FR FR1859024A patent/FR3086571B1/fr active Active
• 2019
  • 2019-09-27 WO PCT/EP2019/076150 patent/WO2020064991A1/fr unknown
  • 2019-09-27 EP EP19773446.0A patent/EP3856467A1/de not_active Withdrawn

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