JP2002239954A - Portable operation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a portable operation device capable of drastically reducing fatigue of an operator operating a robot, etc., and reducing the component cost and maintenance cost. SOLUTION: Operation buttons 12a and 12b are disposed on the upper surface of a box-shaped body 10. The body rear surface comprises inclined surfaces 13a and 13b continuing from the body side to the body underside 14. An operation permitting switch 30 is disposed inside the inclined surface 13a, an operation lever 20 interlocked with the operation permitting switch 30 is also disposed in the inclined surface 13a, and the operation lever 20 is rotationally engaged with the body 10. The rotational movement of the operation lever can change over ON/OFF state of the operation permitting switch interlocked therewith.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operating device for teaching and controlling an automatic industrial machine such as an industrial robot, and is particularly suitable for an operator to carry out these operations while holding it in his hand. The present invention relates to a portable operating device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Industrial robots (hereinafter referred to as "robots")
In many cases, an operator carries a portable operation device near his or her hand while holding the portable operation device.

In such an environment, it is conceivable that a worker may erroneously operate the robot or the like and erroneously press the operation switch without consciousness of the worker.

[0004] Further, it is conceivable that an operator may not be able to instantaneously perform an appropriate stop operation for a runaway of the robot due to some cause.

[0005] In order to solve such a problem, when the above-described situation occurs, the operator operates the operation permission switch, thereby ignoring all the operation switches and promptly operating the robot. A so-called deadman switch for stopping the operation is provided in the operating device.

As an example of the configuration of such a deadman switch, there is disclosed a configuration in which a deadman switch is arranged on an inclined surface of a grip portion provided on the back surface (Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-88219).

[0007]

As described above, the operator operating the portable operating device sets the deadman switch to the O position.
The robot is operated in the N state.

When a robot or the like runs out of control, the operator releases the operation permission switch to turn it off, but on the other hand, sometimes the operator grips strongly.

Therefore, the deadman switch is not turned off only when the hand is released, but also when the switch is turned on during normal operation and when the switch is more strongly gripped.
It must be a three-mode switch configuration such as F.

In a normal operation, the robot is operated by operating the operation switch with the other hand while holding the deadman switch with one hand. It must support the load.

When the above-mentioned three-mode deadman switch considering safety is attached to an operating device having a configuration as in the conventional example, a constant gripping force of the hand is required to maintain the ON state during work. If this is neglected, the robot frequently stops during the operation, resulting in a significant impairment of the workability of the operator.

Further, in the configuration in which the deadman switch is provided on the slope of the grip portion on the back of the operating device as in the conventional example, the burden on the hand for operating the deadman switch is large,
The worker's physical fatigue also becomes faster.

[0013] In addition, there has been a configuration example in which an operation lever is conventionally used as an interlocking portion of the deadman switch. However, in these cases, a pin is provided on the main body side, and the operation lever is provided with a boss portion fitted to the pin. It constituted the hinge part of the operation lever.

In such a hinge structure of the operation lever,
If the hinges were damaged due to aging, the entire body had to be replaced.

[0015]

A portable operating device according to the present invention comprises a box-shaped main body held by hand, an operation switch disposed on an upper surface of the main body, and at least an interlocking portion disposed on a lower surface of the main body. A portable operation device comprising an operation permission switch, wherein the operation switch is effective only when the operation permission switch is pressed, wherein an inclined portion is provided which is inclined inward of the lower surface of the main body, and the operation permission switch is provided on the inclined portion. Or arrange the interlocking part.

The operation permission switch is activated only when the operation permission switch is pressed with a force within a predetermined effective range, and the applied force is equal to or more than the upper limit value or equal to or less than the lower limit value of the effective range. In any case, the operation switch is invalidated.

Further, the present invention comprises a box-shaped main body held by hand, an operation switch arranged on the upper surface of the main body, and an operation permission switch arranged on the lower surface of the main body at least an operation lever serving as an interlocking portion. , The hinge portion of the operation lever is arranged in the side direction of the main body from the pressing portion, and when the operation lever is pressed, the operation lever is inclined toward the inside of the lower surface of the main body. Position inward.

In the portable operation device of the present invention, the operation switch is activated when the operation lever is pressed so that the surface of the operation lever is flush with the inclined surface inclined toward the inside of the lower surface of the main body. So that the operation permission switch is arranged.

Further, in the portable operation device of the present invention, a first hole drilled from the lower surface of the main body to the upper surface and a second hole drilled from the side of the main body to another side are provided. The hole is connected to the second hole, and the hinge portion of the operation lever is engaged with the connection portion.

[0020]

According to the present invention, the operator's finger turned on the inclined surface on the back surface of the main body, that is, the index finger, the middle finger, the ring finger,
The deadman switch provided on the back surface of the main body can be operated with all or a part of the little finger.

Further, the operation permission switch is arranged so that the operation switch is enabled when the operation lever is pressed so that the surface of the operation lever is flush with the inclined surface inclined toward the inside of the lower surface of the main body. Since the operating lever can be pressed with a constant force by gripping the inclined surface with a constant force, the fatigue of the operator operating the deadman switch is greatly reduced.

Further, a first hole drilled from the lower surface of the main body to the upper surface, and a second hole drilled from the side of the main body to another side.
The first hole and the second hole are connected to each other, and the hinge portion of the operation lever is engaged with the connection portion. Therefore, the main body and the operation lever are molded with a simple structure using resin or the like. Thus, mass production can be realized at low cost. Also, since there is no pin on the main body, even if the hinge part is damaged due to aging, only the operation lever needs to be replaced, and there is no need to replace the main body, minimizing maintenance costs. Can be suppressed.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a box-shaped main body, and operation buttons 11 and 12 are arranged on the upper surface of the main body 10.

The back surface of the main body 10 is composed of inclined surfaces 13a and 13b extending from the side surface of the main body to the lower surface 13c of the main body. An operation permission switch 30 is disposed inside the inclined surface 13a. Permission switch 3
An operation lever 20 interlocking with 0 is arranged.

The operation lever 20 has a component pin 21a and a pin 21b, which are respectively fitted to bosses 16a and 16b provided on the inclined surface 13a of the main body to form a hinge. The operation lever 20 is rotatably engaged with the main body 10.

By rotating this operation lever,
The ON / OFF state of the operation permission switch linked to this can be switched.

The operation permission switch has a spring mechanism (not shown). As shown in FIG. 5, the operation permission switch is turned ON only when the load applied to the permission switch satisfies the condition of FL or more and FU or less, and is smaller than FL. When a load is applied or when a load exceeding FU is applied, the state is turned off.

In an initial state where no load is applied, the operation surface of the operation lever 20 is disposed at a position outside the inclined surface 13a. The operation surface of the operation lever 20 is inclined 13
The operation lever 20 and the operation permission switch 30 are arranged on the main body 10 so that the load applied to the operation permission switch 30 is equal to or more than FL and equal to or less than FU in a state where the operation lever is rotated so as to be flush with a. .

The body 10 has first holes 14a and 14b each having a semicircular tip cross-sectional shape drilled from the lower surface to the upper surface, and a semicircular tip cross-sectional shape drilled from the side of the main body to another side. Second holes 15a and 15b are provided, and the first hole and the second hole are connected so that the tips of the holes coincide with each other. Boss 16 having a substantially cylindrical cross-sectional shape capable of engaging the pin portion of
a and 16b are formed.

As described above, the boss portion has a structure in which the two holes are connected to each other, so that when the main body 10 is formed of a molded product such as a resin, the die structure of the molding die is simplified, and at the same time, the die cutting operation is simplified. can do.

As a result, not only the cost of the parts of the main body 10 can be reduced and the cost of the entire portable operation device can be reduced, but also since the main body 10 is not provided with a pin portion, the hinge portion may be damaged due to aging. However, only the operation lever 20 needs to be replaced, and the main body does not need to be replaced, so that maintenance costs can be minimized.

When the operator performs a manual operation of the robot or the like, the operation surface of the operation lever is set to the inclined surface 13a.
By gripping the inclined surface 13a with the operator's finger at a position on the same plane as the above, as a result, the ON state of the operation permission switch can be maintained.

This eliminates the need for the operator to maintain the position of the operation lever within a certain range in order to keep the load applied to the operation permission switch constant.

Therefore, an unnecessarily large load is applied to the operation permission switch 30 and the operation permission switch 30 is turned off.
It can be avoided that the robot is stopped in the F state and the working efficiency of the robot teaching work or the like is deteriorated as a result.

[0036]

As described above, according to the present invention, when an operator operates a robot or the like, the fatigue of the operator who operates the operation permission switch can be greatly reduced, and the cost of parts and maintenance can be further reduced. A portable operation device capable of performing the operation can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of a portable operation device.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing the appearance of the portable operation device.

FIG. 3 is a rear view showing the appearance of the portable operation device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a boss portion.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a three-mode switch.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a structure of a hinge portion of an operation lever.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Body 14a, 14b Hole with a semicircular tip cross-section drilled from the lower surface to the upper surface 14a, 14b Hole with a semicircular tip cross-section drilled from the side of the main body to another side 20 Operation levers 21, 22 Operation lever pin 30 Operation permission switch

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A box-shaped main body held by hand, an operation switch disposed on an upper surface of the main body, and an operation permission switch having at least an interlocking portion disposed on a lower surface of the main body,
In a portable operation device in which the operation switch is enabled only when the operation permission switch is pressed, an inclined portion that is inclined in a direction inside the lower surface of the main body is provided, and the operation permission switch or an interlocking portion thereof is disposed on the inclined portion. Portable operation device. 2. The operation switch becomes effective only when the operation permission switch is pressed with a force within a predetermined effective range, and when an applied force is equal to or more than an upper limit value or equal to or less than a lower limit value of the effective range. 2. The portable operation device according to claim 1, further comprising an operation switch for invalidating the operation switch. 3. An operation lever comprising: a box-shaped main body held by hand; an operation switch disposed on an upper surface of the main body; and an operation permission switch having an operation lever serving as at least an interlocking portion disposed on a lower surface of the main body. 3. The portable operating device according to claim 1, wherein the hinge portion is disposed closer to the side surface of the main body than the pressing portion, and the operating lever is inclined inwardly toward the lower surface of the main body when the operating lever is pressed. 4. The portable operation device according to claim 3, wherein the operation lever is located closer to the inside of the main body than the lower surface of the main body. 5. The operation permission switch is arranged so that the operation switch is enabled when the operation lever is pressed so that the surface of the operation lever is flush with the inclined surface inclined inwardly of the lower surface of the main body. The portable operation device according to claim 3. 6. A first hole drilled from the lower surface of the main body to the upper surface, and a second hole drilled from the side of the main body to another side, and are connected to the first hole and the second hole. 6. The portable operation device according to claim 3, wherein a hinge portion of the operation lever is engaged with the connection portion.