JP2003053687A - Workpiece handling method for working robot - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a workpiece handling method whereby the operations of supplying and discharging workpieces to and from a workpiece handling portion can be efficiently carried out while enhancing workability therefor. SOLUTION: Two workpiece holding hands 1J and 1K are rotated for reversal about a common rotation axis L relative to the arms of a working robot to switch around their positions whereby the continuous operations are made possible, after the workpiece W2 to be supplied to a workpiece stage 5A is held in one workpiece holding hand 1K and another workpiece W1 is discharged from the workpiece stage 5A by means of the other workpiece holding hand 1K, the workpiece W2 subsequently held in the one workpiece holding hand 1K is supplied to the workpiece stage 5A. The workability for the operations of supplying and discharging the workpieces W1 and W2 to and from the workpiece stage 5A is thus enhanced.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a work handling method for a work robot. More specifically, the present invention improves workability of work supply and discharge work with respect to a work handling location. It relates to a work handling method. 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a working robot for supplying and discharging workpieces is disclosed in JP-A-11-2543.
Various proposals have been made in Japanese Patent No. 55 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-096480. This kind of work robot
It is a multi-axis multi-joint work robot, and a work holding hand for holding a work can also be moved in a complicated and delicate manner. By the way, since the multi-axis multi-joint type working robot as described above generally has only one set of work holding hands, the work is supplied to the work handling location. Then, after discharging the workpiece from the handling location, a new workpiece is supplied to the handling location. In other words, the conventional general multi-axis multi-joint type working robot does not start the work supply work until the work discharge work for the work handling location is completed. For this reason, there has been a problem that work supply work and discharge work cannot be performed continuously and efficiently, and workability is poor. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a work handling method capable of continuously and efficiently performing work supply work and discharge work with respect to a work handling location and improving workability. Let it be an issue. As a means for solving the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is a work handling method for a work robot that continuously performs a work supply operation and a discharge operation on a work handling location. The work robot includes two work holding hands whose positions can be switched by turning around a common turning axis with respect to the arm. After holding the work to be supplied by one work holding hand, After changing the position of the work holding hand, holding the work to be discharged in the other work holding hand, the work held in one work holding hand is released and supplied by changing the positions of the two work holding hands. It is characterized by including work steps. In the work handling method for a work robot according to the present invention, two work holding hands are swung around a common swivel axis with respect to the arm of the work robot, and their positions are exchanged to supply the work handling location. After the workpiece is held in one workpiece holding hand, the workpiece is discharged from the handling location with the other workpiece holding hand, and then the continuous work of supplying the workpiece held in one workpiece holding hand to the handling location becomes possible. The workability of the work supply work and discharge work to the work handling location is improved. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a work handling method for a work robot according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings to be referred to, FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of an inspection booth in which a work robot to which a work handling method according to an embodiment is applied is arranged, FIG.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the work robot shown in FIG. 1 in an enlarged manner. A work handling method for a work robot according to an embodiment is, for example, LTO (Linear Tape Open).
In a magnetic tape cartridge inspection booth that conforms to the standard, the magnetic tape cartridge whose plane shape is approximately square is supplied to the inspection station as a workpiece, and applied to a work robot that performs work to remove the magnetic tape cartridge from this inspection station Is done. As shown in FIG. 1, the work robot 1
Is arranged at the center of an inspection booth 2 configured on a movable base frame (not shown), and an operation box 3 such as a work robot 1 is assembled to the base frame. In the inspection booth 2, the magnetic tape cartridge that has been assembled is inserted into the workpiece W to be inspected.
A terminal portion of the workpiece supply conveyor device 4 to be supplied as
An inspection station 5 to which a magnetic tape cartridge as a work W is supplied and discharged by the work robot 1 and a work W that has been inspected at the inspection station 5
A start end portion of the workpiece discharge conveyor device 6 for discharging the workpiece and a start end portion of the workpiece collection conveyor device 7 for collecting the defective workpiece W are arranged and accommodated around the work robot 1. In the inspection booth 2, the end portion of the workpiece supply conveyor device 4 and the beginning end portion of the workpiece discharge conveyor device 6 are arranged linearly along, for example, the front wall surface of the inspection booth 2. The start and end faces each other in the vicinity of the work robot 1 and face each other.
The starting end portion of the work collection conveyor device 7 is arranged along the wall surface on the back side of the inspection booth 2 in parallel with the terminal end portion of the workpiece supply conveyor device 4, and the starting end faces the vicinity of the work robot 1. Yes. The inspection station 5 is arranged between the start end of the work collection conveyor device 7 and the end of the work supply conveyor device 4. The workpiece supply conveyor device 4, workpiece discharge conveyor device 6 and workpiece recovery conveyor device 7 are:
For example, it is a belt type conveyor apparatus having the conveyor belts 4A, 6A, and 7A, and the conveyor belts 4A, 6A, and 7A are configured to be intermittently driven. A stopper 8 for positioning the work W on the conveyor belt 4A at a predetermined position is attached to the side portion on the far side of the end portion of the work supply conveyor device 4. Further, a code reader 9 for reading a two-dimensional code printed on the side wall portion of the workpiece W positioned by the stopper 8 is disposed in the vicinity of the side portion on the near side of the end portion of the workpiece supply conveyor device 4. . On the other hand, a CM reader / writer 10 for writing production information data to a cartridge memory (CM) incorporated in the work W is disposed in the vicinity of the rear side of the end portion of the work discharge conveyor device 6. ing. The inspection station 5 serves as a work stage 5 on which a work W supplied in a fixed direction by the work robot 1 is horizontally placed as a handling part of the work W.
A is provided at the center. The work stage 5A is configured by a cylindrical member having a donut-shaped mounting surface in the illustrated example, but may be configured by three pins that support the workpiece W at three points. Around the workpiece stage 5A, the workpiece W is brought into contact with two adjacent sides of the workpiece W so that the workpiece W is XY.
Four positioning pins 5B arranged in an L shape so as to be positioned in the direction are arranged. Further, an X-direction clamper 5C and a Y-direction clamper 5D that press the workpiece W in the horizontal direction toward the positioning pins 5B, and a Z-direction clamper (not shown) that presses the workpiece W in the vertical direction toward the workpiece stage 5A. Are arranged. In order to perform a centralized inspection on the magnetic tape cartridge as the work W positioned and clamped in a fixed direction on the work stage 5A, a slide door of the magnetic tape cartridge is provided around the work stage 5A. Door inspection tool 5E for inspecting the opening force, write protection inspection tool 5F for inspecting the opening / closing force of the write protect, image processing device 5G for inspecting the contact state between the leader pin and the leader pin holding spring, and the flatness for inspecting the flatness of the cartridge An inspection tool 5H and the like are provided. Further, a reel lock inspection tool 5I for inspecting a reel lock releasing force is disposed inside the work stage 5A. As shown in FIG. 2, the work robot 1
Is constituted by a general-purpose articulated robot, for example, a 6-axis vertical articulated robot. This work robot 1
Includes a first arm 1B that pivots about a vertical axis with respect to the base body 1A, a second arm 1C that swings up and down about a horizontal axis with respect to the tip of the first arm 1B, and the second arm A third arm 1D that swings around a horizontal axis with respect to the tip of 1C, a fourth arm 1E that rotates about the axis of the third arm 1D, and a tip of the fourth arm 1E 5th arm 1F swinging around the horizontal axis
And a hand holder 1G that turns around the axis of the fifth arm 1F. Here, in the hand holder 1G of the work robot 1, two identical work holding hands 1J, 1 which can hold the work W by chucks 1H, 1H, respectively.
K is attached. Two workpiece holding hands 1J, 1
K is arranged at a symmetrical position of the common swivel axis L in an inclined posture in which the respective center lines C and C intersect with the common swivel axis L along the axis of the fifth arm 1F at an angle of 60 degrees. Yes. And these two work holding hands 1
The positions J and 1K can be interchanged by swiveling around the common swivel axis L. For example, when the common swivel axis L is inclined by 60 degrees from the vertical state, the workpiece holding hand 1J is substantially omitted. When the vertical posture is taken, the workpiece holding hand 1K takes a posture inclined upward. The work robot 1 configured as described above has
Normally, the workpiece W, which is conveyed to its terminal end by the workpiece supply conveyor device 4 shown in FIG. 1 and positioned on the conveyance belt 4A by the stopper 8, is supplied onto a workpiece stage 5A as a handling location in the inspection station 5, The operation of the workpiece W is programmed to be discharged so that the workpiece W on which various inspections have been completed is discharged onto the conveying belt 6A at the start end of the workpiece discharge conveyor device 6. When the code reader 9 generates a failure signal, the operation of the work robot 1 is controlled so that the work W is discharged onto the transport belt 7A at the start end of the work collection conveyor device 7 instead of the inspection station 5. . Here, in the operation control program for the work robot 1, in order to realize the work handling method of one embodiment, the work W to be supplied is held by one work holding hand 1K and then the two work holding hands 1J. , 1K
Are replaced, and the workpiece W to be discharged is held by the other workpiece holding hand 1J, and then the two workpiece holding hands 1
An operation step is included in which the work W held by one work holding hand 1K is opened and supplied by exchanging the positions of J and 1K. Hereinafter, each work step according to the operation program of the work robot 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description, for the sake of convenience, the two workpiece holding hands 1J and 1K have one workpiece holding hand 1K and the other workpiece holding hand 1J. First, in the first work step shown in FIG. 3, the first workpiece W1 conveyed to the terminal end of the workpiece supply conveyor device 4 by the conveyor belt 4A is positioned by a stopper (not shown), and the code reader 9 is first. While reading the two-dimensional code printed on the side wall portion of the workpiece W1, the work robot 1 stands by with the other workpiece holding hand 1J facing the vicinity of the first workpiece W1. Next, in the second work step shown in FIG. 4, the work robot 1 turns the other work holding hand 1J around the common turning axis L to have a substantially vertical posture.
By closing the chucks 1H and 1H in this posture, the first work W1 on the conveyor belt 4A is held and taken up. The turning operation of the work holding hand 1J may be performed before or after the work holding hand 1J is moved above the first work W1, but it is preferable to perform the turning operation in the moving process in order to shorten the work time. Subsequently, in the third work step shown in FIG. 5, the work robot 1 moves the work holding hand 1J above the work stage 5A of the inspection station 5,
By opening the chucks 1H, 1H, the first work W1 held by the chucks 1H is placed and supplied on the work stage 5A in a predetermined direction. after that,
The work robot 1 retracts the work holding hand 1J from the inspection station 5. In the inspection station 5, the positioning pin 5B and the X direction clamper 5 shown in FIG.
C, Y direction clamper 5D and Z direction clamper (not shown) position and clamp the first workpiece W1,
Door inspection tool 5E, write protection inspection tool 5
F, image processing device 5G and flatness inspection tool 5H are 1
An intensive inspection is started for the second workpiece W1. First work W at the inspection station 5
In the fourth operation step shown in FIG. 6, the work robot 1 holds the work holding hand 1 </ b> J at a position retracted from the inspection station 5 until the intensive inspection for 1 is completed. Meanwhile, the code reader 9 is connected to the conveyor belt 4A.
As a result, the two-dimensional code printed on the side wall portion of the second workpiece W2 newly transported and positioned at the end portion of the workpiece supply conveyor device 4 is read. Second work W2 by the code reader 9
When the reading of the two-dimensional code is completed, in the fifth work step shown in FIG. 7, the work robot 1 turns one of the workpiece holding hands 1K around the common turning axis L so as to have a substantially vertical posture. Chuck 1H, 1 in posture
The second work W2 on the conveyor belt 4A is held and taken up by H. The reversing and turning operation of the work holding hand 1K is performed in the process of moving the work holding hand 1K above the second work W2. First work W at the inspection station 5
When the intensive inspection for 1 is completed, in the sixth work step shown in FIG. 8, the work robot 1 turns the other work holding hand 1J around the common swivel axis L so as to have a substantially vertical posture. The first workpiece W1 on the workpiece stage 5A is held and discharged by the chucks 1H and 1H of the other workpiece holding hand 1J. The reversing and turning operation of the work holding hand 1J is performed by the work holding hand 1J.
This is performed in the process of moving J above the first work W1 on the work stage 5A. Subsequently, in the seventh work step shown in FIG. 9, the work robot 1 moves one work holding hand 1K.
Is rotated around the common swivel axis L so as to have a substantially vertical posture, and in this posture, the chucks 1H and 1H of one work holding hand 1K are opened, and the second work W2 held thereby is fixed. In the direction of work stage 5A
Place on top and supply. The reversing and turning operation of the work holding hand 1K is performed above the work stage 5A. In the eighth work step shown in FIG.
The work robot 1 turns the other work holding hand 1J around the common swivel axis L in a substantially vertical posture,
In this posture, the chuck 1 of the other work holding hand 1J
By opening H and 1H, the first work W1 held thereby is placed on the conveyor belt 6A at the start end of the work discharge conveyor device 6 in a fixed direction and discharged. The reversing and turning operation of the work holding hand 1J is performed in the process of moving the work holding hand 1J above the transport belt 6A. Meanwhile, the code reader 9 reads the two-dimensional code printed on the side wall portion of the third workpiece W3 that is newly conveyed and positioned by the conveying belt 4A to the end portion of the workpiece supply conveyor device 4.
In the inspection station 5, a centralized inspection is performed on the second workpiece W2 in the same procedure as described in the third work step. The third work W3 by the code reader 9
When the two-dimensional code is read, in the ninth operation step shown in FIG. 11, the work robot 1 moves the other work holding hand 1J above the third work W3 on the transport belt 4A of the work supply conveyor device 4. Go to
Chuck 1 with workpiece holding hand 1J in a substantially vertical position
The third work W3 is held and taken up by H and 1H. This state is a state in which the other work holding hand 1J in the fifth work step shown in FIG. 7 is replaced with one work holding hand 1K. Hereinafter, the fifth work step to FIG. 11 shown in FIG. The same work step as the ninth work step is repeated. That is, according to the work handling method of the work robot according to the embodiment, the two work holding hands 1J around the common turning axis L along the axis of the fifth arm 1F of the work robot 1 shown in FIG. , 1K are reversed and swiveled to replace each other, thereby allowing the work stage 5A as the handling location of the inspection station 5 to be handled.
The workpiece W to be supplied is held by one workpiece holding hand 1K, and after the workpiece W is held and discharged from the workpiece stage 5A by the other workpiece holding hand 1J, it is subsequently held by one workpiece holding hand 1K. The continuous work of supplying the work W onto the work stage 5A becomes possible, and the workability of the work of supplying and discharging the work W with respect to the work stage 5A is improved. In the work robot 1, the crossing angle of the center lines C and C of the two workpiece holding hands 1J and 1K with respect to the common turning axis L along the axis of the fifth arm 1F is always 60 degrees. There is no need, and as long as the positions of the two workpiece holding hands 1J and 1K can be interchanged, an appropriate angle can be obtained. Further, the two workpiece holding hands 1J and 1K are not necessarily provided with the chuck 1
It is not necessary to have a configuration in which the workpiece W is held by H, 1H, and the workpiece W may be held by a suction pad. As described above, according to the work handling method of the work robot according to the present invention, the two work holding hands are swung around the common swivel axis with respect to the arm of the work robot, so that the mutual positions are obtained. The workpiece to be supplied to the workpiece handling location is held in one workpiece holding hand, and the workpiece is discharged from the handling location by the other workpiece holding hand, and then the workpiece held in one workpiece holding hand Can be continuously supplied to the handling part, and the workability of the work supply work and the discharging work to the work handling part can be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of an inspection booth in which work robots to which a work handling method according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied are arranged. FIG. 2 is a side view showing an enlarged schematic configuration of the work robot shown in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a plan view schematically illustrating a first work step by the work robot shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically illustrating a second work step by the work robot. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically illustrating a third work step by the work robot. FIG. 6 is a plan view schematically illustrating a fourth work step by the work robot. FIG. 7 is a plan view schematically illustrating a fifth work step by the work robot. FIG. 8 is a plan view schematically illustrating a sixth work step by the work robot. FIG. 9 is a plan view schematically illustrating a seventh work step by the work robot. FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically illustrating an eighth work step by the work robot. FIG. 11 is a plan view schematically illustrating a ninth work step by the work robot. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1: Work robot 1A: Base body 1B: 1st arm 1C: 2nd arm 1D: 3rd arm 1E: 4th arm 1F: 5th arm 1G: Hand holder 1H: Chuck 1J: The other work Holding hand 1J 1K: One work holding hand 1K 2: Inspection booth 3: Operation box 4: Work supply conveyor device 5: Inspection station 5A: Work stage 5B: Door inspection tool 5C: Write protect inspection tool 5D: Reel lock inspection tool 5E: Image processing device 5F: Flatness inspection tool 6: Work discharge conveyor device 7: Work collection conveyor device 8: Stopper 9: Code reader 10: CM reader

──────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───
[Procedure Amendment] [Submission Date] August 22, 2001 (2001.8.2)
2) [Procedure amendment 1] [Document name to be amended] Description [Name of amendment object item] 0027 [Correction method] Change [Content of amendment] [0027] Third work W3 by code reader 9
When the two-dimensional code is read, in the ninth operation step shown in FIG. 11, the work robot 1 moves the other work holding hand 1J above the third work W3 on the transport belt 4A of the work supply conveyor device 4. Go to
Chuck 1 with workpiece holding hand 1J in a substantially vertical position
The third work W3 is held and taken up by H and 1H. This state is a state in which the other work holding hand 1J in the fifth work step shown in FIG. 7 is replaced with one work holding hand 1K. Hereinafter, the fifth work step to FIG. 11 shown in FIG. The same work step as the ninth work step is repeated. [Procedure Amendment 2] [Document Name to be Amended] Drawing [Item Name to be Amended] Figure 2 [Correction Method] Change [Content of Amendment] [Figure 2] [Procedure Amendment 3] [Document Name to be Amended] Drawing [Name of Item to be Amended] Figure 4 [Correction Method] Change [Content of Amendment] [Figure 4] [Procedure Amendment 4] [Document Name to be Amended] Drawing [Name of Item to be Amended] Figure 5 [Correction Method] Change [Content of Amendment] [Figure 5] [Procedure Amendment 5] [Document Name to be Amended] Drawing [Item Name to be Amended] Figure 6 [Correction Method] Change [Content of Amendment] [Figure 6] [Procedure Amendment 6] [Document Name to be Amended] Drawing [Item Name to be Amended] Figure 7 [Correction Method] Change [Content of Amendment] [Figure 7] [Procedure Amendment 7] [Document Name to be Amended] Drawing [Name of Item to be Amended] Figure 8 [Correction Method] Change [Content of Amendment] [Figure 8] [Procedure Amendment 8] [Document Name to be Amended] Drawing [Item Name to be Amended] Figure 9 [Correction Method] Change [Content of Amendment] [Figure 9] [Procedure amendment 9] [Document name to be amended] Drawing [Item name to be amended] Figure 10 [Correction method] Change [Content of amendment] [Figure 10] [Procedure amendment 10] [Document name to be amended] Drawing [Item name to be amended] Figure 11 [Correction method] Change [Contents of amendment] [Figure 11]

Claims (1)

What is claimed is: 1. A work handling method for a work robot for continuously performing a work supply operation and a work discharge operation for a work handling location, wherein the work robot is arranged around a common swivel axis with respect to an arm. The two workpiece holding hands that can be switched to each other by swiveling to each other, holding the workpiece to be supplied in one workpiece holding hand, swapping the positions of the two workpiece holding hands, A work robot comprising: a work robot including a work step of opening and supplying a work held by one work holding hand by exchanging positions of the two work holding hands after holding the work holding hand. Work handling method.