JP2004231357A - Robot system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily and securely transfer an article between a mobile robot and an article storage equipment in the environment in which small-scale and very high general-purpose property such as article handling is required in a house. <P>SOLUTION: In this robot system in which the mobile robot 2 having a manipulator 202 performs transfer of the article storage equipment 1 and the article 102, an article automatic transfer unit composed of a drawer type storage shelf 120 storing an exclusive vessel 110 in the article storage equipment 1 and movable in one direction using the exclusive vessel 110 storing the article 102 and a conveyance equipment 140 movable in two directions is provided to transfer the article between the mobile robot 2 and the article storage equipment 1 through the article automatic transfer unit so that easy and secure transfer of the article becomes possible between the mobile robot 2 and the article storage equipment 1 with compact dimension. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a robot system in which a mobile robot having an article handling manipulator handles an article, and more particularly to a robot system that handles a general-purpose article whose shape, posture, and the like are not uniformly limited.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, non-patent documents 1 and 2 disclose non-patent documents 1 and 2 as a robot system in which a mobile robot handles general-purpose articles that are not limited in shape, posture, and the like as used in daily life. There are examples. Further, as an example of the automatic storage device, there is an example disclosed in Patent Document 1 or the like.
[0003]
Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2 disclose a system in which, for example, a mobile robot opens a refrigerator door at home and takes out an item designated arbitrarily in the refrigerator from the refrigerator. In this system, a mobile robot is equipped with a laser distance sensor, a hand camera, a main camera, and a detection device for a force sensor. The detection devices detect the position of the refrigerator and the door of the refrigerator, and take into account the physical restrictions of the robot. Open the door of the refrigerator based on the operation plan that is automatically generated, and further identify the items in the refrigerator with the camera, and arbitrarily specify the specified item based on the operation plan that is automatically generated in the same manner as described above. It is a system that takes out.
[0004]
Further, as disclosed in Patent Literature 1, for example, in a commercial kitchen, a transfer machine carries out a container case in which tableware is stored from an automatic warehouse based on an instruction of a serving room or the like, and transfers the container case to a transport conveyor. There has also been proposed a system for automatically carrying in and out specified tableware from a plurality of types of tableware.
[0005]
[Non-patent document 1]
Yano, Miura, Shirai, Shimada "Intuitive work teaching method for mobile manipulators" Proceedings of the 20th Annual Conference of the Robotics Society of Japan [Non-Patent Document 2]
Makihara, Takizawa, Shirai, Miura, Shimada “Object Recognition for Service Robots Using Dialogue with Users” Proceedings of the 20th Robotics Society of Japan [Patent Document 1]
JP-A-1-321202
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional robot system for handling articles has the following problems.
[0007]
In other words, in the systems disclosed in Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2, the robot can handle the target device or article in a general-purpose manner without restricting or modifying the device or target item in daily life. However, it has not reached the level where it can be used in a real environment. For example, in order to generate a motion plan for a mobile robot including a manipulator, the exact position of the mobile robot and the object, the position and shape of an obstacle near the mobile robot, the mechanical constraints of the mobile robot and the object, etc. Data is required, but the detection of these data is very difficult, and even if it is detectable, the detection requires a considerable amount of time.
Even in the detection of the specified article, it is difficult to cope with conditions normally considered in a real environment, such as a change in lighting conditions and an overlap of articles. At the present time, objects that can be gripped are limited in shape, material, and posture. It is very difficult to grasp and take it out.
[0008]
Further, in the system disclosed in Patent Document 1, automatic delivery of articles is achieved, but it is difficult to develop the system to have versatility. Application to very demanding systems is very difficult. Although there is an example of industrial use in which goods are transferred and transported by a combination of an automatic warehouse and a robot, it is very difficult to develop a system that is small and very versatile as in the above case.
[0009]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a robot system that enables a mobile robot to reliably transfer articles in an environment where small and very high versatility is required, such as home article handling. .
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In the robot system of the present invention, the dedicated container for storing the target article is detachably held inside the article storage device for storing the article to be handled, and is movable in the horizontal direction of the article storage device. A storage having a drawer-like storage shelf in which the holding position of the storage device goes out of the article storage device, and a transfer device having a dedicated container transfer portion movable in the left-right and up-down directions with respect to the storage shelf on the movement direction side of the storage shelf outside the article storage device. The equipment is fixedly installed with the article storage equipment, and the transfer equipment detaches the dedicated container from the storage shelf and moves the dedicated container between the storage shelf and the mobile robot transfer position. The goods are delivered via a container. ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible for a mobile robot to transfer articles reliably in an environment where small and very high versatility is required, such as article handling in a home.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a dedicated container for storing a target article is detachably held inside an article storage apparatus for storing an article to be handled, and the article storage apparatus is movable in a horizontal direction. In this state, the storage shelf where the dedicated container is held is located outside the article storage device. A drawer-shaped storage shelf is provided, and a dedicated container delivery that can be moved in the left-right and up-down directions with respect to the storage shelf on the movement direction side of the storage shelf outside the article storage device. The transfer device having a portion is fixedly installed with the article storage device, the transfer device detaches the dedicated container from the storage shelf and moves the dedicated container between the storage shelf and the mobile robot transfer position, and at the mobile robot transfer position The mobile robot transfers the goods via a dedicated container, and the variety of shapes, postures, and materials of the target goods is influenced by the dedicated container. In addition, a general-purpose article can be handled, and a drawer-shaped storage shelf inside the article storage device and a transfer device having a dedicated transfer section outside the article storage device are fixedly installed with the article storage device, and the storage shelf The configuration in which the exclusive container is delivered by the operation in the pull-out direction and the operation in the two directions of the transfer device eliminates the need for an extra space for delivering the exclusive container between the drawers, so that the article storage device can be made compact. In addition, there is an effect that the mobile robot can reliably transfer and convey the target article.
[0012]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a communication means for transmitting information on delivery of articles to the article storage device is installed, and the information from the communication means moves the storage shelf and moves the dedicated container delivery unit provided in the transport apparatus. This communication means enables automatic transfer of articles between the mobile robot and the article storage device or between a human and the article storage device, and manages the information of the stored articles in the article storage. It has the effect that equipment can be performed.
[0013]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the storage shelf is manually moved from outside the article storage device, and when the storage shelf is manually moved and articles are taken in and out of the storage shelf, the storage in the article storage device is performed. It is possible to change the storage information of stored items, which also allows humans to manually put items in and out of the item storage device, and in this case, the correspondence between the management information of the item storage device and the actual item storage state is also possible. The mobile robot can reliably transfer the designated article even after the article is manually taken in and out because the article can be taken out.
[0014]
According to the invention described in claim 4, the exclusive container can pass through the bottom of the storage shelf at at least one position A of the exclusive container, and the exclusive container is at least one position B of the exclusive container different from the one place. A penetrating hole is provided at the bottom of the storage shelf so that it cannot pass through the bottom of the storage shelf, and the dedicated container delivery unit of the transport device detaches the dedicated container from the storage shelf from below the hole at the bottom of the storage shelf. With this configuration, the storage shelf is moved from the lower side of the storage shelf while the storage shelf is moved in the horizontal direction and the storage shelf is held at a position where the holding position of the target dedicated container is out of the article storage device. This has the effect that the mechanism for attaching and detaching can be simplified.
[0015]
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a penetrating hole is provided in the bottom of the storage shelf, and at least one of the hole shape and the shape of the special container can be changed. When holding the special container, the special container has a hole shape and a special container shape so that the special container cannot pass through the hole at the bottom of the storage shelf. When changing the shape of at least one of the hole shape of the bottom of the storage shelf or the shape of the dedicated container so that the dedicated container can pass through the hole shape of the bottom of the storage shelf in a horizontal position when performing attachment / detachment to / from the container. This has the effect of eliminating the operation of moving the position of the dedicated container for attaching and detaching the dedicated container, which is required in the example described in claim 4.
[0016]
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the arrangement of the dedicated containers on the storage shelves is a two-dimensional arrangement in the vertical direction, and the dedicated container delivery portion of the transport device detaches the dedicated containers from the side surfaces of the storage shelves. Accordingly, the storage shelf of the dedicated container can be detached from the lateral direction, and the storage article can be easily checked from the lateral direction with a camera or the like.
[0017]
1 to 5 show an embodiment of the present invention.
[0018]
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire configuration of a robot system according to the present invention.
[0019]
In FIG. 1, 1 is an article storage device for storing the target article 102, and 2 is a delivery / delivery of the target article 102 between the article storage apparatus 1 and a designated position and the position of the article storage apparatus 1. It is a mobile robot that performs transfer between them. The article storage device 1 has drawer-like storage shelves 120 arranged vertically so as to be movable in the horizontal direction, and a dedicated container 110 is detachably held at the bottom of the storage shelves 120. Further, a transport device 140 having a dedicated container transfer part 141 movable in the left-right and up-down directions with respect to the storage shelf 120 is fixedly installed outside the storage shelf 120 in the article storage device 1.
[0020]
Further, the article storage device 1 is provided with a communication unit 101 that manages the delivery of stored items, the storage status of stored items, and the like, and transmits to the item storage device 1 instructions regarding operations such as movement of the storage shelf 120. The mobile robot 2 has a moving mechanism 201 using known wheels or the like (not shown) and a steering mechanism that steers the traveling direction, and has a movable carriage 201 that can move on a plane, It is composed of a known vertical articulated manipulator 202 that can grasp and move nearby articles.
[0021]
The mobile robot 2 is equipped with a control device (not shown) for controlling the operations of the mobile trolley 201 and the manipulator 202 in response to an instruction from the outside, so that the mobile trolley 201 can autonomously move and the manipulator 202 can handle autonomous articles. It is possible. When the mobile robot 2 takes out the target article 102 from the article storage device 1 with this overall configuration, the information taken out from the mobile robot directly or articulated from the central control device (server) (not shown) via the communication means 101 is transmitted to the article storage device 1. 1, the storage shelf 120 moves in the horizontal direction until the dedicated container 110 in which the target article 102 is stored comes out of the article storage device 1 in accordance with the information, and the dedicated container delivery unit 141 of the transport device 140 Moves laterally to the position of the special container 110 to be taken out, takes out the special container 110 from below, moves the special container 110 to the transfer position P with the mobile robot 2, and at this position, the manipulator 202 of the mobile robot 2 The dedicated container 110 containing the container 102 can be gripped and transported to a designated position. When the mobile robot 2 stores the target article 102 in the article storage device 1, the operation reverse to the above-described case of performing the removal is performed.
[0022]
That is, an operator (human) performs the process until the target article 102 is stored in the dedicated container 110 and the mobile robot 2 sets the dedicated container 110 at a position where the dedicated container 110 can be gripped. In this state, the operator directly or indirectly instructs the mobile robot to store the article 102 via the central control device or the like. In response to this instruction, the mobile robot 2 moves to a position where the dedicated container 110 can be gripped. After the manipulator 202 holds the dedicated container 110, the manipulator 202 moves to a predetermined delivery position near the article storage device 1.
[0023]
Here, the storage information is transmitted to the article storage device 1 directly from the mobile robot or articulated from a central control device (server) (not shown) via the communication means 101, and corresponding to the information, the dedicated container transfer unit 141 of the transport device 140. Moves to the transfer position P. The mobile robot 2 installs the dedicated container 110 in which the article 102 is stored in the dedicated container transfer unit 141 after confirming that the dedicated container transfer unit 141 is at the transfer position P by a camera or a position detector (not shown). The article storage device 1 confirms that the dedicated container 110 has been installed in the dedicated container delivery unit 141 by a detector (not shown), and then moves the storage shelf 120 in which the target article 102 is to be stored in the horizontal direction to store the target article 102. The holding position of the dedicated container 110 to be moved moves to the outside of the article storage device 1, and the dedicated container 110 in which the target article 102 is stored is moved near the holding position below by the transport device 140, and further moved to the holding position. Will be installed. Although the manipulator 202 has been described as a vertical articulated type, the manipulator can be similarly implemented by a horizontal articulated type, a cylindrical coordinate system type, a polar coordinate system type, and other types, and the mobile robot 2 does not need to be a fully autonomous type. However, the present invention can be similarly implemented by a remote control type.
[0024]
(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the storage shelf 120 and the storage shelf drive mechanism 130 inside the article storage device 1 in an extracted state.
[0025]
In FIG. 2, an actuator 131 such as an electromagnetic motor can automatically move the storage shelf 120 in the horizontal direction via a transmission mechanism 132 including a belt 133, a pulley 134, and the like. The storage shelf 1 is movably held only in a horizontal front-rear direction by a linear rail (not shown) or the like, and is automatically driven only in one horizontal direction by a storage shelf driving mechanism 130 including the actuator 131 and the transmission mechanism 132. . In addition, a recessed or protruding handle 123 is provided on the front surface of the storage shelf 120 in the movable direction, and the operator can manually move the storage shelf 120 using the handle 123.
[0026]
In this case, elements such as brakes are not operated or installed in the actuator 131 and the transmission mechanism 132 so as not to hinder manual operation. In addition, when articles are manually taken in and out, it is necessary that an operator can change information on article storage using a keyboard, a touch panel, or the like (not shown).
[0027]
In addition, information on article storage can be changed by attaching information such as a barcode and an ID tag to the target article 102 and placing the target article 102 in front of an information reader (not shown) provided on the article storage device 1. The present invention can be similarly implemented even if the reader can automatically read the information on the target article 102 and change the information on the article storage of the article storage device 1.
[0028]
(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a part of the bottom portion 121 of the dedicated container 110 and the storage shelf 120. The exclusive container 110 has a rectangular tray shape, and has projections 111a and 111b provided on both sides integrally with the exclusive container 110. A plurality of through holes 122 are provided in a bottom portion 121 of the storage shelf 120 in a grid-like arrangement. The shape of the through-hole 122 is such that when the dedicated container 110 is at the position A shown by the solid line, the projection 111 is at the position of the take-out hole 124 provided on both sides of the through-hole 122 and the dedicated container 110 can pass through in a horizontal posture. In the position B indicated by a broken line where the exclusive container 110 has moved by the distance C in the direction D, the projection 111 is located at the position of the holding portion 123, and the projection 111 cannot pass through when the exclusive container 110 is in the horizontal state. It has such a shape. The upper surface of the exclusive container 110 has a planar shape, and can store an article of any shape that fits within the area. On the lower side of the bottom of the dedicated container 110, a concave shape slightly larger than the convex shape provided at the upper part of the dedicated container delivery part 141 of the transport device 140 is formed, and the dedicated container 110 is positioned above the dedicated container delivery part 141 and horizontally positioned. The shape is such that it can be held in a state.
[0029]
With the above configuration, when the target article 102 is stored inside the article storage device 1, the dedicated container 110 passes through the bottom 121 of the storage shelf 120 in a state where the target article 102 is stored at the top of the dedicated container 110. It is in a position B indicated by a broken line with respect to the hole 122, and is in a state where the projections 111a and 111b on both sides of the dedicated container are held by the holding parts 123a and 123b on both sides of the through hole. When there is a request to take out the target article 102 to the article storage device 1, first, the storage shelf in which the target article 102 is stored is moved in the horizontal direction by the storage shelf drive mechanism 130, and the exclusive storage in which the target article 102 is stored is performed. The container 110 is pulled out until the holding position of the container 110 comes out of the article storage device 1.
[0030]
Next, the exclusive container delivery unit 141 of the transport mechanism 140 is driven laterally by a drive mechanism (not shown) to move directly below the holding position of the exclusive container 110, and the exclusive container delivery unit 141 is similarly moved upward by the drive mechanism (not shown). And the convex shape on the upper part of the exclusive container delivery part 141 fits into the concave shape provided on the lower side of the bottom part of the exclusive container 110, and the exclusive container is kept until the projection 111 of the exclusive container 110 is separated from the holding part 123 of the storage shelf bottom 121. Lift 110. In this state, the dedicated container delivery section 141 moves by the distance C to the side opposite to the direction D. In this state, when the dedicated container delivery unit 141 moves downward, the dedicated container 110 can also pass through the through hole 122, and the target article 102 stored in the dedicated container can be taken out of the storage shelf 120.
[0031]
In the present description, the dedicated container 110 and the through hole 122 are described as being substantially square, but this shape can be similarly implemented with other shapes such as a circle, and the arrangement of the through holes 122 is not necessarily a grid pattern. No need. Further, although the dedicated container 110 has been described in the form of a tray, the container having an openable / closable door can be similarly implemented.
[0032]
(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the exclusive container 110 and the through hole 122 different from the third embodiment.
[0033]
In FIG. 4, a roller 114 is provided at the bottom of the bottom of the dedicated container 110, and is pressed against a plate cam 115 rotatably held at the center of the bottom of the bottom of the dedicated container 110 by an elastic body 113 such as a tension spring. In this state, the protrusions 112 are held on both sides so as to be able to move directly. The plate cam 115 is removably driven to rotate by a rotation driving unit (not shown) provided at the end of the dedicated container delivery unit 141. When the plate cam 115 is at a position A rotated by 90 degrees from the position shown in FIG. 4, the projection 112 is at a position retracted from the outer shape of the dedicated container 110, and when the plate cam 115 is at a position B shown in FIG. The position 112 protrudes from the outer shape of the dedicated container 110, and the shape of the dedicated container 110 can be changed from outside. The shape of the through-holes 122 formed in a grid pattern on the bottom 121 of the storage shelf 120 is such that when the projection 112 of the special container 110 is retracted, the special container 110 can pass through, and when the projection 112 protrudes, the special container 110 The shape is such that 110 cannot pass through.
[0034]
With the above-described configuration, when the dedicated container 110 is stored in the storage shelf 120, the plate cam 115 is at the position B, the protrusion 112 protrudes from the dedicated container 110, and the through-hole 122 in the bottom 121 of the storage shelf 120 is formed. The protrusions 112 can be held by the holding portions 123 provided on both sides. When the special container 110 is taken out from the storage shelf 120, the plate cam 115 is rotated to the position A by the special container transfer unit 141 and the protrusion 112 is retracted from the special container 110 so that the special container 110 can pass through the through hole 122. Thus, the exclusive container can be taken out of the storage shelf 120 by the same operation as in the third embodiment.
[0035]
(Embodiment 5)
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the article storage device 1 in which the dedicated containers 110 are arranged two-dimensionally in the storage shelf 120 in the vertical direction and a plurality of storage shelves 120 are arranged in the vertical direction.
[0036]
In the case of this embodiment, the exclusive container 110 accommodated in the holding portion 125 of the exclusive container 110 arranged in a vertical grid on the storage shelf 120 is fixedly installed in the article storage device 1. The dedicated container delivery unit 141 of the transport device 140 is moved from the lateral direction to the lower side of the bottom of the dedicated container 110, moves upward, and returns to the lateral direction, so that the dedicated container 110 can be taken out of the storage shelf 120 to the outside.
[0037]
In this embodiment, for example, by providing a camera 103 or the like that moves integrally with the dedicated container delivery unit 141 in the vicinity of the dedicated container delivery unit 141 of the transport device 140, the presence and absence of the target article It can be checked whether the article is different from the indicated one.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in a robot system in which a mobile robot having a handling manipulator transfers an article to an article storage device, a dedicated container for storing the article is used and the dedicated container is stored in the article storage device. By providing an automatic article transfer unit consisting of a drawer-type storage shelf that can be moved in one direction and a transfer device that can be moved in two directions, it is possible to reliably transfer goods between the mobile robot and the article storage device with compact dimensions. An advantageous effect that it can be implemented is obtained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the entire configuration of a robot system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a storage shelf and a storage shelf driving mechanism according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a dedicated container and a part of the bottom of a storage shelf according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a storage container and a through hole according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. Embodiment 5 Perspective view of an article storage device in which storage shelves are arranged in a vertical direction.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Article storage apparatus 2 Mobile robot 101 Communication means 102 Target article 110 Dedicated container 111 Projection part 120 Storage shelf 121 Storage shelf bottom 122 Through hole 123 Holding part 124 Extraction hole 130 Storage shelf drive mechanism 131 Actuator 132 Transmission mechanism 133 Belt 134 Pulley 140 Transport device 141 Dedicated container delivery unit 201 Moving cart 202 Manipulator

Claims (6)

In a robot system in which a mobile robot having an article handling manipulator handles an article, a dedicated container for accommodating a target article is detachably held inside an article storage apparatus for accommodating an article to be handled, and a horizontal direction of the article storage apparatus. In the moving state, the storage position of the dedicated container is extended out of the article storage device in a drawer-like manner, and it is moved in the left-right and up-down direction with respect to the storage shelf in the direction of movement of the storage shelf outside the article storage device. A transfer device having a possible dedicated container transfer unit is fixedly installed with the article storage device, and the transfer device moves the dedicated container between the detachment of the dedicated container with respect to the storage shelf and the storage shelf and the mobile robot transfer position, A robot wherein a mobile robot transfers goods via a dedicated container at a mobile robot transfer position Theft system. A communication means for transmitting information on delivery of articles to the article storage device is provided, and the information from the communication means automatically moves the storage shelf and the dedicated container delivery section provided on the transport device. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein The configuration is such that the movement of the storage shelf is manually performed from the outside of the article storage device, and the storage information of the stored items in the article storage device can be changed when the storage shelf is manually moved and the articles in the storage shelf are taken in and out. The robot system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein At least one position A of the dedicated container allows the dedicated container to pass through the bottom of the storage shelf, and at least one position B of the dedicated container different from the one position prevents the dedicated container from passing through the bottom of the storage shelf. 2. The container according to claim 1, wherein a through hole is provided at the bottom of the storage shelf, and a dedicated container transfer section of the transport device detaches the dedicated container from the storage shelf from below the hole at the bottom of the storage shelf. Robot system. A penetrating hole is provided at the bottom of the storage shelf, and at least one of the hole shape and the shape of the dedicated container can be changed. When the storage shelf holds the dedicated container in a horizontal state, the dedicated container is provided. Has a hole shape and a dedicated container shape that cannot pass through the hole at the bottom of the storage shelf, and the dedicated container delivery unit of the carrier equipment removes the dedicated container from the storage shelf at the bottom of the hole at the bottom of the storage shelf. 2. The robot according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the shape of the hole at the bottom of the storage shelf and the shape of the dedicated container is changed so that the shape of the hole at the bottom of the storage shelf can pass through the hole at the bottom of the storage shelf in a horizontal state. system. 2. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein the dedicated containers on the storage shelves are arranged two-dimensionally in a vertical direction, and the dedicated container transfer section of the transport device detaches the dedicated containers from the side of the storage shelves.

Images