JP2009125881A - Robot hand - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a robot hand optimized in surface structure depending on regions. <P>SOLUTION: The robot hand 1 having a plurality of fingers A, B, C, D comprises a sensor 3 formed of a pressure sensor provided on the surface side of a structure 2, and a covering part 4 formed of a covering material for covering at least the sensor 3. By the constitution of the sensor 3 and/or the covering part 4, the number of fingers having characteristics suitable for performing fine work is larger than the number of fingers having characteristics not suitable for performing fine work. Alternatively, by the constitution of the sensor 3 and/or the covering part 4, the number of fingers having characteristics suitable for gripping is larger than the number of fingers having characteristics not suitable for gripping. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a robot hand.

  Robot hands are assembled in various industrial robots, humanoid robots, etc. and used in various fields. Robot hands have been mainly used to grip an object having a predetermined shape from a predetermined direction. In recent years, robot hands having multi-finger robot hands have been developed, and it is possible to hold an object of any shape from any direction by a multi-finger robot hand having multiple degrees of freedom and perform various operations. Can do.

Some robot hands are provided with a flexible covering and a tactile sensor (pressure sensor). For example, as the covering, there are a covering provided with a rubber material on the fingertip and a covering provided with a rubber glove. The tactile sensor for a robot hand described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a pressure-sensitive portion at each position of a multi-finger, multi-degree-of-freedom robot hand, and the load received so that all the pressure-sensitive portions are in the same sensitivity band. A cushioning material is attached to the small pressure sensitive part.
JP 2004-330370 A JP 2005-349492 A JP 2005-262411 A Japanese Patent No. 4-3049888

  When humans use their hands to work, they require fine workability such as manipulating objects with dexterity according to their hand parts, and stability such as firmly grasping objects with their hand parts. If the coating that contacts the object is thick or soft, the contact area with the object increases, so that the object is less likely to slip with respect to the coating. Therefore, the covering is preferably thin or hard for fine work, and thick or soft for gripping the object. Further, human hands have a higher sensitivity as a tactile sensation for a portion requiring fine work. However, in the conventional robot hand, the thickness and hardness of the coating are not changed depending on the part, and the resolution of the tactile sensor is not changed depending on the part.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a robot hand whose surface structure is optimized depending on a part.

  A robot hand according to the present invention is a robot hand having a plurality of fingers, and includes a sensor unit including a pressure sensor provided on a surface side of the structure unit, and a covering unit including a covering material that covers at least the sensor unit. The number of fingers having characteristics suitable for fine work depending on the configuration of the sensor part and / or the covering part is not suitable for performing fine work depending on the structure of the sensor part and / or covering part. It is characterized by more than the number of.

  This robot hand has a plurality of fingers, and a sensor part and a covering part are provided on the surface side of a structure part (link mechanism, joint mechanism, actuator, etc.). The sensor unit is composed of a pressure sensor, and can be set to various characteristics depending on the configuration such as the resolution of the pressure sensor. The covering portion is made of a covering material that covers the sensor portion, and can be set to various characteristics depending on the configuration of the thickness and hardness of the covering material. Depending on the configuration of at least one of the configuration of the sensor section and the configuration of the covering material, characteristics suitable for fine work (for example, work for holding or manipulating small objects) and fine characteristics are not suitable for each finger. It can have characteristics. This robot hand can be optimized for each finger in the robot hand by increasing the number of fingers having characteristics suitable for fine work among a plurality of fingers, and becomes a robot hand that emphasizes fine workability.

  In the robot hand according to the present invention, the characteristic suitable for performing the fine work may be configured such that the resolution of the pressure sensor is higher than the characteristic not suitable for performing the fine work. By increasing the resolution (resolution of space, sensitivity, etc.) of the pressure sensor in this way, it becomes closer to the human sense of touch, and the area where and how much contact with the object is high. Accurate information can be detected, and information necessary for detailed work can be obtained. Note that although a high-resolution pressure sensor is more expensive, a high-resolution pressure sensor is disposed only in a necessary portion, so that the cost of the sensor unit can be suppressed as much as possible. In addition, electrical processing and control become more complex as a high-resolution pressure sensor is used. However, since a high-resolution pressure sensor is used only in the necessary part, the electrical processing and control load can be minimized. .

  In the robot hand according to the present invention, the characteristic suitable for performing the fine work may be configured such that the hardness of the covering material is made harder than the characteristic not suitable for performing the fine work. By hardening the covering material in this way, the reaction force is easily transmitted, and the contact area is reduced when it comes into contact with the object, and the object becomes slippery, which is suitable for fine work.

  In the robot hand of the present invention, the characteristic suitable for performing the fine work may be configured such that the thickness of the covering material is made thinner than the characteristic not suitable for performing the fine work. By thinning the covering material in this way, it becomes easy for a force to act directly, so it is suitable for fine work requiring high accuracy.

  A robot hand according to the present invention is a robot hand having a plurality of fingers, and includes a sensor unit including a pressure sensor provided on a surface side of the structure unit, and a covering unit including a covering material that covers at least the sensor unit. The number of fingers having characteristics suitable for gripping depending on the configuration of the sensor unit and / or the covering portion is not suitable for gripping depending on the configuration of sensor portion and / or the covering portion. It is characterized by more.

  This robot hand has a plurality of fingers as described above, and a sensor part and a covering part are provided on the surface side of the structure part. Depending on the configuration of at least one of the configuration of the sensor unit and the configuration of the covering material, each finger can have characteristics suitable for gripping an object and characteristics unsuitable for gripping. This robot hand can be optimized for each finger in the robot hand by increasing the number of fingers having characteristics suitable for gripping among a plurality of fingers, and becomes a robot hand that emphasizes gripping ability. Note that gripping includes holding to keep gripping an object.

  In the robot hand of the present invention, the characteristics suitable for gripping may be configured such that the resolution of the pressure sensor is lower than the characteristics not suitable for gripping. In order to improve the gripping property, there is no need for highly accurate information on where and how much area the object is in contact with and how much strength it is in contact with. Therefore, by using a pressure sensor with low resolution, the cost of the sensor unit can be suppressed as much as possible, and electrical processing and control loads can be suppressed as much as possible.

  In the robot hand of the present invention, the characteristic suitable for gripping may be configured such that the hardness of the coating material is softer than the characteristic not suitable for gripping. By softening the covering material in this way, it is suitable for firmly grasping the object, and the object can be grasped stably.

  In the robot hand of the present invention, the characteristic suitable for gripping may be configured such that the thickness of the covering material is made thicker than the characteristic not suitable for gripping. By thickening the covering material in this way, it is suitable for firmly grasping the object, and when the object hits the object and receives an impact, the impact can be absorbed.

  A robot hand according to the present invention is a robot hand having a plurality of fingers, and includes a sensor unit including a pressure sensor provided on a surface side of the structure unit, and a covering unit including a covering material that covers at least the sensor unit. The number of fingers having characteristics suitable for fine work depending on the configuration of the sensor part and / or the covering part and the number of fingers having characteristics suitable for gripping by the structure of the sensor part and / or the covering part; Are equal in number.

  This robot hand has a plurality of fingers as described above, and a sensor part and a covering part are provided on the surface side of the structure part. Depending on the configuration of at least one of the configuration of the sensor unit and the configuration of the covering material, each finger can have one of a characteristic suitable for fine work and a characteristic suitable for grasping an object. This robot hand can be optimized for each finger in the robot hand by using the same number of fingers that have characteristics suitable for fine work and grip suitable for multiple fingers. It becomes a robot hand that balances sex.

  The present invention can optimize the surface structure for each finger by giving each finger a characteristic that emphasizes workability and gripping ability, and can constitute a robot hand that emphasizes workability and gripping ability.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a robot hand according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In the present embodiment, the robot hand according to the present invention is applied to a four-fingered robot hand. In the present embodiment, a sensor portion made of a distributed pressure sensor and a covering portion made of a covering material are provided on the palm side. In this embodiment, there are four forms, and the first embodiment and the second embodiment are the forms in which fine workability is emphasized, and the third embodiment and the fourth embodiment. Is a form that emphasizes gripping properties, and the first embodiment and the third embodiment are two-stage forms of the cell size of the distributed pressure sensor, the thickness of the covering material, and the flexibility. In the second embodiment and the fourth embodiment, the cell size of the distributed pressure sensor, the thickness of the covering material, and the flexibility are three stages.

  The robot hand 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a side view of the robot hand according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of the robot hand according to the first embodiment viewed from the palm side. FIG. 3 is a front view of the robot hand according to the first embodiment viewed from the palm side in a state where the covering material is removed. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the relationship between the thickness of the covering material according to the present embodiment and the pressure transmission area, and a front view of the sensor unit, where (a) is a case where the covering material is thick, and (b) This is the case where the covering material is thin.

  The robot hand 1 has four fingers (thumb, forefinger, middle finger, little finger), and performs various operations on the object on the palm side. In particular, the robot hand 1 is a finger having characteristics suitable for the fine work of the thumb, index finger, and middle finger, and a finger having characteristics suitable for holding and holding the small finger. It is an important robot hand. For this purpose, the robot hand 1 includes a structure part 2, a sensor part 3, and a covering part 4.

  The structure unit 2 includes a link mechanism, a joint mechanism, an actuator, and the like, and the surface is formed of a hard material such as metal. The structure part 2 includes the terminal node Aa and the base node Ac of the thumb A, the terminal node Ba, the middle node Bb and the base node Bc of the index finger B, the terminal node Ca of the middle finger C, the middle node Cb and the base node Cc, the terminal node Da of the little finger D, It consists of a node Db, a base node Dc, a palm E, and a thumb ball F, and each part operates by driving the joint mechanism by an actuator.

  The sensor unit 3 is provided on the palm side of the surface of the structure unit 2. The sensor unit 3 is composed of a distributed pressure sensor, and each part of the terminal nodes Aa, Ba, Ca, Da, the middle nodes Bb, Cb, Db, the base nodes Ac, Bc, Cc, Dc, the palm E, and the thumb ball F. Two types of distributed pressure sensors 3a and 3c are provided so as to cover the surface. The distributed pressure sensors 3a and 3c are sensors that detect where and in what area the object is in contact with the robot hand 1 and how much pressure the object is in contact with. .

  The distributed pressure sensors 3a and 3c are composed of a plurality of pressure sensor cells, and pressure sensor cells 3x and 3z having different sizes (pressure receiving areas) in units of fingers A, B, C and D and palm parts E and F are provided. Each is arranged. Each pressure sensor cell 3x, 3z is a square, and detects the pressure received by this square surface. Each distributed pressure sensor 3a, 3c transmits a pressure signal indicating the position and area (range) of receiving pressure and the magnitude of the received pressure to a robot control device (not shown) at regular intervals. To do. The control device controls the actuator based on the pressure signal from each of the distributed pressure sensors 3a and 3c.

  The distributed pressure sensor 3a disposed on the thumb A (the last node Aa, the proximal node Ac), the index finger B (the last node Ba, the middle node Bb, the proximal node Bc), and the middle finger C (the last node Ca, the middle node Cb, the proximal node Cc) The size of the pressure sensor cell 3x is small and the spatial resolution is high (the area receiving pressure can be detected with high accuracy). In the distributed pressure sensor 3c arranged on the little finger D (the end node Da, the middle node Db, the base node Dc), the palm E, and the thumb ball F, the size of the pressure sensor cell 3z is large, and the spatial resolution is low.

  The covering portion 4 is on the palm side of the surface of the structure portion 2 and is provided on the upper side of the sensor portion 3. The covering portion 4 is made of a covering material, and the distribution of each part of the terminal nodes Aa, Ba, Ca, Da, the middle nodes Bb, Cb, Db, the base nodes Ac, Bc, Cc, Dc, the palm E, and the thumb ball F. Covering materials 4a and 4c are provided to cover the entire surfaces of the mold pressure sensors 3a and 3c, respectively. The covering materials 4a and 4c are formed of a flexible material (a material that is at least more flexible than the structure portion 2), for example, a silicon material. When the covering materials 4a and 4c come into contact with the object, they are deformed according to the size of the object to increase the contact area with the object. By the way, without the covering portion 4, when working on the object, it becomes a point contact between the rigid bodies completely, and the object cannot be handled stably.

  The covering materials 4a and 4c are different in thickness and flexibility. The covering material 4a disposed on the thumb A (terminal node Aa, base node Ac), index finger B (terminal node Ba, middle node Bb, base node Bc), and middle finger C (terminal node Ca, middle node Cb, base node Cc) is thin. And hard. The covering material 4c disposed on the little finger D (the end node Da, the middle node Db, the base node Dc), the palm E, and the thumb ball F is thick and soft. The covering materials 4a and 4c at the respective portions may have a constant thickness or may become thicker as they are separated from the fingertips. The thinner the covering material, the easier it is for force to act directly, so it is suitable for fine work that requires high precision (for example, work that holds or manipulates small objects). On the other hand, the thicker the covering material, the more suitable it is for gripping and holding an object, and the impact can be absorbed when it hits the object and receives an impact. Also, the thinner and harder the coating, the most suitable for fine work. On the other hand, the thicker and softer the covering is, the most suitable for firmly grasping and holding an object.

  FIG. 4 shows a pressure transmission area to the sensor unit 3 when an arbitrary object O comes into contact with the coating unit 4, and (a) shows a thick coating material (for example, the coating material 4 c of the little finger D). This is a case where (b) is a thin covering material (for example, the covering material 4a of the thumb). Here, both (a) and (b) show a case where the pressure sensor cell 3x having the smallest cell is arranged as the pressure sensor cell. As can be seen from FIG. 4A, when the covering material is thick, the distance to the sensor unit 3 becomes long, so that the pressure received from the object O diffuses before reaching the sensor unit 3. For this reason, the pressure area received by the sensor unit 3 is considerably larger than the cross-sectional area of the object O (the area corresponding to 16 cells indicated by diagonal lines), and the high spatial resolution can be exhibited even if the pressure sensor cell 3x having a small area is used. Instead, an area larger than the actual object O is detected. On the other hand, as can be seen from FIG. 4B, when the covering material is thin, the distance to the sensor unit 3 is shortened, so that the pressure received from the object O hardly reaches until the sensor unit 3 is reached. Therefore, the pressure area received by the sensor unit 3 is almost the same as the cross-sectional area of the object O (an area corresponding to four hatched cells), and the high spatial resolution can be exhibited by using a small area pressure sensor cell 3x. An area comparable to the actual object O can be detected with high accuracy.

  In the robot hand 1, since the covering material of the thumb A, the index finger B, and the middle finger C is thin and the pressure sensor cell is small, the relationship between the thickness of the covering material and the size of the pressure sensor cell (spatial resolution of the distributed pressure sensor) Optimization has also been attempted in.

  In the robot hand 1 configured as described above, the thumb A, the index finger B, and the middle finger C are suitable for fine work, and the little finger D, the palm E, and the thumb ball F are suitable for grasping and holding an object. Also, with this robot hand 1, it is possible to acquire highly accurate pressure information and position information necessary for fine work on the thumb A, index finger B, and middle finger C.

  According to this robot hand 1, a high-resolution distributed pressure sensor and a thin and hard covering material are arranged on the thumb A, index finger B, and middle finger C, and a low-resolution distributed pressure sensor and a thick and soft covering material on the little finger D. Therefore, the surface structure of the robot hand can be optimized according to each finger. In particular, since the number of fingers having characteristics suitable for fine work is greater, a robot hand that emphasizes workability can be obtained.

  FIG. 5 for explaining the robot hand 11 according to the second embodiment with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7 is a side view of the robot hand according to the second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a front view of the robot hand according to the second embodiment viewed from the palm side. FIG. 7 is a front view of the robot hand according to the second embodiment viewed from the palm side in a state where the covering material is removed. In the robot hand 11, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the robot hand 1 according to the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

  Similar to the robot hand 1 according to the first embodiment, the robot hand 11 is a finger having characteristics suitable for performing detailed work with the thumb, index finger, and middle finger, and the little finger holds and holds the finger. It is a finger with suitable characteristics and a robot hand that emphasizes fine workability. However, the robot hand 11 has three levels of characteristics of the sensor unit 13 and the covering unit 14 as compared with the robot hand 1, and the characteristics change depending not only on the finger unit but also on the distance from the fingertip. For this purpose, the robot hand 11 includes a structure part 2, a sensor part 13, and a covering part 14.

  As compared with the sensor unit 3 of the first embodiment, the sensor unit 13 has three types of distributed pressure sensors having different cell sizes, and has a medium size in addition to the same two types of distributed pressure sensors. It has a distributed pressure sensor consisting of these cells. The sensor unit 13 covers the surface of each part of the terminal nodes Aa, Ba, Ca, Da, the middle nodes Bb, Cb, Db, the basic nodes Ac, Bc, Cc, Dc, the palm E, and the thumb ball F so as to cover 3 parts. Each type of distributed pressure sensor 13a, 13b, 13c is provided. The distributed pressure sensors 13a, 13b, and 13c are composed of a plurality of pressure sensor cells, and pressures having different sizes depending on the units of the fingers A, B, C, and D and the palm parts E and F and the distance from the fingertip. Sensor cells 3x, 3y, 3z are arranged, respectively.

  The distributed pressure sensor 13a disposed in the terminal node Aa of the thumb A, the terminal node Ba of the index finger B, and the terminal node Ca of the middle finger C has the smallest size of the pressure sensor cell 3x and the highest spatial resolution. The distributed pressure sensor 13b arranged at the base joint Ac of the thumb A, the middle joint Bb of the index finger B, the middle joint Cb of the middle finger C, and the last joint Da of the little finger D has an intermediate size of the pressure sensor cell 3y. The resolution is medium. The distributed pressure sensor 13c disposed on the proximal segment Bc of the index finger B, the proximal segment Cc of the middle finger C, the middle segment Db and the proximal segment Dc of the little finger D, the palm E, and the thumb ball F has a size of the pressure sensor cell 3z. The largest and the lowest spatial resolution.

  Compared with the covering portion 4 of the first embodiment, the covering portion 14 has three kinds of covering materials having different thicknesses and flexibility in addition to the same two kinds of covering materials, in addition to the same two kinds of covering materials. It has a medium thickness and flexibility. The covering portion 14 includes distributed pressure sensors 13a, 13b at respective parts of the terminal nodes Aa, Ba, Ca, Da, the middle nodes Bb, Cb, Db, the basic nodes Ac, Bc, Cc, Dc, the palm E, and the thumb ball F. , 13c is provided with three types of covering materials 14a, 14b, 14c.

  The covering material 14a disposed on the terminal node Aa of the thumb A, the terminal node Ba of the index finger B, and the terminal node Ca of the middle finger C is the thinnest and hardest. The covering material 14b disposed on the base joint Ac of the thumb A, the middle joint Bb of the index finger B, the middle joint Cb of the middle finger C, and the last joint Da of the little finger D has a medium thickness and flexibility. The covering material 14c disposed on the proximal segment Bc of the index finger B, the proximal segment Cc of the middle finger C, the middle segment Db and the proximal segment Dc of the little finger D, the palm E, and the thumb ball F is the thickest and softest. The covering materials 14a, 14b, and 14c at the respective portions may have a constant thickness or may become thicker as they are separated from the fingertips.

  In the robot hand 11 configured as described above, the thumb A, the index finger B, and the middle finger C are suitable for fine work, and the little finger D, the palm E, and the thumb ball F are suitable for grasping and holding an object. Further, in the robot hand 11, the closer to the fingertip, the thinner and harder the covering material and the smaller the pressure sensor cell, so that the fingertip is suitable for fine work, and the further away from the fingertip, the more suitable for gripping and holding an object. . In addition, the robot hand 11 can acquire highly accurate pressure information and position information necessary for a work in which the fingertips of the thumb A, index finger B, and middle finger C are particularly fine.

  According to this robot hand 11, a high-resolution distributed pressure sensor and a thin and hard covering material are arranged on the thumb A, index finger B, and middle finger C, and a low-resolution distributed pressure sensor and a thick and soft covering material on the little finger D. Further, as the distance from the fingertip is closer, a high-resolution distributed pressure sensor and a thin and hard covering material are arranged, so that the surface structure of the robot hand can be optimized according to each part. . In particular, since there are more fingers with characteristics suitable for fine work, a robot hand that emphasizes workability can be obtained. In addition, the closer to the fingertip, the higher workability can be obtained, and the higher the gripping property and the holding stability, the more remote the fingertip.

  A robot hand 21 according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 8 is a side view of the robot hand according to the third embodiment. FIG. 9 is a front view seen from the palm side of the robot hand according to the third embodiment. FIG. 10 is a front view of the robot hand according to the third embodiment viewed from the palm side in a state where the covering material is removed. In the robot hand 21, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the robot hand 1 according to the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The robot hand 21 is a finger having characteristics suitable for fine operations of the index finger, and a finger having characteristics suitable for gripping and holding by the thumb, middle finger, and little finger. A robot hand that emphasizes For this purpose, the robot hand 21 includes a structure part 2, a sensor part 23, and a covering part 24.

  As compared with the sensor unit 3 of the first embodiment, the sensor unit 23 has the same two types of distributed pressure sensors, but the fingers on which the two types of distributed pressure sensors are arranged are different. The distributed pressure sensor 23a arranged on the index finger B (the last node Ba, the middle node Bb, the base node Bc) has the smallest size of the pressure sensor cell 3x and the highest spatial resolution. Arranged on thumb A (terminal node Aa, base node Ac), middle finger C (terminal node Ca, middle node Cb, base node Cc), little finger D (terminal node Da, middle node Db, base node Dc), palm E, thumb ball F In the distributed pressure sensor 23c, the size of the pressure sensor cell 3z is large and the spatial resolution is low.

  Compared with the covering portion 4 of the first embodiment, the covering portion 24 has the same two types of covering materials, but the fingers on which the two types of covering materials are arranged are different. The covering material 24a disposed on the index finger B (the end node Ba, the middle node Bb, the base node Bc) is thin and hard. Arranged on thumb A (terminal node Aa, base node Ac), middle finger C (terminal node Ca, middle node Cb, base node Cc), little finger D (terminal node Da, middle node Db, base node Dc), palm E, thumb ball F The covering material 24c is thick and soft.

  In the robot hand 21 configured in this manner, the index finger B is suitable for fine work, and the thumb A, middle finger C, little finger D, palm E, and thumb ball F are suitable for grasping and holding objects.

  According to this robot hand 21, a high-resolution distributed pressure sensor and a thin and hard covering material are arranged on the index finger B, and a low-resolution distributed pressure sensor and a thick and soft covering material on the thumb A, middle finger C, and little finger D. Therefore, the surface structure of the robot hand can be optimized according to each finger. In particular, since there are more fingers having characteristics suitable for gripping and holding an object, a robot hand that emphasizes gripping ability and work stability can be obtained. Moreover, since many low-resolution distributed pressure sensors (low-cost sensors) are used by optimization, the cost can be suppressed and the load on the electrical processing and the control device can be suppressed.

  A robot hand 31 according to a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 11 is a side view of the robot hand according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 12 is a front view seen from the palm side of the robot hand according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 13: is the front view seen from the palm side in the state which took the coating | covering material of the robot hand based on 4th Embodiment. In the robot hand 31, the same reference numerals are given to the same components as those of the robot hand 1 according to the first embodiment, and the description thereof is omitted.

  Similar to the robot hand 21 according to the third embodiment, the robot hand 31 is a finger having characteristics suitable for the detailed operation of the index finger, and the thumb, middle finger, and little finger hold and hold the finger. It is a finger with suitable characteristics and a robot hand that emphasizes gripping and holding stability. However, the robot hand 31 has three stages of characteristics of the sensor unit 33 and the covering unit 34 as compared with the robot hand 21, and the characteristics change according to the distance from the fingertip as well as the finger unit. For this purpose, the robot hand 31 includes the structure part 2, the sensor part 33, and the covering part 34.

  As compared with the sensor unit 23 of the third embodiment, the sensor unit 33 has three types of distributed pressure sensors having different cell sizes (three types similar to the sensor unit 13 of the second embodiment). In addition to the same two types of distributed pressure sensors, it has a distributed pressure sensor composed of medium-sized cells. The sensor unit 33 is formed so as to cover the surface of each part of the terminal nodes Aa, Ba, Ca, Da, the middle nodes Bb, Cb, Db, the basic nodes Ac, Bc, Cc, Dc, the palm E, and the thumb ball F. Each type of distributed pressure sensor 33a, 33b, 33c is provided. The distributed pressure sensors 33a, 33b, and 33c are composed of a plurality of pressure sensor cells, and have different sizes according to the finger units of the fingers A, B, C, and D and the palm portions E and F and the distance from the fingertip. Pressure sensor cells 3x, 3y, 3z are respectively arranged.

  The distributed pressure sensor 33a arranged at the terminal node Ba of the index finger B has the smallest pressure sensor cell 3x and the highest spatial resolution. In the distributed pressure sensor 33b arranged at the terminal node Aa of the thumb A, the terminal node Ca of the middle finger C, and the terminal node Da of the little finger D, the size of the pressure sensor cell 3y is intermediate, and the resolution of the space is medium. Arranged on the proximal segment Ac of the thumb A, the middle segment Bb and the proximal segment Bc of the index finger B, the middle segment Cb and the proximal segment Cc of the middle finger C, the middle segment Db and the proximal segment Dc of the little finger D, the palm E, and the thumb ball F The distributed pressure sensor 33c has the largest pressure sensor cell 3z and the lowest spatial resolution.

  Compared with the covering portion 24 of the third embodiment, the covering portion 34 has three types of covering materials having different thicknesses and flexibility in addition to the same two types of covering materials (the covering portion of the second embodiment). 14) and a medium thickness and flexible coating material in addition to the same two types of coating materials. The covering portion 34 is a distributed pressure sensor 33a, 33b at each part of the terminal nodes Aa, Ba, Ca, Da, the middle nodes Bb, Cb, Db, the base nodes Ac, Bc, Cc, Dc, the palm E, and the thumb ball F. , 33c are provided with three types of covering materials 34a, 34b, 34c.

  The covering material 34a disposed on the terminal node Ba of the index finger B is the thinnest and hardest. The covering material 34b disposed on the terminal node Aa of the thumb A, the terminal node Ca of the middle finger C, and the terminal node Da of the little finger D has a medium thickness and flexibility. Arranged on the proximal segment Ac of the thumb A, the middle segment Bb and the proximal segment Bc of the index finger B, the middle segment Cb and the proximal segment Cc of the middle finger C, the middle segment Db and the proximal segment Dc of the little finger D, the palm E, and the thumb ball F The covering material 34c is the thickest and softest.

  In the robot hand 31 configured as described above, the index finger B is suitable for fine work, and the thumb A, middle finger C, little finger D, palm E, and thumb ball F are suitable for grasping and holding objects. Further, in the robot hand 31, the closer to the fingertip, the thinner and harder the covering material and the smaller the pressure sensor cell, so that the fingertip is suitable for fine work, and the further away from the fingertip, the more suitable for gripping and holding an object. .

  According to this robot hand 31, a high-resolution distributed pressure sensor and a thin and hard covering material are arranged on the index finger B, and a low-resolution distributed pressure sensor and a thick and soft covering material on the thumb A, middle finger C, and little finger D. Further, as the distance from the fingertip is closer, a high-resolution distributed pressure sensor and a thin and hard covering material are arranged, so that the surface structure of the robot hand can be optimized according to each part. . In particular, since there are more fingers with characteristics suitable for gripping and holding objects, it is possible to obtain a robot hand that emphasizes gripping and holding stability, and low resolution distributed pressure by optimization Since many sensors are used, the cost can be reduced, and the load on electrical processing and the control device can be reduced.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment which concerns on this invention was described, this invention is implemented in various forms, without being limited to the said embodiment.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the sensor unit and the covering unit are provided on the palm side of the four-finger robot hand, but the present invention can be applied to various robot hands having a plurality of fingers such as three fingers or five fingers. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which provides a sensor part and a coating | coated part in the back side and side part of the hand of a hand.

  In addition, the number of fingers having characteristics suitable for fine work and the number of fingers having characteristics suitable for gripping may be set to appropriate numbers, respectively, and the number of fingers having characteristics suitable for fine work may be selected. If the number is increased, it is a robot hand that emphasizes fine workability, and if the number of fingers having characteristics suitable for gripping is increased, it is a robot hand that emphasizes gripping characteristics. If the number of fingers having suitable characteristics is the same, the robot hand can achieve a balance between fine workability and gripping ability.

  In this embodiment, the finger shape is similar to that of a human finger that can distinguish each finger. However, a finger that does not resemble a human finger may be used. For example, all fingers may have the same shape.

  In this embodiment, the distributed pressure sensor has a configuration in which different spatial resolutions are arranged. However, a sensor having a different sensitivity (pressure strength) resolution may be arranged, or It is good also as a structure which arrange | positions the sensor from which the resolution of space differs.

  In the present embodiment, both the distributed pressure sensor and the covering material are optimized. However, the covering material may be configured to optimize only the distributed pressure sensor with the same flexibility and thickness, or The distributed pressure sensor may be configured to optimize only the covering material with the same resolution. In the case of optimizing the covering material, only one of flexibility and thickness may be optimized.

  In this embodiment, a distributed pressure sensor composed of square cells is applied. However, a pressure sensor other than the distributed pressure sensor can be applied, and the shape of the cells may be other than a square.

It is a side view of the robot hand concerning a 1st embodiment. It is the front view seen from the palm side of the robot hand concerning a 1st embodiment. It is the front view seen from the palm side in the state which took the covering material of the robot hand concerning a 1st embodiment. It is the side view and front view of a sensor part which show the relationship between the thickness of the coating | covering material which concerns on this Embodiment, and the transmission area of a pressure, (a) is a case where a coating | covering material is thick, (b) is a coating | covering material. It is a thin case. It is a side view of the robot hand concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is the front view seen from the palm side of the robot hand concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is the front view seen from the palm side in the state which took the covering material of the robot hand concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is a side view of the robot hand concerning a 3rd embodiment. It is the front view seen from the palm side of the robot hand concerning a 3rd embodiment. It is the front view seen from the palm side in the state which took the covering material of the robot hand concerning a 3rd embodiment. It is a side view of the robot hand concerning a 4th embodiment. It is the front view seen from the palm side of the robot hand concerning a 4th embodiment. It is the front view seen from the palm side in the state which took the covering material of the robot hand concerning a 4th embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 11, 21, 31 ... Robot hand, 2 ... Structure part, 3, 13, 23, 33 ... Sensor part, 3a, 3c, 13a, 13b, 13c, 23a, 23c, 33a, 33b, 33c ... Distributed pressure Sensor, 3x, 3y, 3z ... Pressure sensor cell, 4, 14, 24, 34 ... Cover part, 4a, 4c, 14a, 14b, 14c, 24a, 24c, 34a, 34b, 34c ... Cover material

Claims (9)

A robot hand having a plurality of fingers,
A sensor unit comprising a pressure sensor provided on the surface side of the structure unit;
And a covering portion made of a covering material covering at least the sensor portion,
Characteristics in which the number of fingers having characteristics suitable for fine work depending on the configuration of the sensor part and / or the covering part is not suitable for fine work depending on the structure of the sensor part and / or the covering part A robot hand characterized by having more fingers than the number of fingers.   The robot hand according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic suitable for performing the fine work is higher in resolution of the pressure sensor than the characteristic not suitable for performing the fine work.   The robot hand according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the characteristic suitable for performing the fine work is that the covering material is harder than the characteristic not suitable for performing the fine work.   The characteristic suitable for performing the fine work is characterized in that the thickness of the covering material is thinner than the characteristic not suitable for performing the fine work. Robot hand to be described. A robot hand having a plurality of fingers,
A sensor unit comprising a pressure sensor provided on the surface side of the structure unit;
And a covering portion made of a covering material covering at least the sensor portion,
The number of fingers having characteristics suitable for gripping depending on the configuration of the sensor unit and / or the covering portion has characteristics that are not suitable for gripping depending on the configuration of the sensor portion and / or the covering portion. A robot hand characterized by having more fingers.   The robot hand according to claim 5, wherein the characteristic suitable for the gripping is lower in the resolution of the pressure sensor than the characteristic not suitable for the gripping.   The robot hand according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the characteristic suitable for performing the gripping is that the hardness of the covering material is softer than the characteristic not suitable for performing the gripping.   The characteristic suitable for performing the gripping is characterized in that the covering material is thicker than the characteristic not suitable for performing the gripping. Robot hand. A robot hand having a plurality of fingers,
A sensor unit comprising a pressure sensor provided on the surface side of the structure unit;
And a covering portion made of a covering material covering at least the sensor portion,
The number of fingers having characteristics suitable for fine work depending on the configuration of the sensor part and / or the covering part and the finger having characteristics suitable for gripping depending on the structure of the sensor part and / or the covering part Robot hand characterized by the same number of

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