JP2010076054A - Robot apparatus and control method of robot apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a robot apparatus for automatically executing the fine adjustment after the installation which is capable of accurately correcting the distance from a work object and the inclination of the object without skill of an operator, and correcting the position even when the position of installation of the robot apparatus is largely deviated from the predetermined position. <P>SOLUTION: Finger tips of a manipulator 1 are brought into contact with three contact points 102a, 102b, 102c not on one line on the same plane as a plane 102 on which the work object is installed, the positions of the contact points 102a, 102b, 102c are detected thereby. The inclination and the height position of the plane 102 are measured based on the positions. An image of a marker 103 on the plane 102 is picked up with the optical axis of an image pickup means 6 of the finger tips of the manipulator 1 being orthogonal to the plane 102. The picked-up image of the marker 103 is processed to measure the position and the rotational direction of the marker 103. Then, the manipulator 1 is controlled based on the inclination and the height position of the plane 102, and the position and the rotational direction of the marker 103 on the plane 102. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a robot apparatus that includes a camera at the tip of a manipulator and that performs teaching based on an image acquired by the camera, and a method for controlling the robot apparatus.

  Conventionally, a robot apparatus provided with a manipulator has been proposed. In such a robotic device, the installation position may be changed or the surrounding work target may be changed after it is once operated due to modification or relocation of the production line. Further, in order to facilitate the change of the installation position of the robot apparatus, a robot apparatus that can carry a pedestal equipped with a manipulator or can be self-propelled has been proposed.

  In order to change the installation position of the robot device and the surrounding work target, the robot device or work target is installed at a predetermined position, and then the operator manually moves the position of the robot device using a teaching pendant or the like. It is necessary to finely adjust the position of the robot apparatus and the work target. Such position correction by changing the installation position or the like is not limited to a mobile robot apparatus (a robot apparatus capable of carrying a pedestal or capable of self-propelling).

  Conventionally, in order to automate such a teaching process, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 describe a technique in which a marker provided on a work target is captured by a camera attached to a robot apparatus, and the position of the robot apparatus is corrected by image measurement. Is described.

  Further, in Patent Document 3, the manipulator is moved and controlled using the compilance control so that the calibration jig installed at a predetermined position with respect to the work target and the hand of the manipulator coincide with each other. A technique for correcting the position of the robot apparatus based on the position of the manipulator is described.

JP-A-2005-149299 JP-A-5-8186 JP 2006-297559 A

  By the way, in the position correction when installing the conventional robot apparatus, when this is performed manually, the accuracy of the correction depends on the skill of the operator. It requires skill and is difficult.

  In addition, when a marker provided on a work target is imaged by a camera and the position of the robot apparatus is corrected by image measurement, the measurement accuracy with respect to the optical axis direction (depth) of the camera and the tilt of the measurement surface is low. Since the distance and inclination cannot be measured accurately, the position of the robot apparatus may not be accurately corrected.

  In addition, when correcting the position of the robot apparatus by moving the manipulator using the compliance control to match the calibration jig and the hand of the manipulator, the calibration jig and the hand are brought into contact with each other. Therefore, the size of the shift that can be corrected is determined by the size of the calibration jig. Therefore, when the installation position of the robot apparatus is greatly deviated from a predetermined position, the calibration jig and the hand cannot be contacted, and the position cannot be corrected.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, the purpose of which is a robot apparatus that can automatically perform position correction (fine adjustment) after installation at a predetermined position, The operator's skill is not required, the distance to the work target and the tilt of the work target can be accurately corrected, and the deviation of the installation position of the robot apparatus from the predetermined position can be controlled by the compliance control. It is an object of the present invention to provide a robot apparatus and a robot apparatus control method capable of performing position correction even when the method is larger than the technique used.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the above object, a robot apparatus according to the present invention has the following configuration.

[Configuration 1]
A robot apparatus having a manipulator having six degrees of freedom or more and having an imaging means at a hand position of the manipulator, comprising a control means for controlling the operation of the manipulator, and the control means is a plane on which a work target is installed as an initial action. Is based on the positions of the three or more contact points by detecting the positions of the three or more contact points by bringing the hand of the manipulator into contact with at least three contact points that are on the same plane and not on a straight line. Measuring the inclination and height position of the plane, imaging the marker provided on the plane by the imaging means with the optical axis of the imaging means perpendicular to the plane, and processing the image of the marker imaged by the imaging means Then, the position and direction of rotation of the marker on the plane are measured, and then the control means determines the inclination and height position of the plane and the position and rotation method of the marker on the plane. Based on, it is characterized in that for controlling the manipulator.

  The robot apparatus control method according to the present invention has the following configuration.

[Configuration 2]
A control method of a robot apparatus having a manipulator having 6 degrees of freedom or more and having an imaging means at a hand position of the manipulator, wherein the control object is on the same plane as the work target is installed and is not in a straight line The position of three or more contact points is detected by touching the contact point of the manipulator, and the inclination and height position of the plane are measured based on the positions of the three or more contact points, and the light of the imaging means A marker provided on the plane is imaged by this imaging means with the axis perpendicular to the plane, the marker image imaged by the imaging means is image-processed, and the position and rotation direction of the marker on the plane are measured. Next, the manipulator is controlled on the basis of the inclination and height position of the plane and the position and rotation direction of the marker on the plane.

  In the robot apparatus according to the present invention, as an initial operation, the control means contacts the hand of the manipulator with at least three contact points that are on the same plane as the work target and are not in a straight line. The position of three or more contact points is detected, the inclination and height position of the plane are measured based on the positions of the three or more contact points, and the optical axis of the imaging means at the hand position of the manipulator with respect to the plane The marker provided on the plane is imaged vertically by the imaging unit, the marker image captured by the imaging unit is image-processed to measure the position and rotation direction of the marker on the plane, and then the control unit Controls the manipulator based on the inclination and height position of the plane and the position and rotation direction of the marker on the plane.

  Therefore, in the robot apparatus according to the present invention, the contact between the hand of the manipulator and the contact point on the same plane as the plane on which the work target is installed is detected, and the marker provided in a planar shape is photographed by the imaging means. Thus, the position of the robot apparatus can be automatically corrected.

  For measuring the inclination and height of the plane on which the work target is installed, it is only necessary to bring the hand into contact with an arbitrary contact point on a plane having a sufficient area. The position can be corrected even when the amount of deviation of the installation position of the robot apparatus from the predetermined position is larger than in the case of contact.

  In this robot apparatus, since the imaging of the marker by the imaging unit is performed with the optical axis of the imaging unit being perpendicular to the plane, two-dimensional image processing can be applied, so the position and rotational direction of the marker on the plane can be applied. Measurement can be performed at high speed and with high accuracy.

  Furthermore, in this robot apparatus, the measurement process of the inclination of the plane and the measurement process of the position and rotation direction of the marker on the plane can be performed separately, so that each is performed at high speed and with high accuracy. Is possible.

  That is, the present invention is a robot apparatus capable of automatically performing position correction (fine adjustment) after being installed at a predetermined position, and does not require operator skill, and is a distance to a work target or work The tilt of the object can be corrected accurately, and the position correction can be performed even when the deviation of the installation position of the robot apparatus from the predetermined position is larger than the method using the compliance control. A robot apparatus and a control method of the robot apparatus can be provided.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[Robot device configuration]
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a configuration of a robot apparatus according to the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the robot apparatus according to the present invention includes a robot base portion 4 and a manipulator 1 installed on the robot base portion 4, and the manipulator 1 holds a work target 101. It is possible to carry out operations such as transportation, processing, and assembly to other members.

  The work object 101 is placed on a work table 104 or a plane 102 on a peripheral device (machine tool or the like). This plane 102 is independent of the robot base 4 of the manipulator 1.

  The manipulator 1 is composed of a plurality of actuators (driving devices) and links (rigid structures), and has six degrees of freedom. That is, the links are connected via joints 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, and 2f that can be rotated (bent) or turned, and are relatively driven by actuators. . Each actuator is controlled by a computer 3 serving as control means.

  In the manipulator 1, the first link (link at the base end) 1 a is installed with the base end side connected to the robot base portion 4 via the first joint 2 a. The first joint 2a is a joint that can turn around a vertical axis (z-axis). The proximal end side of the second link 1b is connected to the distal end side of the first link 1a via the second joint 2b. The second joint 2b is a joint that allows the second link 1b to rotate around a horizontal axis. The proximal end side of the third link 1c is connected to the distal end side of the second link 1b via the third joint 2c. The third joint 2c is a joint that allows the third link 1c to rotate around a horizontal axis.

  And the base end side of the 4th link 1d is connected to the front end side of the 3rd link 1c via the 4th joint 2d. The fourth joint 2d is a joint that enables the fourth link 1d to turn around the axis of the third link 1c. The proximal end side of the fifth link 1e is connected to the distal end side of the fourth link 1d via the fifth joint 2e. The fifth joint 2e is a joint that allows the fifth link 1e to rotate about an axis orthogonal to the axis of the fourth link 1d. The proximal end side of the sixth link 1f is connected to the distal end side of the fifth link 1e via the sixth joint 2f. The sixth joint 2f is a joint that enables the sixth link 1f to turn around the axis of the fifth link 1e.

  As described above, in the manipulator 1, a total of six joints that can rotate and pivotable joints are alternately provided, so that six degrees of freedom are secured.

  A tip tool mechanism 5 that grips and processes the work object 101 is provided on the tip side of the sixth link 1 f (hereinafter referred to as “hand”). The tip tool mechanism 5 is controlled by the computer 3 or other control device (not shown). In addition, a camera 6 serving as an imaging unit including an imaging lens and a CCD (solid-state imaging device) is attached in the vicinity of the hand.

  Further, a contact detection means 7 is provided at the hand of the manipulator 1. The contact detection means 7 may be a contact detection switch such as a touch sensor or a limit switch, or may be a mechanism that measures and detects the hand force with a strain gauge, a force sensor, or the like.

  The computer 3 includes an image processing unit 3a, extracts the shape of the target component 101 from the image signal sent from the camera 6, and collates this shape with previously stored image data and numerical data. The computer 3 also has an operation command generation unit 3b. The operation command generation unit 3b generates an operation command signal for each actuator of the manipulator 1 according to the data collation result in the image processing unit 3a, and sends the operation command signal to each actuator.

  In the manipulator 1, the position of the second link 1b with respect to the first link 1a, the position of the third link 1c with respect to the second link 1b, the position of the fourth link 1d with respect to the third link 1c, By sequentially controlling the position of the link on the distal end side, the position of the hand tip is controlled, and the work gripped by the tip tool mechanism 5 at this hand tip can be conveyed to a predetermined position.

  And in this robot apparatus, the measurement surface of the work target 101 is perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens of the camera 6 by executing the control method of the robot apparatus according to the present invention described below. The manipulator 1 is automatically controlled.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the robot apparatus according to the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when the robot apparatus is roughly installed at a predetermined position such as the vicinity of a work table on which the work object 101 is placed, the robot apparatus automatically performs position correction as an initial operation. That is, the computer 3 controls the manipulator 1 to be in the same plane as the plane 102 on which the work object 101 is installed, and at least three contact points 102a, 102b, and 102c that are not in a straight line. The hand of the manipulator 1 is brought into contact, and the positions of the contact points 102a, 102b, and 102c are detected. The plane 102 does not have to be a single connected plane, and may be a virtual plane that passes through the placement portion of the work object 101 and the contact points 102a, 102b, and 102c. At this time, the computer 3 detects the contact between the hand and each contact point 102a, 102b, 102c by the contact detection means 7, and detects the position of each contact point 102a, 102b, 102c.

  Next, the computer 3 measures the inclination and height position of the plane 102 based on the positions of the three or more contact points 102a, 102b, and 102c.

  Then, the computer 3 images the marker 103 provided on the plane 102 by the camera 6 with the optical axis of the lens of the camera 6 being perpendicular to the plane 102. The marker 103 has a shape stored in advance when imaged from a direction perpendicular to the plane 102, and a relative position with respect to the work object 101 is a predetermined position stored in advance. The marker 103 may be the work target 101 itself.

  Next, the computer 3 processes the image of the marker 103 captured by the camera 6 and measures the position and rotation direction of the marker 103 on the plane 102. The computer 3 automatically performs the operation up to this point as an initial operation, and based on the measured inclination and height position of the plane 102 and the position and rotation direction of the marker 103 on the plane 102, The position can be calculated.

  Then, the computer 3 calculates the position of the work object 101 based on the inclination and height position of the plane 102 and the position and rotation direction of the marker 103 on the plane 102, controls the manipulator 1, and controls the manipulator 1. Perform work.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the robot apparatus according to the present invention.

  That is, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3, when starting position correction in step st1, the robot apparatus proceeds to step st2 and moves the hand of the manipulator 1 toward one contact point on the plane 102. Next, it progresses to step st3, detects that the hand of the manipulator 1 contacted the contact point, and progresses to step st4. In step st4, the position (coordinates) of the hand touching the contact point is stored as the position (coordinates) of the contact point.

  Next, the process proceeds to step st5, and it is determined whether or not the positions (coordinates) of three or more contact points are stored. If the positions (coordinates) of three or more contact points are stored, the process proceeds to step st6. If the positions (coordinates) of three or more contact points are not stored, the process returns to step st2.

  In step st6, the height position and inclination of the plane 102 are calculated based on the positions (coordinates) of the three contact points, and the process proceeds to step st7. In step st7, the optical axis of the lens of the camera 6 is set perpendicular to the plane 102, and the process proceeds to step st8. In step st8, the camera 103 images the marker 103 on the plane 102 and proceeds to step st9. In step st9, the position and rotation direction of the marker 103 on the plane 102 are calculated based on the captured image of the marker 103, and the process proceeds to step st10.

  In step st10, the position of the work object 101 is calculated based on the measured inclination and height position of the plane 102 and the position and rotation direction of the marker 103 on the plane 102, and the process proceeds to step st11. In step st11, the position correction ends.

  Since the robot apparatus accurately recognizes the position of the work target 101 in a state where the position correction is completed in this way, the work by the manipulator 1 can be performed on the work target 101.

It is a typical side view which shows the structure of the robot apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the robot apparatus which concerns on this invention. 3 is a flowchart showing a control method of the robot apparatus according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Manipulator 3 Computer 4 Robot base part 5 Tip tool mechanism 6 Camera 7 Contact detection means 101 Work object 102 Plane 102a Contact point 102b Contact point 102c Contact point 103 Marker 104 Work table

Claims (2)

A robot apparatus having a manipulator having 6 degrees of freedom or more and having an imaging means at a hand position of the manipulator,
Control means for controlling the operation of the manipulator,
The control means, as an initial operation, brings the manipulator hand into contact with at least three contact points that are on the same plane as the work target and are not in a straight line, Detect the position of the contact point above,
Based on the positions of the three or more contact points, measure the inclination and height position of the plane,
The optical axis of the imaging means is perpendicular to the plane, and the marker provided on the plane is imaged by the imaging means,
Image processing of the image of the marker imaged by the imaging means, and measuring the position and rotation direction of the marker on the plane;
Next, the control means controls the manipulator based on the inclination and height position of the plane and the position and rotation direction of the marker on the plane. A control method of a robot apparatus having a manipulator having 6 degrees of freedom or more and having an imaging means at a hand position of the manipulator,
The manipulator hand is brought into contact with at least three contact points that are on the same plane as the work target and are not in a straight line, and the positions of the three or more contact points are detected. ,
Based on the positions of the three or more contact points, measure the inclination and height position of the plane,
The optical axis of the imaging means is perpendicular to the plane, and the marker provided on the plane is imaged by the imaging means,
Image processing of the image of the marker imaged by the imaging means, and measuring the position and rotation direction of the marker on the plane;
Next, the manipulator is controlled based on the inclination and height position of the plane and the position and rotation direction of the marker on the plane.

Images