JP2018176330A - Industrial robot control system and industrial robot control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an industrial robot control system and an industrial robot control method that allow safety confirmation from a remote place at the time of starting operation of an industrial robot, and that improve safety.SOLUTION: An industrial robot control system includes: an industrial robot; a monitor device for monitoring an ambient environment of the industrial robot; a display device for displaying information related to the ambient environment monitored by the monitor device, to a first operator; a first operation unit which is in an ON state according to a first operation by the first operator, and changes to an OFF state when the first operation is cancelled; a second operation unit which is in an ON state according to a second operation by a second operator, and changes to an OFF state when the second operation is cancelled; and a control device for transiting the industrial robot from a stopped state to an operable state, when one of either the first operation unit or the second operation unit is in the ON state while the other unit changes to the ON state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an industrial robot control system and an industrial robot control method.

  BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, industrial robots that perform processing and transport work at manufacturing plants of automobile parts and the like are widely used. At the start of the operation of such industrial robots, generally, it is often necessary to perform input operations at multiple stages by humans. For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses an industrial robot control device in which the robot starts its operation by first switching on the servo power supply of the robot and then inputting the movement direction instruction signal of the robot.

JP 2007-222973 A

  In the industrial robot control device disclosed in Patent Document 1, the switching of the servo power supply of the robot and the input of the movement direction instruction signal are performed by one worker. That is, the safety confirmation of the robot is performed by the judgment of one worker. However, when the robot handles a relatively large object or when the robot is provided with processing means such as welding, many blind spots occur when the robot is covered with a shading screen, a soundproof sheet, etc. It may be difficult to check visually with the worker of When the robot is operated in such a situation, the robot may collide with the object and damage the object, or the impact of the collision may reduce the accuracy of motion control of the robot.

  In this regard, a means for performing safety confirmation by two workers can be considered. However, it takes a long time each time a worker to be confirmed is called to the vicinity of each robot, and the worker can not enter the depth of the robot, which is not certain because there are production lines where safety confirmation can not be made. Although a means for detecting the surrounding environment of the robot using a human sensor or the like may be considered, there is a possibility that the operation of the robot may be stopped due to an erroneous detection.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an industrial robot control system and an industrial robot control method capable of remotely confirming safety at the start of operation of an industrial robot and improving safety.

  An industrial robot control system according to an aspect of the present invention includes an industrial robot, a monitoring device that monitors an ambient environment of the industrial robot, and information on an ambient environment monitored by the monitoring device to a first operator. The display unit to be displayed, the first operation unit which is turned on by the first operation by the first operator and is turned off when the first operation is released, and is turned on by the second operation by the second operator, When the second operation unit is turned off when the second operation is released, and one of the first operation unit and the second operation unit is turned on while the other is turned on, the industrial robot is And a controller for transitioning from the stop state to the operable state.

  According to this aspect, the first operator can remotely perform the safety check via the monitor device and the display device. In addition, when all of the plurality of operators turn on the operation unit, the industrial robot can be switched from the stop state to the operable state. Therefore, safety management based on the consensus of a plurality of operators can be performed, and the safety at the start of operation of the industrial robot can be improved.

  In the above aspect, the control device may cause the industrial robot to transition from the operable state to the stopped state when at least one of the first operation unit and the second operation unit is switched from the on state to the off state.

  According to this aspect, when at least one of the plurality of operators changes the operating unit from the on state to the off state, the industrial robot can be immediately switched from the operable state to the stopped state. Therefore, the safety during operation of the industrial robot is improved.

  In the above aspect, the control device can operate the industrial robot when at least one of the first operation unit and the second operation unit continues to be in the off state for a predetermined period when the industrial robot is in the operable state. A transition from the state to the stop state may be made.

  According to this aspect, in order to maintain the industrial robot in the operable state, at least one of the plurality of operators needs to turn on the operation unit within the predetermined period. Therefore, the safety during operation of the industrial robot is improved. Further, even if at least one of the plurality of operators temporarily turns off the operation unit, the operable state of the industrial robot is maintained for a predetermined period. Therefore, the convenience of the operation unit for the operator is improved.

  In the above aspect, at least one of the first operation unit and the second operation unit may be a touch switch.

  Using the touch switch, which turns on when the operator touches a panel switch etc. and turns off when the operator does not touch the switch, causes the operator to recognize an industrial robot operation error In addition, the switch can be switched off immediately by the relatively simple operation of releasing the hand from the switch.

  In the above aspect, at least one of the first operation unit and the second operation unit may be a button type switch.

  By using a button-type switch that is turned on when the operator manually presses the button and turned off when the operator cancels the pressing, the operator recognizes an operation abnormality of the industrial robot, The switch can be switched off immediately by a relatively simple operation of releasing the push of the button.

  In the above aspect, the monitoring device may include either a camera or an infrared sensor.

  According to this aspect, when the monitor device is configured of a camera, the environment around the industrial robot can be acquired as an image. When the monitor device is configured by an infrared sensor, it is possible to detect the presence or absence of a human in the surrounding environment. Therefore, the operator who is at a remote place from the industrial robot can check the surrounding environment of the industrial robot, and the convenience for the operator is improved.

  In the above aspect, the industrial robot control system is configured to notify the second operator whether the first operation unit is in the on state or the off state, and the second operation unit is in the on state or It may further include at least one of a second notification device that notifies the first operator which of the off state is.

  According to this aspect, the other operator can obtain the state of the operation unit operated by one operator. Therefore, the convenience for the operator is improved.

  In the industrial robot control method according to one aspect of the present invention, the monitor device monitors the ambient environment of the industrial robot, and the display device receives information on the ambient environment monitored by the monitor device as the first operator. The first operation unit, which is turned on by the first operation by the first operator and is turned off when the first operation is released, and is turned on by the second operation by the second operator. The control device can operate the industrial robot from the stop state when one of the second operation parts turned off when the second operation is released is turned on while the other is turned on. Transitioning to a state.

  According to this aspect, the first operator can remotely perform the safety check via the monitor device and the display device. In addition, when all of the plurality of operators turn on the operation unit, the industrial robot can be switched from the stop state to the operable state. Therefore, safety management based on the consensus of a plurality of operators can be performed, and the safety at the start of operation of the industrial robot can be improved.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an industrial robot control system and an industrial robot control method capable of remotely confirming safety at the start of operation of the industrial robot and improving safety.

It is a figure showing an outline of an industrial robot control system concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement start process and the operation | movement stop process which are performed by the industrial robot control system which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement stop process performed by the industrial robot control system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, what attached the same code | symbol in each figure has the same or same structure.

  FIG. 1 is a view showing an outline of an industrial robot control system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the example shown in the figure, the industrial robot control system 100 includes an industrial robot 10, a monitor device 20, a display device 30, switches 40 and 41, notification devices 50 and 51, and a control device 60. The industrial robot control system 100 may include other configurations or may not necessarily include all the configurations.

  The industrial robot control system 100 is, for example, based on the judgment of a plurality of operators under the supervision of a plurality of operators (the operator 1 and the operator 2 in the example shown in FIG. 1). Is a system capable of controlling the start and stop of the operation of the robot 10. Specifically, the industrial robot control system 100 is, for example, an operator 1 (first operator) who is in a remote place where the industrial robot 10 can not be directly viewed, and a vicinity of the industrial robot 10. This is a system in which the safety is confirmed by the operator 2 (second operator) who is at the site where the industrial robot 10 can be directly viewed. Hereinafter, each component of the industrial robot control system 100 will be described in detail.

  The industrial robot 10 includes, for example, all the devices that need to monitor its operation. The industrial robot 10 operates within the range of the surrounding environment 11.

  The monitor device 20 monitors the operation of the industrial robot 10 and its surrounding environment 11. The operation of the industrial robot 10 includes, for example, the position and attitude of the industrial robot 10, the operation state, and the like. The monitor device 20 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a camera for imaging the operation of the industrial robot 10 and the surrounding environment 11, an infrared sensor for detecting the presence or absence of a human within the range of the surrounding environment 11, a thermography, etc. It is also good. As the industrial robot control system 100 includes the monitor device 20, the operator 1 at a location remote from the industrial robot 10 can confirm the surrounding environment 11 of the industrial robot 10, which is convenient for the operator 1 Improves the quality.

  The display device 30 displays, to the operator 1, the information on the operation of the industrial robot 10 monitored by the monitor device 20 and the surrounding environment 11 (hereinafter collectively referred to as “robot peripheral information”). That is, since the operator 1 is at a location remote from the industrial robot 10, the operator 1 obtains robot peripheral information through the display device 30. Although the display apparatus 30 is not specifically limited, For example, the display which displays the image acquired by the monitor apparatus 20 may be sufficient as it. As a result, the operator 1 can intuitively obtain robot peripheral information. Therefore, the convenience for the operator 1 who is at a location remote from the industrial robot 10 is improved. Alternatively, the display device 30 may be a display light (for example, an LED or the like) that displays the presence or absence of the presence of a human in the surrounding environment 11. Thus, robot peripheral information can be displayed to the operator 1 with a relatively simple configuration. The communication means between the monitor device 20 and the display device 30 is not particularly limited.

  The switches 40 and 41 are an example of input means for the operators 1 and 2 to control the start and stop of the operation of the industrial robot 10, respectively. The switches 40 and 41 are switched to the on state or the off state by the operation of the operators 1 and 2, and transmit a state signal indicating the on state or the off state to the control device 60. The switch 40 (first operation unit) is turned on by an operation (first operation) by the operator 1 and turned off when the operator 1 releases the operation. Similarly, the switch 41 (second operation unit) is turned on by an operation (second operation) by the operator 2 and is turned off when the operator 2 releases the operation.

  Specifically, the switches 40 and 41 are not particularly limited. For example, the switches 40 and 41 are touch switches which are turned on when the operator touches the panel or the like with a hand, and are turned off when the operator does not touch the switches. It may be. In this case, the operation in which the operator manually touches the panel corresponds to an "operation" for switching the operation unit to the on state, and the switch is turned off when the operation is released. Alternatively, the switches 40 and 41 may be button-type switches that are turned on when, for example, the operator manually presses the button, and are turned off when the operator cancels the pressing. In this case, the operation of the operator touching the button with a hand and pushing it further corresponds to an “operation” that switches the operation unit to the on state, and even if the hand touches the button by stopping the pushing operation. The switch is turned off. As described above, by applying a touch switch or a button switch that switches to the off state when the hand is released as an input unit, a switch that maintains the on state even when the hand is released is applied as compared to the case Thus, the industrial robot control system 100 can always reflect the determination as to whether or not it is safe by the operators 1 and 2. In addition, when the operators 1 and 2 recognize the operation abnormality of the industrial robot 10, the switch is immediately switched to the OFF state by a relatively simple operation of releasing the hand from the panel or releasing the pressing of the button. be able to. The switches 40 and 41 may be provided, for example, in a portable terminal.

  The operation unit for the operators 1 and 2 to control the start and stop of the operation of the industrial robot 10 is not limited to the above-described switch. For example, the operation unit may be turned on by voice input (first operation, second operation) by the operator, and may be turned off when the operation is released. An electrical signal may be input instead of an input such as voice. Alternatively, the operation unit may be turned on by an operation (first operation, second operation) by the operator such as a gesture, and may be turned off when the operation is released.

  The notification device 50 (first notification device) notifies the operator 2 that the switch 40 is on or off, and the notification device 51 (second notification device) indicates that the switch 41 is on It notifies the operator 1 whether it is in the off state or in the off state. As a result, the other operator can know whether one of the operators 1 and 2 is turning on or off the switch. The notification devices 50 and 51 may be controlled to be on and off by, for example, a signal transmitted from the control device 60 as described later. The notification devices 50 and 51 are not particularly limited, but may be, for example, indicator lights (for example, LEDs or the like) for displaying the on state or the off state of the switches 40 and 41. The industrial robot control system 100 may not include one or both of the notification devices 50 and 51.

  The control device 60 controls the operation of the industrial robot 10 in accordance with the on state or the off state of the switch 40 and the switch 41. Specifically, when one of the switches 40 and 41 is in the on state and the other is in the on state, the industrial robot 10 is transitioned from the stop state to the operable state. When one of the switches 40 and 41 is in the on state and the other is in the on state, the case where the switches 40 and 41 are in the on state simultaneously is included. The control device 60 includes, for example, a reception unit 61, a determination unit 62, and an operation control unit 63. Hereinafter, the details of the process executed by the control device 60 will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation start process and an operation stop process which are executed by the industrial robot control system according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  First, the receiving unit 61 receives the state signal transmitted from the switch 40 and the switch 41 (S11). The state signal is a signal indicating the on state or the off state of the switches 40 and 41. The state signal may be output in any of the on and off states of the switches 40 and 41, or may be output, for example, only in the on state. In addition, the status signal may be transmitted via, for example, a wireless local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, a public communication network, or the like, or the switches 40 and 41 and the control device 60 It may be connected by wiring and transmitted via the wiring.

  Next, based on the state signal received by the receiving unit 61, the determining unit 62 determines whether the switch 40 is on (S12). When the switch 40 is in the on state (S12: Yes), the determination unit 62 determines whether the switch 41 is in the on state (S13). When the switch 41 is also in the on state (S13: Yes), the determination unit 62 turns on the operation signal and transmits it to the operation control unit 63 (S14). On the other hand, if the switch 40 is off (S12: No) or the switch 41 is off (S13: No), the determination unit 62 turns off the operation signal and transmits it to the operation control unit 63 (S15). ). Thus, in the control device 60, the processes S11 to S15 are repeated before and after the start of the operation of the industrial robot 10.

  When the operation signal transmitted from the determination unit 62 is switched from off to on, the operation control unit 63 causes the industrial robot 10 to transition from the stopped state to the operable state. Further, when the operation signal is switched from on to off, the operation control unit 63 causes the industrial robot 10 to transition from the operable state to the stopped state. Here, transition of the industrial robot 10 from the stop state to the operable state may be, for example, switching the servo power of the industrial robot 10 from off to on. Alternatively, when the industrial robot 10 is, for example, a welding robot, transitioning from the stopped state to the operable state may be switching from a state in which the arc is stopped to a state in which an arc is generated.

  When the industrial robot control system 100 includes the notification devices 50 and 51 as illustrated in FIG. 1, the control device 60 determines the notification device 50 according to the state of the switch 40 and the switch 41 determined by the determination unit 62. By sending a signal to 51, on and off of the notification devices 50 and 51 may be controlled. The communication between the notification devices 50 and 51 and the control device 60 may be transmitted via a wireless communication network as in the communication between the switches 40 and 41 and the control device 60, or may be transmitted via a wire. Good.

  Thus, in the industrial robot control system 100, the industrial robot 10 can be switched from the stop state to the operable state when both of the operators 1 and 2 turn on the switch. Further, as the input means in the industrial robot control system 100, a configuration is applied in which the on state is not maintained unless the operator at least touches the switch. As a result, according to the industrial robot control system 100, safety management based on the consensus of the judgments of a plurality of operators becomes possible, and at the time of operation start of the industrial robot as compared with the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 above. Can improve the safety of

  Further, in the industrial robot control system 100, at least one of the operators 1 and 2 recognizes an operation abnormality of the industrial robot 10 during the operation of the industrial robot 10 and intentionally switches the switch to the off state. When the switch is released due to neglect of safety management or the like and the on state of the switch is not maintained, the operation signal transmitted from the determination unit 62 to the operation control unit 63 is immediately switched off. As a result, the industrial robot 10 is switched from the operable state to the stop state, and the industrial robot 10 is immediately stopped. Therefore, the safety during the operation can also be improved in addition to the start of the operation of the industrial robot 10.

  Furthermore, according to the industrial robot control system 100, the operator 1 can remotely perform safety confirmation without approaching the site where the industrial robot 10 operates. Therefore, the time required for safety confirmation can be reduced compared to a system in which the operator to be confirmed has to be called up to the vicinity of the industrial robot.

  In the industrial robot control system 100, the ambient environment 11 of the industrial robot 10 is detected using the monitor device 20. Therefore, for example, safety confirmation of a narrow space where human beings can not enter can also be performed. Further, in the industrial robot control system 100, it is determined whether the operator 1 operates the industrial robot 10 through the display device 30. Therefore, as compared with a system in which the operation of the industrial robot is automatically controlled using, for example, a human sensor or the like, the operation stop of the industrial robot due to a false detection of the sensor can be suppressed.

  In such an industrial robot control system 100, for example, a worker (corresponding to the operator 2) who gives a specific instruction such as the moving direction of the industrial robot 10 at the site is a beginner and works alone In this case, it is possible to apply in a situation where a worker (equivalent to the operator 1) who is a skilled worker remotely gives instructions to a worker on site and takes charge of safety management. Alternatively, the present invention can be applied in a situation where a worker who mainly performs maintenance and a worker who monitors safety jointly perform safety management when the industrial robot 10 is maintained.

  Next, an industrial robot control system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, since the outline | summary of a structure of the industrial robot control system which concerns on this embodiment is the same as that of the structure of the industrial robot control system 100 shown by FIG. 1, it abbreviate | omits description using the same code | symbol. Further, in the following, only differences from the industrial robot control system 100 will be described, and the same operation and effect by the same configuration will not be sequentially described.

  In the industrial robot control system according to the present embodiment, the method of starting the operation of the industrial robot 10 is the same as in the industrial robot control system 100, but the method of stopping the operation is different. The process at the time of the stop of the operation in the industrial robot control system according to the present embodiment will be described below.

  FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation stop process performed by the industrial robot control system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, processing is started when the industrial robot 10 is in the operable state.

  First, the receiving unit 61 receives the status signal transmitted from the switch 40 and the switch 41 (S21). Next, based on the state signal received by the receiving unit 61, the determining unit 62 determines whether the switch 40 has been in the off state for a predetermined period (S22). That is, even if the switch 40 in the present embodiment is temporarily turned off, the industrial robot 10 is not immediately switched to the stopped state, and a predetermined grace period (hereinafter, the state of the switch 40 in the grace period Also referred to as “pseudo-on state”. Therefore, even if the operator 1 switches the switch 40 to the OFF state temporarily, if the switch 40 is switched to the ON state again within the grace period, the pseudo ON state of the switch 40 is maintained. Can. The predetermined grace period is not particularly limited, but is a period such as, for example, several seconds or several minutes, and may be set arbitrarily by the operator.

  When the switch 40 continues to be in the off state for a predetermined period (that is, when the operator 1 does not switch the switch 40 to the on state within the predetermined period) (S22: Yes), the determination unit 62 operates with the operation signal off. It transmits to the control part 63 (S25). When the switch 40 does not continue to be in the off state for a predetermined period (that is, when the switch 40 is in the on state or in the pseudo on state) (S22: No), the determination unit 62 determines that the switch 41 is in the off state It is determined whether or not (S23). When the switch 41 is in the off state (S23: Yes), the determination unit 62 turns off the operation signal and transmits the operation signal to the operation control unit 63 (S25). On the other hand, when the switch 41 is in the on state (S23: No), the determination unit 62 turns on the operation signal and transmits it to the operation control unit 63 (S24). Thus, in the control device 60, the processes S21 to S24 are repeated until the industrial robot 10 is switched from the operable state to the stop state by the execution of the process S25.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the operator 1 does not switch the switch 40 to the on state within a predetermined period during the operation of the industrial robot 10 or the operator 2 switches the switch 41 to the off state. Then, the industrial robot 10 is switched from the operable state to the stopped state. That is, in order to maintain the operable state of the industrial robot 10, the operator 1 needs to perform an operation for turning on the switch 40 within a predetermined period. Therefore, in the industrial robot control device according to the present embodiment, the safety during the operation of the industrial robot 10 can be improved as compared with the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1 above. In addition, the switch 40 in the present embodiment has a grace period in which the pseudo on state is maintained even when the operator 1 temporarily turns the switch 40 off. Therefore, the safety can be improved while improving the convenience of the switch 40 for the operator 1 as compared with the industrial robot control system 100.

  In FIG. 3, a configuration in which the switch 40 has a grace period and the switch 41 does not have a grace period is shown as an example, but the configuration of the switches 40 and 41 is not limited thereto. There is no grace period, and the switch 41 may have a grace period, or any of the switches 40 and 41 may have a grace period.

  The embodiments described above are for the purpose of facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not for the purpose of limiting the present invention. The elements included in the embodiment and the arrangement, the material, the conditions, the shape, the size, and the like of the elements are not limited to those illustrated, and can be changed as appropriate. In addition, configurations shown in different embodiments can be partially substituted or combined with each other.

  For example, in the above embodiment, an example is shown in which the receiving unit 61, the determining unit 62, and the operation control unit 63 are incorporated into one control device 60, but the receiving unit 61, the determining unit 62, and the operation are described. The control unit 63 may be configured by different devices.

  Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the control device 60 is provided separately from the industrial robot 10 is shown, but the control device 60 may be incorporated in the industrial robot 10.

  100 ... industrial robot control system, 1, 2 ... operator, 10 ... industrial robot, 11 ... ambient environment, 20 ... monitor device, 30 ... display device, 40, 41 ... switch, 50, 51 ... notification device, 60 ... Control device, 61 ... Reception unit, 62 ... Determination unit, 63 ... Operation control unit

Claims (8)

Industrial robots,
A monitoring device for monitoring the ambient environment of the industrial robot;
A display device for displaying information related to the ambient environment monitored by the monitor device to a first operator;
A first operation unit which is turned on by a first operation by the first operator and turned off when the first operation is released;
A second operation unit which is turned on by a second operation by a second operator and turned off when the second operation is released;
A control device for causing the industrial robot to transition from the stopped state to the operable state when one of the first operation unit and the second operation unit is turned on while the other is turned on;
An industrial robot control system comprising: The control device causes the industrial robot to transition from the operable state to the stopped state when at least one of the first operation unit and the second operation unit is switched from the on state to the off state.
The industrial robot control system according to claim 1. The control device can operate the industrial robot when at least one of the first operation unit and the second operation unit continues to be in the off state for a predetermined period when the industrial robot is in the operable state. Transition from state to stop state,
The industrial robot control system according to claim 1. At least one of the first operation unit and the second operation unit is a touch switch.
The industrial robot control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. At least one of the first operation unit and the second operation unit is a button type switch,
The industrial robot control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The monitoring device comprises either a camera or an infrared sensor
The industrial robot control system according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The industrial robot control system
A first notification device that notifies the second operator whether the first operation unit is in the on state or the off state, and whether the second operation unit is in the on state or the off state At least one of a second notification device for notifying the first operator;
The industrial robot control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The monitor device monitors the ambient environment of the industrial robot;
Displaying to the first operator information on the ambient environment monitored by the monitor device;
A first operation unit which is turned on by a first operation by the first operator and turned off when the first operation is released, and turned on by a second operation by a second operator, the second The control device transitions the industrial robot from the stop state to the operable state when the other is turned on while one of the second operation units turned off when the operation is released. Step of
Industrial robot control methods, including:

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