JP2019188600A - Gripper, and robot system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a gripper and a robot system, which surely adsorb and carry even a baggage that is stored in a rack or the like with only one side thereof exposed.SOLUTION: A gripper comprises: a base 6 attached to a tip face of a wrist of a robot 2; a first side adsorption part 8 that is provided on the base 6 and can absorb a first side of a box-shaped baggage in a first adsorption direction orthogonal to the wrist tip face; a second side support part that contacts with a second side orthogonal to the first side and supports the second side; and a movement mechanism 11 that moves the second side support part between a position retreated toward a base end side of the first side adsorption part 8 more than a tip thereof in the first adsorption direction and a position advanced beyond the tip of the first side adsorption part, by moving the second side support part along a flat plane parallel to the second side relative to the base 6 in a state that the first side adsorption part 8 absorbs the first side. The second side support part includes a pair of gripping pieces 14 that can be advanced by the movement mechanism 11 to positions respectively opposite to two second sides that are orthogonal to the first side and are parallel to each other, and a grip and drive part 15 that makes the gripping pieces 14 come close to each other to catch the baggage between the gripping pieces 14.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

  The present invention relates to a gripper and a robot system.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a gripper that includes a two-way suction pad that can suck two orthogonal surfaces of a load and includes a linear motion mechanism that linearly moves the suction pad (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
According to this gripper, after the suction pad is moved by the linear motion mechanism so that both of the two-direction suction pads are close to two orthogonal surfaces of the load, the suction pad can be operated to suck the load. .

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-94280

However, the gripper disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a disadvantage that it can suck only a load that is arranged so that two suction pads can be placed on two orthogonal surfaces at the same time. For example, it is impossible to adsorb a package that is stored with only one surface exposed on a shelf or container.
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and provides a gripper and a robot system which can reliably adsorb and transport a baggage stored on a shelf or the like with only one surface exposed. It is an object.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following means.
A reference aspect of the present invention includes a base attached to a wrist tip of a robot, a first surface suction portion provided on the base and capable of sucking a first surface of a box-shaped load in a first suction direction; A second surface support portion that contacts and supports a second surface orthogonal to the first surface, and the second surface support portion is attached to the first surface while the first surface adsorption portion adsorbs the first surface. A position parallel to the second surface between a position of the one-surface adsorbing portion retracted to the base end side from the tip of the first adsorbing direction and a position advanced beyond the tip of the first-surface adsorbing portion. A second surface adsorbing portion that is capable of adsorbing the second surface in a second adsorbing direction orthogonal to the first adsorbing direction. A gripper.

  According to the present reference aspect, for example, when gripping the uppermost package among a plurality of box-shaped packages that are stored in a stacked state with only one surface exposed to the shelf or container, the second The surface support portion is disposed at a position retracted to the base end side from the distal end of the first surface adsorption portion, and the base is moved by the operation of the robot, whereby the first surface adsorption portion provided on the base is box-shaped. By arranging the exposed first surface of the baggage at a position where it can be sucked and operating the first surface suction portion, the first surface of the baggage can be sucked. By retracting the second surface support portion with respect to the first surface adsorption portion, the second surface support portion can be prevented from interfering with the adsorption of the first surface by the first surface adsorption portion.

  Then, the sucked luggage can be pulled out to the near side by retracting the first surface suction portion in the first suction direction by the operation of the robot while the first surface suction portion is sucked. In this state, by operating the moving mechanism, the second surface support portion is moved forward along the plane parallel to the second surface beyond the tip of the first surface adsorption portion, so that the second surface can be supported. A 2nd surface support part can be arrange | positioned. Then, by operating the second surface support portion, the first surface adsorption by the first surface adsorption portion and the second surface support portion of the second surface orthogonal to the first surface are simultaneously performed, The gripper can securely hold the load.

  Moreover, the interference range at the time of a 2nd surface support part moving can be made small by moving a 2nd surface support part along the plane parallel to a 2nd surface. That is, since the second surface support portion does not move in the direction orthogonal to the second surface, even when an object close to the second surface exists and the space between the object and the second surface is narrow, The second surface is reliably supported by the second surface support portion, and the box-shaped luggage can be easily taken out.

In the above reference aspect, the second surface support portion is a second surface adsorption portion that can adsorb the second surface in a second adsorption direction orthogonal to the first adsorption direction.
In this way, the first surface suction portion sucks the first surface and pulls the load in the first suction direction, and the moving mechanism is operated to bring the second surface suction portion into the first surface suction. The first surface is adsorbed by the first surface adsorbing unit by moving forward along a plane parallel to the second surface beyond the tip of the unit and operating the second surface adsorbing unit facing the second surface. And the suction by the second surface suction portion of the second surface orthogonal to the first surface can be performed at the same time, and the load can be reliably gripped by the gripper.

Moreover, in the said reference aspect, after the said moving mechanism moves the said 2nd surface adsorption | suction part to the position advanced beyond the front-end | tip of the said 1st surface adsorption | suction part, it follows the said 2nd adsorption | suction direction. You may make it adjoin to the said 2nd surface.
By doing in this way, a 2nd surface adsorption | suction part is moved to the position which opposes a 2nd surface in the state which left the clearance gap between the 2nd surface and the 2nd surface adsorption | suction part, and it is 2nd adsorption | suction direction after that. By adjoining the second surface adsorbing part to the second surface along the line, it is possible to adsorb surely while avoiding interference between the second surface adsorbing part and the load.

Moreover, in the said reference aspect, the said moving mechanism may move the said 2nd surface support part linearly in the said 1st adsorption | suction direction.
Another reference aspect of the present invention includes a base attached to a wrist end of a robot, a first surface suction portion provided on the base and capable of sucking a first surface of a box-shaped load in a first suction direction. A second surface support portion that contacts and supports a second surface orthogonal to the first surface, and the second surface support portion is in a state where the first surface adsorption portion adsorbs the first surface. The second surface between the position of the first surface adsorbing portion retracted to the base end side relative to the tip of the first adsorbing direction and the position advanced beyond the distal end of the first surface adsorbing portion. And a moving mechanism that moves along a parallel plane, and the moving mechanism is a gripper that rotates and moves the second surface support portion about an axis perpendicular to the first suction direction.

  According to one embodiment of the present invention, a base attached to a wrist tip surface of a robot, and a first surface of a box-shaped baggage provided on the base can be sucked in a first suction direction orthogonal to the wrist tip surface. A first surface adsorbing portion; a second surface supporting portion that contacts and supports a second surface orthogonal to the first surface; and the first surface adsorbing portion adsorbs the first surface while the first surface is adsorbed to the first surface. By moving the two-surface support portion along a plane parallel to the second surface with respect to the base, the second surface support portion is moved more than the tip of the first surface adsorption portion in the first adsorption direction. A moving mechanism that moves between a position retracted to the base end side and a position advanced beyond the tip of the first surface adsorption portion, and the second surface support portion is Advanced to positions opposite to the two second surfaces that are orthogonal to one surface and parallel to each other. A pair of gripping pieces, a gripper and a gripper driving portion for sandwiching the load is moved in a direction to approach to each other gripping pieces grip pieces.

  According to this aspect, in a state where the first surface is adsorbed by the first surface adsorbing unit and the load is pulled out in the first adsorbing direction, the moving mechanism is operated to remove the pair of gripping pieces from the first surface adsorbing unit. The first surface is adsorbed by the first surface adsorbing unit by moving the grip driving unit at a position where the pair of gripping pieces are respectively opposed to the second surface by moving forward in the first adsorbing direction beyond the tip. By simultaneously holding the pair of gripping pieces on the second surface perpendicular to the first surface, the load can be reliably gripped by the gripper.

Another aspect of the present invention is a robot system including any one of the grippers described above and a robot that attaches the gripper to a wrist tip surface by the base.
According to this aspect, the gripper is positioned and moved by the operation of the robot so that only one surface is exposed on the shelf or the container, and among the plurality of box-shaped loads stored in the stacked state, for example, the uppermost It is possible to securely hold the load located at the position.

In the above aspect, the robot may further include a sensor that detects the positions of the first surface and the second surface before the first surface suction portion is positioned on the first surface of the luggage in a positioning state. Good.
By doing so, the position of the first surface and the second surface is detected by the sensor before the gripper is moved by the robot and the first surface suction portion is positioned on the first surface of the luggage. By using the detection result, the first surface adsorption portion can be properly positioned.

  That is, by detecting the position of the first surface by the sensor, the gripper can be arranged at a position where the first surface can be reliably adsorbed by the first surface adsorbing portion. Further, by detecting the position of the second surface by the sensor, even if the second surface support portion is advanced by the moving mechanism while the first surface is being adsorbed by the first surface adsorption portion, the second surface support portion is not moved. The gripper can be disposed at a position that does not interfere with the load and can reliably support the second surface by the second surface support portion thereafter.

  According to the present invention, there is an effect that it is possible to surely attract and transport a baggage stored on a shelf or the like with only one surface exposed.

1 is a perspective view showing a robot system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the gripper which concerns on the reference embodiment of this invention with which the robot system of FIG. 1 is equipped. It is a perspective view which shows the state which positioned the gripper of FIG. 2 on the 1st surface of a load. It is a perspective view which shows the state which retracted the 2nd surface adsorption | suction part of the gripper of FIG. 2 to the wrist side rather than the 1st surface adsorption | suction part. It is a side view which shows the state of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the state which pulled out the picked-up load from the state of FIG. It is a side view which shows the state of FIG. It is a side view which shows the state which advanced the 2nd surface adsorption | suction part from the state of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the state of FIG. It is a side view which shows the state which made the 2nd surface adsorption | suction part adjoin to the 2nd surface from the state of FIG. It is a top view which shows the modification of the gripper of FIG. It is a perspective view of the gripper of FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the gripper which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a state in which a pair of gripping pieces of the gripper of FIG.

A gripper 3 and a robot system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the robot system 1 according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of units arranged in the vicinity of a shelf or a container Y that exposes only a vertical first surface A and accommodates a plurality of loads X in a stacked state. An articulated robot 2, a gripper 3 fixed to the wrist tip of the robot 2, a sensor 4, and a control unit 5 that controls the robot 2 and the gripper 3 based on a detection result by the sensor 4 are provided.

The articulated robot 2 is configured to move the gripper 3 fixed to the wrist and place it at an arbitrary position within the operating range.
As shown in FIG. 2, the gripper 3 according to the reference embodiment of the present invention is arranged on a base 6 attached to the wrist tip surface of the robot 2 and a plane fixed to the base 6 and parallel to the wrist tip surface. A first surface adsorbing portion 8 having a plurality of adsorbing pads 7 and capable of adsorbing the first surface A of the load X in a first adsorbing direction orthogonal to the wrist tip surface, and in a plane along the first adsorbing direction A second surface suction portion (second surface support portion) that is capable of sucking the second surface B of the load X in a second suction direction orthogonal to the first suction direction. 10 and a moving mechanism 11 for moving the second surface suction portion 10 with respect to the base 6 in the first suction direction and in the second suction direction.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the moving mechanism 11 includes a first actuator (moving mechanism) that linearly moves the slider 13 in the first suction direction along the guide rail 12 fixed to the base 6, and the slider 13. And a second actuator that linearly moves the second surface suction portion 10 in the second suction direction. Arbitrary actuators such as a motor or an air cylinder can be adopted as the first actuator and the second actuator. In FIG. 3, the slider 13 and the actuator are integrally displayed.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first actuator moves the slider 13 in the first suction direction so that the second surface suction portion 10 mounted on the slider 13 is closer to the wrist than the first surface suction portion 8. As shown in FIG. 2, it can be translated between the position retracted forward and the position advanced forward from the first surface suction portion 8.
The second actuator is operated at the position where the slider 13 is advanced most, so that the second surface suction portion 10 can be moved minutely in the second suction direction.

  The sensor 4 is a camera attached to either the robot 2, the base 6 of the gripper 3, or the outside of the robot 2, acquires an image of the luggage X to be transported, and should transport based on the acquired image The position of the first surface A of the luggage X and the position of the second surface B orthogonal to the first surface A are detected. As the sensor 4, a sensor that measures a distance may be adopted in addition to a sensor that acquires a two-dimensional image or a three-dimensional image.

  The control unit 5 operates the robot 2 based on the position of the first surface A detected by the sensor 4, and the first surface adsorbing unit 8 of the gripper 3 attached to the tip of the wrist 3 The first surface A is brought close to a predetermined position where it can be adsorbed. In addition, the control unit 5 sequentially operates the first surface adsorption unit 8, the first actuator, the second actuator, and the second surface adsorption unit 10 of the gripper 3 moved to a predetermined position by the robot 2. Yes.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 5 first retracts the second surface suction unit 10 to the wrist side with respect to the first surface suction unit 8 by using the first actuator, and FIGS. As shown in FIG. 4, the upper surface of the first surface suction portion 8 is substantially coincided with the position of the second surface B of the luggage X detected by the sensor 4 and all the suction pads 7 of the first surface suction portion 8 are aligned. However, the robot 2 is operated so that the gripper 3 is arranged at a position in contact with the first surface A or close to the first surface A with a small interval.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 5 operates the first surface suction unit 8 to suck the first surface A of the luggage X by all the suction pads 7.
In this state, the control unit 5 operates the robot 2 in a state where the first surface A of the luggage X is adsorbed by the first surface adsorbing unit 8, and the gripper as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 3 is linearly moved in a direction of retreating along the first suction direction.

Further, the control unit 5 operates the first actuator at the position where the gripper 3 is retracted, and the second surface adsorbing unit 10 is moved forward of the first surface adsorbing unit 8 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. To move forward.
And after the 2nd surface adsorption | suction part 10 advances to an advance position, the control part 5 act | operates a 2nd actuator and the 2nd surface adsorption | suction part 10 follows a 2nd adsorption | suction direction, as FIG. 10 shows. The second surface adsorbing unit 10 is actuated.

The operation of the gripper 3 and the robot system 1 according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described below.
Using the robot system 1 according to the present embodiment, in order to transport a boxed package X stored in a stacked state with only the first surface A on the near side exposed to a container Y or the like of a shelf or a truck, The position of the first surface A and the second surface B of the package X to be conveyed is detected by the sensor 4.

  As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, the control unit 5 operates the first actuator of the gripper 3 to retract the second surface suction unit 10 from the front surface of the first surface suction unit 8. Based on the detection result of 4, the robot 2 is operated, and the gripper 3 attached to the tip of the wrist is brought close to the package X to be transported. And the control part 5 is the 1st surface adsorption | suction part in the state in which the suction pad 7 with which the 1st surface adsorption | suction part 8 of the gripper 3 was equipped was positioned in the position which can adsorb | suck the predetermined position of the 1st surface A of the load X. 8 is operated to suck the first surface A of the load X.

  Next, the control unit 5 operates the robot 2 while maintaining the state where the first surface A is adsorbed by the gripper 3, and as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the entire gripper 3 is moved in the first adsorption direction. Is receded by a predetermined distance along a straight line. Thereby, the load X to be conveyed is pulled out to the near side by the gripper 3, and the upper surface (second surface B) orthogonal to the first surface A is exposed to the outside.

  In this state, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the control unit 5 operates the first actuator to advance the second surface adsorption unit 10 along a plane parallel to the second surface B. The suction pad 9 of the surface suction unit 10 is opposed to the second surface B of the luggage X. Then, at this position, as shown in FIG. 10, the control unit 5 operates the second actuator to bring the suction pad 9 of the second surface suction unit 10 close to the second surface B of the luggage X, and The second surface adsorption unit 10 is operated to adsorb the second surface B.

  Thereby, the gripper 3 can adsorb the first surface A and the second surface B of the package X which are orthogonal to each other, and the package X can be firmly held and transported. Further, by moving the second surface suction unit 10 along a plane parallel to the second surface B, it is possible to reduce the interference range when the second surface suction unit 10 moves. That is, since the second surface adsorption unit 10 does not move in the direction orthogonal to the second surface B, there is an object (for example, a ceiling or the like) close to the second surface B, and the object and the second surface B Even when the space between the two is narrow, the second surface suction unit 10 can reliably suction the second surface and easily take out the box-shaped luggage X.

  Thus, according to the gripper 3 and the robot system 1 according to the present embodiment, the second surface suction unit 10 can be disposed in a state of being retracted rearward from the suction pad 7 of the first surface suction unit 8. The first surface A can be adsorbed by the first surface adsorbing unit 8 without interfering with the second surface adsorbing unit 10 with respect to the luggage X in which only the surface A is exposed. Then, the second surface B can be exposed by retracting the luggage X with the first surface A adsorbed in the first adsorption direction and pulling it out from the other luggage X.

  Further, after the first surface A is adsorbed by the first surface adsorbing portion 8, the second surface adsorbing portion 10 is advanced in a first adsorption direction by a linear motion so as to face the drawn second surface B. Even if there is no large space around the surface B, the second surface B can be adsorbed.

  In the present embodiment, the case of handling a shelf X opened to the side or the luggage X accommodated in the container Y is illustrated, and the vertical side on the robot 2 side is illustrated as the first surface A. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The upper surface exposed upward may be adsorbed as the first surface A when handling the luggage X accommodated in the container that opens upward.

Moreover, although the upper surface adjacent to the 1st surface A was illustrated as the 2nd surface B orthogonal to the perpendicular | vertical 1st surface A, you may decide to support the lower surface adjacent to the 1st surface A.
In addition, for the second actuator that moves the second surface suction unit 10 in the direction of approaching the second surface B, the suction pad 9 of the second surface suction unit 10 contacts the second surface B by the first surface suction unit 8. If it can adsorb | suck the 1st surface A of the position which does not perform and can adsorb | suck, it does not need to be provided.

  In the present embodiment, the positioning of the first surface suction portion 8 with respect to the first surface A is performed by the operation of the robot 2, but another actuator for moving the first surface suction portion 8 back and forth is provided on the base 6. After the rough positioning by the operation of the robot 2, the distance between the first surface A and the suction pad 7 may be positioned at an optimum position using another actuator. Further, after the box-shaped luggage X is sucked by the first surface suction portion 8, the robot 2 does not perform the operation of pulling out the box-like baggage X, but by using another actuator that moves the first surface suction portion 8 back and forth. The baggage X may be pulled out toward you.

  In addition, the first actuator that moves the second surface suction portion 10 forward and backward relative to the first surface suction portion 8 is exemplified as a slider that linearly moves the slider 13 on the guide rail 12, but instead of this, FIG. As shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 12, the second surface suction portion 10 is rotated and moved with respect to the base 6 along a plane parallel to the second surface B about an axis extending in parallel with the second suction direction. One actuator may be employed. This also makes it possible to arrange the second surface adsorption unit 10 at a position that does not interfere with the adsorption of the first surface A by the first surface adsorption unit 8 and to reduce the second surface adsorption unit 10 in a small space as necessary. Can be made to face the second surface B.

  The gripper 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to suck the second surface B by the suction pad 9 as a second surface support portion that contacts and supports the second surface B orthogonal to the first surface A. As shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, instead of the two-surface adsorbing portion 10, not both the upper surface but both side surfaces of the first surface A are defined as the second surface B, and the positions facing the two second surfaces B, respectively. A pair of gripping pieces 14 advanced by a first actuator and a gripping drive unit 15 that moves the gripping pieces 14 in directions close to each other are provided.

  According to the present embodiment, the first surface A is adsorbed by the first surface adsorbing portion 8 and the luggage X is pulled out to the front side, and the adsorbed state by the first surface adsorbing portion 8 is maintained, while the first surface A By sandwiching two parallel side surfaces on both sides in the horizontal direction by a pair of gripping pieces 14, the load X can be clamped, whereby the load X can be firmly held and transported.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Robot system 2 Robot 3 Gripper 4 Sensor 6 Base 8 1st surface adsorption | suction part 10 2nd surface adsorption | suction part (2nd surface support part)
11 Movement mechanism 14 Grip piece (second surface support part)
15 Gripping drive unit (second surface support unit)
A 1st side B 2nd side X Luggage

Claims (3)

A base attached to the wrist end surface of the robot;
A first surface adsorbing portion provided on the base and capable of adsorbing a first surface of a box-shaped load in a first adsorption direction perpendicular to the wrist tip surface;
A second surface support portion that contacts and supports a second surface orthogonal to the first surface;
The second surface support portion is moved by moving the second surface support portion with respect to the base along a plane parallel to the second surface in a state where the first surface suction portion sucks the first surface. Is moved between a position where the first surface adsorbing part is retracted to the base end side relative to the front end in the first adsorbing direction and a position where the first surface adsorbing part is advanced beyond the front end of the first surface adsorbing part And
A pair of gripping pieces that are advanced by the moving mechanism to positions facing the two second surfaces that are perpendicular to the first surface and parallel to each other; A gripper provided with a gripping drive unit that is moved in a direction to be close to the gripping piece and clamps the load between the gripping pieces. A gripper according to claim 1;
A robot system comprising: a robot that attaches the gripper to a wrist tip surface by the base.   3. The robot system according to claim 2, further comprising a sensor that detects positions of the first surface and the second surface before the robot places the first surface adsorption unit on the first surface of the luggage in a positioning state. .

Images