JP2023125579A - Conveyance control device, and conveyance control program - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a conveyance control device and a conveyance control program which can appropriately control a conveyance system having a compact and inexpensive robot arm while keeping a maximum arrival distance and load bearing property.SOLUTION: A conveyance control device (10) controls a conveyance system (1) including a stage (3) mounted with a robot arm (2), a first mechanism part (4) for moving a loading position of the robot arm (2) in a horizontal plane, and a robot arm control device (20). The conveyance control device (10) controls the first mechanism part (4), and instructs operation of the robot arm (2) to the robot arm control device (20), and thereby controls conveyance to a conveyance destination (H2) from a conveyance source (H1) of a conveyance object.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present disclosure relates to a transport control device and a transport control program.

At production sites such as factories and warehouses, and logistics sites, work to transport objects is carried out, for example, loading objects onto pallets or loading objects from pallets onto conveyors. There is. At such sites, consideration is being given to adopting a transport system using a robot arm that can flexibly respond to the content of the transport work.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-91579 JP2020-196623A

A multi-joint robot arm is capable of a variety of movements and can be flexibly adapted to the content of the transfer work.However, the maximum distance ( There was a problem in that the maximum reachable distance and payload were relatively limited. However, in order to increase the maximum reachable distance or payload, it is necessary to use a large and sturdy robot arm, which makes it difficult to configure the transport system to be low-cost and movable. As a result, it becomes impossible to relocate the conveyance system according to the situation at production sites and distribution sites to accommodate various conveyance operations, and there is also the problem of high costs.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a transfer control device that can appropriately control a transfer system having a robot arm that is compact and inexpensively configured while maintaining maximum reach distance and load capacity. , and a transportation control program.

The present disclosure adopts the following configuration in order to solve the above problems.

A transfer control device according to one aspect of the present disclosure horizontally moves a robot arm that grips an object to be transferred, a stage on which the robot arm is mounted, and the stage on which the robot arm is mounted, or a first mechanism section that moves the mounting position of the robot arm in a horizontal plane by rotating around a first axis in the vertical direction provided therein; the stage on which the robot arm is mounted; A transfer control device for controlling a transfer system including a frame for supporting a first mechanism section, and a robot arm control device for controlling an operation of the robot arm, the transfer control device controlling the first mechanism section and a robot arm control device for controlling the operation of the robot arm. By instructing an arm control device to operate the robot arm, transport of the object to be transported from a transport source to a transport destination is controlled.

According to the above configuration, with the robot arm mounted on the stage, the first mechanism section and the second mechanism section move the mounting position of the robot arm in the horizontal plane and in the vertical direction. The transport control device controls the first mechanism section and the second mechanism section. Further, the transport control device controls the transport of the object to be transported from the transport source to the transport destination by instructing the robot arm control device to operate the robot arm. Thereby, the transport control device can control the transport of the robot arm itself from the transport source to the transport destination of the transport target. As a result, the transfer control device can appropriately control the transfer system including the robot arm, while maintaining the maximum reach and load capacity, even when the robot arm is configured compactly and inexpensively.

Further, the transfer control device according to one aspect of the present disclosure horizontally moves a robot arm that grips an object to be transferred, a stage on which the robot arm is mounted, and the stage on which the robot arm is mounted, or a first mechanism section that moves the mounting position of the robot arm in a horizontal plane by rotating around a first axis in the vertical direction provided in the stage; a second mechanism section that moves the first mechanism section in the vertical direction; a frame that supports the stage on which the robot arm is mounted; the first mechanism section; and the second mechanism section; A transfer control device that controls a robot arm control device that controls a robot arm control device and a transfer system that includes the robot arm control device, the transfer control device that controls the first mechanism section and the second mechanism section, and that controls the robot arm control device. By instructing the operation, the transport of the object to be transported from the transport source to the transport destination is controlled.

According to the above configuration, with the robot arm mounted on the stage, the first mechanism section and the second mechanism section move the mounting position of the robot arm in the horizontal plane and in the vertical direction. The transport control device controls the first mechanism section and the second mechanism section. Further, the transport control device controls the transport of the object to be transported from the transport source to the transport destination by instructing the robot arm control device to operate the robot arm. Thereby, the transport control device can control the transport of the robot arm itself from the transport source to the transport destination of the transport target. As a result, the transfer control device can appropriately control the transfer system including the robot arm, while maintaining the maximum reach and load capacity, even when the robot arm is configured compactly and inexpensively.

In the transfer control device according to the above aspect, the transfer control device controls the first mechanical section so that the mounting position of the robot arm in the horizontal plane is at the first horizontal position, and The robot is controlled by controlling the second mechanism part so that the position of the first mechanism part is at the first vertical position, and by transmitting a command to the robot arm control device to execute teaching of the operation of the robot arm. It may be possible to perform a teaching operation for causing the arm to pick up the object to be transported from the transport source.

According to the above configuration, the transfer control device can teach the robot arm the operation of picking the object to be transferred from the transfer source, so that the robot arm can more easily pick the object to be transferred. As a result, the transport control device can flexibly respond to the content of the transport work of the object to be transported.

In the transfer control device according to the above aspect, the transfer control device controls the first mechanical section so that the mounting position of the robot arm in the horizontal plane is at the second horizontal position, and The robot is controlled by controlling the second mechanism part so that the position of the first mechanism part becomes a second vertical position, and by transmitting a command to cause the robot arm control device to execute teaching of the operation of the robot arm. It may be possible to perform a teaching operation for causing the arm to place the object to be transported to the transport destination.

According to the above configuration, the transfer control device can teach the robot arm the operation of placing the object to be transferred to the transfer destination, so that the robot arm can more easily place the object to be transferred. . As a result, the transport control device can flexibly respond to the content of the transport work of the object to be transported.

In the transport control device according to the above aspect, the second mechanism section includes a movable section that moves in the vertical direction together with the first mechanism section, a moving member for moving the movable section in the vertical direction, and a movable section that moves the movable section in the vertical direction. A counterweight may be provided.

According to the above configuration, by using a counterweight in the second mechanism section, when the moving member is moved by the movable section, it can be operated without applying a large load to the moving member.

In the transfer control device according to the above aspect, when the transfer control device causes the robot arm to pick up the object to be transferred from the transfer source, the mounting position of the robot arm in a horizontal plane is a first horizontal position. When controlling the first mechanism and causing the robot arm to place the object to be transported to the transport destination, the mounting position of the robot arm in a horizontal plane is different from the first horizontal position. The first mechanism section may be controlled to take a different second horizontal position.

According to the above configuration, the conveyance control device can reliably pick the conveyed object at the first horizontal position and reliably place the conveyed object at the second horizontal position. This makes it possible to transport objects over long distances while maintaining the maximum reach and load capacity of the robot arm itself, or to grasp and transport large-area objects. You can also do it.

The conveyance control device according to the above aspect further includes a sensor unit fixed to the frame and configured to monitor the loading state of the conveyed objects at the conveyance source and the conveyance destination of the conveyed objects, The transport control device controls the transport of the transport target based on monitoring information of the loading state of the transport target received from the sensor unit and operation information of the robot arm received from the robot arm control device. The transport from the source to the destination may be controlled.

According to the above configuration, since the sensor unit is fixed to the frame, even if the frame including the robot arm is moved, the object to be transported by the robot arm can be reliably transported from the transport source to the transport destination. can.

Further, a transport control program according to one aspect of the present disclosure causes a computer to function as any of the transport control devices described above.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to realize a transfer control device that can appropriately control a transfer system having a robot arm that is compact and inexpensively configured while maintaining load resistance.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a transfer control device and a transfer control program that can appropriately control a transfer system having a robot arm configured compactly and inexpensively while maintaining maximum reach and load capacity. can.

1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a transport control device and a transport system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of main parts of the transport system. FIG. 2 is a side view showing the configuration of main parts of the transport system. It is a figure explaining the example of operation of the stage included in the above-mentioned conveyance system.

[Embodiment]
§1 Application Example First, an example of a scene to which the present disclosure is applied will be described using FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration example of a transport control device 10 and a transport system 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the main part configuration of the transport system 1. As shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the configuration of main parts of the transport system 1. As shown in FIG.

The transport system 1 of this embodiment includes a robot arm 2 and a robot arm control device 20 that controls the operation of the robot arm.

Further, the transport system 1 of this embodiment includes the transport control device 10 of the present disclosure. A user such as a worker of the transport system 1 can instruct the robot arm control device 20 through the transport control device 10 to cause the robot arm 2 to perform operations such as picking and placing an object to be transported. It has become.

Further, the transport system 1 of this embodiment includes a stage 3 and a first mechanism section 4. The robot arm 2 is mounted on the stage 3 in a movable state. The operations of the robot arm 2 include picking up an object to be transported from a designated location (transfer source H1), transporting the object while gripping it, and transporting the object. This includes placing the object at a designated location (transport destination H2).

The first mechanism section 4 moves the mounting position of the robot arm 2 on the stage 3 within a horizontal plane according to instructions from the transfer control device 10.

The transport control device 10 controls the first mechanism section 4 . Further, the transport control device 10 controls the transport of the object to be transported from the transport source H1 to the transport destination H2 by instructing the robot arm control device 20 to operate the robot arm 2.

Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the transport control device 10 controls the transport of the robot arm 2 itself from the transport source H1 to the transport destination H2 of the transport target by moving the stage 3 on which the robot arm 2 is mounted. be able to. That is, in this embodiment, the movable range of the tip of the robot arm 2 can be expanded in accordance with the movable range of the stage 3. As a result, in this embodiment, the robot arm 2 can grip the center of a large-area object to be transported at both the transport source H1 and the transport destination H2, and control the transport of the object. It can be performed. As a result, the transfer control device 10 of this embodiment can appropriately control the transfer system 1 having the robot arm 2 even when the robot arm 2 is configured compactly and inexpensively while maintaining the maximum reach distance and load capacity. be able to.

§2 Configuration example <Transport system 1>
Below, a specific configuration example of the conveyance system 1 and the conveyance control device 10 of this embodiment will be explained. In the following description, the conveyance system 1 is exemplified as a cooperative palletizing robot system in which a robot arm 2 conveys an object to be conveyed, such as a cardboard box, between a pallet and a conveyor.

<Configuration of frame 6>
The transport system 1 of this embodiment includes a frame 6 and sensor sections 7a and 7b. The frame 6 supports the stage 3 on which the robot arm 2 is mounted, the first mechanism section 4, the second mechanism section 5, and the sensor sections 7a and 7b.

The sensor units 7a and 7b monitor the loading state of the objects to be transported at the transport source H1 and the transport destination H2, respectively. The sensor sections 7a and 7b each output monitoring results to the conveyance control device 10.

The transfer control device 10 receives operation information of the robot arm 2 from the robot arm control device 20 . The transfer control device 10 controls the first mechanism section 4 based on the operation information of the robot arm 2 received from the robot arm control device 20 and the monitoring information of the loading state of the objects to be transferred received from the sensor sections 7a and 7b. , and controls the second mechanism section 5.

The frame 6 includes a frame body 6a, supports 6b and 6c, and a support rod 6d. The frame body 6a is constructed by combining square cylindrical metal materials, for example. The second mechanism section 5 is directly attached to the frame body 6a, and the first mechanism section 4, the stage 3, and the robot arm 2 are sequentially attached via the second mechanism section 5. The frame body 6a is configured to be installed on a floor surface so as to be movable with respect to the floor surface of a factory, etc., and includes the robot arm 2, stage 3, first mechanism section 4, and 2 mechanism section 5 is supported on the floor surface. Note that this floor surface is a surface parallel to the horizontal surface.

The supports 6b and 6c are provided on the frame 6a so as to protrude linearly from the frame 6a in the left-right direction. Sensor sections 7a and 7b are installed at the ends of the supports 6b and 6c, respectively. The frame 6 may be arranged on the floor surface so that the sensor parts 7a and 7b are located above the transport source H1 and transport destination H2 of the transport target, respectively.

The support rod 6d is configured to be able to support the grip portion 2a attached to the tip of the robot arm 2. Further, the support rod 6d is attached to the frame 6a so as to stand upright at a predetermined height from the frame 6a, for example, at a central position of the frame 6a in the left-right direction.

<Configuration of robot arm 2>
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the robot arm 2 is multi-jointed, having multiple joints that can rotate in different directions, and can flexibly respond to the content of the transport work of the object to be transported. It is now possible to do so.

As described above, the robot arm 2 is equipped with the gripping part 2a at its tip portion for gripping the object to be transported. The gripping section 2a is configured to, for example, attract and grip an object to be transported using negative pressure. The robot arm 2 is configured such that the grip portion 2a can be rotated within the horizontal plane or moved in the vertical direction under the control of the robot arm control device 20.

The robot arm 2 includes a base 2b that is an end opposite to the grip 2a, and the base 2b is attached to the stage 3. Further, the position of the attachment point of the base 2b to the stage 3 can serve as a reference point in controlling the position of the robot arm 2 in the transfer control device 10 and the robot arm control device 20. That is, the position of the lower end of the base portion 2b can be used as a reference point for moving the position of the grip portion 2a when the robot arm 2 is operated by the control portion 11 of the transfer control device 10.

In addition to the above explanation, for example, either the source H1 position or the destination H2 position of the object to be transported, which are respectively defined by the ends of the supports 6b and 6c, may be used as the reference point. You can also do it.

In the robot arm 2, a camera 2c is installed near the grip part 2a. The camera 2c captures an image below the gripping portion 2a, and outputs the imaging result to the robot arm control device 20 and the transfer control device 10. Thereby, the conveyance control device 10 can reliably cause the gripping section 2a to perform the gripping operation of the conveyance target object or the separation operation of the conveyance target object based on the imaging result from the camera 2c.

<Configuration of robot arm control device 20>
The robot arm control device 20 is a dedicated control device configured to control the operation of the robot arm 2. The robot arm control device 20 communicates between the robot arm 2 and the transfer control device 10. The robot arm control device 20 outputs an operation signal to the robot arm 2 in accordance with instructions from the transfer control device 10, which is a host device, so that the grip portion 2a of the robot arm 2 is in a desired position. Thereby, the robot arm control device 20 controls the movement of the plurality of joints provided on the robot arm 2, thereby allowing the distal end portion of the robot arm 2, to which the gripping portion 2a is connected, to move relative to the base portion 2b. control.

Further, the robot arm control device 20 includes arm position information indicating the current position of the gripping portion 2a in the motion information of the robot arm 2, and outputs the motion information to the transfer control device 10. The arm position information is information on the position and orientation expressed in a coordinate system fixed to the base 2b of the robot arm 2, that is, the stage 3.

The robot arm control device 20 shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1 is not necessarily configured as a physically integrated information processing device, but is physically configured as a plurality of information processing devices by separating functions as appropriate. may have been done. In particular, the process of outputting the arm position information as coordinate information to the outside of the transfer control device 10 or the like is executed by an information processing device such as a computer that is separate from the information processing device that mainly controls the robot arm 2. Good too.

Moreover, as the robot arm control device 20, a control device that is commercially available together with the robot arm 2 can also be used. In other words, the robot arm 2 and the robot arm control device 20 as a dedicated controller corresponding to the robot arm 2 are commercially available as general-purpose products and can be used in constructing the transport system 1.

<Stage 3 configuration>
The stage 3 is configured using, for example, a metal material. The base 2b of the robot arm 2 is attached to the distal end 3a of the stage 3. Further, the first mechanism section 4 is connected to the proximal end portion 3b of the stage 3. The stage 3, with the robot arm 2 mounted thereon, is rotated in a horizontal plane by the first mechanism section 4 around a first axis 3c in the vertical direction. Further, the stage 3 is vertically moved up and down by the second mechanism section 5 together with the robot arm 2, with the robot arm 2 mounted thereon.

<Configuration of first mechanism section 4>
The first mechanism section 4 includes a turning member 4a. This rotating member 4a is configured using, for example, an air cylinder, and is connected to a first shaft provided at the proximal end portion 3b of the stage 3. In the first mechanism section 4, the rotating member 4a rotates around the first axis 3c according to instructions from the transport control device 10. Thereby, the first mechanism section 4 can move the base 2b of the robot arm 2, that is, the mounting position, within a horizontal plane. Further, the first mechanism section 4 outputs operation information indicating its operation state to the transport control device 10.

<Configuration of second mechanism section 5>
The second mechanism section 5 moves the first mechanism section 4 in the vertical direction together with the stage 3 on which the robot arm 2 is mounted, according to instructions from the transfer control device 10 . That is, the second mechanism section 5 moves the robot arm 2, stage 3, and first mechanism section 4 integrally in the vertical direction. Specifically, the second mechanism section 5 includes a movable section 51 that moves in the vertical direction together with the first mechanism section 4. The movable part 51 includes an attachment member 51a to which the first mechanism part 4 is attached, and a support member 51b that supports the attachment member 51a so as to be movable in the vertical direction. Further, the second mechanism section 5 includes a moving member 5a for moving the movable section 51 in the vertical direction, and a counterweight 5b for the movable section.

The moving member 5a is configured using, for example, a motor, and when the motor performs a rotation operation according to instructions from the transfer control device 10, the robot arm 2, the stage 3, and the first mechanism section are moved. 4 moves up and down in the vertical direction. The counterweight 5b has a weight that is approximately balanced with the combined portion of the robot arm 2, the stage 3, the first mechanism section 4, and the support member 51b, and allows the movable section 51 to move the moving member 5a. Sometimes, by using the counterweight 5b, the moving member 5a can be operated without applying a large load. Further, the second mechanism section 5 outputs operation information indicating its operation state to the transport control device 10.

<Configuration of sensor sections 7a and 7b>
The sensor units 7a and 7b each include a monitoring member such as a camera or a sensor. The sensor parts 7a and 7b are fixed to supports 6b and 6c of the frame 6, respectively. The sensor units 7a and 7b monitor the monitoring results of the loading state of the objects to be transported at the corresponding transport source H1 and transport destination H2, that is, the imaging result data and sensing result data indicating the position of the transport objects from their monitoring members. The information is output to the transport control device 10.

<Configuration of transport control device 10>
The transport control device 10 includes a control section 11, a communication section 12, and a storage section 13. The transport control device 10 controls each part of the transport system 1 according to instructions from a user.

The communication unit 12 is a functional block that communicates with each unit of the transport system 1. The communication unit 12 is also connected to an operation instruction device (not shown) provided outside the transport system 1, and receives user operations (instructions).

The storage unit 13 is, for example, an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk drive or a solid state drive, and stores various processing programs executed by the control unit 11. The storage unit 13 appropriately stores operation information from the robot arm control device 20 and monitoring information from the sensor units 7a and 7b. Further, the storage unit 13 appropriately stores each operation information from the first mechanism unit 4 and the second mechanism unit 5.

The control unit 11 is a functional block that includes, for example, a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) and controls each component according to information processing. The control unit 11 creates a command based on the monitoring information and operation information stored in the storage unit 13 and transmits the command to the first mechanism unit 4 and the second mechanism unit 5 through the communication unit 12. Furthermore, the control unit 11 creates a command for instructing the operation of the robot arm 2 based on the monitoring information and operation information stored in the storage unit 13 and sends the command to the robot arm control device 20 through the communication unit 12. Send. Thereby, the transport control device 10 controls the transport of the object to be transported from the transport source H1 to the transport destination H2.

Specifically, the control unit 11 acquires operation information from the robot arm control device 20, the first mechanism unit 4, and the second mechanism unit 5 from the storage unit 13. The control unit 11 calculates tip position coordinates indicating the current position and orientation of the tip of the robot arm 2 provided with the gripping portion 2a with respect to the frame 6 based on the acquired motion information.

Furthermore, the control unit 11 calculates transport source position coordinates and transport destination position coordinates indicating the positions of the transport source H1 and transport destination H2, respectively, with respect to the reference point, based on the monitoring information stored in the storage unit 13. do. Then, the control unit 11 controls the first mechanism unit 4, the second mechanism 5 and the robot arm control device 20. Thereafter, the control section 11 transmits the created command to the first mechanism section 4, the second mechanism section 5, and the robot arm control device 20 through the communication section 12. As a result, the object to be transported is picked at the transport source H1 by the gripping section 2a, transferred from the transport source H1 to the transport destination H2, and placed at the transport destination H2.

§3 Operation example Next, an operation example of the conveyance control device 10 of this embodiment will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 4 as well. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation of the stage 3 included in the transport system 1.

<Operation example of stage 3>
First, an example of the operation of stage 3 will be specifically described using FIG. 4. The stage 3 operates within the horizontal plane between a transport source H1 provided on one side of the frame 6 and a transport destination H2 provided on the other side of the frame 6. .

When the transfer control device 10 causes the robot arm 2 to pick up an object to be transferred from the transfer source H1, the transfer control device 10 selects a first horizontal position FP so that the mounting position of the robot arm 2 in the horizontal plane is a first horizontal position FP close to the transfer source H1. 1 controls the mechanism section 4. As a result, as shown by the solid line in FIG. 4, the stage 3 pivots to move toward one side P1 in the pivot direction S about the first axis 3c. On this one side P1, the mounting position of the robot arm 2 on the stage 3 is a first horizontal position FP shown by the solid line in FIG. can do.

Further, when performing this picking, the transport control device 10 uses the transport source H1 of the transport target based on the monitoring information of the loading state of the transport target from the sensor unit 7a fixed to the support body 6b of the frame 6. The position of the object to be transported is determined. Then, the transport control device 10 adjusts the gripping position when the robot arm 2 picks the object to be transported. As described above, since the sensor section 7a is fixed to the support body 6b of the frame 6, even if the frame including the robot arm 2 is moved, the grasping position of the robot arm 2 can be adjusted to pick the object to be transported. I can do it. Note that the conveyance control device 10 may adjust the gripping position during picking using the imaging result of the camera 2c.

When the transfer control device 10 determines that the gripping section 2a has picked the object to be transferred based on the monitoring information from the sensor section 7a and the operation information from the robot arm control device 20, the transfer control device 10 moves the object from the transfer source H1 to the transfer destination H2. Determine the transport operation. That is, the transfer control device 10 creates commands to the first mechanism section 4, the second mechanism section 5, and the robot arm control device 20 based on the above-mentioned transfer source position information and transfer destination position information. Thereafter, the control section 11 transmits the created command to the first mechanism section 4, the second mechanism section 5, and the robot arm control device 20 through the communication section 12. As a result, the transport control device 10 controls the robot arm 2 and the stage 3 so that the object to be transported is transported from the transport source H1 to the transport destination H2. make it work.

When the transfer control device 10 causes the robot arm 2 to place the object to be transferred to the transfer destination H2, the mounting position of the robot arm 2 in the horizontal plane becomes a second horizontal position SP different from the first horizontal position FP. The first mechanism section 4 is controlled as follows. As a result, as shown by the dotted line in FIG. 4, the stage 3 pivots to move to the other side P2 in the pivot direction S around the first axis 3c. On this other side P2, the mounting position of the robot arm 2 on the stage 3 is a second horizontal position SP shown by the dotted line in FIG. can be placed.

In addition, when performing this placement, the transport control device 10 uses the transport destination H2 of the transport target based on the monitoring information of the loading state of the transport target from the sensor section 7b fixed to the support body 6c of the frame 6. The position of the object to be transported is determined. Then, the transfer control device 10 adjusts the gripping position when the robot arm 2 places the object to be transferred. As described above, since the sensor part 7b is fixed to the support body 6c of the frame 6, even if the frame including the robot arm 2 is moved, the grasping position of the robot arm 2 can be adjusted to place the object to be transported. I can do it. Note that the transport control device 10 may adjust the gripping position when placing the object using the imaging result of the camera 2c.

Through the above operations, the transport control device 10 can reliably pick the transport object at the first horizontal position FP and reliably place the transport target at the second horizontal position SP. As a result, in this embodiment, it becomes possible to transfer objects over long distances while maintaining the maximum reach distance and load capacity of the robot arm 2 itself, or to transfer objects over large areas. It can also be gripped and transported, and the work of transporting the object to be transported can be carried out reliably.

<Teaching the pick movement>
The transfer control device 10 of this embodiment is configured to be able to acquire the results of teaching to the robot arm 2 and construct a control procedure for performing a pick operation or a place operation. First, the teaching of the pick operation by the gripping section 2a of the robot arm 2 will be specifically explained.

The transport control device 10 controls the first mechanism section 4 so that the mounting position of the robot arm 2 in the horizontal plane is at the first horizontal position FP. Further, the transport control device 10 controls the second mechanism section 5 so that the position of the first mechanism section 4 in the vertical direction is the first vertical position. In addition, the transfer control device 10 transmits a command to the robot arm control device 20 to teach the movement of the robot arm 2, thereby performing a pick operation that causes the robot arm 2 to pick up the object to be transferred from the transfer source H1. Execute teaching.

In this teaching operation, when the robot arm control device 20 receives a command from the transfer control device 10, the robot arm control device 20 causes each of the plurality of joints of the robot arm 2 to move according to the user's operation. Allow. Then, by operating the robot arm 2, the user teaches the robot arm 2 to pick the object to be transported from the transport source H1.

As described above, in the transfer control device 10 of the present embodiment, the functions of the robot arm 2 and the robot arm control device 20 are used to teach the robot arm 2 a pick operation that causes the robot arm 2 to pick up the object to be transferred from the transfer source H1. be able to. As a result, the transfer control device 10 of this embodiment can easily construct a control procedure for the pick operation of the robot arm 2 without performing complicated programming. Furthermore, the transport control device 10 of this embodiment can flexibly respond to the content of the transport work of the object to be transported.

<Teaching place movements>
Next, teaching of a place operation using the gripping section 2a of the robot arm 2 will be specifically explained.

The transport control device 10 controls the first mechanism section 4 so that the mounting position of the robot arm 2 in the horizontal plane becomes the second horizontal position SP. Further, the transport control device 10 controls the second mechanism section 5 so that the position of the first mechanism section 4 in the vertical direction is at the second vertical position. In addition, the transfer control device 10 sends a command to the robot arm control device 20 to teach the movement of the robot arm 2, thereby causing the robot arm 2 to place the object to be transferred to the transfer destination H2. Execute teaching of movements.

In this teaching operation, when the robot arm control device 20 receives a command from the transfer control device 10, the robot arm control device 20 causes each of the plurality of joints of the robot arm 2 to move according to the user's operation. Allow. Then, by operating the robot arm 2, the user teaches the robot arm 2 how to place the object to be transported to the transport destination H2.

As described above, in the transfer control device 10 of the present embodiment, the functions of the robot arm 2 and the robot arm control device 20 are used to teach the robot arm 2 a placing operation that causes the transfer target object to be placed at the transfer destination H2. be able to. As a result, the transfer control device 10 of this embodiment can easily construct a control procedure for the placing operation of the robot arm 2 without performing complicated programming. Furthermore, the transport control device 10 of this embodiment can flexibly respond to the content of the transport work of the object to be transported.

<Other operation examples>
In the transport system 1 of this embodiment, the gripping part 2a of the robot arm 2 is placed on the support rod 6d and the robot arm 2 is fixed to the support rod 6d, so that the stage 3 is supported only by the robot arm 2. It is configured to be rotatable within the horizontal plane. In other words, the transfer control device 10 allows the first mechanism section 4 to freely operate, stops the operation of the second mechanism section 5, and fixes the position of the gripping section 2a through the intervention of the robot arm control device 20. , the stage 3 can be rotated within a horizontal plane.

Furthermore, in the transport system 1 of this embodiment, by fixing the robot arm 2 to the support rod 6d, the stage 3 can be moved up and down using only the motor (not shown) built into the robot arm 2. . Thereby, the installation of the motor included in the moving member 5a of the second mechanism section 5 and the control equipment for controlling the motor can be omitted, and the transport system 1 can be configured at low cost.

Furthermore, in the transport system 1 of the present embodiment, by inserting the robot arm 2 between the first shaft 3c and the first mechanism section 4, it is possible to create a configuration in which the robot arm 2 can be rotated only by the motor of the robot arm 2. can.

<Action, effect>
As described above, the transfer control device 10 of the present embodiment moves the stage 3 on which the robot arm 2 is mounted by controlling the first mechanism section 4, and moves the mounting position of the robot arm 2 within the horizontal plane. let Further, the transport control device 10 controls the transport of the object to be transported from the transport source H1 to the transport destination H2 by instructing the robot arm control device 20 to operate the robot arm 2. Thereby, the transport control device 10 of this embodiment can control the transport of the robot arm 2 itself from the transport source H1 to the transport destination H2 of the transport target.

That is, in the transfer control device 10 of the present embodiment, the movable range of the gripping portion 2a of the robot arm 2 is expanded to a range larger than the movable range of the robot arm 2 itself in accordance with the movable range of the stage 3. Robot arm 2 can be controlled. As a result, the transport control device 10 of the present embodiment can grip the center of a large-area transport object with the gripping section 2a of the robot arm 2 at both the transport source H1 and the transport destination H2. , it becomes possible to control the transport of the object to be transported. As a result, the transfer control device 10 of this embodiment can appropriately control the transfer system 1 having the robot arm 2 even when the robot arm 2 is configured compactly and inexpensively while maintaining the maximum reach distance and load capacity. be able to.

In the comparative example in which a gripping section is provided at the tip of the robot arm via an extension member, it is possible to grip the center of a large-area object to be transported using the gripping section. However, since the extension member is provided, the payload capacity (that is, load capacity) of the robot arm is reduced.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, as described above, the movable range of the gripping part 2a of the robot arm 2 is expanded, so that the center of the large-area object to be transported can be moved without providing an extension member like the comparative example. It can be gripped by the gripping part 2a of the robot arm 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, the robot arm 2 can be configured compactly and inexpensively while suppressing deterioration of the maximum reachable distance and load capacity of the robot arm 2.

Further, the transfer control device 10 of the present embodiment moves the stage 3 on which the robot arm 2 is mounted by controlling the first mechanism section 4 and the second mechanism section 5, and moves the stage 3 on which the robot arm 2 is mounted to the mounting position of the robot arm 2. are moved in the horizontal plane and in the vertical direction, respectively. Further, the transport control device 10 controls the transport of the object to be transported from the transport source H1 to the transport destination H2 by instructing the robot arm control device 20 to operate the robot arm 2. As a result, the transfer control device 10 of the present embodiment allows the robot arm 2 to It is possible to control the transport of the object to be transported from the transport source H1 to the transport destination H2.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the stage 3 is configured to be rotatable within the horizontal plane, so even if one of the transport source H1 and the transport destination H2 is set to the front side of the frame 6, the Transport work can be carried out easily. Furthermore, in the transport source H1 or transport destination H2 set on the front side of the frame 6, interference of the robot arm 2 with the frame 6 can be reduced on the front side. Therefore, in the present embodiment, for example, when the distance between the transport source H1 and the transport destination H2 is short, the transport control device 10 sets the transport source H1 and the transport destination H2 on the front side of the frame 6. , the transport work of the object to be transported can be carried out only by the operation of the robot arm 2.

Moreover, in this embodiment, sensor units 7a and 7b are further provided, which are fixed to the frame 6 and monitor the loading state of the objects to be transported at the transport source H1 and the transport destination H2 of the transport objects. In the present embodiment, the transfer control device 10 is based on the monitoring information of the loading state of the objects to be transferred received from the sensor units 7a and 7b and the operation information of the robot arm 2 received from the robot arm control device 20. Then, the transport of the object to be transported from the transport source H1 to the transport destination H2 is controlled. As described above, in this embodiment, since the sensor parts 7a and 7b are fixed to the frame 6, even if the frame 6 including the robot arm 2 is moved, the object to be transported by the robot arm 2 cannot be transported from the transport source H1. Transport to destination H2 can be performed reliably.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the robot arm 2 can be configured to be relatively lightweight and compact to carry out the transport work, so the transport system 1 for each frame 6 to which the sensor units 7a and 7b are attached can be easily moved. be able to. Therefore, in this embodiment, the transport system 1 can be easily constructed in a flexible manner depending on the content of the transport work.

<Modified example>
In this modification, instead of installing the rotating member 4a in the first mechanism part 4, a slider part for horizontally moving the stage 3 on which the robot arm 2 is mounted is provided in the first mechanism part 4 (not shown). In this modification, the stage 3 is moved by the slider section in the left-right direction parallel to the supports 6b and 6c. This modification also provides the same effects as the above embodiment, except for the effects caused by the stage 3 rotating.

[Example of implementation using software]
The functional blocks of the transport control device 10 (in particular, the control unit 11) may be realized by a logic circuit (hardware) formed in an integrated circuit (IC chip) or the like, or may be realized by software.

In the latter case, the control unit 11 includes a computer that executes instructions of a program that is software that implements each function. This computer includes, for example, one or more processors and a computer-readable recording medium that stores the above program. Then, in the computer, the processor reads the program from the recording medium and executes it, thereby achieving the object of the present disclosure.

As the processor, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) can be used. As the recording medium, a "non-temporary tangible medium" such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), a magnetic disk, a card, a semiconductor memory, a programmable logic circuit, etc. can be used. Further, the computer may further include a RAM (Random Access Memory) for expanding the above program.

Furthermore, the program may be supplied to the computer via any transmission medium (communication network, broadcast waves, etc.) that can transmit the program. Note that one aspect of the present invention can also be realized in the form of a data signal embedded in a carrier wave, in which the program is embodied by electronic transmission.

The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various changes can be made within the scope of the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining technical means disclosed in the embodiments. It is within the technical scope of this disclosure.

1 Transfer system 2 Robot arm 3 Stage 3c First axis 4 First mechanism section 5 Second mechanism section 51 Movable section 5a Moving member 5b Counter weight 6 Frame 7a, 7b Sensor section 10 Transfer control device 20 Robot arm control device H1 Transfer source H2 Destination FP 1st horizontal position SP 2nd horizontal position

Claims (8)

A robot arm that grasps the object to be transported;
a stage on which the robot arm is mounted;
The mounting position of the robot arm is moved within a horizontal plane by horizontally moving the stage on which the robot arm is mounted or by rotating it around a vertical first axis provided within the stage. a first mechanism section;
the stage on which the robot arm is mounted, and a frame that supports the first mechanism section;
a robot arm control device that controls the operation of the robot arm;
A conveyance control device that controls a conveyance system comprising:
By controlling the first mechanism unit and instructing the robot arm control device to operate the robot arm,
A transport control device that controls transport of the object to be transported from a transport source to a transport destination. A robot arm that grasps the object to be transported;
a stage on which the robot arm is mounted;
The mounting position of the robot arm is moved within a horizontal plane by horizontally moving the stage on which the robot arm is mounted or by rotating it around a vertical first axis provided within the stage. a first mechanism section;
a second mechanism section that moves the first mechanism section in a vertical direction together with the stage on which the robot arm is mounted;
a frame that supports the stage on which the robot arm is mounted, the first mechanism section, and the second mechanism section;
a robot arm control device that controls the operation of the robot arm;
A conveyance control device that controls a conveyance system comprising:
By controlling the first mechanism section and the second mechanism section, and instructing the robot arm control device to operate the robot arm,
A transport control device that controls transport of the object to be transported from a transport source to a transport destination. The transport control device includes:
controlling the first mechanical unit so that the mounting position of the robot arm in a horizontal plane is at the first horizontal position;
controlling the second mechanism unit so that the position of the first mechanism unit in the vertical direction is a first vertical position;
and,
By transmitting a command to the robot arm control device to execute teaching of the operation of the robot arm,
3. The transfer control device according to claim 2, wherein the transfer control device is capable of teaching an operation of causing the robot arm to pick up the object to be transferred from the transfer source. The transport control device includes:
controlling the first mechanical unit so that the mounting position of the robot arm in a horizontal plane is at the second horizontal position;
controlling the second mechanism unit so that the position of the first mechanism unit in the vertical direction is a second vertical position;
and,
By transmitting a command to the robot arm control device to execute teaching of the operation of the robot arm,
The transfer control device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the transfer control device is capable of teaching an operation of causing the robot arm to place the object to be transferred to the transfer destination. The second mechanism section includes a movable section that moves in the vertical direction together with the first mechanism section, a moving member for moving the movable section in the vertical direction, and a counterweight for the movable section. The conveyance control device according to any one of claims 2 to 4. The transport control device includes:
When the robot arm picks up the object to be transported from the transport source,
controlling the first mechanical unit so that the mounting position of the robot arm in a horizontal plane is a first horizontal position;
and,
the first mechanism so that the mounting position of the robot arm in a horizontal plane is a second horizontal position different from the first horizontal position when the robot arm places the object to be transported to the transport destination; The conveyance control device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which controls the conveyance control device. further comprising a sensor unit fixed to the frame that monitors the loading state of the objects to be transported at the source and destination of the objects to be transported,
The transport control device includes:
Based on the monitoring information of the loading state of the objects to be transported received from the sensor unit and the operation information of the robot arm received from the robot arm control device, the objects to be transported are moved from the transport source to the transport destination. The transport control device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which controls transport to. A transport control program for causing a computer to function as the transport control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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