JP3113542B2 - Robot hand exchange device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hand exchanging device for automatically exchanging hands of a robot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an example of an apparatus for automatically exchanging a hand mounted on a robot arm, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Sho 59-166 discloses an apparatus.
486 and JP-A-4-189489. In other words, in any of the devices, an actuator for performing the attaching / detaching operation is provided in an attaching / detaching portion of the hand attached to the arm or the manipulator side. The user is detached or a hand is attached to the detachable part.

In such a hand exchanging device, if the actuator for attachment / detachment is accidentally driven while performing various operations with the hand attached, there is a danger of equipment damage due to dropping of the hand. is there. In order to solve this, the applicant first applied for a robot hand exchange device which can exchange hands only at a predetermined place (Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 5
-249332).

The previously filed Japanese Patent Application No. 5-249332
Since the clamp release means is provided in the hand attachment / detachment part, the mechanism of the hand attachment / detachment part becomes complicated, the weight of the hand becomes heavy, and the load applied to the support part of the hand becomes heavy, It may cause damage or breakage of the support. Further, the number of hands is very large even with one robot, since the hands are compatible with many work processes and various kinds of works (parts). Therefore, in the device described in Japanese Patent Application No. 5-249332, since the clamp release means is always added to one hand, the cost of the hand is high, and the price of the entire robot is also high.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a hand can be exchanged only at a predetermined place, which is described in Japanese Patent Application No. 5-249332, which has been filed earlier. Not only to provide a hand exchange device, but also to provide a hand of low quality by providing a clamp release means in the hand storage table, to reduce the weight of the hand, to reduce damage and breakage, and to provide a high quality hand. It is another object of the present invention to provide a low-cost hand exchanging device which does not have a clamp releasing means in a hand attaching / detaching portion.

[0006]

According to the hand exchanging device of the present invention, a hand which is detachably mounted on a hand holder supported at the tip of a robot arm and has a detachable portion for attaching and detaching the hand holder at one end, and a hand holder. Clamp means provided to fit in the detachable part of the hand and holding the hand with the hand holder, a hand storage table located beside the robot for storing a plurality of hands, and each hand storage area of the hand storage table Is provided for each, and engages with the clamping means,
A clamp release means for bringing the clamp means into an unclamped state, a power supply path provided on the hand holder, for supplying the power for the clamp release means to the first power relay path,
A first power relay path, which is provided for each hand storage location of the hand storage table, is coupled to the power supply path, and relays the power for the clamp release means to the clamp release means, and the hand holder is seated on the storage table. When the power supply path and the first power relay path are connected to each other, the power is transmitted to the clamp releasing means, and the clamp releasing means causes the clamp means to be in the unclamped state. Make it possible to attach and detach

Further, in the hand exchanging device of the present invention, a hand which is detachably mounted on a hand holder supported at the tip of the robot arm and has a detachable portion with the hand holder at one end, and a hand provided on the hand holder, Clamping means that fits in the detachable part of the hand and that holds the hand with the hand holder, a hand storage table that is located beside the robot and stores a plurality of hands, and is provided for each hand storage location of the hand storage table A clamp release means that engages with the clamp means to bring the clamp means into an unclamped state; a power supply path provided on the hand holder, for supplying power for the clamp release means to the second power relay path; A second power relay path, which is provided on the detachable portion, is coupled to the power supply path, and relays the power for the clamp release means to the third power relay path; And a third power relay path, which is provided for each of the storage locations, is coupled to the second power relay path, and relays the power for the clamp release means to the clamp release means, and the hand holder is attached to and detached from the storage table. When the power supply path, the second power relay path, and the third power relay path are connected to each other, power is transmitted to the clamp release means, and the clamp release means causes the clamp means to be in an unclamped state,
Make the hand detachable from the hand holder.

[0008]

When the hand arrives at the storage location of the hand storage table, the driving force is transmitted to the clamp release means via the power relay path, the clamp means releases the clamp of the hand, and the hand holder moves by moving the hand holder. Removal is performed.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example in which the robot hand exchanging device of the present invention is applied to a horizontal articulated robot 1, FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway front view showing the configuration of the hand exchanging device, and FIG. FIG. The hand exchange device includes a hand holder 2, a clamp means 3 provided on the hand holder 2, a hand 5 having an attaching / detaching portion 4, an air relay path (power relay path) 6 and a clamp release means 7 provided on a hand storage table, and a hand storage. A table 8 and an air transmission path (power transmission path) 9 provided in the hand storage table.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a hand shaft rotatably and vertically movable supported by the arm 10 of the robot 1. A joint 111 is fixed to the tip of the hand shaft.
Is key-joined. The hand holder 2 has a flange shape with the shaft 20 as the center.
The pair of clamping means 3 are held at the positions facing each other in a downward direction as shown in FIG. Reference numeral 21 denotes an air supply nozzle for supplying air to the hand attachment / detachment unit 4, which is slidably fitted in an axial hole 22 drilled in the hand holder 2 and has a small diameter portion 2.
11 protrudes from the lower surface of the hand holder 2. Reference numeral 212 denotes an air supply passage that penetrates the nozzle 21 in the axial direction. A compression coil spring 23 is fitted between a step portion provided in the middle of the supply passage and a plug 24 that covers an upper portion of the hole 22. Nozzle 21
Is always urged downward by the compression coil spring 23. The space formed by the upper surface of the nozzle 21 and the lower surface of the stopper 24 is opened on the side surface of the hand holder 2 by an air introduction path (not shown), and an air pipe from the robot arm is connected to the space. Therefore, when the nozzle 21 is connected to the air pressure source of the robot, the nozzle 21 is urged further downward by the air pressure in addition to the spring pressure of the compression coil spring, and blows out compressed air from the tip.

The pair of clamping means 3 is
Are fixed to a pair of stepped through holes drilled in the axial direction, respectively, but only one side thereof will be described because of the same structure. Reference numeral 31 denotes a sleeve fitted in the through hole, and an upper end portion is screwed to a stopper 30 closing an upper portion of the through hole so that a lower portion protrudes from a lower surface of the hand holder 2, and an inner diameter is reduced at a lower end. It has a flange-shaped step portion 311. Reference numeral 32 denotes a clamp pin which slides in the sleeve 31 in the axial direction. The clamp pin 32 has a stepped shape whose lower diameter corresponds to the inner diameter of the step portion 311 and whose upper diameter corresponds to the inner diameter of the sleeve 31. Project from the lower end of the sleeve. Also, the step 311
A plurality of tapered holes are drilled around the sleeve located immediately above, and a plurality of clamp balls 33 are fitted between the tapered holes and the clamp pins 32. Clamp ball 33
Is movable in the radial direction, a part of the outer diameter of the sleeve 31 is pushed out from the outer periphery of the sleeve 31 by the large diameter part of the clamp pin 32 (clamp state), and the small diameter part is retractable from the outer periphery of the sleeve 31 (unclamping). Status). 34
Is a compression coil spring that constantly urges the clamp pin 32 downward as shown in FIG. 2, and is inserted between the upper surface of the clamp pin 32 and the lower surface of the plug 30. By the downward biasing of the clamp pin, the plurality of clamp balls 33 are always kept in a clamped state.

Reference numeral 4 denotes an attachment / detachment portion for the hand 5, and the hand holder 2
And is detachably mounted on the lower surface of the hand holder 2 so that the axis of the hand shaft 11 coincides with the axis of the hand shaft 11. A small-diameter portion 211 is attached to the attachment / detachment portion 4 at a position facing the nozzle 21 of the hand holder 2.
A through hole 42 through which the outer diameter of the nozzle 21 can sufficiently penetrate, and inside the through hole, a lower end surface of the small diameter portion 211 of the nozzle 21;
The upper end surface of an air relay path 6 fixed to a hand storage table 8 described later is opposed.

The attachment / detachment portion 4 has a pair of fitting holes 41 at the position facing the pair of clamping means 3 of the hand holder 2 for receiving the distal end of the sleeve 31 of the clamping means, as shown in FIG. The mating hole 41 initially proceeds with an inner diameter 411 corresponding to the outer shape of the sleeve 31, and becomes an inner diameter 412 corresponding to the outer shape obtained by adding the protrusion amount of the clamp ball when the clamp ball 33 is held at the clamp position from the middle.
The boundary point of this step is that the lower surface of the hand holder 2 is
Is set so that the clamp ball 33 held by the sleeve is positioned exactly at the rising portion of the large diameter portion when it comes into contact with the upper surface of the sleeve. Then, from the middle of the inside diameter 412, the cylinder part 74 of the clamp releasing means 7 has an inside diameter 413 that can sufficiently penetrate and opens to the lower surface of the attaching / detaching part 4. The boundary between the step between the inner diameter 412 and the inner diameter 413 is
Is seated on the storage table 8, that is, when the insertion of the hand release part 4 of the clamp release means 7 into the fitting hole 41 is completed, the top of the cylinder part 74 of the clamp release means 7 is in a position where it does not interfere with the step. Is set. Although not shown, a power supply unit for the hand 5 is provided between the hand holder 2 and the attachment / detachment unit 4, and the power supply unit is connected together with the clamping operation.

The clamp releasing means 7 is fixed to the storage table 8 and is provided in a pair. The clamp releasing means 7 comprises a cylinder portion 74, a piston 71 and its piston rod 72, respectively.
When the is seated on the storage table 8, the tip of the piston rod 72 is set at a position facing the tip of the clamp pin 32.

The piston 71 is slidable up and down on the cylinder inner diameter 73, and the lower part of the cylinder inner diameter 73 is screwed to the outer circumference of the nozzle 75 as shown in FIG.

The nozzle 75 is fixed to the storage table 8. The nozzle 75 is provided with a through hole 741 serving as an air passage, and its lower opening is screwed to the air pipe joint 91 via the storage table 8.

Each air passage 741 is provided with a clamp release means 7.
Respectively communicate with a space 76 sandwiched between the piston 71 and the nozzle 75. Then, air is supplied from the nozzle 75 through an air transmission path 9 and an air pipe joint 91 described later, and the piston 71 moves up and down. Piston 7
1 is seated on the top of the nozzle 75 below the cylinder by the weight of the piston 71 when air is not supplied. From the position where the piston rod 72 is seated on the top of the nozzle (FIG. 2), the position shown in FIG. 5 when the sleeve 31 of the clamping means is inserted into the fitting hole 41 of the attaching / detaching portion (the clamp pin 3).
2 is pushed into the sleeve 31 to bring the clamp ball 33 into the unclamped state).

The hand storage table 8 has a base 100 on which the robot 1 is installed so as to be placed in the operation area of the hand shaft 11.
To accommodate a plurality of robot hands.
In the hand storage table 8, one block as shown in FIG. 3 corresponds to one hand. Blocks are added according to the number of accommodated hands, and a storage table is formed by assembling the blocks. Here, one block will be described. Hand storage stand 8
Has a cut-out portion 81 for accommodating the hand 5 in the top plate portion, and around the cut-out portion 81, the air relay path 6 and a pair of clamp releasing means 7 are fixed. The air relay path 6 and each of the clamp release means 7 are connected to the hand holder 2,
When the hand attachment / detachment unit 4 is seated at a regular position on the storage table 8, an initial operation is performed.

The air relay path 6 includes a nozzle 61,
The nozzle 61 is fixed to the storage table 8, uses an axial through hole 613 as an air passage, and has an air leakage prevention ring 612 mounted around an upper opening thereof. The lower opening is screwed to the air pipe joint 92 via the storage table 8. When the attachment / detachment unit 4 is seated on the storage table 8, the head of the nozzle 61 enters the through hole 42 of the attachment / detachment unit 4, and the air passage 613 of the air relay path 6 and the air passage 21 of the air supply nozzle 21.
2 will be connected. (FIG. 4) The air transmission path 9 includes an air pipe joint 92 screwed to the lower portion of the nozzle 61 of the air relay path 6 and a pipe joint 9 screwed to the nozzle 75 of the pair of clamp releasing means 7.
1 and a pair of air pipe joints 91, air pipe joints 92, and a pipe hose 93 connecting these are arranged on the hand storage table 8.

Reference numeral 12 shown in FIG. 1 denotes a control device of the robot 1, which controls the turning operation of each arm, the vertical movement of the hand shaft 11, the θ rotation operation about the vertical movement axis thereof, and the hand attaching / detaching operation.

The operation of this embodiment having such a configuration will be described. In FIG. 1, when the hand 5 completes a predetermined assembling operation or the like and performs the next operation with a different hand, the control device 12 drives each arm to drive the hand shaft 11.
Is moved to an empty storage place of the hand storage table 8. The hand shaft 11 is raised at the same time as the movement, and the θ rotation about the vertical movement axis is rotated by a predetermined angle in accordance with the position coordinates of the nozzle 61 of the storage place to be accommodated. When the hand shaft 11 arrives at the storage position of the hand storage table 8, the nozzle 61 is located immediately below the air supply nozzle 21 of the hand holder 2, and the clamp release means 7 is located immediately below the clamp pin 32 of the pair of clamp means 3. The piston rods 72 will be located respectively. In this state, the control device 12 lowers the hand shaft 11. (State in FIG. 2) When the detachable portion 4 is seated on the upper surface of the hand storage table 8, the control device 12 stops the lowering of the hand shaft 11 and connects the air introduction path (not shown) of the hand holder 2 to the air pressure source. Then, compressed air is supplied to a space formed by the upper surface of the nozzle 21 and the lower surface of the stopper 24. The compressed air passes through the air supply path 212, the air relay path 6, and the air transmission path 9 to each cylinder space 7.
Then, each piston 71 is pushed up. (State in FIG. 4) When the piston 71 is pushed up, the piston rod 72 pushes up the clamp pin 32, and the sleeve 3
Push it into one. When the clamp pin 32 is pushed up, the clamp ball 33 which has been clamped between the large diameter portion of the clamp pin 32 and the tapered hole of the sleeve 31 and clamps the attaching / detaching portion 4 is removed by the small diameter portion of the clamp pin. As a result, the lock is released and the unclamped state is maintained.

After the clamp ball 33 is held in the unclamped state, the control device 12 raises the hand shaft 11 and pulls out the distal end of the sleeve 31 of the clamp means from the fitting hole 41 of the attaching / detaching portion 4. At this time, since the air supply nozzle 21 is urged downward by the compression coil spring 23 and the compressed air, it descends along the hole 22 of the hand holder 2 and The compressed air continues to be sent to the air relay path 6. When the clamp ball 33 comes out of the attachment / detachment part 4, the control device 12 disconnects the connection between the air supply path 212 and the air pressure source, and returns the piston 71 of the clamp release means to the lower position. Thereafter, if the hand shaft 11 is further raised, the attaching / detaching portion 4 of the hand 5 is detached from the hand holder 2.

After the hand holder 2 becomes free, the control device 12 moves the hand shaft 11 to the place of the hand storage table 8 where the hand is stored in order to mount the hand required for the next assembly. Move. After moving directly above the hand to be mounted, the hand shaft 11 is lowered, and the operation proceeds in the reverse order of the above-described hand detachment to mount the hand. That is, the tip of the air supply nozzle 21 of the hand holder 2
First, when reaching the air relay path 6 of the storage table 8, the control device 1
2 connects the air supply path 212 and the air pressure source. Compressed air passes through the air relay path 6 and the air transmission path 9 to move the piston rod 72 of the clamp releasing means into the cylinder space 76.
Push up to the rising edge. In this state, as shown in FIG. 5, the distal ends of the sleeves 31 begin to enter the fitting holes 41, respectively. However, since the piston rod 72 is waiting at the rising end, the clamp pins 32 of the clamping means 3 are Is pushed back into the sleeve 31 by the lowering of the hand shaft 11.
Therefore, the clamp ball 33 is held in the unclamped state, and the sleeve 31 is inserted into the fitting hole 41 of the attaching / detaching portion 4.

After the clamping means 3 is inserted into the attaching / detaching portion 4 as shown in FIG. 4 against the compressed air and the lower surface of the hand holder 2 reaches the upper surface of the attaching / detaching portion 4, the control device 12
The connection between the air supply path and the air pressure source is disconnected, and the piston rod 72 of the clamp release means 7 is returned to the lower position. As a result, the clamp pin 32 is pushed down by the compression coil spring 34, and the clamp ball 33 is held between the tapered hole of the sleeve 31 and the large diameter portion of the clamp pin 32, and is held in a clamped state. For this reason, the clamp ball 33 protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve 31 abuts on the large inner diameter portion 412 of the fitting hole 41, so that the sleeve 31 cannot come out of the attaching / detaching portion 4, and the attaching / detaching portion 4 is attached to the hand holder 2. Will be. After the mounting is completed, the control device 12 raises the hunt shaft 11 to execute the assembling work using a new hand.

A series of hand exchange operations has been described above.
By the way, only the hands necessary for the work in progress are arranged on the storage table, and the hands unnecessary for the work are stored in another storage place. That is, with the work change,
The group of hands required for the process is taken out of the storage place and set on a storage table. Therefore, the storage table is used in common even when the work process is changed, and only the hand is replaced according to the work.

According to the present invention, a hand that requires a large number according to the work type does not have the clamp releasing means as in the prior application (Japanese Patent Application No. 5-249332), and the clamp release means is changed to a different work type. Are also provided on a commonly used storage table, so that a low-cost hand storage device can be provided.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that an air relay path 96 is provided in the hand attachment / detachment section 4, and the other structure is the same as the first embodiment. Therefore, the clamp means 3 and the clamp release means 7 are the same as in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

The air relay path 96 is connected to the detachable portion 3 of the hand.
A counterbore process corresponding to the outer diameter of the small-diameter portion 211 is performed at a position facing the nozzle 21 of the hand holder 2, and an axial through hole is formed at the center thereof. The lower end of the air relay path 96 is connected to a recess 95 into which a head of a nozzle 94 attached to the hand storage table 8 described later enters, and is opened on the lower surface of the hand attaching / detaching section 4.

The nozzle 94 is fixed to the storage table 8 in accordance with the recess 95 of the attachment / detachment section 4, uses an axial through hole 941 as an air passage, and mounts an air leakage prevention ring 942 around the upper opening. Is done. The lower opening is via a storage table 8,
It is screwed to the air pipe joint 92.

The operation of the second embodiment having such a configuration will be described, but the description of the common parts with the first embodiment will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the hand shaft 11 arrives at the storage position of the hand storage table 8, the recess 95
When the nozzle 94 is positioned directly below the hand storage unit 8 and the attachment / detachment unit 4 is seated on the upper surface of the hand storage table 8, the control device 12
Is stopped, the air introduction path (not shown) of the hand holder 2 is connected to the air pressure source, and compressed air is supplied to the space formed by the upper surface of the nozzle 21 and the lower surface of the splicer 24. The compressed air is supplied to the air supply path 212, the air relay path 96, the nozzle 9
4 through the air passage 941 and the air transmission path 9 to reach the cylinders of the clamp release means 7 and push up the pistons 71.

Next, the clamp pin 32 is pushed up by the clamp releasing means to be in the unclamped state, and the detachable portion 4 of the hand 5 is detached from the hand holder 2. The operation from the release of the clamp to the detachment of the attachment / detachment portion of the hand 5 is the same as that of the first embodiment, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

After the hand 5 is detached, the control device 12
In order to mount a hand required for the next assembly, the hand 11 is moved to the mounting place of the hand storage table 8 where the hand is stored. After moving directly above the hand to be mounted, the hand shaft 11 is lowered, and as shown in FIG.
When the tip of the air supply nozzle 21 first reaches the air relay path 96 of the attachment / detachment section 4, the control device 12 connects the air supply path 212 to the air pressure source. The compressed air pushes up the piston rod 72 of the clamp releasing means 7 to the rising end of the cylinder space 76 via the air relay path 96 and the air transmission path 9.

The following hand holder 2 and hand attaching / detaching portion 4
The mounting operation of is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

In the above embodiment, the pneumatic drive method is used for releasing the clamp, and the power relay path and the power transmission path are air paths. However, the electromagnetic drive method is adopted, and the power relay path and the power transmission path are used. And as an electrical path to the clamp release means,
Applicable.

Further, in the present invention, the hand holder is mounted on the arm of the horizontal articulated robot, but it may be mounted on a rectangular coordinate robot or an articulated robot.

[0037]

According to the present invention, there is no danger of accidentally dropping the hand during operation or checking while the hand is mounted, and the risk of damage to handling parts and equipment, thereby improving safety. Needless to say, since the hand storage table is provided with a clamp release means, the weight of the hand is light, and the load on the hand support is small,
Damage or damage to the hand support is reduced, and a high quality robot hand can be provided.

Further, since the hand does not have the clamp releasing means in the attachment / detachment portion, the unit price of the hand is very low, and even if a large number of hands are required according to the type of work, the hand can be inexpensive.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing one embodiment of a robot using a hand exchange device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially broken front view showing the configuration of the first embodiment of the hand exchange device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway front view showing the configuration.

FIG. 4 is a partially broken front view similarly illustrating an operation state.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway front view illustrating the operation state.

FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway front view showing the configuration of a second embodiment of the hand exchange device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a partially cutaway front view illustrating the operation state.

FIG. 8 is a partially cutaway front view illustrating the operation state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Robot 10 Robot arm 2 Hand holder 5 Hand 4 Hand attachment / detachment part 3 Clamp means 8 Hand storage stand 7 Clamp release means 212 Air supply path (power supply path) 6 Air relay path (first power relay path) 96 Air relay Road (second power relay path) 941 Air passage (third power relay path)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An exchange device for a robot hand, comprising: a hand removably mounted on a hand holder supported at a tip of a robot arm, and having a detachable portion for attaching and detaching the hand holder at one end; A clamping means that fits in the hand attachment / detachment part and holds the hand with the hand holder; a hand storage table located beside the robot and stores a plurality of the hands; and each hand storage area of the hand storage table A clamp releasing means which is provided for each of the clamp means and engages the clamp means to bring the clamp means into an unclamped state; and a power for the clamp release means which is provided on the hand holder and is supplied to the first power relay path. A power supply path, provided for each hand storage location of the hand storage table, coupled to the power supply path, and disengaged the power for the clamp release means. A first power relay path for relaying the power supply path to the power supply path and the first power relay path when the hand holder is fitted to an attaching / detaching portion seated on the storage table; A hand exchanging device, wherein power is transmitted to the means, and the clamping means is set to the unclamped state by the clamp releasing means, so that the hand can be detached from the hand holder. 2. An exchange device for a robot hand, comprising: a hand removably mounted on a hand holder supported on the tip of a robot arm, and having a detachable portion for attaching and detaching the hand holder at one end; A clamping means that fits in the hand attachment / detachment part and holds the hand with the hand holder; a hand storage table located beside the robot and stores a plurality of the hands; and each hand storage area of the hand storage table A clamp releasing means which is provided for each of the clamp means and engages with the clamp means to bring the clamp means into an unclamped state; and a power for the clamp release means which is provided on the hand holder and is supplied to the second power relay path. A power supply path, a power supply path provided on an attachment / detachment portion of the hand, coupled to the power supply path, and relaying power for the clamp release means to a third power relay path. And a third power relay path provided at each hand storage location of the hand storage table, coupled to the second power relay path, and relaying the power for the clamp release means to the clamp release means. The power supply path and the second power relay path, and the second relay path and the third power relay path are coupled when the hand holder is fitted to the detachable portion seated on the storage table. Power is transmitted to the clamp release means, and the clamp release means causes the clamp means to be in an unclamped state so that the hand can be detached from the hand holder.