JP5163299B2 - Robot controller - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a robot control apparatus for controlling a robot apparatus having a manipulator by manual operation, for example.

  Conventionally, a robot apparatus including a manipulator has been proposed, and a robot control apparatus including an operation apparatus having an input unit for controlling the operation of the manipulator of such a robot apparatus by manual operation has been proposed. .

  In the control of the robot apparatus by the robot control apparatus including such an operation apparatus, it is assumed that the operator enters the movable range of the robot apparatus and performs a manual operation. That is, as described in Patent Document 1, there has been proposed a human-symbiotic robot device in which an operator and a robot device work together. For example, in the case of transporting a heavy object, an operator can directly transport and position an object that is difficult to transport by conventional teaching / playback by directly operating the robot apparatus. When controlling such a robot apparatus, the operator enters the movable range of the robot apparatus.

  Such a robot control device generally includes an enable switch in addition to an input unit for manual operation in order to prevent the operation of the robot device by an operation unintended by the operator. The enable switch is, for example, a switch that allows the operation of the robot apparatus by another input device only when the operation element is pressed, and disables the operation of the robot apparatus when the operation element is not pressed. It is.

  In Non-Patent Document 1, when “manufacturing robot—safety requirement—part 1: robot” is used for manual operation by installing the operating device on the movable part of the robot apparatus, in addition to the input unit, A configuration is described in which an operating device having an emergency stop switch and a three-point enable switch is installed in the vicinity of a hand effector of a manipulator of the robot device and the robot device is directly operated.

  As such an enable switch, as described in Patent Document 2, there are three points: a non-operation position (initial position), an intermediate position (first pressing position), and a pushing position (second pressing position). It has been proposed to use a three-point switch that is operable. When such a three-point switch is used as an enable switch, the robot controller can operate the robot device only in a state where the operation member is at the intermediate position, and the operation device is pushed down to the pushing position. Alternatively, the robot apparatus is configured to be inoperable when the operation element is released.

Japanese Patent No. 3872387 JP 2003-323832 A JIS B 8433-1 (5.10.3 Hand Guide)

  By the way, in the operating device provided in the robot control device as described above, an input unit (button, lever, etc.) for operating the manipulator of the robot device and a hand effector attached to the hand of the manipulator are operated. It is necessary to provide both the input unit and the input unit.

  If these multiple input units are concentrated and arranged adjacent to each other, even if they are operated with one hand, operations that are not intended by the operator, such as accidentally operating adjacent input units, are performed. It may go. If such an operation unintended by the operator is performed, the operator is confused and the work efficiency is lowered.

  In addition, when an operation that is not intended by the operator is performed on the robot device having the operation device attached to the movable part, the operation device attached to the movable portion also moves against the operator's intention. The confusion will be greater. In such a so-called “human coexistence robot”, a robot that prevents the robot apparatus from coming into contact with surrounding structures by predicting the movement destination of the robot apparatus based on the operation of the operator has been proposed. However, such a proposal does not improve the operation efficiency of manual operation by preventing an operation not intended by the operator.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to perform an operation contrary to the operator's intention in a robot control device having an enable switch and a plurality of input units. An object of the present invention is to provide a robot control device that prevents the above and improves the operability of manual operation.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the above object, a robot control device according to the present invention has any one of the following configurations.

[Configuration 1]
The robot control apparatus according to the present invention is a robot control apparatus that controls the operation of the robot apparatus, and has an operation element, and this operation element is one of at least two points of an initial position and an operation position. A first input unit for operating the manipulator of the robot apparatus, a second input unit for operating the hand effector provided in the manipulator of the robot apparatus, and an operator of the enable switch at the operation position. A control means for enabling manual operation of the robot apparatus at a certain time, controlling a manipulator according to an operation on the first input unit, and controlling a hand effector according to an operation on the second input unit, an enable switch, very two of any of the first input and the second input unit, the distance the operator can not operate simultaneously with one hand, i.e., If at least one of the two is an operation rod that is operated by grasping with a hand, a distance of 100 mm or more that cannot be reached even if the finger is stretched with one of the fingers held in a normal posture, both of which are fingers In the case of the pushbuttons operated in step (2), the two buttons are separated by a distance of 250 mm or more that cannot be operated simultaneously by two fingers of one hand .

[Configuration 2]
In the robot control device having the configuration 1, the enable switch, the first input unit, and the second input unit are installed in a manipulator movable unit of the robot device.

In the robot control apparatus having a plurality of input units according to the present invention, the configuration 1 enables the operator to use one hand to take any two of the enable switch, the first input unit, and the second input unit. In the case where the distance between the two cannot be operated at the same time , i.e., at least one of the two is an operation rod that is operated by grasping with a hand, the distance of 100 mm or more is not reached even if the finger is extended with the one held in a normal posture. If the distance is a push button operated by both fingers, the distance between them is 250 mm or more that cannot be operated simultaneously by two fingers of one hand, so even if both hands are used, The enable switch, the first input unit, and the second input unit cannot be operated at the same time. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the manipulator from being operated during the operation of the hand effector and the hand effector from being operated during the operation of the manipulator, thereby improving the work efficiency.

  Moreover, in the multiple robot control apparatus according to the present invention, having the configuration 2, the enable switch, the first input unit, and the second input unit are moved by operating the manipulator during the operation of the hand effector. Therefore, the operator can concentrate on the operation of the hand effector, and the work efficiency can be improved.

  That is, the present invention relates to a robot control device having an operability of manual operation by preventing an operation contrary to the operator's intention in a robot control device having an enable switch and a plurality of input units. Can be provided.

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

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing the configuration of a robot apparatus equipped with the robot control apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  The robot apparatus controlled by the robot control apparatus according to the present invention has, for example, a manipulator 1 as shown in FIG. 1. By this manipulator 1, the object 101 can be gripped, transported, processed and applied to other members. Assembling is possible.

  The manipulator 1 includes a plurality of actuators (drive devices) and links (rigid bodies). That is, the links are connected via joints 2a, 2b, and 2c that can rotate (bend) or turn, and are relatively driven by actuators. Each actuator is controlled by the control means (computer) 3 which comprises a robot control apparatus.

  In the manipulator 1, the first link (link at the base end) 1 a is installed with the base end connected to the base 4 via the first joint 2 a. The proximal end side of the second link 1b is connected to the distal end side of the first link 1a via the second joint 2b. The proximal end side of the third link 1c is connected to the distal end side of the second link 1b via the third joint 2c.

  A tip effector 5 that grips and processes the object 101 is provided on the tip side of the third link 1c (hereinafter referred to as “hand”). The hand effector 5 is controlled by the control means 3.

  The robot control device according to the present invention includes a control unit 3 and an operation device 6 connected to the control unit 3.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the operating device in the first embodiment of the robot control device according to the present invention.

  In this embodiment, the operating device 6 is attached to a movable part (manipulator 1) of the robot device as shown in FIG. However, the operating device 6 may be installed and used at a position away from the robot device.

  The operating device 6 includes an enable switch 7 and an input device 8 for manually operating the robot device. The input device 8 includes, for example, a button, a lever, an operating rod, and the like, and includes a first input unit 8a for operating the manipulator 1 and a second input unit 8b for operating the hand effector 5. Consists of.

  The enable switch 7 has an operation element 10. The operating element 10 has an initial position (hereinafter referred to as a non-operation position) and a first pressing position (hereinafter referred to as an intermediate position) pressed from the initial position as indicated by an arrow A in FIG. The second pressing position (hereinafter referred to as the pressing position) pressed from the first pressing position is any one of three points. Note that the operating element 10 returns to the non-operating position when no external force is applied.

  And the control means 3 enables manual operation of the manipulator 1 of the robot apparatus when the operation element 10 of the enable switch 7 is at the intermediate position. This manual operation is performed by operating the input device 8.

  In the input device 8, the first input unit 8a and the second input unit 8b are separated so that they cannot be operated simultaneously with one hand. Further, both the first and second input sections 8a and 8b are separated from the enable switch 7 to the extent that they cannot be operated simultaneously with the enable switch 7 with one hand. The fact that they are separated to such an extent that they cannot be operated with one hand means that when any two of the first and second input portions 8a and 8b and the enable switch 7 are selected, at least one of the two is like an operating rod. If it is in the form of grasping and operating with a simple hand, it means that the distance that cannot be reached even if the finger is extended with one of the hands held in a normal posture, for example, about 100 mm or more. doing. In addition, if both of them are operated with fingers such as push buttons, the two cannot be operated simultaneously with two fingers of one hand, for example, about 250 mm or more apart. It means that

  When the operator is operating one of the first and second input units 8a and 8b and the enable switch 7 with one hand by being separated by a distance that cannot be operated simultaneously with one hand, the other It is necessary to use the other hand in order to operate any one of them simultaneously, and any one of the first and second input sections 8a and 8b and the enable switch 7 can be operated with only one hand (one hand). However, they cannot be operated at the same time.

  When the robot apparatus is manually operated by the robot control apparatus, the enable switch 7 must be operated. Therefore, the enable switch 7 is operated by one hand, and the first and second input sections 8a, Any one of 8b will be operated. Therefore, the first and second input units 8a and 8b are not operated simultaneously. That is, the manipulator 1 is not operated during the operation of the hand effector 5, and the hand effector 5 is not operated during the operation of the manipulator 1.

  The operator operates the first or second input unit 8a, 8b with the other hand while operating the enable switch 7 with one hand to place the operating element 10 in the intermediate position, thereby The device can be operated manually. The manipulator 1 can be operated by the first input unit 8a, and the hand effector 5 can be operated by the second input unit 8b to hold and release the object 101.

  When the operator releases the operation element 10 of the enable switch 7 and the operation element 10 moves to the non-operation position, or when the operator further pushes the operation element 10 and the operation element 10 moves to the pushing position. In this case, the robot apparatus cannot be manually operated. Further, for example, when the robot apparatus is in a state in which manual operation by the operation apparatus 6 is not accepted, such as during automatic driving, even if the operator presses the operation element 10 of the enable switch 7 and moves it to the intermediate position, the robot apparatus Manual operation is not possible.

[Other Embodiments]
In the robot control apparatus according to the present invention, the enable switch 7 is not limited to a three-point switch. That is, in this robot control device, a two-point switch in which the operation element is set to either the non-operation position (initial position) or the operation position (pressing position) may be used as the enable switch.

  In the robot control device according to the present invention, various types other than the operation lever can be adopted as the first input unit 8a of the input device 8, for example, in the form of a push button or a touch panel. There may be. Similarly, the second input unit 8b for operating the hand effector 5 can adopt a format other than a push button, and may be a format such as a changeover switch or a jog dial.

  Furthermore, in this robot control device, as the input device 8, the operation unit for the manipulator 1 and the operation unit for the hand effector 5 cannot be simultaneously operated with one hand on a touch panel having a sufficient area. You may make it install apart.

  In addition, when there are a plurality of hand effectors 5, a second input unit 8b can be added and installed. Even in this case, each of the plurality of second input units 8b is installed at a distance that cannot be operated simultaneously with one hand with respect to the enable switch 7 and the first operation unit 8a, so that the operator is adjacent to each other. It is possible to prevent an unintentional operation from being performed by touching the input unit, and work efficiency can be improved.

  When there are a plurality of movement directions of the manipulator 1 of the robot apparatus, a plurality of input units corresponding to each movement direction may be installed apart from each other. Also in this case, it is possible to prevent the operator from performing an unintended operation by touching the adjacent input unit, and work efficiency can be improved.

  Further, in this robot control device, the operation device 6 may be provided with an emergency stop switch for emergency stop of the robot device as defined in JIS B 8433-1. This emergency stop switch may be installed in close proximity so that it can be operated simultaneously with other input units.

  In the robot control device according to the present invention, the operation device 6 is not necessarily attached to the movable part of the robot device. That is, the operating device 6 may be connected to the control means 3 via a cable or the like and installed at a position separated from the robot device. In this case, the controller device 6 can be portable. Moreover, you may attach the operating device 6 to parts other than the movable part of a robot apparatus.

1 is a schematic side view showing a configuration of a robot apparatus equipped with a robot control apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the operating device in 1st Embodiment of the robot control apparatus which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Manipulator 1a 1st link 1b 2nd link 1c 3rd link 2a 1st joint 2b 2nd joint 2c 3rd joint 3 Control means 5 Hand effector 6 Operating device 7 Enable switch 8 Input device 8a 1st 1 input unit 8b second input unit 10 operator 101 object

Claims (2)

A robot control device for controlling the operation of the robot device,
An enable switch, which is one of at least two points of an initial position and an operation position;
A first input unit for operating the manipulator of the robot apparatus;
A second input unit for operating a hand effector provided in the manipulator of the robot apparatus;
When the operation switch of the enable switch is at the operation position, the robot device can be manually operated, and the manipulator is controlled in accordance with the operation on the first input unit, and the operation on the second input unit is performed. And a control means for controlling the hand effector according to
The distance that the operator cannot operate at the same time with one hand by taking any two of the enable switch, the first input unit, and the second input unit , that is, at least one of the two is operated by grasping with a hand. If it is an operating rod, hold it in a normal posture and reach a distance of 100 mm or more that cannot be reached even if the finger is stretched. Are separated by a distance of 250 mm or more that cannot be operated simultaneously with two fingers of one hand . The robot control device according to claim 1, wherein the enable switch, the first input unit, and the second input unit are installed in a manipulator movable unit of the robot device.

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