JP5341575B2 - Manipulator device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make operation easy by enabling an operator to exactly recognize a position of an arm unit of a manipulator device. <P>SOLUTION: The manipulator device includes: an operation unit having the arm unit having a hand coupled with the other end of an arm to be turnable around a turning shaft on a hand side as the rotating center, an operation part operated by a hand of a user, a coupling part for allowing the operation part to be coupled with the arm to be turnable around a turning shaft on an operation side as the rotating center arranged in the same direction as that of the turning shaft on the hand side and a force detection sensor interposed between the operation part and the coupling part and detecting a rotating force acting around the turning shaft on the operation side; a drive device for turning the hand corresponding to the size of the rotating force detected by the force detection sensor; and an interlocking mechanism for transmitting a drive force applied to the hand part by the drive device to the operation part and turning the operation part corresponding to the turning angle of the hand. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a manipulator device that is driven by manual operation of an operator (user) and performs processing on an object.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, manipulators have been developed for manually maneuvering to lift or move an object to be transported for transporting heavy objects or working at high places where humans cannot reach. Such a conventional manipulator includes a hand that can be opened and closed to hold an object, and an arm that has various joints that support the hand at one end and allow the hand to move freely. It is possible to operate the position of the hand and the opening / closing operation by human manual control.

  As an example of such a conventional manipulator device, for example, Patent Document 1 proposes a manipulator that can carry a heavy object by a human operation.

  The manipulator device described in Patent Document 1 is positioned in a state where an operator stands between the left and right arms, and operates the joysticks provided on the respective arms with the left and right hands, respectively, to steer the arms. Specifically, when the joystick is tilted with respect to the origin, the arm moves according to the tilt direction of the joystick.

  In addition to the joystick disclosed in Patent Document 1, various types of man-machine interfaces for arm operation in conventional manipulator devices have been proposed. For example, a hand-operated actuator type disclosed in Patent Document 2 and a torque sensor disclosed in Patent Document 3 are proposed.

  The handheld operating device disclosed in Patent Document 2 employs an operation method in which the operating device is held with both hands and many operations are performed with the thumb.

  In addition, in the operating device using the torque sensor disclosed in Patent Document 3, the object to be transported is held by the robot hand and the operator, and when the human applies force to the object, the sensor becomes the object. An operation method is adopted in which the robot hand moves by detecting the direction of movement.

JP-A-9-234684 JP-A-2005-342891 JP 2008-213119 A

  However, when the joystick is used as the man-machine interface of the manipulator device as in Patent Document 1, the operation is performed by tilting the joystick in a specific direction for the movement of the arm. That is, the operator cannot clearly recognize where the current arm position is, except by visually confirming the arm position. In other words, when performing an operation to extend the arm, the maneuvering is performed by the unique operation of tilting the joystick forward regardless of whether the arm is extended forward or the arm is contracted. Will be done. Therefore, the position of the maneuvering arm, for example, whether the arm has reached the target position, the operator determines the position of the hand visually, and tilts the joystick at an arbitrary position. The motion of returning the arm and stopping the movement of the arm is performed.

  Further, depending on the use of the manipulator device, for the safety of the operator, a protective wall may be provided in front of the operator, and only the arm portion may be extended to the back side of the protective wall. In this case, there is a problem that it is difficult for the operator to visually recognize the position of the arm because the hand cannot be visually observed by the protective wall.

  Therefore, when operating the manipulator device with a joystick, there is a problem that the operator cannot accurately recognize the position of the arm and the operation becomes complicated.

  Even in the operation device of Patent Document 2, a specific arm position can be confirmed directly by visual observation, or a manipulator device can be configured so that the arm position can be detected and a detection result is displayed on the operation device. The method of recognizing the position of the arm is adopted. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult for the operator to accurately recognize the position of the arm of the manipulator device.

  Also in the operation device of Patent Document 3, the robot hand moves according to the position of the result of the operator moving the object. Therefore, the operator can recognize the position of the hand as his own movement. Therefore, it is difficult to cope with various work such as work at a high place.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve these problems, and the operator (user) can accurately recognize the position of the hand of the manipulator device or the position of the arm unit, and the operation can be easily performed. An object of the present invention is to provide a manipulator device that can be used.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is configured as follows.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a base portion;
An arm portion whose one end is supported by the base portion, and a hand portion that is connected to the other end of the arm portion so as to be pivotable about a hand-side turning motion axis arranged in a direction from the base end toward the tip end. An arm unit comprising,
A turning motion drive device for turning the hand portion around the hand side turning motion axis;
The operation unit that can be operated by the user's hand and the operation unit can be turned around the operation side turning operation axis that is different from the hand side turning operation axis and arranged in the same direction as the hand side turning operation axis. An operation unit comprising: a connection portion connected to the arm portion; and a force detection sensor that is disposed between the operation portion and the connection portion and detects a rotational force acting around the operation-side turning operation axis;
A control device for controlling the turning motion driving device to turn the hand unit at a turning angle corresponding to the magnitude of the rotational force around the operation side turning motion axis detected by the force detection sensor;
Rotation drive force applied to the hand unit by the swivel operation drive device is transmitted to the operation unit and operated around the operation side swivel operation axis according to the rotation angle of the hand unit around the hand side swivel operation axis. Provided is a manipulator device including a turning motion interlocking mechanism for turning a part.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a base portion;
An arm portion whose one end is supported by the base portion, and a hand portion that is connected to the other end of the arm portion so as to be rotatable about a hand-side inclined operation axis that intersects the extending direction of the arm portion. An arm unit having
A tilt motion drive device that rotates the hand portion around the hand tilt motion axis and tilts the hand portion relative to the arm; and
The operation unit that is operated by the user's hand and the axis that is different from the hand side tilting operation axis and that rotates around the operation side tilting operation axis that is arranged in the same direction as the hand side tilting operation axis. An operating unit comprising: a connecting portion that is connected to the arm portion as possible; and a force detection sensor that is disposed between the operating portion and the connecting portion and that detects a rotational force acting around the operation-side inclined operation axis. ,
A control device for controlling the tilt motion drive device to rotate the hand portion at a rotation angle corresponding to the magnitude of the rotational force around the operation-side tilt motion axis detected by the force detection sensor;
Rotation driving force applied to the hand part by the tilting motion drive device is transmitted to the operation part, and it is operated around the operating side tilting operation axis according to the rotation angle of the hand part around the hand side tilting operation axis. Provided is a manipulator device provided with a tilting motion interlocking mechanism for rotating the part.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the hand portion is arranged in a direction from the proximal end to the distal end, and can be turned on the arm portion so as to be able to turn around the hand side turning operation axis orthogonal to the hand side inclination operation axis. Concatenated,
In the operation unit, the connecting portion is an axis that is different from the hand side turning motion axis and is rotatable about the operation side turning motion axis arranged in the same direction as the hand side turning motion axis. And the force detection sensor can further detect a rotational force acting around the operation side turning motion axis,
A turning motion drive device for turning the hand portion around the hand side turning motion axis is provided.
The control device controls the turning motion driving device to rotate the hand unit at a turning angle corresponding to the magnitude of the rotational force around the operation side turning motion axis detected by the force detection sensor,
Further, the rotational driving force applied to the hand part by the turning operation driving device is transmitted to the operation part, and the operation side turning operation axis is rotated according to the turning angle of the hand part around the hand side turning operation axis. A manipulator device according to the second aspect is provided, which is provided with a turning motion interlocking mechanism that rotates the operation unit.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the operation unit is a grip-like handle that is arranged with the operation-side inclined operation shaft as its axis and is gripped by the user's hand. The manipulator device according to the third aspect is provided in which the intersection position with the pivoting movement axis is arranged in a gripping region by a user on the handle.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the hand portion can be opened and closed,
An opening / closing operation driving device for driving the opening / closing operation of the hand unit;
The operation unit further includes a trigger unit that is operated by a user's finger, and a trigger detection sensor that detects an operation amount of the trigger unit,
The control device controls the opening / closing operation driving device to drive the hand unit to open / close according to the operation amount of the trigger unit detected by the trigger detection sensor,
A manipulator device according to the third or fourth aspect is provided, which includes a trigger interlocking mechanism that operates a trigger part of an operation unit in conjunction with an opening / closing operation amount of a hand part.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the arm portion can be moved back and forth along the extending direction of the upper arm portion via the linear motion joint and the upper arm portion supported to be swingable in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. A forearm part connected to the upper arm part and a hand part connected to the tip thereof,
A vertical swing drive device for driving the vertical swing of the upper arm,
A horizontal swing drive device for driving the horizontal swing of the upper arm,
A forward / backward movement drive device for driving forward / backward movement of the forearm portion by the linear motion joint,
In the operation unit,
The operation part is connected to the forearm part by a connecting part with a force detection sensor interposed therebetween,
The force detection sensor is orthogonal to the first axis arranged in the same direction as the hand side turning operation axis, the second axis arranged in the same direction as the hand side tilting operation axis, and the first axis and the second axis. The force acting on the operation unit can be detected in the direction of the three axes with the third axis,
The control device controls the forward / backward movement drive device, performs the forward / backward movement of the forearm portion with an operation amount corresponding to the force along the first axis detected by the force sensor, controls the horizontal swing drive device, The upper arm is swung horizontally by an amount of movement corresponding to the force along the second axis detected by the force sensor, and the vertical swing drive device is controlled to move along the third axis detected by the force sensor. The manipulator device according to any one of the third to fifth aspects is provided that swings the upper arm portion in the vertical direction by an operation amount corresponding to a force.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the tilting motion interlocking mechanism is
A hand side tilt operation pulley coupled to the hand side tilt operation axis of the hand unit and interlocking with the rotation of the hand unit around the hand side tilt operation axis;
An operation-side inclined operation pulley connected to the operation-side inclined operation shaft at the connecting portion of the operation unit;
A manipulator device according to any one of the second to sixth aspects, comprising a hand-side tilt operation pulley and a tilt-motion interlocking belt wound around the operation-side tilt operation pulley.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the manipulator device according to the seventh aspect, wherein the inclined motion interlocking belt is a metal wire.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the turning motion interlocking mechanism is
A hand side swivel operation pulley coupled to the hand side swivel operation axis of the hand unit and interlocking with the swivel of the hand part around the hand side swivel operation axis;
An operation-side turning motion pulley connected to the operation-side turning motion shaft at the connecting portion of the operation unit;
A manipulator device according to any one of the second to seventh aspects, comprising a hand side turning motion pulley and a turning motion interlocking belt wound around the operation side turning motion pulley.

  According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the manipulator device according to the ninth aspect, wherein the turning motion interlocking belt is a metal wire.

  According to the present invention, an arm unit having a hand portion connected to an arm portion so as to be turnable around a hand side turning motion axis arranged in a direction from the base end to the tip end, and operated by a user's hand Between the operating portion and the connecting portion, and a connecting portion that connects the operating portion to the arm portion so that the operating portion can be turned around the operating side turning motion axis arranged in the same direction as the hand side turning motion axis. Provided with an operation unit having a force detection sensor for detecting a rotational force acting around the operation side turning motion axis, and the movement of the hand in the operation of the user, The operation of the hand unit by the operation can be made more similar to the operation. Specifically, when the user performs an operation (operation) to apply a rotational force to the operation unit around the operation side turning motion axis, the rotational force is detected by the force detection sensor, The turning device is controlled by the control device, and the hand unit can be turned at a turning angle corresponding to the magnitude of the detected rotational force. Therefore, the user can recognize the turning amount and position of the hand unit based on the degree of movement of his / her hand in the operation (that is, turning of the hand).

  Further, since the turning motion interlocking mechanism is provided, the rotational driving force applied to the hand portion by the turning motion driving device is transmitted to the operation portion, and the rotation of the hand portion around the hand side turning motion axis is performed. The operation unit can be turned around the operation-side turning rotation axis according to the moving angle. That is, the turning operation of the hand unit by the turning operation driving device and the turning operation of the operation unit can be linked. In particular, such interlocking does not provide a drive device for turning the operation unit separately from the turning operation drive device, but uses the driving force of the turning operation drive device to turn the operation unit. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the time lag in interlocking, and high interlocking can be realized. Therefore, the user can recognize the turning position of the hand unit by recognizing the turning position of the operation unit.

  In addition to the swivel operation of the hand portion around the hand-side swivel operation axis, for example, the operation of such a hand unit has, for example, a hand-side tilt motion axis that intersects the extending direction of the arm portion as a rotation center. The present invention can also be applied to the tilting operation of the hand unit.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  1A and 1B are views showing a configuration of a manipulator device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a side view and FIG. 1B is a plan view. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the manipulator device 1 includes an operator (user) OP that includes left and right arm units 3r respectively provided on a base (base portion) 2 disposed along the back of the manipulator OP. The left and right arm units 3r and 3l are respectively operated by the left and right arms of the operator OP. The left and right arm units 3r and 3l are given subscripts r and l when distinguishing left and right, and are distinguished from each other, and when there is no need to distinguish left and right, no subscript is added. Is simply referred to as arm unit 3.

  The operator OP may sit on the saddle 4 provided in the base 2 or may be in a standing position when the manipulator device 1 is operated. Specifically, the steering posture may be determined according to his / her height and the like so that both shoulders of the operator OP are generally positioned at the joint portions of the base 2 and the left and right arm units 3r and 3l. .

  Hereinafter, in order to clearly show the configuration of the manipulator device 1 according to the present embodiment, description of the configuration will be made using the XYZ coordinate axis system shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B. As shown in FIG. 1A, the X-axis is an axis extending in the horizontal direction and in the front-rear direction of the operator OP, and the forward direction of the operator OP is a positive direction. As shown in FIG. 1B, the Y-axis is an axis extending in the horizontal direction and in the left-right direction of the operator OP, and the right direction of the operator OP is the positive direction. The Z-axis is an axis extending in the vertical direction, and the upward direction is the positive direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the base 2 includes a stand portion 16 provided substantially parallel to the Z axis and a main body portion 17 provided at the upper end of the stand portion 16. The stand unit 16 is disposed along the back surface of the operator OP, and a saddle 4 is provided as necessary. The main body portion 17 extends substantially in the Y-axis direction and is provided so as to be positioned on the back surfaces of the left and right shoulder ribs of the operator OP.

  The left and right ends of the main body portion 17 are provided with protruding portions so as to protrude to the front of the operator OP. A shoulder rotary joint 18 for connecting the main body 17 and the shoulders 11 of the left and right arm units 3r and 3l is provided at the tip of the overhanging portion. The shoulder rotation joint 18 is connected to the main body portion 17 so that the shoulder 11 can be rotated about the Z axis, and the arm units 3r and 3l can be rotated on the XY plane by the shoulder rotation joint 18 (that is, horizontally swinging). Moveable).

  The body portion 17 is provided with shoulder actuators (horizontal rocking drive devices) 5 for rotating the shoulder portions 11 of the arm units 3r and 3l around the Z axis (for the right arm unit 3r). Only shown). The shoulder actuator 5 is a linear motion actuator that includes a main body 19 and a piston 20 that can move forward and backward with respect to the main body 19. The piston 20 can be moved forward and backward with respect to the main body 19 by, for example, a ball screw (not shown) built in the main body 19. The main body 19 of the shoulder actuator 5 is connected to the main body 17 side, and the piston 20 is connected to the crank 21 of the shoulder 11. As the piston 20 of the shoulder actuator 5 expands and contracts in the Y-axis direction, the crank 21 of the shoulder 11 moves in the Y-axis direction, and the shoulder 11 is driven to swing horizontally around the shoulder rotary joint 18. .

  The left and right arm units 3r and 3l attached to the main body part 17 include a shoulder part 11, an upper arm part 12, a forearm part 13, and a hand part 14, respectively. The upper arm portions 12 of the arm units 3r and 3l are connected to the shoulder portion 11 via an upper arm joint 22 that is a rotary joint so as to be rotatable (that is, swingable in the vertical direction). The forearm portion 13 is connected to the upper arm portion 12 via a forearm joint 23 that is a linear motion joint so as to be movable forward and backward in the longitudinal direction (extending direction). A hand portion 14 is provided at the tip of the forearm portion 13.

  An operation unit 15 is provided at the rear end of the forearm portion 13 of the arm units 3r and 3l. The operation unit 15 operates the arm units 3r and 3l by detecting the applied force by the operator OP holding the hand H and applying the force.

  The shoulder portion 11 is a member that is long in the Z-axis direction, and symmetrical ones are provided at both ends of the protruding portion of the main body portion 17 of the base 2. As described above, the shoulder portion 11 is connected to the main body portion 17 of the base 2 via the shoulder rotary joint 18 so as to be rotatable about the Z axis, and the arm units 3r and 3l can be moved horizontally with respect to the base 2. To do. Further, as shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 2 showing the configuration of the upper arm portion 12, the shoulder portion 11 is provided with a shaft connecting portion 25 for connecting an upper arm shaft 24 provided so as to intersect the upper arm portion 12. ing. As will be described later, the upper arm shaft 24 is connected to the forearm joint 23 of the upper arm 12 and adjusts the inclination angle of the forearm 13 with respect to the upper arm 12.

  The upper arm 12 is moved up and down (in the vertical direction) about the Y axis with respect to the shoulder 11 by the upper arm actuator (vertical swing driving device) 6 provided on the shoulder 11 around the upper arm joint 22 as described above. Swing). Further, since the shoulder portion 11 is configured to rotate about the Z-axis, the arm units 3r and 3l are moved vertically and horizontally with respect to the base member 2 by the rotation of the shoulder portion 11 and the upper arm portion 12. It can be moved in the (horizontal) direction.

  The upper arm actuator 6 is a direct acting actuator including a main body 27 and a cylinder 26 configured to be movable back and forth with respect to the main body 27. The cylinder 26 can be moved forward and backward with respect to the main body 27 by, for example, a ball screw (not shown) provided in the main body 27. The tip 26a of the cylinder 26 of the upper arm actuator 6 is pivotally supported by the upper arm 12, and when the cylinder 26 extends, the upper arm 12 moves upward (in the Z-axis direction), and when the cylinder 26 contracts, the upper arm 12 Is moved downward (Z-axis direction).

  The upper arm portion 12 includes a forearm joint 23 which is a linear motion joint that moves along the longitudinal direction thereof. The forearm joint 23 functions as a slider 36 of a forearm actuator (advancing / retracting drive device) 7 (see FIG. 3A) provided in the forearm portion 13. The forearm joint 23 is configured to be rotatable about a rotation center 29 with respect to a rotation part 28 provided at the tip of the upper arm part 12. Further, the forearm crank part 30 connected to the forearm joint 23 is connected to the upper arm shaft 24, and the inclination angle of the forearm crank part 30 is determined by the upper arm shaft 24.

  Both ends of the upper arm shaft 24 are connected to a shaft connecting portion 25 provided below the upper arm joint 22 of the shoulder portion 11 and a forearm crank portion 30 provided above the upper arm portion 12. Yes. The upper arm portion 12 is provided with a through hole 31 (see FIG. 1B) for allowing the upper arm shaft 24 to pass through. The upper arm shaft 24 passes through the through hole 31 so that the upper arm portion 12 and the upper arm shaft 24 are mutually connected. Arranged to intersect.

  With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 1A, when the upper arm 12 is raised, the forearm crank portion 30 is inclined in the direction indicated by the arrow 91 in FIG. It inclines upwards. On the other hand, when the upper arm portion is lowered, the forearm crank portion 30 is inclined in the direction indicated by the arrow 92 in FIG. 2, and the forearm portion 13 is inclined downward with respect to the upper arm portion 12. By configuring the upper arm shaft 24 and the forearm joint 23 in this manner, when the upper arm portion 12 is raised, the forearm portion 13 is inclined upward and the hand portion 14 can easily reach a higher position. When the upper arm portion 12 is lowered, the forearm portion 13 is inclined downward to allow the hand portion 14 to reach a lower position. Therefore, the reach of the hand unit 14 at the high place and the low place is widened, and a wide work area can be secured.

  As shown in the side view of the forearm portion 13 in FIG. 3A and the plan view of the forearm portion 13 in FIG. 3B, the forearm portion 13 is a hand portion at the tip of a rod-shaped main body 32 disposed substantially parallel to the upper arm portion 12. The mounting part 33 for arrange | positioning 14 so that rotation is possible is provided. An operation fixing portion 34 for attaching the operation unit 15 is provided at the rear end of the main body 32.

  A forearm actuator 7 is provided below the main body 32. The forearm actuator 7 is a linear motion actuator including a ball screw 35 and a slider 36. As described above, the slider 36 of the forearm actuator 7 includes the forearm joint 23 of the upper arm portion 12. When the motor 37 for driving the ball screw 35 of the forearm actuator 7 is driven, the ball screw 35 rotates via the pulley 38 and the position of the slider 36 relative to the ball screw 35 moves. As a result, the forearm 13 connected to the slider 36 moves relative to the upper arm 12 so as to be able to advance and retreat. For example, when the slider 36 (the forearm joint 23) is located at a position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 3A, the forearm portion 13 has many portions overlapping the upper arm portion 12, and the forearm portion 13 is in a contracted state. On the other hand, when the slider 36 (the forearm joint 23) is located at the position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 3A, the forearm 13 is in an extended state with respect to the upper arm 12. As shown in FIG. 3A, since the forearm actuator 7 is exposed in the forearm portion 13, an actuator cover 39 is provided to prevent the operator from accidentally contacting the forearm actuator 7.

  The operation fixing portion 34 is a protruding portion protruding upward with respect to the main body 32 of the forearm portion 13, and the operation unit 15 is pivotally supported by the connecting shaft 40 on the operator OP side. Further, the connecting shaft 40 is configured in a cylindrical shape, and further includes another connecting shaft 42 therein. The connecting shaft 40 and the connecting shaft 42 are connected to the operation-side inclined pulley 41v and the operation-side turning pulley 41w so as to sandwich the operation fixing portion 34, respectively. As will be described later, the rotation of the operation-side inclined pulley 41v is interlocked with the inclination operation with respect to the forearm portion 13 of the hand portion 14 connected to the connecting shaft 40. That is, when the hand unit 14 is tilted, the operation unit 15 is tilted in conjunction with the rotation angle of the operation-side tilt pulley 41v. As shown in FIG. 3B, the operation-side inclined pulley 41v and the operation-side turning pulley 41w are respectively connected to an inclination interlocking wire (inclination operation interlocking belt) 42v and a swing interlocking wire (swivel operation interlocking) connected to the hand unit 14 described later. Belt) 42w is wound thereon, and guide pulleys 43v and 43w for routing both wires 42v and 42w are provided.

  The attachment portion 33 of the main body 32 is a first gear for enabling the hand portion 14 to be inclined with respect to the extending direction of the main body 32 of the forearm portion 13 (that is, in the state shown in FIG. 44 and a second gear 45. The first gear 44 is driven by a vertical inclination motor (inclination operation driving device) 8 attached to the opposite side surface of the forearm portion 13 with the attachment portion 33 interposed therebetween, and drives the second gear 45. The second gear 45 is rotationally driven around an inclination axis (hand-side inclination operation axis) B which is the rotation center thereof, so that the hand portion is inclined in the vertical direction with respect to the forearm portion 13. The second gear 45 is connected to the hand-side inclined pulley 48v by the outer shaft 46 of the double rotary shafts 46, 47 arranged in a nested manner, and the rotation of the second gear 45 is performed by the hand-side inclined pulley. 48v. Note that an axis that intersects the extending direction of the forearm 13 is an inclined axis B.

  Next, the detailed structure of the hand part 14 is demonstrated using FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the hand portion 14 is a member having a claw that can be opened and closed, and can be tilted in the vertical direction with respect to the forearm portion 13 (rotatable around the tilt axis B), and the hand. It is configured to be capable of turning around an axis (a turning axis C, which will be described later) arranged in a direction from the base of the portion 14 toward the tip, and can perform work on the object (such as carrying work by gripping). Has been.

  The hand unit 14 includes a fixed claw 54 and a movable claw 55 that can be opened and closed with respect to the fixed claw 54. The movable claw 55 is connected to the frame 57 of the fixed claw 54 by link members 56a and 56b. The frame 57 is provided with a claw opening / closing actuator (opening / closing operation driving device) 10, and the claw opening actuator 10 operates the link members 56 a and 56 b to drive the movable claw 55 to open and close with respect to the fixed claw 54.

  The claw opening / closing actuator 10 is a linear motion actuator in which a ball screw 59 is provided in a housing 58 and the slider 60 moves along the ball screw 59. A motor 61 is provided to drive the ball screw 59. The housing 58 is connected to the fixed claw 54 by a connecting shaft 62, and the slider 60 is connected to a link member 56 a for driving the movable claw 55 by a connecting shaft 63. As the slider 60 moves, the link members 56a and 56b move forward and backward to open and close the movable claw 55.

  Further, the hand unit 14 is provided with a turning motor (turning operation driving device) 8 that drives the hand unit 14 to turn, and the hand unit 14 is driven by the turning motor 8 so that the hand unit 14 has a turning shaft (hand) from the proximal end toward the distal end. Side turning operation axis) C can be turned. The rotation of the drive shaft of the turning motor 8 is transmitted to the frame 57 of the fixed claw 54 through gears 64 and 65, and the hand portion 14 is driven to turn about the turning axis C shown in FIG. A bevel gear 53 is provided on the turning shaft C of the hand portion 14, and the bevel gear 53 is connected to a bevel gear 52 (see FIG. 3B) that is connected to the gear 45 of the forearm portion 13. Accordingly, the rotational drive about the turning axis C of the hand portion 14 is transmitted to the bevel gear 52 of the forearm portion 13. The bevel gear 52 is connected to a rotary shaft 47 having a nested structure, and transmits the rotation to the hand-side turning pulley 48w. The pivot axis C and the tilt axis B are orthogonal to each other.

  The operation signal of the claw opening / closing actuator 10 for operating the hand unit 14 and the position information of the opening / closing of the movable claw 55 of the hand unit 14 are transmitted to the outside of the hand unit 14 through the coaxial cable 66 provided along the turning axis C. It is taken out.

  Next, a detailed configuration of the operation unit 15 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A to 5C. As shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C, the operation unit 15 includes a grip part (operation part) 69 that is operated by being gripped by an operator's hand, a connecting part 67 that connects the grip part 69 to the forearm part 13, and a grip part. 69 and a force sensor (force detection sensor) 68 capable of measuring a force in three axial directions disposed between the connecting portion 67 and the connecting portion 67.

  The connecting portion 67 is a member having, for example, a bowl shape, and one end 67 b is pivotally supported by the operation fixing portion 34 of the forearm portion 13 by the connecting shaft 40, and is rotatable about the connecting shaft 40. Further, the operation side inclined pulley 41v is connected to the connecting shaft 40. The rotation center of the connecting shaft 40 is an operation side tilt axis (operation side tilt operation axis) A, which is arranged in the same direction as the tilt axis B of the hand portion 14.

  A force sensor (force detection sensor) 68 is provided on the sensor mounting portion 67 a which is the other end of the connecting portion 67. As shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 6, the force sensor 68 is a single sensor for the three-axis direction forces (translational forces) of α, β, and γ orthogonal to each other and the torsional force (rotational force) in each of the three axis directions. It is a sensor which has the function to measure simultaneously. As such a force sensor 68, for example, a 6-axis force sensor “OPFT series” manufactured by Minebea Co., Ltd. can be used. Specifically, the force sensor 68 has a configuration in which the operating portion 68b is connected to the reference portion 68a, and at least one force in the three axial directions of α, β, and γ with respect to the reference portion 68a is applied to the operating portion 68b. Then, how the actuating part 68b is biased with respect to the reference part 68a, and when torsional force is applied to the actuating part 68b, the torsional force along the three axial directions of α, β and γ is measured. And output through the output terminal 69. In the manipulator device 1 according to this embodiment, the torsion detection of the force sensor is performed by using only the torsional force w around the α axis and the torsional force v around the γ axis as input signals for controlling the operation of the arm units 3r and 3l. The torsional force around the β axis is not used as an input signal for operation control. In this embodiment, a force sensor 68 typified by a six-axis force sensor is used as a force detection sensor. However, instead of such a case, a strain sensor that detects strain in each axial direction is combined. May be used.

  The reference portion 68 a of the force sensor 68 is pivotally supported by the support shaft 70 so as to be rotationally driven with respect to the sensor mounting portion 67 a of the connecting portion 67. The support shaft 70 for attaching the reference portion 68a to the connecting portion 67 is provided with a pulley 71. When the force sensor 68 rotates around the support shaft 70, the pulley 71 is also interlocked with the same rotation angle. The rotation center of the support shaft 70 of the force sensor 68 is an operation side turning axis (operation side turning operation axis) D, which is arranged in the same direction as the turning axis C of the hand unit 14.

  The pulley 71 is guided by the guide pulley 71a and interlocks with the pulley 73p provided on the one end 67b side of the connecting portion by the endless belt 72. The pulley 73p is fixed to the gear 73g. Further, the gear 73g meshes with the gear 74. The gear 74 is connected to the operation side turning pulley 41 w by the connecting shaft 42. That is, the rotation of the pulley 71 and the rotation of the operation-side turning pulley 41w are interlocked.

  The operating part 68 b of the force sensor 68 is connected to the grip part 69. The grip portion 69 includes a main body 75, a grip (grip-like handle) 76, and a trigger (trigger portion) 77. The operator OP grips the grip portion 69 with the index finger placed on the trigger 77 while holding the grip 76. When the operator OP applies a force to the grip portion 69, the applied force is transmitted to the operating portion 68b, and the force sensor 68 detects this force and outputs a detection result.

  5A and 5C, the operation-side tilt axis A is disposed on the axis of the grip 76, and the operation-side turning axis D is gripped by the hand of the operator OP in the grip 76 (held by the hand). The arrangement relationship between the axes A and D and the grip 76 is set so as to be arranged at substantially the center of the region.

  The trigger 77 of the grip part 69 is connected to a slider 78 arranged so as to be slidable in the direction indicated by an arrow 95 within the main body 75 of the grip part 69 as shown in the schematic cross-sectional view of FIG. The trigger 77 is always urged by a spring (not shown) in a direction to return to a state where the trigger is not pulled.

  The trigger 77 can be brought into contact with a trigger sensor (trigger detection sensor) 79 provided inside the grip portion 69. When the trigger 77 is pulled by the operation of the operator OP, the trigger sensor 79 detects that the trigger 77 is in contact and outputs it as an on / off switching output signal. The output of the trigger sensor 79 is input to the claw opening / closing actuator 10 of the hand unit 14.

  The slider 78 is connected to the wire 80. The wire 80 is guided to the outside of the operation unit 15 by a guide pulley 81. The other end of the wire 80 is connected to the movable claw 55 of the hand part through the turning axis C of the hand part. The length of the wire 80 is in a state of returning when the movable claw 55 of the hand portion is fully opened, and in a state of being pulled to the maximum when the movable claw 55 is completely closed.

  When the operator OP pulls the trigger 77 and a force is applied to the trigger sensor 79, the claw opening / closing actuator 10 is driven to close the movable claw 55 by an output signal from the trigger sensor 79. Further, when the movable claw 55 of the hand portion 14 is operated in the closing direction, the wire 80 is loosened and the trigger 77 can be further pulled. On the other hand, when the movable claw 55 is released, the trigger 77 is pulled by the wire 80, and the trigger 77 moves to the original position. In the present embodiment, the mechanism that operates the trigger 77 of the operation unit 15 in conjunction with the opening / closing operation amount of the movable claw 55 of the hand unit 14 (that is, the coupling mechanism using the wire 80) is the trigger interlocking mechanism. ing.

  Next, the control operation of the manipulator device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the manipulator device 1 of the present embodiment. FIG. 8 shows a control block only for the right arm unit 3r as representative of the left and right arm units 3r and 3l. A similar control configuration is provided for the left arm unit 3l. In addition, when distinguishing each control block about the right arm unit 3r and the left arm unit 3l, the subscripts r and l are attached to distinguish each component, and if it is not necessary to distinguish, the subscripts are used. It is written without a mark.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the operation control of the manipulator device 1 according to the present embodiment is realized by the cooperation of a CPU 81 and a control program 82. For example, an IC chip or the like can be used for the CPU 81 and the control program 82, and the drive mechanism 83 (83 r, 83 l) is driven and controlled by inputting detection signals from the force sensor 68 and the trigger sensor 79. To do. Each actuator and motor included in the drive mechanism 83 is connected to the CPU 81 through a driver (indicated by D in the drawing), and operates based on an operation signal from the CPU 81. In the present embodiment, the CPU 81 and the control program 82 (or a storage device that stores and holds the control program 82) constitute a control device.

  The force sensor 68 provided in the operation unit 15 detects a positive / negative force in the three axial directions of α, β, and γ, and a bidirectional torsional force of torsion w around the α axis and torsion v around the γ axis. And output. The trigger sensor 78 detects and outputs the presence / absence of a force urged by the trigger 77.

  The five vector detection signals Rα, Rβ, Rγ, Rv, Rw output from the force sensor 68 and the on / off detection signal Rt of the trigger 77 are input to the CPU 81, and each actuator provided in the drive mechanism 83. 5, 6, 7, 10 and motors 8, 9 are driven.

  The vector signal Rα that detects the urging force in the direction along the α axis (first axis) of the force sensor 68 is a force in the direction in which the arm unit 3 is expanded and contracted, and the CPU 81 drives the forearm actuator 7. When a force in the direction of pushing the operator OP forward is applied to the force sensor 68, the forearm actuator 7 drives in a direction in which the forearm 13 is extended. On the other hand, when a force is applied to the force sensor 68 in the direction of pulling back toward the operator OP, the forearm actuator 7 is driven in a direction in which the forearm portion 13 is contracted. When the forearm actuator 7 is driven, the entire length of the arm unit 3 expands and contracts. Since the operation unit 15 is provided on the forearm portion 13, the operation unit 15 also moves as the forearm portion 13 expands and contracts, and the arm H of the operator OP that holds the operation unit 15 also bends and stretches.

  The vector signal Rβ detected by the force sensor 68 in the direction along the β-axis (third axis) is a force in the direction of moving the arm unit 3 in the Z-axis direction, and the CPU 81 drives the upper arm actuator 6. . When a force in the upward direction of the operator OP is applied to the force sensor 68, the upper arm actuator 6 drives in a direction in which the arm unit 3 is moved upward, that is, in a direction in which the cylinder 26 is extended. On the other hand, when a downward force of the operator OP is applied to the operation unit 15, the upper arm actuator 6 drives in a direction in which the arm unit 3 is moved upward, that is, in a direction in which the cylinder 26 is contracted. As the arm unit 3 moves up and down, the arm H of the operator OP that holds the operation unit 15 moves up and down in the same manner as the arm unit 3.

  The vector signal Rγ detected from the force sensor 68 in the direction along the γ-axis (second axis) is a force in the direction of moving the arm unit 3 in the Y-axis direction, and the CPU 81 drives the shoulder actuator 5. Let When a force in the right direction of the operator OP is applied to the force sensor 68, the shoulder actuator 5 moves the arm 3 in the right direction, that is, in the case of the right shoulder actuator 5r, in the direction to contract the cylinder. In the case of the left shoulder actuator 5l, it is driven in the direction of extending the cylinder. On the other hand, when the leftward force of the operator OP is applied to the operation unit 15, the shoulder actuator 5 extends the cylinder in the direction of moving the arm unit 3 to the left, that is, the right shoulder actuator. In the case of the left shoulder actuator, the cylinder is contracted. As the arm unit moves, the arm H of the operator OP holding the operation unit 15 moves in the same manner as the arm unit.

  The vector signal Rw that detects the torsional force around the α axis of the force sensor 68 is a force in a direction to rotate the hand unit 14 around the turning axis C, and the CPU 81 drives the turning motor 8 to turn the hand unit 14. Perform the action. When a clockwise force is applied to the force sensor 68 with respect to the α-axis, the turning motor 8 drives the hand unit 14 in a direction to rotate the clockwise direction, and a counterclockwise force is applied to the force sensor 68. Drives the hand unit 14 in a direction to rotate it counterclockwise.

  The vector signal Rv that detects the torsional force around the γ-axis of the force sensor 68 is a force in a direction in which the hand portion 14 is inclined in the vertical direction with respect to the forearm portion 13, and the CPU 81 drives the vertical inclination motor 9 to The hand unit 14 is tilted. When a clockwise force is applied to the force sensor 68 with respect to the γ axis, the vertical tilt motor 9 rotates the hand unit 14 clockwise around the tilt axis B, that is, upwards, and the force sensor 68 rotates counterclockwise. When the force is applied, the hand unit 14 is rotated counterclockwise around the tilt axis B, that is, driven downward.

  The twist of the grip portion 69 in the direction of the arrow 95 (see FIG. 5C), that is, the rotation around the operation side turning axis D is via the operation side turning pulley via the pulleys 71 and 71a and the gears 73g and 74 that transmit the respective operations. In conjunction with 41w, the bevel gears 52 and 53 are linked through a turn interlocking wire 42w and a hand side swing pulley 48w wound around the operation side swing pulley 41w. That is, the turning motion of the hand portion 14 around the turning axis C is interlocked with the pulley 71, and as a result, the grip portion 69 connected to the force sensor 68 and the force sensor is turned in the direction of the arrow 95, that is, the operation side. Turn around the turning axis D. Thereby, the turning of the hand unit 14 is reflected as the turning of the grip 76 of the operation unit 15, and the operator OP can hold the operation unit 15 with the direction of the hand according to the position movement of the hand unit 14. In this embodiment, the mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the turning motor 8 to the operation unit 15 and turning the grip 76 about the operation side turning axis D is a turning operation interlocking mechanism. Further, the turning operation interlocking mechanism is configured so that the turning angle in turning of the hand portion 14 and the turning angle in turning of the grip 76 interlocked with turning of the hand portion 14 are the same turning angle. It is preferable.

  Further, the hand side inclined pulley 48v connected via the rotating shaft 46 to the gear 45 that rotates when the hand portion 14 is driven to move up and down (inclined) is interlocked with the operation side inclined pulley 41v via the inclination interlocking wire 42v. To do. The operation-side inclined pulley 41v is connected to the connection portion 67 of the operation unit 15 via the connection shaft 42. Therefore, when the hand portion 15 moves in the vertical direction, that is, rotates around the tilt axis B, the operation side tilt pulley 41v is interlocked, and the operation unit 15 is centered on the connection shaft 42 (centering on the operation side tilt axis A) accordingly. ) As shown by an arrow 96 (see FIG. 5B). As a result, the vertical movement of the hand unit 14 is reflected as turning about the connecting shaft 42 of the operation unit 15, and the operator OP holds the operation unit 15 with the orientation of the hand according to the position movement of the hand unit 14. Can do. In the present embodiment, the mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the vertical tilt motor 9 to the operation unit 15 and rotating the grip 76 about the operation-side tilt axis A is the tilt operation interlocking mechanism. . In addition, the tilting operation interlocking mechanism is configured such that the turning angle of the hand portion 14 in the up-and-down tilt and the turning angle of the operation unit 15 linked to the up-and-down tilt of the hand portion 14 are the same turning angle. It is preferred that

  The vector signal Rt in the pull-in direction of the trigger 77 detected by the trigger sensor 79 drives the claw opening / closing actuator 10 so as to close the movable claw 55 of the hand unit 14. The CPU 81 is controlled to open the claw opening / closing actuator 10 when the urging force is not applied to the trigger sensor 79, and the trigger 77 moves toward the original position as the movable claw 55 is opened. Therefore, the operator OP who operates the trigger 77 can recognize the open / closed state of the movable claw 55 of the hand unit 14 through the degree of pulling of the trigger 77.

  Here, an operation control method of the arm unit 3 including the hand unit 14 in the manipulator device 1 of the present embodiment, that is, a control loop is shown in a flowchart of FIG. In the following description, the operation control other than the opening / closing operation of the hand unit 14 will be described as a representative of the various operation controls of the manipulator device 1.

  In the manipulator device 1, when the operation of the arm unit 3 is controlled by the operator OP and the target operation of the hand unit 14 (for example, movement to the target position) is performed, first, in step S1 of the flowchart of FIG. The grip part 69 is operated so that the hand of the operator OP holding the grip part 69 performs the same operation as the target action.

  Next, the urging force applied to the grip portion 69 by the operation of the operator OP is detected by the force sensor 68 (step S2). The biasing force detected by the force sensor 68 is input to the CPU 81, and the CPU 81 drives and controls the motor or actuator with a driving amount corresponding to the detected magnitude of the force (step S3).

  Thereby, operation | movement of the arm unit 3 containing the hand part 14 is started (step S4). At the same time, the grip portion 69 is operated in conjunction with the operation of the arm unit 3 (step S5). In this manner, the grip unit 69 is operated in conjunction with the operation of the arm unit 3 driven by the motor or the actuator, so that the operator OP holding the grip unit 69 can operate the arm unit through the operation of the grip unit 69. 3, and based on such recognition, the operator OP determines whether or not the arm unit 3 has achieved the target motion (step S <b> 6). When it is determined that the target motion is not completed, based on the recognition result, the operator OP further operates the grip unit 69 so as to perform a motion necessary for completing the target motion of the arm unit 3. (Step S1). Thereafter, the operation process from step S2 to S5 is performed. When the arm unit 3 achieves the target motion and recognizes that the operator OP has completed the target motion through the state of the grip portion 69, the operator OP completes the motion control of the arm unit 3 in step S6.

  As described above, in the manipulator device 1 of the present embodiment, the grip 69 is operated by the hand of the operator OP in the same movement as the target operation of the hand unit 14 or the arm unit 3, so that the hand unit 14 or the arm unit 3 is operated. The action can be performed. Furthermore, the grip part 69 operates in the same manner as the hand part 14 or the arm unit 3 in conjunction with the operation of the hand part 14 or the arm unit 3, so that the operator OP moves the hand part 14 through the movement of the grip part 69. Alternatively, the operation status of the arm unit 3 can be recognized.

  Next, in the manipulator device 1 of the present embodiment, the relationship between the operation force of the operator OP and the force generated by the motor (or actuator) in the operation control of the arm unit 3 is shown in the graph of FIG.

  In the graph of FIG. 10, the relationship between the operation position from the initial position P0 to the target position P1 and the time in the target operation of the arm unit 3 is shown in the upper graph. The lower graph shows the time change of the force generated by the motor and the force (biasing force) applied to the force sensor 68 in the operation of the arm unit 3. The force sensor 68 is added with a resultant force of the operation force by the operator OP and the force (force by the motor) generated by the operation of the grip portion 69 in conjunction with the hand portion 14 and the like.

  First, referring to the graph showing the upper operating position, the arm unit 3 is accelerating in the time interval T0-T1, is in constant velocity in the time interval T1-T2, and is in the time interval T2- At T3, the vehicle is decelerating. The arm unit 3 reaches the target position P1 at time T3, and the target operation is completed.

  Next, referring to the force generated by the lower motor, at time T0 when the arm unit 3 starts operation, the largest force F1 is generated in the acceleration direction, and the force generated at time T1 when the acceleration motion is finished. 0. Thereafter, in the constant velocity motion section T1-T2, the motor is operated by inertial force, so that the generated force is substantially maintained at zero. After that, at time T2 when the deceleration motion is started, the largest force F2 is generated in the deceleration direction, and the force generated at time T3 when the deceleration motion ends is zero.

  Referring to the force applied to the lower force sensor 68, at time T0 when the arm unit 3 starts to operate, the largest force F3 is applied in the acceleration direction, and in the constant velocity motion section T1-T2, the constant force F3 is constant. At time T2 when the force F4 is applied and the deceleration motion is started, the maximum force F5 is applied in the deceleration direction, and the force applied at the time T3 when the deceleration motion is completed is zero.

  Here, the difference F6 between the force generated by the motor and the force applied to the force sensor 68 is the operational feeling transmitted to the operator OP, that is, the force F6 actually applied to the grip portion 69 by the operator OP. . In the example of the operation control of the arm unit 3 shown in FIG. 10, the force F6 by the operator OP when the arm unit 3 starts the operation is set to be slightly larger than the force F6 when the operation is stopped. . By setting in this way, the operator OP can feel a slightly heavy operational feeling when starting the operation of the arm unit 3, and can feel a slightly weak operational feeling when stopping the operation.

  From the graph shown in FIG. 10, the operator OP receives and recognizes the force transmitted to the operator OP by operating the grip portion 69 in conjunction with the driving operation of the arm unit 3 by the motor, and the operator OP recognizes the force transmitted to the operator OP. It can be seen that the operation force of 69 can be adjusted. Therefore, it is possible to grasp the operating state of the arm unit 3 by recognizing a change in force transmitted to the hand of the operator OP by the interlocking operation of the grip portion 69.

  Thus, in the manipulator device 1 according to the present embodiment, the arm unit 3 extending from the side of the operator OP toward the front is configured such that the upper arm portion 12 and the forearm portion 13 are extendable, and the operator OP Since the gripping operation unit 15 is provided on the forearm portion 13, the degree of bending of the arm of the operator OP changes according to the expansion and contraction of the forearm portion 13. That is, when the forearm portion 13 is extended, the distance between the operation unit 15 and the upper arm portion 12 is large, so that the arm of the operator OP is in an extended state, whereas when the forearm portion 13 is contracted, the operation unit 15 and the upper arm Since the distance of the part 12 is short, the arm of the operator OP is bent. Further, the operation unit 15 changes its position with respect to the forearm portion 13 according to the vertical tilting operation and the twisting (turning) operation of the hand unit 14. Therefore, the direction of the arm with which the operator OP holds the operation unit 15 matches the direction of the hand unit 14. Therefore, the operator OP can recognize the position of the hand unit 14 of the manipulator device 1 based on the degree of bending of his / her arm and the posture of the hand without relying on visual position determination.

  Further, in the manipulator 1 of the present embodiment, the driving force of the vertical tilt motor 9 and the swing motor 8 that drive the vertical tilt operation and the torsion (turning) operation of the hand portion 14 is controlled by an interlocking mechanism using a pulley, a wire, and the like. A configuration is adopted that is transmitted to the operation unit 15 and operates the grip portion 69 of the operation unit 15 in the same manner as the hand portion 14. Therefore, another drive device for interlocking the hand unit 14 and the operation unit 15 is not required, and the structure of the arm unit 3 can be simplified. Furthermore, the time lag in the interlocking is smaller than in the case where the interlocking is realized using another driving device (for example, the operation unit is operated by driving another motor by electrical feedback control). Generation | occurrence | production can be suppressed, the movement of the operation unit 15 can be brought close to the movement of the hand part 14, and the operativity by an operator can be improved.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, It can implement in another various aspect.

  For example, the manipulator device need not have both arms, and may have a configuration having only one arm. In this case, the operation unit is preferably configured to be disposed between the arm unit and the operator.

  In addition, as the operation of the arm unit, a vertical operation, a horizontal operation, a forearm advance / retreat operation, a hand unit tilting operation, a hand unit turning operation, and a hand unit opening / closing operation are performed. However, the configuration of the present invention can be applied to an arm unit that performs at least one of these operations.

  In addition, as an actuator for driving the hand part, upper arm part, and forearm part, a linear motion actuator having a ball screw and a slider is used to increase the torque, but it is not necessarily limited to this configuration. Accordingly, any linear motion actuator can be used as appropriate.

  In addition, as an interlocking mechanism for interlocking the hand unit and the operation unit, a configuration using a pulley and a wire has been described as an example, but instead of such a case, a shaft drive mechanism, a link mechanism, and a fluid pressure are It is also possible to employ the driving force transmission mechanism used. However, in the interlocking mechanism using a pulley and a wire, the structure can be made lightweight and simple. From the viewpoint of ensuring the strength necessary for interlocking and reducing the structure weight, it is preferable to use a metal wire as such a wire. Further, in the interlock mechanism, in order to ensure the safety of the operator, it is preferable that the specification of the wire is determined so that the wire is cut when an excessive force is applied to the wire.

  It is to be noted that, by appropriately combining arbitrary embodiments of the various embodiments described above, the effects possessed by them can be produced.

The side view which shows the structure of the manipulator apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. The top view which shows the structure of the manipulator apparatus of FIG. 1A Schematic diagram showing the configuration of the shoulder and upper arm of the manipulator device of FIG. 1A FIG. 1A is a side view showing the configuration of the forearm portion of the manipulator device in FIG. 1A. The top view which shows the structure of the forearm part of the manipulator apparatus of FIG. 1A. The side view which shows the structure of the hand part of the manipulator apparatus of FIG. 1A. The top view which shows the structure of the operation unit of the manipulator apparatus of FIG. 1A. The side view which shows the structure of the operation unit of the manipulator apparatus of FIG. 1A. The front view which shows the structure of the operation unit of the manipulator apparatus of FIG. 1A. The figure which shows the structure of the force sensor used for the operation unit of FIG. 5A. The figure which shows the internal structure of the operation unit of FIG. 5A. The block diagram which shows the control action mechanism of the manipulator apparatus concerning this embodiment The flowchart which shows the operation | movement control procedure of the manipulator apparatus of this embodiment. The graph which shows the relationship between the operator's operating force in the operation control of the manipulator apparatus of this embodiment, and the force which a motor generate | occur | produces

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Manipulator apparatus 2 Base 3, 3r, 3l Arm unit 4 Saddle 5 Shoulder actuator 6 Upper arm actuator 7 Forearm actuator 8 Rotating motor 9 Vertical tilt motor 10 Claw opening / closing actuator 11 Shoulder part 12 Upper arm part 13 Forearm part 14 Hand part 15 Operation unit 41v operation side inclined pulley 41w operation side turning pulley 42v inclination interlocking wire 42w rotation interlocking wire 48v hand side inclination pulley 48w hand side turning pulley 54 fixed claw 55 movable claw 77 trigger 83, 83r, 83l drive mechanism

Claims (10)

A base part;
An arm portion whose one end is supported by the base portion, and a hand portion that is connected to the other end of the arm portion so as to be pivotable about a hand-side turning motion axis arranged in a direction from the base end toward the tip end. An arm unit comprising,
A turning motion drive device for turning the hand portion around the hand side turning motion axis;
The operation unit that can be operated by the user's hand and the operation unit can be turned around the operation side turning operation axis that is different from the hand side turning operation axis and arranged in the same direction as the hand side turning operation axis. An operation unit comprising: a connection portion connected to the arm portion; and a force detection sensor that is disposed between the operation portion and the connection portion and detects a rotational force acting around the operation-side turning operation axis;
A control device for controlling the turning motion driving device to turn the hand unit at a turning angle corresponding to the magnitude of the rotational force around the operation side turning motion axis detected by the force detection sensor;
Rotation drive force applied to the hand unit by the swivel operation drive device is transmitted to the operation unit and operated around the operation side swivel operation axis according to the rotation angle of the hand unit around the hand side swivel operation axis. A manipulator device comprising a turning motion interlocking mechanism for turning the part. A base part;
An arm portion whose one end is supported by the base portion, and a hand portion that is connected to the other end of the arm portion so as to be rotatable about a hand-side inclined operation axis that intersects the extending direction of the arm portion. An arm unit having
A tilt motion drive device that rotates the hand portion around the hand tilt motion axis and tilts the hand portion relative to the arm; and
The operation unit that is operated by the user's hand and the axis that is different from the hand side tilting operation axis and that rotates around the operation side tilting operation axis that is arranged in the same direction as the hand side tilting operation axis. An operating unit comprising: a connecting portion that is connected to the arm portion as possible; and a force detection sensor that is disposed between the operating portion and the connecting portion and that detects a rotational force acting around the operation-side inclined operation axis. ,
A control device for controlling the tilt motion drive device to rotate the hand portion at a rotation angle corresponding to the magnitude of the rotational force around the operation-side tilt motion axis detected by the force detection sensor;
Rotation driving force applied to the hand part by the tilting motion drive device is transmitted to the operation part, and it is operated around the operating side tilting operation axis according to the rotation angle of the hand part around the hand side tilting operation axis. A manipulator device comprising a tilting motion interlocking mechanism for rotating the part. The hand portion is arranged in a direction from the base end to the tip, and is connected to the arm portion so as to be turnable about a hand side turning operation axis orthogonal to the hand side inclination operation axis,
In the operation unit, the connecting portion is an axis that is different from the hand side turning motion axis and is rotatable about the operation side turning motion axis arranged in the same direction as the hand side turning motion axis. And the force detection sensor can further detect a rotational force acting around the operation side turning motion axis,
A turning motion drive device for turning the hand portion around the hand side turning motion axis is provided.
The control device controls the turning motion driving device to rotate the hand unit at a turning angle corresponding to the magnitude of the rotational force around the operation side turning motion axis detected by the force detection sensor,
Further, the rotational driving force applied to the hand part by the turning operation driving device is transmitted to the operation part, and the operation side turning operation axis is rotated according to the turning angle of the hand part around the hand side turning operation axis. The manipulator device according to claim 2, further comprising a turning motion interlocking mechanism that rotates the operation unit.   The operation unit is a grip-like handle that is arranged with the operation-side tilting operation axis as its axis, and is gripped by the user's hand, and the intersection position of the operation-side tilting operation axis and the operation-side turning operation axis is the handle The manipulator device according to claim 3, wherein the manipulator device is disposed in a gripping region by a user. The hand part can be opened and closed,
An opening / closing operation driving device for driving the opening / closing operation of the hand unit;
The operation unit further includes a trigger unit that is operated by a user's finger, and a trigger detection sensor that detects an operation amount of the trigger unit,
The control device controls the opening / closing operation driving device to drive the hand unit to open / close according to the operation amount of the trigger unit detected by the trigger detection sensor,
5. The manipulator device according to claim 3, further comprising a trigger interlocking mechanism that operates a trigger unit of the operation unit in conjunction with an opening / closing operation amount of the hand unit. The arm part is connected to the upper arm part supported so as to be swingable in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, and to the upper arm part so as to be movable back and forth along the extending direction of the upper arm part through a linear motion joint. A forearm part connected to the part,
A vertical swing drive device for driving the vertical swing of the upper arm,
A horizontal swing drive device for driving the horizontal swing of the upper arm,
A forward / backward movement drive device for driving forward / backward movement of the forearm portion by the linear motion joint,
In the operation unit,
The operation part is connected to the forearm part by a connecting part with a force detection sensor interposed therebetween,
The force detection sensor is orthogonal to the first axis arranged in the same direction as the hand side turning operation axis, the second axis arranged in the same direction as the hand side tilting operation axis, and the first axis and the second axis. The force acting on the operation unit can be detected in the direction of the three axes with the third axis,
The control device controls the forward / backward movement drive device, performs the forward / backward movement of the forearm portion with an operation amount corresponding to the force along the first axis detected by the force sensor, controls the horizontal swing drive device, The upper arm is swung horizontally by an amount of movement corresponding to the force along the second axis detected by the force sensor, and the vertical swing drive device is controlled to move along the third axis detected by the force sensor. The manipulator device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the upper arm portion is swung in a vertical direction by an operation amount corresponding to a force. The tilt motion interlock mechanism is
A hand side tilt operation pulley coupled to the hand side tilt operation axis of the hand unit and interlocking with the rotation of the hand unit around the hand side tilt operation axis;
An operation-side inclined operation pulley connected to the operation-side inclined operation shaft at the connecting portion of the operation unit;
The manipulator device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, comprising a hand-side tilting operation pulley and a tilt-motion interlocking belt wound around the operation-side tilting operation pulley.   The manipulator device according to claim 7, wherein the tilt motion interlocking belt is a metal wire. The turning motion interlocking mechanism
A hand side swivel operation pulley coupled to the hand side swivel operation axis of the hand unit and interlocking with the swivel of the hand part around the hand side swivel operation axis;
An operation-side turning motion pulley connected to the operation-side turning motion shaft at the connecting portion of the operation unit;
The manipulator device according to any one of claims 2 to 7, comprising a hand-side turning motion pulley and a turning motion interlocking belt wound around the operation-side turning motion pulley.   The manipulator device according to claim 9, wherein the swivel motion interlocking belt is a metal wire.

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