JP6473648B2 - Remote control robot - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a remote control robot that receives a control signal transmitted from a transmitter and operates a work machine such as a work vehicle.

  When disasters such as ground collapse or tunnel collapse due to bad weather, earthquake, volcanic activity, or radioactive leaks at nuclear power plants occur, workers may not be able to perform recovery work due to the risk of secondary disasters at the disaster site There is a remote operation system that can be installed in an existing work vehicle and remotely operate the work vehicle as a suitable robot in such a case.

JP 2005-186218 A

  In the above remote control system, the operator operates the remote control unit to operate the robot arm and remotely operates the work vehicle. For example, the work vehicle falls on a steep slope and is damaged or operated. There is a possibility that the work vehicle may stop, a part of the work vehicle hitting something due to the turning movement of the work vehicle, etc., and there is a risk that the work vehicle may be damaged or stopped. In order to ascertain a dangerous situation in which there was a risk that the operation could be stopped due to the inability to escape when approaching there, the worker had to approach the work vehicle and look at it.

  Therefore, when it is considered that the work vehicle is in such a dangerous situation, or when the danger is actually realized and the work vehicle is damaged or stopped, it becomes difficult to continue the restoration work. In the end, workers are forced to take the risk of a secondary disaster, and the only way to avoid this is to work only to the extent that the remote operator thinks the work vehicle can remain safe. Was hindering rapid disaster recovery.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a remote control robot that can protect a work machine such as a work vehicle from the risk of damage or stoppage of operation without relying on an operator's visual observation. It is an issue.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is installed in a work machine, the work machine a remote control robot operated by a robot arm receives the control signal transmitted from the transmitter, of the working machine Based on the position detection means for detecting the position, the inclination detection means for detecting the inclination of the work machine, the detection result of the position detection means and the detection result of the inclination detection means, the work machine is damaged or stopped. And a risk judging means for judging whether or not there is a risk.

  The work machines include, for example, excavating machines such as hydraulic excavators, various construction machines such as timber cutting machines, bulldozers, and scrapers, as well as machines that perform underwater work. Transmission / reception between the remote operation robot and the transmitter may be performed wirelessly or by wire, or may be performed in combination. The position detection means and the inclination detection means are those in which the remote operation robot is attached to the work machine and detects the position and inclination of the work machine by detecting the position and inclination of the remote operation robot itself. It is also possible to detect the position and inclination of the work machine externally by approaching the machine.

  According to the remote control robot of the present invention, based on the position detection means for detecting the position of the work machine, the inclination detection means for detecting the inclination of the work machine, the detection result of the position detection means, and the detection result of the inclination means. And a risk judgment means for judging whether or not there is a risk of damage or operation stop of the work machine. Therefore, it is determined whether or not there is a risk of damage or operation stop of the work machine without visual inspection by the operator. And the work machine can be protected from the danger.

The remote operation robot may further include a danger avoiding means for operating the robot arm so that the danger is eliminated without using the control signal when the danger judging means judges that the work machine has the danger. In other words, the danger can be automatically avoided. Specifically, for example, the remote operation robot includes an operation history storage means for storing an operation history of the work machine by the robot arm , and the danger avoidance is performed. By the means operating the operation means based on the storage result of the operation history storage means, it is possible to automatically return to the situation before the dangerous situation.

  On the other hand, if the remote operation robot is provided with danger information transmission means for transmitting the information on the danger to the transmitter, the transmitter recognizes the danger remotely and controls the remote operation robot by the transmitter. , That danger can be avoided.

  Further, if the remote control robot includes an imaging unit for imaging the surroundings of the work machine and an image transmission unit for transmitting the captured image of the imaging unit to the transmitter, the transmitter side confirms the surroundings of the work machine. The remote operation robot can receive information on the position of the transmitter transmitted from the transmitter, the position information receiving means for receiving the position information received from the transmitter, the detection result of the position detecting means, and the reception of the position information. Distance calculating means for calculating a distance between the work machine and the transmitter based on a reception result of the means, and distance information transmitting means for transmitting information on the distance calculated by the distance calculating means to the transmitter. Then, it is possible to avoid danger while confirming the distance to the work machine on the transmitter side (confirming that the remote control robot does not deviate from the communicable distance).

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, there exists an effect that a remote control robot can protect a working machine from the danger of damage or a stop of operation | movement, without relying on an operator's visual observation.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the hydraulic shovel which the remote control robot which concerns on the form for inventing operates. It is explanatory drawing which shows the external appearance of the remote control robot which concerns on the form for inventing. It is explanatory drawing which shows the external appearance of the master transmitter for remotely operating the remote control robot of FIG. (A) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the remote control robot of FIG. 2, (b) is a block diagram showing the configuration of the master transmitter of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a process of the controller of Fig.4 (a). It is explanatory drawing which shows the other example of a process of the controller of Fig.4 (a). It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of a monitor display in the master transmitter of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the further another example of the process of the controller of Fig.4 (a). It is explanatory drawing which shows the example by which the monitor is externally attached to the transmitter.

  Embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a hydraulic excavator 200 to which a remote operation robot 100 according to the present embodiment is attached and operated. The excavator 200 includes a crawler 201, a cab 202, a boom 203, an arm 204, and a bucket 205.

  Inside the driver's cab 202, a driver's seat 206, a pair of traveling levers 207, 207 positioned side by side in front of the driver's seat, and a pair positioned on the left and right outside across the pair of traveling levers 207, 207 Working levers 208 and 208 are provided (in FIG. 1, only the left traveling lever 207 and the left working lever 208 are shown). The excavator 200 moves forward and backward by operating the pair of travel levers 207 and 207, and performs excavation and turning operations of the boom 203, the arm 204, and the bucket 205 by operating the pair of work levers 208 and 208.

  A remote control robot 100 whose details are shown in FIG. 2 is detachably attached to the driver seat 206. The remote operation robot 100 can be divided and fixed to the driver's seat 206 for each divided portion, so that it can be easily attached or detached by one or two workers.

  The remote control robot 100 is used to input information specific to the mount frame 101 fixed to the driver's seat 206 and the excavator 200 (manufacturer, model, etc.) and various settings (setting of the initial mounting position of the remote control robot 100). A controller box 102 for controlling the remote control robot 100, robot arms 103 and 103 for operating the travel levers 207 and 207, robot arms 104 and 104 for operating the work levers 208 and 208, A camera 105 that is attached to the front part of the cab 206 and photographs the situation around the excavator 200, and a camera 106 that is attached to the rear wall of the cab 206 and photographs the situation around the excavator 200 ( (See FIG. 1).

  As shown in FIG. 4A, the controller box 102 includes a wireless communication module for performing wireless communication with a controller 107 including a CPU, a storage module 108 including a memory, and a master transmitter 300 described later. 109, a GPS module 110 for detecting the position (latitude, longitude, direction (orientation), altitude) of the remote control robot 100, and an inclination (XYZ, pitch, low, yaw) of the remote control robot 100. The gyro module 111 is built in. The storage module 108 stores unique information and various settings regarding the excavator 200, operation history of the excavator 200 by the remote operation robot 100, information (mapping data) on land shape around the work site, and the like.

  The robot arm 103 includes an upper arm part 112 using an artificial muscle that expands and contracts by a pressurized fluid such as compressed air, a forearm part 114 extending forward from a joint part 113 at the lower end of the upper arm part 112, and a front end of the forearm part 114. And a grip portion 116 provided on the joint portion 115. The upper arm portion 112 is freely movable back and forth within a certain region centered on the vertical axis by the controller 107 controlling the solenoid valve (not shown) by PID to control the flow of pressurized fluid into and out of the artificial muscle. The forearm portion 114 is rotatable in the direction of the arrow α1 about a substantially horizontal axis passing through the joint portion 113. The grip 116 is rotatable in the direction of arrow β1 about a substantially horizontal axis passing through the joint 115, and is rotatable in the direction of arrow γ1 about the axis along the forearm 114, and at the tip thereof. It has a finger part 117 for gripping the traveling lever 207.

  Similarly, the robot arm 104 includes an upper arm part 118 using an artificial muscle that expands and contracts by a pressurized fluid such as compressed air, a forearm part 120 extending forward from a joint part 119 at the lower end of the upper arm part 118, and a forearm part. 120 and a grip portion 122 provided at the joint portion 121 at the front end. The upper arm 118 can be freely moved back and forth and left and right within a fixed region centered on the vertical axis by controlling the solenoid valve (not shown) by the controller 107 to control the flow of pressurized fluid into and out of the artificial muscle. To do. The forearm portion 120 is rotatable in the direction of the arrow α2 about a substantially horizontal axis passing through the joint portion 119. The grip portion 122 can rotate in the direction of the arrow β2 about the substantially horizontal axis passing through the joint portion 121, and can rotate in the direction of the arrow γ2 about the axis along the forearm portion 120. A finger portion 123 that grips the work lever 208 is provided.

  The remote operation robot 100 is remotely operated by receiving a control signal from the master transmitter 300 shown in FIG. The master transmitter 300 includes joysticks 301 and 301 for remotely operating the travel levers 207 and 207, levers 302 and 302 for remotely operating the operation levers 208 and 208, and the hydraulic excavator 200 as with the controller box 102. 4 includes a switch 303 for inputting unique information and various settings, and a monitor 304 for displaying captured images of the cameras 105 and 106 transmitted from the remote operation robot 100. As shown in b), the position (latitude, longitude, direction (azimuth), altitude, and position of the master transmitter 300, the wireless communication module 306 for performing wireless communication with the controller 305 including the CPU and the like, and the remote control robot 100. ) Is detected.

  When an operator who remotely operates the hydraulic excavator 200 with the remote operation robot 100 operates the joysticks 301 and 301 of the master transmitter 300, the controller 305 of the master transmitter 300 is connected to the remote operation robot via the wireless communication modules 306 and 109. The controller 107 transmits a travel control signal to the controller 107 of 100, and the controller 107 that receives the control signal operates the travel levers 207 and 207 by the robot arms 103 and 103, whereby the excavator 200 travels to the work site. To do.

  Subsequently, when the operator operates the levers 302 and 302 of the master transmitter 300, the controller 305 of the master transmitter 300 sends a control signal for work to the controller 107 of the remote control robot 100 via the wireless communication modules 306 and 109. When the controller 107 receives the control signal and operates the operation levers 208 and 208 by the robot arms 104 and 104, the excavator 200 performs excavation work.

  By the way, when the excavator 200 travels or excavates, there is a risk that the excavator 200 may fall on a steep slope, a swinging operation of the excavator 200, a part of the bucket 205 or the like may collide with something, There is a risk that the excavator 200 may not be able to escape if it reaches a muddy or depressed area and enters there.

  Therefore, the storage module 108 stores in advance the conditions under which the excavator 200 is exposed to danger. As shown in FIG. 5, the controller 107 stores the detection result of the GPS module 110 and the detection result of the gyro module 111 in real time. In contrast to the conditions, it is determined whether or not the excavator 200 is in a dangerous situation.

  Here, as the “condition to be exposed to danger”, the conditions of the entry prohibition area, the turn prohibition area, the excavation prohibition area of the excavator 200 determined based on the information (mapping data) on the land shape around the work site (GPS The conditions regarding latitude, longitude, etc. detected by the module 110) and the conditions of the dangerous posture of the hydraulic excavator 200 (attitude that may fall over) determined based on information unique to the hydraulic excavator 200 (detected by the GPS module 110) The controller 107 determines that the excavator 200 is in a dangerous situation when the excavator 200 has a “condition to be exposed to danger”. Judge that there is.

  When the controller 107 determines that the excavator 200 is in a dangerous situation, the controller 107 does not receive the control signal from the master transmitter 300, and the past several minutes (for example, about one minute) stored in the storage module 108. The robot arms 103 and 104 are operated so that the operation of the hydraulic excavator 200 is reversed (in other words, reverse playback), and the operation lever 208 is operated by the robot arm 104 and the travel lever 207 is operated by the robot arm 103. Thus, the excavator 200 is automatically returned to the state before the dangerous situation (a state several minutes ago).

  In this case, the automatic return control for avoiding the danger can be turned off by setting in the controller box 102 or the master transmitter 300. In this case, as shown in FIG. Information related to danger is combined with the captured images of the cameras 105 and 106 and transmitted to the controller 305 of the master transmitter 300 via the communication modules 109 and 306. As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the captured images of the cameras 105 and 106, the tilt information 400 as the danger-related information, and the mapping information 401 are simultaneously displayed on the monitor 304.

  Here, the inclination information 400 includes an icon 402 indicating the excavator 200, a position mark 403 indicating the current position of the excavator 200, and an inclination of the ground at the current position (an inclination in the front-rear direction of the crawler 201 of the excavator 200). ) And a critical inclination axis 405 indicating a limit inclination of the excavator 200 at the current position (if the excavator 200 tilts beyond this inclination, there is a risk of falling), mapping information Reference numeral 401 denotes an azimuth axis 406 indicating the azimuth, a position mark 407 indicating the current position of the excavator 200, and a direction indicating the direction of the excavator 200 at the current position (the direction of the crawler 201 or the direction of the boom 203 and the arm 204). Work safely around the shaft 408 and its current position. Including a safety zone mark 409 indicating a region capable, and attention area mark 410 indicating an area that must be done with care work, and a danger zone mark 411 indicating a dangerous area to perform the work.

  An operator who sees the captured images of the cameras 105 and 106, the tilt information 400, and the mapping information 401 can visually check the situation at the work site, and the tilt posture of the excavator 200 reaches an area where there is a risk of falling. It is possible to intuitively grasp how much time is left until the position of the excavator 200 reaches the caution zone and the danger zone, so that the operator can make the excavator 200 dangerous. The joystick 301 and the lever 302 of the master transmitter 300 can be operated so as to move away from the remote controller.

  In addition, here, the distance to the remote control robot 100 (hydraulic excavator 200) may be displayed on the monitor 304 of the master transmitter 300 by setting in the controller box 102. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, the controller 305 of the master transmitter 300 transmits information regarding the position of the master transmitter 300 to the controller 107 of the remote control robot 100 based on the detection result of the GPS module 307. The controller 107 that has received it calculates the distance between itself and the master transmitter 300 based on the detection result of the GPS module 110, and returns information related to this distance to the controller 305 of the master transmitter 300. The controller 305 displays the distance on the monitor 304, so that the operator can confirm that the excavator 200 is at a distance at which wireless communication is not interrupted, or the distance at which wireless communication is likely to be interrupted. When the excavator 200 is present, the excavator 200 can be recalled by operating the joystick 301.

  According to the remote control robot 100 according to this embodiment, the GPS module 110 that detects the position of the excavator 200, the gyro module 111 that detects the inclination of the excavator 200, the detection result of the GPS module 110, and the gyro module 111 And the controller 107 that determines whether or not there is a risk of damage or operation stop on the excavator 200 based on the detection result of the above. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether or not there is a hydraulic excavator 200 from the danger.

  Further, the remote operation robot 100 includes a storage module 108 that stores the history of operations of the hydraulic excavator 200 by the robot arms 103 and 104. When the automatic return control is set to ON as described above, the controller 107 performs the hydraulic operation. When it is determined that the excavator 200 is dangerous, the excavator 200 is made dangerous by operating the robot arms 103 and 104 based on the storage result of the storage module 108 without using the control signal from the master transmitter 300. It is possible to automatically return to the situation before the situation. On the other hand, even if the automatic return control is set to OFF, the controller 107 transmits information about the danger to the master transmitter 300, so the master transmitter 300 recognizes the danger remotely, and the master transmitter 300 The danger can be avoided by controlling the remote control robot 100 by the above.

  Further, the remote control robot 100 includes cameras 105 and 106 that capture the periphery of the excavator 200, and the controller 107 transmits the captured images of the cameras 105 and 106 to the master transmitter 300. While checking the periphery of the excavator 200, danger can be avoided.

  In addition, here, the controller 107 receives information on the position of the master transmitter 300, calculates the distance between the excavator 200 and the master transmitter 300 based on the reception result and the detection result of the GPS module 110, and Since the information regarding the distance is transmitted to the master transmitter 300, the danger can be avoided while confirming the distance to the excavator 200 on the master transmitter 300 side as described above.

  As mentioned above, although the form for implementing this invention was illustrated, embodiment of this invention is not restricted to what was mentioned above, You may change suitably etc. in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of invention.

  For example, in order to determine whether the work machine is in a dangerous situation, not only the position information and inclination information, but also the geology and weather conditions (wind speed, wind direction, rainfall, snowfall, etc.) of the work site, turning of the excavator The position and the vertical position of the boom, arm, and bucket may be taken into consideration.

  In addition, the distance between the work machine and the transmitter is not calculated on the side of the remote control robot, the remote control robot transmits the position information of the work machine to the transmitter, and the transmitter that receives this transmits the position information of itself to the remote control robot. The distance may be calculated in comparison. As a result, when a plurality of work machines are operated by one transmitter, the distances to the plurality of work machines are collectively calculated in the transmitter, so that neighboring work machines are not interfering with each other. You can also work safely together.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, an external monitor 500 may be connected to the transmitter to display a photographed image and information related to danger for convenience of the operator.

100 Remote operation robot 103 Robot arm (operation means)
104 Robot arm (operating means)
105 Camera (photographing means)
106 Camera (photographing means)
107 controller (danger determination means, danger avoidance means, danger information transmission means, image transmission means, position information reception means, distance calculation means, distance information transmission means)
108 Storage module (operation history storage means)
110 GPS module (position detection means)
111 Gyro module (tilt detection means)
200 Hydraulic excavator (work machine)
300 Master transmitter (transmitter)
304 Monitor 400 Tilt information (Danger information)
401 Mapping information (information about danger)
500 monitors

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for a remote operation robot that operates a work machine, and is particularly suitable for work at a disaster recovery site or a place where it is difficult for an operator such as underwater to enter.

Claims (6)

Working machine is installed, the work machine receives the control signal transmitted from the transmitter to a remotely operated robot operated by a robot arm,
Position detecting means for detecting the position of the work machine;
An inclination detecting means for detecting an inclination of the work machine;
A remote control comprising: a risk determination unit that determines whether the work machine is at risk of damage or operation stop based on a detection result of the position detection unit and a detection result of the tilt detection unit. robot. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising danger avoiding means for operating the robot arm so that the danger disappears without using the control signal when the danger judging means judges that the work machine has the danger. The remote control robot described in 1. An operation history storage means for storing a history of operations of the work machine by the robot arm ;
The remote operation robot according to claim 2, wherein the danger avoiding unit operates the robot arm based on a result stored in the operation history storage unit.   The remote control robot according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising danger information transmission means for transmitting information related to the danger to the transmitter. Photographing means for photographing the periphery of the work machine;
The remote control robot according to claim 1, further comprising: an image transmission unit that transmits a captured image of the imaging unit to the transmitter. Position information receiving means for receiving information on the position of the transmitter transmitted from the transmitter;
Distance calculating means for calculating the distance between the work machine and the transmitter based on the detection result of the position detecting means and the reception result of the position information receiving means;
The remote control robot according to claim 1, further comprising a distance information transmission unit that transmits information about the distance calculated by the distance calculation unit to the transmitter.

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