JP7134621B2 - Tool stocker system, robot system, exchange tool, robot system control method, article control method, control program and recording medium - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a robot system using an exchangeable exchange tool for gripping an object and a control method for the robot system.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, automation of operations such as assembly and processing of industrial products having small and complicated structures such as cameras and printers has been performed. Many of the works used in this type of industrial product are small and precise, and come in a wide variety of shapes.

There is a demand for the same robot device to continuously grasp and assemble such a wide variety of workpieces. Changeovers, including tool changes, are carried out. By performing this setup change and exchanging the tool that comes into contact with the work, it is possible to hold and assemble a wide variety of works.

In the component mounting apparatus of Patent Document 1, an adapter having a gripping surface corresponding to the size and shape of a workpiece to be gripped is attached to chuck claws, and the adapter is used to grip the workpiece. Various types of these adapters are prepared, and they are all arranged in one place by a storage means. In addition, the adapter has an opening into which the chuck claws are inserted. By inserting the chuck claws into this opening, the adapter can be easily attached, and it is compatible with the size and shape of the workpiece to be gripped. .

JP 2017-54841 A

However, in the component mounting apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the position where the workpiece to be gripped is arranged and the position where the housing means for housing the adapter are arranged are separated from each other. It moves from the arranged position to the arrangement position of the work to be grasped and grasps it. Therefore, when the types of workpieces to be gripped increase and the mounting operation of the adapter increases, the number of times of movement from the storage means of the adapter to the arrangement position of the workpiece to be gripped increases accordingly. Therefore, there is a problem that the time from the operation of mounting the replacement tool to the operation of gripping the workpiece increases, and the time required for production increases.

The object of the present invention is to address such problems, and to provide a robot capable of reducing the time required for production even if the number of exchangeable tools increases in order to handle the gripping and assembly of a wide variety of workpieces. provide the system.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, there is provided a tool stocker system for storing an exchange tool detachable from a robot arm, comprising: a tool stocker body storing the exchange tool; and a moving mechanism for moving a part , wherein when the replacement tool is stored in the tool stocker body, the contact part is brought into contact with the object by the moving mechanism , and the object is moved by the contact part . A tool stocker system characterized by being able to hold is adopted.

According to the present invention, there is provided a supply means for supplying a workpiece to a position where the workpiece can be gripped even when the exchange tool is held by the tool stocker. Therefore, the mounting of the replacement tool and the gripping of the work can be performed almost simultaneously, so the time from the mounting operation of the replacement tool to the gripping operation of the work can be shortened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is the figure which showed an example of the schematic structure of the robot system 10 in each embodiment of this invention. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system of the robot system 10 of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an attachment/detachment mechanism between a robot arm body 100 and a replacement tool 300a according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 5 is a perspective view of a tool stocker 500a and a parts feeder 900a according to the first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. It is a detailed view of the parts feeder 900a in the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flow chart explaining the attachment/detachment operation of the exchange tool 300a, parts supply, and parts acquisition method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 7 is a state diagram of a replacement tool 300a and a tool stocker 500a in the flowchart (S101 to S103) of FIG. 6; FIG. 7 is a state diagram of a replacement tool 300a and a tool stocker 500a in the flowchart (S104-S105) of FIG. 6; FIG. 7 is a state diagram of a replacement tool 300a and a tool stocker 500a in the flowchart (S105 to S108) of FIG. 6; FIG. 7 is a state diagram of a replacement tool 300 and a tool stocker 500 in the flowchart (S109 to S111) of FIG. 6; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a replacement tool 300b in a second embodiment of the invention; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a tool stocker 500a and a parts feeder 900a according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a detailed view of a parts feeder 900a according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 11 is a flow chart illustrating the attachment/detachment operation of the exchange tool 300a, parts supply, and parts acquisition method according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a state diagram of a replacement tool 300b and a tool stocker 500b in the flowchart (S201-S202) of FIG. 11; FIG. 12 is a state diagram of a replacement tool 300b and a tool stocker 500b in the flowchart (S203 to S205) of FIG. 11; FIG. 12 is a state diagram of a replacement tool 300b and a tool stocker 500b in the flowchart (S206 to S209) of FIG. 11;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiment shown below is merely an example, and, for example, details of the configuration can be appropriately modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a robot system 10 capable of implementing the present invention. In FIG. 1 , the robot system 10 includes a robot device 20 , a tool stocker 500 , a pneumatic device 400 , a control device 600 , an external device 610 and a parts feeder 900 . The pneumatic device 400, the control device 600 and the external device 610 are shown as block diagrams at the bottom of FIG.

The robot device 20 shown in FIG. 1 is composed of a robot arm body 100 and a replacement tool 300 a detachably attached to the tip of the robot arm body 100 . In addition to the exchange tool 300a, there is also an exchange tool 300b. These multiple types of exchange tools can be used to manipulate the workpiece W (Wa, Wb), which is an object.

The robot arm body 100 includes a base 101, six links 102 to 107, and six joints 111 to 116 that connect the links 102 to 107 so as to be rotatable in the directions of arrows a to f shown in FIG. ing. The joints 111-116 also have robot arm motors 121-126 for swinging or rotating the links 102-107 (FIG. 2). Furthermore, each joint 111 to 116 is provided with an encoder (not shown).

As shown in the figure, the base 101 of the robot arm body 100 and the link 102 are connected by a joint 111 in the figure. It is assumed that the joint 111 has a movable range of about ±180 degrees in the direction of arrow a from the initial posture, for example.

Link 102 and link 103 of robot arm body 100 are connected by joint 112 . For example, this joint 112 has a movable range of approximately ±80 degrees in the direction of arrow b from the initial posture.

The links 103 and 104 of the robot arm body 100 are connected by joints 113 . It is assumed that the joint 113 has a movable range of about ±70 degrees in the direction of arrow c from the initial posture, for example.

Link 104 and link 105 of robot arm body 100 are connected by joint 114 . It is assumed that the joint 114 has a movable range of about ±180 degrees in the direction of arrow d from the initial posture, for example.

The links 105 and 106 of the robot arm body 100 are connected by joints 115 . It is assumed that this joint 115 has a movable range of about ±120 degrees in the direction of arrow e from the initial posture.

Link 106 and link 107 of robot arm body 100 are connected by joint 116 . It is assumed that this joint 116 has a movable range of approximately ±240 degrees in the direction of arrow f from the initial posture.

In FIG. 1 , the exchange tool 300 a is attached to the tip link 107 of the robot arm body 100 . The exchange tool 300a supported by the link 107 can freely move in the XYZ coordinate space in the figure by the operation of the robot arm body 100. FIG. The link 107 is provided with a tool driving motor 221 (FIG. 2) for driving the exchange tool 300a. This motor opens and closes the exchange tool 300a to perform operations such as gripping the workpiece.

When there are various shapes of workpieces to be assembled and work contents, each exchange tool 300 is selectively used according to the work W and work contents. For example, by preparing a plurality of tools having different lengths and shapes of portions that come into contact with the work, and mounting the replacement tool 300 according to the work W and the work content, appropriate work can be performed.

A tool stocker 500 is used to hold each replacement tool 300 . For example, the replacement tool 300a is held by the tool stocker 500a, and the replacement tool 300b is held by the tool stocker 500b. The tool stocker 500 is installed within the movable range of the robot device 20 . A detailed configuration will be described later.

The pneumatic device 400 sucks air into or out of the robot arm body 100 . The pneumatic device 400 is composed of an electromagnetic valve 421 , a pressure sensor 422 and a compressor 423 . The pneumatic device 400 is used for attaching and detaching the replacement tool 300 and the robot arm body 100 .

The component feeders 900a and 900b transport the works Wa and Wb to positions where the replacement tools 300 held in the tool stocker 500 can grip them, as shown in FIG. 900a and 900b are component feeders corresponding to works Wa and Wb. The component feeders 900a and 900b may be collectively referred to as the component feeder 900 in some cases. Each component feeder 900 is arranged directly below each tool stocker 500 . A detailed configuration will be described later.

The control device 600 includes a CPU 601, a ROM 602 storing programs for controlling each part, a RAM 603, a communication interface (I/F in the drawing) 604, and the like. Among them, the RAM 603 is used for temporary storage of data such as teaching points and control commands by the operation of the external device 610 .

The external device 610 may be, for example, an operating device such as a teaching pendant (TP), but may be another computer device (PC or server) capable of editing a robot program. The external device 610 can be connected to the control device 600 via wired or wireless communication connection means, and has user interface functions such as robot operation and status display.

The CPU 601 receives teaching point data input from an external device 610 , for example, from the communication interface 604 . Also, the trajectory of each axis of the robot device 20 can be generated based on teaching point data input from the external device 610 and transmitted to the robot device 20 as control target values via the communication interface 604 .

Furthermore, the control device 600 is also connected to the tool stocker 500 and the parts feeder 900 via a communication interface 604 . This makes it possible to control the robot device 20, the tool stocker 500, and the component feeder 900 in an integrated manner. The control device 600 is also connected to the pneumatic device 400 via a communication interface 604 . The pneumatic device 400 draws air into or exhausts air from the robot device 20 . In this embodiment, the robot arm main body 100 and each exchange tool 300 are attached and detached by air pressure.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the control system of the robot system 10 of FIG. A controller 600 as a controller of the robot system 10 controls robot arm motors 121 to 126 mounted on the joints 111 to 116 of the robot arm body 100 . Then, it controls the tool drive motor 221, the pneumatic device 400, the tool stocker 500, and the parts feeder 900 built in the link 107. FIG.

The arm motor driver 120 controls the robot arm motors 121 to 126 based on the control values obtained from the control device 600 to control the attitude of the robot arm main body 100 . Similarly, the tool driving motor driver 220 controls the tool driving motor 221 based on the control value obtained from the control device 600 to control opening and closing of the replacement tool 300 .

Further, each motor is provided with an encoder (not shown), from which the rotation angle of each motor is detected and fed back to the control device 600 .

The air pressure device 400 drives the compressor 423 based on the command value from the control device 600 to compress or release the air in the tank (not shown). Alternatively, the mouth is closed and air is drawn in or exhausted. The solenoid valve 421 is configured to allow air to be drawn into or discharged from the link 107 in contact with each exchange tool 300 .

A component supply control circuit 910 drives and controls a component conveying unit 901 and a component positioning mechanism 902 based on command values from a control device 600 . A component supply control circuit 910 drives a component positioning mechanism 902 to position and place the works Wa and Wb at arbitrary positions.

Next, in the present embodiment, an attachment/detachment mechanism between each exchange tool 300 and the robot arm body 100 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 shows a replacement tool 300 a as an example of the replacement tool 300 .

3A is a perspective view of an attachment/detachment mechanism provided on the link 107, FIG. 3B is a perspective view of an attachment/detachment mechanism provided on the exchange tool 300, and FIG. 107 is a view when the workpiece Wa is gripped by being mounted on the 107. FIG.

3(a) and 3(b), a pair of driving bases 211 are attached to the mounting surface of the link 107 for mounting the exchange tool 300a by a pair of slide guides 213 so as to be movable in the directions of arrows A and B in the drawing. there is Further, the tool drive motor 221 drives the drive bases 211 toward or away from each other via a rack and pinion mechanism (not shown).

The exchange tool 300a is provided with a pair of finger support bases 314 which can be moved toward or away from each other in the directions of arrows A and B by slide guides 331 in the same manner as the pair of drive bases 211. As shown in FIG. A pair of finger support bases 314 are connected to a pair of finger members 330a for contacting an object. As the pair of finger support bases 314 approach or separate from each other, the pair of finger members 330a approach or separate from each other to grip or release the object.

On the mounting surface of the exchange tool 300a to the link 107, a pair of finger support bases 314 are provided corresponding to the drive base 211 on the link 107 side, and can be moved toward or away from each other in the directions of arrows A and B in the drawing by means of slide guides 331. It is A pair of finger support bases 314 are integrally fixed with a pair of finger members 330a which protrude to the opposite side of the mounting surface through the opening 320 and serve as contact portions that come into contact with an object. By moving the finger support bases 314 toward or away from each other, the finger members 330a can be opened and closed to grasp and release an object.

3C, when the link 107 and the replacement tool 300a are mounted, the drive transmission pins 212 provided on the pair of drive bases 211 and the drive transmission pins 212 provided on the pair of finger support bases 314 Holes 317 are fitted and mechanically connected.

By moving the pair of drive bases 211 toward or away from each other in this state, the pair of finger support bases 314 approaches or separates from each other, and the pair of finger members 330a approaches or separates from each other to grip or release the object Wa. . In FIG. 3(c), the workpiece Wa having the hole h is moved from the inside of the hole in a direction in which the finger members 330a are separated from each other, and pressed against the inner wall of the workpiece Wa to be gripped.

Also, the pair of finger support bases 314 are provided with protruding portions 319 that protrude when the finger support bases 314 move in the arrow A and B directions.

The link 107 and the exchange tool 300 are provided with a pair of ball plungers 240 and a pair of fitting holes 340 to keep them attached. In this embodiment, the pair of ball plungers 240 are supplied with air through a pair of pipes 232, and a plurality of balls are taken in and out from the outer peripheral surfaces of the ball plungers. These balls are configured to be engaged with or disengaged from the fitting hole 340 .

The pair of pipes 232 are connected to the pneumatic device 400 described above. A pair of ball plungers 240 are inserted into a pair of fitting holes 340 on the replacement tool side, and the link 107 and the replacement tool 300 are attached by the ball members of the ball plungers 240 popping out by air. The ball plunger 240 serves as a fixing portion on the side of the robot arm main body 100 that maintains the attached state, and the fitting hole 340 serves as the fixing portion on the side of the exchange tool that maintains the attached state.

Although the ball member is moved by air in this embodiment, the ball member may be moved by a spring or an electromagnetic valve and engaged with the pair of fitting holes 340 .

Since the attachment/detachment mechanism described above is also provided for the other replacement tool 300b, various tools can be attached and various appropriate operations can be performed on the object.

Next, the tool stocker 500 and the parts feeder 900 in this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the tool stocker 500 and the parts feeder 900. FIG. FIG. 4(a) illustrates a tool stocker 500a and a parts feeder 900a.

As shown in FIG. 4, the tool stocker 500a has a contact surface 511 that contacts the exchange tool 300a when the exchange tool 300a is held, and an opening 512 is provided in the center of the contact surface 511. As shown in FIG. A finger member 330 a is inserted into this opening 512 . Further, the tool stocker 500a is provided with legs 513 on four sides.

A presence/absence sensor 570 is provided on the tool stocker 500a. The presence/absence sensor 570 is a light transmission type sensor, and an optical path always exists between the presence/absence sensors 570 . In the state of FIG. 4 , the replacement tool 300 a blocks the optical path between the presence/absence sensors 570 , so the controller 600 recognizes that the replacement tool 300 is held on the tool stocker 500 . Conversely, if the optical path between the presence/absence sensors 570 is not blocked, the control device 600 recognizes that the replacement tool 300 is not held on the tool stocker 500 .

The component feeder 900a is provided directly below the tool stocker 500a. Then, the workpieces Wa are conveyed in a row in the direction of arrow P. A hole h is provided in the work Wa.

FIG. 5 is a detailed description of the parts feeder 900a. As shown in FIG. 5A, the component feeder 900a aligns the workpieces Wa in a line and transports them in the arrow P direction by the component transporter 901a. In this embodiment, a belt conveyor is used as the component conveying unit 901a.

As shown in FIG. 5(b), the workpiece Wa transported by the component transport section 901a is arranged in the component positioning mechanism 902a. When the sensor 903a of the component positioning mechanism 902a detects the workpiece Wa, it sends a signal to the component supply control circuit 910 to stop the operation of the component conveying unit 901a.

Then, the component positioning mechanism 902a raises the workpiece Wa in the arrow S direction from FIG. 5(c). The component positioning mechanism 902a uses a sliding jig capable of vertically sliding a pedestal on which the workpiece Wa is arranged. The component conveying unit 901a and the component positioning mechanism 902a are driven and controlled by the control device 600. FIG. This parts feeder 900a is an example of the "supplying means" described in claim 1 .

FIG. 6 is a flow chart for mounting the replacement tool 300a and gripping the work Wa in this embodiment. FIG. 7 is a state diagram for each step in FIG. When the control device 600 issues a command to work with the exchange tool 300a, the flow shown in FIG. 6 is started.

When the flow starts from FIG. 6, a signal is sent to the component supply control circuit 910 via the control device 600 in S101. When the component supply control circuit 910 receives the signal, it operates the component conveying unit 901a and drives the component conveying unit 901a until one workpiece Wa is arranged at a predetermined position of the component positioning mechanism 902a (FIG. 7(a)). )). The finger members 330a are always held by the tool stocker 500a while being moved to the position where they are closest to each other.

Then, in S102, it is detected whether the tool stocker 500a holds the replacement tool 300a. This detection is performed by the presence/absence sensor 570 . If S102: Yes, proceed to S103, and if S102: No, repeat the detection operation.

In S103, the component positioning mechanism 902a moves up in the direction of the arrow S to position the work Wa at a position where the work Wa can be gripped while the exchange tool 300a is held by the tool stocker 500a (FIG. 7(b)). At this time, the finger member 330a is inserted into the hole h of the workpiece Wa.

At S104, the robot arm body 100 is operated to position the link 107 above the exchange tool 300a. Then, the attachment/detachment mechanism between the robot arm body 100 and the replacement tool 300 described with reference to FIG. 3 is driven to attach the replacement tool 300a to the robot arm body 100 (FIG. 7(c)).

In S105, the finger member 330a is driven in the direction of the arrow B by the tool drive motor 221 to grip the work Wa from the inside (FIG. 7(d)). Then, the link 107 is moved in the direction of arrow C by the robot arm body 100, and the workpiece Wa is taken out from the component positioning mechanism 902a (FIG. 7(e)).

Then, in S106, the sensor 903a provided in the component positioning mechanism 902a detects whether the workpiece Wa is on the component positioning mechanism 902a. If S106: No, the process advances to S107, and if S106: Yes, the return work Wa gripping operation is repeated until just before S105.

In S107, the component positioning mechanism 902a descends in the direction of the arrow S to place the next workpiece Wa in the component positioning mechanism 902a (FIG. 7(f)). Then, in S108, predetermined operations such as transportation and assembly are performed on the gripped work Wa.

Then, in S109, it is determined whether or not the work with the replacement tool 300a is finished. If S109: Yes, proceed to S110, and if S109: No, proceed to S111.

In S110, since the work with the replacement tool 300a is completed, the replacement tool 300a is held in the tool stocker 500a, and the flow ends (FIG. 7(g)). At this time, the finger members 330a are held in the tool stocker 500a in a state in which they are moved to the positions where they are closest to each other.

In S111, since the work with the replacement tool 300a is still continued, the replacement tool 300a is brought into contact with the tool stocker 500a while the replacement tool 300a is attached to the robot arm main body 100 (FIG. 7(h)).

Then, the part positioning mechanism 902a positions the workpiece Wa at a position where the workpiece Wa can be gripped by the exchange tool 300a in the state shown in FIG. 7(h), and grips the workpiece Wa. Then, the flow of FIG. 6 is repeated again.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, mounting of the exchange tool 300a and gripping of the workpiece Wa can be performed almost simultaneously. This eliminates the need to drive the robot arm body 100 to the position where the workpiece Wa to be gripped is supplied after the replacement tool 300a is mounted, and the time required for production can be reduced.

In addition, the space of the robot system 10 can be saved by arranging the component supply means 900a directly under or in the vicinity of the tool stocker.

(Second embodiment)
A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described. In the first embodiment, the tool stocker 500a holds the replacement tool 300a as it is, but in the second embodiment, the tool stocker is provided with a pressing mechanism. Thereby, the gripping accuracy can be improved. Details are given below.

In the following, hardware and control system configurations that are different from those of the first embodiment will be illustrated and explained. Also, the same parts as those of the first embodiment can have the same configurations and functions as those described above, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. Also, the same reference numerals are used for members and control functions that are the same as or equivalent to those of the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the replacement tool 300b in this embodiment. A major difference from the first embodiment is the finger member 330b. While the finger member 330a of the first embodiment has a prismatic shape, the finger member 330b has a prismatic shape with a claw-like tip. The attachment/detachment mechanism for the robot arm body 100 and the replacement tool 300a described in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the tool stocker 500b and the parts feeder 900b. A major difference from the first embodiment is that a pressing mechanism 530 is provided on the tool stocker 500b and the workpiece Wb to be gripped.

As shown in FIG. 9, the pressing mechanism 530 is composed of a base member 531, a lever member 532, a spring member 533, and a lever rotating shaft 534, respectively. The lever member 532 is rotatable with respect to the base member 531 with the lever rotation shaft 534 as the center of rotation.

A spring member 533 provided on the lever member 532 elastically biases the lever member 532 so that it is always rotated. A roller 535 is provided at the end of the lever member 532 . The roller 535 contacts the protruding portion 319 provided on the exchange tool 300 , and the finger support base 314 is positioned by pressing the protruding portion 319 with the lever member 532 rotated by the spring member 533 . Note that the spring member 533 may be any elastic member, and a spring is used as an example.

The workpiece Wb is a cylindrical parallel pin. A component feeder 900b is provided directly below the tool stocker 500b. Then, the workpieces Wb are conveyed in a row in the direction of arrow P.

FIG. 10 is a detailed description of the component feeder 900b. A component conveying unit 901b and a component positioning mechanism 902b in this embodiment are the same as those in the first embodiment. Unlike the work Wa, the work Wb is gripped from the outside of the work. A sensor 903b for detecting whether or not the workpiece Wb is placed in the component positioning mechanism 902b is built in the component positioning mechanism 902b. This sensor 903b detects the weight of the work Wb.

The above are the differences between this embodiment and the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the configuration for gripping the work Wa when the replacement tool 300a is attached to the robot arm body 100 has been described. In this embodiment, when the exchange tool 300b is held by the tool stocker 500b, the pressing mechanism 530 presses the projecting portion 319 to position the finger member 330b. is configured to hold the By doing so, the workpiece Wb can be gripped without using the robot arm body 100, and disturbance such as vibration of the robot arm body 100 can be eliminated, and gripping accuracy can be improved. The pressing mechanism 530 is an example of the "positioning mechanism" described in claim 2. Also, the projecting portion 319 is an example of a "position restricting portion" that restricts the position of the contact portion.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart for holding the exchange tool 300b and gripping the workpiece Wb in this embodiment. FIG. 12 is a state diagram for each step in FIG. When the control device 600 issues a command to work with the exchange tool 300b, the flow shown in FIG. 11 is started.

As shown in FIG. 11, first, in S201, the workpiece Wb is placed on the component positioning mechanism 902b. At this time, the work Wb is positioned at a position where the work Wb can be gripped while the exchange tool 300b is held by the tool stocker 500b (FIG. 12(a)).

When the exchange tool 300b is not held, the spring member 533 pulls the lever member 532 in the direction of arrow F, so that the lever member 532 rotates in the direction G about the lever rotation shaft 534, and at the same time the roller 535 rotates. It is lifted in the direction of G.

In S202, the mounted replacement tool 300b is moved above the tool stocker 500b corresponding to the replacement tool 300b (FIG. 12(b)).

In S203, the link 107 is linearly moved in the direction of arrow C to bring the finger member 330b into contact with the tool stocker 500b. Then, the projecting portion 319 contacts the roller 535 at the point P (FIG. 12(e)). When the link 107 moves further in the direction of the arrow C, the lever member 532 is pressed in the direction of the arrow H at the point P by the exchange tool 300b, so that it rotates in the direction of the arrow I about the lever rotation shaft 534. FIG.

Then, in S204, the finger support member 330b is pressed in the direction K by the pressing mechanism 530, and the workpiece Wb is gripped (FIG. 12(f)). The spring member 533 and the lever member 532 are adjusted so that the pressing force from the pressing mechanism 530 at this time is equivalent to the gripping force when the work Wb is gripped by the exchange tool 300b.

Then, in S206, it is determined whether or not the work of the replacement tool 300b is finished. If S206: Yes, proceed to S207, and if S206: No, proceed to S208.

If S206: Yes, the work by the replacement tool 300b is completed, so in S207 the replacement tool 300b is released from the robot arm body 100 and held in the tool stocker 500b (FIG. 12(e)). The replacement tool 300b is removed from the link 107 of the robot arm body 100 using the attachment/detachment mechanism described in FIG. 3 of the first embodiment. Since the replacement tool 300b is held while gripping the work Wb, it is possible to grip the work Wb at the same time as the replacement tool 300b is attached when performing work with the replacement tool 300b next time.

If S206: No, the operation by the replacement tool 300b is continued, so in S208, the tool driving motor 221 inside the link 107 is driven to grip the workpiece Wb with the finger members 330b.

Then, in S209, the robot arm body 100 is driven in the direction of the arrow D to take out the workpiece Wb from the part positioning mechanism 902b in order to continue to operate the workpiece Wb. Then, the process returns to S201 and the next workpiece Wb is placed on the component positioning mechanism 902b, and the flow of FIG. 11 is repeated until the work with the replacement tool 300b is completed.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, mounting of the exchange tool 300b and gripping of the workpiece Wb can be performed almost simultaneously. This eliminates the need to drive the robot arm body 100 to the position where the workpiece Wa to be gripped is supplied after the replacement tool 300a is mounted, and the time required for production can be reduced.

Further, the workpiece Wb can be brought into contact with the finger members 330b without using the tool driving motor 221 provided in the robot arm main body 100 to achieve a gripping state. Therefore, disturbance such as vibration caused by the robot arm main body 100 can be eliminated when the workpiece Wb and the finger members 330 are brought into contact with each other, and the gripping accuracy can be improved.

In particular, this embodiment is effective for workpieces that are not frequently gripped but that require gripping accuracy. Such workpieces that are gripped less frequently and require gripping accuracy are arranged like workpiece Wb described in the present embodiment, and workpieces that are gripped frequently but do not require gripping accuracy are placed on a pallet or the like. leave it. By doing this, a workpiece that is gripped frequently and does not require much gripping accuracy is gripped by another exchange tool for work, and a workpiece that is gripped frequently and does not require gripping accuracy is handled by the present embodiment. Grasp and work in a method. Therefore, the robot system can be controlled in accordance with the workpiece gripping frequency and gripping accuracy, and the production efficiency can be improved.

Also, the pressing mechanism 530 can always stably fix the position of the exchange tool 300b at the same position. Therefore, the attachment/detachment operation of the exchange tool 300b can be stabilized.

(Other embodiments)
The two sets of replacement tools 300a and 300b, the tool stockers 500a and 500b, and the component feeders 900a and 900b in the first and second embodiments are examples. It is possible to increase the number of tools according to the shape and posture of the workpiece to be operated.

Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, a ball plunger structure, in which a ball member advances and retreats with air and engages with the fitting hole 340, is described as a fixing portion that maintains the attached state of the link 107 and the replacement tool 300. FIG. However, the person concerned can arbitrarily change the configuration to be coupled by magnetic force such as an electromagnet instead of the ball plunger.

Further, in the second embodiment, the pressing mechanism 530 has a lever member 532 that is rotatable with respect to the base member 531 and is urged by the spring member 533. When the tool is replaced, the protruding portion of the finger support base 314 of the replacement tool is pressed. 319 has been described. However, the person concerned can arbitrarily change the configuration for elastically urging the finger support base 314 in a predetermined direction, for example, the pressing mechanism 530 to be an air-driven cylinder or the like.

For example, when the roller 535 is connected to an air-driven cylinder and the exchange tool 300 is held, air is supplied to the cylinder to drive the roller 535 in the pressing direction, thereby providing the same effect as when using a lever member. can be obtained.

In the second embodiment, the roller 535 presses the projecting portion, but if the pressing force of the roller is sufficiently strong, it is also possible to fix the replacement tool 300 to the tool stocker 500 .

The processing procedure for tool replacement in each of the above-described embodiments is specifically executed by the control device 600 . Therefore, a recording medium recording a software control program capable of executing the functions described above can be supplied to the CPU 601, and the CPU 601 can read and execute the program stored in the ROM 602. In this case, the program itself read from the recording medium implements the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the program itself and the recording medium recording the program constitute the present invention.

In each embodiment, the computer-readable recording medium is the ROM 602 or the RAM 603, and the program is stored in the ROM 602 or the RAM 603. However, the present invention is not limited to such a form. . A program for carrying out the present invention may be recorded on any computer-readable recording medium. For example, an HDD, an external storage device, a recording disk, or the like may be used as a recording medium for supplying the program.

The present invention can be used as an industrial robot.

10 robot system 20 robot device 100 robot arm body 101 base 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107 links 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116 joints 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 125 robot arm motor 211 drive base 212 drive transmission pin 213, 331 slide guide 220 tool drive motor driver 221 tool drive motor 232 pipe 240 ball plunger 300a, 300b replacement tool 314 finger support base 317 drive transmission hole 319 protrusion 320 , 512 opening 330a, 330b finger member 340 fitting hole 400 pneumatic device 421 electromagnetic valve 422 pressure sensor 423 compressor 500a, 500b tool stocker 530 pressing mechanism 532 lever member 533 spring member 534 lever rotation shaft 535 roller 570 presence/absence sensor 600 Control device 610 External device 900a, 900b Component feeder 901a, 901b Component transfer section 902a, 902b Component positioning mechanism 903a, 903b Sensor 910 Component supply control circuit Wa, Wb Work

Claims (17)

A tool stocker system for storing an exchange tool detachable from a robot arm,
a tool stocker body in which the replacement tool is stored;
a moving mechanism for moving the contact portion of the replacement tool,
When the replacement tool is stored in the tool stocker main body, the contact portion is brought into contact with the object by the moving mechanism, and the object can be held by the contact portion.
A tool stocker system characterized by: In the tool stocker system of claim 1,
supply means for supplying the object to a position where the object can come into contact with the contact portion while the replacement tool is stored in the tool stocker body;
A tool stocker system characterized by: In the tool stocker system according to claim 2,
The supply means comprises a belt conveyor,
A tool stocker system characterized by: In the tool stocker system according to claim 3,
The supply means includes a positioning mechanism that positions the object,
A tool stocker system characterized by: In the tool stocker system according to claim 4,
The positioning mechanism is
a pedestal on which the object is placed;
a slide mechanism for moving the pedestal,
A tool stocker system characterized by: In the tool stocker system according to any one of claims 2 to 5,
The supply means includes a first sensor that detects the presence or absence of the object,
A tool stocker system characterized by: In the tool stocker system according to any one of claims 2 to 6,
The tool stocker body is equipped with a second sensor that detects the presence or absence of the replacement tool,
A tool stocker system characterized by: In the tool stocker system according to any one of claims 2 to 7,
A tool stocker system, wherein the contact portion is positioned at a predetermined position by the moving mechanism when the replacement tool is stored in the tool stocker body. A robot system comprising a robot arm, a replacement tool detachable from the robot arm, and a tool stocker system for storing the replacement tool,
The tool stocker system includes a tool stocker body in which the replacement tool is stored, and a movement mechanism for moving the contact portion of the replacement tool,
When the replacement tool is stored in the tool stocker main body, the contact portion is brought into contact with the object by the moving mechanism, and the object can be held by the contact portion.
A robot system characterized by: In the robot system according to claim 9,
supply means for supplying the object to a position where the object can come into contact with the contact portion while the replacement tool is stored in the tool stocker body;
A robot system characterized by: In the robot system according to claim 10,
positioning the object at the position by the supply means while the replacement tool is stored in the tool stocker body;
connecting the robot arm to the exchange tool and holding the object by the contact portion;
A robot system characterized by: A replacement tool stored in a tool stocker system having a tool stocker body and detachable from a robot arm,
The replacement tool has a contact portion that contacts an object, the robot arm has a drive source that moves the contact portion, the tool stocker body has a movement mechanism that moves the contact portion,
The replacement tool is attached to the robot arm while being stored in the tool stocker main body, and the contact portion is moved by the drive source, or the replacement tool is moved when stored in the tool stocker main body by the robot arm. By moving the contact portion by a mechanism, the contact portion is brought into contact with the object and can hold the object.
An exchange tool characterized by: A change tool according to claim 12, wherein
A position regulating portion that regulates the position of the contact portion is provided,
An exchange tool characterized by: A control method for a robot system comprising a robot arm, a replacement tool detachable from the robot arm, a tool stocker system for storing the replacement tool, and a control device,
The tool stocker system includes a tool stocker body in which the replacement tool is stored,
The robot arm includes a drive source for moving the contact portion of the replacement tool,
The tool stocker body has a moving mechanism for moving the contact portion of the replacement tool,
The control device
With the replacement tool stored in the tool stocker body, the replacement tool is attached to the robot arm and the contact portion is moved by the drive source, or the replacement tool is stored in the tool stocker body by the robot arm. When the contact portion is moved by the moving mechanism, the contact portion is brought into contact with the object to hold the object.
A control method characterized by: A method for manufacturing an article, comprising manufacturing an article using the robot system according to any one of claims 9 to 11. A control program for causing the control device to execute the control method according to claim 14. 17. A recording medium readable by the control device, storing the control program according to claim 16.

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