JP7367749B2 - Emergency stop switch and robot system - Google Patents

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an emergency stop switch and a robot system.

According to robot safety standards such as ISO 10218, it is stipulated that an operating device for teaching a robot must be equipped with an emergency stop switch that can be started manually. Therefore, a conventional operating device called a teaching pendant is provided with a mechanical emergency stop switch that can be started manually, in addition to a switch used for teaching operations.

On the other hand, in recent years, high-performance mobile terminals such as so-called smartphones and tablets have been used as operating devices in place of conventional teaching pendants. Such mobile terminals are general-purpose products and are not designed exclusively for teaching operations of robots, and therefore are not equipped with an emergency stop switch. Therefore, in order to use such a mobile terminal as an operating device for a robot, an emergency stop switch that can be attached to the mobile terminal later is being considered. From the viewpoint of safety, it is important for such an emergency stop switch to be securely attached to the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is used as a robot operating device.

JP2018-72882A

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to ensure that a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet device is attached to the mobile terminal when the mobile terminal is used as a robot operating device. An object of the present invention is to provide an emergency stop switch that can perform the following actions, and a robot system using the emergency stop switch.

The emergency stop switch of the embodiment includes a switch body that is connected by wire to a robot controller that controls the drive of the robot and switches the control of the robot controller to an emergency stop state in response to a user's operation, and a mobile terminal that accepts the user's operation. a mounting part for removably attaching the switch body; and a mounting part provided at a position facing a lens of a camera included in the mobile terminal when the mounting part is attached to the mobile terminal, for identifying the switch main body. and an identification code section that displays the identification code in a manner that can be photographed by the camera.

According to this, the user can easily detachably attach the switch body of the emergency stop switch to a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal using the attaching part. When the attachment part is attached to the mobile terminal, the identification code part is located at a position facing the lens of the camera included in the mobile terminal. In other words, the fact that the identification code part is not included in the image taken with the camera of the mobile terminal means that the emergency stop switch is not correctly attached to the mobile terminal.

On the other hand, the fact that the identification code section is included in the image taken with the camera of the mobile terminal means that the emergency stop switch is correctly attached to the mobile terminal. Therefore, the mobile terminal or robot controller, for example, executes camera photography at regular intervals, and depending on whether the photographed image contains an identification code section, it is possible to determine whether the emergency stop switch is attached to the mobile terminal. It is possible to judge whether As described above, according to the present invention, when a portable terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet device is used as a robot operating device, it is possible to ensure that the portable terminal is equipped with an emergency stop switch.

In the emergency stop switch of the embodiment, the attachment portion has a protrusion that protrudes in a direction away from the lens when the attachment portion is attached to the mobile terminal. The identification code portion is provided on a surface inside the protrusion.

According to this, since the identification code section is provided on the inner surface of the protrusion, that is, the surface facing the camera lens, when the emergency stop switch is attached to a mobile terminal, it can be identified from the camera lens. It is possible to secure the distance to the cord part and maintain the distance constant. This prevents, for example, the identification code portion from coming too close than the focal length of the camera lens, and as a result, it is possible to improve the accuracy of photographing the identification code portion with the camera of the mobile terminal.

The emergency stop switch of the embodiment further includes a lighting section that can introduce external light into the identification code section. According to this, by introducing external light from the lighting section to the identification code section, it is possible to secure the light necessary for photographing with the camera. Therefore, according to this configuration, it becomes easier to secure the amount of light necessary for photographing even without a light source such as a flash or a light, and as a result, the accuracy of photographing the identification code section with the camera of the mobile terminal, that is, the identification code section. The recognition accuracy of the included identification code can be improved.

Here, for example, if a plurality of robots exist at one work site, the user may prepare a plurality of emergency stop switches corresponding to each robot. In this case, each robot controller should register in advance the identification code of the emergency stop switch that is actually connected to it by wire, to prevent confusion with emergency stop switches connected to robot controllers that are compatible with other robots. can be prevented. In this case, it is conceivable that the identification code for the robot controller is manually registered by the user using an input device, for example, but it is troublesome to perform this registration work manually.

Therefore, the emergency stop switch of the embodiment further includes an identification code storage unit that stores the identification code, and when connected to the robot controller by wire, the identification code stored in the identification code storage unit is Automatically sent to robot controller. According to this, simply by the user connecting the emergency stop switch to the robot controller, the identification code of the emergency stop switch is automatically registered in the robot controller. Therefore, the user does not need to register the identification code of the emergency stop switch, and as a result, convenience can be improved.

The robot system of the embodiment includes a robot controller that controls the driving of the robot, a mobile terminal that has a camera and is capable of wirelessly communicating with the robot controller, and a mobile terminal that is connected to the robot controller by wire and that operates the robot controller in response to a user's operation. a switch body for switching control to an emergency stop state; a mounting portion for removably attaching the switch body to the mobile terminal; and an identification provided at a position facing the lens of the camera to identify the switch body. an identification code section that displays the code in a manner that can be photographed by the camera; and an emergency stop switch.

When the emergency stop switch is attached to the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal photographs the identification code section provided in the emergency stop switch with the camera and determines the identification code included in the identification code section from the photographed image. and a transmission processing section that transmits the identification code read by the reading processing section to the robot controller. The robot controller includes a first acquisition processing unit that acquires the identification code of the emergency stop switch connected to the robot controller by wire using a method different from the method of photographing the identification code section with the camera, and the mobile terminal. a second acquisition processing unit that acquires the identification code transmitted from the transmission processing unit of the second acquisition processing unit, and when the identification code acquired by the first acquisition processing unit and the identification code acquired by the second acquisition processing unit match; and a permission determination processing unit that permits driving of the robot based on an operation from the mobile terminal.

According to this, the above-described emergency stop switch can be easily applied to mobile terminals such as smartphones and tablet terminals. In other words, when an emergency stop switch is attached to a mobile terminal and used as an operating device, the emergency stop switch actually connected to the robot controller by wire is the same as the emergency stop switch actually attached to the mobile terminal. You need to make sure that.

For example, if an emergency stop switch connected by wire to a robot controller is mistakenly attached to a mobile terminal that is not compatible with the robot controller, the user may operate the emergency stop switch for the intended purpose. The robot cannot be brought to an emergency stop. In other words, in this case, the user ends up using a mobile terminal that does not substantially have an emergency stop function as an operating device, which poses a safety problem. Therefore, when an emergency stop switch is attached to a mobile terminal and used as an operating device, it is necessary to link the robot controller, the mobile terminal, and the emergency stop switch to each other.

On the other hand, according to this configuration, in the robot controller, the first acquisition processing section acquires the identification code of the emergency stop switch that is or is connected by wire to the robot controller. Thereby, the robot controller can link the robot controller and the emergency stop switch using the identification code acquired by the first acquisition processing section. Further, the second acquisition processing unit acquires the identification code of the emergency stop switch actually attached to the mobile terminal. Thereby, the robot controller can link the mobile terminal and the emergency stop switch using the identification code acquired by the second acquisition processing section.

Then, if the identification code acquired by the first acquisition processing unit and the identification code acquired by the second acquisition processing unit match, the permission determination processing unit determines whether the emergency stop switch connected by wire to the robot controller and the mobile terminal If it is confirmed that the emergency stop switch installed on the robot is the same as the emergency stop switch, the robot is allowed to drive based on the operation from the mobile terminal.

In other words, for example, if an emergency stop switch that is wired to a certain robot controller is mistakenly attached to a mobile terminal that is not compatible with that robot controller, the robot control based on the operation from the mobile terminal may Driving is not permitted. For this reason, the mobile terminal does not actually have an emergency stop function because it is not equipped with an emergency stop switch, or because it is mistakenly equipped with an emergency stop switch that is compatible with another robot. In this case, the mobile terminal cannot be used as an operating device. Therefore, according to this configuration, when a mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet device is used as a robot operating device, it is possible to ensure that the mobile terminal is equipped with an emergency stop switch, and as a result, Safety can be ensured.

Further, the emergency stop switch further includes an identification code storage section that stores an identification code. The first acquisition processing section automatically acquires the identification code stored in the identification code storage section when the emergency stop switch is connected by wire to the robot controller. According to this, when the user simply connects the emergency stop switch to the robot controller, the first acquisition processing section automatically acquires the identification code of the emergency stop switch connected by wire to the robot controller. Therefore, the user does not need to register the identification code of the emergency stop switch, and as a result, convenience can be improved.

Further, according to this, there is no need to set in advance the correspondence between the emergency stop switch, the robot, and the robot controller, and there is no need to fix this correspondence. In other words, by reconnecting the emergency stop switch from one robot controller to another robot controller, the user can link the emergency stop switch to the newly connected robot controller. Therefore, according to this, one emergency stop switch can be made compatible with a plurality of robots and robot controllers, so the usability of the emergency stop switch is increased and convenience is improved.

A diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a robot system according to the first embodiment A perspective view showing an example of an emergency stop switch according to the first embodiment A perspective view showing an example of a state in which the emergency stop switch according to the first embodiment is attached to a mobile terminal A sectional view showing an example of a state in which the emergency stop switch according to the first embodiment is attached to a mobile terminal A flowchart showing an example of control contents executed by the robot controller regarding the robot system according to the first embodiment. A flowchart showing an example of control contents executed by a mobile terminal regarding the robot system according to the first embodiment. A diagram showing an example of a schematic configuration of a robot system according to a second embodiment

Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each embodiment, substantially the same component parts are given the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

(First embodiment)
The first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.
[Overview of robot system configuration]
First, an overview of the configuration of the robot system 1 shown in FIG. 1 will be explained. The robot system 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a robot 10, a robot controller 20, a mobile terminal 30, and an emergency stop switch 40. The robot 10 is, for example, a horizontal 4-axis type or vertical 6-axis type articulated robot. Note that the robot 10 is not limited to the above-mentioned robot as long as it is capable of executing the user's teaching operations.

The robot controller 20 controls the driving of the robot 10 in response to instructions from the mobile terminal 30 or based on a pre-stored program. The robot controller 20 is connected to the robot 10 via, for example, a connection cable. The mobile terminal 30 is a high-performance mobile terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet device, and can be configured as a general-purpose product that can be used for purposes other than teaching the robot 10.

The emergency stop switch 40 is for using the portable terminal 30, which is a general-purpose product, as an operating device for the robot 10. The emergency stop switch 40 is a mechanical switch that can be manually activated by the user and is connected to the robot controller 20 by a wire.

[Emergency stop switch configuration]
Next, the configuration of the emergency stop switch 40 will be explained.
The emergency stop switch 40 includes a switch body portion 41, a mounting portion 42, and an identification code portion 43, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the switch main body 41 is wired to the robot controller 20 via a connection line 411. In the case of this embodiment, the robot controller 20 includes a connector 201 as shown in FIG. The connection wire 411 of the switch body 41 is detachably attached to the robot controller 20 via the connector 201.

Note that the connector 201 may be provided on the switch main body portion 41 side. Further, the switch main body 41 does not necessarily need to be configured to be detachable from the robot controller 20. For example, the connection line 411 may be configured to be non-removable from the switch main body 41 and the robot controller 20.

The switch main body 41 is, for example, a push button type switch, and has a function of switching control of the robot controller 20 to an emergency stop state in response to a user's pressing operation. In the case of this embodiment, the switch body 41 is an NC contact, as shown in FIG. 1, and is configured to normally close the circuit and open the circuit when operated, that is, when pressed.

The robot controller 20 constantly outputs a signal indicating a safe state to the switch body 41, and if the signal is returned, it is determined that the emergency stop switch 40 is not operated and is in a safe state. to decide. When the robot controller 20 determines that the emergency stop switch 40 is not operated and is in a safe state, the robot controller 20 can perform drive control on the robot 10. On the other hand, if the signal indicating the safe state outputted to the switch body 41 is not returned, the robot controller 20 determines that the emergency stop switch 40 has been operated and the circuit has been cut off. Then, the robot controller 20 switches the control over the robot 10 to an emergency stop state, brings the robot 10 to an emergency stop, and prohibits the robot 10 from being driven.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the attachment portion 42 has a function of detachably attaching the switch body portion 41 to the mobile terminal 30. In the case of this embodiment, the attachment part 42 includes two plate-shaped members and is configured in the shape of a clip that can hold the mobile terminal 30 from both sides. Further, the attachment portion 42 integrally has a protrusion 421. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the protruding part 421 is provided at a position facing the lens 311 of the mobile terminal 30 when the attachment part 42 is attached to the mobile terminal 30, and is arranged in a direction away from the lens 311. For example, it protrudes into a trapezoidal shape. The protruding portion 421 is configured to cover the lens 311 when the attaching portion 42 is attached to the mobile terminal 30.

In this case, the portion of the protrusion 421 that faces the lens 311 is a flat surface. The amount of protrusion of the protrusion 421 , that is, the distance from the lens 311 to the flat surface of the protrusion 421 is set to be greater than or equal to the focal length of the lens 311 . Furthermore, an opening 422 is formed in a part of the protrusion 421 to communicate the inside and outside of the protrusion 421 . This opening 422 functions as a lighting section 422 that can introduce light from outside the attachment section 42 into the inside of the protrusion 421 . That is, the light outside the attachment part 42 is guided into the interior of the attachment part 42 through the lighting part 422. As a result, a sufficient amount of external light is introduced into the attachment portion 42 for photographing through the lens 311.

In the case of this embodiment, the lighting section 422 is provided on a member of the attachment section 42 on the lens 311 side. Further, the lighting section 422 is located around the lens 311 and outside the photographable range of the lens 311, that is, outside the field of view of the lens 311. Therefore, the lighting section 422 is configured so that the light from the light source does not easily hit the lens 311 directly. Note that the lighting section 422 is not limited to an opening, and may be made of, for example, transparent resin or glass. Furthermore, by making the entire protrusion 421 a transparent member, the entire protrusion 421 may be used as a lighting section.

Further, the attachment portion 42 has an exposed portion 423. The exposed portion 423 is provided at a position overlapping the lens 311 when the emergency stop switch 40 is attached to the mobile terminal 30, and is formed by cutting out or cutting out a part of the mounting portion 42 on the lens 311 side. There is. When the emergency stop switch 40 is attached to the mobile terminal 30, the lens 311 is exposed to the outside through the exposed portion 423, as shown in FIG. Thereby, the camera 31 can photograph the identification code part 43 provided inside the protrusion part 421 without being obstructed by the attachment part 42.

The identification code section 43 displays an identification code for identifying the switch main body section 41 in a manner that can be photographed by the camera 31, that is, in a manner that can be recognized by the mobile terminal 30 when photographed by the camera 31. The identification code section 43 is, for example, a one-dimensional code such as a bar code, a two-dimensional code such as a QR code (registered trademark), etc., and is displayed on the mounting section 42 by, for example, pasting a sticker or directly printing it. ing.

As shown in FIG. 4, the identification code portion 43 is provided on the inner surface of the protruding portion 421 of the attachment portion 42, that is, on the flat surface portion facing the lens 311. That is, the identification code portion 43 is provided at a position facing the lens 311 of the mobile terminal 30 when the attachment portion 42 is attached to the mobile terminal 30. The identification code included in the identification code section 43 can be expressed by converting it into, for example, letters, numbers, and symbols, and is unique to the switch body section 41, that is, unique to the emergency stop switch 40.

In this embodiment, "unique" does not necessarily mean that all of the emergency stop switches produced are unique; for example, when a plurality of emergency stop switches 40 are used at the same time at the same work site, the term "unique" means "unique" between each emergency stop switch 40. It is fine as long as it is unique. That is, in this embodiment, unique means that, for example, when a plurality of emergency stop switches 40 are used at a certain work site, the identification code of each emergency stop switch 40 does not have to be duplicated.

[Details of robot system]
Next, the robot system 1 will be explained in more detail.
As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile terminal 30 constituting the robot system 1 includes a camera 31 having a lens 311 and an imaging section 312, an input display section 32, a reading processing section 33, a transmission processing section 34, and a terminal control section. It has 35. The input display section 32 is, for example, a liquid crystal touch panel display or the like, and detects the user's input operation and displays various information to the user. The input display section 32 is provided on one side or both sides of the plate-shaped mobile terminal 30.

When the emergency stop switch 40 is attached to the mobile terminal 30, the reading processing unit 33 captures an image of the identification code section 43 included in the emergency stop switch 40 with the camera 31, and extracts the information contained in the identification code section 43 from the captured image. It has the ability to read identification codes. The transmission processing section 34 has a function of transmitting the identification code read by the reading processing section 33 to the robot controller 20 by wireless communication using a communication device built into the mobile terminal 30.

Photographing by the camera 31, reading processing by the reading processing section 33, and transmission processing by the transmission processing section 34 are repeatedly executed at a constant cycle. At this time, if the identification code section 43 is not included in the image captured by the camera 31, the reading of the identification code by the reading processing section 33 will fail. In this case, the transmission processing unit 34 transmits information indicating that the reading has failed or information that the reading is empty to the robot controller 20.

The terminal control unit 35 is in charge of controlling the entire mobile terminal 30. The terminal control unit 35 is mainly composed of, for example, a microcomputer having a CPU (not shown), and storage areas such as ROM, RAM, and rewritable flash memory. The camera 31 and the input display section 32 are connected to and controlled by the terminal control section 35 .

Further, a storage area (not shown) of the terminal control unit 35 stores a robot system program for applying the portable terminal 30, which is a general-purpose product, to the robot system 1. The terminal control section 35 virtually implements the reading processing section 33 and the transmission processing section 34 using software by executing a program for the robot system on a CPU (not shown).

The robot controller 20 includes a drive circuit section 21 , a stop judgment processing section 22 , a first acquisition processing section 23 , a second acquisition processing section 24 , a permission judgment processing section 25 , and a system control section 26 . The drive circuit unit 21 has a function of controlling the drive of the robot 10 based on an operation from the mobile terminal 30 or based on a pre-stored program.

The stop determination processing unit 22 outputs a signal indicating a safe state to the switch body 41 and monitors a signal returned from the switch body 41. Then, the stop determination processing section 22 determines the operation state of the emergency stop switch 40 based on the presence or absence of a signal returned from the switch main body section 41, and switches the control state of the robot controller 20. That is, when the signal is returned from the switch main body 41, the stop judgment processing section 22 judges that the emergency stop switch 40 is not operated and is in a safe state. On the other hand, if the signal is not returned from the switch body 41, the stop determination processing section 22 determines that the emergency stop switch 40 has been operated and the circuit has been cut off. When the emergency stop switch 40 is operated, the stop determination processing section 22 switches the control of the robot 10 to an emergency stop state and brings the robot 10 to an emergency stop.

The first acquisition processing section 23 has a function of acquiring the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 connected to the robot controller 20 by wire using a method different from the method of photographing the identification code section 43 with the camera 31. Obtaining the identification code section 43 by a method different from the method of photographing it with the camera 31 includes the following examples.

That is, for example, if the emergency stop switch 40 and the connection line 411 are configured to be non-removable to the robot controller 20, the robot controller 20 is connected to the robot controller 20 in a storage area (not shown) built into the robot controller 20. The identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 is registered in advance. Then, the first acquisition processing unit 23 acquires the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 connected to the robot controller 20 by acquiring the registered identification code.

Further, for example, if the emergency stop switch 40 and the connection line 411 are configured to be detachable from the robot controller 20, the user can connect the robot controller 20 to the robot controller 20 using an input device directly or indirectly connected to the robot controller 20. The identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 connected to or connected to the robot controller 20 is registered in a built-in storage area (not shown). In this case, the input device may be, for example, the mobile terminal 30, a code reader connected to the robot controller 20, or a user interface device such as a keyboard or mouse connected to the robot controller 20. Then, the first acquisition processing unit 23 acquires the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 connected to or connected to the robot controller 20 by acquiring the registered identification code.

The second acquisition processing unit 24 acquires the identification code transmitted from the transmission processing unit 34 of the mobile terminal 30. That is, when the emergency stop switch 40 is normally attached to the mobile terminal 30 and the camera 31 of the mobile terminal 30 is able to normally actually read the identification code of the identification code section 43, the second acquisition processing unit 24 You can obtain its identification code. In other words, the first acquisition processing unit 23 acquires the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 connected to the robot controller 20, regardless of whether the emergency stop switch 40 is attached to the mobile terminal 30. On the other hand, the second acquisition processing unit 24 acquires the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 actually attached to the mobile terminal 30.

If the identification code acquired by the first acquisition processing unit 23 and the identification code acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 24 do not match, the permission determination processing unit 25 activates an emergency stop switch 40 connected to the robot controller 20, It is determined that the emergency stop switch 40 attached to the mobile terminal 30 is not the same one. Further, if the first acquisition processing unit 23 does not acquire the identification code, the permission determination processing unit 25 determines that the emergency stop switch 40 is not connected to the robot controller 20. Furthermore, if the second acquisition processing unit 24 does not acquire the identification code, the permission determination processing unit 25 determines that the emergency stop switch 40 is not attached to the mobile terminal 30. In these cases, the permission determination processing unit 25 determines that the mobile terminal 30 is not equipped with an emergency stop function, and does not permit operation of the robot 10 based on the operation from the mobile terminal 30. That is, in this case, the user cannot operate the robot 10 by operating the mobile terminal 30.

On the other hand, if the identification code acquired by the first acquisition processing unit 23 and the identification code acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 24 match, the permission determination processing unit 25 determines whether the robot 10 based on the operation from the mobile terminal 30 driving is permitted. That is, the fact that the identification code acquired by the first acquisition processing section 23 and the identification code acquired by the second acquisition processing section 24 match means that the emergency stop switch 40 connected to the robot controller 20 and the mobile terminal 30 This means that the emergency stop switch 40 connected to the robot controller 20 is the same as the emergency stop switch 40 attached to the robot controller 20, which means that the emergency stop switch 40 connected to the robot controller 20 is actually attached to the mobile terminal 30 to which it should be attached. do. Therefore, in this case, the permission determination processing unit 25 determines that the mobile terminal 30 is equipped with an emergency stop function, and permits operation of the robot 10 based on the operation from the mobile terminal 30. Thereby, the user can operate the robot 10 by operating the mobile terminal 30.

The system control unit 26 controls the entire robot controller 20. The system control unit 26 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having storage areas such as a CPU (not shown), ROM, RAM, and a rewritable flash memory, for example. The drive circuit section 21, the stop judgment processing section 22, the first acquisition processing section 23, the second acquisition processing section 24, and the permission judgment processing section 25 are connected to the system control section 26 and are controlled by the system control section 26. Ru.

Further, a storage area (not shown) of the system control unit 26 stores a robot system program for applying the robot controller 20 to the robot system 1. Then, the system control unit 26 controls the stop judgment processing unit 22, the first acquisition processing unit 23, the second acquisition processing unit 24, and the permission judgment processing unit 25 by executing a program for the robot system on a CPU (not shown). Virtually realized through software. Note that the stop judgment processing section 22, the first acquisition processing section 23, the second acquisition processing section 24, and the permission judgment processing section 25 may be realized in hardware as an integrated circuit integrated with the system control section 26, for example. good.

[Control flow of robot system]
Next, with reference also to FIGS. 5 and 6, details of control executed by the robot controller 20 and the mobile terminal 30 will be described.
First, the control contents executed by the terminal control unit 35 of the mobile terminal 30 will be explained with reference to FIG. 5. When the terminal control unit 35 executes the program for the robot system (start in FIG. 5), it first executes the process of step S11. In step S11, the terminal control section 35 detects and reads the identification code section 43 included in the emergency stop switch 40 attached to the mobile terminal 30 through the processing of the camera 31 and the reading processing section 33.

Next, in step S12, the terminal control unit 35 determines whether or not the identification code has been read. If the identification code has been read (YES in step S12), the terminal control unit 35 moves the process to step S13, and transmits the identification code read in step S11 to the robot controller 20 through the processing of the transmission processing unit 34. do. Thereafter, the terminal control unit 35 returns the process to step S11 and executes the above process again.

On the other hand, if the identification code is not read (NO in step S12), the terminal control unit 35 determines that the emergency stop switch 40 is not properly installed in the mobile terminal 30, and moves the process to step S14. . Then, in step S14, the terminal control unit 35 displays, for example, on the input display unit 32, warning information indicating that the emergency stop switch 40 is not correctly attached to the mobile terminal 30. This notifies the user of warning information. Thereafter, the terminal control unit 35 returns the process to step S11 and executes the above process again. In this case, the terminal control unit 35 repeats the above processing content in a predetermined cycle.

Next, the control contents executed by the system control unit 26 of the robot controller 20 will be explained with reference to FIG. 6. When the system control unit 26 executes the program for the robot system (start in FIG. 6), first in step S21, the first acquisition processing unit 23 processes the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 connected to the robot controller 20. get.

Next, in step S22, the system control unit 26 determines whether the second acquisition processing unit 24 has acquired the identification code. If the second acquisition processing unit 24 does not acquire the identification code, that is, if the identification code cannot be received from the mobile terminal 30 (NO in step S22), the system control unit 26 connects the mobile terminal 30 to the emergency stop switch 40. is not installed properly. Then, the system control unit 26 moves the process to step S23 and prohibits the robot 10 from operating based on the operation of the mobile terminal 30. Then, the system control unit 26 returns the process to step S22.

On the other hand, if the second acquisition processing unit 24 acquires the identification code, that is, if the identification code can be received from the mobile terminal 30 (YES in step S22), the system control unit 26 causes the mobile terminal 30 to perform an emergency stop. It is determined that the switch 40 is attached, and the process proceeds to step S24. Next, the system control unit 26 determines whether the identification code acquired by the first acquisition processing unit 23 and the identification code acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 24 match, through the processing of the permission determination processing unit 25. judge.

If the identification code acquired by the first acquisition processing unit 23 and the identification code acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 24 do not match (NO in step S24), the system control unit 26 controls the emergency stop connected to the robot controller 20. It is determined that the switch 40 and the emergency stop switch 40 attached to the mobile terminal 30 are not the same. Then, the system control unit 26 moves the process to step S23 and prohibits the robot 10 from operating based on the operation of the mobile terminal 30. Then, the system control unit 26 returns the process to step S22.

In this case, the system control unit 26 warns the mobile terminal 30 that the emergency stop switch 40 connected to the robot controller 20 and the emergency stop switch 40 attached to the mobile terminal 30 are not the same. The information may be transmitted and the warning information may be displayed on the input display section 32 of the mobile terminal 30.

Further, if the identification code acquired by the first acquisition processing unit 23 and the identification code acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 24 match (YES in step S24), the system control unit 26 determines whether the identification code connected to the robot controller 20 It is determined that the emergency stop switch 40 and the emergency stop switch 40 attached to the mobile terminal 30 are the same. That is, in this case, the system control unit 26 determines that the emergency stop switch 40 connected to the robot controller 20 is correctly attached to the mobile terminal 30. Then, the system control unit 26 moves the process to step S25 and allows the robot 10 to operate based on the operation of the mobile terminal 30. Thereby, the user can operate the mobile terminal 30 to perform a teaching operation of the robot 10. Then, the system control unit 26 returns the process to step S22 and repeats the above control in a predetermined cycle.

According to the embodiment described above, the emergency stop switch 40 includes a switch main body portion 41, a mounting portion 42, and an identification code portion 43. The switch main body 41 is connected by wire to the robot controller 20 that controls the drive of the robot 10, and switches the control of the robot controller 20 to an emergency stop state in response to a user's operation. The attachment portion 42 removably attaches the switch main body portion 41 to the mobile terminal 30 that receives user operations. The identification code part 43 is provided at a position facing the lens 311 of the camera 31 included in the mobile terminal 30 when the mounting part 42 is attached to the mobile terminal 30, and the identification code part 43 that identifies the switch body part 41 is photographed by the camera 31. Display in any possible manner.

According to this, the user can easily detachably attach the switch main body part 41 of the emergency stop switch 40 to the mobile terminal 30 such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal using the attaching part 42 . When the attachment part 42 is attached to the mobile terminal 30, the identification code part 43 is located at a position facing the lens 311 of the camera 31 included in the mobile terminal 30. That is, the fact that the identification code section 43 is not included in the image taken by the camera 31 means that the emergency stop switch 40 is not correctly attached to the mobile terminal 30.

On the other hand, the fact that the identification code section 43 is included in the image taken by the camera 31 means that the emergency stop switch 40 is correctly attached to the mobile terminal 30. Therefore, the mobile terminal 30 or the robot controller 20, for example, executes photography with the camera 31 at regular intervals, and depending on whether or not the identification code part 43 is included in the photographed image, the emergency stop switch 40 is activated on the mobile terminal 30. It can be determined whether the device is attached to the device or not. As described above, according to the present invention, when the mobile terminal 30 such as a smartphone or a tablet device is used as an operating device for the robot 10, it is possible to ensure that the emergency stop switch 40 is reliably attached to the mobile terminal 30. It can be done.

Furthermore, in the emergency stop switch 40, the attachment portion 42 has a protrusion portion 421 that protrudes in a direction away from the lens 311 when the attachment portion 42 is attached to the mobile terminal 30. The identification code section 43 is provided on the inner surface of the protrusion 421.

According to this, since the identification code part 43 is provided on the inner surface of the protruding part 421, that is, the surface facing the lens 311 of the camera 31, when the emergency stop switch 40 is attached to the mobile terminal 30, , it is possible to secure a distance from the lens 311 of the camera 31 to the identification code section 43 and maintain the distance constant. Thereby, for example, it is possible to prevent the identification code section 43 from coming too close to the camera 31 than the focal length of the lens 311 of the camera 31, and improve the accuracy of photographing the identification code section 43 by the camera 31 of the mobile terminal 30.

The emergency stop switch 40 further includes a lighting section 422 that can introduce external light into the identification code section 43. According to this, by introducing external light from the lighting section 422 to the identification code section 43, the light necessary for photographing with the camera 31 can be secured. Therefore, this makes it easier to secure the amount of light necessary for photography even without a light source such as a flash or light, and as a result, the accuracy of photography of the identification code section 43, that is, the accuracy of the identification code included in the identification code section 43. Recognition accuracy can be improved.

Here, for example, some mobile terminals such as smartphones are equipped with a light source for flash. However, such a light source is generally provided near the lens 311 in many cases. Therefore, when photographing the identification code section 43 using such a flash light source, the distance from the light source to the identification code section 43 is too short, and the light from the light source is too strong, resulting in so-called overexposure. , there is an increased possibility that the identification code will be misrecognized and the recognition accuracy will decrease. Therefore, when taking a close-up photo of the identification code section 43 with the camera 31 as in this embodiment, it is advantageous to take the photo without using a light source such as a flash.

In contrast, according to the present embodiment, the emergency stop switch 40 is provided with a lighting section 422 for introducing external light into the identification code section 43, thereby securing the light necessary for photographing with the camera 31. be able to. According to this, since the camera 31 can take pictures without using a light source such as a flash, so-called overexposure is less likely to occur, and as a result, the recognition accuracy of the identification code included in the identification code section 43 can be improved. I can do it.

Further, for example, if a worker tries to operate the robot 10 in a dark place without turning on the lights installed in the work space, the worker will not be able to clearly see the movement of the robot 10 that is the target of operation. Its operation is dangerous. In contrast, according to the present embodiment, when the work space is dark, the amount of light introduced from the lighting section 422 decreases, and the identification code section 43 is not properly photographed by the camera 31. In other words, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the mobile terminal 30 from functioning as an operating device for the robot 10 even in a dark environment where the identification code section 43 cannot be properly photographed by the camera 31. As a result, safety can be improved.

Note that the camera 31 may take pictures using a light source such as a flash included in the mobile terminal 30, if necessary. In this case, if the light source such as a flash included in the mobile terminal 30 can be adjusted in brightness and light emission time, the mobile terminal 30 adjusts the brightness and light emission time of the light source to prevent overexposure. Also good.

The robot system 1 of this embodiment includes a robot controller 20 that controls the drive of the robot 10, a mobile terminal 30 that has a camera 31 and can communicate wirelessly with the robot controller 20, and an emergency stop switch 40. The emergency stop switch 40 includes a switch main body portion 41, a mounting portion 42, and an identification code portion 43. The switch main body 41 is connected to the robot controller 20 by wire, and switches the control of the robot controller 20 to an emergency stop state in response to a user's operation. The attachment portion 42 attaches the switch main body portion 41 to the mobile terminal 30 in a detachable manner. The identification code section 43 is provided at a position facing the lens 311 of the camera 31 and displays an identification code for identifying the switch body section 41 in a manner that can be photographed by the camera 31.

The mobile terminal 30 includes a reading processing section 33 and a transmission processing section 34. When the emergency stop switch 40 is attached to the mobile terminal 30, the reading processing unit 33 photographs the identification code section 43 included in the emergency stop switch 40 with the camera 31, and reads the identification included in the identification code section 43 from the photographed image. Performs the process of reading the code. The transmission processing section 34 performs a process of transmitting the identification code read by the reading processing section 33 to the robot controller 20.

The robot controller 20 includes a first acquisition processing section 23, a second acquisition processing section 24, and a permission determination processing section 25. The first acquisition processing section 23 performs processing for acquiring the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 connected to the robot controller 20 by wire using a method different from the method of photographing the identification code section 43 with the camera 31. The second acquisition processing unit 24 performs a process of acquiring the identification code transmitted from the transmission processing unit 34 of the mobile terminal 30. The permission determination processing unit 25 allows the robot 10 to be driven based on the operation from the mobile terminal 30 when the identification code acquired by the first acquisition processing unit 23 and the identification code acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 24 match. Perform the processing to do.

According to this, the above-described emergency stop switch 40 can be easily applied to the mobile terminal 30 such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal. That is, when the emergency stop switch 40 is attached to the mobile terminal 30 and used as an operating device, the emergency stop switch 40 actually connected to the robot controller 20 by wire and the emergency stop switch 40 actually attached to the mobile terminal 30 are separated. It is necessary to confirm that they are the same.

For example, if an emergency stop switch 40 connected by wire to a certain robot controller 20 is mistakenly attached to a mobile terminal different from the mobile terminal 30 corresponding to the robot controller 20, the user operates the emergency stop switch 40. However, the target robot 10 cannot be brought to an emergency stop. In other words, in this case, the user uses the mobile terminal 30, which does not substantially have an emergency stop function, as an operating device, which poses a safety problem. Therefore, when the emergency stop switch 40 is attached to the mobile terminal 30 and used as an operating device, it is necessary to link the robot controller 20, the mobile terminal 30, and the emergency stop switch 40 to each other.

On the other hand, according to this configuration, in the robot controller 20, the first acquisition processing unit 23 acquires the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 that is or is connected to the robot controller 20 by wire. Thereby, the robot controller 20 can link the robot controller 20 and the emergency stop switch 40 using the identification code acquired by the first acquisition processing section 23. The second acquisition processing unit 24 also acquires the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 actually attached to the mobile terminal 30. Thereby, the robot controller 20 can link the mobile terminal 30 and the emergency stop switch 40 using the identification code acquired by the second acquisition processing section 24.

Then, if the identification code acquired by the first acquisition processing unit 23 and the identification code acquired by the second acquisition processing unit 24 match, the permission determination processing unit 25 determines whether the emergency stop switch connected by wire to the robot controller 20 40 and the emergency stop switch 40 attached to the mobile terminal 30 are confirmed to be the same, the robot 10 is permitted to be driven based on the operation from the mobile terminal 30.

In other words, for example, if the emergency stop switch 40 connected to a certain robot controller 20 by wire is mistakenly attached to a mobile terminal different from the mobile terminal 30 corresponding to that robot controller 20, the Drive of the robot 10 based on the operation is not permitted. For this reason, if the emergency stop switch 40 is not installed on the mobile terminal 30 or if an emergency stop switch compatible with another robot is installed by mistake, the mobile terminal 30 may not actually have an emergency stop function. If not, the mobile terminal 30 cannot be used as an operating device, so safety can be ensured.

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. In the second embodiment, the method of acquiring the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 by the first acquisition processing unit 23 is different from the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 7, the emergency stop switch 40 of this embodiment includes a connector 401 and an identification code storage section 44 in addition to the configuration of the emergency stop switch 40 of the first embodiment. The connector 401 is a substitute for the connector 201 of the first embodiment, and is provided, for example, in the switch body 41 of the emergency stop switch 40. The connector 201 detachably connects a connection line 411 extending from the robot controller 20. The identification code storage section 44 stores the identification code of the switch body section 41 of the emergency stop switch 40.

Then, when the emergency stop switch 40 is wired connected to the robot controller 20 via the connector 401 and the connection line 411, the first acquisition processing section 23 accesses the identification code storage section 44 and stores the information in the identification code storage section 44. The stored identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 is automatically acquired. That is, the identification code stored in the identification code storage section 44 is automatically transmitted to the robot controller 20 when the emergency stop switch 40 is connected to the robot controller 20 by wire.

Here, for example, if a plurality of robots 10 are present at one work site, the user may prepare a plurality of emergency stop switches 40 corresponding to each robot 10. In this case, each robot controller 20 registers in advance the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 actually connected to itself by wire to prevent confusion with an emergency stop switch connected to another robot controller. can do. In this case, it is conceivable that the user manually registers the identification code for the robot controller 20 using, for example, the mobile terminal 30 or a user interface device connected to the robot controller 20; It is complicated to do at work.

On the other hand, according to the present embodiment, the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40 is automatically registered in the robot controller 20 simply by the user connecting the emergency stop switch 40 to the robot controller 20. be done. Therefore, the user does not need to register the identification code of the emergency stop switch 40, and as a result, convenience can be improved.

Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, there is no need to set the correspondence between the emergency stop switch 40, the robot 10, and the robot controller 20 in advance. That is, by reconnecting the emergency stop switch 40 from one robot controller to another robot controller 20, the user can link the emergency stop switch 40 to the newly connected robot controller 20. Therefore, according to this, one emergency stop switch 40 can be made compatible with a plurality of robots 10 and robot controllers 20, so the usability of the emergency stop switch 40 is increased and convenience is improved.

The embodiments described above are not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the gist of the invention.

In the drawings, 1 is a robot system, 10 is a robot, 20 is a robot controller, 23 is a first acquisition processing section, 24 is a second acquisition processing section, 25 is a permission judgment processing section, 30 is a mobile terminal, and 33 is a reading processing section. , 34 is a transmission processing section, 40 is an emergency stop switch, 41 is a switch main body, 42 is a mounting section, 421 is a protrusion, 422 is an opening (lighting section), 43 is an identification code section, 44 is an identification code storage section , is shown.

Claims (3)

A switch body that switches the robot to an emergency stop state in response to a user's operation;
a mounting section that removably attaches the switch body to a mobile terminal that accepts user operations;
an identification code section that displays an identification code for identifying the switch main body in a state where the mounting section is attached to the mobile terminal in a manner that can be photographed with a camera included in the mobile terminal;
Equipped with
The mounting part is
a protruding portion that protrudes in a direction away from the camera when the attaching portion is attached to the mobile terminal;
An opening is formed in a part of the protrusion to communicate the inside and outside of the protrusion, and functions as a lighting part that can introduce light from outside the protrusion into the inside of the protrusion. death,
The identification code portion is provided on an inner surface of the protrusion.
Emergency stop switch. The identification code section is a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code, and is displayed on the mounting section by being pasted or directly printed on the mounting section.
The emergency stop switch according to claim 1. The identification code portion is provided on a flat surface portion of the mounting portion that faces the camera;
The emergency stop switch according to claim 2.

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