JP7443441B1 - work system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a work system that makes it possible to appropriately control the operation of a work device even if the work device may move in an unexpected trajectory due to an arbitrary operation by a user. [Solution] A simulation that simulates the positional relationship between a work device that performs work in accordance with a motion command, which is a command that indicates the content of the action to be performed, and an object that is a structure around the work device. The simulator includes a virtual working device corresponding to the external shape of the working device and a virtual working device corresponding to the external shape of the object. The virtual work device can be operated in a virtual space in which the virtual object is arranged to correspond to the outer shape and position of each of the work device and the object, and the simulator is configured to operate the virtual work device in the virtual space in parallel with the motion command. In this step, the virtual work device is operated with contents corresponding to the operation command, and the positional relationship between the virtual work device and the virtual object is determined at predetermined time intervals. [Selection diagram] Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a work system.

Conventionally, techniques have been proposed to prevent inconveniences such as interference of the working device with obstacles when a working device such as a robot that performs work in place of a person performs the work (for example, Patent Document 1). The interference prevention device described in Patent Document 1 calculates the movement trajectory of the robot before the robot moves based on content taught to the robot in advance, and determines whether the robot will interfere with an obstacle based on the calculation result. If it is determined that the robot will interfere with an obstacle, control such as issuing a standby command to the robot is performed.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-36410

However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, the object to be controlled is an operation along a predetermined trajectory based on teaching. Therefore, if the user operates the robot along an arbitrary trajectory via the operating device, the technique described in Patent Document 1 may not be able to appropriately control the robot's operation. Specifically, when the user operates the robot on an arbitrary trajectory via the operating device, there is a possibility that the robot will operate on an unexpected trajectory, so the technology described in Patent Document 1, for example, There is a possibility that the robot's movements cannot be controlled properly, such as when the robot interferes with obstacles during work.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a work system that makes it possible to appropriately control the operation of a work device even if the work device may move in an unexpected trajectory due to an arbitrary operation from a user. The purpose is to provide

The work system of the present invention includes a work device that performs work in accordance with a motion command that is a command indicating the content of an action to be performed, and a work device that is an object to be worked on the work device or the work device a simulator that simulates a positional relationship between the work device and objects that are surrounding structures; and an operation control unit that controls the operation of the working device according to the positional relationship simulated by the simulator. A work system comprising: a virtual work device corresponding to the outer shape of the work device; and a virtual object corresponding to the outer shape of the object; The virtual working device is operable in a virtual space arranged so as to correspond to the position of the working device, and the simulating unit is configured to operate the virtual working device in parallel with the operating command when the operating command is issued to the working device. , in the virtual space, the virtual work device is operated with content corresponding to the operation command, and the positional relationship between the virtual work device and the virtual object is determined at predetermined time intervals.

It is preferable that the simulator determines whether or not the work device and the object come into contact based on the determined positional relationship.

The virtual working device has a main body corresponding to the outer shape and size of the working device, and a positional relationship determination layer that is virtually provided to have a predetermined layer thickness with respect to the outer shape of the main body. The simulator is configured to determine the positional relationship between the working device and the object by determining the positional relationship between the positional relationship determination layer and the virtual object. It is preferable.

The virtual object has a main body corresponding to the outer shape and size of the object, and a positional relationship determination layer that is virtually provided to have a predetermined layer thickness with respect to the outer shape of the main body, The simulator is configured to determine the positional relationship between the work device and the object by determining the positional relationship between the positional relationship determination layer and the virtual work device. is preferred.

The simulator determines whether a distance between the first portion of the virtual work device and the virtual object during and/or after the operation of the virtual work device is within a predetermined range, and If it is determined that the distance between the first part and the virtual object is within the predetermined range, the simulator changes the moving direction of the first part corresponding to the movement command to the outer shape of the virtual object. The movement control unit calculates a movement direction of the first part for moving the first part along the surface of the virtual object by correcting based on the movement direction. Preferably, the first portion is configured to be moved.

The positional relationship determination layer is provided to have a predetermined layer thickness with respect to the first portion of the virtual work device, and the simulator is configured to determine the position between the positional relationship determination layer and the virtual object. The motion control unit is configured to determine the positional relationship between the first portion and the virtual object by determining the relationship, and the operation control unit is configured to determine the positional relationship between the first portion and the virtual object based on the determination result by the simulator. It is preferable that the moving direction of the first part for moving the part along the surface of the virtual object is determined, and the first part is moved in the determined moving direction.

The positional relationship determination layer is formed in a fan shape with a radial center located in the first portion, and the layer thickness of the positional relationship determination layer corresponds to the radial length of the fan shape in the positional relationship determination layer. It is preferable that the simulator determines the positional relationship between the fan-shaped positional relationship determination layer and the virtual object.

The virtual working device is virtually provided with a main body portion corresponding to the outer shape and size of the working device, and a first portion of the main body portion that is located inside the outer shape of the elastically deformable first portion. and a positional relationship determination layer, and the positional relationship determination layer is preferably provided at a position where it can come into contact with the virtual object when the first portion is pressed against and deformed by the virtual object.

The simulator is configured to determine the positional relationship between the second portion of the virtual work device and the virtual object during and/or after the operation of the virtual work device, so as to determine whether the second portion and the virtual object are in contact with each other in the virtual space. When it is determined that the virtual object has come into contact with the virtual object or that the distance is less than a predetermined distance, the motion control section is preferably configured to invalidate the subsequent motion command.

The work device performs calculations based on a motion request for operating the work device according to the content of the motion that the work device is to perform, and converts the work device into the motion command generated by the program. When operating the virtual work device in the virtual space with content corresponding to the action command, the simulator receives the action command from the outside, and operates based on the received action. Preferably, the positional relationship between the components of the virtual work device and the virtual object is determined based on the command.

According to the present invention, even if there is a possibility that the working device moves in an unexpected trajectory due to an arbitrary operation by the user, the operation of the working device can be appropriately controlled.

1 is a perspective view schematically showing an example of a work system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the work system shown in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a simulation section of the work system shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a simulation image displayed on the display section shown in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a positional relationship determination layer of a virtual work device used when a simulator of the work system shown in FIG. 1 performs a simulation. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the positional relationship between a virtual object and a positional relationship determination layer used when the simulator of the work system shown in FIG. 1 performs a simulation. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing another example of the positional relationship between a virtual object and a positional relationship determination layer used when the simulator of the work system shown in FIG. 1 performs a simulation. An example of how the simulator of the work system shown in FIG. 1 moves the first part of the virtual work device along the surface of the virtual object while bringing the first part of the virtual work device into contact with the virtual object is schematically shown. FIG. The first part when the simulator of the work system shown in FIG. 1 moves the first part of the virtual work device along the surface of the virtual object while bringing the first part of the virtual work device into contact with the virtual object. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a method for determining the direction in which to move. A schematic diagram showing an example of how the simulator of the work system shown in FIG. 1 moves the first part of the virtual work device along the surface of the virtual object while keeping the first part of the virtual work device a certain distance from the virtual object. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of a simulation procedure by a simulator of the work system shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a simulation performed by the simulator of the work system shown in FIG. 1, in which the first part of the virtual work device and the virtual object are FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an example of how the image is moved along the surface of a virtual object. FIG. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing another example of the work system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 14 is a diagram schematically showing an example of a simulation by the simulator of the work system shown in FIG. 13, in which the first part of the virtual work device and the virtual object are FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing another example of how the image is moved along the surface of a virtual object. 15 is a diagram showing the positional relationship determination layer shown in FIG. 14 as viewed from direction A. FIG. 14 is a diagram schematically showing another example of simulation by the simulator of the work system shown in FIG. 13, in which (a) a positional relationship determination layer is provided inside the outer shape of the elastically deformable first part; FIG. (b) is a diagram schematically showing an example of a working device having the device, and (b) is a diagram showing how the first part in (a) is moved along the surface of the virtual object while pressing the first part against the virtual object. It is.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A work system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiment shown below is just an example, and the work system of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

The work system WS according to the present embodiment is a system that performs work using a work device WD such as a robot that performs work in place of a person. In the present embodiment, the work device WD is configured to perform a predetermined work in various types of equipment such as production equipment in accordance with an operation command that is a command indicating the content of the action that the work device WD is to perform. There is.

Specifically, the work device WD may be a device that operates in any of manual mode, semi-automatic mode, and automatic mode. Manual mode is a mode that is always operated by the user. The semi-automatic mode is a mode in which only some predetermined operations are performed automatically, and other operations are operated by the user. The automatic mode is a mode in which all operations are performed automatically using sensors and the like. In this specification, an "operation command" is a command indicating the content of an operation to be performed by the work device WD. The operation that the user wants the work device WD to perform is, for example, an operation that the user wants the work device WD to perform via the operating device OD, or a computer (automatic mode or semi-automatic mode) that causes the work device WD to perform an automatic operation. This is the operation that the program of the computer (for executing the operation of the mode) wants the working device WD to perform. The operation to be performed by the work device WD can be corrected by interference prevention control and tracing control, which will be described later, based on the results of simulation by the simulator 1.

The work device WD is configured to operate based on an operation command. The operation command is generated by a program that generates the operation command. The program has a function of converting an operation request into an operation command by performing calculations based on the operation request for operating the work device WD according to the content of the operation that the work device WD is to perform. The program is stored, for example, in a storage unit of a computer for operating or operating the working device WD (a computer other than the simulator 1, which will be described later). In manual mode as shown in FIG. 1, the computer is provided, for example, in the operating device OD. Further, in the automatic mode, the computer is included in, for example, the above-mentioned computer that causes the working device WD to perform an automatic operation. In the semi-automatic mode, the computer is provided, for example, in the above-mentioned computer that causes the operating device OD and the working device WD to perform automatic operations. The program issues an operation request (for example, an operation request based on a user's operation or a predetermined operation request for automatic operation) to operate the work device WD according to the operation that the work device WD is to perform. It is configured to perform an operation to convert it into .

The operation request is converted into an operation command for each component (eg, arm portion WD2, etc.) of the working device WD based on the above calculation result. The operation command is operation information of the constituent elements of the work device WD for realizing the operation of the work device WD corresponding to the operation request. Specifically, the motion information corresponds to a motion request, such as one or more of the following: movement speed, acceleration/deceleration, movement direction, movement distance, rotation angle of a joint, rotation speed, and rotation acceleration/deceleration of a component, for example. These are the values of parameters for realizing the operations of the constituent elements of the working device WD. When the work device WD operates in manual mode, the operation command includes, for example, operation information (parameter values) for realizing the movement of the components of the work device WD corresponding to the operation given to the operation device by the user. ). In this case, the operating device converts the content of the operation given by the user to the operating device OD into motion information for realizing the movement of the components of the work device WD. When the work device WD operates in automatic mode, the operation command is, for example, a command for a component of the work device WD that corresponds to an operation that the computer that automatically operates the work device WD wants the work device WD to perform. This is motion information for realizing motion. In this case, the computer converts the content of the action that it wants the work device WD to perform into action information for realizing the movements of the components of the work device WD. When the work device WD operates in the semi-automatic mode, the operation command is a command corresponding to both the manual mode and the automatic mode. Note that, as will be described later, in this embodiment, the operation commands after the above calculation and conversion by a program stored in a predetermined computer are transmitted to the simulator section 1, which will be described later. The simulator unit 1 receives and uses the converted operation command, thereby eliminating the need for the simulator unit 1 to perform the above-described calculation and conversion processing.

Note that the structure of the work device WD may be changed as appropriate depending on the content of the required work, and is not limited to the structure shown in the drawings. Although the work device WD is shown as an articulated robot in this embodiment, it is not limited to a robot, and may be a construction machine such as a crane. Further, the work device WD may be a device that is operated from a location away from the work device WD (remote control), or it is not operated remotely but is operated near the work device WD (for example, machine-side operation). It may be a device. In the following description, a case will be described in which the work device WD is a work device that operates in manual mode and is a robot that is remotely operated by a user. Note that the content described below is also applicable in automatic mode and semi-automatic mode.

The work device WD shown in FIG. 1 is a device that performs work such as polishing on a plate-shaped work object OB1. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the work device WD includes a work device main body WDa, a movement mechanism WDb, and a transport mechanism WDc. The work device main body WDa is configured to perform a predetermined work in response to a user's operation. The working device main body WDa includes a pedestal part WD1, an arm part WD2 having a plurality of joints and rotatably fixed to the pedestal part WD1, and a tool part WD3 provided at the tip of the arm part WD2. ing. The tool portion WD3 is a portion corresponding to a tool, a machine tool, or the like that performs work on a work object. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the tool part WD3 includes a tool main body WD4 that approaches the work object and directly participates in the work, and a handle part WD5 provided so as to be interposed between the tool main body WD4 and the arm part WD2. It is equipped with The tool main body WD4 is a part that performs an operation on the work target OB1 according to the type of work performed by the work device WD.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the work device WD further includes a measuring device WDd that measures the position of the work object OB1. The measuring device WDd includes a camera WD44 that photographs the work object OB1, and a measuring section (not shown) that measures the position of the work object OB1 based on the captured image. Although the measuring device WDd is provided in the moving part WD47 in this embodiment, the position where the measuring device WDd is provided is not particularly limited as long as it is a position where the position of any part of the work object OB1 can be measured. . The position measured by the measuring device WDd is stored in a storage unit (not shown) in association with the outer shape of the work object OB1. Note that the measuring device WDd is not limited to having a camera as long as it can measure the position of the work object OB1, and may be a sensor other than a camera that can measure the position of the work object OB1. Further, the measuring device WDd may be a device capable of measuring both the position and the external shape of the work object OB1. In this case, the position and external shape measured by the measuring device WDd are stored in a storage unit (not shown) in association with each other.

The work device WD is communicably connected to an operating device OD that accepts user operations. The work device WD is configured to receive operation information indicating the content of the user's operation input into the operation device OD, and to perform an operation corresponding to the operation information. The configuration of the operating device OD is not particularly limited as long as it can instruct the work device WD about the contents of the work including movement of the tool portion WD3. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the operating device OD is configured to be able to instruct the tool portion WD3 to move in any three-dimensional direction in the work space where the work device WD is actually provided. .

In the present embodiment, the tool body WD4 of the tool portion WD3 is a polishing target to be described later, which is an example of the work target OB1, as schematically shown in an enlarged view of the tool body WD4 in FIG. It is equipped with a polishing device WD4A for polishing. The polishing device WD4A includes a polishing section such as a grindstone that contacts the work object OB1, and a drive section (not shown) such as a motor that rotates the polishing section. The polishing device WD4A is configured to be able to polish the work object OB1 by rotating the polishing section while the polishing section is in contact with the work object OB1. Specifically, the polishing device WD4A is configured to be able to polish any part of the work object OB1 by moving along the outer shape of the work object OB1. Further, the polishing device WD4A is configured to be able to adjust the orientation (tilt) of the polishing device WD4A in a direction that facilitates polishing according to the contour of the work object OB1 when moving along the contour of the work object OB1. . Thereby, the polishing device WD4A can efficiently polish any part of the work target OB1. Further, the work object OB1 may have, for example, an unnecessary convex portion protruding from the surface of the work object OB1. The polishing device WD4A can polish and remove the convex portion by rotating the polishing portion while the polishing portion is in contact with the convex portion. Note that if unnecessary deposits are present on the surface of the work target OB1, the polishing device WD4A can remove the deposits by polishing.

In the present embodiment, the tool body WD4 further includes a coating device WD4B that applies coating to a predetermined position of the work object OB1, as schematically shown in the enlarged view of the tool body WD4 in FIG. There is. The coating device WD4B includes a nozzle that sprays paint such as liquid onto the work object OB1. Specifically, the coating device WD4B is configured to be able to paint any part of the work object OB1 by moving along the outer shape of the work object OB1. Further, the coating device WD4B is configured to be able to adjust the orientation (tilt) of the coating device WD4B in a direction that facilitates painting according to the external shape of the work target OB1 when moving along the outer shape of the work target OB1. . Thereby, the coating device WD4B can efficiently coat any part of the work target OB1. For example, the coating device WD4B can mark the polished portion of the work target OB1 by painting the portion polished by the polishing device WD4A. Marking makes it easier for the user to recognize the polished position. Moreover, the coating device WD4B can paint any part of the work object OB1 by moving along the outer shape of the work object OB1. Note that the application of the coating device WD4B is not limited to marking. Furthermore, the marking performed by the coating device WD4B is not limited to the purpose of identifying polished parts, but also marks that need to be inspected, such as parts of work target OB1 where abnormalities have occurred, or parts that require further processing. It may also be used to identify a site.

The moving mechanism WDb is a mechanism that moves the working device main body WDa. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the moving mechanism WDb is configured to move the working device main body WDa in a transport orthogonal direction D5 that is orthogonal to the transport direction D3 and the vertical direction D4 of the work object OB1 by the transport mechanism WDc. Specifically, the moving mechanism WDb includes, for example, a beam portion WD45 provided so as to straddle the transport mechanism WDc in the transport orthogonal direction D5, and a rail WD46 provided on the beam portion WD45 along the transport orthogonal direction D5. , a moving part WD47 that moves along the transport orthogonal direction D5 guided by the rail WD46, and a drive part (not shown) that moves the moving part WD47 in the transport orthogonal direction D5. The moving mechanism WDb can operate in accordance with the operation of the operating device OD by the user, and is configured to be able to adjust the amount and direction of movement of the moving unit WD47 in accordance with the operation of the operating device OD. .

The transport mechanism WDc is configured to move the work object OB1 along a predetermined transport direction D3. In the example shown in FIG. 1, in the conveyance mechanism WDc, the right side in the drawing with respect to the working device body WDa is the upstream side of conveyance, and the left side in the drawing with respect to the working device body WDa is the downstream side of conveyance. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the work object OB1 is transported from the right side of the drawing to the left side of the drawing along the transport direction D3. More specifically, the transport mechanism WDc includes a plurality of transport rollers WD48 and a drive section (not shown) that rotationally drives each transport roller WD48. The plurality of conveyance rollers WD48 extend along the conveyance orthogonal direction D5 and are lined up along the conveyance direction D3. By rotationally driving each transport roller WD48, the work object OB1 on the transport roller WD48 can be transported along the transport direction D3. The transport mechanism WDc is capable of operating in accordance with the operation of the operating device OD by the user, and is configured to be able to adjust the amount of movement of the work object OB1 in accordance with the operation of the operating device OD.

An object OB1 (hereinafter also referred to as work object OB1) to be worked on by the work device WD is provided around the work device WD. In this specification, the positional relationship between the work object OB1 to be worked on by the work device WD, structures around the work device WD, etc., and the work device WD is simulated by the simulator 1, which will be described later. The target is called object OB. In this embodiment, the object OB includes both the work target OB1 and a structure OB2 provided around the work device WD (for example, the beam portion WD45 in FIG. 1). However, the object OB may be only the work target OB1 or only the structure OB2. Further, the number of objects OB may be one or multiple.

The work target OB1 is not particularly limited as long as it is a target to be worked on by the work device WD. In the example shown in FIG. 1, work target OB1 is a member polished by polishing device WD4A and painted by painting device WD4B. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the work object OB1 is a metal plate such as iron or aluminum. Further, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the work object OB1 is a plate material having a corrugated cross-sectional shape, but the shape and structure of the work object OB1 are not particularly limited. The work object OB1 may be an object or structure with an uneven surface, or may be an object or structure with a substantially flat surface, or may be an object or structure with an uneven surface. It may be an object or a structure in which unevenness is locally formed by adhering or depositing parts forming the unevenness.

The structure OB2 is not particularly limited as long as it is a structure around the work device WD other than the work object OB1, but for example, when the work device WD performs work on the work object OB1, the work device WD An object (obstacle) that can interfere with work or otherwise interfere with work. Note that the structure OB2 may include a working device WD. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the structure OB2 is a member of the working device WD other than the arm portion WD2. That is, the structure OB2 is a member with which the arm portion WD2 of the work device WD may interfere, for example, when the work device WD performs work on the work object OB1. Specifically, the structure OB2 is, for example, a moving mechanism WDb, a transport mechanism WDc, a measuring device WDd, and the like.

The content of the work performed by the work device WD is not particularly limited as long as it involves movement of the tool part WD3, but in the example shown in FIG. 1, the tool body WD4 of the tool part WD3 is moved along the work target OB1. This is a work that involves a lot of things. More specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the contents of the work performed by the work device WD include polishing the surface of the work target OB1 by moving the tool body WD4 (or polishing the above-mentioned convex portion as necessary). These operations include painting the surface of the work object OB1 by moving the tool body WD4 (for example, marking polished areas). In addition, in this embodiment, the work of the work device may be work (for example, polishing work) in which the work device is in contact with the work object, or it may be a work in which the work device is in contact with the work object (for example, polishing work), or a predetermined work is performed on the work object (the surface of the work object). It may be a work that is performed at a distance of 200 m (for example, a painting work by spraying a liquid such as paint, irradiation with light, etc.). The form of the tool portion WD3 can be changed depending on the type of work.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the work system WS includes a work device WD that performs work in response to an operation by a user, and an object to be worked on the work device WD or a device surrounding the work device WD. a simulation unit 1 that simulates the positional relationship between the object OB, which is a structure, and an operation control unit 2 that controls the operation of the working device WD according to the positional relationship simulated by the simulation unit 1. It is equipped with Note that in this embodiment, the simulation unit 1 and the operation control unit 2 are schematically shown separately, but the simulation unit 1 and the operation control unit 2 are provided in the same device. or may be provided in separate devices. Moreover, the simulation unit 1 and the operation control unit 2 may be realized as different functions of one control unit.

The simulator 1 simulates the positional relationship between the work device WD and the object OB before the work device WD is operated by the motion control unit 2. More specifically, as will be described later, when an arbitrary operation input is made to the operation device OD, the simulation unit 1 operates the work device WD based on the operation input to the operation device OD. It is determined whether the work device WD should be stopped, the work device WD should be stopped, or the work device WD should be caused to perform a different operation. In this specification, "the positional relationship between the work device WD and the object OB" refers to the three-dimensional positional relationship in the real space RS between the work device WD and the object OB. More specifically, the "positional relationship between the work device WD and the object OB" includes the distance between the work device WD and the object OB, the direction in which the work device WD is provided with respect to the object OB, and the positional relationship between the work device WD and the object OB. One or more of the following: whether the device WD is in contact with the object OB, and whether the work device WD is within a predetermined range (distance) with respect to the object OB. can do.

In this embodiment, the simulator 1 is communicably connected to the operating device OD and the operation control unit 2, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The simulator 1 receives from the operating device OD an operation command corresponding to operation information indicating the content of the user's operation inputted to the operating device OD, and inputs the contents corresponding to the operation command (in this embodiment, the operation information is The system is configured to simulate the content of the corresponding action). More specifically, the simulation unit 1 stores external shape information of the virtual working device VD corresponding to the external shape (shape and size) of the working device WD stored in a storage unit (not shown) and the external shape information of the virtual working device VD stored in the storage unit. External shape information of the virtual object VB corresponding to the memorized external shape (shape and size) of the object, relative position information with respect to each other at a certain point in time, and the contents of the above-mentioned operation command (in this embodiment, operation information, The above-mentioned method is performed by a computer simulation (a computer simulation in a virtual space VS imitating the real space RS) based on the movement of the component of the corresponding work device WD or the value of a parameter for realizing the movement of the component. Simulate positional relationships.

The simulator 1 operates the virtual work device VD in the virtual space VS with content corresponding to the operation command. When operating the virtual work device VD, the simulator 1 receives a motion command from the outside (in the example shown in FIG. 1, the operating device OD), and controls the virtual work device VD based on the received motion command. The positional relationship between the component and the virtual object VB is determined. In this embodiment, the simulator 1 does not generate an operation command, but acquires it from the outside (the operating device OD in the example shown in FIG. 1). That is, the simulation unit 1 does not calculate a motion command, which is motion information for the motion of the virtual work device VD in the virtual space VS, but operates the virtual work device VD based on the received motion command that has been calculated and converted. The relative position information is calculated by calculating the coordinates of the constituent elements. Therefore, calculation and conversion time in the simulator 1 is not required, and high-speed simulation becomes possible. The virtual work device VD (see FIG. 4) also includes a first portion VD6 corresponding to the tool body WD4 of the work device WD, and a second portion VD7 corresponding to a portion of the work device WD other than the tool body WD4. include. Further, the virtual object VB includes a virtual work object VB1 corresponding to the work object OB1 and a virtual structure VB2 corresponding to the structure OB2. The simulator 1 can notify the operation control unit 2 of the simulation results. The simulation unit 1 can be configured using, for example, a known central processing unit (CPU) that is generally installed in a computer.

The simulator 1 may be communicably connected to the operation input section 3 and the output section 4, as shown in FIG. The operation input section 3 accepts an operation input by a user for operating the simulator 1 and transmits the contents of the operation input by the user to the simulator 1. The work system WS includes the operation input unit 3, so that the simulator 1 can execute a simulation in response to a user's input, and change the conditions for the simulation by the simulator 1. The operation input unit 3 can be realized by a known input means such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a controller. The output unit 4 is configured to output the results of the simulation performed by the simulator 1. The simulator 1 can notify the user of the simulation results through the output unit 4. The output unit 4 can be realized by known data output means such as a display, a printer, and a speaker. Note that the simulation information by the simulator 1 does not need to be output to the output unit 4.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the simulation unit 1 creates a virtual work device VD corresponding to the outer shape WD6 (see FIG. 1) of the work device WD, and a virtual work device VD corresponding to the outer shape OB5 (see FIG. 1) of the object OB. The virtual work device VD can be operated in the virtual space VS in which the virtual object VB is arranged to correspond to the outer shape and position of each of the work device WD and the object OB. In this specification, "virtual work device VD corresponding to external shape WD6 of work device WD" is a virtual object corresponding to work device WD, which is a real object. Similarly, "virtual object VB corresponding to the outer shape OB5 of object OB" is a virtual object corresponding to object OB, which is a real object. Furthermore, "corresponding to the respective external shapes of the work device WD and the object OB" means that the respective external shapes of the work device WD and the object OB are similar to each other, and that the respective external shapes of the work device WD and the object OB are similar to the respective external shapes of the work device WD and the object OB. This is a concept that includes a simplified shape. In addition, "corresponding to the respective positions of the work device WD and the object OB" means that the positional relationship between the work device WD and the virtual object OB and the positional relationship between the virtual work device VD and the virtual object VB are virtual with respect to the real space RS. This means that they are the same considering the scale of the space VS. The simulator 1 can cause the virtual work device VD to perform an operation corresponding to a user's operation in the virtual space VS. In the example shown in FIG. 3, a virtual work device VD and a virtual object VB are arranged on the screen of the display that is the output unit 4 in a virtual space corresponding to the outer shapes and positions of the work device WD and the object OB. VS is displayed. The external shape information (shape and size) of the virtual work device VD and the virtual object VB and the position information in the virtual space VS with respect to each other are stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown), and when the real work device WD is When operated, the position information of the virtual work device VD is updated and stored. Further, when the real work object OB1 moves, the position information of the virtual work object VB1 is updated and stored in the storage unit. The position information due to the movement of the actual work object OB1 is acquired by the measuring device WDd at predetermined time intervals (for example, within 1 to 10 milliseconds), and the position of the virtual work object VB1 is updated every time new position information is acquired. Information is updated and stored.

The simulator 1 receives the motion command when the motion command is issued to the work device WD, and operates the virtual work device VD in the virtual space VS with the content corresponding to the motion command in parallel with the motion command. , the positional relationship between the virtual work device VD and the virtual object VB is determined at predetermined time intervals T. In this embodiment, when a user performs an arbitrary operation on the work device WD, the simulator 1 performs virtual work in the virtual space VS in parallel with the arbitrary operation in response to the arbitrary operation. The device VD is operated to determine the positional relationship between the virtual work device VD and the virtual object VB at predetermined time intervals T.

“In parallel with the operation command” means that when the simulation unit 1 receives the operation command for operating the work device WD (in this embodiment, when the operation command is received from the operation device OD), the virtual This means that the operation of the work device VD is performed following the operation command from the operating device OD. In other words, the operation of the virtual work device VD (and the determination of the positional relationship) can be performed in real time almost simultaneously with the operation command, that is, in synchronization with the operation command. Furthermore, "in parallel with any operation" means that when an arbitrary operation for operating the work device WD is performed, the operation of the virtual work device VD is performed following the user's operation. means. In other words, the operation of the virtual work device VD (and the determination of the positional relationship) can be performed in real time almost simultaneously, that is, in synchronization, with the user's operation. In this embodiment, the operation of the virtual work device VD corresponding to the user's operation is started in the virtual space VS immediately after the operation (for example, within 1 to 10 milliseconds). By operating the virtual work device VD in parallel with the user's operations in this manner, the user's operations are quickly reflected in the operations of the virtual work device VD. Therefore, the positional relationship between the virtual work device VD and the virtual object VB is instantly determined by the simulator 1, and based on the positional relationship determined by the simulator 1, the work device WD is can be executed with a short time lag.

Further, "determining the positional relationship at predetermined time intervals T" means that determination of the positional relationship is repeatedly performed multiple times at predetermined time intervals T. Therefore, for example, if the work device WD continues to be operated for a certain period of time (for example, 10 seconds), the virtual work device VD is The positional relationship between the virtual object VB and the virtual object VB is determined multiple times. At each time interval T, the positional relationship between the virtual work device VD and the virtual object VB is determined in the virtual space VS, and if there is no problem such as interference even if the operation is continued, the operation control unit 2 While the work device WD in the space is operated, if the simulation unit 1 determines that the work device WD should be stopped or that the work device WD should perform a different operation, the work device WD is moved according to the determination. Control is performed to stop the work device WD or cause the work device WD to perform a different operation. Note that the "predetermined time interval T" is not particularly limited, but is a time such that a person does not feel any delay when performing an operation, and is, for example, within 1 to 10 milliseconds.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the virtual work device VD has a main body portion VD1 corresponding to the outer shape and size of the work device WD, and a virtual work device VD1 having a predetermined layer thickness with respect to the outer shape of the main body portion VD1. A positional relationship determination layer VD2 may be provided. Further, in the present embodiment, the simulation unit 1 determines the positional relationship between the working device WD and the virtual object VB by determining the positional relationship between the positional relationship determination layer VD2 and the virtual object VB, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. It may be configured to determine the positional relationship with the OB. The virtual work device VD has a positional relationship determination layer VD2, and the simulation unit 1 determines the positional relationship between the positional relationship determination layer VD2 and the virtual object VB, thereby determining the relationship between the work device WD and the object OB. By determining the positional relationship, for example, as described later, even if it is determined that the positional relationship determination layer VD2 and the virtual object VB are in contact (see FIG. 7), the main body portion VD1 and the virtual object VB are Since they are not in contact with each other, it is possible to reliably prevent interference between the work device WD and the object OB in the real space RS.

Note that the positional relationship determination layer VD2 is provided with a substantially uniform thickness from the surface of the virtual work device VD in FIG. 6, but as shown in FIG. 7, the thickness may be locally changed. may have been done. More specifically, in the positional relationship determination layer VD2, a first portion of the virtual work device VD corresponding to a highly rigid portion of the work device WD is formed with a constant thickness, and The second portion, which corresponds to the flexible portion whose position changes depending on the movement, may be formed thicker than the first portion. In this case, even if there is a part of the work device WD where changes in movement are difficult to read, contact between the work device WD and the object OB is suppressed, and parts such as cables are prevented from getting caught on the structure OB2, etc. etc. interference is suppressed. Further, the layer thickness of the positional relationship determination layer VD2 may be changed in accordance with a change in the operating speed of the virtual work device VD. For example, as the operating speed of the virtual work device VD increases, the layer thickness of the positional relationship determination layer VD2 is increased, and as the operating speed of the virtual work device VD decreases, the layer thickness of the positional relationship determination layer VD2 is decreased. You may also do so. In this case, for example, in a configuration in which the operating speed of the working device WD is proportional to the user's operating speed, even if the user's operating speed is high, the positional relationship determination layer VD2 having a large layer thickness allows the working device WD to Contact between the object OB and the object OB can be more reliably suppressed.

Note that the virtual work device VD may be configured to include a main body portion VD1 that corresponds to the external shape and size of the work device WD, but not include the positional relationship determination layer VD2. In this case, the simulation unit 1 is configured to determine the positional relationship between the work device WD and the object OB by determining the positional relationship between the main body VD1 and the virtual object VB. . Even in this case, the simulation unit 1 performs a determination based on the simulation before contact between the work device WD and the object OB in the real space RS, so that there is no interference between the work device WD and the object OB in the real space RS. can be prevented.

In this embodiment, even if the work device WD is not taught in advance and is configured to be able to operate with a free trajectory, interference between the work device WD and the object OB in the real space RS can be avoided. . Furthermore, work can be performed by moving the work device WD along the surface of the object OB while ensuring a distance between the work device WD and the object OB in the real space RS. That is, tracing control can be performed to move the work device WD along the surface of the object OB while ensuring a predetermined distance between the work device WD and the object OB in the real space RS. In this case, the distance between the work device WD and the object OB in the real space RS may or may not be constant. Furthermore, even if the work device WD is not taught in advance and is configured to be able to operate with a free trajectory, while ensuring a predetermined distance between the work device WD and the object OB in the real space RS, Tracing control for moving the work device WD along the surface of the object OB can be performed. Therefore, even if there is a possibility that the work device WD moves in an unexpected trajectory due to an arbitrary operation by the user, the operation of the work device WD can be appropriately controlled.

More specifically, before the operation control of the work device WD (robot in this embodiment) is performed, a simulation is performed in virtual space, and after it is confirmed that the arm portion WD2 of the work device WD does not interfere, By controlling the operation of the work device WD (for example, within 1 to 10 milliseconds), a high-speed and highly flexible interference prevention function can be realized. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the simulation unit 1 does not need to perform processing for calculating and converting motion commands, so it only needs to perform coordinate calculations (for example, calculating positional relationships), so the calculation load is reduced. It's over. Therefore, the operation control unit 2 can quickly respond to the user's operation and cause the work device WD to quickly perform the work.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a 3D model that matches each of the object OB and the work device WD in the real space RS is generated in the virtual space VS, so that the tip of the tool part WD3 and the 3D model of the object OB come into contact with each other. A smooth trajectory change can be achieved by obtaining a trajectory through simulation in the virtual space VS and controlling the work device WD to operate according to the obtained trajectory (position information).

Note that in this embodiment, as a modification, the virtual object VB instead of the virtual work device VD has a main body corresponding to the outer shape and size of the object OB, and a predetermined layer thickness with respect to the outer shape of the main body. It may also have a virtually provided positional relationship determination layer. Furthermore, the simulation unit 1 determines the positional relationship between the work device WD and the object OB by determining the positional relationship between the positional relationship determination layer of the virtual object VB and the virtual work device VD. may be configured. In this way, even when the virtual object VB has the positional relationship determination layer, similar to the case where the virtual work device VD has the positional relationship determination layer VD2, for example, the relationship between the work device WD and the object OB in the real space RS is Interference can be reliably prevented.

In the present embodiment, the simulation unit 1 also connects the first portion VD6 (the portion corresponding to the tool body WD4 in the present embodiment) of the virtual work device VD during and/or after the operation of the virtual work device VD. It may be configured to determine whether the distance to the virtual object VB (in this embodiment, the portion corresponding to the object OB) is within a predetermined range. "The distance between the first portion VD6 of the virtual work device VD and the virtual object VB" is not particularly limited, but for example, as shown in FIG. The value may be a value corresponding to a state in which the virtual object VB is in contact with the virtual object VB (that is, the distance between the first portion VD6 and the virtual object VB is 0), or as shown in FIG. The value may be a value corresponding to a state in which they are slightly separated (the value is less than or equal to a predetermined value), or the value may be a value corresponding to a state in which they are separated by a predetermined amount or more (the value is greater than or equal to a predetermined value).

In the example shown in FIG. 8, the surface of the virtual work object VB1 (including the virtual convex portion VB11 corresponding to the above-mentioned unnecessary convex portion) corresponding to the work object OB1, and the first portion VD6 ( Specifically, the virtual polishing device VD4A corresponding to the polishing device WD4A is in contact with the virtual polishing device VD4A). In the example shown in FIG. 10, the surface of the virtual work object VB1 corresponding to the work object OB1 and the first portion VD6 of the virtual work device VD (specifically, the virtual painting device VD4B corresponding to the painting device WD4B) are They are separated by a predetermined distance. In the example shown in FIG. 10, a paint film CM is formed on the polished portion of the virtual work target VB1 by spraying a liquid PA such as paint from the virtual coating device VD4B.

Further, when it is determined that the distance between the first portion VD6 and the virtual object VB is within a predetermined range, the simulation unit 1 receives an operation command (in this embodiment, a command from the user) as shown in FIG. In order to realize the movement of the work device WD corresponding to the operation, the moving direction D1 of the first portion VD6 corresponding to the operation information of the components of the work device WD is corrected (orbit correction) based on the external shape of the virtual object VB. ), the movement direction D2 of the first portion VD6 for moving the first portion VD6 along the surface of the virtual object VB (see FIGS. 8 and 9) is determined, and the motion control unit 2 calculates The first portion VD6 may be configured to move in the moving direction D2 in which the first portion VD6 is moved.

The first portion VD6 performs work on the virtual object VB by moving along the surface of the virtual object VB while contacting the virtual object VB or while maintaining a constant distance from the virtual object VB. There is no particular limitation as long as it is. For example, the simulation unit 1 uses external shape information of the virtual object VB stored in a storage unit (not shown) and an operation command received from the operating device OD (specifically, a movement direction D1 of the first portion VD6). The trajectory of the movement direction D1 of the first portion VD6 is corrected based on the movement vector F1) corresponding to the virtual work device VD and the positional relationship information between the virtual work device VD and the virtual object VB. That is, until the first portion VD6 contacts the virtual object VB, the first portion VD6 is moved in the movement direction D1 based on the input operation information, and when the first portion VD6 comes into contact with the virtual object VB, the first portion VD6 is moved in the movement direction D1 based on the input operation information. If determined, the trajectory of the first portion VD6 is corrected along the surface shape of the virtual object VB.

More specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 9, the movement vector F1 corresponding to the movement direction D1 of the first portion VD6 and the movement vector F1 corresponding to the movement direction D1 of the first portion VD6 and the movement vector F1 corresponding to the movement direction D1 of the first portion VD6 The movement vector F1 can be corrected based on the normal vector N starting from the collision point P1 when the virtual object VB collides with the virtual object VB. Through this correction, a corrected movement vector F2 is obtained. More specifically, with the end point of the movement vector F1 coincident with the collision point P1, a straight line parallel to the surface of the virtual object VB at the collision point P1 is drawn from the starting point of the movement vector F1, and the normal line and the straight line are drawn from the starting point of the movement vector F1. Find the intersection P2 with the vector N. The vector extending from the starting point of the movement vector F1 to the intersection P2 is the corrected movement vector F2. Further, the direction in which the corrected movement vector F2 extends is the corrected moving direction D2 of the first portion VD6 for moving the first portion VD6 along the surface of the virtual object VB. Also, find the inner product a (=F1・N) of the movement vector F1 and the normal vector N, and calculate the sum (F1+aN) of the movement vector F1 and the vector (aN) obtained by multiplying the normal vector N by the inner product a. By determining this, the corrected movement vector F2 (=F1+aN) can be determined. The simulator 1 obtains the corrected movement vector F2 at every predetermined time interval. By moving the first portion VD6 with the determined movement vector F2, the first portion VD6 can be moved along the surface of the virtual work object VB1 while being in contact with the surface.

The motion control unit 2 moves the tool unit WD3 in the direction corresponding to the corrected movement vector F2 determined by the simulation unit 1, thereby moving the tool unit WD3 to the surface of the work object OB1 (including the above-mentioned convex portion OB11). ) and/or deposits adhering to the surface, it can be moved along the surface. Thereby, the tool part WD3 can polish the surface of the work object OB1 and remove unnecessary convex parts OB11 and/or deposits attached to the surface of the work object OB1. Note that the surface of the virtual object VB may be a curved surface or a plane. Whether the surface is a curved surface (see FIG. 8) or a flat surface, the moving direction D1 of the first portion VD6 by the user's operation is in the direction toward the surface of the virtual work object VB1. If the component is included, the simulator 1 can obtain the corrected movement vector F2 by trajectory correction as shown in FIG. Therefore, the user can move the tool part WD3 along the surface of the work object OB1 while bringing the tool part WD3 into contact with the surface of the work object OB1 by simply performing a rough operation including a component toward the surface of the virtual work object VB1 and a component along the surface. It can be moved by Note that when the first portion VD6 is provided with the positional relationship determination layer VD2, the simulator 1 uses positional relationship determination layer VD2 instead of the positional relationship information between the virtual work device VD and the virtual object VB. The movement vector F1 may be corrected using positional relationship information between the layer VD2 and the virtual object VB. In this case, the user can secure a space between the tool portion WD3 and the surface of the work object OB1 by simply performing a rough operation including a component toward the surface of the virtual work object VB1 and a component along the surface. At the same time, the tool portion WD3 can be moved along the surface of the work object OB1.

In this embodiment, the above-mentioned simulation (copying control Either one of a simulation for performing interference prevention control) and a simulation for preventing the work device WD from interfering with the object OB (a simulation for performing interference prevention control) may be performed. You may do both. The flowchart shown in FIG. 11 describes the procedure when both simulations are performed. In the example shown in FIG. 11, first, the simulator 1 generates operation information of the components of the work device WD in order to realize the operation of the work device WD corresponding to the operation on the operation device OD performed by the user. (operation command) is received (step S1). The simulator 1 performs a simulation in which the virtual work device VD performs an operation corresponding to the received operation command. Specifically, the simulator 1 moves only the first portion VD6 of the first portion VD6 and the second portion VB7 to a position corresponding to the motion command in the virtual space VS (step S2). The simulator 1 determines whether the first portion VD6 has contacted the virtual object VB1 of the virtual object VB that corresponds to the object OB1 of the work device WD (step S3). If it is determined that there is no contact, the simulator 1 moves the second portion VD7 in accordance with the movement of the first portion VD6 in step S2 (step S4). The simulator 1 determines whether the second portion VD7 has contacted the virtual structure VB2 corresponding to the structure OB2 of the work device WD out of the virtual objects VB (step S5). If it is determined that there is no contact, the operation control unit 2 moves the corresponding part of the working device WD to the position corresponding to the position of the first part VD6 and the second part VD7 (step S6). If it is determined that contact has occurred in step S3, the simulator 1 causes the first portion VD6 to contact the virtual work object VB1 corresponding to the work object OB1 of the object OB among the virtual objects VB, and It is moved along VB1, and then the process moves to step S4 (step S7). If it is determined in step S5 that the second portion VD7 and the virtual structure VB2 have contacted each other, or if it is determined that the distance between the second portion VD7 and the virtual structure VB2 is equal to or less than a predetermined distance, The operation control unit 2 invalidates subsequent operation commands. That is, the operation control unit 2 invalidates subsequent operations from the user (step S8). The processing of steps S1 to S7 is repeated at predetermined time intervals.

This prevents actual contact between the work device WD and the structure OB2 even if the work device WD may perform an unexpected operation due to an arbitrary operation by the user in the real space RS. I can do it. Therefore, the user can safely and freely operate the working device WD without being concerned about preventing interference between the working device WD and the structure OB2. In particular, when a user remotely operates the work device WD while visually checking the operation of the work device WD by operating the work device OD, conventionally, it is necessary to perform the operation while checking the positional relationship between the work device WD and the object OB in detail from a distance. However, in the work system WS according to the present embodiment, the operation of the work device WD can be appropriately controlled even with rough operations, so that the user can easily The equipment can be protected and the working device WD can be operated on a high level of trajectory while reducing the burden. The simulation unit 1 also determines whether the second portion VD7 and the virtual object VB (virtual structure VB2) have contacted each other in the virtual space VS, or whether the distance between the second portion VD7 and the virtual object VB is a predetermined distance. If it is determined that the following is the case, the operation control unit 2 invalidates the subsequent operation commands, so that even if the user performs an operation, the operation is not reflected in the operation of the work device WD, and the work device WD, for example, Since the work device WD is forcibly stopped, it is possible to more reliably prevent the work device WD from interfering with the object OB. By repeating the processes of steps S1 to S7 at predetermined intervals, the simulation and the operation of the work device WD can be performed in parallel with the user's operations.

In the example shown in FIG. 5, the positional relationship determination layer VD2 (the hatched part in FIG. 5) is provided with a predetermined thickness over the entire virtual work device VD. It is not limited to. For example, in the modification shown in FIG. 12, the positional relationship determination layer VD2 is provided to have a predetermined layer thickness with respect to the first portion VD6 of the virtual work device VD. Specifically, the first portion VD6 of the virtual work device VD is a portion that performs work on the virtual work object VB1 corresponding to the work object OB1 of the work device WD. By providing the positional relationship determination layer VD2, virtual work can be performed while maintaining the distance between the first portion VD6, which is the part that performs work on the virtual work object VB1, and the virtual work object VB1. It is possible to perform a simulation of working on the target VB1. As the motion control unit 2 executes control corresponding to the content of this simulation, the tool main body WD of the work device WD can move toward the work object OB1 while maintaining the distance between the work device WD and the work object OB1. can perform the work. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 12, the first portion VD6 is a portion corresponding to the nozzle of the coating device WD4B. In this case, spraying work (painting work) with the liquid PA can be performed on the work object OB1 while maintaining the painting device WD4B at a predetermined distance from the work object OB1.

In the modification shown in FIG. 12, the simulator 1 determines the positional relationship (for example, distance and/or contact) between the positional relationship determination layer VD2 and the virtual object VB (specifically, the virtual work object VB1). (presence or absence). Thereby, the positional relationship between the first portion VD6 and the virtual object VB is determined, such as whether the first portion VD6 is positioned at an appropriate position with respect to the virtual object VB. Furthermore, the simulation unit 1 is configured to determine the positional relationship between the first portion VD6 and the virtual object VB by determining the positional relationship between the positional relationship determination layer VD2 and the virtual object VB. has been done. This determination by the simulator 1 maintains the work device WD in a state where it is separated from the work object OB1 by a predetermined distance. Further, the motion control unit 2 determines the movement direction of the first portion VD6 for moving the first portion VD6 along the surface of the virtual object VB based on the determination result by the simulation unit 1. It is configured to move the first portion VD6 in the moving direction. In this case, the motion control unit 2 causes the work device WD in the real space RS to perform an action similar to the content of the simulation, so that the work device WD is separated from the work object OB1 by a predetermined distance. A predetermined operation (for example, spraying liquid PA, etc.) can be performed while moving it relative to the surface of OB1. Note that the field in which a simulation is performed in which the virtual work device VD is moved along the surface of the virtual object VB while maintaining the distance between the virtual work device VD and the virtual object VB is limited to the spraying of liquids such as paint. Instead, the present invention may be applied, for example, to fields in which a work object is irradiated with light such as a laser beam. Note that the simulation unit 1 may determine that the first portion VD6 is located at an appropriate position with respect to the virtual object VB when the positional relationship determination layer VD2 and the virtual object VB are in contact with each other. Then, when the area of overlap between the positional relationship determination layer VD2 and the virtual object VB is within a predetermined range, it is determined that the first portion VD6 is located at an appropriate position with respect to the virtual object VB. Alternatively, when the distance between the positional relationship determination layer VD2 and the virtual object VB is within a predetermined range, it is determined that the first portion VD6 is located at an appropriate position with respect to the virtual object VB. Good too.

In the modified example shown in FIG. 12, the positional relationship determination layer VD2 is formed in a fan shape whose radial center is located in the first portion VD2. Furthermore, the layer thickness of the positional relationship determination layer VD2 is a thickness corresponding to the radial length of the sector in the positional relationship determination layer VD2. In this case, it becomes easy to perform work while maintaining a constant distance between the first portion VD6 of the virtual work device VD and the virtual object VB (specifically, the virtual work object VB1). For example, when performing work while changing the direction in which the first portion VD6 sprays the liquid PA toward the virtual object VB, a state in which the fan-shaped arc portion of the positional relationship determination layer VD2 and the virtual object VB are in contact with each other. By maintaining the distance between the first portion VD6 and the virtual object VB, the direction in which the liquid is sprayed from the first portion VD6 to the virtual object VB can be changed while keeping the distance between the first portion VD6 and the virtual object VB constant. In addition, the overlapping area between the fan-shaped arc portion in the positional relationship determination layer VD2 and the virtual object VB is maintained within a predetermined range, and the overlap area between the fan-shaped arc portion in the positional relationship determination layer VD2 and the virtual object VB is maintained within a predetermined range. A similar effect can also be achieved by maintaining the distance between the two within a predetermined range.

Although an example of the work system WS according to the present embodiment has been described above, the work system WS according to the present embodiment is not limited to those shown in FIGS. 1 to 12. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the work system WS can also be applied to a device that removes liquid such as a chemical solution or deposits such as sludge accumulated in a groove-shaped recess. Furthermore, the matters described with respect to FIGS. 1 to 12 can be applied to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 13 to 16, and conversely, the matters described with respect to FIGS. It can be applied to any aspect. Hereinafter, some of the matters explained in FIGS. 1 to 12 will be omitted, and the explanation will focus on the differences.

The working device WD shown in FIG. 13 includes a pedestal part WD1, an arm part WD2 having a plurality of joints and rotatably fixed to the pedestal part WD1, and a tool part provided at the tip of the arm part WD2. It is equipped with WD3. The tool portion WD3 is a portion corresponding to a tool, a machine tool, or the like that performs work on a work object. In the example shown in FIG. 13, the tool part WD3 includes a tool main body WD4 that approaches the work object and directly participates in the work, and a handle part WD5 provided so as to be interposed between the tool main body WD4 and the arm part WD2. It is equipped with

The tool main body WD4 is a part that performs an operation on the work target OB1 according to the type of work performed by the work device WD. In the example shown in FIG. 13, the tool body WD4 removes unnecessary materials stacked and/or deposited on the wall surface (e.g., side surface, bottom surface, etc.) of the flow path of a flow path member to be described later, which is an example of the work target OB1. It is a member that The tool main body WD4 can scrape or scoop out unnecessary materials by moving along the wall surface while in contact with the wall surface of the channel or at a predetermined distance from the wall surface. It is configured. In the example shown in FIG. 13, the tool body WD4 has a shape capable of scraping or scooping out unnecessary materials, such as a scoop shape having an edge for scraping off unnecessary materials and a recess into which unnecessary materials can be placed. It is formed. The handle portion WD5 is a rod-shaped portion attached to the tip of the arm portion WD2. Note that the tool portion WD3 does not need to include the handle portion WD5. The work device WD shown in FIG. 13 moves the tool body WD4 along the wall surface in a state where the tool body WD4 is in contact with the surface of the work target OB1 or in a state where the tool body WD4 is separated from the surface by a predetermined distance. By moving it, you can scrape or scoop out unnecessary items.

In the example shown in FIG. 13, the work target OB1 is a flow path member having a flow path OB3 through which fluid such as sewage can flow. The flow path OB3 may be an open flow path with an open upper side as shown in FIG. 13, or may be a conduit (not shown) with a closed upper side.

In the example shown in FIG. 13, the structure OB2 is a structure (including a floor on which the work device WD and the like are installed) interposed between the work device WD and the work object OB1. When the user performs an arbitrary operation on the operating device OD, the operation of the tool section WD3 and the arm section WD2 corresponding to the operation becomes an operation that draws an unexpected trajectory, and as a result, the tool section WD3 and/or the arm section There is a possibility that WD2 interferes with structure OB2.

In the example shown in FIG. 13, the content of the work performed by the work device WD is to remove unnecessary materials such as waste water deposits (sludge) attached to the surface of the work target OB1 (wall surface of the flow path OB3) using the tool body WD4. This is a process of scraping or scooping by moving. In addition, in this embodiment, the work of the work device is performed while the work device is in contact with the work object, but it is performed at a predetermined distance from the work object (the surface of the work object). It may be a work (for example, spraying a liquid, irradiating light, etc.). The form of the tool portion WD3 can be changed depending on the type of work.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 13 as well, the simulation unit 1 performs a simulation (copying) that allows the work device WD to perform work while maintaining a constant distance from the object OB or while making contact with the object OB. Either one of the simulation for performing control) and the simulation for preventing the work device WD from interfering with the object OB (simulation for performing interference prevention control) may be performed. , both may be performed. The simulator 1 simulates the positional relationship between the work device WD and the object OB before the operation of the work device WD is controlled by the motion control unit 2. The motion control section 2 performs interference prevention control and copying control based on the results of the simulation performed by the simulator 1. As a result, the tool main body WD4 moves along the wall surface of the flow path OB3 while in contact with the wall surface or at a predetermined distance from the wall surface, thereby scraping or scooping out unnecessary materials. You can Further, it is possible to prevent the tool portion WD3 and/or the arm portion WD2 from interfering with the structure OB2.

In the example shown in FIG. 12, the positional relationship determination layer VD2 is formed in a fan shape with the radial center located in the first portion VD6, but the shape of the positional relationship determination layer VD2 is not limited to this. . In the modification shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the positional relationship determination layer VD2 has a shape that follows the outer shape of the virtual object VB (specifically, the virtual work object VB1). In the example shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the outer shape of the virtual object VB is cylindrical (specifically, cylindrical). In the example shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the positional relationship determination layer VD2 is formed in a substantially arc shape or a substantially U-shape along the circumferential direction of the outer shape of the virtual object VB. In the examples shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the positional relationship determination layer VD2 has a predetermined length along the axial direction (direction A) of the virtual object VB, and extends over the entire positional relationship determination layer VD2. It has a predetermined layer thickness. The first portion VD6 of the virtual work device VD performs work while moving along the axial direction and circumferential direction of the virtual object VB together with the positional relationship determination layer VD2. In this case, since the positional relationship determination layer VD2 has a shape that follows the outer shape of the virtual object VB, the first portion VD6 of the virtual work device VD and the virtual object VB (specifically, the virtual work object VB1) This makes it easier to work while maintaining a constant distance between the two. In addition, when the virtual work device VD is a device that sprays liquid such as paint or water from a nozzle, the first portion VD6 corresponding to the nozzle sprays the liquid PA onto the virtual object VB while maintaining a constant direction. It is possible to perform the work (for example, while maintaining an orientation substantially perpendicular to the outer shape of the virtual object VB), and it is easy to maintain a constant direction in which the liquid PA is sprayed onto the virtual object VB.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the positional relationship determination layer VD2 is provided on the outside of the main body portion VD1 corresponding to the outer shape and size of the working device WD, but the layer is not limited thereto. In the example shown in FIG. 16, a part of the positional relationship determination layer VD2 is provided inside the main body part VD1 corresponding to the outer shape and size of the working device WD. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 16, the virtual work device VD has a body portion VD1 that corresponds to the outer shape and size of the work device WD, and a first portion VD6 that is elastically deformable in the body portion VD1. It has a positional relationship determination layer VD2 that is virtually provided so as to be located inside. Furthermore, the positional relationship determination layer VD2 is provided at a position where it can come into contact with the virtual object VB when the first portion VD6 is pressed against the virtual object VB and deforms. In the modification shown in FIG. 16, for example, the first portion VD6 is movable toward the work object OB1 after the surface of the work device WD contacts the work object OB1 (e.g., an elastically deformable It can be applied to brushes with bristles, etc.). The positional relationship determination layer VD2 is provided so as to be located inside the outer shape of the elastically deformable first portion VD6 of the main body portion VD1 that corresponds to the outer shape and size of the working device WD, and the positional relationship determination layer VD2 However, since the first portion VD6 is provided at a position where it can come into contact with the virtual object VB when it is pressed against and deformed by the virtual object VB (specifically, the virtual work object VB1), the first portion VD6 The work can be performed while pressing the first portion VD6 against the work object OB1 so that the first portion VD6 remains elastically deformed to a certain degree. Therefore, for example, when it is necessary to press the first portion VD6 against the work object OB1 so as to elastically deform it to a certain degree, such as with the bristles of a brush, the first portion VD6 can be pressed against the work object OB1. able to work.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Note that the above-described embodiment mainly describes the invention having the following configuration.

(1) A work device that performs work in accordance with a motion command that indicates the content of the action to be performed, and a structure that is an object to be worked on or surrounding the work device. a simulation unit that simulates the positional relationship between the physical object and the object;
A work system comprising: an operation control unit that controls the operation of the work device according to the positional relationship simulated by the simulation unit,
The simulation unit is arranged such that a virtual work device corresponding to the outer shape of the work device and a virtual object corresponding to the outer shape of the object correspond to the respective outer shapes and positions of the work device and the object. the virtual work device is operable in a virtual space,
When the operation command is given to the work device, the simulator causes the virtual work device to operate in the virtual space with contents corresponding to the movement command in parallel with the operation command, and A work system that determines a positional relationship between a virtual work device and the virtual object at predetermined time intervals.

(2) The work system according to (1), wherein the simulator determines whether or not the work device and the object come into contact based on the determined positional relationship.

(3) The virtual working device includes a main body corresponding to the external shape and size of the working device, and a positional relationship determination layer that is virtually provided to have a predetermined layer thickness with respect to the external shape of the main body. and has
The simulator is configured to determine the positional relationship between the work device and the object by determining the positional relationship between the positional relationship determination layer and the virtual object. The work system described in 1) or (2).

(4) The virtual object includes a main body corresponding to the outer shape and size of the object, and a positional relationship determination layer that is virtually provided to have a predetermined layer thickness with respect to the outer shape of the main body. have,
The simulator is configured to determine the positional relationship between the work device and the object by determining the positional relationship between the positional relationship determination layer and the virtual work device. The work system according to any one of (1) to (3).

(5) The simulator determines whether a distance between the first portion of the virtual work device and the virtual object during and/or after the virtual work device is in operation is within a predetermined range. ,
If it is determined that the distance between the first portion and the virtual object is within the predetermined range, the simulator changes the moving direction of the first portion corresponding to the motion command to the virtual object. A moving direction of the first portion for moving the first portion along the surface of the virtual object is determined by correcting the movement based on the outer shape of the virtual object, and the operation control unit calculates the movement direction of the first portion along the surface of the virtual object. The work system according to any one of (1) to (4), configured to move the first portion in the direction.

(6) The positional relationship determination layer is provided to have a predetermined layer thickness with respect to the first portion of the virtual work device,
The simulator is configured to determine the positional relationship between the first portion and the virtual object by determining the positional relationship between the positional relationship determination layer and the virtual object,
The motion control unit determines a movement direction of the first part for moving the first part along the surface of the virtual object based on the determination result by the simulation unit, and calculates the movement direction of the first part to move the first part along the surface of the virtual object. The work system according to any one of (1) to (5), configured to move the first portion in the direction.

(7) The positional relationship determination layer is formed in a fan shape with a radial center located in the first portion,
The layer thickness of the positional relationship determination layer is a thickness corresponding to the radial length of the sector in the positional relationship determination layer,
The work system according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein the simulator determines the positional relationship between the fan-shaped positional relationship determination layer and the virtual object.

(8) The virtual working device has a main body corresponding to the external shape and size of the working device, and a virtual working device that is located inside the external shape of the elastically deformable first portion of the main body. a positional relationship determination layer provided;
Any one of (1) to (7), wherein the positional relationship determination layer is provided at a position where the first portion can come into contact with the virtual object when it is pressed against the virtual object and deformed. The working system described in.

(9) The simulator determines the positional relationship between the second part of the virtual work device and the virtual object during and/or after the operation of the virtual work device, and determines the positional relationship between the second part of the virtual work device and the virtual object in the virtual space. If it is determined that the part and the virtual object are in contact with each other or that the distance is less than a predetermined distance, the operation control unit is configured to invalidate the subsequent operation command, (1) to The work system according to any one of (8).

(10) The work device is operated by a program that performs calculations based on a motion request for operating the work device according to the content of the motion that the work device is to perform, and converts the motion request into the motion command. configured to operate based on the generated operation command,
When operating the virtual work device in the virtual space with contents corresponding to the movement command, the simulator receives the movement command from the outside and operates the virtual work device based on the received movement command. The work system according to any one of (1) to (9), which determines a positional relationship between a component of the virtual object and the virtual object.

1 Simulation section 2 Operation control section 3 Input section 4 Output section CM Paint film OB Object OB1 Work object OB2 Structure OB3 Flow path OB5 External shape OD Operating device P1 Collision point PA Liquid RS Real space VB Virtual object VB1 Virtual work object VB11 Virtual Convex portion VB2 Virtual structure VB3 Virtual channel VD Virtual work device VD1 Main body VD2 Positional relationship determination layer VD4A Virtual polishing device VD4B Virtual painting device VD6 First part VD7 Second part VS Virtual space WS Work system WD Work device WDa Work equipment body WDb Moving mechanism WDc Transport mechanism WDd Measuring device WD1 Pedestal part WD2 Arm part WD3 Tool part WD4 Tool body WD44 Camera WD45 Beam part WD4A Polishing device WD4B Painting device WD5 Handle part

Claims (10)

A work device that performs work in accordance with an operation command from an operating device, which is a command indicating the content of the action to be performed, and a work device that is an object to be worked on or around the work device. a simulation unit that simulates the positional relationship between the object and the structure;
A work system comprising: an operation control unit that controls the operation of the work device according to the positional relationship simulated by the simulation unit,
The simulation unit is arranged such that a virtual work device corresponding to the outer shape of the work device and a virtual object corresponding to the outer shape of the object correspond to the respective outer shapes and positions of the work device and the object. the virtual work device is operable in a virtual space,
When the operation command is given to the work device, the simulator causes the virtual work device to operate in the virtual space with contents corresponding to the movement command in parallel with the operation command, and determining the positional relationship between the virtual work device and the virtual object at predetermined time intervals in parallel with the operation command ;
The operation control unit operates the working device in parallel with the operation command based on the result of the determination by the simulator.
work system. The work system according to claim 1, wherein the simulator determines whether or not the work device and the object come into contact based on the determined positional relationship. The virtual working device has a main body corresponding to the outer shape and size of the working device, and a positional relationship determination layer that is virtually provided to have a predetermined layer thickness with respect to the outer shape of the main body. death,
The simulator is configured to determine the positional relationship between the working device and the object by determining the positional relationship between the positional relationship determination layer and the virtual object. The work system described in item 1. The virtual object has a main body corresponding to the outer shape and size of the object, and a positional relationship determination layer that is virtually provided to have a predetermined layer thickness with respect to the outer shape of the main body,
The simulator is configured to determine the positional relationship between the work device and the object by determining the positional relationship between the positional relationship determination layer and the virtual work device. The work system according to claim 1. The simulator determines whether a distance between the first portion of the virtual work device and the virtual object during and/or after the operation of the virtual work device is within a predetermined range;
If it is determined that the distance between the first portion and the virtual object is within the predetermined range, the simulator changes the moving direction of the first portion corresponding to the motion command to the virtual object. The movement control unit calculates the movement direction of the first part for moving the first part along the surface of the virtual object by correcting the movement based on the outer shape of the virtual object, The working system of claim 1, configured to move the first portion in a direction. The positional relationship determination layer is provided to have a predetermined layer thickness with respect to the first portion of the virtual work device,
The simulator is configured to determine the positional relationship between the first portion and the virtual object by determining the positional relationship between the positional relationship determination layer and the virtual object,
The motion control unit determines a movement direction of the first part for moving the first part along the surface of the virtual object based on the determination result by the simulation unit, and calculates the movement direction of the first part to move the first part along the surface of the virtual object. 4. The working system of claim 3, configured to move the first portion in a direction. The positional relationship determination layer is formed in a fan shape with a radial center located in the first portion,
The layer thickness of the positional relationship determination layer is a thickness corresponding to the radial length of the sector in the positional relationship determination layer,
The work system according to claim 6, wherein the simulator determines a positional relationship between the fan-shaped positional relationship determination layer and the virtual object. The virtual working device is virtually provided with a main body portion corresponding to the outer shape and size of the working device, and a first portion of the main body portion that is located inside the outer shape of the elastically deformable first portion. It has a positional relationship determination layer,
The work system according to claim 1, wherein the positional relationship determination layer is provided at a position where the first portion can come into contact with the virtual object when the first portion is pressed against the virtual object and deformed. The simulator determines the positional relationship between the part of the virtual work device and the virtual object during and/or after the operation of the virtual work device, and determines the relationship between the part and the virtual object in the virtual space. The work system according to claim 1, wherein the operation control section is configured to invalidate the subsequent operation command when it is determined that the object has contacted the object or is at a predetermined distance or less. The work device is generated by a program that performs calculations based on a motion request for operating the work device according to the content of the motion that the work device is to perform, and converts the motion request into the motion command. configured to operate based on the operation command,
When operating the virtual work device in the virtual space with content corresponding to the movement command, the simulator receives the movement command from the outside and operates the virtual work device based on the received movement command. The work system according to claim 1, wherein a positional relationship between a component of the virtual object and the virtual object is determined.

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