JPH0580687U - Industrial robot controller - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Object] The present invention relates to a controller suitable for use in an industrial robot, for example, a portable robot or a robot mounted on a moving carriage (slider). The object is to improve operability by making it possible to easily perform operations in the vicinity of the robot body even if the robots are separated. [Structure] Therefore, an operation panel 4A for inputting an operation command for the operation of the robot body 1A is installed on the robot body side 1
The robot body 1A is provided with a multiplex transmission means 8a for multiplexing and transmitting the operation command data input by the operation panel 4A, and the robot body 1A stores the operation command data multiplexed by the multiplex transmission means 8a. A transmission line 9 for transmission from the control side to the control panel 2A side is provided in the control cable 3A.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a control device suitable for use in an industrial robot, for example, a portable robot or a robot mounted on a moving carriage (slider).

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 For example, in the industrial robot disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 62-7386, as shown in FIG. 2, the robot body 1 is connected to the control panel 2 via the control cable 3 and the control panel 2 An operation box 4 and a teaching box 5 are fixedly connected to each other via cables 6 and 7.

The operation box 4 is usually provided with a start switch and a stop switch for playback operation and is used to output an operation start command and an operation stop command. The teaching box 5 is used for inputting data such as position and welding current during teaching, and for setting a program number for automatic playback.

Before performing a predetermined work by the robot body 1, first, teaching is performed by using the teaching box 5 while actually operating the robot body 1 via the cable 7, the control panel 2 and the control cable 3. Input data such as position and welding current to the memory in control panel 2.

When the robot body 1 is to be played back, the start switch of the operation box 4 is operated on the control panel 2 side. As a result, the teaching data is read from the memory and transmitted as a control signal from the control panel 2 to the robot main body 1 via the control cable 3 so that the robot main body 1 performs a playback operation.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 By the way, arc welding robots have been popular mainly for automobile parts. In general, most automobile parts have a length of 500 mm or less, and body parts have a maximum length of 2-3 m. Therefore, most robots are fixed type, and it is not so common to combine the robot with the robot slider that moves the robot body.

Further, with the development of various touch sensors using an arc sensor and a welding wire, it becomes possible to perform automatic welding by a robot on a larger work, and a robot can weld a construction machine part or a steel frame part. It has come to be used for many purposes. In this case, it is general to combine the robot with a work positioner for reversing or positioning the work and a robot slider of about 5 m for moving the robot body.

The conventional methods of using the robot can be roughly classified into the above-mentioned two types. In addition, many of the functions and devices of the robot were suitable for the above two examples.

On the other hand, in recent years, along with the widespread use of arc welding robots, there has been an increasing demand for robotization for welding even larger workpieces. To cope with this, a large robot system is used that combines a long slider and up / down / front / back sliders. If the workpiece becomes larger, it may be easier to carry the robot inside the workpiece. Therefore, the need for portable robots has increased, and various types of portable robots are now being proposed.

However, in the industrial robot described above with reference to FIG. 2, the start switch of the operation box 4 on the control panel 2 side is used when the robot body 1 performs the playback operation after the teaching work by the teaching box 5. Have to operate. Therefore, when the robot body 1 and the control panel 2 are far apart from each other, such as the robot moving by the slider or the portable robot described above, the operator can reach the vicinity of the control panel 2 away from the robot body 1. I had to go back and had problems such as poor operability.

The present invention is intended to solve such a problem. Even if the robot main body and the control panel are separated from each other, the operation can be easily performed in the vicinity of the robot main body to improve operability. It is an object of the present invention to provide a control device for an industrial robot, which has been improved.

[0012]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the control device for an industrial robot of the present invention is provided with an operation panel for inputting an operation command for the operation of the industrial robot main body on the industrial robot main body side, The industrial robot main body side is provided with multiplex transmission means for multiplexing and transmitting the operation command data input from the operation panel, and the operation command data multiplexed by the multiplex transmission means is supplied to the industrial robot main body. It is characterized in that a transmission line for transmission from the side to the control panel side is provided in the control cable.

[0013]

[Action]

 In the industrial robot control device of the present invention described above, even if the industrial robot main body is away from the control panel, an operation command for the operation of the industrial robot main body is issued from the operation panel provided on the industrial robot main body side. Can be entered. The operation command data input from the operation panel is multiplexed by the multiplex transmission means and transmitted to the control panel side via the transmission line in the control cable. Therefore, the operator can operate the robot main body near the industrial robot main body.

[0014]

【Example】

 A control apparatus for an industrial robot as an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 (a) shows the overall configuration and FIG. 1 (b) shows the configuration of a teaching data transmission system. It is a block diagram, and as shown in FIG. 1 (a), the industrial robot of this embodiment is, for example, a portable manipulator, and its robot body 1A has a flexible control cable for controlling its operation. It is connected to a control panel 2A which sends out control signals via 3A. The control cable 3A has a sufficient length so that it can accommodate the movement of the portable robot body 1A. The control box 2A is provided with a teaching box 5 via a cable 7.

Further, in the present embodiment, an operation panel 4A for inputting an operation command for the operation of the robot body 1A is provided on the robot body side 1A. The operation panel 4A is provided with, for example, a start button 4a that is operated when starting the playback operation of the robot body 1A based on teaching data.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, a multiplex communication device (multiplex transmission means) 8a is provided on the robot body 1A side. This multiplex communication device 8a multiplexes the operation command data input from the operation panel 4A and the detection signals from the limit switches 10a and 10b, which are provided for each axis of the robot body 1A and output operation limit signals, and send them out. For example, the operation command data input as parallel data and the P / S converter that converts the detection signals from the limit switches 10a and 10b into serial data are used.

Further, in the control cable 3A, a transmission line 9 for transmitting the multiplexed data (serial data) from the multiplex communication device 8a from the robot body 1A side to the control panel 2A side is wired. The transmission line 9 is composed of, for example, a pair of twisted pair lines.

On the other hand, the control panel 2A side is provided with a multiplex communication device 8b that receives multiplexed data from the multiplex communication device 8a on the robot body 1A side via a transmission line 9, and this multiplex communication device is provided. The device 8b includes an S / P converter that converts the serial data into parallel data and outputs the parallel data to the CPU 2a in the control panel 2A.

With the above-described configuration, in the device of this embodiment, even if the robot body 1A is arranged away from the control panel 2A, the operation of the robot body 1A from the operation panel 4A provided on the robot body 1A side is performed. Can be input (for example, a playback start command by the start button 4a).

The operation command data input from the operation panel 4A is multiplexed (serial conversion) with the detection signal data from the limit switches 10a and 10b by the multiplex communication device 8a, and then the control cable. It is transmitted to the control panel 2A side via the transmission line 9 in 3A, converted into parallel by the multiplex communication device 8b in this control panel 2A, and output to the CPU 2a and the like. At this time, since the operation command data and the detection signal data from the limit switches 10a and 10b are multiplexed and transmitted from the robot body 1A side, it is only necessary to add a pair of twisted pair wires in the control cable 3A. The number of cores of the transmission line 9 can be minimized, and the diameter of the control cable 3A can be reduced.

As described above, according to the control apparatus for the industrial robot of this embodiment, even if the robot body 1A and the control panel 2A are considerably separated from each other, the operator is in the vicinity of the robot body 1A. In the above, there is an advantage that the robot main body 1A can be operated and the operability is greatly improved.

In the above embodiment, the case where the device of the present invention is applied to a portable robot has been described. However, the device of the present invention is not limited to this, and is mounted on a mobile carriage. It is needless to say that the present invention is applied to various industrial robots such as a robot that operates while changing the working position in the same manner as described above, and the same operational effect as the above embodiment can be obtained.

[0023]

[Effect of the device]

 As described above in detail, according to the industrial robot controller of the present invention, since the operation panel for inputting the operation command is provided on the robot body side, the robot body and the control panel are separated from each other. However, the robot can be operated very easily near the robot body, and the operability is greatly improved. In addition, since the operation command data is transmitted in multiple layers to the control panel side, there is also an effect that the number of transmission line cores to be added in the control cable for transmitting the operation command data can be minimized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a controller for an industrial robot as an embodiment of the present invention, (a) is an overall configuration diagram thereof, and (b) is a block diagram showing a configuration of a transmission system of operation command data thereof. is there.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram showing an example of a conventional controller for an industrial robot.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1A Robot body 2A Control panel 2a CPU 3A Control cable 4A Operation panel 4a Start button 5 Teaching box 7 Cable 8a, 8b Multiplex communication device 9 Transmission line 10a, 10b Limit switch

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Shigeki Otsuki 100-1 Urakawachi, Miyamae, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa Stock Company Fuji Steel Works, Fuji Steel Works

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A control device for an industrial robot, comprising: a control panel for sending a control signal to the industrial robot main body via a control cable to control the operation of the industrial robot main body. An operation panel for inputting an operation command for operation is provided on the industrial robot main body side, and multiplex transmission for multiplexing and transmitting the operation command data input by the operation panel to the industrial robot main body side. Means, and a transmission line for transmitting the operation command data multiplexed by the multiplex transmission means from the industrial robot body side to the control panel side is wired in the control cable. A control device for a characteristic industrial robot.