JPH0639762A - Part feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve flexibility and developing ability of a part feeding device by performing discrimination of a direction and a posture in relation to even a further solid part and a part in a complicated shape. CONSTITUTION:A recognizing table 10 is arranged to the track of a circulation type part feeder 2. The recognizing table 10 comprises a transparent part 13 making contact with a part 3 and a diffusion reflection surface 14 being an image surface on which the silhouette image of the part 3 is projected. An illuminating device 8 to generate a silhouette in the vertical direction of the part 3 is installed right below the recognizing table 10. The hand 17 of a robot 1 having a chuck 18 designed to grasp the part 3 and assemble it to a work is designed to be rotatable. The hand 17 is provided with an illuminating apparatus 9 to generate a silhouette on a diffusion reflection surface 14 by irradiating the part 3 on the recognizing table 10 with parallel light from an obliquely upward position, and a camera 7 being a visual sense device to discriminate the direction of the part 3 through input of the silhouette of the part 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a component supply device.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a component supply device for robot assembly work and palletizing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to construct a flexible production line capable of handling high-mix low-volume production, it is effective to introduce a robot having excellent flexibility. But around the robot,
In particular, the component supply unit is dedicated to each component, and making it flexible is a major issue. Moreover, the trouble of the parts supply unit is a major obstacle to the realization of 24-hour unmanned operation.

There are various types of component feeders, but a plan view of the most common vibrating bowl feeder C is shown in FIG. In the vibrating bowl feeder B, a bowl 31 having a function of a hopper vibrates to feed components while aligning the parts 32, and a spiral feed path 33 is formed inside the bowl 31. When the bowl 31 is vibrated, the component 32 gradually rises from the bottom of the bowl 31 due to the vibration and is fed while aligning its posture. If the parts 32 are not properly aligned, the wiper 34 (screening the parts 32 having a certain height or more), the pressure break 35 (screening the parts 32 having a certain width or more), and the wavy notch 36.
The parts are sorted by a tooling part such as (parts 32 having a cutout on the lower surface), and then fall into the bowl 31 and circulate.

However, in the system in which the parts 32 are aligned by the mechanical tooling part as described above, it is necessary to use the tooling part according to the shape and the size of the parts, so that each part is dedicated and has flexibility. There is a problem that parts are easily caught in the tooling part due to the parts being caught in the tooling part, and that crafting techniques are required to manufacture the tooling part.

In order to solve these problems in the vibrating bowl feeder and the like, a part supply device D that uses both a circulation part feeder and a visual part supply system has been put into practical use. 21 and 22 are a plan view and a front view of such a device. This parts supply device D
Is a robot 51 and a camera 5 as a terminal of a visual device.
2. The lighting device 53 and the circulation type part feeder 54. Unlike the vibration type parts feeder B of FIG. 20, the circulation type parts feeder 54 does not have a mechanical tooling part. A part of the track 56 provided on the outer peripheral portion of the bowl 55 of the circulation type part feeder 54 is formed by a transparent plate 57, and an illumination device 53 is installed directly under the transparent plate 57. Then, by vibrating the bowl 55, the overlapping parts 58 on the bowl 55 are separated, transferred to the image capturing position (the upper surface of the transparent plate 57) on the track 56, and circulated to the bowl 55 again. On the other hand, the camera 52 for image recognition is
It is fixed above the transparent plate 57 or attached to the hand 59 of the robot 51. Then, as shown in FIG. 23, the component 58 on the transparent plate 57 which constitutes a part of the track 56 is disposed below the illumination device 53.
The silhouette of this part 58 is photographed by the camera 52. In addition, in FIG. 21, one of the parts 58 is taken out from the circulation type part feeder 54 by the chuck 60 of the hand 59, and the conveyor 6
The case where the component 58 is assembled to the work 63 positioned on the platen 62 conveyed on the upper side of FIG.

Next, the operation of the component supplying apparatus D will be described by taking as an example the case where the component 58 as shown in FIGS. 24 (a), 24 (b) and 24 (c) is assembled in the recess 64 of the work 63.
First, the parts 58 to be supplied are put into the circulation type parts feeder 54 in a random state, and the circulation type parts feeder 54
Is operated, the circulating parts feeder 54 moves on the track 56 while separating the overlapping parts 58. Then, the circulating parts feeder 54 is stopped, and the silhouette of the part 58 on the transparent plate 57 generated by the lighting device 53 is photographed by the camera 52. FIG. 26 is a view showing an example of the silhouette of the component 58 on the transparent plate 57, where 65a is the silhouette of the component 58 facing the direction in which it can be assembled, 65b is the silhouette of the component 58 facing back, and 65c is Two overlapping parts 58,
The silhouette of 58 and 65d are the silhouettes of the standing parts 58. By image processing, a component 58 that can be assembled is selected from the silhouettes 65a to 65d of these components 58, the position and direction thereof are obtained, and the hand 59 of the robot 51 is moved and rotated according to the position and direction of the selected component 58. Then, the component 58 is gripped by the chuck 60. Then, the hand 59 is rotated to correct the component 58 in the direction of assembling the work 63, and the component 58 is fixed to the platen 6.
2 is moved up and the part 58 is assembled in the recess 64 of the work 63 as shown in FIGS. Thus
The assembleable components 58 selected based on the image captured by the camera 52 are sequentially assembled to the work 63.
When there is no assembleable part 58, when the circulating part feeder 54 is operated again, the part 58 which is not oriented in the assembleable direction moves on the track 56 and returns to the bowl 55 again, and another part can be assembled. 58 is track 56
It moves up and moves onto the transparent plate 57. Therefore,
The component 58 is assembled to the work 63 by stopping the circulation type part feeder 54 and repeating the above operation.

However, in such a method, since the state of the component is recognized only by the silhouette images in the vertical direction, there is a problem that the applicable component is limited to a planar component. Specifically, a component having a groove on one side or a recess formed on the edge of one side is shown in FIG.
It was impossible to distinguish the postures of the parts like the above, or the parts of the truncated pyramid shape.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the drawbacks of the above conventional examples, and its object is to apply to more three-dimensional parts and parts having complicated shapes. An object of the present invention is to provide a component supply device having excellent flexibility and deployability.

[0009]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recognition device having a diffuse reflection surface on a lower surface of a transparent portion.
Based on the direction of the part obtained from the silhouette image in the up-down direction, the light from the upper part of the recognition stand is directed to the part on the recognition stand, and oblique light is emitted from the predetermined direction according to the direction of the random parts. And a visual device for recognizing the posture of the component by comparing the silhouette of the component generated on the diffuse reflection surface with a silhouette pattern registered in advance and selecting the component in a posture that can be supplied, It is characterized in that it is provided with a device for grabbing a part and carrying it to a part supply point.

Further, the second component supply device of the present invention is such that, based on the direction of the component obtained from the silhouette image in the vertical direction, a predetermined direction is directed toward the component in accordance with a random component direction. An illumination device that irradiates pattern light in an oblique direction from a component, and a component in a posture that can recognize and supply the posture of the component by comparing the light pattern generated on the surface of the component by the pattern light with a pattern registered in advance It is characterized in that it is provided with a visual device for selecting and a device for grabbing the selected component and carrying it to the component supply point.

The above component supplying apparatus may be provided with means for controlling the illuminating device at a predetermined position and a predetermined angle.

[0012]

In the first component supply device of the present invention, the illumination device irradiates light obliquely from above to generate a silhouette of the component from the oblique direction on the diffuse reflection surface. In the component supply device of No. 2, since the illumination device irradiates the pattern light obliquely from above to generate a light pattern on the surface of the component, not only the planar shape of the component but also the three-dimensional shape It is possible to obtain a silhouette or a light pattern that contains information about, and more information about the part shape can be obtained by the visual device. Therefore, it is possible to identify the direction of a three-dimensional component, a complicated component, or the like, the target of application of the component supply device is further expanded, and the flexibility of the component supply device is further improved.

Moreover, based on the direction of the component obtained from the silhouette image in the vertical direction, the illuminating device irradiates the component in a diagonal direction from a predetermined direction according to the random component direction. Therefore, the posture can be discriminated from the silhouette image or the light pattern from the determined direction, the process is easier than the stereoscopic recognition from the indeterminate direction, and the posture of the component can be discriminated by simple pattern matching. it can.

In addition, in the first component supply device using the recognition table including the transparent portion and the diffuse reflection surface, the transparent portion is provided between the diffuse reflection surface and the component where the silhouette of the component occurs. Since the distances are separated, the silhouette image recognized by the visual device and the actual image of the part can be separated. Therefore, not only the characteristics of the upper surface of the target component but also the characteristics of the lower surface can be grasped as a silhouette. Further, even for a dark part, the real image of the part and the silhouette image can be clearly distinguished, and the part facing the direction in which the silhouette pattern can be supplied can be easily selected.

Moreover, in the first component supply device,
Instead of recognizing the posture of the component by the reflected light of the light applied to the component, the posture of the component is recognized by the silhouette generated by irradiating the component with light.
It is not affected by the surface condition of the target component (such as the gloss of the component surface or surface roughness).

[0016]

1 and 2 are a plan view and a front view showing a component supplying apparatus A according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a robot 1 takes out one component 3 from a circulation type part feeder 2 and a conveyor 4 The case where the component 3 is assembled to the work 6 positioned on the platen 5 being conveyed above is shown. The component supply device A includes a robot 1 for component insertion, a visual device having a pattern recognition function (only a camera 7 as a terminal is shown in the figure), two illumination devices 8,
9, a circulation type parts feeder 2 having a recognition table 10 and the like. Work 6 for assembling parts 3
Are positioned on the platen 5 being conveyed on the conveyor 4, and the circulation type part feeder 2 and the robot 1 are installed near the conveyor 4.

The circulation type parts feeder 2 circulates a large number of parts 3 in the bowl 11 along the track 12 by vibration, and a recognition table 10 is provided on a part of the track 12. Then, the circulation-type parts feeder 2 causes the bowl 11 to vibrate by vibrating the bowl 11.
The overlapping parts 3 in the inside are separated and transferred on the track 12, passed through the silhouette image capturing position (upper surface of the recognition table 10), and circulated in the bowl 11 again. One illuminating device 8 is installed immediately below the recognizing table 10, and light can be emitted from the illuminating device 8 toward the recognizing table 10 directly above.

The robot 1 is shown as a horizontal articulated robot in FIGS. 1 and 2, but depending on the shape of the part or when it is necessary to chuck the part from an oblique direction, a vertical multi-joint type robot may be used. A joint type robot may be used. In the illustrated robot 1, an arm 16 is supported by a support column 15, and the arm 16 allows the hand 17 at the tip end to freely move in a horizontal plane. The hand 17 is configured to move up and down and rotate with respect to the arm 16, and a chuck 18 for holding the component 3 is provided at the lower part of the hand 17,
An illumination device 9 is attached to the side surface of 7 such that the emission direction of the parallel light has an angle with respect to the axis of the hand 17.
A camera 7, which is a terminal of a visual device, is attached to a side surface of the hand 17 opposite to the lighting device 9.

FIG. 3 shows the configuration of the optical system of the component supply device A. The recognition table 10 provided in the circulation type part feeder 2 is one in which a diffuse reflection surface 14 is formed on the lower surface of the transparent portion 13 and is attached to the opening portion of the bowl 11. For example, the recognition table 10 may be a glass plate, a transparent plastic plate, or the like having a lower surface of a transparent portion 13 that is roughened to form a diffuse reflection surface 14, and for example, frosted glass can be used. The lighting device 8 installed immediately below the recognition table 10 is for obtaining the vertical silhouette of the component 3, and the recognition device 10 on which the component 3 is placed.
When the light is radiated from directly under the camera, the camera 7 located above the recognition base 10 causes the parts 3 on the recognition base 10 to move.
It is possible to capture a planar silhouette image of.

The illuminating device 9 attached to the hand 17 is for obtaining a silhouette when the component 3 is illuminated obliquely from above, and a certain angle θ (for example, from the diagonally upward direction toward the recognition table 10). When parallel light is emitted at 30 °, 45 °, 60 °, etc., a silhouette S from diagonally above the component 3 is generated on the diffuse reflection surface 14. The silhouette S formed on the diffuse reflection surface 14 is captured by the camera 7 attached to the hand 17, and the silhouette image is captured by the visual device. The silhouette S from diagonally above generated by the lighting device 9 includes not only the information on the planar shape of the component but also the information on the three-dimensional shape on the light irradiation side. It also becomes possible to identify the direction of the parts that have. further,
Since the illumination device 9 and the camera 7 are attached to the hand 17, it is possible to change the irradiation direction of the light by the illumination device 9 by rotating the hand 17, and for example, as shown in FIG. By rotating, the silhouette S from two directions or four directions different by 90 ° with respect to the component 3 on the recognition table 10 can be sequentially generated on the diffuse reflection surface 14. This gives 1
Not only the silhouettes S from the directions but also the silhouettes S from a plurality of directions can be obtained, and the postures of the parts 3 can be more accurately determined even with respect to the parts having a three-dimensional shape or the parts having a complicated shape. .

For example, as shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C, consider a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped component 3 having a groove 19 on the upper surface and a notch 20 on the edge of the lower surface. When the component 3 is face-up, the lighting device 9 is moved by 90 ° as shown in FIG. 7 to sequentially generate the silhouette S from diagonally above the component 3 on the diffuse reflection surface 14, and then the component 3 is drawn around the component 3. The silhouette patterns S1, S2, S3 and S4 shown in FIG. Further, when the component 3 is face down, as shown in FIG. 7, if the illuminating device 9 is moved by 90 °, the silhouette S from diagonally above the component 3 is sequentially generated on the diffuse reflection surface 14,
A silhouette pattern S around the part 3 as shown in FIG.
5, S6, S7 and S8 occur. Although it is impossible to determine the posture of the component 3 having the shape as shown in FIG. 4 with a flat silhouette, the silhouette patterns S1 to S4 as shown in FIG.
By comparing the silhouette patterns S5 to S8 as described above, the posture of the component 3 can be determined.

Therefore, the irradiation angle θ of the light from the illuminating device 9 and the reference direction of the component 3 are determined in advance in consideration of the shape of the component 3, and the irradiation angle θ is 1 to 4 directions including the reference direction. If the silhouette images of the front-side and back-side components 3 that are generated when parallel light is emitted from the computer are registered in advance in a computer by patterning (area, circumference, etc.), the components 3 will have the same angle θ as the reference direction. Silhouette patterns S1 to S when parallel light is emitted from 1 to 4 directions including
4; By comparing S5 to S8 with the pattern registered in the computer, the direction of the component 3 can be determined.

The recognition table 10 is composed of a transparent portion 13 and a diffuse reflection surface 14, and a distance is provided between the component 3 and the diffuse reflection surface 14 serving as the image plane of the silhouette S by the transparent portion 13. Therefore, the component 3 can be floated from the image plane, and as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the silhouette image recognized by the camera 7 and the actual image of the component 3 can be separated. Therefore, not only the characteristics of the upper surface of the target component 3 but also the characteristics of the lower surface can be grasped as a silhouette. In addition, even if the component 3 is dark,
It is possible to clearly distinguish the real image and the silhouette image, and it is possible to easily select the component 3 oriented in the direction that can be supplied from the silhouette pattern.

FIG. 10 shows a comparative example using a recognition table 21 which has no transparent portion 13 and whose surface serves as an image plane. This recognition stand 2
1 is placed on the component 3, the illumination device 9 irradiates the component 3 with parallel light from a predetermined angle θ obliquely upward, and while moving the illumination device 9, the silhouette patterns S11 to S14 are sequentially generated on the surface of the recognition table 21. It shows in FIG. In this case, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the silhouette patterns S11 to S14 and the component 3 overlap, and the silhouette patterns S11 to S14 separated from the component 3 cannot be photographed by the camera 7, and the silhouette pattern S11-S
I can't know the whole 14 On the other hand, by using the recognition table 10 having the transparent portion 13, the entire silhouette patterns S1 to S4 separated from the component 3 as shown in FIG. 8 can be photographed by the camera 7.

The light irradiation angle θ of the lighting device 9 may be fixed to a constant value as described above, but the light irradiation angle θ of the lighting device 9 is automatically adjusted according to the shape of the component 3. Alternatively, it may be changed manually. Further, the thickness of the transparent portion 13 may be changed automatically or manually according to the shape and size of the target component 3. To change the thickness of the transparent portion 13, for example, a transparent glass plate and a diffuse reflection surface 14 are used.
A space may be formed between the glass plate and the glass plate, the transparent portion 13 may be formed by the glass plate and the space, and the glass plate may be moved up and down to change the thickness of the space. If the irradiation angle θ of light and the thickness of the transparent portion 13 are made variable, it is possible to adjust so as to clearly distinguish the real image and the silhouette image according to the component 3. That is, when the size of the component 3 increases, the real image of the component 3 partially overlaps the silhouette image S as shown in FIG. 12A, and the image taken by the camera 7 is shown in FIG.
In some cases, the real image of the part 3 and the silhouette image S cannot be distinguished as shown in FIG. In such a case, FIG.
By reducing the irradiation angle θ of the light from the illumination device 9 as shown in (a), the real image of the component 3 and the silhouette image S can be distinguished from each other as shown in FIG. 13 (b). Alternatively, even if the thickness of the transparent portion 13 is increased as shown in FIG. 14A, the real image of the component 3 and the silhouette image S can be distinguished from each other as shown in FIG. 14B.

Although only one circulation type part feeder is shown in these drawings, it is necessary to install a plurality of part feeders for supplying different kinds of parts.
Or mix multiple types in one parts feeder,
If selectively supplied, a plurality of types of parts can be assembled, and can also be used for palletizing of parts to be palletized and fixed position assembly work in an assembly center. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the lighting device 9 is attached to the hand 17, and the irradiation position of the lighting device 9 is moved by rotating the hand 17, but if a higher speed is required, a plurality of lighting devices may be used. It is also possible to attach the illuminating device 9 of the table to the hand 17 and switch between the illuminating devices 9. Further, since the diffuse reflection surface 14 of the recognition table 10 has to allow the light of the illumination device 8 to pass therethrough, frosted glass is used as the recognition table 10 in the above embodiment, but a liquid crystal shutter is used as the diffusion reflection surface 14. Alternatively, PLZT may be used. When the silhouette is generated by the lighting device 9, the diffuse reflection surface 14 such as a liquid crystal shutter is set in a light blocking state, and when the silhouette is generated by the lighting device 8, the diffusion of the liquid crystal shutter or the like is performed. The reflecting surface 14 can be in a light transmitting state.

Next, the operation of the component supply apparatus A will be described by taking as an example the case where the component 3 shown in FIG. 4 is assembled in the recess 22 of the work 6. First, the parts 3 to be supplied are put in the circulating parts feeder 2 in a random state, and when the circulating parts feeder 2 is operated, the circulating parts feeder 2 moves on the track 12 while separating the overlapping parts 3. . Thereafter, the robot 1 moves the camera 7 onto the circulation type parts feeder 2 and stops the circulation type parts feeder 2. Then, from the lighting device 8 to the recognition table 1
Light is emitted toward 0, and the silhouette of the component 3 on the recognition table 10 is photographed by the camera 7. FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of the silhouette of the component 3 on the recognition table 10,
a is the silhouette of the part 3 that can be assembled,
23b is the silhouette of the two overlapping parts 3 and 3, and 23c is the silhouette of the standing part 3. The visual device selects a part 3 that can be assembled from the silhouettes 23a to 23c of these parts 3 by image processing, and obtains the position and direction of the part 3. After this,
The lower illuminator 8 is turned off, the upper illuminator 9 is turned on, parallel light is emitted obliquely from above, and the hand 17 is moved based on the judgment obtained from the silhouette by the lower illuminator 8 to move the optical system (camera). 7) and the center of the component 3 are made to coincide with each other, and the hand 17 is rotated, so that the lighting device is directed in a direction in which a silhouette image from diagonally above is registered in advance (for example, any direction in FIG. 7). Correct the direction of 9. Next, a silhouette from diagonally above by the lighting device 9 is photographed by the camera 7, and the obtained silhouette image is collated with a pre-registered pattern.
Determine the attitude. When the posture of the component 3 cannot be determined only from the silhouette from one direction, the hand 17 is rotated to move the direction of the lighting device 9 by 90 ° and the camera 7 captures the silhouette of the component 3 to irradiate the light. The silhouettes in different directions are photographed by the camera 7 and collated with the pattern of the silhouette image registered again to determine the posture of the component 3. In this way, when the component 3 that can be assembled is selected, the hand 17 of the robot 1 is moved and rotated according to the position and direction of the selected component 3, and the component 18 is gripped by the chuck 18. Then, the hand 17 is rotated to correct the component 3 in the direction of assembling the work 6,
Is moved onto the platen 5 and the component 3 is assembled in the recess 22 of the work 6 as shown in FIGS. In this way, the assembleable parts 3 selected by the image taken by the camera 7 are sequentially assembled to the work 6.

On the other hand, when there is no assembleable part 3, the circulating type part feeder 2 is operated again, and the part 3 which was not oriented in the assembleable direction is moved to the track 1.
2 and then returns to the bowl 11 again, and another component 3 moves on the track 12 and onto the recognition table 10. Therefore, the parts 3 are assembled to the work 6 by stopping the circulating part feeder 2 and repeating the above operation.

Next, a component supply device B according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described. 15 and 16 are a plan view and a front view showing the component supply device B according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, the same components as those of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. The different points will be mainly described. In the component supply device B, the recognition table 10a provided in the circulation type part feeder 2 is a transparent plate or a semi-transparent plate so that the light from the lower illumination device 8 can be transmitted to obtain the vertical silhouette of the component 3. It is formed by a transparent plate. Also,
The hand 17 is provided with an illumination device 9a that emits the slit light α.

Now, the principle of operation of the component supplying apparatus B will be described in the case of determining the posture of the component 3 having a concave section 3 having a groove 3a at the center of the upper surface as shown in FIGS. 17 (a) and 17 (b). . First, light is emitted from the lower illuminating device 8 toward the recognition table 10a, the silhouette of the component 3 on the recognition table 10a is photographed by the camera 7, and the part 3 that can be assembled is selected to select the part 3 concerned. Find the position and direction of. After turning off the lower illumination device 8, the upper illumination device 9
A is turned on and the component 3 is irradiated with the slit light α from diagonally above. At this time, the hand 17 is moved based on the judgment obtained from the silhouette image by the illumination device 8 below so that the center of the camera 7 and the center of the component 3 are aligned with each other, and the hand 17 is rotated. The direction of the illuminating device 9a is corrected in the direction (that is, the direction in which the pattern of the slit light α is registered). Then, the slit light α emitted from the lighting device 9a from obliquely above.
The slit light pattern on the surface of the component 3 is photographed by the camera 7, and the obtained slit light pattern is collated with the pattern registered in advance to determine the posture of the component 3. When the posture of the component 3 cannot be determined only by the slit light pattern from one direction, the hand 17 is rotated to move the direction of the illuminating device 9a by 90 ° and the slit light pattern on the surface of the component 3 is taken by the camera 7. Shoot and slit light α
The patterns of different irradiation directions of are photographed by the camera 7 and collated with the registered slit light pattern again to determine the posture of the component 3.

When it is determined in advance that the component 3 having the shape as shown in FIG. 17 is irradiated with the slit light α from the direction perpendicular to the side surface in plan view, the slit light pattern generated on the surface of the component 3 is as shown in FIG. It is limited to two types of patterns as shown in 18 (a) and 18 (b), the number of patterns to be registered in advance is small, and the obtained slit light pattern can be easily collated with the registered pattern. The posture of the component 3 can be identified by a simple process. On the other hand, when irradiating the slit light α from an arbitrary direction, a pattern of the slit light α as shown in FIG. 19 is also generated, so it is necessary to register various patterns in advance, and an enormous pattern is required. Therefore, registration becomes impossible, and it is necessary to analyze the obtained slit light pattern to determine the posture of the component 3, which complicates the processing.

In the above embodiment, the illumination device for emitting the slit light is used as the illumination device for emitting the pattern light, and the posture of the component is identified by the slit light pattern. Using the range finder used for shape stereoscopic image recognition,
The posture of the component may be identified from the pattern of the range finder irradiated on the surface of the component. In the case of a general range finder, since the shape of an object irradiated with pattern light from an indefinite direction is recognized, it is necessary to register enormous identification data (pattern data) in advance. According to this, since the irradiation direction of the pattern light from the range finder can be determined in advance, necessary data can be limited and the pattern matching process can be facilitated.

[0033]

According to the present invention, since the parts are irradiated with light from an oblique direction, it is possible to obtain a large amount of part information including information on a three-dimensional shape, and to obtain more three-dimensional parts and It is possible to recognize and distinguish the directions of complicated parts and the like. Moreover, since the posture is determined based on the silhouette image or the light pattern from the determined direction, the process is easier than in the stereoscopic recognition from the indefinite direction, and the posture of the component can be determined by simple pattern matching.

Further, in the case where the visual recognition device is provided with the recognition table composed of the transparent portion and the diffuse reflection surface, the silhouette image and the actual image of the part can be separated by the transparent portion. Therefore, not only the characteristics of the upper surface of the target component but also the characteristics of the lower surface can be grasped as a silhouette, and even for a dark component, the substantial image of the component and the silhouette image of the component can be clearly distinguished. Further, the posture of the component is recognized not by the reflected light of the light emitted to the component but by the silhouette generated by irradiating the component with light. Surface gloss,
The recognition accuracy is improved without being affected by the surface roughness).

Therefore, according to the component supply apparatus of the present invention, the posture of a three-dimensional component or a complicated component which cannot be sorted by the conventional component feeding apparatus can be accurately sorted by a simple process. Further, it is possible to accurately select the postures of parts having a lower surface, dark parts, and the like, the application target of the parts supply device is further expanded, and the flexibility of the parts supply device is further improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a component supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an optical system in the component supply device of the above.

4A, 4B, and 4C are a plan view, a front view, and a side view showing an example of a component.

5 (a) and 5 (b) are a plan view and a front view showing a state in which the above parts are assembled to a work.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing silhouettes of parts projected by an illumination device below a recognition table.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing movement of a light irradiation position of an illumination device above a recognition table.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a silhouette generated on a diffuse reflection surface when parallel light is radiated obliquely from above to a front-facing component.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a silhouette generated on a diffuse reflection surface when parallel light is radiated obliquely upward from a component facing down.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a case where a recognition table of a comparative example is used.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a silhouette from an oblique direction that occurs when the recognition table of the comparative example is used.

12A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which a substantial image and a silhouette image overlap each other, and FIG. 12B is a plan view showing the image.

13A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state when the angle of the lighting device is changed, and FIG. 13B is a plan view showing an image thereof.

FIG. 14A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an appearance when the thickness of a transparent portion is increased, and FIG. 14B is a plan view showing an image thereof.

FIG. 15 is a plan view showing a component supply device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a front view of the above embodiment.

17 (a) and 17 (b) are a plan view and a front view showing the shape of a component.

18 (a) and 18 (b) are plan views showing patterns of slit light with which a component is irradiated from a predetermined direction.

FIG. 19 is a plan view showing a pattern of slit light with which a component is irradiated from an arbitrary direction.

FIG. 20 is a plan view showing a vibrating bowl feeder according to a conventional example.

FIG. 21 is a plan view showing a conventional component supply device.

FIG. 22 is a front view of the above conventional example.

FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram showing an optical system in a conventional example of the above.

24A, 24B, and 24C are a front view, a rear view, and a side view showing the shapes of parts.

25 (a) and 25 (b) are a plan view and a front view showing a state in which parts are assembled to a work.

FIG. 26 is a diagram showing silhouettes of parts on a transparent plate projected by an illumination device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Robot 2 Circulation type parts feeder 3 Parts 6 Work 7 Camera 9,9a Illumination device 10,10a Recognition table 13 Transparent part 14 Diffuse reflection surface 17 Hand 18 Chuck

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Hirokazu Tanaka 10 Okaron Dodocho, Hanazono, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture OMRON Corporation

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A recognition table provided with a diffuse reflection surface on the lower surface of a transparent part, and a part on the recognition table from above the recognition table based on the direction of the parts obtained from the silhouette images in the vertical direction. An illumination device that irradiates light in an oblique direction from a predetermined direction according to the direction of a random component, and the posture of the component by comparing the silhouette of the component generated on the diffuse reflection surface with a silhouette pattern registered in advance A component supply device that includes a visual device that recognizes a component and selects a component in a posture that allows supply, and a device that grabs the selected component and conveys it to a component supply point. 2. An illuminating device which irradiates pattern light in an oblique direction from a predetermined direction according to the direction of a random component, based on the direction of the component obtained from a silhouette image in the vertical direction. And a visual device for recognizing a posture of a component by comparing a light pattern generated on the surface of the component by the pattern light with a pre-registered pattern and selecting a component having a posture that can be supplied, and the selected component. A component supply device having a device for grasping and transporting the component to a component supply point. 3. The component supply device according to claim 1, further comprising means for controlling the illumination device at a predetermined position and a predetermined angle.