JPH08197484A - Robot system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To improve the safety of a worker in a robot system put in action in connection with an external device. CONSTITUTION: After the action end of a robot body 100, interlock signal waiting time until the input of an interlock signal from an external device 300 for preparing environmental conditions for the action of the robot body 100 is counted. In the case of being within a minute, the action of the robot body 100 is executed at the specified action speed, and in the case of exceeding one minute, the action speed of the robot body 100 is changed to the slower speed than the specified action speed to execute the action of the robot body 100. When the input of the interlock signal is delayed and the execution of action is started even if a worker is near the robot body 100, since the robot body 100 starts moving slowly, the worker can go away from the vicinity of the robot body 100 so as to be able to secure safety. Since the robot body 100 does not stop even if the input of the interlock signal is delayed, processing such as restart is not required so as to reduce the burden of the worker.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a robot system for operating a robot body when the environment outside the robot body, peripheral devices and the like are under predetermined conditions.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, in a robot which receives a supply of parts from the outside and performs a predetermined operation, an external device for supplying a part gives an external signal to the robot to notify the robot of the operation. In addition, when the normal supply of the parts is delayed due to a defect of the parts supply device and the external signal notifying the completion of the supply is not input, the robot stops abnormally. It should be noted that the industrial robot requires a setting operation by an operator in advance in order to start up so as to perform an operation according to the purpose of use, and the same applies when the operation is restarted in the case of an abnormal stop. It is necessary to perform the setting operation for starting and returning.

For this reason, if the supply of parts to the robot is delayed, if it can be resolved in a short time, it is better not to stop abnormally because it is not necessary to perform a setting operation for start-up and recovery, and the time when parts supply is delayed. If is within the set time, a certain allowable time is set by the operator for delay of parts supply, etc. so that the robot will not stop abnormally, while the robot is in the parts waiting state, It just stops working.

On the other hand, when a robot is used, it may be dangerous if the robot does not operate normally. Therefore, in order to prevent the robot from performing an abnormal operation, the current value inside the drive unit is detected or a special value is used. As in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 6-91587, the acceleration and speed of the tip of the robot arm are detected, and when these detected values exceed a predetermined value, the robot is stopped, or JP-A-2-262991.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-A No. 2003-242242, a television camera for detecting the mark position of the robot is provided to detect a deviation between the operation position of the robot and a control position, and the operation of the robot is controlled according to the deviation. .

[0005]

As described above, in the robot which operates by receiving the supply of the parts, when the supply of the parts by the external device is stopped, the operation of the robot itself is normal unless the operation of the robot itself is abnormal. Does not enter an abnormal stop state by waiting in the component waiting state within the time allowed for normal operation. For this reason, when the system is adjusted, when the operator waits for the parts to take measures such as reworking peripheral devices to eliminate the delay of parts, the parts will be supplied normally. Since the robot suddenly starts a predetermined operation in response to an external signal, there is a risk that the arm of the robot or the like may come into contact with an operator.

In order to eliminate such inconvenience, if the permissible time for waiting for parts is set to be short and the robot is stopped, the safety of the operator is ensured, but the robot frequently stops abnormally and the robot There is a problem that the burden of setting operation for returning from startup increases. Further, in such a case, even if the robot is controlled by performing the abnormality detection according to each of the above publications, no abnormality occurs in the robot itself, and therefore no safety is ensured.

As described above, conventionally, the abnormality detection in the robot is independent of the external device, and the system that accurately determines and processes the abnormality in relation to the external device recognizes the abnormality. Since the whole is stopped, it is difficult to set the judgment standard of normality / abnormality, and it is not always satisfactory in use at the work site.

An object of the present invention is to improve the safety of a worker in a robot which operates in association with an external device.

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided a robot main body which performs a predetermined operation, an external device which adjusts an environmental condition for the robot main body to perform the predetermined operation, and that the environmental condition is satisfied. A robot system comprising environment detecting means for detecting, which causes the robot body to execute the predetermined operation once at a predetermined operation speed when the environmental conditions are satisfied, and a robot system which repeats the predetermined operation, The robot control means, at least a time measuring means for measuring a time until the environmental condition is satisfied after the predetermined operation by the robot main body,
When the time measured by the time measuring means when the environmental condition is satisfied is within a predetermined time, the operation speed of the robot main body is determined to be the predetermined operation speed, and when the environmental condition is satisfied, the time measuring means measures the time. The technical means comprises an operation speed determining means for determining the operation speed of the robot body to be a lower operation speed slower than the predetermined operation speed when the determined time exceeds the predetermined time.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the setting of the predetermined time is automatically changed when the robot performs the predetermined operation at a lower operation speed slower than the predetermined operation in the cycle of repeating the predetermined operation. To do this is a technical means. Further, in a sixth aspect of the present invention, the technical means is provided with a warning means for notifying the operation start when the operation is restarted after the predetermined time is exceeded. Further, in claim 7, a plurality of the predetermined times can be set stepwise, and the technical content is to set the treatment content for each step. As the time measured by the time measuring means, an interlock waiting time, a work waiting time, a cycle for repeating a predetermined operation of the robot body, or the like is measured.

[0011]

According to the present invention, the environment for performing a predetermined operation of the robot body is prepared by an external device, and when the environment is detected by the environment detection means, at least until the environmental condition is prepared after the predetermined operation is completed. The time measurement by the time measuring means ends. If the time measured is within the specified time,
The robot body performs a predetermined operation once at a predetermined operation speed,
Environmental conditions are set again.

When the measured time exceeds the predetermined time, the operation speed of the robot body is determined as the reduced operation speed, and the robot body performs the predetermined operation at the reduced operation speed slower than the predetermined operation speed. Therefore, even if the operator removes the problem and adjusts the environmental conditions when the environmental conditions take longer to be set due to a minor problem with the peripheral device, Since the operation of the robot body is slower than the predetermined operation speed, the worker can easily recognize the start of the operation of the robot body, and it takes time to finish the operation of the robot body. You can certainly take actions to ensure safety.

According to the present invention, when the robot performs the predetermined operation at a lower operation speed slower than the predetermined operation, the setting of the predetermined time is automatically changed, so that the cycle for repeating the predetermined operation becomes long, and the timekeeping means operates. Even if the time measured is long,
It does not result in slower operating speeds.
Further, in claim 6, when the re-starting operation is started over a predetermined time, the warning means informs the user of the start-up of the operation. Therefore, before the re-starting operation, a measure such as moving away from the robot system is taken. Therefore, the safety of the user can be secured. Further, according to claim 7, a plurality of predetermined times clocked by the clocking means can be set stepwise, and the treatment content can be set for each step. Therefore, it is suitable for the work site according to the robot system. You can make settings that are easy to use.

[0014]

According to the present invention, when the time until the environmental condition is satisfied after the predetermined operation by the robot body exceeds the predetermined time, the robot does not start suddenly and the restart sound is notified by the warning sound. Since the movement speed of the robot body decreases, the displacement of the movable portion gradually occurs, and it is easy to recognize the restart of the movement of the robot body. Therefore, the operator can move away from the robot before the operation of the robot body progresses, so that it is possible to prevent contact with the arm or the like and ensure safety.

Further, even if the time until the environmental condition is established exceeds the predetermined time, the robot main body can be operated in a state where the operation speed is slowed down. There is no need to perform startup / return operations. Therefore, the burden on the operator is reduced.

In the fifth aspect, when the predetermined operation is performed at the reduced operation speed, the setting of the predetermined time is automatically changed. Therefore, even if the cycle of repeating the predetermined operation becomes long, the operation speed becomes slower. There is no such thing. Further, according to the sixth aspect, when restarting the operation after a predetermined time, the warning means informs the user of the start of operation, so that the safety of the user can be secured. Further, according to the seventh aspect, it is possible to perform the convenient setting suitable for the work site according to the robot system.

[0017]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will now be described based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. A robot system 1 for an industrial robot according to this embodiment, which is schematically shown in FIG. 1, includes a robot body 100, a robot controller 200, an external device 300, and a warning generator 400.
It consists of each module.

The robot body 100 is composed of an arm and other movable members, and is provided with a drive unit 110 including a motor for driving the movable unit, and an abnormality recognition mechanism 120 for recognizing an abnormality in the module. Anomaly recognition mechanism 1
20 is a visual device for recognizing abnormalities in the surrounding environment,
It has a sensor 121 such as an ultrasonic sensor or an infrared sensor.

The robot controller 200 includes a robot operation executing section 210 for controlling normal operations of the robot body 100, and an abnormality recognition mechanism for recognizing an abnormality in the data in the module by an internal counter, an encoder value and the like. 220, an abnormality determination unit 230 that determines an abnormality based on the recognition data of the abnormality recognition mechanism 220, and a processing unit 240 that performs an abnormality processing operation according to the determination result. An operation panel 201 is provided for setting and operation for starting and returning when an abnormal stop occurs.

Further, in the abnormality recognition mechanism 220, as abnormality recognition data related to the external device 300, the time interval of the interlock signal input from the designated external input port is measured and set as the in-signal waiting time t to determine the abnormality. Judgment unit 2
30 also makes an abnormality determination according to the above-mentioned in-signal waiting time t. The abnormality determination processing by the abnormality recognition function 220 and the abnormality determination unit 230 will be described below with reference to FIG.

It is determined whether or not there is an in signal in the in signal waiting state in which the operator has started the operation by a predetermined operation, and when there is no in signal (NO in step S1), the in signal waiting time t is 4 minutes. It is determined whether the time exceeds 4 minutes, and if it does not exceed 4 minutes (N in step S2
O), the process proceeds to step S1 and the IN signal waiting is repeated.

In step S1, if there is an IN signal (YES), it is determined whether or not the IN signal waiting time t exceeds 15 seconds. If it is 15 seconds or less (YES in step S3), the abnormal mode is set to ""Normal" (step S4). If the in-signal waiting time t exceeds 15 seconds (NO in step S3), it is further determined whether it exceeds 1 minute. If it is 1 minute or less (YES in step S5), the abnormal mode is set to "first." 1 warning ”(step S6).

When the IN signal waiting time t exceeds 1 minute (NO in step S5), the IN signal is input within 4 minutes. In this case, the abnormal mode is set to "second warning". Yes (step S7).

On the other hand, if the in-signal waiting time t exceeds 4 minutes in step S2 (YES), the external device 3
Since it is considered that some large abnormality has occurred at 00, the abnormality mode is set to "abnormal" (step S8). The above steps S2 and S
3, the time that is the threshold for the determination in S5 is
It is set in advance at the time of designing the system or at the time of starting operation by an operator.

The processing unit 240 executes the robot operation after performing each treatment according to the abnormality mode set according to the determination result of the abnormality determination unit 230. The operation of the processing unit 240 will be described below with reference to FIG. The processing unit 240 first starts the next operation (step S11), and when the abnormality mode set by the abnormality determination unit 230 is "normal" (YES in step S12), confirms the warning recovery procedure. (Step S13), the robot operation is executed (step S14).

On the other hand, when the abnormal mode is not "normal" (NO in step S12), the following processing is performed according to the mode. The abnormal mode is "First
In the case of “warning”, when the restart is performed within a certain period of time (YES in step S15), a warning sound is generated as execution of the first warning action (step S16), and then the abnormal mode is set to “normal” ( (Step S17) After that, the process proceeds to step S14 and the robot operation is executed.

When the abnormal mode is "second warning" and a restart is performed within another set time (YES in step S18), a warning sound is generated and an operation is performed as execution of the second warning action (step S19). After setting the speed decrease, etc., the process proceeds to step S17 to set the abnormal mode to "normal", and the process proceeds to step S14 to execute the robot operation.

If the abnormality mode is "abnormal" (YES in step S20), the abnormality is corrected (step S2).
The robot main body 100 is brought to an emergency stop by 1). In the abnormal action, the next operation is started when the operator returns.

When the abnormal mode is other than the above (step S
No in 20) means that there is an abnormality due to abnormality recognition by the abnormality recognition mechanism 110 of the robot body 100, so the abnormality mode is set to "abnormal" (step S22), and the process proceeds to step S21. Take corrective action. Further, even when the operator stops the robot by using the operation panel 201, the process proceeds to step S21 and the abnormality treatment is performed.

Next, when the abnormal mode is not "normal", the respective measures in the above steps S16, 19, and 21,
The procedure of step S13 in the case of "normal" will be described. In the first warning measure in step S16, as shown in FIG. 4, the first warning measure only generates a warning sound (step S31).

As shown in FIG. 5, in the second warning procedure of step S19, a warning sound is generated similarly to the first warning procedure (step S32), and thereafter, the operation speed of the robot is determined by the warning recovery procedure described later. The current speed necessary for returning to the current speed is stored (step S33), the speed change mode is then turned on (step S34), and the operation speed is slower than the set current speed, for example, 20% of the current speed. Is set to a low speed (step S35).

As shown in FIG. 6, the abnormal action in step S19 is to stop the motor power as an emergency stop and generate a warning (step S36). afterwards,
It is determined whether or not the startup process for rising and returning is performed by the operator's operation of the operation panel 201. If the startup process is not performed (NO in step S37), an emergency stop is performed until the startup process is performed. maintain. If the activation process has been performed (YES in step S37),
Set the error mode to "normal".

The warning recovery procedure in step S13 is performed as a speed resetting. As shown in FIG. 7, it is determined whether or not the robot execution operation program in step S14 is completed, and the robot execution operation program is executed. If not completed (N in step S41)
O), it passes through as it is, and the warning return processing is ended.

When the program for the robot execution operation is completed (YES in step S41), it is determined whether or not the speed change mode is on. If the speed change mode is not on (NO in step S42). ,
Pass through as it is and end the warning recovery procedure.

When the speed change mode is on (YES in step S42), it is determined whether or not the second program of the robot execution operation is finished, and when the second program is not finished, Is (step S
(NO in 43), the process returns as it is, and the warning return processing is ended.

If the second program has been completed (YES in step S43), the operating speed is reset to the original speed stored in step S33 (step S43).
44), the speed change mode is turned off (step S4
5) The warning recovery procedure is completed.

The external device 300 is a sequencer processing device or the like and has an abnormality recognition mechanism 310 for recognizing an abnormality in the device. The warning generation device 400 includes a buzzer or the like for generating a warning sound.

The robot system 1 of this embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration operates as follows. The operator operates the control panel 20
When the startup operation for rising and various operation settings are performed by 1, the robot system 1 is started. The work is supplied by the external device 300 and the robot body 10
When the environmental condition for the operation of 0 is satisfied, the IN signal is input, and the time measurement until the environmental condition is satisfied ends. If the measured in-signal waiting time t is within 15 seconds, as a normal operation, the warning recovery procedure is confirmed and the robot operation is executed, and the next operation is to wait for the interlock signal. If the IN signal waiting time t exceeds 15 seconds and is within 1 minute, the robot operation is executed after the warning sound is generated, and the interlock signal is waited as the next operation.

If the in-signal waiting time t is more than 1 minute and less than 4 minutes, the operation speed is changed to the low speed and the robot operation is executed after the warning sound is generated. Therefore, in the robot body 100, the arm or the like moves slowly, and at this time, the worker can easily recognize that the execution of the robot operation has started, and when the robot body 100 is near the robot body 100, Safety can be secured by leaving.

If the in-signal waiting time t for the abnormal mode to become "normal" is 15 seconds but slightly exceeds the in-signal waiting time t, if it is within 4 minutes,
Even if the operator does not perform any operation, the operation automatically continues in a normal state. Therefore, there is no increase in the operation of the operator, and
Since there is no waiting time for startup, the burden on the operator can be reduced.

If the interlock signal is not input within 4 minutes, a warning is issued as an abnormal measure and the motor of the robot body 100 is stopped. In this state, the restart operation is not performed unless the operator performs an operation for returning from the start. As described above, according to the present invention, the signal from the external device 300 notifying that the environmental condition for the operation of the robot body 100 is satisfied is input within 4 minutes even if the signal is not input in a certain cycle. If so, the operation is executed at a slow operation speed, and the operation can be continued without abnormal stop. Therefore, the safety of the worker is ensured and the burden on the worker is not increased. In addition, setting the warning mode makes it relatively easy to set the normal / abnormal determination criteria. In the above embodiment, the abnormality recognition mechanism 220 measures the interlock time, but it may be a work waiting time or a cycle time which is a cycle of operation execution of the robot body.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an outline of a robot system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an abnormality determination process in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a processing unit in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a first warning according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a second warning according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an abnormal treatment in the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a warning return process in the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of Codes] 1 Robot system 100 Robot main body 200 Robot control device 210 Robot operation execution unit (robot control means, environment detection means) 220 Abnormality recognition function (time measurement means) 240 Processing unit (operation speed determination means) 300 External device ( Peripheral device)

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takashi Shimo, 1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya city, Aichi prefecture, Nihon Denso Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor, Yukinori Suzuki, 1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya city, Aichi prefecture Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masayuki Hattori 1-1, Showamachi, Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, Nihon Denso Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor, Masakazu Nimura 1-1, Showamachi, Kariya city, Aichi, Nihondenso Co., Ltd.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A robot main body that performs a predetermined operation, an external device that adjusts an environmental condition for the robot main body to perform the predetermined operation, and an environment detection unit that detects that the environmental condition is satisfied. A robot system comprising: a robot control unit that causes the robot body to execute the predetermined operation once at a predetermined operation speed when an environmental condition is established, wherein the robot control unit is configured to repeat at least the predetermined operation; A time measuring means for measuring the time until the environmental condition is satisfied after the predetermined operation by the robot body, and the robot if the time measured by the time measuring means when the environmental condition is satisfied is within a predetermined time The operation speed of the main body is determined to the predetermined operation speed, and when the environmental condition is satisfied, the time measured by the time measuring means is A robot system comprising: an operation speed determining means for determining an operation speed of the robot body to be a lower operation speed slower than the predetermined operation speed when the predetermined time is exceeded. 2. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein the time measured by the time measuring means is an interlock waiting time. 3. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein the time measured by the time measuring means is a work waiting time. 4. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein the time measured by the time measuring means is a cycle for repeating the predetermined operation of the robot body. 5. The setting of the predetermined time is automatically changed when the robot performs a predetermined operation at a lowering operation speed slower than the predetermined operation in a cycle in which the time measuring means repeats the predetermined operation. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein 6. The robot system according to claim 1, further comprising warning means for notifying the start of the operation when the operation is restarted after the predetermined time has elapsed. 7. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the predetermined times can be set stepwise, and the treatment content is set for each step.