JPS58120489A - Robot apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a robot device.

Robotic devices that grip and transport items or assemble products in the same way as humans do are currently being used in a wide range of fields, not just factories. In the above-mentioned robot devices, the work process is first programmed, simulated by digital and analog devices, and operated through a servo mechanism, and if an error occurs in the operation or positioning, etc. , the error is detected and fed back, and each part is controlled so that the error is eliminated.

The functionality of today's robotic devices has greatly improved compared to conventional devices, and as a result, they have traditionally been used primarily to replace humans in work in hazardous environments. However, nowadays it is becoming more common for workers to work alongside humans in factories. For this reason, current robot devices are equipped with various safety devices, among which a sensing function is particularly important.

Generally, the visual axis of a robot device is limited only to the operating range of the robot device's hand and its direction of movement. Therefore, if surrounding humans or other objects enter the blind spot of the robot device's vision, There was a problem in that the approach sensing function and contact sensing function of the robot device did not work. In order for a robot device to operate safely and accurately without colliding with or coming into contact with surrounding humans or other objects, the sensing function is required to have no blind spots. However, as the operation of the robot device becomes more sophisticated, the shape of the robot device becomes more complex.
Therefore, the blind spot will increase. In order to eliminate this blind spot, it would be sufficient to install multiple stages of detectors or sensing devices, but there is a limit to the number of detectors or sensing devices, and for this reason, it was considered impossible to completely eliminate the blind spot.

The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned viewpoints, and its purpose is to completely eliminate blind spots without providing multiple detectors, sensing devices, etc. in a robot device, and to
The present invention aims to provide a robot device that can perform safe and accurate operations without colliding with or coming into contact with surrounding objects.

The gist of this is that a plurality of constantan wires or other steel-nickel alloy wires are coated on the main body of the robot device, especially its operating parts, and a voltage is applied to the wires to control the robot device. A voltage detector is provided to detect changes in the applied voltage when the main body and its operating parts come into contact with a human body or other object, and a low current of 10 μA or less is provided to control the operation of the robot device based on the output of the voltage detector. The object of the present invention is to provide the robot device with a safety device that stops the robot device in a time of 1Qmsec or less.

Hereinafter, the details of the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the entire arm and hand attached to the robot device according to the present invention, and FIG.
Figure 3 is a partially enlarged view of the arm part in the figure, Figure 3 is a partially broken explanatory view of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a partially enlarged view of the hand part in Figure 1,
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the state when the arm comes into contact with another object, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the state when the hand comes into contact with another object.

In Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 16, l is arm, 2 is hand, 3.3 is proximity relay, 4
．． 4 is the auxiliary actuator, 5.5 is the sensor wire, 6
is an obstacle sensing amplifier, 7 is a control circuit, 8 is a drive device, 9
is an obstacle.

The arm 1 is made of resin such as acrylic resin, epoxy resin, or a similar material, and includes an obstacle sensing amplifier 116, a control device 7 such as a microcomputer that controls the arm 1, and the above-mentioned components. A drive device 8, such as a motor, is housed in the drive device 8, which operates a plurality of auxiliary actuators 4.4 based on signals from the control device 7 to cause the arm 1 to extend, contract, and rotate. Moreover, a plurality of proximity relays 3.3 are provided on the outside, and sensor wires 5.5 are attached to the entire body, each connected to an obstacle sensing amplifier 6. As the sensor wire 5.5, a copper-nickel alloy wire such as a constantan wire, or an alloy wire having similar properties and functions as these wires is used.

Thus, a weak voltage is applied to the sensor wire 5.5 that is attached to the entire arm 1 or hand 2 of the robot device. Now, if the arm 1 or hand 2 of the robot device comes into contact with an obstacle 9 during work, the voltage applied to each sensor wire 5.5 will be reduced by the obstacle 9.
A voltage drop occurs at the contact point with the robot, and the obstacle sensing amplifier 6 detects and amplifies this voltage change and sends it as a control signal to the control circuit 7. The control circuit 7 that receives this signal detects the entire robot device or It stops part of the operation.

1. If the object to be grasped is a conductor such as metal, the hand 2 may stop the operation of the obstacle sensing device 6 as necessary or follow a predetermined program.
The sensor wire 5.5 is configured so that power supply is stopped only at the portion of the sensor wire 5.5 that comes into contact with the metal.

Further, a plurality of proximity relays 3.3 are provided on the outer peripheral wall of the arm 1, and these proximity relays 3.3 detect the distance when approaching an obstacle 9. The signal detected by .3 is converted into an electric signal and transmitted to the control circuit 7, and the control circuit 7 controls each part.

The visual range of the robot device is limited only to the movement range of arm 1 and hand 2 of the robot device and the direction of movement of the robot device. Therefore, as in the robot device of the present invention, the entire arm 1 and hand 2 By detecting the distance and contact between the robot and the obstacle 9, it is possible to cover the entire visual blind spot of conventional robot devices. Furthermore, since the stopping of the operation of the robot device and the control of each part are controlled by electrical signals based on the detected output, the above control is performed within 10 m sec.
It can be carried out in the following time and is controlled by a control device such as a microcomputer.
This can be done with a low current of 0μ8 or less.

Since the present invention is structured like a ridge, the present invention can eliminate blind spots of the robot device.
The touch sensing function does not fail, so the robot device does not collide or come into contact with surrounding humans or other objects, and each part can be controlled for a single time and with low current. This is possible.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment on ridges. That is, for example, in the robot device of the present invention, the main body of the robot device, especially the operating portion thereof, is coated with a constancouple wire or a copper-nisokel alloy wire.
Other known electric wires may be used as long as they have the same effect, and the shape, operation method, control method, etc. of the arm and hand of the robot device can be freely changed within the scope of the purpose of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention encompasses all of them.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the entire arm and hand of the robot device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the arm portion in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a partially broken explanatory diagram of Fig. 2. , 4th
The figure is a partially enlarged view of the hand part in Figure 1, Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the state when the arm comes into contact with another object, and Figure 6 shows the state when the hand comes into contact with another object. FIG.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A plurality of electric wires are attached to the main body of the robot device, particularly the operating portion thereof, and a voltage is applied to the electric wires, so that the main body of the robot device and the operating portion thereof come into contact with other objects. A robot device comprising: a voltage detector that detects a change in the applied voltage when the voltage is applied; and a safety device that stops the operation of the robot device based on the output of the voltage detector. 2) The robot device according to claim 1, wherein the electric wire is a constantan wire. 3) The robot device according to claim 'lB1, wherein the electric wire is a steel-nickel alloy wire. 4) The robot device according to claim 1, wherein the time required for the safety device to stop the operation of the robot device is 10 m5ec or less. 5) The robot device according to claim 1, wherein the current required for the safety device to stop the operation of the robot device is 10μ8 or less.