JPS5916655B2 - Tactile sensor for industrial robots - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a tactile sensor used in an industrial robot.

When this type of tactile sensor is used by attaching it to the palm of an artificial hand, it is necessary to detect when an object touches the palm with a small amount of force, and at the same time detects when the object is grasped by the palm. Since a large contact pressure is applied when the device is carried, it is necessary to have a structure that will not be damaged by the contact pressure and to ensure reliable operation.

The present invention aims to provide a tactile sensor with a simple structure that satisfies such requirements.

Hereinafter, the embodiments shown in the drawings will be described in detail. 1st
The figure shows the unit configuration of the tactile sensor according to the present invention, in which an insulating holding plate 3 having a hole 4 into which a conductive rubber piece 2 is inserted is fixed on a substrate 1 made of an insulating hard material. Then, the conductive rubber piece 2 is fitted into the hole 4 so that its upper pressing part 2a protrudes slightly above the hole 4, and an insulating layer made of thin rubber or the like is placed on the rubber piece 2 and the holding plate 3. A flexible membrane 5 is applied.

The electrical resistance of the conductive rubber piece 2 changes when a slight external force is applied to its top surface.In order to detect this change in electrical resistance as a tactile sensation, a space is placed on the back surface of the conductive rubber piece 2. The two signal lines 6 and 1 are connected to each other.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the conductive rubber pieces 2 have holes 4, 4, which are formed by arranging a large number of them vertically and horizontally on the substrate 1.
. The substrate 1 is composed of two layers of insulating plates 1a and 1b, and lead lines 8 and 9 consisting of printed wiring etc. on the backs of both plates are connected to signal lines 6 of conductive rubber strips 2 in each column and conductive lines 6 in each row. Rubber piece 2
Connect the signal line T.

If such a connection is made, a change in resistance of each conductive rubber piece 2 can be detected as a change in resistance between any one of the lead wires 8 and 9. In the tactile sensor having the above configuration, the conductive rubber piece 2 is slightly protruded from the hole 4 of the insulating holding plate 3, and most of it is fitted into the hole 4. Not only can it detect when an object comes into contact with the piece 2 with a small force, but even when a heavy object is grasped by the artificial hand equipped with the tactile sensor, the conductive rubber piece 2 can be detected by the object. The conductive rubber piece 2 does not peel off from the substrate 1 due to the frictional force generated, and the flexible film 5 made of rubber or the like adhered to the conductive rubber piece 2 and the holding plate 3 prevents the conductive rubber piece 2 from peeling off. effectively suppressed.
Further, the unit structure of the above-mentioned tactile sensor is as shown in the embodiment shown in FIG. The push button-shaped pressing portion 2a may be configured to project slightly upward from the hole 4, and in this case as well, the same effects as in the above embodiment can be expected.

As is clear from the detailed description above, according to the present invention, by using conductive rubber, the structure is extremely simple, and it is possible to detect the contact of an object with a small force, and at the same time, it can detect the contact of an object with a small force. It is possible to form a practical tactile sensor that can withstand even high temperatures.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a tactile sensor according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing the arrangement of the tactile sensor, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of another embodiment. 1...Substrate, 1a, 1b...Insulating plate,
2... Conductive rubber piece, 2a... Pressing part, 3... Holding plate, 4... Hole, 5...
...Flexible membrane, 6, r...Signal line, 8,9...
...Derived line.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A large number of holes are arranged vertically and horizontally in an insulating holding plate fixed on an insulating substrate, and a conductive rubber piece whose electrical resistance changes due to the action of an external force is inserted into each of these holes so that its upper pressing part The conductive rubber pieces are fitted so as to protrude slightly upward from the holes, an insulating flexible film is attached to their upper surfaces, and two wires are attached to the conductive rubber pieces to detect changes in the electrical resistance caused by external force. The signal wires are connected at intervals, one signal wire from each conductive rubber strip is connected to the lead-out wire for each column of conductive rubber strips, and the other signal wire is connected for each row of conductive rubber strips. A tactile sensor for an industrial robot, characterized in that the lead wires are connected to lead wires and led out along different surfaces of an insulating plate constituting a substrate.