WO2019102821A1

WO2019102821A1 - Input/output device

Info

Publication number: WO2019102821A1
Application number: PCT/JP2018/040812
Authority: WO
Inventors: 岩下　純久
Original assignee: アズビル株式会社
Priority date: 2017-11-27
Filing date: 2018-11-02
Publication date: 2019-05-31
Also published as: JP7186498B2; JP2019093528A

Abstract

The present invention comprises: an input unit (an electrostatic sensor 11) that is provided to a robot arm and has one or more input points (electrodes 111) that are provided around an axial center, the intervals around the axial center at which there is not an input point being less than 180 degrees; an output unit (a light-emitting part 12) that is provided to the robot arm and has one or more output points (light-emitting elements 121) that are provided around the axial center, the intervals around the axial center at which there is not an output point being less than 180 degrees; and a control part (13) that controls the output unit in accordance with operation of (contact with) the input unit.

Description

I / O device

The present invention relates to an input / output device provided to a robot arm.

Conventionally, direct teaching has been put to practical use as a teaching method for a robot arm (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 5-192885 gazette Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-15672

Moreover, the robot arm may be provided with an input device having an operation button or the like for the purpose of enabling the direct teach, for example, at a specific location on the circumferential surface. In addition, since an increase in the number of operation buttons leads to an increase in cost, usually only one operation button is provided for one or a plurality of functions. However, in this configuration, depending on the position and posture of the hand of the robot arm, the operation button may face the user on the opposite side or in a direction or position where it is difficult to operate, making it difficult for the user to operate the operation button. .
Also, as in the above, the robot arm is provided with an output unit having a light emitting element or the like that outputs information indicating the state of the robot arm such as whether or not the direct teach is enabled at a specific location on the circumferential surface. May be However, in this configuration, depending on the position and posture of the hand of the robot arm, the light emitting element may face the opposite side to the user, and it may not be possible to confirm with certainty whether or not the user has enabled direct teaching. There is.

There is also a method of providing an operating device and a display on the root side (fixed part) of the robot arm and maintaining the positional relationship between the operating device and the display and the user regardless of the position and posture of the distal end side of the robot arm. However, this method has the same problem as described above when the user performs work at a position away from the operation device and the display, such as when the user operates the vicinity of the robot hand at the time of teaching etc. It occurs.

On the other hand, since direct teaching to the robot arm is an important task to determine the operation of the robot arm, further improvement of convenience is required.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems as described above, and an output for outputting information by making it possible to visually recognize and operate an input point operated by the user regardless of the position and posture of the robot arm. An object of the present invention is to provide an input / output device in which points can be viewed.

The input / output device according to the present invention has one or more input points provided around the axis and operated by the user, and the interval around the axis where the input point is not present is less than 180 degrees, and the robot The robot arm has an input unit provided on the arm and one or more output points provided around the axis and outputting information, and the interval around the axis where the output point is not present is less than 180 degrees. An output unit is provided, and a control unit that controls the output unit according to an operation on an input point.

According to the present invention, as configured as described above, it becomes possible to visually recognize and manipulate the input point operated by the user regardless of the position and posture of the robot arm, and to visually recognize the output point for outputting information. Become.

It is a perspective view showing an example of composition of an input-and-output device concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structural example of the input-output device based on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows the example of an assembly of the input-output device concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows another assembly example of the input / output device concerning Embodiment 1 of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
Embodiment 1
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of an input / output device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, in addition to the input / output device 1, a robot arm 2, a robot hand (end effector) 3, and a robot controller 4 are also illustrated.
The input / output device 1 is provided on the robot arm 2 and receives an input (for example, an input of a request for enabling the direct teach) to the robot arm 2 and information (for example, whether the direct teach is enabled) Output information). Below, the case where the input / output device 1 is provided between the robot arm 2 and the robot hand 3 is shown. Further, a robot controller 4 that controls the operation of the robot arm 2 is connected to the input / output device 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the input / output device 1 includes an electrostatic sensor (input device) 11, a light emitting unit (output device) 12 such as an LED, and a control unit 13. Further, in the input / output device 1 shown in FIG. 2, an attachment portion 14 for attaching the input / output device 1 to the robot arm 2 and an attachment portion 15 for attaching the robot hand 3 to the input / output device 1 are also provided. .

The electrostatic sensor 11 includes one or more electrodes (input points) 111 that are touched (operated) by the user, and a capacitance detection unit 112 that detects the capacitance of the electrodes 111. The input / output device 1 shown in FIG. 2 shows the case where one electrode 111 is provided.
The electrode 111 is provided around the axis of the input / output device 1. Further, the input device is configured such that the interval at which the electrode 111 does not exist around the axis of the input / output device 1 is less than 180 degrees.

Here, in the case where the electrode 111 is single, the electrode 111 is provided in the form of a plane for 180 degrees or more around the axial center of the input / output device 1. Further, when the electrodes 111 are plural, the electrodes 111 are provided at an interval of 180 degrees or less around the axial center of the input / output device 1.
Further, in the input / output device 1 shown in FIG. 2, an insulating member 16 for electrically insulating the electrode 111 from the mounting portion 14 and the mounting portion 15 is provided.

The light emitting unit 12 includes one or more light emitting elements (output points) 121 that emit light. Further, the light emitting unit 12 has a drive circuit 122 which drives the light emitting element 121 in response to an output signal from the control unit 13 depending on the type of the light emitting element 121. The input / output device 1 shown in FIG. 2 shows a case where two light emitting elements 121 are provided and a drive circuit 122 is provided.
The light emitting element 121 is provided around the axis of the input / output device 1. Further, the output device is configured such that the interval at which the light emitting element 121 does not exist around the axis of the input / output device 1 is less than 180 degrees.

Here, in the case where the light emitting element 121 is single, the light emitting element 121 is provided in the form of a plane for 180 degrees or more around the axis of the input / output device 1. In this case, for example, a surface emitting LED can be used as the light emitting element 121. When the light emitting elements 121 are plural, the light emitting elements 121 are provided at an interval of 180 degrees or less around the axis of the input / output device 1. In this case, an ordinary point emission LED can be used as the light emitting element 121, for example.

The control unit 13 controls the light emitting unit 12 according to the contact (operation) of the electrostatic sensor 11 with the electrode 111. The control unit 13 includes a comparison unit 131, a determination unit 132, and an output unit 133. The control unit 13 is realized by a processing circuit such as a system LSI or a CPU that executes a program stored in a memory or the like.

The comparison unit 131 compares the capacitance detected by the capacitance detection unit 112 of the electrostatic sensor 11 with a preset threshold value. Thereby, the comparison unit 131 detects the presence or absence of the contact of the object with the electrode 111 of the electrostatic sensor 11.

Based on the comparison result by the comparison unit 131, the determination unit 132 determines whether the input state (the state where the user is in contact with the electrode 111) or not, and makes the direct teach for the robot arm 2 be in the enabled state It is determined whether or not it is necessary to change the operation or state of the robot arm 2 such as whether or not it is necessary, and whether or not the state of the output unit 133 needs to be changed. At this time, for example, if the determination unit 132 detects that the object is in contact with the electrode 111 by the comparison unit 131 continuously for a prescribed number of times or continuously for a prescribed time, it is determined that the user reliably contacts the electrode 111 It may be set to determine and determine that it is in the input state. Further, for example, after the contact by the user with the electrode 111 is determined, the determination unit 132 may be set to perform an alternate operation of continuing the determination that the input state is present even after the contact disappears. Also, for example, the determination unit 132 may be set to perform a momentary operation that determines that the input state is in the input state only while the user's contact with the electrode 111 is continued.
Further, for example, the determination unit 132 detects an operation (double tap) in which the user contacts the electrode 111 twice in a row from the comparison result by the comparison unit 131, and in response to this operation, some robot arm 2 The necessity or the like of the change of the operation or the state of or the necessity or the like of the change of the state of the output unit 133 may be determined.

The output unit 133 controls the light emitting unit 12 based on the determination result by the determination unit 132. The output unit 133 also notifies the robot controller 4 of information indicating the determination result by the determination unit 132.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an assembly example of the input / output device 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In addition to the input / output device 1, a robot hand 3 is also shown in FIG.
In the input / output device 1 shown in FIG. 3, the unit 17 is attached to the lower surface of the attachment portion 14. The unit 17 includes a capacitance detection unit 112 of the electrostatic sensor 11, a light emitting unit 12, and a control unit 13. The upper surface of the attachment portion 14 is attached to the end of the robot arm 2. Thereby, the input / output device 1 is disposed on the same axis (including substantially the same meaning) as the robot arm 2.

Further, in FIG. 3, the insulating member 16 is divided into an annular upper insulating member 161 and an annular lower insulating member 162. If the upper insulating member 161 is transparent or translucent, even if the light emitting element 121 is mounted inside the unit 17, it can be confirmed from the outside that light is emitted inside. The unit 17 is covered by the upper insulating member 161.
Further, the electrode 111 of the electrostatic sensor 11 is disposed outside the upper insulating member 161. FIG. 3 shows the case where the electrode 111 is annular. Further, grooves 113 are provided in the electrode 111 at intervals of 180 degrees or less around the axis of the input / output device 1. The upper insulating member 161 is partially exposed to the outside by the groove portion 113, and light emitted by the light emitting unit 12 can be emitted to the outside through the upper insulating member 161 which is transparent or translucent. Further, the electrode 111 is electrically insulated from the mounting portion 14 and the mounting portion 15 by being sandwiched together with the upper insulating member 161 by the lower insulating member 162. Thus, when the electrostatic sensor 11 is used, the capacitance of the electrode 111 is stabilized without being affected by the capacitance of the robot arm 2 or the robot hand 3.

Further, the upper surface of the mounting portion 15 is attached to the lower insulating member 162. The robot hand 3 is attached to the lower surface of the attachment portion 15.

Next, an operation example of the input / output device 1 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. In the following, a case is described in which the input / output device 1 receives an input of a request for enabling the direct teach to the robot arm 2 and outputs information indicating whether the direct teach is enabled.
First, when the user touches the electrode 111 of the electrostatic sensor 11, the capacitance of the electrode 111 changes, and the comparison unit 131 compares the capacitance detected by the capacitance detection unit 112 with the threshold value, It is determined that the object is in contact with the electrode 111. Then, based on the comparison result by the comparison unit 131, the determination unit 132 determines whether or not the input state is present, and determines whether or not the direct teach for the robot arm 2 is to be enabled.

When the determination unit 132 determines that the direct teach is enabled, the output unit 133 causes the light emitting unit 12 to emit light so that the user can recognize that the direct teach is enabled, and the robot controller 4 causes the robot controller 4 to emit light. In response, information indicating the determination result is output. At this time, for example, the output unit 133 may switch the light emitting unit 12 from the extinction state to the light emitting state, or when the light emitting unit 12 can emit light of a plurality of colors, the output unit 133 The luminescent color may be changed. As a result, the light emitting unit 12 emits light, and the robot controller 4 enables the direct teach. Thereafter, the user executes direct teaching on the robot arm 2.

Here, in the input / output device 1 according to the first embodiment, the input device includes one or more electrodes 111 provided around the axial center of the input / output device 1, and the axial center of the input / output device 1 It is comprised so that the space | interval where the electrode 111 in circumference | surroundings does not exist may be less than 180 degree | times. Therefore, the electrode 111 of the electrostatic sensor 11 can be seen from the position of the user regardless of the position and posture of the robot arm 2. Therefore, the user operation on the electrostatic sensor 11 is facilitated.
Further, in the input / output device 1 according to the first embodiment, the output device includes one or more light emitting elements 121 provided around the axis of the input / output device 1, and the axis of the input / output device 1 An interval at which the light emitting element 121 does not exist around is set to be less than 180 degrees. Therefore, the light emitting element 121 of the light emitting unit 12 can be seen from the position of the user regardless of the position and posture of the robot arm 2. Thus, the user can reliably confirm whether or not direct teaching is enabled.

Note that FIG. 3 shows the case where the input / output device 1 is provided on the distal end side of the robot arm 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, as long as the input / output device 1 is provided at any location from the root to the tip of the robot arm 2.
On the other hand, in direct teaching to the robot arm 2, the user often touches near the robot hand 3. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3, by providing the input / output device 1 on the tip end side of the robot arm 2, operability can be improved and work efficiency can be achieved.

In addition, in the structure shown in FIG. 3, the case where the electrode 111 was single was shown. On the other hand, when there are a plurality of electrodes 111, for example, the configuration shown in FIG. 4 can be employed.
In addition, the determination unit 132 may determine that the input state is in, for example, only when there is a touch by the user on the plurality of electrodes 111. As a result, it is possible to suppress an erroneous operation by the user, or when an operation by the user straddling a plurality of electrodes 111 is performed, it is determined that the operation is like a swipe of the smartphone, and according to the operation Thus, the state of the robot arm 2 can be changed.

In addition, in the above, as shown in FIG. 1, the case where the input / output device 1 was comprised by the column shape was shown. However, the shape of the input / output device 1 is not limited to this. For example, the input / output device 1 may be configured in a prismatic shape.

Moreover, the case where the electrostatic sensor 11, the light emission part 12, and the control part 13 were comprised integrally was shown above. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The capacitance detection unit 112, the drive circuit 122, and the control unit 13 may be separate from the electrode 111 and the light emitting element 121 and may be incorporated in the robot controller 4, for example.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, it has one or more input points (electrodes 111) provided around the axis, and the interval at which the input points do not exist around the axis is less than 180 degrees And has an input unit (electrostatic sensor 11) provided on the robot arm 2 and one or more output points (light emitting elements 121) provided around the axis, and the output points around the axis exist The robot arm 2 is provided with the output unit (light emitting unit 12) provided on the robot arm 2 and the control unit 13 for controlling the output unit according to the operation (contact) with the input point. Regardless of the position and orientation of 2, the input point can be visually recognized and operated, and the output point can be visually recognized.

In addition, in the above, the case where electrostatic sensor 11 was used as an input device was shown. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the input device is provided around the axis and has one or more input points operated by the user, and the interval around the axis where the input point is not present is less than 180 degrees The pressure sensor may be, for example, a pressure sensor or a push button switch.

When a pressure-sensitive sensor is used as an input device, the electrode 111 is replaced by a pressure-sensitive sheet or the like, and the capacitance detection unit 112 is configured to change the electrical resistance or electrostatics of the pressure-sensitive sheet or the like. It is replaced by a detection unit that detects a change in capacitance.
When the push button switch is used as the input device, the comparison unit 131 is not necessary.

Moreover, the case where the light emission part 12 was used as an output device was shown above. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the output device is provided around the axis and has one or more output points for outputting information, and the interval at which the output point does not exist around the axis is less than 180 degrees For example, a sounder or a speaker that outputs information to the user's hearing may be used.

In the present invention, within the scope of the invention, modifications of optional components of the embodiment or omission of optional components of the embodiment is possible.

The input / output device according to the present invention can visually recognize and manipulate the input point operated by the user regardless of the position and posture of the robot arm, and can visually recognize the output point for outputting information, and is provided on the robot arm Suitable for use in the input / output device.

1 input / output device 2 robot arm 3 robot hand 4 robot controller 11 electrostatic sensor (input unit)
12 Light emitter (output unit)
13 Control part 14 Mounting part 15 Mounting part 16 Insulating member 17 Unit 111 electrode (input point)
112 capacitance detection unit 113 groove 121 light emitting element (output point)
122 drive circuit 131 comparison unit 132 determination unit 133 output unit 161 upper insulating member 162 lower insulating member

Claims

An input device provided on the robot arm, having one or more input points provided around the axis and operated by the user, wherein the interval around the axis where the input point is not present is less than 180 degrees;
An output device provided on the robot arm, having one or more output points provided around an axis and having an output point at which information is output, wherein the interval around the axis where the output point does not exist is less than 180 degrees;
A control unit configured to control the output unit in accordance with an operation on the input point.
The input / output device according to claim 1, wherein the input point is a single point and is provided in a planar shape for 180 degrees or more around an axial center.
The input / output device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of input points are provided at intervals of 180 degrees or less around an axis.
The input / output device according to claim 1, wherein the output point is a single point, and is provided in a plane over 180 degrees or more around an axial center.
The input / output device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said output points are provided at intervals of 180 degrees or less around an axis.
The input and output device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the input device and the output device are provided on the tip side of the robot arm.