Actuator device, object extraction method using actuator device, and object extraction system

文档序号：1047572 发布日期：2020-10-09 浏览：15次中文

阅读说明：本技术 执行器装置、基于执行器装置的对象物取出方法以及对象物取出系统 (Actuator device, object extraction method using actuator device, and object extraction system ) 是由嘉藤佑亮小泽顺于 2019-04-05 设计创作，主要内容包括：通过第1取得部(105)取得通过吸附嘴(205)吸附保持了在载置板(89)载置有多个的对象物(93)中的一个时和在动作控制部(100)的控制下通过执行器(201)取出对象物时的施加于吸附嘴的第1力矩M1、与通过吸附嘴将对象物以第1取出量从载置台取出时的施加于吸附嘴的第2力矩M2之差ΔM,基于所取得的力矩之差,通过动作控制部对是否进一步继续进行取出动作进行控制。(A difference DeltaM between a 1 st moment M1 applied to an adsorption nozzle when one of a plurality of objects 93 is placed on a placing plate 89 and the object is taken out by an actuator 201 under the control of an operation control unit 100 is obtained by a 1 st obtaining unit 105, and the 1 st moment M2 applied to the adsorption nozzle when the object is taken out from the placing table by the adsorption nozzle by a 1 st taking-out amount, and whether or not the taking-out operation is further continued is controlled by the operation control unit based on the difference of the obtained moments.)

1. An actuator device configured to take out one of a plurality of objects, which are placed on a mounting table in a state in which side surfaces thereof are in contact with each other, from the mounting table while sucking the object by a suction nozzle, the actuator device comprising:

an actuator;

a 1 st setting unit;

an operation control unit; and

the 1 st acquisition unit for the first time,

the actuator has the suction nozzle for sucking the object, and takes out the object from the mounting table while sucking the object at a 1 st suction position by the suction nozzle and while a side surface of the object is in contact with another object,

the 1 st setting unit sets an amount of the object to be taken out from the mounting table by the actuator,

the operation control unit controls the suction and extraction operations by the actuator,

the 1 st acquisition unit acquires a moment applied to the suction nozzle,

(i) the 1 st acquisition unit acquires, as the moment, a difference between a 1 st moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle and a 2 nd moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is taken out from the mounting table by a 1 st take-out amount by the suction nozzle,

here, the 1 st extraction amount is an amount until the object is extracted from the mounting table,

(ii) the operation control unit controls whether or not to continue the extracting operation based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquiring unit.

2. The actuator device of claim 1,

the placing table is a packing box which is configured in a state of being filled with a plurality of objects,

the one object is taken out from the packaging box while being sucked by the suction nozzle and being brought into contact with a side surface of the object remaining in the packaging box or an inner wall of the packaging box as the other object.

3. The actuator device of claim 1 or 2,

the object is a rectangular parallelepiped.

4. The actuator device of any one of claims 1 to 3,

the operation control unit controls such that: if the difference between the two moments is greater than or equal to a 1 st threshold, the extracting operation is continued, and if the difference between the two moments is less than the 1 st threshold, the extracting operation is stopped from continuing.

5. The actuator device of any one of claims 1 to 4,

further comprising a 2 nd setting unit for setting a 2 nd suction position of the suction nozzle with respect to the object,

the 2 nd setting unit sets the 2 nd suction position different from the 1 st suction position at which the pickup operation is stopped in a state where the object from which the pickup operation is stopped is returned to a state before the object is picked up from the mounting table,

the operation control unit performs control so that the object is sucked at the 2 nd suction position and the object is taken out from the mounting table.

6. The actuator device of any one of claims 1 to 5,

the operation control unit performs control such that, based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquisition unit: by further continuing the taking-out operation, the object is moved by an amount larger than the 1 st taking-out amount and larger than the height of the object, and the object is taken out from the mounting table to the outside of the mounting table.

7. The actuator device of any one of claims 1 to 6,

the adsorption position of the object is covered with vinyl or cellophane.

8. The actuator device of any one of claims 1 to 7,

the placing table is placed on a shelf having an acute inclination angle.

9. The actuator device of any one of claims 1 to 7,

the placing table is placed on a shelf with an inclination angle of 0 degree.

10. The actuator device of any one of claims 1 to 9,

the operation control unit controls the suction pressure at the suction position to be changeable to a 1 st suction pressure and a 2 nd suction pressure higher than the 1 st suction pressure,

the operation control unit controls whether or not to continue the pickup operation by the actuator by controlling based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquisition unit so that the pickup operation by the actuator is not continued, after stopping the pickup operation and returning the object to an original position in the mounting table, changing the suction pressure at the suction position from the 1 st suction pressure to the 2 nd suction pressure, performing operation control on the actuator so that the object is sucked at the suction position and the pickup operation is performed again, acquiring the difference between the two moments again by the 1 st acquisition unit, and controlling whether or not to continue the pickup operation by the actuator.

11. The actuator device of any one of claims 1 to 10,

the operation control unit controls to stop the continuation of the extracting operation when the difference between the two moments is equal to or greater than the 1 st threshold and exceeds the 2 nd threshold.

12. An object pickup method for picking up one of a plurality of objects, which are placed on a mounting table in a state where side surfaces thereof are in contact with each other, from the mounting table while sucking the object by a suction nozzle,

the object extraction method uses an actuator device, and the actuator device includes:

an actuator;

a 1 st setting unit;

an operation control unit; and

the 1 st acquisition unit for the first time,

the object extraction method includes:

setting, by the 1 st setting unit, an amount of extraction of the object from the mounting table by the actuator, and controlling, by the operation control unit, the suction and extraction operations by the actuator having the suction nozzle that sucks the object, while sucking the object at the 1 st suction position by the suction nozzle and bringing a side surface of the object into contact with another object, extracting the object from the mounting table,

here, the 1 st extraction amount is an amount until the object is extracted from the mounting table,

(ii) the operation control unit controls whether or not to continue the extracting operation based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquiring unit.

13. A program for picking up an object by an actuator device, wherein the actuator device picks up one of a plurality of objects placed on a mounting table while sucking the object by a suction nozzle, the plurality of objects being placed on the mounting table in a state where side surfaces of the plurality of objects are in contact with each other,

the actuator device includes:

an actuator;

a 1 st setting unit;

an operation control unit; and

the 1 st acquisition unit for the first time,

the actuator has the suction nozzle for sucking the object,

the object extraction program is for causing a computer to function as:

a function of taking out the object from the mounting table while the object is sucked by the suction nozzle at a 1 st suction position and a side surface of the object is in contact with another object;

a function of setting an amount of the object to be taken out from the mounting table by the actuator by the 1 st setting unit;

the operation control unit controls the suction and extraction operations by the actuator,

a function of acquiring a moment applied to the suction nozzle by the 1 st acquisition unit;

(i) the 1 st acquisition unit acquires, as a function of the moment, a difference between a 1 st moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle and a 2 nd moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is taken out from the mounting table by a 1 st take-out amount by the suction nozzle, where the 1 st take-out amount is an amount until the object is taken out from the mounting table; and

(ii) and a function of controlling whether or not to continue the extracting operation based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquiring unit.

14. An object pickup system includes actuator devices disposed in a plurality of environments, respectively, the actuator devices pickup one of a plurality of objects, which are placed on a mounting table in a state where side surfaces thereof are in contact with each other, from the mounting table while sucking the object by suction nozzles,

each actuator device includes:

an actuator;

an operation control unit; and

the 1 st acquisition unit for the first time,

the system is provided with:

a 1 st setting unit;

a server;

an operation object database; and

a database of the results of the operations,

the server is connected to the actuator device, the 1 st setting unit, the operation target object database, and the operation result database,

the 1 st setting unit sets an amount of the object to be taken out from the mounting table by the actuator, and stores the amount of the object in the operation object database via the server,

the operation control unit controls the suction and extraction operation by the actuator based on the extraction amount of the object stored in the operation object database,

the 1 st acquisition unit acquires a moment applied to the suction nozzle,

(ii) the operation control unit controls whether or not to continue the extracting operation based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquiring unit.

15. An object extraction method, comprising:

the suction nozzle sucks the 1 st part of the object,

acquiring a 1 st plurality of moments outputted from a force sensor provided between the suction nozzle and an arm during a 1 st period starting immediately after the suction,

moving the object by the arm immediately after the 1 st period,

causing the plurality of arms to interrupt movement of the object when the object moves a 1 st distance,

acquiring a 2 nd plurality of moments of the force sensor output during a 2 nd period starting immediately after the interruption,

the interruption continues during the 2 nd period,

and making the adsorption nozzle adsorb a 2 nd part different from the 1 st part when the average value of the 2 nd plurality of moments is equal to or more than the value obtained by adding the average value of the 1 st plurality of moment values and a preset value.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an actuator device, an object extraction method using the actuator device, and an object extraction system, which are capable of performing an extraction operation that reduces the amount of shake when extracting an object in a filled state by suction in a transfer robot system that holds and conveys the object by suction using a suction nozzle for an actuator having one suction nozzle.

Background

Conventionally, as a method for causing a robot system to learn an extraction operation of an object, there is a method including: the state of the object is observed using a sensor such as a camera, and a person teaches which position of the object should be gripped and learns the state. In this way, in the method of teaching the holding position of the object by the person, the teaching needs to be performed again depending on the fingers of the robot system. Further, the gripping position of the object taught by the person may actually be a position that cannot be gripped by the robot system. Therefore, it is effective that the robot system actually performs the gripping operation and learns the picking-up operation based on the result of success or failure thereof. Thus, the following method is disclosed: the reward function for learning is changed based on the observation result of the state of the object, using the result of the success or failure of the picking-up operation when the robot system actually performs the gripping operation (patent document 1).

Disclosure of Invention

In the case of patent document 1, a robot system having two fingers is used to learn the operation of picking up objects in a bulk state. However, in a warehouse environment, the objects are often not in bulk but are arranged in a large box and filled to a filled state. In such a filled state, the distance between the loaded objects is narrow, and it is difficult to grip the objects by inserting a multi-fingered hand. Therefore, it is effective to hold the object by adsorption.

However, in a warehouse environment, the shelves of the housing booth are inclined to make it easy to take out the objects. Since the shelf is inclined in this manner, when the object is taken out by holding by suction, the object is suspended and sways. Due to this shaking, the object may be detached from the suction portion and may fall. Therefore, in the retrieval operation in the warehouse environment, it is necessary to perform an operation in which the object does not shake even if the retrieval is performed.

Therefore, the present disclosure provides a technique capable of preventing an object from falling off due to excessive shaking of the object when the object is taken out.

An actuator device according to one aspect of the present disclosure takes out one of a plurality of objects, which are placed on a mounting table in a state in which side surfaces thereof are in contact with each other, from the mounting table while sucking the object by a suction nozzle, the actuator device including: an actuator; a 1 st setting unit; an operation control unit; and a 1 st acquisition unit that has the suction nozzle that sucks the object, and that takes out the object from the mounting table while sucking the object at a 1 st suction position by the suction nozzle and while bringing a side surface of the object into contact with another object, the 1 st setting unit setting an amount of taking out the object from the mounting table by the actuator, the operation control unit performing control of the suction and taking out operations by the actuator, the 1 st acquisition unit acquiring a moment applied to the suction nozzle, (i) the 1 st acquisition unit acquiring, as the moment, a difference between a 1 st moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle and a 2 nd moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is taken out from the mounting table by the 1 st taking out amount by the suction nozzle, here, the 1 st extraction amount is an amount until the object is extracted from the mounting table, and (ii) the operation control unit controls whether or not to continue the extraction operation based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquisition unit.

The general or specific technical means may be implemented by a method, a system, an integrated circuit, a computer program, or a computer-readable recording medium, or may be implemented by any combination of an apparatus, a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, and a computer-readable recording medium. Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include nonvolatile recording media such as CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory).

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent the object from falling off due to excessive shaking of the object during the removal operation.

Further advantages and effects in one aspect of the present disclosure are apparent from the description and the accompanying drawings. The advantages and/or effects are provided by the features described in the several embodiments, the description, and the drawings, respectively, but all of them need not necessarily be provided in order to obtain one or more of the same features.

Drawings

Fig. 1A is a diagram showing an example of an object to be extracted by the actuator device.

Fig. 1B is a perspective view of an example of an object.

Fig. 1C is a perspective view of another example of the object.

Fig. 1D is a perspective view of another example of the object.

Fig. 1E is a perspective view of another example of the object.

Fig. 2A is an explanatory diagram of an operation of taking out an object from a packaging box by an actuator device.

Fig. 2B is an explanatory diagram of an actuator of the actuator device.

Fig. 3A is an explanatory diagram of a finger of the actuator.

Fig. 3B is an explanatory diagram of the arrangement of the force sensor of the actuator.

Fig. 3C is an explanatory diagram of torque measurement by the force sensor of the actuator.

Fig. 3D is an explanatory diagram of torque measurement by the force sensor of the actuator.

Fig. 3E is an explanatory diagram of torque measurement by the force sensor of the actuator.

Fig. 3F is an explanatory diagram of torque measurement by the force sensor of the actuator.

Fig. 3G is an explanatory diagram of an example of the moment M1 measured by the force sensor of the actuator.

Fig. 3H is an explanatory diagram of an example of the moment M2 measured by the force sensor of the actuator.

Fig. 4A is a diagram for explaining an example of shaking when the object is taken out from the packing box placed on the shelf at the inclination angle θ.

Fig. 4B is a diagram for explaining an example of shaking when the object is taken out from the packing box placed on the shelf at the inclination angle θ.

Fig. 4C is a diagram for explaining an example of shaking when the object is taken out from the packing box placed on the shelf at the inclination angle θ.

Fig. 4D is a diagram for explaining an example of shaking when the object is taken out from the packing box placed on the shelf at the inclination angle of 0 degree.

Fig. 4E is a diagram for explaining an example of shaking when the object is taken out from the packing box placed on the shelf at the inclination angle of 0 degree.

Fig. 4F is a diagram for explaining an example of shaking when the object is taken out from the packing box placed on the shelf at the inclination angle of 0 degree.

Fig. 4G is a diagram in which the center position of the upper surface of the object is the suction position, for explaining the case where the object is dropped and the case where the object is not dropped depending on the suction position.

Fig. 4H is a diagram in which the center position of the upper surface of the object is the suction position, for explaining the case where the object is dropped and the case where the object is not dropped depending on the suction position.

Fig. 4I is a view of the center position of the upper surface of the object as the suction position and viewed from the upper surface of the object, for explaining the case where the object is dropped and the case where the object is not dropped depending on the suction position.

Fig. 4J is a diagram of the position of the upper end of the upper surface of the object as the suction position, for explaining the case where the object is dropped and the case where the object is not dropped depending on the suction position.

Fig. 4K is a diagram of the position of the upper end of the upper surface of the object as the suction position, for explaining the case where the object is dropped and the case where the object is not dropped depending on the suction position.

Fig. 4L is a view of the upper end of the upper surface of the object as the suction position and viewed from the upper surface of the object, for explaining the case where the object is dropped and the case where the object is not dropped depending on the suction position.

Fig. 5A is an explanatory diagram of an example of the taking-out operation when the object is taken out from the package box placed on the shelf at the inclination angle of 20 degrees.

Fig. 5B is a graph showing time series data of the moment applied to the suction position from the section a to the object falling through the section D in fig. 5A.

Fig. 6A is a graph showing time series data of the moment applied to the suction position from the time when the section a of fig. 5A passes through the section D until the suction holding object succeeds.

Fig. 6B is a graph showing time series data of the moment applied to the suction position until the suction holding of the object is successful in the case where the inclination angle θ of the shelf on which the object is placed in fig. 5A is 0 degree.

Fig. 6C is a graph showing time series data of the moment applied to the suction position until the object is dropped in the case where the inclination angle θ of the shelf on which the object is placed in fig. 5A is 0 degree.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing values of ranges of appropriate moments that differ according to the tilt angle θ of the placed object.

Fig. 8A is a functional block diagram of a robot arm device as an example of an actuator device.

Fig. 8B is a more detailed functional block diagram of a robotic arm device as an example of an actuator device.

Fig. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the coordinates and the size of the suction position on the upper surface of the object and the weight of 1 object stored in the storage unit.

Fig. 10 is an explanatory view illustrating 6 suction positions 1 to 6 of 6 objects in a package box.

Fig. 11A is a diagram showing XYZ coordinates of the original adsorption position before the change.

FIG. 11B is a table format of XYZ coordinates of the changed adsorption positions 1 to 5.

FIG. 11C is a plan view showing the top surface of the object at the changed suction positions 2 to 5.

Fig. 11D is a side view showing the Z coordinate of the original suction position before the change and the suction position 1 after the change.

FIG. 12A is a diagram showing XYZ coordinates of the original adsorption positions 1-0 before the change.

FIG. 12B is a table format diagram showing XYZ coordinates of the changed adsorption positions 1-1, 1-2, 2-1, and 2-2.

Fig. 12C is a plan view of the top surface of the object showing the changed suction position in fig. 12B.

Fig. 13A is a flowchart of an object extracting operation by the actuator device.

Fig. 13B is a flowchart of a specific example of the object extracting operation of the actuator device.

Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing the detailed operation of step S501 in fig. 13B.

Fig. 15 is a flowchart showing the detailed operation of step S505 in fig. 13B.

Fig. 16 is a flowchart showing the detailed operation of step S507 in fig. 13B.

Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing the detailed operation of step S506 in fig. 13B.

Fig. 18 is a functional block diagram of a robot arm device as an example of an actuator device according to modification 1.

Fig. 19 is an explanatory diagram of fingers of the actuator in modification 1 of fig. 18.

Fig. 20 is a flowchart showing the detailed operation of step S505 of fig. 13B in modification 1 of fig. 18.

Fig. 21 is an explanatory diagram showing an object retrieval system for realizing control in another warehouse using data measured and stored in a predetermined experimental environment in modification 2.

Fig. 22 is an explanatory view for explaining 3 shelf boards different in installation angle from each other in modification 2.

Fig. 23 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which data information of a target product is used as contents of an operation target object database of the system of fig. 21 in modification 2.

Fig. 24 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the amount of deviation of the position of the suction point from the position of the center of the object in modification 2.

Fig. 25 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the moment and the measurement result in the warehouse experimental environment in modification 2.

Fig. 26 is an explanatory diagram showing a system for realizing control in another warehouse environment using data measured and stored in a predetermined experimental environment in modification 2.

Fig. 27A is a side view illustrating an operation when the rectangular parallelepiped object mounted on the rectangular mounting plate with a fence is taken out in modification 3.

Fig. 27B is a plan view illustrating an operation when the rectangular parallelepiped object mounted on the mounting plate with a fence in fig. 27A is taken out in modification 3.

Fig. 27C is a plan view illustrating an operation when the rectangular parallelepiped object is taken out from the placement plate in a state where the position of the fence is different from that in fig. 27B in modification 3.

Fig. 27D is a side view illustrating an operation of taking out a rectangular parallelepiped object in a case where the mounting plate with a fence of fig. 27A is tilted by the tilt angle θ in modification 3.

Fig. 27E is a side view illustrating the operation of taking out the rectangular parallelepiped object in the case where the plate with rails of fig. 27A is tilted by the tilt angle θ in modification 3.

Fig. 27F is a side view illustrating the operation of taking out the rectangular parallelepiped object in the case where the mounting plate with the fence of fig. 27A is tilted by the tilt angle θ in modification 3.

Fig. 27G is a side view illustrating an operation when taking out a rectangular parallelepiped object while contacting another rectangular parallelepiped object placed on a rectangular placement plate in modification 3.

Fig. 27H is a plan view illustrating an operation when taking out a rectangular solid object while contacting another rectangular solid object placed on the rectangular placement plate of fig. 27G in modification 3.

Fig. 27I is a plan view illustrating an operation when the rectangular solid object is taken out from the mounting plate in a state where the position of the other rectangular solid object is different from that in fig. 27H in modification 3.

Fig. 27J is a side view illustrating an operation when taking out a rectangular parallelepiped object while contacting a support member fixed to a rectangular placement plate in modification 3.

Fig. 27K is a plan view illustrating an operation when the rectangular parallelepiped object is taken out while being in contact with the supporting member fixed to the rectangular placement plate of fig. 27J in modification 3.

Fig. 28A is a perspective view illustrating an operation when the cylindrical object mounted on the rectangular mounting plate with a fence is taken out in modification 3.

Fig. 28B is a plan view illustrating an operation when the cylindrical object mounted on the mounting plate with a fence of fig. 28A is taken out in modification 3.

Fig. 28C is a perspective view illustrating an operation when the cylindrical object is taken out while being brought into contact with another cylindrical object placed on the rectangular placement plate in modification 3.

Fig. 28D is a plan view illustrating an operation when the cylindrical object is taken out while being brought into contact with another cylindrical object placed on the rectangular placement plate of fig. 28C in modification 3.

Fig. 28E is a perspective view illustrating an operation when the cylindrical object is taken out while being brought into contact with the support member fixed to the rectangular placement plate in modification 3.

Fig. 28F is a plan view illustrating an operation when the cylindrical object is taken out while being in contact with the support member fixed to the rectangular placement plate of fig. 28E in modification 3.

Fig. 29A is an explanatory view of a case where a large number of flat rectangular parallelepiped commodity packages are one and an aggregate is formed as still another example of the object in modification 3.

Fig. 29B is an explanatory view of a case where a large number of commodity packages in a columnar shape are grouped into one and an aggregate is used as still another example of the object in modification 3.

Fig. 29C is an explanatory view of a case where a part of the package of canned beer or canned fruit juice, which is an example of a large number of cylindrical products, is exposed from the packaging material for packaging a soft material and is configured as still another example of the object in modification 3.

Fig. 29D is an explanatory diagram of a case where the object is configured to be a spherical shape as still another example of the object in modification 3.

Fig. 29E is an explanatory diagram of a case where a plurality of spheres form one aggregate as still another example of the object in modification 3.

Fig. 30A is a diagram for explaining an example of shaking when the object placed on the placement plate with a fence in fig. 27A is taken out.

Fig. 30B is a diagram for explaining an example of shaking when the object placed on the placing plate of fig. 27G is taken out.

Fig. 30C is a diagram for explaining an example of shaking when the object placed on the placing plate of fig. 27J and supported by the support member is taken out.

Fig. 31 is an explanatory view of an example of the taking-out operation when the object placed on the placing plate is taken out from the placing plate inclined at 20 degrees in the example of the situation where the object is placed.

Fig. 32A is a graph showing time series data of the moment applied to the suction position from the section a of fig. 31 through the section D until the object is taken out from the placement plate having the height of the 7.5cm fence and dropped, and an explanatory view of the time when the taking out is stopped.

Fig. 32B is a graph showing time series data of the moment applied to the suction position from the section a of fig. 31 through the section D until the object is taken out from the placement plate having the height of the fence of 0.5cm and dropped, and an explanatory view of the time when the taking out is stopped.

Fig. 33A is a graph showing time series data of the moment applied to the suction position after the suction position is changed toward the fence side from the position 93b of the center of gravity corresponding to the center of gravity position, that is, the center, and then the object is taken out from the placement plate at the height of the fence of 7.5cm from the section a of fig. 31 through the section corresponding to the section D and the object is successfully sucked and held, and an explanatory diagram of the case when the taking out is stopped.

Fig. 33B is a graph showing time series data of the moment applied to the suction position after the suction position is changed toward the fence side from the position 93B of the center of gravity corresponding to the center of gravity position, that is, the center, and then the object is successfully sucked and held from the loading plate at the height of the fence of 0.5cm after passing through the section a corresponding to the section D in fig. 31.

Fig. 34 is a diagram showing values of ranges of appropriate moments that differ according to the state of the object placed and the tilt angle θ of the object.

Fig. 35 is a graph showing time series data of the moment applied to the suction position when the extracting operation is changed as an exceptional operation in the situation where the object is placed as shown in fig. 27A, and an explanatory view of the extracting operation, which is different from fig. 33A.

Fig. 36 is a graph showing time series data of the moment applied to the suction position when the extracting operation is changed as another exceptional operation in the state where the object is placed as shown in fig. 27A, and an explanatory view of the extracting operation, which is different from fig. 35.

Description of the reference symbols

88 bar-shaped support member

89 carrying plate

89a fence

90 carrying table

91 packaging box

92 goods

94 Soft object

95 shelf

100 operation control part

101, 2 nd setting part

102 st control part

103 nd control part 2

104 suction pressure measuring part

105 moment measuring part

106 suction position update unit

107 st judging part

108 nd 2 nd judging unit

109 force measuring part

110 operation judging part

112 1 st setting part

113 storage unit

114 input unit

115 drive part

116 suction device

200 robot arm device

201 robot arm

202 finger

203 pick-up head

204 force sensor

204a arithmetic unit

205 adsorption nozzle

206 rotating joint

300. 300A object taking-out system

301 warehouse experimental environment

302 input/output unit

303 network

304A warehouse A Environment

304B warehouse B Environment

304C warehouse C environment

305 data sharing server

306 database of operation objects

307 database of operation results

1101 nd 2 setting part

1112 th setting part

Detailed Description

(embodiment mode)

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Hereinafter, various aspects of the present disclosure will be described before detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings.

According to the 1 st aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an actuator device for taking out one of a plurality of objects, which are placed on a mounting table in a state where side surfaces thereof are in contact with each other, from the mounting table while sucking the object by a suction nozzle, the actuator device including:

an actuator;

a 1 st setting unit;

an operation control unit; and

the 1 st acquisition unit for the first time,

the actuator has the suction nozzle that sucks the object, and takes out the object from the mounting table while sucking the object at a 1 st suction position by the suction nozzle and bringing a side surface of the object into contact with another object, the 1 st setting unit sets an amount of taking out the object from the mounting table by the actuator, the operation control unit controls the suction and taking out operations by the actuator, the 1 st acquisition unit acquires a moment applied to the suction nozzle, (i) the 1 st acquisition unit acquires, as the moment, a difference between a 1 st moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle and a 2 nd moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is taken out from the mounting table by the 1 st taking out amount by the suction nozzle, here, the 1 st extraction amount is an amount until the object is extracted from the mounting table, and (ii) the operation control unit controls whether or not to continue the extraction operation based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquisition unit.

According to the above aspect, the 1 st acquisition unit acquires a difference between a 1 st moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle and a 2 nd moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is taken out from the mounting table by the 1 st taking-out amount by the suction nozzle, and the operation control unit controls whether or not to continue the taking-out operation based on the acquired difference in moments. Therefore, the object can be prevented from falling down due to excessive shaking of the object during the taking-out operation.

According to claim 2 of the present disclosure, there is provided the actuator device according to claim 1, wherein the mounting table is a package box disposed in a state in which the plurality of objects are filled, and the one object is taken out from the package box while the one object is sucked by the suction nozzle and brought into contact with a side surface of the one object remaining in the package box or an inner wall of the package box as the other object.

According to claim 3 of the present disclosure, there is provided the actuator device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the object is a rectangular parallelepiped.

According to claim 4 of the present disclosure, there is provided the actuator device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the operation control unit controls such that: if the difference between the two moments is greater than or equal to a 1 st threshold, the extracting operation is continued, and if the difference between the two moments is less than the 1 st threshold, the extracting operation is stopped from continuing.

According to the above aspect, when the difference between the two moments is equal to or greater than the 1 st threshold, the operation control unit may perform control so as to continue the extracting operation. Further, when the difference between the two moments is smaller than the 1 st threshold value, the control may be performed so that the extracting operation is suspended. With this configuration, the object can be prevented from falling down due to excessive shaking of the object during the removal operation.

According to claim 5 of the present disclosure, there is provided the actuator device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a 2 nd setting unit that sets a 2 nd suction position of the suction nozzle with respect to the object, wherein the 2 nd setting unit sets the 2 nd suction position different from the 1 st suction position at which the pickup operation is stopped in a state in which the object from which the pickup operation is stopped is returned to a state before the pickup from the mounting table, and wherein the operation control unit controls the pickup operation from the mounting table to be performed by sucking the object at the 2 nd suction position.

According to the above configuration, in a state where the object, the continuation of which has been suspended from the pickup operation, is returned to a state before the object is picked up from the mounting table, the 2 nd setting unit sets the 2 nd suction position different from the 1 st suction position at which the pickup operation has been suspended, and performs the pickup operation control again. This makes it possible to change the suction position again autonomously without resetting a new suction position by a human hand when the continuation of the removal operation is stopped.

According to claim 6 of the present disclosure, in the actuator device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, the operation control unit performs control such that: by further continuing the taking-out operation, the object is moved by an amount larger than the 1 st taking-out amount and larger than the height of the object, and the object is taken out from the mounting table to the outside of the mounting table.

According to the above aspect, the motion control unit may perform control such that, based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquisition unit: by further continuing the taking-out operation, the object is taken out from the mounting table to the outside of the mounting table. With this configuration, the object can be taken out from the mounting table without dropping the object during the taking-out operation.

According to claim 7 of the present disclosure, there is provided the actuator device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the suction position of the object is covered with vinyl or cellophane.

According to the above-described means, even when the surface of the object is covered with vinyl or cellophane, the same effects as those of the means 1 to 6 can be obtained.

According to claim 8 of the present disclosure, there is provided the actuator device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the mounting table is mounted on a shelf having an acute inclination angle.

According to the above-described aspects, even when the place on which the object is placed is on a shelf inclined at an acute angle, the same effects as those of the aspects 1 to 7 can be obtained.

According to a 9 th aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the actuator device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the mounting table is mounted on a shelf having an inclination angle of 0 °.

According to the above-described aspects, even when the inclination angle of the shelf on which the object is placed is 0 degrees, the same effects as those of the aspects 1 to 7 can be obtained.

According to a 10 th aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the actuator device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the operation control unit controls the suction pressure at the suction position to be changeable between a 1 st suction pressure and a 2 nd suction pressure that is higher than the 1 st suction pressure, and when the removal operation by the actuator is not continued by controlling based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquisition unit, the operation control unit stops the removal operation and returns the object to an original position in the mounting table, then changes the suction pressure at the suction position from the 1 st suction pressure to the 2 nd suction pressure, and thereafter, controls the actuator to perform the operation for sucking the object at the suction position and again performing the removal operation, the 1 st acquisition unit acquires the difference between the two moments again, and controls whether or not to continue the operation of extracting by the actuator.

According to the above-described aspect, when the removal operation by the actuator is controlled not to be continued, the removal operation is performed again after the adsorption pressure is changed to the 2 nd adsorption pressure that is higher than the 1 st adsorption pressure that is the original adsorption pressure. Therefore, when adsorption fails, adsorption can be performed again by increasing the adsorption pressure to be higher than the original adsorption pressure.

According to an 11 th aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided the actuator device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the operation control unit controls to stop the continuation of the extracting operation when the difference between the two moments is equal to or greater than the 1 st threshold and exceeds a 2 nd threshold.

According to a 12 th aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an object pickup method for picking up one of a plurality of objects, which are placed on a mounting table with side surfaces thereof in contact with each other, from the mounting table while sucking the one of the plurality of objects by a suction nozzle, the object pickup method using an actuator device, the actuator device including: an actuator; a 1 st setting unit; an operation control unit; and a 1 st acquisition unit, the object extraction method including: setting, by the 1 st setting unit, an amount of extraction of the object from the mounting table by the actuator, and controlling, by the operation control unit, the suction and extraction operations by the actuator having the suction nozzle that sucks the object, while sucking the object at the 1 st suction position by the suction nozzle and bringing a side surface of the object into contact with another object, extracting the object from the mounting table,

(i) the 1 st acquisition unit acquires, as the torque applied to the suction nozzle and acquired by the 1 st acquisition unit, a difference between a 1 st torque applied to the suction nozzle when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle and a 2 nd torque applied to the suction nozzle when the object is taken out from the mounting table by a 1 st taking-out amount by the suction nozzle, where the 1 st taking-out amount is an amount until the object is taken out from the mounting table, and (ii) the operation control unit controls whether or not to further continue the taking-out operation based on the difference between the two torques acquired by the 1 st acquisition unit.

According to a 13 th aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a program for picking up an object by an actuator device, the actuator device picking up one of a plurality of objects from a mounting table while sucking the object by a suction nozzle, the plurality of objects being objects placed on the mounting table in a state where side surfaces of the objects are in contact with each other, the program comprising: an actuator; a 1 st setting unit; an operation control unit; and a 1 st acquisition unit in which the actuator has the suction nozzle for sucking the object, and the object extraction program causes a computer to function as: a function of taking out the object from the mounting table while the object is sucked by the suction nozzle at a 1 st suction position and a side surface of the object is in contact with another object; a function of setting an amount of the object to be taken out from the mounting table by the actuator by the 1 st setting unit; the operation control unit controls the suction and extraction operations by the actuator, and the 1 st acquisition unit acquires a torque applied to the suction nozzle; (i) the 1 st acquisition unit acquires, as a function of the moment, a difference between a 1 st moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle and a 2 nd moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is taken out from the mounting table by a 1 st take-out amount by the suction nozzle, where the 1 st take-out amount is an amount until the object is taken out from the mounting table; and (ii) a function of controlling, by the motion control unit, whether or not to continue the extracting motion further based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquisition unit.

According to a 14 th aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an object pickup system including actuator devices respectively disposed in a plurality of environments, the actuator devices picking up one of a plurality of objects from a mounting table while sucking the object by a suction nozzle, the plurality of objects being objects placed on the mounting table in a state where side surfaces thereof are in contact with each other, each of the actuator devices including: an actuator; an operation control unit; and a 1 st acquisition unit, the system including: a 1 st setting unit; a server; an operation object database; and an operation result database connected to the actuator device, the server being connected to the 1 st setting unit, the operation object database, and the operation result database, the actuator having the suction nozzle that sucks the object, and taking out the object from the mounting table while sucking the object at a 1 st suction position by the suction nozzle and contacting a side surface of the object with another object, the 1 st setting unit setting an amount of taking out the object from the mounting table by the actuator and storing the amount in the operation object database via the server, the operation control unit controlling the suction and taking out operations by the actuator based on the amount of taking out the object stored in the operation object database, the 1 st obtaining unit obtaining a moment applied to the suction nozzle, (i) the 1 st acquisition unit acquires, as the moment, a difference between a 1 st moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle and a 2 nd moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is taken out of the mounting table by a 1 st taking-out amount by the suction nozzle, where the 1 st taking-out amount is an amount until the object is taken out of the mounting table, and (ii) the operation control unit controls whether or not to further continue the taking-out operation based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquisition unit.

According to the above aspect, the operation control unit controls the suction and extraction operation by the actuator based on the extraction amount of the object stored in the operation result database, controls whether or not to continue the extraction operation based on the difference between the two moments, and stores the result of the control in the database as extraction information via a server. This makes it possible to utilize the operation results stored in the laboratory during operation in other places such as a factory. In particular, in a distributed commodity logistics distribution center, standardized commodities are often handled in each warehouse, and efficient picking and distribution work can be performed by sharing values of parameters obtained in a laboratory or other distribution centers. Further, the same tool is often used for a booth from which a product is taken out, and the angle of the booth is shared by data in a plurality of distribution centers, whereby efficiency can be improved.

Hereinafter, when embodiment 1 of the present disclosure is described in detail with reference to the drawings, a basic experiment performed first will be described.

(basic experiment)

In the present disclosure, for example, in a logistics warehouse environment, an experimental example when a robot arm device as an example of an actuator device is driven to suction-hold an object is described, and an outline of problems and solutions generated at that time is studied.

As shown in fig. 1A to 1E, as an example, a plurality of commercial products 92 of the same shape, kind, and weight are packed by wrapping a part or all of them with a soft material 94 such as vinyl (vinyl) or cellophane (cellophane) to form a rectangular parallelepiped aggregate 93, and the suction position is covered with the soft material 94. The following states are achieved: a plurality of the aggregates 93 are arranged to fill one large rectangular parallelepiped packing case 91. Here, the single aggregate 93 is an example of the object 93. One large rectangular parallelepiped packing case 91 is an example of the mounting table 90 on which the objects 93 are placed in a state where side surfaces of the objects 93 are in contact with each other.

In fig. 1B to 1E, portions of the flexible material 94 are hatched for easy understanding. Fig. 1A and 1B show an example of an object 93 in a case where the entire surface of a rectangular parallelepiped aggregate in which a plurality of commodities 92 are arrayed is packed with a soft material 94. Fig. 1C shows another example of the object 93 in the case where a surface other than the central portion of the left and right side surfaces is packed with a soft material 94 in a rectangular parallelepiped aggregate in which a plurality of commodities 92 are arrayed. Fig. 1D shows an example of another object 93 in the case where, in a rectangular parallelepiped aggregate in which a plurality of commodities 92 are arranged, an upper surface (upper surface), a lower surface (lower surface), and portions partially extending downward from 4 sides of the upper surface, and portions partially extending upward from 4 sides of the lower surface are packaged with a flexible material 94. Fig. 1E shows an example of another object 93 in a case where, in a rectangular parallelepiped aggregate in which a plurality of commodities 92 are arranged, an upper surface and a portion partially extending downward from 4 sides of the upper surface are packed with a soft material 94. In the object 93 of these examples, the upper surface on which the suction position is located is entirely covered with the flexible material 94.

The object 93 is not limited to an object in which a plurality of commodities 92 having the same shape, kind, and weight are packed as described above, but is an object in which at least the entire shape of the object 93 is a rectangular parallelepiped, a part or all of the rectangular parallelepiped is packed with a soft material 94, and the suction position of the object 93 is covered with the soft material 94.

As an example of the logistics warehouse environment, as shown in fig. 2A and 2B, a package box 91 containing an object 93 is placed on a shelf 95 so that the object 93 can be easily taken out by an operator. The shelf 95 is disposed to be inclined at an acute angle θ such that the inside portion thereof is lower than the near portion. The shelf 95 is inclined in this manner to facilitate the work of the operator to check the object 93 in the package box 91 and to take out the object 93 from the package box 91. In addition, this is also for: when object 93 is completely removed from package 91 and package 91 is removed from shelf 95, package 91 disposed above and adjacent to removed package 91 automatically moves to the position of removed package 91 by its own weight.

On the other hand, fig. 2A and 2B show an example of a robot arm device 200 as an example of an actuator device. Here, the robot arm 201 is an example of an actuator. The robot arm device 200 is composed of a robot arm control portion 201a and a robot arm 201. The robot arm 201 of the robot arm apparatus 200 performs an operation of taking out the object 93. Here, the following structure is provided: the robot arm 201 is provided with 6 or more degrees of freedom including 6 rotary joints 206. A suction nozzle 205 with a camera 203 as shown in fig. 3A is attached to a finger 202 of the robot arm 201. The suction position (for example, the 1 st suction position) of the object 93 in the package box 91 is detected by the camera 203 as an example of the 2 nd acquisition unit. After the detection, the suction nozzle 205 realizes the operation of taking out the object 93 from the package box 91 by holding the object by suction, and the sorting operation to another tray or the like can be performed.

As shown in fig. 3A, force sensor 204 is disposed between a portion of finger 202 and a portion of finger 202. A part of the finger 202 is provided between the force sensor 204 and the suction nozzle 205. The force sensor 204 has a coordinate system of three axis directions orthogonal to each other. As shown in fig. 3C, the force sensor 204 of the present embodiment has an x axis, a y axis, and a z axis that are orthogonal to each other with the central axis as the origin. The z-axis is an axis in the thickness direction of the force sensor, and the x-axis and the y-axis are axes orthogonal to each other in a plane perpendicular to the z-axis.

The force sensor 204 measures forces Fx, Fy, and Fz acting in the x-axis direction, the y-axis direction, and the z-axis direction, respectively. Further, the force sensor 204 measures moments Mx, My, and Mz around the x axis, the y axis, and the z axis. In this basic experiment, a force sensor manufactured by WACOH-TECH was used as the force sensor. The x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis coordinates may be unique coordinates provided in the sensor or world coordinates.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 3A, when the suction nozzle 205 and the force sensor 204 are expressed using the same x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis, the center axis of the suction nozzle 205 in the z-axis direction coincides with the center axis of the force sensor 204 in the z-axis direction. Further, the cross section of the suction nozzle 205 perpendicular to the Z-axis and the cross section of the force sensor 204 perpendicular to the Z-axis may be two circles having the same center. The distance of the suction nozzle 205 from the force sense sensor 204 is short in the viewpoint of comparing the force applied to the suction nozzle and the force measured by the force sense sensor. The distance of the suction nozzle 205 from the force sensor 204 is short in the viewpoint of comparing the moment applied to the suction nozzle and the moment measured by the force sensor. That is, the force applied to the suction nozzle can be regarded as the force measured by the force sensor, and the moment applied to the suction nozzle can be regarded as the moment force measured by the force sensor.

When the suction nozzle holds the object 93, the moments M1 and M2 generated in the force sensor 204 via the suction nozzle 205 are measured. Fig. 3G illustrates forces (Fx, Fy, and Fz) acting on the respective axes and moments (Mx, My, and Mz) around the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis, which are detected by the force sensor 204 when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle at the suction positions 1 to 5. Fig. 3H shows an example of the moment M2. The difference Δ M between the 2 moments M1 and M2 acquired by the force sensor 204 of the moment measurement unit 105 can be obtained by calculation of M2 to M1 in the calculation unit 204 a.

Here, when the objects 93 are filled in the package box 91, the gaps between the adjacent objects 93 are small, and therefore, a plurality of fingers such as a jig (grip) cannot be inserted into the gaps, and it is difficult to grip the objects 93 by a method of inserting the plurality of fingers. Therefore, the holding by the suction nozzle 205 sucking the object 93 is effective. However, in the case of holding by suction of the object 93, there is no stability of gripping as in the case of insertion by multi-finger. In particular, this tendency is remarkable when the air bags (bellows) of the suction tray of the suction nozzle 205 are multi-stage and the surface of the object 93 is packed with a soft material 94 such as vinyl.

That is, when the plurality of objects 93 packed with the flexible materials 94 such as vinyl are filled in the packing box 91 and the packing box 91 is placed on the inclined shelf 95, the objects 93 are taken out from the packing box 91 after the suction position covered with the flexible materials 94 holding the objects 93 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205. However, when the object 93 is taken out from the package box 91 while sliding on the side surface of the adjacent object 93 in a state where the object 93 is suspended by the soft object 94, the object 93 largely shakes with respect to the suction nozzle 205, and at that time, the object 93 may be detached from the suction nozzle 205 and fall down.

In this case, when the object 93 is taken out from the package box 91 after the object 93 is sucked and held, the suction nozzle 205 can suck the object 93 itself, but cannot directly suck and hold the object 93 because the soft object 94 such as vinyl covering the object 93 covers the whole suction position of the object 93. This is due to: the soft object 94 is stretched by the weight of the object 93, and the object 93 is suspended from the suction nozzle 205 by the soft object 94, and immediately after the object 93 is taken out from the package box 91, the support of the side surfaces of the adjacent objects 93 is lost, and therefore the object 93 swings around the portion sucked by the suction nozzle 205.

In other words, the oscillation is large when the center of gravity of the object 93 is not located vertically below the suction position of the suction nozzle 205 with respect to the object 93 and when the support of the side surface of the adjacent object 93 is lost immediately after the object 93 is taken out from the package box 91. As in fig. 4A to 4C, this is because: the object 93 inclined by the inclination of the shelf 95 is taken out from the filled packing box 91, and the object 93 is rotated with respect to the suction nozzle 205 to change its posture so that the center of gravity of the object 93 is positioned vertically below the suction position of the object 93 by the gravity of the object 93 when the support of another object, for example, the inner wall of the packing box 91 or the side surface of the other object 93 remaining in the packing box 91 or the like adjacent to the other object is lost. In this phenomenon, even if the inclination angle is 0 degrees, that is, the object 93 is placed in a flat place, the same phenomenon occurs when the object 93 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205 at a position away from the center of gravity (fig. 4D to 4F). Accordingly, the suction nozzle 205 needs to suck the object 93 at an appropriate suction position.

However, in an environment where a large number of types of products constituting the object 93 are present and new products are added every day, such as a warehouse environment, it is very difficult to adjust and set in advance the suction position at which the object 93 does not shake even when the object 93 is taken out from the package box 91, and this is not realistic. Thus, the following methods are needed: before the object 93 is taken out from the packing box 91 in the filled state, the suction position of the object 93 where the object 93 can be taken out without shaking is found.

For example, as shown in fig. 4A to 4C and 4G to 4I, a rectangular object 93 filled in a package box 91 on a shelf board 95 inclined at an inclination angle θ is pulled out from the package box 91 in the direction of an arrow P with a position 93b of the center of a quadrangular upper surface 93a of the object 93 as a suction position. Then, as shown in fig. 4C, at the moment when the object 93 is pulled out from the package box 91 and taken out, the object 93 largely shakes in the left-right direction with respect to the suction nozzle 205, and the object 93 falls off from the suction nozzle 205. The small circle 93g in the center of the side surface of the object 93 indicates the position of the center of gravity of the object 93.

On the other hand, as shown in fig. 4J to 4L, the suction position of the object 93 is set to a position 93c shifted from a position 93b at the center of the upper surface 93a of the square toward the upper end of the upper side, suction is performed at the suction position 93c, and the object 93 is pulled up from the package box 91 and taken out. In this way, after the object 93 is taken out from the package box 91, the object 93 can be stably held without shaking from side to side with respect to the suction nozzle 205. In order to prevent the object 93 from falling off the suction nozzle 205, the suction position can be corrected if it can be estimated whether or not the object 93 is shaken with respect to the suction nozzle 205 before the object 93 is completely taken out of the package box 91.

Next, the contents of this experiment performed to estimate the sway will be described.

As shown in the sections a to C of fig. 5A, the object 93 in the filled state in the package box 91 arranged at the inclination angle θ is partially taken out by pulling up about half the height of the object 93 in the direction P perpendicular to the surface of the inclined shelf 95, and after the object 93 is temporarily stopped, the object 93 is taken out by pulling up the object 93 by more than the height of the object 93. The moment applied to the suction position when such an operation is performed is measured in a time series (time series) by the force sensor 204 (see fig. 5B). It is experimentally verified that it can be estimated whether or not the object 93 is largely shaken after the object 93 is completely taken out from the packing box 91 based on the moment thus measured before the object 93 is completely taken out from the packing box 91.

First, the operation will be described in detail. When the robot arm 201 is operated so that the object 93 is sucked and held from the package box 91 placed on the shelf 95 having the inclination angle θ of 20 degrees, the position 93b of the center of the object 93 is the suction position of the suction nozzle 205. This was taken as experiment 1. That is, the section a in fig. 5A is a section in which the robot arm 201 is driven until the suction nozzle 205 comes into contact with the suction position of the object 93 in the filled state in the packing box 91 and the object 93 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205.

Next, in the section B, the robot arm 201 is driven and moved to pull up the object 93 sucked by the suction nozzle 205 by about half the height (for example, 10cm) of the object 93 in the arrow direction P, thereby partially taking out the object.

Next, in the section C, the object 93 sucked by the suction nozzle 205 is partially taken out by pulling up about half (for example, 10cm) of the height of the object 93 by driving the robot arm 201, and is temporarily stopped. In this state, the following states are obtained: the object 93 is not completely removed from the package 91, and the lower half portion is supported in a non-swingable manner in contact with the adjacent object 93 or the inner wall of the package 91.

Then, in the section D following the section C, the object 93 is partially taken out from about half (for example, 10cm) of the height of the object 93 by driving of the robot arm 201, and is further pulled up, and moved to be completely taken out from the package box 91. At this time, in the section D, a large moment is instantaneously applied to the object 93 simultaneously with the complete removal of the object 93 from the package box 91, the object 93 largely shakes with respect to the suction nozzle 205, the suction holding of the object 93 by the suction nozzle 205 is released, the object 93 drops from the suction nozzle 205, and the removal of the object 93 fails.

Fig. 5B graphically shows time series data of the moment (unit: Nm) applied to the suction position from the section a to the section D, that is, the suction object, to the falling object 93. Here, it is understood that the difference between the moments is almost constant in the section a and the section C, and does not become a difference corresponding to a predetermined value as the 1 st threshold value.

Next, after the suction position of the object 93 is changed to a position 93c on the upper side in the oblique direction than the central position 93b of the object 93, the robot arm 201 is operated so as to perform suction holding by the suction nozzle 205. That is, when the robot arm 201 is operated so that the object 93 is sucked and held from the package box 91 placed on the shelf 95 having the inclination angle θ of 20 degrees, the position 93c of the object 93 on the upper side in the inclination direction than the central position 93b is set as the suction position of the suction nozzle 205. This was taken as experiment 2.

At this time, when the object 93 is completely removed from the package box 91 after the section D, the object 93 does not fall off although it slightly shakes. Fig. 6A is a graph showing time series data of the moment (unit: Nm) applied to the suction position from the time when the section a passes through the section D until the suction holding object 93 is successfully sucked. Here, the operation indicated by the section A, B, C is the same as the operation indicated by the section A, B, C in fig. 5B. In the operation of the section D in experiment 2, unlike the operation of the section D in experiment 1, a large moment was not applied to the object 93, and the object was completely taken out from the package box 91. Here, in the section a and the section C of fig. 6A, it is understood that a large difference occurs in the moment, and the difference corresponds to the 1 st threshold value.

As a result, it was found from experiments 1 and 2 that: in order to estimate the shaking when the object 93 is taken out from the package box 91, the difference between the moments applied to the object 93 in the section a and the section C can be used.

First, in experiment 1, as shown in fig. 5B, there is almost no difference in the values of the torque applied in the interval a and the torque applied in the interval C. When the object 93 is completely taken out, that is, in the section D, a large moment is rapidly applied to the object 93 at a burst, and therefore the object 93 falls from the suction nozzle 205.

On the other hand, in experiment 2, in the section C, a larger moment than the section a has been applied. Therefore, in the section D, the moment hardly increases with respect to the moment of the section C. Accordingly, by comparing the torque applied when the object 93 is sucked in the section a and the torque applied when the object 93 is lifted by about half the height of the section C from which the object 93 is lifted, it is possible to estimate how much the object 93 is shaken when the object 93 is taken out from the package box 91.

In the experiment of this time, the result of the experiment in the case where the inclination angle θ of the shelf 95 on which the object 93 is placed is 20 degrees is shown.

Fig. 6C shows the experimental result in the case where the inclination angle θ of the shelf 95 on which the object 93 is placed is 0 degree.

As a result of these experiments, as shown in fig. 7, if the difference between the moment values in the section a and the section C is a value in the range of the appropriate moment that differs depending on the inclination angle θ, the object 93 does not fall off when the object 93 is taken out from the package box 91. For example, the appropriate moment ranges from-0.1 to 0.1Nm when the inclination angle θ is 0 degrees, and ranges from 0.2 to 0.4Nm when the inclination angle θ is 20 degrees.

In this way, the value of the range of the appropriate moment differs depending on the inclination angle θ of the placement object 93. Therefore, as shown in fig. 7, information on the relationship between the inclination angle θ and the appropriate moment is obtained in advance through experiments, and then stored in advance in a storage unit such as an operation result database described later. Then, based on the stored information and the inclination angle θ, it is possible to estimate whether or not the object 93 will fall after being taken out, based on the moment obtained by the moment measurement unit 105 described later. In addition, when the value varies in the section a and the section C, the value is calculated using an average value of the moments for a predetermined time as an example.

Fig. 6B and 6C show the results of the experiment in the case where the inclination angle θ of the shelf 95 on which the object 93 is placed is 0 degrees and the suction positions are different. When the inclination angle θ is 0 degrees, that is, when the object 93 is flat, the object 93 can be taken out of the package box 91 without shaking the object 93 by the position 93B of the center of the object 93 (see fig. 6B). Here, the value of the torque applied in the section a and the value of the torque applied in the section C are a difference corresponding to the 1 st threshold value. However, when the object 93 is sucked at a position shifted from the central position 93b, the object 93 drops when the object 93 is taken out from the package box 91 (see fig. 6C). Here, the value of the torque applied in the section a and the value of the torque applied in the section C have a large difference, and become a difference larger than the 1 st threshold value.

Hereinafter, a specific configuration for estimating the fall of the object 93 in advance based on these findings will be described as an embodiment.

(embodiment mode 1)

Fig. 8A shows a functional block diagram of a robot arm device 200 as an example of an actuator device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. A more detailed functional block diagram of the robotic arm device of fig. 8A is shown in fig. 8B. The robot arm device shown in fig. 8B is an actuator device as follows: one of the objects 93 arranged in a state where a plurality of objects are filled in the package box 91 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205, and the side surface of the object 93 is brought into contact with another object, and the object is taken out from the package box 91.

The robot arm device 200 is configured by a robot arm 201 as an example of an actuator and a robot arm control portion 201 a.

The robot arm control unit 201a includes at least the 1 st setting unit 112 functioning as an example of the take-out amount setting unit, and the operation control unit 100. The takeout amount setting unit sets the takeout amount of the object 93 from the package box 91 by the robot arm 201.

More specifically, the robot arm control unit 201a further includes a 2 nd setting unit 101 that functions as an adsorption position setting unit, and a 2 nd determination unit 108 that functions as an example of the determination unit. Further, the robot arm control unit 201a includes a storage unit 113 and an input unit 114 as necessary. The suction position setting unit sets the 1 st suction position, or the 1 st suction position and the 2 nd suction position of the suction nozzle 205 with respect to the object 93.

The robot arm 201 includes one suction nozzle 205 for sucking the object 93 and the moment measuring unit 105 as an example of the 1 st acquisition unit. The torque measurement unit 105 acquires the torque applied to the suction nozzle 205. More specifically, the torque measurement unit 105 obtains, as the torque, a difference between the 1 st torque applied to the suction nozzle 205 when the object 93 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205 and the 2 nd torque applied to the suction nozzle 205 when the object 93 is taken out from the package 91 by the suction nozzle 205 by the 1 st take-out amount. Here, the 1 st take-out amount is an amount until the object 93 is taken out from the package box 91.

The 2 nd setting unit 101 sets a suction position (for example, the 1 st suction position) of the suction nozzle 205 with respect to the object 93.

The 1 st setting unit 112 sets an intermediate take-out amount D1 (see fig. 5A) and a complete take-out amount D2 (see fig. 5A), the intermediate take-out amount D1 being a value smaller than the height H (see fig. 5A) of the object 93 when the object 93 is pulled up from the package box 91 by the robot arm 201 after the object 93 is adsorbed by the adsorption nozzle 205 and partially taken out, and being a take-out amount when an intermediate take-out operation is performed in which the object 93 is not completely taken out from the package box 91, and the complete take-out amount D2 being a value larger than the height H of the object 93 and being a take-out amount in which a complete take-out operation is performed in which the object 93 is completely taken out from the package box 91.

The operation control unit 100 controls the suction and extraction operations of the robot arm 201. Specifically, the operation control unit 100 controls whether or not the extracting operation is further continued based on the difference between the two torques obtained by the torque measuring unit 105. Specifically, the operation control unit 100 controls the operation of the robot arm 201 based on the suction position, the halfway extraction amount D1, and the complete extraction amount D2 set by the second setting unit 101 and the first setting unit 112, respectively, moves the object 93 to the suction position by the driving unit 115, and performs the halfway extraction operation and the complete extraction operation by the driving unit 115 while performing suction by the suction device 116 at the suction position. For example, the operation control unit 100 may be composed of a 1 st control unit 102 and a 2 nd control unit 103.

The torque measurement unit 105 obtains a difference Δ M between the torque M1 and the torque M2, the torque M1 is a torque applied to the suction nozzle 205 when the object 93 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205, and the torque M2 is a torque applied to the suction nozzle 205 when the object 93 is taken out by the 1 st take-out amount D1 by the suction nozzle 205, that is, when the object 93 is taken out halfway.

The 2 nd determination unit 108 predicts the shake of the object 93 when the robot arm 201 performs the complete takeout operation by holding the object 93 by suction by the suction nozzle 205 under the control of the operation control unit 100 based on the difference Δ M between the two moments M1 and M2 obtained by the moment measurement unit 105, and determines whether or not the complete takeout operation by the robot arm 201 is performed under the control of the 2 nd control unit 103.

The operation determination unit 110 is constituted by a 1 st determination unit 107 and a 2 nd determination unit 108, which will be described later.

In addition to the above configuration, the robot arm device 200 may further include the 1 st determination unit 107, the suction pressure measurement unit 104, the suction position update unit 106, the storage unit 113, and the input unit 114. The input unit 114 can input parameters related to control of the extraction operation, such as coordinates of the suction position, the intermediate extraction amount D1, and the complete extraction amount D2, and store the parameters in the storage unit 113, as needed.

Hereinafter, each constituent element will be described.

(storage section 113)

The storage unit 113 may store information used by the determination units 107 and 108 as necessary, in addition to information used by the setting units 101 and 112 and the control units 102 and 103.

As shown in fig. 9, the storage unit 113 stores at least coordinates of the suction position on the upper surface of the object 93, i.e., x, y, and z coordinates, a roll axis (i.e., around the x axis), a pitch axis (i.e., around the y axis), a rotation angle (α, β, and γ) of a yaw axis (i.e., around the yaw z axis), and a height H of the object 93. Further, as an example, the storage section 113 stores the vertical and horizontal (i.e., width and depth) dimensions, weight, and suction pressure of the upper surface 93a of the object 93. As an example, the z-coordinate of the suction position may be stored as a fixed value in the storage unit 113 regardless of the object 93. When the storage unit 113 stores the vertical and horizontal dimensions, the height H, and the number of commodities 92 of the upper surface of each commodity 92 constituting the aggregate of the object 93, the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the upper surface 93a of the object 93 may be calculated in advance from the number of commodities constituting the aggregate, the vertical and horizontal dimensions, and the height H of the upper surface of each commodity, or the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the upper surface 93a of the object 93 may be calculated by the 2 nd setting unit 101.

The storage unit 113 may be disposed in the robot arm device 200, or may be disposed in a server or the like outside the robot arm device 200 in a state where information communication is possible via a communication unit or the like.

(robot arm 201)

The robot arm 201 of the robot arm apparatus 200 is an example of an actuator. The robot arm 201 takes out the object 93 from the packing box 91. As an example, the robot arm 201 is configured as follows: has 6 or more degrees of freedom including 6 rotary joints 206. A drive unit 115 including a drive device such as a motor MT that performs forward and reverse rotation drive is disposed in each rotary joint 206 and is driven independently. As an example, an encoder EC is attached to each motor MT constituting the driving unit 115, and can detect a movement amount in the xyz axis direction and a rotation amount around each axis.

Similarly to the robot arm 201, a suction nozzle 205 with a camera 203 as shown in fig. 3A is attached to a finger 202 of the robot arm 201. That is, the camera 203 is attached to the suction nozzle 205, and the suction position of the upper surface 93a of the object 93 in the package box 91 is detected by the camera 203. After the detection, the suction nozzle 205 sucks the object 93 at the suction position on the upper surface 93a of the object 93, and the object 93 can be taken out from the package box 91 by holding the object by suction, and can be sorted into another tray or the like.

When holding the object 93, the suction nozzle measures the force generated by the force sensor 204 via the suction nozzle 205, the moment M1(Mx, My, Mz), and the moment M2(Mx, My, Mz).

Fig. 3G illustrates forces (Fx, Fy, Fz) acting on the respective axes detected by the force sensor 204 and moments M1(Mx, My, Mz) about the x-axis direction, the y-axis direction, and the z-axis direction when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle at the suction positions identified by the suction position numbers 1 to 5 shown in fig. 11B.

Fig. 3H shows an example of the force (Fx, Fy, Fz) acting on each axis and the moment M2(Mx, My, Mz) about the x-axis direction, the y-axis direction, and the z-axis direction detected by the force sensor 204 when the suction nozzle performs the pick-up operation on the object at the suction position specified by the suction position numbers 1 to 5 shown in fig. 11B.

The difference Δ M between the two moments M1 and M2 acquired by the force sensor 204 of the moment measurement unit 105 is obtained by calculation of M2 to M1 of the calculation unit 204 a.

Instead of the force sensor 204, a pressure sensor for measuring the adsorption pressure may be used for control.

(2 nd setting part 101)

The 2 nd setting unit 101 sets an adsorption position (for example, the 1 st adsorption position) for holding the object 93 by adsorption by the adsorption nozzle 205 on the upper surface 93a of the object 93, and inputs information of the set adsorption position to the operation control unit 100. The suction position is provided by the x, y, z coordinates in the xyz coordinates of the robot arm 201, the rotation angles (α, β, γ) of the roll axis (i.e., about the x-axis), the pitch axis (i.e., about the y-axis), and the yaw axis (i.e., about the z-axis). As an example, coordinates of x, y, and z at the respective 6 suction positions 1 to 6 for the two kinds of objects 93 represented by "a" and "B" and rotation angles (α, β, γ) of a roll axis (i.e., around the x axis), a pitch axis (i.e., around the y axis), and a yaw axis (i.e., around the z axis) are illustrated in fig. 9. In fig. 10, 6 objects 93 of the "a" type are filled and accommodated in a package box 91, and a total of 6 suction positions 1 to 6 are illustrated, one for each of the 6 objects 93. The set information is stored in the storage unit 113. Further, although described later, when the suction position is updated, the information on the suction position updated by the suction position updating unit 106 is input to the 2 nd setting unit 101, the information on the suction position is updated, and the 2 nd setting unit 101 resets the updated suction position (for example, the 2 nd suction position) to the upper surface 93a of the object 93.

(1 st setting part 112)

The 1 st setting unit 112 sets the intermediate extraction amount D1 and the complete extraction amount D2, respectively, and inputs them to the 2 nd control unit 103.

The halfway takeout amount D1 is a value smaller than the height H of the object 93 when the object 93 is pulled up from the package box 91 by the robot arm 201 under the control of the 2 nd control unit 103 after the object 93 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205 and partially taken out, and is a moving distance from the bottom of the package box 91 when an operation of taking out the object 93 from the package box 91 halfway is not performed. As an example, the halfway extraction amount D1 may be a value half the height H of the object 93, but is not limited to this, and may be any value as long as the object 93 is not completely extracted from the package box 91. When the object 93 to be removed is removed in the middle, the object is supported by a little by contact with the wall of the package box 91 below the object 93 or the side surface of another object 93, and therefore, the object does not shake and fall in this state.

The height H of the object 93 is information of the height H stored in the storage unit 113.

The full takeout amount D2 is a moving distance from the bottom of the package box 91 when the object 93 is pulled up from the package box 91 by the robot arm 201 and taken out after the object 93 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205 and taken out halfway under the control of the 2 nd control unit 103. The full removal amount D2 is a value larger than the height H of the object 93, and is a moving distance from the bottom of the package box 91 when the full removal operation of completely removing the object 93 from the package box 91 is performed. In practice, after the intermediate taking-out operation, the object 93 may be further pulled up from the packing box 91 by the difference (D2 to D1) between the completely taken-out amount D2 and the intermediate taken-out amount D1. As an example, the amount of completely removed D2 may be any value as long as it is larger than the height H of the object 93.

(1 st control part 102)

The 1 st control unit 102 moves the suction nozzle 205 of the finger 202 of the robot arm 201 toward the suction position set by the 2 nd setting unit 101, brings the suction nozzle 205 close to or into contact with the suction position of the upper surface 93a of the object 93, and performs suction of the object 93 by the suction nozzle 205.

Specifically, the 1 st control unit 102 drives the driving unit 115 via the 2 nd control unit 103 to be described later, moves the suction nozzle 205 toward the suction position, and brings the suction nozzle 205 into proximity with or into contact with the suction position of the upper surface 93a of the object 93. Next, the 1 st control unit 102 controls the driving of the suction device 116 to perform the suction operation of the suction nozzle 205. Further, the suction pressure of the suction nozzle 205 of the suction device 116 may be changed to at least two suction pressures as necessary. Information for controlling the suction operation in the 1 st control unit 102 is input to the 1 st determination unit 107.

(1 st judging part 107)

The 1 st determination unit 107 determines whether or not the suction operation is successfully performed as a result of the suction operation control performed by the 1 st control unit 102, based on the suction pressure measured by the suction pressure measurement unit 104. Specifically, when the suction pressure input from the suction pressure measurement unit 104 to the 1 st determination unit 107 is a negative pressure with respect to a predetermined suction pressure (for example, -25 kPa), the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that suction has been successful. The information of the suction success determination is input to the 2 nd control unit 103. When the suction pressure is not a negative pressure compared to the predetermined suction pressure, the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that suction has failed. The information of the suction failure determination is input to the 2 nd control unit 103, and also input to the suction position update unit 106.

(No. 2 control part 103)

When the information of the successful suction determination is input from the 1 st determining unit 107, the 2 nd control unit 103 first controls the driving unit 115 to pull up the object 93 in the middle of taking out the object and performs the middle taking-out operation in order to determine whether or not the complete taking-out operation is performed by the 2 nd determining unit 108. In this halfway taking out operation, the 2 nd control unit 103 controls the driving unit 115 to temporarily stop the driving unit 115 at the timing when the object 93 is taken out by the halfway taking out amount D1 from the package box 91. Then, the judgment information from the 2 nd judgment unit 108, which is the operation judgment unit 110, is waited for. When the information of the success determination by the 2 nd determination unit 108 is input to the 2 nd control unit 103, the 2 nd control unit 103 controls the driving unit 115 to pull up the object 93 to perform the complete removal operation, and completely remove the object from the package box 91. In the complete removal operation, the 2 nd control unit 103 controls the driving unit 115 to finally pull up the object 93 by the complete removal amount D2 and completely remove the object from the package box 91.

When the information of the failure determination by the 2 nd determination unit 108 is input to the 2 nd control unit 103, the 2 nd control unit 103 controls the drive unit 115 to lower the object 93 by the halfway removal amount D1 to return the object 93 to the package box 91, and then redo the halfway removal operation. As the redo of the halfway extraction operation, there can be exemplified an operation of changing the suction pressure to perform suction again, or changing the z-axis coordinate, the x-axis coordinate, or the y-axis coordinate of the suction position to perform suction again. Here, changing the suction pressure to perform suction again means the following operation by the operation control unit 100. When the picking operation of the robot arm 201 is controlled not to be continued based on the difference Δ M between the two moments M1 and M2, the picking operation is stopped and the object 93 is returned to the original position in the packing box 91. Then, the adsorption pressure at the adsorption position is changed from the 1 st adsorption pressure to the 2 nd adsorption pressure. Then, the robot arm 201 is controlled to move, the object 93 is sucked at the suction position and the picking-up operation is performed again, and the difference Δ M between the two moments M1 and M2 is obtained again by the moment measurement unit 105, thereby controlling whether or not the picking-up operation of the robot arm 201 is continued.

On the other hand, when the information of the suction failure determination is input from the 1 st determining unit 107, the 2 nd control unit 103 drives the driving unit 115 to return the object 93 to the original position in the package box 91, and then waits until the information of the suction success determination is input from the 1 st determining unit 107 without driving the driving unit 115.

(suction pressure measuring part 104)

The suction pressure measuring unit 104 measures the suction pressure of the suction nozzle 205 on the upper surface 93a of the object 93 and inputs the measured value to the 1 st determining unit 107 during the suction operation control of the 1 st control unit 102.

(Torque measuring part 105)

The moment measuring unit 105 is specifically constituted by a force sensor 204, and measures the moment My around the y-axis applied to the finger 202 of the robot arm 201 by the force sensor 204 at the time of the suction of the object by the 2 nd control unit 103 and at the time of the halfway taking-out operation, calculates the difference Δ M between the two measured values by the calculating unit 204a, and inputs the difference Δ M to the 2 nd determining unit 108. The difference Δ M between the two measured values is data used for controlling the extracting operation of the operation control unit 100.

Specifically, the force sensor 204 measures a value of the moment My around the y-axis of the finger 202 of the robot arm 201. Fig. 5B shows an example in which the value of the measured torque My is shown in a graph as time series data. In order to measure a more accurate value, the force sensor 204 can acquire, as a measured value, time series data of the value of the moment My after a predetermined time (for example, 1 second) has elapsed from the time when the suction is performed and from the time when the intermediate removal operation is completed. Alternatively, the force sensor 204 may obtain an average value of the moment My for a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds) from the time when the adsorbed finger 202 has moved the halfway extraction amount D1 to complete the halfway extraction operation, as the measurement value at the time of the halfway extraction operation.

In order to complete the measurement quickly, the force sensor 204 may acquire a value of the moment My at the time of completion of the intermediate extraction operation as a measurement value. The measurement value obtained by the force sensor 204 is input to the 2 nd determination unit 108.

(the 2 nd determining part 108)

The 2 nd determination unit 108 estimates the amount of shake of the object 93 when the object 93 is completely removed from the package box 91 based on the difference Δ M between the measured values of the y-axis direction moment My measured by the force sensor 204 during the suction operation under the control of the 1 st control unit 102 and during the intermediate removal operation under the control of the 2 nd control unit 103, and determines whether or not the complete removal operation can be executed.

Specifically, the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines the difference Δ M between the value of the moment My about the y-axis when the object 93 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205 under the control of the 1 st control unit 102 and the value of the moment My about the y-axis when the object 93 is partway removed by the 2 nd control unit. That is, when the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines that the difference Δ M to be determined is within the range of the appropriate torque value in fig. 7 as an example of the 1 st threshold, for example, when the difference Δ M is equal to or greater than the 1 st threshold, the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines that the shake when the object 93 is completely taken out is small to such an extent that the complete taking-out does not fail. In this case, the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines that the complete extracting operation can be executed. Otherwise, the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines that the complete extracting operation cannot be performed. For example, when the difference Δ M is smaller than the 1 st threshold, the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines to stop the continuation of the extracting operation. Information of the determination result of the 2 nd determination unit 108 is input to the 2 nd control unit 103 and the suction position update unit 106.

When the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines that the complete extracting operation can be executed, the complete extracting operation is executed under the control of the 2 nd control unit 103. On the other hand, when the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines that the complete removal operation cannot be performed, the suction position update unit 106 updates the suction position.

(suction position update section 106)

When the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that the suction has failed, the suction position update unit 106 changes the suction position with respect to the object 93, updates the stored information in the storage unit 113, inputs the information of the suction position after the change to the 2 nd setting unit 101, and resets the suction position after the change to the 2 nd setting unit 101. When the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines that the object 93 is not taken out because the shake is large, the suction position update unit 106 changes the suction position with respect to the object 93 and updates the suction position. At this time, the information of the suction position after the change is also input to the 2 nd setting unit 101, and the suction position after the change is reset by the 2 nd setting unit 101. In these cases, the values to be changed are the coordinate values of x and y or the coordinate values of z, and the rotation angles of the pitch axis, the roll axis, and the yaw axis are not changed.

Specifically, when the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that the suction has failed, first, the suction position is changed in the negative direction in the z-axis direction by the suction position update unit 106, information of the suction position after the change is input to the 2 nd setting unit 101, and the suction position after the change is reset by the 2 nd setting unit 101. As an example, the suction position in fig. 11A is changed to the 1 st suction position in fig. 11B and 11D. The 1 st suction position is changed to the coordinate Z2 shifted from the coordinate Z1 in the negative direction by the distance α 1 in the Z-axis direction, as compared with the suction position in fig. 11A. In this way, the suction position is changed in the z-axis direction by the suction position update unit 106, and after the setting is reset by the 2 nd setting unit 101, the suction operation is performed under the control of the 1 st control unit 102, and the suction is determined again by the 1 st determination unit 107. When the suction fails even in this case, the suction position is changed in the x-axis direction or the y-axis direction by the suction position update unit 106. As an example, the 1 st suction position in fig. 11B is changed to the 3 rd suction position in fig. 11B and 11C. The 3 rd suction position is changed to the coordinate X3 shifted from the coordinate X1 by the distance α 2 in the negative direction in the X-axis direction, as compared with the 1 st suction position in fig. 11B. After the suction position is changed in the x-axis direction by the suction position update unit 106 in this way, the suction operation is performed under the control of the 1 st control unit 102, and the suction is determined again by the 1 st determination unit 107. The manner of changing the suction position is an example, and the order of changing the suction position in the x-axis direction, the y-axis direction, or the z-axis direction can be determined in advance by the suction position updating unit 106 according to the object 93.

Further, when the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines that the object 93 is not completely taken out due to its great shake and is out of the range of the 1 st threshold, the object is largely moved from the suction position at the coordinate X1 to the suction position 1-1 at the coordinate X4 in the positive direction of the X axis as shown in fig. 12A. After the suction position is changed in the positive x-axis direction by the suction position update unit 106, the 2 nd control unit 103 performs the halfway extraction operation, measures the moment My by the force sensor 204, and then determines again by the 2 nd determination unit 108 whether or not the object 93 is greatly shaken. In addition, even in this case, when the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines that the swing of the object 93 is large and the complete removal operation cannot be performed, if the swing is smaller when the object is deviated from the range of the 1 st threshold after the change, the object is changed to the position 2-1 close to the suction position after the change, and if not, the object is changed to the position 2-2 close to the original suction position 1-0. Here, whether or not the fluctuation is smaller when the deviation from the range of the 1 st threshold value is detected, the result of the 2 nd determination unit 108 may be stored in the storage unit 113, and the next determination may be performed by referring to the result by the 2 nd determination unit.

(object taking-out operation)

As shown in fig. 13A, the object extracting operation includes at least the suction operation of step S501, the halfway extracting operation of step S503, the 2 nd determining operation of step S507, and the complete extracting operation of step S508. Further, the object extracting operation may include the suction position changing operation in step S506.

The object extraction method is an object extraction method as follows: using the robot arm device 200, one of the objects 93 arranged in a state where a plurality of objects are filled in the packaging box 91 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205, and the side surface of the object 93 is taken out from the packaging box 91 while being in contact with another object.

First, in the suction operation of step S501, the suction nozzle 205 of the robot arm 201 sucks the suction position of the object 93 set by the 2 nd setting unit 101.

Next, in step S503, the halfway extraction operation of the object 93 from the packing box 91 is performed without completing the halfway extraction operation of the object 93 such that the robot arm 201 extracts the object 93 from the packing box 91 by the halfway extraction amount D1 that is a value smaller than the height H of the object 93.

Next, in the 1 st determination operation of step S507, based on the difference Δ M between the moment M1 applied to the suction nozzle 205 when the object 93 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205 and the moment M2 applied to the suction nozzle 205 when the object 93 is taken out halfway by the suction nozzle 205, the 1 st determination unit 107 performs a prediction determination on the shaking of the object 93 when the robot arm 201 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205 to hold the object 93 and the complete taking-out operation of the object 93 from the package box 91 is completely taken out by a value larger than the height H of the object 93, and the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines whether or not the complete taking-out operation of the robot arm 201 is performed under the control of the 2 nd control unit 103.

When the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines that the object 93 is to be completely taken out, the operation of the robot arm 201 is controlled based on the complete take-out amount D2 during the complete take-out operation in step S508, and the complete take-out operation is performed while the object 93 is being sucked at the suction position.

When the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines that the complete removal operation is not to be performed, the suction position is changed after the intermediate removal operation is stopped and the object 93 is returned to the original position in the package box 91 in the suction position changing operation of step S506.

The above is the basic operation of the object extracting method.

More specifically, fig. 13B shows a flowchart of a specific example of the object extracting operation of the robot arm device 200. The object extracting operation includes the suction operation of step S501, the measurement operation of the 1 st moment M1 of step S502, the halfway extracting operation of step S503, the measurement operation of the 2 nd moment M2 of step S504, the 1 st determining operation of step S505, the suction position changing operation of step S506, the 2 nd determining operation of step S507, and the complete extracting operation of step S508.

(step S501)

In step S501, first, the 2 nd setting unit 101 sets the suction position of the upper surface 93a of the object 93 for holding the object 93 by suction. The suction position is provided by the coordinates of x, y, and z and the rotation angles of the pitch, roll, and yaw axes.

The range in which the suction position can be set is set in advance in the upper surface 93a of the object 93, and a value falling within the range is set. This is a preparatory operation to the adsorption operation.

After the suction position is set, the 1 st control unit 102 drives the driving unit 115 to move the tip of the suction nozzle 205 of the finger 202 at the tip of the robot arm 201 to the suction position set by the 2 nd setting unit 101 in preparation for the suction operation.

After moving to the suction position, the finger 202 of the robot arm 201 is moved, and the suction device 116 is drive-controlled by the 1 st control unit 102, whereby the object 93 is held by suction by the suction nozzle 205.

More specifically, in step S501, as shown in fig. 14, the following operation is performed.

First, in step S5011, the suction position is set by the 2 nd setting unit 101.

Next, in step S5012, the 1 st control unit 102 drives the driving unit 115 via the 2 nd control unit 103 to move the suction nozzle 205 to the suction position set in step S5011.

Next, in step S5013, the 1 st control unit 102 controls the suction device 116 to perform a suction operation of the suction nozzle 205 with respect to the object 93 at the suction position.

Next, in step S5014, the suction pressure during the suction operation is measured by the suction pressure measuring unit 104, and the measured value is input to the 1 st determining unit 107.

Next, in step S5015, the 1 st determination unit 107 determines whether or not the adsorption pressure is a negative pressure with respect to a predetermined adsorption pressure. When the 1 st determining unit 107 determines that the suction pressure is a negative pressure with respect to the predetermined suction pressure, the routine proceeds to step S502, and the moment measuring unit 105 measures the moment M1 during the suction holding.

When the first determination unit 107 determines in step S5015 that the suction pressure is not a negative pressure as compared to the predetermined suction pressure, the process proceeds to step S506, and the object 93 is returned to the original position in the package box 91 after the halfway removal operation is stopped, and the suction position is changed.

The above is the detailed operation of step S501.

(step S502)

Next, the moment measuring unit 105 measures the moment My about the y-axis applied to the suction nozzle 205 of the robot arm 201 when the object 93 is held by suction in step S501 by the force sensor 204, obtains the measured value as the 1 st moment M1, and stores the measured value in the storage unit 113 together with time information from a built-in timer.

Whether or not the object 93 is held by suction in step S501 can be detected from a change in the pressure applied to the suction nozzle 205 measured by the suction pressure measurement unit 104. For example, when the pressure measured by the suction pressure measurement unit 104 is a negative pressure, and it is considered that the object 93 is suction-held, the time at that time and the magnitude of the moment of the force sensor 204 can be obtained as the 1 st moment M1. Alternatively, when the object 93 is held by suction in step S501, the suction operation control by the 1 st control unit 102 may be performed.

(step S503)

Next, under the control of the 2 nd control unit 103, the drive unit 115 is driven to pull up the object 93 sucked by the suction nozzle 205 in step S501 from the package box 91 by the halfway extraction amount D1 that is about half the height H of the object 93, and the halfway extraction operation is performed. The 2 nd control unit 103 controls the driving unit 115 to temporarily stop driving after the finger 202 having the suction nozzle 205 has moved the halfway extraction amount D1 in the z direction from the position where the object 93 is sucked.

(step S504)

Then, the moment measuring unit 105 measures the moment My around the y-axis applied to the suction nozzle 205 of the robot arm 201 when the object 93 is pulled up by the 2 nd control unit 103 by the force sensor 204 by the halfway extraction amount D1 that is half the height H of the object 93 and is partially extracted, obtains the measured value as the 2 nd moment M2, and stores the measured value in the storage unit 113 together with time information from a built-in timer.

Whether or not the object 93 is lifted to a height half the height H of the object 93 can be detected by the halfway extraction amount D1 of the finger 202 moved by the driving unit 115 under the control of the 2 nd control unit 103.

(step S505)

Subsequently, the 1 st determination unit 107 performs the 1 st determination operation. That is, the 1 st determination unit 107 determines whether or not the suction is successful, based on the pressure applied to the suction nozzle 205 measured by the suction pressure measurement unit 104. In other words, the 1 st determination unit 107 determines whether or not the object 93 is taken out halfway or successfully by the taking-out operation, instead of being taken out completely from the package box 91 by the suction nozzle 205. When the pressure measured by the suction pressure measurement unit 104 is a negative pressure, the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that the halfway extraction operation has succeeded. When the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that the halfway extraction operation has succeeded, the process proceeds to step S507. If the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that this is not the case, the process proceeds to step S506.

Fig. 15 shows the detailed operation of step S505.

First, in step S5051, the suction pressure in the suction nozzle 205 is measured by the suction pressure measurement section 104.

Next, in step S5052, the 1 st determination section 107 determines whether or not the pressure measured by the suction pressure measurement section 104 is negative.

When the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that the pressure measured by the suction pressure measurement unit 104 is negative, the process proceeds to step S507.

When the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that the pressure measured by the suction pressure measurement unit 104 is not negative, the process proceeds to step S506.

(step S507)

Next, the 2 nd determination unit 108 takes out the determination result of the 1 st determination operation, which is the operation that has succeeded, in the middle, and then performs the 2 nd determination operation. Fig. 16 shows the detailed operation of step S507 in the 2 nd determination operation.

That is, first, in step S5071 in fig. 16, the 2 nd determination unit 108 acquires the moment M1 around the y-axis during the suction holding measured in step S502.

Next, in step S5072, the 2 nd determination unit 108 acquires the moment M2 around the y-axis during the halfway extraction operation measured in step S504.

Next, in step S5073, the 2 nd determining unit 108 estimates the swing of the object 93 with respect to the suction nozzle 205 when completely removed, based on the difference Δ M (M2 to M1) between the moment M1 around the y-axis during suction holding and the moment M2 around the y-axis during the halfway removal operation. The moment M1 around the y-axis during the suction holding may be a value obtained after a predetermined time (for example, 1 second) has elapsed since the suction holding. Alternatively, the moment M1 around the y-axis at the time of the suction holding may be an average value, a maximum value, or a minimum value of values within a predetermined time (for example, during 3 seconds) from the time of the suction holding as the measurement value. In the present embodiment, the moment M1 around the y-axis during the suction holding is an average value of values within a predetermined time (for example, during 3 seconds) from the time of the suction holding as a measurement value. The moment M2 around the y-axis during the halfway extraction operation may be a value obtained after a predetermined time (e.g., 1 second) has elapsed since the time of the suction holding. Alternatively, the moment M2 around the y-axis during the halfway extraction operation may be an average value, a maximum value, or a minimum value of values within a predetermined time (for example, during 3 seconds) from the time of the suction holding as the measurement value. In the present embodiment, the moment M2 around the y-axis during the halfway extraction operation is an average value of values within a predetermined time (for example, during 3 seconds) from the time of the suction holding as a measurement value. The difference Δ M between the moment M1 around the y-axis measured in step S502 and the moment M2 around the y-axis measured in step S504 may be obtained by the moment measuring unit 105, or may be obtained by the 2 nd determining unit 108 through calculation.

The sway is estimated by the 2 nd determination unit 108 determining whether the difference Δ M is within a predetermined value range.

In the 2 nd determining unit 108, when the torque difference Δ M is within the range of the appropriate torque value in fig. 7 as an example of the 1 st threshold, the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines that the shake of the object 93 in the complete removal operation is small to such an extent that the complete removal does not fail. In this case, the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines that the complete extracting operation can be executed. If not, the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines that the shake is large and the complete extracting operation cannot be performed, and the process proceeds to step S506.

When the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines that the complete extracting operation can be performed, the process proceeds to step S508.

(step S506)

In step S506, after the halfway removal operation is stopped under the control of the 1 st control unit 102 and the object 93 is returned to the original position in the package box 91, the suction position update unit 106 changes the suction position of the object 93 by the suction nozzle 205 set by the 2 nd setting unit 101. The case where the process returns to step S501 after the change of the suction position is exemplified, but the process is not limited to this, and the process may return to between step S504 and step S505 as indicated by the one-dot chain line in fig. 13B.

The suction position updating operation in step S506 is divided into two types, that is, a suction position updating operation when the 1 st determining unit 107 determines that the suction operation has failed, and a suction position updating operation when the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines that the full pick-up operation cannot be performed.

First, specifically, the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that the suction position updating operation performed when the suction operation fails is performed as shown in fig. 17. That is, when the 1 st determining unit 107 determines that the suction operation has failed, first, the halfway removal operation is stopped under the control of the 1 st control unit 102, and the object 93 is returned to the original position in the package box 91, and then the suction position is changed in the negative direction in the z-axis direction in step S5061 a. For example, the suction position in fig. 11A is changed to the 1 st suction position in fig. 11B and 11D.

Next, in step S5061b, the suction operation is performed under the control of the 1 st control unit 102.

Next, in step S5061c, the first determination unit 107 determines whether or not the suction operation has succeeded based on the suction pressure applied to the suction nozzle 205 measured by the suction pressure measurement unit 104. That is, when the suction pressure is a negative pressure compared to a predetermined suction pressure (for example, -25 kPa), the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that the suction operation has succeeded, and the process proceeds to step S5061d to start the halfway extraction operation. Then, step S502 and step S503 may be performed in sequence, or the process may return to step S505.

On the other hand, if the suction pressure is not negative than the predetermined suction pressure (for example, -25 kPa), the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that the suction operation has failed, and the process proceeds to step S5062 a.

In these steps S5061a to S5061c, the suction operation fails even if the suction position is changed in the negative direction of the z-axis direction, and therefore, after step S5062a, the suction position is changed in the x-axis direction, for example.

Specifically, in step S5062a, the suction position is changed in the negative direction of the x-axis direction. For example, the 1 st suction position in fig. 11B is changed to the 3 rd suction position in fig. 11B and 11C.

Next, in step S5062b, the suction operation is performed under the control of the 1 st control unit 102.

Next, in step S5062c, the first determination unit 107 determines whether or not the suction operation has succeeded based on the suction pressure applied to the suction nozzle 205 measured by the suction pressure measurement unit 104. That is, when the suction pressure is a negative pressure compared to a predetermined suction pressure (for example, -25 kPa), the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that the suction operation has succeeded, and the process proceeds to step S5062d to start the halfway extraction operation. Then, step S502 and step S503 may be performed in sequence, or the process may return to step S505.

In these steps S5062a to S5062c, the suction operation fails even if the suction position is changed in the negative direction of the x-axis direction, and therefore, after step S5063a, the suction position is changed in the y-axis direction, for example.

Specifically, in step S5063a, the suction position is changed in the positive direction of the y-axis direction.

Next, in step S5063b, the suction operation is performed under the control of the 1 st control unit 102.

Next, in step S5063c, the first determination unit 107 determines whether or not the suction operation has succeeded based on the suction pressure applied to the suction nozzle 205 measured by the suction pressure measurement unit 104. That is, when the adsorption pressure is a negative pressure compared to a predetermined adsorption pressure (for example, -25 kPa), the 1 st determination unit 107 determines that the adsorption operation has succeeded, and the process proceeds to step S5063d to start the halfway extraction operation. Then, step S502 and step S503 may be performed in sequence, or the process may return to step S505.

In these steps S5063a to S5063c, the suction operation fails even if the suction position is changed in the positive direction of the y-axis direction, and therefore, in step S5063e, a failure notification is given to the user. The failure notification method is not specifically illustrated, but a warning lamp may be turned on or blinked, an alarm sound may be generated, or a display device may display a warning.

For example, the suction position updating operation performed when the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines that the complete removal operation cannot be performed is performed as follows.

When the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines that the range is out of the 1 st threshold value range in order that the complete removal operation cannot be performed, the original suction position (X1, Y1, Z1) in fig. 12A is moved largely in the positive direction of the X axis to, for example, a position 1-1 apart from the distance α as shown in fig. 12B and 12C. The position 1-1 is a position of a maximum value in the positive direction of the x-axis that can be suctioned by the suction nozzle 205.

When the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines that the complete removal operation cannot be performed even if the suction position is changed to the position 1-1, the suction position is further changed. For example, when the swing is smaller when the swing is out of the range of the 1 st threshold after the change to the suction position 1-1, the change is made to a position 2-1 close to the suction position 1-1 after the change to the suction position.

When the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines that the complete removal operation cannot be performed even if the suction position is changed to the position 2-1, the suction position is changed to a position 2-2 closer to the original suction position (X1, Y1, Z1).

When the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines that the complete removal operation cannot be performed even if the suction position is changed to the position 2-2, the x-axis direction is changed to the negative direction to the position 1-2 where the maximum value in the negative direction of the x-axis can be sucked by the suction nozzle 205.

This is an example of a manner of changing the suction position in the x axis, but the present invention is also applicable to a manner of changing the suction position in the z axis or a manner of changing the suction position in the y axis, and the manner of changing the suction position in each axis is not limited to this.

(step S508)

In step S508, the drive unit 115 is driven under the control of the 2 nd control unit 103, and the object 93 sucked by the suction nozzle 205 in step S501 is pulled up from the package box 91 by the full removal amount D2 larger than the height H of the object 93, and a full removal operation is performed. This enables the object 93 sucked by the suction nozzle 205 to be conveyed to another tray or the like for sorting operation.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the moment measuring unit 105 measures the moments M1 and M2 while the object 93 is not completely removed from the package box 91, and the 2 nd determining unit 108 estimates the magnitude of the shake when the complete removal operation is performed based on the difference Δ M between the measured moments, and performs the complete removal operation when the shake is estimated to be sufficiently small. Therefore, the object 93 can be prevented from falling off due to excessive shaking of the object 93 when the completely removing operation is performed.

< modification 1 >

The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented by various other embodiments.

< determination of extraction operation based on the value of force in the z-axis direction applied by the finger of the robot arm 201 > (determination of extraction operation)

Unlike the above-described embodiment, in the present modification 1, the success or failure of the halfway taking out operation of the object 93 by suction is determined by the 2 nd determining unit 108 based on the value of the force in the z-axis direction applied by the finger 202 of the robot arm 201. Fig. 18 is a functional block diagram of a robot arm device as an example of an actuator device according to modification 1.

The difference from the configuration of fig. 8B according to the previous embodiment is that: as shown in fig. 19, a force measurement unit 109 for measuring the force of the finger 202 is additionally disposed at the position of the force sensor 204. As the force measuring unit 109, a force sensor as a device for measuring force and moment can be exemplified. Fig. 3G shows an example of the measurement value of the force sensor.

The extracting operation in modification 1 differs from the above-described embodiment in operation step S505 of determining whether or not the complete extracting operation has succeeded.

Fig. 20 shows the process of step S505 in modification 1 in detail. Here, step S505 is constituted by step S5056, step S5057, and step S5058.

First, in step S5056 of fig. 20, the force measuring unit 109 measures the force of the finger 202 in the z-axis direction.

Next, in step S5057, the 2 nd determination section 108 acquires the force in the z-axis direction from the force measurement section 109.

Next, in step S5058, the 2 nd determination section 108 determines whether or not the halfway extraction operation has succeeded, based on the measured value of the force acquired from the force measurement section 109 in step S5057. Specifically, when the force value measured by the force measuring unit 109 is equal to or more than half the weight of the object 93 stored in the storage unit 113, the 2 nd determination unit 108 determines that the halfway extraction operation has succeeded. Specifically, if yes in step S5058, the difference Δ M in torque is used in step S507. If no in step S5058, the flow proceeds to step S506.

When the force value measured by the force measuring unit 109 is equal to or more than half the weight of the object 93 stored in the storage unit 113 and it is determined by the 2 nd determining unit 108 that the intermediate taking-out operation has succeeded, the process proceeds to step S507. If not, that is, if the 2 nd determining unit 108 determines that the value of the force measured by the force measuring unit 109 is not equal to or more than half the weight of the object 93 stored in the storage unit 113, the process proceeds to step S506.

According to this embodiment, it is determined whether or not the object 93 is held by suction, based on the information on the force obtained by the force sensor 204. This makes it possible to determine whether or not the object 93 is held by suction at the stage of the halfway taking-out operation, and if the object cannot be held, the user can move to the suction position without performing determination by torque.

< modification 2 >

The robot arm device 200 of the present embodiment is a device as follows: the robot arm 201 is provided in a warehouse environment in which the moment when the robot arm 201 takes out the object 93 from the packing box 91 by a predetermined amount is measured at a predetermined suction position of the object 93, thereby predicting the shake of the object 93.

An object extraction system 300 in which such a robot arm device 200 is disposed in each of a plurality of warehouse environments 304A to 304C of warehouses a to C and extraction operations of objects 93 to be extracted of the same type, shape, and size are performed will be described with reference to fig. 21.

In the object picking system 300, each robot arm device 200 includes a robot arm control unit 201a and a robot arm 201 as in the previous embodiment.

The robot arm control unit 201a also has an input/output unit 302. The input/output unit 302 is connected to the storage unit 113, the 2 nd setting unit 101, and the 1 st setting unit 112, and can input/output data and the like. The input/output unit 302 of each robot arm control unit 201a is connected to a network 303. An operation target object database 306 and an operation result database 307 are connected to the network 303 via a data sharing server 305. Further, the input/output unit 302 of the robot arm control unit 201a of the robot arm apparatus 200 disposed in the warehouse experimental environment 301 is also connected to the network 303, and data acquired by the robot arm control unit 201a in the warehouse experimental environment 301 can be stored in the operation target object database 306 via the input/output unit 302, the network 303, and the data sharing server 305.

The operation target object database 306 stores, for example, at least coordinates of the suction position on the upper surface of the target object 93, i.e., x, y, and z coordinates, a roll axis (i.e., around the x axis), a pitch axis (i.e., around the y axis), a rotation angle (α, β, and γ) of a yaw axis (i.e., around the yaw z axis), and a height H of the target object 93. Further, as an example, the storage section 113 stores the vertical and horizontal (i.e., width and depth) dimensions, weight, and suction pressure of the upper surface 93a of the object 93. As shown in fig. 23, the height H of the object 93, the extraction amounts D1 and D2, the angle θ of the shelf 95, and an appropriate moment for suppressing the shaking of the object 93 are stored in the operation object database 306.

For example, the suction position and the measured torque at the time of the extracting operation (at the time of success and failure of the extraction) are stored in the operation result database 307 together with information on whether the extraction was successful or not. Thus, if the information of the successful extraction is used, the extraction failure can be prevented.

The data sharing server 305 is a server that shares data that can be shared by a plurality of robot arm apparatuses 200, and can construct the object extraction system 300 efficiently. Specifically, in the warehouse environments 304A to 304C, when the height H of the object 93 to be extracted, the extraction amounts D1 and D2, the set angle θ of the shelf 95, and the like are stored in the storage unit 113 of the robot arm control unit 201a, they can be input to the data sharing server 305 via the input/output unit 302 and the network 303, and stored in the operation object database 306 for sharing.

Further, the suction position for suppressing the shaking of the object 93 can be stored in the operation object database 306 using the moment measured in the predetermined warehouse experimental environment 301. This enables control of the retrieval operation in another warehouse by using the data already stored in the object database 306. In particular, when it is difficult to perform an experiment in a warehouse environment in which the operation is currently performed, data can be stored in the operation target object database 306 by an experiment regarding an appropriate adsorption position using the similar warehouse experiment environment 301.

An operation example of the object extraction system 300 configured as described above will be described below.

For example, in the warehouse experimental environment 301, as shown in fig. 22, similarly to the warehouse environments 304A to 304C, the object 93 to be the target in the warehouse environments 304A to 304C in operation is placed on the shelf 95, and the experiment of the taking operation can be performed in the warehouse experimental environment 301. In fig. 22, in order to provide an environment in which an operator can easily take out the object daily, the installation angle θ of the shelf 95 is smaller as the object 93 is installed on the lower surface.

Further, as an example of the operation target object database 306 of the object 93 which is the operation target in fig. 21, as shown in fig. 23, data on the ID of the object 93, the height H of the object 93, the take-out amount D1 up to the halfway, the full take-out amount D2, the setting angle θ of the shelf 95 on which the object 93 is set, and an appropriate moment for suppressing the shake to a predetermined amount in accordance with the angle θ of the object 93 and the set shelf 95 are stored.

In the object pickup system 300, before the robot arm 201 is controlled and operated in each of the warehouse environments 304A to 304C in operation, the robot arm 201 is operated in the warehouse experimental environment 301, and the moment when a predetermined amount is picked up is measured by the force sensor 204 with respect to the offset amount (fig. 24) from the position of the center of the object 93 with respect to the position of the adsorption point. Fig. 25 shows data of the measurement results. The data of the measurement result is stored in the operation result database 307 via the input/output unit 302 of the robot arm control unit 201a of the warehouse experimental environment 301 and the data sharing server 305.

The data of fig. 25 shows that when the object 93 having the object ID 001 is taken out with the installation angle θ of the shelf 95 set to 0 degree, the moment difference (Δ M) is 0.08. By storing the history taken out in the past in the operation result database 307 connected to the data sharing server 305 as shown in fig. 25, when the same product is placed on the shelf 95 having the same inclination angle in another warehouse, the operation result database 307 can search for and find the suction position having less shake without performing an experiment.

In addition, although the structure of acquiring data in an experiment in the shared warehouse experiment environment 301 is described in modification 2, a structure in which data in the operating warehouse environments 304A to 304C are shared by the shared server 305 may be used.

Thus, for example, even if the commodity is first installed in the warehouse environment 304C, if the actual data in the other warehouse environment 304A can be found and acquired by the search described above, it is possible to set an adsorption point with less shake using the data.

Instead of the 2 nd setting unit 101 and the 1 st setting unit 112, the robot arm control unit 201a of each robot arm apparatus 200 may be provided with one setting unit on the server side and shared by a plurality of robot arm apparatuses 200. Fig. 26 shows an example of such an object extraction system 300A.

In fig. 26, a 2 nd setting unit 1101 corresponding to the 2 nd setting unit 101 and a 1 st setting unit 1112 corresponding to the 1 st setting unit 112 are connected to the data sharing server 305, and data set by the 2 nd setting unit 1101 and the 1 st setting unit 1112 are stored in the operation target object database 306 and/or the operation result database 307 via the data sharing server 305. The configuration other than that is the same as that of the previous embodiment, except that the 2 nd setting unit 101 and the 1 st setting unit 112 need not be provided in each robot arm control unit 201 a. That is, the object extraction system 300A includes a robot arm control unit 201a having the motion control unit 100 and the like, and a robot arm 201 having the moment measurement unit 105 and the like.

The object extraction system 300A configured as described above may be configured as follows: the operation control unit 100 and the moment measurement unit 105 relating to information to be individually controlled or measured are provided for each of the robot arm apparatuses 200 in each of the warehouse environments, and information of control targets that can be shared in information, for example, information relating to the target 93, information relating to the values of the sensors acquired by each control device, and the like, are held on the server side and can be shared.

< modification 3 >

In the embodiments and modifications described above, the package box 91 is described as an example of the mounting table 90, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

As another example of the mounting table 90 according to the present disclosure, the mounting plate 89 may be a flat plate instead of a box. As an example, as shown in fig. 27A, in the placement plate 89, a fence 89a which can be contacted with a lower portion of at least one side surface of the object 93 is fixed to one end of the rectangular placement plate 89, and when the object 93 is picked up by suction, the fence 89a is contacted with the lower portion of the side surface of the object 93, and the shaking of the object 93 is suppressed. At this time, the fence 89a functions as a support by another adjacent object. The above-described sway determination can be performed when the bottom surface of the object 93 has risen a little bit from the placing plate 89.

In a plan view from above, the fence 89a is not limited to be disposed over the entire side surface of the object 93 to be taken out as shown in fig. 27B, and may be disposed over a part of the side surface of the object 93 to be taken out as shown in fig. 27C.

As shown in fig. 27D, the placement plate 89 with the fence 89a may be inclined at an inclination angle θ like the shelf plate 95. As shown in fig. 27E and 27F, when a plurality of objects 93 are placed on the placement plate 89, when the objects 93 are sequentially taken out from the object 93 on the side close to the fence 89a, the object 93 adjacent to the opposite side of the fence 89a slides and slides into the fence 89a with respect to the object 93 taken out by the inclination angle, and the taking-out work is easily performed by a person.

As another example of the mounting table 90, as shown in fig. 27G, instead of having no fence 89a, at least one side surface 93j of the object 93 to be picked up can be in contact with a side surface 93h of another object 93, and when the object 93 is picked up by suction, the side surface 93h of the other object 93 is in contact with a lower portion of the side surface 93j of the object 93, thereby suppressing the object 93 from shaking. In this case, the side surface 93h of the other object 93 can function as a support for the adjacent other object. In addition, when viewed from above in a plan view, the side surface 93H of the other object 93 is not limited to be disposed on the entire side surface 93j of the object 93 to be taken out as shown in fig. 27H, and may be supported by being shifted in position along a surface facing the position of the object 93 to be taken out and being in contact with a part of the side surface 93j of the object 93 to be taken out as shown in fig. 27I.

As still another example of the mounting table 90, as shown in fig. 27J and 27K, instead of having no fence 89a, at least one side surface of the object 93 can be in contact with the rod-like support member 88, and when the object 93 is picked up by suction, the rod-like support member 88 is in contact with the side surface of the object 93, thereby suppressing the object 93 from swinging. In this case, the rod-like support member 88 can function as a support for another adjacent object. The rod-shaped support member 88 is capable of supporting at least one side surface of the object 93 by contacting the side surface in a direction perpendicular to the side surface. As an example, the rod-shaped support member 88 is fixed to the placement plate 89 so that the side surface can be supported from the placement plate 89 at a height approximately equal to the height of the fence 89 a.

As described above, the same sway prevention function can be realized as described later, not only when the package box is filled with the object 93, but also when the package box is leaned against the fence 89a, brought into contact with another object 93, or pressed by the rod-like support member 88.

Further, another example of the object 93 is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped object, and may be a cylindrical object as shown in fig. 28A to 28F.

As still another example of the object 93, as shown in fig. 29A, a large number of flat rectangular parallelepiped commodities may be packed as one, and the whole may be in a shape close to a cube.

As still another example of the object 93, as shown in fig. 29B, a large number of cylindrical commodities may be packed into one and aggregated. As shown in fig. 29C, a portion of the packaging material for packaging the flexible material 94 may be exposed, such as packaging canned beer or canned fruit juice, which is an example of a large number of cylindrical products.

As still another example of the object 93, as shown in fig. 29D, a spherical object may be used.

As another example of the object 93, as shown in fig. 29E, a plurality of spheres may be packed into one aggregate.

In fig. 29A to 29E, the flexible material 94 is transparent and covers the entire object 93, and therefore, illustration thereof is omitted, except for fig. 29C.

Fig. 30A to 30C are explanatory views showing an example of shaking when the suction nozzle 205 sucks and picks up the object 93 placed on the placing plate 89 with the fence of fig. 27A, the placing plate 89 of fig. 27G, and the placing plate 89 with the supporting member 88 of fig. 27J, respectively, as an example of a situation where the object is placed.

First, as shown in fig. 30A to 30C (a), a position (for example, a position shifted to the left side from the center-of-gravity corresponding position in the example of the drawing) different from a position (that is, the center-of-gravity corresponding position) where the center-of-gravity position 93g of the passing object 93 intersects the upper surface in the vertical direction is suctioned by the suction nozzle 205. Then, the robot arm 201 picks up the object 93 while bringing the object into contact with the fence 89a, another object 93, or the support member 88 in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface of the mounting plate 89.

Next, as shown in fig. 30A to 30C (B), when the lifted height of the object 93 is lower than the fence 89a, the other object 93, or the support member 88, the lifted object 93 is supported by the surrounding environment, in other words, the fence 89a, the other object 93, or the support member 88, which is an example of another object adjacent to the object 93, and the posture of the object 93 is not changed although the lifted object 93 is rotated counterclockwise in fig. 30A to 30B or rotated clockwise in fig. 30C.

Next, as shown in fig. 30A to 30C (C), when the object 93 is lifted higher than the fence 89a, the other object 93, or the support member 88, the support of the fence 89a, the other object 93, or the support member 88 is lost, the posture of the object 93 is changed so that the center of gravity position 93g of the object 93 is vertically below the suction position, and the object 93 is shaken.

Thus, in these modifications, the suction nozzle 205 is required to suck the object 93 at an appropriate suction position, but as in the previous embodiments, the suction position can be corrected if it can be estimated whether or not the object 93 is shaken with respect to the suction nozzle 205 before the object 93 is completely taken out from the mounting table 90, so as not to drop the object 93 from the suction nozzle 205.

Then, as in the previous embodiment, an experiment for estimating the shake was performed.

Fig. 31 is an explanatory view showing an example of the taking-out operation when the object 93 placed on the rail-equipped placing plate 89 is taken out from the rail-equipped placing plate 89 inclined at an angle of 20 degrees as an example of the situation where the object is placed. Here, fig. 30A is a typical example of a situation in which three objects 93 are placed in fig. 30A, 30B, and 30C. The upper graph of fig. 31 is a graph showing time series data of the moment applied to the suction position from the section a through the section D until the object 93 is dropped, and the graph is substantially the same in the example of fig. 30B and the example of fig. 30C. The lower diagram of fig. 31 is an explanatory diagram of the operation from the section a to the section D.

As shown in the sections a to C of fig. 31, the object 93 placed on the placing plate 89 arranged at the inclination angle θ is temporarily stopped by being pulled up to a height lower than the height of the fence 89a, the side surface 93h of the adjacent object 93, or the support member 88 (hereinafter referred to as "fence or the like" in the description of fig. 31) in the direction P perpendicular to the surface of the inclined placing plate 89. Then, the object 93 is again lifted to a height higher than the height of the fence or the like, and completely removed. The moment applied to the suction position when such an operation is performed is measured in a time-series manner by the force sensor 204 (see the upper graph of fig. 31). It is experimentally verified that whether or not the object 93 is greatly shaken after the object 93 is completely taken out from the placing plate 89 can be estimated before the object 93 is completely taken out from the placing plate 89 based on the moment measured in this way.

First, the operation will be described in detail. As an example, when the robot arm 201 is operated so that the object 93 is suction-held from the mounting plate 89 having an inclination angle θ of 20 degrees, the position 93b (see fig. 4I) of the center of the object 93 is set to the suction position of the suction nozzle 205. This was taken as experiment 3. That is, the section a in fig. 31 is a section in which the robot arm 201 is driven, the suction nozzle 205 is in contact with the suction position of the object 93 placed on the placement plate 89, and the object 93 is sucked by the suction nozzle 205.

Next, in the section B, the robot arm 201 is driven to partially take out the object 93 sucked by the suction nozzle 205 by a height (for example, 7.5cm) of the fence or the like in the arrow direction P, and moves the object.

Next, in the section C, the object 93 sucked by the suction nozzle 205 is partially taken out by a height (for example, 7.5cm) of the fence or the like by driving the robot arm 201, and is temporarily stopped. In this state, the object 93 is not completely taken out from the placing plate 89, and the lower half portion is in contact with a fence or the like and is supported so as not to be able to swing.

Then, in the section D following the section C, the robot arm 201 is driven to further pull up the object 93 to a height higher than the height of the fence or the like from a state where the object is partially taken out by the height (for example, 7.5cm) of the fence or the like, and to completely take out the object from the mounting plate 89. At this time, in the section D, while the object 93 is completely removed from the placing plate 89 so that the object 93 is separated from the fence or the like, a large moment is instantaneously applied to the object 93, the object 93 largely shakes with respect to the suction nozzle 205, the suction nozzle 205 releases the suction holding of the object 93, the object 93 drops from the suction nozzle 205, and the removal of the object 93 fails.

Here, the upper graph of fig. 31 represents time series data of the moment (unit: Nm) applied to the suction position from the section a to the dropping of the object 93 through the section D. Here, it can be seen that: in the interval a and the interval C, the difference between the moments is almost constant, and does not become a difference corresponding to the 1 st threshold value.

In experiment 3, as shown in fig. 31, that is, also in fig. 32A, even in a state where the object 93 is partially taken out by a height (for example, 7.5cm) of the fence or the like to which the object 93 is pulled up, as shown in fig. 32B, to reduce the amount of pulling up, the object 93 is partially taken out by a height (for example, 0.5cm) of the fence or the like, in the section D, similarly to fig. 31 and 32A, the object 93 falls from the suction nozzle 205, and the taking out of the object 93 fails.

Thus, it can be seen that: even if the height of the fence or the like is changed and the object 93 is partially taken out by pulling up the fence or the like, the object will fall off similarly.

On the other hand, as shown in fig. 33 and 33B, the suction position of the object 93 is changed to a position 93c on the upper side in the oblique direction, and the position 93c is a position closer to the fence 89a as an example of another object than the position 93B of the center of the object 93. In this state, the robot arm 201 is operated so as to be sucked and held by the suction nozzle 205 as the operation of the section corresponding to the section a to the section D in fig. 31. That is, when the robot arm 201 is operated so that the object 93 is sucked and held from the mounting plate 89 having the inclination angle θ of 20 degrees, the position 93c of the object 93 on the upper side in the inclination direction than the central position 93b becomes the suction position of the suction nozzle 205. This was taken as experiment 4.

At this time, after the section D, when the object 93 is completely taken out from the placing plate 89, the object 93 slightly shakes, but does not fall off. The upper graph of each of fig. 33A and 33B represents time series data of the moment (unit: Nm) applied to the suction position from the time when the section a passes through the section D until the suction holding object 93 is successfully sucked. Here, the operation indicated by the section A, B, C is the same as the operation indicated by the section A, B, C in fig. 31, 32A, and 32B of experiment 3. In the operation of the section D in experiment 4, unlike the operation of the section D in experiment 3, a large moment was not applied to the object 93, and the complete removal from the mounting plate 89 was successful. Here, it can be seen that: in the section a and the section C in fig. 33A and 33B, a large difference occurs in the moment, and this difference corresponds to the 1 st threshold value.

As a result, experiments 3 and 4 showed that: in order to estimate the shake when the object 93 is taken out from the placing plate 89, the difference between the moments applied to the object 93 in the section a and the section C can be used as in the case of the previous experiments 1 and 2.

First, in experiment 3, as shown in fig. 31, 32A, and 32B, there was almost no difference in the values of the torque applied in the section a and the torque applied in the section C. In the section D when the object 93 is completely taken out, a large moment is suddenly applied to the object 93 at a burst, and therefore the object 93 falls off the suction nozzle 205.

On the other hand, in experiment 4, as shown in fig. 33A and 33B, in the section C, a larger moment than the section a has been applied. Therefore, in the section D, the moment hardly increases with respect to the moment of the section C. Accordingly, by comparing the torque applied when the object 93 is sucked in the section a and the torque applied when the object 93 is lifted up to the height of the fence or the like in the section C, it is possible to estimate how much the object 93 is shaken when the object 93 is taken out from the placing plate 89.

The present experiments 3 and 4 show the results of the experiment in the case where the inclination angle θ of the mounting plate 89 on which the object 93 is mounted is 20 degrees.

Further, experiments were also performed in the case where the inclination angle θ of the placing plate 89 on which the object 93 is placed was 0 degree and 10 degrees.

In addition, according to experiments 3 and 4, as for the height of the object 93 during the picking-up operation, the behavior of the object 93 is the same regardless of the height during the picking-up operation as long as the object 93 is separated from the mounting surface. The height of the bottom surface of the object 93 from the mounting surface of the mounting plate 89 is the minimum necessary for the lifting amount of the lifting operation. The height from the mounting surface may be 0.1cm, for example, 0.5cm in the experiment.

As a result of these experiments 3 and 4, as shown in fig. 34, if the difference between the values of the moments in the section a and the section C is a value in the range of the appropriate moment that differs depending on the inclination angle θ, and the respective conditions of the placement object 93 in fig. 27A, 27G, and 27J, the object 93 does not fall off when the object 93 is taken out from the placement plate 89.

For example, in a state where the object 93 is placed as shown in fig. 27A, the value of the appropriate moment ranges from-0.1 to 0.1Nm when the inclination angle θ is 0 degrees, from 0.05 to 0.1Nm when the inclination angle θ is 10 degrees, and from 0.1 to 0.15Nm when the inclination angle θ is 20 degrees.

In the state where the object 93 is placed as shown in fig. 27G, the value of the appropriate moment ranges from-0.1 to 0.1Nm when the inclination angle θ is 0 degrees, from 0.1 to 0.2Nm when the inclination angle θ is 10 degrees, and from 0.2 to 0.4Nm when the inclination angle θ is 20 degrees.

Further, in a state where the object 93 is placed as shown in fig. 27J, the value of the appropriate moment ranges from-0.1 to 0.1Nm when the inclination angle θ is 0 degrees, from 0.1 to 0.3Nm when the inclination angle θ is 10 degrees, and from 0.3 to 0.5Nm when the inclination angle θ is 20 degrees.

Therefore, for example, in the case of the placement object 93 in fig. 27G, when the inclination angle θ is 20 degrees, the drop-off occurs during the pickup operation when the difference between the moments in the section a and the section C is out of the range of 0.2 to 0.4Nm of the appropriate moment value, regardless of the height from the placement surface during the pickup operation. On the other hand, regardless of the height from the mounting surface during the picking-up operation, when the difference between the moments in the section a and the section C is within the range of 0.2 to 0.4Nm of the appropriate moment value, the object 93 is not dropped, and the picking-up operation is successful.

In this way, the value of the range of the appropriate moment differs depending on the state of the placement object 93 and the inclination angle θ of the placement object 93. Therefore, as shown in fig. 34, after information on the relationship between the inclination angle θ, the state of the placement object 93, and the appropriate moment is obtained in advance through experiments, the information is stored in advance in a storage unit such as an operation result database described later. Then, based on the stored information, the state of the object 93 placed thereon, and the inclination angle θ, it is possible to estimate whether or not the object 93 will fall after being taken out, based on the moment acquired by the moment measurement unit 105 described later. In the case where the values in the section a and the section C fluctuate, the values are calculated using an average value of moments in a predetermined time, for example.

Further, as an example, it is assumed that: as an exceptional operation in the situation where the object 93 is placed as shown in fig. 27A, when the center of gravity position 93g of the object 93 is located closer to the fence 89a than the center position as shown in fig. 35, the section C is picked up after the suction position is changed to the position corresponding to the center of gravity with respect to the center of gravity position 93g to the side away from the fence 89 a. In this case, the extracting operation can be changed when the change in the moment at rest after the section C is picked up (i.e., the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value) is equal to or greater than a certain value (e.g., 0.1 Nm). Examples of the operation modification include suspension of the subsequent operation, and issuance of a warning. In this example, the height of the fence 89a is 2.8 cm.

In addition, as another example,: as another exceptional operation in the situation where the object 93 is placed as shown in fig. 27A, when the center of gravity position 93g of the object 93 is located at a position farther from the fence 89a than the center position as shown in fig. 36, the suction position is changed to a position corresponding to the center of gravity position 93g toward the fence 89a, and then the section C is lifted up. In this case, after the section C is picked up, the object 93 comes into contact with the fence 89a and is stationary, but in the section E further picked up, the object 93 does not fall down, but exceeds 0.1Nm which is the maximum value of the appropriate moment (i.e., the 2 nd threshold), and therefore, the object 93 largely shakes. In such a case, the removal operation can be changed. Examples of the operation modification include suspension of the subsequent operation and issuance of a warning.

The present disclosure is described based on the embodiments and the modifications, but the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and the modifications. The following cases are also included in the present disclosure.

A part or all of the 1 st control unit 102 and the 2 nd control unit 103 are specifically computer systems including a microprocessor, a ROM, a RAM, a hard disk unit, a display unit, a keyboard, a mouse, and the like. A computer program is stored in the RAM or hard disk unit. The microprocessor is operated by installing the computer program, and each control unit realizes its function. Here, the computer program is a program configured by combining a plurality of command codes indicating instructions to the computer in order to realize a predetermined function.

For example, each component can be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU reading and executing software or a program stored in a storage medium such as a hard disk or a semiconductor memory.

Note that software for realizing part or all of the elements constituting each control unit in the above-described embodiment or modification is a program as follows.

That is, the program is a program for object extraction of an actuator device that extracts one of a plurality of objects, which are objects placed on a mounting table in a state in which side surfaces thereof are in contact with each other, from the mounting table while sucking the object by a suction nozzle, the actuator device including an actuator having the suction nozzle sucking the object, a 1 st setting unit, an operation control unit, and a 1 st acquisition unit, and causing a computer to function as: a function of taking out the object from the mounting table while the object is sucked by the suction nozzle at a 1 st suction position and a side surface of the object is in contact with another object; a function of setting an amount of the object to be taken out from the mounting table by the actuator by the 1 st setting unit; the operation control unit controls the suction and extraction operations by the actuator, and the 1 st acquisition unit acquires a torque applied to the suction nozzle: (i) the 1 st acquisition unit acquires, as a function of the moment, a difference between a 1 st moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is sucked by the suction nozzle and a 2 nd moment applied to the suction nozzle when the object is taken out from the mounting table by a 1 st take-out amount by the suction nozzle, where the 1 st take-out amount is an amount until the object is taken out from the mounting table; (ii) the operation control unit controls whether or not to continue the extracting operation based on the difference between the two moments acquired by the 1 st acquiring unit.

The program may be downloaded from a server or the like and executed, or may be read from a predetermined recording medium (for example, an optical disk such as a CD-ROM, a magnetic disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like) and executed.

One or more computers for executing the program may be provided. That is, the centralized processing may be performed, or the distributed processing may be performed.

In addition, by appropriately combining any of the various embodiments or modifications described above, the effects of each can be achieved. In addition, the embodiments can be combined with each other, or the embodiments and the embodiments can be combined, and features in different embodiments or embodiments can also be combined with each other.

Industrial applicability

The actuator device, the object extraction method by the actuator device, and the object extraction system according to the present disclosure can be applied to an actuator device having an autonomously operable actuator including a holding mechanism by suction, for example, a robot arm, and an object extraction method using the actuator device.

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