Robot control device and robot system

• US 10,328,585 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2016
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denso PS Corporation (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso PS Corporation (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Endo, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Moyer, Dale
• Application Number:
  US15/341,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20170151681A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices

Abstract

A robot control device provided correspondingly to each of a plurality of robots, individually, includes an input interface unit, a control unit, an output interface unit, and a safety circuit unit. The input interface unit receives a signal from an outside of the robot control device. The control unit stops an operation of the corresponding robot when determining that a safety signal is not input to the input interface unit. The output interface unit outputs a signal to the outside of the robot control device. The safety circuit unit has a function of monitoring whether a failure occurs in the safety circuit unit. The safety circuit unit outputs a signal same as the safety signal to the output interface unit when determining that no failure occurs in the safety circuit unit, and determining that the safety signal is input to the input interface unit.

Claims

1. A robot system, comprising:

a plurality of robot control devices that are provided correspondingly to respective ones of a plurality of robots, individually, and that control driving of the corresponding robot; and

an emergency switch that is normally in a closed state and is changed into an opened state when operated by an operator, wherein

each of the plurality of robot control devices includes;

an input interface unit;

a control unit stopping an operation of the corresponding robot when determining that a safety signal is not input to the input interface unit;

an output interface unit; and

a safety circuit unit having a function of monitoring whether a failure occurs in the safety circuit unit, having a function of generating the safety signal and outputting the safety signal from the input interface unit, and including an insulation switch connected to the output interface units,

the plurality of robots includes a master robot and a slave robot,

the plurality of robot control devices includes a master control device controlling the master robot and a slave control device controlling the slave robot,

the input interface unit of the master control device is connected to the emergency switch,

when the emergency switch is in the closed state, the safety signal generated by the safety circuit unit of the master control device and output from the input interface unit of the master control device is input to the input interface unit of the master control device through the emergency switch,

when the emergency switch is in the opened state, the safety signal is not output from the input interface unit of the master control device,

the insulation switch of the master control device is connected with the input interface unit of the slave control device through the output interface unit of the master control device,

in each of the master control device and the slave control device, the safety circuit unit operates the insulation switch to be in the closed state when determining that no failure occurs in the safety circuit unit, and determining that the safety signal is input to the input interface unit,

when the insulation switch of the master control device is in the closed state, the safety signal generated by the safety circuit unit of the slave control device is output from the input interface unit of the slave control device and is input to the input interface unit of the slave control device through the output interface unit of the master control device, the insulation switch of the master control device and the output interface unit of the master control device, and

when the insulation switch of the master control device is in the opened state, the safety signal is not output from the input interface unit of the slave control device.

2. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein

in each of the master control device and the slave control device, the safety circuit unit cuts off a power to be supplied to the corresponding robot when determining that the failure occurs in the safety circuit unit, or determining that the safety signal is not input to the input interface unit.

3. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein

in each of the master control device and the slave control device, the safety circuit unit further includes:

an exciting coil;

an output side power supply; and

an exciting switch that is closed to feed power from the output side power supply to the exciting coil, and is opened to stop the power feeding from the output side power supply to the exciting coil, wherein;

the insulation switch is closed by feeding the power to the exciting coil and is opened by stopping the power feeding to the exciting coil,

the exciting coil and the insulation switch are electrically insulated from each other, and

in each of the master control device and the slave control device, the safety circuit unit operates the insulation switch to be in the closed state by closing the exciting switch.

4. The robot system according to claim 3, wherein

the insulation switch is set as a first insulation switch,

in each of the master control device and the slave control device, the safety circuit unit further includes a second insulation switch that is opened and closed mechanically in conjunction with the first insulation switch, opened when the first insulation switch is opened, and closed when the first insulation switch is closed,

the first insulation switch and the second insulation switch are electrically insulated from each other, and

in each of the master control device and the slave control device, the safety circuit unit further has a function of monitoring whether a failure occurs in the second insulation switch, and prohibits closing of the exciting switch when determining that the failure occurs in the second insulation switch.

5. The robot system according to claim 3, wherein

in each of the master control device and the slave control device, the safety circuit unit further includes:

a plurality of signal input units connected to the input interface unit and transmitting the safety signal input to the input interface unit;

a plurality of monitoring units connected correspondingly to the plurality of signal input units, respectively, receiving the safety signal transmitted through the corresponding signal input unit, and operating the insulation switch to be in the closed state; and

a plurality of signal output units connected correspondingly to the plurality of monitoring units, respectively, and including the exciting coil, the exciting switch, and the insulation switch,

in each of the master control device and the slave control device, each of the plurality of monitoring units has a function of monitoring whether a failure occurs in the corresponding signal input unit and the corresponding signal output unit connected to the subject monitoring unit, and is configured to acquire monitoring results of each other, and

in each of the master control device and the slave control device, each of the plurality of monitoring units operates the exciting switch to be in the closed state when determining that the monitoring result of the subject monitoring unit matches the acquired monitoring results, and determining that the subject monitoring unit receives the safety signal through the corresponding signal input unit.

6. The robot system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a host control device that controls processing in each of the plurality of robot control devices, wherein

the input interface unit of the slave control device is connected with the output interface unit of the master control device through the host control device.

7. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein

in each of the master control device and the slave control device, the safety circuit unit further includes:

an input side power supply connected with the input interface unit; and

a resistor connected with a ground,

the input power supply of the master control device is connected with a first end of the emergency switch through the input interface unit of the master control device,

a second end of the emergency switch is connected with the ground through the input interface unit of the master control device and the resistor of the master control device,

when the emergency switch is in the closed state, a first closed circuit including the input side power supply of the master control device, the input interface unit of the master control device, the emergency switch, the resistor of the master control device, and the ground is formed so that the safety signal output from the input interface unit of the master control device is input to the input interface unit of the master control device through the emergency switch,

when the emergency switch is in the opened state, the first closed circuit is not formed so that the safety signal is not output from the input interface unit of the master control device,

a first end of the insulation switch of the master control device is connected with the input side power supply of the slave control device through the output interface unit of the master control device and the input interface unit of the slave control device,

a second end of the insulation switch of the master control device is connected with the ground through the output interface unit of the master control device, the input interface unit of the slave control device, and the resistor of the slave control device,

when the insulation switch of the master control device is in the closed state, a second closed circuit including the input side power supply of the slave control device, the input interface unit of the slave control device, the output interface unit of the master control device, the insulation switch of the master control device, the resistor of the slave control device, and the ground is formed so that the safety signal is output from the input interface of the slave control device and is input to the input interface of the slave control device through the output interface of the master control device, the insulation switch of the master control device, and the output interface of the master control device, and

when the insulation switch of the master control device is in the opened state, the second closed circuit is not formed so that the safety signal is not output from the input interface unit of the slave control device.