Setting method and setting apparatus for operation path for articulated robot
First Claim
1. A method for setting an operation path for an articulated robot (50) including an end effector (68), said method comprising:
- an internal space-defining step of defining an internal space which is partially surrounded by an arm (74) or electrodes (70, 72) of said end effector (68);
an extracting step of extracting an objective workpiece portion (1096) of a workpiece (80) to be welded, said objective workpiece portion (1096) existing in said internal space; and
an interference-investigating step of investigating whether interference occurs between said end effector (68) and said objective workpiece portion (1096) when said articulated robot (50) is operated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A temporary operation path is set by connecting a plurality of welding points (Tn) in a virtual space generated by a computer to investigate whether an end effector (68) can be operated along the temporary operation path. If the operation cannot be operated, a path to avoid interference with a workpiece (80) is set automatically while extracting a portion in which the workpiece (80) exists in the internal space surrounded by the end effector (68) in order to set a narrow-area operation path for withdrawing the end effector (68) from a welding point (Tn). Next, in order to set a wide-area operation path for making movement between withdrawing points (Ue), a template operation is applied, in which the end effector (68) is moved by a prescribed distance in a prescribed direction.
41 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for setting an operation path for an articulated robot (50) including an end effector (68), said method comprising:
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an internal space-defining step of defining an internal space which is partially surrounded by an arm (74) or electrodes (70, 72) of said end effector (68);
an extracting step of extracting an objective workpiece portion (1096) of a workpiece (80) to be welded, said objective workpiece portion (1096) existing in said internal space; and
an interference-investigating step of investigating whether interference occurs between said end effector (68) and said objective workpiece portion (1096) when said articulated robot (50) is operated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for setting an operation path for an articulated robot (50) including an end effector (68), said apparatus comprising:
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an internal space-defining section (35d) for defining an internal space which is partially surrounded by an arm (74) or electrodes (70, 72) of said end effector (68);
a workpiece-extracting section (35e) for extracting an objective workpiece portion (1096) to be welded of a workpiece (80), said objective workpiece portion (1096) existing in said internal space; and
an interference-investigating section (40a) for investigating whether interference occurs between said end effector (68) and said objective workpiece portion (1096) when said end effector (68) is operated.
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8. A method for setting an operation path for an articulated robot (50) for operating an end effector (68) from a start point (P1, Q1) to an arrival point (P2, Q2), said method comprising:
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an operation-investigating step of setting a path (100, 104) for connecting said start point (P1, Q1) and said arrival point (P2, Q2) to investigate whether said end effector (68) can be operated along said path (100, 104); and
a retracting path-setting step of setting a retracting path (102, 110) for operating said end effector (68) by a prescribed distance in a prescribed direction from said start point (P1, Q1) or said arrival point (P2, Q2) if said end effector (68) cannot be operated along said path (100, 104) in said operation-investigating step. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for setting an operation path for an articulated robot (50) for operating an end effector (68) from a start point (P1, Q1) to an arrival point (P2, Q2), said apparatus comprising:
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a path-investigating section (35c) for setting a path (100, 104) for connecting said start point (P1, Q1) and said arrival point (P2, Q2) to investigate whether said end effector (68) can be operated along said path (100, 104); and
a wide-area operation path-setting section (35b) for setting a retracting path for operating said end effector (68) by a prescribed distance in a prescribed direction from said start point (P1, Q1) or said arrival point (P2, Q2) if said path-investigating section (35c) judges that said end effector (68) cannot be operated along said path (100, 104).
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15. A method for setting an operation path for an articulated robot (50) for operating an end effector (68) between operation points (Tn) for a workpiece (80), said method comprising:
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a narrow-area operation path-setting step of setting a narrow-area operation path for retracting said end effector (68) from said operation point (Tn) to a point located near an end of said workpiece (80) without interfering in said workpiece (80) and another obstacle (82) based on shapes of said obstacle (82) and said workpiece (80) near said operation point (Tn), said end effector (68) being arranged at said operation point for said workpiece (80); and
a wide-area operation path-setting step of setting a wide-area operation path for effecting operation from a start point (P1, Q1) to an arrival point (P2, Q2) by combining predetermined prescribed operations provided that said start point (P1, Q1) and said arrival point (P2, Q2) reside in predetermined points located near said end of said workpiece (80). - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for setting an operation path for an articulated robot (50) for operating an end effector (68) between operation points (Tn) for a workpiece (80), said apparatus comprising:
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a narrow-area operation path-setting section (35a) for setting a narrow-area operation path for retracting said end effector (68) from said operation point (Tn) to a point located near an end of said workpiece (80) without interfering in said workpiece (80) and another obstacle (82) based upon shapes of said obstacle (82) and said workpiece (80) near said operation point (Tn), said end effector (68) being arranged at said operation point (Tn) for said workpiece (80); and
a wide-area operation path-setting section (35b) for setting a wide-area operation path for effecting operation from a start point (P1, Q1) to an arrival point (P2, Q2) by combining predetermined prescribed operations provided that said start point (P1, Q1) and said arrival point (P2, Q2) reside in predetermined points located near said end of said workpiece (80).
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Specification