ROBOT SYSTEM AND PROCESSED PRODUCT PRODUCING METHOD

• US 20140114459A1
• Filed: 10/16/2013
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Inventors: NAKAHARA, Yoshimitsu
• Application Number:
  US14/054,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20140114459A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/112
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1656 characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/42 Recording and playback systems, i.e. in which the programme is recorded from a cycle of operations, e.g. the cycle of operations being manually controlled, after which this record is played back on the same machine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 Arm motion controller

Abstract

A robot system includes a robot arm, a controller, an imager, a display device, and an input receiver. To the robot arm, a tool is to be mounted so as to process a workpiece. The controller is configured to control the robot arm. The imager is configured to pick up an image of the workpiece. The display device is configured to display the image of the workpiece picked up by the imager. The input receiver is configured to receive an input of a processing position where the workpiece is to be processed based on the image of the workpiece displayed on the display device. The controller is configured to control the robot arm based on the processing position received by the input receiver.

Claims

1. A robot system comprising:

a robot arm to which a tool is to be mounted so as to process a workpiece;

a controller configured to control the robot arm;

an imager configured to pick up an image of the workpiece;

a display device configured to display the image of the workpiece picked up by the imager; and

an input receiver configured to receive an input of a processing position where the workpiece is to be processed based on the image of the workpiece displayed on the display device,

wherein the controller is configured to control the robot arm based on the processing position received by the input receiver.

2. The robot system according to claim 1,

wherein the input receiver is configured to receive the input of the processing position in at least one of a dotted form and a linear form on the image of the workpiece displayed on the display device, and

wherein the controller is configured to control the robot arm to pass through the processing position received by the input receiver.

3. The robot system according to claim 2,

wherein the workpiece is provided in advance with a processing position indicator indicating the processing position.

4. The robot system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of distance measuring devices configured to measure a distance to the workpiece,

wherein the workpiece comprises a curved surface,

wherein the input receiver is configured to receive the input of the processing position on a image of the workpiece displayed on the display device, and

wherein the controller is configured to control the robot arm based on the processing position received by the input receiver and based on the distance to the workpiece measured by the plurality of distance measuring devices.

5. The robot system according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to control the robot arm such that the distances measured by the plurality of distance measuring devices to the workpiece are approximately equal to each other, so as to adjust a posture of the tool relative to the workpiece.

6. The robot system according to claim 1,

wherein the input receiver comprises an input section, separate from the display device, with which to identify and input the processing position of the workpiece, and

wherein the processing position of the workpiece is input by an input operation through the input section with a pointer placed over the image of the workpiece displayed on the display device.

7. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein the input receiver is configured to receive an input of an outline of the workpiece on the display device displaying the image of the workpiece.

8. The robot system according to claim 7, wherein the input receiver is configured to receive a choice between:

processing the workpiece as far as an edge of the workpiece beyond the processing positions, the edge being identified from the input outline of the workpiece; and

processing the workpiece between the processing positions, instead of processing the workpiece as far as the edge of the workpiece.

9. The robot system according to claim 1,

wherein the imager is removably mounted to the robot arm, and

wherein after the imager has picked up the image of the workpiece and before the workpiece is processed with the tool, the controller is configured to control the robot arm to remove the imager from the robot arm.

10. The robot system according to claim 1,

wherein the controller is configured to control the robot arm to make the imager pick up a plurality of divided images of the workpiece at a plurality of imaging positions, and to combine the plurality of divided images picked up at the plurality of imaging positions into a single image, and

wherein the combined single image of the workpiece is to be displayed on the display device, and the input receiver is configured to, when a processing position of the workpiece is identified and input, receive an input of the processing position based on the combined single image of the workpiece displayed on the display device.

12. The robot system according to claim 1, further comprising the tool mounted to the robot arm.

13. The robot system according to claim 12, wherein the tool comprises a grinder to remove burs off the surface of the workpiece.

14. The robot system according to claim 12, wherein the tool comprises a heating device configured to heat the processing position.

15. The robot system according to claim 2, further comprising a plurality of distance measuring devices configured to measure a distance to the workpiece,

wherein the workpiece comprises a curved surface,

wherein the input receiver is configured to receive the input of the processing position on a two-dimensional image of the workpiece displayed on the display device, and

wherein the controller is configured to control the robot arm based on the processing position received by the input receiver and based on the distance to the workpiece measured by the plurality of distance measuring devices.

16. The robot system according to claim 2,

wherein the input receiver comprises an input section, separate from the display device, with which to identify and input the processing position of the workpiece, and

wherein the processing position of the workpiece is input by an input operation through the input section with a pointer placed over the image of the workpiece displayed on the display device.

17. The robot system according to claim 3,

wherein the input receiver comprises an input section, separate from the display device, with which to identify and input the processing position of the workpiece, and

wherein the processing position of the workpiece is input by an input operation through the input section with a pointer placed over the image of the workpiece displayed on the display device.

18. The robot system according to claim 4,

wherein the input receiver comprises an input section, separate from the display device, with which to identify and input the processing position of the workpiece, and

wherein the processing position of the workpiece is input by an input operation through the input section with a pointer placed over the image of the workpiece displayed on the display device.

19. The robot system according to claim 5,

wherein the input receiver comprises an input section, separate from the display device, with which to identify and input the processing position of the workpiece, and

wherein the processing position of the workpiece is input by an input operation through the input section with a pointer placed over the image of the workpiece displayed on the display device.

20. The robot system according to claim 12,

wherein the input receiver comprises an input section, separate from the display device, with which to identify and input the processing position of the workpiece, and

wherein the processing position of the workpiece is input by an input operation through the input section with a pointer placed over the image of the workpiece displayed on the display device.

11. A processed product producing method, the method comprising:

picking up an image of a workpiece at an imager;

receiving an input of a processing position where the workpiece is to be processed based on the image of the workpiece picked up by the imager; and

controlling the robot arm to process the workpiece based on the received processing position.