ROBOT SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING TO-BE-PROCESSED MATERIAL

• US 20150121983A1
• Filed: 10/31/2014
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Inventors: OKAHISA, Manabu, NAKAKURA, Masami, SONODA, Teppei
• Granted Patent: US 9,908,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 72/210
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 31/16 Adjusting or positioning rolls control devices B21B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: B21B 37/58 Roll-force control; Roll-gap control B21B38/105 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 19/043 for flanging edges of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 39/021 for panels, e.g. vehicle doors
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 39/023 using rollers
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 5/16 Folding; Pleating
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1633 compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1679 characterised by the tasks executed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39329 Adaptive force and position control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40052 Deform, bend flexible material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/02 Arm motion controller
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/15 Jointed arm
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 Tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49908 Joining by deforming

Abstract

A robot system includes an end effector, a robot arm, and a controller. The end effector includes a pressure roller and a linear motion mechanism. The linear motion mechanism is configured to move the pressure roller with respect to a pressed surface. The robot arm is configured to support the end effector. The controller is configured to control the linear motion mechanism to move the pressure roller to make a pressing force of the pressure roller against the pressed surface approximately uniform.

Claims

1. A robot system comprising:

an end effector comprising;

a pressure roller; and

a linear motion mechanism configured to move the pressure roller with respect to a pressed surface;

a robot arm configured to support the end effector; and

a controller configured to control the linear motion mechanism to move the pressure roller to make a pressing force of the pressure roller against the pressed surface approximately uniform.

2. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein the linear motion mechanism is configured to move the pressure roller up and down with respect to the pressed surface.

3. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein the end effector comprises a servomotor configured to drive the linear motion mechanism into linear motion.

4. The robot system according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to control a torque of the servomotor so as to make the pressing force approximately uniform.

5. The robot system according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to control a stroke position as an amount by which the pressure roller protrudes.

6. The robot system according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to maintain the stroke position at a predetermined position.

7. The robot system according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to change the pressing force in accordance with at least one of a shape and a property of the pressed surface.

8. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein the pressed surface comprises a hemming surface subjected to bending processing by the pressure roller.

9. The robot system according to claim 1,

wherein the robot arm comprises a plurality of joints driven by the servomotor, and

wherein the controller comprises an inverse kinematics calculator configured to control rotation positions of the plurality of joints based on a motion path of the robot arm taught in advance.

10. The robot system according to claim 1, further comprising a program storage configured to store a program defining a motion path of the robot arm,

wherein the controller comprises a program editor configured to receive in the program a setting of starting operation control of the linear motion mechanism of the end effector, and configured to receive in the program a setting of ending the operation control of the linear motion mechanism of the end effector.

11. The robot system according to claim 10, wherein the program editor is configured to, at a desired timing in the program, define a command to control the torque of the servomotor and a command to control the stroke position of the linear motion mechanism.

13. The robot system according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to control a stroke position as an amount by which the pressure roller protrudes.

14. The robot system according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to maintain the stroke position at a predetermined position.

15. The robot system according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to change the pressing force in accordance with at least one of a shape and a property of the pressed surface.

16. The robot system according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to change the pressing force in accordance with at least one of a shape and a property of the pressed surface.

17. The robot system according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to change the pressing force in accordance with at least one of a shape and a property of the pressed surface.

18. The robot system according to claim 13, wherein the controller is configured to change the pressing force in accordance with at least one of a shape and a property of the pressed surface.

19. The robot system according to claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to change the pressing force in accordance with at least one of a shape and a property of the pressed surface.

20. The robot system according to claim 2, wherein the pressed surface comprises a hemming surface subjected to bending processing by the pressure roller.

12. A method for producing a to-be-processed material, the method comprising:

operating a robot arm configured to support an end effector, the end effector comprising a pressure roller and a linear motion mechanism, the linear motion mechanism being configured to move the pressure roller up and down with respect to a pressed surface; and

controlling the linear motion mechanism to move the pressure roller up and down so as to make a pressing force of the pressure roller against the pressed surface approximately uniform.