WORKSTATION

• US 20160229068A1
• Filed: 09/17/2014
• Published: 08/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KUKA Systems GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: KUKA Systems GmbH (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: ZUNKE, Richard, KLUMPP, Willi, ZRN, Michael, KHNEMANN, Ralf, REICHENBACH, Matthias, KLUMPP, Simon, DOMKE, Andreas, WIRTH, Konrad, EBERDT, Christian, STRAUSS, Kurt, GRTLER, Alexander, NEUREITER, Reinhard, RAU, Thomas, STOCKSCHLDER, Julian, HAMAN, Robert, HONSBERG, Otmar
• Granted Patent: US 9,981,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/06 Safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1676 Avoiding collision or forbidden zones
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/00 Safety devices acting in conjunction with the control or operation of a machine; Control arrangements requiring the simultaneous use of two or more parts of the body F16P5/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16P 3/148 using capacitive technology
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40196 Projecting light on floor to delimit danger zone around robot
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40198 Contact with human allowed if under pain tolerance limit
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40201 Detect contact, collision with human
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40478 Graphic display of work area of robot, forbidden, permitted zone
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45067 Assembly

Abstract

A human-robot cooperation (HRC) workstation has a programmable industrial robot (4) and a manual working area (14) for a worker (5) in a region surrounding the industrial robot (4). In the HRC workstation (1), the working areas of the industrial robot (4) and the worker (5) overlap. Contact between the worker (5) and the industrial robot (4) is possible. The workstation (1) is divided into a plurality of different zones (17, 18, 19, 20) having differently high levels of risk of hazard from the industrial robot (4) for the worker (5). The industrial robot (4) is suitable for human-robot cooperation.

Claims

1. A workstation comprising:

a programmable industrial robot with a work space in an area surrounding the industrial robot; and

a manual working area with a workspace for a worker in the area surrounding the industrial robot the workstation being configured for human-robot cooperation (HRC), wherein the work spaces of the industrial robot and of the worker overlap and a physical contact is possible between the industrial robot and the worker, wherein the workstation is divided into a plurality of different zones with different degrees of danger originating from the industrial robot for the worker, and wherein the industrial robot is configured as a robot suitable for HRC.

2. A workstation in accordance with claim 1, wherein the workstation has different markings on the different zones.

3. A workstation in accordance with claim 1, wherein the industrial robot comprises a tactile industrial robot.

4. A workstation in accordance with claim 1, wherein the industrial robot has a plurality of links, which are connected to one another movably and rotatably, and one or more force-controlled or force-regulated robot axes as well as an associated sensor system, detecting acting loads.

5. A workstation in accordance with claim 1, wherein the industrial robot has at least one flexible robot axis with a flexibility regulation, especially with a pure force regulation or a combination of position and force regulation.

6. A workstation in accordance with claim 1, wherein the workstation comprises an assembly station.

7. A workstation in accordance with claim 1, wherein the industrial robot carries a gripping tool.

8. A workstation in accordance with claim 1, wherein a marking for a zone signals the degree of danger of that zone for the worker or signals an extension in space of that zone or signals both the degree of danger of that zone and the an extension in space of that zone.

9. A workstation in accordance with claim 1, wherein the zones comprise a free zone that is safe for a worker.

10. A workstation in accordance with claim 9, wherein the free zone cannot be reached by the industrial robot or the free zone has a securing means defining a protective partition.

11. A workstation in accordance with claim 1, wherein the zones comprise a zone configured as an HRC zone, in which the work spaces of the worker and of the industrial robot overlap as intended, allows for a physical contact between the worker and the industrial robot to be possible without injuries and without pain or with only mild pain.

12. A workstation in accordance with claim 1, wherein the zones comprise a zone configured as a process zone, which is located in the work space of the industrial robot and can be reached by a worker in case of a behavior that is not as intended, wherein a physical contact between the worker and the industrial robot is possible without injuries and major pain.

13. A workstation in accordance with claim 1, wherein the zones comprise a zone configured as a risk zone, located in the work space of the industrial robot and can be reached by a worker in case of a behavior that is not as intended, wherein a physical contact between the worker and the industrial robot is possible with injuries and an additional securing is necessary or provided.

14. A workstation in accordance with claim 9, wherein the free zone has a green color marking.

15. A workstation in accordance with claim 11, wherein the HRC zone has a yellow color marking.

16. A workstation in accordance with claim 12, wherein the process zone has an orange color marking.

17. A workstation in accordance with claim 13, wherein the risk zone has a red color marking.

18. A workstation in accordance with claim 1, wherein the HRC-suitable industrial robot, especially tactile industrial robot, has a different behavior, especially in terms of the load and response threshold, velocity and acceleration, within the danger zones.

19. A plant comprising one or more workstations, each of the one or more workstations comprising:

a programmable industrial robot with a work space in an area surrounding the industrial robot; and

a manual working area with a workspace for a worker in the area surrounding the industrial robot, the workstation being configured for human-robot cooperation (HRC), wherein the work spaces of the industrial robot and of the worker overlap and a physical contact is possible between the industrial robot and the worker, wherein the workstation is divided into a plurality of different zones with different degrees of danger originating from the industrial robot for the worker, and wherein the industrial robot is configured as a robot suitable for HRC.

20. A method for designing a workstation or an optical display, especially a layout, in a printed form or as a screen display for a workstation the method comprising the steps of:

providing the workstation with a programmable industrial robot

providing the workstation with a manual working area for a worker in the area surrounding the industrial robot

configuring the workstation for human-robot cooperation (HRC);

providing the work spaces of the industrial robot and of the worker so as to overlap and such that a physical contact is possible between the industrial robot and the worker;

dividing the workstation into a plurality of different zones with different degrees of danger originating from the industrial robot for the worker; and

configuring the industrial robot as a robot suitable for HRC.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the workstation or the optical display at the different zones are provided with different color markings.

22. A method in accordance with claim 21, wherein velocity limits are implemented for the industrial robot in the HRC operation in the zones by means of the division into zones and the separation of the zones.