Safety system and method for a robot
First Claim
1. In an industrial robot of the playback type having a position control object portion for moving to successive positions in accordance with successive steps as taught in a teaching mode, a safety system comprising detecting means having a detecting field of view containing at least a part of the robot and providing detection data indicative of the detected field of view, memory means for storing detection data of the detecting means at least in selected ones of the successive positions corresponding to the successive steps in the teaching mode, means for reading, at least in selected steps of the playback operation, the detection data of a corresponding step from the memory means and for comparing the read-out detection data with present detection data from the detecting means obtained in the present step during the playback operation, and means responsive to the comparing means for controlling further movement of the robot.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A safety system and method for industrial robots includes a detection arrangement having a detection field covering the area of reach or operation of the robot. Detection data obtained through the detecting arrangement in each of predetermined operation positions of the robot is compared with the detection data indicative of the normal or correct detection field in the same operation position. The movement of the robot to the next operation position is prohibited when a difference of a level exceeding a predetermined level is obtained during the comparison.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. In an industrial robot of the playback type having a position control object portion for moving to successive positions in accordance with successive steps as taught in a teaching mode, a safety system comprising detecting means having a detecting field of view containing at least a part of the robot and providing detection data indicative of the detected field of view, memory means for storing detection data of the detecting means at least in selected ones of the successive positions corresponding to the successive steps in the teaching mode, means for reading, at least in selected steps of the playback operation, the detection data of a corresponding step from the memory means and for comparing the read-out detection data with present detection data from the detecting means obtained in the present step during the playback operation, and means responsive to the comparing means for controlling further movement of the robot.
- 8. A safety system for an industrial robot having a position control object portion in which successive positions to be taken by the position control object portion are stored, the safety system comprising detecting means having a detecting field of view covering the region of effective operation of the robot and providing detection data indicative of the detected field of view, memory means for storing the detection data from the detecting means at least in selected positions corresponding to respective successive positions of the position control object portion, means for reading at least in selected positions of the position control object portion during operation of the robot in an automatic operation mode, the detection data stored in the memory means and for comparing the read-out detection data corresponding to the present position of the position control object portion with detection data provided by the detecting means of the present position of the position control object portion, and means responsive to the comparing means for controlling further positioning of the position control object portion in accordance therewith.
- 16. A safety method for preventing accidents during automatic operation of an industrial robot having a position control object portion in which successive positions to be taken by the position control object portion are stored, the method comprising the steps of detecting in a detection field of view covering the region of effective operation of the robot and providing detection data in accordance therewith, storing detection data for at least selected ones of the positions corresponding to the respective successive positions to be taken by the position control object portion, reading out the stored data for at least selected ones of the successive positions of the position control object portion during operation of the robot in an automatic operation mode, comparing the read-out detection data corresponding to the present position of the position control object portion with detection data of the present position of the position control object portion, and controlling the movement of the position control object portion in accordance with the results of the comparison so as to avoid accidents when persons and objects are improperly placed within the effective operation region of the robot.
Specification