Robot control apparatus

• US 4,558,424 A
• Filed: 09/23/1982
• Issued: 12/10/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sankyo Seiki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Sankyo Seiki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Yasukawa, Kazuyoshi, Oguchi, Yukio
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lastova, John R.
• Application Number:
  US06/422,493
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 364/513, 364/474, 364/170, 364/175, 364/176, 318/568, 318/626
• US Class Current: 700/259
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0093 co-operating with conveyor means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/161 Hardware, e.g. neural networks, fuzzy logic, interfaces, processor
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1692 Calibration of manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4182 manipulators and conveyor only
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36503 Adapt program to real coordinates, software orientation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45083 Manipulators, robot
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49134 Clamp, keep positioned slide, workpiece stationary during machining
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A robot control apparatus for controlling the movement of an arm of a robot with respect to a workpiece transported upon a pallet moving down an assembly line, wherein the position of the arm of the robot is compensated for in accordance with the position of the workpiece. A reference position memory stores a reference position of one of the pallet and workpiece. A position detector detects the position at which the pallet of workpiece is clamped along the assembly line. A difference between the outputs from the reference position memory and the position detector is used to correct a value stored in a work position memory to thus provide the output data which controls the movement of the arm of the robot.

Claims

1. A robot control apparatus for moving an arm of a robot with respect to a workpiece supported on a pallet comprising:

reference position memory means for storing a reference position;

means for positioning said pallet with respect to a reference surface;

horizontal and vertical position detecting means for detecting a position of a reference marker positioned on a predetermined one of said pallet and said workpiece, in response to an output signal generated by said positioning means;

work position memory means for storing a plurality of data values representing a locus of movement of an arm of said robot;

comparator means for determining a difference between an output of said position detecting means representing said position of said reference marker and said reference position as supplied by said reference position memory means and for correcting said data values upon being output from said work position memory means in accordance with said difference; and

robot control means for positioning said arm of said robot in accordance with the corrected data values provided by said comparator means.

2. The robot control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said position detecting means is attached to an arm of said robot.

3. The robot conrol apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reference marker comprises a reference pin fixed to said pallet.

4. The robot control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said reference marker comprises a reference pin fixed to said workpiece.

5. The robot control apparatus of any one of claims 1 or 2-4, wherein said position detecting means comprises optical sensing means.

6. The robot control apparatus of any one of claims 1 or 2-4, wherein said position detecting means comprises a television camera.

7. The robot control apparatus of any one of claims 1 or 2-4, wherein said position detecting means comprises magnetic sensing means.