Pressure-distribution sensor for controlling multi-jointed nursing robot

• US 6,430,475 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2001
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
• Original Assignee: National Aerospace Laboratory Of Japan
• Inventors: Renbutsu, Katsuhiko, Kamimura, Heihachiro, Yabuuchi, Kazuyoshi, Suzuki, Seizo, Okamoto, Osamu, Yamaguchi, Isao, Nakaya, Teruomi, Nagano, Hiroaki, Ueno, Jyunichi, Izaki, Mitsuharu, Usui, Yasuoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/828,988
• Publication Number:
  US 20010029406A1
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/247, 700/258, 731/72, 738/620.46, 738/567, 738/620.43, 901/46, 901/28, 338/114, 338/99, 318/568.11, 318/568.19, 318/687, 318/568.12
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/00 Accommodation for nursing, e.g. in hospitals, not covered by groups A61G1/00 - A61G11/00, e.g. trolleys for transport of medicaments or food service or tea-tables, trolleys or wagons A47B31/00; Prescription lists
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/084 Tactile sensors in general G01L5/16, G01L5/22
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0003 Home robots, i.e. small robots for domestic use
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/06 characterised by multi-articulated arms
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/205 using distributed sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/228 using tactile array force sensors

Abstract

The present invention provides contact sensors capable of determining the pressure distribution over the whole surface of each of joint units having a cylindrical shape, both end portions of which are cut at an offset angle, and constituting robot arms. In order to provide a technology enabling real-time drive control of the robot arms by using detected values from these sensors, the points of intersection of the electrodes are distributed across the whole surface of each joint by forming a pressure-sensitive sheet sensor in which column electrodes arranged in parallel, and row electrodes arranged in a wound-string shape, are combined, these joints having a cylindrical shape, both end portions of which are cut at an offset angle. In addition, by making an electrode structure that covers a prescribed width in both rows and columns, the number of signal output terminals is reduced and the operation processing load is lightened. Moreover, after executing local processing, through the use of an encoder and pressure-sensitive sheet sensor provided in each of the joints, in addition to the information processing means, [this data] is sent to the CPU, whereby the central operation processing load is lightened.

Claims

1. A pressure-distribution sensor for controlling a multi-jointed nursing robot, wherein a pressure-sensitive sheet sensor, in which column electrodes arranged in parallel on a sheet of substrate material and row electrodes arranged in a wound-string shape also on a sheet of substrate material are overlapped with pressure-sensitive resistive raw material interposed there between, the pressure-sensitive sheet sensor being wound around the outer surface of an arm constituted by multiple joints in which a plurality of joint units having a cylindrical shape both end portions of which are cut at an inclined angle are serially connected, and wherein the points of intersection of both said electrodes are distributed over the whole of the outer surface area of said joint units, whereby it is possible to detect pressure distribution.

2. The pressure-distribution sensor for controlling a multi-jointed nursing robot according to claim 1, further including one or more signal output terminals and performing information processing, wherein, by short-circuiting a plurality of adjacent column electrodes in addition to short-circuiting a plurality of adjacent row electrodes, the number of signal output terminals is reduced and, in addition to the information processing operation load being lightened, detection of signals representing areas with a high degree of reliability is performed.

3. The pressure-distribution sensor for controlling a multi-jointed nursing robot according to claim 1, further including one or more signal output terminals and performing information processing, wherein, by combining column electrodes configured in a zigzag shape across a prescribed width with row electrodes also configured in a zigzag shape across a prescribed width, the number of signal output terminals is reduced and, in addition to the information processing load being lightened, detection of signals representing areas with a high degree of reliability is performed.

4. A multi-jointed nursing robot control system, wherein, in addition to each joint unit comprising a pressure-sensitive sheet sensor, an encoder and information processing means, each joint unit and a central control CPU are connected to a network, and local operation processing is executed for each of the joint units by said information-processing circuit, using signals output from said encoder and pressure-sensitive sheet sensor as well as from shoulder-side joint position information, these data being sent to the central CPU as reference coordinate system position information, whereby quick-response processing is performed.