Robot system and method for operating robot system

• US 9,227,327 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2012
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
• Inventors: Nakahara, Yoshimitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Jen, Ian
• Application Number:
  US13/396,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20120265344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,420 Days
• Field of Search: 700/250, 700/252, 700/259
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1697 Vision controlled systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39468 Changeable hand, tool, code carrier, detector
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/50252 Replace, change tool with tracer head, probe, feeler

Abstract

This robot system includes a first imaging portion detachably mounted to a robot arm and a control portion controlling the operation of the robot arm and a grasping portion, and the control portion is so formed as to detach the first imaging portion from the robot arm before moving an object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion to a prescribed processing position.

Claims

1. A robot system comprising:

a robot arm to be mounted with a grasping portion;

a first imaging portion to take an image of an object to be grasped and confirm a position of the object to be grasped, detachably mounted to the robot arm; and

a control portion configured to operate the robot arm and the grasping portion, wherein

the object to be grasped includes a plurality of objects to be grasped, and

the control portion is configured to operate the robot arm to detach the first imaging portion from the robot arm after taking an image of the plurality of unmoving objects to be grasped at one time and confirming positions of the plurality of objects to be grasped by the first imaging portion mounted to the robot arm before an object to be grasped of the plurality of objects to be grasped is firstly grasped by the grasping portion and is moved to a prescribed processing position, and then to move sequentially the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion to a prescribed processing position.

2. The robot system according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging portion attaching/detaching portion to detachably mount the first imaging portion to the robot arm, wherein

the control portion is configured to control the imaging portion attaching/detaching portion to detach the first imaging portion from the robot arm before moving the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion to the prescribed processing position.

3. The robot system according to claim 2, wherein

the imaging portion attaching/detaching portion includes an automatic tool changer to detachably mount the first imaging portion to the robot arm by pressure of air, and

the control portion is so firmed as to control the pressure of the air of the automatic tool changer to detach the first imaging portion from the robot arm before moving the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion to the prescribed processing position.

4. The robot system according to claim 2, further comprising a placement portion to place the first imaging portion detached from the robot arm, wherein

the control portion is so formed as to move the robot arm to the placement portion, control the imaging portion attaching/detaching portion to detach the first imaging portion from the robot arm, and place the first imaging portion on the placement portion, before moving the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion to the prescribed processing position.

5. The robot system according to claim 4, wherein

the placement portion is provided with a positioning portion to position the first imaging portion when the first imaging portion detached from the robot arm is placed.

6. The robot system according to claim 5, wherein

a plurality of the positioning portions are so provided as to hold the first imaging portion therebetween.

7. The robot system according to claim 4, wherein

the placement portion is provided with a hole into which the first imaging portion is inserted, and

the control portion is so formed as to place the first imaging portion on the placement portion by inserting the robot arm into the hole of the placement portion before moving the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion to the prescribed processing position.

8. The robot system according to claim 7, wherein

the placement portion is provided with a notch continuous with the hole, and

the control portion is so formed as to place the first imaging portion on the placement portion by inserting the robot arm into the hole through the notch of the placement portion before moving the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion to the prescribed processing position.

9. The robot system according to claim 1, further comprising an image processing system to process the image taken by the first imaging portion, wherein

the first imaging portion and the image processing system are connected to each other by a wire, and

the wire in addition to the first imaging portion is detached from the robot arm when the first imaging portion is detached from the robot arm.

10. The robot system according to claim 1, further comprising a second imaging portion to take an image of the object to be grasped and examine the object to be grasped, wherein

the control portion is so formed as to detach the first imaging portion from the robot arm after taking the image of the object to be grasped and confirming the position of the object to be grasped by the first imaging portion, grasp the object to be grasped by the grasping portion, take the image of the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion and examine the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion by the second imaging portion, and thereafter move the object to be grasped to the prescribed processing position.

11. The robot system according to claim 10, wherein,

the first imaging portion to take the image of the object to be grasped and confirm the position of the object to be grasped and the second imaging portion to take the image of the object to be grasped and examine the object to be grasped are constituted by a same imaging portion, and

the control portion is so formed as to detach the imaging portion from the robot arm after taking the image of the object to be grasped and confirming the position of the object to be grasped by the imaging portion, grasp the object to be grasped by the grasping portion, and take the image of the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion and examine the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion by the imaging portion having been detached from the robot arm.

12. The robot system according to claim 11, further comprising a placement portion to place the imaging portion detached from the robot arm, wherein

the control portion is so formed as to detach the imaging portion from the robot arm and place the imaging portion on the placement portion after taking the image of the object to be grasped and confirming the position of the object to be grasped by the imaging portion, grasp the object to be grasped by the grasping portion, and take the image of the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion and examine the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion by the imaging portion having been placed on the placement portion.

13. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein

the control portion is so formed as to detach the first imaging portion from the robot arm before moving the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion into a processing machine.

19. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein

the control portion is so formed as to detach the first imaging portion from the robot arm after taking the image of the plurality of objects to be grasped and confirming the position of the plurality of objects to be grasped by the first imaging portion, and thereafter sequentially grasp and move each object of the plurality of objects to be grasped to the prescribed processing position prior to reattaching the first imaging portion to the robot arm.

14. A method for operating a robot system, comprising:

taking an image of an object to be grasped and confirming a position of the object to be grasped by an imaging portion detachably mounted to a robot arm;

detaching the imaging portion from the robot arm;

grasping the object to be grasped by a grasping portion mounted to the robot arm; and

moving the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion to a prescribed processing position in a state where the imaging portion is detached from the robot arm, wherein

the object to be grasped includes a plurality of objects to be grasped, and

when the imaging portion is detached from the robot arm, the imaging portion is detached from the robot arm after taking an image of the plurality of unmoving objects to be grasped at one time and confirming positions of the plurality of objects to be grasped by the imaging portion mounted to the robot arm before an object to be grasped of the plurality of objects to be grasped is firstly grasped by the grasping portion and is moved to a prescribed processing position, and then to move sequentially the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion to the prescribed processing position.

15. The method for operating a robot system according to claim 14, wherein

when the imaging portion is detached from the robot arm, an imaging portion attaching/detaching portion to detachably mount the imaging portion to the robot arm is controlled to detach the imaging portion from the robot arm before the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion is moved to the prescribed processing position.

16. The method for operating a robot system according to claim 15, wherein

when the imaging portion attaching/detaching portion is controlled to detach the imaging portion from the robot arm, the robot arm is moved to a placement portion to place the imaging portion detached from the robot arm, the imaging portion attaching/detaching portion is controlled to detach the imaging portion from the robot arm, and the imaging portion is placed on the placement portion, before the object to be grasped that is being grasped by the grasping portion is moved to the prescribed processing position.

17. The method for operating a robot system according to claim 16, wherein

the placement portion is provided with a positioning portion to position the imaging portion when the imaging portion detached from the robot arm is placed.

18. The method for operating a robot system according to claim 17, wherein

a plurality of the positioning portions are so provided as to hold the imaging portion therebetween in plan view.

20. The method for operating a robot system according to claim 14, wherein

when the imaging portion is detached from the robot arm after taking the image of the plurality of objects to be grasped and confirming the positions of the plurality of objects to be grasped by the imaging portion, each object of the plurality of objects to be grasped are thereafter sequentially grasped and moved to the prescribed processing position prior to reattaching the first imaging portion to the robot arm.