Automatic transfer method, transfer robot, and automatic transfer system

• US 8,577,498 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kawano, Hajime, Goto, Takanori, Nakagawa, Toru, Okamoto, Tamao
• Primary Examiner(s): Amin, Bhavesh V
• Application Number:
  US12/123,752
• Publication Number:
  US 20080294287A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,995 Days
• Field of Search: 235/383, 700/214, 700/216, 700245-264
• US Class Current: 700/245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1664 characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4189 characterised by the transport system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40425 Sensing, vision based motion planning
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40472 Using exact cell decomposition
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40506 Self motion topology knowledge, configuration mapping
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A transfer robot for accommodating and transferring a transferred object has a transfer route storage section, a movement mechanism section, and a security level setting section. The transfer route storage section stores a transfer route having been set up at least on the basis of transfer destination information for the transferred object. The movement mechanism section causes the transfer robot to move toward a transfer destination on the basis of the transfer route. The security level setting section switches a security level of the transfer robot under movement on the basis of a zone level defined beforehand by each region in the transfer route, present position information of the transfer robot, and type information of the transferred object.

Claims

1. An automatic transfer method employing a transfer robot, comprising:

allocating beforehand a zone level to each of a plurality of regions constituting an area within which the transfer robot is to be moved, the zone levels being stored in a security level setting section;

setting up a transfer route of the transfer robot by a transfer route setting section on the basis of transfer destination information for a transferred object to be transferred by the transfer robot, the transfer destination information being input via an input interface section;

causing the transfer robot to move by a movement mechanism section toward a transfer destination on the basis of information concerning the transfer route; and

automatically, via the security level setting section, switching a security level of the transfer robot during movement of the transfer robot toward the transfer destination on the basis of the zone levels allocated to the regions, current position information of the transfer robot which includes which of the regions the transfer robot is currently positioned, and type information of the transferred object.

2. The automatic transfer method according to claim 1, wherein a take-out port for the transferred object is locked on the basis of information concerning the security level.

3. The automatic transfer method according to claim 1, wherein in the switching of the security level by the security level setting section, passage information of the transfer robot at points having been set up beforehand along the transfer route is further used.

4. The automatic transfer method according to claim 1, wherein in the switching of the security level by the security level setting section, information concerning a person who accompanies the transfer robot is further used.

5. The automatic transfer method according to claim 1, wherein in the switching of the security level by the security level setting section, route environment information from environment monitoring devices installed in surroundings of the transfer route is further used.

6. The automatic transfer method according to claim 2, wherein in the switching of the security level by the security level setting section, unlocking condition setting information from an unlocking condition setting device that sets up an unlocking condition for the take-out port is further used.

7. The automatic transfer method according to claim 6, wherein input of unlocking information from an unlocking condition input device paired with the unlocking condition setting device is necessary for unlocking of the take-out port.

8. A transfer robot for transferring a transferred object, comprising:

a transfer route storage section for storing a transfer route having been set up on the basis of transfer destination information for the transferred object;

a movement mechanism section for moving toward a transfer destination on the basis of the transfer route; and

a security level setting section for storing zone levels respectively allocated to regions constituting an area within which the transfer robot is to move, and for switching a security level during movement of the transfer robot on the basis of the zone levels allocated to the regions, current position information which includes which of the regions the transfer robot is currently positioned, and type information of the transferred object.

9. The transfer robot according to claim 8, further comprising a locking section for locking a take-out port for the transferred object on the basis of the security level.

10. The transfer robot according to claim 9, further comprising:

an unlocking determination section for determining unlocking of the locking section; and

an unlocking condition storage section for storing an unlocking condition used in the determination by the unlocking determination section.

11. The transfer robot according to claim 10, wherein the unlocking condition storage section is removable.

12. An automatic transfer system comprising:

a transfer robot that has a transfer route storage section for storing a transfer route having been set up on the basis of transfer destination information, a movement mechanism section for moving toward a transfer destination on the basis of information concerning the transfer route, and a security level setting section for storing zone levels respectively allocated to regions constituting an area within which the transfer robot is to move and for switching a security level during movement of the transfer robot toward the transfer destination on the basis of the zone levels allocated to the regions, current position information which includes which of the regions the transfer robot is currently positioned, and type information of the transferred object; and

an environment monitoring device that monitors the transfer route of the transfer robot and switches a monitoring level for the transfer route in accordance with the security level.

13. The automatic transfer system according to claim 12, further comprising:

an unlocking condition setting device for notifying the transfer route and unlocking condition setting information to the transfer route storage section and an unlocking condition storage section in the transfer robot, respectively; and

an unlocking condition input device that is paired with the unlocking condition setting device and that, at the time of unlocking, notifies unlocking information to an unlocking determination section so as to perform unlocking.

14. The automatic transfer system according to claim 13, wherein the unlocking condition storage section that is removable from the transfer robot serves also as the unlocking condition setting device.