Robot system including robot having operating unit and method for controlling robot

Abstract

The present invention provides a robot system including a robot having an operating unit and a method for controlling the robot. The robot system moves the robot based on an operating force, enabling the robot's position to be adjusted with greater precision. In one embodiment of the present disclosure, the robot system includes: a robot having an operating unit; a force sensor that detects the operating force applied to the operating unit; and an inching motion actuator that executes an inching motion to move the robot by a predetermined amount based on the operating force detected by the force sensor.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a robot system including a robot having an operating unit and a method of controlling the robot. Background Art

[0002] A robot system in which a so-called pull-in function is implemented, in which a robot is operated according to an operating force applied to an operating unit provided on the robot, is known (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-199174).

[0003] In a robot system in which a robot is moved according to an operating force, it is desired to adjust the position of the robot with higher precision. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a robot system includes: a robot having an operating unit; a force sensor for detecting an operating force applied to the operating unit; and an inching motion execution unit for executing an inching motion to move the robot by a predetermined amount based on the operating force detected by the force sensor. In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for controlling a robot having an operating unit includes detecting the operating force applied to the operating unit using the force sensor and executing an inching motion to move the robot by a predetermined amount based on the operating force detected by the force sensor.

[0005] According to the present disclosure, during teaching or the like, the position of the robot can be adjusted with high precision according to the operating force of the operator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] Figure 1 This is a diagram of a robot system according to one embodiment.

[0007] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The robotic system shown is a block diagram.

[0008] Figure 3 Yes Figure 1 Flowchart showing an example of the operation flow in the inching operation mode of the robot system shown.

[0009] Figure 4 This is a block diagram of a robot system according to another embodiment.

[0010] Figure 5 Yes Figure 4 Flowchart showing an example of the operation flow of the robot system in the setting operation mode.

[0011] Figure 6 Yes Figure 4 A flowchart showing another example of the operation flow in the setting operation mode of the robot system is shown.

[0012] Figure 7 Yes Figure 4 The flowchart shown is another example of the operation flow in the setting operation mode of the robot system.

[0013] Figure 8 Yes Figure 4 Flowchart showing an example of the operation flow in the inching operation mode of the robot system shown.

[0014] Figure 9 Yes Figure 4 The flowchart shown is another example of the operation flow in the inching operation mode of the robot system.

[0015] Figure 10 Yes Figure 4 The flowchart shown is another example of the operation flow in the inching operation mode of the robot system.

[0016] Figure 11 This is a diagram explaining a method of determining the movement amount during inching operation by a predetermined calculation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in the various embodiments described below, the same elements are marked with the same symbols and repeated descriptions are omitted. Figure 1 and Figure 2 , a robot system 10 according to an embodiment will be described. The robot system 10 includes: a robot 12, a force sensor 14, a control device 16, and an input device 17 ( Figure 2 ).

[0018] In this embodiment, the robot 12 is a vertical multi-jointed robot comprising a robot base 18, a rotating body 20, a robot arm 22, a wrist 24, an end effector 26, and an operating unit 28. The robot base 18 is fixed to the floor of the workpiece unit. The rotating body 20 is rotatably mounted on the robot base 18 about a vertical axis. The robot arm 22 includes a lower wrist 30 rotatably mounted on the rotating body 20 and an upper wrist 32 rotatably mounted to the front end of the lower wrist 30. The wrist 24 is connected to the front end of the upper wrist 32 and rotatably supports the end effector 26.

[0019] In this embodiment, the end effector 26 is a robotic manipulator having a base 34 and a plurality of fingers 36 that are openably and closably mounted on the base 34. The end effector 26 can grasp or release an object by opening and closing the fingers 36. Furthermore, the end effector 26 is not limited to a robotic manipulator and may also be any other device used for work, such as a cutting tool, a laser processing head, a welding gun, or a paint applicator. The operating portion 28 is a handle having a shape that is easily grasped by the operator A (e.g., a recessed portion that accommodates the operator A's fingers) and is fixed to the base 34.

[0020] Servo motors (not shown) are built into each component of the robot 12 (robot base 18, rotating body 20, robot arm 22, and wrist 24). These servo motors rotate each movable component of the robot 12 (rotating body 20, robot arm 22, and wrist 24) about a drive axis in response to commands from the control device 16.

[0021] The robot 12 is set with a robot coordinate system C R . Robot coordinate system C R The robot coordinate system C is a reference coordinate system for automatically controlling the robot 12. R It is set so that its origin is located at the center of the robot base 18 and its z-axis coincides with the rotation axis of the rotating body 20 .

[0022] The force sensor 14 detects the operating force HF applied to the operating portion 28. Specifically, the force sensor 14 is, for example, a six-axis force sensor having a plurality of strain gauges, and is inserted between the base 34 and the operating portion 28. The force sensor 14 detects the operating force HF applied by the operator A to the operating portion 28 and transmits an output signal related to the operating force HF to the control device 16. The control device 16 obtains a detection value HF indicating the magnitude of the operating force HF from the output signal from the force sensor 14. V and the direction HF of the operating force HF D .

[0023] The control device 16 controls the operation of the robot 12 and the force sensor 14. Specifically, the control device 16 is a computer including a processor 38 (CPU, GPU, etc.) and a memory 40 (ROM, RAM, etc.). The processor 38 is communicatively connected to the memory 40 via a bus 42, and while communicating with the memory 40, performs calculations to execute various functions described below.

[0024] Processor 38 generates commands for the servo motors of robot 12. Based on these commands, the servo motors rotate the movable components of robot 12. In this way, processor 38 operates robot 12, positioning end effector 26 of robot 12 at any position and posture within three-dimensional space. Memory 40 temporarily or permanently stores various data.

[0025] The input device 17 is communicatively connected to the control device 16 to receive input information. The input device 17 includes, for example, push buttons, switches, a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch sensor, and transmits information input by the operator to the control device 16. Furthermore, the input device 17 may be integrally provided with the control device 16, or may be provided separately from the control device 16 in a desktop or tablet PC, a portable robot teaching device (so-called teaching pendant), or the operating unit 28 of the robot 12. The input device 17 communicates with the control device 16 via wired or wireless communication.

[0026] In this embodiment, the control device 16 causes the robot 12 to perform an inching motion according to the operating force HF applied to the operating unit 28 by the operator A. Figure 3 , the operation of the robot system 10 in the inch motion mode is described. When receiving the inch motion mode start instruction for transferring the operation mode of the robot 12 to the inch motion mode, the robot system 10 starts Figure 3 The process shown.

[0027] In step S1, the processor 38 starts detecting the operating force HF. Specifically, the processor 38 continuously (e.g., periodically) receives an output signal related to the operating force HF detected by the force sensor 14, and sequentially obtains the detection value HF of the operating force HF from the output signal. V and direction HF D The processor 38 will obtain the detection value HF V and direction HF D The information is stored in the memory 40 in sequence.

[0028] In step S2, the processor 38 starts to obtain the detection value HF V As an example, the processor 38 obtains the detection value HF V The time differential value δHF V / δt is the degree of change Δ. Specifically, the processor 38 obtains the detection value HF V When the most recently detected value HF is calculated V_n and the HF value before the detection V_n The obtained detection value HF V_n－1 The difference δHF(=HF V_n -HFV_n－1 ).

[0029] Then, the processor 38 divides the calculated difference δHF by the difference between the detected value HF and the detected value HF of the force sensor 14. V_n Corresponding operating force HF n The time point to detect the detection value HF V_n－1 Corresponding operating force HF n－1 Time t up to the time point D , from which the degree of change is calculated as Δ = δHF V / δt=(HF V_n -HF V_n－1 ) / t D For example, when the force sensor 14 periodically detects the operating force HF with a period τ1, the time t D =τ1. The processor 38 sequentially stores the calculated degree of change Δ in the memory 40. Thus, in this embodiment, the processor 38 serves as the change acquisition unit 44 ( Figure 2 ) and perform its function.

[0030] In step S3, the processor 38 determines the most recently acquired detection value HF V Is it at the lower limit HF th1 Above, and the upper limit HF th2 The following range [HF th1 , HF th2 ] within. The lower limit value HF th1 and upper limit HF th2 The operating force HF detected by the force sensor 14 is a value representing the force intentionally applied to the operating portion 28 by the operator A, is determined in advance by the operator, and is stored in the memory 40 .

[0031] The processor 38 uses the most recently acquired detection value HF V In the range [HF th1 , HF th2 ] within (HF th1 ≤HF V ≤HF th2 ) is judged to be "yes", and the process moves to step S4. On the other hand, the processor 38 takes the most recently acquired detection value HF V Ratio lower limit HF th1 Small (HF V <HF th1 ) or, than the upper limit value HF th2 Large (HF V >HF th2 ) is judged as "No", and the process moves to step S6.

[0032] In step S4, the processor 38 determines whether the most recently acquired degree of change Δ is within the lower limit Δ th1 Above, and the upper limit Δ th2 The following range [Δ th1 , Δ th2 ] within. The lower limit value ΔF th1 and upper limit ΔF th2 The operating force HF detected by the force sensor 14 is a value representing the force intentionally applied to the operating portion 28 by the operator A, is predetermined by the operator, and is stored in advance in the memory 40 .

[0033] The processor 38 determines the extent of the change Δ recently achieved within the range [Δ th1 , Δ th2 ]Inside(Δ th1 ≤Δ≤Δ th2 ) is judged to be "yes", and the process moves to step S5. On the other hand, the processor 38 determines that the degree of change Δ obtained recently is greater than the lower limit value Δ th1 Small (Δ<Δ th1 ), or higher than the upper limit value Δ th2 Large (Δ>Δ th2 ) is judged as "No", and the process moves to step S6.

[0034] In step S5, the processor 38 executes the inching action. Specifically, the processor 38 executes the following inching action: the robot 12 moves so that the end effector 26 moves in the direction HF of the operating force HF detected by the force sensor 14. D The determined movement amount M is moved. More specifically, the processor 38 uses the position of the end effector 26 at the start time of step S5 as the starting point P S , so that the end effector 26 moves from the starting point P S Towards HF D Move, the end effector 26 reaches the starting point P S Towards HF D End point P of interval movement M E When the end effector 26 is stopped.

[0035] In this embodiment, the amount of movement M of the inching action is predetermined by the operator A (for example, M=1 mm) and stored in the memory 40 in advance. Figure 3 Before the flow of the inching operation mode shown, the input device 17 is operated to set the movement amount M.

[0036] The movement amount M is determined to be longer than the movement path length L from the first teaching point TP1 of the end effector 26 (or the tool center point: TCP) to the second teaching point TP2 following the first teaching point TP1, for example. TPSmall value (M<<L TP For example, the second teaching point TP2 is a working position where the end effector 26 operates on the workpiece.

[0037] Thus, the processor 38 executes an inching motion to move the robot 12 (specifically, the end effector 26) by a determined movement amount M based on the operating force HF detected by the force sensor 14. Therefore, in this embodiment, the processor 38 serves as the inching motion execution unit 46 ( Figure 2 ) and perform its function.

[0038] In step S6, the processor 38 determines whether the inch motion mode end instruction is received from the operator, the upper controller, or the computer program. When the processor 38 determines that the inch motion mode end instruction is received (ie, "yes"), the process ends. Figure 3 On the other hand, in the illustrated flow, if it is determined that the inching operation mode end command has not been received (ie, "No"), the process returns to step S3. The processor 38 then repeatedly executes the loop of steps S3 to S6 until a "Yes" is determined in step S6.

[0039] As described above, in this embodiment, the processor 38 inches the robot 12 (specifically, the end effector 26) based on the operating force HF applied by the operator A to the operating unit 28. With this configuration, for example, when teaching the robot 12 a teaching point (e.g., a work position), the operator A can arbitrarily fine-tune the position of the robot 12 based on the operating force HF. Thus, during teaching, the position of the robot 12 can be adjusted with high precision based on the operating force HF applied by the operator A.

[0040] In addition, in this embodiment, the processor 38 detects the value HF V Ratio lower limit HF th1 Small (HF V <HF th1 ) or, than the upper limit value HF th2 Large (HF V >HF th2 ), step S5 is not executed. According to this structure, only when the operator A intentionally applies the operating force HF to the operating part 28, the processor 38 executes step S5.

[0041] For example, it is assumed that the operator A or a surrounding object accidentally touches the operating unit 28. In this case, the detection value HF of the operating force HF applied to the operating unit 28 is V May be higher than the upper limit HF th2 In this case, the processor 38 does not perform step S5. This prevents step S5 from being executed against the will of the operator A, thereby improving the safety of the operation of the robot 12.

[0042] In addition, in this embodiment, the processor 38 is configured to determine the value of the change when the degree of change Δ is greater than the lower limit value Δ. th1 Small (Δ<Δ th1 ), or, than the upper limit value Δ th2 Large (Δ>Δ th2 ), step S5 is not executed. For example, it is assumed that the operator A or a surrounding object accidentally touches the operation unit 28.

[0043] In this case, the detection value HF of the operating force HF applied to the operating portion 28 is greater than that when the operator A intentionally applies the operating force HF to the operating portion 28. V The degree of change Δ becomes larger (ie, high-speed change), and therefore, it may exceed the upper limit value Δ th2 In this case, the processor 38 does not execute step S5. This prevents step S5 from being executed against the will of the operator A, thereby improving the safety of the operation of the robot 12.

[0044] In addition, the processor 38 may cause the end effector 26 to move in the direction HF of the operating force HF detected by the force sensor 14 in the above-mentioned step S5. D Deviates from the predetermined angle θ D direction HF D 'Move. From the direction HF D Towards HF D 'Departure direction D D and angle θ D It is determined in advance by the operator and stored in the memory 40. For example, the direction of deviation D D The direction can be determined to be parallel to the vertical direction.

[0045] For example, θ = 90°, and the direction of deviation D D Set the direction parallel to the vertical direction. Figure 1 In the example shown, it is assumed that operator A is in the robot coordinate system C R The operation force HF is applied to the operation part 28 in the x-axis direction. In this case, the processor 38 moves the end effector 26 to the robot coordinate system C in step S5. R Move in the z-axis direction (i.e., vertical direction).

[0046] That is, the end effector 26 moves vertically downward (or vertically upward) in response to the operator A pressing (or pulling) the operating portion 28 in the horizontal direction. With this configuration, the operator A can move the robot 12 in a variety of ways.

[0047] In addition, the processor 38 may be configured to switch the direction of the robot 12 inch movement in step S5 to the direction HF of the operating force HF according to the input information of the operator A.D and the direction of the offset HF D For example, the operator A operates the input device 17 and inputs the direction HF of the robot 12. D With direction HF D 'One of the jog direction setting information.

[0048] The processor 38 can adjust the direction of the HF signal according to the inch direction setting information input to the input device 17. D and direction HF D 'Select the inch direction of the robot 12. In this case, the input device 17 may also have a HF provided on the operating portion 28 for selecting the direction D With direction HF D ' Press a button or switch.

[0049] Furthermore, the processor 38 may be configured to switch the motion mode of the robot 12 between the inching motion mode and the lead-through motion mode based on input information from the operator A. In the lead-through motion mode, the processor 38 switches the motion mode of the robot 12 between the inching motion mode and the lead-through motion mode while the force sensor 14 is detecting the operating force HF (more specifically, the detection value HF). V HF is the lower limit th1 During the above period), the robot 12 continues to move in the direction of the operating force HF D In this pull-in operation mode, the processor 38 may also change the moving speed of the robot 12 to the detected value HF of the operating force HF. V becomes larger accordingly.

[0050] For example, operator A operates the input device 17 to input information selecting either the inching mode or the pulling-in mode. Based on the input information from operator A, the input device 17 sends an inching mode start command or a pulling-in mode start command to the processor 38.

[0051] When the processor 38 receives the inching motion mode start instruction from the input device 17, it switches the motion mode of the robot 12 to the inching motion mode and starts Figure 3 In the flow shown, when a pull-in operation mode start command is received from the input device 17, the robot 12's operation mode is switched to the pull-in operation mode, and the above-described pull-in operation flow begins. In this case, the input device 17 may include a button or switch provided on the operating unit 28 for selecting either the inching operation mode or the pull-in operation mode.

[0052] According to this structure, operator A can, for example, make the robot 12 move in a variety of ways depending on the situation, so that when the operator wants to move the robot 12 over a larger distance, the movement mode of the robot 12 is set to the introduction movement mode, and when the operator wants to make fine adjustments to the position of the robot 12, the operator sets the movement mode of the robot 12 to the inching movement mode.

[0053] In addition, Figure 3 In the flow shown, the processor 38 may repeatedly execute the loop of steps S3 to S6 at a period τ2 (e.g., 1 second) while the determination result of step S6 is "No". In this case, when the operator A continues to apply the operating force HF to the operating unit 28, the processor 38 executes step S5 at a period τ2, thereby causing the end effector 26 to inch at a period τ2, step by step in the direction of the operating force HF. D Gradual.

[0054] Alternatively, the processor 38 may determine the detection value HF of the operating force HF after executing step S5. V Is it higher than the lower limit HF? th1 Small (HF V <HF th1 Then, the processor 38 detects the value HF V Ratio lower limit HF th1 Hours transfer to step S6, on the other hand, when the detection value HF V Continue to be the lower limit HF th1 Above (HF V ≥HF th1 ) can be used in HF V <HF th1 Before standby.

[0055] In this case, assuming that operator A continues to apply operating force HF to operating unit 28, processor 38, after executing the inching operation of step S5 once, does not execute the inching operation of robot 12 again unless operator A releases (or significantly reduces) operating force HF on operating unit 28. With this configuration, operator A can more carefully inch robot 12.

[0056] Next, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4Next, a robot system 50 according to another embodiment will be described. Robot system 50 differs from robot system 10 described above in its control device 52. Control device 52 includes a processor 54, memory 40, and a timer 56. Processor 54 is communicatively connected to memory 40 and timer 56 via bus 42. While communicating with memory 40 and timer 56, processor 54 performs calculations for executing various functions described below. Timer 56 measures the elapsed time from a certain point in time based on instructions from processor 54.

[0057] In this embodiment, the operator A sets the inching motion parameters including the movement amount M of the inching motion in advance before causing the robot 12 to perform the inching motion. Figure 5 , the method of setting the inching motion parameters in the robot system 50 is described. When the processor 54 receives a setting mode start instruction from the operator, the host controller, or the computer program to transfer the motion mode of the robot 12 to the setting mode, it starts Figure 5 The process shown.

[0058] In step S11, the processor 54 starts detecting the operating force HF in the same manner as in step S1. In step S12, the processor 54 determines the most recently acquired detection value HF. V Is it the predetermined threshold HF th3 Above this threshold HF th3 It is determined in advance by the operator and stored in the memory 40.

[0059] The processor 54 detects the value HF V is the threshold HF th3 Above (HF V ≥HF th3 ) is determined to be "yes", the process proceeds to step S13, on the other hand, in HF V <HF th3 If the judgment is "No", the process proceeds to step S16. th3 It can be the lower limit HF th1 The same value can also be different values.

[0060] In step S13, the processor 54 starts the timer 56 and counts the elapsed time t from the time point when the determination in step S12 is "Yes". P In step S14, the processor 54 determines the elapsed time t measured by the timing unit 56. P Whether the predetermined time t is reached th The time t th It is predetermined by the operator (for example, 2 seconds) and stored in the memory 40 .

[0061] In step S15, the processor 54 starts at step S13 and the time t P The time t from the time point of the timing to the time when the judgment of step S14 is "yes" th Detected test value HF V , to determine the inching motion parameters. As an example, the processor 54 determines the inching motion parameters according to the time t th The detected value HF V The maximum value of HF V_MAX , to determine the movement amount M as the jog action parameter.

[0062] For example, the processor 54 is at the maximum value HF V_MAX HF th3 <HF V_MAX ≤HF V_MAX1 When the movement amount M is determined to be M1 (for example, M1 = 1 mm), in HF V_MAX1 <HF V_MAX ≤HF V_MAX2 When the movement amount M is determined to be M=M2 (>M1, for example, M2=2mm), in HF V_MAX2 <HF V_MAX ≤HF V_MAX3 When the movement amount M is determined to be M=M3 (>M2, for example, M3=3mm). These threshold values HF V_MAX1 , HF V_MAX2 and HF V_MAX3 It is determined in advance by the operator and stored in the memory 40.

[0063] Thus, the processor 54 determines the movement amount M so that the movement amount M is determined according to the maximum value HF V_MAX Instead, the processor 54 can process th The detected value HF V The integral value ∫[HF V ]dt or average HF V_AVE Calculation is performed to determine the movement amount M so that the movement amount M is determined according to ∫[HF V ]dt or average HF V_AVE becomes larger due to its size.

[0064] Thus, in this embodiment, the processor 54 determines the movement amount M, which is the inching motion parameter, based on the operating force HF detected by the force sensor 14. Therefore, the processor 54 functions as the parameter determination unit 58 for determining the inching motion parameter. The processor 54 stores the determined movement amount M in the memory 40.

[0065] On the other hand, if the determination result in step S12 is "No", in step S16, the processor 54 determines whether a setting mode end instruction has been received from the operator, the host controller, or the computer program. If the processor 38 determines that a setting mode end instruction has been received (i.e., "Yes"), the process ends. Figure 5 On the other hand, in the illustrated flow, when it is determined that the setting mode end instruction has not been received (ie, "No"), the process loops to step S12.

[0066] As mentioned above, in Figure 5 In the process of the setting mode shown in FIG. 1 , the processor 54 detects the value HF and sets the value HF to the same value as the setting mode. V To decide Figure 3 The inching operation parameter (movement amount M) for performing the inching operation in step S5 in FIG. With this configuration, the operator A can intuitively set the movement amount M to a desired value by changing the magnitude of the operation force HF applied to the operation unit 28.

[0067] Next, refer to Figure 6 , other methods of setting inching motion parameters in the robot system 50 are described. Figure 6 In the process shown, Figure 5 The same steps in the process are marked with the same step numbers and repeated descriptions are omitted. Figure 5 The same process as shown, when receiving the setting mode start command, start Figure 6 The process shown.

[0068] After step S11, in step S21, the processor 54 determines the most recently acquired detection value HF V Is it the predetermined threshold HF th4 Above (HF V ≥HF th4 ). The threshold HF th4 It is pre-determined by the operator and stored in the memory 40. The processor 54 is in HF V ≥HF th4 If it is determined to be "yes", the process proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, in HF V <HF th4 If the judgment is "No", the process proceeds to step S16. th4 It can be the lower limit HF th1 (or threshold HF th3 ) can be the same value or different values.

[0069] In step S13, the timer 56 starts counting the time elapsed from the time when the determination in step S21 is "Yes". P After the timing, in step S22, the processor 54 determines the most recently obtained detection value HFV Is it higher than the threshold HF? th4 Small (HF V <HF th4 ).

[0070] Processor 54 in HF V <HF th4 If it is determined to be "yes", the process proceeds to step S23. On the other hand, in HF V ≥HF th4 When the processor 54 determines "No" in step S22, the process loops to step S22. Here, the processor 54 obtains the elapsed time t measured by the timer 56 at the time when the processor 54 determines "Yes" in step S22. P , stored in the memory 40. The elapsed time t P Indicates the detection value HF V Continuously exceeding the HF threshold th4 time.

[0071] In step S23, the processor 54 functions as the parameter determination unit 58 and determines the parameter according to the elapsed time t P For example, when the processor 54 determines "yes" in step S22, the elapsed time t stored in the memory 40 is P t p1 <t p ≤t p2 In the case of t, the movement amount M=M1 is determined. p2 <t p ≤t p3 When t p3 <t p ≤t p4 When , the movement amount M is determined to be M=M3.

[0072] These thresholds t p1 , t p2 , t p3 and t p4 Determined in advance by the operator (e.g., t p1 =0,t p2 = 1 second, t p3 = 3 seconds, t p4 = 5 seconds), stored in the memory 40. Thus, the processor 54 determines the movement amount M so that the movement amount M is determined according to the elapsed time t P The processor 54 stores the determined movement amount M in the memory 40 .

[0073] As mentioned above, in Figure 6 In the process of the setting mode shown in FIG. 1 , the processor 54 detects the value HF and sets the value HF to the same value as the setting mode. V Continuously exceeding the HF threshold th4Time t p According to this configuration, the operator A can intuitively set the movement amount M to a desired value by changing the time for which the operation force HF is continuously applied to the operation portion 28 .

[0074] Next, refer to Figure 7 , another method of setting the inching motion parameters in the robot system 50 is described. Figure 7 In the process shown, Figure 5 The same steps in the process are marked with the same step numbers and repeated descriptions are omitted. Figure 5 The same process as shown, when receiving the setting mode start command, start Figure 7 The process shown.

[0075] After step S11, in step S31, the processor 54 determines the most recently acquired detection value HF V Is it the predetermined threshold HF th5 Above (HF V ≥HF th5 ). The threshold HF th5 It is pre-determined by the operator and stored in the memory 40. The processor 54 is in HF V ≥HF th5 If it is determined to be "yes", the process proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, in HF V <HF th5 If the judgment is "No", the process proceeds to step S16. th5 It can be the lower limit HF th1 (Or, threshold HF th3 or HF th4 ) can be the same value or different values.

[0076] In step S13, the timer unit 56 starts counting the time t that has passed since the determination of “Yes” in step S31. P After the timing of , in step S32, the processor 54 counts the number of times n that the operating force HF is detected. In this step S32, the processor 54 sets the number of times n to "1".

[0077] In step S33, the processor 54 determines the most recently acquired detection value HF V Is it higher than the threshold HF? th5 Small (HF V <HF th5 ). Processor 54 in HF V <HF th5 If it is determined to be "yes", the process proceeds to step S34. On the other hand, it is still HF V ≥HFth5 If it is determined to be "No", the process proceeds to step S14.

[0078] In step S34, the processor 54 determines the most recently acquired detection value HF as in step S31. V Is it the threshold HF again? th5 Above (HF V ≥HF th5 ). Processor 54 in HF V ≥HF th5 If it is determined to be "yes", the process proceeds to step S35. On the other hand, in HF V <HF th5 If the determination is "No", the process proceeds to step S14. In step S35, the number of times n the operating force HF is detected is counted. Specifically, the processor 54 adds "1" to the number n (n=n+1).

[0079] On the other hand, if the determination in step S33 is "No", the processor 54 executes the above-mentioned step S14. If the determination is "Yes", the process proceeds to step S36. If the determination is "No", the process returns to step S33. Furthermore, if the determination in step S34 is "No", the processor 54 executes step S14. If the determination is "Yes", the process proceeds to step S36. If the determination is "No", the process returns to step S34.

[0080] In step S36, the processor 54 functions as the parameter determination unit 58 and determines the inching motion parameter based on the counted number n. Here, the number n counted at the start time of step S36 represents the number of times n at time t th The detection value HF of the operating force HF detected by the force sensor 14 V Exceeding the threshold HF th5 After falling below the HF threshold th5 The number of times, the time t th The time t is elapsed after the step S13 P The time from the time point of the timing to the time when the judgment is "yes" in step S14. That is, the number n represents the time at the predetermined time t th The internal force sensor 14 detects the number of times the operating force HF is applied.

[0081] For example, when the number n=n1 (e.g., n1=1), the processor 54 determines the movement amount M to be M1, when the number n=n2 (e.g., n2=2), the movement amount M to be M2, and when the number n=n3 (e.g., n3=3), the movement amount M to be M3. These reference numbers n1, n2, and n3 are predetermined by the operator and stored in the memory 40. In this way, the processor 54 determines the movement amount M to be M1 at the predetermined time t thThe movement amount M, which is an inching motion parameter, is determined by the number n of times the operating force HF is detected by the force sensor 14. The processor 54 stores the determined movement amount M in the memory 40.

[0082] In this way, Figure 7 In the flow of the setting mode shown, the processor 54 determines the inching motion parameter (movement amount M) based on the number n of times the operating force HF is detected. According to this structure, the operator A can intuitively set the movement amount M to a desired value by changing the number of times the operation unit 28 is clicked.

[0083] When the processor 54 receives the setting mode start instruction, it switches the action mode of the robot 12 to the setting mode and starts Figure 5 、 Figure 6 or Figure 7 Then, the movement amount M is determined and stored in the memory 40. After that, if the processor 54 receives the inch motion mode start instruction, it functions as the change acquisition unit 44 and the inch motion execution unit 46 in the same manner as the robot system 10, and executes Figure 3 The process shown.

[0084] Furthermore, the processor 54 may be configured to switch the robot 12's motion mode between the setting mode and the inching motion mode based on input from the operator A. For example, the operator A operates the input device 17 to input information selecting either the setting mode or the inching motion mode. Based on the input from the operator A, the input device 17 transmits a setting mode start command or an inching motion mode start command to the processor 38.

[0085] When the processor 38 receives the setting mode start instruction from the input device 17, it switches the action mode of the robot 12 to the setting mode and starts Figure 5 、 Figure 6 or Figure 7 On the other hand, when the inching motion mode start instruction is received from the input device 17, the motion mode of the robot 12 is switched to the inching motion mode and the operation is started. Figure 3 In this case, the input device 17 may include a button or switch provided on the operation unit 28 for selecting the setting mode and the inching operation mode.

[0086] Next, refer to Figure 8 , another example of the inching motion process executed by the processor 54 in the robot system 50 is described. Figure 8 In the process shown, Figure 3 and Figure 5 The same steps are marked with the same step numbers in the flow chart, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Figure 3The process is the same as that of the jog mode. When the jog mode start command is received, the Figure 8 The process shown.

[0087] The processor 54 starts detecting the operating force HF in step S1, and determines the most recently acquired detection value HF of the operating force HF in step S12. V Is it threshold HF th3 Then, in step S13, the start timer 56 counts the elapsed time t from the time point when the determination in step S12 is “Yes”. P Keep timing.

[0088] In step S41, the processor 54 functions as the inching motion execution unit 46 and starts the inching motion of the robot 12. Specifically, the processor 54 starts the inching motion as follows: the robot 12 moves so that the end effector 26 moves in the direction of the operating force HF. D In step S14, the processor 54 determines the elapsed time t measured by the timer 56. P Whether the predetermined time t is reached th .

[0089] In step S15, the processor 54 functions as the parameter determination unit 58, and determines the parameter value according to the time t P The time t from the time point of the timing to the time when the judgment of step S14 is "yes" th Detected test value HF V (Maximum HF V_MAX , or average HF V_AVE ) to determine the movement amount M as the inch motion parameter.

[0090] In step S42, the processor 54 determines whether the movement amount L of the robot 12 (specifically, the end effector 26) during the inching operation started in step S41 matches the determined movement amount M. Here, for example, the movement amount L of the end effector 26 moved by the robot 12 from the start time of step S41 can be obtained from the rotational speed of each servo motor built into the robot 12. In this case, a rotation detector (encoder, Hall element, etc.) that detects the rotational speed of the servo motor can be provided in the robot 12.

[0091] In step S42, if the acquired movement amount L matches the movement amount M determined in step S15, the processor 54 determines "yes" and proceeds to step S43. On the other hand, if the movement amount L does not match the movement amount M, the processor 54 determines "no" and loops through step S42. In step S43, the processor 54 stops the end effector 26 of the robot 12, thereby stopping the inching operation.

[0092] As described above, in this embodiment, the processor 54 detects the value HF during the inching motion of the robot 12. V The movement amount M, which is a parameter of the inching operation, is determined. According to this configuration, the operator A can intuitively set the movement amount M to a desired value according to the magnitude of the operating force HF applied to the operating unit 28 each time the inching operation is performed.

[0093] in addition, Figure 8 In the illustrated flow, the processor 54 may determine the movement amount M after executing steps S14 and S15 after step S13 and then execute step S41. In this case, after determining the movement amount M, the processor 54 starts the inching operation in step S41.

[0094] Alternatively, the moving speed V of the robot 12 (end effector 26) during the inching operation started in step S41 may be set. I The time required for the robot 12 to inch with the minimum movement amount M1 that the processor 54 can determine in step S15 is the predetermined time t th Thus, it is possible to prevent the robot 12 from moving by an inching amount M1 after starting step S41 before the inching motion parameters are determined in step S15. The operator A can operate the input device 17 to predetermine the moving speed V I .

[0095] Next, refer to Figure 9 , another example of the inching motion process executed by the processor 54 of the robot system 50 is described. Figure 9 In the process shown, Figure 3 、 Figure 6 and Figure 8 The same steps are marked with the same step numbers in the flow chart, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Figure 3 The process is the same as that of the jog action mode. Figure 9 The process shown.

[0096] The processor 54 starts detecting the operating force HF in step S1 and determines the most recently acquired detection value HF in step S21. V Is it the predetermined threshold HF th4 Above (HF V ≥HF th4 Then, in step S13, the start timer 56 counts the elapsed time t from the time point when the determination in step S21 is “Yes”. P Keep timing.

[0097] In step S41, the processor 54 starts the inching motion of the robot 12. In step S22, the processor 54 determines the most recently acquired detection value HF.V Is it higher than the threshold HF? th4 Small (HF V <HF th4 ). In step S23, the processor 54 functions as the parameter determination unit 58 and determines the value of the parameter according to the elapsed time t P To determine the jog motion parameters.

[0098] In step S42, processor 54 determines whether the movement amount L of robot 12 (specifically, end effector 26) during the inching operation started in step S41 is consistent with the movement amount M determined in step S23. If the determination in step S42 is "yes," processor 54 stops the inching operation of robot 12 in step S43.

[0099] As described above, in this embodiment, the processor 54 detects the value HF during the inching motion of the robot 12. V Continuously exceeding the HF threshold th4 According to this configuration, the operator A can intuitively set the movement amount M to a desired value by continuously applying the operating force HF to the operating unit 28 each time the operator A performs the inching operation.

[0100] In addition, Figure 9 In the illustrated flow, the processor 54 may also execute steps S22 and S23 after step S13 to determine the movement amount M, and then execute step S41. In this case, after determining the movement amount M, the processor 54 starts the inching operation in step S41.

[0101] In addition, you can set Figure 9 The moving speed V of the robot 12 (end effector 26) during the inching operation started in step S41 is I The time required for the robot 12 to inch the movement amounts M1, M2, and M3 determined by the processor 54 in step S15 is used as the threshold value t for determining the movement amounts M1, M2, and M3 in step S23. p1 , t p2 , t p3 This can prevent the robot 12 from inching the movement amounts M1, M2, and M3 after step S41 is started before the inching motion parameters are determined in step S23.

[0102] Next, refer to Figure 10 , another example of the inching motion process executed by the processor 54 of the robot system 50 is described. Figure 10 In the process shown, Figure 8 The same steps are marked with the same step numbers in the flow chart, and repeated descriptions are omitted. Figure 3The process is the same as that of the jog mode. When the jog mode start command is received, the Figure 10 The processor 54 starts detecting the operating force HF in step S1.

[0103] In step S51, the processor 54 determines the most recently acquired detection value HF V Is it the predetermined threshold HF th6 Above (HF V ≥HF th6 ). The threshold HF th6 The threshold HF is determined in advance by the operator and stored in the memory 40. th6 It can be the lower limit HF th1 (Or, threshold HF th3 , HF th4 or HF th5 ) can be the same value or different values.

[0104] Processor 54 in HF V ≥HF th6 If it is determined to be "yes", the process proceeds to step S41. On the other hand, in HF V <HF th6 If the determination is "No", the process proceeds to step S6. In step S41, the processor 54 starts to move the end effector 26 of the robot 12 in the direction of the operating force HF. D Moving inching action.

[0105] In step S52, the processor 54 functions as the parameter determination unit 58 and uses the direction HF of the operating force HF. D , the target direction TD of the robot 12, and the target movement amount TM of the robot 12 in the target direction TD are used to perform predetermined calculations, thereby determining the movement amount M as an inching motion parameter.

[0106] Below, refer to Figure 11 When the robot 12 is inching according to the operating force HF, it is sometimes desirable to inch the end effector 26 of the robot 12 so that the movement amount in the predetermined target direction TD becomes the predetermined target movement amount TM.

[0107] For example, Figure 11 In the example shown, the target direction TD is determined as the robot coordinate system C R The target movement amount TM is determined by the operator to be a value such as 1 mm. Information on the target direction TD and the target movement amount TM is stored in advance in the memory 40.

[0108] In this embodiment, the processor 54 obtains the direction HF of the operating force HF detected by the force sensor 14. D Then calculate the HF in this direction D Then, the direction HF is determined from the formula M = TM / sinθ based on the angle θ and the target movement amount TM. D The movement amount M of the end effector 26 of the robot 12.

[0109] Assume that the processor 54 moves the end effector 26 in the direction HF by the amount M determined by the above calculation. D When moving, the end effector 26 moves in the target direction TD ( Figure 11 In the example shown, the amount of movement in the negative direction of the z-axis is consistent with the target movement amount TM. D , target direction TD and target movement amount TM to perform predetermined calculations to determine the movement amount M.

[0110] Then, in step S42, the processor 54 determines whether the movement amount L of the robot 12 (specifically, the end effector 26) during the inching operation started in step S41 is consistent with the movement amount M determined in step S52. If the determination in step S42 is "yes," the processor 54 stops the inching operation of the robot 12 in step S43.

[0111] As described above, in this embodiment, the processor 54 performs a predetermined calculation while the robot 12 is inching, thereby determining the movement amount M, which serves as an inching parameter. With this configuration, the robot 12 can be inched so that the movement amount of the robot 12 (specifically, the end effector 26) in the target direction TD matches the predetermined target movement amount TM.

[0112] In addition, Figure 10 In the illustrated flow, the processor 54 may execute step S52 after step S51 to determine the movement amount M, and then execute step S41. In this case, the processor 54 starts the inching operation in step S41 after determining the movement amount M.

[0113] In addition, the processor 54 executes the above Figure 8 、 Figure 9 ,or Figure 10 When the process is executed, the change acquisition unit 44 functions as the change acquisition unit 44, and the Figure 3 In this case, the processor 54 may execute step S2 after step S1, Figure 8 Step S12, Figure 9 Step S21, or Figure 10 After step S51, execute step S4.

[0114] In the robot system 50, the processor 54 functions as a parameter determination unit 58, and can determine, as an inching motion parameter, not only the movement amount M but also the movement direction D in which the robot 12 (specifically, the end effector 26) is moved during the inching motion. I The processor 54 executes Figure 5 、 Figure 6 or Figure 7 The process of moving direction D can be determined from this I .

[0115] For example, the above setting mode start instruction includes a movement amount setting mode start instruction and a direction setting mode start instruction. When the processor 54 receives the movement amount setting mode start instruction, it executes the above Figure 5 、 Figure 6 or Figure 7 On the other hand, when the direction setting mode start command is received, the Figure 5 、 Figure 6 or Figure 7 The process to determine the moving direction D I .

[0116] To determine the direction of movement D I And execute Figure 5 In the process of step S15, the processor 54 processes the time t th Detected test value HF V (Maximum HF V_MAX , integral value ∫[HF V ]dt, or average HF V_AVE ), to determine the moving direction D as the jog action parameter I .

[0117] As an example, the processor 54 may detect the value HF V The maximum value of HF V_MAX HF th3 <HF V_MAX ≤HF V_MAX1 When the moving direction D I Determine the robot coordinate system C R In the x-axis direction, in HF V_MAX1 <HF V_MAX ≤HF V_MAX2 When the moving direction D I Determine the robot coordinate system C R In the y-axis direction, in HF V_MAX2 <HF V_MAX ≤HF V_MAX3 When the moving direction D IDetermine the robot coordinate system C R Thus, the operator A can intuitively set the moving direction D by changing the magnitude of the operating force HF applied to the operating unit 28. I .

[0118] On the other hand, in order to determine the moving direction D I And execute Figure 6 In the process of step S23, the processor 54 calculates the time according to the elapsed time t P To determine the direction of movement D I Specifically, the processor 54 may store the elapsed time t in the memory 40 when the determination in step S22 is “yes”. P t p1 <t p ≤t p2 When the moving direction D I Determine the robot coordinate system C R In the x-axis direction, at t p2 <t p ≤t p3 When the moving direction D I Determine the robot coordinate system C R In the y-axis direction, at t p3 <t p ≤t p4 When the moving direction D I Determine the robot coordinate system C R Thus, the operator A can intuitively set the moving direction D by changing the time for which the operating force HF is continuously applied to the operating portion 28. I .

[0119] On the other hand, in order to determine the moving direction D I And execute Figure 7 In the process of step S36, the processor 54 determines the moving direction D according to the counted number n. I Specifically, the processor 54 may change the moving direction D to I Determine the robot coordinate system C R In the x-axis direction, when the number n=n2, the moving direction D I Determine the robot coordinate system C R In the y-axis direction, when the number n=n3, the moving direction D I Determine the robot coordinate system C R Thus, the operator A can intuitively set the moving direction D by changing the number of times the operation unit 28 is clicked. I .

[0120] Furthermore, the processor 54 may be configured to switch the setting mode between the movement amount setting mode and the direction setting mode based on input information from the operator A. For example, the operator A operates the input device 17 to input information selecting either the movement amount setting mode or the direction setting mode. Based on the input information from the operator A, the input device 17 transmits a command to start the movement amount setting mode or a command to start the direction setting mode to the processor 38.

[0121] The processor 38 executes the command from the input device 17. Figure 5 、 Figure 6 or Figure 7 The process determines the movement amount M or movement direction D I In this case, the input device 17 may include a button or a switch provided on the operation unit 28 for selecting one of the movement amount setting mode and the direction setting mode.

[0122] In this way, the processor 54 can predetermine the movement amount M and the movement direction D I Afterwards, when the processor 54 receives the inch motion mode start instruction, it functions as the change acquisition unit 44 and the inch motion execution unit 46 to execute Figure 3 The process shown in the figure. Figure 3 In step S5, the processor 54 moves the robot 12 in a predetermined moving direction D I , move a predetermined amount M.

[0123] In addition, the robot system 50 shifts to the setting mode, and the movement amount M and the movement direction D are determined as the inching motion parameters. I When the force sensor 14 repeatedly detects the operating force HF, the processor 54 can determine the movement amount M and the movement direction D according to the different times of detecting the operating force HF. I .

[0124] For example, after the processor 54 receives the setting mode start command and starts the setting mode, when the force sensor 14 repeatedly detects the operating force HF, the processor 54 functions as the parameter determination unit 58 and determines the detection value HF of the operating force HF detected a predetermined number of times. V , or the detection value HF V Continuously exceeds the predetermined threshold HF th4 Time t P , to determine the movement amount M, the direction HF of the operating force HF detected at a number of times different from the predetermined number D Determine the moving direction D I .

[0125] Specifically, it is assumed that the operator A applies the operating force HF to the operating unit 28 twice in total. In this case, the processor 54 executes the operation force HF detected by the force sensor 14 for the first time. Figure 5 In the process of steps S12 to S15, according to the detection value HF V To determine the movement amount M. Instead, regarding the operation force HF detected for the first time by the force sensor 14, the processor 54 executes Figure 6 In the process of steps S21 to S23, according to the detection value HF V Continuously exceeding the HF threshold th4 Time t P , the movement amount M can be determined.

[0126] On the other hand, the processor 54 converts the direction HF of the operating force HF detected by the force sensor 14 for the second time into D Determine the moving direction D of the robot 12 when jogging I In this way, when the force sensor 14 repeatedly detects the operating force HF, the processor 54 determines the movement amount M and the movement direction D according to the operating force HF detected at the predetermined number of times. I According to this structure, the operator A can intuitively set the movement amount M and the movement direction D arbitrarily. I .

[0127] In addition, Figure 3 Step S5 in the above embodiment causes the robot 12 (end effector 26) to move in the direction D of inch motion. I , can be predetermined as a direction along the movement path of the robot 12. This movement path is predetermined, for example, by a computer program, as a movement path from the first teaching point TP1 to the second teaching point TP2. In this case, the movement path is a straight line or a curve, and the movement amount M can be determined as the total distance in the direction along the movement path.

[0128] Furthermore, during the inching operation in step S5 or S41, the processor 38 or 54 may change the posture of the end effector 26 instead of moving the end effector 26 of the robot 12 (or while moving the end effector 26). For example, the processor 38 or 54 may cause the end effector 26 to move around the robot coordinate system C R The direction D of the x-axis, y-axis, or z-axis (or the tool coordinate system set for the end effector 26 or other coordinate system) P , the movement amount M determined by the rotation P (angle), thereby changing the posture of the end effector 26.

[0129] In this case, the processor 54 functions as the parameter determination unit 58 and executes Figure 5 、 Figure 6 or Figure 7 The flow shown in FIG. 1 can determine the movement amount M for changing the posture of the end effector 26 as the inching motion parameter. P and direction D P For example, in order to determine the direction D in which the posture is changed P And execute Figure 5 In the process of FIG. 1 , in step S15, the processor 54 performs the following operations according to the time t th Detected test value HF V (Maximum HF V_MAX , integral value ∫[HF V ]dt, or average HF V_AVE ), to determine the direction D as the jog action parameter P .

[0130] As an example, the processor 54 detects the value HF V The maximum value of HF V_MAX HF th3 <HF V_MAX ≤HF V_MAX1 When the direction D P Determined to be around the robot coordinate system C R The x-axis direction in HF V_MAX1 <HF V_MAX ≤HF V_MAX2 When the direction D P Determined to be around the robot coordinate system C R The direction of the y-axis in HF V_MAX2 <HF V_MAX ≤HF V_MAX3 When the direction D P Determined to be around the robot coordinate system C R Similarly, the processor 54 can detect the direction of the z-axis according to the detection value HF V , to determine the movement amount M as the inch action parameter P .

[0131] Furthermore, it can be understood that by executing Figure 6 or Figure 7 As shown in the process, the processor 54 can P Or the number n determines the movement amount M P and direction D P According to this structure, the operator A can intuitively set the direction D in which the posture of the end effector 26 is changed during the inching operation. P and the movement amount M P .

[0132] In the above embodiment, the force sensor 14 is described as being disposed between the base 34 and the operating unit 28. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the force sensor 14 may be disposed at any location on the robot 12 that is closer to the base end than the operating unit 28 (that is, closer to the robot base 18). For example, the force sensor 14 may be disposed on the robot arm 22 or on the robot base 18.

[0133] In addition, the force sensor 14 is not limited to a 6-axis force sensor, and may be composed of, for example, a plurality of torque sensors capable of detecting the torque around the drive shaft of the robot 12, or may be any other type of force sensor. Figure 2 The robot system 10 shown in FIG. 1 may omit the change acquisition unit 44. In this case, Figure 3 In step S4 shown, if the processor 38 makes a "yes" determination in step S3, the process proceeds to step S5.

[0134] Furthermore, the robot 12 is not limited to a vertical multi-joint robot, but may be any type of robot such as a horizontal multi-joint robot or a parallel link robot. The present disclosure has been described above through embodiments, but the above embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention to which the patent protection is requested.

Claims

1. A robot system, characterized in that: have: A robot having an operating portion; a force sensor configured to detect an operating force applied to the operating portion; an inching motion execution unit that starts an inching motion to move the robot by a determined movement amount when the operating force detected by the force sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and a parameter determination unit that determines an inching motion parameter including the movement amount based on a detection value detected by the force sensor when the inching motion execution unit executes the inching motion; When the amount of movement of the robot after starting the inching operation reaches the amount of movement determined by the parameter determination unit, the inching operation execution unit stops the inching operation.

2. The robot system according to claim 1, wherein: The inching operation executing unit does not execute the inching operation when the detection value of the operation force detected by the force sensor is smaller than a predetermined lower limit value or larger than a predetermined upper limit value.

3. The robot system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The robot system further includes a change acquisition unit that acquires a degree of change in the detection value of the operating force detected by the force sensor. When the degree of change is smaller than a predetermined lower limit value, or when the degree of change is larger than a predetermined upper limit value, the jog operation execution unit does not execute the jog operation.

4. The robot system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: During the inching operation, the inching operation execution unit moves the robot in the direction of the operating force detected by the force sensor, or in a direction deviated from the direction of the operating force by a predetermined angle.

5. The robot system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The parameter determination unit determines the inching operation parameter based on the detection value of the operation force detected by the force sensor, or The parameter determination unit determines the inching motion parameter according to a time period during which the detection value continues to exceed a predetermined threshold value.

6. A robot system, characterized in that: have: A robot having an operating portion; a force sensor configured to detect an operating force applied to the operating portion; an inching motion execution unit that executes an inching motion to move the robot by a determined movement amount based on the operation force detected by the force sensor; and a parameter determination unit that determines inching motion parameters based on the operating force detected by the force sensor, the inching motion parameters including the movement amount and the movement direction of the robot during the inching motion; When the force sensor repeatedly detects the operating force, the parameter determination unit performs the following operations: determining the movement amount as the inching motion parameter based on the detection value of the operating force detected a predetermined number of times or the time during which the detection value continues to exceed a predetermined threshold; The direction of the operating force detected at a number of times different from the predetermined number of times is determined as the moving direction as the inching motion parameter.

7. A robot system, characterized in that: have: A robot having an operating portion; a force sensor configured to detect an operating force applied to the operating portion; an inching motion execution unit that executes an inching motion to move the robot by a determined movement amount based on the operation force detected by the force sensor; and a parameter determination unit that determines an inching motion parameter based on a detection value of the operating force detected by the force sensor, wherein the inching motion parameter includes the movement amount, The inching motion execution unit moves the robot in the direction of the operating force detected by the force sensor during the inching motion. The parameter determination unit performs a predetermined calculation using the angle between the direction of the operating force and a predetermined target direction and the target movement amount as a component of the movement amount in the direction of the operating force in the target direction, thereby determining the movement amount as the inching motion parameter.

8. A method for controlling a robot having an operating unit, characterized in that: detecting an operating force applied to the operating portion by a force sensor, When the operating force detected by the force sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, an inching operation is started to move the robot by a predetermined movement amount. When the inching motion is executed, an inching motion parameter including the movement amount is determined based on the detection value detected by the force sensor, and the inching motion is stopped when the movement amount of the robot reaches the determined movement amount after the inching motion is started.

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