Modular machine automation system and client module

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine automation system comprising a server module and a plurality of client modules. Each client module comprises a client module housing having: a first client module connection side, which has a first client signal transfer unit with a first client signal transmission unit and a first client signal receiving unit; a second client module connection side, which has a second client signal transmission unit and a second client signal receiving unit; and a client bus switch-on unit. A client signal coupling unit in the client bus switch-on unit of the client module is designed to determine, in an initialisation mode, which client module connection side is connected to a server module connection side directly or via one or more further client modules, in order to switch into a first operating mode if the first client module connection side is coupled to the server module connection side directly or via one or more further client modules and to switch into a second operating mode if the second client module connection side is coupled to the server module connection side directly or via one or more further client modules

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Modular machine automation system and client module

[0003] The invention relates to a modular machine automation system, in particular a modular robot, and a client module for a modular machine automation system.

[0004] The patent application claims priority from German patent application 10 2022 115 314.2, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

[0005] The objective of automation technology (implementation, measurement, control / regulation, communication, human-machine interface, safety, etc.) is to enable machines to operate independently and without human intervention. The degree of automation (ratio of automated production steps to all production steps) in a machine increases the more independent the respective machine is from human intervention. The aim of automation technology is to relieve humans of dangerous, strenuous, or monotonous tasks, improve machine quality, increase machine performance, or reduce machine costs.

[0006] Robots are an integral part of industrial automation. A robot is a programmable machine for handling, assembling, or processing workpieces. The robot generally comprises a robot base, a robot arm (manipulator) with a plurality of mutually pivoting and rotatable proximal (toward a robot base) and distal (away from the robot base) arm segments, an (end) effector (robot hand, tool, gripper, etc.), and a controller. When programmed, the robot is capable of performing a workflow autonomously or modifying the execution of a task depending on information from sensors usually located on the robot.

[0007] For communication in automation technology, the so-called Local Area Network (LAN) is commonly used. This is a spatially limited network in which the various network participants are connected wirelessly, optically, electrically, and / or optoelectrically. The LAN is often designed as a serial network, with all network participants interconnected via a bus.

[0008] Data exchange on the bus is often carried out in the form of datagrams, also known as telegrams. Telegrams consist of control data and payload data. The Ethernet standard is generally used as the protocol for controlling data exchange on the bus, allowing telegrams with a length of up to 1500 bytes while simultaneously achieving high transmission speeds of up to 10 Gbit / s.

[0009] When it comes to bus participants, a distinction is generally made between server units and client units. The server units are the control units that have bus access authorization and determine data transfer on the bus. The server units are therefore the source of the telegrams sent and circulating over the bus. The client units are machine devices or fieldbus devices that do not have bus access authorization, i.e. they are only allowed to acknowledge received telegrams or transmit telegrams to the server unit upon request. The client units can read data from the telegrams circulating on the bus and / or write data to the telegrams circulating on the bus. For data exchange between the client units and the circulating telegrams, the client units often use an area within the telegrams that is permanently assigned by the server units of the respective client units.

[0010] The bus of the machine automation system often has a ring structure in which the individual client units are connected to a line along the transmission path, with each client unit connected to two neighbors, and the first and last client units in the ring connected to the server unit. The connection between the last client unit and the server unit can be established either via a return channel through the described line via all previous client units and / or via a direct connection between the last client unit and the server unit.

[0011] Machines, and especially robots, are increasingly being designed modularly. Standardized machine components enable simplified assembly and expansion. Uniform module interfaces can also significantly reduce the coupling effort. In modular machines that comprise multiple drive axes controlled via a serial bus system, the drive axes are often distributed across different modules. The individual machine modules then house an actuator (e.g., a servo drive), including an adjustment unit (e.g., a motor), and a bus interface unit.

[0012] In order to link the machine modules together via the bus, the machine modules are designed so that signals can be exchanged with another module across at least two connection sides. Since the signal processing unit in the bus connection unit of the machine modules often has a fixed signal processing input interface or signal processing output interface, it is then necessary to connect the connection sides of the machine client modules in a specified order, starting from the machine server module, to ensure the desired signal flow through the signal processing unit in the bus connection unit of the machine client modules.

[0013] It is often desirable to be able to assemble the machine client modules with a freely selectable arrangement of the connection sides in order to achieve a specific machine design or a specific machine functionality. In modular robots, for example, the module housings are often L-shaped with a short and a long cylindrical housing section, each with a connection side on the front. The reach of the robot arm can then be determined by the arrangement of long and short module housing sections. However, the provision of a serial bus system with a bus connection unit in the robot arm modules, whose signal processing unit has a fixed signal processing input interface or signal processing output interface, prevents such individual assembly.

[0014] The object of the invention is to provide a modular automation system, in particular a modular robot with a serial bus, in which a server module and a plurality of client modules can be freely arranged, even if the signal processing unit in the client modules prescribes a fixed signal processing input interface or signal processing output interface. Furthermore, the object of the invention is to provide a corresponding client module for the modular machine automation system. This object is achieved with a modular automation system or a client module for the modular machine automation system according to the independent claims. Further developments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0015] A modular machine automation system comprises a server module and a plurality of client modules. The server module comprises a server module housing with a server module connection side, which has a server signal transfer unit with a server signal transmitting unit and a server signal receiving unit, as well as a server signal processing unit. A signal output interface of the server signal processing unit is connected to the server signal transmitting unit, and a signal input interface of the server signal processing unit is connected to the server signal receiving unit to transmit signals.Each client module comprises a client module housing with a first client module connection side, which has a first client signal transfer unit with a first client signal transmitting unit and a first client signal receiving unit, a second client module connection side, which has a second client signal transfer unit with a second client signal transmitting unit and a second client signal receiving unit, and a client bus connection unit, which has a client signal coupling unit and a client signal processing unit. A signal processing input interface and a signal processing output interface of the client signal processing unit are connected to the client signal coupling unit. The client signal coupling unit is connected to the first client signal transmitting unit, the first client signal receiving unit, the second client signal transmitting unit, and the second client signal receiving unit.In a first operating mode, the client signal coupling unit couples the first client signal receiving unit to a signal processing input interface of the client signal processing unit and the second client signal transmitting unit to a signal processing output interface of the client signal processing unit, and in a second operating mode, the second client signal receiving unit to the signal processing input interface of the client signal processing unit and the first client signal transmitting unit to the signal processing output interface of the client signal processing unit in order to transmit signals.The first and second client module connection sides of each client module are each connectable to the server module connection side or the first and second client module connection sides of another client module in order to couple the client signal transfer unit of the client module connection side of the client module to the server signal transfer unit of the server module connection side or the client signal transfer unit of the connected client module connection side of the another client module in order to transmit signals.The client signal coupling unit in the client bus connection unit of the client module is designed to determine in an initialization mode which client module connection side is connected to the server module connection side directly or via one or more further client modules, in order to switch to the first operating mode when the first client module connection side is coupled to the server module connection side directly or via one or more further client modules, and to switch to the second operating mode when the second client module connection side is coupled to the server module connection side directly or via one or more further client modules.

[0016] The client signal coupling unit in the client module allows for a freely selectable arrangement of the client module's connection sides when assembling the modular machine automation system. The client signal coupling unit in the client module's bus connection unit ensures that, regardless of how the client module's connection sides are arranged in the chain when assembling the modular machine, a two-channel, ring-shaped transmission path is created, ensuring that the signal passes through the signal processing unit in the client module's bus connection unit on one of the two channels in the desired order.

[0017] In the modular machine automation system, the server signal transfer unit can comprise a server control signal transfer unit, the first client signal transfer unit can comprise a first client control signal transfer unit, and the second client signal transfer unit can comprise a second client control signal transfer unit. The server control signal transfer unit is connected to the server signal processing unit, and the first and second client control signal transfer units are connected to the client signal coupling unit.In the initialization mode, the server signal processing unit is designed to output a control signal, and the client signal coupling unit is designed to receive and forward the control signal, wherein the client signal coupling unit is further designed to determine from which of the client signal transfer units the control signal was received in order to define the client module connection side that is connected to the server module connection side directly or via one or more further client modules as the client module connection side that includes the client signal transfer unit with the client signal transfer unit on which the control signal was received.With the additional control signal transmission in an initialization mode, the client signal coupling unit in the client bus connection unit of the client module can easily determine which client module connection side is connected to the server module connection side directly or via one or more additional client modules.

[0018] The control signal can be a high-low level signal, which enables a simple design of the control signal transmission.

[0019] The client signal coupling device can comprise a first switch and a second switch, each comprising at least one 2-to-1 multiplexer. This design allows for easy switching between the first and second operating modes.

[0020] The client signal processing unit may have a signal amplification path with a signal processing input interface and a signal amplification input interface. The first switch then comprises a first input switch and a first output switch, and the second switch then comprises a second input switch and a second output switch. A first input of the first input switch is connected to the first client signal receiving unit, a second input of the first input switch is connected to the second client signal receiving unit, and an output of the first input switch is connected to the signal processing input interface of the client signal processing unit.A first input of the second input switch is connected to the second client signal receiving unit, a second input of the second input switch is connected to the first client signal receiving unit, and an output of the second input switch is connected to a signal amplification input interface of the client signal processing unit. An input of the first output switch is connected to a signal amplification output interface of the client signal processing unit, a first output of the first output switch is connected to the first client signal transmitting unit, and a second output of the first output switch is connected to the second client signal transmitting unit.An input of the second output switch is connected to the signal processing output interface of the client signal processing unit, a first output of the second output switch is connected to the second client signal transmission unit, and a second output of the second output switch is connected to the first client signal transmission unit. The signal amplification path in the client signal processing unit can be used to refresh the signal of the processed telegram on the return channel. The design of the client signal coupling unit ensures that, regardless of how the connection sides of the client modules are arranged in the chain during assembly of the modular machine, the signal amplification path is guaranteed by the signal processing unit in the bus connection unit of the client modules on the return channel.

[0021] The modular machine automation system can be designed as a modular robot, wherein a robot arm is composed of a plurality of arm modules, wherein one or more arm modules each form a client module.

[0022] The majority of arm modules can be divided into active arm modules and passive arm modules. The active arm modules each have a drive device by means of which a further arm module can be connected to it and pivoted, rotated, and / or rotated. This design enables a particularly simple and flexible robot arm to be assembled.

[0023] In the active arm module, the first connection side can be designed to be controllably rotatable relative to the second connection side about a rotation axis, wherein the first connection side is arranged on the arm module so that it can rotate about the rotation axis, and the second connection side is arranged on the arm module so that it cannot rotate. A rotation transmission device for signals, energy, and / or fluid can be provided in the active arm module to optically, electrically, and / or fluidically connect the first connection side to the second connection side.

[0024] The above possible design of the active arm module ensures essentially unlimited rotatability of the first connection side.

[0025] The figures show:

[0026] Fig. 1 shows a modular robot in a three-dimensional side view;

[0027] Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the modular robot of Fig. 1; and

[0028] Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a client module. The drawing only shows those spatial sections of an object of the invention that are necessary for understanding the invention.

[0029] The invention is explained in more detail below using a modular robot. Although the invention is described and illustrated in more detail by the embodiment, the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment, but is of a more fundamental nature. The invention can generally be used in modularly constructed machines that are controlled by automation systems in which a bus interface unit is arranged in individual machine modules, the signal processing unit of which has a fixed signal processing input interface or signal processing output interface, wherein the connection sides of the machine modules, via which signals are transmitted between machine modules, can be freely combined.

[0030] Fig. 1 shows a modular robot comprising a robot base 1, a robot arm 2 and an interchangeable (end) effector (not shown) with a tool, a gripper, etc., arranged at a distal end 7 of the robot arm 2.

[0031] The robot arm 2 is modularly constructed with a plurality of arm modules—eight arm modules in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1—where a distinction is made between active arm modules 5 and passive arm modules 6. An active arm module 5 has a drive device 13, by means of which a further arm module that can be connected to it can be pivoted, turned, and / or rotated. A passive arm module 6, in contrast, has no drive device.

[0032] The arm modules are designed in such a way that signals, energy, and / or fluids can be exchanged with the other arm modules via the first connection side or the second connection side. The first connection side is mechanically, optically, electrically, and / or fluidically connected to the second connection side.

[0033] The active arm modules 5 of the robot arm 2 in Fig. 1 have an L-shaped housing, whereas the housing of the passive arm modules 6 of the robot arm 2 has an I-shape. The active arm modules 5 each have a first connection side on the front side and a second connection side on the longitudinal body side. The two connection sides of the passive arm module 6 are each designed on the front side. Instead of an L-shape for the active arm module 5 or an I-shape for the passive arm module 6, other geometric housing shapes can also be used.

[0034] With the exception of the robot base 1 and the effector at the distal end 7, the arm modules are designed such that two connectors of two arm modules can always be connected to each other. This means that a first connector side of any arm module can be connected to a second connector side of any other arm module, or vice versa.

[0035] The first connection side and the second connection side of the arm module each have a uniform contact layout. However, it is also possible to configure the first connection side and the second connection side of the arm module with complementary contact layouts. To achieve great flexibility in assembling the arm modules, for example, the two connection sides of the active arm modules are designed complementarily (male and female), whereas the two connection sides of the passive arm modules are designed analogously (male or female).

[0036] In the active arm module 5, the first connection side is designed to be controllably rotatable relative to the second connection side about a rotation axis. The first connection side can be mounted on the arm module so that it can rotate about the rotation axis, while the second connection side is mounted on the arm module so that it can rotate. However, the first and second connection sides can also swap positions.

[0037] The first connection side of the active arm module 5 is rotated by the drive device 13. The drive device 13 can be designed as an electric motor with an outer stator and an inner rotor mounted for rotation about the rotation axis, wherein the rotor is connected to the first connection side in a torque-locking manner. The stator is then rotationally connected to the housing.

[0038] Furthermore, a gear unit can be provided in the active arm module 5 to convert the input speed of the electric motor on the input side of the gear unit into an output speed on the output side of the gear unit. The drive device 13 can then have a hollow shaft and an output shaft. The hollow shaft and the output shaft are each rotatably mounted about the rotation axis, with the output shaft being rotatably received in the hollow shaft. The hollow shaft is then rotationally connected to the input side of the gear unit. Furthermore, the output side of the gear unit is rotationally connected to the output shaft. The first connection side of the active arm module 5 can then be rotationally connected to the output shaft of the drive device 13.

[0039] The active arm module 5 can have a rotation transmission device for signals, energy, and / or fluid in the housing to optically, electrically, and / or fluidically connect the first connection side to the second connection side. The rotation transmission device can be a slip ring device arranged between the output shaft of the drive device and the housing.

[0040] The robot arm 2 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 has six rotational degrees of freedom. Any number of complete and partial revolutions of a respective arm module of the robot arm 2 can be performed in both circumferential directions of a respective rotation axis. It is also possible to design a respective rotation axis as a pivot axis or rotation axis, i.e., to restrict the movement of the respective arm module to a specific angle.

[0041] Sensors can be assigned to an arm module or a respective rotation axis of the arm module, the data from which can be used to control the corresponding arm module or the robot arm 2. For example, a force and / or torque sensor and a position sensor can be provided, with which a force and / or torque on the arm module as well as a position of the arm module can be detected. This can also be limited to a section or a longitudinal end section of the robot arm 2, if necessary.

[0042] In Fig. 1, the active arm modules 5 and the passive arm modules 6 are each provided with an additional number separated by a dot for differentiation, whereby the arm modules of the robot arm 2 are numbered starting from the robot base 1 in the direction of the distal end 7.

[0043] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, a first active arm module 5.1 is connected to the robot base 1 at the first connection side. The first connection side of a second active arm module 5.2 is connected to the second connection side of the first active arm module 5.1. A first passive arm module 6.1 is arranged between the second active arm module 5.2 and a third active arm module 5.3, connecting the second connection side of the second active arm module 5.2 to the second connection side of the third active arm module 5.3.

[0044] The second connection side of a fourth active arm module 5.4 is connected to the first connection side of the third active arm module 5.3. The first connection side of the fourth active arm module 5.4 is connected to the second connection side of a fifth active arm module 5.5 via a second passive arm module 6.2. The second connection side of a sixth active arm module 5.6 is connected to the first connection side of the fifth active arm module 5.5, the first connection side of which then forms the distal end 7 of the robot arm 2.

[0045] For communication in modular machines, such as the modular robot shown in Fig. 1, so-called local area networks (LANs) are used, in which the various modules are linked together via signals. The LAN is designed as a serial network, with all modules interconnected via a bus.

[0046] Data exchange on the bus is carried out in the form of datagrams, also known as telegrams. Telegrams consist of control data and user data. The Ethernet standard is generally used as the protocol for controlling data exchange on the bus, allowing telegrams with a length of up to 1500 bytes while simultaneously achieving high transmission speeds of up to 10 Gbit / s. However, non-Ethernet-based protocols such as the CANOpen protocol can also be used.

[0047] Access to the bus is organized hierarchically. The machine control units are the server modules that determine telegram traffic on the bus. The machine function devices are the client modules, which do not have bus access authorization. The client modules can exchange data with the telegrams on the bus, acknowledge received telegrams, or transmit telegrams to the server unit upon request.

[0048] The individual client modules of the modular machine are interconnected via a bus chain, with each client module connected to two neighbors, the first client module and the last client module in the chain, and then to the server module. Data is transmitted in one direction: from the server module to the first client module, from there to the last client module, and then back to the server module.

[0049] The ring-shaped transmission path is designed with two channels. Transmission takes place in such a way that the telegram output by the server module is forwarded on a first outbound channel from the first client module to the last client module, with each client module, using the bus interface unit provided in the client module, carrying out the desired data exchange with the telegram as it passes through. The last client module then couples the processed telegram back to a second return channel, with each client module then simply forwarding the telegram and the first client module finally transmitting the telegram to the server module. However, it is also possible for telegram processing to be carried out on the second return channel instead of the first outbound channel. In the following, however, it is assumed that first outbound channel telegram processing takes place.

[0050] In the case of a two-channel ring-shaped transmission path, if the signal processing unit in the bus connection unit of the client modules has a fixed signal processing input interface or signal processing output interface, it is necessary to connect the connection sides of the client module starting from the server module in such a way that the telegram flow is ensured in the direction specified by the signal processing input interface or the signal processing output interface of the signal processing unit in the bus connection unit, i.e. on the first outgoing channel.

[0051] To enable a freely selectable arrangement of the connection sides of the client module when assembling the modular machine, each client module has a client signal coupling unit. The signal processing input interface and the signal processing output interface of the client signal processing unit of the bus interface unit are then connected to the client signal coupling unit.

[0052] The client signal coupling unit is then designed such that, depending on which client module connection side is connected to the server module connection side directly or via one or more further client modules, an operating mode of the client signal coupling unit is switched in which the client signal receiving unit of the client signal transfer unit of this client module connection side is connected to a signal processing input interface of the client signal processing unit, whereas the client signal transmitting unit of the client signal transfer unit of the further client module connection side is connected to the signal processing output interface of the client signal processing unit.

[0053] The client signal coupling unit in the bus connection unit of the client module thus ensures that, regardless of how the connection sides of the client modules are arranged in the chain when assembling the modular machine, a two-channel ring-shaped transmission path is formed in which the telegram passage through the signal processing unit in the bus connection unit of the client modules is ensured on the first outgoing channel.

[0054] In order for the client signal coupling unit in the client bus connection unit of the client module to be able to determine which client module connection side is connected to the server module connection side directly or via one or more additional client modules, an additional control signal transmission can be provided in an initialization mode.

[0055] The server module is then designed to output a control signal in initialization mode, either directly on the ring-shaped transmission path or via an additional control signal transmission path. The client signal coupling unit of the client modules is then designed to receive and forward the control signal, with the client signal coupling unit further being designed to determine on which of the client module connection sides the control signal was received. The client module connection side thus determined is then the client module connection side that the client signal coupling unit switches when selecting the operating mode such that the client signal receiving unit of the client signal transfer unit of the client module connection side is connected to a signal processing input interface of the client signal processing unit.

[0056] A possible structure of the server module or the client modules of a modular machine is shown for the embodiment of the modular robot from Fig. 1 in a schematic representation in Fig. 2. In Fig. 2, the basic module arrangement consisting of robot base 1, active arm modules 5 and passive arm modules 6 as well as distal end 7 is taken from the robot representation in Fig. 1. The robot base 1 forms the server module. However, the server module can also be arranged separately from the robot base of the modular robot, for example in a control cabinet. Furthermore, the server module can be provided at any location in the module arrangement of the robot arm.

[0057] The server module has a server module connection side 11 on a server module housing 10, which comprises a server signal transfer unit 20 with a server signal transmitting unit 21 and a server signal receiving unit 22. Furthermore, a server signal processing unit 30 is provided, wherein a signal output interface 31 of the server signal processing unit 30 is connected to the server signal transmitting unit 21 and a signal input interface 32 of the server signal processing unit 30 is connected to the server signal receiving unit 22 in order to transmit telegrams.

[0058] The server module further comprises in the server signal transfer unit 20 a server control signal transfer unit 23 which is connected to a control signal interface 33 of the server signal processing unit 30.

[0059] The arm modules of the robot arm 2 represent the client modules. Each arm module can be a client module. However, only the active arm modules 5 can also form the client modules. In the active arm module 5, the bus interface unit is then connected, for example, to an electronic control unit for controlling the drive device 13. The passive arm modules 6 can be designed without their own bus interface unit and then simply loop the telegrams through on the two-channel, ring-shaped transmission path. The passive arm modules 6 can also have their own bus interface unit, for example to transmit geometric data or status information from the passive arm modules 6 or data from a sensor system, an operator interface, or other devices connected to the passive arm modules to the server module.

[0060] Fig. 3 shows a schematic diagram of a client module. Each client module has a client module housing 50 with a first client module connection side 51, which includes a first client signal transfer unit 60, and a second client module connection side 52, which includes a second client signal transfer unit 70.

[0061] The first client module connection side 51 and the second client module connection side 52 are connectable to the server module connection side or the first and second client module connection side of a further client module in order to couple the client signal transfer unit of the client module connection side of the client module with the server signal transfer unit of the server module connection side or the client signal transfer unit of the connected client module connection side of the further client module in order to transmit telegrams.

[0062] Furthermore, a client bus connection unit 80 is arranged in the client module housing 50, which has a client signal coupling unit 81 and a client signal processing unit 82. The client signal processing unit 82 has a signal processing path with a signal processing input interface 821 and a signal processing output interface 822, on which the telegram is processed as it passes through.

[0063] Additionally, as shown in Fig. 3, a signal amplification path with a signal amplification output interface 824 and a signal amplification input interface 823 can be provided in the client signal processing unit 82 to perform signal refresh. However, no data exchange with the telegram is carried out on the signal amplification path in the client signal processing unit 82. However, a signal amplification path in the client signal processing unit 82 can also be omitted. The telegram is then routed past the client signal processing unit on its way back to the server module through the client modules.

[0064] The first client signal transfer unit 60 includes a first client signal receiving unit 61 and a first client signal transmitting unit 62. The second client signal transfer unit 70 includes a second client signal receiving unit 71 and a second client signal transmitting unit 72.

[0065] The first client signal transfer unit 60 has a first client control signal transfer unit 63 and the second client signal transfer unit 70 has a second client control signal transfer unit 73. The first client control signal transfer unit 63 and the second client control signal transfer unit 73 are connectable to the server control signal transfer unit of the server module connection side or to the first and second client module connection sides of another client module in order to couple the client control signal transfer unit of the client module connection side of the client module to the server control signal transfer unit of the server module connection side or to the client signal transfer unit of the connected client module connection side of the another client module in order to transmit control signals.

[0066] The client signal coupling unit 81 has a first switch 811 and a second switch 812. The first switch 811 comprises a first input switch 8111 and a first output switch 8112. The second switch 812 comprises a second input switch 8121 and a second output switch 8122. The first input switch 8111, the first output switch 8112, the second input switch 8121, and the second output switch 8122 are each designed as a 2-to-1 multiplexer. Furthermore, a control signal evaluation unit 813 is provided in the client signal coupling unit 81.

[0067] If only one signal processing path and no signal amplification path is provided in the client signal processing unit 82, the first switch and second switch can each have only a single switch. The telegram is then only routed through the client signal processing unit 82 on the outward path from the server module. On the return path to the server module, however, the telegram bypasses the client signal processing unit 82 in the client module.

[0068] The first and second client signal receiving and transmitting units 61, 62, 71, 72 of the first and second client signal transfer units 60, 70, the switches 811, 812 of the client signal coupling unit 81 and the client signal processing unit 82 are interconnected via a line network.

[0069] The first client signal receiving unit 61 is connected to a first input of the first input switch 8111 of the first switch 811. A second input of the first input switch 8111 of the first switch 811 is connected to the second client signal receiving unit 71. An output of the first input switch 8111 of the first switch 811 is further connected to the signal processing input interface 821 of the client signal processing unit 82.

[0070] The second input switch 8121 of the second switch 812 is connected with a first input to the second client signal receiving unit 71 and with a second input to the first client signal receiving unit 61. An output of the second input switch 8121 of the second switch 812 is connected to the signal amplification input interface 823 of the client signal processing unit 82. An input of the first output switch 8112 is connected to the signal amplification output interface 824 of the client signal processing unit 82. The first client signal transmitting unit 62 is further connected to a first output of the first output switch 8112 of the first switch 811. A second output of the first output switch 8112 of the first switch 811 is connected to the second client signal transmitting unit 72.

[0071] An input of the second output switch 8122 of the second switch 812 is connected to the signal processing output interface 822 of the client signal processing unit 82. The second output switch 8122 of the second switch 812 is connected with a first output to the second client signal transmission unit 72 and with a second output to the first client signal transmission unit 62.

[0072] In the robot configuration shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first connection side of the active arm module 5 is located on the long L-shaped housing section, and the second connection side is located on the short L-shaped housing section. In the passive I-shaped arm module 6, the first and second connection sides are located at the housing ends.

[0073] As the schematic diagram in Fig. 2 shows, the server module connection side 11 of the robot base 1 is connected to the first connection side of the first active arm module 5.1. The second connection side of the first active arm module 5.1 is connected to the first connection side of the second active arm module 5.2. The second connection side of the second active arm module 5.2 contacts the first connection side of the first passive arm module 6.1.

[0074] The second connection side of the passive arm module 6.1 is connected to the second connection side of the third active arm module 5.3. The first connection side of the third active arm module 5.3 contacts the second connection side of the fourth active arm module 5.4. The first connection side of the fourth active arm module 5.4 is connected to the first connection side of the second passive arm module 6.2.

[0075] The second connection side of the passive arm module 6.2 is connected to the second connection side of the fifth active arm module 5.5. The first connection side of the fifth active arm module 5.1 couples to the second connection side of the sixth active arm module 5.6. The first connection side of the sixth active arm module 5.6 forms the distal end 7 of the robot arm.

[0076] Assuming that only the active arm modules 5 are configured as client modules with a bus connection unit, the first connection sides 51 of the first active arm module 5.1 and the second active arm module 5.2 are connected to the server module connection side 11 of the robot base 1 directly or via interposed arm modules. For the third active arm module 5.3, the fourth active arm module 5.4, the fifth active arm module 5.5, and the sixth active arm module 5.6, the second connection side 52 is coupled to the server module connection side 11 of the robot base 1 via the interposed arm modules.

[0077] The client signal coupling unit 81 of the client bus connection unit 80 has two operating modes which are set by the first and second switches 811, 812, each of which has two 2-1 multiplexers.

[0078] In the first operating mode, the client signal coupling unit 81 couples the first client signal receiving unit 61 to the signal processing input interface 821 of the client signal processing unit 82 via the first and second switches 811, 812, and couples the second client signal transmitting unit 72 to the signal processing output interface 822 of the client signal processing unit 82.

[0079] The first input of the first input switch 81 11 of the first switch

[0080] 811 is switched to the output of the first input switch 811 of the first switch 811 to connect the first client signal receiving unit 61 to the signal processing input interface 821 of the client signal processing unit 82.

[0081] Furthermore, the input of the second output switch 8122 of the second switch

[0082] 812 is connected to the first output of the second output switch 8122 of the second switch 812 to connect the signal processing output interface 822 of the client signal processing unit 82 to the second client signal transmitting unit 72.

[0083] Furthermore, in the second input switch 8121 of the second switch 812, the first input is connected to the output in order to connect the second client signal receiving unit 71 to the signal amplification input interface 823 of the client signal processing unit 82. The input of the first output switch 8112 is coupled to the first output of the first output switch 8112 in order to connect the signal amplification output interface 824 of the client signal processing unit 82 to the first client signal transmitting unit 62.

[0084] In the second operating mode of the client signal coupling unit 81, the second client signal receiving unit 71 is connected to the signal processing input point 821 of the client signal processing unit 82 via the first and second changeover switches 811, 812, and the first client signal transmitting unit 62 is connected to the signal processing output interface 822 of the client signal processing unit 82.

[0085] The second input of the first input switch 81 11 of the first switch

[0086] 811 is switched to the output of the first input switch 811 of the first switch 811 to connect the second client signal receiving unit 71 to the signal processing input interface 821 of the client signal processing unit 82.

[0087] Furthermore, the input of the second output switch 8122 of the second switch

[0088] 812 is connected to the second output of the second output switch 8122 of the second switch 812 to connect the signal processing output interface 822 of the client signal processing unit 82 to the first client signal transmitting unit 62.

[0089] Furthermore, in the second input switch 8121 of the second switch 812, the second input is connected to the output in order to connect the first client signal receiving unit 61 to the signal amplification input interface 823 of the client signal processing unit 82.

[0090] The input of the first output switch 8112 is coupled to the second output of the first output switch 8112 to connect the signal amplification output interface 824 of the client signal processing unit 82 to the second client signal transmission unit 72.

[0091] For the telegram to pass through the modular robot, the operating mode in the individual active arm modules 5 is then set so that the telegram is sent to the client signal processing units 82 in the client bus connection unit of the active arm module on the first outgoing channel of the two-channel transmission path in the modular robot.

[0092] On the second return channel, the processed telegram is then looped through the client signal processing unit 82 of the active arm modules 5 for signal refresh. However, no data exchange with the telegram takes place in the client signal processing units 82.

[0093] The client signal coupling unit 81 in the first active arm module 5.1 and in the second active arm module 5.2 is thus in the first operating mode, in which the telegram flow occurs on the first outgoing channel from the first client module connection side 51 to the second client module connection side 52. In the third active arm module 5.3, the fourth active arm module 5.4, the fifth active arm module 5.5, and the sixth active arm module 5.6, the client signal coupling unit 81 of the corresponding active arm module is in the second operating mode, so that the first outgoing channel during the telegram flow runs from the second client module connection side 52 to the first client module connection side 51.

[0094] Data transmission in the modular robot occurs when the server signal processing unit 30 of the robot base 1 outputs a telegram via the server signal transmission unit 21. The telegram then passes successively through the first active arm module 5.1, the second active arm module 5.2, the first passive arm module 6.1, the third active arm module 5.3, the fourth active arm module 5.4, the second passive arm module 6.2, the fifth active arm module 5.5, and the sixth active arm module 5.6.

[0095] The telegram is processed in a run-through manner by the client signal processing units 82 of the active arm modules 5, whereas the telegram is only looped through by the passive arm modules 6. As explained, however, it is also possible to equip the passive arm modules 6 with bus interface units in order to be able to perform telegram processing in a run-through manner if necessary.

[0096] After the telegram has been processed by the sixth active arm module 5.6, the telegram is then fed back to the server signal receiving unit 22 of the robot base 1. As shown in Fig. 3, the telegram can pass through the client signal processing units 82 of the active arm modules 5 for signal refresh. However, no data exchange with the telegram takes place in the client signal processing units 82. In data terms, the telegram therefore passes through all the arm modules located between the sixth active arm module 5.6 and the robot base 1 without processing.

[0097] In order for the client signal coupling unit 81 in the client modules to be able to determine which client module connection side is connected to the server module connection side directly or via one or more further client modules, an additional initialization mode is provided in which the client signal coupling unit 81 of the respective client module determines whether the client signal coupling unit 81 is to be switched to the first or second operating mode in order to enable telegram processing on the first outgoing channel during the telegram pass on the two-channel ring-shaped transmission path.

[0098] In order for the client signal coupling unit 81 in the client module to determine which client module connection side is connected to the server module connection side via one or more intermediate client modules, a control signal is output to the connected client modules in initialization mode from the server signal processing unit 30 via the server control signal transfer unit 23. The control signal is then received in the first client module connected to the server module by the client control signal transfer unit coupled to the server control signal transfer unit 23 and forwarded to the client signal coupling unit 81 in the client module.

[0099] The client signal coupling unit 81 is then configured to determine whether the client control signal transfer unit on which the control signal was received is located on the first client module connection side 51 or the second client module connection side 52. The client module coupling unit 81 then sets the operating mode for the telegram pass such that the client module connection side on which the control signal was received is the client module connection side whose client signal receiving unit is connected to the signal processing input interface 821 of the client signal processing unit 82.

[0100] After the client signal coupling unit 82 has evaluated the control signal, the control signal is then forwarded via the client control signal transfer unit on the client connection side on which the control signal was not received to the next client module, which then carries out a corresponding evaluation in order to determine the client module connection side for the telegram reception on the first outgoing channel.

[0101] In the modular robot design shown in Fig. 3, the control signal transmission and evaluation takes place on a separate control line arrangement. The control signal is applied from the server signal processing unit 30 of the robot base 1 to the server control signal transfer unit 23 via the control signal interface 33.

[0102] The first active arm module 5.1 then receives the control signal via the first client control signal transfer unit 63 and forwards it to the control signal evaluation unit 813 of the client signal coupling unit 81 for control signal evaluation. The control signal evaluation unit 813 determines that the first client signal transfer unit 62 has received the control signal and then sets the first and second changeover switches 811, 812 of the client signal coupling unit 81 to the first operating mode, in which the first client signal receiving unit 61 is connected to the signal processing input interface 821 of the client signal processing unit 82 and the second client signal transmitting unit 72 is connected to the signal processing output interface 822 of the client signal processing unit 82.

[0103] The client control signal evaluation unit 813 of the first active arm module 5.1 then applies the control signal to the second client control signal transfer unit 73, whereupon the second active arm module 5.2 in turn receives the control signal via the first client control signal transfer unit 63. The second active arm module 5.2 then performs a corresponding evaluation of the control signal and then sets the operating mode, here again the first operating mode, and then forwards the control signal. All downstream active arm modules proceed accordingly, thus setting the operating mode of the client signal coupling unit 81.

[0104] The control signal can be a simple high-low level signal. As an alternative to a separate control signal transmission arrangement, the control signal can also be applied directly to the ring-shaped telegram transmission path, so that the additional control signal transmission arrangement is not required. The control signal evaluation unit 813 of the client module is then connected on the receiving side to the first client signal receiving unit 61 and the second client signal receiving unit 71, and on the output side to the first client signal transmitting unit 61 and the second client signal transmitting unit 71. The above explanation assumed that only the active arm modules 5 have a bus connection. If the passive arm modules 6 also have a bus connection, the passive arm modules are operated analogously to the active arm modules.

[0105] As an alternative to the configuration of the client signal coupling unit 81 shown in Fig. 3 with 2-1 multiplexers as switchovers, other configurations of the operating mode setting can also be provided. It is also possible that, in addition to the operating mode setting of the client signal coupling unit 81, the client module also displays on which client module connection side telegrams are received on the first outgoing channel of the dual-channel ring transmission path.

[0106] Furthermore, the client module can also have more than two client module connection sides, in which case the number of operating modes of the client signal coupling unit corresponds to the number of connection sides. The client signal coupling unit is then designed such that, regardless of which of the client module connection sides is connected to the server module connection side directly or via one or more additional client modules, the client signal receiving unit of this server module connection side is always coupled to the signal processing input interface of the client signal processing unit.

[0107] List of reference symbols

[0108] 1 robot base

[0109] 2 robot arm

[0110] 5 active arm module

[0111] 5.1 first active arm module

[0112] 5.2 second active arm module

[0113] 5.3 third active arm module

[0114] 5.4 fourth active arm module

[0115] 5.5 fifth active arm module

[0116] 5.6 sixth active arm module

[0117] 6 passive arm module

[0118] 6.1 first passive arm module

[0119] 6.2 second passive arm module

[0120] 7 distal end

[0121] 10 server module enclosures

[0122] 11 Server module connection side

[0123] 13 Drive device

[0124] 20 Server signal transfer unit

[0125] 21 Server signal transmitting unit

[0126] 22 Server signal receiving unit

[0127] 23 Server control signal transfer unit

[0128] 30 Server Signal Processing Unit

[0129] 31 Signal output interface

[0130] 32 signal input interface

[0131] 33 Control signal interface

[0132] 50 client module housings

[0133] 51 first client module connection page

[0134] 52 second client module connection side

[0135] 60 first client signal transfer unit

[0136] 61 first client signal receiving unit

[0137] 62 first client signal transmitting unit

[0138] 63 first client control signal transfer unit

[0139] 70 second client signal transfer unit

[0140] 71 second client signal receiving unit

[0141] 72 second client signal transmitting unit 73 second client control signal transfer unit

[0142] 80 Client bus connection unit

[0143] 81 Client signal coupling unit

[0144] 811 first changeover switch 811 1 first input switch

[0145] 8112 first output switch

[0146] 812 second switch

[0147] 8121 second input switch

[0148] 8122 second output switch 813 control signal evaluation unit

[0149] 82 Client signal processing unit

[0150] 821 Signal processing input interface

[0151] 822 Signal processing output interface

[0152] 823 Signal amplification input interface 824 Signal amplification output interface

Claims

Claims 1. Modular machine automation system with a server module (1) and a plurality of client modules (5), wherein the server module (1) comprises a server module housing (10) with a server module connection side (11) having a server signal transfer unit (20) with a server signal transmitter unit (21) and a server signal receiver unit (22), and a server signal processing unit (30), wherein a signal output interface (31) of the server signal processing unit (30) is connected to the server signal transmitter unit (21) and a signal input interface (32) of the server signal processing unit (30) is connected to the server signal receiver unit (22) for transmitting signals, wherein each client module (5) comprises a client module housing (50) with a first client module dul connection side (51) which has a first client signal transfer unit (60) with a first client signal transmitting unit (61) and a first client signal receiving unit (62),a second client module connection side (52) comprising a second client signal transfer unit (70) with a second client signal transmitter unit (71) and a second client signal receiver unit (72), and a client bus connection unit (80) comprising a client signal coupling unit (81) and a client signal processing unit (82), wherein a signal processing input interface (821) and a signal processing output interface (822) of the client signal processing unit (82) is connected to the client signal coupling unit (81), wherein the client signal coupling unit (81) is connected to the first client signal transmitter unit (61), the first client signal receiver unit (62), the second client signal transmitter unit (71), and the second client signal receiver unit (72) is connected,wherein the client signal coupling unit (81) in a first operating mode couples the first client signal receiving unit (61) with a signal processing input interface (821) of the client signal processing unit (82) and the second client signal transmitting unit (72) with a signal processing output interface (822) of the client signal processing unit (82), and in a second operating mode couples the second client signal receiving unit (71) with the signal processing input interface (821) of the client signal processing unit (82) and the first client signal transmitting unit (62) with the signal processing output interface (822) of the client signal processing unit (82) to transmit signals, wherein the first and second client module connection sides (51, 52) of each client, Each module can be connected to the server module connection side or to the first and second client module connection sides of another client module in order to couple the client signal transmission unit of the client module connection side of the client module with the server signal transmission unit of the server module connection side or the client signal transmission unit of the connected client module connection side of the other client module in order to transmit signals, and wherein the client signal coupling unit (81) in the client bus connection unit (80) of the client module is designed to determine in an initialization mode which client module connection side is connected to the server module connection side directly or via one or more other client modules in order to switch to the first operating mode when the first client module connection side (51) is coupled to the server module connection side directly or via one or more other client modules,and to switch to the second operating mode when the second client module connection side (52) is coupled to the server module connection side directly or via one or more additional client modules.

2. Modular machine automation system according to claim 1, wherein the server signal transfer unit (20) comprises a server control signal transfer unit (23), the first client signal transfer unit (60) comprises a first client control signal transfer unit (63), and the second client signal transfer unit (70) comprises a second client control signal transfer unit (73), wherein the server control signal transfer unit (23) is connected to the server signal processing unit (30), and the first and second client control signal transfer units (63, 73) are connected to the client signal coupling unit (81), wherein in the initialization mode the server signal processing unit (30) is configured to output a control signal, and the client signal coupling unit (81) is configured to receive and forward the control signal, wherein the client signal coupling unit (81) is further configured to determinefrom which of the client signal transfer units the control signal was received, in order to define the client module connection side, which is connected to the server module connection side directly or via one or more further client modules, as the client module connection side that includes the client signal transfer unit with the client signal transfer unit on which the control signal was received.

3. Modular machine automation system according to claim 2, wherein the control signal is a high-low level signal.

4. Modular machine automation system according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the client signal coupling device (81 ) comprises a first switch (811 ) and a second switch (812), each comprising at least one 2-1 multiplexer.

5. Modular machine automation system according to claim 4, wherein the client signal processing unit (82) has a signal amplification path with a signal amplification output interface (824) and a signal amplification input interface (823), wherein the first switch (811) comprises a first input switch (8111) and a first output switch (8112), and the second switch (812) comprises a second input switch (8121) and a second output switch (8122), wherein a first input of the first input switch (8111) is connected to the first client signal receiving unit (61), a second input of the first input switch (8111) is connected to the second client signal receiving unit (71), and an output of the first input switch (8111) is connected to the signal processing input interface (821) of the are connected to the client signal processing unit (82),wherein a first input of the second input switch (8121) is connected to the second client signal receiving unit (71), a second input of the second input switch (8121) is connected to the first client signal receiving unit (61), and an output of the second input switch (8121) is connected to a signal amplification input interface (823) of the client signal processing unit (82), wherein an input of the first output switch (8112) is connected to a signal amplification output interface (824) of the client signal processing unit (82), a first output of the first output switch (8112) is connected to the first client signal transmitting unit (62), and a second output of the first output switch (8112) is connected to the second client signal transmitting unit (72), and wherein an input of the second output switch (8122) is connected to the signal processing output interface (822) of the client signal processing unit (82),a first output of the second output switch (8122) is connected to the second client signal transmitter (72) and a second output of the second output switch (8122) is connected to the first client signal transmitter (62).

6. Modular machine automation system according to one of claims 1 to 5, configured as a modular robot (10) with a robot arm consisting of a plurality of arm modules, wherein one or more arm modules each form a client module (5).

7. Modular machine automation system according to claim 6, configured as a modular robot (10), wherein the majority of arm modules are active arm modules and Passive arm modules are, wherein the active arm modules each have a drive unit (13) by means of which a further arm module connectable thereto can be pivoted, turned and / or rotated.

8. Modular machine automation system according to claim 7, designed as a modular robot (10), wherein in the active arm module the first connection side is designed to be rotatably steerable relative to the second connection side about a rotational axis, wherein the first connection side is arranged to be rotatable about the rotational axis on the arm module and the second connection side is arranged to be rotatable on the arm module.

9. Modular machine automation system according to claim 8, wherein the active arm module has a rotational transmission device for signals, energy and / or fluid to connect the first connection side optically, electrically and / or fluidically to the second connection side.

10. Client module for a modular machine automation system according to one of claims 1 to 9.

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