Robot system and method for setting cooperation work area of robot

Abstract

To provide a system capable of setting up more easily: a work area which permits a robot and a person to work in cooperation; and a work area which does not permit the work in cooperation.SOLUTION: In a robot system according to the present invention: two or more QR Codes 6 are arranged in a work area, with the QR Codes 6 made to include information on a cooperation work area which permits a robot arm 1 and a worker 8 to work in cooperation, and information on operation parameters of the robot arm 1 in the cooperation work area; when image data of QR Code 6 is imaged by a hand eye camera 2 arranged at a hand of the robot arm 1, a controller 3 sets up a boundary including a line segment which connects between central points of the two QR Codes 6 arranged adjacently; and further, on the basis of the information included in the QR Code 6, the controller sets up, as a cooperation work area, a side which does not include the robot arm 1 with respect to the aforementioned boundary, and the controller controls operation of the robot arm 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system and method for setting collaborative work areas and non-collaborative work areas in a robot that collaborates with humans. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there has been an increase in cases where robots and humans work together to accomplish a desired task. For example, the international standard ISO TS 15066 specifies the allowable pressure on a human during transient or quasi-static contact between the robot and the human. Robots that meet such standards are sometimes called collaborative robots. For safety reasons, when operating a collaborative robot, it is necessary to clearly distinguish between a work area where collaboration between the robot and humans is permitted and a work area where only humans work and where such collaboration is not permitted.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for a life support robot or a mobile robot that performs tasks for humans, in which an area in which the robot's movements are restricted is defined in a two-dimensional manner by reading installed markers, and the control device obtains information via a server, thereby setting the area in three dimensions. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-163492 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the method of partially acquiring area information via a server as in Patent Document 1 makes the system complicated. The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and has as its object to provide a robot system and a method for setting a collaborative work area for a robot that can more easily set work areas where collaboration between a robot and a human is permitted and work areas where collaboration is not permitted. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to the robot system of claim 1, two or more two-dimensional codes are placed within a working area. At least one of the two-dimensional codes contains information about a collaborative working area in which collaboration between a robot arm and a human is permitted, and information about the operating parameters of the robot arm in the collaborative working area. When image data of the two-dimensional codes is captured by a camera placed on the robot arm, a control unit sets a boundary including a line segment connecting the center points of two adjacent two-dimensional codes. Furthermore, based on the information contained in the two-dimensional codes, a side of the boundary that does not include the robot arm is set as the collaborative working area.

[0007] With this configuration, the boundaries of the collaborative work area can be set by capturing image data of two or more two-dimensional codes with a camera placed on the robot arm. In addition, by decoding the two-dimensional codes, information on the collaborative work area and information on the operating parameters of the robot arm in that area can be obtained. Therefore, the control unit does not need to communicate with an external server separately, making it easier to set the collaborative work area.

[0008] According to the robot system of claim 2, the two-dimensional code includes a definition of the boundary including the line segment, which makes it possible to define the collaborative work area other than the part including the line segment in various ways.

[0009] According to the robot system of claim 3, when three or more two-dimensional codes are arranged, the definition is included only in two two-dimensional codes located at the end points of the connected line segments. This makes it possible to avoid having unnecessary information in the two-dimensional code located between the two two-dimensional codes. Also, the two-dimensional code located at the end point can be easily identified.

[0010] According to the robot system of claim 4, the two-dimensional code includes a pressure that is permitted for the robot arm, thereby making it possible to restrict the movement of the robot arm in the collaborative work area so as to be safe for people.

[0011] According to the robot system of claim 5, the two-dimensional code includes a restriction on the direction of the end effector attached to the tip of the robot arm. This makes it possible to restrict the tip from being pointed toward a person, for example, when the tip of the end effector is sharply pointed.

[0012] According to the robot system of claim 6, when all of the two-dimensional codes contain information on operation parameters, the control unit performs error processing if the information contained in all of the two-dimensional codes does not match. This makes it possible to give a warning to the worker in the event of a mistake in pasting a two-dimensional code, and have the worker paste the appropriate two-dimensional code, for example. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an image of advance preparation for setting up a collaborative work area according to the first embodiment (part 1). [Diagram 2] Diagram showing the image of advance preparation for setting up a collaborative work area (part 2) [Diagram 3] A diagram showing an image in which boundaries are set between collaborative work areas and non-collaborative work areas. [Figure 4] A top view of the designated collaborative work area and non-collaborative work area. [Diagram 5]Functional block diagram showing the configuration of the robot system [Figure 6] Operational Flowchart [Figure 7] A diagram showing an example of a collaborative work area set by two QR codes (part 1) [Figure 8] An example of a collaborative work area set by two QR codes (part 2) [Figure 9] An example of a collaborative work area set by two QR codes (part 3) [Figure 10] A diagram showing an example of a collaborative work area set by three QR codes. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of information to be included in a QR code serving as an end point and a QR code serving as an intermediate point. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the set collaborative work area and non-collaborative work area from above according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] Front view of the designated collaborative and non-collaborative work areas [Figure 14] A diagram showing the tip of the end effector facing the operator's hand. [Figure 15] Diagram showing the tip of the end effector facing the workpiece DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] (First embodiment) As shown in FIG. 5, the robot system of this embodiment includes, for example, a vertical six-axis robot arm 1, a hand-eye camera 2 attached to the tip of the robot arm 1, a control device 3 as a control unit that controls the operation of the robot arm 1, and a teaching pendant 4. Image data captured by the hand-eye camera 2 is input to the control device 3. The teaching pendant 4 is used for teaching the robot arm 1 via the control device 3 and setting operation parameters. The robot arm 1 and the control device 3 are compliant with the international standard It is a collaborative robot that meets ISO TS 15066 standards and is designed to work in collaboration with humans.

[0015] Furthermore, the robot system of this embodiment uses QR codes (registered trademark) 6a, 6b, which are two-dimensional codes arranged on a workbench 5, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. To explain the outline, before starting work, the worker moves the hand-eye camera 2 above the QR codes 6a, 6b by direct teaching with his / her hands, and images of the QR codes 6a, 6b are captured via the teaching pendant 4. Then, for example, as shown in Fig. 3, a boundary 7 including a line segment connecting the centers of the QR codes 6a, 6b is set.

[0016] 4, when the work area including the robot arm 1 and worker 8 is viewed from above, the right side of the boundary 7 in the figure, which includes the worker 8, is set as a collaborative work area 9, and the left side of the boundary 7 in the figure, which includes the robot arm 1, is set as a non-collaborative work area 10. The robot arm 1 is surrounded on three sides not facing the worker 8 by fences 11.

[0017] Next, a more detailed description of the operation will be given. In the following, the collaborative work area may simply be referred to as the "work area." As shown in FIG. 6, before starting work, QR codes 6a and 6b are attached and arranged on the work table 5 (S1). Then, by direct teaching as described above, the QR code 6 is photographed by the hand-eye camera 2 (S2). The control device 3 determines whether the photographed QR code 6 is located at the end point of the line segment (S3), and if it is not located at the end point (no), the process returns to step S2. If it is located at the end point (yes), the same processes as steps S2 and S3 are performed (S4, S5).

[0018] 1 and 7 to 9, when only two QR codes 6a, 6b are arranged, both are located at the end points of a line segment connecting their centers, so steps S2 to S5 are executed linearly. For example, when three or more QR codes 6 are used, as shown in Fig. 10, a QR code 6 located between the end points of a connected line segment is regarded as a midpoint.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 11, the QR code 6 serving as an end point and the QR code 6 serving as an intermediate point have different information. The former has both the motion parameters of the robot arm 1 and the boundary definition of the working area, while the latter has only the motion parameters. Therefore, in the judgments in steps S3 and S5, whether or not it is an end point is judged based on whether or not it has the boundary definition as information. The motion parameters include information on the pressure allowed for the robot arm 1 as specified in ISO TS 15066, etc.

[0020] In the next step S6, it is determined whether or not all of the operation parameters included in the photographed QR codes 6 match. If all match (yes), a collaborative work area is set according to the definition of the boundary of the QR code 6, and the operation parameters are reflected in the control of the robot arm 1 (S7). Then, the operation of the robot arm 1 within the collaborative work area is restricted by the operation parameters (S8). That is, within the collaborative work area, the pressure when the robot arm 1 comes into contact with the worker 8 is restricted so as to satisfy ISO TS 15066. Note that, if all of the operation parameters do not match in step S6 (no), an error process is performed to ensure safety, and the process returns to step S1 to paste the QR code 6 again.

[0021] 7 to 9 show variations of the collaborative work area defined when two QR codes 6a, 6b are placed. The boundary between the collaborative work area and the non-collaborative work area includes a line segment connecting the center points of at least the two QR codes 6a, 6b. This reduces the effect of misalignment when the QR codes 6a, 6b are attached. In addition, the side of the area separated by the boundary where the robot arm 1 is not present and where the worker 8 is present is defined as the collaborative work area.

[0022] In Fig. 7, the collaborative work area is an area separated by a straight line passing through the center points of the QR codes 6a and 6b from the central coordinates of the robot arm 1. In Fig. 8, the collaborative work area is an area obtained by extending the boundary line segment determined by the QR codes 6a and 6b to infinity. Fig. 9 is a combination of Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, in which the collaborative work area on the QR code 6a side is an area separated by a straight line passing through the center point of the QR code 6b from the central coordinates of the robot arm 1.

[0023] Fig. 10 shows an example of a collaborative work area defined when three QR codes 6a, 6b, and 6c are arranged. It has a boundary including a line segment connecting the center points of the QR codes 6a and 6b, and a line segment connecting the center points of the QR codes 6b and 6c, and for the QR codes 6a and 6c, which are the end points, the collaborative work area is an area separated by straight lines in the same way as in Fig. 7. As shown in these figures, the QR code 6 includes information on how to define the collaborative work area including the boundary.

[0024] As described above, according to this embodiment, two or more QR codes 6 are arranged within a working area, and the QR codes 6 contain information about a collaborative working area in which collaboration between the robot arm 1 and the worker 8 is permitted, and information about the operation parameters of the robot arm 1 in the collaborative working area. When image data of the QR code 6 is captured by the hand-eye camera 2 arranged at the hand of the robot arm 1, the control device 3 sets a boundary including a line segment connecting the center points of two adjacently arranged QR codes 6. Furthermore, based on the information included in the QR code 6, the side of the boundary that does not include the robot arm 1 is set as a collaborative working area, and the operation of the robot arm 1 is controlled.

[0025] With this configuration, the boundary of the collaborative work area can be set by capturing image data of two or more QR codes 6 with the hand-eye camera 2. In addition, by decoding the QR code 6, information on the collaborative work area and information on the operation parameters of the robot arm in that area can be obtained. Therefore, the control device 3 does not need to communicate with an external server separately, and it becomes easier to set the collaborative work area and control the robot arm 1 in that area.

[0026] Also, since the QR code 6 includes a definition of the boundary including the line segment, it is possible to define the collaborative work area other than the part including the line segment in various ways. Furthermore, when three or more QR codes 6 are arranged, the definition is included only in the two QR codes 6 located at the end points of the connected line segments. This makes it possible to avoid having unnecessary information in the QR code 6 located at the midpoint between the two QR codes 6. Also, the QR code 6 located at the end point can be easily identified.

[0027] In addition, since the QR code 6 includes the pressure permitted for the robot arm 1, the operation of the robot arm 1 in the collaborative work area can be restricted so as to be safe for the worker 8. Furthermore, the control device 3 performs error processing if the information on the operation parameters included in all of the QR codes 6 does not match. As a result, if the QR code 6 is pasted incorrectly, a warning can be given to the worker to have him or her re-paste the appropriate QR code 6, for example.

[0028] Second embodiment Hereinafter, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted, and only the different parts will be described. In the second embodiment, the information in the QR code 6 includes a restriction on the direction of the end effector attached to the tip of the robot arm 1. As shown in Figs. 12 and 13, a collaborative work area 9 and a non-collaborative work area 10 are set. In Fig. 13, the robot arm 1 is shown in a simplified manner, and an end effector 21, such as a screwdriver for tightening screws, is attached to the tip of the robot arm 1. In the collaborative work area 9, the hand of the worker 8 may be placed on the workpiece W.

[0029] When the end effector 21 enters the collaborative work area 9, as shown in Fig. 14, if the sharp tip of the end effector 21 is pointed toward the hand of the worker 8, safety may not be ensured. Therefore, the QR code 6 includes information for restricting the tip of the end effector 21 to always point downward in the figure, that is, toward the workpiece W, as shown in Fig. 15, when the end effector 21 enters the collaborative work area 9. This prevents the tip of the end effector 21 from pointing toward the hand of the worker 8, ensuring safety.

[0030] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above or illustrated in the drawings, and the following modifications and extensions are possible. Step S7 may be omitted by having at least one QR code 6 hold the operation parameters. The camera does not necessarily have to be placed at the end of the robot arm.

[0031] The function of the control unit may be provided as a functional unit independent of the control device 3. A collaborative work area may be set using four or more QR codes. The two-dimensional code is not limited to a QR code. The robot arm is not limited to the vertical six-axis type. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] In the drawing, 1 indicates a robot arm, 2 indicates a hand-eye camera, 3 indicates a control device, 4 indicates a teaching pendant, 6 indicates a QR code, 7 indicates a boundary, 8 indicates a worker, 9 indicates a collaborative work area, 10 indicates a non-collaborative work area, and 21 indicates an end effector.

Claims

1. Two or more two-dimensional codes arranged in a work area; A camera disposed on the robot arm; a control unit to which image data captured by the camera is input, At least one of the two-dimensional codes includes information about a collaborative work area that allows collaboration between the robot arm and a human, and information about an operation parameter of the robot arm in the collaborative work area; When the image data of the two-dimensional code is captured by the camera, the control unit sets a boundary including a line segment connecting center points of two adjacent two-dimensional codes, and A robot system that sets the side of the boundary that does not include the robot arm as the collaborative work area based on information contained in the two-dimensional code.

2. The robot system according to claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional code includes a definition of a boundary including the line segment.

3. The robot system according to claim 2 , wherein when three or more of the two-dimensional codes are arranged, the definition is included only in two of the two-dimensional codes located at the end points of a connected line segment.

4. The robot system according to claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional code includes a pressure allowed for the robot arm.

5. The robot system according to claim 1 , wherein the two-dimensional code includes a restriction on a direction of an end effector attached to a tip of the robot arm.

6. When all of the two-dimensional codes contain information regarding the operation parameters, The robot system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit performs an error process if the information included in all of the two-dimensional codes does not match.

7. Placing two or more two-dimensional codes in the work area, at least one of which includes information about a collaborative work area in which collaboration between a robot arm and a human is permitted and information about operation parameters of the robot arm in the collaborative work area; An image of the two-dimensional code is captured by a camera disposed on the robot arm, and a boundary including a line segment connecting center points of two adjacent two-dimensional codes is set; and A robot collaborative work area setting method for setting the side of the boundary that does not include the robot arm as the collaborative work area based on information contained in the two-dimensional code.

8. 8. The method for setting a collaborative work area for robots according to claim 7, wherein the two-dimensional code includes a definition of a boundary including the line segment.

9. 9. The method for setting a collaborative work area for a robot according to claim 8, wherein when three or more two-dimensional codes are arranged, the definition is included only in two two-dimensional codes located at the end points of a connected line segment.

10. 10. The method for setting a collaborative work area for robots according to claim 7, wherein the two-dimensional code includes a pressure allowable for the robot arm.

11. 10. The method for setting a robot collaborative work area according to claim 7, wherein the two-dimensional code includes a restriction on a direction of an end effector attached to a tip of the robot arm.

12. 10. The method for setting a collaborative work area for a robot according to claim 7, further comprising the step of: when all of the two-dimensional codes contain information regarding the operation parameters, and the information contained in all of the two-dimensional codes does not match, performing error processing.

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