Robot system and divider

Abstract

To provide a robot system and a divider that divide a bundled object.SOLUTION: A robot system for dividing an object bundled by connecting a plurality of shafts long in one direction in a connection part of the root into a plurality of blocks includes: a robot having a grip part capable of gripping the object by opening / closing; a divider having a division part radially arranged from a central part; and a control device for controlling operation of the robot. The control device can execute division processing for dividing the object into the plurality of blocks by the division part by executing whole gripping operation of moving the robot to grip the whole object by the grip part, and push-in operation of abutting the bottom face of the connection part on the central part of the divider in a state of gripping the object by the grip part to push the object in the divider.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE Embodiments of the present invention relate to a robotic system and a divider. [Background technology]

[0002] In the past, there have been known devices and systems for cutting food such as vegetables, meat, and fish, in response to the demand for automation. These devices and systems cut food using, for example, a cutting blade that rotates at high speed or a high-pressure liquid.

[0003] Patent document 1 discloses a cutting system for cutting food material comprising an infeed conveyor having an infeed conveying surface, an outfeed conveyor having an outfeed conveying surface, where the infeed and outfeed conveyors are arranged in an end-to-end arrangement, a cutting knife having a cutting surface along which the cutting knife moves when cutting, where the cutting surface is formed between the ends of the infeed and outfeed conveyors, the cutting system further comprising an outfeed push-down device having a surface arranged relative to the outfeed conveying surface so that pressure can be applied in the direction of the conveying surface of the outfeed conveyor to a portion of the food material placed on the outfeed conveying surface while the food material is being cut by the cutting knife with a surface facing the outfeed conveying surface.

[0004] Patent document 2 discloses a food cutting method in which food is cut using a conveying means capable of conveying food and a plurality of liquid injection means arranged in a line in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying means, characterized in that the food is cut by spraying a jet of liquid from each of the plurality of liquid injection means onto the food. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2018-502725 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2022-502272 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The above-mentioned devices and systems are all configured to push and cut food using a rotary blade or high-pressure fluid. Some foods are very delicate, and cutting them may be undesirable in terms of preservation or distribution. Furthermore, no system has been considered that can divide a bundle of food into desired sizes without actually cutting the individual components.

[0007] Manually dividing a bundle of food or other objects into smaller pieces is extremely time-consuming, and in order to divide the objects into roughly equal blocks of a desired size or larger, there are situations in which a worker has no choice but to rely on intuition cultivated over many years of work experience.

[0008] For example, mushrooms such as Enokitake mushrooms are grown in containers, and large plants grown in large containers are sometimes divided into smaller portions for distribution in the market. The task of dividing large plants into smaller portions of a specified weight suitable for distribution relies on the experience and intuition of skilled workers. Furthermore, mushrooms are often distributed with the bases left intact, but when dividing large plants, it is difficult to divide them while leaving the bases intact and without damaging the delicate individual stems, even when using high-speed rotating cutting blades or high-pressure liquid.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a robot system and a divider for dividing a bundle of objects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] A robot system according to an embodiment is a robot system for dividing an object into a plurality of blocks, the robot system comprising a gripping unit capable of gripping the object by opening and closing the gripping unit, a divider having dividers arranged radially from a center, and a control device for controlling the operation of the robot. The control device is capable of performing a division process for dividing the object into a plurality of blocks by the divider by operating the robot to perform an entire gripping operation for gripping the entire object with the gripping unit, and a pushing operation for pushing the object into the divider by bringing the bottom surface of the joint into contact with the center of the divider while the object is being gripped by the gripping unit.

[0011] The divider of the embodiment is a divider that divides an object into multiple blocks, where the object is bundled together by multiple axes that are long in one direction and connected to each other at their base joints, and includes a central portion and dividing sections that are arranged radially from the central portion and are pushed into the object to be divided, so that the object is passed in the axial direction of the central portion with the multiple axes parallel to the axial direction of the central portion, thereby dividing the object into two or more pieces. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a dividing robot system according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical configuration of a split robot system according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a robot operating in a division stage of a division robot system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a robot (first robot) operating in a weight adjustment stage of the divided robot system according to the first embodiment; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a robot (a second robot) operating in a weight adjustment stage of the divided robot system according to the first embodiment; [Figure 6]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a gripping unit of a robot operating in a division stage of the division robot system according to the first embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a gripping portion of a robot (first robot) operating in a weight adjustment stage of the split robot system according to the first embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic view of a divider and a receiving device according to a first embodiment; [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of a divider according to a first embodiment; [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a tip of a dividing portion of a divider according to a first embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a diagram (part 1) illustrating an outline of an operation of the dividing robot system according to the first embodiment in a dividing stage. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a second diagram illustrating an operation of the dividing robot system according to the first embodiment in a dividing stage; [Figure 13] FIG. 3 is a diagram (part 3) illustrating an outline of the operation of the dividing robot system according to the first embodiment in a dividing stage; [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an operation of the dividing robot system according to the first embodiment in a dividing stage; [Figure 15] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an operation of the dividing robot system according to the first embodiment in a dividing stage; [Figure 16] 1 is a flowchart showing the processing contents by a control device in a division stage of a division robot system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a vertex identification process in a weight adjustment stage of a divided robot system according to a first embodiment, in which (A) is a diagram seen from a Z direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis of an object, and (B) is a cross-sectional view of the object shown along line BB in FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a diagram (part 1) illustrating an outline of an operation of the split robot system in a weight adjustment process according to the first embodiment; [Figure 19] FIG. 2 is a second diagram illustrating an operation of the split robot system according to the first embodiment in a weight adjustment process; [Figure 20]FIG. 3 is a third diagram illustrating an operation of the split robot system according to the first embodiment in a weight adjustment process; [Figure 21] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an operation of the split robot system in the weight adjustment process according to the first embodiment; [Figure 22] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an operation of the weight adjustment process of the split robot system according to the first embodiment; [Figure 23] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an outline of the opening amount and the sinking amount set in the setting process of the divided robot system according to the first embodiment; [Figure 24] 1 is a chart showing the opening amount and the sinking amount set in the setting process of the dividing robot system according to the first embodiment; [Diagram 25] 1 is a flowchart showing the processing performed by the control device in the weight adjustment stage of the split robot system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 26] 1 is a flowchart showing the processing contents of a control device in a weight adjustment process of a split robot system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 27] FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical configuration of a split robot system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 28] 11 is a flowchart showing the process performed by the control device in the division stage of the division robot system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 29] FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an example of an electrical configuration of a split robot system according to a third embodiment. [Diagram 30] 11 is a flowchart showing the process performed by the control device in the division stage of the division robot system according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, a dividing robot system and a dividing device according to a number of embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In this specification, the dividing robot system will be abbreviated to a robot system. The same reference numerals will be used to designate components common to a number of embodiments, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0014] (First embodiment) A first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 26. The robot system 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a system that divides an object 100 into a plurality of blocks. The robot system 1 is also a system that adjusts the object 100 to a target weight. The object 100 is an object in which a plurality of shafts that are long in one direction are connected to each other at joints at the base to form a bundle. The object 100 may be food. The object 100 may also be an object whose shafts are delicate and easily damaged. Examples of the object 100 include mushrooms such as enokitake mushrooms, bunashimeji mushrooms, and nameko mushrooms, but are not limited to these.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the robot system 1 has one or more (in this case, three) robots 10, 20, 30, a control device 40, a weight measuring device 41, an optical device 42, and a divider 50. Among the operations of the robot system 1, a stage including a division process for dividing the object 100 into a plurality of blocks is called a division stage. The robot 10 operates in the division stage. A stage including a weight adjustment process for adjusting the object 100 to a target weight is called a weight adjustment stage. The robots 20, 30 operate in the weight adjustment stage. The control device 40 controls the operations of the robots 10, 20, 30, the weight measuring device 41, and the optical device 42. The weight measuring device 41 is, for example, an electronic balance that measures the weight of the object 100 in the weight adjustment stage. The optical device 42 is, for example, a laser sensor that optically identifies the shape of the object 100 in the weight adjustment stage.

[0016] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the inside of a factory to which a robot system 1 is applied. The robot system 1 may execute the division step and the weight adjustment step in a timely and / or spatially separated manner, or may execute them consecutively in the same place or in adjacent places. In this embodiment, the robot system 1 can execute the division step and the weight adjustment step consecutively in the same space as shown in FIG. 1.

[0017] In this specification, the object 100 divided by the division process may be referred to as object 100a, and the object 100 whose weight has been adjusted by the weight adjustment process may be referred to as object 100b, but when there is no need to specify the state of the object 100, they will be collectively referred to as object 100.

[0018] When the object 100 is carried to the front of the robot 10 by a conveying device 81 such as a conveyor belt, the control device 40 operates the robot 10 to divide the object 100 into a desired number of blocks by a divider 50. The divided object 100a is carried to the front of the robots 20 and 30 by a conveying device 82 such as a belt conveyor. The control device 40 measures the weight of the divided object 100a by a weight measuring device 41. The control device 40 also specifies the shape of the divided object 100a by an optical device 42. The control device 40 operates the robots 20 and 30 to adjust the weight of the divided object 100a based on the measured weight and the specified shape. The object 100b whose weight has been adjusted is further carried from the front of the robots 20 and 30 by a conveying device 83 such as a conveyor belt. The adjusted object 100b is then shipped from the factory after being subjected to bagging or other work.

[0019] 3 to 5, the robots 10, 20, and 30 are, for example, vertical multi-joint robots having multi-joint arms 11, 21, and 31, and are controlled by a control device 40. The robots 10, 20, and 30 of the present embodiment are designed, for example, to work in collaboration with humans, and their operating speeds, weights, and the like are designed so that safety measures are not required in the operating environment. Note that, in other embodiments, the robots 10, 20, and 30 may be industrial robots designed to work in place of humans and require the installation of safety measures.

[0020] The robots 10, 20, and 30 may be, for example, horizontal articulated robots, parallel ring robots, or cartesian robots. The robots 10, 20, and 30 and the control device 40 are configured to be capable of mutual communication via wire or wirelessly. The control device 40 may also be connected to a personal computer, a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, or other external device to be capable of mutual communication via wire or wirelessly.

[0021] The robots 10, 20, and 30 are each constituted by a vertical articulated robot having, for example, six axes. Although not shown in detail, the robots 10, 20, and 30 each have a motor for driving each axis, an encoder for detecting the number of rotations and the position of each axis, and a brake for stopping the operation of each axis.

[0022] 3, the robot 10 has a gripper 12 at the tip of an arm 11. The gripper 12 is a so-called robot hand tool, such as a chuck or gripper, and is configured to be openable and closable. The gripper 12 grips the entire object 100 when closed, and releases the entire object 100 when opened.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 6, the gripping portion 12 is formed along the outer shape of the object 100. The gripping portion 12 has a pair of gripping surfaces 121 on the side facing the object 100, i.e., on the inside. The gripping surfaces 121 are formed along the outer shape, i.e., the contour, of the object 100. In this case, the gripping portion 12 grips the object 100 from a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis of the object 100. That is, the gripping surfaces 121 are formed along the outer shape, i.e., the contour, of the cross section of the object 100 in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis of the object 100. This increases the contact area between the gripping portion 12 and the object 100, so that the gripping portion 12 can grip the object 100 with an appropriate force that does not crush the object 100.

[0024] For example, in this embodiment, the target object 100 has a generally cylindrical shape with a generally circular cross-sectional shape in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis. In this case, the gripping surface 121 forms a curved surface that constitutes a part of a generally cylinder. The radius of curvature of the gripping surface 121 can be set to be approximately the same as the average radius of the target object 100.

[0025] 4, the robot 20 has a gripper 22 at the tip of an arm 21. The gripper 22 is a so-called robot hand tool, such as a chuck or gripper, and is configured to be openable and closable. When the gripper 22 is closed, it grips a portion of the target object 100 that has been identified as a portion to be removed, and when the gripper 22 is opened, it releases the portion.

[0026] 7, it is preferable that the shape of the corners of the tip of the surface of gripping portion 22 that faces gripping surface 221, i.e., outer surface 222, is not sharp so as to not damage object 100. For example, the corners of the tip of outer surface 222 form a curved surface with the corners rounded off.

[0027] 5, the rotation mechanism 32 is configured to be rotatable about an axial direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the arm. A spatula member 33 and a plate member 34 are fixed to the rotation mechanism 32. The spatula member 33 and the plate member 34 are fixed to the rotation mechanism 32, for example, perpendicular to each other by about 90°. By rotating the rotation mechanism 32, the control device 40 can place the spatula member 33 on an extension line of the arm 31, that is, in a state where it can be used as a robot hand tool, or can place the plate member 34 on an extension line of the arm 31, that is, in a state where it can be used as a robot hand tool.

[0028] The dimensions of the spatula member 33 are set to a size that allows the divided object 100a to be placed thereon. The spatula member 33 has a function of placing and supporting the divided object 100a thereon when moving the divided object 100a from the transport device 82 onto the weight measuring device 41. The plate member 34 has a function of cutting off a specific portion from the object 100a. The ends of the plate member 33 and the spatula member 34 are preferably rounded or chamfered so as not to damage the object 100.

[0029] The spatula member 33 and the plate member 34 can be made of a material such as plastic or metal that has a rigidity sufficient to prevent deformation even when the object 100 is placed on them. In particular, when the object 100 is a material that contains a lot of moisture, the spatula member 33 and the plate member 34 can be made of a plastic material so that the object 100 does not adhere excessively.

[0030] The robots 10, 20, 30 are controlled by a control device 40 shown in Fig. 2. The weight measuring device 41 and the optical device 42 are electrically connected to the control device 40, and data output from the weight measuring device 41 and the optical device 42 is sent to the control device 40 for various processes. The control device 40 is mainly composed of a microcomputer having, for example, a CPU 401 and a storage area 402 such as a ROM, a RAM, and a rewritable flash memory, and controls the overall operation of the robots 10, 20, 30.

[0031] The control device 40 includes a drive unit including an inverter circuit (not shown in detail) and drives each motor by, for example, feedback control based on the rotational position of the motor detected by an encoder provided corresponding to the motor driving each axis of the robots 10, 20, 30. The control device 40 executes a preset operation program to control the robots 10, 20, 30 so that each axis of the robots 10, 20, 30 automatically executes a predetermined operation. The control device 40 can also be configured by combining a processing device specialized for controlling the robots 10, 20, 30, called a robot controller, with a general-purpose processing device such as a personal computer. The control device 40 may be configured by a single processing device, or may be configured by combining multiple physically separate processing devices.

[0032] The divider 50 has a function of dividing the object 100 into a plurality of blocks, five in this case. The divided blocks are divided so that each is within a predetermined range equal to or greater than a predetermined target weight Wt. For example, if the initial weight of the object 100 is 500-600g and the target weight Wt is 100g, the weight Wa of the divided blocks, i.e., the divided object 100a, is within a range of 100g or more and 120g-130g or less.

[0033] As shown in Figures 8 and 10, the divider 50 has a cylindrical portion 51, a central portion 52, and a plurality of divided portions 53 (in this case, five divided portions). The cylindrical portion 51 is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with an open top and bottom. The central portion 52 is disposed at the center of the cylindrical portion 51 and extends in the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 51. The divided portions 53 extend linearly from the central portion 52 radially at equal intervals to the cylindrical portion 51. In this embodiment, the five divided portions 53 are disposed at equal angles of 72° each.

[0034] One side of the central portion 52, that is, the end portion facing the bottom of the object 100, the tip portion 521 at the top of the drawing in this case, protrudes upward from the tube portion 51 and the division portion 53. The tip portion 521 on the protruding side of the central portion 52 is conically pointed. The end portion of the division portion 53 on the central portion 52 side is connected to a portion below the conical tip portion 521 of the central portion 52. The tip portion 521 has a function of biting into the bottom of the object 100. The interior angle θ between the axial direction of the central portion 52 and the surface of the tip portion 521 is preferably, for example, 45° or less. In addition, the length of the tip portion 521 along the axial direction is set to a length that bites into the bottom of the object 100 to a predetermined extent. For example, the length of the tip portion 521 can be set within a range of 7.5 to 15 mm. In this embodiment, the length of the tip portion 521 is set to 10 mm.

[0035] The dividing section 53 has a function of dividing the object 100 by entering between the multiple axes constituting the object 100. The dividing section 53 has a shape suitable for entering between the multiple axes constituting the object 100, and may be, for example, linear or plate-like. In this embodiment, the dividing section 53 is plate-like. In addition, the shape of the portion of the dividing section 53 that first comes into contact with the bottom of the object 100 is preferably not angular. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the tip 531 of the dividing section 53 facing the bottom of the object 100 (in this case, the corners of the upper end) forms a curved surface with the corners removed. In addition, the thickness of the dividing section 53 is set to a thickness suitable for entering between the multiple axes constituting the object 100. For example, the thickness of the dividing section 53 can be set within a range of 0.3 mm to 1 mm. In this embodiment, the thickness of the dividing section 53 is set to 0.5 mm.

[0036] When the division portion 53 is linear, for example, a so-called round wire having a circular cross section can be used as the division portion 53. In this case, the diameter of the round wire can be set within a range of, for example, 0.3 mm to 1 mm.

[0037] The divider 50 can be made of a material such as plastic or metal. In particular, when the object 100 is a material that contains a lot of moisture, the center part 52 and the dividing part 53 can be made of a plastic material so that the object 100 does not adhere excessively.

[0038] 8, the robot system 1 also includes a receiving device 60. The receiving device 60 is disposed on the bottom side of the divider 50, i.e., on the side away from the target object 100, and has a function of receiving the target object 100a divided by the divider 50. In this embodiment, the receiving device 60 is disposed below the divider 50.

[0039] The receiving device 60 is configured to include an outer cylinder portion 61, a central shaft portion 62, and a support member 63. The outer cylinder portion 61 forms the outer shell of the receiving device 60, and is formed in a cylindrical shape with at least the side facing the divider 50, in this case the upper portion, open. The inner diameter of the outer cylinder portion 61 is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the cylinder portion 51 of the divider 50. The central shaft portion 62 extends in the axial direction of the outer cylinder portion 61, in this case the vertical direction. The support member 63 extends in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the central shaft portion 62, in this case the horizontal direction, and is formed in a disk shape with a through hole 631 at the center. The through hole 631 is formed penetrating the support member 63 in the thickness direction. With the central shaft portion 62 penetrating the through hole 631, the support member 63 is housed in the outer cylinder portion 61. The support member 63 is configured to be movable in the extension direction of the central shaft portion 62, that is, in the vertical direction, by a motor or the like not shown. The support member 63 is configured to be rotatable around the central shaft portion 62 by a motor or the like (not shown).

[0040] 8, the outer cylinder portion 61 has an opening 611. The dimensions of the opening 611 are set to allow the divided object 100 to pass through. That is, the object 100a divided into a plurality of blocks by the divider 50 is received by the receiving device 60 and then discharged from the receiving device 60 through the opening 611.

[0041] 2, the robot system 1 includes a pressure detection unit 43. The pressure detection unit 43 has a function of detecting a pressure acting on the robot 10. The pressure detection unit 43 can be installed on the arm 11.

[0042] 11 to 15, in the division process, the control device 40 executes each of the whole gripping operation, the push-in operation, the release operation, the lowering operation, and the push-out operation. The whole gripping operation is an operation in which the gripping unit 12 of the robot 10 grips the whole of the target object 100. The gripping unit 12 grips the target object 100 from a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis.

[0043] 11, the pushing operation is an operation in which, while the object 100 is held by the gripping unit 12, the bottom surface of the joint is brought into contact with the center portion 52 of the divider 50, the object 100 is moved along the extension direction of the axis, and pushed into the divider 50. In this case, the object 100 is pushed into the divider 50 in a position in which the extension direction of the axis faces vertically. The pushing operation moves the dividing unit 53 relatively in the axial direction from the bottom surface of the joint 102 of the object 100. As a result, the joint 102 and therefore the object 100 are divided into multiple blocks by the dividing unit 53.

[0044] In this case, the control device 40 presses the joint 102 so that the center position of the bottom surface of the joint 102 roughly coincides with the center portion 52. As a result, the tip 521 bites into the joint 102, and movement in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the axis of the target object 100 is restricted, so that the dividing portion 53 can easily enter the joint 102.

[0045] The control device 40 continues the pushing operation until the target object 100 reaches a predetermined amount by which it is assumed that the target object 100 will be divided. The predetermined amount can be set to, for example, equal to or greater than the average thickness of the joint 102.

[0046] Whether the object 100 has been pushed to a predetermined amount can be determined by various known methods. For example, the robot system 1 can determine that the object 100 has been pushed to a predetermined amount based on the pressure value or pressure change detected by the pressure detection unit 43. In this case, while the dividing unit 53 is dividing the joint 102, the gripping unit 12 receives a resistance force, and the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit 43 increases. On the other hand, after the joint 102 passes through the dividing unit 53 and is divided, the resistance force received by the gripping unit 12 decreases, and the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit 43 also decreases. When the detection result of the pressure detection unit 43 is greater than the predetermined pressure, or when the change in pressure detected by the pressure detection unit 43 is less than the predetermined amount, the control device 40 can continue the pushing operation. Note that the pressure value detected by the pressure detection unit 43 varies depending on the dimensions, density, elasticity, etc. of the object 100.

[0047] 12, the release operation is an operation for releasing the grip of the object by the gripping unit 12. As a result, the object 100 loses support from the gripping unit 12 and is supported by the support member 63 arranged below the divider 50.

[0048] 13 and 14, the lowering operation is an operation for lowering the support member 63. As a result, the object 100 supported by the support member 63 is lowered together with the lowering of the support member 63, and passes through the divider 50.

[0049] 15, the pushing operation is an operation of pushing the object 100 out of the receiving device 60. In this case, when the support member 63 descends to a predetermined position, for example, to the bottom of the receiving device 60, the control device 40 operates an air valve (not shown) or the like to apply air, thereby pushing the object 100a out of the outer cylinder portion 61 through the opening 611. The control device 40 also rotates the support member 63 to open the air valve, thereby pushing the object 100a that was not initially facing the opening 611 out of the outer cylinder portion 61 one by one.

[0050] The flow of the division process will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 16. When the division process is started (START), the control device 40 executes a whole gripping operation in step S11.

[0051] In step S12, the control device 40 executes a push-in operation.

[0052] In step S13, the control device 40 determines whether the target object 100 has been pressed to a predetermined amount at which it is assumed that the target object 100 will be divided. In this embodiment, the control device 40 determines whether the detected pressure of the pressure detection unit 43 is equal to or less than a predetermined pressure p1. If the detection result is greater than the predetermined pressure p1 (No in step S13), the control device 40 returns the process to step S12. If the detection result is equal to or less than the predetermined pressure p1 (Yes in step S13), the control device 40 advances the process to step S14.

[0053] In step S14, the control device 40 executes an opening operation. In step S15, the control device 40 executes a lowering operation. In step S16, the control device 40 executes a pushing operation.

[0054] In this manner, the dividing process of the object 100 is executed by the robot system 1 (end). The object 100a divided by the dividing process is transported to a predetermined position by, for example, the transport device 82 or the like.

[0055] Next, the weight adjustment stage will be described with reference to Figs. 17 to 24. In the weight adjustment stage, the control device 40 executes each of the operations and processes of a placing operation, a weighing process, an adjustment weight calculation process, a vertex identification process, a weight adjustment process, and a recovery process. The placing operation is executed before the weighing process. The placing operation is an operation in which the robot 30 places the object 100a on the weight measuring device 41. Specifically, the weighing operation is an operation in which the robot 30 is operated to place the divided object 100a on the spatula member 33, and then placed on the weight measuring device 41. In this case, the object 100a is placed so that the extension direction of the axis of the object 100 is a fixed direction, and the bottom surface of the joint 102 is at a predetermined position on the weight measuring device 41.

[0056] The weighing process is executed after the placing operation and before the adjusted weight calculation process. The weighing process is a process for acquiring the weight of the target object 100 measured by the weight measuring device 41.

[0057] The adjustment weight calculation process is a process for calculating the adjustment weight from the difference between the target weight and the weight of the object 100 measured by the weight measuring device 41. The adjustment weight means the weight that is subtracted from the weight of the object 100 before adjustment to reach the target weight.

[0058] The apex identification process is a process for identifying the shape of the object and identifying the position of the part to be grasped by the partial grasping operation. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 17, the apex identification process is a process for detecting the shape of the object by an optical method and identifying the apex P of the cross section at a predetermined distance L1 in the axial direction from the base of the object 100 based on the detected shape. The part at the predetermined distance L1 from the base of the object 100 is a part that is a certain distance away from the joint 102, and the axes are not joined to each other or are joined at least by a weaker force than the joint at the joint 102. The predetermined distance L1 varies depending on the size and shape of the object 100, but can be set within a range of 30 mm to 70 mm, for example. In this embodiment, the predetermined distance L1 is set to 50 mm.

[0059] In the vertex identification process, the control device 40 identifies the position of the vertex P in two directions perpendicular to the axis extension direction. By setting the X-axis in the axis extension direction, the Y-axis in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the X-axis, and the Z-axis in the vertical direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis, the control device 40 identifies the position of the vertex P in the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction.

[0060] The weight adjustment process is a process for adjusting the weight of the target object 100 so that the weight of the target object 100 approaches a target weight. As shown in Fig. 18 to Fig. 22, the weight adjustment process includes an approaching action, a partial gripping action, a gap forming action, an inserting action, and a separating action.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 18, the approaching operation is an operation performed before the partial grasping operation. The approaching operation is an operation of moving the gripping unit 22 of the robot 20 to a position where the partial grasping operation is performed while the gripping unit 22 is opened by a predetermined amount. As shown in Fig. 19, the partial grasping operation is an operation of operating the robot 20 to grip a portion 100c of the target object 100 that is sandwiched between both sides of the vertex P by the gripping unit 22.

[0062] 20, the gap forming operation is executed after the gripping operation and before the separation operation. The gap forming operation is an operation in which the robot 20 is operated to move the part 100c gripped by the gripping unit 22 in a direction away from the target body 100d, that is, in the z direction, upward in this case, to such an extent that the part 100c is not separated from the target body 100d, thereby forming a gap between the part gripped by the gripping unit 22 and the target body 100d.

[0063] As shown in Fig. 21, the insertion operation is performed after the gap forming operation and before the separation operation. The insertion operation is an operation in which the robot 30 is operated to insert the plate member 34 into the gap formed by the gap forming operation. In this case, the robot 30 holds the plate member 34 in a position in which the surface direction of the plate member 34 is perpendicular to the movement direction in the gap forming operation. In this embodiment, the robot 30 holds the plate member 34 in a position in which the surface direction of the plate member 34 is horizontal. Note that the insertion operation is not limited to the robot 30, and may be realized by any mechanical configuration that can insert the plate member 34 at a certain position.

[0064] 22, the separation operation is an operation in which, while a portion of the object 100 is being gripped by the gripping unit 22, the gripping unit 22 is moved in a direction away from the object main body 100d, and the portion gripped by the gripping unit 22 is separated from the object main body 100d. The object main body 100d is a portion of the object 100a that is different from the portion 100c gripped by the partial gripping operation, that is, a portion that occupies most of the object 100a that is not gripped by the partial gripping operation.

[0065] In this case, if the gripped portion 100c and the object body 100d are firmly joined at the joint 102, not only the gripped portion 100c but also the object body 100d are dragged and move in the Z direction, in this case upward, as the gripping portion 22 moves. However, the tip 341 of the plate member 34 inserted into the gap by the insertion operation hits the gripped portion 100c, and separates the joint between the gripped portion 100c and the object body 100d. Therefore, only the gripped portion 100c moves in the Z direction by the separation operation, and the object body 100d remains in its initial position in the Z axis direction, in this case on the weight measuring device 41.

[0066] The weight adjustment process includes a setting process for setting the opening amount O and the sinking amount D of the gripping portion 22 shown in FIG. 23. The opening amount O is the width by which the gripping portion 22 is opened in the approaching operation, i.e., the distance between the gripping surfaces 221. The sinking amount D is the distance from the apex P after the approaching operation to the tip of the gripping portion 22. As shown in FIG. 24, the control device 40 increases the opening amount O of the gripping portion 22 as the adjustment weight increases, and increases the amount of sinking D by increasing the amount of movement of the gripping portion 22 in the approaching operation. This makes it possible to reduce the amount gripped by the gripping portion 22, i.e., the number of shafts, when the adjustment weight is small, and to increase the amount gripped by the gripping portion 22, i.e., the number of shafts, when the adjustment weight is large.

[0067] For example, the opening amount O and the sinking amount D can be set based on the weight per shaft of the target object 100 and the thickness per shaft. The control device 40 stores in the memory area 402 a chart showing the correlation between the opening amount O and the sinking amount D, which are predetermined based on the adjusted weight. In the setting process, the control device 40 can call up the chart in the memory area 402 and set the opening amount O and the sinking amount D. Note that the control device 40 may set only one of the opening amount O and the sinking amount D, and set the other to a fixed value.

[0068] The control device 40 may perform the setting process according to the outer shape of the object 100 near the vertex P acquired by the vertex identification process in addition to the adjusted weight. In this case, for example, even if the adjusted weight is the same, when the position in the Z-axis direction near the vertex P changes relatively gently, the opening amount O can be increased while the sinking amount D can be decreased, and when the position in the Z-axis direction changes relatively rapidly, the opening amount O can be decreased and the sinking amount D can be increased.

[0069] Next, the flow of each process and operation in the weight adjustment step by the control device 40 will be described with reference to the flowcharts of Figures 25 and 26. When the weight adjustment step is executed (start), the control device 40 executes a placing operation in step S21. In step S22, the control device 40 executes a weighing process.

[0070] In step S23, the control device 40 determines whether the weight measured by the weight measuring device 41 is equal to or less than the target weight. If the measured weight is greater than the target weight (Yes in step S23), the control device 40 advances the process to step S24.

[0071] In step S24, the control device 40 executes an adjustment weight calculation process. In step S25, the control device 40 executes a vertex identification process.

[0072] In step S26, the control device 40 executes a weight adjustment process shown in Fig. 26. After the weight adjustment process is executed, the control device 40 executes a setting process in step S31. As a result, the gripping portion 22 is set to an opening amount O according to the adjusted weight. In addition, the sinking amount D in the approaching operation in step S32 is also set according to the adjusted weight.

[0073] In step S32, the control device 40 executes an approaching operation. The gripper 22 moves in the Z-axis direction to a position corresponding to the sinking amount D set in step S31. The position of the gripper 22 is also adjusted in the Y-axis direction so as to sandwich the apex P identified in step S23.

[0074] In step S33, the control device 40 executes a partial gripping operation, whereby the gripper 22 grips the portion 100c of the target object 100 in an amount set according to the adjusted weight.

[0075] In step S34, the control device 40 executes a gap forming operation, whereby a gap is formed between the gripped portion 100c and the target main body 100d.

[0076] In step S35, the control device 40 executes an insertion operation, whereby the plate member 34 that separates the gripped portion 100c and the target body 100d is inserted into the gap.

[0077] In step S36, the control device 40 executes a separation operation. As a result, the gripped portion 100c and the target body 100d are separated. In this manner, the weight adjustment process is executed (return).

[0078] Returning to the flowchart of Fig. 25, the control device 40 advances the process to a weighing process in step S22. If it is determined that the measured weight is equal to or less than the target weight (No in step S23), the control device 40 advances the process to step S27.

[0079] In step S27, the control device 40 executes a collection operation. As a result, the object 100b, whose weight has been adjusted to be equal to or less than the target weight, is collected from the weight measuring device 41. In this manner, the weight adjustment stage ends (END). Thereafter, the object 100b is transported to a predetermined position by the transport device 83 or the like.

[0080] The robot system 1 of the present embodiment described above is a robot system that divides an object 100, which is a bundle of multiple shafts long in one direction connected to each other at joints 102 at the base, into multiple blocks. The robot system 1 includes a robot 10, a divider 50, and a control device 40. The robot 10 has a pair of gripping units 12 that can grip the object 100 by opening and closing them. The divider 50 has dividers 53 arranged radially from a center 52. The control device 40 controls the operation of the robot 10. The control device 40 operates the robot 10 to perform an entire gripping operation in which the grippers 12 grip the entire object 100, and a pushing operation in which, while the grippers 12 grip the object 100, the bottom surface of the joints 102 is placed against the center of the divider 50 to push the object 100 into the divider 50, thereby performing a division process in which the object 100 is divided into multiple blocks by the divider 53.

[0081] This provides a robot system that can automatically divide a bundle of objects 100 without cutting them. This can save time and effort required for manual work, and can divide the objects 100 without damaging them, regardless of the worker's years of experience or level of skill.

[0082] The gripping portion 12 has a gripping surface 121 which is a surface that comes into contact with the object 100 and is formed along the outer shape of the object 100 .

[0083] This increases the contact area between the gripping surface 121 and the object 100, so that when the object 100 is made of a delicate material, the object 100 can be gripped with an appropriate force without being crushed. Therefore, damage to the object 100 during division can be suppressed.

[0084] The divider 50 is disposed with the axial direction of the center portion 52 facing the up-down direction. The dividing operation further includes a releasing operation in which the gripping portion 12 releases the gripping of the object 100 after the pushing operation has pushed in a predetermined amount that is set to be equal to or greater than the thickness of the joint portion 102.

[0085] Because the object 100 is connected only at the joint 102 on the base side, once it is pushed into the dividing section to a certain extent, the object will be divided without needing to be pushed any further, and it will then pass through the dividing device due to its own weight. Therefore, by releasing the gripping section 12 when a predetermined amount has been pushed in, damage to the object 100 caused by pushing can be reduced as much as possible.

[0086] The robot system 1 further includes a pressure detection unit 43 that detects the pressure acting on the robot 10 by the pushing operation. The control device 40 executes the opening operation based on the detection result of the pressure detection unit 43.

[0087] By releasing the gripping portion 12 using the detection of pressure or a change in pressure as a trigger, the release operation can be performed at an appropriate time, and damage to the target object 100 caused by pushing in can be minimized.

[0088] The object 100 to be segmented is a mushroom.

[0089] To provide a robot system capable of automatically dividing mushrooms, which are easily damaged when cut and are difficult to divide automatically.

[0090] The divider 50 of this embodiment is a divider that divides an object 100, which is a bundle of multiple axes long in one direction connected to each other at joints 102 at the base, into multiple blocks. The divider 50 includes a center 52 and dividing units 53. The dividing units 53 are arranged radially from the center 52, and the object 100 is pushed into the object 100 to be divided with the multiple axes parallel to the axial direction of the center 52, and the object 100 is passed in the axial direction of the center 52, thereby dividing the object 100 into two or more pieces.

[0091] This provides a divider 50 that can divide the bundle of objects 100 without cutting them.

[0092] The tip portion 521 of the central portion 52 protrudes beyond the divided portion 53 .

[0093] This makes it easier for tip portion 521 to bite into the bottom surface of joint portion 102 of object 100. Therefore, movement of object 100 in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction is restricted, making it easier for object 100 to be divided.

[0094] The tip 521 of the center portion 52 is formed into a pointed shape.

[0095] This makes it even easier for tip portion 521 to bite into the bottom surface of joint portion 102 of object 100. Therefore, object 100 can be neatly divided with a small force.

[0096] The robot system 1 of this embodiment is a robot system that adjusts an object, which is a bundle of multiple shafts long in one direction and connected to each other at joints at the base, to a target weight. The robot system 1 includes a robot 20 as a first robot, a weight measuring device 41, an optical device 42, and a control device 40. The robot 20 has a gripping portion 22 that can grip a part of the object 100 by opening and closing. The weight measuring device 41 measures the weight of the object 100. The optical device 42 detects the shape of the object 100 by an optical method. The control device 40 controls the operation of the robot 20 based on the measurement result of the weight measuring device 41 and the shape detected by the optical device 42. The control device 40 is configured to be able to execute an adjustment weight calculation process, a vertex identification process, and a weight adjustment process. The adjustment weight calculation process is a process that calculates the adjustment weight from the difference between the target weight and the weight of the object 100 measured by the weight measuring device 41. The apex identification process is a process for identifying the apex P of a cross section at a predetermined axial distance from the base of the object 100 based on the shape detected by the optical device 42. The weight adjustment process is a process including a partial gripping operation for operating the robot 20 to grip a portion of the object 100 sandwiching both sides of the apex P with the gripping unit 22, and a separation operation for moving the gripping unit 22 in a direction away from the object main body 100d, which is a portion of the object 100 different from the portion 100c gripped by the partial gripping operation, to separate the portion 100c gripped by the gripping unit 22 from the object main body 100d.

[0097] This allows the robot system 1 to automatically adjust the weight, reducing the labor, time, and costs, compared to manual adjustments that rely on the experience and intuition of an operator. Furthermore, since the weight can be adjusted without cutting the object 100, damage to the object 100 can be suppressed and the yield rate can be maintained.

[0098] The weight adjustment process further includes an approaching action that is executed before the partial gripping action and moves the gripping portion 22 to a position where the partial gripping action is performed with the gripping portion 22 open by a predetermined amount.

[0099] This allows the object 100 to be securely gripped by the gripping portion 22 regardless of the shape of the apex P and its surroundings.

[0100] The weight adjustment process includes a process in which, as the adjustment weight increases, the specified amount by which the grip portion 22 is opened during the approaching operation is increased, and the amount of movement of the grip portion 22 during the approaching operation is increased to increase the sinking amount D, which is the distance between the apex P and the tip of the grip portion 22.

[0101] This provides the robot system 1 that allows fine weight adjustment from a relatively small amount to a large amount.

[0102] The robot system 1 further includes a robot 30 as a second robot having a plate member 34. The weight adjustment process further includes a gap forming operation and an insertion operation. The gap forming operation is performed after the gripping operation and before the separation operation, and is an operation in which the robot 20 is operated to move the gripping unit 22 in a direction away from the target body 100d to such an extent that the part 100c gripped by the gripping unit 22 is not separated from the target body 100d, thereby forming a gap between the part 100c gripped by the gripping unit 22 and the target body 100d. The insertion operation is performed after the gap forming operation and before the separation operation, and is an operation in which the robot 30 is operated to insert the plate member 34 into the gap.

[0103] With this, even if multiple shafts are firmly attached to each other at their base, the plate member 34 sandwiched in the gap separates the shafts, making it possible to adjust the weight of the object 100 while suppressing damage to the object body 100d.

[0104] The object 100 to be subjected to the weight adjustment process is a mushroom.

[0105] A robot system is provided that can automatically adjust the weight of mushrooms, which are easily damaged when cut and are difficult to automatically divide.

[0106] Second embodiment The second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 27 and Fig. 28. In this embodiment, the robot system 1 includes a position detection unit 44 instead of the pressure detection unit 43 of the first embodiment. The position detection unit 44 has a function of detecting the vertical position of the bottom surface of the target object 100.

[0107] When the position of the bottom surface of the object 100 detected by the position detection unit 44 is equal to or lower than a predetermined position z0, the control device 40 determines that the object 100 has been pressed in by a predetermined amount, that is, that the joint 102 of the object 100 has been divided. The predetermined position z0 differs depending on the size and shape of the object 100.

[0108] In the flowchart of the division process of this embodiment shown in FIG. 28, the control device 40 determines in step S41 whether the position detected by the position detection unit 44 is equal to or less than the predetermined position z0. If the detected position exceeds the predetermined position z0 (No in step S41), the control device 40 returns the process to step S12. If the detected position is equal to or less than the predetermined position z0 (Yes in step S41), the control device 40 advances the process to step S14. The other operations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0109] This embodiment also provides the same effects as the above embodiment.

[0110] The robot system 1 of the present embodiment further includes a position detection unit 44 that detects the height position of the bottom surface of the target object 100. The control device 40 executes the opening operation based on the fact that the position detection unit 44 detects that the height position of the bottom surface is equal to or lower than a predetermined height position z0.

[0111] When the bottom surface is equal to or lower than the predetermined position z0, it is estimated that the object 100 is divided into a plurality of blocks. Therefore, by releasing the gripping portion 22 when the bottom surface is equal to or lower than the predetermined position, the object 100 can be released at an appropriate time, and damage caused by pushing the object 100 can be suppressed as much as possible.

[0112] Third embodiment A third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 29 and Fig. 30. In this embodiment, the robot system 1 includes a passage detection unit 45 instead of the pressure detection unit 43 of the first embodiment. The passage detection unit 45 has a function of detecting that the bottom surface of the target object 100 has passed a predetermined position.

[0113] For example, the predetermined position is the lower end of dividing section 53. When passage detection section 45 detects that the bottom surface of object 100 has passed through dividing section 53, control device 40 determines that object 100 has been pushed in by a predetermined amount, that is, joint section 102 of object 100 has been divided.

[0114] In the flowchart of the division process of this embodiment shown in FIG. 30, the control device 40 determines in step S42 whether or not the passage of the bottom surface of the object 100 is detected by the passage detection unit 45. If the passage of the bottom surface of the object 100 is not detected (No in step S42), the control device 40 returns the process to step S12. If the passage of the bottom surface of the object 100 is detected (Yes in step S42), the control device 40 advances the process to step S14. Other operations are similar to those of the above embodiments.

[0115] This embodiment also provides the same effects as the above embodiment.

[0116] The robot system 1 of the present embodiment further includes a passage detection unit 45 that detects that the bottom surface of the target object 100 has passed through the dividing unit 53. The control device 40 executes an opening operation based on the detection by the passage detection unit 45 of the passage of the bottom surface of the target object 100.

[0117] If the bottom surface of the object 100 passes through the dividing section 53, it is presumed that the object 100 has been divided into a plurality of blocks. Therefore, by releasing the gripping section 22 at the point when the bottom surface passes through the divider, it is possible to release the gripping section 22 at an appropriate time and minimize damage caused by pushing the object 100 in.

[0118] Although the present disclosure has been described based on the embodiment, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment or structure. The present disclosure also includes various modifications and modifications within the equivalent range. In addition, various combinations and forms, and other combinations and forms including only one element, more than one element, or less than one element, are also within the scope and concept of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 1...robot system, 10...robot, 12...gripping section, 20...robot, 22...gripping section, 221...gripping surface, 30...robot, 34...plate member, 40...control device, 41...weight measuring device, 42...optical device, 43...pressure detection section, 44...position detection section, 45...passage detection section, 50...dividing section, 52...center section, 521...tip section, 53...dividing section, 100...object, 102...joint section

Claims

1. A robot system for dividing an object into a plurality of blocks, the object being bundled together by a plurality of shafts each long in one direction and connected to each other at joints at the base thereof, a robot having a gripping part capable of gripping the object by opening and closing; A divider having dividing portions arranged radially from a central portion; A control device for controlling the operation of the robot, The control device operates the robot to a whole gripping action of gripping the whole of the object with the gripping unit; a pushing operation in which, while the object is held by the gripping portion, a bottom surface of the joint portion is brought into contact with a center portion of the divider to push the object into the divider; a division process for dividing the object into a plurality of blocks by the division unit by executing the above-mentioned Robot system.

2. The gripping portion has a contact surface with the object that is formed along the outer shape of the object. The robot system of claim 1 .

3. The divider is disposed such that the axial direction of the central portion faces the up-down direction, The dividing operation further includes a releasing operation of releasing the grip of the object by the gripping portion after the pushing operation has pushed in a predetermined amount set to be equal to or greater than a thickness of the joint portion. The robot system of claim 1 .

4. a pressure detection unit that detects a pressure acting on the robot by the pushing operation, The control device executes the opening operation based on a detection result of the pressure detection unit. The robot system according to claim 3 .

5. A position detection unit that detects a height position of a bottom surface of the object is further provided, The control device executes the opening operation based on the detection by the position detection unit that the height position of the bottom surface is equal to or lower than a predetermined height position. The robot system according to claim 3 .

6. a passage detection unit that detects when a bottom surface of the object passes through the dividing unit, The control device executes the opening operation based on the fact that the passage detection unit detects the passage of the bottom surface of the object. The robot system according to claim 3 .

7. The object is a mushroom. The robot system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A divider for dividing an object into a plurality of blocks, the object being bundled together by connecting a plurality of shafts each long in one direction at a base joint, The center and a dividing section that is radially arranged from the center section and is pressed into an object to be divided, so that the object is passed in an axial direction of the center section with the multiple axes parallel to the axial direction of the center section, thereby dividing the object into two or more objects; A divider comprising:

9. The tip of the central portion protrudes beyond the divided portion. The divider of claim 8.

10. The tip of the central portion is formed into a pointed shape. The divider of claim 8.

Images