Holding system

Abstract

To suppress scattering of a holding target object to the outside of a storage container when the robot holds the object.SOLUTION: A holding system 1 comprises: an articulated robot 30 equipped with a holding member 31a; and a control device 10 that controls operation of the articulated robot 30. The control device 10 causes the articulated robot 30 to execute, as operations regarding holding by the holding member 31a for the ingredient stored in a storage container 20: a first operation with a possibility of an ingredient scattering from the holding member 31a during execution of the operation being a first possibility; and a second operation with the possibility of the ingredient scattering from the holding member 31a during execution of the operation being a second possibility higher than the first possibility. The control device 10 controls the articulated robot 30 such that a position of the holding member 31a during execution of the second operation is lower than a position of the holding member 31a during execution of the first operation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a retention system. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, robots have been increasingly introduced into various fields, including not only the field of industrial product manufacturing, where robots have traditionally been used, but also fields such as food plating. An example of technology related to a robot that performs such plating is disclosed in Patent Document 1. The technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 uses two modes for controlling the drive of a gripping member: a first control mode that causes the gripping member to grip an object, and a second control mode that removes an object that has adhered to the gripping member. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-24026 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the general technology described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, an operation such as gripping is performed vertically above the opening of a container that contains an object. Also, for example, in the second control mode of Patent Document 1, a gripping member is moved up and down vertically above an object that has not yet been gripped, thereby causing the object attached to the gripping member to fall. During this process, there is a risk that objects that were not properly gripped or objects that were attached to the gripping members may become uncontrollable and fly out of the container. If objects fly out, workers must retrieve the objects and clean up afterwards. Furthermore, the robot must be stopped during this process, which results in reduced productivity.

[0005] This problem is not limited to situations where a robot holds an object by grasping it, but is common to all situations where a robot holds an object by some means, such as when a robot holds an object by suction, when a robot holds an object by scooping it up, or when a robot holds an object by pinching it. Furthermore, this problem is not limited to cases where the object being held by the robot is food, but is common to all situations where robots are used to hold various objects, such as in the manufacturing of industrial products. As described above, in the conventional technology, there is still room for improvement in preventing objects being held by a robot from scattering outside the container.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to prevent objects to be held from scattering outside a container when the objects are held by a robot. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, a holding system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: A holding system including a robot having a holding member and a control device that controls the operation of the robot, The control device As an operation related to holding the object contained in the container by the holding member, a first action in which there is a first possibility that the object will fly off the holding member when the action is performed; a second action having a second possibility that the object will fly off the holding member when the action is performed, the second possibility being higher than the first possibility; The robot is controlled so that the position of the holding member when performing the second operation is lower than the position of the holding member when performing the first operation. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, when an object is held by a robot, the object to be held can be prevented from scattering outside the container. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a gripping system 1 according to the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of a control device 10. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a control device 10. [Figure 4] 3A to 3C are schematic diagrams showing examples of the shape of a gripping member 31a installed at the tip of a hand 31. [Figure 5] 10 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the storage space of the storage container 20, the hand 31, the gripping member 31a, the robot arm 32, and the ingredient when performing an operation such as a gripping operation. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the opening and closing of a pair of gripping members 31a. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of a detection unit 40. [Figure 8] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the vicinity of a transfer position P1 and a release position P2. FIG. [Figure 9] 1 is a view of the vicinity of the transfer position P1 and the release position P2 viewed from vertically above. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a reference position used when performing height control processing. [Figure 11]10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the storage space of the storage container 20, the stored ingredients, the hand 31, the gripping member 31a, and the robot arm 32 when the height control process is performed. FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of an ingredient plating process executed by the gripping system 1. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of an ingredient plating process executed by the gripping system 1. [Figure 14] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the storage space of the storage container 20, the stored ingredients, the hand 31, the gripping member 31a, and the robot arm 32 when performing the height control process in Modification 1. FIG. [Figure 15] 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which an expansion member 60 is attached to a storage container 20 in Modification 2. FIG. [Figure 16] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the storage space of the storage container 20, the stored ingredients, the hand 31, the gripping member 31a, and the robot arm 32 when the height control process is performed according to the fourth modification. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Embodiment] [Overall configuration] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a gripping system 1 according to the present invention. Here, the gripping system 1 is intended to be applied to a system for plating ingredients. Therefore, in the following description, an example will be given in which the gripping system 1 grips ingredients for a side dish or the like and plates the ingredients in a container for the side dish.

[0011] However, this is merely an example for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of application of the present invention. The present invention is generally applicable to various systems that perform holding using a robot. This embodiment, shown as a preferred example, is a system that achieves holding by forming a container shape by closing a pair of gripping members and using this container shape to perform holding. However, the present invention may also be applied to other systems, for example, systems that achieve holding by using a suction pad that adsorbs an object by creating a vacuum between the closely-contacted object and the gripping member. Alternatively, the present invention may be applied to systems that achieve holding by scooping an object with a spoon-shaped or ladle-shaped gripping member. Furthermore, the present invention may be applied to systems that achieve holding by clamping an object with tong-shaped or claw-shaped gripping members. Furthermore, the objects to be held are not limited to food ingredients or containers, and the present invention can also be applied to a system that holds, for example, parts of industrial products such as electronic devices. That is, the present invention is applicable to all systems that realize holding.

[0012] In the following explanation, weight will be used as an example to describe the amount of ingredients to be served, but the present invention can also be applied to physical quantities other than weight, such as volume, bulk, mass, and other various names for physical quantities.

[0013] 1, the gripping system 1 includes a control device 10, a container 20, an articulated robot 30, a detection unit 40, and a transfer mechanism 50. Among these, the control device 10, the articulated robot 30, the detection unit 40, and the transfer mechanism 50 are connected to each other via wired or wireless communication, and are capable of communicating with each other.

[0014] In addition, a belt conveyor 2 is installed adjacent to the gripping system 1, which automatically transports containers of prepared foods from upstream to downstream. The belt conveyor 2 has a conveying surface for transporting the containers, and the containers are transported while placed on this conveying surface. In Figure 1, as shown by the dashed arrow, the left side of the paper is the upstream side of transport on the belt conveyor 2, and the right side of the paper is the downstream side of transport on the belt conveyor 2. The operation of supplying the containers to the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2 further upstream of the gripping system 1 may be performed manually or by a container supply device.

[0015] 1 shows only one set consisting of the container 20, the articulated robot 30, the detector 40, and the transfer mechanism 50, but the present invention is not limited to this. In this embodiment, it is assumed that a plurality of these sets are installed along the conveying direction of one belt conveyor 2, and that the plurality of articulated robots 30 work in cooperation with each other.

[0016] The control device 10 is configured with an information processing device such as a PC (Personal Computer) or a programmable controller, and controls the entire grasping system 1 by executing various programs. For example, the control device 10 controls the operation of the articulated robot 30, such as grasping ingredients from the storage container 20 and releasing them into a prepared food container to arrange the ingredients. More specifically, the control device 10 controls the driving of the articulated robot 30 to move the hand 31 of the articulated robot 30 to a predetermined position via a predetermined route at a predetermined speed, and controls the driving of the actuator of the hand 31 to grasp and release ingredients using the hand 31. In addition, for example, the control device 10 controls the operation of the transfer mechanism 50 based on the detection results of the detection unit 40.

[0017] The storage container 20 has a storage space for storing ingredients such as prepared dishes to be served by the gripping system 1. The storage container 20 is realized by, for example, a general-purpose storage container such as a large tray or a large tray. The storage space of the storage container 20 stores, for example, paste salads (salads containing viscous or sticky ingredients) such as potato salad, and prepared dishes such as udon (soybean curd refuse), dried strips of daikon radish, pickled vegetables, hijiki seaweed, boiled beans, and buttered corn. In this embodiment, the storage space stores multiple servings (e.g., tens to hundreds of servings) of one type of ingredient. The multiple gripping systems 1 then serve ingredients for any of the prepared dishes in the corresponding containers, thereby completing the task of serving the prepared dishes. The storage container 20 can be replaced manually by an operator or automatically by the articulated robot 30.

[0018] The articulated robot 30 is, for example, a horizontal articulated robot or a vertical articulated robot, and is equipped with a hand 31 that can grasp the ingredients to be plated, and a robot arm 32 that moves the hand 31 to any position within its movable range. Furthermore, a weight sensor 30A that measures the weight of an ingredient grasped by the hand 31 is installed at the joint that holds the hand 31 of the articulated robot 30, as an example of a means for acquiring the physical quantity of the ingredient grasped by the hand 31. Furthermore, a force sensor 30B that measures a reaction force (including a force sense obtained by touching the surface) from the ingredient that has come into contact is installed at the joint that holds the hand 31 of the articulated robot 30, as an example of a means for detecting that the hand 31 has come into contact with the ingredient. Data on the weight of the ingredient measured by the weight sensor 30A (i.e., the weight of the grasped ingredient) and data on the reaction force from the ingredient measured by the force sensor 30B (i.e., the detection result of contact with the ingredient) are output to the control device 10.

[0019] Furthermore, the joint that holds the hand 31 has an axis that rotates the hand 31 in a twisting direction relative to the robot arm 32. Therefore, when the hand 31 grasps an ingredient, the direction in which the hand 31 opens and closes can be adjusted by changing the orientation of the hand 31. This makes it possible to change the orientation of the hand 31 so that when the hand 31 reaches the vicinity of the inner wall surface of the container, the hand 31 opens and closes in a direction parallel to the inner wall surface of the storage space of the storage container 20, making it easier to grasp ingredients near the inner wall surface of the container.

[0020] The detection unit 40 includes a plurality of optical sensors that detect containers being transported on the belt conveyor 2. For example, the detection unit 40 includes a sensor that detects the position of a container being transported on the belt conveyor 2, and a sensor that detects ingredients served in the container. Data on the position of the container detected by these sensors and data on whether ingredients are served or not are output to the control device 10. The control device 10 controls the operation of the transfer mechanism 50 based on the detection results of these sensors included in the detection unit 40. Details of the positional relationship of these sensors included in the detection unit 40 and the operation control of the transfer mechanism 50 by the control device 10 based on the detection results will be described later.

[0021] The transfer mechanism 50 is a mechanism for transferring an object (here, a container). The transfer mechanism 50 transfers the container, which has been transported to a transfer position P1 by the belt conveyor 2, to a release position P2, where the ingredients are released. After that, when the ingredients have been placed in the container at the release position P2, the transfer mechanism 50 transfers the container from the release position P2 back to the transfer position P1. Thereafter, the containers with the ingredients piled up are transported further downstream by the belt conveyor 2, where post-processing (for example, closing the lids on the containers) is carried out. In this way, by performing the transfer by the transfer mechanism 50, the ingredients can be released and arranged at the release position P2 provided near the articulated robot 30, rather than at the transfer position P1 or the like on the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2. This makes it possible to prevent the released ingredients from falling onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2.

[0022] The above has described the overall configuration of the gripping system 1. Although not shown in the drawings, a shielding section made of a plate-shaped member that surrounds the area where each component of the gripping system 1 is installed may be installed to shield the components from the outside. Furthermore, in addition to the components of the gripping system 1, the belt conveyor 2 may also be shielded by a shielding section. By shielding with a shielding section in this way, it is possible to prevent ingredients scattered during the operation of the gripping system 1 from soiling the outside and prevent foreign matter from entering the ingredients from the outside. In this case, the plate-like members constituting the shielding part may be made of a transparent material such as glass or resin, so that the operating status of the gripping system 1 can be visually confirmed from the outside. Also, an openable door may be installed on a part of the side wall constituting the shielding part. In this way, when replacing the storage space of the storage container 20 or performing maintenance on the gripping system 1, a worker can open the door of the shielding part to approach each component and perform these various tasks.

[0023] [Hardware configuration of the control device 10] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control device 10. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the control device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 711, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 712, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 713, a bus 714, an input unit 715, an output unit 716, a memory unit 717, a communication unit 718, and a drive 719.

[0024] The CPU 711 executes various processes according to a program recorded in the ROM 712 or a program loaded from the storage unit 717 into the RAM 713 . The RAM 713 also stores data and the like necessary for the CPU 711 to execute various processes.

[0025] The CPU 711, ROM 712, and RAM 713 are connected to one another via a bus 714. To the bus 714, an input unit 715, an output unit 716, a storage unit 717, a communication unit 718, and a drive 719 are connected.

[0026] The input unit 715 includes an input device such as a mouse or a keyboard, and receives input of various information to the control device 10. Note that the input unit 715 may also include a microphone, and receive input of various information by voice input from the worker. The output unit 716 is composed of a display, a speaker, etc., and outputs images and sounds. The storage unit 717 is configured with a hard disk or a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), etc., and stores various data managed by each server. The communication unit 718 controls communication with other devices via the network.

[0027] Removable media 731, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory, is appropriately attached to the drive 719. A program read from the removable media 731 by the drive 719 is installed in the storage unit 717 as needed. The above hardware configuration is the basic configuration of the control device 10, and it is possible to configure the control device 10 without some of the hardware, to configure the control device 10 with additional hardware, or to change the implementation form of the hardware.

[0028] [Functional configuration] Next, the functional configuration of the control device 10 will be described. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 10. As shown in FIG. 3, by executing a program for controlling the operation of the gripping system 1, a sensor information acquisition unit 151, an ingredient state determination unit 152, an ingredient amount determination unit 153, an articulated robot control unit 154, a transfer mechanism control unit 155, and a recording control unit 156 function in the CPU 711 of the control device 10. In addition, a parameter storage unit 171 and a history database (history DB) 172 are formed in the storage unit 717.

[0029] The parameter storage unit 171 stores various parameters used when the gripping system 1 operates. For example, the parameter storage unit 171 stores the position of the storage space of the storage container 20, the position of the area in the prepared food container where ingredients are to be placed, the relationship between the insertion amount of the hand 31 into the ingredient when gripping the ingredient and the weight of the gripped ingredient (function or table-format data, etc.), parameters defining the operation pattern of the articulated robot 30, etc. In this embodiment, the insertion amount of the hand 31 into the ingredient serves as an index for estimating the weight (physical quantity) of the ingredient. In other words, from the relationship between the insertion amount of the hand 31 into the ingredient and the weight of the gripped ingredient, the actual weight of the gripped ingredient (target gripping weight) is estimated based on the insertion amount of the hand 31 into the ingredient.

[0030] The history DB 172 stores, as history, control parameters acquired when the gripping system 1 operates or measurement data of the weight of ingredients served by the gripping system 1. The history DB 172 also stores an ingredient state map that indicates the state of ingredients in the storage space of the storage container 20. Details of this ingredient state map will be described later together with an explanation of the recording control unit 156 that creates and updates the ingredient state map.

[0031] The sensor information acquisition unit 151 acquires sensor information, which is information detected by various sensors installed in the gripping system 1 and the detection unit 40. For example, the sensor information acquisition unit 151 acquires, as sensor information, data on the weight of ingredients measured by weight sensors 30A installed in the joints of the articulated robot 30, data on the reaction force from the ingredients measured by force sensors 30B, data on the position of containers detected by sensors included in the detection unit 40, and data on whether ingredients are served on the containers. These pieces of sensor information are used as appropriate by each functional block of the control device 10.

[0032] The ingredient state determination unit 152 recognizes the state of the ingredients based on data on the reaction force from the ingredients measured by the force sensor 30B. For example, the ingredient state determination unit 152 recognizes the depth of the ingredients within the storage space of the storage container 20 (the depth from the surface of the ingredient within the storage space of the storage container 20 to the bottom of the storage space of the storage container 20) and the flatness of the surface (how rough the surface is) based on the data on the reaction force from the ingredients measured by the force sensor 30B. In this embodiment, instead of determining the state of the ingredients through image analysis using a camera, a method is used in which the state of the ingredients is measured based on the reaction force using the force sensor 30B. This, for example, can reduce the cost of introducing and managing a camera, and since there is no need to consider the camera's blind spots, etc., the arrangement of the articulated robot 30 and the storage space of the storage container 20 can be more flexibly selected. Furthermore, since a camera is not used, there is no need to consider the effects of steam generated from the ingredients or lighting on the image capture.

[0033] Furthermore, upon recognizing the depth and surface flatness of the ingredient, the ingredient state determination unit 152 determines whether these meet the conditions for grasping the ingredient (for example, whether the depth and flatness of the ingredient are equal to or greater than a set threshold value). The flatness of the ingredient's surface can be defined, for example, based on the absolute value of the magnitude of the unevenness on the surface, and can be defined so that the flatter the ingredient's surface, the greater the value. The flatness may also be determined for each portion of the ingredient's surface. Furthermore, the ingredient state determination unit 152 determines whether the state of the ingredient in the storage space of the storage container 20 is such that a specified amount of ingredient can be grasped in one grasping operation.

[0034] The ingredient amount determining unit 153 determines, based on the data on the weight of the ingredient measured by the weight sensor 30A of the articulated robot 30, whether or not a specified amount of ingredient has been grasped.

[0035] The articulated robot control unit 154 controls the operation of the articulated robot 30 and causes the articulated robot 30 to perform a series of operations for plating ingredients in accordance with the operation pattern defined in the gripping system 1. For example, by controlling the articulated robot 30, the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the articulated robot 30 to perform a gripping operation for gripping ingredients with the gripping members 31a, a gripping amount adjustment operation for releasing the ingredients on the spot and gripping them again if the gripped ingredients are not in a specified amount, a removal operation for removing ingredients adhering to the gripping members 31a, a transfer operation for transferring the gripping members 31a that have gripped the ingredients onto a container for prepared food, a rotation operation for rotating the gripping members 31a around the vertical axis during transfer, a release operation for releasing the ingredients gripped by the gripping members 31a onto the container, a shaping operation for shaping the surface of the released ingredients after plating, and the like.

[0036] The transfer mechanism control unit 155 controls the operation of transferring the container (container transfer operation) by the transfer mechanism 50 based on data on the position of the container detected by the sensor included in the detection unit 40 and data on whether or not ingredients are served inside.

[0037] The recording control unit 156 stores control parameters acquired when the gripping system 1 performs a gripping operation and measurement data of the weight of the ingredients arranged by the gripping system 1 in the history DB 172. The recording control unit 156 also creates and updates an ingredient state map showing the state of the ingredients in the storage space of the storage container 20, and stores this ingredient state map in the history DB 172. More specifically, the recording control unit 156 detects the state of the ingredients in a plurality of regions divided on the horizontal plane of the storage space of the storage container 20 based on the measurement data of the weight of the ingredients and the reaction force of the ingredients acquired when the gripping system 1 performs a gripping operation, the determination results by the ingredient state determination unit 152 described below, and the measurement data of the weight of the ingredients arranged by the gripping system 1, and generates the ingredient state map by storing the state information associated with identification information identifying each region (for example, coordinate values ​​for controlling the articulated robot 30).

[0038] In this case, the state of the ingredients refers to the remaining amount of ingredients in each area, and the depth and flatness of the ingredients determined by the ingredient state determination unit 152 described below. Furthermore, if the storage space of the storage container 20 is replaced with a new one after the ingredients have been arranged in the storage space of the storage container 20, the ingredient state map is updated assuming that a predetermined amount of ingredients (for example, a sufficient amount of ingredients for the storage space of the storage container 20) is stored in a predetermined state (for example, a flat surface).

[0039] [Hand 31 Configuration] Next, the configuration of the hand 31 and the gripping member 31a installed on the hand 31 will be described in detail. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the shape of the gripping member 31a installed at the tip of the hand 31. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 4, only one of the pair of gripping members 31a is shown. As shown in Fig. 4, the grip member 31a in this embodiment is composed of a top plate portion, a main plate portion, a first side plate portion, and a second side plate portion. The top plate portion has a rectangular flat surface. When the flat surface of the top plate portion is horizontal, the main plate portion extends at an angle from one end of the longitudinal direction of the flat surface to a position spaced apart vertically below the other end of the longitudinal direction of the flat surface. When the flat surface of the top plate portion is horizontal, the first side plate portion and the second side plate portion extend vertically downward from both ends of the flat surface. In the following description, when the pair of gripping members 31a is not to be distinguished from one another, they will be simply referred to as "gripping members 31a."

[0040] 5 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the storage space of the storage container 20, the hand 31, the gripping member 31a, the robot arm 32, and the ingredient when performing an operation such as a gripping operation. In FIG. 5, the vertical direction is referred to as the Z direction, a first horizontal direction (a direction perpendicular to the paper surface) perpendicular to the Z direction is referred to as the Y direction, and a second horizontal direction perpendicular to each of the Z direction and the Y direction is referred to as the X direction. In other words, the Z direction, Y direction, and X direction are directions that are perpendicular to each other.

[0041] The hand 31 is disposed at the tip of the robot arm 32. The gripping member 31a is connected to the hand 31 by a connecting member and is thereby supported by the hand 31. The hand 31 and the gripping member 31a connected thereto can move within a movable range in each of the X, Y, and Z directions in accordance with the operation of the robot arm 32 controlled by the control device 10. The hand 31 achieves a gripping operation by opening and closing the pair of gripping members 31a in the Y direction using an actuator (not shown). Furthermore, the hand 31 and the gripping member 31a connected thereto can rotate around the Z direction as a rotation axis. With this configuration, in this embodiment, the position and orientation of the hand 31 and the gripping member 31a can be changed arbitrarily, making it possible to appropriately perform operations such as gripping and releasing operations with various movements.

[0042] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the opening and closing of a pair of gripping members 31a. The gripping members 31a shown in FIG. 4 are connected to the hand 31 by a connecting member so that their openings face each other. The X, Y, and Z directions in FIG. 6 are the same as the directions defined in FIG. 5. The pair of gripping members 31a are opened in an opening / closing direction (Y direction) as shown in FIG. 6(a). The pair of gripping members 31a are closed in a closing direction (Y direction) as shown in FIG. 6(b) when performing a gripping operation.

[0043] Then, the pair of gripping members 31a is in a closed state and comes into contact with each other, so that the inner surface with at least the closed tips and side plate portions forms a container shape for gripping ingredients. With gripping members 31a shaped like this, ingredients such as paste salad can be gripped and removed from the storage space of storage container 20 by inserting the tips of gripping members 31a vertically from the surface and closing the pair of gripping members 31a at a predetermined depth to lift the ingredients. Furthermore, after the pair of gripping members 31a are transferred onto the container of prepared food at the release position P2, the pair of gripping members 31a open, exposing the opening of the container, thereby releasing the ingredients that have been gripped and allowing an approximately fixed amount of ingredients to be placed in the container of prepared food.

[0044] [Configuration of detection unit 40] Next, the configuration of the detection unit 40 will be described in detail. 7 is an enlarged perspective view showing the vicinity of the detection unit 40. In FIG. 7, similar to FIG. 1, the left side of the paper surface is the upstream side of the conveyance on the belt conveyor 2, and the right side of the paper surface is the downstream side of the conveyance on the belt conveyor 2.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 7, the detection unit 40 includes container detection sensors 41 and 42, a reflector arrangement unit 43, and an ingredient detection sensor 44. Container detection sensors 41 and 42 are sensors that detect the position of a container being transported on belt conveyor 2. Container detection sensors 41 and 42 are configured, for example, by optical sensors. Container detection sensor 41 detects that a container being transported on belt conveyor 2 is about to be transported to transfer position P1. Container detection sensor 42 also detects that a container being transported on belt conveyor 2 has been transported to transfer position P1. The reflector arrangement section 43 is a member in which reflectors that reflect light emitted by the container detection sensors 41 and 42 for detection are arranged on a surface facing the container detection sensors 41 and 42.

[0046] As shown in the figure, the detector 40 has a reflector mounting section 43 installed at a predetermined position so as to straddle the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2. Light emitted by the container detection sensors 41, 42 is reflected by reflectors arranged in the reflector mounting section 43 and received by the container detection sensors 41, 42. This allows the container detection sensors 41, 42 to detect the position of the container. In the figure, the paths of the emitted and received light are shown as light path L1 and light path L2, respectively.

[0047] In this embodiment, the reflector arrangement unit 43 is configured to be insertable and detachable into the opening of the main body of the detection unit 40, allowing the length in the width direction of the conveying surface to be adjusted. This allows the reflector arrangement unit 43 to be installed at a predetermined position, accommodating differences in the width direction of the conveying surface, which differ depending on the model of the belt conveyor 2. Generally, the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2 undulates vertically and other directions during conveyance due to its mechanism. To avoid this effect, it is preferable to install the reflector arrangement unit 43 at a predetermined position on the outer frame portion of the conveying surface (i.e., a portion that is not part of the conveying surface). This allows the reflector arrangement unit 43 to be constantly fixed at an appropriate height for detecting containers containing ingredients without being affected by vertical undulations on the conveying surface.

[0048] Here, since the height of the container (here, the height relative to the conveying surface) is generally not very high, it is desirable to arrange the sensor and reflector at an appropriate position within a range of several centimeters to several millimeters. In this regard, in this embodiment, by fixing the position of the reflector at a predetermined position using the reflector arrangement unit 43 in this way, it is possible to appropriately detect the position of the container being conveyed, with an appropriate height corresponding to the height of the container as the detection target range.

[0049] Although colored containers are sometimes used for prepared foods, transparent containers are also commonly used. Container detection sensors 41 and 42 can detect both colored and transparent containers. With this configuration, the container detection sensors 41, 42 detect with high accuracy the position of the container being transported on the belt conveyor 2. Data on the position of the container detected by the container detection sensors 41, 42 is output to the control device 10.

[0050] The ingredient detection sensor 44 is a sensor that detects ingredients placed in a container. Like the container detection sensors 41 and 42, the ingredient detection sensor 44 is configured, for example, by an optical sensor. The ingredient detection sensor 44 detects whether ingredients are placed in a container whose position is detected by the container detection sensors 41 and 42. The light emitted by the ingredient detection sensor 44 is projected vertically downward and reflected by either the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2, the top surface of the ingredients placed in the container, or the bottom surface of the container without ingredients, and is then received by the ingredient detection sensor 44. This allows the ingredient detection sensor 44 to detect whether ingredients are placed in the container. In the figure, the path of the projected and received light is illustrated as optical path L3.

[0051] As described above, the detection unit 40 is installed so as to straddle the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2, and therefore the ingredient detection sensor 44 can be placed at an appropriate height (for example, about 15 cm above the conveying surface) to detect ingredients vertically above the belt conveyor 2. That is, by fixing the ingredient detection sensor 44 at a predetermined position (here, a position relative to the height of the detection unit 40, the container, and the ingredients), it is possible to accurately detect whether ingredients are placed in the container. Data on whether ingredients are placed in the container detected by the ingredient detection sensor 44 is output to the control device 10.

[0052] In this way, the detection unit 40 has a unique structure, and by being installed so as to straddle the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2, various sensors and reflectors can be placed in optimal positions for detection.

[0053] Although the container detection sensors 41, 42 and ingredient detection sensor 44 have been described as optical sensors implemented by a light emitter and a light receiver positioned opposite the light emitter, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, these sensors may be implemented as optical sensors implemented by a light emitter and a light receiver positioned opposite the light emitter.

[0054] [Configuration of transfer mechanism 50] Next, the configuration of the transfer mechanism 50 will be described in detail. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the vicinity of the transfer position P1 and the release position P2 in this embodiment. In this Fig. 8, the belt conveyor 2, the articulated robot 30, and the transfer mechanism 50 are shown with the downstream direction of transport on the belt conveyor 2 being the bottom side of the page.

[0055] 8, the transfer mechanism 50 includes an actuator 51, a slide member 52, a connecting portion 53, a first transfer member 531, a second transfer member 532, and a container placement member 54. As shown in FIG. 1, the transfer position P1 is the conveyance surface of the belt conveyor 2, and the release position P2 is on a work table provided on the side portion of the articulated robot 30.

[0056] The actuator 51 is disposed vertically above the belt conveyor 2 and performs linear motion in a direction (left-right direction on the paper) perpendicular to the traveling direction of the belt conveyor 2. The actuator 51 is realized by, for example, an electric cylinder (robot cylinder) or an air cylinder.

[0057] The slide member 52 and the connecting portion 53 are connected to the drive portion of the actuator 51, and move linearly in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 2 (left and right direction on the paper) in accordance with the linear movement of the actuator 51. The connecting portion 53 is further connected to the first transfer member 531 and the second transfer member 532, and as a result, the linear motion of the actuator 51 is also transmitted to the first transfer member 531 and the second transfer member 532, so that the first transfer member 531 and the second transfer member 532 also perform the same linear motion as the actuator 51. In this way, the transfer mechanism 50 of this embodiment can realize a drive mechanism with a relatively simple configuration.

[0058] 9 is a vertically overhead view of the vicinity of the transfer position P1 and the release position P2 in this embodiment, showing the belt conveyor 2, the container 20, the articulated robot 30, the connecting portion 53, the first transfer member 531, the second transfer member 532, and the container mounting member 54.

[0059] One end of the container mounting member 54 is placed on the conveyance surface of the belt conveyor 2, and the other end is placed on the top surface of the workbench where the release position P2 is located. This connects the conveyance surface of the belt conveyor 2 and the top surface of the workbench via the container mounting member 54. The transfer mechanism 50 then uses the horizontal linear motion of the actuator 51 to slide the container from the transfer position P1 on the conveyance surface to the release position P2 on the top surface of the workbench, thereby transferring the container. The container is also transferred from the release position P2 to the transfer position P1 by sliding the container in the opposite direction.

[0060] 9(a), when an empty container is transported to transfer position P1, the transfer mechanism control unit 155 moves the transfer mechanism 50 and transfers the container from transfer position P1 to release position P2 while contacting the container with the end (right end on the paper) of the first transfer member 531. Furthermore, when the ingredient is released by the articulated robot 30, the transfer mechanism control unit 155 transfers the container from release position P2 to transfer position P1 while contacting the container with the end (left end on the paper) of the second transfer member 532.

[0061] In this way, by performing the transfer by the transfer mechanism 50, the ingredients can be released and arranged at the release position P2 provided near the articulated robot 30, rather than at the transfer position P1 or the like on the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2. This makes it possible to prevent the released ingredients from falling onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2. In addition, after being grasped by the storage container 20, the ingredients can be arranged at a nearby release position P2, which shortens the travel distance of the articulated robot 30, shortens the processing time, and also prevents ingredients from scattering during movement. Furthermore, because the ingredients can be arranged at a nearby release position P2, more precise movements can be achieved, and appropriate arrangement can be achieved, compared to when the robot arm 32 is extended and the ingredients are arranged at a distance.

[0062] In addition, because the transfer mechanism 50 performs the transfer, the containers only need to be transported and supplied from upstream, and there is no need to place a container supply device or container stock near the articulated robot 30. This not only saves space, but also increases the degree of freedom in the placement positions of the storage containers 20 and the articulated robot 30. Furthermore, because the containers from which the ingredients have been released are transferred again to the conveying surface of the same belt conveyor 2, there is no need to prepare multiple belt conveyors, such as a first belt conveyor that transports containers before plating and a second belt conveyor that transports containers after plating.

[0063] [Height control in grasping operations] As described above, the articulated robot control unit 154 controls the operation of the articulated robot 30 and causes the articulated robot 30 to perform a series of operations for arranging ingredients in accordance with the operation pattern defined in the gripping system 1.

[0064] For example, the articulated robot control unit 154 controls the articulated robot 30 to cause the articulated robot 30 to perform a grasping operation in which ingredients are grasped by the grasping member 31a, a grasping amount adjustment operation in which the ingredients are released on the spot and grasped again if the grasped ingredients are not the specified amount, a removal operation in which ingredients adhering to the grasping member 31a are removed, a transfer operation in which the grasping member 31a grasping the ingredients is transferred onto a container for prepared food, a rotation operation in which the grasping member 31a is rotated around the vertical axis during transfer, and a release operation in which the ingredients grasped by the grasping member 31a are released onto the container.

[0065] These various actions can be classified as follows based on the possibility that ingredients will fly off the gripping member 31a when the action is performed. First, actions (hereinafter referred to as "first actions") that are unlikely to cause ingredients to fly off the gripping member 31a when performed can be classified into relatively slow transport actions (e.g., transport actions that do not involve turning or high-speed movement) and waiting actions in which the gripping member 31a remains stationary and waits until another action is performed.

[0066] In contrast, the second action, which has a higher possibility than the first possibility that ingredients will fly off the gripping member 31a, can be classified as, for example, a gripping action, a gripping amount adjustment action, a removal action, a relatively violent transfer action (for example, a transfer action involving rotation or high-speed movement), a rotation action, or a release action. The articulated robot control unit 154 then causes the gripping member 31a to perform the first and second operations, and also performs a "height control process."

[0067] In this height control process, the articulated robot 30 controls the height so that the position of the gripping member 31a when performing the second operation is lower than the position of the gripping member 31a when performing the first operation. For example, the articulated robot control unit 154 sets the position of the gripping member 31a when performing the first operation to a position higher than the height of the opening surface of the storage container 20. On the other hand, the articulated robot control unit 154 sets the position of the gripping member 31a when performing the second operation to a position within the storage space of the storage container 20 that is lower than the height of the opening surface of the storage container 20. In this way, by positioning the gripping member 31a at a position within the storage space of the storage container 20 when performing the second operation, the scattered ingredients are reliably dropped into the storage container 20, and it is possible to prevent the ingredients from scattering outside the storage container 20. This is the basic idea behind the height control process.

[0068] This height control process will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the reference position used when performing the height control process. Fig. 11 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the storage space of the storage container 20, the stored ingredients, the hand 31, the gripping member 31a, and the robot arm 32 when performing the height control process. Figs. 10 and 11 show these components as viewed from the X direction in Fig. 5.

[0069] In order to realize the height control processing described above, it is necessary to define both a reference position for grasping the height of the gripping member 31a (hereinafter referred to as the "grip-side reference position") and a reference position for grasping the height of the opening surface of the storage container 20 (hereinafter referred to as the "container-side reference position"). Here, these "reference positions" in the height control process are positions indicating height in the vertical direction (i.e., positions in the Z direction in FIG. 5). In other words, the "reference positions" in the height control process do not refer to positions in the horizontal direction (i.e., positions in the X and Y directions in FIG. 5).

[0070] FIG. 10(a) shows the hand 31, the gripping member 31a, the robot arm 32, and the gripping side reference position. As a premise, as the gripping member 31a performs each operation, there is a possibility that ingredients may adhere to the upper end portion of the outer surface of the gripping member 31a. If the adhered ingredients scatter as a result of the execution of the second operation, the upper end portion of the outer surface of the gripping member 31a will be the highest position from which the ingredients will scatter. Therefore, in the height control process, the position of the upper end portion of the outer surface of the gripping member 31a is set as the gripping-side reference position. The range over which ingredients scatter is wider when the gripping members 31a are in the open state than when they are in the closed state. Therefore, as shown in the figure, height control is performed assuming that ingredients scatter within a predetermined range (for example, a range of 45 degrees downward) from the gripping side reference position in the open state.

[0071] 10(b) shows the storage container 20. In the height control process, the position of the opening surface (the position of the edge of the opening surface) that corresponds to the highest point in the storage space of the storage container 20 is set as the container-side reference position. When the ingredients are scattered as a result of the execution of the second action, if the ingredients are scattered at a position lower than the container-side reference position, the ingredients fall into the storage space inside the storage container 20. In other words, the ingredients are not scattered outside the storage container 20.

[0072] In this way, the gripping side reference position and the container side reference position are defined. Furthermore, when performing the height control process, the articulated robot control unit 154 controls the operation of the gripping member 31a, and therefore grasps the gripping side reference position in real time. Furthermore, the articulated robot control unit 154 can grasp the container side reference position by setting in advance the position of the opening surface of the storage container 20, which will be the container reference position, or by detecting the position of the opening surface of the storage container 20 using a sensor. The articulated robot control unit 154 then controls the operation of the articulated robot 30 based on the gripping side reference position and the container side reference position, and realizes height control processing as described below.

[0073] 11(a) shows the height control process when the first operation is performed. When the first operation is performed, as described above, there is little chance that ingredients will scatter from the gripping member 31a. Therefore, when performing the first operation, there is no need to move the gripping member 31a to a low position. Therefore, when performing the first operation, the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the gripping member 31a to perform the first operation at a relatively high position without moving to a low position. For example, the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the gripping member 31a to perform the first operation such that the gripping-side reference position is higher than the container-side reference position. This eliminates the need for vertical movement to change the height during standby or when transferring the gripping member 31a to the container across the wall of the storage container 20, and allows the operation to be performed along an efficient path.

[0074] 11(b) shows the height control process when the second operation is performed. When the second operation is performed, as described above, there is a high possibility that ingredients will fly off the gripping member 31a. Therefore, when the second operation is performed, the gripping member 31a moves to a lower position and performs the operation at a lower position. Therefore, the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the gripping member 31a to perform the second operation by setting the gripping-side reference position to a position lower than the container-side reference position. As a result, even if ingredients are scattered during the second operation, the ingredients fall onto the inner wall surface vertically below the container-side reference position, and the ingredients do not scatter outside the storage container 20. Therefore, scattering of ingredients outside the storage container 20 can be suppressed.

[0075] As described above, in the height control process, the second action, which is likely to cause ingredients to splatter, is performed at a position lower than the position at which the first action is performed. Therefore, even if ingredients splatter during the second action, the area of ​​splattering can be narrowed. This also increases the possibility that ingredients will splatter within the storage space inside the storage container 20, and can prevent ingredients from splattering outside the storage container 20. In particular, by setting the gripping-side reference position, which is the position of the gripping member 31a when performing the second operation, to a position within the storage space of the storage container 20 that is lower than the container-side reference position, which is the height of the opening surface of the storage container 20, scattered ingredients are reliably dropped into the storage space of the storage container 20. This makes it possible to further prevent ingredients from scattering outside the storage container 20.

[0076] [Overall operation] Next, the overall operation of the gripping system 1 will be described. 12 and 13 are flowcharts showing the flow of the ingredient plating process executed by the gripping system 1. The ingredient plating process is started, for example, when an operator performs an operation to start the ingredient plating process.

[0077] When the ingredient presentation process is started, in step S11 of Figure 12, the articulated robot control unit 154 reads operation data (data on the operation pattern and data on the insertion amount of the hand 31, etc.) for executing a series of operations in the ingredient presentation process from the parameter memory unit 171, thereby preparing to grasp the ingredients.

[0078] In step S12, the articulated robot control unit 154 transfers the hand 31 to the accommodation space of the accommodation container 20 in accordance with the data of the operation pattern.

[0079] In step S13, the ingredient state determination unit 152 recognizes the state of the ingredients in the storage space of the storage container 20 by reading from the history DB 172 an ingredient state map that indicates the state of the ingredients in the storage space of the storage container 20. Thereafter, the ingredient state determination unit 152 continues to recognize the state of the ingredients based on the data of the reaction force from the ingredients measured by the force sensor 30B, which is acquired by the sensor information acquisition unit 151.

[0080] In step S14, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines the depth to which the gripping member 31a should be inserted into the ingredient based on the movement pattern data read in step S11 and the state of the ingredient in the storage space of the storage container 20 recognized in step S13.

[0081] In step S15, the articulated robot control unit 154 inserts the gripping member 31a into the ingredient to the determined insertion depth. In this case, for example, the articulated robot control unit 154 can calculate the insertion depth from the control parameters of the articulated robot 30 (such as the rotation angle of the joints), or can calculate the insertion depth from the elapsed time since the surface of the ingredient was detected in step S12 and insertion began. In step S16, the articulated robot control unit 154 closes the gripping members 31a to grip the ingredient.

[0082] In step S17, the articulated robot control unit 154 moves the gripping member 31a up and down, causing the ingredients adhering to the outer surface of the gripping member 31a to fall as they are gripped. This prevents the weight of the ingredients adhering to the outer surface from being measured when measuring the weight of the gripped ingredients in the next step S18, thereby improving the accuracy of the measurement.

[0083] In step S18, the ingredient amount determination unit 153 measures the weight (physical quantity) of the ingredient being held and determines whether a specified amount of ingredient is being held. Holding a specified amount of ingredient means, for example, that the weight of the held ingredient is within a specified error range (within ±15%, etc.) from the target weight. However, in consideration of cases where the ingredient sticks to the holding member 31a and cannot be released, the error when the held weight is more than the specified amount may be set larger than the error when it is less than the specified amount.

[0084] If the specified amount of ingredients is grasped, step S18 is judged as Yes, and processing proceeds to step S19. On the other hand, if the specified amount of ingredients is not grasped, step S18 is judged as No, and processing is performed again from step S14. In this case, if the grasped ingredients exceed the specified amount, the insertion depth is re-determined to be shallower in step S14 that is performed again. On the other hand, if the grasped ingredients are less than the specified amount, the insertion depth is re-determined to be deeper in step S14 that is performed again. The operations from step S12 to step S18 correspond to the second operation in the height control operation.

[0085] In the process of repeating steps S14 to S18, even if the gripping member 31a is inserted deeper into the ingredient than previously, if it is not possible to grip the specified amount of ingredient (for example, if the depth of the ingredient at the intended gripping position is shallower than the insertion depth required to obtain the specified amount), it is also possible to control the amount of ingredient gripped in multiple attempts to be the specified amount by gripping the ingredient from multiple points on the ingredient's surface. In this case, for example, the total depth to which the gripping member 31a is inserted at multiple points on the ingredient's surface (total insertion amount) can be controlled to be the same as the depth to which the gripping member 31a would be inserted into the ingredient if the specified amount of ingredient were to be gripped in one attempt. Also, for example, when gripping a second or subsequent point, it is possible to temporarily release the gripped ingredient at the next intended gripping position, and then insert the gripping member 31a into the ingredient to the depth that would be inserted if the specified amount of ingredient were to be gripped in one attempt against the surface of the ingredient where the released ingredient is located, and then grip the specified amount of ingredient again in one attempt.

[0086] In step S19, the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the gripping members 31a to stand by while continuing to grip the ingredient.

[0087] In step S20, the transfer mechanism control unit 155 determines whether or not a container has been detected at the transfer position P1 based on the detection results of the container detection sensors 41, 42. If a container has been detected, the determination in step S20 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S21. On the other hand, if a container has not been detected, the determination in step S20 is No, and the process repeats the determination in step S20.

[0088] In step S21, the transfer mechanism control unit 155 determines whether or not ingredients are already placed in the container based on the detection result of the ingredient detection sensor 44. Specifically, the transfer mechanism control unit 155 sets a threshold value for the height of the ingredients from the conveying surface, assuming that ingredients are already placed in the container. Then, based on the detection result of the ingredient detection sensor 44, if a height exceeding this threshold value continues to be detected for a certain period of time, the transfer mechanism control unit 155 determines that ingredients are already placed in the container.

[0089] Even if a certain height portion of an empty container (e.g., the periphery of the container) exceeds this threshold, it will only be for a short time, less than the specified time. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the empty container from being mistakenly determined to already contain ingredients. In this case, the length of this specified time can be appropriately set within a range of time that is shorter than the time from when the container detection sensors 41, 42 detect the container to when the container is transported and passes the transfer position P1.

[0090] If ingredients have already been placed in the container, the determination in step S21 is Yes, and the process returns to step S20, where the determination in step S20 is performed again. If the determination in step S21 is Yes, the container with ingredients placed in it passes between the first transfer member 531 and the second transfer member 532 of the transfer mechanism 50, and is conveyed directly downstream on the belt conveyor 2. On the other hand, if ingredients have not been placed in the container, the determination in step S21 is No, and the process proceeds to step S22. The reason for making this determination is that, as mentioned above, when multiple articulated robots 30 are arranged for one belt conveyor 2 and these multiple articulated robots 30 are working in cooperation with each other, there is a possibility that a container that has already been filled with ingredients by an upstream articulated robot 30 may be transported.

[0091] In step S22, the transfer mechanism control section 155 drives the transfer mechanism 50 to transfer the container from the transfer position P1 to the release position P2. The operations from step S19 to step S22 correspond to the first operation in the height control operation.

[0092] Moving to FIG. 13, in step S23, the articulated robot control section 154 causes the gripping member 31a to continue gripping the ingredient, and starts transporting the ingredient to the container. In step S24, the articulated robot control unit 154 rotates the gripping member 31a so that it is oriented in a manner suitable for final release along the transport path, while allowing the gripping member 31a to continue gripping the ingredient. In step S25, the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the gripping member 31a to release the ingredients into the container at the release position P2.

[0093] The operations from step S23 to step S25 correspond to the second operation in the height control operation. However, the release operation in step S25 is an operation performed at the release position P2. Therefore, strictly speaking, it is not subject to the height control process for preventing ingredients from scattering outside the storage container 20.

[0094] In step S26, the transfer mechanism control unit 155 determines whether the timing is right for transferring the container, which has been released and filled with ingredients, to transfer position P1. The reason for this determination is that if the container were transferred to transfer position P1 simply on the condition that the release by the articulated robot 30 has been completed, there is a possibility that the container would collide with another container (another empty container or a container in which ingredients have already been filled by another articulated robot 30) that has been transferred to transfer position P1. Therefore, based on the detection results of the container detection sensors 41 and 42, the transfer mechanism control unit 155 determines that the timing is right for transferring the container to transfer position P1, provided that it has been confirmed that no other container has been transferred to transfer position P1 or that the container is not about to be transferred to transfer position P1. This makes it possible to prevent collisions between containers.

[0095] If it is not determined that the timing is right to transfer the container to the transfer position P1, the determination in step S26 is No, and the process repeats the determination in step S26. On the other hand, if it is determined that the timing is right to transfer the container to the transfer position P1, the determination in step S26 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S27.

[0096] In step S27, the transfer mechanism control unit 155 drives the transfer mechanism 50 to transfer the container from the release position P2 to the transfer position P1. When the container (here, the container with the ingredients already filled in) is transferred to the transfer position P1, it is placed again on the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2 and is transported downstream on the belt conveyor 2.

[0097] In step S28, the recording control unit 156 stores the control parameters acquired in the ingredient plating process and the measurement data (history data) of the weight of the plated ingredients in the history DB 172. The recording control unit 156 also updates an ingredient state map showing the state of the ingredients in the storage space of the storage container 20, and also stores this updated ingredient state map in the history DB 172. In this case, if the weight of the plated ingredients is either too much or too little, an alert may be output to the worker.

[0098] In step S29, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines whether or not a condition for ending the ingredient plating process has been met. In this case, the condition for ending the ingredient plating process can be defined as when ingredients have been plated into the planned number of side dish containers, or when an operator has performed an operation to end the ingredient plating process, etc. If the conditions for ending the ingredient plating process are not met, the determination in step S29 is No, the process returns to Fig. 12, and the process is repeated from step S12. On the other hand, if the conditions for ending the ingredient plating process are met, the determination in step S29 is Yes, and the ingredient plating process ends.

[0099] As described above, the gripping system 1 according to this embodiment executes a height control process in parallel with the above-described processes, and executes the second action, which is likely to cause ingredients to scatter, at a position lower than the position where the first action is executed. Therefore, even if ingredients scatter, it is possible to narrow the range of the scattering. Furthermore, as a result, the possibility of ingredients scattering within the storage space inside the storage container 20 increases, and it is possible to prevent ingredients from scattering outside the storage container 20. In particular, by setting the gripping side reference position, which is the position of the gripping member 31a when performing the second operation, to a position within the storage space of the storage container 20 that is lower than the container side reference position, which is the height of the opening surface of the storage container 20, any scattered ingredients will reliably fall into the storage space of the storage container 20, thereby further preventing the ingredients from scattering outside the storage container 20.

[0100] [Variation 1] In the above-described embodiment, the height control process has been described with reference to Figures 11(a) and 11(b), but is not limited to this. For example, the content of the height control process can be modified as appropriate depending on the position of the horizontal surface of the gripping member 31a when the second operation is performed, the state of the ingredients contained when the second operation is performed, etc. 14 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship of the storage space of the storage container 20, the stored ingredients, the hand 31, the gripping member 31a, and the robot arm 32 when the height control process is performed in this modified example. Like the above-mentioned FIG. 11, FIG. 14 shows these components as viewed from the X direction in FIG. 5.

[0101] FIG. 14(a) shows the height control process when the second operation is performed in the region near the center of the horizontal plane of the storage space of the storage container 20. When the second operation is performed, as described above, it is considered highly likely that ingredients will scatter from the gripping member 31a. Therefore, in the above-described embodiment, the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the gripping member 31a to perform the second operation by setting the gripping-side reference position to a position lower than the container-side reference position. In this way, even if the second operation is performed in an area near the edge of the horizontal plane of the storage space where ingredients are likely to scatter, ingredients will not scatter outside the storage container 20.

[0102] However, if the ingredients are scattered in an area near the center of the horizontal plane of the storage space of the storage container 20, there is a high possibility that the area of ​​scattering will be contained within the storage space. Therefore, in this modification, when the second operation is performed in an area near the center of the horizontal plane of the storage space, the position of the gripping member 31a is not lowered as much as when the second operation is performed in other areas. For example, the articulated robot control unit 154 lowers the gripping-side reference position to a position approximately the same as the container-side reference position. This prevents the gripping member 31a from being moved to a position lower than necessary, and prevents the ingredients from scattering outside the storage container 20.

[0103] As another modification, FIG. 14(b) shows a height control process when the second operation is performed in a state where a large amount of ingredients are stored in the storage space of the storage container 20. As shown in the figure, when a large amount of ingredients are stored up to a height similar to the container-side reference position, if the gripping member 31a is moved to a position lower than the container-side reference position, it will come into contact with the ingredients and will not be able to perform the second operation. However, if the second operation is performed at a high position without performing the height control process, there is a possibility that the ingredients will scatter outside the storage container 20.

[0104] Therefore, when a large amount of ingredients are stored like this, the articulated robot control unit 154, instead of performing the height control process, slows down the drive speed in the second operation compared to normal. In other words, by performing the second operation slowly, scattering of the ingredients attached to the gripping member 31a is prevented. The articulated robot control unit 154 then repeats the second operation in this manner, and after the remaining amount of ingredients contained therein has decreased, executes the second operation at the normal drive speed while performing height control processing.

[0105] This makes it possible to prevent ingredients from scattering outside the storage container 20 even when a large amount of ingredients is stored and the gripping member 31a cannot be moved to a position lower than the container-side reference position. As described above, the recording control unit 156 stores the coordinates of the area near the center of the horizontal plane of the storage space of the storage container 20 and the remaining amount of ingredients in the storage container as an ingredient status map.Therefore, the articulated robot control unit 154 can determine the remaining amount of ingredients in the storage container by referring to this ingredient status map.

[0106] [Variation 2] In the above-described embodiment, it was assumed that the position of the opening surface of the storage container 20, which is the container reference position, would not change. In other words, it was assumed that when the remaining amount of the stored ingredients becomes low, the storage container 20 would be replaced with a storage container 20 of the exact same size containing the ingredients, and the work would continue. However, this is not limiting, and the above-described gripping system 1 may also be applied to cases where the position of the opening surface of the storage container 20, which is the container reference position, is changed.

[0107] For example, when using the gripping system 1, different ingredients may be arranged depending on the time of day, etc. It is also assumed that a different size of storage container 20 will be used in accordance with the change in ingredients. In such a case, the container-side reference position set in the articulated robot control unit 154 is updated to the container-side reference position corresponding to the new storage container 20. As described above, the articulated robot control unit 154 performs height control processing based on the relative positional relationship between the gripping-side reference position and the container-side reference position. Therefore, when the container-side reference position is changed in this way, by updating it to the new container-side reference position, appropriate height control processing can be continued.

[0108] Fig. 15 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the expansion member 60 is attached to the storage container 20. Fig. 15(a) shows this state as a perspective view, and Fig. 16(b) shows this state as viewed from the X direction in Fig. 5. The expansion member 60 expands the opening surface of the storage container 20 both vertically upward and horizontally, thereby preventing ingredients from scattering outside the storage container 20. However, if the expansion member 60 is attached to the storage container 20, the expansion member 60 will interfere with the worker's arm when the worker carries the storage container 20, hindering the worker's work. Therefore, the expansion member 60 is removed during such transportation, and is attached when the articulated robot 30 performs a series of operations on the transported storage container 20. In this way, the expansion member 60 is a member that can be attached and detached as appropriate depending on the situation.

[0109] The expansion member 60 includes an expansion portion 61 and a clamping portion 62 . The expansion portion 61 is a plate-like member that extends vertically upward, and when attached to any one of the multiple sides (i.e., the edges of the opening surface) that form the opening surface of the storage container 20 by the clamping portion 62, it forms a wall surface that extends vertically upward. As a result, the sides that form the opening surface rise in the vertical direction. In other words, the expansion portion 61 can expand the opening surface in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the extension portion 61 is shaped to slope outward from the storage container 20 as it extends vertically upward. Therefore, when the extension portion 61 is attached to any one of the multiple sides that form the opening surface of the storage container 20 by the clamping portion 62, the extension portion 61 forms a wall surface that extends outward in the horizontal direction of the storage container 20. As a result, the sides that form the opening surface expand in the horizontal direction. In other words, the extension portion 61 can expand the opening surface in the horizontal direction.

[0110] In conclusion, the expansion portion 61 is a plate-shaped member that extends vertically upward and has a shape that slopes outward from the storage container 20 as it extends vertically upward, so that when it is attached to the storage container 20, as shown in Figure 15(a), the opening surface of the storage container 20 can be expanded both vertically upward and horizontally. The clamping portion 62 is a clip-shaped member realized by a leaf spring, and clamps the wall surface of the storage container 20 to attach the expansion member 60 to the storage container 20.

[0111] As shown in FIG. 15(b), when the expansion member 60 is attached, the expansion unit 61 expands the opening surface in the vertical direction (and horizontal direction). Accordingly, the container-side reference position is changed to a position higher than before the extension member 60 was attached. In such a case, the container-side reference position set in the articulated robot control unit 154 is updated to the container-side reference position corresponding to the storage container 20 after the extension member 60 is attached. This allows appropriate height control processing to continue, just as in the case of using a storage container 20 of a different size.

[0112] [Variation 3] In the above-described embodiment, the articulated robot 30 holds the target ingredient by using the gripping member 31a. However, this is merely one example of a holding method using a holding member. However, the articulated robot 30 may be held by other holding members. For example, the articulated robot 30 may hold an object by sucking it using a suction pad as a holding member, which creates a vacuum between the object and the robot. Alternatively, the articulated robot 30 may hold an object by scooping it up using a spoon-shaped or ladle-shaped member as a holding member. Alternatively, the articulated robot 30 may hold an object by pinching it using tong-shaped or claw-shaped members as holding members.

[0113] Furthermore, the position corresponding to the gripping side reference position in the height control process differs depending on the properties of the ingredient, the type of holding member, the shape of the holding member, and the like. In the gripping member of the above-described embodiment, the gripping-side reference position was the upper end portion of the outer surface of gripping member 31a. However, for example, if the ingredients have low viscosity or stickiness, the ingredients will not adhere to the outer surface of gripping member 31a, so in this case it is not appropriate to use the upper end portion, which is not related to scattering of ingredients, as the gripping-side reference position. In this case, the gripping-side reference position is set to the lower end (i.e., the tip) of the gripping member 31a, which is the position from which ingredients that are not sufficiently gripped or released ingredients start to fly. Furthermore, in this case, if the ingredients have a high moisture content, the released ingredients may fly not only from the tip of the gripping member 31a but also from the center. Therefore, the center of the gripping member 31a may be set to the gripping-side reference position. Alternatively, for example, if an adsorption pad is used as the holding member instead of a gripping member, the position from which the ingredients will scatter will be the tip of the adsorption pad that is adsorbing the ingredients, so the tip of this adsorption pad may be set as the gripping side reference position. In this way, it is desirable to appropriately set the position corresponding to the gripping side reference position depending on the properties of the ingredient, the type of holding member, the shape of the holding member, etc.

[0114] Furthermore, the articulated robot 30 may be configured to hold an object other than an ingredient. For example, the articulated robot 30 may be configured to hold an industrial product part such as an electronic device as the object. According to this modification, the object is held by these holding members instead of by the gripping members in the above-described embodiment.

[0115] [Variation 4] In the above-described embodiment, the articulated robot control unit 154 performs height control processing based on the relative positional relationship between the gripping-side reference position and the container-side reference position. Control of this relative positional relationship is achieved by moving the gripping member 31a in the vertical direction (i.e., the Z-axis direction in FIG. 5). However, this is not limiting, and the height control processing may also be achieved by, for example, moving the storage container 20 in the vertical direction.

[0116] 16 is a schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the storage space of the storage container 20, the stored ingredients, the hand 31, the gripping member 31a, and the robot arm 32 when the height control process is performed according to this modification. Fig. 16 shows these components as viewed from the X direction in Fig. 5. As shown in FIG. 16(a), in this modification, an elevator mechanism is disposed below the storage container 20, and the storage container 20 is placed on the elevator mechanism. This elevator mechanism is composed of, for example, an actuator such as a motor and a member such as a ball screw, and converts the rotational motion of the actuator into linear motion (here, up and down motion for lifting and lowering). In this modification, the storage container 20 is placed on the top surface (so-called stage) of this elevator mechanism. Then, as shown in FIG. 16(b), the top surface of this elevator mechanism rises or falls based on the control of the articulated robot control unit 154 or other functional blocks functioning in the control device 10. This allows the placed storage container 20 to be positioned with high precision with respect to the container-side reference position.

[0117] In this modification, by controlling the lifting mechanism in this manner, the relative positional relationship between the gripping-side reference position and the container-side reference position can be adjusted and the height control process can be realized without moving the gripping member 31a in the vertical direction. In this case, the relative positional relationship between the gripping-side reference position and the container-side reference position may be adjusted more efficiently by controlling the lifting mechanism to raise or lower the storage container 20 and the gripping member 31a to move in the vertical direction in parallel. Furthermore, for example, the gripping member 31a may move in the vertical direction in parallel with performing the first and second operations, thereby more efficiently performing each operation and the height control process. That is, according to this modification, the control device 10 can realize the height control process by controlling either or both of the gripping member 31a and the lifting mechanism.

[0118] [Variation 5] In the above-described embodiment, the articulated robot 30 arranges ingredients in the vicinity of the container, which allows for more precise movements and more appropriate arrangement than when the robot arm 32 is extended to arrange ingredients at a distance. Therefore, the articulated robot 30 may utilize this more precise movement to further shape the released ingredients after releasing them into the container, or to release all ingredients that have adhered to the gripping members 31a after release from the container without leaving any ingredients behind.

[0119] In this case, the action of shaping the released ingredients may involve, for example, re-grasping the released ingredients from the container and then releasing them back into the container to shape them into a more stable shape. Another possible action is, for example, shaping the ingredients into a mountain-like shape by lifting the gripping members 31a while closing them from the released state into the container. Another possible shaping action is, for example, poking the released ingredients with the tip of the gripping members 31a to firmly bond the ingredients together and prevent the released ingredients from crumbling.

[0120] As an operation for releasing the ingredients adhering to the gripping member 31a after release without leaving them in the container, for example, the gripping member 31a may be vibrated, causing the ingredients adhering to the gripping member 31a to fall. Alternatively, the gripping member 31a may be lowered from vertically above the container and suddenly stopped, causing the ingredients adhering to the gripping member 31a to fall by inertial force.

[0121] It is difficult to perform such an operation when serving food on the conveyor belt, as in the case of general technology. However, in the above-described embodiment, the articulated robot 30 performs an operation on a container that is stopped near the container, and therefore, it is possible to perform even more complex operations such as those exemplified above.

[0122] [Variation 6] In the above-described embodiment, it is assumed that a pair of gripping members 31a (i.e., two gripping members 31a) is used, but this is not limited to this. For example, three or more gripping members 31a may be used. A configuration may also be used in which the gripping operation is performed by bringing the openings of the gripping members 31a closer to each other, and the release operation is performed by moving the openings of the gripping members 31a away from each other. In this case, for example, if three gripping members 31a are used, when viewed vertically from above, the tips of the three gripping members 31a, each with a central angle of 120°, are moved closer to or farther away from the center. In this way, the above-mentioned guidance operation and other operations can be performed.

[0123] [Configuration example] As described above, the gripping system 1 in this embodiment includes the articulated robot 30 equipped with the gripping member 31 a, and the control device 10 that controls the operation of the articulated robot 30. The control device 10 causes the articulated robot 30 to perform two operations related to gripping the ingredients contained in the storage container 20 with the gripping member 31a: a first operation in which there is a first possibility that the ingredients will fly off the gripping member 31a when the operation is performed, and a second operation in which there is a second possibility that the ingredients will fly off the gripping member 31a when the operation is performed that is higher than the first possibility. At the same time, the control device 10 controls the articulated robot 30 so that the position of the gripping member 31a when performing the second operation is lower than the position of the gripping member 31a when performing the first operation.

[0124] As a result, the articulated robot 30 performs the second gripping action, which is likely to cause the ingredients to scatter, at a position lower than the position at which the first action is performed. Therefore, even if the ingredients scatter, the range of the scatter can be narrowed. This also increases the possibility that the ingredients will scatter within the storage space inside the storage container 20, and it is possible to prevent the ingredients from scattering outside the storage container 20. That is, according to the gripping system 1, when gripping is performed by the articulated robot 30, scattering of the gripped ingredient outside the container 20 can be suppressed.

[0125] The control device 10 sets the position of the gripping member 31a when performing the second action to a position within the storage space of the storage container 20 that is lower than the height of the opening surface of the storage container 20. This ensures that the scattered ingredients fall back into the container, further preventing the ingredients from scattering outside the container 20.

[0126] When the height of the opening surface of the storage container 20 is changed, the control device 10 also changes the position of the gripping member 31a when the second operation is performed. This makes it possible to control the articulated robot 30 so that it operates at an appropriate height in response to changes in the storage container 20 or the attachment of the expansion member 60. In other words, it is possible to control the articulated robot 30 so that it operates at an appropriate height that is determined relatively in accordance with the shape of the storage container 20, etc., rather than at a uniformly determined height.

[0127] The position of the gripping member 31a is the position from which the ingredients start to scatter from the gripping member 31a to the outside of the storage container 20. This makes it possible to control the articulated robot 30 so that it operates at an appropriate height determined depending on the height of the gripping member 31a from which the ingredients start to scatter.

[0128] When the horizontal surface of the storage container 20 is divided into a plurality of regions, the control device 10 varies the height of the position of the gripping member 31a when performing the second action based on which region the second action is performed in. This allows for control so that even if ingredients are scattered, for example, near the center of the opening of the container, in cases where the area of ​​scattering is contained within the container, the gripping member 31a is not moved to a position lower than necessary.

[0129] The control device 10 varies the moving speed of the gripping member 31a when performing the second action based on the state of the ingredients contained in the container 20. This makes it possible to prevent the ingredients from scattering outside the storage container 20 by slowing down the movement speed of the gripping member 31a in a situation where, for example, a large amount of ingredients are contained in the storage container and the gripping member 31a cannot be moved to the intended low position.

[0130] The above-described embodiment and modifications are merely examples of embodiments of the present invention, and various embodiments that realize the functions of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment and modified examples, the present invention has been described as being applied to a gripping system for serving prepared foods, but the present invention can be applied to systems for gripping various objects. For example, the present invention can be applied to systems for gripping highly viscous or adhesive materials such as kneaded mortar, concrete, plaster, and clay. The present invention is suitable for gripping objects with a viscosity of at least medium (5000 mPa s) at working temperature or room temperature. Furthermore, the examples described in the above-described embodiments can be combined as appropriate to implement the present invention. The above-described series of processes can be executed by hardware or software. In other words, the functional configuration in Fig. 3 is merely an example and is not particularly limited. That is, it is sufficient for the grasping system 1 to be provided with a function that can execute the above-described series of processes as a whole, and the type of functional block used to realize this function is not particularly limited to the example in Fig. 3. Furthermore, one functional block may be configured as a single piece of hardware, a single piece of software, or a combination thereof.

[0131] When a series of processes is executed by software, the programs that make up the software are installed into a computer or the like from a network or a recording medium. The computer may be a computer built into dedicated hardware, or may be a computer capable of executing various functions by installing various programs, such as a general-purpose personal computer.

[0132] The storage medium for storing the program may be a removable medium distributed separately from the device itself, or may be a storage medium pre-installed in the device itself. Removable media may be, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a flash memory. Optical disks may be, for example, CD-ROMs (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory), DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks), or Blu-ray Discs (registered trademarks). Magneto-optical disks may be, for example, MDs (Mini-Disks). Flash memories may be, for example, USB (Universal Serial Bus) memories or SD cards. Storage media pre-installed in the device itself may be, for example, a ROM or hard disk on which the program is stored.

[0133] In this specification, the steps describing the program to be recorded on the recording medium include not only processes that are performed in chronological order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed in chronological order but are performed in parallel or individually. In addition, in this specification, the term "system" refers to an overall device that is made up of a plurality of devices, a plurality of means, etc.

[0134] The above-described embodiment shows an example of application of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In other words, the present invention can be modified in various ways, such as by omission or substitution, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and various embodiments other than the above-described embodiment can be adopted. The various embodiments and modifications that the present invention can adopt are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0135] 1 gripping system, 2 belt conveyor, 10 control device, 20 storage container, 30 articulated robot, 30A weight sensor, 30B force sensor, 31 hand, 31a gripping member, 32 robot arm, 40 detection unit, 41, 42 container detection sensor, 43 reflector arrangement unit, 44 ingredient detection sensor, 50 transfer mechanism, 51 actuator, 52 slide member, 53 connecting unit, 531 first transfer member, 532 second transfer member, 54 container placement member, 60 expansion member, 61 expansion unit, 62 clamping unit, 151 sensor information acquisition unit, 152 ingredient state determination unit, 153 ingredient amount determination unit, 154 articulated robot control unit, 155 transfer mechanism control unit, 156 recording control unit, 171 parameter storage unit, 172 history database (history DB), 711 CPU, 712 ROM, 713 RAM, 714 bus, 715 input section, 716 output section, 717 storage section, 718 communication section, 719 drive, 731 removable media, L1, L2 optical path

Claims

1. A holding system including a robot having a plate-shaped portion and a holding member that moves in a horizontal direction, the holding system including a control means for controlling an operation of the holding system, The control means As an operation related to holding an object contained in a container by the holding member, The standby operation is a first operation, At least one of a gripping motion, a releasing motion, and a removing motion is set as a second motion; and causing the robot to execute controlling a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the storage container so that the upper end position of the outer surface of the holding member when performing the second operation is at a position within the storage space of the storage container that is lower than the height of the opening surface of the storage container; A retention system comprising:

2. The object is a vegetable.

2. The retention system of claim 1.

3. The target object is any one of a salad containing a viscous or sticky ingredient, uona, kiriboshi daikon, namasu, hijiki, boiled beans, and butter corn, 3. The retention system of claim 2.

4. The two holding members are arranged so that their respective surfaces having the plate-shaped portions face each other, thereby forming a single hand that opens and closes with the two gripping members, The direction in which the two holding members face each other is aligned with the opening and closing direction of the hand. A support system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. When the hand is in a closed state, the two holding members come into contact with each other.

5. The retention system of claim 4.

6. A holding system including a robot having a holding member that is shaped like tongs and holds an object by pinching the object, the holding system including a control means for controlling an operation of the holding system, The control means As an operation related to holding an object contained in a container by the holding member, The standby operation is a first operation, At least one of a gripping motion, a releasing motion, and a removing motion is set as a second motion, and causing the robot to execute controlling a lifting mechanism that lifts and lowers the storage container so that the upper end position of the outer surface of the holding member when performing the second operation is at a position within the storage space of the storage container that is lower than the height of the opening surface of the storage container; A retention system comprising:

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