Linear object supply device and linear object pick-up method

Abstract

To provide a linear object supply device for picking up one linear object from a bundle of fine and flexible linear objects.SOLUTION: A linear object supply device 10 is used to pick up one linear object from a bundle of the linear objects and includes: a table 20 for placing the bundle; and a plurality of depressing members 30, 35 which are disposed dispersedly in a longitudinal direction of the bundle placed on the table and may independently depress the bundle on the table from above.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for supplying a linear object to a robot hand or the like, and more particularly to an apparatus for supplying a bundle of thin and flexible linear objects to a robot hand or the like.

Background Art

[0002] In various operations targeting thin, flexible, and easily deformable linear objects, automation of handling of linear objects using a robot has been carried out. For example, when performing processing such as terminal crimping, fastening of components such as connectors, soldering, welding, and connection on cables such as electric wires, optical fibers, and various thin tubes, the linear object serving as the workpiece is gripped by a robot hand and transferred to a target processing apparatus or inspection apparatus for setting. At this time, when a large number of linear objects are supplied in a bundled state, the robot hand first needs to grip one linear object from among the supplied large number of linear objects.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus that measures the three-dimensional shape of a plurality of flexible linear objects with an indeterminate shape, determines whether one of them can be gripped by a robot hand without interfering with other linear objects, and then grips it.

[0004] Also, an apparatus for supplying linear objects in a dispersed state so that a robot hand can easily pick up one linear object is known. For example, Patent Document 2 describes a linear object dispersing apparatus that disperses a plurality of flexible linear objects housed in a cylindrical container by blowing gas onto the upper end portion protruding from the container, so that a robot hand can easily grip and pull out one linear object for supply. Patent Document 3 describes a linear object dispersing apparatus that disperses a plurality of flexible linear objects housed in a cylindrical container by mechanically spreading the upper end portion protruding from the container with a bellows-shaped member, so that a robot hand can easily grip and extract one linear object for supply.

[0005] Also, a device is known that picks up one linear object from a bundle of linear objects in advance. For example, Patent Document 4 describes a suction nozzle that presses against a bundle of flexible linear objects placed on a tray with a V-shaped cross section from above to suction and pick up one linear object. Patent Document 5 describes a linear object gripping device that has a groove formed between a pair of fingers into which one linear object fits, and suction means that sucks the linear object toward the groove, and that clamps and picks up the linear object sucked into the groove from among many flexible linear objects on the tray by closing the fingers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019 / 098074 [Patent Document 2] JP 2021-113121 A [Patent Document 3] Patent Publication No. 2022-091602 [Patent Document 4] Patent Publication No. 2021-194712 [Patent Document 5] JP 2023-090089 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] Since thin and flexible linear materials are prone to tangling, when picking up one linear material from a bundle of many linear materials, the other linear materials are dragged along with each other as they are picked up, causing the bundle to gradually lose its shape. If the bundle loses its shape beyond the allowable limits, continuous operation must be interrupted to correct the loss.

[0008] In the device described in Patent Document 1, one of multiple linear objects can be grasped by a robot hand without interfering with the other linear objects. However, when deformable linear objects are supplied in a bundle, there is a risk that the bundle will lose its shape when the grasped linear objects are removed.

[0009] In the linear object dispersing devices described in Patent Documents 2 and 3, since the linear objects are accommodated in a cylindrical container and one linear object is extracted from the state where the linear objects are dispersed, the possibility of the shape of the bundle collapsing is low. However, when the number of linear objects increases, it is necessary to considerably increase the size of the device.

[0010] In the devices described in Patent Documents 4 and 5, when lifting the held linear objects, other linear objects were easily dragged, and thus the shape of the bundle of linear objects was likely to collapse.

[0011] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a linear object supply device that can suppress the shape of a bundle from collapsing when picking up one linear object from a bundle of linear objects that are thin, flexible, and easily deformed by a robot hand without other linear objects being dragged by the picked-up linear object. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for picking up a linear object using such a linear object supply device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0012] The linear object supply device of the present invention is a linear object supply device used for picking up one linear object from a bundle of linear objects, and includes a table for placing the bundle, and a plurality of pressing members that are arranged dispersedly in the longitudinal direction of the bundle placed on the table and each of which can independently press the bundle on the table from above.

[0013] Here, pressing the bundle with the pressing member means pressing the bundle against the table with the pressing member to suppress the movement of the bundle.

[0014] With this configuration, even when picking up one linear object from a bundle of linear objects placed on the table, other linear objects are not dragged by the picked-up linear object, and the shape of the bundle can be suppressed from collapsing. By providing a plurality of pressing members, even if there is a bias in the thickness and density of the bundle, any of the pressing members can press the bundle against the table, so that the shape of the bundle can be made more difficult to collapse.

[0015] Preferably, among the pressing members, one or more of the pressing members rotate in a plane substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the bundle placed on the table about an axis on the side of the table as a fulcrum, and can press the bundle on the table when lowered.

[0016] Alternatively, preferably, among the pressing members, one or more of the pressing members are connected to the clamp arm of the clamp cylinder, and can press the bundle on the table when the clamp cylinder is lowered in the direction of the table.

[0017] The method for picking up a linear object of the present invention includes a placing step of placing a bundle of linear objects on a table, a pressing step of pressing the bundle from above with one or more of the plurality of pressing members distributed in the longitudinal direction of the bundle placed on the table, a gripping step of gripping a selected linear object that is one of the linear objects with a robot hand, and a extracting step of separating and extracting the selected linear object from the bundle by moving the robot hand with the pressing member in a state where the pressing member does not press the bundle.

[0018] Depending on the properties of the linear object, simply gripping and extracting the selected linear object from the bundle without pressing the bundle with the pressing member may cause other linear objects to be dragged. By pressing the bundle with a plurality of pressing members and extracting the selected linear object from the bundle while sequentially releasing the pressing members, when picking up one linear object from the bundle of linear objects placed on the table, other linear objects are not dragged by the picked-up linear object, and the shape of the bundle can be prevented from collapsing.

[0019] Preferably, the pressing step is a step of pressing the bundle from above with the plurality of pressing members, and the extracting step is a step of separating and extracting the selected linear object from the bundle by moving the robot hand while sequentially setting the pressing members in a state where they do not press the bundle, starting from the pressing member closest to the gripping position of the selected linear object by the robot hand.

[0020] Preferably, in the placing step, the bundle is placed on the table such that the rear portion of the bundle protrudes from the rear end of the table to form a hanging portion. Thereby, even when a terminal or the like is attached to the rear end of the linear object, the terminal or the like at the rear end of the linear object is less likely to be damaged when the robot hand extracts one linear object from the bundle. Further, when the linear object is long, the apparatus can be miniaturized.

[0021] Preferably, in any of the above-described linear object picking methods, before the gripping step, a displacement sensor is scanned in the width direction of the bundle at two or more positions in the longitudinal direction of the bundle, and the linear object located at the highest position in the scanned region is selected as the selected linear object, and a step of calculating the position and orientation of the selected linear object in the scanned region is included. The gripping step is a step of gripping the selected linear object with the robot hand by adjusting the position and orientation of the robot hand to the position and orientation of the selected linear object. By this method, with a small amount of calculation, one linear object can be selected from a bundle of thin, flexible, and easily deformable linear objects and securely gripped by the robot hand.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] According to the linear object supply apparatus or the linear object picking method of the present invention, while pressing down a bundle of thin, flexible, and easily deformable linear objects placed on a table with a pressing member, one linear object is gripped by a robot hand, and the gripped linear object is separated from the bundle and picked up while sequentially raising the pressing member, so that it is possible to suppress the bundle from losing its shape.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] The configuration of the linear material supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on FIGS. 1 - 8.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 1, the linear material supply device 10 of the present embodiment includes a table 20, a first pressing member 30 and a second pressing member 35, a first brush 50 and a second brush 55, and a laser displacement sensor 60. The linear material supply device 10 places a bundle of linear materials on the table 20 and supplies it to the robot hand 70 in a state where the linear materials can be picked up by the robot hand 70.

[0026] In this specification, the longitudinal direction of the table 20 means the longitudinal direction of the bundle of linear materials placed on the table, and the longitudinal direction of the bundle of linear materials means the longitudinal direction of the linear materials constituting the bundle. The width direction of the table 20 means the width direction of the bundle of linear materials placed on the table, and the width direction of the bundle of linear materials means the diameter direction of the linear materials constituting the bundle. Also, one end (the left back in FIG. 1, the X direction) of the longitudinal direction of the table 20 is the front end, the portion including the front end and its vicinity is the front end portion, the front end side is the front, the portion in the front is the front part, the other end (the front right in FIG. 1, the opposite direction of X) is the rear end, the portion including the rear end and its vicinity is the rear end portion, the rear end side is the rear, and the portion in the rear is the rear part. The same applies to the linear materials placed on the table, which are referred to as the front end, the front end portion, the front, the front part, the rear end, the rear end portion, the rear, and the rear part. The front end portion and the rear end portion are collectively referred to as the end portion. Also, when simply referring to the "longitudinal direction", it means the longitudinal direction of the table 20 and the bundle of linear materials placed on the table, or a direction parallel thereto (the ±X direction in FIG. 1), and when simply referring to the "width direction", it means the width direction of the table and the bundle of linear materials placed on the table, or a direction parallel thereto (the ±Y direction in FIG. 1).

[0027] Referring to FIG. 2, in addition to the first pressing member 30, the second pressing member 35, the first brush 50, the second brush 55, and the laser displacement sensor 60 shown in FIG. 1, the wire supply device 10 includes a control unit 11, a calculation unit 12, and a communication unit 13. The control unit 11 controls the entire wire supply device 10, the calculation unit 12 performs various calculations, and the communication unit 13 communicates with the robot communication unit 77 of the robot 74 that receives the supply of the wire from the wire supply device 10. On the other hand, the robot 74 that receives the supply of the wire from the wire supply device 10 includes, in addition to the robot hand 70 shown in FIG. 1, a robot control unit 75, a robot calculation unit 76, and a robot communication unit 77. The robot control unit 75 controls the entire robot 74 including the arm 78 and the robot hand 70, the robot calculation unit 76 performs various calculations such as trajectory calculation for reaching the robot hand to the target position, and the robot communication unit 77 communicates with the communication unit 13 of the wire supply device 10.

[0028] The linear material handled by the linear material supply device 10 of this embodiment is a flexible thin wire. The diameter of the linear material is preferably 0.1 to 10.0 mm, more preferably 0.5 to 5.0 mm. Also, when brushing is to be performed as described later, a linear material with a somewhat soft surface is suitable for being supplied by the linear material supply device of this embodiment. Examples of the linear material include a metal wire, a metal wire coated with resin, a resin-made one, etc. For example, a coated electric wire used for wiring of electric appliances or wire harnesses, various wires, cables, optical fibers, and a resin tube used for medical devices such as catheters. The linear material supply device 10 of this embodiment is particularly suitable for handling a linear material that is easily deformed so as to get entangled when bundled or a linear material that is easily marked. Being easily marked means being easily deformed and difficult to return to its original state after deformation. The linear material may have an attachment member such as a terminal attached to one or both ends or end portions. The attachment member includes those called by names such as male type or female type, plug, jack, contact pin, receptacle, housing, pin terminal, terminal, terminal terminal, crimp terminal, metal terminal, tab, socket, coupler, etc. Also, the linear material may have a deformed portion with a different cross-sectional shape at one or both end portions. Examples of the deformed portion include a portion where a resin-made fiber or tube is bent and a portion where the diameter is changed. The linear material supply device of this embodiment is particularly suitable for handling a linear material with an attachment member such as a terminal attached thereto or a linear material having a deformed portion. Furthermore, it is particularly suitable for handling a linear material having an attachment member such as a terminal attached near both ends or a linear material having a deformed portion.

[0029] Hereinafter, in this embodiment, an example will be described in which the cable with terminals attached to both ends is supplied to the robot hand 70 such that the robot hand 70 grips and picks up the front end portion of the cable by the linear material supply device 10.

[0030] Table 20 is installed horizontally, and referring to FIG. 3A, a bundle 95 of cables 90 is placed on its upper surface. Although FIG. 3A depicts a reduced number of cables 90, the number of cables 90 constituting the bundle 95 is typically from several tens to several hundreds. The cable bundle 95 is placed on the table with its rear part protruding from the rear end 21 of the table to form a hanging part 96. Each cable 90 constituting the bundle 95 has a terminal 92 and a terminal 93 attached to the front end and the rear end of the cable body 91, respectively, referring to FIG. 3B. Providing the hanging part 96 is effective in preventing interference between the terminals of adjacent cables when terminals are attached to the rear ends of the cables. Also, it is effective in reducing the size of the entire apparatus when the linear object is long.

[0031] The linear object supply device 10 is provided with a first pressing member 30 in the front and a second pressing member 35 in the rear, distributed in the longitudinal direction. The structures of the first pressing member 30 and the second pressing member 35 are the same. Note that the linear object supply device may be further provided with other pressing members behind the second pressing member. When the linear object is long or has a strong kink, it is preferable to provide a large number of pressing members. The width of the pressing member can be arbitrarily designed with respect to the length of the linear object. The linear object supply device 10 is suitable for linear objects with a length of about 100 mm to 3 m. When handling a linear object of this length, the width of the pressing member is about 3.0 mm to 300 mm, more preferably 5.0 mm to 100 mm.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 4, the first pressing member 30 is a rod-shaped or plate-shaped member, and rotates about a shaft 31 on the side of the table 20 to draw an arc in a plane substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. The solid lines in FIGS. 1 and 4 indicate the state where the first pressing member is raised, and the dashed lines indicate the state where the first pressing member is lowered. When the first pressing member 30 is lowered, it can press the entire width direction of the bundle 95 on the table 20 from above, and when it is raised, it releases the pressing of the bundle 95 to open the bundle. Further, when the first pressing member 30 is raised, it is in a position retracted laterally from above the table 20 so as not to overlap the table in plan view, and as will be described later, it can move longitudinally through the side of the first pressing member in a state where the first brush 50 is lowered.

[0033] The first pressing member 30 may have any shape that can press and release the bundle 95. For example, a plurality of rod-shaped or plate-shaped members may be aligned in the longitudinal direction of the table, and these plurality of rod-shaped or plate-shaped members may be integrated and rotate about the shaft 31 as a fulcrum.

[0034] The first pressing member 30 is composed of an elastic portion 33 made of an elastic material on the surface in contact with the bundle so as to press all the cables 90 included in the bundle 95, and a rigid portion 32 made of a rigid material on the opposite side. The elastic portion is preferably of a thickness and material that can absorb the unevenness in the height direction of the bundle and hold the entire bundle in a state with little slippage even if the bundle of linear objects is biased. For the elastic portion, for example, an EPDM sponge with a thickness of about 10 mm can be used.

[0035] Note that the first pressing member 30 and the second pressing member 35 can perform their functions as long as they retract from above the table when raised and press the entire width direction of the bundle on the table when lowered. Therefore, the plane in which the pressing member rotates does not have to be orthogonal to the longitudinal direction. However, as the angle formed by the plane and the longitudinal direction deviates from a right angle, it is necessary to lengthen the pressing member. Therefore, the angle is preferably in the range of ±30 degrees from a right angle, and more preferably a right angle.

[0036] As another form, a clamp cylinder can also be used for the first pressing member and the second pressing member. Referring to FIG. 5, the clamp cylinder 41 includes a clamp arm 43 extending horizontally from the tip of the rod 42. The pressing member 40 is connected to the lower side of the clamp arm 43 via a support member 44. When the clamp cylinder is contracted with the pressing member 40 crossing above the table 20 and the pressing member 40 descends toward the table (the dashed line on the left side of FIG. 5), the entire width direction of the bundle 95 on the table 20 can be pressed from above. When the clamp cylinder is extended (the solid line in FIG. 5), the pressing member 40 releases the pressing of the bundle 95 and releases the pressing. When using a clamp cylinder, since the vector of the force for pressing the bundle of linear objects acts perpendicular to the table, the bundle can be pressed more uniformly.

[0037] With the clamp cylinder 41 extended, the pressing member 40 rises away from the table and rotates in an arc within the horizontal plane so as to retract laterally from above the table 20 so as not to overlap the table in plan view (the dashed line on the right side of FIG. 5). When the pressing member 40 is in the retracted position, the first brush 50 can move longitudinally through the side of the pressing member 40 in the lowered state.

[0038] Similar to the case of the above-described spring-up type first pressing member 30, the pressing member 40 may be composed of a plurality of rod-shaped or plate-shaped members, and they may be integrated and move up and down by the expansion and contraction of the clamp cylinder 41. Also, similar to the case of the first pressing member 30, the surface of the pressing member 40 that abuts against the bundle is made of an elastic material and the opposite side is made of a rigid material so that all the cables included in the bundle 95 can be pressed down.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 6A, the first brush 50 is horizontally arranged across above the table 20. The first brush includes a plurality of teeth 52 that project downward from a cylinder 51 extending in the width direction and are aligned in a single row in the width direction. Note that the first brush may have multiple rows of teeth arranged in the width direction. The gap (Y-axis direction) between adjacent teeth of the first brush is preferably sized such that about 1 to 2 target linear objects can fit. For example, when the diameter of the linear object is about 0.5 mm to 5 mm, the gap between the teeth of the first brush is preferably about 1.0 mm to 10 mm. The depth (Z-axis direction) of the gap between adjacent teeth of the first brush is preferably sized such that about 1.5 to 3 target linear objects can fit. When the diameter of the linear object is about 0.5 mm to 5 mm, the depth of the gap between the teeth of the first brush is preferably about 0.8 mm to 15 mm.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 6B, the first brush 50 is arranged to be movable in the vertical and longitudinal directions with the teeth 52 facing downward (opposite to the Z direction) above the table 20. At the upper end position of the vertical movement of the first brush, the tip of the tooth 52 is above the bundle 95, and at the lower end position, the tip of the tooth 52 is inserted into the bundle 95 and does not touch the table. By lowering the first brush and inserting it into the bundle 95 and moving it in the longitudinal direction, the bundle 95 placed on the table 20 can be combed and the cable 90 can be loosened. Regarding the longitudinal movement of the first brush, it is preferable that the first brush can move across the entire longitudinal direction of the table.

[0041] Also, the first brush 50 is preferably rotatable about an axis 53 parallel to the width direction as a fulcrum to change the angle formed with the table 20. The angle formed between the first brush and the table is preferably variable within the range of 90 degrees ± 30 degrees. By tilting the first brush forward or backward with respect to the traveling direction, when the first brush combs the bundle 95, the first brush can move more smoothly. Also, the load on the cable by the brush can be reduced.

[0042] Also, referring to FIG. 6C, the first brush 50 is preferably movable rearward beyond the rear end 21 of the table 20, and at the rear of the table, it is movable in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) and the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the table with the teeth 52 facing the table side. Thereby, the first brush can comb the hanging part 96 of the bundle 95.

[0043] Referring to FIGS. 7A and B, the second brush 55 is disposed substantially horizontally below the rear end 21 of the table 20. The second brush includes a plurality of teeth 57 that project in a direction away from the table toward the hanging part 96 from a body 56 extending in the width direction and are aligned in a single row in the width direction. Note that the second brush may have a plurality of rows of teeth arranged in the width direction. Also, the second brush may be disposed inclined in the width direction from the horizontal, but it is preferably disposed horizontally in the width direction if there is no particular merit in inclining it. The gap (Y-axis direction) between adjacent teeth and the depth (Z-axis direction) of the tooth gap of the second brush can be designed in the same manner as the first brush.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 7B, the second brush is disposed so as to be movable in the vertical direction and the longitudinal direction of the table. Thereby, by protruding the second brush rearward and inserting it into the hanging part 96 of the bundle 95 and moving it in the vertical direction, the hanging part 96 can be combed and the cable 90 of the hanging part can be loosened.

[0045] Also, the second brush 55 is preferably rotatable about an axis 58 parallel to the width direction as a fulcrum so that the angle from the horizontal can be changed such that the direction of the teeth 57 inclines from the horizontal. The angle formed by the second brush with the horizontal is preferably variable within a range of 0 degrees ± 30 degrees. By slightly inclining the angle of the second brush from the horizontal, the second brush can move more smoothly when combing the hanging part 96 with the second brush.

[0046] Also, by supporting the hanging portion 96 with the second brush 55 until immediately before the robot hand 70 extracts one cable 90 from the bundle 95, it is possible to further reduce the possibility that the terminals 93 at the rear ends of the cable to be extracted and the adjacent cables get caught and the terminals are damaged. Since the second brush 55 is on the table side of the hanging portion, it does not interfere with the cable that the robot hand is about to extract.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 8, the laser displacement sensor 60 is provided above the front end portion of the table 20 so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction and the width direction. As the displacement sensor, any sensor that can measure the height of the bundle of cables placed on the table may be used. For example, optical sensors such as lasers, infrared rays, ultrasonic waves, and LEDs can be used. In this embodiment, a laser displacement sensor is used. The laser displacement sensor irradiates the laser beam 61 onto the bundle of cables 95 on the table, receives the reflected light, and measures the distance to the point where the laser beam is reflected. By scanning in the width direction at two or more positions in the longitudinal direction of the bundle 95, the cable 90 at the highest position within the scanned region can be selected, and its position coordinates and orientation can be obtained.

[0048] Returning to FIG. 1, the robot hand 70 receives supply from the linear object supply device 10 of this embodiment, grips the front end portion of one cable 90, and picks it up from the bundle 95. By gripping the front end portion, even when a terminal or the like is attached to the front end or the front end portion of the linear object, it is possible to suppress the collapse of the shape of the bundle when the robot hand extracts one linear object from the bundle. Also, it is possible to further reduce damage to terminals and the like. The robot hand is preferably attached to a multi-joint robot. Also, the robot hand preferably grips the cable by pinching it with fingers. This is because it can grip more reliably compared to gripping by suction, and the gripped cable is less likely to fall off.

[0049] Next, a method for picking up a linear object using the linear object supply device 10 of this embodiment will be described along the flow of FIG. 9.

[0050] (Placement Process) Raise the first pressing member 30 and the second pressing member 35, and place the bundle 95 of the cable 90 on the table 20 with the first brush 50 and the laser displacement sensor 60 retracted to the side of the table. At this time, the bundle 95 of the cable is placed on the table so that its rear part protrudes from the rear end 21 of the table to form a hanging part 96 (Fig. 3A). In this embodiment, since the robot hand grips the front end of the cable, the longitudinal direction of the cable is placed with the side gripped by the robot hand facing forward according to the subsequent process.

[0051] In this embodiment, the reason for placing the bundle 95 so as to form the hanging part 96 is that when a terminal is attached to the rear end of the cable 90, if the entire cable is on the table 20, when the robot hand 70 pulls out one cable from the bundle 95, the terminals of adjacent cables may get caught and the terminals may be damaged. Therefore, when no terminal is attached to the rear end of the cable, the entire bundle 95 may be placed on the table 20 without providing a hanging part. Also, by placing the bundle 95 so as to form the hanging part 96, the entire wire supply device can be miniaturized, which is effective when the working space is limited.

[0052] (Pressing Process) Lower the second pressing member 35 to press the bundle 95 against the table 20. Since the next brushing process starts with the first pressing member 30 raised, the first pressing member may remain raised. When the wire supply device 10 has three or more pressing members, at least one pressing member other than the first pressing member is lowered, preferably the second pressing member adjacent to the rear of the first pressing member is lowered, and more preferably all pressing members other than the first pressing member are lowered. This pressing process is performed by the control unit 11 controlling the pressing members 30, 35.

[0053] Note that the pressing member is preferably kept lowered except in the pressing process and when it is necessary to release the pressing of the bundle 95 with it raised.

[0054] (First brushing step) The first brushing step by the first brush 50 consists of three stages. Figures 10 and 11 show an example of the movement of the first brush. In Figures 10 and 11, the first brush moves in alphabetical order from a to w. This first brushing step is performed by the control unit 11 controlling the first brush 50 and the pressing members 30 and 35.

[0055] First, as the first stage, with the first pressing member 30 raised and not pressing the bundle 95, and the second pressing member 35 lowered and pressing the bundle 95, the area extending across both sides of the first pressing member 30 in the longitudinal direction, that is, the area where the bundle between the front end of the bundle 95 and the second pressing member is open, is combed with the first brush 50. However, the first brush does not touch the portion of the terminal 92 attached to the front end of the cable 90, and only the cable main body 91 is combed. This is to prevent damage to the terminal 92. When combing the bundle, the first brush may be tilted forward or backward in the direction of combing. Also, in the process, with the first brush inserted into the bundle, a small reciprocating movement in the width direction may be added to loosen the cable.

[0056] A specific example of the movement of the first brush 50 is as follows with reference to Figures 10A - C. The first brush returns from the lateral retracted position above the table 20 (a), and at a position in front of the second pressing member 35, it descends and inserts into the bundle 95 (b). The first brush is moved forward to comb the bundle (c), and then rises to pull out of the bundle once (d). The first brush is moved just in front of the second pressing member (e), descends and inserts into the bundle, and in this state, a small reciprocating movement in the width direction is performed to loosen the cable 90 (f). The first brush rises (g), moves to the front end of the bundle (h), descends and inserts into the bundle (i), moves backward to comb the bundle (j), and the first brush rises (k). The first brush is retracted slightly forward (l), descends and inserts into the bundle (m), and moves further backward than the position j where it was combed immediately before to comb the bundle (n).

[0057] Next, as a second step, lower the first pressing member 30 to press down the bundle 95, raise the second pressing member 35 to release the pressing of the bundle 95, and move the first brush in the longitudinal direction in the region extending across both sides of the second pressing member in the longitudinal direction, that is, in the region where the bundle between the first pressing member and the rear end of the table is open, to comb the bundle 95. Also, in the process, with the first brush inserted into the bundle, it may be reciprocated slightly in the width direction to add an operation of loosening the cable 90.

[0058] An example of the specific movement of the first brush 50 is as follows with reference to FIG. 11D. From the position n when the first step is completed, move the first brush backward to comb the bundle (o), and raise the first brush (p). Move the first brush slightly forward (q), lower it and insert it into the bundle (r), move it further backward than the position o where it combed immediately before to comb the bundle (s), and raise the first brush (t).

[0059] When there are three or more pressing members, for the part behind the second pressing member 35, the pressing members can be sequentially raised and lowered and combed with the first brush. Specifically, for the pressing member behind the second pressing member, the following process is performed. Set the pressing member one behind the pressing member that was raised when combing the bundle immediately before as the selected pressing member. If the selected pressing member is not the one located at the rearmost position, raise the selected pressing member, lower the pressing members adjacent to the front and rear of the selected pressing member, and comb the region of the bundle where the bundle between the pressing members adjacent to the front and rear is open with the first brush. If the selected pressing member is the one located at the rearmost position, raise the selected pressing member, lower the pressing member adjacent to the front of the selected pressing member, and comb the region of the bundle where the bundle between the pressing member adjacent to the front and the rear end of the table is open with the first brush. Repeat this while sequentially shifting the selected pressing member one by one backward. Thereby, the entire part of the bundle on the table can be combed with the first brush.

[0060] The brushing from the first stage to the second stage may be performed in order from the front as described above, but it is not limited to this. Generally, brushing may be performed as follows. First, select one of the plurality of pressing members as the first selected pressing member, release the pressing of the bundle 95 by the first selected pressing member, and comb the bundle in the region extending across both sides in the longitudinal direction with the first selected pressing member sandwiched therebetween while pressing the bundle with one or more pressing members other than the first selected pressing member. If there is a region where the bundle is open outside this region, it may be combed with the first brush. Next, select one of the pressing members other than the first selected pressing member as the second selected pressing member, release the pressing of the bundle by the second selected pressing member, and comb the bundle in the region extending across both sides in the longitudinal direction with the second selected pressing member sandwiched therebetween while pressing the bundle with one or more pressing members other than the second selected pressing member. If there is a region where the bundle is open outside this region, it may be combed with the first brush. Similarly, select the pressing member and comb the bundle thereafter. At this time, the order of selecting the pressing member as the selected pressing member may be any order.

[0061] In this embodiment, from the first stage to the second stage, the foremost first pressing member is selected as the first selected pressing member, the second pressing member in front of the first pressing member is selected as the second selected pressing member, and thereafter the selected pressing members are sequentially shifted backward one by one. Preferably, brushing is performed in order from the front in this way.

[0062] Next, as the third stage, lower the second pressing member 35 and comb the hanging portion 96. However, make sure that the second brush does not touch the portion of the terminal 93 attached to the rear end of the cable 90, and only comb the cable main body portion 91. This is to prevent damage to the terminal 93. Also, in the process, with the first brush inserted into the bundle, it may be reciprocated slightly in the width direction to loosen the cable.

[0063] An example of the specific movement of the first brush 50 is as follows with reference to FIG. 11E. From the position t where the second stage is completed, the first brush moves backward beyond the rear end 21 of the table, changes its inclination substantially horizontally (u), inserts into the hanging part of the bundle (v), and descends to comb the hanging part (w).

[0064] The first brushing process may be repeated two or more times. Also, in the first brushing process, depending on the properties of the cable, for example, when the deformation of the cable is not so large or the cable is not easily deformed, only the first stage may be performed, or only the first and second stages may be performed. Also, when there is no hanging part 96 and the entire bundle 95 is placed on the table 20, the third stage is of course unnecessary.

[0065] (Second Brushing Process) The second brushing process is a process of combing the hanging part 96 with the second brush 55. However, the second brush is prevented from touching the part of the terminal 93 attached to the rear end of the cable 90, and only the main body part 91 of the cable is combed. This is to prevent damage to the terminal 93. Also, in the process, with the second brush inserted into the hanging part 96, it may be reciprocated slightly in the width direction to loosen the cable 90. This second brushing process is implemented by the control unit 11 controlling the second brush 55.

[0066] A specific example of the movement of the second brush 55 is as follows with reference to FIG. 12. From the position where the second brush has retracted forward from the hanging part (a), it inserts into the hanging part (b), descends, and combs the hanging part from bottom to top (c). After the second brushing process is completed, it is preferable to keep the second brush inserted into the hanging part until just before being removed by the robot hand 70. This is because a state with less entanglement between the cables can be maintained.

[0067] In the second brushing process, when the terminal 93 is attached to the rear end of the cable 90 and the cable is likely to be greatly deformed or prone to kinking, it is particularly effective in preventing damage to the terminal when the cable is removed. If the terminal is not attached to the rear end of the cable 90, or if the cable is not deformed significantly or is not prone to kinking, the second brushing process may be omitted. Also, when there is no hanging portion 96 and the entire bundle 95 is placed on the table 20, the second brushing process is naturally unnecessary.

[0068] (Laser measurement process) Referring to FIG. 13, with the first pressing member 30 and the second pressing member 35 lowered, at the front end of the bundle 95, the laser displacement sensor 60 is scanned in the width direction of the bundle at two or more positions in the longitudinal direction. Then, based on the measurement results, one linear object at the highest position in the scanned area is selected as the selected cable 90S, and the position and orientation of the selected cable are calculated. In other words, the peak position that is the highest position in each scan is obtained, and from the plurality of peak values obtained in multiple scans, the selected cable 90S at the highest position is selected, and the position and orientation of the selected cable are calculated. The selected cable 90S is gripped by the robot hand 70 in the next process. This laser measurement process is carried out by the control unit 11 controlling the laser displacement sensor 60, and based on the measurement results of the laser displacement sensor, the calculation unit 12 selects the selected cable and calculates its position and orientation.

[0069] The specific processing procedure is as follows, for example. First, at one point in the longitudinal direction, the laser is scanned in the width direction (arrow P), and the linear object located highest on the scanning line is selected as the selected cable 90S, and its position p is obtained as the peak position with respect to the scan P. Next, the laser is scanned in the width direction before and after the first scan line (P) (arrows Q, R), and the highest peak positions q and r are obtained on each scan line. From the three peak positions p, q, and r, the orientation at the position p of the selected cable 90S is calculated. The scanning is preferably performed at intervals of 1 mm to 10 mm, more preferably 2 mm to 5 mm, in the longitudinal direction. The scanning is performed not at the terminal 92 at the front end of the cable 90 but at a position close to the terminal 92 of the cable main body 91, preferably at a position 10 mm to 150 mm, more preferably 40 mm to 80 mm, from the front end terminal of the cable. When pulling out the selected cable 90S from the bundle 95, it is easier to grip the portion near the front end because the terminal is less likely to get caught on other cables and is easier to pull out.

[0070] It is not necessary to perform the scanning by the laser displacement sensor 60 across the entire width of the bundle 95. When the number of linear objects included in the bundle is large, etc., it is also possible to scan only a part in the width direction of the bundle. If there are too many candidate cables for selection, the calculation becomes difficult, so it is better to end the scanning in the width direction when the desired displacement can be measured rather than scanning the entire width direction of the table. For example, in this embodiment, the laser displacement sensor is scanned from the right end side of the table (the upper side in FIG. 13), and when a peak of height can be detected as a group, the scanning area for one time is ended, that is, the scanning can be performed three times until the scanning is ended when one peak can be measured. Also, if the cable bundle 95 can be sufficiently loosened in the brushing process, the ends of the bundle are often aligned one by one without the cables overlapping each other. Utilizing this, when the height of the detected peak from the table is approximately equal to the diameter of the cable, it may be determined that there are no other cables around the cable, and the cable that gave the peak may be selected as the selected cable 90S and the scanning may be ended.

[0071] The measurement by the laser displacement sensor 60 is performed at the front end of the bundle 95, while the process of combing the hanging portion 96 with the second brush is performed at the rear end of the bundle. Therefore, this laser measurement process may be carried out in parallel with the second brushing process.

[0072] The method of scanning the laser displacement sensor 60 to obtain the position and orientation of the cable at the highest position is excellent in terms of light calculation load compared with, for example, the method described in Patent Document 1 when the number of cables 90 included in the bundle 95 is large.

[0073] (Cable gripping process) The robot hand 70 grips the selected cable in accordance with the position and orientation of the front end of the selected cable. The gripping position is a portion close to the terminal 92 of the cable main body 91 scanned by the laser displacement sensor 60.

[0074] In this cable gripping process, the arithmetic unit 12 calculates the coordinates and orientation of the gripping position on the selected cable 90S, the communication unit 13 transmits it to the robot communication unit 77, and based on the target position and orientation received by the robot communication unit 77, the robot arithmetic unit 76 calculates the joint variables necessary for the movement and gripping of the robot hand 70, and the robot control unit 75 moves the arm 78 and the robot hand 70.

[0075] When the robot hand 70 sandwiches the cable with two fingers, referring to FIG. 14, for the position (x c , y c , z c ) of the gripping point C on the selected cable to be gripped, and the orientation of the selected cable at the gripping point C (vector c = (a c , b c , c c )) with respect to the widthwise inclination (vector g = (a g , b g , c g) Move the robot hand to the forward position in accordance with the direction of the selected cable at the gripping point C. The forward position is the position where the robot hand 70 starts to move straight forward with the gripping center G facing the gripping point C. Then, move the robot hand forward from the forward position toward the gripping point C, and close the fingers 71 and 72 in accordance with the position (x g , y g , z g ) of the gripping point C.

[0076] In order to grip one cable from the bundle 95 in which the thin, flexible, and easily deformable cables 90 are densely packed, it is necessary to form the tips of the fingers 71 and 72 of the robot hand 70 to be thin and approach and grip the cable with the fingers 71 and 72 slightly opened. Therefore, it is difficult to grip the selected cable with the robot hand only by aligning the positions of the selected cable and the robot hand, and gripping becomes possible by aligning both the position and the orientation.

[0077] (Cable extraction process) Extract the selected cable 90S gripped by the robot hand 70 from the bundle 95. This cable extraction process is carried out by the control unit 11 controlling the pressing members 30 and 35. Each time the pressing members are raised and lowered, the communication unit 13 transmits the next movement target of the robot hand 70 to the robot communication unit 77 and is carried out while receiving the completion of the movement of the robot hand from the robot communication unit 77.

[0078] Referring to FIG. 15, with the first pressing member 30 lowered, starting from the state where the robot hand 70 grips the selected cable (FIG. 15A), the robot hand is moved to lift the front end of the gripped selected cable 90S (FIG. 15B). The target position and posture of the robot hand 70 when the front end of the selected cable is lifted are transmitted from the communication unit 13 of the linear material supply device 10 to the robot communication unit 77. Based on the target position and posture received by the robot communication unit 77, the robot arithmetic unit 76 calculates the joint variables necessary for the movement and gripping of the robot hand 70, and the robot control unit 75 moves the arm 78 and the robot hand 70. When the robot hand reaches the target in FIG. 15B, a movement completion report is transmitted from the robot communication unit 77 to the communication unit 13 of the linear material supply device. When the control unit 11 confirms the movement completion report, it raises the first pressing member 30 and proceeds to the next process.

[0079] Similarly, with the first pressing member 30 lowered and the second pressing member 35 raised, the movement target position and posture of the robot hand 70 are transmitted from the linear material supply device to the robot. When the linear material supply device receives a movement completion report from the robot, it proceeds to the next process. In this way, while raising the pressing members 30 and 35 in order from the front, the robot hand is moved to separate the selected cable 90S from the portion placed on the table 20 of the bundle 95 (FIGS. 15C and D).

[0080] What is important in the movement path of the robot hand 70 is to lift it upward away from the bundle so as not to pull the selected cable 90S in the longitudinal direction of the bundle 95. For example, at the initial stage of lifting the selected cable (Figs. 15B and C), it is more effective to lift it while gradually tilting the robot hand and pulling it upward obliquely backward. This prevents the shape of the bundle 95 from collapsing, and even if there are fine protrusions at the terminals at the front end of the cable, it can prevent the terminals 92 at the front ends of the other cables adjacent to the selected cable from getting caught and the terminals from being damaged. Also, when lifting the selected cable, it becomes difficult to apply tension between the cable and the pressing member, making it less likely to damage the cable. In the above process, the second brush 55 maintains the state of being inserted into the hanging portion 96.

[0081] Move the robot hand 70 backward beyond the rear end 21 of the table 20, pull out the second brush 55 from the hanging portion 96 (Fig. 16E), and pull out the selected cable from the bundle so that the rear end of the selected cable 90S moves downward away from the rear end (lower end) of the hanging portion (Fig. 16F). This enables the robot hand to pull out the selected cable without the terminals 93 at the rear ends of the other cables adjacent to the selected cable getting caught and the terminals being damaged even if there are fine protrusions at the terminals 93 attached to the rear end of the cable.

[0082] As described above, one cable 90 could be lifted from the cable bundle 95 by the robot hand 70. Thereafter, the process from the second brushing step to the cable extraction step is repeated to sequentially lift the cables 90.

[0083] Note that the operations of the first brush 50, the second brush 55, the robot hand 70, etc. described in each process are not limited to this and may be appropriately changed according to the properties of the cable 90, etc.

[0084] The cable 90 picked up by the robot hand 70 is transferred to the subsequent process. Referring to FIG. 17, an example of the subsequent process is as follows. The cable 90 grasped by the robot hand 70 is transferred to the measurement stage 80. At the measurement stage, illumination is applied to the tip of the cable, and the bend of the tip of the cable 90, the rotational direction of the terminal 92 around the core of the cable, etc. are measured by the three-dimensional measuring instrument 81. The robot hand transfers the cable for which the measurement has been completed to the inspection device 82, adjusts the orientation of the cable tip based on the measurement result, and inserts the tip of the cable into the insertion port 83 of the inspection device. To insert the tip of the cable into the insertion port, for example, the methods described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-112470 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-024068 by the present applicant can be used. The robot hand delivers the cable for which the inspection has been completed to the linear object storage device 84, and the linear object storage device stores the cable in a predetermined container 85 according to the inspection result.

[0085] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the technical idea.

[0086] According to the above embodiment, since the bundle of cables placed on the table is pressed down by the pressing member and the cable grasped while raising the pressing member is separated from the bundle and picked up, it is possible to suppress the bundle from collapsing during picking up. Therefore, for other processes, appropriate changes and omissions are possible. For example, when the degree of entanglement of the cables is small depending on the properties of the cables, brushing is unnecessary, and the pressing-down process, the first brushing process, and the second brushing process can be omitted. Also, for example, a method other than using the displacement sensor to select the selected cable may be used.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0087] 10 Linear object supply device 11 Control unit 12 Arithmetic unit 13 Communication unit 20 Table 21 Rear end of the table 30 First pressing member 31 shaft 32 rigid part 33 elastic part 35 second pressing member 40 pressing member 41 clamp cylinder 42 rod 43 clamp arm 44 support member 50 first brush 51 barrel 52 teeth 53 shaft 55 second brush 56 barrel 57 teeth 58 shaft 60 laser displacement sensor 61 laser beam 70 robot hand 71, 72 fingers 74 robot 75 robot control unit 76 robot arithmetic unit 77 robot communication unit 78 arm 80 measurement stage 81 three - dimensional measuring instrument 82 inspection device 83 insertion port 84 linear object storage device 85 container 90 cable (linear object) 90S selected cable 91 cable body part 92 cable front - end terminal 93 cable rear - end terminal 95 cable bundle 96 hanging part

Claims

1. A linear material supply device used for picking up one linear material from a bundle of linear materials, comprising: a table for placing the bundle; a plurality of pressing members that are distributed and arranged in the longitudinal direction of the bundle placed on the table, and each of them can independently press the bundle on the table from above; A linear material supply device having the above.

2. One or more of the pressing members are mounted on the table in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bundle placed on the table with a shaft on the side of the table as a fulcrum, and can rotate to press the bundle on the table when lowered. The linear material supply device according to Claim 1.

3. One or more of the pressing members are connected to the clamping arms of a clamping cylinder. The linear material supply device according to Claim 1.

4. A placing step of placing a bundle of linear materials on a table; A pressing step of pressing the bundle from above with one or more of the plurality of pressing members distributed and arranged in the longitudinal direction of the bundle placed on the table; A gripping step of gripping a selected linear material, which is one of the linear materials, with a robot hand; A extracting step of separating and extracting the selected linear material from the bundle by moving the robot hand while keeping the pressing member from pressing the bundle. A linear material picking-up method having the above.

5. The pressing step is a step of pressing the bundle from above with the plurality of pressing members. The extracting step is a step of separating and extracting the selected linear material from the bundle by moving the robot hand while sequentially keeping the pressing members from pressing the bundle starting from the pressing member close to the gripping position of the selected linear material by the robot hand. The linear material picking-up method according to Claim 4.

6. In the placing step, the bundle is placed on the table such that the rear part of the bundle protrudes from the rear end of the table to form a hanging part. The linear material picking-up method according to Claim 4.

7. Before the gripping step, a displacement sensor is scanned in the width direction of the bundle at two or more positions in the longitudinal direction of the bundle, and the linear material at the highest position in the scanned area is selected as the selected linear material, and the position and orientation of the selected linear material in the scanned area are calculated. The gripping step is a step of gripping the selected linear object with the robot hand while aligning the position and orientation of the robot hand with the position and orientation of the selected linear object. The method for picking up a linear object according to any one of claims 4 to 6.

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