Holding system and holding method

Abstract

To reduce problems caused when combination weighing is performed by a plurality of holding members in a more effective manner.SOLUTION: A holding system 1 includes: a plurality of holding members 313 which hold ingredients independently; a robot arm 32; and a control unit 311. The robot arm 32 transports the holding members 313 to insert the holding members 313 into a group of the ingredients at the same time. The control unit 311 performs combination weighing of the ingredients held by the holding members 313 based on weights of the ingredients respectively held by the holding members 313 when the inserted holding members 313 hold the ingredients and determines the holding member 313 that releases the ingredients to a release area based on measurement results. At least some of the holding members 313 comprise: a plurality of extending parts which are spaced apart from each other and extend in an inserting direction; and tip parts coupled to the extending parts at tips of the extending parts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a gripping system and a gripping method.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, various operations have been performed by robots equipped with a gripping function. For example, when gripping food, the robot grips a predetermined amount of food stored in a storage container such as a vat and transfers it to a container or a discharge chute where it will be released, and then executes the release. Techniques related to such robots with a gripping function are disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Patent Document 1 discloses that a plurality of gripping members are arranged on one robot arm and simultaneously lowered, and each performs gripping. Also disclosed is performing combined weighing for a plurality of gripping members gripped in this way. However, in the case of general gripping members, there is a risk that the object may adhere to the inner or outer surface of the gripping member. And when such adhesion occurs, the weight of the object gripped by each gripping member cannot be accurately detected. Therefore, the accuracy of the calculation result of the combined weighing decreases. Also, even if the calculation result of the combined weighing is correct, if not all of the objects gripped by the gripping members can be released, as a result, the specified amount cannot be released.

[0005] As described above, in the prior art, there is still room for improvement in performing combined weighing using a plurality of gripping members. Further, such problems are not limited to the case where the object to be gripped is food, but are common to various fields in which gripping is performed by a robot, such as the industrial field.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to further suppress problems that occur when performing combined weighing using a plurality of gripping members.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] To solve the above problems, a gripping system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a plurality of gripping members each independently gripping an object; transfer means for transferring the plurality of gripping members and simultaneously inserting them into a group of the objects; weight detection means for detecting the weight of the object gripped by each of the plurality of gripping members when the inserted plurality of gripping members execute gripping; control means for performing combined weighing of the weights gripped by the gripping members based on the weights detected by the weight detection means, and determining a gripping member for releasing the object to a release destination based on the weighing result; and at least one of the plurality of gripping members is characterized by including a plurality of extending portions that are separated from each other and extend in the insertion direction, and a tip portion that couples to the plurality of extending portions at the tip of the extending portions.

Effects of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, problems that occur when performing combined weighing using a plurality of gripping members can be further suppressed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

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Mode for carrying out the invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Embodiment] [Overall configuration] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing the configuration of a holding system 1 according to the present invention. Here, the holding system 1 is assumed to apply the present invention to a system that holds and releases food as an object. Therefore, in the following description, a case will be described as an example in which the holding system 1 holds ingredients such as prepared vegetables and packs the held ingredients into a container via a discharge chute.

[0011] However, this is merely an example for explanation and is not intended to limit the scope of application of the present invention. The present invention is applicable to various systems for gripping objects. For example, it can be applied to a system for gripping uncooked vegetables (e.g., shredded cabbage, carrots, or bean sprouts). Also, for example, it can be applied to a system for gripping workpieces of industrial products such as electronic devices (e.g., screws, bolts, or components of products). That is, the present invention can be implemented for various gripping systems regardless of the object to be gripped or the field of application.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the gripping system 1 includes a material storage unit 10, a container supply unit 20, an articulated robot 30, a discharge chute 40, a shielding unit 50, and a control device 60. Among these, the container supply unit 20, the articulated robot 30, and the control device 60 are communicatively connected by wire or wirelessly and can communicate with each other.

[0013] Also, adjacent to the processing system 1, a belt conveyor 2 for automatically transporting the container of mixed vegetables downstream is installed. The belt conveyor 2 has a transport surface for transporting the container, and the container is transported while being placed on this transport surface. In FIG. 1, as indicated by the dashed arrow, the right side of the paper surface is the downstream of the transport in the belt conveyor 2.

[0014] Also, in FIG. 1, only one gripping system 1 is shown, but it is not limited to this. In the present embodiment, a plurality of gripping systems 1 are installed along the transport direction of one belt conveyor 2, and it is assumed that a plurality of articulated robots 30 cooperate to perform work.

[0015] The ingredient storage unit 10 has a storage space for storing ingredients such as vegetables to be served in the gripping system 1. The ingredient storage unit 10 is constituted by, for example, a general-purpose container such as a large vat or tray. And in the storage space of the ingredient storage unit 10, for example, mashed salad (salad containing ingredients with viscosity or adhesiveness) such as potato salad, okara, dried radish shreds, namasu, hijiki, boiled beans, konnyaku, butter corn, noodles, croquettes, tempura, and various other ingredients that can be gripped by the gripping member are stored. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the ingredient storage unit 10 stores a plurality of servings (for example, dozens of servings to hundreds of servings) of one type of ingredient. When the remaining amount of the stored ingredients decreases, the ingredient storage unit 10 can be manually replaced by an operator or automatically replaced by the articulated robot 30.

[0016] The container supply unit 20 supplies a container to a predetermined position (here, the serving position P1 in FIG. 1) where the ingredients are served in the gripping system 1. The container supply unit 20 stores a plurality of containers. When the gripping system 1 starts operating, the containers are supplied one by one to the serving position P1. Next, when the articulated robot 30 releases the ingredients, the ingredients are served into the container supplied to the serving position P1 via the discharge chute 40. Then, by the pushing mechanism provided in the container supply unit 20, the container is pushed out onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2. As a result, the served container is conveyed downstream by the belt conveyor 2.

[0017] Also, a container detection sensor 21 is arranged near the position where the container supply unit 20 pushes the container onto the belt conveyor 2. The container detection sensor 21 is a sensor that detects the container being conveyed on the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2. The container supply unit 20 pushes the container with the ingredients served onto the conveying surface at a timing when the container detection sensor 21 does not detect another container being conveyed on the conveying surface (a container that has been served by another articulated robot 30). Thereby, it is possible to prevent the containers from colliding with each other on the conveying surface. Although this is the reason for transporting other containers from upstream, as described above, in the present embodiment, this is because a plurality of gripping systems 1 are installed.

[0018] The articulated robot 30 is constituted by, for example, a horizontal articulated robot or a vertical articulated robot, etc., and includes a plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 capable of gripping the ingredients to be loaded, and a robot arm 32 that moves the gripping mechanism 31 to an arbitrary position within the movable range.

[0019] The gripping mechanism 31 is disposed at the tip of the robot arm 32 and is supported by the robot arm 32 by being coupled by a coupling member. Then, the gripping mechanism 31 can move to an arbitrary position within the movable range along with the movement of the robot arm 32 based on the control of the control device 60. Furthermore, the joint that holds the gripping mechanism 31 is provided with an axis for rotating the gripping mechanism 31 in the twisting direction with respect to the robot arm 32. Therefore, when the gripping mechanism 31 grips the ingredient, by changing the orientation of the gripping mechanism 31, the direction in which the gripping mechanism 31 grips can be adjusted. As a result, when the gripping mechanism 31 reaches near the inner wall surface of the container, it becomes possible to change the orientation of the gripping mechanism 31 in a direction parallel to the inner wall surface of the container supply unit 20, making it easier to grip the ingredient near the inner wall surface of the container. In addition, this gripping mechanism 31 not only has a gripping member for gripping the ingredient, but also has a function of measuring the weight of the gripped ingredient or measuring the reaction force from the ingredient. These data measured by the gripping mechanism 31 are appropriately output to the control device 60.

[0020] The discharge chute 40 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an inlet provided at one end and an outlet provided at the other end. After the discharge chute 40 receives the workpiece released by the articulated robot 30 from the inlet, it discharges the workpiece from the outlet, thereby filling the container supplied at the filling position P1 with the workpiece. For this purpose, the discharge chute 40 is arranged such that the outlet is located on the vertical upper surface of the filling position P1, for example, by being fixed to the structure of the shielding part 50 or the wall surface of the container supply part 20, or by being supported by a dedicated support. Also, the opening surface of the inlet is configured to be large enough to receive all of them when the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 release simultaneously. On the other hand, the discharge chute 40 narrows as it approaches the outlet like a funnel, and the opening surface of the outlet is configured to be sized such that the discharged workpiece fits inside the container. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the workpieces released by the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 from scattering outside the container.

[0021] The shielding part 50 is composed of a plate-like member that surrounds and encloses the area where the workpiece storage part 10, the container supply part 20, the articulated robot 30, and the discharge chute 40 are installed in the gripping system 1. The plate-like member constituting the shielding part 50 is made of a transparent material such as glass or resin, and it is possible to visually recognize the operating status of the gripping system 1 from the outside. Also, an opening / closing door is installed on a part of the side wall formed by the shielding part 50. When replacing the workpiece storage part 10 or replenishing the workpiece, adding a container to the container supply part 20, or performing maintenance on the gripping system 1, etc., the operator can open the door of the shielding part 50 and perform various operations.

[0022] The control device 60 is composed of an information processing device such as a PC (Personal Computer) or a programmable controller, and controls the entire gripping system 1 by executing various programs. For example, the control device 60 controls operations such as the operation of the container supply unit 20 to supply a container, and the operation of the multi-joint robot 30 to grip a material from the material storage unit 10 and release it into the container via the discharge chute 40 to load the material. More specifically, for example, the control device 60 controls the driving of the robot arm 32 to move the gripping mechanism 31 to a preset position at a preset route and speed, and controls the driving of the actuator of the gripping mechanism 31 to realize the operation of gripping and releasing the material by the gripping mechanism.

[0023] [Configuration of the Gripping Mechanism 31] Figs. 2 to 6 are diagrams showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. More specifically, Fig. 2 is a front view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31 with the gripping members open. Fig. 3 is a front view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31 with the gripping members closed. Further, Fig. 4 is a front view showing the internal configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. Further, Fig. 5 is a side view showing the arrangement of a plurality of gripping mechanisms 31. Further, Fig. 6 is a bottom view showing the arrangement of a plurality of gripping mechanisms 31.

[0024] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the gripping mechanism 31 includes a control unit 311, a transmission unit 312, and a gripping member 313. In addition, in the present embodiment, there are a plurality of gripping mechanisms 31, each of which is connected to the connecting portion 321. And further, the connecting portion 321 is attached to the robot arm 32. Thereby, the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 are supported by the robot arm 32 and move simultaneously along with the movement of the robot arm 32.

[0025] The control unit 311 controls the gripping operation and the releasing operation performed by the gripping member 313. For this purpose, the control unit 311 has a driving mechanism that moves forward and backward in a predetermined direction (the left-right direction in the drawing plane) at the timing of executing gripping, and transmits that force to the gripping member 313 via the transmission unit 312.

[0026] The transmission unit 312 functions as a power transmission mechanism that transmits the force for advancing and retreating in a predetermined direction in the control unit 311 as the force for opening and closing the gripping member 313.

[0027] The gripping member 313 includes a first gripping part 313a and a second gripping part 313b. The first gripping part 313a moves so as to open and close in the same direction as the predetermined direction (the left - right direction in the plane of the paper) of the advancing and retreating of the control unit 311 in response to the force transmitted from the transmission unit 312.

[0028] Then, as shown in FIG. 3, when the tip of the first gripping part 313a and the tip of the second gripping part 313b approach each other, the gripping member 313 is in a closed state and can grip the ingredient. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, when the tip of the first gripping part 313a and the tip of the second gripping part 313b move apart from each other, the gripping member 313 is in an open state and can release the gripped ingredient.

[0029] To realize the control of such a gripping operation, as shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 311 includes a pin cylinder 314 and a load cell 315 inside its housing. In FIG. 4, for the purpose of showing the pin cylinder 314 and the load cell 315, the housing of the control unit 311 is shown transparently.

[0030] The pin cylinder 314 is an air cylinder driven by compressed air supplied through a tube (not shown), and corresponds to the driving mechanism that advances and retreats in the predetermined direction (the left - right direction in the plane of the paper) described above. Specifically, the pin cylinder 314 is pushed out by the supplied compressed air and moves so that its tip extends in a direction away from the housing of the control unit 311. On the other hand, when the supply of compressed air stops, the pin cylinder 314 moves so that its tip contracts in a direction approaching the housing of the control unit 311. This movement is realized by the elastic force of a spring arranged inside the pin cylinder 314. And, as described above, the force corresponding to these movements is transmitted to the first gripping part 313a through the transmission unit 312, and the gripping operation and the releasing operation are realized by the gripping member 313.

[0031] The load cell 315 converts the measured force into an electrical signal proportional to its magnitude and detects it as weight. In the present embodiment, the load cell 315 measures the vertical weight acting on the gripping member 313. For this purpose, for example, the pin cylinder 314, the transmission unit 312, and the gripping member 313 are attached to a single plate-like member (substrate), and the entire plate-like member is supported by the load cell 315.

[0032] The weight measured by the load cell 315 is used for two determinations: whether the gripping member 313 is receiving a reaction force from the workpiece and whether the gripping member 313 is gripping the workpiece. For this purpose, the weight measured in a state where the gripping member 313 is not gripping the workpiece and the gripping member 313 is not receiving a reaction force from the workpiece is measured and set as the reference weight.

[0033] When the measured current weight is smaller than the reference weight, it is determined that the gripping member 313 is receiving a reaction force from the workpiece in the accommodation space. In this case, the magnitude of the received reaction force can also be calculated based on the difference between the reference weight and the current weight. The magnitude of the received reaction force is used for detecting the timing at which the gripping member 313 executes gripping.

[0034] When the measured current weight is larger than the reference weight, it is determined that the gripping member 313 is gripping the workpiece. In this case, the weight of the gripped workpiece can also be calculated based on the difference between the reference weight and the current weight. The weight of the gripped workpiece is used for combined weighing. Since these determinations are made by the control device 60, the weight measured by the load cell 315 is sequentially output to the control device 60.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 are each connected to and supported by the connecting portion 321. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, when viewed from the bottom surface, the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 are arranged alternately so that their directions are different in the longitudinal direction of the connecting portion 321 (the left - right direction of the paper surface). In this example, four gripping mechanisms 31 are arranged in two rows in the longitudinal direction. If all the gripping mechanisms 31 were arranged in the same direction, the weight balance applied to the connecting portion 321 would be biased, and the moment of inertia (inertia) would become large. However, by arranging them alternately so that their directions are different as in this embodiment, the weight balance applied to the connecting portion 321 becomes uniform, and the moment of inertia does not become larger than necessary. Therefore, the followability of the gripping mechanism 31 when the gripping mechanism 31 is moved by the robot arm 32 can be improved.

[0036] Also, by arranging them in this way, a pitch (interval) is provided between each gripping mechanism 31 and the adjacent gripping mechanism 31 located in the same row.

[0037] Returning to FIG. 5, the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 are connected to the plate - shaped connecting portion 321 via support portions. Also, a spacer is arranged between the connecting portion 321 and the support portion, and the distance between each gripping mechanism 31 and the connecting portion 321 is adjusted. The number of these spacers is different step - by - step. In FIG. 5, no spacer is arranged for the gripping mechanism 31 arranged on the far left side of the paper surface, and more spacers are arranged as it goes to the right side of the paper surface. And since the size (vertical length) of each gripping mechanism 31 itself is the same, the position of the tip of the gripping member 313 of each gripping mechanism 31 also differs step - by - step according to the number of spacers. That is, in this embodiment, the position of the tip of the gripping member 313 of each gripping mechanism 31 is intentionally made different.

[0038] In this way, by providing a pitch (interval) between adjacent gripping mechanisms 31 and by varying the positions of the tips of the gripping members 313, it is possible to prevent adjacent gripping members 313 from gripping the same ingredient. For example, it is possible to suppress the simultaneous gripping of an object with a certain length (e.g., a single strand of noodles, a single strand of bean sprouts, etc.) by two gripping members 313. Along with this, problems such as the weight held by each gripping member becoming unclear or which gripping member to release to free the object becoming unclear can also be suppressed, making it possible to achieve a preferable state when controlling the gripping members.

[0039] Also, a spring is disposed inside the support portion and expands and contracts in the vertical direction (the up-and-down direction in the plane of the paper) due to its elastic force. Along with this, the relative positional relationship between the connecting portion 321 and the tips of the gripping members 313 of the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 becomes variable in the vertical direction. As a result, even if the tip of a part of the gripping members 313 (e.g., the gripping member 313 on the right side in the plane of the paper) comes into contact with the bottom surface of the ingredient storage portion 10 that stores the ingredient, this gripping member can contract in the inserting direction, enabling it to be inserted further into the ingredient held by the other gripping members. Therefore, the ingredients present on the bottom surface of the ingredient storage portion 10 can all be gripped without omission.

[0040] Figs. 7 to 9 are diagrams showing in detail the configuration of the gripping member 313 among the configurations of the gripping mechanism 31. Specifically, Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the gripping member 313 in a state where the gripping member is open. Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the gripping member 313 in a state where the gripping member is closed. Further, Fig. 9 is a front view schematically showing the state in which the gripping member 313 elastically deforms as it grips the ingredient.

[0041] Figs. 7 and 8 show the transmission portion 312, the gripping member 313, the first gripping portion 313a, and the second gripping portion 313b. The general functions and configurations of these respective portions are as described above with reference to Figs. 2 to 6. In the present embodiment, the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b are configured to form a closed loop shape when viewed from the side. Specifically, it is composed of two extending portions that are separated from each other and extend in a predetermined direction (vertically downward in the state of the figure) from the main body side of the gripping member 313, and a tip portion that couples the two extending portions at the tips of the extending portions. And the two extending portions are supported by the support portions provided on the transmission portion 312.

[0042] Such a first gripping portion 313a and a second gripping portion 313b can be created, for example, by bending a single wire. In this case, the shape of the tip portion can be arbitrarily determined, but as shown in the figure, it is usually preferably a substantially horizontal shape. The reason is that generally the bottom surface of the ingredient storage portion 10 is substantially horizontal, so by making the shape of the tip portion also substantially horizontal to match this, a parallel positional relationship is obtained, and the ingredients on the bottom surface of the ingredient storage portion 10 can be gripped without leaving any. However, it is not limited to this, and the shape of the tip portion can be arbitrarily determined according to the nature and shape of the ingredient to be gripped and the shape of the ingredient storage portion 10.

[0043] Also, since the two extending portions are separated from each other, there is a structure with a gap therebetween. In this case, the degree to which the two extending portions are separated can be arbitrarily determined, but it is desirable to determine it according to the ingredient to be gripped. On the premise that one ingredient can be simultaneously gripped by the two separated extending portions, ingredients in a lump larger than the separated distance (for example, tempura, takuan) or linear ingredients longer than the separated distance (for example, bean sprouts, noodles, spring) are considered to be the objects of gripping. Therefore, when determining the separated distance, it is advisable to separate them by a distance shorter than the average length of the ingredient to be gripped. Thereby, the ingredient can be gripped more reliably.

[0044] Although the ingredient to be gripped is not particularly limited by the gripping member 313 having such a shape, for example, an ingredient having viscosity or adhesiveness (for example, a mixed vegetable using sweet potato or okra) or an ingredient having oil on its surface and being in the form of fine pieces (for example, coleslaw) is suitable as the object to be gripped.

[0045] Regarding the size of the gripping member 313, it is conceivable that the length of the extending portion extending in the vertical direction (that is, the length of the gripping member 313) is 100 [mm], the length of the distance between the extending portions (that is, the width for gripping the ingredient) is 16 [mm], and the diameter of the linear member (for example, wire) constituting the extending portion and the tip portion is 2 [mm]. However, this size is only an example and is not intended to limit the scope of application of the present invention.

[0046] And, as shown in FIG. 8, the gripping member 313 having such a configuration can grip the ingredient when the tip of the first gripping portion 313a and the tip of the second gripping portion 313b approach each other, and the gripping member 313 is in a closed state. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, when the tip of the first gripping portion 313a and the tip of the second gripping portion 313b move away from each other, the gripping member 313 is in an open state, and the gripped ingredient can be released.

[0047] In this case, the gripping member 313 can reduce the frictional force to such an extent that it can suppress the adhesion of the ingredient while ensuring the frictional force for gripping a specified amount of the ingredient by gripping with a plurality of extending portions that are separated from each other in this way. Therefore, compared with the case of using a general gripping member (for example, a plate-shaped or container-shaped gripping member), there is an effect that the adhesion of the ingredient to the inner surface or the outer surface of the gripping member can be more suppressed. Further, this effect is particularly beneficial when performing combined weighing. Therefore, the effects related to the gripping member 313 will be described in detail after explaining combined weighing and other configurations of the gripping system 1.

[0048] In the case of a general gripping member where plate-shaped members face each other as the gripping portion, when gripping is performed by sandwiching the ingredients, the sandwiched ingredients may be crushed by the plate-shaped members. On the other hand, in the gripping member 313 of the present embodiment, as shown in the figure, a plurality of extending portions are separated from each other to have a gap, and these gaps are arranged so as to face each other. Therefore, even when gripping is performed by sandwiching the ingredients with these plurality of extending portions, there is also an advantage that the sandwiched ingredients will not be crushed.

[0049] Furthermore, as the material of the wire-shaped member constituting the gripping member 313, it is preferable to use a material having a wide elastic range such as spring steel that elastically deforms during gripping and returns to the shape before elastic deformation when not gripping. When such a material is used, the state in which the gripping member 313 elastically deforms as the ingredients are gripped will be described with reference to FIG. 9.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 9(a), the gripping member 313 attempts to grip the gripping ingredients to be gripped by sandwiching them between the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b. In this case, no reaction force from the ingredients acts on the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b, and they remain in the shape shown in FIG. 7. After that, as shown in FIG. 9(b), when gripping is performed by the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b approaching each other, a reaction force from the ingredients acts on these gripping portions. In response to this, the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b elastically deform into a shape suitable for gripping the ingredients. For example, it elastically deforms into a shape along the shape of the ingredients to be gripped or a shape that wraps around a plurality of ingredients. As a result, it becomes possible to securely grip the ingredients. In addition, spring steel and the like have the property of returning to the shape before elastic deformation when not receiving a reaction force. Therefore, after releasing the ingredients, it returns to the shape before elastic deformation as shown in FIG. 9(a), and can be used repeatedly.

[0051] [Hardware Configuration of Control Device 60] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control device 60. As shown in FIG. 10, the control device 60 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 storage unit 717, a communication unit 718, and a drive 719.

[0052] The CPU 711 executes various processes according to the programs recorded in the ROM 712 or the programs loaded from the storage unit 717 into the RAM 713. In the RAM 713, data and the like necessary for the CPU 711 to execute various processes are appropriately stored.

[0053] The CPU 711, ROM 712, and RAM 713 are interconnected via the bus 714. The input unit 715, output unit 716, storage unit 717, communication unit 718, and drive 719 are connected to the bus 714.

[0054] The input unit 715 includes input devices such as a mouse and a keyboard, and receives input of various information to the control device 60. Note that the input unit 715 may include a microphone and receive input of various information by voice input of an operator. The output unit 716 is composed of a display, a speaker, etc., and outputs images and sounds. The storage unit 717 is composed of 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 a network.

[0055] A removable medium 731, which consists of a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a semiconductor memory, or the like, is appropriately mounted on the drive 719. The program read from the removable medium 731 by the drive 719 is installed in the storage unit 717 as necessary. Note that the above hardware configuration is the basic configuration of the control device 60, and it can be configured without some hardware, equipped with additional hardware, or the implementation form of the hardware can be changed.

[0056] [Functional Configuration] Next, the functional configuration of the control device 60 will be described. FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 60. As shown in FIG. 11, by executing a program for controlling the operation of the gripping system 1, in the CPU 711 of the control device 60, a sensor information acquisition unit 151, a reaction force determination unit 152, a gripping amount determination unit 153, a multi-joint robot control unit 154, a container supply control unit 155, and a recording control unit 156 function. In addition, in the storage unit 717, a parameter storage unit 171 and a history database (history DB) 172 are formed.

[0057] 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 and shape of the ingredient storage unit 10, the position and shape of the container supplied from the container supply unit 20, the position of the area for plating the ingredients in the container, the parameters defining the operation pattern of the multi-joint robot 30, and the like.

[0058] The history DB 172 stores, as history, the control parameters acquired when the gripping system 1 operates, or the measurement data of the weight of the ingredients plated by the gripping system 1.

[0059] The sensor information acquisition unit 151 acquires sensor information, which is information detected by various sensors installed in the gripping system 1. For example, the sensor information acquisition unit 151 sequentially acquires current weight data for each gripping member 313 measured by the load cell 315 of each gripping mechanism 31.

[0060] The reaction force determination unit 152 determines whether the gripping member 313 is receiving a reaction force from the workpiece based on the current weight data for each gripping mechanism 31 measured by the load cell 315. Specifically, as described above when explaining the load cell 315, when the measured current weight is less than the reference weight, it is determined that the gripping member 313 is receiving a reaction force from the workpiece in the accommodation space. In this case, the magnitude of the received reaction force is calculated based on the difference between the reference weight and the current weight. Then, when the gripping member 313 of any one of the gripping mechanisms 31 is receiving a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or more, the reaction force determination unit 152 issues an instruction to execute gripping on the corresponding gripping member 313. Thereby, the gripping member 313 can be inserted into the workpiece in the accommodation space, and gripping can be executed after reaching an appropriate timing at which reliable gripping is possible.

[0061] The gripping amount determination unit 153 determines whether the gripping member 313 is gripping the workpiece based on the current weight data for each gripping mechanism 31 measured by the load cell 315. Specifically, as described above when explaining the load cell 315, when the measured current weight is greater than the reference weight, it is determined that the gripping member 313 is gripping the workpiece. In this case, the weight of the gripped workpiece is calculated based on the difference between the reference weight and the current weight.

[0062] Then, when each gripping member 313 executes gripping, the gripping amount determination unit 153 performs combined weighing so as to conform to a specified amount, which is the weight of the material to be released, based on the weights of the materials gripped by the respective gripping members 313. Then, the gripping member 313 corresponding to the combination that conforms to the specified amount is made to release the material to the discharge chute 40, and the other gripping members 313 are not made to release the material to the discharge chute 40. Further, when there is no combination that conforms to the specified amount, the gripping amount determination unit 153 causes the gripping operation to be performed again.

[0063] Here, a supplement about the combined weighing will be given. For example, assume that the weights of the materials gripped by each gripping member 313 are "gripping member A: 30 grams", "gripping member B: 17 grams", "gripping member C: 25 grams", and "gripping member D: 18 grams". In this assumption, when the specified amount is 35 grams and combined weighing is performed, the total weight of the materials gripped by the gripping member B and the gripping member D becomes 35 grams, which conforms to the specified amount. Therefore, the gripping amount determination unit 153 causes the gripping members A and B to release the material to the discharge chute 40, and does not cause the other gripping members C and D to release the material to the discharge chute 40. Alternatively, in this assumption, when the specified amount is 50 grams and combined weighing is performed, there is no combination that conforms to the specified amount. Therefore, the gripping amount determination unit 153 causes the gripping operation to be performed again. Note that a range may be provided for the specified amount, and even if there is a slight difference (for example, a difference of several percent) from the specified amount, it may be allowed to determine that it conforms to the specified amount.

[0064] In this way, the reaction force determination unit 152 appropriately controls the gripping execution timing for each of the plurality of gripping members, and on top of that, the gripping amount determination unit 153 performs combined weighing, so that the amount of the material to be released can be made highly accurately the specified amount. Note that the reference weights used by the reaction force determination unit 152 and the gripping amount determination unit 153 for determination are measured in advance and stored in the parameter storage unit 171 or the like.

[0065] The multi-joint robot control unit 154 controls the operation of the multi-joint robot 30 and causes the multi-joint robot 30 to execute a series of operations for plating the ingredients according to the operation pattern defined in the gripping system 1. For example, the multi-joint robot control unit 154 causes the multi-joint robot 30 to perform operations such as gripping the ingredients by the gripping mechanism 31 of the multi-joint robot 30 (gripping operation), transferring the gripped ingredients to the container (transfer operation), and releasing the gripped ingredients (release operation).

[0066] The container supply control unit 155 controls the container supply unit 20 to supply a container for plating the ingredients to be plated in the gripping system 1 to the plating position P1. Further, the container supply control unit 155 controls the container supply unit 20 to push out the container in which the ingredients have been plated onto the transport surface at a timing when the container detection sensor 21 does not detect other containers (containers that have been plated by other multi-joint robots 30) being transported on the transport surface.

[0067] The recording control unit 156 stores in the history DB 172 the parameters related to the control acquired when the gripping system 1 performs the gripping operation, the measurement data of the weight of the ingredients plated by the gripping system 1, etc. These data are utilized as log data, etc. for the administrator, etc. of the gripping system 1 to analyze the operation of the gripping system 1.

[0068] [Gripping and releasing operations] Next, the details of the gripping and releasing operations performed by the multi-joint robot 30 and the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 based on the control of the multi-joint robot control unit 154 will be described. FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 are diagrams showing the positional relationship between the ingredient storage unit 10 and the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 when the gripping operation is performed. Further, FIGS. 14 to 16 are schematic diagrams showing the situation of the gripping and releasing operations performed by the multi-joint robot 30. In FIGS. 12 to 16, the state of the ingredient storage section 10 and the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 as observed from the side is illustrated. Note that, to clarify the state of each gripping mechanism 31, it is illustrated through the wall surface of the ingredient storage section 10. Further, since a large amount of ingredients are stored in the storage space of the ingredient storage section 10, these large amounts of ingredients are hereinafter referred to as the "group of ingredients".

[0069] As shown in FIG. 12, when the gripping and releasing operations are performed, the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 are first transferred above the ingredient storage section 10 by a robot arm 32 supported via a connecting portion 321. In this case, the connecting portion 321 is kept horizontal, and the tips of the gripping members 313 of each gripping mechanism 31 are each positioned vertically downward.

[0070] Here, as described above with reference to FIG. 5, spacers are arranged at the coupling portions between the connecting portion 321 and each gripping mechanism 31, and the distances between each gripping mechanism 31 and the connecting portion 321 are adjusted. The number of these spacers differs stepwise. In FIG. 12, no spacer is arranged for the gripping mechanism 31 arranged on the leftmost side of the drawing sheet, and more spacers are arranged as going toward the right side of the drawing sheet.

[0071] Therefore, as shown in the drawing, the third distance, which is the relative distance between the gripping mechanism 31 arranged on the rightmost side of the drawing sheet and the connecting portion 321, is longer by the amount of the spacer than the first distance, which is the relative distance between the gripping mechanism 31 arranged on the leftmost side of the drawing sheet and the connecting portion 321. Further, the configurations of each gripping mechanism 31 are common, and the sizes (vertical lengths) of each gripping mechanism 31 itself are the same.

[0072] Therefore, the fourth distance, which is the relative distance between the tip position of the gripping member 313 of the gripping mechanism 31 disposed on the far right side of the drawing and the bottom surface of the ingredient storage portion 10, is shorter than the second distance, which is the relative distance between the tip position of the gripping member 313 of the gripping mechanism 31 disposed on the far left side of the drawing and the bottom surface of the ingredient storage portion 10. Here, it is assumed that the bottom surface of the ingredient storage portion 10 is substantially horizontal. That is, this positional relationship does not change in any region of the ingredient storage portion 10.

[0073] As described above, in the present embodiment, the positions of the tips of the gripping members 313 of the respective gripping mechanisms 31 are deliberately made different step by step. Therefore, when the respective gripping mechanisms 31 are simultaneously lowered and gripping is performed as it is, each of the gripping members 313 of each gripping mechanism 31 can grip ingredients at different heights within the ingredient storage portion 10. Therefore, in a general technique, there has been a problem that a long object (for example, a single strand of noodles or a single strand of bean sprouts, etc.) is simultaneously gripped by two gripping members, but according to the present embodiment, such a problem can be suppressed. That is, according to the present embodiment, the problem that occurs when a plurality of gripping members perform gripping can be more suppressed.

[0074] In order to more surely ensure this effect, it is preferable that the height difference between the tips of adjacent gripping members 313 is a certain value or more. For example, it is conceivable to determine the heights of the tips of adjacent gripping members 313 so that the difference is equal to or greater than the average thickness of the ingredient to be gripped. Alternatively, for example, in the case of the wire-shaped gripping member 313 formed by a single wire as in the present embodiment, it is conceivable to determine the heights of the tips of adjacent gripping members 313 so that the difference is equal to or greater than the thickness of the wire forming the gripping member 313. In any case, it is preferable to appropriately determine the heights of the tips of adjacent gripping members 313 in consideration of the ingredient to be gripped and the shape or characteristics of the gripping member 313.

[0075] FIG. 13 shows a state where each gripping mechanism 31 is simultaneously lowered to insert each gripping member 313 into a group of ingredients. First, as shown in FIG. 13(a), the tip of the gripping member 313 with the lowest tip (i.e., the distance from the bottom surface of the ingredient storage portion 10 is the closest) contacts the surface of the group of ingredients. Then, as shown in FIG. 13(b), after the tip of the gripping member 313 with the lowest tip is inserted into the group of ingredients, the gripping member 313 adjacent to this gripping member 313 and having the next lowest tip contacts the surface of the group of ingredients. That is, the tips of the respective gripping members 313 are inserted into the group of ingredients with a time difference. Finally, as shown in FIG. 13(c), in the same way with a time difference, they sequentially contact the surface of the group of ingredients, and the tips of all the gripping members 313 come into contact and are inserted.

[0076] Thus, since the tips of the respective gripping members 313 are at different heights, the timing of contacting and inserting into the surface of the group of ingredients accommodated in the ingredient storage portion 10 also differs depending on the gripping member 313. Therefore, compared to the case where all the gripping members 313 simultaneously contact and are inserted into the surface of the group of ingredients, the contact area between the tip of the gripping member 313 and the ingredient surface is reduced, and the tip of the gripping member 313 is likely to pierce the ingredient surface (i.e., easily penetrate the group of ingredients). As a result, even though a plurality of gripping members 313 are used, a problem such as the tip being difficult to pierce the ingredient surface does not occur.

[0077] Next, the situation of the gripping and releasing operations executed by the multi-joint robot 30 will be sequentially described in chronological order. First, as shown in FIG. 14(a), a plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 are transferred vertically above the accommodation space of the ingredient storage portion 10. Then, the robot arm 32 starts to lower a plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 simultaneously vertically downward.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 14(b), the robot arm 32 further lowers a plurality of gripping mechanisms 31. Along with this, a plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 are inserted into the group of ingredients in the accommodation space. Here, the surfaces of the group of ingredients are not necessarily flat. For example, the surface may be inclined or may have irregularities. Also, in the present embodiment, in order to prevent adjacent gripping members 313 from gripping the same ingredient, the positions of the tips of the gripping members 313 are made different. Further, the individual ingredients included in the group of ingredients may not be uniform in terms of their properties, shapes, and the density at which they are individually arranged (for example, ingredients may be concentrated only in some regions), and may be amorphous. That is, the situations when the gripping members 313 of each gripping mechanism 31 are inserted into the group of ingredients are various. Under such circumstances, if each gripping mechanism 31 is made to grip simultaneously, in some gripping mechanisms 31, it may not be possible to appropriately grip the ingredient. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the reaction force determination unit 152 determines that the gripping member 313 has received a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or more during the insertion process, it issues an instruction to execute gripping to the corresponding gripping member 313. Then, the gripping members 313 of the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 each independently grip the ingredient.

[0079] For example, the gripping member 313 of the gripping mechanism 31 whose tip is at a high position has not yet received a reaction force less than the predetermined value during the insertion process, so it is not executing gripping. On the other hand, the gripping member 313 of the gripping mechanism 31 whose tip is at a low position has received a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or more during the insertion process and is executing gripping. Thus, in the present embodiment, as described above, even if the state of the group of ingredients and the state of the ingredients are various, each gripping member 313 can be inserted into the ingredient in the accommodation space and gripping can be executed at an appropriate timing when reliable gripping is possible.

[0080] As shown in FIGS. 15(c1) and 15(c2), the robot arm 32 further inserts a plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 into the group of materials. However, for any of the gripping mechanisms 31, during the insertion process, since it has received less than a predetermined reaction force, it has not yet executed gripping. In this case, if the insertion continues, the working time will become long. For example, there may not be many materials in the area where the gripping mechanism 31 is inserted, and even if it is inserted to the bottom surface, it may not receive a reaction force greater than or equal to the predetermined value from the materials.

[0081] Therefore, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the articulated robot control unit 154 forcibly executes gripping on the gripping member 313 of the gripping mechanism 31 that has received less than a predetermined reaction force. This can prevent the working time from becoming unnecessarily long. Here, as the predetermined conditions, for example, two conditions can be cited.

[0082] The first condition is, as shown in FIG. 15(c1), with the bottom surface of the material storage unit 10 as a reference, a position at a predetermined height from this bottom surface is set as the first reference position. Then, when the tip of the gripping member 313 is inserted to the first reference position, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied and forcibly executes gripping. Note that the articulated robot control unit 154 can grasp the position of the bottom surface of the material storage unit 10 to be used as a reference from the data stored in the parameter storage unit

[0083] The second condition is, as shown in FIG. 15(c2), with the surface of the group of materials in the material storage unit 10 as a reference, a position at a predetermined depth from this bottom surface is set as the second reference position. Then, when the tip of the gripping member 313 is inserted to the second reference position, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines that the predetermined condition is satisfied and forcibly executes gripping. Note that the articulated robot control unit 154 can grasp, based on the measurement result of the load cell 315, the position where the gripping member 313 first receives a reaction force from the group of materials as the position of the surface of the group of materials to be used as the reference position.

[0084] Note that although the positions of the tips of the gripping members 313 are different step by step, it can be arbitrarily determined which tip position of the gripping members 313 is to be compared with the reference position. It is possible to compare the gripping member 313 with the lowest tip position with the reference position, or to compare the gripping member 313 with the highest tip position with the reference position, or to compare the gripping member 313 that is neither with the reference position. This is common both when making a determination under the first condition and when making a determination under the second condition.

[0085] Also, although it is possible to make a determination under any condition, it is also possible to make a determination under both conditions. For example, when the group of ingredients in the ingredient storage section 10 is small, even if it is not inserted from the surface of the group of ingredients to a predetermined depth, it may be inserted to the bottom surface of the ingredient storage section 10. Therefore, in such a scenario, it may be appropriate to make a determination under the second condition. On the other hand, when there is a large amount of the group of ingredients in the ingredient storage section 10, it may be inserted deeper than necessary up to a predetermined height from the bottom surface of the ingredient storage section 10. Therefore, in such a scenario, it may be appropriate to make a determination under the first condition. Considering such various conditions, it can be arbitrarily determined whether to make a determination under any condition or to make a determination under both conditions.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 16(d), when all the gripping members 313 of all the gripping mechanisms 31 execute gripping, the robot arm 32 raises the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 and pulls them out from the group of ingredients. Here, as the case where all the gripping members 313 of all the gripping mechanisms 31 execute gripping, there are considered "the case where all the gripping members 313 of all the gripping mechanisms 31 execute gripping by receiving a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or more" and "the case where gripping is forcibly executed as shown in FIG. 15". Thus, in the present embodiment, by a series of processes, gripping is performed on all of the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31, so that all of the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 can be effectively utilized. In the figure, the ingredients gripped by each gripping member 313 are described as "gripped ingredients".

[0087] Thereafter, the gripping amount determination unit 153 performs combination weighing so as to conform to the specified amount, which is the weight of the ingredients to be released. Also, the robot arm 32 transfers the multiple gripping mechanisms 31 vertically above the discharge chute 40.

[0088] As shown in Figure 16(e), the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the gripping members 313 corresponding to the combination that matches the specified amount to release the ingredients into the discharge chute 40, and does not cause the other gripping members 313 to release ingredients into the discharge chute 40. Then, the released ingredients discharged into the discharge chute 40 are placed into containers in an amount that matches the specified amount via the discharge chute 40. In the figure, the ingredients released by each gripping member 313 are described as "released ingredients."

[0089] [Overall operation] Next, the overall operation of the gripping system 1 will be described. 17 and 18 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.

[0090] When the ingredient presentation process is started, in step S11 of Figure 17, the articulated robot control unit 154 reads operation data (e.g., data on the operation pattern, data on the position and shape of the ingredient storage section 10, etc.) for executing a series of operations in the ingredient presentation process from the parameter memory unit 171, thereby preparing to grasp the ingredients.

[0091] In step S12, the articulated robot control unit 154 transfers each gripping mechanism 31 vertically above the ingredient accommodating unit 10 in accordance with the data of the operation pattern. In step S13, the articulated robot control unit 154 inserts each gripping mechanism 31 into the group of ingredients in the accommodation space of the ingredient accommodation unit 10.

[0092] In step S14, the reaction force determination unit 152 determines whether there is a gripping member 313 that receives a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or more during the insertion process. If there is a gripping member 313 that receives a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or more, it is determined as Yes in step S14, and the process proceeds to step S15. On the other hand, if there is no gripping member 313 that receives a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or more, it is determined as No in step S14, and the process proceeds to step S16.

[0093] In step S15, the reaction force determination unit 152 issues an instruction to execute gripping to the gripping member 313 that receives a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or more. In step S16, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines whether all the gripping members 313 of all the gripping mechanisms 31 have executed gripping. If all the gripping members 313 of all the gripping mechanisms 31 have executed gripping, it is determined as Yes in step S16, and the process proceeds to step S10. On the other hand, if not all the gripping members 313 of all the gripping mechanisms 31 have executed gripping, it is determined as No in step S16, and the process proceeds to step S17.

[0094] In step S17, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines whether the tip of the gripping member 313 has been inserted to the reference position (the above-described first reference position or second reference position). If the tip of the gripping member 313 has been inserted to the reference position, it is determined as Yes in step S17, and the process proceeds to step S18. On the other hand, if the tip of the gripping member 313 has not been inserted to the reference position, it is determined as No in step S17, and the process is repeated from step S13.

[0095] In step S18, the articulated robot control unit 154 forcibly causes the gripping members 313 of the gripping mechanisms 31 that receive only a reaction force less than a predetermined value to execute gripping. In step S19, the articulated robot control unit 154 raises each gripping member 313 and pulls it out from the group of ingredients.

[0096] In step S20, the gripping amount determination unit 153 performs combined weighing so as to conform to a specified amount, which is the weight of the material to be released. In step S21, the gripping amount determination unit 153 determines whether there is a combination of the gripping members 313 that conforms to the specified amount. If there is a combination of the gripping members 313 that conforms to the specified amount, it is determined as Yes in step S21, and the process proceeds to step S23. On the other hand, if there is no combination of the gripping members 313 that conforms to the specified amount, it is determined as No in step S21, and the process proceeds to step S22.

[0097] In step S22, the gripping amount determination unit 153 releases the gripped material to the accommodation space of the material accommodation unit 10 for all the gripping members 313 of all the gripping mechanisms 31. Then, the process is repeated from step S13. That is, the gripping operation is performed again from the beginning.

[0098] Moving to FIG. 18, in step S23, the articulated robot control unit 154 transfers each gripping mechanism 31 vertically above the discharge chute 40. In step S24, the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the gripping member 313 corresponding to the combination that conforms to the specified amount to release the material to the discharge chute 40, and does not cause the other gripping members 313 to release the material to the discharge chute 40. Then, the released material discharged into the discharge chute 40 is filled into the container in an amount that conforms to the specified amount via the discharge chute 40.

[0099] In step S25, the articulated robot control unit 154 transfers each gripping mechanism 31 vertically above the material accommodation unit 10 according to the data of the operation pattern. In step S26, the articulated robot control unit 154 releases the gripped material to the accommodation space of the material accommodation unit 10 for the other gripping members 313 that do not correspond to the combination that conforms to the specified amount.

[0100] In step S26, the recording control unit 156 stores, in the history DB 172, the parameters related to control acquired in the ingredient loading process and the measurement data (history data) of the weight of the loaded ingredients.

[0101] In step S27, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines whether or not the conditions for ending the ingredient loading process are met. In this case, as the conditions for ending the ingredient loading process, it can be defined that ingredients have been loaded into a predetermined number of containers, or an operation to end the ingredient loading process has been performed by an operator, etc. If the conditions for ending the ingredient loading process are not met, it is determined as No in step S27, the process moves to FIG. 17, and the process is performed again from step S12. On the other hand, if the conditions for ending the ingredient loading process are met, it is determined as Yes in step S27, and the ingredient loading process ends.

[0102] [Effect regarding the gripping member 313] As described above, when performing combined weighing, the gripping system 1 according to the present embodiment can perform gripping and releasing with the gripping member 313 having the configuration described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9. That is, gripping can be executed with a configuration including a plurality of extending portions that are separated from each other and a tip portion that couples the plurality of extending portions at the tip of the extending portion. And by gripping with such a plurality of extending portions that are separated from each other, it is possible to reduce the frictional force to such an extent that adhesion of the ingredients can be suppressed while ensuring the frictional force for gripping a specified amount of ingredients. Therefore, compared with the case of using a general gripping member (for example, a plate-shaped or container-shaped gripping member), adhesion of the ingredients to the inner or outer surface of the gripping member can be more suppressed.

[0103] Here, in the case of a general gripping member, in addition to the weight of the material being gripped by each gripping member, the weight of the adhering material is also measured. Therefore, there is a problem that the accuracy of the calculation result of the combined weighing decreases. On the other hand, in the case of the gripping member 313 of the gripping system 1, since the adhesion of the material is suppressed, it is possible to accurately detect only the weight of the material being gripped by each gripping member. Therefore, the accuracy of the calculation result of the combined weighing can be increased, and this problem can be solved.

[0104] Also, in the case of a general gripping member, even if the release is performed, the material remains adhered to the gripping member and cannot be released without leaving the gripped material. Therefore, there is also a problem that the material cannot be released as calculated by the combined weighing. On the other hand, in the case of the gripping member 313 of the gripping system 1, since the adhesion of the material is suppressed, the gripping member can release the gripped material without leaving it and without adhering it to the gripping member, and this problem can also be solved. That is, according to the gripping system 1, the combined weighing is executed with high accuracy, and the material of the weight calculated by the combined weighing is released without leaving any, so that the material of the specified amount can be appropriately released.

[0105] Furthermore, in the case of a general gripping member, as a countermeasure against the adhered material, an operation such as moving the gripping member up and down to shake off the adhered material may be performed. However, when such a shaking-off operation is performed, there is a problem that the material being gripped by the gripping member that should not perform the release operation is also shaken off. On the other hand, in the case of the gripping member 313 of the gripping system 1, since the adhesion of the material is suppressed, it is not necessary to perform an operation such as shaking off such a material, or it is sufficient to perform it gently, so this problem can be solved.

[0106] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that all the gripping members 313 provided in the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 have the configuration as described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9. Therefore, by accurately performing the combined weighing as described above and releasing all the ingredients with the weight calculated by the combined weighing without leaving any, the effect of appropriately releasing the specified amount of ingredients can be made more reliable.

[0107] That is, according to the gripping system 1, problems that occur when performing combined weighing with a plurality of gripping members can be further suppressed.

[0108] [Modification Example 1] In the above-described embodiment, it is assumed that the gripping member 313 having the shape illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 9 and the like is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the gripping member 313 may be deformed into various shapes. FIGS. 19 and 20 are diagrams showing an example of a deformed shape of the gripping member 313. For example, as shown in FIG. 19(A), while one gripping part (here, the first gripping part 313a) has a closed loop shape similar to that of the above-described embodiment, the other gripping part (here, the second gripping part 313b) may be formed in a plate shape. That is, a gripping part having a closed loop shape similar to that of the above-described embodiment and a gripping part having a different shape may be arranged to face each other.

[0109] Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 19(B), a member having a different shape may be attached (or integrally formed in such a manner) to the tip of the gripping part having a closed loop shape. For example, as shown in the drawing, by attaching a shovel-shaped member, while scraping out the ingredient at the tip and firmly gripping it, the merits of the loop shape as described above may also be obtained.

[0110] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 20(A), it may have a shape that extends so as to be spaced parallel to the insertion direction into the group of ingredients during gripping (that is, the same shape as that of the above-described embodiment), but it may also have the same closed loop shape or other shapes. For example, as shown in FIG. 20(B), the gripping portion may have a shape that becomes thinner toward the tip. Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 20(C), the gripping portion may have a shape that becomes wider toward the tip.

[0111] However, in the shape shown in FIG. 20(B), the gripping portions are not sufficiently separated at the tip, and the ingredients tend to get stuck in the gap portion at the tip. Therefore, from this point of view, it is preferable to have a shape in which the tip is not narrowed and a sufficient gap can be secured, as in FIG. 20(A) or FIG. 20(C). In view of the fact that the ingredients tend to get stuck in the gap portion at the tip, the configuration of the gripping member 313 may be further deformed. For example, when the two gripping portions are in a closed state (i.e., the gripping is being executed), the tips of the two gripping portions may be aligned. In the example shown in FIG. 8, when the two gripping portions are in a closed state, the tip of the second gripping portion 313b that does not move and is fixed is slightly longer than the tip of the first gripping portion 313a that moves and performs the opening and closing operation. That is, the heights of the tips of the two gripping portions are different. By deforming this so that the heights of the tips of the two gripping portions are aligned, the ingredients at the tip of the fixed second gripping portion 313b can be dropped by the tip of the movable first gripping portion 313a.

[0112] In addition, the length of the distance between the extending portions may be made different between the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b. That is, the widths of the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b may be made different. Suppose that the relationship is "width of the second gripping portion 313b > width of the first gripping portion 313a". Then, the first gripping portion 313a can easily push the ingredients into the gap of the second gripping portion 313b, which causes the ingredients to get stuck in the gap portion of the second gripping portion 313b. Therefore, by setting the relationship to "width of the second gripping portion 313b ≤ width of the first gripping portion 313a", such a problem is less likely to occur, and it is possible to prevent the ingredients from getting stuck in the gap portion of the second gripping portion 313b.

[0113] Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 20(D), one extension portion may be supported by a support portion provided on the transmission portion 312, while the other extension portion may not be supported. Since it is considered that the effects of the above-described embodiment can be ensured even when deformed into such a shape, the degree of freedom in design can be increased in manufacturing the gripping member. Furthermore, for example, as shown in FIG. 20(E), the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b may have any of the loop shapes described above, or may have a shape that bends in the center when viewed from the front.

[0114] Also, the shape of the gripping member 313 may be made different for each gripping mechanism 31. For example, depending on the gripping mechanism 31, the gripping member 313 may have a shape like any of the modified examples, or a shape like another modified example, or a shape like the gripping member 313 of the above-described embodiment. That is, as the plurality of gripping members 313 included in the gripping system 1, gripping members 313 having different shapes may be mixed. Also, as the plurality of gripping members included in the gripping system 1, at least one may be the gripping member 313, and the other gripping members may be general gripping members. Thus, the gripping member 313 of the above-described embodiment can be arbitrarily deformed according to the shape and characteristics of the object to be gripped, or the needs of the user, etc.

[0115] [Modification Example 2] A fluid may be sprayed onto the gripping member 313 as shown in the above-described embodiment or the above-described Modification Example 1. FIG. 21 is a diagram showing a state in which a fluid is sprayed onto the gripping member 313. As described above, the gripping member 313 has the effect of suppressing the adhesion of materials to the gripping member 313 due to its shape. However, depending on the nature of the material (for example, very sticky), there is a possibility that the material may adhere to the gripping member 313 during repeated gripping and releasing operations. This modification is a suitable modification example in such a case.

[0116] Assume that, as shown in Fig. 21(a), fine ingredients are adhering to the gripping member 313. In the figure, the ingredients adhering to the gripping member 313 are described as "adhered ingredients". In this case, air is jetted from an air blow device 80, which is a device for jetting compressed air, onto the gripping member 313. In this regard, in the case of a general gripping member such as a plate shape or a container shape, even if fluid is jetted, the fluid will bounce back from the surface constituting the gripping member. Therefore, unless the fluid is jetted from various directions while changing the jetting direction, the adhered ingredients will not peel off.

[0117] On the other hand, the gripping parts of the gripping member 313 are spaced apart from each other with a gap therebetween. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 21(b), the fluid is also jetted into the spaced gap portion, and the fluid will not bounce back by passing through the gap. As a result, even with jetting from one direction, the adhered ingredients will efficiently peel off and fall. Therefore, even if ingredients adhere to the gripping member 313 which can suppress the adhesion of ingredients, the adhered ingredients can be easily removed.

[0118] In this case, as the direction for jetting the fluid, it is preferable to jet onto the gripping member 313 from a position vertically above, or to jet onto the gripping member 313 from a side (i.e., horizontal) position. Also, as the place for jetting the fluid, it is preferable to perform jetting vertically above the ingredient storage part 10 to let the ingredients fall into the storage space of the ingredient storage part 10, or to perform jetting at a place where the operator removes the gripping member 313 for maintenance to let the ingredients fall. Also, here, compressed air is taken as an example of the fluid, but it is not limited thereto. The fluid may be uncompressed air or a liquid such as water.

[0119] Furthermore, in this case, as the main body for performing the injection using the air blow device 80, it may be a robot equipped with the air blow device 80, or it may be manually performed by an operator. Alternatively, the air blow device 80 may be installed above the vertical direction of the ingredient storage unit 10 or the like, and based on the control of the control device 60, the air blow device 80 may automatically perform the injection at a timing such as before the gripping member 313 performs the gripping.

[0120] [Modification Example 3] In the above-described embodiment, as described above with reference to FIG. 5, by making the number of spacers different step by step, the positions of the tips of the gripping members 313 of each gripping mechanism 31 were also made different step by step in a predetermined direction (for example, the left-right direction of the drawing). Not limited to this, the positions of the tips of the gripping members 313 of each gripping mechanism 31 may be made different by other arrangements. FIGS. 22 and 23 are diagrams showing an example of the arrangement of each gripping mechanism 31. In the drawings, for clarity of explanation, the illustration of the control unit 311 and the connecting unit 321 of each gripping mechanism 31 is omitted. Note that any arrangement can be realized by adjusting the number of spacers as shown in FIG. 5.

[0121] As shown in FIG. 22(A), the tip of the gripping member 313 of the gripping mechanism 31 located at the center may be arranged to be high, and the tips of the gripping members 313 of the gripping mechanisms 31 located at both ends may be arranged to be low. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 22(B), the tip of the gripping member 313 of the gripping mechanism 31 located at the center may be arranged to be low, and the tips of the gripping members 313 of the gripping mechanisms 31 located at both ends may be arranged to be high. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 23(C), the height may be repeated between the gripping members 313 of adjacent gripping mechanisms 31. Alternatively, as described with reference to FIG. 6, when four gripping mechanisms 31 are arranged in two rows in the longitudinal direction of the connecting unit 321, as shown in FIG. 23(D), the height may be different for each row.

[0122] [Modification Example 4] In the above-described embodiment, as described above with reference to FIG. 6, the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 were arranged alternately (i.e., in a staggered pattern) so as to have different orientations in the longitudinal direction of the connecting portion 321. Further, the four gripping mechanisms 31 were arranged in two rows. However, the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 may be arranged in other arrangements. That is, in the above-described Modification 3, a modification of the arrangement regarding the height in the vertical direction was shown, but in this Modification 4, a modification of the arrangement in the plane will be shown.

[0123] FIG. 24 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of each gripping mechanism 31, and shows a state in which the plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 are viewed from the bottom surface, similar to FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 24(A), when adopting a staggered arrangement as in the above-described embodiment, the number of gripping mechanisms 31 arranged in each row may be made different. For example, the number may be made different for each row such that three gripping mechanisms 31 are arranged in one row and four gripping mechanisms 31 are arranged in another row. As shown in FIG. 24(B), instead of a staggered arrangement, a two-row parallel arrangement in which the gripping mechanisms 31 in each row are aligned may be adopted. As shown in FIG. 24(C), the gripping mechanisms 31 may be arranged such that the opening and closing directions of the gripping members 313 of each gripping mechanism 31 are different. As in the example of the figure, the gripping members 313 arranged to open and close in the vertical direction on the paper surface and the gripping members 313 arranged to open and close in the horizontal direction on the paper surface may be mixed.

[0124] Note that the arrangement regarding the height in Modification 3 and the modification of the arrangement in the plane in Modification 4 may be appropriately combined. Also, although common to all arrangement examples, the number of gripping mechanisms 31 to be arranged and the number of rows are not limited and may be appropriately changed. In any case, it is preferable to appropriately determine the arrangement in consideration of the material to be gripped and the shape or characteristics of the gripping member 313.

[0125] [Modification 5] In the above-described embodiment, there is no particular limitation on in which region of the horizontal plane of the ingredient storage unit 10 and in which direction the plurality of gripping members 313 are inserted for gripping. In particular, in the vicinity of the wall surface of the ingredient storage unit 10, the plurality of gripping members 313 may be inserted and gripped as follows.

[0126] FIG. 25 is a diagram showing the positional relationship between the ingredient storage unit 10 in the horizontal plane and the plurality of gripping members 313. FIG. 25 is a view of the ingredient storage unit 10 and the plurality of gripping members 313 as seen from directly above in the vertical upward direction. As shown in FIG. 25(A), when gripping the vicinity of the wall surface of the ingredient storage unit 10, in the horizontal plane, the opening / closing direction of the gripping member 313 is preferably perpendicular to the direction of the wall surface of the ingredient storage unit 10. Thereby, it is possible to grip without leaving the ingredients near the wall surface. As shown in FIG. 25(B), when gripping the vicinity of the wall surface of the ingredient storage unit 10, in the horizontal plane, the opening / closing direction of the gripping member 313 is preferably parallel to the direction of the wall surface of the ingredient storage unit 10. Also by this, it is possible to grip without leaving the ingredients near the wall surface.

[0127] Further, in either the case shown in FIG. 25(A) or the case shown in FIG. 25(B), the gripping member 313 that is closest to the wall surface should be the gripping member 313 that is the lowest in height (i.e., closest to the bottom surface) among the plurality of gripping members 313. By doing so, it becomes possible to more reliably grip the ingredients near the wall surface.

[0128] By gripping in this way without leaving the ingredients near the wall surface, the amount of ingredients remaining in the ingredient storage unit 10 can be reduced. As a result, the time interval until an operator or the like replaces the ingredient storage unit 10 and replenishes the ingredients becomes longer. Therefore, it becomes possible to secure a longer time for the gripping system 1 to operate without relying on an operator and to perform unmanned operation. In addition, in a food factory or the like, there is a demand to serve the ingredients within a predetermined time (for example, within 30 minutes to 120 minutes) after storing the ingredients in the ingredient storage section 10 from the viewpoints of maintaining the freshness of the ingredients and hygiene. In this way, since the gripping system 1 grips all the ingredients near the wall surface without relying on the operator, it becomes possible to satisfy the demand of serving all the ingredients within this required time.

[0129] On the other hand, as a comparative example, a general technique that does not consider the positional relationship with the wall surface is shown in FIG. 25(C). In such a general technique, when gripping the vicinity of the wall surface of the ingredient storage section 10, in the horizontal plane, the opening / closing direction of the gripping member 313 may be oblique to the direction of the wall surface of the ingredient storage section 10. In this case, it is impossible to grip all the ingredients near the wall surface without leaving any. Comparing with the comparative example by such a general technique, it can be seen that the above-described effects of this modification are beneficial.

[0130] [Modification 6] In the above-described embodiment, the reaction force determination unit 152 has issued an instruction to execute gripping to the gripping member 313 that has received a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or more. And gripping has been sequentially executed from the received gripping member 313. Not limited to this, all the gripping members 313 of all the gripping mechanisms 31 may execute gripping simultaneously.

[0131] FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing the flow of the ingredient serving process executed by the gripping system 1 of this modification 6. Comparing with the flowchart of FIG. 17 in the above-described embodiment, it is different in that the processes from step S14 to step S18 are replaced by step S51 and step S52. Since the processes in other steps are common to the above-described embodiment, duplicate explanations are omitted here. Also, as a premise, in step S13, each gripping mechanism 31 is inserted into the group of ingredients in the storage space of the ingredient storage section 10.

[0132] In step S51, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines whether each gripping mechanism 31 has been inserted to a predetermined depth. If each gripping mechanism 31 has been inserted to the predetermined depth, it is determined as Yes in step S51, and the process proceeds to step S52. On the other hand, if each gripping mechanism 31 has not been inserted to the predetermined depth, it is determined as No in step S51, and the determination in step S51 is repeated.

[0133] Supplementary note: The articulated robot control unit 154 can grasp, based on the measurement result of the load cell 315, the position where the gripping member 313 first receives the reaction force from the group of workpieces as the position of the surface of the group of workpieces. Then, the predetermined depth from the position of the surface of this group of workpieces is set to a depth at which it is assumed that all of the gripping members 313 of each gripping mechanism 31 can perform gripping.

[0134] In step S52, the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the gripping member 313 of each gripping mechanism 31 to perform gripping. Then, the processes after step S19 are performed as described above. According to this modification example, since each gripping member 313 with a different tip height performs gripping simultaneously, it is possible to more reliably realize the gripping of workpieces at different heights.

[0135] [Modification Example 7] In the above-described embodiment, when the gripping member 313 of any one of the gripping mechanisms 31 receives a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or more, the reaction force determination unit 152 issues an instruction to execute gripping on the corresponding gripping member 313. This can be modified so that the reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or more varies for each gripping mechanism 31. That is, for a certain gripping mechanism 31, gripping may be executed when it receives a reaction force of a first magnitude, and for another gripping mechanism 31, gripping may be executed when it receives a reaction force of a second magnitude greater than the first magnitude. Furthermore, the predetermined magnitude may be made different in detail, such as a third magnitude.

[0136] By doing so, variations will occur in the weight of the ingredients held by the holding members 313 of each holding mechanism 31. For example, variations will occur in the weight of the ingredients, such as a holding member 313 that holds 35 grams, a holding member 313 that holds only 10 grams, or a holding member 313 that holds only 5 grams. However, in combination weighing, there is also an aspect that the options for combinations expand due to variations in the weight of the ingredients. For example, assume a case where all the holding members 313 hold approximately 30 grams. In this assumption, when the specified quantity is 50 grams, there is no combination that conforms to the specified quantity when performing combination weighing.

[0137] On the other hand, as in this modified example, when variations occur in the weight of the ingredients, such as a holding member 313 that holds 35 grams, a holding member 313 that holds only 10 grams, or a holding member 313 that holds only 5 grams, when the specified quantity is 50 grams, there will be a combination that conforms to the specified quantity when performing combination weighing. In this way, by deliberately causing variations in the weight of the ingredients, the possibilities of combination weighing can also be expanded.

[0138] Also, there may be cases where some error in the specified quantity is tolerated. For example, when the sales mode of prepared foods is by weight and the selling price is determined in proportion to the weight, it is not a problem even if the weights of the ingredients contained in each container are different. In such cases, it is not necessarily necessary to hold with the holding members 313 of all the holding mechanisms 31. For example, it may be possible to hold only with some of the holding members 313, such as some holding members 313 that have received a reaction force greater than a predetermined magnitude first, or only predetermined holding members 313. That is, the holding members 313 that perform the holding may be thinned out. As a result, some error from the specified quantity will occur, but it becomes possible to improve the working speed.

[0139] [Configuration Example] As described above, the gripping system 1 in the present embodiment includes a plurality of gripping members 313 each independently gripping a material, a robot arm 32, a load cell 315, and a control unit 311. The robot arm 32 transfers the plurality of gripping members 313 and simultaneously inserts them into a group of materials. The load cell 315 detects the weight of the material gripped by each of the plurality of gripping members 313 when the inserted plurality of gripping members 313 execute gripping. The control unit 311 performs a combined weighing of the weights gripped by the gripping members 313 based on the weight detected by the load cell 315, and determines the gripping member 313 that releases the material to the release destination based on the weighing result. At least some of the plurality of gripping members 313 are composed of a plurality of extending portions that are spaced apart from each other and extend in the insertion direction, and a tip portion that joins the plurality of extending portions at the tips of the extending portions.

[0140] Thereby, when performing the combined weighing, gripping and releasing can be executed with a configuration including a plurality of extending portions that are spaced apart from each other and a tip portion that joins the plurality of extending portions at the tips of the extending portions. And by gripping with such a plurality of extending portions that are spaced apart from each other, it is possible to reduce the frictional force to such an extent that adhesion of the material can be suppressed while ensuring the frictional force for gripping a specified amount of the material. Therefore, compared with the case of using a general gripping member (for example, a plate-shaped or container-shaped gripping member), it is possible to more effectively suppress the adhesion of the material to the inner or outer surface of the gripping member.

[0141] Here, in the case of a general gripping member, in addition to the weight of the material gripped by each gripping member, the weight of the adhering material is also measured. Therefore, there is a problem that the accuracy of the calculation result of the combined weighing decreases. On the other hand, in the case of the gripping system 1, by suppressing the adhesion of the material, it is possible to accurately detect only the weight of the material gripped by each gripping member. Therefore, the accuracy of the calculation result of the combined weighing can be increased, and this problem can be solved.

[0142] Also, in the case of a general gripping member, even if release is performed, the ingredients remain attached to the gripping member and cannot be released without leaving the gripped ingredients. Therefore, there was also a problem that the ingredients could not be released as per the weight calculated by the combined weighing. In contrast, with the gripping system 1, due to the adhesion of the ingredients being suppressed, the gripping member can release the gripped ingredients without leaving any, without attaching them to the gripping member, and this problem can also be solved. That is, according to the gripping system 1, the combined weighing is performed with high accuracy, and the ingredients of the weight calculated by the combined weighing are released without leaving any, so that the specified amount of ingredients can be appropriately released.

[0143] Furthermore, in the case of a general gripping member, as a measure against the attached ingredients, operations such as moving the gripping member up and down to shake off the attached ingredients may be performed. However, when such a shaking-off operation is performed, there arises a problem that the ingredients held by a gripping member that should not perform the release operation are also shaken off. In contrast, with the gripping system 1, due to the adhesion of the ingredients being suppressed, there is no need to perform operations such as shaking off such ingredients, or it suffices to perform them gently, so this problem can be solved. That is, according to the gripping system 1, the problems that occur when performing combined weighing with a plurality of gripping members can be further suppressed.

[0144] All of the plurality of gripping members 313 have a plurality of gripping parts each composed of a plurality of extending parts that are spaced apart from each other and extend in the inserting direction, and a tip part that joins the plurality of extending parts at the tip of the extending part, and the gripping is executed by sandwiching the ingredients with this plurality of gripping parts. As a result, when performing combined weighing, it is possible to further suppress the attachment of the ingredients to the inner or outer surface of the gripping members in all of the plurality of gripping members. Therefore, as described above, the combined weighing is performed with high accuracy, and the ingredients having the weight calculated by the combined weighing are released without leaving any, so that the effect of appropriately releasing the specified amount of ingredients can be made more reliable. In addition, the plurality of extending portions of each of the plurality of gripping portions are separated from each other and there is a gap therebetween. Therefore, even if gripping is performed by sandwiching with these, it is possible to prevent the sandwiched ingredients from being crushed.

[0145] At least two or more of the extending portions constituting each of the plurality of gripping members 313 are coupled to the support portion provided on the robot arm 32. A closed loop shape is formed by two or more extending portions coupled to the support portion, the tip portion, and the support portion of the robot arm 32. As a result, the ingredients in the target area can be gripped without leaving any by the loop shape.

[0146] Some of the extending portions constituting each of the plurality of gripping members 313 are coupled to the support portion provided on the robot arm 32. As a result, while being supported by some of the extending portions, the other extending portions are not supported, so that the degree of freedom in design can be increased in manufacturing the gripping members.

[0147] The plurality of extending portions are separated from each other by a distance shorter than the average length of the ingredients in the group of ingredients. As a result, the ingredients can be gripped more reliably.

[0148] The plurality of extending portions are configured by spring steel that elastically deforms during gripping and returns to the shape before elastic deformation when not gripping. As a result, it elastically deforms during gripping and becomes a shape suitable for gripping the ingredients, and at the same time, an excessive force does not act on the ingredients during gripping. Also, when not gripping, it returns to the shape before elastic deformation, so it can be used repeatedly.

[0149] The plurality of extending portions extend so as to be spaced apart parallel to the insertion direction, or extend so as to be spaced apart such that they spread wider closer to the tip. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the ingredients from clogging the tips of the extending portions while repeatedly gripping and releasing.

[0150] For the plurality of extending portions, the ingredients adhering to the plurality of extending portions are peeled off by injecting a fluid. Thereby, the plurality of extending portions are separated and there is a gap, and since the fluid is also injected into the separated gap portion, the adhering ingredients can be efficiently peeled off and dropped.

[0151] Note that the above-described embodiments and modifications are examples of embodiments of the present invention, and various embodiments for realizing the functions of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiments and modifications, the case where the present invention is applied to a gripping system for plating side dishes has been described as an example, but the present invention can be applied to systems for gripping various objects. For example, the present invention can be applied to a system for gripping materials with high viscosity or adhesiveness, such as kneaded mortar, concrete, plaster, and clay. The present invention is suitable for gripping an object having a viscosity of 5000 mPa·s or more at the working temperature or room temperature. Also, the present invention can be implemented by appropriately combining the examples described in the above embodiments. The above-described series of processes can be executed by hardware or by software. In other words, the functional configuration of FIG. 11 is merely illustrative and not particularly limited. That is, it is sufficient that the gripping system 1 is provided with a function capable of executing the above-described series of processes as a whole, and the functional blocks used to realize this function are not particularly limited to the example of FIG. 11. Also, one functional block may be configured by hardware alone, by software alone, or by a combination thereof.

[0152] When a series of processes are to be executed by software, the programs constituting the software are installed in a computer or the like from a network or a recording medium. The computer may be a computer incorporated in dedicated hardware. Also, the computer may be a computer capable of executing various functions by installing various programs, for example, a general-purpose personal computer.

[0153] The storage medium for storing the program is constituted by a removable medium distributed separately from the apparatus main body, or a storage medium pre-installed in the apparatus main body, etc. The removable medium is constituted by, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a flash memory. The optical disk is constituted by, for example, a CD-ROM (Compact Disk - Read Only Memory), a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), a Blu-ray Disc (registered trademark), etc. The magneto-optical disk is constituted by an MD (Mini-Disk), etc. The flash memory is constituted by, for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or an SD card. Also, the storage medium pre-installed in the apparatus main body is constituted by, for example, a ROM in which a program is stored, a hard disk, etc.

[0154] Note that in this specification, the step of describing the program recorded on the recording medium includes not only the processes performed in time series along the order, but also the processes that are executed in parallel or individually even if they are not necessarily processed in time series. Also, in this specification, the term "system" shall mean the overall apparatus constituted by a plurality of devices, a plurality of means, etc.

[0155] The above-described embodiments show an example to which the present invention is applied and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. That is, the present invention can be variously modified such as omission and substitution without departing from the gist of the present invention, and various embodiments other than the above-described embodiments can be adopted. Various embodiments and their modifications that the present invention can adopt are included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0156] 1 Gripping system, 2 Belt conveyor, 10 Ingredient storage section, 20 Container supply section, 21 Container detection sensor, 30 Multi-joint robot, 31 Gripping mechanism, 311 Control section, 312 Transmission section, 313 Gripping member, 313a First gripping section, 313b Second gripping section, 314 Pin cylinder, 315 Load cell, 32 Robot arm, 321 Connecting section, 40 Discharge chute, 50 Shielding section, 60 Control device, 80 Air blow device, 151 Sensor information acquisition section, 152 Reaction force determination section, 153 Gripping amount determination section, 154 Multi-joint robot control section, 155 Container supply control section, 156 Recording control section, 171 Parameter storage section, 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

Claims

1. A plurality of gripping members each independently gripping an object, transfer means for transferring the plurality of gripping members and simultaneously inserting them into a group of the objects, weight detection means for detecting the weight of the object gripped by each of the plurality of gripping members when the inserted plurality of gripping members execute gripping, control means for performing a combined weighing of the weights gripped by the gripping members based on the weight detected by the weight detection means, and determining a gripping member for releasing the object to a release destination based on the weighing result, comprising: At least any one of the plurality of gripping members is composed of a plurality of extending portions that are spaced apart from each other and extend in the inserting direction, and a tip portion that is coupled to the plurality of extending portions at the tip of the extending portion, and the gripping system is characterized in that.

2. All of the plurality of gripping members have a plurality of gripping portions each composed of a plurality of extending portions that are spaced apart from each other and extend in the inserting direction, and a tip portion that is coupled to the plurality of extending portions at the tip of the extending portion, and gripping is executed by sandwiching the object with the plurality of gripping portions. The gripping system according to claim 1, characterized in that.

3. At least two or more of the extending portions constituting each of the plurality of gripping members are coupled to a support portion provided in the transfer means, A loop shape closed by two or more extending portions coupled to the support portion, the tip portion, and the support portion of the transfer means is formed, The gripping system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

4. Some of the extending portions among the extending portions constituting each of the plurality of gripping members are coupled to a support portion provided in the transfer means, The gripping system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

5. The plurality of extending portions are spaced apart from each other by a distance shorter than the average length of the objects in the group of objects, The gripping system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

6. The plurality of extending portions are made of spring steel that elastically deforms during gripping and returns to the shape before elastic deformation when not gripping, The gripping system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

7. The plurality of extending portions extend so as to be spaced apart parallel to the inserting direction, or extend so as to be spaced apart so as to widen toward the tip, The gripping system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

8. For the plurality of extending portions, by injecting a fluid to peel off the object attached to the plurality of extending portions The gripping system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that

9. A gripping method performed by a gripping system including a plurality of gripping members each independently gripping an object, comprising: A transfer step of transferring the plurality of gripping members and simultaneously inserting them into a group of the objects; A weight detection step of detecting the weight of the object gripped by each of the plurality of gripping members when the inserted plurality of gripping members execute gripping; A control step of performing a combined weighing of the weights gripped by the gripping members based on the weight detected in the weight detection step, and determining, based on the weighing result, a gripping member that releases the object to a release destination; Comprising At least any one of the plurality of gripping members is composed of a plurality of extending portions that are separated from each other and extend in the insertion direction, and a tip portion that is coupled to the plurality of extending portions at the tip of the extending portion. The gripping method is characterized in that

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