Robot system

Abstract

To provide a robot system that can suppress vibration of an end effector that directly contacts an object from causing an adverse effect.SOLUTION: A robot system 1 comprises a robot 10, a holding member 100 that is moved by the robot 10, and a connection part 150 arranged between the robot 10 and the holding member 100. The connection part 150 is formed of a second material which is lower in rigidity than a first material forming the holding member 100.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a robot gripping device that grips a workpiece with two or more fingers. In this robot gripping device, a first anti-slip portion made of a flexible material is attached to the inside of the tip of the finger body. Patent Document 2 discloses a pad for a robot hand that is arranged on the fingers of a robot hand that grips an object. This robot hand pad has a surface with multiple pillar-shaped blocks that are partitioned by intersecting grooves, and the pillar-shaped blocks are made of synthetic resin. Patent Document 3 discloses a robot hand. This robot hand includes two claws arranged opposite each other, at least a portion of which from the base end to the tip end includes an elastic portion, and a drive unit that drives the two claws in a direction that brings them closer to each other or in a direction that moves them apart. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5681278 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-164979 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-144216 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the above-described conventional technology, attempts have been made to improve adhesion to the object, improve conformability to the shape of the object, or improve ease of releasing the grip of the object by using a relatively soft material for a portion of the component that contacts the object in a device for gripping an object. However, in a device that applies a mechanical action to an object, such as holding an object, from the perspective of more reliably applying the action to the object, it is preferable that the component that contacts the object be made of a highly rigid material such as metal. However, when an action such as holding an object is performed using a component made of a highly rigid material, a problem arises in that vibrations generated by external forces or the inertia of the component are difficult to suppress. This can hinder tasks such as measuring the weight of the held object, resulting in reduced work efficiency.

[0005] The present invention was made by the inventor of the present application by focusing on the above-mentioned problem, and aims to provide a robot system that can suppress the adverse effects caused by vibrations of an end effector that directly contacts an object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A robot system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a robot, an end effector moved by the robot, and a connection portion disposed between the robot and the end effector, the connection portion being formed of a second material having a lower rigidity than a first material forming the end effector. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The robot system of the present invention aims to provide a robot system that can suppress adverse effects caused by vibrations of an end effector that directly contacts an object. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a robot system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a working unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the working unit according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a holding member and a connection portion according to the embodiment. [Figure 5A] 1A and 1B are first schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the working unit according to the embodiment when holding an object. [Figure 5B] 10A and 10B are second schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the working unit according to the embodiment when holding an object. [Figure 5C] 10A and 10B are third schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the working unit according to the embodiment when holding an object. [Figure 6] 10A to 10C are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the working unit according to the embodiment when releasing an object. [Figure 7] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a state immediately after a holding operation of the holding member according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] 5A to 5C are diagrams illustrating a first example of an operation for removing adhering matter according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a second example of the operation of removing adhering matter according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a state immediately after a release operation of the holding member according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] 10A to 10D are diagrams illustrating third to fifth examples of the operation of removing extraneous matter according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating sixth and seventh examples of the operation of removing adhering matter according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A robot system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a robot, an end effector moved by the robot, and a connection portion disposed between the robot and the end effector, the connection portion being formed of a second material having a lower rigidity than a first material forming the end effector.

[0010] According to this configuration, a connection is provided between the end effector and the robot that moves the end effector, and the connection is made of a second material that has lower rigidity than the first material that forms the end effector. Therefore, the magnitude and / or duration of vibration of the end effector can be suppressed (hereinafter, simply referred to as "suppressing vibration"). In this way, according to the robot system of this aspect, for example, the adverse effects of vibration of the end effector can be suppressed while maintaining high rigidity of the end effector that directly contacts an object.

[0011] The first material may be metal and the second material may be resin. With this configuration, by making the end effector out of metal, it is possible to more reliably perform tasks such as holding an object. Furthermore, by making the connecting portion out of resin, it is possible to reduce the weight of a structure including the connecting portion and the end effector (e.g., referred to as a "working unit").

[0012] The resin as the second material may contain an additive that can be detected by a metal detector.

[0013] With this configuration, when the object to be worked on by the robot system is food, even if part of the connection part is missing and included in the object, the part can be detected by a metal detector. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently carry out subsequent measures such as disposing of the defective product (the object after work) and maintaining the robot system.

[0014] The robot system according to any of the above aspects may further include a weight sensor disposed on at least one of the robot, the connection part, and the end effector, for measuring the weight of an object held by the end effector.

[0015] This configuration allows the weight of an object held by the end effector to be measured while suppressing vibrations of the end effector that interfere with the measurement, thereby enabling the weight of the object to be measured efficiently.

[0016] The connecting portion may have a first fixing portion fixed to the robot and a second fixing portion fixed to the end effector.

[0017] With this configuration, the connection part can be directly fixed to both the robot and the end effector. In other words, the robot and the end effector can be connected by a single member (connection part), which reduces the possibility of connection failures between the members (loose screws, etc.).

[0018] The first fixing portion may have a first fixing surface that faces a first fixed surface of the robot, and the second fixing portion may have a second fixing surface that faces a second fixed surface of the end effector, the second fixing surface being not parallel to the first fixing surface.

[0019] For example, when the first fixing surface of the connection part on the robot side faces the front-rear direction and the second fixing surface of the connection part on the end effector side faces the left-right or up-down direction, the connection part may be made of sheet metal for ease of processing. However, in this case, it is thought that a connection part made of sheet metal is likely to generate vibration due to the magnitude of the reaction force (restoring force) when it is bent. In this regard, the connection part according to the present embodiment is formed of a second material that has lower rigidity than metal, thereby suppressing the generation of vibration.

[0020] The robot may perform an object removal operation for removing an object attached to the end effector, the object removal operation involving movement of the end effector.

[0021] With this configuration, the object removal operation can be performed with higher accuracy, for example, to measure the weight of the object, and vibration of the end effector is suppressed after the removal operation is performed. In other words, even if the end effector vibrates due to the removal operation, the continuation of the vibration is suppressed, and the next task related to the end effector can be performed efficiently.

[0022] The robot provided in the robot system according to any of the above aspects may be configured to insert the end effector into an object, then move the end effector in a direction intersecting the insertion direction, and then perform an operation of removing the end effector from the object.

[0023] This configuration allows, for example, two end effectors to horizontally clamp and lift a portion of an object. During this operation, the end effectors are inserted into the object and then moved horizontally, so the reaction force they receive from the object just before being removed from the object contains a large horizontal component. This puts the end effectors in a situation where they are prone to vibration. However, the connection portion according to this embodiment is formed from a second material that has lower rigidity than the first material forming the end effectors. This allows the magnitude and / or duration of vibration of the end effectors to be suppressed.

[0024] The present invention can be realized not only as such a robot system, but also as a processing method or control method including characteristic processing steps performed by the robot system or control device. The present invention can also be realized as a program that causes a computer to execute the processing method or control method, or as a computer-readable recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc-Read Only Memory) on which the program is recorded. Such a program can be distributed via a recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a transmission medium such as the Internet. The present invention can also be realized as an integrated circuit equipped with a processing unit that performs the processing method or control method.

[0025] A robot system and a control device according to embodiments of the present invention (including variations thereof) will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, the arrangement and connection of components, steps in methods, and the order of steps shown in the following embodiments are examples only and are not intended to limit the present invention. Dimensions and the like are not strictly depicted in the drawings. In each drawing, the same or similar components are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0026] (Embodiment) [1. General description of Robot System 1] First, a general description of a robot system 1 according to this embodiment will be given with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a robot system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0027] The robot system 1 is a system that holds and releases an object (object T in this embodiment) and serves the object T. Examples of the object T include ingredients (also called ingredients) for prepared meals. Examples of the prepared meals include paste salads (salads containing viscous or sticky ingredients) such as potato salad, soy pulp, dried daikon radish strips, pickled vegetables, hijiki seaweed, boiled beans, buttered corn, etc.

[0028] For example, the robot system 1 holds ingredients, releases them into containers 31, such as containers for prepared foods or lunch boxes, and portions (serves) the ingredients into the containers 31. For example, multiple robot systems 1 are lined up, and various ingredients are sequentially released into the containers 31, thereby arranging various foods in the containers 31.

[0029] 1, the robot system 1 includes a robot 10 and a working unit 11. The working unit 11 has two (a pair of) holding members 100. The holding members 100 are an example of an end effector, and are members that come into contact with an object (target object T) that is the target of work performed by the robot system 1.

[0030] More specifically, the robot system 1 according to this embodiment further includes a storage member 20, a container supply unit 90, a cover unit 40, and a control device 50. A carrying-out unit 2 that automatically transports containers 31 is disposed adjacent to the robot system 1. As the carrying-out unit 2, for example, a conveyor such as a belt conveyor or a roller conveyor is adopted.

[0031] The robot 10 includes a robot arm 12. The robot arm 12 is a multi-joint robot such as a horizontal multi-joint robot or a vertical multi-joint robot. A drive unit 300 that drives the operation of a working unit 11 is provided at the tip of the robot arm 12. The working unit 11 is connected to the drive unit 300 of the robot 10 and opens and closes a pair of holding members 100 by the driving force of the drive unit 300. This allows the working unit 11 to hold an object T and release the held object T. The configuration of the working unit 11 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 2 to 4.

[0032] The robot arm 12 moves the working unit 11 to a desired position within its movable range. The robot arm 12 also has an axis at the connection point with the working unit 11 that rotates the working unit 11 in a twisting direction relative to the robot arm 12. This allows the orientation of the working unit 11 to be changed when the working unit 11 holds or releases the object T, thereby adjusting the opening and closing directions of the pair of holding members 100 in the working unit 11.

[0033] In this embodiment, the robot system 1 includes one pair of robot 10 and working unit 11, but the robot system 1 may include two or more pairs of robot 10 and working unit 11. The entire configuration including the robot arm 12 and working unit 11 may be referred to as the "robot 10." In other words, the robot 10 may be said to include the working unit 11. Hereinafter, for example, when the working unit 11 holds (or releases) an object T, this may also be expressed as "the robot 10 holds (or releases) the object T."

[0034] The storage member 20 is a member that stores the object T held by the robot 10. The storage member 20 is a tray or the like. For example, the storage member 20 stores food ingredients (ingredients) for multiple meals (several tens to several hundred meals, etc.) as the object T, and the robot 10 holds the food ingredients, which are the object T, from within the storage member 20 and releases them into the container 31, thereby distributing (serving) the food ingredients in the container 31.

[0035] The container supply unit 90 supplies a container 31 to a position P where the robot 10 releases an object T. The container supply unit 90 stores a plurality of containers 31 therein and supplies the containers 31 one by one to the position P. A weight sensor (not shown) that measures the weight of the container 31 is disposed at the position P, and when the object T is disposed in the container 31 at the position P, the weight sensor measures the weight of the object T (the weight increase before and after the object T is disposed). The data measured by the weight sensor is output to the control device 50. When the measurement by the weight sensor is completed, the container 31 in which the object T is disposed is transported to the transport unit 2 by a push-out mechanism (not shown) provided in the container supply unit 90.

[0036] The cover unit 40 is a cover that includes a plate-like member that surrounds the periphery and above the area where the robot 10, the storage member 20, and the container supply unit 90 are arranged. The plate-like member is made of a transparent material such as glass or resin, and the operating status of the robot 10, etc. can be seen from outside the cover unit 40. An openable door is provided on the side wall of the cover unit 40, and various operations can be performed through the door, such as replacing the storage member 20, adding a container 31 to the container supply unit 90, or performing maintenance on the robot 10, etc.

[0037] The control device 50 is a device that controls the operation of the robot 10 (including the operation of the working unit 11, the same applies below). The control device 50 is a computer that includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), input units (keyboard, touch panel, mouse, microphone, etc.), output units (liquid crystal display, speaker, etc.), a communication unit that communicates via a network, and drives, and executes various processes according to programs. The control device 50 may be realized by a general-purpose computer system such as a personal computer executing a program, or may be realized by a dedicated computer system such as a programmable controller.

[0038] The control device 50 is connected to the robot 10, the container supply unit 90, etc. by wire or wirelessly, and controls the operation of the entire robot system 1, including the robot 10 and the container supply unit 90. For example, the control device 50 controls the operation of the container supply unit 90 to supply the container 31 to position P, the operation of the robot 10 to hold the object T from the storage member 20 and release it into the container 31, and the operation of the container supply unit 90 to carry out the container 31 to the carry-out unit 2. The control device 50 may be located at a location remote from the robot 10, etc., or may be located near the robot 10, etc., by being attached to the cover unit 40. The robot system 1 may include multiple sets of configurations in which the robot 10, etc. is housed in the cover unit 40, and the control device 50 may control the operation of the multiple sets of robots 10, etc.

[0039] [2. Description of the working unit 11 and its peripheral configuration] Next, the configuration of the working unit 11 connected to the robot 10 according to this embodiment and its surroundings will be described. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the working unit 11 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 2, the configuration above the upper part of the support unit 400 that supports the drive unit 300 at the tip of the robot arm 12 is not shown. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the working unit 11 according to this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the holding member 100 and connection unit 150 according to this embodiment. FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the holding member 102 and connection unit 150B shown in FIG. 3 when viewed from an angle different from that of FIG. 3.

[0040] In the following description and drawings, the direction in which the working unit 11 (the two connection portions 150 and the two holding members 100) faces forward is defined as the X-axis direction, the direction in which the two holding members 100 open and close is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the up-down direction is defined as the Z-axis direction. These X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions intersect each other (orthogonal in this embodiment). Note that even if the working unit 11 (the two holding members 100) rotates around an axis parallel to the Z-axis, the relative movement direction of the two holding members 100 in the working unit 11 is maintained. For example, if the working unit 11 rotates so that the direction in which the working unit 11 faces forward becomes the Y-axis direction, the two holding members 100 open and close in the X-axis direction. Furthermore, in the following description, the positive X-axis direction refers to the direction of the arrow on the X-axis, and the negative X-axis direction refers to the direction opposite to the positive X-axis direction. When simply referring to the X-axis direction, this refers to both or either of the positive X-axis direction and the negative X-axis direction. The same applies to the Y-axis direction and the Z-axis direction. Expressions indicating relative directions or attitudes, such as "parallel" and "orthogonal," also include cases where the direction or attitude is not strictly that. For example, "two directions are parallel" does not only mean that the two directions are completely parallel, but also means that the two directions are substantially parallel, i.e., there is a difference of about a few percent.

[0041] 2, the robot 10 includes a support unit 400 and a drive unit 300 supported by the support unit 400. The drive unit 300 has two (a pair of) moving units 200 and a guide unit 301.

[0042] The working unit 11 has two holding members 100 and two connecting parts 150. Each of the two holding members 100 is connected to the robot 10 by a corresponding connecting part 150. Specifically, the connecting part 150 is connected to a moving part 200 of the driving part 300. In other words, the holding member 100 is connected to the moving part 200 via the connecting part 150, and the holding member 100 also moves as the moving part 200 moves. In this embodiment, the material (first material) forming the holding member 100 is metal. There are no particular limitations on the type of metal, but examples include stainless steel and aluminum alloy.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 3 , each of the two holding members 100 includes a plate-shaped portion 110 that holds the object T, a pair of side plate portions 120 that are disposed on both sides of the plate-shaped portion 110 and face each other, and a fixed portion 130 that is provided at the upper end of the plate-shaped portion 110. Hereinafter, of the two holding members 100, the holding member 100 located in the negative direction of the Y axis will be referred to as holding member 101, and the holding member 100 located in the positive direction of the Y axis will be referred to as holding member 102. That is, as shown in FIG. 3 , the holding member 101 includes the plate-shaped portion 111, a pair of side plate portions 121, and a fixed portion 130A. The holding member 102 includes the plate-shaped portion 112, a pair of side plate portions 122, and a fixed portion 130B. The holding members 101 and 102 are configured to be plane-symmetrical with respect to the XZ plane.

[0044] The plate-like portions 111 and 112 are main bodies of the holding members 101 and 102. When the holding members 101 and 102 hold the object T, they are disposed on both sides of the object T in the Y-axis direction and sandwich the object T in the Y-axis direction to hold the object T. The plate-like portion 111 is a flat, rectangular portion that tilts in the negative Y-axis direction from the XZ plane as it moves toward the positive Z-axis direction. The plate-like portion 112 is a flat, rectangular portion that tilts in the positive Y-axis direction from the XZ plane as it moves toward the positive Z-axis direction. In other words, the plate-like portions 111 and 112 tilt so that they move farther apart (the distance between them increases) as they move toward the positive Z-axis direction. Note that as long as the plate-like portions 111 and 112 are capable of holding the object T, one or both of the plate-like portions 111 and 112 may not be tilted but may be plate-like portions (vertical plates) parallel to the XZ plane.

[0045] The pair of side plate portions 121 are flat plate-like portions parallel to the YZ plane and protrude in the positive Y-axis direction from both ends of the plate-like portion 111 in the X-axis direction. When the holding members 101 and 102 hold the object T, the pair of side plate portions 121 are arranged on both sides of the object T in the X-axis direction and sandwich the object T in the X-axis direction. The pair of side plate portions 122 are flat plate-like portions parallel to the YZ plane and protrude in the negative Y-axis direction from both ends of the plate-like portion 112 in the X-axis direction. When the holding members 101 and 102 hold the object T, the pair of side plate portions 122 are arranged on both sides of the object T in the X-axis direction and sandwich the object T in the X-axis direction. The fixed portion 130 is a plate-like portion parallel to the XZ plane to which the connecting portion 150 is fixed. Specifically, fixed portion 130A of holding member 101 has, on its side surface facing the positive Y-axis direction, a second fixed surface 131 to which connecting portion 150 is fixed. Fixed portion 130B of holding member 102 has, on its side surface facing the negative Y-axis direction, a second fixed surface 131 to which connecting portion 150 is fixed.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 3, each of the two connection portions 150 has a first fixed portion 151 fixed to the robot 10 and a second fixed portion 155 fixed to the holding member 100. Of the two connection portions 150, the connection portion 150 located in the negative direction of the Y axis will be referred to as connection portion 150A, and the connection portion 150 located in the positive direction of the Y axis will be referred to as connection portion 150B. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the second fixed portion 155 of connection portion 150A is fixed to the holding member 101, and the second fixed portion 155 of connection portion 150B is fixed to the holding member 102. The first fixed portion 151 of each of connection portions 150A and 150B is fixed to the corresponding moving unit 200, and thereby fixed to the robot 10.

[0047] In this embodiment, the material (second material) forming the connection portion 150 is a resin. The type of resin is not particularly limited, but examples include polypropylene (PP), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyacetal copolymer (POM), and polyamide (PA). Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the object T that the holding member 100 contacts is food, the resin, which is the second material, contains an additive that can be detected by a metal detector. In other words, even if a portion of the resin connection portion 150 is chipped off for some reason and falls into the object T, the portion contains an additive that can be detected by a metal detector. Therefore, for example, even if the object T containing the chip is contained in a container 31, the container 31 can be identified by a metal detector installed in a production line having the robot system 1. As a result, the object T containing the chip or the container 31 can be disposed of. This prevents the object T containing the chip from leaking to the outside.

[0048] Furthermore, when the object T is a food product, it is preferable that the resin serving as the second material be colored, for example, blue. Specifically, blue is a rare color among the various foods (ingredients, toppings) that the robot system 1 can handle. Therefore, when the resin is blue, even if a portion of the connection portion 150 breaks off for some reason and enters the object T, the portion can be found, for example, by analyzing an image captured by an imaging device or by visual inspection by an operator. As a result, the object T containing the portion can be disposed of, for example. This also prevents the object T containing the portion from leaking to the outside.

[0049] As described above, the connection part 150 formed from the resin, which is the second material, is a solid, block-shaped object. That is, while the connection part 150 is formed from the second material, which has a relatively low rigidity, the mechanical strength of the structure connecting the robot 10 and the holding member 100 is ensured. This effect can also be obtained by having the connection part 150 have, for example, a box-shaped structure.

[0050] The two moving units 200 of the driving unit 300 are configured to be movable (slidable) in the Y-axis direction relative to the guide unit 301. The two moving units 200 are connected to the two holding members 100 via the connection units 150, and move (slide) the two holding members 100 in the Y-axis direction. Hereinafter, of the two moving units 200, the moving unit 200 located in the negative Y-axis direction will also be referred to as moving unit 201, and the moving unit 200 located in the positive Y-axis direction will also be referred to as moving unit 202. That is, the moving unit 201 is fixed to the first fixing unit 151 of the connection unit 150A, thereby moving (sliding) the holding member 101 fixed to the connection unit 150A in the Y-axis direction. The moving unit 202 is fixed to the first fixing unit 151 of the connection unit 150B, thereby moving (sliding) the holding member 102 fixed to the connection unit 150B in the Y-axis direction.

[0051] 3 and 4, first fixing portion 151 has first fixing surface 151a (see FIG. 4) that faces first fixed surface 200a of robot 10. Second fixing portion 155 has second fixing surface 155a that faces second fixed surface 131 of holding member 100 and is not parallel to first fixing surface 151a. In this embodiment, first fixing surface 151a is parallel to the YZ plane, and second fixing surface 155a is parallel to the XZ plane.

[0052] That is, first fixed surface 151a of first fixed portion 151 of connecting portion 150A faces first fixed surface 200a of moving portion 201. Second fixed surface 155a of second fixed portion 155 of connecting portion 150A faces second fixed surface 131 of holding member 101. Furthermore, first fixed surface 151a of first fixed portion 151 of connecting portion 150B faces first fixed surface 200a of moving portion 202. Second fixed surface 155a of second fixed portion 155 of connecting portion 150B faces second fixed surface 131 of holding member 102.

[0053] In this embodiment, the connecting part 150 is fixed to the moving part 200 by a plurality of bolts 180. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 , the first fixing part 151 of the connecting part 150 is provided with four through holes 152 penetrating in the X-axis direction, and the moving part 200 is provided with four bolt holes 205 at positions facing the four through holes 152. The bolts 180 disposed to pass through each of the four through holes 152 are screwed into the bolt holes 205 at positions facing the corresponding through holes 152. In this way, the first fixing part 151 of the connecting part 150 is fixed to the moving part 200.

[0054] Furthermore, the connection portion 150 is fixed to the holding member 100 by a plurality of bolts 181. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 , the second fixing portion 155 of the connection portion 150 is provided with two through holes 156 that penetrate in the Y-axis direction, and the holding member 100 is provided with two fixing holes 132 at positions facing the two through holes 156. The bolts 181 that are disposed to penetrate through the two through holes 156 respectively pass through the fixing holes 132 that are positioned facing the through holes 156 and are screwed into the nuts 185. In this way, the second fixing portion 155 of the connection portion 150 is fixed to the holding member 100.

[0055] In this way, fastening using bolts 180 and 181 is employed to fix the connecting unit 150 to the robot 10 (more specifically, the moving unit 200) and to fix the connecting unit 150 to the holding member 100. Therefore, the connecting unit 150 and the moving unit 200 can be fixed with a relatively large fixing force, and the connecting unit 150 and the holding member 100 can be fixed with a relatively large fixing force. Furthermore, by loosening the bolts 180 and 181, the connecting unit 150 can be detached from the moving unit 200 and the connecting unit 150 can be detached from the holding member 100. In other words, the connecting unit 150 can be attached to and detached from the robot 10, and the holding member 100 can be attached to and detached from the connecting unit 150. Therefore, for example, the connecting unit 150 and / or the holding member 100 can be replaced.

[0056] 3 and 4, the fixed portion 130 of the holding member 100 is provided with another set (two) of fixing holes 132 in the positive direction of the X axis from the set (two) of fixing holes 132 through which the bolts 181 pass. This makes it possible to change the position of the holding member 100 in the X axis direction relative to the connecting portion 150.

[0057] The movable units 201 and 202 move in directions away from or toward each other in the Y-axis direction, thereby increasing or decreasing the distance between the holding members 101 and 102, thereby opening or closing the holding members 101 and 102. In this embodiment, the movable units 201 and 202 are configured to be able to move in stages relative to the guide unit 301, and the distance between the holding members 101 and 102 can be adjusted in stages. Only one of the movable units 201 and 202, rather than both, may be configured to be able to move relative to the guide unit 301.

[0058] The guide unit 301 is a guide that guides the two moving units 200 so that they can move (slide) in the Y-axis direction. In this embodiment, the guide unit 301 has a linear rail that extends in the Y-axis direction, and the two moving units 200 move (slide) along this rail in the Y-axis direction. The drive unit 300 is provided with a motor (rotary motor, linear motor, etc.) (not shown) as a drive source for driving the movement of the two moving units 200.

[0059] When the holding members 101 and 102 are completely closed by the driving force of the driving unit 300, the negative Z-axis end of the plate-shaped portion 111 comes into contact with the negative Z-axis end of the plate-shaped portion 112, and the side plate portions 121 and 122 come into contact with each other. This causes the holding members 101 and 102 to assume a container shape capable of accommodating the object T therein. In the present embodiment, slight gaps are formed at both ends of the side plate portions 121 and 122 in the Z-axis direction, but such gaps do not have to be formed. The moving units 201 and 202 may rotate about an axis parallel to the X-axis to open and close the holding members 101 and 102. However, moving the moving units 201 and 202 in the Y-axis direction allows the holding members 101 and 102 to hold more objects T located deep within the storage member 20.

[0060] In the robot system 1 configured in this manner, for example, when the working unit 11 holds an object T, the weight of the object T held by the working unit 11 can be measured. Specifically, in the robot system 1 according to this embodiment, for example, a weight sensor 190 (see FIG. 2) is provided on the support unit 400 of the robot 10. The weight sensor 190 measures the weight of the members below the drive unit 300 (the drive unit 300 and the working unit 11) and transmits the measurement value to the control device 50. More specifically, under the control of the control device 50, the weight sensor 190 transmits the measurement values before and after the working unit 11 holds the object T (holding operation) to the control device 50. The control device 50 calculates the weight of the object T held by the working unit 11 by calculating the difference between the measurement values before and after the holding operation. Furthermore, when the working unit 11 performs an operation to release the object T (releasing operation), the control device 50 can also calculate the weight of the object T released by the releasing operation. Specifically, the weight sensor 190 transmits the measurement values before and after the release operation to the control device 50 under the control of the control device 50. The control device 50 calculates the weight of the object T released by the task unit 11 by calculating the difference between the measurement values before and after the release operation.

[0061] There is no particular limitation on the type of weight sensor 190. The weight sensor 190 may be, for example, a load cell type (also called an electrical resistance wire type) weight sensor 190 or an electromagnetic type weight sensor 190. The position where the weight sensor 190 is arranged is not limited to the support part 400. By being arranged in at least one of the robot 10, the connection part 150, and the holding member 100, the weight sensor 190 can transmit a measurement value used to calculate the weight of the object T held by the holding operation to the control device 50.

[0062] As described above, when the weight sensor 190 measures weight, if the holding member 100 is vibrating, the weight cannot be measured accurately. Therefore, it is preferable to measure the weight after the vibration of the holding member 100 has subsided. However, since the holding member 100 is a member that directly contacts the object T, vibrations are likely to occur due to, for example, a reaction force received from the object T stored in the storage member 20 (see FIG. 1). In addition, operations that are likely to cause vibration of the holding member 100, such as an operation to remove the object T attached to the holding member 100, or operations that spontaneously vibrate the holding member 100, are also performed.

[0063] Therefore, it is desirable for the robot system 1 to suppress the magnitude and / or duration of vibration of the holding member 100 (hereinafter, simply referred to as "suppressing vibration"). On the other hand, from the viewpoint of more reliably holding the object T, it is desirable for the holding member 100 to be made of a relatively hard (highly rigid) material. This is disadvantageous from the viewpoint of suppressing vibration.

[0064] To address this issue, in this embodiment, the connection portion 150 that connects the robot 10 and the holding member 100 is formed from a second material that has lower rigidity than the first material that forms the holding member 100. This makes it possible to suppress vibration of the holding member 100 while ensuring the rigidity of the holding member 100 itself, which acts directly on the target object T. Below, we will explain an example of the operation of the working unit 11 and an example of an adhering material removal operation performed by the robot system 1, as well as the circumstances under which the holding member 100 is likely to vibrate.

[0065] [3. Explanation of operation example of work unit 11] Next, an example of the operation of working unit 11 will be described. Figures 5A to 5C are first to third schematic diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of working unit 11 according to the embodiment when holding target object T. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the operation of working unit 11 according to the embodiment when releasing target object T. The operations of robot 10 and working unit 11 described below are executed under the control of control device 50.

[0066] For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, the working unit 11 is moved downward by the robot arm 12 with the distance L between the two holding members 100 widened to, for example, the distance L1. Thereby, the two holding members 100 are inserted into the object T. The distance L1 at this time and the depth at which the two holding members 100 are inserted into the object T are appropriately determined by, for example, the control device 50 based on the amount of the object T to be held by the working unit 11 and the like. The "depth of insertion into the object" refers to the depth of penetration into the object, the depth of insertion (penetration distance) from the surface of the object, or the depth after contacting the object, etc. The control device 50 may determine the depth after both of the two holding members 100 contact the object (object T), but in the present embodiment, the depth after at least one holding member 100 contacts the object T is determined. Note that the robot 10 has a function of acquiring the reaction force received by the working unit 11 from the object T, whereby the control device 50 can control the depth after at least one holding member 100 contacts the object T.

[0067] Next, for example, as shown in FIG. 5B, the working unit 11 closes the distance between the two holding members 100 to the distance L2 (<L1) to hold the object T by the two holding members 100. That is, the working unit 11 (the two holding members 100) executes the holding operation.

[0068] Next, for example, as shown in FIG. 5C, the working unit 11 is pulled upward by the robot arm 12 of the robot 10 while maintaining the distance between the two holding members 100 at the distance L2. Thereby, the robot 10 can take out the amount of the object T to be released into the container 31 from the whole of the object T stored in the storage member 20.

[0069] After the robot 10 takes out the object T from the storage member 20, the working unit 11 moves above the container 31 arranged at the position P (see FIG. 1) by a predetermined operation of the robot arm 12, for example, as shown in (a) of FIG. 6.

[0070] After moving to above the container 31, the working unit 11 widens the distance L between the two holding members 100 to L3 (>L2), as shown in FIG. 6(b), for example, thereby releasing the object T that it was holding. In other words, the working unit 11 (the two holding members 100) performs a releasing operation. This causes the object T to be released into the container 31. In other words, the object T that was stored in the storage member 20 is dispensed into the container 31.

[0071] 5B, 5C, and 6, the distance L2 between the two holding members 100 during the closing operation of the two holding members 100 is a positive value rather than 0, but the distance L2 may also be 0. In other words, the two holding members 100 may be completely closed. In this way, the control device 50 may appropriately change the distance L2 between the two holding members 100 during the closing operation depending on, for example, the type or state of the object T.

[0072] As described above, when the working unit 11 performs the holding and releasing operations, for example, the following vibrations may occur. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C , the robot system 1 inserts two holding members 100 into the object T, moves the two holding members 100 in a direction intersecting the insertion direction, and then removes the two holding members 100 from the object T. In this case, the two holding members 100 move horizontally (in the Y-axis direction in FIGS. 5A to 5C ) after being inserted into the object T. Therefore, the reaction force received from the object T immediately before being removed from the object T contains a large horizontal component. Therefore, the two holding members 100 are likely to vibrate horizontally. Furthermore, when the two holding members 100 are pulled up from the object T housed in the housing member 20 and stopped, the two holding members 100 are likely to vibrate vertically due to the reaction force (frictional force) received until they are released from the object T and / or the inertia of the holding members 100. This is particularly noticeable when the object T has high viscosity or stickiness, when the weight of the object T held by the two holding members 100 is large, and when the speed at which the two holding members 100 are pulled up is fast.

[0073] Furthermore, if weight sensor 190 is a load cell type weight sensor, weight sensor 190 is equipped with a strain gauge that extends in the vertical direction. In this case, vertical vibration of holding member 100 acts to expand and contract the strain gauge, which directly leads to a decrease in the accuracy of weight measurement by weight sensor 190.

[0074] 6, when the two holding members 100 move apart in the horizontal direction and then stop, the two holding members 100 are placed in a situation where they are likely to vibrate in the horizontal direction due to the inertia of each of the two holding members 100. This is particularly noticeable when the maximum speed at which the holding members 100 move is high.

[0075] However, in the robot system 1 according to the present embodiment, even if the holding member 100 is placed in a situation where it is likely to vibrate, as described above, the rigidity of the material of the connection part 150 is lower than the rigidity of the material of the holding member 100, so that the vibration of the holding member 100 is suppressed. As a result, for example, the control device 50 can efficiently calculate the weight of the object T held by the holding operation and the weight of the object T released by the release operation.

[0076] [4. Explanation of an example of adhesion removal operation] In this embodiment, as described above, the control device 50 calculates the weight of the object T held by the holding operation from the measurement values of the weight sensor 190 before and after the holding operation of the working unit 11. More specifically, in this calculation, the control device 50 can acquire the measurement value after the holding operation after the attachment removal operation that is executed until the next holding operation as the measurement value after the holding operation.

[0077] That is, when the working unit 11 performs a holding operation and a releasing operation as described above, the object T may unintentionally become attached to the holding member 100 immediately after the holding operation and / or immediately after the releasing operation. This is undesirable from the standpoint of accurately measuring the object T held by the working unit 11 and / or using the object T stored in the storage member 20 without waste. Therefore, in the robot system 1 according to this embodiment, the robot 10 performs an operation (an attachment removal operation) to remove the attachment Tu, which is the object T attached to the holding member 100.

[0078] Examples of the deposit removal operation performed by the robot system 1 will be described below. FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a state immediately after a holding operation of the holding member 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a first example of the deposit removal operation according to the embodiment, and FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a second example of the deposit removal operation according to the embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of a state immediately after a release operation of the holding member 100 according to the embodiment. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating third to fifth examples of the deposit removal operation according to the embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating sixth and seventh examples of the deposit removal operation according to the embodiment. The deposit removal operation performed by the robot 10 and the working unit 11 described below is performed under the control of the control device 50.

[0079] 7, when the two holding members 100 of the working unit 11 perform a holding operation, an attachment Tu may remain attached to at least one of the two holding members 100 when the two holding members 100 are pulled up from inside the storage member 20. Specifically, one or more attachments Tu may remain as small lumps of the target object T on the tip end or the like of each of the plate-shaped portion 110 and the side plate portion 120 of the holding member 100.

[0080] Therefore, the control device 50 can cause the robot 10 to perform an adhesion removal operation (first removal operation) in which, for example, the adhesion Tu is rubbed against the object T inside the storage member 20. Specifically, in the first removal operation, the robot 10 moves the working unit 11 downward from the position shown in FIG. 7. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, the working unit 11 reciprocates in the lateral direction (the Y-axis direction in FIG. 8) one or more times so as to rub the adhesion Tu against the position on the object T inside the storage member 20 where the holding operation was performed. As a result, all or part of the one or more adhesions Tu become part of the object T stored in the storage member 20. It is also possible to adjust the operation so that the lateral reciprocation of the working unit 11 flattens the surface of the object T.

[0081] The control device 50 can also cause the robot 10 to perform an object removal operation (second removal operation) in which, for example, the object Tu is rubbed against the side wall 21 of the storage member 20. Specifically, in the second removal operation, the robot 10 moves the working unit 11 laterally to position it near the side wall 21 of the storage member 20, as shown in FIG. 9 . The robot 10 further tilts the working unit 11 and performs one or more reciprocating movements in the up-and-down direction (Z-axis direction) so as to rub the object Tu on at least one of the two holding members 100 against the inner surface of the side wall 21. As a result, all or part of the one or more object Tu falls from the inner surface of the side wall 21 and becomes part of the target object T stored in the storage member 20. Note that it is not essential for the robot 10 to tilt the working unit 11 in the second removal operation. In the second removal operation, the robot 10 may maintain the working unit 11 in a non-tilted state (see Figure 7) and move the working unit 11 in a direction tilted relative to the vertical direction so as to rub the adhesion Tu against the upper end of the inner surface of the side wall 21.

[0082] When the robot 10 rubs the adhesion Tu against another object, as in the first removal operation and the second removal operation, the other object may be other than the target object T inside the storage member 20 or the side wall 21 of the storage member 20. For example, the robot 10 may remove the adhesion Tu from at least one holding member 100 by rubbing the adhesion Tu against a removal member provided on the storage member 20 and protruding inward from the storage member 20.

[0083] Furthermore, when the working unit 11 returns to above the storage member 20 for the next holding operation after completing the release operation (see FIG. 6), or when the working unit 11 performs a release operation above the storage member 20 to redo the holding operation, the attachment Tu may remain attached to at least one of the two holding members 100, as shown in FIG. 10.

[0084] Therefore, the control device 50 can cause the robot 10 to perform, for example, deposit removal operations (third to fifth removal operations) that cause the deposit Tu to fall onto the target object T inside the storage member 20. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11 , the robot 10 can perform the deposit removal operations by primarily moving the working unit 11 up and down to remove the deposit Tu. More specifically, as the third removal operation, the robot 10 can perform an operation of lowering and then raising the working unit 11 (i.e., an operation of swinging the working unit 11 up and down). As the fourth removal operation, the robot 10 can perform an operation of lowering the working unit 11 at a relatively high speed and then suddenly stopping it. Furthermore, as the fifth removal operation, the robot 10 can perform an operation of vibrating the working unit 11 up and down (i.e., an operation of repeating the up and down movement of the working unit 11 multiple times in a short period of time). In any case, all or part of the one or more deposits Tu are shaken off from at least one of the two holding members 100 by inertia. That is, the shaken off adhering matter Tu becomes part of the target object T accommodated in the accommodation member 20.

[0085] 12, the robot 10 can perform an operation to remove the deposits Tu mainly by lateral movement of the working unit 11. More specifically, as a sixth removal operation, the robot 10 can, for example, lower the working unit 11 until the tip of the working unit 11 is positioned below the upper end of the side wall 21 of the storage member 20, and then perform one or more lateral reciprocating movements of the working unit 11. As a seventh removal operation, the robot 10 can, for example, lower the working unit 11 until the tip of the working unit 11 is positioned below the upper end of the side wall 21 of the storage member 20, and then perform one or more lateral reciprocating movements of at least one of the two holding members 100. As the seventh removal operation, the robot 10 can, for example, repeatedly open and close the working unit 11. In either case, all or part of the one or more deposits Tu are shaken off from at least one holding member 100 by inertia. That is, the shaken off adhering matter Tu becomes part of the target object T accommodated in the accommodation member 20.

[0086] In the sixth and seventh removal operations, the reciprocating motion of the working unit 11 and the reciprocating motion of at least one of the two holding members 100 may be performed multiple times in a short period of time. In other words, the adhering matter Tu may be removed by vibrating at least one of the two holding members 100 in the lateral direction.

[0087] Furthermore, the operations of removing the adhesion Tu by rubbing it against the object T or the like (first removal operation and second removal operation) may be performed immediately before the next holding operation (i.e., when the two holding members 100 are not holding the object T (see FIG. 10)) rather than immediately after the holding operation. The operations of shaking off the adhesion Tu from the two holding members 100 by utilizing inertia (third to seventh removal operations) may be performed immediately after the previous holding operation (i.e., when the two holding members 100 are holding the object T (see FIG. 7)) rather than immediately before the holding operation.

[0088] The control device 50 causes the robot 10 to perform at least one of the various deposit removal operations described above, and acquires the subsequent measurement value of the weight sensor 190 from the weight sensor 190. This allows the objects T (deposited objects Tu) adhering to the two holding members 100 to be returned to the storage member 20, and as a result, the control device 50 can more accurately calculate the weight of the objects T held by the two holding members 100 in the immediately preceding holding operation. This allows the robot system 1 to efficiently perform the task of sorting the objects T. It also reduces the wasteful consumption of the objects T stored in the storage member 20. Furthermore, according to the various deposit removal operations described above, the removal of the deposit Tu is achieved by moving the working unit 11 (including moving only one of the two holding members 100), rather than by cleaning with some kind of tool or replacing the holding member 100.

[0089] As described above, the robot system 1 according to the present embodiment performs an adhering matter removal operation that spontaneously vibrates the holding members 100, which is an operation other than holding and releasing the object T. For example, in the first removal operation (see FIG. 8 ), the two holding members 100 are moved horizontally (in the Y-axis direction in FIG. 8 ) with their tips in contact with the object T inside the storage member 20. Therefore, the reaction force received from the object T just before the two holding members 100 are pulled up may contain a large horizontal component. This puts each of the two holding members 100 in a state where it is likely to vibrate horizontally. The third to seventh removal operations (see FIGS. 11 and 12 ) include movement, vibration, or sudden stop of the two holding members 100 in the vertical or horizontal direction. Therefore, after the removal operation is completed, each of the two holding members 100 is put in a state where it is likely to vibrate vertically or horizontally, or where it is likely to continue vibrating vertically or horizontally.

[0090] However, in the robot system 1 according to the present embodiment, even if the holding member 100 is placed in a situation where it is likely to vibrate, as described above, the rigidity of the material of the connection part 150 is lower than the rigidity of the material of the holding member 100, so that the vibration of the holding member 100 is suppressed. As a result, for example, the control device 50 can efficiently calculate the weight of the object T held by the holding operation and the weight of the object T released by the release operation.

[0091] [5. Summary of the embodiment] As described above, the robot system 1 according to this embodiment includes the robot 10, an end effector (holding member 100 in this embodiment) moved by the robot 10, and a connection part 150 disposed between the robot 10 and the holding member 100. The connection part 150 is formed of a second material that has lower rigidity than the first material that forms the holding member 100.

[0092] According to this configuration, a connection portion 150 is provided between the holding member 100 and the robot 10 that moves the holding member 100. The connection portion 150 is formed of a second material having lower rigidity than the first material forming the holding member 100. Therefore, it is possible to suppress vibration of the holding member 100 (more specifically, to suppress the magnitude and / or duration of vibration). As a result, problems such as an inability to efficiently calculate the weight of the object T held by the holding member 100 due to vibration of the holding member 100 are suppressed. In other words, it is possible to reduce wasted time, such as waiting for the holding member 100 to vibrate. In this way, according to the robot system 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to suppress adverse effects caused by vibration of the holding member 100 while maintaining high rigidity of the holding member 100 that directly contacts the object T.

[0093] More specifically, the presence of the connection part 150 made of a second material with low rigidity (i.e., high flexibility) at the base of the holding member 100, which comes into direct contact with the object T, can provide the effect of preventing or absorbing vibrations of the holding member 100. Furthermore, even when the connection part 150 is formed using a second material with relatively low rigidity, the mechanical strength of the connection part 150 as a structure connecting the robot 10 and the holding member 100 can be ensured by forming the connection part 150 in a block or box shape, for example. Therefore, for example, bending of the holding member 100 due to a reaction force that the holding member 100 receives from the object T is suppressed. This also contributes to suppressing vibrations of the holding member 100.

[0094] More specifically, the first material is metal, and the second material is resin. By making the holding member 100 out of metal in this way, it is possible to more reliably perform tasks such as holding the object T. Furthermore, by making the connecting portion 150 out of resin, it is possible to reduce the weight of the working unit 11 including the connecting portion 150 and the holding member 100. In addition, because the connecting portion 150 can be made by, for example, resin molding, it is easy to make the connecting portion 150 into a structure that can ensure a predetermined rigidity, such as a block or box shape.

[0095] In this embodiment, the target object T to be worked on by the robot system 1 is food. Therefore, for example, if a part of the resin connecting portion 150 is missing and is included in the target object T, a problem arises as to how to find the missing part. In this regard, in this embodiment, the resin as the second material contains an additive that can be detected by a metal detector. Therefore, even if a part of the connecting portion 150 is missing and included in the target object T, the missing part can be detected by a metal detector. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently carry out subsequent measures such as disposal of the problematic deliverable (target object T after work) and maintenance of the robot system 1.

[0096] In this embodiment, the robot system 1 includes a weight sensor 190 arranged on at least one of the robot 10, the connection part 150, and the holding member 100, for measuring the weight of the object T held by the holding member 100.

[0097] As described above, the robot system 1 according to the present embodiment has a configuration that enables measurement of the weight of the object T held by the holding member 100, while suppressing vibrations of the holding member 100 that interfere with the measurement. Therefore, the weight of the object T held by the holding member 100 can be measured efficiently.

[0098] In this embodiment, the connection part 150 has a first fixing part 151 fixed to the robot 10 and a second fixing part 155 fixed to the holding member 100 .

[0099] As described above, in this embodiment, the connection part 150 can be directly fixed to both the robot 10 and the holding member 100 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). In other words, the robot 10 and the holding member 100 can be connected by a single member (the connection part 150), which reduces the possibility of connection failures (loose screws, etc.) occurring between the members. Furthermore, maintenance such as cleaning is also easy.

[0100] 3 and 4, first fixing portion 151 has first fixing surface 151a facing first fixed surface 200a of robot 10. Second fixing portion 155 has second fixing surface 155a facing second fixed surface 131 of holding member 100, second fixing surface 155a not parallel to first fixing surface 151a.

[0101] For example, when first fixing surface 151a of connecting portion 150 on the robot 10 side faces the front-rear direction (X-axis direction in FIG. 3 ) and second fixing surface 155a of connecting portion 150 on the holding member 100 side faces the left-right direction (Y-axis direction in FIG. 3 ) or the up-down direction (Z-axis direction in FIG. 3 ), the connecting portion may be made of sheet metal for ease of processing. However, in this case, it is considered that a connecting portion made of sheet metal is likely to generate vibration due to the magnitude of the reaction force (restoring force) when it is bent. In this regard, connecting portion 150 according to this embodiment is formed of a second material that has lower rigidity than metal, and therefore can suppress the generation of vibration. Furthermore, as described above, when connecting portion 150 is produced by resin molding, connecting portion 150 having first fixing surface 151a and second fixing surface 155a facing in different directions can be easily produced.

[0102] In this embodiment, the robot 10 performs an adhering matter removal operation (see FIGS. 7 to 12) that involves movement of the holding member 100, in order to drop an object (in this embodiment, target object T (adhering matter Tu)) adhering to the holding member 100. Note that the "movement of the holding member 100" also includes vibration, which is a repetition of minute movements.

[0103] With this configuration, the adhering matter removal operation can more accurately measure, for example, the weight of the target object T, and vibration of the holding member 100 is suppressed after the adhering matter removal operation is performed. In other words, even if the holding member 100 vibrates due to the adhering matter removal operation (including cases where vibration occurs as a result of the adhering matter removal operation and cases where the adhering matter removal operation itself is a vibration), the continuation of the vibration is suppressed, and therefore the next task related to the holding member 100, such as measuring the weight of the working unit 11 using the weight sensor 190, can be performed efficiently.

[0104] In this embodiment, the robot 10 inserts the holding member 100 into the object T, then moves the holding member 100 in a direction intersecting the insertion direction, and then performs an operation of removing the holding member 100 from the object T.

[0105] In this way, the robot 10 can perform a task of, for example, clamping and lifting a portion of the object T horizontally with two holding members 100 (see FIGS. 5A to 5C). During this task, the holding member 100 is inserted into the object T and then moved horizontally, so the reaction force it receives from the object T just before being removed from the object T contains a large horizontal component. This puts the holding member 100 in a situation where it is prone to vibrate. However, the connection portion 150 according to this embodiment is formed of a second material that has lower rigidity than the first material forming the holding member 100. Therefore, vibration of the holding member 100 can be suppressed.

[0106] [6. Explanation of Modifications] Although the robot system 1 according to the embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The embodiment disclosed herein is illustrative in all respects and is not limiting, and the scope of the present invention includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0107] The connection unit 150 does not have to be directly connected to each of the robot 10 and the holding member 100. For example, a metal or resin member may be interposed between the robot 10 and the connection unit 150 and / or between the connection unit 150 and the holding member 100. That is, a metal or resin member may be disposed on both ends of the connection unit 150. In this case, for example, the resin member may be included in the connection unit 150 (i.e., may be part of the connection unit 150). However, from the viewpoint of reducing or suppressing an increase in the number of parts, for example, it is preferable that the connection unit 150 be directly connected to each of the robot 10 and the holding member 100.

[0108] The shape and size of the connecting portion 150 do not have to be the shape and size of the connecting portion 150 shown in Figures 1 to 4. The shape and size of the connecting portion 150 may be appropriately determined by experiment, computer simulation, or the like, taking into consideration the vibration suppression effect of the connecting portion 150 on the holding member 100, the mechanical strength of the connecting portion 150, and the like.

[0109] In the above embodiment, each of the holding members 100 has the plate-shaped portion 110 and a pair of side plate portions 120. However, any of the holding members 100 may not have one or both of the side plate portions 120. In addition to the plate-shaped portion 110, or instead of the plate-shaped portion 110, the holding member 100 may have a non-plate-shaped member such as a rod-shaped (columnar) or block-shaped member.

[0110] The method by which the robot 10 holds and releases the object T is not particularly limited. For example, the robot 10 may hold and release the object T by opening and closing three or more holding members. The robot 10 may hold the object T by, for example, scooping up the object T with a holding member that is rod-shaped, plate-shaped, fork-shaped, or spoon-shaped, or by rubbing or piercing the tip of the holding member against the object T. In this case, the robot 10 may release the object T into the container 31 by vibrating the holding member, moving the holding member and suddenly stopping it, or rubbing the object T against another object such as the container 31. In any case, it is sufficient that the connecting portion connecting the holding member and the robot 10 is made of a second material that has lower rigidity than the first material forming the holding member. This suppresses vibration of the holding member.

[0111] The object T that the robot system 1 according to the embodiment performs an operation such as dispensing into a container 31 is not limited to food. The robot system 1 can be applied to a robot system that performs an operation of holding and releasing various objects. For example, the configuration and operation of the robot system 1 according to the embodiment may be applied to a robot system that performs an operation of holding and releasing highly viscous or adhesive materials such as kneaded mortar, concrete, plaster, and clay. The configuration and operation of the robot system 1 according to the embodiment are suitable for a robot system that holds and releases objects that have a viscosity of medium or higher (5000 mPa s) at working temperature or room temperature.

[0112] The configuration of the robot system 1 according to the embodiment may be applied to a system (e.g., a "processing system") that performs some processing on an object other than the container 31. That is, in the robot system 1 according to the embodiment, the container 31 may be replaced with a processing target (workpiece) and the holding member 100, which is the end effector, may be replaced with a processing tool, thereby forming a processing system. For example, the processing system may include a robot, a tool moved by the robot, and a connector disposed between the robot and the tool, the connector being formed of a second material having lower rigidity than a first material forming the tool. The type (content) of work performed by the processing system configured in this manner is not particularly limited, and examples of such work include cutting, polishing, bending, shearing, and pressing of the workpiece. The type of workpiece is also not particularly limited, and may be metal, resin, wood, or the like. In either case, the end effector (tool) that directly contacts the workpiece may be formed of a first material (e.g., metal) having relatively high rigidity, thereby enabling cutting and other processing to be performed more reliably. On the other hand, by forming the connection part from a second material (such as resin) with a relatively low rigidity, tool vibration is suppressed, which, for example, makes it possible to reduce wasted time, such as waiting for tool vibration to subside, and thereby allows for efficient processing of multiple workpieces.

[0113] The end effector does not necessarily have to be made of metal alone. The first material forming the end effector may be, for example, a combination of metal and resin. In this case, the end effector may have a structure in which the resin is reinforced with metal. Furthermore, a resin having higher rigidity than the second material, such as a resin, may be used as the first material. For example, a highly rigid resin such as high-rigidity grade PP, carbon fiber reinforced plastic, or Duratron (registered trademark) PEI, which is a polyetherimide (PEI) blended with glass fiber, may be used as the first material.

[0114] In the above embodiment, the robot system 1 is not limited to including all of the above-mentioned components, and may not include the cover unit 40.

[0115] The present invention can be realized not only as the robot system 1 but also as a holding method or control method including characteristic processing steps performed by the robot system 1 or the control device 50. The present invention can also be realized as a program that causes a computer to execute steps included in the holding method or control method. That is, each component of the control device 50 may be realized by a program execution unit such as a CPU or processor reading and executing a software program recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory. Furthermore, the present invention can also be realized as any medium, such as a computer-readable non-transitory recording medium on which the program is recorded, such as a flexible disk, hard disk, CD-ROM, MO, DVD, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, BD (Blu-ray (registered trademark) Disc), semiconductor memory, flash memory, magnetic storage device, optical disk, or paper tape. The program can then be distributed via the recording medium or a transmission medium such as the Internet. The present invention can also be realized as an integrated circuit including a processing unit included in the control device 50. That is, each function of the control device 50 may be realized as an LSI (Large Scale Integration) integrated circuit. These functions may be implemented individually on a single chip, or some or all of them may be integrated on a single chip. In this way, each component of the control device 50 may be configured as dedicated hardware, or may be realized by executing a software program suitable for each component.

[0116] Any combination of the components included in the above-described embodiments and their modifications is also included within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0117] 1. Robot System 2. Unloading section 10. Robot 11 Unit of Work 12 Robotic Arm 20. Storage member 21 Side wall 31 Container 40 Cover 50 Control device 90 Container supply section 100, 101, 102 holding members 110, 111, 112 Plate-shaped parts 120, 121, 122 Side plate part 130, 130A, 130B Fixed part 131 Second fixed surface 132 Fixed hole 150, 150A, 150B connection 151 First fixed part 151a First fixed surface 152, 156 through holes 155 Second fixed part 155a Second fixed surface 180, 181 volts 185 Nut 190 Weight Sensor 200, 201, 202 Moving section 200a First fixed surface 205 bolt holes 300 Drive Unit 301 Guide part 400 Support part T object Tu attachment

Claims

1. Robots and an end effector moved by the robot; a connection portion disposed between the robot and the end effector, the connecting portion is formed of a second material having a lower rigidity than a first material forming the end effector; Robot system.

2. The first material is a metal and the second material is a resin. The robot system according to claim 1 .

3. The resin as the second material contains an additive that can be detected by a metal detector. The robot system according to claim 2 .

4. and a weight sensor disposed on at least one of the robot, the joint, and the end effector for measuring a weight of an object held by the end effector. The robot system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The connection portion is a first fixing portion fixed to the robot; a second fixing portion fixed to the end effector; The robot system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. the first fixing portion has a first fixing surface facing a first fixed surface of the robot, the second fixing portion has a second fixing surface that faces a second fixed surface of the end effector and is not parallel to the first fixing surface; The robot system according to claim 5 .

7. The robot performing an adhering matter removal operation for dropping an object adhering to the end effector, the adhering matter removal operation involving movement of the end effector; The robot system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

8. The robot After inserting the end effector into the object, the end effector is moved in a direction intersecting the insertion direction, and then an operation of extracting the end effector from the object is performed. The robot system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

Images