End effector

Abstract

To provide an end effector capable of achieving various operations.SOLUTION: An end effector of the present disclosure includes a pair of arm members having respective proximal end portions disposed at adjacent positions and supported so as to be rotatable about rotation axes extending in the same direction, a pair of first finger members having respective proximal end portions rotatably supported at respective distal end portions of the pair of arm members and having a predetermined length, a pair of second finger members having respective proximal end portions rotatably supported at respective distal end portions of the pair of first finger members, and an actuator configured to rotate each of the members. When the actuator is operated, a first attitude, a second attitude and a third attitude in which the shapes of the respective members are different are executed in order.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The technology of this disclosure relates to end effectors. [Background technology]

[0002] Robots including manipulators are used in a wide range of fields, not only in the manufacturing industry but also in the service industry such as the food service industry and the medical field including nursing care and welfare. These robots realize various movements using end effectors attached to the tips of their manipulators.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 below describes a robot hand that is capable of gripping various workpieces using two workpiece gripping tools. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-154464 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Meanwhile, in the field of nursing care robots, for example, it is necessary to realize various operations using end effectors. Specifically, in addition to the operation of grasping an object, as performed by the robot hand of Patent Document 1, operations such as turning a doorknob and opening and closing a drawer are also required. For each of these various operations, there is a preferred end effector configuration. If such a configuration could be realized with a single end effector, the frequency of end effector replacement could be reduced, and convenience could be expected to be improved.

[0006] In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present disclosure is to provide an end effector capable of realizing various operations. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, an end effector according to a first aspect of the present disclosure comprises a pair of arm members whose base ends are disposed adjacent to each other and supported rotatably around a rotation axis extending in the same direction; a pair of first finger members having a predetermined length and whose base ends are rotatably supported on the respective tip ends of the pair of arm members; a pair of second finger members which are shorter than the pair of first finger members and whose base ends are rotatably supported on the respective tip ends of the pair of first finger members; and an actuator which rotates the pair of arm members, the pair of first finger members, and the second finger members, and when the actuator is operated, the tip ends of the pair of arm members are positioned apart from each other and the pair of first finger members rotates to the position where the base ends are supported. The control device sequentially performs the following positions: a first position in which the pair of second finger members extend along a pair of arm members and extend in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pair of first finger members on which their base ends are supported; a second position in which the tip ends of the pair of arm members are spaced apart, the pair of first finger members extend in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pair of arm members on which their base ends are supported, and the pair of second finger members extend along the pair of first finger members on which their base ends are supported; and a third position in which the tip ends of the pair of arm members are adjacent to each other, the pair of first finger members extend along the pair of arm members on which their base ends are supported, and the pair of second finger members extend along the pair of first finger members on which their base ends are supported.

[0008] In such an end effector, multiple postures can be achieved with a single actuator.

[0009] An end effector according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is the end effector according to the first aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the actuator includes a drive source, a first power transmission mechanism that transmits power from the drive source to the pair of arm members to rotate the pair of arm members, and a second power transmission mechanism that transmits power from the drive source to the pair of first finger members and the pair of second finger members to rotate the pair of first finger members and the pair of second finger members.

[0010] In such an end effector, by using two power transmission mechanisms, it becomes possible to operate three members, namely the arm member, the first finger member, and the second finger member, with a single drive source.

[0011] An end effector according to a third aspect of the present disclosure is the end effector according to the second aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the second power transmission mechanism comprises a second power transmission mechanism main body that connects the drive source and base ends of the pair of first finger members and rotates the pair of first finger members, and an interlocking shaft whose base end is rotatably supported on the tip end portions of each of the pair of arm members and whose tip end is rotatably supported at a predetermined position radially away from a rotation center of the portion of the pair of second finger members that is rotatably supported on the tip end portions of each of the pair of first finger members, When the end effector is in the first position in which the pair of first finger members extend along the pair of arm members on which their respective base ends are supported, the shaft supports the pair of second finger members in a position in which they extend along a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pair of first finger members on which their respective base ends are supported, and when the end effector transitions from the first position to the second position, the shaft rotates the pair of second finger members in conjunction with the transition so that their extension direction is along the extension direction of the pair of first finger members on which their respective base ends are supported.

[0012] In such an end effector, the first finger member and the second finger member can be rotated with a relatively simple configuration.

[0013] An end effector according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the end effector according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present disclosure, wherein the pair of arm members are configured by a link mechanism that is elongated in one direction.

[0014] In such an end effector, the rotational movement of each member can be stably realized. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the end effector of the present disclosure, a variety of operations can be achieved with a single end effector, which reduces the frequency of replacing the end effector. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating an example of an end effector in a first posture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a state in which an end effector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is in a second posture. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a state in which an end effector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is in a third posture. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part A in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the components shown in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] 5 is a perspective view of the components shown in FIG. 4, excluding the components related to the operation of the interlocking shaft. [Figure 7] 7 is a diagram showing a state in which the state shown in FIG. 6 has been shifted to a second attitude. FIG. [Figure 8] 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which the end effector is in the middle of transitioning from a first posture to a second posture. FIG. [Figure 9] 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which the end effector is in the middle of transitioning from a second posture to a third posture. FIG. [Figure 10] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of opening a drawer having a recessed handle using an end effector. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of opening a drawer having a recessed handle using an end effector. [Figure 12] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of opening a folding door using an end effector. [Figure 13] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of opening a folding door using an end effector. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of opening a hinged door having a lever handle using an end effector. [Figure 15] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of opening a drawer having a knob using an end effector. [Figure 16] 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of opening a drawer having a knob using an end effector. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of grasping an object using an end effector. [Figure 18] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of grasping an object using an end effector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, each embodiment for carrying out the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the scope necessary for the explanation to achieve the object of the present disclosure will be schematically shown below, and the scope necessary for explaining the relevant parts of the present disclosure will be mainly explained, and the parts for which explanation is omitted will be referred to as publicly known techniques. Furthermore, identical or similar reference numerals will be used to designate identical or corresponding components in the drawings, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0018] 1 to 3 are perspective views showing an example of an end effector according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, each showing a different posture (specifically, a first posture, a second posture, and a third posture). The end effector 1 according to this embodiment may be a robot hand that is fixed to a mounting portion 3 (see FIG. 10, etc.) provided at the tip of a manipulator 2 (see FIG. 12, etc.) to perform a desired operation. In the following description, the direction indicated by arrow X in FIGS. 1 to 3 is provisionally defined as the horizontal direction (or left-right direction), the direction indicated by arrow Y as the front-rear direction, and the direction indicated by arrow Z as the height direction (or up-down direction). Furthermore, some of the reference numerals in the figures may be omitted to make the figures easier to understand.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the end effector 1 according to this embodiment includes a pair of arms 10, 10 for performing various operations, and an actuator 20 for operating the pair of arms 10, 10.

[0020] The pair of arms 10 includes a pair of arm members 30, 30 whose base ends are disposed adjacent to each other and supported rotatably about rotation shafts 31, 31 extending in the same direction, a pair of first finger members 40, 40 having a predetermined length and whose base ends are rotatably supported at the respective distal ends of the pair of arm members 30, 30, and a pair of second finger members 50, 50 shorter than the pair of first finger members 40, 40 and whose base ends are rotatably supported at the respective distal ends of the pair of first finger members 40. The pair of arms 10, 10 have a symmetrical structure with respect to a center line dividing the end effector 1 into left and right halves, and each arm includes a common configuration. In the following, for simplicity of explanation, redundant explanations of the configuration common to the pair of arms 10, 10 will be omitted, and the components will be described focusing on the right arm 10 in FIG. 1.

[0021] The arm member 30 can be configured as a link mechanism with a base end attached to a rotary shaft 31. The arm member 30 configured with the link mechanism according to this embodiment includes a pair of substantially parallel long links 32, 32 and a pair of similarly substantially parallel short links 33, 33, and the ends of these arms are rotatably connected to each other by a support shaft 34 to form a joint. In this embodiment, one end of one long link 32 located at the rear in the first posture shown in FIG. 1 is fixed to the rotary shaft 31, so that the one long link 32 rotates following the rotation of the rotary shaft 31. When the one long link 32 rotates, one short link 33 connected to the other end of the one long link 32 and the other long link 32 move accordingly. Furthermore, the length, position, etc. of the arm member 30 are adjusted so that the short links 33 are tilted inward and forward when the end effector 1 is in the first posture shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the other short link 33 supported by the rotation shaft 31 of the arm member 30 may be fixed. In addition, in Figures 1 to 3, one of the pair of short links 33, 33 is hidden by another member.

[0022] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of portion A in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the components shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first finger member 40 can be formed of a long, approximately rectangular columnar member having a length approximately equal to that of the long link 32 of the arm member 30 described above. The base end of the first finger member 40 is provided with a first tongue piece 41 having a through hole 41H for receiving a spindle 34 to which a third pulley 75 of the second power transmission mechanism 70 (described later) is attached. A housing groove 42 for receiving an interlocking shaft 78 of the second power transmission mechanism 70 (described later) extends along the longitudinal direction of the first finger member 40 on one surface on the rear side of the first finger member 40. Furthermore, the tip end of the first finger member 40 is provided with a through hole 44H for receiving a spindle 43 for connecting the second finger member 50 thereto, and a notch 44 for receiving a portion of the second finger member 50. The notch 44 extends from the tip end toward the base end of the first finger member 40, and a portion of the notch 44 communicates with the accommodating groove 42. As shown in FIG. 5, the support shaft 43 is made up of two support shafts 43 that are inserted from above and below the first finger member 40.

[0023] The second finger member 50 may be configured as a substantially rectangular columnar member similar to the first finger member 40, but shorter than the first finger member 40. A second tongue piece 51 that is housed in the notch 44 is provided at the base end of the second finger member 50. The second tongue piece 51 is also provided with a through hole 51H to which the support shaft 43 is attached. By attaching the support shaft 43 to the through hole 51H, the second finger member 50 is rotatable around the support shaft 43.

[0024] Furthermore, the second tongue piece 51 has a notch formed in the center in the thickness direction thereof to avoid contact with an interlocking shaft 78, which will be described later. A pin mounting hole 52 for mounting a support pin 79 for supporting an end of the interlocking shaft 78 is provided at a position different from the position where the through hole 51H of the second tongue piece 51 is provided, more specifically, at a position radially spaced apart from the support shaft 43 that serves as the rotation axis of the second finger member 50. In connection with this, a pin mounting hole 35 for mounting a support pin 79 is also provided at a position adjacent to the position where the base end of the first finger member 40 of the arm member 30 is mounted. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5 , the pin mounting hole 35 provided on the arm member 30 side is provided at a position that is outward in the left-right direction from the support shaft 34 of the short link 33 adjacent to the support shaft 34 to which the first finger member 40 is mounted when the end effector 1 is in the first posture. Similarly, the pin mounting hole 52 is exemplified as being provided at a position that is on the outside in the left-right direction with respect to the support shaft 43 when the end effector 1 is in the first posture.

[0025] The actuator 20 is a member that operates the pair of arms 10, 10. More specifically, it rotates the pair of arm members 30, 30, the pair of first finger members 40, 40, and the pair of second finger members 50, 50. The actuator 20 may include a drive source 21, a first power transmission mechanism 60 that transmits power from the drive source 21 to the pair of arm members 30, 30 to rotate the pair of arm members 30, 30, and a second power transmission mechanism 70 that transmits power from the drive source 21 to the pair of first finger members 40, 40 and second finger members 50, 50 to rotate the pair of first finger members 40, 40 and second finger members 50, 50.

[0026] The driving source 21 may rotate the drive shaft 22 in any rotational direction, and may be configured, for example, by a motor. In this embodiment, it is particularly important to note that the driving source 21 is configured by a single driving source. In the end effector 1 of this embodiment, the single driving source 21 can operate multiple members that make up the arm 10, thereby simplifying control, etc. Note that the driving source 21 is only shown in FIG. 1 and is omitted from other figures.

[0027] The first power transmission mechanism 60 transmits the rotational force input to the drive shaft 22 to the pair of arm members 30, 30, thereby rotating the pair of arm members 30, 30. The first power transmission mechanism 60 may include a first drive gear 61 and two first driven gears 62L, 62R.

[0028] The first drive gear 61 can be configured as a missing-tooth gear that is attached to the drive shaft 22 and rotates with the rotation of the drive shaft 22. The teeth of the first drive gear 61 are preferably provided at a position where they mesh with the teeth of one of the first driven gears 62L only while the end effector 1 transitions from the second position shown in FIG. 2 to the third position shown in FIG.

[0029] The two first driven gears 62L, 62R are each attached to the rotation shaft 31 of the pair of arm members 30. Therefore, when the two first driven gears 62L, 62R rotate, the pair of arm members 30, 30 attached to the rotation shaft 31 rotates. Furthermore, the two first driven gears 62L, 62R have the same diameter and number of teeth and are meshed with each other, so they always rotate simultaneously. At least one first driven gear of the two first driven gears 62L, 62R (the first driven gear 62L in this embodiment) is disposed in a position where it can mesh with the first drive gear 61. When the teeth of the first drive gear 61 mesh, the rotational force from the drive source 21 is transmitted to the pair of arm members 30, 30 via the two first driven gears 62L, 62R.

[0030] The second power transmission mechanism 70 transmits the rotational force input to the drive shaft 22 to the pair of first finger members 40, 40, thereby rotating the pair of first finger members 40, 40 and the pair of second finger members 50, 50. The second power transmission mechanism 70 may include a second drive gear 71, two second driven gears 72L, 72R, a plurality of pulleys 73 to 75, a plurality of belts 76, 77, and an interlocking shaft 78. Of the above-mentioned components, the portion formed by the second drive gear 71, the two second driven gears 72L, 72R, the plurality of pulleys 73 to 75, and the plurality of belts 76, 77 corresponds to an example of a second power transmission mechanism main body of the present disclosure.

[0031] The second drive gear 71 can be configured as a missing-tooth gear that is attached to the drive shaft 22 and rotates with the rotation of the drive shaft 22. In this embodiment, the second drive gear 71 is disposed above the first drive gear 61 that is also attached to the drive shaft 22. Furthermore, the teeth of the second drive gear 71 may be provided at a position where they mesh with the teeth of one of the second driven gears 72L only while the end effector 1 transitions from the first position shown in FIG. 1 to the second position shown in FIG. 2.

[0032] The two second driven gears 72L, 72R are each rotatably supported on the rotation shaft 31 of the pair of arm members 30. In this embodiment, the second driven gears 72L, 72R are disposed above the first driven gears 62L, 62R, which are respectively attached to the rotation shaft 31. In this embodiment, the two second driven gears 72L, 72R are configured as gears with missing teeth. However, they may also be configured as gears with no missing teeth, specifically, spur gears. The two second driven gears 72L, 72R may have the same diameter, and since their teeth mesh with each other, they always rotate simultaneously. In addition, at least one second driven gear of the two second driven gears 72L, 72R (the second driven gear 72L in this embodiment) is disposed in a position where it can mesh with the second drive gear 71.

[0033] In this embodiment, the second driven gears 72L, 72R are connected to the support shaft 34 to which the first finger members 40, 40 are attached using three pulleys 73 to 75 and two belts 76, 77. Hereinafter, the three pulleys will be referred to as a first pulley 73, a second pulley 74, and a third pulley 75 in order from the side closest to the second driven gears 72L, 72R, and the two belts will be referred to as a first belt 76 and a second belt 77 in order from the side closest to the second driven gears 72L, 72R. Note that, although this embodiment will exemplify a power transmission structure using three pulleys and two belts, the number of pulleys and belts used is not limited thereto, and other well-known power transmission mechanisms may be employed instead of the pulleys and belts.

[0034] The first pulley 73 is fixed to one surface, for example, the upper surface, of the second driven gears 72L, 72R and rotates together with the second driven gears 72L, 72R. The second pulley 74 is rotatably supported on a support shaft 34 located in front of the rotation shaft 31. The third pulley 75 is attached to the support shaft 34 to which the first finger members 40, 40 are attached. The first belt 76 is stretched between the first pulley 73 and the second pulley 74, and the second belt 77 is stretched between the second pulley 74 and the third pulley 75. By arranging the pulleys and belts as described above, the rotational force of the second driven gears 72L, 72R transmitted from the second drive gear 71 can be transmitted to the support shaft 34 to which the first finger members 40, 40 are attached.

[0035] The interlocking shaft 78 has a base end rotatably supported on the tip ends of the pair of arm members 30, 30, and a tip end rotatably supported at a predetermined position radially away from the center of rotation of the portion of the pair of second finger members 50, 50 that is rotatably supported on the tip ends of the pair of first finger members 40, 40. This interlocking shaft 78 connects the arm member 30 and the second finger member 50 as described above, and thereby rotates the second finger member 50 when the first finger members 40, 40 are rotated via the second power transmission mechanism 70. The interlocking shaft 78 is a rod-shaped member with pin insertion holes 78H, 78H provided at both ends, and can be configured, for example, as a shaft having a cross-sectional shape that can be accommodated in the accommodation groove 42 provided in the first finger members 40, 40.

[0036] The base end of the interlocking shaft 78, which is the end on the arm member 30 side, is rotatably attached to a pin mounting hole 35 provided in the short link 33 via a support pin 79. The tip end of the interlocking shaft 78, which is the end on the second finger member 50 side, is rotatably attached to a pin mounting hole 52 provided adjacent to the through hole 51H of the second tongue piece 51 via the support pin 79. The longitudinal length of the interlocking shaft 78 in this embodiment is preferably adjusted so that the distance between the rotation centers of the two support pins 79 inserted into the through hole 51H is substantially the same as the distance between the rotation centers of the two support shafts 34, 43 inserted into the first finger member 40. The interlocking shaft 78, which has been adjusted to this length, is supported by the pin mounting holes 35, 52 via the support pins 79, respectively, so that the second finger member 50 can rotate to follow the rotation of the first finger member 40.

[0037] Furthermore, when the end effector 1 is in the first position, the interlocking shaft 78 supports the pair of second finger members 50 at a position extending in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pair of first finger members 40, whose base ends are supported. When the end effector 1 transitions from the first position to the second position, the pair of second finger members 50 are rotated in conjunction with the transition so that their extension direction is aligned with the extension direction of the pair of first finger members 40, whose base ends are supported. A more specific description of the operation of the interlocking shaft 78 etc. will be given later.

[0038] The end effector 1 of this embodiment is provided with the above-described series of components and can assume a plurality of different postures. The end effector 1 of this embodiment is intended to realize the various required movements by selectively assuming the optimum posture for realizing the various movements described above.

[0039] Specifically, the end effector 1 according to this embodiment can take at least three positions by operating the actuator 20. Here, the three positions include a first position as shown in Fig. 1, which is suitable for hooking the second finger member 50 onto an object and operating it, such as opening and closing a drawer; a second position as shown in Fig. 2, which is suitable for operations requiring a relatively large pressing force, such as opening and closing a doorknob; and a third position as shown in Fig. 3, which allows the finger members to be operated in a direction in which one surface of each finger member comes into contact with each other in order to grasp an object. The configuration of the components of the pair of arms 10, 10 in each position will be described below.

[0040] 1, the first position is a position in which the tips of the pair of arm members 30, 30 are spaced apart, the pair of first finger members 40, 40 extend along the pair of arm members 30, 30 on which their respective base ends are supported, and the pair of second finger members 50, 50 extend in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pair of first finger members 40, 40 on which their respective base ends are supported. In this first position, the second finger member 50 extends in a direction intersecting the first finger member 40 (in this embodiment, a direction perpendicular to the first finger member 40), so the second finger member 50 can be used like a hook to hook onto an object. Therefore, even in a relatively narrow space, such as a handle provided on the front of a drawer, the second finger member 50 can be inserted and engaged with the handle, allowing the drawer to be opened or closed.

[0041] 2, the second position is a position in which the tip ends of the pair of arm members 30, 30 are spaced apart, the pair of first finger members 40, 40 extend in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pair of arm members 30, 30 at their respective base ends, and the pair of second finger members 50, 50 extend along the pair of first finger members 40, 40 at their respective base ends. In this second position, because the first finger members 40 extend in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the arm members 30, the first finger members 40 can be used as a stopper when pressing an object with the arm members 30. Therefore, for example, it is possible to perform an operation that requires a relatively large force to rotate, such as a lever-type doorknob (also called a lever handle), and that requires the door to be opened or closed by pushing or pulling the doorknob after the rotation. To explain in detail the operation of opening a door using the end effector 1 in the second posture, first, the doorknob is rotated by pressing it in one direction, for example downward, with the arm member 30. Next, the first finger member 40 is brought into contact with one side of the doorknob or the door itself, and the doorknob or the door itself is pushed or pulled in succession, thereby opening the door.

[0042] In the third posture, the tips of the pair of arm members 30, 30 are adjacent to each other, the pair of first finger members 40, 40 extend along the pair of arm members 30, 30 whose base ends are supported, and the pair of second finger members 50, 50 extend along the pair of first finger members 40, 40 whose base ends are supported. By being able to achieve this third posture, the end effector 1 can move the left and right finger members in directions adjacent to each other so that they abut or face each other with a small gap in between, in the process of transitioning from the second posture to the third posture, thereby enabling the end effector 1 to grasp an object.

[0043] Next, we will explain the operation of each part of the end effector 1 when performing each of the above-mentioned postures. The end effector 1 according to this embodiment performs the first posture, the second posture, and the third posture in order by rotating the drive shaft 22 in one direction, for example, in the direction B shown in Fig. 1, by input from the drive source 21.

[0044] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the configuration shown in FIG. 4 , excluding the configuration related to the operation of the interlocking shaft. FIG. 7 is a view showing a state in which the end effector has transitioned from the state shown in FIG. 6 to a second position. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which the end effector is in the middle of transitioning from the first position to the second position. If the initial position of the end effector 1 according to this embodiment is the first position shown in FIG. 1, when a rotational force is input from the drive source 21 to the drive shaft 22, the first and second drive gears 61 and 71 attached to the drive shaft 22 rotate. At this time, the first drive gear 61 and the first driven gear 62L are not engaged with each other, and therefore the arm member 30 does not move.

[0045] On the other hand, because the second drive gear 71 is engaged with the second driven gear 72L, the rotational force is transmitted to the two second driven gears 72L and 72R. The rotational force transmitted to the two second driven gears 72L and 72R is transmitted in this order to the first pulley 73, the first belt 76, the second pulley 74, the second belt 77, and the third pulley 75, causing the spindle 34 to rotate, to which the first finger member 40 is attached. When the spindle 34 rotates, the first finger member 40 begins to rotate forward about the spindle 34, as shown in FIG. 8 , and this rotational movement continues until the first finger member 40 reaches a position in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the arm member 30, more specifically, where the angle formed between the long link 32 of the arm member 30 and the first finger member 40 is substantially a right angle. Then, when the first finger member 40 reaches a position where the angle between the long link 32 and the first finger member 40 is essentially a right angle as shown in Figure 2, the engagement between the second drive gear 71 and the second driven gear 72L is released, and the aforementioned rotational movement stops.

[0046] As described above, when the first finger member 40 rotates, the second finger member 50 also rotates. The rotation of the second finger member 50 is achieved by the interlocking shaft 78 pulling or pushing the second finger member 50 as the first finger member 40 rotates.

[0047] Specifically, when the end effector 1 is in the first posture, as shown in FIG. 6 , the end of the interlocking shaft 78 supported by the second finger member 50 is positioned farther away from the arm member 30 than the support shaft 43 that rotatably supports the second finger member 50. When the first finger member 40 starts to rotate from this state, the interlocking shaft 78 rotates together with the first finger member 40 in the same direction as the rotation of the first finger member 40 (clockwise in FIG. 6 ). Here, a support pin 79 at the end supported by the arm member 30, which serves as the rotation center of the interlocking shaft 78, is positioned outside the support shaft 34 to which the first finger member 40 is attached. Therefore, when the first finger member 40 rotates, the interlocking shaft 78 rotates together with the first finger member 40 while pulling the support pin 79 attached to the pin attachment hole 52 of the second finger member 50 in a direction toward the arm member 30.

[0048] Due to the pulling action of the interlocking shaft 78 described above, the second finger member 50, which is rotatably supported on the support shaft 43, rotates around the support shaft 43 in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the first finger member 40 (counterclockwise in FIG. 6). When the first finger member 40 reaches a position where the angle between the long link 32 and the first finger member 40 is substantially a right angle as shown in FIG. 2, the position of the pin mounting hole 52 to which the support pin 79 of the second finger member 50 is attached becomes pulled to a distance substantially the same as that of the support shaft 43 when viewed from the arm member 30 side, as shown in FIG. 7. At this time, in this embodiment, the position of the pin mounting hole 52 is adjusted so that the second finger member 50 and the first finger member 40 extend substantially in a straight line.

[0049] 2 due to the rotational movement of the first finger member 50 and the second finger member 50, when a rotational force is further input to the drive shaft 22 in the direction B shown in FIG. 1, the first drive gear 61 and the first driven gear 62L mesh together. Then, the end effector 1 starts to transition from the second position to the third position.

[0050] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which the end effector is in the middle of transitioning from the second position to the third position. When the drive shaft 22 further rotates in direction B while the first drive gear 61 and the first driven gear 62L are engaged, the two first driven gears 62L and 62R rotate, and the rotating shaft 31 to which the two first driven gears 62L and 62R are attached rotates. When the rotating shaft 31 rotates, one of the long links 32 attached to the rotating shaft 31 rotates about the rotating shaft 31, and as shown in FIG. 9, the tips of the pair of arms 10 move toward each other. This movement can continue until the long links 32 of the pair of arm members 30, 30 come into contact with each other or reach a position where they face each other with a small gap therebetween, as shown in FIG. 3.

[0051] In explaining the operation of each of the above-mentioned parts, an example was given in which the drive shaft 22 was rotated in direction B. However, it should be clear from the above explanation that if the drive shaft 22 is rotated in the opposite direction to direction B, the order in which the above-mentioned postures are performed will be reversed.

[0052] As described above, by employing the above-described configuration, the end effector 1 according to this embodiment can assume a plurality of postures that can realize desired operations. As a result, by employing the end effector 1 according to this embodiment in a robot, it is possible to provide a robot that can execute various operations simply by changing the posture of the end effector 1.

[0053] Below, several examples of use of the end effector 1 that can perform each of the above-mentioned postures are described. Note that what is shown below is merely an example, and it is not intended that the operations that the end effector 1 can perform are limited to the operations exemplified below. Furthermore, each of the end effectors 1 described below can be moved to a desired position by being attached to an attachment part 3 formed at the tip of a movable manipulator 2.

[0054] 10 and 11 are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of opening a drawer having a built-in handle using an end effector. In particular, FIG. 10 shows the drawer in a closed state, and FIG. 11 shows the drawer in an open state. The operation of opening a drawer 100 having a built-in handle 103 using an end effector 1 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. The drawer 100 may include a case 101 that is open at the front, a drawer body 102 that is housed in the case 101 and has an opening at the top, and is slidable in the front-rear direction, and a built-in handle 103 provided at the top front of the drawer body 102. The built-in handle 103 described above has a handle formed on the underside that can be inserted with a finger, but the orientation and arrangement of the handle are not particularly limited.

[0055] The end effector 1 can open and close the aforementioned drawer 100. To open the drawer 100 using the end effector 1, more specifically, to pull out the drawer body 102 toward the front of the case 101, the end effector 1 is first placed in a first position as shown in FIG. 10. When the end effector 1 is in the first position, the second finger member 50 extends in a direction intersecting with the first finger member 40, as also shown in FIG. 1. To open the drawer 100, the second finger member 50, which is bent relative to the first finger member 40, is primarily used. Specifically, first, the second finger member 50 included in one arm 10 of the end effector 1 in the first position is inserted into a position inside the built-in handle 103. More specifically, the second finger member 50 is inserted inside the knob opening at the bottom of the built-in handle 103. In order to perform the above-described positioning of the second finger member 50 with high precision, it is preferable to attach a camera 4 at a position adjacent to the end effector 1, for example.

[0056] Once the second finger member 50 is inserted into the handle of the built-in handle 103, the manipulator 2 is then operated to move the end effector 1 in a direction away from the case 101, specifically along the sliding direction of the drawer body 102 indicated by arrow A1 in FIG. 10. At this time, the second finger member 50 engages with the handle 103 and functions like a hook. Therefore, the drawer body 102 is pulled forward relative to the case 101 by the aforementioned movement, as shown in FIG. 11. To return the drawer body 102 into the case 101, for example, the second finger member 50 may be pressed against the front surface of the drawer body 102 to press it toward the case 101.

[0057] 12 and 13 are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of opening a folding door using an end effector. In particular, FIG. 12 shows the folding door in a closed state, and FIG. 13 shows the folding door in an open state. Next, the operation of opening a folding door 110 using the end effector 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. Here, the folding door 110 is a door used in an opening that constitutes the entrance to a bathroom, and may be configured by connecting multiple door panels 111 (two in FIGS. 12 and 13) via hinges. This folding door 110 opens and closes by the multiple door panels 111 folding and overlapping along rails (not shown) provided above and below the opening. A handle 112 is attached to any one of the multiple door panels 111. Although FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate a bar-type handle as an example of the handle 112, the specific shape is not limited thereto.

[0058] The end effector 1 can open and close the folding door 110 described above. When using the end effector 1 to open the folding door 110, similar to the case of opening the drawer 100 described above, the end effector 1 is first placed in a first position as shown in FIG. 12. Then, the second finger member 50 included in one arm 10 of the end effector 1 in the first position is inserted into the inside of the handle 112. FIG. 12 exemplarily shows a state in which the second finger member 50 is inserted from the top of the handle 112 into the inside of the handle 112, in other words, into the gap formed between the handle 112 and the door panel 111.

[0059] Once the second finger member 50 is inserted inside the handle 112, the manipulator 2 is then operated to move the end effector 1 in the direction indicated by arrow A2 in FIG. 12, i.e., to pull the handle 112 toward the user. In addition to the above-described operation, the manipulator 2 is also moved in the direction indicated by arrow A3 in FIG. 12, i.e., in the direction in which the door panel 111 is folded. In order to achieve the above-described movement, the manipulator 2 to which the end effector 1 that opens and closes the folding door 110 is attached may be provided with a rotation mechanism (not shown) that can rotate the end effector 1 about a rotation axis perpendicular to the ground. In addition, a camera 4 is attached to the upper portion of the manipulator 2 shown in FIGS. 12 and 13.

[0060] When the end effector 1 is moved in the above-mentioned direction, the second finger member 50 acts to rotate and pull the handle 112. As a result, as shown in Fig. 13, the door panel 111 on which the handle 112 is provided moves so as to overlap with the adjacent door panel 111, thereby opening the folding door 110. To return the folding door 110 to the closed state, the above-mentioned series of operations can be performed in reverse.

[0061] FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of opening a hinged door having a lever handle using an end effector. Next, the operation of opening a hinged door 120 having a lever handle 121 using the end effector 1 will be described below with reference to FIG. 14. Here, the hinged door 120 may be, for example, a single-wing door including a plate-shaped hinged door body 122 connected to an appropriate position of an opening via a hinge. The hinged door 120 opens and closes the opening by moving back and forth relative to the opening. A lever handle 121 is attached to an appropriate position of the hinged door 120. The hinged door 120 can be opened by moving the hinged door 120 forward (toward the manipulator 2) or backward (toward the manipulator 2) while pressing the lever handle 121 downward. The hinged door 120 shown in FIG. 14 exemplifies a structure in which the opening can be opened by moving the hinged door 120 forward relative to the opening.

[0062] The end effector 1 can open and close the hinged door 120 described above. When using the end effector 1 to open the hinged door 120, first, the end effector 1 is set to the second position as shown in FIG. 14. When the end effector 1 is in the second position, the first finger member 40 and the second finger member 50 extend in a direction intersecting the extension direction of the arm member 30 as shown in FIG. 2. When opening the hinged door 120 with the end effector 1, first, the shape in the second position described above is used to rotate the lever handle 121. Specifically, first, the first finger member 40 and the second finger member 50 of one arm 10 are inserted into the space between the lever handle 121 and the hinged door main body 122. Then, the arm member 30 of one arm 10 is brought into contact with the upper part of the lever handle 121, and the end effector 1 is pressed in the direction indicated by arrow A4, specifically downward, to rotate the lever handle 121. At this time, the first finger member 40 of each arm 10 can be used as a stopper to maintain contact between the arm member 30 and the lever handle 121 when rotating the lever handle 121.

[0063] When the rotation of the lever handle 121 is completed, the manipulator 2 is operated to move the end effector 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow A5 in FIG. 14, i.e., in the direction away from the hinge door 120. During this movement, one of the first finger members 40 presses the surface of the lever handle 121 facing the hinge door main body 122, while the arm member 30 continues to press the lever handle 121 downward. Therefore, the hinge door 120 can be opened. Note that when the direction in which the hinge door 120 is to be opened is rearward, the hinge door 120 can be opened by abutting one of the first finger members 40 against the hinge door main body 122 and pushing it, while the arm member 30 continues to press the lever handle 121 downward.

[0064] 15 and 16 are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of opening a drawer with a knob using an end effector. In particular, FIG. 15 shows the drawer with a knob in a closed state, and FIG. 16 shows the drawer with a knob in an open state. The operation of opening a drawer 130 with a knob 133 using an end effector 1 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. The drawer 130 with the knob 133 may have a structure similar to that of the above-described drawer 100, except that the knob 133 is used instead of the built-in handle 103. Specifically, the drawer 130 may include a case 131 with an opening at the front, a drawer body 132 with an opening at the top housed in the case 131 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, and a knob 133 provided in front of the drawer body 132. While FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate the knob 133 as a circular knob, the specific shape of the knob 133 is not particularly limited.

[0065] The end effector 1 can open and close the drawer 130 described above. However, because the circular knob 133 provided on the drawer 130 has a small recess formed around it, it is difficult to open the drawer 130 in the same manner as the drawer 100. Therefore, when opening the drawer 130 using the end effector 1, a method is adopted that includes a step of gripping the knob 133 with the end effector 1. Specifically, to open the drawer 130, the end effector 1 is first positioned in the second posture so as to face the knob 133. Next, the actuator 20 is operated to move the end effector 1 from the second posture to the third posture, and the second finger members 50 and / or the first finger members 40 grip the knob 133 from the left and right, as shown in FIG. 15 . To accurately position the end effector 1 described above, it is preferable to attach a camera 4, for example, adjacent to the end effector 1.

[0066] Once the knob 133 is gripped by the end effector 1, the manipulator 2 is then operated to move the end effector 1 in a direction away from the case 101, more specifically, along the sliding direction of the drawer body 132 indicated by the arrow A6 in Fig. 15. By the movement described above, the drawer body 132 is pulled out forward relative to the case 131, as shown in Fig. 16.

[0067] 17 and 18 are explanatory diagrams illustrating the operation of gripping an object using an end effector. In particular, FIG. 17 shows the state before the end effector grips the object, and FIG. 18 shows the state after the end effector grips the object. Finally, the operation of moving a specific object 140 to an arbitrary position using the end effector 1 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 17 and 18. Here, the object 140 is not particularly limited as long as it has a portion that can be gripped by the end effector 1, but it may be a relatively small object such as stationery, for example. Furthermore, the object 140 may be stored in a relatively small space, such as the object 140 stored in the space inside the drawer 100 already described with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11. Note that FIGS. 17 and 18 exemplarily illustrate a case in which the object 140 is a tape measure (convex).

[0068] The end effector 1 can grasp an object 140 and move it to a desired position. When moving the object 140 using the end effector 1, first, as shown in FIG. 17, the end effector 1 is positioned in the second posture so as to face the object 140. Next, the actuator 20 and the manipulator 2 are operated to move the end effector 1 in the direction indicated by arrow A7 in FIG. 17, thereby bringing it closer to the object 140. In addition, at a predetermined timing, the end effector 1 is shifted from the second posture to the third posture, and the object 140 is grasped from the left and right by the second finger members 50 or the first finger members 40, as shown in FIG.

[0069] Once the object 140 has been grasped by the end effector 1, the end effector 1 is then moved in a direction that removes it from the drawer body 102, and the object 140 is removed from the drawer body 102. The removed object 140 can be moved to a desired position by operating the manipulator 2. As described above, the end effector 1 can also remove the object 140 stored in a narrow space and move it to a desired position.

[0070] As described above, the end effector 1 according to this embodiment is not only capable of opening and closing various types of doors and drawers, but also capable of grasping and moving objects. Therefore, it is expected to be particularly effective in applications that support human life, such as assistance robots.

[0071] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, all of which are included in the technical concept of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1 End Effector 10 Arm 20 Actuator 21 Power Source 22 Drive shaft 30 Arm member 31 (Arm member) rotation axis 32 Long Link 33 Short Link 34 Spindle 35 pin mounting holes 40 first finger member 43 Spindle 50 second finger member 52 pin mounting holes 60 First power transmission mechanism 61 First driving gear 62L, 62R First driven gear 70 Second power transmission mechanism 71 Second driving gear 72L, 72R Second driven gear 73~75 Pulley 76, 77 Belt 78 Interlocking shaft 78H pin insertion hole 79 Support pin

Claims

1. a pair of arm members whose base ends are disposed adjacent to each other and supported rotatably about rotation axes extending in the same direction; a pair of first finger members each having a predetermined length and each having a base end rotatably supported on the distal end of each of the pair of arm members; a pair of second finger members each shorter than the pair of first finger members, the base ends of which are rotatably supported on the tip ends of the pair of first finger members; an actuator that rotates the pair of arm members, the pair of first finger members, and the pair of second finger members, When the actuator is operated, a first position in which the tip ends of the pair of arm members are spaced apart, the pair of first finger members extend along the pair of arm members on which their base ends are supported, and the pair of second finger members extend along a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pair of first finger members on which their base ends are supported; a second posture in which the tip ends of the pair of arm members are spaced apart, the pair of first finger members extend along a direction intersecting the extension direction of the pair of arm members on which their base ends are supported, and the pair of second finger members extend along the pair of first finger members on which their base ends are supported; and a third position in which the tips of the pair of arm members are adjacent to each other, the pair of first finger members extend along the pair of arm members on which their base ends are supported, and the pair of second finger members extend along the pair of first finger members on which their base ends are supported; End effector.

2. The actuator is A driving source; a first power transmission mechanism that transmits power from the drive source to the pair of arm members to rotate the pair of arm members; a second power transmission mechanism that transmits power from the drive source to the pair of first finger members and the pair of second finger members to rotate the pair of first finger members and the pair of second finger members, The end effector of claim 1 .

3. The second power transmission mechanism includes: a second power transmission mechanism body that connects the drive source and base ends of the pair of first finger members to rotate the pair of first finger members; an interlocking shaft whose base end is rotatably supported on the tip end portions of the pair of arm members and whose tip end is rotatably supported on the tip end portions of the pair of first finger members, at a predetermined position radially spaced from the center of rotation of the portion of the pair of second finger members, The interlocking shaft is When the end effector is in the first position in which the pair of first finger members extend along the pair of arm members on which their base ends are supported, the end effector supports the pair of second finger members at positions in which they extend along a direction intersecting with the extension direction of the pair of first finger members on which their base ends are supported, When the end effector transitions from the first posture to the second posture, the pair of second finger members are rotated in conjunction with the transition so that the extending direction of the second finger members is aligned with the extending direction of the pair of first finger members whose base ends are supported. The end effector of claim 2 .

4. The pair of arm members are configured with a link mechanism that is long in one direction. The end effector of claim 1 .

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