Robot coupling device

Abstract

To provide a robot connecting device capable of performing seamless connection from all circumferential directions and maintaining a connected state with small electric power.SOLUTION: This robot connecting device is composed of a fixing part 1 for connecting an installing part 3 installed in a robot and the mutual robots, and a pressurizing part 2 for pressurizing the fixing part 1. The fixed part 1 has a disc part 12 having a structure in which a plurality of disc body side 121A parts brought into peripheral contact with the installation part 11 are layered, and a pressing part 21 which is a component of the pressurizing part 2 presses the disc part 12 from above in a state where the disc body side 121A parts of both robots brought close to each other are engaged with each other. The disc part 12 consisting of the side 121A of the disc body formed of a raw material having high flexibility and a high frictional coefficient is deformed by pressing, and large frictional forces for maintaining connection are obtained.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a robot coupling device, and more particularly to a robot coupling device between group robots. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, there are high expectations for productivity improvements through the use of robots to automate work in a variety of industrial settings, including manufacturing and service industries. Attention has been focused on swarm robot systems that allow the number of robots to be selected so that the combination of robot functions can be selected according to the surrounding environment and purpose. In particular, self-organizing robots that can change their shape to adapt to the environment have been proposed as one implementation method for swarm robot systems that overcomes the hardware limitations. Self-organizing robots can be operated as a group that can change shape by connecting robots equipped with connectors, and can be operated in a variety of shapes.

[0003] Regarding the type of connection structure that should be used to form the assembly, there is a method of engaging pins at specific connection positions, but this requires fine adjustment of positioning and orientation, which takes time to connect. Also, there is a hook-shaped mechanical connection method in which lanes that can be connected to hooks are placed on the entire side of one robot, and on another robot, hooks are placed to expand the connection points, but because the direction of the hook itself is fixed, there are still restrictions on the connection points from the perspective of the connecting side that has the hook.

[0004] Furthermore, a structure has been disclosed in which electromagnets or electro-permanent magnets are arranged in all directions to allow connection from all directions, but because the magnetic attraction force is low, the robot that can be implemented with this structure must be sufficiently small, and there is also the problem that a large amount of power is required to achieve a high attraction force. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-103880 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-338081 [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] “Swarmanoid, the movie”, [online], Mauro Birattari, [Retrieved July 28, 2024], Internet<URL:https: / / www.youtube.com / watch?v=M2nn1X9Xlps> Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The problem to be solved is that physical methods that fix the connection position and connection direction require a long time for connection, and electromagnetic methods require a large amount of power. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A first aspect of the invention for solving the above problem is a robot coupling device that connects one robot to another robot horizontally, the robot coupling device comprising an attachment section that attaches the robot coupling device to the robot, a fixing section that is placed on top of the attachment section, and a pressure section that pressurizes or depressurizes the fixing section, the fixing section comprising a disk section that is made up of a plurality of annular disks, and an installation section in which the plurality of disks are each placed so that they extend horizontally, the disk section having the disks of both robots stacked on top of each other so that the disks of both robots can be interlocked with each other, and the pressure section comprising means that moves the robots to a position where the disks of both robots can be interlocked with each other, and then brings the interlocked disks into close contact with each other. A second aspect of the invention for solving the above problem is a robot coupling device characterized in that, in the first invention, the means has a pressing part arranged above the fixing part, a driving part that moves the pressing part up and down, and a circular disk part stopper arranged on the upper surface of the mounting part. A third aspect of the invention for solving the above problem is a robot coupling device characterized in that, in the first invention, the disk portion is formed of a material that allows each disk body to expand up and down under pressure, and the means has a pressure device that can apply pressure to the inside of each disk body. The fourth aspect of the invention for solving the above problem is a robot coupling device characterized in that, in the first to third inventions, the disk portion has a pointed tip at the circumferential end of each disk body. The fifth aspect of the invention for solving the above problem is a robot coupling device characterized in that, in the first to third inventions, the disk portion is formed so that the friction coefficient of the circumferential portion of each disk body is smaller than that of the portion other than the circumferential portion. A sixth aspect of the invention for solving the above problem is a robot coupling device according to the fourth invention, characterized in that the disc portion is formed so that the coefficient of friction of the circumferential portion of each disc body is smaller than that of the portion other than the circumferential portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the first aspect of the present invention, the fixing portion arranged via the mounting portion is configured as a disk portion consisting of multiple disks extending horizontally, so that the robots are connected in the same manner, enabling seamless connection from all directions. Furthermore, when the disks stacked on both robots are brought into engagement with each other, the disk portion applies pressure using a means for bringing the upper and lower disks into close contact with each other, generating a strong frictional force, so that the connected state can be maintained even with a small pressure. According to the second invention, the means for applying pressure when the disk bodies of both robots are brought into a mutually meshed state is a mechanism in which a pressing part, which is lowered by a drive part from above the disk body located at the top, crushes the entire disk body, so that a strong frictional force can be generated between the disk bodies with a simple configuration. According to the third invention, when the disc bodies of both robots are brought into mesh with each other, the pressure applying means causes each disc body to expand vertically to generate frictional force, thereby enabling the coupling device to be configured compactly. According to the fourth invention, the tip of the circumferential portion of the disk body is formed into a pointed shape, which makes it easier for the disk bodies of the connected robots to fit between each other, allowing them to efficiently transition to a connected state. According to the fifth and sixth inventions, the coefficient of friction of the circumferential portion of each disc body is formed to be smaller than that of the portions other than the circumferential portion, thereby reducing the likelihood of the tips of the disc bodies of the connected robots getting caught on each other, and allowing them to efficiently transition to a connected state. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a side view of the robot coupling device of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a side view of a robot coupling device according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a coupled state. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a pressure applying unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a side view of a robot coupling device according to a third embodiment of the present invention in a coupled state. [Figure 5] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams of fixing parts illustrating the procedure for connecting the robots together. [Figure 6] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example in which the robot coupling device according to the present invention is used in a group robot system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, first and second embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same elements or elements having the same functions are denoted by the same reference numerals. However, it should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the relationship between thickness and planar dimensions may differ from the actual relationship, and that the drawings may include parts with different dimensional relationships and ratios.

[0012] The first and second embodiments shown below are merely examples of devices and methods for embodying the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and the technical idea of ​​the present invention does not limit the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, etc. of the components to those described below. The technical idea of ​​the present invention can be modified in various ways within the technical scope described in the claims.

[0013] The robot coupling device of the present invention is a device that allows robots to be coupled and separated from each other. This coupling device is composed of a fixing part, a pressure part, and a mounting part for mounting the device to the robot. The robot in the present invention is not particularly limited in type as long as it is a device driven by a power source and performs some operation. For example, it can be an industrial robot such as a robot arm that performs assembly or transfer, or a service robot that transports luggage, pallets, etc., but the specific structure and type of operation are not particularly limited. Each robot may be a different type of robot or the same type of robot. This connecting device can also be applied to cases where three or more robots work together. However, as mentioned above, there are many different types of robots, and many of them have different characteristics in terms of shape and leg system. Therefore, the following explanation of the first and second embodiments of the present invention will be given on the assumption that the robot coupling device of the present invention is installed on an omnidirectional mobile robot equipped with a control microcomputer board and omni-wheels or Mecanum wheels.

[0014] (First embodiment) As shown in FIG. 1, the robot coupling device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is composed of a fixing unit 1, a pressure unit 2, and an attachment unit 3.

[0015] The mounting part 3 is a component part at the bottom of the robot coupling device, and serves to mount the coupling device above the robot. In Figure 1, the mounting part 3 is shown as being made up of a plate-like body and three legs extending below the plate-like body, but any configuration is acceptable as long as it can be mounted so that the fixed part 1 can be kept horizontal above the robot.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the fixed part 1 is composed of a disk part 12 made up of a plurality of disk bodies 121A and an installation part 11. The disk portion 12 is provided around the installation portion 11 so that the stacked disk bodies 121A extend in the horizontal direction. The disk 121A is a circular plate-like body, and is formed with a uniform diameter and thickness. The disk 121A may be formed as a single piece, or may be formed from, for example, two to four pieces in a fan shape with a notch cut out at the center.

[0017] 1, the number of disks 121A is three, but this number is not limited to three. However, while increasing the number of disks is advantageous in increasing the frictional force when the disks of both robots are meshed with each other, it becomes more difficult to design a compact robot coupling device, so three to five disks is preferable.

[0018] The disks 121A are made of a material that is highly flexible and has a high coefficient of friction. Various types of rubber can be used as the material, with foam rubber being preferred. However, even if a closed-cell structure material is used, the weight of the material itself can cause bending toward the periphery, so aggregates can be incorporated to prevent bending. The aggregates are housed inside each disk 121A and can be circular, radial, or have any other shape that helps prevent bending. A lightweight material is preferred. Regardless of whether aggregates are used, the disks 121A are formed to be flexible enough to maintain a horizontally elongated shape without succumbing to gravity, and to allow the disks of other robots to flex vertically and overlap when inserted.

[0019] If the circumferential tips of the disks of the robots being connected get caught on each other, it will be difficult to interlock them alternately, so it is desirable that the peripheral edge of disk 121A be formed so that it becomes thinner and sharper towards the tip. Furthermore, it is desirable that the peripheral edge of each disk 121A be formed so that it has a smaller coefficient of friction than the rest of the main body. This can be achieved by molding the surface of the peripheral edge with minimal unevenness using the same material, by extending a material with a low coefficient of friction such as aluminum or fluororesin, or by coating such a material with a thin film.

[0020] 1, the installation section 11 is placed on the upper surface of the disk section holder 23, which is arranged on the upper surface of the attachment section 3. It is not prohibited to integrally form the disk section holder 23 and the installation section 11. The installation section 11 serves to install the disk body 121A so that it extends horizontally, and is formed in the shape of a right cylinder with a diameter equal to the diameter of the central hole of the disk body 121A and a height that allows multiple disk bodies 121A to be stacked on top of each other. The stacked disks 121A are provided with gaps between them and are mounted on the mounting section 11. The gaps are formed to be slightly larger than the thickness of the disks 121A. In Figure 1, the disk part 12 is mounted around the installation part 11 with a gap the size of one disk between the disk part stopper 23 and the lower end of the disk part 12, i.e., the underside of the lowest disk part 121A. When configured in this manner, the lowest disk part 121A of one robot can slip under the lowest disk part 121A of the other robot.

[0021] The material of the installation part 11 is preferably synthetic resin to contribute to weight reduction, and the inside of the cylinder is preferably hollow. Furthermore, the side of the installation part 11 may be cut out or partially opened as long as the disk body 121A can be placed thereon, and the top surface may also be cut out or partially opened as long as the pressure part 2 or the mounting part 4 described later can be placed thereon. The bottom of the installation part 11 may also be opened. By configuring the fixing unit 1 as described above, it is possible to bring the disk units 12 of both robots into an interlocking state.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the pressure applying unit 2 has a pressing unit 21 arranged above the fixing unit 1, a driving unit 22 that moves the pressing unit 21 up and down, and a circular disk stopper 23 arranged on the upper surface of the mounting unit 3. The pressing unit 21 pressurizes or depressurizes the disk unit 12 from above using a driving unit 22 that drives it up and down using the power of a motor. A ball screw, rack and pinion, or the like can be used as a mechanism for converting the rotational motion of the motor into linear motion. 5(b), it is difficult to generate enough frictional force to connect the robots simply by overlapping the disks 121A of both robots alternately. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5(c), the pressure unit 2 applies pressure from above the disk part 12 while the disks 121A of both robots are overlapping alternately to increase the normal force, thereby increasing the magnitude of the frictional force between the disks 121A.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 3, the pressing portion 21 has a ring portion 21a and one transmission portion 21b that connects the diameter of the ring portion 21a at the top, and the height of the transmission portion 21b is formed to be smaller than the height of the ring portion 21a. 1, the diameter of the pressing portion 21 is longer than the diameter of the installation portion 11 and shorter than the diameter of the disk body 121A. The transmission portion 21b has a role of transmitting the power of the drive portion 22 to the pressing portion 21. The material of the pressing portion 21 may be of any type as long as it has sufficient hardness, but synthetic resin is preferred from the viewpoint of lightweighting. The drive unit 22 is placed at a height that does not interfere with the vertical movement of the pressing unit 21, using legs and a mounting base that extend upward from the mounting unit. The disk stopper 23 is made of a material with sufficient hardness and is circular, with a diameter equal to or slightly longer than the diameter of the pressing part 21. The disk stopper 23 is located below the lowest disk body 121A, and serves to hold back the disk parts 12 pressed from above when the disk parts 12 of both connected robots are alternately meshed. By configuring in this way, the entire disk portion 12 can be pressurized or depressurized uniformly. The shapes of the pressing portion 21 and the transmission portion described above are merely examples, and they may be formed in any shape as long as the entire disk portion 12 can be pressurized or depressurized uniformly.

[0024] In the robot coupling device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, when two robots approach each other to be coupled, the disk body 121A of one robot bends and enters the gap between the disk bodies 121A of the other robot. Therefore, the disk parts 12 of the robots can be easily combined from any direction without the need for special positioning. When the disk bodies 121A of both robots are meshed with each other, the pressure unit 2 does not require a large amount of power to pressurize the disk part 12 to increase the frictional force, and the power source for the wheels of the robots can also be used. The circular plate supported by three legs and positioned further above the drive unit 22 shown in Figure 3 is the mounting unit 4, which serves to mount the robot's individual functions, such as the arm and camera. The mounting unit 4 may be formed into any shape and placed in any location as long as it does not interfere with the role of this connection device. Figure 6 shows an example of use in a group robot system in which a cart robot FR, a camera robot CR, and an arm robot AR, each equipped with individual functions, are connected and used as a single unit, as indicated by the arrow, as a transport robot TR.

[0025] Next, a method of using the robot coupling device of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 5. The arrow in Figure 5(b) indicates the direction in which the robot moves, and the arrow in Figure 5(c) indicates the direction in which force is applied. As shown in Figure (a), before the two robots are connected, the disk sections 12 of the two robots have a gap between the disk bodies 121A, ensuring space for each disk body 121A of the two robots to fit into the gap between them. As shown in (b), both robots are moved until the disks 121A fit into the gaps between them. The circular disks 121A overlap in the same shape no matter which direction they are moved from, which has the advantage that the connecting points are not limited and they can be connected seamlessly. Then, as shown in Figure (c), when the disks 121A of both robots are fully interlocked, the pressing units 21 of both robots descend using the power and mechanism of the drive units 22, pressing the disks 12 of each robot from above the uppermost disk 121A. This pressing force causes the disks 12 to deform from the contact surface of the pressing units 21, and a compressive force is applied almost vertically, so the disks 12 of both robots will not easily come off. This has the advantage that the coupled state can be maintained with little power. When separating the two robots, the pressing unit 21 is driven upward to release the pressing state. The disk units 12 of both robots return to the state before pressing, and the frictional force acting between the disk bodies 121A becomes small enough to separate the two robots and move them.

[0026] In the first embodiment of the present invention, the disk body 121A is fixed to the installation part 11 and extends horizontally, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the disk body may be loosely fitted into the installation part 11, and the angle of the disk body may be changed up and down from the joint point relative to the horizontal direction, and an elastic body such as a spring may be used to pull the disk body from inside the installation part, thereby maintaining the horizontal state of the disk body in an unconnected state.

[0027] (Second embodiment) The robot coupling device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is composed of a fixed part 1, a pressure part, and an attachment part 3, but unlike the first embodiment, the pressure part is configured as a pressure device that can apply pressure to the inside of each disk body 121B, and each disk body 121B is formed of a material that can expand up and down by the pressure of the pressure device. The pressurization method can be any of air pressure, water pressure, and hydraulic pressure, but air pressure is preferred as it is a safe method with low load, low pressure, simple equipment, and little impact on the robot. The pressurizing device is composed of a cylinder, a control valve, a compressor, a hose, etc., and is housed inside a hollow installation section. The disk body 121B is expandable, made of a highly airtight material that does not allow fluid to escape, and is formed so that the coefficient of friction of its surface is high.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 4, when the disks 121B of both robots equipped with the robot coupling device according to the second embodiment of the present invention are interlocked to a sufficient depth, and pressure is applied to each disk 121B by a pressure device, the disks 121B of both robots expand, causing the upper and lower surfaces of each disk 121B to come into close contact with each other, generating a high frictional force and allowing the coupled state to be maintained. When the connection state is to be released, the pressure in the disk body 121B is reduced to reduce the frictional force. According to the second embodiment of the present invention, the pressurizing means is housed within the installation portion 11 that constitutes the fixing portion 1, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the connecting device.

[0029] In the second embodiment of the present invention, a form is shown in which a pressure device capable of applying pressure to the inside of each disk body 121B is used as the pressure unit, but in addition to this pressure device, a pressure unit 2 consisting of the pressing unit 21 and driving unit 22 disclosed in the first embodiment of the present invention may also be used in combination.

[0030] As described above, an embodiment of the present invention has been described, but the descriptions and drawings that form part of this disclosure are examples to embody the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and do not specify the materials, shapes, structures, arrangements, etc. of the components as described above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1 Fixed part 11 Installation part 12 Disc Section 121 Disk 2 Pressurizing section 21 Pressing section 22 Drive unit 23 Disc stopper 3 Mounting part

Claims

1. A robot connection device that connects one robot to another robot in a horizontal direction, the robot coupling device is comprised of an attachment part for attaching the robot coupling device to a robot, a fixing part disposed on an upper part of the attachment part, and a pressure part for pressurizing and depressurizing the fixing part, the fixing portion includes a disk portion including a plurality of annular disk bodies, and an installation portion in which the disk bodies are arranged so as to extend in a horizontal direction; The disk units are stacked one on top of the other so that the disks of both robots can be meshed with each other, The pressure unit is provided with a means for moving the robots to a position where the disks of both robots can be meshed with each other, and then bringing the meshed disks into close contact with each other. A robot coupling device characterized by:

2. The means includes a pressing portion disposed above the fixing portion, a driving portion for moving the pressing portion up and down, and an annular disk portion disposed on the upper surface of the mounting portion.

2. The robot coupling device according to claim 1.

3. The disk portion is formed of a material that allows each disk body to expand up and down under pressure, The means includes a pressure device capable of applying pressure to the inside of each of the disks.

2. The robot coupling device according to claim 1.

4. The disk portion has a pointed circumferential tip.

4. The robot coupling device according to claim 1, wherein:

5. The disk portion is formed so that the coefficient of friction of the circumferential portion of each disk body is smaller than that of the portion other than the circumferential portion.

4. The robot coupling device according to claim 1, wherein:

6. The disk portion is formed so that the coefficient of friction of the circumferential portion of each disk body is smaller than that of the portion other than the circumferential portion.

5. The robot coupling device according to claim 4.

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