Holding system and holding method

Abstract

A simpler method is used to determine the storage status of the object to be held. [Solution] The holding system 1 comprises a storage container 10, a multi-joint robot 30, and a storage state determination unit 158. The storage container 10 contains the object to be held. The multi-joint robot 30 holds the object stored in the storage container 10 and releases the held object. The storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines the storage state of the object stored in the storage container 10 based on either or both of the multi-joint robot 30's record of holding the object and / or the multi-joint robot 30's record of releasing the object.

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, robots have been performing operations to hold objects. Holding can be achieved, for example, by gripping an object with a gripping member, scooping up an object with a container-shaped member, or adsorbing an object with an adsorbing member. Techniques related to such robots with a holding function are disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2. Specifically, in Patent Document 1, the accommodation state of an object accommodated in a storage container is detected by a camera. Then, the insertion depth of the gripping member, etc. is determined according to the detected accommodation state. Also, in Patent Document 2, the accommodation state of an object accommodated in a storage container is detected by a sensor. Then, similar to Citation Document 1, the insertion depth of the gripping member, etc. is determined according to the detected accommodation state.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] As disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, in order to appropriately perform holding (in each patent document, gripping by a gripping member), it is important to determine the accommodation state of an object accommodated in a storage container. For example, when the remaining amount of the object being accommodated decreases, it is necessary to increase the insertion depth or interrupt the holding and replace it with a new storage container.

[0005] However, Patent Document 1 requires camera photography and image analysis processing to understand the state of the object's containment. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 requires the placement of multiple sensors. Thus, conventional technologies generally require the provision of devices such as cameras and sensors solely to understand the state of the object's containment, leading to increased costs. Furthermore, the robot's movement path had to be considered in order to ensure proper camera capture and sensor detection, which reduced the robot's freedom of movement.

[0006] As described above, conventional technology still had room for improvement in terms of determining the state of storage of the object to be held. Furthermore, these challenges are not limited to cases where the object is food, but are common to various fields in which robots are used for holding, such as in the industrial sector. Moreover, they are common to all situations where objects are held by any means, not just gripping.

[0007] The object to be addressed by the present invention is to determine the state of storage of an object to be held in a simpler manner. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, a holding system according to one embodiment of the present invention is A container in which the object to be held is contained, A robot that holds the object contained in the aforementioned container and releases the held object, A determination means for determining the state of storage of an object stored in the storage container based on either or both of the following: the robot's record of holding the object, and the robot's record of releasing the object. It is characterized by being equipped with [the following features]. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to determine the accommodation state of an object to be held in a simpler manner.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010] [Figure 1] It is a schematic diagram schematically showing the configuration of the holding system 1 according to the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a schematic diagram schematically showing the configuration of the holding system 1 according to the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a front view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. [Figure 4] It is a side view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. [Figure 5] It is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. [Figure 6] It is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the gripping member control unit 314. [Figure 7] It is a front view schematically showing the state in which the gripping member 313 is elastically deformed as the material is gripped. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control device 60. [Figure 9] It is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 60. [Figure 10] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the gripping and releasing operations performed by the articulated robot 30. [Figure 11] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the gripping and releasing operations performed by the articulated robot 30. [Figure 12] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the gripping and releasing operations performed by the articulated robot 30. [Figure 13] It is a schematic diagram showing the gripping target area AR which is a prerequisite for the accommodation state determination operation. [Figure 14] It is a schematic diagram showing the gripping target area AR which is a prerequisite for the accommodation state determination operation. [Figure 15] It is a schematic diagram schematically showing the configuration of the supply unit 5 and its vicinity. [Figure 16] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the supply control operation performed by the articulated robot 30 and the supply unit 50. [Figure 17] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the supply control operation executed by the multi-joint robot 30 and the supply unit 50. [Figure 18] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the supply control operation executed by the multi-joint robot 30 and the supply unit 50. [Figure 19] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the supply control operation executed by the multi-joint robot 30 and the supply unit 50. [Figure 20] It is a schematic diagram showing means for supplying ingredients to a desired area on the container without moving the discharge chute 20. [Figure 21] It is a flowchart showing the flow of the ingredient loading process executed by the holding system 1. [Figure 22] It is a flowchart showing the flow of the ingredient loading process executed by the holding system 1. [Figure 23] It is a flowchart showing the flow of the ingredient loading process executed by the holding system 1. [Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Embodiment] [Overall Configuration] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are schematic diagrams schematically showing the configuration of the holding system 1 according to the present invention. Here, the holding system 1 is assumed to apply the present invention to a system for supplying food. Therefore, in the following description, a case where the holding system 1 grips ingredients such as prepared foods and supplies these ingredients to a container via a discharge chute to load the ingredients into the container will be described as an example.

[0012] However, this is merely an example for illustrative purposes and is not intended to limit the scope of application of the present invention. The present invention is applicable to a wide range of systems for supplying various objects. For example, it can be applied to systems that supply uncooked vegetables, etc. (e.g., shredded cabbage, carrots, or bean sprouts) rather than prepared foods. It can also be applied to systems that supply workpieces for industrial products such as electronic devices (e.g., screws, bolts, or product components). Furthermore, gripping an object is merely one example for illustrative purposes. The present invention is not limited to gripping; it is sufficient if the object can be held. Holding can be achieved, for example, by gripping the object with a gripping member as in this embodiment, by scooping the object with a container-shaped member, or by adsorbing the object with an adsorption member. In other words, the present invention can be implemented in various holding systems, regardless of the target product, the field in which it is applied, or the specific means of holding.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the holding system 1 comprises a containment container 10, a discharge chute 20, an articulated robot 30, a belt conveyor 40, a supply unit 50, and a control device 60. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, these components of the holding system 1 are installed so as to be surrounded by a shielding unit 70. Note that Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the same holding system 1. However, in Figure 1, the shielding section 70 is omitted from the illustration in order to clearly show the internal structure of the shielding section 70. Of these components, the articulated robot 30, the supply unit 50, and the control device 60 are connected to each other via wired or wireless communication, enabling them to communicate with one another.

[0014] Furthermore, in this embodiment, multiple holding systems 1 are installed along the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 40, and it is assumed that the articulated robots 30 in each of the multiple holding systems 1 work together. In other words, in this embodiment, it is assumed that multiple holding systems 1 sequentially supply and arrange prepared food into a single container.

[0015] The storage container 10 has a storage space for storing ingredients such as side dishes that are to be served in the holding system 1. The storage container 10 is made up of a general-purpose container such as a large tray or tub. The storage space of the storage container 10 can hold various solid ingredients that can be grasped by a gripping member, such as paste salads (salads containing ingredients with viscosity or stickiness), okara (soy pulp), dried daikon radish, namasu (pickled daikon radish and carrots), hijiki seaweed, boiled beans, fiddlehead ferns, buttered corn, noodles, croquettes, and fried chicken. In this embodiment, the storage container 10 is assumed to contain multiple servings (for example, several dozen to several hundred servings) of one type of ingredient. The storage container 10 can be replaced manually by an operator when the amount of ingredients stored inside becomes low.

[0016] The discharge chute 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape, having an inlet at one end and a discharge port at the other end. The discharge chute 20 receives the ingredients released by the articulated robot 30 through its input port and then discharges the ingredients through its discharge port, thereby placing the ingredients into the containers transported to the serving position P1. For this purpose, the discharge chute 20 is positioned so that its discharge port is located vertically above the serving position P1.

[0017] The articulated robot 30 is composed of, for example, a horizontal articulated robot or a vertical articulated robot, and includes a plurality of gripping mechanisms 31 capable of gripping the ingredients to be served, and a robot arm 32 that moves the gripping mechanisms 31 to any position within its range of motion.

[0018] The gripping mechanism 31 is attached to the tip of the robot arm 32 and is supported by the robot arm 32. The gripping mechanism 31 can then be moved to any position within its range of motion in accordance with the movement of the robot arm 32 based on the control of the control device 60. Furthermore, the joint that holds the gripping mechanism 31 is equipped with an axis that rotates the gripping mechanism 31 in a twisting direction relative to the robot arm 32. Therefore, when the gripping mechanism 31 grips an ingredient, the direction in which the gripping mechanism 31 grips can be adjusted by changing the orientation of the gripping mechanism 31. As a result, when the gripping mechanism 31 reaches near the inner wall surface of the container 10, it becomes possible to change the orientation of the gripping mechanism 31 to a direction parallel to the inner wall surface of the container 10, making it easier to grip ingredients near the inner wall surface of the container. Furthermore, the gripping mechanism 31 not only has a gripping member for gripping the ingredients, but also has the function of measuring the weight of the gripped ingredients and measuring the reaction force from the ingredients. These data measured by the gripping mechanism 31 are output to the control device 60 as appropriate.

[0019] The conveyor belt 40 is installed to automatically transport the containers of prepared foods downstream. The conveyor belt 40 has a transport surface for transporting the containers, and the containers are transported while placed on this transport surface. In Figures 1 and 2, as indicated by the arrows, the right side of the paper is the downstream direction of transport on the conveyor belt 2. The belt conveyor 40 is composed of three belt conveyors: the first conveyor 41, the second conveyor 42, and the third conveyor 43.

[0020] The supply unit 50 drives various mechanisms when the articulated robot 30 supplies ingredients via the discharge chute 20, thereby enabling the ingredients to be placed in a desired area on the container. For this purpose, the supply unit 50 is equipped with sensors to detect the container, various mechanisms, and drive devices to operate them.

[0021] Details of the belt conveyor 40, supply unit 50, serving position P1, and standby position P2 will be described later with reference to Figure 15.

[0022] The control device 60 is composed of an information processing device such as a PC (Personal Computer) or a programmable controller, and controls the entire holding system 1 by executing various programs. For example, the control device 60 controls the operation of the articulated robot 30 to grasp ingredients from the storage container 10 and release them into the container via the discharge chute 20 to serve the ingredients.

[0023] More specifically, for example, the control device 60 controls the drive of the robot arm 32 to move the gripping mechanism 31 to a predetermined position along a predetermined route and at a predetermined speed, controls the drive of the actuator of the gripping mechanism 31 to grip and release ingredients with the gripping mechanism, and controls the drive of various mechanisms of the supply unit 50 to realize the placement of ingredients in a desired area on the container.

[0024] The shielding section 70 shown in Figure 2 is composed of a plate-like wall that surrounds the area in the holding system 1 where the containment container 10, discharge chute 20, and articulated robot 30 are installed. As a result, the internal space enclosed by the shielding section 70 is shielded from the external space not enclosed by the shielding section 70. Furthermore, at least a portion of the wall that constitutes the shielding section 70 is made of a transparent material such as glass or resin, making it possible to visually observe the operation status of the holding system 1 from the outside.

[0025] This shielding structure of the shielding section 70 prevents materials gripped or released by the articulated robot 30 from scattering from the internal space into the external space. It also prevents workers from coming into contact with the articulated robot 30 while it is in operation, thereby ensuring worker safety and preventing malfunctions of the articulated robot 30.

[0026] Furthermore, multiple doors 71 are installed on a portion of the wall surface that constitutes the shielding section 70. The doors 71 are supported by hinges 72, allowing them to be opened and closed. When the articulated robot 30 is in operation, closing the door 71 shields the interior space from the outside space, as described above. On the other hand, when maintenance of the holding system 1 is performed, the worker can stop the operation of the articulated robot 30, open the door 71, and perform the various tasks.

[0027] Furthermore, an opening 73 is provided in a part of the shielding section 70. The shape of this opening 73 is slightly larger than the shape of the storage container 10. By pulling out or inserting the storage container 10 through this opening 73, the worker can easily replace the storage container 10 even with the door 71 closed. Furthermore, when the container 10 is inserted into the internal space through the opening 73, the opening 73 is closed by the wall surface that makes up the container 10. Therefore, even if the opening 73 exists, the internal space remains shielded from the external space, and the aforementioned problems such as the scattering of ingredients into the external space do not occur.

[0028] [Configuration of the gripping mechanism 31] Figures 3 to 7 illustrate the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. More specifically, Figure 3 is a front view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. Figure 4 is a side view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. Furthermore, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. Furthermore, Figure 6 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the gripping member control unit 314. Furthermore, Figure 7 is a schematic front view showing how the gripping member 313 elastically deforms when gripping an object.

[0029] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the gripping mechanism 31 comprises a housing 311, a plurality of transmission units 312, and a plurality of gripping members 313. The gripping mechanism 31 is mounted on the robot arm 32, is supported by the robot arm 32, and moves in accordance with the movement of the robot arm 32.

[0030] Multiple transmission sections 312 extend from the bottom of the housing 311. A gripping member 313 is connected to each of these transmission sections 312. As shown in Figure 3, when the housing 311 is viewed from the front (direction Y in the figure), four gripping members 313 are arranged at intervals. Then, as shown in Figure 4, when the housing 311 is viewed from the side (direction X in the figure), four gripping members 313 are arranged in two rows, also at intervals. In other words, in this embodiment, a total of eight gripping members 313 are arranged in two rows of four gripping members 313. This is merely one example of a suitable arrangement and is not necessarily limited to this. The arrangement and number of gripping members 313 can be arbitrarily changed depending on the environment in which this embodiment is implemented.

[0031] The housing 311 is a housing that houses the drive mechanism that enables the gripping and releasing operations performed by the gripping member 313, as well as the control unit that controls the operation of this drive unit. Then, based on the control of the control unit, the drive mechanism moves back and forth in a predetermined direction (direction X in the figure) and transmits its force to the transmission unit 312.

[0032] The transmission unit 312 functions as a power transmission mechanism that transmits the force moving back and forth in a predetermined direction (direction X in the figure) within the housing 311 as a force to open and close the gripping member 313.

[0033] The gripping member 313 comprises a first gripping portion 313a and a second gripping portion 313b. The first gripping portion 313a moves to open and close in the same direction as the predetermined direction (direction X in the figure) in which the housing 311 moves forward and backward, in response to the force transmitted from the transmission portion 312. In contrast, the second gripping portion 313b remains stationary and maintains its position.

[0034] When the tip of the first gripping portion 313a and the tip of the second gripping portion 313b move closer together, the gripping member 313 closes, allowing it to grip the material. On the other hand, when the tip of the first gripping portion 313a and the tip of the second gripping portion 313b move further apart, the gripping member 313 opens, allowing it to release the gripped material.

[0035] As shown in Figure 5, the housing 311 includes a plurality of gripping member control units 314 and a plurality of support units 315 inside. In Figure 5, the housing 311 is shown transparently to illustrate these gripping member control units 314 and support units 315. Each of the multiple gripping member control units 314 is connected to a transmission unit 312 and a gripping member 313. Furthermore, each of the multiple gripping member control units 314 is connected to and supported by a component within the housing 311.

[0036] The support portion 315 is composed of a metal core and an elastic body (e.g., a spring) surrounding it, and expands and contracts vertically (up and down in the plane of the paper) due to its elastic force. Accordingly, the relative positional relationship between the lower end of the housing 311 and the tips of each of the multiple gripping members 313 is variable in the vertical direction. Specifically, when no reaction force is acting on the gripping member 313, this elastic body expands due to its elastic force, pushing the gripping member control unit 314 down to the tip of the support portion 315. On the other hand, when a reaction force is acting on the gripping member 313, this elastic body contracts due to the reaction force, pushing the gripping member control unit 314 up to the upper end of the support portion 315.

[0037] As a result, even if the tip of one of the gripping members 313 (for example, the gripping member 313 on the left side of the paper) comes into contact with the bottom surface of the container 10 that holds the ingredients, this gripping member will contract in the direction of insertion, allowing other gripping members to be inserted further into the ingredients. Therefore, ingredients present on the bottom surface of the container 10 can also be gripped without being left behind. In addition, since the force of contact is made gentle, damage to the gripping members 313 can be prevented.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lengths of the support members 315a to d are intentionally made different. As a result, the range in which the elastic body can stretch due to elastic force (i.e., the range of motion in the vertical direction) differs for each gripping member 313. On the other hand, the size (vertical length) of each gripping member 313 is the same. Therefore, for example, when the elastic body is stretched, the positions of the tips of each gripping member 313 are also different in stages. In other words, in this embodiment, the positions of the tips of each gripping member 313 are intentionally made to be different. Furthermore, in this embodiment, as indicated by "pitch" in the figure, a pitch (gap) is provided between each gripping member 313 and the adjacent gripping member 313 located in the same row.

[0039] In this way, by staggering the positions of the tips of the gripping members 313 and providing a pitch (gap) between adjacent gripping members 313, it is possible to prevent adjacent gripping members 313 from gripping the same object. For example, it is possible to prevent two gripping members 313 from simultaneously gripping a long object (e.g., one noodle or one bean sprout). Consequently, problems such as uncertainty about the weight being gripped by each gripping member, or uncertainty about which gripping member should be released to release the object, can be suppressed, making it possible to achieve a favorable state when controlling the gripping members.

[0040] Furthermore, in order to control the gripping operation of the gripping member 313, the gripping member control unit 314, as shown in Figure 6, includes a pin cylinder 316 and a load cell 317 inside. Note that in Figure 6, the housing of the gripping member control unit 314 is shown through to illustrate the pin cylinder 316 and load cell 317.

[0041] The pin cylinder 316 is an air cylinder driven by compressed air supplied through a tube (not shown), and corresponds to the drive mechanism described above that moves back and forth in a predetermined direction (direction X in the figure). Specifically, the pin cylinder 316 is pushed out by the supplied compressed air and moves so that its tip extends away from the housing of the housing 311. On the other hand, when the supply of compressed air is stopped, the pin cylinder 316 moves so that its tip retracts in a direction toward the housing 311. This movement is achieved by the elastic force of a spring located inside the pin cylinder 316. As described above, the forces corresponding to these movements are transmitted to the first gripping part 313a via the transmission part 312, and the gripping member 313 performs gripping and releasing operations.

[0042] The load cell 317 converts the measured force into an electrical signal proportional to its magnitude and detects it as weight. In this embodiment, the load cell 317 measures the vertical weight acting on the gripping member 313. For this purpose, for example, the pin cylinder 316, the transmission unit 312, and the gripping member 313 are mounted on a single plate-shaped member (substrate), and this plate-shaped member is supported by the load cell 317.

[0043] The weight measured by the load cell 317 is used for two determinations: whether the gripping member 313 is receiving a reaction force from the material, and whether the gripping member 313 is gripping the material. For this purpose, the weight measured when the gripping member 313 is not gripping the material and is not receiving a reaction force from the material is measured and set as the reference weight.

[0044] Then, if the measured current weight is less than the reference weight, it is determined that the gripping member 313 is receiving a reaction force from the material in the containment space. In this case, the magnitude of the reaction force being received can also be calculated based on the difference between the reference weight and the current weight. This magnitude of the reaction force is used to detect the timing at which the gripping member 313 performs the gripping action.

[0045] Furthermore, if the measured current weight is greater than the reference weight, it is determined that the gripping member 313 is gripping the ingredient. In this case, the weight of the gripped ingredient can also be calculated based on the difference between the reference weight and the current weight. This gripped ingredient weight is used for combined weighing. Since these determinations are made by the control device 60, the weight measured by the load cell 317 is output sequentially to the control device 60.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7(a), the gripping member 313 attempts to grip the gripping tool to be gripped by sandwiching it between the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b. In this case, no reaction force from the tool acts on the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b, and they maintain their shape.

[0047] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 7(b), when the first gripping part 313a and the second gripping part 313b approach each other and gripping is performed, a reaction force from the ingredients acts on these gripping parts. In response, the first gripping part 313a and the second gripping part 313b elastically deform to become a shape suitable for gripping the ingredients. For example, they elastically deform to a shape that conforms to the shape of the ingredients to be gripped, or to a shape that encloses multiple ingredients. This makes it possible to securely grip the ingredients.

[0048] Furthermore, spring steel and similar materials have the property of returning to their pre-elastic deformation shape when not subjected to a reaction force. Therefore, after releasing the material, it returns to its pre-elastic deformation shape as shown in Figure 7(a), making it possible to reuse it repeatedly.

[0049] [Hardware configuration of control device 60] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control device 60. As shown in Figure 8, the control device 60 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 711, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 712, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 713, a bus 714, an input unit 715, an output unit 716, a storage unit 717, a communication unit 718, and a drive 719.

[0050] The CPU 711 executes various processes according to the program recorded in the ROM 712 or the program loaded into the RAM 713 from the storage unit 717. RAM713 also stores data necessary for CPU711 to perform various processes.

[0051] The CPU 711, ROM 712, and RAM 713 are interconnected via a bus 714. The input unit 715, output unit 716, storage unit 717, communication unit 718, and drive 719 are connected to the bus 714.

[0052] The input unit 715 is equipped with an input device such as a mouse or keyboard and accepts various types of information input to the control device 60. Alternatively, the input unit 715 may be equipped with a microphone and accept various types of information input via the operator's voice. The output unit 716 consists of a display, speakers, etc., and outputs images and sound. The memory unit 717 consists of a hard disk or DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), and stores various types of data managed by each server. The communications unit 718 controls communication with other devices via the network.

[0053] The drive 719 is appropriately equipped with removable media 731, which may consist of a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory. Programs read from the removable media 731 by the drive 719 are installed in the storage unit 717 as needed. The above hardware configuration is the basic configuration of the control device 60, and it is possible to omit some hardware, add additional hardware, or change the hardware implementation.

[0054] [Functional configuration] Next, the functional configuration of the control device 60 will be described. Figure 9 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 60. As shown in Figure 9, by executing a program to control the operation of the holding system 1, the CPU 711 of the control device 60 functions as follows: sensor information acquisition unit 151, reaction force determination unit 152, gripping amount determination unit 153, articulated robot control unit 154, supply control unit 155, and recording control unit 156. In addition, the storage unit 717 is configured with a parameter storage unit 171 and a history database (history DB) 172.

[0055] The parameter storage unit 171 stores various parameters used when the holding system 1 operates. For example, the parameter storage unit 171 stores parameters such as the position and shape of the container 10, the position of the area within the container where ingredients are provided and arranged, and parameters that define the operation pattern of the articulated robot 30.

[0056] The history DB172 stores control parameters acquired when the holding system 1 is operating, or measurement data of the weight of the ingredients served by the holding system 1, as history.

[0057] The sensor information acquisition unit 151 acquires sensor information, which is information detected by various sensors installed in the holding system 1. For example, the sensor information acquisition unit 151 sequentially acquires data on the current weight of each gripping member 313, measured by the load cell 317 of each gripping member 313. The sensor information acquisition unit 151 also sequentially acquires the container detection results from the first detection sensor 51 and the second detection sensor 52, which will be described later. The notified sensor information is then sequentially used by other functional blocks of the control device 60.

[0058] The reaction force determination unit 152 determines whether or not a gripping member 313 is receiving a reaction force from the material, based on the current weight data for each gripping member 313 measured by the load cell 317. Specifically, as described above in the explanation of the load cell 317, if the measured current weight is less than the standard weight, it is determined that the gripping member 313 is receiving a reaction force from the material in the containment space. In this case, the magnitude of the reaction force being received is calculated based on the difference between the standard weight and the current weight. The reaction force determination unit 152 then instructs the corresponding gripping member 313 to perform a grip if any of the gripping members 313 is receiving a reaction force greater than or equal to a predetermined magnitude. This ensures that the gripping member 313 is inserted into the material in the storage space and the gripping is performed only at the appropriate time when a secure grip is possible.

[0059] The gripping amount determination unit 153 determines whether a gripping member 313 is gripping an ingredient based on the current weight data for each gripping member 313 measured by the load cell 317. Specifically, as described above in the explanation of the load cell 317, the unit determines that a gripping member 313 is gripping an ingredient if the measured current weight is greater than the standard weight. In this case, the weight of the gripped ingredient is calculated based on the difference between the standard weight and the current weight.

[0060] Then, when each gripping member 313 performs a grip, the gripping amount determination unit 153 weighs the gripping members based on the weight of the ingredients each gripping member 313 is gripping, so as to match the specified amount of ingredients to be released. The unit then causes the gripping member 313 corresponding to the combination that matches the specified amount to release the ingredients to the discharge chute 20, while preventing the other gripping members 313 from releasing the ingredients to the discharge chute 20. If no combination that matches the specified amount exists, the gripping amount determination unit 153 causes the gripping operation to be repeated.

[0061] Here, let me add some information about combined weighing. For example, let's assume that the weights of the materials held by each gripping member 313 are "gripping member A: 30 grams", "gripping member B: 17 grams", "gripping member C: 25 grams", and "gripping member D: 18 grams". In this scenario, if the specified amount is 35 grams, then when combined weighing is performed, the sum of the weights of the ingredients held by gripping member B and gripping member D will be 35 grams, which matches the specified amount. Therefore, the gripping amount determination unit 153 causes gripping member A and gripping member B to release the ingredients to the discharge chute 20, while preventing the other gripping members C and D from releasing the ingredients to the discharge chute 20. Alternatively, under this assumption, if the specified amount is 50 grams, then when performing combination weighing, no combination will match the specified amount. Therefore, the gripping amount determination unit 153 will cause the gripping operation to be repeated. Furthermore, the specified amount may be given a range, and a slight difference from the specified amount (for example, a difference of a few percent) may be tolerated, and the product may be judged as conforming to the specified amount.

[0062] In this way, the reaction force determination unit 152 appropriately controls the timing of gripping for each of the multiple gripping members, and then the gripping amount determination unit 153 performs combined weighing, so that the amount of material to be released can be precisely set to a specified amount. The reference weight used by the reaction force determination unit 152 and the gripping amount determination unit 153 for determination is measured in advance and stored in the parameter storage unit 171, etc.

[0063] The articulated robot control unit 154 controls the movement of the articulated robot 30 and causes the articulated robot 30 to perform a series of operations for serving ingredients according to the operation patterns defined in the holding system 1. For example, the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the articulated robot 30 to perform operations such as grasping ingredients with the grasping mechanism 31 of the articulated robot 30 (grasping operation), transferring the grasped ingredients to the container (transfer operation), and releasing the grasped ingredients (release operation).

[0064] The supply control unit 155 controls the supply unit 50 and drives various mechanisms when the articulated robot 30 supplies ingredients via the discharge chute 20, thereby enabling the ingredients to be placed in the desired area on the container.

[0065] The recording control unit 156 stores control parameters acquired when the holding system 1 performs a gripping operation, as well as measurement data of the weight of the ingredients placed by the holding system 1, in the history DB 172. This data is used by the administrator of the holding system 1, etc., as log data to analyze the operation of the holding system 1.

[0066] The performance calculation unit 157 calculates the actual values ​​of gripping and releasing the material by the gripping mechanism 31. Specifically, the performance calculation unit 157 calculates the actual weight of the material gripped by the gripping mechanism 31 (hereinafter referred to as the "gripping performance value") and the actual weight released by the gripping mechanism 31 (hereinafter referred to as the "release performance value").

[0067] First, the performance calculation unit 157 calculates the weight gripped by each gripping member 313 in the same manner as the gripping amount determination unit 153. Then, the calculated weights are taken as the gripping performance values ​​for each gripping member 313. Furthermore, the gripping performance values ​​for all gripping members 313 are added together to calculate the total gripping performance value for all gripping members 313. Furthermore, when the gripping mechanism 31 performs a release operation, the performance calculation unit 157 uses the gripping performance value of each gripping member 313 that actually released itself as the release performance value of each gripping member 313. Then, by summing these release performance values ​​of each gripping member 313 that actually released itself, the unit calculates the release performance value of all gripping members 313 that actually released themselves.

[0068] In addition, the performance calculation unit 157 calculates the average of the most recent N holding performance values ​​by summing the holding performance values ​​for the most recent N times (where N is an integer of 2 or more) and then dividing by the value of N. Similarly, the performance calculation unit 157 calculates the average of the most recent N release performance values. These average values ​​correspond to a moving average obtained by smoothing the time series data and serve as an indicator representing the trend of the most recent holding and release performance values. The performance calculation unit 157 then stores these various calculated performance values ​​in the performance storage unit 173. In other words, the performance storage unit 173 functions as a storage unit that stores performance values.

[0069] The storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines the storage state of the ingredients in the storage container 10 based on various performance values ​​stored in the performance memory unit 173. In this embodiment, determining the state of ingredient storage means determining whether the gripping mechanism 31 is in a state where it is highly likely that the combined weighing will fail because it will not be able to grip a sufficient amount of ingredients even if it continues to grip them. Here, a situation in which combined weighing is likely to fail is when the remaining amount of ingredients in multiple areas of the entire container 10 becomes generally low, or when the remaining amount of ingredients in a part of the container 10 becomes extremely low. In this embodiment, the system is controlled to grasp the ingredients as evenly as possible from the entire container 10. Therefore, it is desirable to observe the remaining amount of ingredients in the entire area or multiple areas of the container 10 as a whole, rather than simply observing the remaining amount of ingredients in a part of the container 10 locally. Therefore, the storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines the overall, rather than locally, storage state of the ingredients based on the gripping performance values ​​in all or multiple areas and the release performance values ​​in all or multiple areas.

[0070] One possible method for determining the storage state in the storage state determination unit 158 ​​is to calculate a ratio by dividing the actual gripping value by a target weight that has been set in advance as the target to be gripped. If the value of that ratio is below a threshold, the unit determines that even if the gripping mechanism 31 repeats gripping any further, it will not be able to grip a sufficient amount of ingredients, and that there is a high possibility that the combined weighing will fail. In this case, the gripping performance value is the average gripping performance value of the gripping members 313, calculated, for example, by dividing the gripping performance value of all gripping members 313 by the total number of gripping members 313 (in this case, 8). The target weight is set, for example, to the weight of the ingredients to be released into the container by the gripping and releasing operations. The threshold is set, for example, to 0.2 (i.e., 20%).

[0071] In this embodiment, since there are eight gripping members 313, if the eight gripping members 313 each grip 20% of the weight of the ingredients to be released into the container on average, it is considered highly likely that combined weighing will be successful. On the other hand, if the gripping amount is less than 20%, it is considered highly likely that combined weighing will not be successful. In this way, the storage state determination unit 158 ​​can make a determination. In this case, it is preferable to use the average of the most recent N gripping results as the gripping result value. This allows for judgment based on the overall trend of the most recent N results.

[0072] The basic concept of the containment state determination method of the containment state determination unit 158 ​​has been explained above. However, the formulas and specific numerical examples in this determination method are merely examples of the concept and can be modified as appropriate. For example, a target weight may be set using one gripping member 313 as the unit, and the ratio of one gripping member 313 to the target weight may be calculated and compared with a threshold. Alternatively, a target weight may be set using the sum of the gripping performance values ​​of all gripping members 313 as the unit, and the ratio of the sum of the gripping performance values ​​of all gripping members 313 to the target weight may be calculated and compared with a threshold. In other words, the judgment may be made using one gripping member 313 as the unit, or it may be made using all the gripping members 313 provided by the gripping mechanism 31 as the unit.

[0073] Alternatively, instead of calculating a ratio, the difference may be calculated. That is, the value obtained by subtracting the target weight from the actual gripping value may be compared with a threshold value, and if the value is less than the threshold value, it may be determined that there is a high probability that the combined weighing will fail. In this case as well, the determination may be made using one gripping member 313 as the unit, or it may be made using all the gripping members 313 provided by the gripping mechanism 31 as the unit.

[0074] The alert output unit 159 outputs an alert to the operator according to the determination result of the storage state determination unit 158. As described above, the storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines whether the gripping mechanism 31 is in a state where it is highly likely that the combined weighing will fail because it will not be able to grip a sufficient amount of ingredients even if it continues to grip. If the state is such that it is highly likely that the combined weighing will fail, the operator needs to replace the storage container 10 with a new storage container 10.

[0075] Therefore, if the storage status determination unit 158 ​​determines that there is a high probability that the combined weighing will fail, the alert output unit 159 outputs an alert to the operator. This alert is output by, for example, lighting or flashing an alert lamp included in the output unit 716 in a predetermined color, displaying text representing the content of the alert on the display included in the output unit 716, or sounding an alert sound (i.e., a warning sound) from the speaker included in the output unit 716. The worker can understand from the output of such an alert that it is necessary to replace the containment container 10 with a new containment container 10.

[0076] Furthermore, the determination by the storage status determination unit 158 ​​and the subsequent output of the alert by the alert output unit 159 may be performed in stages. For example, the storage status determination unit 158 ​​may also determine that the system is not in a state where the combination weighing is likely to fail, but rather in an earlier stage (i.e., a stage where the state where failure is likely to fail is approaching), and the alert output unit 159 may light up or flash a lamp in a predetermined color, or output a display or alert sound, depending on this earlier stage. In other words, an alert may be issued so that the worker can be aware in advance that it is time to replace the container 10 with a new container 10.

[0077] [Gripping and releasing actions] Next, the gripping and releasing operations performed by the articulated robot 30 based on the control of the articulated robot control unit 154 will be described in chronological order. Figures 10 to 12 are schematic diagrams illustrating the gripping and releasing operations performed by the articulated robot 30. Figures 10 to 12 show the container 10 and the multiple gripping members 313 as viewed from the front. In these figures, the contents of each gripping member 313 are shown through the walls of the container 10 to make them clearer. Furthermore, since a large quantity of ingredients are contained in the container 10, these ingredients will be referred to as the "group of ingredients" below.

[0078] First, as shown in Figure 10(a), the multiple gripping members 313 are moved vertically upward into the storage space of the storage container 10. Then, the robot arm 32 starts the descent of the multiple gripping members 313 simultaneously.

[0079] Next, as shown in Figure 10(b), the robot arm 32 lowers the multiple gripping members 313 further. As a result, the multiple gripping members 313 are inserted into the group of materials in the storage space. Here, the surface of the group of ingredients is not necessarily flat; for example, the surface may be sloped or uneven. Also, in this embodiment, as described above with reference to Figure 5, the positions of the tips of adjacent gripping members 313 are intentionally made different to prevent adjacent gripping members 313 from gripping the same ingredient. Furthermore, the individual ingredients included in the group of ingredients are not uniform in their properties, shape, and the density in which they are arranged (for example, ingredients are densely concentrated in only a part of the area), and may be irregular in shape. In other words, the situation when each gripping member 313 is inserted into the group of ingredients varies.

[0080] Under these circumstances, if each gripping member 313 were to grip simultaneously, some gripping members 313 might not be able to properly grip the material. Therefore, in this embodiment, the reaction force determination unit 152 instructs the corresponding gripping member 313 to perform gripping if it receives a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or greater during the insertion process. Then, each of the multiple gripping members 313 grips the material independently.

[0081] For example, a gripping member 313 with a high tip has not yet received a reaction force below a predetermined level during the insertion process, and therefore has not yet performed any gripping action. On the other hand, the gripping member 313, whose tip is located at a low position, receives a reaction force greater than a predetermined amount during the insertion process, thereby performing the gripping action. Thus, in this embodiment, as described above, even if the state of the group of ingredients or the state of the ingredients varies, each gripping member 313 can be inserted into the ingredients in the storage space, and gripping can be performed only at the appropriate timing when a secure grip is possible.

[0082] Next, as shown in Figures 11(c1) and 11(c2), the robot arm 32 inserts multiple gripping members 313 further into the group of materials. However, for one of the gripping members 313, gripping has not yet been performed because it has not yet received a reaction force below a predetermined level during the insertion process. In this case, continuing to insert it further would increase the working time. For example, in the area where that gripping member 313 is inserted, there are not many materials present, and even if it is inserted all the way to the bottom, it may not receive a reaction force greater than the predetermined level from the materials.

[0083] Therefore, the articulated robot control unit 154 forces the gripping member 313, which is receiving less than a predetermined reaction force, to perform a grip when predetermined conditions are met. This prevents the work time from becoming unnecessarily long. Two conditions can be given as predetermined conditions.

[0084] The first condition, as shown in Figure 11(c1), is that the bottom surface of the containment container 10 is used as the reference, and a position at a predetermined height from this bottom surface is designated as the first reference position. The articulated robot control unit 154 determines that the predetermined condition has been met when the tip of the gripping member 313 is inserted up to the first reference position, and forcibly performs the gripping operation. The articulated robot control unit 154 can determine the position of the bottom surface of the containment container 10 to be used as the reference from the data stored in the parameter storage unit 171.

[0085] The second condition, as shown in Figure 11(c2), is that the surface of the group of ingredients in the container 10 is used as the reference, and a position at a predetermined depth from this bottom surface is designated as the second reference position. The articulated robot control unit 154 determines that the predetermined condition has been met when the tip of the gripping member 313 is inserted up to the second reference position, and forcibly performs gripping. The articulated robot control unit 154 can also determine, based on the measurement results of the load cell 317, the position where the gripping member 313 first receives a reaction force from the group of ingredients, and use this position as the reference position on the surface of the group of ingredients.

[0086] Although the tip positions of the gripping members 313 differ in stages, it is possible to arbitrarily determine which gripping member 313's tip position is compared with the reference position. The reference position may be compared with the gripping member 313 at the lowest tip position, with the gripping member 313 at the highest tip position, or with any gripping member 313. This is true whether the determination is made under the first condition or the second condition.

[0087] Next, as shown in Figure 12(d), once all gripping members 313 have performed a grip, the robot arm 32 raises the multiple gripping members 313 and pulls them out of the group of materials. Here, cases in which all gripping members 313 perform a grip include "when all gripping members 313 perform a grip when they receive a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or greater" and "when gripping is performed forcibly, as shown in Figure 11". Thus, in this embodiment, since all of the multiple gripping members 313 perform a grip through a series of processes, all of the multiple gripping members 313 can be effectively utilized. In the figures, the materials being gripped by each gripping member 313 are referred to as "gripping materials".

[0088] Subsequently, the gripping amount determination unit 153 performs a combined weighing to match the specified weight of the material to be released. The robot arm 32 then transports the multiple gripping members 313 to the vertically above the discharge chute 20.

[0089] As shown in Figure 12(e), the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the gripping member 313 corresponding to the combination that matches the specified amount to release the ingredients into the discharge chute 20, while preventing the other gripping members 313 from releasing ingredients into the discharge chute 20. The released ingredients discharged into the discharge chute 20 are then placed into a container in the specified amount via the discharge chute 20. In the figure, the ingredients released by each gripping member 313 are referred to as "released ingredients".

[0090] According to the gripping and releasing operations described above, gripping can be performed when the gripping member 313 receives a reaction force from the group of materials during the process of inserting it into the group of materials. In other words, gripping can be performed only after the gripping member 313 has been inserted into the group of materials and is in a state where it can be securely gripped. Therefore, with conventional technology, a problem arises where gripping is attempted by a gripping member that has not yet been inserted into the group of ingredients, resulting in the ingredients not being gripped. However, with gripping system 1, this problem does not occur. As a result, multiple gripping members can be used appropriately. Furthermore, since combined weighing is performed afterward, the amount of ingredients to be released can be precisely set to the specified amount. In other words, the gripping system 1 allows for more precise control of the timing at which multiple gripping members perform gripping.

[0091] [Occupancy status determination operation] Next, we will specifically explain the capacity status determination operations performed by the performance calculation unit 157, the capacity status determination unit 158, and the alert output unit 159. Figures 13 and 14 are schematic diagrams showing the gripping target area AR, which is a prerequisite for the containment state determination operation. Figures 13 and 14 are schematic diagrams showing the gripping mechanism 31, the containment container 10, and the gripping target area AR within the containment container 10 from a top-down view in the vertical direction (Z direction in Figure 3, etc.).

[0092] Figure 13(A) shows the gripping mechanism 31, the gripping target area AR1, and the gripping target area AR2. Here, the gripping target area AR is the area within the container 10 that the gripping mechanism 31 grips in a single gripping operation. For example, as shown in the figure as "(1) Move to gripping target area AR1 and grip the ingredients", the gripping mechanism 31 moves above the gripping target area AR1 and performs the gripping operation, and then releases the ingredients to the discharge chute 20. Next, the gripping mechanism 31 moves above the gripping target area AR2 and performs the gripping operation, as shown in the figure as "(2) Move to the gripping target area AR2 and grip the ingredients," and then releases the ingredients to the discharge chute 20. In this manner, the gripping mechanism 31 sequentially performs gripping operations on different gripping target areas AR. In other words, in this embodiment, the ingredients are gripped as evenly as possible from the entire container 10.

[0093] Furthermore, the size and shape of the gripping area AR can be arbitrarily set according to the characteristics of the ingredients contained in the container 10 and the range that the gripping member 313 can grip at once. In addition, the position of the gripping area AR can also be arbitrarily set.

[0094] For example, as shown in Figure 13(B), multiple gripping target areas AR may be arranged adjacent to each other in both the column and row directions. This allows for even gripping of the ingredients with respect to each gripping target area AR.

[0095] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 13(C), multiple gripping target areas AR may be arranged so that they partially overlap in the column direction. Similarly, multiple gripping target areas AR may be arranged so that they partially overlap in the row direction. Alternatively, these can be combined to arrange multiple gripping target areas AR so that they partially overlap in both the column and row directions. In this regard, as explained with reference to Figures 3 and 4, the gripping mechanism 31 has four gripping members 313 arranged in two rows. That is, the gripping members 313 are spaced apart from each other and from each other's rows. Therefore, there may be cases where the material cannot be gripped in the areas with gaps. However, by using a partially overlapping arrangement as shown in Figure 13(C), even within the same gripping target area AR, the gripping position will shift each time a gripping operation is performed. As a result, the portion of the material that could not be gripped in the previous gripping operation will be able to be gripped in the next gripping operation. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the formation of mountain-like or valley-like shapes (i.e., uneven shapes) on the surface of the material according to the spacing of the gripping members 313. Consequently, the surface of the material remains smooth, and a state that makes it easy to properly grip the material can be maintained.

[0096] As described above, the shape, number, and placement of the gripping target area AR can be arbitrarily set according to the environment in which this embodiment is implemented. In this embodiment, as an example, as shown in Figure 14(A), nine gripping target areas AR are provided within the containment container 10 as an example of setting the gripping target areas AR in the containment container 10. It is assumed that these nine gripping target areas AR are arranged in three columns and three rows, each adjacent to the others. It is assumed that gripping operations are performed sequentially on gripping target area AR1, gripping target area AR2, ..., gripping target area AR9, and then the gripping operations are repeated sequentially starting from gripping target area AR1.

[0097] Next, we will explain how to arbitrarily set the gripping target area AR. As shown in Figure 10(B), a point corresponding to each gripping target area AR (hereinafter referred to as "pickup point PP") is defined as a parameter referenced by the articulated robot control unit 154. For example, pickup point PP1 in the figure corresponds to the central position of the gripping target area AR1. Similarly, the other pickup points PP also correspond to the central position of the gripping target area AR with the same number at the end of their designation.

[0098] Then, during the gripping operation, the articulated robot control unit 154 moves the gripping mechanism 31 to a position corresponding to the pickup point PP. For example, when gripping the target area AR1 in this case, the articulated robot control unit 154 moves the gripping mechanism 31 so that the horizontal coordinate position of the center of the gripping mechanism 31 is vertically above the horizontal coordinate position of the pickup point PP1 in the coordinate space used by the articulated robot control unit 154 to control the gripping mechanism 31. In this state, by lowering the gripping mechanism 31 and performing a gripping operation, the gripping target area AR1 corresponding to the pickup point PP1 can be made the target of gripping. Similarly, when gripping another gripping target area AR, the gripping mechanism 31 should be moved so that it is vertically above the horizontal coordinate position of the pickup point PP corresponding to the gripping target area AR. In this way, based on the control of the articulated robot control unit 154, the gripping mechanism 31 can sequentially perform gripping operations on different gripping target areas AR.

[0099] The performance calculation unit 157 then calculates the gripping performance value and the release performance value for each gripping target area AR. For example, if gripping is performed in the order of gripping area AR1, gripping area AR2, and gripping area AR3, the average of the most recent three gripping values ​​is calculated by summing the gripping values ​​of these three gripping areas AR and then dividing by 3. This average value is equivalent to a moving average obtained by smoothing time series data, and serves as an indicator of the trend in gripping and releasing values ​​for these three gripping areas AR.

[0100] The storage state determination unit 158 ​​makes a determination using the average of the most recent three gripping performance values, for example, in the manner described above. This allows for an overall determination based on the performance values ​​of multiple gripping target areas AR, rather than making a local determination based on the performance value of a single gripping target area AR. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a false determination that the storage container 10 needs to be replaced simply because the remaining amount of ingredients in one gripping target area AR is low, even though there is sufficient amount of ingredients remaining in the other gripping target areas AR.

[0101] In the above explanation, we described an example where the average of the most recent N gripping results is calculated using the values ​​of the most recent three gripping results. Here, the value of N can be arbitrarily determined, but it is advisable to use the number of gripping target areas AR arranged in one column, the number of gripping target areas AR arranged in one row, or the total number of gripping target areas AR arranged in the entire container 10 as the value of N. In this way, it is possible to make judgments based on the trend of the results for each column, the trend of the results for each row, or the trend of the overall results. Alternatively, using a similar approach, the value of N may be an integer multiple of the number of gripping target areas AR arranged in each column, row, and overall.

[0102] The alert output unit 159 outputs an alert to the worker according to the determination result of the occupancy status determination unit 158, which is made in this manner. Here, the processing may be further carried out using the concept of an area, that is, one column or one row may be defined as one area. Alternatively, a combination of multiple columns and multiple rows may be defined as one area. Then, suppose the storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines that there is a high probability that the combination metric for a certain area will fail. In this case, the alert output unit 159 will not issue an alert stating "to replace the containment container 10", It would be good to set up an alert that says, "The amount of ingredients remaining in a certain area is running low, so the ingredients in that area and other areas will be evenly distributed to ensure that the amount of ingredients in each area is equal."

[0103] Furthermore, the determination result of the housing state determination unit 158 ​​may be used not only for outputting alerts from the alert output unit 159, but also for controlling the articulated robot control unit 154. For example, if the storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines that there is a high probability that the combined weighing will fail, the articulated robot control unit 154 may forcibly stop the operation of the articulated robot 30.

[0104] Alternatively, the articulated robot control unit 154 may limit and narrow the operating range of the articulated robot 30. For example, suppose the storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines that there is a high probability that the combined weighing will fail for a certain area. In this case, the articulated robot control unit 154 controls the gripping mechanism 31 so that it does not perform a gripping operation on the gripping target area AR in that area, but instead performs a gripping operation on the gripping target area AR in other areas. Alternatively, the articulated robot control unit 154 controls the gripping mechanism 31 so that it does not move in that area at all.

[0105] Furthermore, when the determination result of the housing state determination unit 158 ​​is used to control the articulated robot control unit 154, the alert output unit 159 may be configured not to output an alert. Alternatively, the determination result may be used to control the articulated robot control unit 154, and the alert output unit 159 may be configured to output an alert.

[0106] The effects of the containment state determination operation described above will now be explained. According to the holding system 1, the storage status of the ingredients stored in the storage container 10 can be determined based on the multi-joint robot 30's performance in holding and releasing ingredients. In contrast, conventional technology required the provision of devices such as cameras and sensors solely to understand the state of the ingredients' storage, leading to increased costs. Furthermore, the robot's movement path had to be considered to ensure proper camera photography and sensor detection, reducing the robot's freedom of movement.

[0107] However, with the holding system 1, it is possible to determine the state of the contents contained in the container 10 without requiring devices such as cameras or sensors that are solely for the purpose of understanding the state of the contents. Therefore, with the holding system 1, it is possible to reduce costs compared to conventional technology. Furthermore, with the holding system 1, the robot (in this case, the articulated robot 30) only needs to move normally to grasp and release objects, and there is no need to consider the robot's movement path for camera shooting or sensor detection. Therefore, the holding system 1 does not reduce the degree of freedom of movement for the robot compared to conventional technology.

[0108] In other words, the holding system 1 allows for the determination of the storage state of the ingredients to be held in a simpler manner.

[0109] Furthermore, in this embodiment in particular, the gripping mechanism 31 has a plurality of gripping members 313 for performing the holding action. These plurality of gripping members 313 are arranged spaced apart in the horizontal plane. This allows for a more accurate determination of the food's storage state by averaging the results of multiple gripping members 313, rather than relying solely on the performance of a single gripping member 313. If the gripping mechanism 31 were configured to have only one gripping member, then only one gripping member would contact the ingredients in a single gripping operation. Therefore, there is a risk of mistakenly determining that the total amount of ingredients in the container 10 is low simply because the amount of ingredients remaining in one specific location within the container 10 is low. In contrast, with a configuration like that of this embodiment, which has multiple gripping members 313, multiple gripping members 313 would contact the ingredients in a single gripping operation. Therefore, the amount of ingredients remaining can be checked simultaneously in multiple locations (for example, eight locations). Consequently, it is possible to prevent making an incorrect judgment based on only one location, as can happen with a configuration that has only one gripping member.

[0110] Furthermore, in this embodiment in particular, combined weighing is performed using multiple gripping members 313, but in this case, it is assumed that each of the multiple gripping members 313 can grip a sufficient amount of food. In this respect, this embodiment ensures an environment in which the multiple gripping members 313 for combined weighing can be utilized, such as when there is a sufficient amount of food remaining in the entire container 10. In other words, the container state determination operation is suitable when combined weighing is performed. Furthermore, in this embodiment in particular, the contents of the container 10 are not a liquid such as soup, but solid ingredients. In this respect, if the contents are of a uniform height, such as a liquid, it is easy to determine the remaining amount in the container 10. On the other hand, if the contents are of a non-uniform height, such as a solid, it is difficult to determine the remaining amount in the container 10. However, the contents state determination operation makes it possible to determine the remaining amount in the container 10. For this reason, the contents state determination operation is suitable for this embodiment which deals with solids.

[0111] Furthermore, when the ingredients are viscous or long pieces that tend to tangle with each other, the gripping motion can create unevenness on the surface, and this unevenness tends to be maintained. In other words, the height of the contents remains uneven, making it difficult to determine the total remaining amount in the container 10. However, with the above-described contents state determination operation, it is possible to determine the total remaining amount in the container 10. Therefore, the contents state determination operation is particularly suitable when dealing with solids that have such characteristics.

[0112] [Supply control operation] Next, the supply control operations performed by the articulated robot 30 and the supply unit 50 based on the control of the articulated robot control unit 154 and the supply control unit 155 will be described in chronological order.

[0113] As a prerequisite, let's first explain the configuration of the supply unit 50. Figure 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of the supply unit 50 and its vicinity. In Figure 15, each part is shown as observed from the same direction as in Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 15, the supply unit 50 includes a first detection sensor 51, a second detection sensor 52, a stopper 53, a second cylinder 54, a receiving unit 55, and a base unit 56.

[0114] The first detection sensor 51 is a sensor that detects whether or not a container is present at the serving position P1. The second detection sensor 52 is a sensor that detects whether or not a container is present at the standby position P2. These first detection sensors 51 and the second detection sensors 52 are implemented as photoelectric sensors, such as fiber optic sensors, and are arranged so that their optical paths are perpendicular to the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 40. The detection results of these first detection sensors 51 and the second detection sensors 52 are successively notified to the control device 60.

[0115] The stopper 53 stops the container being transported by the belt conveyor 40 along its transport path. Here, as described above, the belt conveyor 40 is composed of three belt conveyors: the first conveyor 41, the second conveyor 42, and the third conveyor 43. The stopper 53 is positioned between the first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42, and stops the container there. As a result, the container comes to a stop at the loading position P1 on the transport surface. Furthermore, by continuing to stop the container, the stopper 53 stops not only the stopped container but also subsequent containers. These subsequent containers will then be stopped at the waiting position P2 on the conveying surface. The stopper 53 is composed of, for example, a plate-shaped member having a width equivalent to the width of the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 40.

[0116] The second cylinder 54 is a drive mechanism that operates the stopper 53. The second cylinder 54 is composed of, for example, an air cylinder and moves the stopper 53 up or down at high speed. When the second cylinder 54 moves the stopper 53 up, the stopper 53 moves to a position higher than the height of the conveying surface. This makes it possible to stop the container. Conversely, when the second cylinder 54 moves the stopper 53 down, the stopper 53 moves to a position lower than the height of the conveying surface. As a result, the container is conveyed from the first conveyor 41 to the second conveyor 42 downstream without being stopped.

[0117] In this case, the container is further transported from the second conveyor 42 to the third conveyor 43 downstream. The third conveyor 43 corresponds, for example, to the first conveyor 41 of another holding system 1 located downstream, and the supply of ingredients to the container is similarly repeated in this other holding system 1 located downstream. Alternatively, the third conveyor 43 corresponds to a conveyor that transports containers to a location where subsequent processing (for example, lid closing by a robot or worker) is performed.

[0118] The receiving section 55 receives the ingredients that have fallen from the conveying surface of the first conveyor 41. In this embodiment, the timing of ingredient supply is adjusted to prevent ingredients from scattering from the containers during supply. However, as the operation continues to be repeated, there is a risk that ingredients may scatter from the containers. In this case, the scattered containers will contaminate the conveying surface.

[0119] Therefore, in this embodiment, a gap of a length sufficient to prevent the container from falling during transport is intentionally provided at the position where the stopper 53 is located between the first conveyor 41 and the second conveyor 42. This allows any ingredients that fall onto the transport surface when being supplied to the container to fall further through the gap, thereby preventing the transport surface from becoming contaminated.

[0120] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the receiving section 55 is located below the gap to receive the ingredients that fall through the gap. This prevents the ingredients that fall through the gap from scattering and soiling the surrounding area. Following a similar line of reasoning, a gap of sufficient length to prevent containers from falling during transport may be intentionally provided between the second conveyor 42 and the third conveyor 43, and a receiving section 55 may also be placed below this gap.

[0121] The base portion 56 is a base that supports the main components of the supply unit 50, such as the stopper 53, the second cylinder 54, and the receiving portion 55, as well as the second conveyor 42. The base portion 56 has a structure that is rigid enough to support these objects even when they are placed on the top surface. Furthermore, the base 56 has casters (wheels) at its lower end, allowing it to be moved by the operator's strength (i.e., by human power alone) even when the objects it supports are positioned. This allows the base 56 and the objects it supports to be moved, for example, in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 40 (i.e., towards the front of the paper or in the depth direction of the paper). As a result, the operator can easily perform cleaning work on the receiving section 55 and other parts. The base 56 also has handles for the operator to facilitate this movement. Furthermore, the base portion 56 has a sliding mechanism that allows the positional relationship between the stopper 53, the second cylinder 54, and the second conveyor 42 and the discharge chute 20 to be adjusted by moving them in the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 40 or in the opposite direction (i.e., upstream or downstream). The operator can use this sliding mechanism to adjust the positional relationship between the stopper 53 and the discharge chute 20. A specific method of using the sliding mechanism will be described later with reference to Figure 20.

[0122] As a part related to the supply unit 50, the discharge chute 20 includes a first discharge member 21, a second discharge member 22, and a first cylinder 23. The discharge chute 20 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an input port at one end and a discharge port at the other end. The discharge chute 20 receives the ingredients released by the articulated robot 30 through the input port and then discharges the ingredients through the discharge port, thereby supplying the ingredients to the containers transported to the serving position P1 for serving.

[0123] The first discharge member 21 is a member that forms the inlet, and the opening surface of the inlet is configured to be large enough to receive all of the gripping members 313 when the gripping mechanism 31, which has a plurality of gripping members 313, releases them simultaneously. The second discharge member 22 is a member that forms the discharge port, and by discharging the ingredients supplied to the first discharge member 21 through the discharge port, it is placed into the container located at the serving position P1. The discharge chute 20, consisting of the first discharge member 21 and the second discharge member 22, narrows like a funnel as it approaches the discharge port, and the opening of the discharge port is configured to be large enough for the discharged ingredients to fit inside the container. This prevents the ingredients released by the gripping mechanism 31 from scattering outside the container.

[0124] The first cylinder 23 is a drive mechanism that operates the second discharge member 22. The first cylinder 23 is composed of, for example, a mechanical cylinder, and raises or lowers the second discharge member 22 while controlling its speed. When the first cylinder 23 raises the second discharge member 22, the discharge port of the second discharge member 22 separates from the conveying surface. This prevents the discharge port of the second discharge member 22 from coming into contact with the container on the conveying surface, thus not hindering the conveyance of the container. Conversely, when the first cylinder 23 lowers the second discharge member 22, the second discharge member 22 approaches the container on the conveying surface. This allows the ingredients to be placed with the discharge port close to the container, and prevents the ingredients from scattering from the container.

[0125] As shown in Figure 2, the main components of the supply unit 50, the vicinity of the serving position P1 and standby position P2 of the first conveyor 41, the second conveyor 42, and the discharge chute 20 are shielded from the outside space by the shielding unit 70. Therefore, even if these components operate in relation to the supply control operation described below, it is possible to prevent the ingredients from scattering into the outside space. Furthermore, even though the unit is shielded from the outside space by the shielding section 70, maintenance work such as cleaning can be easily performed by opening the door 71 and pulling out the base section 56. In other words, the configuration that makes the base section 56 movable is highly suitable from the viewpoint of improving maintainability.

[0126] The above describes the supply unit 50 and its vicinity, which are prerequisites. Next, we will explain in chronological order the supply control performed by the articulated robot 30 and the supply unit 50 based on the control of the articulated robot control unit 154 and the supply control unit 155. Figures 16 to 19 are schematic diagrams showing the supply control operations performed by the articulated robot 30 and the supply unit 50. Figures 16 to 19 illustrate each part as viewed from the same direction as in Figures 1, 2, and 13. There are two gripping mechanisms 31, which operate alternately, but this explanation will focus on the case where the gripping mechanism 31 on the left side of the page is the primary operator.

[0127] First, as shown in Figure 16(a), each gripping mechanism 31 performs a gripping operation as described above in Figures 10 to 12, and waits above the container 10 with the ingredients in place. In parallel with this, the first conveyor belt 41 transports the container (hereinafter referred to as the "first container" for convenience). The first container is then stopped at the serving position P1 by the raised stopper 53.

[0128] Next, as shown in Figure 16(b), the supply control unit 155 detects the presence of the first container at the serving position P1 using the first detection sensor 51. In response, the supply control unit 155 drives the first cylinder 23 to lower the second discharge member 22 of the discharge chute 20.

[0129] Next, as shown in Figure 17(c), the articulated robot control unit 154 moves the gripping mechanism 31 above the discharge chute 20 and releases the material using the gripping member 313 based on combined weighing.

[0130] Next, as shown in Figure 17(d), the ingredients supplied to the discharge chute 20 are supplied to the first container via the discharge chute 20 and served. Furthermore, the articulated robot control unit 154 moves the gripping mechanism 31 to the upper part of the storage container 10 and releases the materials still being gripped by the gripping member 313. However, if there are still combinations of gripping members 313 for which combination weighing has been completed, the gripping mechanism 31 may be left waiting above the storage container 10 without releasing the materials or performing the re-gripping shown in Figure 18(e). Furthermore, the supply control unit 155 drives the first cylinder 23 to raise the second discharge member 22 of the discharge chute 20 after a predetermined time has elapsed since the ingredients were released by the gripping member 313 (or after subsequent processing such as shaking off the ingredients).

[0131] Next, as shown in Figure 18(e), the articulated robot control unit 154 causes the gripping mechanism 31 to perform the gripping operation again and then has it wait above the container 10. In parallel with this, the first conveyor 41 transports the container following the first container (hereinafter referred to as the "second container" for convenience). The second container then stops at the first container, which is stopped by the stopper 53, and stops at the waiting position P2.

[0132] Next, as shown in Figure 18(f), the supply control unit 155 detects the presence of the second container at the standby position P2 using the second detection sensor 52. The supply control unit 155 then drives the second cylinder 54 to lower the stopper 53. In response, the stopped state of the first and second containers ends, and the transport of the first and second containers resumes. Note that in this case, the stopper 53 is lowered only after the second container has come into contact with the first container and the second container has come to a complete stop. However, the stopper 53 may also be lowered when the second container is adjacent to the first container, before the second container has come to a complete stop. In any case, this allows the first detection sensor 51 to immediately detect the next container, so the gripping mechanism 31 can also immediately move above the discharge chute 20, thereby shortening the supply time (cycle time). Here, the transport speed of the second conveyor 42 is set to be faster than the transport speed of the first conveyor 41. As a result, the first container transported on the transport surface of the second conveyor 42 moves faster than the second container being transported on the first conveyor 41, and a distance is created between the first and second containers.

[0133] Next, as shown in Figure 19(g), the supply control unit 155 drives the second cylinder 54 to raise the stopper 53. In response, the second container stops, while the first container, which is filled with ingredients, is transported downstream by the second conveyor 42 and the third conveyor 43. Then, the supply control operation is repeated from Figure 16(a) with the second container becoming the new first container.

[0134] By performing the supply control operation described above, it becomes unnecessary to move the discharge chute 20 to a desired area on the container in order to supply ingredients to that area. This point will be explained further.

[0135] Figure 20 is a schematic diagram illustrating a means for supplying ingredients to a desired area on the container without moving the discharge chute 20. As shown in Figure 20, the relative positional relationship between the position of the container stopped by the stopper 53 and the position of the discharge port of the discharge chute 20 is determined by the distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53. In the example in Figure 20, it is assumed that the supply range of ingredients from the discharge port of the discharge chute 20 is approximately one-third of the container.

[0136] For example, as shown in Figure 20(A), when the distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53 is somewhat large (referred to as "first distance" in the figure), the discharge port of the discharge chute 20 will be located above the rear region in the direction of container transport (referred to as "first region" in the figure). In this case, ingredients are supplied to and placed in the first region. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 20(B), when the distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53 is moderate (referred to as "second distance" in the figure), the discharge port of the discharge chute 20 will be located above the central region in the direction of container transport (referred to as "second region" in the figure). In this case, ingredients are supplied to and placed in the second region. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 20(C), when the distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53 is short (referred to as the "third distance" in the figure), the discharge port of the discharge chute 20 will be located above the front region in the direction of container transport (referred to as the "third region" in the figure). In this case, ingredients are supplied to and placed in the third region. Note that "somewhat far away," "moderately far away," and "close away" here are relative expressions used when comparing these three examples.

[0137] Thus, the position of the discharge port of the discharge chute 20 (corresponding to the area where ingredients are supplied) is determined by the distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53. Therefore, by adjusting the distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53 in advance by moving the stopper 53 and the first conveyor 41 or the second conveyor 42, it is possible to determine which area on the container the ingredients will be supplied to. Furthermore, in carrying out this method, it is not necessary to move the discharge chute 20 to a desired area on the container.

[0138] The distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53 can be adjusted by using the sliding mechanism described above, as shown in Figure 15. By using this sliding mechanism to move the stopper 53 in the direction of transport of the belt conveyor 40 or in the opposite direction (i.e., upstream or downstream), the distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53 can be set to any desired length. This allows the operator to determine which area of ​​the container the ingredients will be supplied to. In this case, a positioning mechanism may be provided that allows the stopper 53 to be positioned at a predetermined distance (for example, each of the first to third distances mentioned above) in order to make distance adjustment easier. Also, on the sliding mechanism, the stopper 53, the second cylinder 54, and the second conveyor 42 may move together or separately. Furthermore, the positions of the first conveyor 41 and the third conveyor 43 may also be moved upstream or downstream of the belt conveyor 40 as needed. In any case, by providing such a sliding mechanism, the distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53 can be adjusted without moving heavy components such as the containment container 10, the discharge chute 20, the articulated robot 30, and the shielding section 70.

[0139] Furthermore, the base portion 56 is fixed to the shielding portion 70, and the stopper 53 and the second conveyor 42 are further fixed on top of this base portion 56. This configuration reduces the number of parts in the entire holding system 1. This reduces manufacturing costs. In addition, the stopper 53 and the second conveyor 42 are driven by power supplied to the articulated robot 30 of the holding system 1. Therefore, the wiring of the power supply cables (i.e., cable routing) can be simplified. As described above, this embodiment has various advantages compared to a configuration in which the stopper and conveyor are arranged independently of the shielding portion 70. Furthermore, by simply adjusting the distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53 using the base portion 56, which is integrated with the holding system 1, the process of serving multiple types of food on a single container can be easily automated. These are effects that cannot be obtained if the holding system 1, the stopper 53, and the second conveyor 42 were configured independently.

[0140] Furthermore, as described above, in this embodiment, multiple holding systems 1 are installed along the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 40, and it is assumed that the articulated robots 30 in each of the multiple holding systems 1 will work together. Therefore, for example, in the first holding system 1 located upstream, the distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53 can be set as the first distance; in the second holding system 1 located downstream of the first holding system 1, the distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53 can be set as the second distance; and in the third holding system 1 located downstream of the second holding system 1, the distance between the discharge chute 20 and the stopper 53 can be set as the third distance. In this way, ingredients can be supplied to the first, second, and third regions of a single container and then served. Furthermore, in this case, by supplying different types of ingredients with each holding system 1, it is possible to supply and arrange different types of ingredients in three horizontal regions of a single container. In other words, with the holding system 1, it is possible to arrange a combination of three types of ingredients (for example, a three-kind assortment of namul).

[0141] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 20, it was assumed that the supply range of ingredients from the discharge port of the discharge chute 20 was about 1 / 3 of the container, but this is not limited to this. For example, the supply range of ingredients may be about 1 / 2 of the container, or it may be about 1 / N of the container (where N is a value of 4 or more). In other words, with the holding system 1, any number of two or more types of ingredients can be placed in different areas of the horizontal plane of a single container. Furthermore, for example, if the container size is large relative to the supply range of ingredients from the discharge port of the discharge chute 20, the same type of ingredients may be sequentially placed in different areas of the container to ensure that the same type of ingredients are distributed throughout the entire container. Thus, with the holding system 1, by adjusting the position in advance where the stopper 63 stops the container, the desired ingredients can be supplied to and served in the desired area on the container.

[0142] In contrast, with conventional technology, in order to supply ingredients to a desired area on the container, it was necessary to stop the container, move the discharge port or other components to the desired area on the container, and then begin supplying the ingredients. In particular, when performing combined weighing, it is necessary to release multiple gripping members simultaneously, so it was necessary to prepare a large discharge chute that could accommodate the release of these multiple gripping members. Moving the discharge port of such a large discharge chute to a desired area on the container is difficult.

[0143] However, with the holding system 1, ingredients can be supplied to a desired area on the container without the need to move such an outlet. Therefore, it has the effect of eliminating the need to provide a mechanism to move the outlet to the desired area on the container. In addition, since no extra movement time is generated, it also has the effect of shortening the supply time (cycle time). Furthermore, with the holding system 1, any number of ingredients can be placed in different areas on the horizontal surface of a single container. In other words, the holding system 1 allows for the supply of materials to be delivered to the desired area of ​​the delivery destination in a simpler manner.

[0144] [Overall Operation] Next, we will explain the overall operation of the holding system 1. Figures 21 and 22 are flowcharts showing the flow of the ingredient plating process performed by the holding system 1. The ingredient plating process is initiated, for example, when an operator initiates the ingredient plating process.

[0145] When the ingredient placement process begins, in step S11 of Figure 21, the articulated robot control unit 154 reads operation data (for example, operation pattern data, position and shape data of the container 10, etc.) from the parameter storage unit 171 to prepare for grasping the ingredients.

[0146] In step S12, the articulated robot control unit 154 moves each gripping member 313 upwards to the storage container 10 according to the motion pattern data, and inserts each gripping member 313 into the group of materials in the storage space of the storage container 10.

[0147] In step S13, the reaction force determination unit 152 determines whether or not there is a gripping member 313 that is receiving a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or greater during the insertion process. If there is a gripping member 313 that is receiving a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or greater, the determination in step S13 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S14. On the other hand, if there is no gripping member 313 that is receiving a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or greater, the determination in step S13 is No, and the process proceeds to step S14.

[0148] In step S14, the reaction force determination unit 152 instructs the gripping member 313, which is receiving a reaction force of a predetermined magnitude or greater, to perform gripping. In step S15, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines whether all gripping members 313 have performed a grip. If all gripping members 313 have performed a grip, the result in step S15 is determined to be Yes, and the process proceeds to step S18. On the other hand, if none of the gripping members 313 have performed a grip, the result in step S15 is determined to be No, and the process proceeds to step S16.

[0149] In step S16, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines whether the tip of the gripping member 313 has been inserted to the reference position (the first reference position or the second reference position described above). If the tip of the gripping member 313 has been inserted to the reference position, the result in step S16 is determined to be Yes, and the process proceeds to step S17. On the other hand, if the tip of the gripping member 313 has not been inserted to the reference position, the result in step S16 is determined to be No, and the process is repeated from step S12.

[0150] In step S17, the articulated robot control unit 154 forces the gripping member 313 that is receiving less than a predetermined reaction force to perform a grip. In step S18, the articulated robot control unit 154 raises each gripping member 313 and pulls them out of the group of materials.

[0151] In step S19, the gripping amount determination unit 153 performs a combined weighing to match the specified amount, which is the weight of the material to be released. In step S20, the gripping amount determination unit 153 determines whether or not there is a combination of gripping members 313 that conforms to a specified amount. If there is a combination of gripping members 313 that conforms to a specified amount, the determination in step S20 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S22 with the articulated robot control unit 154 keeping each gripping member 313 waiting above the storage container 10. On the other hand, if there is no combination of gripping members 313 that conforms to a specified amount, the determination in step S20 is No, and the process proceeds to step S21.

[0152] In step S21, the gripping amount determination unit 153 instructs all gripping members 313 to release the gripped material into the storage space of the storage container 10. The process is then repeated from step S13. In other words, the gripping operation is restarted from the beginning.

[0153] Moving to Figure 22, in step S22, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines whether or not it has detected a container that has been stopped at the serving position P1 by the stopper 53. If a container is detected, the determination in step S22 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S23. On the other hand, if a container is not detected, the determination in step S22 is No, and the process repeats the determination in step S22.

[0154] In step S23, the supply control unit 155 drives the first cylinder 23 to lower the second discharge member 22 of the discharge chute 20. In step S24, the articulated robot control unit 154 moves the gripping mechanism 31 above the discharge chute 20.

[0155] In step S25, the articulated robot control unit 154 releases the ingredients to the discharge chute 20 using the gripping member 313 based on combined weighing. In step S26, the articulated robot control unit 154 moves the gripping mechanism 31, which has released the material, to the upper part of the container 10. In step S27, the supply control unit 155 drives the first cylinder 23 to raise the second discharge member 22 of the discharge chute 20.

[0156] In step S28, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines whether or not it has detected a container stopped at the standby position P2 by the stopper 53. If a container is detected, the determination in step S28 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S29. On the other hand, if no container is detected, the determination in step S28 is No, and the process repeats the determination in step S28.

[0157] In step S29, the supply control unit 155 lowers the stopper 53 by driving the second cylinder 54. As a result, the container that was at the serving position P1 is transported downstream by the second conveyor 42 and the third conveyor 43.

[0158] In step S30, the supply control unit 155 drives the second cylinder 54 to raise the stopper 53. As a result, the container, which was in the standby position P2, is stopped by the stopper 53 at the serving position P1.

[0159] In step S31, the recording control unit 156 stores the control parameters acquired during the ingredient plating process and the measured weight data (history data) of the plated ingredients in the history DB 172.

[0160] In step S32, the performance calculation unit 157 calculates the gripping performance value and the release performance value.

[0161] In step S33, the storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines the storage state of the ingredients in the storage container 10 based on the actual value calculated in step S32.

[0162] In step S33, the alert output unit 159 determines whether or not to output an alert. In step S33, the storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines that even if gripping is repeated any further, a sufficient amount of ingredients cannot be gripped, and that there is a high possibility that the combined weighing will fail, in which case it is determined to output an alert. If an alert is to be issued, the result in step S34 is determined to be Yes, and the process proceeds to step S35. On the other hand, if no alert is to be issued, the result in step S34 is determined to be No, and the process proceeds to step S36.

[0163] In step S35, the alert output unit 159 outputs an alert. As described above, in this case, along with the output of the alert by the alert output unit 159, or instead, the control of the articulated robot 30 by the articulated robot control unit 154 may be altered.

[0164] In step S36, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines whether the conditions for terminating the ingredient placement process have been met. In this case, the conditions for terminating the ingredient placement process can be defined as having placed ingredients in the planned number of containers, or an operation to terminate the ingredient placement process being performed by an operator who has received an alert in step S35 to replace the container 10. If the conditions for terminating the ingredient plating process are not met, the result is determined as "No" in step S32, and the process moves to Figure 19, and the process is repeated from step S20. On the other hand, if the conditions for terminating the ingredient plating process are met, the result is determined as "Yes" in step S32, and the ingredient plating process is terminated. As described above, the overall operation of the holding system 1 allows for the supply of materials to be delivered to the desired area of ​​the delivery destination in a simpler manner.

[0165] [Differentiation] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are merely illustrative and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. The present invention can take various other forms without departing from the spirit of the invention, and various modifications such as omissions and substitutions can be made.

[0166] [Example 1] In the above-described embodiment, the storage state determination unit 158 ​​made the determination using the gripping record. However, it is not limited to this, and it is also possible to make the determination using the release record. For example, the performance calculation unit 157 calculates whether the combined weighing was achieved by the gripping operation of the gripping mechanism 31 and whether the target weight to be released was released. The storage state determination unit 158 ​​then determines that if the number of times the weight could not be released (i.e., the number of times the combined weighing was not achieved even though gripping was performed) exceeds a predetermined number of consecutive times, it is highly likely that a sufficient amount of ingredients cannot be gripped even if the gripping is repeated further, and that the combined weighing will fail. Alternatively, even if the exchanges are not consecutive, if the number of times the containment container 10 has been replaced but could not be released exceeds a predetermined number, it is determined that there is a high probability that the combined weighing will fail.

[0167] Furthermore, the gripping mechanism 31 performs multiple release operations for the ingredients gripped in a single gripping operation, as long as combined weighing is successful. The performance calculation unit 157 then calculates the number of times combined weighing was successful and release operations were performed per gripping operation in the most recent N gripping operations. If the average number of release operations per gripping operation falls below a predetermined threshold, the unit determines that there is a high probability that a sufficient amount of ingredients cannot be gripped even if gripping is repeated further, and that combined weighing will fail. Thus, the storage state determination unit 158 ​​can also make a determination based on the record of release (i.e., the record of successful combination metric calculation).

[0168] [Differentiation 2] In the above-described embodiment, the storage state determination unit 158 ​​made a determination based on the target weight, the gripping performance value, and the threshold value. However, it is not limited to this, and it is also possible to make a determination using only the gripping performance value and the threshold value.

[0169] For example, if the actual gripping weight of each gripping member 313 falls below a predetermined threshold of the minimum weight that each gripping member 313 should grip, it is determined that there is a high probability that the combined weighing will fail because a sufficient amount of material cannot be gripped even if gripping is repeated further. In other words, this is based on the idea that if none of the gripping members 313 can grip the minimum weight of material, there is a high probability that the combined weighing will fail. In this case, even if the value falls below the threshold once, it may be purely coincidental. Therefore, to improve accuracy, it may be possible to determine that the combinatorial metric is likely to fail if the event falls below the threshold N times in a row.

[0170] [Difference 3] The specific configurations in the embodiments described above are merely examples and can be modified as needed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, we assumed that one gripping mechanism 31 has eight gripping members 313, but it may have more than that number. Or it may have fewer than that number. In other words, one gripping mechanism 31 may have a configuration that has only one gripping member 313. Furthermore, it is not always necessary to perform combined weighing; the system may be configured such that only one gripping member 313, which is holding an ingredient of a weight matching the target weight, performs the release operation.

[0171] In addition, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the above-described embodiment, two sets of a containment container 10 and a multi-joint robot 30 were arranged. These two sets shared one discharge chute 20. However, this is not the only option. For example, one set consisting of a containment container 10 and an articulated robot 30 may be arranged to occupy one discharge chute 20. Alternatively, three or more sets consisting of a containment container 10 and an articulated robot 30 may be arranged to share one discharge chute 20.

[0172] [Example Configuration] As described above, the holding system 1 in this embodiment comprises a storage container 10, a multi-joint robot 30, and a storage state determination unit 158. The containment container 10 contains the object to be held. The articulated robot 30 holds the object contained in the containment container 10 and releases the held object. The storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines the storage state of the object stored in the storage container 10 based on either or both of the following: the record of the articulated robot 30 holding the object, and the record of the articulated robot 30 releasing the object. Thus, the holding system 1 makes it possible to determine the state of storage of an object in the storage container 10 based on the holding and release performance of the articulated robot 30 with respect to the object. In contrast, conventional technology required the provision of devices such as cameras and sensors solely to understand the storage status of the object, leading to high costs. Furthermore, the robot's movement path had to be considered to ensure proper camera photography and sensor detection, reducing the robot's freedom of movement. However, with the holding system 1, it is possible to determine the state of storage of an object in the storage container 10 without requiring devices such as cameras or sensors that are solely for the purpose of understanding the state of storage of the object. Therefore, with the holding system 1, it is possible to reduce costs compared to conventional technology. Furthermore, with the holding system 1, the robot (in this case, the articulated robot 30) only needs to move normally to grasp and release objects, and there is no need to consider the robot's movement path for camera shooting or sensor detection. Therefore, the holding system 1 does not reduce the degree of freedom of movement for the robot compared to conventional technology. In other words, the holding system 1 allows for the determination of the storage state of the object to be held in a simpler manner.

[0173] The performance calculation unit 157 calculates the weight held by the articulated robot 30 and the weight released by the articulated robot 30 as their respective performance values. The storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines the storage state of the object stored in the storage container 10 by comparing the target weight with the actual weight calculated by the actual weight calculation unit 157. This allows for a highly accurate determination of the object's storage condition based on objective indicators, namely the target weight and the actual weight calculated.

[0174] The articulated robot 30 divides the containment container 10 into multiple regions in a horizontal plane and repeatedly holds the object by sequentially targeting each of the multiple regions. The storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines the storage state of the object stored in the storage container 10 based on the record of the articulated robot 30 holding the object in each of the multiple regions. This allows the system to determine the state of object containment even when there are inconsistencies in the containment of objects, with different containment conditions in different areas.

[0175] The articulated robot 30 has multiple gripping members 313 for performing holding operations. Multiple gripping members 313 are arranged spaced apart in the horizontal plane. This allows for a more accurate determination of the object's storage status by averaging the performance of multiple gripping members 313, rather than relying solely on the performance of a single gripping member 313.

[0176] The object contained in the containment container 10 is a solid object. This allows for the determination of the storage state of an object even when the height of the contained object is uneven, as with a solid object, rather than when the height of the contained object is uniform, as with a liquid.

[0177] The storage state determination unit 158 ​​determines the storage state of the object stored in the storage container 10, and if it determines that the storage state makes it difficult for the articulated robot 30 to hold the object, it notifies the operator accordingly. This allows the operator to be notified that the multi-joint robot 30 is in a state where it is difficult to hold the object, that is, that the container 10 should be replaced with a new one.

[0178] The embodiments and modifications described above are merely examples of embodiments of the present invention, and various embodiments that realize the functions of the present invention are included within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the embodiments and modifications described above, the present invention was explained using the application of the present invention to a holding system for serving prepared foods as an example, but the present invention can be applied to systems for gripping various objects. For example, the present invention can be applied to systems for gripping materials with high viscosity or adhesiveness, such as mixed mortar, concrete, plaster, and clay. The present invention is suitable for gripping objects having a viscosity of medium viscosity or higher (5000 mPa·s) or higher at working temperature or room temperature. Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented by appropriately combining the examples described in the above embodiments. The series of processes described above can be executed by hardware or by software. In other words, the functional configuration shown in Figure 9 is merely illustrative and not particularly limiting. That is, it is sufficient for the holding system 1 to be equipped with a function that can execute the series of processes described above as a whole, and the type of functional block used to realize this function is not particularly limited to the example in Figure 9. Furthermore, a single functional block may consist of hardware alone, software alone, or a combination of both.

[0179] When a series of processes are executed by software, the programs that make up that software are installed on a computer or other device from a network or storage medium. A computer may be a computer built into dedicated hardware. Alternatively, a computer may be a computer capable of performing various functions by installing various programs, such as a general-purpose personal computer.

[0180] The storage medium for storing programs consists of removable media distributed separately from the main unit of the device, or storage media pre-installed in the main unit of the device. Removable media consists of, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, or flash memory. Optical disks consist of, for example, CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory), DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), Blu-ray Disc (registered trademark), etc. Magneto-optical disks consist of, for example, MD (Mini-Disk). Flash memory consists of, for example, USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or SD cards. Furthermore, storage media pre-installed in the main unit of the device consists of, for example, ROM or hard disks on which programs are stored.

[0181] In this specification, the step of describing a program to be recorded on a recording medium includes not only processes that are performed chronologically in that order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed chronologically, but are executed in parallel or individually. Furthermore, in this specification, the term "system" refers to an overall system composed of multiple devices, means, etc.

[0182] The above embodiments illustrate one example of applying the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. That is, the present invention can be modified in various ways, such as by omitting or substituting, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and various embodiments other than those described above are possible. Various embodiments that the present invention can take and their variations are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0183] 1 Holding system, 10 Storage container, 20 Discharge chute, 21 First discharge member, 22 Second discharge member, 23 First cylinder, 30 Articulated robot, 31 Gripping mechanism, 311 Housing, 312 Transmission unit, 313 Gripping member, 313a First gripping unit, 313b Second gripping unit, 314 Gripping member control unit, 315 Support unit, 316 Pin cylinder, 317 Load cell, 32 Robot arm, 40 Belt conveyor, 41 First conveyor, 42 Second conveyor, 43 Third conveyor, 50 Supply unit, 51 First detection sensor, 52 Second detection sensor, 53 Stopper, 54 Second cylinder, 55 Receiving unit, 56 Base unit, 60 Control device, 70 Shielding unit, 71 Door, 72 Hinges, 73 Opening, 151 Sensor information acquisition unit, 152 153 Reaction force determination unit, 154 Gripping amount determination unit, 155 Articulated robot control unit, 156 Supply control unit, 157 Recording control unit, 158 Performance calculation unit, 159 Storage state determination unit, 171 Parameter storage unit, 172 History database (History DB), 173 Performance storage unit, 711 CPU, 712 ROM, 713 RAM, 714 Bus, 715 Input unit, 716 Output unit, 717 Storage unit, 718 Communication unit, 719 Drive, 731 Removable media, AR Gripping target area

Claims

1. A container in which the object to be held is contained, A robot that holds the object contained in the aforementioned container and releases the held object, A determination means for determining the state of storage of an object stored in the storage container based on either or both of the following: the robot's record of holding the object, and the robot's record of releasing the object. A holding system characterized by comprising the following features.

2. The system further includes a weight calculation means for calculating the weight held by the robot and the weight released by the robot as the respective actual results. The determination means determines the state of the object contained in the container by comparing the target weight with the weight calculated by the weight calculation means as the actual weight. The holding system according to feature 1.

3. The robot divides the containment container into multiple regions in a horizontal plane, and repeatedly holds the object by sequentially targeting each of the multiple regions. The determination means determines the state of storage of the object in the storage container based on the robot's record of holding the object in each of the plurality of regions. The holding system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is as described above.

4. The robot has multiple holding members for performing holding, The plurality of holding members are arranged spaced apart in the horizontal plane. The holding system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is as described above.

5. The object contained in the aforementioned container is a solid object. The holding system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1 or 2.

6. The determination means determines the state of the object contained in the containment container, and if the containment state makes it difficult for the robot to hold the object, it notifies the operator accordingly. The holding system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is as described above.

7. A holding system comprising a container in which an object to be held is contained, and a robot that holds the object contained in the container and releases the held object, wherein the holding system performs a holding method, A holding method characterized by determining the state of storage of an object stored in the storage container based on either or both of the following: the robot's record of holding the object, and the robot's record of releasing the object.

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