Collaborative robot system

Abstract

This technology provides a way to accurately determine the optimal filling time for collaborative robots. [Solution] The collaborative robot system includes a work robot that performs tasks together with the user at a designated location. This collaborative robot system includes a battery that supplies power to operate the work robot, a display unit that shows the battery charge level, a storage unit that stores the work performed by the work robot, a calculation unit that calculates the predicted amount of power required for future tasks based on the amount of power consumed when performing the tasks stored in the storage unit, and a notification unit that notifies the user of when to recharge the battery based on the predicted amount of power.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This specification discloses a technology related to a collaborative robot system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an autonomous mobile device that autonomously moves to a work area based on a work instruction from a user and performs work. In the autonomous mobile device of Patent Document 1, the amount of electric power required to execute a work instruction is estimated, and the estimated amount of electric power and the remaining amount of electric power are compared and presented to the user. In Patent Document 1, by comparing the estimated amount of electric power required to complete a work instruction with the remaining amount of electric power, problems such as the work not being completed due to a power shortage are solved.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the field of robot systems, collaborative robots that work with users are known. The work content, work time, etc. of collaborative robots vary depending on the user. Therefore, in a collaborative robot, even if the required amount of electric power is estimated based on a steady work record like the autonomous mobile device of Patent Document 1 and compared with the remaining amount of electric power, the battery cannot be used efficiently. That is, in a collaborative robot, it is not possible to sufficiently grasp the battery charging timing only by using the prior art. This specification aims to provide a technology for appropriately grasping the charging timing of a collaborative robot.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The first technology disclosed herein is a collaborative robot system having a work robot that works with a user at a predetermined location, which may include a battery that supplies power to operate the work robot, a display unit that displays the charge level of the battery, a storage unit that stores the work content of the work robot, a calculation unit that calculates a predicted amount of power required for future work based on the amount of power consumed when performing the work content stored in the storage unit, and a notification unit that notifies the battery of the time to recharge based on the predicted amount of power.

[0006] A second technology disclosed herein is a collaborative robot system of the first technology, wherein the memory unit may store at least one of the work processes for the day in which the collaborative robot system is used and the work processes for the following day.

[0007] A third technology disclosed herein is a collaborative robot system of the first or second technology, further comprising a solar cell, the solar cell may supply power to the battery. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the first technology, the amount of power required for the work to be performed can be determined in advance, allowing the user to be notified of the appropriate time to charge the battery. For example, when the morning work is finished, the amount of power required for the afternoon work is compared with the remaining power (battery charge). If the remaining power is less, the user can understand that the battery needs to be charged before starting the afternoon work.

[0009] According to the second technology, if the day's work schedule is memorized, the remaining power (battery charge) is compared with the power required for the day before starting work. If the remaining power is less than the required power, the user can charge the battery before starting work for the day. This avoids interrupting work to charge the battery. Alternatively, if the remaining power is less than the required power when comparing the remaining power with the power required for the day, the user can decide to use another work robot with a sufficiently high remaining power.

[0010] Furthermore, if the system remembers the work schedule for the following day, it compares the remaining power with the power required for the next day at the end of the day's work. If the remaining power is less than the required power, the user can finish the day's work with the battery charged. In this way, because the memory unit remembers the work schedule for the current day and / or the next day, the work robot can be charged efficiently.

[0011] According to the third technology, the amount of commercial electricity used can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of the collaborative robot system is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] Referring to Figure 1, the collaborative robot system 10 will be described. The collaborative robot system 10 can be used in factories and other facilities to move with the user, for example, to the manufacturing site (an example of a designated location), to move products (workpieces), or to inspect products. The collaborative robot system 10 comprises a mobile platform 12 and a collaborative robot 22 mounted on the mobile platform 12. The mobile platform 12 is equipped with casters 14. Therefore, the user can move the collaborative robot 22 from its storage location (charging location, etc.) to the manufacturing site, etc.

[0014] The collaborative robot 22 comprises a battery 20, a work robot 4, a solar cell 2, a display unit 18, a storage unit 6, a calculation unit 8, and a notification unit 16. The battery 20 supplies power to operate the work robot 4. The battery 20 can be connected to a power source (not shown) and charged. The battery 20 can also be charged by power supplied from the solar cell 2. The display unit 18 can display the remaining charge level of the battery 20.

[0015] The memory unit 6 stores the tasks to be performed by the work robot 4. The memory unit 6 also stores the work schedule for the day and the following day when the work robot 4 is used. Specifically, the memory unit 6 stores the types of tasks and the order in which they will be performed by the work robot 4 on the day and the following day. The user inputs the work schedule into the memory unit 6 in advance. Furthermore, the memory unit 6 stores the amount of power consumed when tasks were performed in the past, for each task. For example, the memory unit 6 stores the amount of power consumed when tasks W1, W2, W3, ... were performed, Q1, Q2, Q3, ..., associated with the corresponding tasks W1, W2, W3, ....

[0016] The calculation unit 8 calculates the predicted amount of power Qp required for future tasks based on the amount of power consumed when performing tasks stored in the memory unit 6. Then, the calculation unit 8 calculates the charging time for the battery 20 based on the predicted amount of power Qp and the remaining power Qr of the battery 20. The charging time calculated by the calculation unit 8 is notified by the notification unit 16. For example, the notification unit 16 notifies the remaining time until charging of the battery 20 begins. Alternatively, the notification unit 16 notifies the date and time when charging of the battery 20 begins. In addition to the notification unit 16, the charging time calculated by the calculation unit 8 may also be displayed on the display unit 18.

[0017] As described above, the memory unit 6 stores the work procedures for the day and the following day when the work robot 4 is used. Therefore, the calculation unit 8 calculates the predicted amount of power Q12 required to perform work procedures W1 and W2, for example, if the work procedures for the day involve performing work procedure W1 in the morning and work procedure W2 in the afternoon. Then, the calculation unit 8 calculates the charging time for the battery 20 based on the predicted amount of power Q12 and the remaining power Qr of the battery 20. The charging time is announced by the notification unit 16.

[0018] The user can check the contents of the notification unit 16 and, if the charging time falls within the day's working hours, charge the battery 20 before starting work. Alternatively, the user can use another collaborative robot 22 with sufficient remaining battery charge (remaining power Qr). Furthermore, if the charging time falls within the afternoon's working hours, the user can charge the battery between the end of the morning's work W1 and the start of the afternoon's work W2. This prevents the day's work from being interrupted due to insufficient battery power.

[0019] Furthermore, the calculation unit 8 calculates the predicted amount of power Q23 required to perform tasks W2 and W3 if, for example, the work process on the following day involves performing task W2 in the morning and task W3 in the afternoon. The calculation unit 8 then calculates the charging time for the battery 20 based on the predicted amount of power Q23 and the remaining power Qr of the battery 20. The charging time is notified by the notification unit 16. The user can check the contents of the notification unit 16, and if the charging time falls within the working hours of the following day, they can charge the battery 20 after the work for that day is completed. This prevents the work for the following day from being interrupted due to insufficient power in the battery 20.

[0020] Furthermore, if the work robot 4 performs work W1 and work W2 on the day of the work, the memory unit 6 erases the stored power consumption amounts for work W1 and work W2 and newly stores the power consumption amounts for work W1 and work W2 performed on that day.

[0021] Describe the advantages of the collaborative robot system 10. In the collaborative robot system 10, the working robot 4 is operated using the power of the battery 20. Therefore, the collaborative robot system 10 does not require a power cord or the like for operating the working robot 4. The movement range of the collaborative robot 22 is not restricted, and the collaborative robot 22 can be used at any location. Also, the collaborative robot system 10 can notify the charging timing based on the predicted power consumption Qp to be used in the future and the remaining power Qr of the battery 20, so that charging can be performed at an appropriate timing, and it is possible to prevent the work from being interrupted due to a power shortage in the battery 20. Also, by performing charging at an appropriate timing, overcharging or the like of the battery 20 can be prevented, and the reduction in the life of the battery 20 can also be suppressed.

[0022] (Other Embodiments) In the above embodiment, a collaborative robot system provided with a solar cell has been described, but the solar cell is not necessarily an essential component. Also, only the work process of the day may be stored in the storage unit, or only the work process of the next day may be stored. Alternatively, the storage unit may not store the work process of one day, such as the work process of the day and the work process of the next day. What is important in the technology disclosed in this specification is that the storage unit stores the work content performed in the past and the power consumption consumed when the work content was performed. As long as the power consumption for the work content performed in the past is stored, the calculation unit can calculate the predicted power consumption required in the future work content.

[0023] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes to the specific examples illustrated above. Also, the technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical utility alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Further, the technology illustrated in this specification or the drawings achieves multiple purposes simultaneously, and achieving one of those purposes itself has technical utility.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0024] 4: Work robot 6: Memory unit 8: Calculation unit 10: Collaborative robot system 16: Notification unit 18: Display unit 20: Battery

Claims

1. A collaborative robot system having a work robot that performs tasks together with the user at a designated location, A battery that supplies power to operate the aforementioned work robot, A display unit that displays the charge level of the aforementioned battery, A storage unit for storing the work details of the aforementioned work robot, A calculation unit calculates the predicted amount of power required for future tasks based on the amount of power consumed when performing tasks stored in the memory unit, A notification unit that notifies the timing of charging the battery based on the predicted power amount, A collaborative robot system equipped with [this feature].

2. A collaborative robot system according to claim 1, The collaborative robot system wherein the memory unit stores at least one of the work processes for the day in which the robot system is used and the work processes for the following day.

3. A collaborative robot system according to claim 1 or 2, Furthermore, it is equipped with solar panels. The aforementioned solar cell supplies power to the aforementioned battery in a collaborative robot system.

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