Processing system and processing method

Abstract

To more efficiently ensure that the contents of the container are properly contained. [Solution] The processing system 1 comprises an ingredient container 10, a multi-joint robot 30, a gripping member 313, and a moving member 55. The ingredient container 10 contains the ingredients. The multi-joint robot 30 processes the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10. The gripping member 313 is controlled by the multi-joint robot 30 to perform processing. The moving member 55 contacts the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10 and moves the ingredients, thereby adjusting the state of the ingredients in the container to a state suitable for performing processing.

Description

Technical Field

[0005] , ,

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

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, work has been carried out by robots to process various objects. For example, there are robots that hold an object in a storage container containing the object and release the held object into another container, or robots that perform processing on the held object. Techniques related to such robots for processing objects are disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. Specifically, in Patent Document 1, a robot holds an object (here, food ingredients) in a storage container by gripping it, and releases the held food ingredients into a side dish container. Thereby, the plating of food ingredients can be automated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, when performing processing on an object as in Patent Document 1, the storage state of the object changes as the processing is executed. For example, when a robot grips an object, the remaining amount of the object decreases in the area targeted for gripping, or the surface of the object becomes uneven and rough. In view of this point, in the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, a member for executing processing (here, a gripping member) gathers the object in the storage container from one area to another area. Thereby, processing has been performed to appropriately adjust the storage state of the object in the storage container.

[0005] However, conventional technologies, including the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, still have room for improvement in terms of ensuring that the contents of the container are properly contained. Furthermore, these challenges are not limited to cases where the object is food, but are common to various fields in which robots perform processing, such as in the industrial sector. Moreover, the processing performed by robots is not limited to cases where the object is held by grasping, but is also common to cases where the object is held by methods such as suction, or where some kind of processing or painting is performed on the object.

[0006] The objective of this invention is to more efficiently ensure that the contents of an object within a container are properly contained. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, a processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention is A container for housing the object, A robot that performs processing on the object contained in the aforementioned container, A processing member controlled by the robot to perform the processing, A moving member that contacts the object contained in the container and moves the object, thereby adjusting the state of the object's storage in the container to a state suitable for performing the process, It is characterized by having the following features. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the state of the contents of the container can be properly maintained more efficiently. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of the processing system 1 according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a front view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. [Figure 3]It is a side view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. [Figure 5] It is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the gripping member control unit 314. [Figure 6] It is a front view schematically showing the state in which the gripping member 313 elastically deformes as the material is gripped. [Figure 7] It is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control device 60. [Figure 8] It is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 60. [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram showing the state of the gripping and releasing operations executed by the articulated robot 30. [Figure 10] It is a schematic diagram showing the state of the gripping and releasing operations executed by the articulated robot 30. [Figure 11] It is a schematic diagram showing the state of the gripping and releasing operations executed by the articulated robot 30. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view showing the configuration of the container moving device 50. [Figure 13] It is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the moving member 55 realized by driving the first actuator 52 and the second actuator 54. [Figure 14] It is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the moving member 55 realized by driving the first actuator 52 and the second actuator 54. [Figure 15] It is a schematic diagram showing the state of the accommodation state correction operation executed by the container moving device 50. [Figure 16] It is a schematic diagram showing the state of the accommodation state correction operation executed by the container moving device 50. [Figure 17] It is a flowchart showing the flow of the material loading process executed by the processing system 1. [Figure 18] It is a flowchart showing the flow of the material loading process executed by the processing system 1. [Figure 19] It is a schematic diagram showing the state of the accommodation state correction operation in the first modification example. [Figure 20] It is a perspective view showing the configuration of the container moving device 50a in Modification 2 and Modification 3. [Figure 21] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the accommodation state correction operation in Modification 4. [Figure 22] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the accommodation state correction operation in Modification 4. [Figure 23] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the accommodation state correction operation in Modification 4. [Figure 24] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the accommodation state correction operation in Modification 5. [Figure 25] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the accommodation state correction operation in Modification 6. [Figure 26] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the accommodation state correction operation in Modification 7. [Figure 27] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the accommodation state correction operation in Modification 8. [Figure 28] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of the accommodation state correction operation in Modification 9. [Figure 29] It is a perspective view etc. showing the gripping member 313c suitable for Modification 10. [Figure 30] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of looking down on the ingredient storage container 10 from above in Modification 10. [Figure 31] It is a schematic diagram showing the situation of looking down on the ingredient storage container 10 from above in Modification 10. [Figure 32] It is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the gripping member control unit 314 in Modification 11. [Figure 33] It is a diagram showing an example of the modified shape of the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b of the gripping member 313 in Modification 14.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Embodiment] [Overall Configuration] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of the processing system 1 according to the present invention. Here, processing system 1 is assumed to be a system that grasps and releases food as an object to which the present invention is applied. Therefore, in the following description, the example given is when processing system 1 grasps ingredients such as prepared food, and these grasped ingredients are supplied via a discharge chute and placed into a prepared food container.

[0011] 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 that perform various processes on various objects. For example, it can be applied to systems that process uncooked vegetables (such as shredded cabbage, carrots, or bean sprouts) rather than prepared foods. It can also be applied to systems that process industrial products such as electronic devices (such as screws, bolts, or product components). Furthermore, the processing method is not limited to simply holding the object by gripping it and supplying it to another container. For example, the object may be held by methods other than gripping, such as adsorption, and then supplied to another container. Furthermore, the method of supplying the material to other containers is not limited to supplying it via a discharge chute. For example, the material may be supplied directly to other containers without using a discharge chute. Alternatively, the material may be supplied to other containers that are stationary, or to other containers that are being transported by a conveying device. Or, instead of supplying to other containers, the material may be supplied to, for example, the conveying surface of a conveying device. Furthermore, it can also be applied to systems that cook or wash objects. In addition, if the object is an industrial product, the present invention can be applied to systems that process, assemble, or paint this workpiece. In other words, the present invention can be implemented in various processing systems, regardless of what is being processed, the content of the processing, or the field in which it is applied.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the processing system 1 comprises a material container 10, a container supply unit 20, a multi-joint robot 30, a discharge chute 40, a material transfer device 50, and a control device 60. Of these, the container supply unit 20, the multi-joint robot 30, and the control device 60 are connected by wired or wireless communication and can communicate with each other. Of these components, the container supply unit 20, the articulated robot 30, the contents moving device 50, and the control device 60 are connected to each other via wired or wireless communication, enabling them to communicate with one another.

[0013] Adjacent to the processing system 1, a belt conveyor 2 is installed to automatically transport the containers of prepared foods from upstream to downstream. The belt conveyor 2 has a transport surface for transporting the containers, and the containers are transported while placed on this transport surface. In Figure 1, as shown by the dashed arrow, the right side of the paper is the downstream side of the transport on the belt conveyor 2.

[0014] Furthermore, although Figure 1 shows only one processing system 1, it is not limited to this. In this embodiment, it is assumed that multiple processing systems 1 are installed along the conveying direction of a single belt conveyor 2, and that multiple articulated robots 30 work together.

[0015] The ingredient container 10 has a storage space for storing ingredients such as side dishes that are to be served in the processing system 1. The ingredient container 10 can be made up of a general-purpose container such as a large tray or tub. The storage space of the ingredient container 10 can hold various ingredients that can be grasped by the articulated robot 30, 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, fern shoots, buttered corn, noodles, croquettes, and fried chicken. In this embodiment, the ingredient container 10 is assumed to contain multiple servings (for example, several dozen to several hundred servings) of one type of ingredient. When the amount of ingredients stored in the ingredient container 10 becomes low, it can be replaced manually by an operator or automatically by the articulated robot 30.

[0016] The container supply unit 20 supplies containers to a predetermined position in the processing system 1 where the ingredients are to be placed (in this case, the serving position P1 in Figure 1). The container supply unit 20 holds multiple containers. When the processing system 1 starts operating, the container supply unit 20 supplies containers one by one to the serving position P1. In response, the articulated robot 30 releases the ingredients, and the released ingredients are placed into the containers supplied to the serving position P1 via the discharge chute 40. Then, the push mechanism provided in the container supply unit 20 pushes the filled containers onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2. As a result, the filled containers are transported downstream by the belt conveyor 2.

[0017] Furthermore, a container detection sensor 21 is positioned near the location where the container supply unit 20 pushes a container onto the belt conveyor 2. The container detection sensor 21 is a sensor that detects containers being transported on the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2. The container supply unit 20 pushes a container with ingredients already placed on it onto the conveying surface at a time when the container detection sensor 21 has not detected any other containers being transported on the conveying surface (containers that have already been filled by other articulated robots 30). This prevents containers from colliding with each other on the conveying surface. The reason why other containers are transported from upstream is, as mentioned above, because in this embodiment, multiple processing systems 1 are installed.

[0018] The articulated robot 30 is composed of, for example, a horizontal articulated robot or a vertical articulated robot, and includes a gripping mechanism 31 capable of gripping the ingredients to be served, and a robot arm 32 that moves the gripping mechanism 31 to any position within its range of motion.

[0019] 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 ingredient 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 ingredient 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.

[0020] The discharge chute 40 is formed in a cylindrical shape, having an inlet at one end and a discharge port at the other end. The discharge chute 40 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 container supplied to the serving position P1. To this end, the discharge chute 40 is positioned such that its discharge port is located on the vertically upper surface of the serving position P1, for example, by being fixed to the wall portion of the housing of the container supply unit 20 or supported by a dedicated support. Furthermore, the opening of the input port is configured to be large enough to accommodate all of the ingredients when the gripping mechanism 31 is released simultaneously. In addition, the discharge chute 40 narrows like a funnel as it approaches the discharge port, and the opening of the discharge port is configured to be large enough to contain the discharged ingredients inside the container. This prevents the ingredients released by the gripping mechanism 31 from scattering outside the container.

[0021] The contents transfer device 50 arranges the contents contained in the contents container 10, which are to be processed (in this case, gripped) by the articulated robot 30, into a state suitable for processing. To this end, the contents moving device 50 includes a moving member 55, which will be described later, and a drive mechanism that drives this moving member 55. The contents moving device 50 then brings the moving member 55 into contact with the contents contained in the contents container 10 and moves the contents, thereby adjusting the contents in the contents container 10 to a state suitable for gripping. This makes it possible to adjust the contents of the contents in the contents container 10 more efficiently and appropriately.

[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 processing system 1 by executing various programs. For example, the control device 60 controls the operation of the container supply unit 20 to supply containers, the operation of the articulated robot 30 to grasp ingredients from the ingredient container 10 and release them into the container via the discharge chute 40 to fill the container with ingredients, and the operation of the contents moving device 50 to arrange the contents by moving the ingredients.

[0023] 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, and controls the drive of the actuator of the gripping mechanism 31 to perform actions such as gripping and releasing the material using the gripping mechanism.

[0024] The components constituting the processing system 1 have been described above. In addition to these components, plate-like members may be further arranged to surround or above the locations where each component is installed. This plate-like member shields each component from the external space, preventing materials gripped or released by the articulated robot 30 from scattering from the internal space to 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. In this case, the plate-like member should be made of a transparent material such as glass or resin, so that the operating status of the processing system 1 can be visually observed from the outside space. Furthermore, this plate-like member may be used to provide an additional, openable and closable door on a part of the side wall. This allows workers to open the door and perform various tasks such as replacing or replenishing the ingredient container 10, adding containers to the container supply unit 20, or performing maintenance on the processing system 1.

[0025] [Configuration of the gripping mechanism 31] Figures 2 to 6 illustrate the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. More specifically, Figure 2 is a front view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. Figure 3 is a side view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. Furthermore, Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. Furthermore, Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the gripping member control unit 314. Furthermore, Figure 6 is a schematic front view showing how the gripping member 313 elastically deforms when gripping an object.

[0026] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, 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.

[0027] 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 2, when the housing 311 is observed from the front (direction Y in the figure), four gripping members 313 are arranged at intervals. Then, as shown in Figure 3, when the housing 311 is observed from the side (direction X in the figure), four gripping members 313 are also arranged in two rows 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.

[0028] 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.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] As 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. Conversely, as 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.

[0032] As shown in Figure 4, the housing 311 contains a plurality of gripping member control units 314 and a plurality of support units 315 inside. In Figure 4, the housing 311 is shown transparently to illustrate the 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.

[0033] 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. 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 ingredient 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, all ingredients present on the bottom surface of the ingredient container 10 can be gripped without being left behind. In addition, since the force of contact is made gentle, damage to the gripping member 313 can be prevented.

[0034] 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.

[0035] 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 single long object (e.g., a single noodle or a single 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.

[0036] Furthermore, in order to control the gripping operation of the gripping member 313, the gripping member control unit 314, as shown in Figure 5, includes a pin cylinder 316 and a load cell 317 inside. Note that in Figure 5, the housing of the gripping member control unit 314 is shown through to illustrate the pin cylinder 316 and load cell 317.

[0037] 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 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] 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.

[0041] 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.

[0042] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6(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.

[0043] Subsequently, as shown in Figure 6(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.

[0044] 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 6(a), making it possible to reuse it repeatedly.

[0045] [Hardware configuration of control device 60] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control device 60. As shown in Figure 7, 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.

[0046] 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.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 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.

[0049] 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.

[0050] [Functional configuration] Next, the functional configuration of the control device 60 will be described. Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 60. As shown in Figure 8, by executing a program to control the operation of the processing system 1, the following functions occur in the CPU 711 of the control device 60: the sensor information acquisition unit 151, the reaction force determination unit 152, the gripping amount determination unit 153, the articulated robot control unit 154, the container supply control unit 155, the moving device control unit 156, and the recording control unit 157. In addition, the storage unit 717 has a parameter storage unit 171 and a history database (history DB) 172.

[0051] The parameter storage unit 171 stores various parameters used when the processing system 1 operates. For example, the parameter storage unit 171 stores the position and shape of the ingredient container 10, the position and shape of the containers supplied from the container supply unit 20, the position of the area within the container where ingredients are provided and served, parameters defining the operation pattern of the articulated robot 30, parameters defining the operation pattern of the container moving device 50, and so on.

[0052] The history DB172 stores control parameters acquired when processing system 1 is operating, as well as measurement data of the weight of ingredients served by processing system 1, as operation history.

[0053] The sensor information acquisition unit 151 acquires sensor information, which is information detected by various sensors installed in the processing system 1. For example, the sensor information acquisition unit 151 sequentially acquires the detection results of other containers on the transport surface (containers already filled by other articulated robots 30) by the container detection sensor 21. In addition, for example, the sensor information acquisition unit 151 sequentially acquires the current weight data measured by the load cells 317 of each gripping member 313. In this way, each sensor information notified to the sensor information acquisition unit 151 is sequentially used by other functional blocks of the control device 60.

[0054] 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.

[0055] 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.

[0056] 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 40, while preventing the other gripping members 313 from releasing the ingredients to the discharge chute 40. If no combination that matches the specified amount exists, the gripping amount determination unit 153 causes the gripping operation to be repeated.

[0057] 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 40, while preventing the other gripping members C and D from releasing the ingredients to the discharge chute 40. 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 even if there is a slight difference from the specified amount (for example, a difference of a few percent), this may be tolerated and the product may be judged to be in compliance with the specified amount.

[0058] In this way, the reaction force determination unit 152 appropriately controls the timing of gripping for each of the multiple gripping members, and the gripping amount determination unit 153 then 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.

[0059] 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 processing 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).

[0060] The container supply control unit 155 controls the container supply unit 20 to supply containers for serving ingredients to be placed in the processing system 1 to the serving position P1. The container supply control unit 155 also controls the container supply unit 20 to push containers with ingredients already placed on them onto the transport surface when the container detection sensor 21 has not detected any other containers being transported on the transport surface (containers already served by other articulated robots 30).

[0061] The moving device control unit 156 controls the contents moving device 50 to arrange the contents contained in the ingredients container 10 in a state suitable for processing. To this end, the moving device control unit 156 drives the drive mechanism of the contents moving device 50 and moves the contents using the moving member 55, which will be described later.

[0062] The recording control unit 157 stores control parameters acquired when the processing system 1 performs gripping operations, etc., and measurement data of the weight of the ingredients served by the processing system 1 in the history DB 172. This data is used by the administrator of the processing system 1, etc., as log data for analyzing the operation of the processing system 1.

[0063] [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 9 to 11 are schematic diagrams illustrating the gripping and releasing operations performed by the articulated robot 30. Figures 9 to 11 show the ingredient container 10 and the multiple gripping members 313 as viewed from the front. In these figures, the gripping members 313 are shown transparently through the wall surface of the ingredient container 10 to clearly show their appearance. Furthermore, since a large amount of ingredients are contained in the storage space of the ingredient container 10, these ingredients will be referred to as the "group of ingredients" below.

[0064] First, as shown in Figure 9(a), the multiple gripping members 313 are moved vertically upward into the storage space of the ingredient storage container 10. Then, the robot arm 32 starts the descent of the multiple gripping members 313 simultaneously.

[0065] Next, as shown in Figure 9(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 4, 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] 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 a grip. 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.

[0068] Next, as shown in Figures 10(c1) and 10(c2), the robot arm 32 inserts multiple gripping members 313 further into the group of ingredients. 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 ingredients present, and even if it is inserted all the way to the bottom, it may not receive a reaction force above a predetermined level from the ingredients.

[0069] 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.

[0070] The first condition, as shown in Figure 10(c1), is that the bottom surface of the ingredient 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 ingredient container 10 to be used as the reference from the data stored in the parameter storage unit 171.

[0071] The second condition, as shown in Figure 10(c2), is that the surface of the group of ingredients in the ingredient 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.

[0072] 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.

[0073] Next, as shown in Figure 11(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 10". 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".

[0074] 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 40.

[0075] As shown in Figure 11(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 40, while preventing the other gripping members 313 from releasing ingredients into the discharge chute 40. The released ingredients discharged into the discharge chute 40 are then placed into a container in the specified amount via the discharge chute 40. In the figure, the ingredients released by each gripping member 313 are referred to as "released ingredients".

[0076] 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, this problem does not occur with processing system 1. 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, processing system 1 allows for more appropriate control of the timing at which multiple gripping members perform gripping.

[0077] [Housing status correction action] Next, the status of the storage state correction operations performed by the storage device 50 based on the control of the moving device control unit 156 will be described in chronological order.

[0078] As a prerequisite, let's first explain the configuration of the contents moving device 50. Figure 12 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the contents moving device 50. In Figure 12, the contents moving device 50 is shown as viewed from the opposite direction to that in Figure 1 (i.e., from a direction in which the articulated robot 30 is not adjacent to the belt conveyor 2).

[0079] Furthermore, in Figure 12, the articulated robot 30 is conceptually illustrated in a simplified form to explain the positional relationship between the object transport device 50 and the articulated robot 30. In addition, as indicated by the solid arrows in the figure, the direction toward the base end of the articulated robot 30 is defined as the "forward direction," and the direction opposite to this is defined as the "backward direction." In the following explanation and in other figures, the directions defined as "forward direction" and "backward direction" in this figure (Figure 12) will be used to indicate these directions.

[0080] As shown in Figure 12, the contents moving device 50 comprises a base portion 51, a first actuator 52, a support portion 53, a second actuator 54, and a moving member 55.

[0081] The base portion 51 functions as a base for supporting each component of the contents moving device 50. For this purpose, the base portion 51 is made of a material and structure with sufficient rigidity so that it can stably support each of these components even when they are positioned and driven. Furthermore, the ingredient container 10 is placed on the base portion 51. With the ingredient container 10 placed on the base portion 51, the articulated robot 30 grasps the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10.

[0082] The first actuator 52 is a drive mechanism that can move linearly back and forth in the horizontal direction (in this case, forward and backward). A support part 53 is connected to the movable part of the first actuator 52. The support part 53 moves back and forth as the first actuator 52 moves back and forth. The first actuator 52 is implemented, for example, by a mechanical cylinder (also called an electric cylinder).

[0083] The support portion 53 is a member that supports the second actuator 54 and the movable member 55. The second actuator 54 is coupled to the support portion 53. Furthermore, the movable member 55 is coupled to the second actuator 54. Therefore, when the support portion 53 moves forward or backward, the second actuator 54 and the movable member 55 move forward or backward in the same manner.

[0084] The second actuator 54 is a drive mechanism that can move linearly in the vertical direction (i.e., upward and downward). A movable member 55 is coupled to the movable part of the second actuator 54. When the second actuator 54 moves forward or backward, the movable member 55 also moves forward or backward in conjunction with it. In other words, the movable member 55 rises or falls in accordance with the movement of the second actuator 54. The second actuator 54 is implemented, for example, by a mechanical cylinder (also called an electric cylinder), similar to the first actuator 52.

[0085] The movable member 55 adjusts the state of the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10 to a state suitable for carrying out the processing. Here, "preparing the contents to be in a suitable state for processing" means, for example, leveling the surface of the contents, ensuring sufficient height for the contents, and making the density of the contents uniform.

[0086] And as a structure for this purpose, the movable member 55 includes a contact portion 551 and a restraining portion 552.

[0087] The contact portion 551 is the part that contacts the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10 and moves the ingredients to arrange them in a state suitable for processing. The contact portion 551 is composed of a plurality of vertically elongated plate-like members that extend vertically downward from the portion connected to the second actuator 54. These plurality of plate-like members are also spaced apart from each other. In other words, the contact portion 551 has a comb-like shape. This configuration reduces the resistance when inserting the contact portion 551 into the ingredient from vertically upwards downwards. Furthermore, after insertion, the ingredient can be moved while the flat portions of the multiple plate-like members constituting the contact portion 551 are in contact with the ingredient.

[0088] The suppression part 552 is the part that suppresses the upward movement of the ingredients when the contact part 551 moves the ingredients. The restraining section 552 is composed of a plurality of plate-like members extending in the forward direction. The plurality of plate-like members are arranged with gaps between them. In other words, the restraining section 552, like the contact section 551, has a comb-like shape. This configuration suppresses the bulging of ingredients as they move and prevents the ingredients being moved from overflowing from the ingredient container 10. Furthermore, because of its comb-like shape, the ingredients can be moved without pressing them down more than necessary, while maintaining a flat surface.

[0089] Furthermore, the length of the contact portion 551 and the restraining portion 552 in the left-right direction (i.e., the direction perpendicular to the front and rear directions in the horizontal plane in the figure) should be slightly shorter than the left-right length of the ingredient container 10. In other words, the lengths of both should be approximately the same. This makes it possible to efficiently move the ingredients across the entire left-right area of ​​the ingredient container 10 in one go. In contrast, if the ingredients were to be moved using the gripping member 313, the length of the surface of the gripping member 313 that contacts the ingredients in the left-right direction would be significantly shorter than the length of the ingredient container 10 in the left-right direction. Therefore, when moving ingredients with the gripping member 313, it would not be possible to move the ingredients across the entire left-right area at once, requiring multiple moves, which would be inefficient. From this perspective as well, the contact portion 551 and the restraining portion 552 are more beneficial structures.

[0090] Next, the relationship between the movement of the ingredients and the position of the articulated robot 30 will be explained. In this embodiment, the moving member 55 moves the ingredients in the ingredient container 10 forward (i.e., towards the robot's base end). Specifically, as shown in the figure as the "grasping target area", the ingredients are moved to the area of ​​the ingredient container 10 closest to the robot's base end.

[0091] As a result, the articulated robot 30 can move to the area to be grasped via the shortest possible path, as shown by the dashed arrow in the figure as the "first movement path," and grasp the object. In contrast, if the moving member 55 does not move the object, the object cannot be grasped unless it moves via a relatively much longer path than the first movement path, as shown by the dashed arrow in the figure as the "second movement path." Thus, in this embodiment, the movable member 55 moves the material, allowing the articulated robot 30 to repeatedly grip the material simply by moving along the shortest path. Therefore, the time required for movement associated with gripping can be shortened, and the overall cycle time can be improved. Furthermore, since it is only necessary to repeatedly move along the shortest path, the control of the movement of the gripping mechanism 31 by the articulated robot 30 can be simplified, making control easier.

[0092] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the moving member 55 moves the ingredients and gathers them towards the gripping target area, thereby raising the ingredients in the gripping target area and ensuring the height of the ingredients. In addition, if the suppression part 552 is provided, the surface of the ingredients moved to the gripping target area can be leveled more uniformly. Therefore, the articulated robot 30 can reliably grasp objects. From this perspective as well, the cycle time can be improved.

[0093] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the articulated robot 30 only needs to move to a gripping target area near its base end. Therefore, even if the range of motion of the robot arm 32 of the articulated robot 30 is narrow, there is no problem. Accordingly, for example, the articulated robot 30 can be realized using an articulated robot equipped with a compact robot arm with a narrow range of motion. This makes it possible to reduce the installation area of ​​the processing system 1 and lower the introduction cost of the articulated robot 30.

[0094] Furthermore, since a narrow range of motion does not pose a problem, the articulated robot 30 can be fixed to its base. If the range of motion were to be increased, for example, a sliding mechanism would have to be provided to move the articulated robot 30 from its base. However, providing such a sliding mechanism would incur initial costs and require maintenance. In addition, there is a possibility that flying debris (for example, dust or lubricating oil applied to the sliding mechanism) generated by the operation of the sliding mechanism may scatter onto the materials, potentially negatively impacting the surrounding environment. In contrast, with this embodiment, a narrow range of motion is sufficient, and there is no need to provide a sliding mechanism, thus avoiding these various problems.

[0095] Note that the positional relationship between the ingredient container 10, the articulated robot 30, and the contents moving device 50 shown in Figure 12 is merely an example. For example, the base end of the articulated robot 30 may be located outside the ingredient container 10. Therefore, the base end of the articulated robot 30 may be positioned above the ingredient container 10 rather than to the side of it. Alternatively, for example, the articulated robot 30 and the contents moving device 50 may be positioned on the extension of the longitudinal direction of the ingredient container 10, or they may be positioned on the extension of the short direction of the ingredient container 10.

[0096] Furthermore, the shape of the contact portion 551 is not limited to a comb shape. For example, if the ingredients are larger than the spacing between the multiple plate-shaped members, or if the ingredients clump together or become entangled due to viscosity, there is no problem in moving the ingredients with a comb-shaped contact portion 551. However, if the ingredients do not have such characteristics, and for example, if the ingredients slip through the spacing between the multiple plate-shaped members of the contact portion 551, the contact portion 551 may be constructed with a single plate-shaped member instead of a comb shape.

[0097] Figures 13 and 14 are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation of the moving member 55, which is realized by the driving of the first actuator 52 and the second actuator 54. Figures 13 and 14 are side views of the contents moving device 50, with the front view being the front of the device.

[0098] First, as shown in Figure 13(a), the second actuator 54 is driven, and the movable part of the second actuator 54 rises, thereby raising the movable member 55 connected to it.

[0099] From this state, as shown in Figure 13(b), the second actuator 54 is driven, and the movable part of the second actuator 54 descends, thereby lowering the movable member 55 connected to it. This makes it possible to insert the movable member 55 into or remove it from the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10.

[0100] From the state shown in Figure 13(b), the first actuator 52 is then driven as shown in Figure 14(c), causing the movable part of the first actuator 52 to move forward and backward, thereby moving the movable member 55 connected to it via the support part 53, etc. This makes it possible to move the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10.

[0101] Furthermore, from the state shown in Figure 13(a), the first actuator 52 is driven, as shown in Figure 14(d), causing the movable part of the first actuator 52 to move forward and backward, thereby moving the movable member 55 connected to it via the support part 53, etc., forward and backward. This makes it possible to adjust the position of the movable member 55 without moving the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10.

[0102] The mobile device control unit 156 controls the driving of the first actuator 52 and the second actuator 54, and by combining their operations, realizes the housing state correction operation.

[0103] The above describes the configuration of the prerequisite container transfer device 50. Next, the status of the container state correction operations performed by the container transfer device 50 based on the control of the transfer device control unit 156 will be described in chronological order.

[0104] Figures 15 and 16 are schematic diagrams showing the state of the contents adjustment operation performed by the contents moving device 50. Figures 15 and 16 illustrate the side view, similar to Figures 13 and 14. In addition, Figures 15 and 16 are illustrated by showing the movement of the moving member 55 and the resulting movement of the contents through the wall surface of the contents container 10 in order to clarify the operation of the moving member 55 and the resulting movement of the contents.

[0105] First, as shown in Figure 15(a), the ingredient container 10 contains ingredients evenly distributed throughout its entire area, including the area to be grasped. In this case, the ingredients in the area adjacent to the area to be grasped and in the rear direction, indicated as "movable object" in the figure, are to be moved. To this end, the moving device control unit 156 moves the moving member 55 to the rear side of the ingredients to be moved with the moving member 55 raised. Then, the moving device control unit 156 waits with the moving member 55 lowered.

[0106] Next, as shown in Figure 15(b), the amount of ingredients remaining in the gripping area decreases as the gripping mechanism 31 repeatedly grips. In this case, the moving device control unit 156 moves the moving member 55 forward while it is in a lowered position. The moving device control unit 156 determines that the amount of ingredients remaining in the gripping area has decreased and executes this forward movement based on conditions such as the gripping mechanism 31 having performed a predetermined number of gripping operations, the total weight of the ingredients released by the gripping mechanism 31 after gripping exceeds a predetermined weight, the gripping mechanism 31 having failed to perform combination weighing a predetermined number of times, or the height of the position where the load cell 317 begins to detect a reaction force (i.e., the height of the ingredient surface) being lower than a predetermined height.

[0107] As shown in Figure 15(c), the contact portion 551 of the moving member 55, which is in contact with the ingredient to be moved, moves the ingredient to be moved to the gripping area. In other words, the moving member 55 moves the ingredient in the area behind the gripping area, bringing the ingredient together in the gripping area. This raises the ingredient in the gripping area, ensuring sufficient height for the ingredient. Furthermore, the restraining portion 552 of the moving member 55 suppresses the bulging of the ingredients as they move, thereby preventing the moving ingredients from overflowing from the ingredient container 10 or from bulging excessively. Then, the next target for movement is the ingredient in the area adjacent to the area where the ingredient that was moved this time was located, and further back, as indicated in the diagram as "the next target for movement".

[0108] To that end, as shown in Figure 16(d), the moving device control unit 156 raises the moving member 55. Then, while in the raised position, the moving device control unit 156 moves to the rear side of the material to be moved next. Finally, the moving device control unit 156 waits with the moving member 55 lowered.

[0109] Next, as shown in Figure 16(e), the amount of material remaining in the gripping area decreases as the gripping mechanism 31 repeatedly grips. In this case, the moving device control unit 156 moves the moving member 55 forward while it is in a lowered position. As described above, the moving device control unit 156 determines that the amount of material remaining in the gripping area has decreased, for example, when the gripping mechanism 31 has performed a predetermined number of gripping operations, and then executes this forward movement.

[0110] Then, as shown in Figure 16(f), the contact portion 551 of the moving member 55, which is in contact with the ingredient to be moved, moves the ingredient to be moved to the gripping area. At this time, as shown in Figure 15(c), the contact portion 551 of the moving member 55 suppresses the bulging of the ingredient as it moves, thereby preventing the ingredient being moved from overflowing from the ingredient container 10 or from bulging more than necessary. Then, the next target for movement will be the ingredients in a region adjacent to the region where the ingredients targeted for movement this time were located, and further back, as indicated in the diagram as the "new target for movement next time".

[0111] In this way, based on the control of the moving device control unit 156, the contents moving device 50 repeatedly performs a contents state correction operation, thereby enabling it to grasp all of the contents contained in the ingredients container 10 without any waste. In other words, according to the processing system 1, the moving member 55 can adjust the state of the contents in the container to a state suitable for processing, without using a processing member (in this case, a gripping member 313).

[0112] In contrast, with conventional technology, it was necessary to arrange the object in a containment state using a component that performs the processing (for example, a gripping component). In this case, a large load is placed on the component that performs the processing, which can lead to problems such as the component failing or a shortened service life. Furthermore, with conventional technology, the object may unintentionally adhere to the component that performs the processing during the operation to arrange the object in a containment state. Moreover, with conventional technology, depending on the shape and size of the component that performs the processing, it may even be difficult to perform the operation to arrange the object in a containment state in the first place.

[0113] However, with processing system 1, the movement member 55 performs the action to adjust the storage state without using a processing member (in this case, a gripping member 313). Therefore, with processing system 1, the numerous problems that occurred in the conventional technology described above do not occur.

[0114] Furthermore, with processing system 1, there is no need to have the component performing the processing perform actions to adjust its storage state, which has the effect of making it easier and more efficient to control the component performing the processing. In addition, with processing system 1, it is possible to perform actions to adjust the storage state of materials that are stored in areas that the component performing the processing cannot reach, or in areas where it is not desired that the component performing the processing move.

[0115] In other words, the processing system 1 allows for more efficient and appropriate storage conditions of objects within the container. Thus, the processing system 1 of this embodiment can solve the problems that the present invention aims to address.

[0116] [Overall Operation] Next, we will explain the overall operation of processing system 1. Figures 17 and 18 are flowcharts showing the flow of the ingredient plating process performed by processing system 1. The ingredient plating process is initiated, for example, when an operator initiates the ingredient plating process.

[0117] When the ingredient placement process begins, in step S11 of Figure 17, the articulated robot control unit 154 and the mobile device control unit 156 read operation data (for example, operation pattern data, position and shape data of the ingredient container 10, etc.) for executing a series of operations in the ingredient placement process from the parameter storage unit 171. This prepares the robot for performing the gripping and releasing operations and the storage state correction operations described above.

[0118] In step S12, the moving device control unit 156 starts the above-described storage state correction operation by controlling the storage item moving device 50 according to the operation pattern data. That is, by controlling the storage item moving device 50, the moving member 55 is raised and moved to a predetermined position (in this case, behind the item to be moved).

[0119] In step S13, the moving device control unit 156 determines whether the conditions for moving the ingredients have been met. As described above, the conditions for moving the ingredients include, for example, the gripping mechanism 31 performing a predetermined number of gripping operations, the total weight of the ingredients released by the gripping mechanism 31 after gripping exceeding a predetermined weight, the gripping mechanism 31 failing to perform combined weighing a predetermined number of times, and the height of the position where the load cell 317 begins to detect a reaction force (i.e., the height of the ingredient surface) being lower than a predetermined height. If these conditions are met, the ingredients are moved, so the determination in step S12 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S13. On the other hand, if these conditions are not met, the ingredients are not moved, so the determination in step S12 is No, and the process proceeds to step S15.

[0120] In step S14, the moving device control unit 156 moves the object to be moved to the gripping area while the moving member 55 is lowered.

[0121] In step S15, the moving device control unit 156 raises the moving member 55, moves it to a predetermined position (in this case, behind the material to be moved next), and then lowers it to this predetermined position to wait.

[0122] In step S16, the articulated robot control unit 154 moves each gripping member 313 above the gripping target area of ​​the ingredient container 10 according to the motion pattern data, and inserts each gripping member 313 into the group of ingredients in the storage space of the ingredient container 10.

[0123] In step S17, 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 S17 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S18. 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 S17 is No, and the process proceeds to step S19.

[0124] In step S18, 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 S19, 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 S19 is determined to be Yes, and the process proceeds to step S22. On the other hand, if none of the gripping members 313 have performed a grip, the result in step S19 is determined to be No, and the process proceeds to step S20.

[0125] In step S20, 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 S20 is determined to be Yes, and the process proceeds to step S21. On the other hand, if the tip of the gripping member 313 has not been inserted to the reference position, the result in step S20 is determined to be No, and the process is repeated from step S16.

[0126] In step S21, the articulated robot control unit 154 forces the gripping member 313, which is receiving less than a predetermined reaction force, to perform a grip. In step S22, the articulated robot control unit 154 raises each gripping member 313 to pull out the group of ingredients in the gripping area of ​​the ingredient container 10.

[0127] Moving to Figure 18, in step S23, 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 S24, the gripping amount determination unit 153 determines whether or not a combination of gripping members 313 that conforms to the specified amount exists. If a combination of gripping members 313 that conforms to the specified amount exists, the determination in step S24 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S25. On the other hand, if a combination of gripping members 313 that conforms to the specified amount does not exist, the determination in step S24 is No, and the process proceeds to step S28.

[0128] In step S25, the articulated robot control unit 154 moves each gripping member 313 above the discharge chute 40 and, based on combined weighing, releases the ingredients into the discharge chute 40 using the gripping members 313, thereby filling the container with ingredients.

[0129] In step S26, the recording control unit 157 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.

[0130] In step S27, 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 are that the ingredients have been placed in the planned number of containers, or that the operator has performed an operation to terminate the ingredient placement process. If the conditions for terminating the ingredient plating process are not met, the result is determined as No in step S27, and the process is repeated from step S24. On the other hand, if the conditions for terminating the ingredient plating process are met, the result is determined as Yes in step S27, and the ingredient plating process is terminated.

[0131] On the other hand, if no combination of gripping members 313 that matches the specified amount exists in step S24, in step S28, the articulated robot control unit 154 releases the ingredients into the gripping area of ​​the ingredient container 10 using all of the gripping members 313.

[0132] In step S29, the recording control unit 157 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.

[0133] In step S30, the articulated robot control unit 154 determines, in the same manner as in step S27, whether or not the conditions for terminating the ingredient plating process have been met. If the conditions for terminating the ingredient plating process are not met, the result is determined as No in step S30, and the process returns to Figure 17, and the process is repeated from step S13. On the other hand, if the conditions for terminating the ingredient plating process are met, the result is determined as Yes in step S30, and the ingredient plating process is terminated.

[0134] As described above, the overall operation of the processing system 1 allows the contents moving device 50 to perform a contents state correction operation based on the control of the moving device control unit 156, thereby enabling the contents of the objects in the container to be adjusted appropriately and more efficiently. Furthermore, this results in various advantageous effects as described with reference to Figures 12 to 16.

[0135] [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. For example, it is possible not only to apply any of the modifications described below to the embodiments of the present invention, but also to combine some or all of the modifications described below as appropriate and apply them to the embodiments of the present invention.

[0136] [Example 1] In the above-described embodiment, as explained with reference to Figures 15 and 16, the ingredients to be moved were moved in small batches, starting from the area adjacent to the area to be grasped. However, the method is not limited to this, and all the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10 may be moved as the target of movement. Figure 19 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the contents adjustment operation in this modified example. Figure 19, along with Figures 21-26, 30, and 31 described later, all illustrate the situation as observed from the side, similar to Figures 15 and 16, and are shown by seeing through the wall surface of the ingredient container 10.

[0137] As shown in Figure 19(a), in this modified example, the movable member 55 is lowered to the rearmost position of the ingredient container 10. Then, all the ingredients in the ingredient container 10 are moved as the objects to be moved. As a result, even if the amount of ingredients remaining in the area to be grasped decreases, the ingredients can be moved to the area to be grasped, as shown in Figure 19(b). Even with this modified example, just like in the embodiment described above, all of the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10 can be grasped without any waste.

[0138] Furthermore, as in the embodiment described above, when moving ingredients in small portions, it was necessary to raise the moving member 55 once after moving the ingredients and then move it to the rear area. In contrast, in this modified example, the moving member 55 only needs to remain in the position after moving the ingredients. Therefore, the operating time can be shortened and the control of the moving device control unit 156 can be simplified.

[0139] [Differentiation 2] In the embodiment described above, the restraining portion 552 of the moving member 55 suppressed the bulging of the ingredients when the contact portion 551 moved the ingredients. However, the restraining portion may be arranged separately from the moving member 55.

[0140] Figure 20 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the contents moving device 50a in this modified example and modified example 3. In this modified example, a restraining part 70 is provided instead of a restraining part 552. The restraining part 70 is composed of a plurality of plate-like members that extend in the longitudinal direction of the opening surface of the ingredient container 10. The plurality of plate-like members are arranged with intervals between them. That is, the restraining part 70 has a comb-like shape, similar to the restraining part 552. In addition, although the restraining part 70 closes the opening surface of the ingredient container 10, it does not close the area to be gripped, so it does not interfere with the gripping operation by the articulated robot 30.

[0141] The restraining part 70 is separate from the movable member 55. Therefore, even if the movable member 55 moves, the restraining part 70 will not move. Here, the extended portions of the comb-like shape of the restraining part 70 and the movable member 55 are referred to as "teeth." The spaces between each tooth are referred to as "eyes." In this modified example, the teeth of the movable member 55 are positioned to meet the eyes of the restraining part 70. In other words, in this modified example, the eyes of the movable member 55 are positioned to meet the teeth of the restraining part 70. That is, the teeth and eyes are arranged to be alternating. As a result, even if the movable member 55 moves, the restraining part 70 does not obstruct its movement.

[0142] Even in this modified example, the suppression portion 70 can suppress the bulging of the ingredients when the contact portion 551 moves the ingredients. This modified example is particularly suitable when all the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10 are moved as the target of movement, as in Modified Example 1, because it can suppress the bulging of the ingredients over the entire opening surface of the ingredient container 10.

[0143] [Difference 3] In the above-described embodiment, the decision of whether or not to move the movable member 55 was made based on predetermined conditions. Specifically, the decision was made based on the number of times the gripping mechanism 31 gripped the material, the weight of the material released by the gripping mechanism 31, and the height of the position where the reaction force was detected (i.e., the height of the material surface). However, the decision of whether or not to move the movable member 55 is not limited to this condition; other conditions may also be used to make the decision.

[0144] Figure 20 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the contents moving device 50a in this modified example and modified example 2. The contents moving device 50a of this modified example is equipped with a contents state detection sensor 56. The contents state detection sensor 56 is a sensor that detects the contents state of the contents contained in the contents container 10. For example, the contents state detection sensor 56 can be implemented by an optical sensor or a camera. If implemented by an optical sensor, it detects the height of the contained contents. Alternatively, if implemented by a camera, it detects the height of the contents and the surface irregularities of the contents by analyzing the image captured by the camera.

[0145] In this modified example, the decision of whether or not to move the movable member 55 is made based on the detection result of the storage state detection sensor 56. For example, if it is detected that the amount of ingredients remaining in the gripping target area has decreased, the movable member 55 is moved to move the ingredients to be moved to the gripping target area. Alternatively, for example, if it is detected that the amount of ingredients remaining throughout the entire ingredient storage container 10 has decreased, the movable member 55 is moved to move the ingredients to be moved to the gripping target area.

[0146] In addition, for example, if it is detected that the height of the material in the gripping area exceeds a predetermined height, the moving member 55 is stopped from moving. In other words, not only the start of movement but also the stopping can be controlled based on the detection result of the storage state detection sensor 56. Although Figure 20 shows the suppression unit 70 and the occupancy state detection sensor 56, it is not necessary to combine these two. The above-described embodiment may be combined with only the suppression unit 70 (i.e., only Modification 2), or the above-described embodiment may be combined with only the occupancy state detection sensor 56 (i.e., only Modification 3).

[0147] [Differentiation Example 4] In the above-described embodiment, the tool to be moved was moved once to the gripping area, and then the gripping mechanism 31 resumed gripping. However, the method is not limited to this; the gripping mechanism 31 may be restarted after the object to be moved has been moved in multiple stages.

[0148] Figures 21-23 are schematic diagrams showing the state of the housing condition correction operation in this modified example. As shown in Figure 21(a), in this case, we set the target to be moved the first time and the target to be moved the second time, and move the ingredients in three separate steps. To that end, as shown in Figure 21(b), the moving member 55 first moves the object to be moved for the first time from the rear side to near the area to be gripped.

[0149] Next, as shown in Figures 22(c) and (d), the moving member 55 moves the second item to be moved from behind the first item to behind the second item to be moved. Then, as shown in Figures 23(e) and (f), the moving member 55 moves the first moving object and the second moving object together as a single moving object to the gripping target area. Subsequently, the moving member 55 moves to the rear of the first moving object in the next moving object. Then, the gripping mechanism 31 resumes gripping.

[0150] As shown in this modified example, moving the ingredients in multiple stages makes the surface height of the ingredients uniform. In other words, moving them in multiple stages makes the surface of the ingredients smooth. In this example, the ingredients are moved in three separate steps, but you could also divide the ingredients into smaller portions and move them in four or more separate steps.

[0151] [Difference 5] In the embodiment described above, the movable member 55 was equipped with one restraining portion 552. However, it is not limited to this, and the movable member 55 may be equipped with multiple restraining portions 552. Figure 24 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the storage state correction operation in this modified example. As shown in Figures 24(a) and (b), the moving member 55a in this modified example includes, for example, three restraining parts 552. Each of these three restraining parts 552 moves a different object that is to be moved.

[0152] As a result, in this modified example, as in Modification Example 4 above, the ingredients to be moved are moved in small portions, so the surface height of the ingredients to be moved becomes uniform. In other words, the surface of the ingredients becomes level. Also, in Modification Example 4, the moving member 55 had to move multiple times. In contrast, in this modified example, it is sufficient for the moving member 55a to move only once.

[0153] [Modification 6] In the embodiment described above, the restraining portion 552 of the movable member 55 had a fixed structure. However, it is not limited to this, and the restraining portion 552 may also have a movable structure. Figure 25 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the accommodation state correction operation in this modified example.

[0154] For comparison, Figure 25(A) first shows the case where the restraining part 552 is fixed, as in the embodiment described above. When the restraining part 552 is fixed, as the moving member 55 moves forward, at some point the tip of the restraining part 552 collides with the front wall surface of the ingredient container 10, and it cannot move forward any further. In this case, there is a risk that the ingredients cannot be moved to the vicinity of the front wall surface of the area to be gripped.

[0155] In contrast, in this modified version, as shown in Figure 25(B), the moving member 55b is equipped with a movable restraining part 552. When it approaches the front wall surface of the ingredient container 10, the restraining part 552 springs upward. This prevents the restraining part 552 from colliding with the front wall surface of the ingredient container 10, allowing the ingredients to move closer to the wall surface.

[0156] To cause the restraining part 552 to spring upward, for example, a mechanical mechanism for this purpose can be provided. Alternatively, for example, the shape of the restraining part 552 can be made to curve upward as it approaches the tip of the restraining part 552. This allows the force acting when the tip of the restraining part 552 contacts the wall surface to be distributed not only to a lateral force but also to an upward force, so that the restraining part 552 can be springed upward as it moves.

[0157] [Difference 7] In the embodiment described above, the restraining portion 552 of the movable member 55 had a structure that extended in the forward direction. However, the shape of the restraining portion 552 may be deformed.

[0158] Figure 26 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the accommodation state correction operation in this modified example. For comparison, Figure 26(A) first shows the case where the restraining portion 552 extends forward, as in the embodiment described above. In this case, along the path of movement (for example, near the area to be gripped), the ingredients may unintentionally bulge due to the gripping action of the gripping mechanism 31, etc. If movement is performed in this state, the bulging ingredients will ride up onto the upper surface of the restraining portion 552. Then, when the moving member 55 returns to the rear after the movement is completed, it will also push the bulging ingredients back in the rear direction, reducing work efficiency.

[0159] In contrast, in this modified example, as shown in Figure 26(B), the restraining portion 552 of the moving member 55c extends forward, and its tip is bent upward. This allows the bent tip to press down on any protruding ingredients while moving. Therefore, according to this modified example, it is possible to prevent the part from riding up onto the upper surface of the restraining part 552, and the problem of reduced work efficiency mentioned above does not occur.

[0160] [Differentiation 8] In the above-described embodiment, the moving member 55 moved the object, which was located behind the gripping target area, to the gripping target area located in the forward direction. However, the method is not limited to this; the moving member 55 may also be used to change the direction of movement of the ingredients.

[0161] Figure 27 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the contents adjustment operation in this modified example. Figure 27 shows the contents container 10 viewed from above, rather than a side view. For comparison, Figure 27(A) first shows the case where an ingredient located behind the gripping target area is moved to the gripping target area located in the forward direction, as in the embodiment described above. In this case, the moving member 55 is arranged to extend in the left-right direction (i.e., in the direction perpendicular to the forward and backward directions in the horizontal plane in the figure). The gripping target area is set in the vicinity of the ingredient container 10 in the forward direction. Then, the moving member 55 before movement (shown by a dashed line in the figure) moves forward to the position of the moving member 55 after movement (shown by a solid line in the figure), thereby moving the ingredients into the gripping area. In this case, there was a risk that the moved ingredients would be pushed out and spill out even further forward than the gripping area.

[0162] In contrast, in this modified example, as shown in Figure 26(B), the movable member 55 is arranged to extend in the front-to-back direction, which consists of the front and rear directions in the figure. Furthermore, two movable members 55 are arranged, as shown in the figure as movable member 55-1 and movable member 55-2. That is, the contents moving device 50 is arranged on both the left and right sides of the ingredient container 10. In addition, the gripping target area is set at the center in the left-to-right direction of the ingredient container 10.

[0163] Then, the moving member 55-1 before movement (shown by a dashed line in the figure) moves to the left to the position of the moving member 55-1 after movement (shown by a solid line in the figure), thereby moving the ingredients into the gripping area. On the other hand, the moving member 55-2 before movement (shown by a dashed line in the figure) moves to the right to the position of the moving member 55-2 after movement (shown by a solid line in the figure), thereby moving the ingredients into the gripping area. In this way, the two moving members 55 can hold down the ingredients that one member pushes out. Therefore, when the ingredients are moved, it is possible to prevent the moved ingredients from being pushed out and overflowing from the gripping area. Furthermore, the gripping mechanism 31 grips the material in the area to be gripped while moving in the front-to-back direction, without moving in the left-to-right direction. In this case, since the material is supported from the left and right directions by the two moving members 55, the material can be gripped in a stable state without collapsing.

[0164] [Modification 9] In the above-described embodiment, a general-purpose tray or tub was used as the ingredient container 10. However, the method is not limited to this; additional parts may be attached to the ingredient container 10, or the ingredient container 10 may be given a unique shape.

[0165] Figure 28 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the contents adjustment operation in this modified example. Figure 28(A) shows a view of the ingredient container 10 from above, similar to Figure 27, rather than a view of the side. Figures 28(B-1) to (B-3) show the ingredient container 10 viewed from the front, and also illustrate the view through the walls of the ingredient container 10. As shown in Figure 28(A), in this modified example, an extension member 11 extending vertically upward is attached to the inner or outer circumference of the side (i.e., the left and right walls) of the ingredient container 10. Alternatively, a container with the same shape as the container to which the extension member 11 is attached is used as the ingredient container 10.

[0166] Figure 28(B-1) shows the situation in the above-described embodiment. In this case, since the ingredients are sufficiently contained in the ingredient container 10, there is a risk that the ingredients may spill out from the sides of the ingredient container 10 as the moving member 55 moves the ingredients forward.

[0167] In contrast, in this modified example, as shown in Figure 28(B-2), there is an extension member 11 that extends vertically upward, so that as the moving member 55 moves the ingredients forward, it is possible to prevent the ingredients from overflowing from the sides of the ingredient container 10. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 28(B-3), the extension member 11 may not only extend vertically upward, but may also have a shape that extends diagonally upward toward the outside of the ingredient container 10. In other words, the size of the extension member 11 and the angle at which it is attached may be appropriately changed depending on the characteristics of the ingredients (for example, how easily they spill out) and the shape of the ingredient container 10.

[0168] [Example 10] In the above embodiment, the ingredients were moved using a region along the wall surface of the ingredient container 10 (for example, a region along the wall surface in the forward direction) as the area to be gripped. However, the method is not limited to this; the ingredients may also be moved in an area other than the area along the wall surface of the ingredient container 10, which is designated as the area to be grasped.

[0169] Figure 29(A) is a perspective view showing a gripping member 313c suitable for this modified example. The gripping member 313c is attached to the tip of the robot arm 32. The gripping member 313c is composed of a top plate, a main plate, and left and right side plates. When the gripping member 313c is observed from the side, its inner surface has a roughly triangular shape. The ingredients can be gripped by inserting this inner surface into the ingredients and scooping them up.

[0170] Figure 29(B) shows a top-down view of the ingredient container 10. In this modified example, the gripping target area is set to a position adjacent to the movable member 55. Furthermore, its position changes as the movable member 55 moves. As shown in Figure 30(a), in this modified example, the movable member 55d moves in the forward direction where the group of ingredients is located. Note that the movable member 55d does not have a portion corresponding to the restraining portion 552. In addition, the contact portion 551 of the movable member 55d is inclined to match the shape of the gripping member 313c.

[0171] Next, as shown in Figure 30(b), when the movable member 55d moves forward and comes into contact with the group of materials, the contacted portion is set as the gripping target area. Then, the gripping member 313c descends toward this gripping target area.

[0172] Next, as shown in Figure 31(c), the movable member 55d is inserted into the material in the area to be gripped. As described above, the contact portion 551 of the movable member 55d is inclined to match the shape of the gripping member 313c. Therefore, the gripping member 313c is inserted so as to follow the contact portion 551. In this case, the moving member 55d may stop moving, or it may continue moving so that the gripping member 313c and the contact portion 551 are in close contact. By doing so, even if the shapes of the gripping member 313c and the contact portion 551 are different, the material can be distributed to every corner of the inner surface of the gripping member 313c.

[0173] Next, as shown in Figure 31(d), the gripping member 313c rises. In this way, the gripping operation in this modified example is performed. In this modified example, by matching the shape of the gripping member 313c with that of the contact portion 551, the gripping member 313c can grip the ingredients in a stable manner, both in terms of shape and quantity. Furthermore, by continuing the movement as shown in Figure 31(c), even if the shapes of the gripping member 313c and the contact portion 551 are different, the ingredients can be distributed to every corner of the inner surface of the gripping member 313c.

[0174] [Example 11] In the above-described embodiment, a load cell 317 was used to measure the weight of the material being gripped by the gripping member 313 and the reaction force from the material being received by the gripping member 313. However, these weights and reaction forces can be measured using other methods as well.

[0175] Figure 32 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the gripping member control unit 314 in this modified example. This Figure 32 corresponds to Figure 5 in the embodiment described above. As shown in Figure 32, in this modified example, a force sensor 318 is placed inside the gripping member control unit 314 instead of the load cell 317. The force sensor 318 can decompose "forces" acting from various directions, as well as "torque," which is the moment of rotational force, into components in each of the three axes (X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis), convert them into electrical signals, and detect them.

[0176] In this modified example, the force sensor 318 is placed inside the gripping member control unit 314 to detect the force and torque acting on the gripping member 313. By performing calculations on the detected force and torque values, it is possible to calculate the weight of the object being gripped by the gripping member 313 and the reaction force from the object being received by the gripping member 313. Since the force sensor 318 can detect force and torque and perform calculations instantaneously, it is possible to measure weight and reaction force more quickly compared to using a load cell 317 as in the above embodiment.

[0177] [Example 12] In the above-described embodiment, as shown in Figure 16(d), the movable member 55 moved the material to the gripping area and then moved away from it in the rearward direction. After that, the gripping operation by the gripping mechanism 31 was performed. This prevents the movable member 55 and the gripping mechanism 31 from coming into contact.

[0178] However, the movable member 55 may remain in its position even after moving the material to the gripping target area, and the gripping mechanism 31 may perform the gripping operation in that state. In this case, the movable member 55 will continue to support the material in the gripping target area even after moving the material. Therefore, the gripping mechanism 31 can grip material that is supported by the movable member 55 and maintains a stable state. As a result, the gripping mechanism 31 can grip the material in a stable state, regardless of its shape or quantity. This modified example is preferable when it is possible to control the movable member 55 and the gripping mechanism 31 so that they do not come into contact. Furthermore, not only may the above-described embodiments be combined with this modified example, but each of the above-described modified examples may also be combined with this modified example.

[0179] [Modified example 13] In the above-described embodiment, the gripping operation was performed on ingredients such as those in prepared foods. These ingredients can deteriorate over time. Therefore, it is preferable to perform the gripping operation using a processing system 1 that can efficiently maintain the proper state of the contents within the container and improve the cycle time. By improving the cycle time, the gripping operation can be completed before the ingredients in the prepared foods deteriorate, thereby preventing the loss of ingredients.

[0180] From this perspective, it may be applied not only to ingredients in prepared foods, but to anything that can deteriorate over time. For example, it may be applied to all food products, regardless of whether they are cooked or not. In addition to food, it may also be applied to non-edible plants or reagents.

[0181] [Example 14] In the above-described embodiment, as shown in Figure 5 and other figures, the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b of the gripping member 313 were formed from a wire-like linear shape and had a closed loop shape that extended linearly downward. However, it is not limited to this shape; other shapes are also acceptable.

[0182] Figure 33 shows an example of a modified shape of the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b of the gripping member 313. For example, as shown in Figures 33(A) and (B), the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b are closed loop shapes formed from wire-like linear shapes, and may have a bent shape when viewed from the side (in this case, the front on the paper) in the direction of opening and closing for gripping and releasing.

[0183] In this case, for example, as shown in Figure 33(A), the second gripping portion 313b may be straight, while the central part of the first gripping portion 313a may be bent so as to move away from the second gripping portion 313b. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 33(B), for example, the central portions of both the second gripping portion 313b and the first gripping portion 313a may be bent so that they move away from each other.

[0184] This shape allows for gripping a larger quantity of ingredients in a single motion, depending on the shape and characteristics of the ingredients. However, depending on the characteristics of the ingredients, this shape may make them more likely to fall, potentially making it unsuitable for transporting them over long distances. However, as described above with reference to Figure 12, in the above embodiment, the movement path of the gripping mechanism 31 is shortened. Therefore, the risk of the ingredients falling can be suppressed. Thus, it is possible to take advantage of the benefit of gripping more ingredients in a single gripping operation in this modified example.

[0185] [Differentiation Example 15] The above-described embodiment may also be modified as follows. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the movable member 55 moved based on the driving of the first actuator 52 and the second actuator 54. However, it is not limited to this, and the movable member 55 may be moved manually by an operator. Even in this case, the structure of the contact portion 551 and the restraining portion 552 of the movable member 55 will produce the same effect as in the above-described embodiment.

[0186] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the movable member 55 and the ingredient container 10 were separate components. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the movable member 55 and the ingredient container 10 may be integrated. In this case, the wall surface of the ingredient container 10 may be movable into a storage space formed by other wall surfaces, and this wall surface may function as the movable member 55.

[0187] Furthermore, as shown in Modification 1 described with reference to Figure 19, if the movable member 55 only moves when it is in a lowered position, the function of raising and lowering the movable member 55 may be omitted. In other words, a simpler configuration may be adopted by omitting the first actuator 52.

[0188] Furthermore, in addition to the articulated robot 30 equipped with a gripping mechanism 31 for gripping operations, another articulated robot 30 may be provided separately. In addition, a moving member 55 may be attached to this other articulated robot 30 in place of the gripping mechanism 31. This other articulated robot 30 may then function as a container moving device 50 by controlling the movement of the moving member 55 with its robot arm 32.

[0189] Furthermore, in order to prevent the force used to move the ingredients relative to the gripping area from becoming excessive when moving the movable member 55, an elastic body (for example, a spring) that dampens the movement speed of the movable member 55 may be placed on the front wall surface of the ingredient container 10 (i.e., the wall surface along the gripping area). Alternatively, a threshold value may be set for the command torque of the second actuator 54, and the movement of the movable member 55 may be stopped if the threshold value is exceeded.

[0190] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the moving member 55 was used to move the ingredients from the rear to the front in order to gather the ingredients in the area to be gripped. However, this is not the only option. For example, the moving member 55 may be used to move the ingredients from the front to the rear in order to level the ingredients throughout the entire ingredient container 10. Similarly, as shown in Figure 27(B), instead of moving the ingredients towards the center in the left-right direction, the ingredients may be moved outwards in the left-right direction.

[0191] Furthermore, the gripping and releasing operations in the above-described embodiments may be modified. In the embodiment described above, the reaction force determination unit 152 determines the timing for the gripping member 313 to perform a grip by making a determination based on the reaction force during the gripping operation, but this is not the only option. For example, in the parameters defining the operation pattern of the articulated robot 30, the height within the ingredient container 10 at which gripping is performed can be set in advance. Then, the gripping member 313 may be configured to perform a grip when it has been inserted into the ingredients in the ingredient container 10 to this set height. This allows for a configuration in which the reaction force determination unit 152 is omitted. Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, during the release operation, multiple gripping members 313 performed a combined weighing based on the weight they gripped, thereby determining which gripping member 313 would release. However, the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, all of the multiple gripping members 313 may release each time without performing combined weighing. In this case, instead of a configuration with multiple gripping members 313, a configuration with only one gripping member 313 may be used.

[0192] [Example Configuration] As described above, the processing system 1 in this embodiment comprises a material storage container 10, a multi-joint robot 30, a gripping member 313, and a moving member 55. The ingredient container 10 holds the ingredients. The articulated robot 30 processes the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10. The gripping member 313 is controlled by the articulated robot 30 to perform processing. The moving member 55 contacts the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10 and moves the ingredients, thereby adjusting the state of the ingredients in the container to a state suitable for performing the processing. Thus, according to the processing system 1, the moving member 55 can adjust the state of the contents in the container to a state suitable for processing, without using a processing member (in this case, a gripping member 313).

[0193] In contrast, with conventional technology, it was necessary to arrange the object in a containment state using a component that performs the processing (for example, a gripping component). In this case, a large load is placed on the component that performs the processing, which can lead to problems such as the component failing or a shortened service life. Furthermore, with conventional technology, the object may unintentionally adhere to the component that performs the processing during the operation to arrange the object in a containment state. Moreover, with conventional technology, depending on the shape and size of the component that performs the processing, it may even be difficult to perform the operation to arrange the object in a containment state in the first place. However, with processing system 1, the movement member 55 performs the operation to adjust the storage state without using a processing member (in this case, a gripping member 313). Therefore, with processing system 1, the numerous problems that occurred in the conventional technology described above do not occur.

[0194] Furthermore, with processing system 1, there is no need to have the component performing the processing perform actions to adjust its storage state, which has the effect of making it easier and more efficient to control the component performing the processing. In addition, with processing system 1, it is possible to perform actions to adjust the storage state of materials that are stored in areas that the component performing the processing cannot reach, or in areas where it is not desired that the component performing the processing move. In other words, processing system 1 allows for more efficient and appropriate storage conditions of objects within the container.

[0195] The moving member 55 moves the ingredients from the first region within the ingredient container 10 to a second region within the ingredient container 10 that is different from the first region, thereby arranging the ingredients to a state suitable for processing. This allows for the preparation of the ingredients in the second region. For example, the surface of the ingredients in the second region can be made flat, their height can be ensured, and their density can be made uniform.

[0196] The movable member 55 supports the moved ingredients after moving them within the ingredient container 10. The gripping member 313 performs processing on the tool while it is being supported by the moving member 55. This allows processing to be performed on ingredients that are supported by the movable member 55 and remain in a stable state without collapsing. In other words, the movable member 55 can also function as a support for the ingredients.

[0197] The moving member 55 moves the ingredients inside the ingredient container 10, and then moves away from the ingredients. The gripping member 313 performs processing on the material after the moving member 55 has moved away. As a result, the gripping member 313 can perform the process without coming into contact with the moving member 55 and without being obstructed by the moving member 55.

[0198] When the gripping member 313 and the moving member 55 are separated and at least a portion of the material is present in the separated area, the moving member 55 moves at least a portion of the material toward the gripping member 313. This makes it easier to process the ingredients, which have been arranged by the moving member 55, with the gripping member 313. Furthermore, the ingredients can be processed efficiently by moving only a short path without having to move the gripping member 313 over a long distance. In addition, it becomes possible to shorten the range of motion of the robot arm 32 of the articulated robot 30, thereby reducing costs.

[0199] The width of the surface that the moving member 55 contacts to move the ingredients is wider than the width of the surface that the gripping member 313 can contact the ingredients under the control of the articulated robot 30. This allows the gripping member 313 to make contact with the material over a wider surface area, enabling more efficient execution of the process of adjusting the storage state.

[0200] The gripping mechanism 31, including the gripping member 313, further comprises a load cell 317 or a force sensor 318. The process involves using the gripping member 313 to hold the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10. The load cell 317 measures the weight of the material held by the gripping member 313 during processing. The force sensor 318 measures the force or torque acting on the gripping member 313 during processing. This prevents false detections during measurement without interfering with the measurement of the load cell 317 or force sensor 318 provided by the gripping mechanism 31. In the case of processing system 1, the moving member 55 performs an action to adjust the storage state, which prevents the material from unintentionally adhering to the gripping member 313 provided by the gripping mechanism 31. This is especially effective when the material is viscous or sticky.

[0201] The opening surface of the ingredient container 10 is provided with a restraining portion 70 that is shaped in a way that does not obstruct the movement of the movable member 55, and that closes at least a portion of the opening surface. This prevents the movement of the movable member 55 from being obstructed, and also prevents the ingredients from unintentionally piling up due to the movement. Therefore, it prevents the ingredients from overflowing from the ingredient container 10.

[0202] An expansion member 11 is positioned on at least a portion of the inner or outer circumference of the opening surface of the ingredient container 10, with a shape that expands the opening surface of the ingredient container 10 in at least the vertical direction. This prevents the ingredients from overflowing from the ingredient container 10 if they unintentionally pile up during movement.

[0203] The processing system 1 further includes a storage state detection sensor 56. The storage state detection sensor 56 detects the storage state of the ingredients in the ingredient storage container 10. The movable member 55 adjusts the state of the object's storage in the storage container to a state suitable for performing the process, based on the storage state of the object detected by the storage state detection sensor 56. This allows for more appropriate control of the movement of the movable member 55 according to the state of the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10. For example, the movement can be started or stopped at the appropriate timing depending on the height of the ingredients.

[0204] Ingredients are food ingredients. This makes the effect of making the control of the processing member (in this case, the gripping member 313) in the processing system 1 easier and more efficient more useful. This is because the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10 are processed efficiently, and the ingredients do not remain in the ingredient container 10 for a long time, thus reducing the risk of deteriorated ingredients remaining in the ingredient container 10.

[0205] The moving member 55 begins to move when the amount of ingredients remaining in a certain area of ​​the ingredient container 10 decreases as a result of processing by the gripping member 313, and this movement adjusts the state of the contents in that area to a state suitable for performing the processing. As a result, even if the amount of remaining ingredients decreases in an area due to processing by the gripping member 313, the condition of the ingredients in that area can be adjusted.

[0206] 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 processing system for plating 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 8 is merely illustrative and not particularly limiting. That is, it is sufficient for the processing system 1 to be equipped with the functionality to execute the series of processes described above as a whole, and the type of functional block used to realize this functionality is not particularly limited to the example in Figure 8. Furthermore, a single functional block may consist of hardware alone, software alone, or a combination of both.

[0207] 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.

[0208] 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.

[0209] 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.

[0210] 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]

[0211] 1 Processing system, 2 Belt conveyor, 10 Ingredient container, 11 Expansion member, 20 Container supply unit, 21 Container detection sensor, 30 Articulated robot, 31 Gripping mechanism, 311 Housing, 312 Transmission unit, 313, 313a Gripping member, 313a First gripping unit, 313b Second gripping unit, 314 Gripping member control unit, 315 Support unit, 316 Pin cylinder, 317 Load cell, 318 Force sensor, 32 Robot arm, 40 Discharge chute, 50, 50a Container moving device, 51 Base unit, 52 First actuator, 53 Support unit, 54 Second actuator, 55, 55a, 55b, 55c, 55d Moving member, 551, 551a Contact unit, 552, 70 Suppression unit, 56 Container state detection sensor, 60 Control device, 151 Sensor information acquisition unit, 152 Reaction force determination unit, 153 Gripping amount determination unit, 154 Multi-joint robot control unit, 155 Container supply control unit, 156 Moving device control unit, 157 Recording control unit, 171 Parameter storage unit, 172 History database (History DB), 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

Claims

1. A container for housing the object, A robot that performs processing on the object contained in the aforementioned container, A processing member controlled by the robot to perform the processing, A moving member that contacts the object contained in the containment container and moves the object, thereby adjusting the state of the object's containment in the containment container to a state suitable for performing the process, A processing system characterized by comprising the following:

2. The moving member moves the objects in the first region of the containment container to a second region of the containment container, which is different from the first region, thereby arranging them to a containment state suitable for performing the processing. The processing system according to feature 1.

3. The moving member supports the object after it has moved the object within the container. The processing member performs the processing on the object in a state supported by the moving member. The processing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1 or 2.

4. The moving member moves away from the object after moving the object within the container. The processing member performs the processing on the object after the moving member has moved away. The processing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1 or 2.

5. When the processing member and the moving member are separated, and at least a part of the object is located in the separated area, The moving member moves at least a portion of the object toward the processing member. The processing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1 or 2.

6. The width of the surface that the moving member contacts the object in order to move the object is wider than the width of the surface that the processing member can contact the object through the control of the robot. The processing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1 or 2.

7. The aforementioned process is to hold the object contained in the container with the processing member, The processing mechanism including the processing member comprises measuring means for measuring the weight of the object held by the processing member during the processing, or the force or torque acting on the processing member during the processing. The processing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1 or 2.

8. A closing member is provided on the opening surface of the aforementioned storage container, which is configured in a shape that does not obstruct the movement of the movable member and which closes at least a portion of the opening surface. The processing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1 or 2.

9. An expansion member is provided on at least a portion of the inner or outer circumference of the opening surface of the container, configured to expand the opening surface of the container in at least the vertical direction. The processing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1 or 2.

10. The container further comprises detection means for detecting the state of storage of the object in the container, The moving member adjusts the state of the object's storage in the storage container to a state suitable for performing the process, based on the state of the object's storage detected by the detection means. The processing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1 or 2.

11. The aforementioned object is food ingredients. The processing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1 or 2.

12. The moving member begins to move when the amount of the object remaining in a certain area of ​​the containment container decreases as a result of processing by the processing member, and this movement adjusts the containment state of the object in the certain area to a state suitable for performing the processing. The processing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is the same as described in claim 1 or 2.

13. A container for housing the object, A robot that performs processing on the object contained in the aforementioned container, A processing member controlled by the robot to perform the processing, A processing method in a processing system comprising, By using a moving member to contact the object contained in the containment container and move the object, the containment state of the object in the containment container is adjusted to a containment state suitable for performing the process. A processing method characterized by the following.

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