A robotic work system, and a method for controlling the robotic work system.

Abstract

This design aims to create a robot that is less prone to damage even if its position is misaligned with the target product on the assembly line. [Solution] The work robot (1) includes a hand unit (3) that connects to the object (100), an arm unit (2) that controls the position of the hand unit (3), a floating mechanism (4) positioned between the hand unit (3) and the arm unit (2) that allows changes in the relative position of the hand unit (3) with respect to the arm unit (2), a restricting mechanism (110) that restricts the changes in relative position caused by the floating mechanism (4), and a restricting mechanism control unit (20) that controls whether or not to restrict the restricting mechanism (110) according to the transport speed of the object (100) and whether or not the object (100) is connected to the hand unit (3).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a working robot system including a working robot that performs work on an assembly line or the like.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In automobile assembly lines and the like, assembly is performed by an assembly robot while a vehicle body under assembly is conveyed by a conveyor. At this time, the assembly robot moves at the same speed as the conveyance speed of the vehicle body, and docks a part thereof with a part of the vehicle body to perform assembly.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a bolt and nut supply device used in automobile assembly lines and the like, which is provided with a floating portion that allows the supply shaft portion to move in horizontal and vertical directions.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

PATENT DOCUMENTS

[0004]

PATENT DOCUMENT 1

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0005] As described above, during assembly, the vehicle body and the assembly robot are partially docked. If the conveyance of the vehicle body and the movement of the assembly robot stop for some reason during docking, the distance required for stopping (braking distance) differs between the vehicle body and the assembly robot, so a deviation occurs in the relative positional relationship between the vehicle body and the assembly robot. This may generate an unexpected load on the vehicle body or the assembly robot, leading to potential damage.

[0006] Patent Document 1 does not describe anything about damage caused by positional deviation between the vehicle body and the assembly robot.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its objective is to realize a system including an assembly robot in which the vehicle body or the assembly robot is less likely to be damaged even if the positions of the vehicle body and the assembly robot are misaligned. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the aforementioned problems, a work robot system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a work robot that performs work on an object while moving at the same speed as the transport speed of the object to be worked on, the work robot system comprising: a hand portion that connects to the object during the work; an arm portion that controls the position of the hand portion so that the hand portion and the object are connected; a floating mechanism disposed between the hand portion and the arm portion, connecting the hand portion and the arm portion and allowing changes in the relative position of the hand portion with respect to the arm portion; a regulating mechanism that restricts the change in the relative position by the floating mechanism; and a regulating mechanism control unit that controls whether or not to perform the regulating by the regulating mechanism according to the transport speed and whether or not the object and the hand portion are connected.

[0009] To solve the aforementioned problems, a control method for a work robot system according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a control method for a work robot system that controls the restriction of relative position changes by a floating mechanism in a work robot equipped with a floating mechanism, and includes a work robot that moves at the same speed as the transport speed of an object to be worked on, connects with the object with a hand unit to perform work, and is equipped with a restriction mechanism that restricts the relative position changes by the floating mechanism, and a restriction mechanism control unit that controls the restriction by the restriction mechanism, the restriction mechanism control unit includes a detection step of detecting an abnormality in the transport of the object, and a release step of releasing the restriction by the restriction unit when the abnormality is detected. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to one aspect of this disclosure, damage to the workpiece or the work robot can be prevented. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This figure shows an overview of the work robot system according to Embodiment 1 of this disclosure. [Figure 2] This figure shows an example of a hand unit, floating mechanism, and regulating mechanism in a work robot. [Figure 3] This is a simplified diagram showing the floating mechanism as viewed from the side. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view showing a section perpendicular to the axial direction of the pin portion. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a hole provided in the first component. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the control of the regulatory mechanism by the regulatory mechanism control unit. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart showing the flow of regulatory processing by the regulatory body's control unit. [Figure 8] This diagram shows an example of a hand unit when the product is an automobile. [Figure 9] This figure shows another example of a pin section. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] [Embodiment 1] Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail. The work robot system 10 according to this embodiment is used in an assembly line for automobiles and the like, where the work robot 1 performs assembly on a manufactured product that is the target of assembly. In this embodiment, the manufactured product that is the target of assembly is referred to as the target product 100.

[0013] Figure 1 shows a state where a work robot 1 performs work on a target object 100 in an assembly line. In Figure 1, as an example, the target object 100 is an automobile, and the work robot 1 is shown performing work on an assembly portion of the automobile as the target object 100. Reference numeral 101 in Figure 1 is a diagram showing the target object 100, which is an automobile, viewed from the front, and reference numeral 102 is a diagram showing the target object 100 viewed diagonally from above. As shown at 102 in Figure 1, the target object 100 and the work robot 1 each independently travel in the -x direction. The work robot 1 performs work while traveling at the same conveyance speed as the target object 100.

[0014] Further, a controller 50 that controls the entire assembly line is separately provided, and the controller 50 includes a restriction mechanism control unit 20. The restriction mechanism control unit 20 controls whether or not to perform restriction by a restriction mechanism 110 described later. Note that the restriction mechanism control unit 20 may be a configuration provided in the work robot 1.

[0015] The work robot 1 includes an arm unit 2, a hand unit 3, and a floating mechanism 4.

[0016] The hand unit 3 is a portion that connects to the target object 100 during work. The arm unit 2 is a portion that controls the position of the hand unit 3 so that the hand unit 3 and the target object 100 are connected.

[0017] The floating mechanism 4 is disposed between the hand unit 3 and the arm unit 2, and connects the hand unit 3 and the arm unit 2. Further, the floating mechanism 4 allows a change in the relative position of the hand unit 3 with respect to the arm unit 2. Details of the floating mechanism 4 will be described later.

[0018] FIG. 2 shows an example of the hand unit 3, the floating mechanism 4, and the restricting mechanism 110. As an example, the hand unit 3 may be a nut runner that fastens bolts or the like to the target object 100. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the floating mechanism 4 is, for example, cylindrical in shape and includes a first portion 41 and a second portion 42 having different diameters, and the first portion 41 and the second portion 42 are movable in a direction parallel to the contact surface, thereby exhibiting a floating function. That is, the movement of the second portion 42 relative to the first portion 41 allows a change in the relative position between the portion connected to the first portion 41 and the portion connected to the second portion 42.

[0019] This will be specifically described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the floating mechanism 4 as viewed from the side. It shows a state in which the hand unit 3 is connected to the first portion 41 of the floating mechanism 4, and the arm unit 2 is connected to the second portion 42. 302 in FIG. 3 shows a state where the first portion 41 is at the center relative to the second portion 42, 301 shows a state where the first portion 41 is displaced in the P2 direction relative to the second portion 42, and 303 shows a state where the first portion 41 is displaced in the P1 direction relative to the second portion 42. In this manner, the displacement of the first portion 41 relative to the second portion 42 allows a change in the relative position of the hand unit 3 with respect to the arm unit 2.

[0020] Returning to Figure 2, let's continue the explanation. The first part 41 of the floating mechanism 4 is connected to the hand part 3 and also to the pin part 11. As a result, the hand part 3 and the pin part 11 operate together with the first part 41. The second part 42 of the floating mechanism 4 is connected to the arm part 2 via the connection part 23, and the second part 42 and the arm part 2 operate together. The second part 42 is also connected to the drive unit 21 that drives the cylinder 22. The cylinder 22 is connected to the first part 12, which has a hole 121. When the cylinder 22 is driven, the first part 12 moves towards the pin part 11, and the pin part 11 is inserted into the hole 121 of the first part 12. When the pin part 11 is inserted into the hole 121 of the first part 12, the displacement of the first part 41 relative to the second part 42 shown in Figure 3 is restricted. In other words, the floating function of the floating mechanism 4 is restricted. Therefore, it can be said that the regulating mechanism 110 is formed by the pin portion 11 and the first component 12.

[0021] [Details of pin section 11] Next, the details of the pin portion 11 will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross-section of the pin portion 11 perpendicular to the axial direction. The pin portion 11 is a pin that includes a portion L1 with a cross-sectional diameter of R1 perpendicular to the axial direction and a portion L2 with a cross-sectional diameter of R2 (>R1). In other words, the pin portion 11 has a shape with different thicknesses in the axial direction. As will be described in detail later, by having portions L1 and L2 with different cross-sectional diameters, the degree of restriction can be adjusted. In other words, because the pin portion 11 has a shape with different thicknesses in the axial direction, the amount of restriction can be adjusted according to the degree to which it is inserted into the hole.

[0022] Furthermore, the shape of the pin portion 11 is not limited to a circular cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction. For example, the cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction may be elliptical or polygonal. Also, a portion of the pin portion 11 may have an elliptical or polygonal cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction.

[0023] [Example of hole 121] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a hole 121 provided in the first part 12. Figure 501 shows an example in which a bush 121A (second part) is placed on the side surface of the hole 121. Figure 502 also shows an example in which a cam follower 121B (second part) is placed on the top and side surfaces of the hole 121. As shown in Figures 501 and 502, when a bush 121A or a cam follower 121B is placed in the hole 121, the outer surface of the pin portion 11 and the inner surface of the bush 121A or cam follower 121B come into contact, thereby enabling the regulating mechanism 110 to perform its function.

[0024] Both the bush 121A and the cam follower 121B are made of a material or shape that reduces friction compared to the first part 12. This facilitates the insertion and removal of the pin portion 11 from the hole 121, while also preventing damage to the first part 12 itself. More specifically, by positioning the bush 121A on the side of the hole 121, or the cam follower 121B on the upper side of the hole 121, friction due to contact with the pin portion 11 can be reduced, vibration and shock can be absorbed, and the deterioration of the pin portion 11 and the hole 121 can be slowed down. Furthermore, if repairs become necessary due to deterioration, etc., only the bush 121A and cam follower 121B need to be replaced, making maintenance easy and simple.

[0025] [Details of control by the regulatory mechanism control unit 20] Next, with reference to Figure 6, the control of the restricting mechanism 110 by the restricting mechanism control unit 20 will be described. As shown in Figure 6, the restricting mechanism control unit 20 adjusts the length of the cylinder 22 by controlling the drive unit 21. The cylinder 22 is connected to the first component 12, and depending on the length of the cylinder 22, it can be in one of three states: a first state (first restricting) in which the pin portion 11 is fully inserted into the hole 121 of the first component 12, a second state (second restricting) in which a part of the pin portion 11 is inserted, or a third state (third restricting) in which the pin portion 11 is completely removed from the hole 121.

[0026] The regulatory mechanism control unit 20 controls the regulatory mechanism 110 to enter one of the first, second, or third states by controlling the drive unit 21.

[0027] Figure 601 shows the first state. In the first state, the outer circumference of the pin portion 11 and the inner circumference of the hole 121 are in contact, and the restriction by the regulating mechanism 110 is being performed. In other words, the function of the floating mechanism 4 is completely restricted. Figure 602 shows the second state. In the second state, there is a space S1 between the outer circumference of the pin portion 11 and the inner circumference of the hole 121, and the restriction by the regulating mechanism 110 is being performed to some extent. In other words, the function of the floating mechanism 4 can be performed only for the distance of the space S1. Figure 603 shows the third state. In the third state, the pin portion 11 is completely out of the hole 121, so the function of the floating mechanism 4 is being performed to the fullest extent.

[0028] The regulatory mechanism control unit 20 may perform the above-described regulatory control in response to the detection of an abnormality. For example, when it receives notification of an abnormality from a detection unit (not shown) that detects an abnormality occurring on the assembly line, it may set the regulatory mechanism 110 to the second or third state.

[0029] As described above, the regulating mechanism 110 regulates the amount of change in the relative position of the floating mechanism 4 in multiple stages. The regulating mechanism control unit 20 controls the multiple stages of regulation by the regulating mechanism 110 according to the transport speed and whether or not there is a connection between the object 100 and the hand unit 3. This makes it possible to make the amount of change allowed by the floating mechanism 4 different depending on the stage of regulation by the regulating mechanism 110, and to regulate by the regulating mechanism 110 according to the degree of misalignment between the object 100 and the work robot 1.

[0030] In this embodiment, a configuration that controls to one of three states—a first state, a second state, and a third state—i.e., a configuration that performs three stages of control, has been described. However, the invention of this disclosure is not limited thereto. It may also control to one of two states, either regulated or not, or it may have four or more states and control to one of these states.

[0031] Furthermore, although the above describes a configuration in which the first component 12 is driven to insert the pin portion 11 into the hole 121 and to remove the pin portion 11 from the hole 121, the invention of this disclosure is not limited thereto. The configuration may involve driving only the pin portion 11, or driving both the pin portion 11 and the first component 12. In this case, the drive unit 21 only needs to perform at least one of the operations of inserting the pin portion 11 into the hole 121 and removing the pin portion 11 from the hole 121. By driving at least one of the pin portion 11 and the hole 121, the insertion of the pin portion 11 into the hole 121 and the removal of the pin portion 11 from the hole 121 can be performed.

[0032] As described above, the work robot system 10 according to this disclosure includes a work robot 1 that performs work on an object 100 while moving at the same speed as the transport speed of the object 100 to be worked on. The work robot 1 includes an arm 2, a hand 3, a floating mechanism 4, and a regulating mechanism 110. The hand 3 is the part that connects to the object 100 during work. The arm 2 controls the position of the hand 3 so that it connects to the object 100. The floating mechanism 4 is positioned between the hand 3 and the arm 2, connecting the hand 3 and the arm 2, and allowing changes in the relative position of the hand 3 with respect to the arm 2. The regulating mechanism 110 regulates the change in relative position caused by the floating mechanism 4. Furthermore, the work robot system 10 includes a regulating mechanism control unit 20, which controls whether or not to perform regulation by the regulating mechanism 110 according to the transport speed and whether or not the object 100 and the hand 3 are connected.

[0033] As a result, changes in the relative position of the hand unit 3, which connects the object 100 and the work robot 1, with respect to the arm unit 2 are permitted by the floating mechanism 4, depending on whether or not the restriction mechanism 110 is in place. The presence or absence of restriction by the restriction mechanism 110 is controlled according to the transport speed and whether or not the hand unit 3 and the object 100 are connected. Therefore, if the object 100 stops while the object 100 and the hand unit 3 of the work robot 1 are connected, the restriction by the restriction mechanism 110 is released, allowing a deviation in the relative position between the object 100 and the hand unit 3. This helps to prevent damage to the object 100 or the work robot 1.

[0034] [Processing flow] Referring to Figure 7, an example of when regulation is performed by the regulation mechanism control unit 20 in this embodiment will be described. Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of regulation processing by the regulation mechanism control unit 20. Here, the processing flow when an abnormality occurs in the assembly line will be described.

[0035] As shown in Figure 7, 701, the assembly line is in a state where the regulation mechanism 110 is in effect (S101). When the hand unit 3 of the work robot 1 connects (docks) with the target product 100 (S102), the status monitoring mode is turned ON (S103). Subsequently, the work robot 1 proceeds with its work, and when the work is completed, the docking between the hand unit 3 and the target product 100 is released (S104). Then, the status monitoring mode is turned OFF (S105). The status monitoring mode is a mode in which the controller 50 monitors the status of the work robot system 10.

[0036] Figure 7, section 702, shows the processing flow when the status monitoring mode is ON. When the status monitoring mode is ON, if an abnormality is detected on the assembly line (YES in S201, detection step), the regulating mechanism control unit 20 releases the regulation by the regulating mechanism 110 (S202, release step). This enables the floating function of the floating mechanism 4. This allows for a misalignment of the relative position between the arm 2 and hand 3 of the work robot 1. Therefore, even if a misalignment occurs between the target product 100 and the work robot 1, the hand 3 of the work robot 1 moves together with the target product 100, and the parts of the work robot 1 other than the hand 3 are allowed to have a misalignment with the target product 100. Consequently, when the target product 100 and the work robot 1 are connected, the risk of malfunction, damage, etc. occurring due to a misalignment between them can be reduced.

[0037] The above outlines the processing flow when an abnormality occurs on the assembly line.

[0038] The above explanation assumes that the target item 100 is transported, but the invention of this disclosure is not limited to this. Even if the target item 100 is not transported, for example, the status monitoring mode may be turned ON and status monitoring performed when the work robot 1 grasps an assembly part to be attached to the target item 100.

[0039] Furthermore, the regulating mechanism control unit 20 may, depending on the situation, perform control to regulate up to any of the multiple stages of regulation by the regulating mechanism 110, within the allowable range of change provided by the floating mechanism 4.

[0040] Furthermore, while the above describes a configuration in which restrictions are released when an abnormality is detected, the timing of releasing restrictions is not limited to when an abnormality is detected. For example, the configuration may be such that the restriction mechanism control unit releases the restrictions imposed by the restriction mechanism when a restriction release flag, which is a command to release the restriction mechanism, is detected.

[0041] [Example of the hand part 3] Next, an example of the handle portion 3 will be described with reference to Figure 8. The handle portion 3 shown in Figure 8 is used to grip the tire of an automobile when the target product 100 is an automobile. In the example shown in Figure 8, the handle portion 3 includes a handle portion 3A positioned above the tire and a handle portion 3B positioned below the tire (see 801 in Figure 8). The handle portions 3A and 3B are biased to move towards each other, and this biasing force allows the handle portions 3A and 3B to grip the tire (see 802 in Figure 8). In addition, the handle portions 3A and 3B are provided with protrusions 31 that project towards the tire at their respective ends in the conveying direction. The protrusions 31 prevent the tire gripped by the handle portion 3 from shifting in the conveying direction.

[0042] When the tire is being gripped by the hand unit 3, if for any reason the hand unit 3 and the tire become misaligned, for example, if the tire is misaligned in the transport direction relative to the hand unit 3, the hand units 3A and 3B, which are being pressed by the biasing force, will be pushed away from the tire due to the tire's misalignment (see 803 in Figure 8). This reduces malfunctions and damage caused by misalignment between the hand unit 3 and the tire while the hand unit 3 is still gripping the tire.

[0043] [Embodiment 2] Other embodiments of this disclosure are described below. For the sake of clarity, components having the same function as those described in the above embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are not repeated.

[0044] Figure 9 shows the appearance of the pin portion 11A according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 9, the pin portion 11A has a structure that includes a first main body portion 111, a connecting portion 112, and a second main body portion 113, with the first main body portion 111, the connecting portion 112, and the second main body portion 113 being arranged from the tip of the pin portion 11A. That is, the connecting portion 112 connects the first main body portion 111 and the second main body portion 113. The diameter of the connecting portion 112 is shorter than that of the first main body portion 111 and the second main body portion 113, and the connecting portion 112 is designed to break when the first main body portion 111 and the second main body portion 113 are subjected to forces in different directions. In other words, the pin portion 11A is designed to break when a force exceeding a predetermined force is applied to one end and the other end in different directions in the axial direction. When the pin portion 11A breaks, the restriction by the regulating mechanism 110 is released.

[0045] The second main body 113 is connected to the first part 41 of the floating mechanism 4, and the first main body 111 is inserted into the hole 121 of the first component 12. When the connecting part 112 is destroyed while the pin part 11A is inserted into the hole 121, the restriction of the floating mechanism 4 is released. As a result, if the position of the object 100 and the work robot 1 shifts during operation, the connecting part 112 will be damaged, enabling the function of the floating mechanism 4 to be activated and allowing the positional shift between the object 100 and the work robot 1 to be tolerated. Therefore, the occurrence of failures and damage other than in the pin part 11A can be reduced.

[0046] [Examples of implementation using software] The function of the regulatory mechanism control unit 20 is a program that causes the computer to function as the regulatory mechanism control unit 20, and can be realized by a program that causes the computer to function as the regulatory mechanism control unit 20.

[0047] In this case, the regulatory mechanism control unit 20 includes a computer having at least one control device (e.g., a processor) and at least one storage device (e.g., memory) as hardware for executing the above program. By executing the above program using this control device and storage device, each of the functions described in each of the above embodiments is realized.

[0048] The above program may be recorded on one or more computer-readable recording media, not temporary ones. These recording media may or may not be provided by the above device. In the latter case, the program may be supplied to the above device via any wired or wireless transmission medium.

[0049] Furthermore, some or all of the functions of each of the above control blocks can also be implemented by logic circuits. For example, an integrated circuit in which logic circuits functioning as each of the above control blocks are formed is also included in the scope of this disclosure. In addition, it is also possible to implement the functions of each of the above control blocks by, for example, a quantum computer.

[0050] Furthermore, each process described in the above embodiments may be performed by AI (Artificial Intelligence). In this case, the AI ​​may operate on the control device described above, or it may operate on other devices (for example, an edge computer or a cloud server).

[0051] 〔summary〕 A work robot system according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure is a work robot system that performs work on an object while moving at the same speed as the transport speed of the object to be worked on, and comprises a hand unit that connects to the object during the work, an arm unit that controls the position of the hand unit so that the hand unit and the object are connected, a floating mechanism disposed between the hand unit and the arm unit that connects the hand unit and the arm unit and allows changes in the relative position of the hand unit with respect to the arm unit, a regulating mechanism that restricts the change in the relative position by the floating mechanism, and a regulating mechanism control unit that controls whether or not to perform the regulating by the regulating mechanism according to the transport speed and whether or not the object and the hand unit are connected.

[0052] According to the above configuration, changes in the relative position of the hand portion connecting the object and the work robot with respect to the arm portion are permitted by the floating mechanism, depending on whether or not the regulating mechanism is in place. The presence or absence of the regulating mechanism is controlled according to the transport speed and whether or not the hand portion is connected to the object.

[0053] Therefore, if the object stops while connected to the robot's hand, the restriction by the regulating mechanism is released. This releases the relative position of the object and the robot's hand, allowing the relative position to shift within the range permitted by the floating mechanism for changes in the relative position between the hand and the arm. This helps to prevent damage to the object or the robot.

[0054] A working robot system according to aspect 2 of the present disclosure, in aspect 1, the floating mechanism includes two parts, a first part and a second part, and the movement of the second part relative to the first part allows for a change in the relative position, and the regulating mechanism consists of a pin portion connected to the first part and a first part having a hole connected to the second part. With the above configuration, the regulating mechanism can be realized by the pin portion and the hole.

[0055] The robotic work system according to Embodiment 3 of this disclosure, in Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the regulating mechanism regulates the amount of change in the relative position of the floating mechanism in a plurality of stages, and the regulating mechanism control unit controls the plurality of stages of regulation by the regulating mechanism according to the transport speed and whether or not there is a connection between the object and the hand unit. According to the above configuration, the amount of change allowed by the floating mechanism differs depending on the stage of regulation by the regulating mechanism. This makes it possible to regulate by the regulating mechanism according to the degree of misalignment between the object and the robotic work system.

[0056] In the working robot system according to aspect 4 of this disclosure, the pin portion has a shape with different thicknesses in the axial direction, as described in aspect 2 or 3. With this configuration, because the pin portion has a shape with different thicknesses in the axial direction, the amount of restriction can be adjusted according to the degree to which it is inserted into the hole.

[0057] The work robot system according to aspect 5 of this disclosure, in any of aspects 1 to 4, wherein the floating mechanism includes two parts, a first part and a second part, and the movement of the second part relative to the first part allows for a change in the relative position; the regulating mechanism consists of a pin connected to the first part and a first part with a hole connected to the second part, and the regulating is performed by whether or not the pin is inserted into the hole; the pin is structured to break when a predetermined force is applied in different directions at one end and the other end in the axial direction, and when the pin breaks, the regulating by the regulating mechanism is released. If the relative position between the work robot and the work object shifts, the relative position between the hand and the arm will shift. With the above configuration, since the pin is structured to break when a predetermined force is applied in different directions at one end and the other end in the axial direction, the pin will break when the relative position between the work robot and the arm shifts. Therefore, damage to the work robot other than the pin can be suppressed.

[0058] In the working robot system according to aspect 6 of this disclosure, in any of aspects 2 to 5, the restricting mechanism control unit performs three stages of restriction: a first restriction in which the outer circumference of the pin portion and the inner circumference of the hole come into contact when the pin portion is inserted into the hole; a second restriction in which the outer circumference of the pin portion and the inner circumference of the hole do not come into contact when the pin portion is inserted into the hole; and a third restriction in which the pin portion is not inserted into the hole. According to the above configuration, three stages of restriction can be performed.

[0059] A robotic work system according to Embodiment 7 of the present disclosure, in any of Embodiments 2 to 6, includes in at least one of the first part and the second part a drive unit that performs the operation of inserting the pin into the hole and the operation of removing the pin from the hole. With this configuration, by driving at least one of the pin and the hole, the insertion of the pin into the hole and the removal of the pin from the hole can be performed, and the regulating mechanism can perform regulating.

[0060] In the working robot system according to aspect 8 of this disclosure, in any of aspects 2 to 7, a second component having less friction than the first component is arranged on the side surface of the hole. By arranging the second component having less friction than the first component on the side surface of the hole, friction due to contact with the pin portion can be reduced, vibration and shock can be absorbed, and deterioration of the pin portion and the hole can be slowed down. Furthermore, if repairs become necessary due to deterioration, etc., only the second component needs to be replaced, making maintenance easy and simple.

[0061] A control method for a work robot system according to aspect 9 of this disclosure is a control method for a work robot equipped with a floating mechanism, which controls the restriction of relative position changes by the floating mechanism, and includes a work robot equipped with a restriction mechanism that restricts the relative position changes by the floating mechanism, which moves at the same speed as the transport speed of the object to be worked on, connects with the object with a hand part to perform work, and moves, and performs work, and the work robot moves at the same speed as the transport speed of the object to be worked on, and performs work, and the work robot moves at the same speed as the transport speed of the object to be worked on, and connects with the object with a hand part to perform work, and restricts the relative position changes by the floating mechanism, and a restriction mechanism control unit that controls the restriction by the restriction mechanism, the restriction mechanism control unit includes a detection step of detecting an abnormality in the transport of the object, and a release step of releasing the restriction by the restriction mechanism when the abnormality is detected. According to the above configuration, when an abnormality in transport is detected, the floating mechanism is released. This makes it possible to suppress damage to the work robot due to a shift in the relative position between the object and the work robot in the event of an abnormality.

[0062] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of this disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1. Work robot 2. Arm section 3. Hand section 4. Floating mechanism 10. Work robot system 11, 11A pin section 12. Part 1 20 Regulatory Mechanism Control Unit 21 Drive unit 22 volts 41 Part 1 42 Part 2 50 Controllers 100 items 110 Regulatory body 121 holes

Claims

1. A robotic work system including a work robot that performs work on an object while moving at the same speed as the transport speed of the object to be worked on, During the aforementioned operation, the hand unit that connects to the target item, An arm portion controls the position of the hand portion so that it connects with the object to be worked. A floating mechanism is provided, which is positioned between the hand portion and the arm portion, connects the hand portion and the arm portion, and allows changes in the relative position of the hand portion with respect to the arm portion. A regulating mechanism that restricts the change in the relative position due to the floating mechanism, A robotic work system comprising a regulatory mechanism control unit that controls whether or not to perform the regulation by the regulatory mechanism according to the transport speed and whether or not the target item is connected to the hand unit.

2. The floating mechanism includes two parts, a first part and a second part, and allows for a change in the relative position by the movement of the second part relative to the first part. The work robot system according to claim 1, wherein the regulating mechanism comprises a pin portion connected to the first portion and a first component having a hole, which is connected to the second portion.

3. The regulating mechanism regulates the amount of change in the relative position of the floating mechanism in multiple stages. The work robot system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the regulatory mechanism control unit controls the multiple stages of regulation by the regulatory mechanism according to the transport speed and whether or not the object to be worked is connected to the hand unit.

4. The work robot system according to claim 2, wherein the pin portion has a shape with different thicknesses in the axial direction.

5. The floating mechanism includes two parts, a first part and a second part, and allows for a change in the relative position by the movement of the second part relative to the first part. The regulating mechanism comprises a pin portion connected to the first portion and a first component having a hole, which is connected to the second portion, and the regulating mechanism is performed depending on whether or not the pin portion is inserted into the hole. The work robot system according to claim 1, wherein the pin portion is structured to break when a predetermined force is applied in different directions at one end and the other end in the axial direction, and when the pin portion breaks, the restriction by the restricting mechanism is released.

6. The aforementioned regulatory mechanism control unit is When the pin portion is inserted into the hole, the outer circumference of the pin portion and the inner circumference of the hole come into contact, forming a first restriction. A second restriction prevents contact between the outer circumference of the pin and the inner circumference of the hole when the pin is inserted into the hole. The work robot system according to claim 2, which performs three stages of restriction: a third restriction in which the pin portion is not inserted into the hole.

7. The work robot system according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the first part and the second part is equipped with a drive unit that performs the operation of inserting the pin part into the hole and the operation of removing the pin part from the hole.

8. The robotic work system according to claim 2, wherein a second component with less friction than the first component is arranged on the side surface of the hole.

9. A control method for a work robot system equipped with a floating mechanism, which controls the restriction of changes in relative position by the floating mechanism, A work robot that moves at the same speed as the transport speed of the object to be worked on, connects to the object with a hand unit to perform work, and is equipped with a regulating mechanism that restricts the change in the relative position due to the floating mechanism, and a regulating mechanism control unit that controls the regulation by the regulating mechanism, The aforementioned regulatory mechanism control unit is A detection step for detecting an abnormality in the transport of the target product, A method for controlling a work robot system, comprising: a release step of releasing the restriction by the regulating mechanism when the aforementioned abnormality is detected.

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