Apparatus and method for identifying and / or determining the tensile force of a robotic system, and method for controlling a robotic system.
The apparatus and method address the challenge of identifying and controlling tensile forces in robotic systems by using force measuring devices and geometric relationships for precise robotic control, enhancing accuracy and reducing costs.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-03-15
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-25
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies lack efficient methods to identify and control the tensile forces in robotic systems, particularly in cable-driven robots, which are crucial for precise operation and control.
An apparatus and method for identifying and controlling tensile forces in robotic systems by using a force measuring device and mechanical interfaces to detect and determine tensile forces through geometric relationships and iterative stress application, allowing for automatic calibration and control without disassembly.
Enables accurate and efficient identification and control of tensile forces in robotic systems, reducing testing and calibration costs while improving operational precision.
Smart Images
Figure 2026509883000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for identifying and / or determining the tensile means force of a robot system, the robot system comprising at least one actuator, at least one transmission part having at least one tensile means, and at least one link. Further, the present invention relates to a method for identifying and / or determining the tensile means force of a robot system having at least one drive part, at least one tensile means, and at least one link. Further, the present invention relates to a method for controlling a robot system having at least one drive part, at least one tensile means, and at least one link.
Background Art
[0002] Document DE 10 2017 204 735 A1 describes a robot joint comprising a first segment connected to a base via a first joint, a second segment connected to the first segment via a second joint, a first braking device connected to the first joint, and a first actuator and a second actuator, the first actuator and the second actuator being respectively connected to the first segment and the second segment by cables to transmit the movement of the actuator to the first segment and / or the second segment, and the movement of the first actuator and / or the second actuator causing the first braking device to operate to prevent the movement of the first joint and / or the second joint.
[0003] Reference DE 10 2017 203 595 B3 describes a robotic joint having at least one segment, the segment connected to a base via a joint, the joint having a first axis of rotation for moving the segment in a first motion plane, a spring element connected to the base, the spring element connected to the displacement point of the segment via a force transmission element, the force transmission element deflected in the first motion plane by a first deflection element, the joint having a second axis of rotation for moving the segment in a second motion plane, the force transmission element deflected in the second motion plane by a second deflection element, the second deflection element positioned downstream of the first deflection element along the force transmission element from the spring element, and the second deflection element rotatable about an axis of rotation located at the deflection point of the first deflection element.
[0004] Reference DE 20 2013 105 036 U1 relates to a detection device for robot-induced loads that may affect the human body through contact during a work process. Reference DE 20 2013 105 036 U1 proposes that the detection device comprises a measuring device for measuring robot-induced loads, particularly force, and a positioning device for positioning and adjusting the measuring device within the working area of an industrial robot according to the process. [Overview of the Initiative]
[0005] The present invention aims to improve the aforementioned apparatus and method structurally and / or functionally.
[0006] This problem is solved by an apparatus having the features of claim 1. Furthermore, this problem is solved by a method having the features of claim 6. Furthermore, this problem is solved by a method having the features of claim 12. Advantageous embodiments and / or variations are subject to the dependent claims.
[0007] This device is designed to identify and / or determine the tensile forces of a robotic system. In this case, "identification (Ermitteln)" can also be interpreted as "detection (Erfassen)" in particular. "Determination (Bestimmen)" can also be interpreted as "calculation (Berechnen)" in particular. The robotic system comprises at least one actuator, at least one transmission unit, at least one tensile means, and at least one link. This device can be configured to automatically identify and / or determine the tensile forces (Zugmittelkraeften) of the robotic system.
[0008] A robotic system can be a robot or a module of a robot. A robotic system can be a humanoid robotic system, an industrial robotic system, or an exoskeleton. A robotic system can be a manipulator, e.g., a robotic arm, or an end effector, e.g., a gripper or a robotic hand. A robotic system can be a parallel robotic system. A robotic system can comprise a parallel motion mechanism with a closed kinetic chain. A robotic system can comprise a base module. A robotic system can comprise multiple links (Glieder). A robotic system can comprise at least one joint (Gelenk). At least one joint can be wirksam between the base module and the links. At least one joint can be wirksam between a first link and a second link. At least one joint can be a rotary joint. A robotic system can comprise at least one sensor. A robotic system can comprise an electronic control device. The control device can be designed and / or configured to control at least one actuator. In this context, "control" can be understood in particular as control by "open-loop" or "closed-loop" mechanisms. Therefore, "control (Kontrollieren)" can mean either "open-loop control (Steuern)" or "closed-loop control (Regeln)".
[0009] At least one actuator and at least one transmission unit (Getriebe) can form at least one drive unit of a robotic system. At least one drive unit may be able to act between a base module and a link. At least one drive unit may be able to act between a first link and a second link. At least one drive unit may be designed and / or positioned to hold and / or move a link. At least one drive unit may be designed and / or positioned to hold and / or move a link antagonistically. At least one actuator may be designed and / or positioned to provide a mechanical output, in particular force and / or torque, for holding and / or moving a link. At least one actuator may be designed and / or positioned to change the stress and / or effective length of at least one tensile means. At least one actuator may be associated with and / or positioned on a base module or a first link. At least one actuator may be electronically controllable. At least one actuator may be configured as an electric motor.
[0010] At least one transmission unit may be designed and / or configured to modify the amount of movement between at least one actuator and a member to be held and / or moved. At least one transmission unit may be designed and / or configured to modify the direction of movement, force and / or torque. At least one transmission unit comprises at least one tensioning means. At least one transmission unit may comprise rollers or discs for at least one tensioning means.
[0011] At least one tensioning means forms part of at least one transmission unit. At least one tensioning means may be designed and / or positioned to transmit tensile force and / or tensile movement. At least one tensioning means may have at least one first functional unit and at least one second functional unit. At least one first functional unit may be associated with and / or positioned on at least one actuator. At least one second functional unit may be associated with and / or positioned on a link to be held and / or moved. At least one tensioning means is tensile-resistant (zugfest), slack (schlaff), flexurally flexible (biegeweich), and / or torsionally flexible (torsionsweich). At least one tensioning means may be elastic. At least one tensioning means may have a predetermined or given elasticity. At least one tensile means can be made from plastic, in particular plastic fibers, such as ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (PE-UHMW) or high-modulus polyethylene (HMPE) and / or poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PPBO, PBO). At least one tensile means can be made from metal, in particular metal wire, in particular stainless steel or high-grade steel, such as VA steel. At least one tensile means can be made from twisted or braided fibers or wires. At least one tensile means can be configured as a rope.
[0012] At least one link may be indirectly connected to the base module. At least one link may be indirectly connected to further links. At least one link may be an intermediate link or an end link. At least one link may be a gripper link or a finger link.
[0013] The apparatus comprises at least one mechanical interface for a robot system and a force measuring device. The at least one mechanical interface may be designed and / or positioned to connect the apparatus and the robot system to each other. The at least one mechanical interface may be designed and / or positioned to connect the apparatus and the robot system to each other temporarily and / or detachably. The at least one mechanical interface may be designed and / or positioned to connect the apparatus and the robot system to identify and / or determine the tensile force of the robot system.
[0014] At least one mechanical interface can function as a clamp (Einspannung). At least one mechanical interface can function as a joint. At least one mechanical interface can function as a rotary joint (Drehgelenk). At least one mechanical interface is lockable and / or releaseable. At least one mechanical interface can be designed as a fork or clamp. At least one mechanical interface can be designed as a clip (Klemme). At least one mechanical interface and / or force measuring device is positionable to fit into a robotic system.
[0015] A force measuring device may be designed and / or configured to detect forces acting on a held and / or moved link. A force measuring device may be designed and / or configured to detect forces based on the mechanical output of at least one actuator and / or the stress of at least one tensile means. A force measuring device may comprise at least one force sensor or force transducer (Kraftaufnehmer). At least one force sensor may be designed as a Hall sensor.
[0016] The device may include a base. The base may be designed in the shape of a plate. The device may include at least one mechanical interface module. The base may include at least one receptor for a force measuring device and / or at least one mechanical interface module. The base may include multiple receptors for force measuring devices and / or at least one mechanical interface module. The receptors may be positioned in place. The receptors may be arranged in a grid. The receptors may be configured as holes or slots. At least one mechanical interface and / or force measuring device may be positioned on a receptor selected for positioning. At least one mechanical interface and / or force measuring device may be positioned on a receptor selected for positioning so that the device can be adapted to various robotic systems.
[0017] At least one mechanical interface and / or force measuring device is movable in various directions to identify and / or determine tensile forces. At least one mechanical interface and / or force measuring device is shiftable and / or rotatable. At least one mechanical interface and / or force measuring device is rotatable around the axis of the robot system. At least one mechanical interface and / or force measuring device is movable, for example, with respect to each flexion, extension, adduction, and / or abduction direction of a gripper or finger, to detect and / or determine a complete force profile along a possible configuration of the robot system.
[0018] This device may include at least one electrical interface. At least one electrical interface may be designed as a signal interface and / or a power interface. At least one electrical interface may be designed and / or configured to transmit signals for controlling a robotic system, particularly at least one actuator. At least one electrical interface may be designed and / or configured to transmit signals for a force measuring device. This device may include a control device. The control device may be designed as an electronic control device.
[0019] Such a device is used to identify and / or determine the tensile force of a robotic system having at least one drive unit, at least one tensile means, and at least one link. The tensile force of the robotic system can be automatically identified and / or determined.
[0020] First, a preload can be set for at least one tensioning mechanism. The preloads for multiple tensioning mechanisms can be set uniformly. A stress can be applied to at least one tensioning mechanism using at least one actuator. Thus, a resulting force and / or torque can be produced. The tensioning mechanism force can be determined and / or specified by considering the geometric conditions of at least one transmission part, particularly the lever length and / or the diameter of the roller or disc, and the signal from the force measuring device. The specified and / or determined tensioning mechanism force may be the resulting tensioning mechanism force.
[0021] Stress can be applied alternately, and the tensile force can be specified and / or determined. The applied stress can be changed. The applied stress can be changed iteratively. The applied stress can be changed discretely or continuously. The tensile force can be specified and / or determined during the application of stress. The tensile force can be specified and / or determined discretely or continuously.
[0022] The tensile force can be determined and / or specified for a given stress or stress value. In this way, support points can be determined and / or specified. Further tensile forces can be estimated considering the tensile forces specified and / or determined for a given stress or stress value. Further tensile forces can be interpolated and / or extrapolied. The tensile force can be specified and / or determined for a given stress range or stress value range.
[0023] Determined, identified, and / or estimated tensile forces can be stored. Information and / or data regarding determined, identified, and / or estimated tensile forces can be stored. Information and / or data regarding the position of the robot system associated with these tensile forces can be stored.
[0024] To control a robotic system comprising at least one drive unit, at least one tensioning means, and at least one link, the tensioning force, identified and / or determined in such manner, is taken into consideration. The tensioning force can be identified and / or determined in an assembled robotic system. It is not necessary to disassemble the robotic system to identify and / or determine the tensioning force.
[0025] In summary and in other words, this invention provides a calibration test state (Kalibrierungsteststand) and sequence routines for automatic rope force determination.
[0026] In the test setup (Testaufbau), a cable-driven (seilgetriebenes) robot system can be fixed and force measurements can be taken at selected positions using an external force measurement device. By using appropriate clips, the individual movable components can be separated from each other or fixed modularly. This allows for the direct calibration of the individual rope strands at the positions where external forces will later act.
[0027] The test setup can include an assembly consisting of a base plate, a fixing option for the clips, a force measurement device, and an interface for the attachment of the robot system. The maximum achievable force of the robot system can be specified at selected points, enabling separation from other disturbing factors.
[0028] In the extended assembly, automatic force measurement becomes possible. In this case, the test probe (Pruefspitze) and / or the force measurement device can be moved and / or rotated around the system, and a complete force profile can be determined along the possible configurations of the robot system. This is relevant for the directions of flexion, extension, and adduction / abduction of the robot fingers, respectively.
[0029] The force applied to the force measurement device by the robot system can be associated with geometric variables, so that in subsequent operation, force estimation can be performed based on this relationship. The calibration process can be carried out as follows: - Keep the pre-tension of the ropes uniform and establish highly accurate geometric variables (initial angles) repeatedly. - Repeatedly increase the stress of the ropes by the motor. In this way, resulting (joint) torques occur in the corresponding links. If the geometric relationships (lever length, diameter of the rope pulley) are known, the resulting rope force can be calculated from the external reaction force measured by the force measurement device. - Save the set geometric variables and the calculated rope forces. - Perform interpolation and extrapolation between and outside the saved support points, and estimate the rope force acting based on the measured geometric variables.
[0030] The calibration routine can start with the adjustment of the force sensor and the calibration of the center point, and can then be used for the estimation of the tensile means force and the joint position. By adapting the operating range of these force sensors, it is possible to achieve an improved resolution of the measurement range adapted to the operating range of the link. In the first phase, an external force measurement device can be used to determine the static offset of the zero position measured by the force sensor with a minimum preload applied to the tensile means. Based on this, the actuator position, and thus the force acting on the tensile means, can be increased step by step. At the same time, the deflection angle of the link can also be determined. In parallel with this, the resulting change in the length of the tensile means can be calculated and associated with the measured angle.
[0031] According to this invention, costs such as testing, calibration, and / or time can be reduced. The accuracy of specifying and / or determining the tensile means force is improved. The robot system can be controlled with higher accuracy.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0032] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings shown schematically and by way of example. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an apparatus 100 for specifying and / or determining the tensile means force of a robot system, and a robot system 102 arranged in this apparatus 100.
Modes for Carrying Out the Invention
[0033] FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 100 for specifying (Ermitteln) and / or determining (Bestimmen) the tensile means force of a robot system 102, and a robot system 102 arranged in this apparatus 100.
[0034] The robot system 102 is designed as a finger of a robot hand and comprises a base module 104, a first link 106 articulated to the base module 104, a first drive unit equipped with a tensioning means and actuator for holding and / or moving the first link 106, a second link 108 connected to the first link 106, a second drive unit equipped with a tensioning means and actuator for holding and / or moving the second link 106, and an electronic control device 110 for controlling the actuators of the drive units.
[0035] The device comprises a base 112, a first mechanical interface 114 for the base module 104 of the robot system 102, a second mechanical interface 116 for the first link 106 of the robot system 102, a third mechanical interface 118 for the second link 108 of the robot system 102, and a force measuring device 120. The base 112 is designed in a plate shape and includes receptors 122, 124, and 126 for the interface modules of the mechanical interfaces 114, 116, 118 and the force measuring device 120. The first mechanical interface 114 comprises a plate-shaped interface module that is interchangeably connected to the base 112. The second mechanical interface 116 comprises a clamp-shaped interface module that is interchangeably and / or selectively positionable connected to the base 112. The third mechanical interface 118 comprises a fork-shaped interface module with a pin and is interchangeably and / or selectively positionable connected to the base 112. The force measuring device 120 comprises a force sensor and a holder, and is connected to the base 112 in a replaceable and / or selectively positionable manner.
[0036] The robot system 102 has its base module 104 connected to a first mechanical interface 114, its first link 106 connected to a second mechanical interface 116, and its second link 108 connected to a third mechanical interface 118. In this configuration, the second mechanical interface 116 functions as a clamp, and the third mechanical interface 118 functions as a rotary joint. The force measuring device 120 is positioned to detect the force acting on the second link 108 using a force sensor.
[0037] To automatically identify and / or determine the tensile force of the robot system 102, first, a uniform preload is set on the tensile force of the drive unit of the robot system 102. Then, stress is applied to the tensile force using the actuator, and the external reaction force at the second link 108 is measured using the force measuring device 120. Considering the geometric relationships of the robot system 102 and the measured reaction forces, the tensile force or the course of the tensile force is identified, determined, and / or estimated.
[0038] The determined, identified, and / or estimated tensile forces are stored along with the positional information of the robot system 102 associated with these tensile forces and used to control the robot system 102.
[0039] "Can" refers specifically to the optional features of the present invention. Therefore, further developments and / or embodiments of the present invention exist, which additionally or alternatively possess one or more of their respective features.
[0040] Features can be selected from the combinations of features disclosed in paragraphs
[0001] to
[0037] of the specification, as needed, and used alone or in combination with other features to define the subject matter of a claim, provided that any structural and / or functional relationships that may exist between the features are eliminated. [Explanation of symbols]
[0041] 100 devices (Vorrichtung) 102 Robot System 104 Base Model 106 First Link (erstes Glied) 108 Second Link (zweites Glied) 110 Control device (Kontrolleinrichtung) 112 Basis 114 First mechanical interface (erste mechanische Schnittstelle) 116 Second mechanical interface (zweite mechanische Schnittstelle) 118 Third mechanical interface (dritte mechanische Schnittstelle) 120 Force measuring devices (Kraftmesseinrichtung) 122 Receptor (Aufnahme) 124 Receptor (Aufnahme) 126 Receptors (Aufnahme)
Claims
1. A device (100) for identifying and / or determining the tensile force of a robot system (102), The robot system (102) comprises at least one actuator, at least one transmission unit having at least one tensioning means, and at least one link (106, 108), The apparatus (100) comprises at least one mechanical interface (114, 116, 118) for the robot system (102) and a force measuring device (120).
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one mechanical interface (114, 116, 118) is capable of acting as a clamp or joint.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one mechanical interface (114, 116, 118) and / or the force measuring device (120) is positionable to fit the robot system (102).
4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one mechanical interface (114, 116, 118) and / or the force measuring device (120) is movable to identify and / or determine tensile forces in different directions.
5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising at least one electrical interface and / or control device.
6. A method (100) for identifying and / or determining the tensile force of a robot system (102) having at least one drive unit, at least one tensile means, and at least one link (106, 108), A method using the apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein stress is applied to the at least one tensile means using the at least one actuator, and the force of the tensile means is identified and / or determined taking into consideration the geometric relationship of the at least one transmission part and the signal of the force measuring device (120).
8. The method according to claim 7, wherein a fluctuating stress is applied to identify and / or determine the tensile force.
9. A method according to any one of claims 6 to 8 for specifying and / or determining a tensile force for a given stress.
10. The method according to claim 9, which estimates a further tensile force by taking into account a tensile force specified and / or determined for a given stress.
11. A method according to any one of claims 6 to 10 for preserving a specified, determined, and / or estimated tensile force.
12. A method for controlling a robot system (102) comprising at least one drive unit, at least one tensioning means, and at least one link (106, 108), A method for considering a specified and / or determined tensile force using at least the apparatus described in any one of claims 1 to 5 and / or the method described in any one of claims 6 to 11.