Autonomous transport system with robotic transport device

Abstract

To provide an autonomous traveling transport system having a robot transport device capable of saving energy when moving a workpiece up and down. [Solution] The autonomous traveling transport system 1 is installed on an autonomous traveling transport body 100, and is equipped with a manipulator 210 having first and second arms and joints, and a connected member 230 connected to a wrist portion 224, and moving the wrist portion 224 parallel and perpendicular to the traveling floor surface, and an electric actuator 250 having a table 256 that moves a ball screw 252 by a motor Mz, and has first and second link members 261, 265 fixed to the table 258, a vertically movable transport machine 240 capable of transporting a workpiece W up and down, and a column member 267 having a first connecting hole 265e provided in the second link member 265 and a second connecting hole 267e, and the connected member 230 is loosely inserted into the first and second connecting holes 265e and the connecting hole 267e.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an autonomous transport system having a robot transport device, and the transport method includes both an AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle) and an AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot). [Background technology]

[0002] The autonomous transport system with a manipulator travels without a track rail and transports a workpiece. The workpiece is stored on a storage table, and the autonomous transport system retrieves the workpiece using the manipulator. The autonomous transport system moves to the storage table while holding the workpiece, and stores the workpiece on the storage table.

[0003] The following Patent Document 1 is known as an autonomous traveling and transporting system having such a manipulator. The manipulator installed on the autonomous traveling and transporting body described in Patent Document 1 is of a horizontal joint type and has a hand section for gripping a workpiece, a wrist section for supporting the hand section and setting the direction of the workpiece, an arm for moving the wrist section parallel to the traveling floor surface of the autonomous traveling and transporting body, and a vertical drive section for moving the arm up and down perpendicular to the traveling floor surface. According to the transporting system having a manipulator configured in this way, the arm of the manipulator installed on the autonomous traveling and transporting body moves the workpiece to a horizontal position, and the vertical drive section moves the workpiece up and down vertically, thereby transporting and moving the workpiece. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 63-237880 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, an autonomous traveling transport system that replaces human transportation work has been developed with collaboration with humans in mind. The manipulator mounted on the autonomous traveling transport body having a storage battery is required to be miniaturized and power-saving due to the limited operating range and the capacity of the storage battery. If the manipulator is simply made smaller as a solution to this problem, the work carrying capacity will decrease and it may become difficult to move the work up and down. On the other hand, if the manipulator is made larger to increase the carrying capacity of the work for vertical movement, the driving power will increase and exceed the capacity of the storage battery, or the storage battery will become larger. The horizontal joint type manipulator of the autonomous traveling transport body of the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 has a first arm with a vertical drive unit provided via a first joint unit, has a second arm provided via a second joint unit provided at the tip of the first arm, and is equipped with a wrist unit that grips the workpiece via a third joint unit, a wrist unit that supports the wrist unit and sets the direction of the workpiece, and a first and second arm that move the wrist unit parallel to the floor surface of the transport device. The inventor discovered that in a horizontally jointed manipulator, the vertical drive unit that moves the weight of the first and second arms, the first to third joints, etc., and the load of the workpiece up and down becomes larger, and the drive energy increases compared to a function that simply moves the workpiece up and down.

[0006] To solve this problem, we came up with the idea of ​​separating the first function, which is to move the workpiece up and down, from the second function, which is to move the wrist part on the X and Y axes parallel to the running floor surface of the transport device and on the Z axis vertically without lifting the workpiece, and having them operate as one robot transport device. Specifically, to perform the first function of the robot transport device, we came up with the idea of ​​using an electric actuator that is good at linear motion to move the workpiece up and down, and further, to perform the second function, when moving on the X, Y, and Z axes, we came up with the idea of ​​separating it into a manipulator that only moves the weight of the wrist part, arm, etc. up and down in the Z-axis direction for up and down movement, and is not involved in moving the workpiece up and down.

[0007] However, we faced a new challenge: simply assigning the first function to an electric actuator and the second function to a manipulator would be difficult to move the workpiece up and down in the Z-axis direction while also moving it in the X- and Y-axis directions that are horizontal to the autonomous transport vehicle's running floor surface.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has an object to provide an autonomous mobile transport system having a robot transport device in which an electric actuator performs the first function of moving a workpiece up and down, and a manipulator performs the second function of moving the workpiece on the X-axis and Y-axis parallel to the running floor surface of the autonomous mobile transport body and vertically on the Z-axis without the wrist of the manipulator lifting the workpiece, and a table that moves vertically by an electric actuator is connected to the tip of the wrist of the manipulator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The autonomous transport system having a robot transport device according to the first invention includes an autonomous transport body having a storage battery and capable of autonomous travel. , Wa Work A to Z Axial Make it portable The autonomous traveling and transporting system has a robot transport device that moves in X-axis and Y-axis directions that are horizontal to the traveling floor surface of the autonomous traveling and transporting body to acquire and store the workpiece, The robot transport device has a base installed on the autonomous traveling transport body, a first arm connected to the base and provided via a first joint capable of a first rotation and a first vertical movement, a second arm connected to the first arm and provided via a second joint capable of a second vertical movement, a tip of the second arm having a wrist provided via a third joint capable of a third rotation and a third vertical movement, a columnar connected member connected to the wrist, and a vertical multi-joint manipulator that moves the wrist in the X-axis and Y-axis directions and moves up and down in the Z-axis direction; a vertically-mounted electric actuator that is installed on the autonomous traveling transport body and is disposed opposite the base and has a table connected and fixed to a nut that moves in the Z-axis direction by rotating a ball screw screwed into the nut using a motor, the vertically-mounted transport means having a first link member connected and fixed to the table and a second link member that forms a link mechanism with the first link member, the tip of the second link member being movable in the X-axis and Y-axis directions and configured to transport the workpiece in the Z-axis direction; a connecting means having a columnar member having a first connecting hole at a tip portion of the second link member, the columnar member being fixed to a lower surface of the tip portion and having a second connecting hole communicating with the first connecting hole, the connected member being loosely inserted into the first and second connecting holes, and the connected member being connected to the second link member so as to be movable within the second connecting hole; a workpiece acquiring means connected to the connecting means for acquiring and storing the workpiece; a control means for generating a first command signal having X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis command signals for driving the first to third joints to move the wrist along the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis, and for generating a second command signal for driving the motor; and a synchronization means for synchronizing the Z-axis command signal with the second command signal. Here, the traveling method of the autonomous transport body includes both an AGV (Automatic Guided Vehicle) and an AMR (Autonomous Mobile Robot).

[0010] According to an autonomous traveling and transporting system having such a robot transport device, the vertical multi-joint type manipulator has a base installed on the autonomous traveling and transporting body, a first arm connected to this base and provided via a first joint portion capable of a first rotation and a first up and down movement, a second arm connected to the first arm and provided via a second joint portion capable of a second up and down movement, a tip of the second arm has a wrist portion provided via a third joint portion capable of a third rotation and a third up and down movement, and a columnar connected member connected to the wrist portion, and the wrist portion moves in the X-axis and Y-axis directions and moves up and down in the Z-axis direction. The vertically movable transport means is installed on the autonomous traveling transport body, and is arranged opposite the base. It has an upright electric actuator having a table connected and fixed to a nut that moves in the Z-axis direction by rotating a ball screw screwed into the nut using a motor, and has a first link member connected and fixed to the table and a second link member that forms a link mechanism with the first link member. The tip of the second link member is movable in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, making it possible to transport the workpiece in the Z-axis direction. The connecting means has a columnar member having a first connecting hole at the tip of the second link member, fixed to the underside of the tip, and having a second connecting hole communicating with the first connecting hole, and a connected member is loosely inserted into the first and second connecting holes, and is connected to the second link member so that the connected member can move within the first and second connecting holes. The work acquisition means is connected to the connecting means and acquires and stores the work. The control means generates a first command signal having X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis command signals for driving the first to third joints to move the wrist along the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, and generates a second command signal for driving the motor. The synchronization means synchronizes the Z-axis command signal with the second command signal.

[0011] As a result, the manipulator of the robot transporting device excludes the load of the workpiece from the transportable weight in the Z-axis direction, and moves the workpiece horizontally relative to the floor surface via the link members and connecting means provided on the vertically movable transporting means in the X- and Y-axis directions by the first and second arms. Meanwhile, the vertically movable transporting means moves the workpiece up and down in the Z-axis direction via the ball screw, table, and link mechanism, and moves the workpiece acquired by the work acquiring means connected to the connected member in the X- and Y-axis directions when the connected member of the manipulator moves.

[0012] Therefore, the weight of the electric actuator constituting the robot transport device in the Z-axis direction is lighter than the total weight of the horizontally articulated manipulator of the above-mentioned conventional technology in the Z-axis direction, and the workpiece is moved up and down by the screwing of the ball screw and nut of the electric actuator, so the movement efficiency in the Z-axis direction is better than that of the above-mentioned conventional technology. Furthermore, the manipulator of the robot transport device only moves the workpiece horizontally and moves the above-mentioned weight up and down. As a result, the robot transport device requires less drive energy than the horizontally articulated manipulator device of the above-mentioned conventional technology.

[0013] In the autonomous transport system having a manipulator according to the second invention, in a state where the workpiece is acquired by the vertically movable transporting means, the synchronization means synchronizes the Z-axis command signal with the second command signal to move the vertically movable transporting means and the manipulator in the Z-axis direction, It is preferable that the amount of movement of the connected member within the first and second connecting holes is greater than a difference between the amounts of movement of the vertically movable transport means and the manipulator in the Z-axis direction. As a result, when the workpiece is acquired by the vertically movable transporting means, the synchronizing means synchronizes a command signal for the Z axis of the manipulator and a second command signal to the vertically movable transporting means and gives them to the manipulator and the electric actuator, respectively. When the vertically movable transporting means moves the workpiece upward, it lifts the load of the workpiece, so that the height value becomes slightly lower than the height value in the Z axis direction of the wrist of the manipulator. The difference in this height value is prevented by the manipulator lifting the load of the workpiece in the upward direction by the connected member moving within the first and second connecting holes. This is because the vertically movable transporting means is responsible for the vertical movement of the workpiece. Here, the second connecting hole may be a groove portion that does not pass through.

[0014] A conveying system having a manipulator according to a third aspect of the present invention includes a base member that is connected and fixed to an upper surface of the autonomous traveling conveying body and has a recess on which the column member is placed; In a state where the bottom surface of the pillar member is placed on the recessed portion of the base member, It is preferable that the control means further generates a connection command signal for inserting the connected member into the first and second connection holes. As a result, when the bottom surface of the pillar member is placed on the recess of the base member, the first connecting hole provided in the second link member, into which the connected member is loosely inserted, is positioned on the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. In this state, the connected member of the manipulator is loosely inserted into the first and second connecting holes based on the generation of a connection command signal by the control means, whereby the manipulator and the vertically movable transport means can be easily connected to each other.

[0015] A method for operating an autonomous mobile transport system having a manipulator according to a fourth aspect of the present invention includes the steps of: A base member that is connected and fixed to an upper surface of the autonomous traveling transport body and has a recess on which the column member is placed; brake means for locking and releasing the motor; a work acquisition step of acquiring the work stored in the storage device by the work acquisition means; a workpiece placing step of placing a bottom surface of the pillar member on the platform member by operating the manipulator and the vertically movable transport means after the workpiece obtaining step is performed; a motor restraining step of restraining the motor by the brake means after the workpiece placing step is performed; After the motor restraint process is performed, law It is preferable to carry out a workpiece transport step in which the traveling transport body travels. As a result, after the workpiece is acquired by the workpiece acquiring means, the manipulator and the vertically movable transporting means are operated to place the bottom surface of the column member of the connecting means on the platform member. Next, the plate means restrains the motor, and the autonomous mobile transport body travels to a predetermined position. Therefore, the driving energy of the robot transporting device can be reduced compared to when the autonomous mobile transport body transports the workpiece while receiving power and holding it up.

[0016] In a transport system having a manipulator according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that a first movable area defined by the X-axis and Y-axis of the link mechanism is narrower than a second movable area defined by the X-axis and Y-axis of the manipulator. As a result, the first movable area formed by the X-axis and Y-axis of the vertically movable transporting means is narrower than the second movable area formed by the X-axis and Y-axis of the manipulator, making it easier to construct a collaborative robot having a manipulator mounted on a transport device and the vertically movable transporting means.

[0017] A transportation system having a manipulator according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the autonomous traveling transportation body is provided with an obstacle detection means for detecting the presence of an obstacle in a predetermined warning area and generating an obstacle detection signal; It is preferable that the control means further generates an emergency stop signal for emergency stopping the operation of the autonomous traveling transport body and the robot transport device based on the obstacle detection signal. As a result, when the obstacle detection means detects that an obstacle is present in the warning area and generates an obstacle detection signal, the control means generates an emergency stop signal based on the obstacle signal to bring the operation of the autonomous traveling transport body and the robot transport device to an emergency stop. This makes it possible to prevent the autonomous traveling transport body from colliding with an obstacle. Here, when the robot transport device takes out or stores a workpiece from the storage device, it is preferable to narrow the warning areas in the direction of taking out and storing the workpiece from the autonomous traveling transport body, respectively. This is to prevent erroneous detection.

[0018] The autonomous traveling transport body in the transport system having the manipulator according to the seventh invention follows a route for acquiring the workpiece from a storage device and then moving the workpiece to a storage device; Any one of the storage device and the storage device has a reference marker; A storage means for storing the reference marker as first imaging information; an imaging means that is connected and fixed to the manipulator and captures an image of the reference marker to obtain second imaging information; and a correction means for calculating a difference between the first imaging information and the second imaging information read from the storage means and correcting the reference position of the autonomous traveling carrier based on the difference. It is preferable that the control means further generates a disconnection command signal to pull out the connected member from the first and second connecting holes from the connected state in which the connected member is inserted into the first and second connecting holes. As a result, a disconnection command signal is generated to pull out the connected member from the first and second connecting holes from the connected state in which the connected member is inserted into the first and second connecting holes. As a result, the manipulator is separated from the vertically movable transport means, and the restriction on the movement of the imaging means connected and fixed to the manipulator is lifted. Therefore, the imaging means captures an image of the reference marker, and the reference position of the autonomous traveling transport body can be corrected by the correction means for each trip to the storage device or the storage device, so that the workpiece can be transported with high precision. Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, an autonomous mobile transport system can be obtained that has a robot transport device that saves energy by assigning an electric actuator to the first function of transporting a workpiece in an up and down motion, and a manipulator to the second function of moving the wrist portion on the X, Y, and Z axes parallel to the running floor surface of the transport device without lifting the workpiece, thereby linking the electric actuator and manipulator. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall explanatory diagram including a path for removing a workpiece from a storage table and transporting it to a storage table using an autonomous mobile transport vehicle equipped with a robot transport device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 2] 2A is a side view of the cylindrical workpiece shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a plan view thereof. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a side view of an autonomous transport vehicle having a manipulator and a vertically movable transport machine that constitute the robot transport device shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 2A and 2B are a plan view and a side view, respectively, of an autonomous mobile transport body having the robot transport device shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] 2 is a side view of the autonomous traveling transport body having the robot transport device shown in FIG. 1, with the manipulator in a folding standby position. [Figure 6] 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the arrows VI-VI in FIG. 5 of a connection portion between a connected member connected to the tip end of the manipulator, and a second link member and a pillar member connected to a table of the electric actuator. [Figure 7] 2 is a curve diagram showing the responsiveness in the Z-axis direction of the manipulator and the electric actuator of the robot transport device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an electrical system of the autonomous traveling and transporting system having the robot transport device shown in FIG. [Figure 9] 3 is an image diagram showing images of a reference marker captured by a camera installed on the robot portable device of FIG. 2, which shows first imaging information (a), second imaging information (b), and second imaging information (c) serving as reference imaging information. [Figure 10] 2 is a flowchart mainly showing a coupling operation, a workpiece acquisition operation, travel to a storage table, and coupling release in the autonomous traveling and transporting system having the robot transporting device in FIG. 1. [Figure 11] 2 is a flowchart mainly showing a coupling operation, a workpiece storing operation, travel to a storage table, and coupling release in the autonomous traveling and transporting system having the robot transporting device in FIG. 1. [Figure 12] 2 is a flowchart for correcting a reference position of an autonomous traveling transport body having a robot transport device according to FIG. 1. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a curve diagram showing an outline of power consumption for each process of the robot transport device in FIG. 1 and a conventional horizontal joint type manipulator device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Embodiment 1 An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6. In Fig. 1, the autonomous transport system 1 includes an autonomous transport body 100 and a robot transport device 200, and the robot transport device 200 includes a vertically movable transport machine 240 and a manipulator 210. The vertically movable transport machine 240 includes an inner diameter clamp 280 for acquiring a workpiece W. The autonomous transport body 100 includes a storage battery 102 and a controller 500, and is configured so that the controller 500 can wirelessly communicate a higher-level command signal from a higher-level controller 50 to transmit and receive travel information and the like. Here, the travel method of the autonomous transport body 100 may be either an AGV or an AMR. The charging method of the storage battery 102 may be either a contactless or contact charging method.

[0022] The storage table 10 on which the workpiece W is stored is made of an upright plate member, and a plurality of cylindrical first locking members 12 are horizontally provided. The cylindrical hole We of the cylindrical workpiece W shown in FIG. 2 is loosely inserted into the first locking member 12. Here, the workpiece W is formed by winding a sheet in multiple layers. In FIG. 1, a storage table 20 is provided upright away from the storage table 10 and performs the next process. The storage table 20 is made of an upright plate member, and is horizontally provided on a cylindrical second locking member 22. Here, a first reference marker M1 and a second reference marker M2 for correcting the reference position of the autonomous traveling transport body 100 are attached to the storage table 10 and the storage table 20, respectively.

[0023] The autonomous traveling transport body 100 approaches the storage table 10 according to the travel path A shown by the dashed line, and when it reaches the first reference position, the camera 40 attached to the manipulator 210 captures an image of the first reference marker M1 to correct the first reference position. After the robot transport device 200 acquires the workpiece W, the autonomous traveling transport body 100 autonomously travels according to the travel path A shown by the dashed line, and approaches the storage table 20 for the next process, and when it reaches the second reference position, the camera 40 attached to the manipulator 210 captures an image of the second reference marker M2 to correct the second reference position, and the robot transport device 200 loosely inserts the cylindrical hole We of the workpiece W into the second locking member 22 of the storage table 20. This is one cycle of processes, and this cycle is repeated many times.

[0024] In addition, two laser scanner detectors 51 are attached diagonally to the upper end of the autonomous traveling transport body 100, and are configured to generate an obstacle detection signal and make an emergency stop of the robot transport device 200 and the autonomous traveling transport body 100 when an obstacle enters the warning area 30 shown by the dotted line. Here, the height of the warning area is set at a height that can detect even a crouching person as an obstacle, and is configured so that when the autonomous traveling transport body 100 approaches the storage table 10 and the storage table 20, the warning area narrows as shown by the dashed line and the two-dot dashed line, respectively. This is to prevent the storage table 10 and the like from being erroneously detected as an obstacle.

[0025] In Figures 3 to 5, a robot transport device 200 is placed on the upper surface of the autonomously traveling transport body 100, and the robot transport device 200 has a vertical multi-joint type manipulator 210 and a vertically moving transport machine 240 as a means for moving the work W up and down. The manipulator 210 has a base 212 installed at one end of the autonomous traveling transport body 100, a first arm 216 connected to the base 212 and provided via a first joint 214 capable of a first rotation Θ1 and a first vertical movement τ1 relative to the base 212, a second arm 220 connected to the tip of the first arm 216 and provided via a second joint 218 capable of a second vertical movement τ2, a tip of the second arm 220 provided via a third joint 222 capable of a third rotation Θ3 and a third vertical movement τ3, a wrist 224 having a tool changer, and a cylindrical connected member 230 connected and fixed to the wrist 224. The wrist 224 is formed to move in the X-axis and Y-axis directions parallel to the traveling floor surface of the autonomous traveling transport body 100, and to move up and down in the Z-axis direction perpendicular to the traveling floor surface. A camera 40 is fixed to the manipulator 210 and connected to the third joint 222, as an imaging means for capturing images of the first and second reference markers M1, M2 to obtain second imaging information.

[0026] 3 to 5, the vertically movable transporter 240 has an electric actuator 250, which is installed upright on the autonomous traveling transport body 100 and is disposed at the other end diagonally opposite the base 212 of the manipulator 210, with two linear guides 254 installed upright and a ball screw 252 disposed between the two linear guides 254. The electric actuator 250 has a table 258 connected and fixed to a nut 256 that moves in the Z-axis direction by rotating the ball screw 252 screwed into the nut 256 with a motor Mz. Here, a brake B is formed to restrict and release the motor Mz and to be restricted when the power supply is cut off.

[0027] 3 and 4, the link mechanism 260 of the vertically movable transport device 240 includes a first link member 261 having one end connected and fixed to a table 256 that moves in the vertical direction, and a second link member 265 having one end rotatably connected to the other end of the first link member 261 by a pin member 263. The other end of the first link member 261 and one end of the second link member 265 are provided with holes 261e and 265e, respectively, into which the pin member 263 is inserted. The connecting portion 270 includes a columnar column member 267 having a cylindrical first connecting hole 265e provided at the tip of the second link member 265, fixed to the lower surface of the tip of the second link member 265, and having a cylindrical second connecting hole 267e communicating with the first connecting hole 265e. In the first and second connecting holes 265e and 267e, the connected member 230 connected to the manipulator 210 is loosely inserted, and is formed to be movable, connectable, and separable. The autonomous traveling conveying body 100 has a base member 300 that is connected and fixed to the center of the upper surface thereof and has a recess 300u on which the pillar member 267 is placed.

[0028] An inner diameter clamp 280 is horizontally connected and fixed to the side of the pillar member 267 forming the connecting portion 270. The inner diameter clamp 280 as a workpiece acquiring means is formed so that its outer diameter expands when air is injected and returns to its original size when air is cut off. This allows the connected member 230 connected to the connecting portion 270 to move in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, and the workpiece W can be transported in the Z-axis direction by the driving force of the electric actuator 250.

[0029] In the robot transport device 200, a first movable area formed by the X-axis and Y-axis of the link mechanism 260 in the vertically movable transport machine 240 is formed narrower than a second movable area formed by the X-axis and Y-axis of the manipulator 210. This is to make it easier to construct a collaborative robot.

[0030] In FIG. 5, in the process of moving the vertically movable transporter 240 and the manipulator 210 in the Z-axis direction by synchronizing the Z-axis command signal and the second command signal by the synchronization means when the vertically movable transporter 240 has acquired the workpiece W, a difference value h in the amount of movement in the Z-axis direction is generated as shown in FIG. 7. This is because, even if the Z-axis command signal and the second command signal are synchronized as described above, the vertically movable transporter 240 moves later than the lifting speed of the manipulator 210 in order to lift the load of the workpiece W. The amount of movement of the connected member 230 moving in the first and second connecting holes 265e and 267e is formed larger than the difference value in the amount of movement in the Z-axis direction between the vertically movable transporter 240 and the manipulator 210. This is to prevent the manipulator 210 from lifting the workpiece W due to the movement of the connected member 230 in the Z-axis direction. Here, when the movement of the vertically movable transport device 240 and the manipulator 210 in the Z-axis direction stops, the Z-axis height values ​​of the vertically movable transport device 240 and the manipulator 210 match. The second connection hole 267e may be a groove.

[0031] Next, the electrical system of the autonomous traveling transport system having the robot transport device will be described with reference to Fig. 8. In Fig. 8, the controller 500 has a robot control unit 510 that generates command signals to control the autonomous traveling transport body 100, the manipulator 210, the robot transport device 200, and the vertically movable transport machine 240, a reference position correction unit 520 that corrects the reference position of the autonomous traveling transport body 100, and a transport body control unit 530 that generates a travel command signal to travel the autonomous traveling transport body 100 and also generates a stop command signal to stop the autonomous traveling transport body 100 at a predetermined position. The robot control unit 510 and the transport body control unit 530 are collectively referred to as a control means.

[0032] The robot control unit 510 has a control command unit 512 that generates a first command signal having X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis command signals for driving the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis of the manipulator 210, and also generates a second command signal for driving the motor Mz. The control command unit 512 is configured to generate an emergency stop command signal for emergency stopping the operation of the autonomous traveling transport body 100 and the robot transport device 200 based on an obstacle signal.

[0033] The robot control unit 510 has a synchronization unit 514 that synchronizes the Z-axis command signal of the manipulator 210 with a second command signal, and has a work control unit 516 that generates a work acquisition command signal to acquire the work W by the inner diameter clamp 280 at a predetermined position near the storage table 10, and also generates a work storage command signal to store the work W by the inner diameter clamp 280 at a predetermined position near the storage table 20.

[0034] The robot control unit 510 has a connection control unit 518 which generates a connection command signal for constraining the motor Mz with the brake B and loosely inserting the connected member 230 of the manipulator 210 into the first connection hole 265e and the second connection hole 267e of the connection part 270 of the vertically movable transportable machine 240 to connect the connected member 230 to the second link member 265 with the brake B in a state where the bottom surface of the pillar member 267 of the vertically movable transportable machine 240 is placed on the recess 300u of the platform member 300, and generates a connection release command signal for releasing the above connection. Furthermore, the robot control unit 510 has a brake control unit 519 which generates a brake constrain command signal for constraining the brake B of the electric actuator 250, and generates a brake release command signal for releasing the brake B.

[0035] The control command unit 512 is configured to generate a placement command signal to place the connecting portion 270 in the recess 300u of the base member 300 after the inner diameter clamp 280 acquires the workpiece W, and also to generate a folding command signal to cause the manipulator 210 to assume a folded posture as shown in Figure 5 with the bottom surface of the connecting portion 270 placed on the base member 300.

[0036] 8 and 9, the reference position correction unit 520 of the controller 500 has a reference marker storage unit 522 that stores the first imaging information Sr shown in FIG. 9(a) that is the reference position, and a correction unit 524 that corrects the reference position of the autonomous traveling transport body 100. The correction unit 524 is configured to obtain second imaging information in which the camera 40 captures the first and second reference markers M1 and M2, respectively, when the autonomous traveling transport body 100 is stopped near the storage stand 10 and the storage stand 20 at the first and second reference positions, obtain a difference between the first imaging information Sr read from the reference marker storage unit 522 and the second imaging information, and correct the reference position of the autonomous traveling transport body 100 based on the difference. Here, if the autonomous traveling conveying body 100 is the second imaging information Sa as shown in Figure 9(b), it will be biased to the right of the first or second reference position, and if the autonomous traveling conveying body 100 is the second imaging information Sc as shown in Figure 9(c), it will be biased to the left closer to the first or second reference position.

[0037] The operation of the autonomous traveling and transporting system having the robot transporting device configured as above will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 12. Figs. 10 and 11 are flowcharts showing the operation of the autonomous traveling and transporting system having the robot transporting device according to Fig. 1, and Fig. 12 is a flowchart for correcting the reference position of the autonomous traveling and transporting system having the robot transporting device according to Fig. 1. Now, in the initial state before the power is turned on for the robot transporting device 200, as shown in Fig. 4(b), the brake B restrains the motor Mz, and the bottom surface of the connecting part 270 of the robot transporting device 200 is placed on the recess 300u of the platform member 300. This is to position the first and second connecting holes 265e, 267e of the vertically movable transport machine 240 on the predetermined X, Y, and Z axes. In the initial state, the connected member 230 is in a disconnected state in which it is loosely inserted into the first and second connecting holes 265e, 267e. When the power supply of the robot transport device 200 is turned on (step S101), the autonomous transport body 100 is moved to the acquisition position of the storage table 10 in response to a travel command signal from the transport body control unit 530, and stopped there (step S103, first transport step).

[0038] The first reference position of the autonomous traveling carrier 100 is corrected (step S107, first reference position correction process). In Fig. 11, when the control command unit 512 confirms that the autonomous traveling carrier 100 has stopped at the first reference position by a traveling stop command signal (step S501), the camera 40 attached to the manipulator 210 captures an image of the first reference marker M1 and inputs the second image information to the correction unit 524 (step S503), as shown in Figs. 1 and 9. The correction unit 520 obtains a difference from the center point between the first image information and the second image information read from the reference marker storage unit 522 (step S505), and corrects the first reference position of the autonomous traveling carrier 100 based on this difference (step S507).

[0039] As shown in Fig. 4(b), the brake control unit 519 uses the brake B to lock the motor Mz in response to a brake lock command signal, and then the first arm 216 of the manipulator 210 and the like are operated in response to a connection command signal from the connection control unit 516 to insert the connected member 230 loosely into the first and second connection holes 265e, 267e of the connection portion 270 of the vertically movable transportable machine 240, completing the connection (step S109, connection step). As a result, the vertically movable transportable machine 240 is connected to the manipulator 210 and enters a connected state in which it can move in the X- and Y-axis directions. The brake control unit 519 generates a brake release command signal to release the brake B (step S111).

[0040] The work control unit 516 generates a work acquisition command signal, and as shown in FIG. 1, the manipulator 210 moves to the work acquisition position in connection with the vertically movable transporter 240, and the inner diameter clamp 280 of the vertically movable transporter 240 expands its outer diameter by air to clamp the work W and engage with the inner surface of the cylindrical hole We of the work W, completing the work acquisition (step S113, work acquisition process). In the above clamped state, the control command unit 512 generates a placement command signal to drive the manipulator 210 and the vertically movable transporter 240 to place the bottom surface of the connecting portion 270 on the platform member 300 (step S115, work placement process). The clamped state of the work W is maintained in order to prevent the work W from jumping out. The connecting portion 270 is placed on the platform member 300 in order for the work W to reduce the driving energy of the electric actuator 250.

[0041] The control command unit 512 generates a folding command signal with the bottom surface of the connecting portion 270 placed on the platform member 300, and the manipulator 210 assumes the folded posture as shown in FIG. 4(b) (step S117, folding posture process). This is to lower the center of gravity of the autonomous traveling transport body 100 and stably transport the workpiece W by placing it on the platform member 300 via the connecting portion 270. The brake control 519 gives a brake lock command signal to the brake B to lock the motor Mz (step S119, motor lock process). The autonomous traveling transport body 100 is moved to a second reference position in front of the storage platform 20 by a traveling command signal generated from the transport body control unit 530 (step S121, second transport process: workpiece transport process). In response to a disconnection command signal, the connection control unit 516 operates the first arm 216 of the manipulator 210, etc., to raise the connected member 230 and release the loose insertion into the first and second connection holes 265e, 267e of the vertically movable transport machine 240, thereby releasing the connection (step S123, connection disconnection process).

[0042] In Fig. 11, the second reference position of the autonomous traveling transport body 100 is corrected (step S305, second reference position correction step). When it is confirmed by a travel command signal that the autonomous traveling transport body 100 is stopped at the second reference position (step S501), the camera 40 captures an image of the second reference marker M2 and inputs the second imaging information to the correction unit 524 (step S503). As in the above step S505, the difference between the first imaging information and the second imaging information from the center point is obtained (step S505), and the second reference position of the autonomous traveling transport body 100 is corrected based on this difference (step S507).

[0043] 4(b), the brake control unit 519 uses the brake B to restrain the motor Mz in response to a brake restraint command signal, and then, as in step S109, the connected member 230 is loosely inserted into the first and second connecting holes 265e and 267e to complete the connection (step S307, connecting step). The brake control unit 519 provides a brake release command signal to the brake B to release the motor Mz (step S309).

[0044] 1, the manipulator 210 is coupled to the vertically movable transporter 240 and moves to the work storage position, and the work W is moved by the inner diameter clamp 280 of the vertically movable transporter 240 and loosely inserted into the cylindrical hole We of the work W by the second locking member 22, completing storage of the work (step S311, work storage step). With the work W removed from the inner diameter clamp 280, the control command unit 512 generates a placement command signal to drive the manipulator 210 and the vertically movable transporter 240 to place the bottom surface of the connecting portion 270 on the platform member 300 (step S313, connecting portion placement step).

[0045] As in step S117 above, the manipulator 210 is folded to lower its posture (step S315, folding process). The brake control unit 519 applies a brake lock command signal to the brake B to lock the brake B (step S317). The autonomous traveling transport body 100 is moved to a first reference position in front of the storage table 10 by a travel command signal generated from the transport body control unit 530 (step S319). Next, the connection is released as in step S123 above (step S321, connection release process). The transport body control unit 530 generates a stop command signal to end the transport of the autonomous traveling transport body 100 (step S323).

[0046] After executing step S101, the laser scanner detector 51 detects the presence of an obstacle in the predetermined warning area 30 as shown in Fig. 10 and generates an obstacle detection signal (step S201), and the control command unit 512 generates an emergency stop signal based on the obstacle detection signal to bring the autonomous traveling transport body 100 and the robot transport device 200 to an emergency stop. In addition, the motor Mz is constrained by the brake B in response to the generation of the emergency stop command signal (step S203). If an obstacle detection signal is not generated for a certain period of time, the autonomous traveling transport system 1 is restored.

[0047] The autonomous traveling transport system 1 of this embodiment has a storage battery 102, is equipped with an autonomous traveling transport body 100 that travels autonomously, and has a robot transport device 200 that moves the workpiece W up and down in the Z axis direction and also moves in the X axis and Y axis directions that are horizontal to the running floor surface of the autonomous traveling transport body 100, and acquires and stores the workpiece W, and the robot transport device 200 is equipped with a vertical multi-joint type manipulator 210 and a vertically movable transport machine 240.

[0048] The vertically movable transport machine 240 is installed on the autonomous traveling transport body 100 and is arranged opposite the base 212. It is equipped with an upright electric actuator 250 having a table 258 fixed to a nut 256 which moves in the Z-axis direction by rotating a ball screw 252 screwed into the nut 256 by a motor Mz, and the connecting portion 270 of a second link member 265 constituting a link mechanism 260 connected and fixed to the table 258 is movable in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, and is formed so that the workpiece W can be transported in the Z-axis direction by an inner diameter clamp 280.

[0049] According to the robot transport device 200 of this embodiment, the manipulator 210 removes the load of the workpiece W from the transportable weight in the Z-axis direction by moving the weight of the wrist 224 and the like up and down, and operates the link mechanism 260 of the vertically movable transporter 240 in the X- and Y-axis directions by the first and second arms 216 and 220 to move the workpiece W horizontally relative to the floor surface. Meanwhile, the vertically movable transporter 240 moves the workpiece W up and down in the Z-axis direction via the ball screw 252, the table 258, and the link mechanism 260. Therefore, the weight in the Z-axis direction is less than the total weight in the Z-axis direction of the manipulator of the above-mentioned conventional technology, and the workpiece W is moved up and down via the table 258 by the rotation of the motor Mz being screwed between the ball screw 252 and the nut 256, so that the driving efficiency in the Z-axis direction is better than that of the above-mentioned conventional technology. As a result, the manipulator 210 only moves the workpiece W horizontally and moves the above-mentioned weight up and down, so that less driving energy is required.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 13, the robot transporting device 200 of this embodiment has a significantly reduced peak power value in the workpiece acquisition process and workpiece storage process, as compared with the maximum power consumption Er and the maximum power consumption Em of the conventional technology. As a result, the storage battery 102 supplies power to the robot transporting device 200, resulting in a smaller size. This is because, as described above, the electric actuator 250 transports the workpiece W in the Z-axis direction, and the manipulator 210 moves the workpiece W horizontally in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, but moves in the Z-axis direction without bearing the lifting load of the workpiece W. Furthermore, after the workpiece W is acquired by the robot transporting device 200, in the second transport process of the autonomous traveling transport body 100, the horizontal manipulator of the conventional technology holds the workpiece in the Z-axis direction, resulting in a maximum power consumption Jm. In contrast, in the robot transporting device 200 of this embodiment, the workpiece W acquired by the inner diameter clamp 280 is transported with the bottom surface of the connecting portion 270 placed on the platform member 300. As a result, in the second transport process, the power consumption becomes the standby power value Jr, which is much lower than that of the conventional technology. Note that the coupling process, the coupling release process, and the reference position correction process are added by the robot transport device 200 of this embodiment, and are therefore excluded from the comparison.

[0051] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment of the invention. Various modified forms are also included in the present invention within the scope of the claims and within the scope that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the workpiece W is cylindrical, but other shapes are also possible. The equipment for obtaining the workpiece W is also appropriate depending on the shape of the workpiece W. For example, if the workpiece is a round bar, an outer diameter clamp is appropriate. The vertical articulated manipulator 210 has five axes, but it may have six axes.

[0052] Although the first reference marker M1 and the second reference marker M2 are attached to the storage table 10 and the storage table 20, respectively, it is acceptable to use only one of them. However, this will result in a slight decrease in the positional accuracy of the autonomous mobile carrier 100. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] W work, 10 storage table (storage device), 20 storage table (storage device), 30 warning area, 40 camera (imaging means), 51 laser scanner detector (obstacle detection means), 100 autonomous traveling transport body, 102 storage battery, 210 manipulator, 200 robot portable device, 212 base, 214 first joint portion, 216 first arm, 218 second joint portion, 220 second arm, 222 third joint portion, 224 wrist portion, 230 connected member, 240 vertically movable portable machine, 250 electric actuator, 252 ball screw, 256 nut, 258 table, 260 link mechanism, 261 first link member, 265 second link member, 265e first connecting hole, 267 column member, 267e second connecting hole, 270 Connection unit (connection means), 280 inner diameter clamp (workpiece acquisition means), 280 synchronization unit (synchronization means), 300 base member, 300u recess, 502 conveyance body control unit, 510 robot control unit, 514 synchronization unit, 516 connection control unit, 518 workpiece control unit, 520 reference correction unit, 522 reference marker memory unit, 524 correction unit, 530 conveyance body control unit.

Claims

1. An autonomous traveling and transporting system having a storage battery, an autonomous traveling and transporting body that travels autonomously, capable of transporting a workpiece in a Z-axis direction, and a robot transporting device that moves in an X-axis direction and a Y-axis direction that are horizontal to a traveling floor surface of the autonomous traveling and transporting body to acquire and store the workpiece, The robot transport device has a base installed on the autonomous traveling transport body, a first arm connected to the base and provided via a first joint capable of a first rotation and a first vertical movement, a second arm connected to the first arm and provided via a second joint capable of a second vertical movement, a tip of the second arm having a wrist provided via a third joint capable of a third rotation and a third vertical movement, a columnar connected member connected to the wrist, and a vertical multi-joint manipulator that moves the wrist in the X-axis and Y-axis directions and moves up and down in the Z-axis direction; a vertically-mounted electric actuator that is installed on the autonomous mobile transport body and is disposed opposite the base and has a table connected and fixed to a nut that moves in the Z-axis direction by rotating a ball screw screwed into the nut using a motor, the vertically-moving transport means having a first link member connected and fixed to the table and a second link member that forms a link mechanism with the first link member, the tip of the second link member being movable in the X-axis and Y-axis directions and configured to transport the work in the Z-axis direction; a connecting means having a columnar member having a first connecting hole at a tip portion of the second link member, the columnar member being fixed to a lower surface of the tip portion and having a second connecting hole communicating with the first connecting hole, the connected member being loosely inserted into the first and second connecting holes, and the connected member being connected to the second link member so as to be movable within the second connecting hole; a workpiece acquiring means connected to the connecting means for acquiring and storing the workpiece; a control means for generating a first command signal having X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis command signals for driving the first to third joints to move the wrist along the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis, and for generating a second command signal for driving the motor; a synchronizing means for synchronizing the Z-axis command signal with the second command signal; An autonomous traveling and transporting system having a robot transporting device comprising:

2. In a process of moving the vertically movable transporting means and the manipulator in the Z-axis direction by synchronizing the Z-axis command signal and the second command signal by the synchronization means while the vertically movable transporting means has acquired the workpiece, a movement amount of the connected member moving within the first and second connecting holes is greater than a difference between the movement amounts of the vertically movable transport means and the manipulator in the Z-axis direction; 2. An autonomous transport system having the robot transport device according to claim 1.

3. A base member that is connected and fixed to an upper surface of the autonomous traveling transport body and has a recess on which the column member is placed; In a state where the bottom surface of the pillar member is placed on the recessed portion of the base member, The control means further generates a connection command signal for inserting the connected member into the first and second connection holes.

3. An autonomous traveling and transporting system comprising the robot transport device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A base member that is connected and fixed to an upper surface of the autonomous traveling conveying body and has a recess for placing the column member; brake means for locking and releasing the motor; a work acquisition step of acquiring the work stored in the storage device by the work acquisition means; a workpiece placing step of placing a bottom surface of the pillar member on the platform member by operating the manipulator and the vertically movable transport means after the workpiece obtaining step is performed; a motor restraining step of restraining the motor by the brake means after the workpiece placing step is performed; After performing the motor restraining step, a workpiece transport step is performed in which the autonomous traveling transport body travels.

3. A method for operating an autonomous traveling and transporting system having the robot transport device according to claim 1 or 2.

5. a first movable area of ​​the link mechanism defined by the X-axis and the Y-axis is narrower than a second movable area of ​​the manipulator defined by the X-axis and the Y-axis; 3. An autonomous traveling and transporting system comprising the robot transport device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The autonomous traveling vehicle includes an obstacle detection means for detecting the presence of an obstacle in a predetermined warning area and generating an obstacle detection signal; The control means further generates an emergency stop command signal for making an emergency stop of the autonomous traveling transport body and the robot transport device based on the obstacle detection signal.

3. An autonomous traveling and transporting system comprising the robot transport device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The autonomous transport vehicle follows a path that acquires the workpiece from a storage device and then moves the workpiece to a storage device; Any one of the storage device and the storage device has a reference marker; A storage means for storing the reference marker as first imaging information; an imaging means that is connected and fixed to the manipulator and that images the reference marker to obtain second imaging information; and a correction means for calculating a difference between the first imaging information and the second imaging information read from the storage means and correcting the reference position of the autonomous traveling transport body based on the difference. The control means further generates a connection release command signal for pulling out the connected member from the first and second connecting holes from a connected state in which the connected member is inserted into the first and second connecting holes.

3. An autonomous traveling and transporting system comprising the robot transport device according to claim 1 or 2.

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