Robot control device and method, and robot

Abstract

A robot control device includes a signal acquisition unit configured to acquire a switch turn-on signal indicating that the robot's body switch is turned on when the robot triggers an emergency stop, a control unit configured to output an enable release control signal, a logic processing unit configured to perform logical processing on the switch turn-on signal when the switch turn-on signal is received to output a manual release signal, and to perform logical processing on the enable release control signal when the enable release control signal is received to output an enable release signal, and a signal output unit configured to control the robot's motor to release a band brake when the manual release signal or the enable release signal is received. By performing release control on the motor band brake of the SCARA robot, it is possible to eliminate potential safety defects and avoid secondary damage to the robot or peripheral devices. A method and a robot are also provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims the priority of Chinese Patent Application No. 202010974687.4, titled "Robot Control Device and Method and Robot", filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of China on September 16, 2020, and the entire content of the Chinese patent application is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This disclosure , Ro a bot control device, a robot control method and a robot In one aspect related to is concerned with.

Background Art

[0003] With the rapid rise of industrial automation reform, various industrial robots have become a suitable solution for many enterprises. SCARA (Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm, a robotic arm used in assembly operations) robots have become a widely used type of robot. 。

[0004] The above content is only used to assist in understanding the technical solutions of this disclosure, and does not represent an approval that the above content is prior art.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] This disclosure

Figure 1

[0006] In some embodiments, the robot main body switch includes a self-resetting switch. The first terminal of the self-resetting switch is connected to the input terminal of the signal acquisition unit, the second terminal of the self-resetting switch is grounded, the self-resetting switch is a normally open switch, and it is turned on when pressed. The robot control device includes a signal acquisition unit configured to acquire a switch-off signal indicating that the robot self-resetting switch is turned off if the robot self-resetting switch is turned off through self-resetting when the robot triggers an emergency stop through the control unit and brakes the robot motor, a logic processing unit configured to output a braking maintenance signal after performing logic processing on the switch-off signal when the switch-off signal is received, and a signal output unit configured to control the robot motor to maintain the braking state when the braking maintenance signal is received.

[0007] In some embodiments, this robot control device further comprises a sampling unit configured to collect a current signal on the brake signal line of the robot, and the control unit is further configured to monitor the state of the robot body according to the current signal of the robot body and the switch signal of the robot body switch. The switch signal of the robot body switch includes a switch turn-on signal indicating that the robot body switch is turned on or a switch turn-off signal indicating that the robot body switch is turned off.

[0008] In some embodiments, the control unit monitoring the state of the robot body according to the current signal of the robot body and the switch signal of the robot body switch means that when the robot is operating normally, the current signal indicates that the robot is operating normally, and if the switch signal indicates that the robot body switch is turned on from the off state, the robot is controlled to stop and an alert message indicating that the robot has malfunctioned during normal operation is transmitted. When the robot is in a braking state, if the current signal indicates that the robot is in a braking state and the switch signal indicates that the robot body switch is turned on from the off state, the robot is controlled to disable startup.

[0009] In some embodiments, the number of output terminals of the signal acquisition unit, the number of logic processing units, and the number of signal output units are the same as the number of motors in a robot that needs to be braked or released from braking. When the number of motors in a robot that needs to be braked or released from braking is 2, the motors in the robot that need to be braked or released from braking include a first motor and a second motor. The output terminals of the signal acquisition unit include a first output terminal and a second output terminal. The logic processing units include a first logic processing unit and a second logic processing unit. The signal output units include a first signal output unit and a second signal output unit. The first output terminal of the signal acquisition unit is connected to the first input terminal of the first logic processing unit. The output terminal of the first logic processing unit is connected to the input terminal of the first signal output unit. The output terminal of the first signal output unit is connected to the control terminal of the first motor for braking or releasing braking. The second output terminal of the signal acquisition unit is connected to the first input terminal of the second logic processing unit. The output terminal of the second logic processing unit is connected to the input terminal of the second signal output unit. The output terminal of the second signal output unit is connected to the control terminal of the second motor for braking or releasing braking. The first enable control terminal of the control unit is connected to the second input terminal of the first logic processing unit. The second enable control terminal of the control unit is connected to the second input terminal of the second logic processing unit.

[0010] In some embodiments, the signal acquisition unit includes a first optocoupler module, a first switch module, and a second switch module. The diode side of the first optocoupler module is connected to the main body switch of the robot. The transistor side of the first optocoupler module can output the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot. After being processed by the first switch module, the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot is output to the first input terminal of the first logic processing unit. After being processed by the second switch module, the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot is output to the first input terminal of the second logic processing unit. Further, the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot is output to the feedback terminal of the control unit.

[0011] In some embodiments, the structure of the first switch module is the same as that of the second switch module. The first switch module includes a first bipolar transistor module. The base of the first bipolar transistor module is connected to the emitter of the transistor side of the first optocoupler module. The collector of the first bipolar transistor module is connected to the first input terminal of the first logic processing unit as the output terminal of the first switch module.

[0012] In some embodiments, the structure of the first logic processing unit is the same as that of the second logic processing unit. The first logic processing unit includes a first AND gate module. The first input terminal of the first AND gate module is connected to the first output terminal of the signal acquisition unit. The second input terminal of the first AND gate module is connected to the first enable control terminal of the control unit. The output terminal of the first AND gate module is connected to the input terminal of the first signal output unit.

[0013] In some embodiments, the structure of the first signal output unit is the same as that of the second signal output unit. The first signal output unit includes a second opto-coupler module. The cathode on the diode side of the second opto-coupler module is connected to the output terminal of the first logic processing unit, and the emitter on the transistor side of the second opto-coupler module is connected to the control terminal of the first motor for braking or releasing braking.

[0014] Corresponding to the above-described device, another aspect of the present disclosure provides a robot including the above-described robot control device.

[0015] Corresponding to the above-described robot, another aspect of the present disclosure provides a robot control method. When the robot triggers an emergency stop and the braking of the robot motor can be manually released, when the main body switch of the robot is turned on, the signal acquisition unit acquires a switch turn-on signal indicating that the main body switch of the robot is turned on. When the robot triggers an emergency stop and the braking of the robot motor can be released by enable control, the control unit outputs an enable release control signal. When the logic processing unit receives the switch turn-on signal, after performing logical processing on the switch turn-on signal, it outputs a manual release signal. When receiving the enable release control signal, after performing logical processing on the enable release control signal, it outputs an enable release signal. When the manual release signal or the enable release signal is received, the signal output unit controls the braking of the robot motor to be released. The method includes the above steps.

[0016] In some embodiments, the robot body switch is a self-resetting switch. The first terminal of the self-resetting switch is connected to the input terminal of the signal acquisition unit, the second terminal of the self-resetting switch is grounded, and the self-resetting switch is a normally open switch that is turned on when pressed. This robot control method further includes: when the robot triggers an emergency stop through the control unit and brakes are applied to the robot's motor by the signal acquisition unit, if the robot's self-resetting switch is turned off through self-resetting, obtaining a switch turn-off signal indicating that the robot's self-resetting switch is turned off; after receiving the switch turn-off signal, the logic processing unit performs logical processing on the switch turn-off signal and then outputs a braking maintenance signal; and when receiving the braking maintenance signal, the signal output unit controls the robot's motor to maintain the braking state.

[0017] In some embodiments, this robot control method includes: collecting the current signal on the robot's brake signal line by the sampling unit; and monitoring the state of the robot body according to the current signal of the robot body and the switch signal of the robot body switch by the control unit. The switch signal of the robot body switch includes a switch turn-on signal indicating that the robot body switch is turned on or a switch turn-off signal indicating that the robot body switch is turned off.

[0018] In some embodiments, the step of monitoring the state of the robot body by the control unit according to the current signal of the robot body and the switch signal of the robot body switch includes: when the robot is operating normally, if the current signal indicates that the robot is operating normally and the switch signal indicates that the robot body switch is turned on from the off state, controlling the robot to stop and transmitting an alert message indicating that the robot has malfunctioned during normal operation; and when the robot is in a braking state, if the current signal indicates that the robot is in a braking state and the switch signal indicates that the robot body switch is turned on from the off state, controlling the robot to disable startup.

[0019] Other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent in part from the following description, and will become known through the implementation of the present disclosure.

[0020] Hereinafter, the technical solution of the present disclosure will be further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] To further clarify the object, technical solution, and effect of the present disclosure, the technical solution of the present disclosure will be clearly and completely described as a combination of specific embodiments of the present disclosure and the corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present disclosure, not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative efforts based on the embodiments of the present disclosure shall be included in the protection scope of the present disclosure.

[0023] In view of this, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides a robot control device, a robot control method, or a robot that solves the problem that when the emergency stop protection of a SCARA robot is activated, its robotic arm cannot be moved unless the power is turned off and restarted, which may cause secondary damage to the robot or surrounding equipment, thereby posing a significant safety hazard. Therefore, by means of the braking release control of the SCARA robot, the effect of preventing secondary damage to the robot and surrounding equipment and eliminating safety hazards can be achieved. Therefore, in the solution of the present disclosure, by adding a hardware control loop compatible with the software control loop, when the SCARA robot is in an emergency state or when the drive loop is unavailable, the operator can manually release the braking control of the motor to move the robotic arm, enabling the emergency movement of the SCARA robot when the drive loop is unavailable. Therefore, by releasing the braking control of the motor of the SCARA robot, secondary disasters of the robot and surrounding equipment can be prevented, and safety hazards can be eliminated. And can solve the problem as much as possible ​

[0024] ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

[0025] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a robot control device is provided. Referring to FIG. 1, a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the device of the present disclosure is shown. This robot control device can be applied to release the braking control of the motor of a SCARA robot. The release of the braking control device of the motor of a SCARA robot is composed of a signal acquisition unit, a control unit, a logic processing unit, and a signal output unit. For the control unit, an FPGA can be used.

[0026] Specifically, the signal acquisition unit is connected to the main body switch of the robot (such as a self-reset switch), and when the robot triggers an emergency stop and the braking of the robot's motor can be manually released, when the main body switch of the robot is turned on, it is configured to acquire a switch turn-on signal indicating that the main body switch of the robot is turned on.

[0027] Specifically, the control unit is configured to output an enable release control signal when the robot triggers an emergency stop and the braking of the robot's motor can be released by enable control.

[0028] Specifically, when the robot triggers an emergency stop and the braking of the robot's motor can be manually released, when the logic processing unit receives a switch turn-on signal, after performing logic processing on the switch turn-on signal, it outputs a manual release signal. When the robot triggers an emergency stop and the braking of the robot's motor can be released by enable control, when the logic processing unit receives an enable release control signal, after performing logic processing on the enable release control signal, it is configured to output an enable release signal.

[0029] Specifically, when the signal output unit receives a manual release signal or an enable release signal, it is configured to control the braking of the robot's motor to be released. The braking signal is provided separately for one or more motors in the robot. The brake signal lines are provided independently rather than being connected to each other, and only the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot is used as the only signal input. Therefore, the braking can be released regardless of whether the main body switch is pressed or the internal software control is enabled. In a non-emergency state, each axis is enabled and controlled separately by software.

[0030] For example, when a brake release signal and an enable signal are transmitted, both of the two brake release situations can be achieved after adding a hardware loop. Specifically, by pressing a switch on the "robot", the release of the brake can be achieved without software control. Also, the braking of the motor can be released for the robot when an enable signal is transmitted by software control.

[0031] When the braking is manually released, a self-reset switch is pressed, the "SW_IN" network is grounded, and a low level (logic level 0) is output. In this situation, the previous optocoupler circuit is not turned on, the networks "SW" and "SW_0" are pulled up and output a high level. Next, the bipolar transistor circuit is turned on, the "SW_SIG" network is grounded, and a low level (logic level 0) is output. From Y = A·B, it can be seen that a logic level 0 is output, that is, the networks "BRK0-" and "BRK1-" output a low level, thereby turning on the subsequent optocoupler circuit. As a result, the signals "BRK1" / "BRK2" output to the motor are grounded, a low level is output, and it can be seen that the braking is released.

[0032] When FPGA control is enabled, the signal networks "F_BRK0" and "F_BRK1" input to the AND gate (i.e., the second logic gate circuit) by the FPGA are controlled by software to output a low level (logic level 0). From Y = A·B, it can be seen that a logic level 0 is output, that is, the networks "BRK0-" and "BRK1-" output a low level. Next, the subsequent optocoupler circuit is turned on, the signals "BRK1" / "BRK2" output to the motor are grounded, a low level is output, and the braking is released.

[0033] Therefore, it is possible to form a hardware control loop, and the software control loop can be compatible with the signal acquisition unit, the control unit, the logic processing unit, and the signal output unit, thereby enabling emergency movement of a SCARA robot for which no drive loop is available. For example, when the SCARA robot is in an emergency state or when no drive loop is available, after an emergency stop, there is a problem that the robotic arm cannot be moved without powering off and restarting. Also, for example, in an emergency state, regarding the problem that the user needs to quickly release the brakes of the third and fourth axes of the SCARA robot, the operator can manually release the braking of the motor to move the robotic arm, thereby improving safety.

[0034] ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

[0035] In some embodiments, the main body switch of the robot is provided with a self-resetting switch. The first terminal of the self-resetting switch is connected to the input terminal (such as the SW_IN terminal) of the signal acquisition unit, and the second terminal of the self-resetting switch is grounded (for example, connected to the analog ground GND). The self-resetting switch is a normally open switch and is turned on when pressed. For example, the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot is only used as a signal input and is not directly connected to the brake line.

[0036] During emergency stop control, the control can be executed by the control unit. Specifically, when the robot needs to trigger an emergency stop, the control unit outputs an enable brake control signal. When the logic processing unit determines that the robot needs to trigger an emergency stop and receives the enable brake control signal, it performs logical processing on the enable brake control signal and then outputs an enable brake signal. When the signal output unit receives the enable brake signal, it controls the robot's motor to apply the brake.

[0037] If the robot's motor has triggered an emergency stop through the control unit, even if the self-reset switch is reset, the braking state of the motor is not affected. For details, please refer to the following exemplary description.

[0038] Specifically, the robot control device further includes a process of maintaining the braking of the motor after the self-reset switch is reset as follows.

[0039] When the robot triggers an emergency stop through the control unit and the robot's motor is braked, if the robot's self-reset switch is turned off through self-reset, the signal acquisition unit is configured to acquire a switch turn-off signal indicating that the robot's self-reset switch is turned off.

[0040] When the robot triggers an emergency stop through the control unit and the robot's motor is braked, when the logic processing unit receives the switch turn-off signal, it is configured to perform logical processing on the switch turn-off signal and then output a braking maintenance signal.

[0041] When the signal output unit receives the braking maintenance signal, it is configured to control the robot's motor to maintain the braking state.

[0042] In the braking state, when the motor is not controlled, it should be in the braking state, that is, the "BRK1" and "BRK2" signals should be in the high level state. The motor not being controlled means a motor not controlled by software. When adding a hardware loop, it is still necessary to realize the high level state of the "BRK1" and "BRK2" signals.

[0043] When the motor is not software-controlled, the signal networks F_BRK0 and F_BRK1 input to the second logic gate circuit (i.e., AND gate) by the FPGA are pulled up and output a high level (logic level 1). At that time, the switch is in the off state, and the "SW_IN" network is pulled up by the "24V_CTRL" power network. In this situation, the previous optocoupler circuit is not turned on. The "SW" and "SW_0" networks are grounded. In this situation, the bipolar transistor circuit is not turned on, the "SW_SIG" network is pulled up, and a high level (logic level 1) is output. From Y = A·B, it can be seen that a logic level 1 is output, that is, the networks "BRK0-" and "BRK1-" output a high level. In this case, the subsequent optocoupler circuit is also not turned on, and the signal "BRK1" / "BRK2" output to the motor is pulled up directly by "24V_IO" to output a high level, causing the motor to enter the braking state, which does not conflict with the requirements.

[0044] Since the main body switch of the robot is a self-resetting switch, by releasing the button, it will automatically return to the open (not closed) state. In that situation, the generated signal is, in a sense, exactly the same as the signal before the addition of the hardware circuit. Therefore, it is compatible with the software.

[0045] Therefore, since the self-resetting switch is used as the main body switch of the robot, there is no need to worry about the safety issues caused by not applying the brake without delay. Specifically, the self-resetting switch is used as the main body switch of the robot. The self-resetting switch is adopted when the brake is manually released. Even if the operator accidentally forgets to reset the button, the robotic arm will not fall uncontrollably to avoid other dangers, thereby avoiding the situation where the motor always remains in the braking released state during operation and ensuring safety in this way.

[0046] In some embodiments, this device further comprises a sampling unit. The process of monitoring the state of the main body of the robot is specifically as follows.

[0047] The sampling unit is configured to collect the current signal on the brake signal line of the robot and feedback the collected current signal to the feedback terminal of the control unit. The collected current signal is the current signal on the BRK1- or BRK2-signal line connected to the motor.

[0048] The control unit is further configured to monitor the state of the main body of the robot according to the current signal of the main body of the robot and the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot. The switch signal of the main body switch of the robot includes a switch turn-on signal indicating that the main body switch of the robot is turned on or a switch turn-off signal indicating that the main body switch of the robot is turned off. Specifically, the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot is a switch signal output by the emitter on the transistor side of the front-stage optocoupler circuit such as the first optocoupler in the signal acquisition unit.

[0049] For example, in addition to adding a hardware control loop, a switch signal is introduced. This switch signal can be split into two signals, where one (SW_SIG) is a signal input involved in braking release and the other (SW) is a feedback signal input to the FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array). The switch signal input to the FPGA and the sampled current signal input to the FPGA can form a safety feedback loop that monitors the state of the main braking (or braking release) loop.

[0050] Therefore, in addition to adding a hardware control loop, by introducing a switch signal in combination with a current sampling circuit, a safety feedback loop is formed, thereby further improving the safety of the robot.

[0051] In some embodiments, the control unit that monitors the state of the robot's main body according to the current signal of the robot's main body and the switch signal of the robot's main body switch is as follows.

[0052] This control unit is further configured to, when the robot is operating normally, if the current signal indicates that the robot is operating normally and the switch signal indicates that the robot's main body switch has been turned on from the off state, determine that the robot's main body switch has been turned on due to malfunction, control the robot to stop, and convey an alert message indicating that the robot has malfunctioned during normal operation.

[0053] This control unit is configured to, when the robot is in a braking state, if the current signal indicates that the robot is in a braking state and the switch signal indicates that the robot's main body switch has been turned on from the off state, determine that the robot has been started by mistake and control the robot to disable the start.

[0054] For example, when the hardware control loop and the software control loop are compatible, when the entire system is not in an emergency state (i.e., the emergency stop button is not pressed), the release of braking can be controlled by both the hardware control loop and the software control loop. In that case, the switch signal can be split into two signals, where one (SW_SIG) is the signal involved in the release of braking, and the other (SW) is input to the FPGA as a feedback signal.

[0055] If the internal program of the robot is operating normally, the robotic arm should be maintained by the holding current in its original state and should not receive a low-level SW signal. If the main switch of the robot (i.e., the self-resetting switch) is pressed during normal operation of the robot to avoid a safety accident caused by human error, the feedback signal SW will be involved. The FPGA detects an abnormal low level, stops the robot, and issues an alert. If the main switch is pressed for debugging and in that case someone wishes to start the robot, the FPGA invalidates the start of the robot based on the sampled current signal (converted to a digital signal by the AD chip and input to the FPGA as a feedback of the main body state) and the SW signal (the signal controlling the main switch), thereby avoiding a safety accident.

[0056] In some embodiments, the number of output terminals of the signal acquisition unit, the number of logic processing units, and the number of signal output units are the same as the number of motors in a robot that requires braking or release from braking. That is, the number of output terminals of the signal acquisition unit, the number of logic processing units, and the number of signal output units are exactly the same as the number of motors in a robot that requires release of braking control, or the number of motors that require braking control. That is, the number of output terminals of the signal acquisition unit, the number of logic processing units, and the number of signal output units are all one or more, and each of the one or more signal output units corresponds to a motor in a robot that requires release from braking. The control for releasing braking can be executed by the motors in a robot that requires release from braking. For example, specifically, the one or more signal output units can be two signal output units including a first signal output unit and a second signal output unit, and these can output release control signals for two motors with brakes applied.

[0057] In some embodiments, when the number of motors in a robot that requires braking or release from braking is two, the motors in a robot that requires braking or release from braking include, for example, a first motor and a second motor, which are the motors of the third axis and the fourth axis of a SCARA robot. The output terminals of the signal acquisition unit include a first output terminal and a second output terminal. The logic processing unit includes a first logic processing unit and a second logic processing unit. The signal output unit includes a first signal output unit and a second signal output unit.

[0058] The first output terminal of the signal acquisition unit is connected to the first input terminal of the first logic processing unit. The output terminal of the first logic processing unit is connected to the input terminal of the first signal output unit. The output terminal of the first signal output unit is connected to the control terminal of the first motor for braking or for releasing braking.

[0059] The second output terminal of the signal acquisition unit is connected to the first input terminal of the second logic processing unit. The output terminal of the second logic processing unit is connected to the input terminal of the second signal output unit. The output terminal of the second signal output unit is connected to the control terminal of the second motor for braking or for releasing braking. The control terminal of the robot for braking or for releasing braking of the motor can be a brake line for braking the motor or for releasing the braking of the robot.

[0060] The first enable control terminal of the control unit is connected to the second input terminal of the first logic processing unit. The second enable control terminal of the control unit is connected to the second input terminal of the second logic processing unit.

[0061] For example, in the control process of releasing braking, the first output terminal of the signal acquisition unit outputs a switch turn-on signal indicating that the main body switch of the robot has been turned on and acquired by the signal acquisition unit to the first input terminal of the first logic processing unit. The first enable control terminal of the control unit outputs an enable release control signal to the second input terminal of the first logic processing unit. When the robot triggers an emergency stop and the braking of the robot's motor can be manually released, when the switch turn-on signal is received, after the first logic processing unit performs logical processing on the switch turn-on signal, it outputs a manual release signal for the first motor. When the robot triggers an emergency stop and the braking of the robot's motor can be released by enable control, when the enable release control signal is received, after the first logic processing unit performs logical processing on the enable release control signal, it outputs an enable release signal for the first motor. When the first signal output unit receives a manual release signal for the first motor or an enable release signal for the first motor, it controls the first motor of the robot to release braking.

[0062] Furthermore, the second output terminal of the signal acquisition unit outputs a switch turn-on signal indicating that the robot's main body switch is turned on and acquired by the signal acquisition unit to the second input terminal of the second logic processing unit. The second enable control terminal of the control unit outputs an enable release control signal to the second input terminal of the second logic processing unit. When the robot triggers an emergency stop and the braking of the robot's motor can be manually released, when the switch turn-on signal is received, the second logic processing unit executes logical processing on the switch turn-on signal and then outputs a manual release signal for the second motor. When the robot triggers an emergency stop and the braking of the robot's motor can be released by enable control, when the enable release control signal is received, the second logic processing unit executes logical processing on the enable release control signal and then outputs an enable release signal for the second motor. When the second signal output unit receives a manual release signal for the second motor or an enable release signal for the second motor, it controls the second motor of the robot to release the braking.

[0063] As another example, in the process of braking control through the enable of the control unit, that is, during the emergency stop control, when the robot needs to trigger an emergency stop, the first enable control terminal of the control unit outputs an enable brake control signal to the second input terminal of the first logic processing unit. The first logic processing unit, when it is necessary for the robot to trigger an emergency stop and the enable brake control signal is received, executes logical processing on the enable brake control signal and then outputs an enable brake signal to the first signal output unit. When the first signal output unit receives the enable brake signal, it controls the first motor of the robot to apply the brake.

[0064] Furthermore, when it is necessary for the robot to trigger an emergency stop, the second enable control terminal of the control unit outputs an enable brake control signal to the second input terminal of the second logic processing unit. When it is necessary for the robot to trigger an emergency stop, upon receiving the enable brake control signal, the second logic processing unit performs logical processing on the enable brake control signal and then outputs an enable brake signal to the second signal output unit. Upon receiving the enable brake signal, the second signal output unit controls the second motor of the robot to apply a brake.

[0065] As another example, in the braking maintenance control process, the first output terminal of the signal acquisition unit outputs a switch turn-off signal indicating that the main body switch of the robot acquired by the signal acquisition unit is turned off, to the first input terminal of the first logic processing unit. When the robot triggers an emergency stop through the control unit and a brake is applied to the motor of the robot, upon receiving the switch turn-off signal, the first logic processing unit performs logical processing on the switch turn-off signal and then outputs a braking maintenance signal for the first motor. Upon receiving the braking maintenance signal for the first motor, the first signal output unit controls the first motor of the robot to maintain braking.

[0066] Furthermore, the second output terminal of the signal acquisition unit outputs a switch turn-off signal indicating that the robot's main body switch is turned off and acquired by the signal acquisition unit to the second input terminal of the second logic processing unit. When the robot triggers an emergency stop through the control unit and brakes are applied to the motors of the robot, when the switch turn-off signal is received, the second logic processing unit outputs a braking maintenance signal for the second motor after performing logic processing on the switch turn-off signal. When the second signal output unit receives the braking maintenance signal for the second motor, it controls the second motor of the robot to maintain braking.

[0067] Therefore, by adding a hardware control loop compatible with the software control loop, when the SCARA robot is in an emergency state or does not have any drive loops, the operator can manually release the braking of the motors and move the robotic arm. Therefore, the user can quickly release the braking of the motors for the third and fourth axes of the SCARA robot in an emergency state, thereby improving safety.

[0068] In some embodiments, the signal acquisition unit includes a first optocoupler module, a first switch module, and a second switch module. The diode side of the first optocoupler module is connected to the main body switch of the robot. The transistor side of the first optocoupler module can output the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot.

[0069] The switch signal of the main body switch of the robot is output to the first input terminal of the first logic processing unit after being processed by the first switch module. The output terminal of the first switch module is the first output terminal of the signal acquisition unit.

[0070] The switch signal of the robot's main body switch is output to the first input terminal of the second logic processing unit after being processed by the second switch module. The output terminal of the second switch module is the second output terminal of the signal acquisition unit.

[0071] When the robot control device further includes a sampling unit, the switch signal of the robot's main body switch is further output to the feedback terminal of the control unit (such as the SW terminal of the FPGA). For example, the switch signal of the robot's main body switch further forms a safety feedback loop using a current signal sampled by the sampling unit, and is output to the feedback terminal of the FPGA to monitor the state of the braking (or release of braking) loop of the robot main body.

[0072] For example, the first optocoupler module includes a resistor R1 and a front-stage optocoupler circuit such as the first optocoupler OC1. The resistor R1 is connected in parallel between the anode and the cathode on the diode side of the first optocoupler OC1.

[0073] Therefore, by constructing the signal acquisition unit with the first optocoupler module, the first switch module, and the second switch module, the switch signal of the robot's main body switch can be acquired with high reliability. In this way, the motor can be controlled to release the braking according to the switch signal, and the state of the motor can be monitored, thereby achieving hardware control and software monitoring.

[0074] In some embodiments, the structure of the first switch module is the same as that of the second switch module. The first switch module includes a first bipolar transistor module. The base of the first bipolar transistor module is connected to the emitter on the transistor side of the first optocoupler module. The collector of the first bipolar transistor module is connected to the first input terminal of the first logic processing unit as the output terminal of the first switch module.

[0075] For example, the first bipolar transistor module can use a bipolar transistor circuit. The bipolar transistor circuit has a resistor R2, a resistor R3, a resistor R4, a resistor R5, a capacitor C1, a diode D1, and a triode Q1.

[0076] Therefore, by mainly using the first bipolar transistor module to form the first switch module, the switch signal of the robot's main body switch obtained by the first optocoupler module can be processed and output to the first logic processing unit. This structure is simple, highly reliable, and safe.

[0077] In some embodiments, the structure of the first logic processing unit is the same as that of the second logic processing unit. The first logic processing unit includes a first AND gate module.

[0078] The first input terminal of the first AND gate module is connected to the first output terminal of the signal acquisition unit. The second input terminal of the first AND gate module is connected to the first enable control terminal of the control unit. The output terminal of the first AND gate module is connected to the input terminal of the first signal output unit. Through the logic gate circuit, the robot can brake only when the main body switch of the robot is not pressed and the internal software of the controller provides a braking signal.

[0079] Therefore, by using the AND gate module as the first logic processing unit, even when any drive loop is unavailable, the braking release of the motor that enables the emergency movement of the SCARA robot can be controllably achieved by both hardware and software.

[0080] In some embodiments, the structure of the first signal output unit is the same as that of the second signal output unit. The first signal output unit includes a second optocoupler module.

[0081] The cathode on the diode side of the second optocoupler module is connected to the output terminal of the first logic processing unit. The emitter on the transistor side of the second optocoupler module is connected to the control terminal of the first motor for braking or releasing braking. The second optocoupler OC2 can be used as the second optocoupler module. A diode is provided between the emitter on the transistor side of the second optocoupler OC2 and the DC power supply.

[0082] For example, the switch signal of the robot's body switch, i.e., the self-reset switch, is input to the input terminal of the first logic gate circuit after passing through the previous optocoupler circuit and the bipolar transistor circuit. The control signal of the FPGA is input to the input terminal of the first logic gate circuit through the drive circuit. When two signals are input to the first logic gate circuit, the first logic gate circuit outputs a braking (or braking release) control signal that is output to the input terminal of the subsequent optocoupler circuit. The output signal of the subsequent optocoupler circuit is pulled up and output to the external robot motor.

[0083] Therefore, by using the second optocoupler module as the first signal output unit, after the output signal of the first logic processing unit is separated, it is output to the control terminal of the first motor for braking or braking release. As a result, the motor can be controlled to be released from braking in a highly reliable and safe manner based on hardware or software control.

[0084] The technical solution of the present disclosure has been verified through a large number of tests. By adding a hardware control loop compatible with the software control loop, during normal operation, the added hardware circuit will not affect software control. When a safety accident occurs and the emergency stop button is pressed without delay, the robotic arm needs to be moved away for rescue or asset protection, or the robotic arm needs to be moved back to a safe range. In this situation, the release of braking can only be achieved through hardware control. In hardware control, the braking release control can be executed on the motor of the SCARA robot to avoid secondary damage to the robot or peripheral equipment and remove safety defects.

[0085] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a robot corresponding to the robot control device is further provided. This robot includes the above-mentioned robot control device.

[0086] SCARA robots have the following advantages: (1) a compact structure and high utilization efficiency of the working space; (2) flexible operation, high speed, high repetitive accuracy, and high working efficiency; (3) ease of operation and various installation methods; (4) few components, low manufacturing cost, and ease of disassembly and maintenance. Therefore, they are widely used in narrow places where high precision is required. For example, SCARA robots are generally used in the 3C electronics industry for assembly, disassembly, and sorting.

[0087] FIG. 2 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a SCARA robot. As shown in FIG. 2, the SCARA robot uses four motors to control the movement of four joints (i.e., the first joint, the second joint, the third joint, and the fourth joint), namely, the horizontal rotation joints of the first axis, the second axis, and the fourth axis, and the vertical joint of the third axis. Generally, due to the influence of inertia such as the gravity of the tooling fixture at the end, for the third-axis motor and the fourth-axis motor, in the case of power loss, a motor with a brake holding function should be selected to avoid the joint arm from falling due to the brake holding inside the motor. However, regarding the first-axis motor and the second-axis motor, whether they need to have a braking function can be flexibly determined according to the robot assembly method.

[0088] Furthermore, the use of motors with brakes may cause several problems in actual use, for example, as follows.

[0089] On the one hand, during the manufacturing process, the end effector of the SCARA robot may collide with surrounding objects or equipment due to a robot program that operates away from the original preset routine. In such a situation, the user can press the emergency stop switch (such as the demonstrator emergency stop or external emergency stop) and the brakes of the third-axis motor and the fourth-axis motor, whereby the robot controller will disconnect the main circuit connection. Once the emergency safety circuit (i.e., emergency stop) is triggered, the robot will immediately stop regardless of the operating mode, and it will be impossible to restart without a confirmation response to the alarm (i.e., the emergency stop is released and the power-up button is powered up). In that case, the robot will no longer be controlled by the software program, and it will be impossible for the operator to operate the robot through the demonstrator. Therefore, another loop is required to move the robotic arm. In that case, in order to avoid secondary damage to the robot and surrounding equipment, it is necessary to provide the user with a method to quickly release the brakes of the third and fourth axes so that the user can move the colliding robotic arm without delay.

[0090] On the other hand, during the normal use of a motor equipped with a brake, it must be guaranteed that the brake can be released normally; otherwise, the robot operation process may easily cause a robot overload alarm or damage the motor.

[0091] FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of a robot and a controller, specifically, a circuit diagram of the wiring of the robot body.

[0092] There are mainly two solutions for brake release in hardware that can quickly release the brake and are used by some robot manufacturers. In the first solution, a switch (such as an external braking switch, refer to the brake release switch of the third joint in Figure 2) is used to connect the brake signal lines of two axes (for the connection, refer to the example shown in Figure 3). When the switch is pressed, the brakes of the two axes are released simultaneously. However, when the power is on, it is impossible to independently control one axis to release the braking. In the second solution, it is only connected to the braking signal of one axis in order to control specific lines separately, but only one brake line is controllable. Furthermore, neither of the two solutions can complete a closed-loop control loop, and both of them lack a state monitoring loop and cannot monitor the brake release state.

[0093] In some embodiments, the solution of the present disclosure provides a solution for brake release control of a motor for a SCARA robot.

[0094] The solution of the present disclosure is directed to the problem that after an emergency stop is triggered for a robot, it is impossible to move the robotic arm unless the power is turned off and restarted. This is, for example, the problem that in an emergency situation, the user needs to be able to quickly release the braking of the third and fourth axes of the SCARA robot. By adding a hardware control loop compatible with the software control loop, the emergency operation of the SCARA robot becomes possible even when any drive loop is unavailable. In this way, when the SCARA robot is in an emergency state or when any drive loop is unavailable, the operator can manually release the motor braking and move the robotic arm.

[0095] By adding a hardware control loop compatible with the software control loop, the emergency movement of the SCARA robot becomes possible even when any drive loop is unavailable. During normal operation, the added hardware circuit does not affect software control. When a safety accident occurs and the emergency stop button is pressed without delay, it is necessary to move the robotic arm away for rescue or asset protection, or to move the robotic arm back to a safe range. In such a situation, the release of braking can be achieved only through hardware control. Without hardware-based braking release, it is very difficult to move a robotic arm with the brakes applied, and such movement can be done only by a crane and other special tools. Therefore, the hardware control loop ​ ​ In the solution of the present disclosure, the braking of the motor occurs only when the main body switch of the robot is not pressed and the internal software of the controller outputs a braking signal by means of a logic gate circuit. Since the self-resetting switch is used as the main body switch of the robot, there is no need to worry about safety problems caused by not applying the brakes without delay. In addition, the braking signal lines are provided independently instead of being connected to each other. Only the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot is used as the only signal input. Therefore, the braking can be released regardless of whether the main body switch is pressed or the internal software control is enabled. In a non-emergency state, each axis can be enabled separately by software.

[0096] The solution of the present disclosure addresses the need for the user to release the brake control for each axis by software after adding a hardware-based brake release circuit. The self-resetting switch is configured to manually release the brake, thereby avoiding the situation where the braking is always released while the motor is operating, and thus ensuring safety in this way. Thus, the self-resetting switch is configured to manually release the brake. Even if the operator accidentally forgets to reset the button, the robotic arm will not fall uncontrollably to avoid other dangers, thereby avoiding the situation where the braking is always released while the motor is operating, and thus ensuring safety in this way.

[0097] The self-resetting switch is configured to manually release the brake, thereby avoiding the situation where the braking is always released while the motor is operating, and thus ensuring safety in this way. If the switch cannot reset itself and can only be reset manually, if the operator accidentally forgets to reset the button, the robotic arm may fall uncontrollably, which may cause other dangers.

[0098] The solution of the present disclosure can address the problem that hardware brake release is not considered in state detection and there is a lack of safety feedback for the hardware brake release circuit. In addition to adding a hardware control loop, a safety feedback loop is formed by introducing a switch signal in combination with a current sampling circuit, thereby further increasing the safety of the robot. In other words, a control feedback loop is added for operation and control safety to make the overall system more stable as a closed-loop control system. Thus, in addition to adding a hardware control loop, a switch signal is introduced. The switch signal can be divided into two signals, one (SW_SIG) is a signal input involved in braking release, and the other (SW) is a feedback signal input to the FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The switch signal input to the FPGA and the sampled current signal input to the FPGA can form a safety feedback loop for monitoring the state of the main body braking (or braking release) loop.

[0099] An exemplary description of specific implementation examples of the present disclosure will be described later in relation to the examples shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0100] Figure 4 is a schematic structural diagram of another embodiment of the robot and the controller. In comparison with Figure 3, both the wiring of the main bodies of the "controller" and the "robot" are changed in Figure 4. Overall, the method of obtaining the switch control signal in the control loop is changed. That is, unlike directly connecting the robot body switch to the brake line on the "robot" in Figure 3, the robot body switch is not directly connected to the brake line as a signal input. In this case, the robot body switch indirectly controls the signal of the brake signal line through the internal logic gate of the "controller". In the examples shown in Figures 3 and 4, "FPGA_BRK1", "FPGA_BRK0", "SW", etc. in the controller are all network names. "3#" and "4#" are the motors of the third axis and the fourth axis respectively. The "self-reset switch" is a button switch. When it is pressed, it is turned on, and when it is released, it is turned off, so it is named "self-reset".

[0101] Figure 5 is a schematic structural diagram of an embodiment of the control circuit of the controller in Figure 4. In the examples shown in Figures 4 and 5, "F_BRK0", "BRK0-", "SW", "SW_0", "SW", "SW_SIG", etc. are all network names. The "AD chip" is a current sampling chip, and its output signal is a feedback signal. The "AND logic gate" is a logic device, and its operation expression is Y = A·B. In this operation expression, A and B are the input logic levels respectively, and Y is the output logic level. In Figure 4, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the signal network name (for example, "BRK0-") and the "AND logic gate" device.

[0102] As shown in FIG. 4, the motor brake release control device of the SCARA robot provided by the solution of the present disclosure includes a front-stage optocoupler circuit, a triode transistor circuit, a drive circuit (not shown), a logic gate circuit, and a rear-stage optocoupler circuit. There are two logic gate circuits having a first logic gate circuit and a second logic gate circuit. The front-stage optocoupler circuit has a first optocoupler OC1, and the rear-stage optocoupler circuit has a second optocoupler OC2 and a third optocoupler OC3. A resistor R1 is connected in parallel between the anode and the cathode on the diode side of the first optocoupler OC1. Also, a diode is provided between the emitter on the transistor side of the second optocoupler OC2 and the DC power supply. Also, a diode is provided between the emitter on the transistor side of the third optocoupler OC3 and the DC power supply.

[0103] A drive circuit (or a drive chip) is arranged between the output network "FPGA_BRK0 / 1" of the FPGA and the input network "F_BRK0 / 1" of the logic gate circuit, which can improve the load capacity (i.e., the driving ability) of the braking signal network output from the FPGA side. This chip is a drive chip.

[0104] The resistor on the diode side of the front-stage optocoupler is a bypass resistor and is used for shunting and bypassing for the purpose of protecting the diode of the rear-stage optocoupler.

[0105] The role of the diode on the transistor side of the rear-stage optocoupler is to use its single-conductor characteristic to act as current continuity. Since the rear-stage optocoupler is connected to an inductive load, this inductive load generates a large back electromotive force. At the moment when the power supply of the brake coil is turned off (the robot changes from the brake release state to the braking state), the coil and the diode connected in parallel form a loop that provides a discharge path for the induced back electromotive force, which has the effect of current continuity.

[0106] The switch signal of the robot's main body switch (self-resetting switch) is input to the input terminal of the first logic gate circuit after passing through the previous optocoupler circuit and the bipolar transistor circuit (refer to the example shown in FIG. 5). The control signal of the FPGA passes through the drive circuit and is input to the input terminal of the first logic gate circuit. Although two signals are input to the first logic gate circuit, the first logic gate circuit outputs a braking (or releases braking) control signal that is output to the input terminal of the subsequent optocoupler circuit. The output signal of the subsequent optocoupler circuit is pulled up and output to the external robot motor. The diode, capacitor, resistor, bipolar transistor, and other components between the "AND logic gate" and the "previous optocoupler" are omitted in FIG. 4. Furthermore, although there are two control signals in FIG. 4, since the circuits of the two signals are the same, only one is depicted in FIG. 5.

[0107] As shown in FIG. 5, the bipolar transistor circuit includes a resistor R2, a resistor R3, a resistor R4, a resistor R5, a capacitor C1, a diode D1, and a triode Q1. Also, a resistor R6 is connected to the output terminal of the second logic gate circuit (such as an AND logic gate). The emitter on the transistor side of the first optocoupler OC1 is connected to the anode of the diode D1 via the resistor R2 and is also connected to the emitter of the triode Q1 via the capacitor C1. The cathode of the diode D1 is connected to the base of the triode Q1, and the base of the triode Q1 is also connected to the emitter of the triode Q1 via the resistor R3. The collector of the triode Q1 is connected to the input terminal of the second logic gate circuit (for example, an AND logic gate) via the resistor R5. The collector of the triode Q1 is also connected to the resistor R4.

[0108] In the three - pole transistor circuit, the resistor R2 is a current - limiting resistor for buffering and protection. The resistor R2 and the capacitor C1 form an RC filter circuit. The resistor R3 is a pull - down resistor, which provides a bias voltage to the transistor, shunts to protect the transistor. The resistor R4 is a pull - up resistor, and the resistor R5 is a current - limiting resistor or an absorption resistor, which can protect the logic device. The resistor R6 is a pull - up resistor, and the diode D1 can protect the previous - stage optocoupler by utilizing the unidirectional conduction characteristic of the diode.

[0109] The control process of the brake - release control device for the motor of the above - mentioned SCARA robot is described below.

[0110] In the braking state, it is as follows.

[0111] When the motor is not controlled, it should be in the braking state, that is, the "BRK1" and "BRK2" signals should be in the high - level state. A motor that is not controlled means a motor that is not software - controlled. When adding a hardware loop, it is still necessary to realize the high - level state of the "BRK1" and "BRK2" signals.

[0112] In the examples shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when the motor is not controlled by software, the signal networks F_BRK0 and F_BRK1 input to the second logic gate circuit (i.e., AND gate) by the FPGA are pulled up and output a high level (logic level 1). At that time, the switch is in the off state, and the "SW_IN" network is pulled up by the "24V_CTRL" power network. In this situation, the previous optocoupler circuit is not turned on. The "SW" and "SW_0" networks are grounded. In this situation, the bipolar transistor circuit is not turned on, and the "SW_SIG" network is pulled up to output a high level (logic level 1). From Y = A·B, it can be seen that a logic level 1 is output, that is, the networks "BRK0-" and "BRK1-" output a high level. In this situation, the subsequent optocoupler circuit is also not turned on, and the signal "BRK1" / "BRK2" output to the motor is directly pulled up by "24V_IO" to output a high level, causing the motor to enter the braking state, which does not conflict with the requirements.

[0113] Since the main body switch of the robot is a self-resetting switch, by releasing the button, it will automatically return to the open (not closed) state. In that situation, the generated signal is, in a sense, exactly the same as the signal before the addition of the hardware circuit. Therefore, it is compatible with the software.

[0114] In the situation where the brake release signal and the enable signal are transmitted, it is as follows.

[0115] It is also required that the braking can be released by pressing the robot switch without software control, and the braking of the robot motor can be released after the enable signal is transmitted by software control.

[0116] In the examples shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, in the case of manual braking release, the self-reset switch is pressed, the "SW_IN" network is grounded, and a low level (logic level 0) is output. In this situation, the previous optocoupler circuit is not turned on, and the networks "SW" and "SW_0" are pulled up and output a high level. Next, the bipolar transistor circuit is turned on, the "SW_SIG" network is grounded, and a low level (logic level 0) is output. From Y = A·B, it can be seen that a logic level 0 is output, that is, the networks "BRK0-" and "BRK1-" output a low level, so that the subsequent optocoupler circuit is turned on. As a result, the signals "BRK1" / "BRK2" output to the motor are grounded, a low level is output, and it can be seen that the braking is released.

[0117] In the examples shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, when FPGA control is enabled, the signal networks "F_BRK0" and "F_BRK1" input to the AND gate (i.e., the second logic gate circuit) by the FPGA are controlled by software to output a low level (logic level 0). From Y = A·B, it can be seen that a logic level 0 is output, that is, the networks "BRK0-" and "BRK1-" output a low level. Next, the subsequent optocoupler circuit is turned on, the signals "BRK1" / "BRK2" output to the motor are grounded, a low level is output, and the braking is released.

[0118] In this way, two situations for releasing braking can be achieved after adding a hardware loop.

[0119] In a situation where the hardware control loop and the software control loop are compatible, it is as follows.

[0120] When the entire system is not in an emergency state (i.e., the emergency stop button is not pressed), the release of braking can be controlled by both the hardware control loop and the software control loop. In that case, the switch signal can be split into two signals, one of which (SW_SIG) is a signal involved in the release of braking, and the other (SW) is input to the FPGA as a feedback signal. When the internal program of the robot is operating normally, the robotic arm is maintained by the holding current in its original state and does not receive a low-level SW signal. When the main body switch of the robot (i.e., the self-resetting switch) is pressed during the normal operation of the robot to avoid safety accidents caused by human error, the feedback signal SW will be involved. The FPGA detects an abnormal low level, stops the robot, and issues an alert.

[0121] When the main body switch is pressed for debugging and in that situation someone wishes to start the robot, the FPGA invalidates the start of the robot based on the sampled current signal (converted into a digital signal by the AD chip and input to the FPGA as feedback of the main body state) and the SW signal (the signal controlling the main body switch), thereby avoiding safety accidents.

[0122] It can be understood that the solution of the present disclosure mainly achieves the effect that after the change of the hardware control circuit, as a combination with software, the release of braking can be achieved in a better manner or without reduction of the original function, thereby achieving the joint control of the software program and the hardware circuit. In addition, the hardware circuit control unit used in the solution of the present disclosure is not a relay, 38 decoder, or simple amplifier, but an optocoupler circuit, a bipolar transistor circuit, a NAND gate, a NOT gate, etc. The NAND gate and the AND gate are connected in series to realize the AND logic function.

[0123] The processes and functions achieved by the robot in this embodiment substantially correspond to the embodiments, principles, and examples of the device shown in FIG. 1 described above. Therefore, for details not described in this embodiment, they will not be described again in this specification. Please refer to the description of the relationships in the above embodiments.

[0124] The technical solution of the present disclosure has been verified through a large number of tests. By adding a hardware control loop compatible with the software control loop, and by using the self-reset switch as a manual braking release, it is avoided that the motor is always in a braking release state during operation, thereby ensuring safety.

[0125] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a robot control method corresponding to the robot is further provided. FIG. 6 is a schematic flowchart of an embodiment of the method of the present disclosure. This robot control method is applicable to the motor braking release control of a SCARA robot, and this motor braking release control method of the SCARA robot includes steps S110 to S140.

[0126] In step S110, when the robot triggers an emergency stop and manual release of the braking of the robot's motor is possible, when the main body switch of the robot is turned on, a switch turn-on signal indicating that the main body switch of the robot is turned on is obtained by a signal acquisition unit connected to the main body switch of the robot (such as a self-reset switch).

[0127] In step S120, when the robot triggers an emergency stop and release of the braking by enabling control of the robot's motor is possible, an enable release control signal is output by the control unit.

[0128] In step S130, when the robot triggers an emergency stop and a switch turn signal is received when manual release of the braking of the robot's motor is possible, after logical processing is performed on the switch turn-on signal, a manual release signal is output by the logical processing unit. When the robot triggers an emergency stop and release by enabling control of the braking of the robot's motor is possible and an enable release control signal is received, after logical processing is performed on the enable release control signal, an enable release signal is output by the logical processing unit.

[0129] In step S140, when a manual release signal or an enable release signal is received, the braking of the robot's motor is controlled to be released by the signal output unit. The braking signal is provided separately for one or more motors of the robot. The brake signal lines are provided independently rather than being interconnected, and since the switch signal of the robot's main body switch is the only signal input, the braking can be released regardless of whether the main body switch is pressed or whether the internal software control is enabled. In a non-emergency state, each axis can be enabled separately by software.

[0130] For example, when a brake release signal and an enable signal are transmitted, after adding a hardware loop, both of the two brake release situations can be achieved. Specifically, the release of braking can be achieved without software control by pressing the switch on the "robot". Also, when the enable signal is transmitted by software control, the braking of the motors for the robot can also be released.

[0131] When manually releasing the brake, the self-reset switch is pressed, the "SW_IN" network is grounded, and a low level (logic level 0) is output. In this situation, the front-stage optocoupler circuit is turned on, and the networks "SW" and "SW_0" are pulled up to output a high level. Next, the bipolar transistor circuit is turned on, the "SW_SIG" network is grounded, and a low level (logic level 0) is output. According to Y = A·B, it can be seen that a logic level 0 is output, that is, the networks "BRK0-" and "BRK1-" output a low level. Next, the rear-stage optocoupler circuit is turned on, and as a result, the signals "BRK1" and "BRK2" output to the motor are grounded, a low level is output, and braking is released.

[0132] When the FPGA is enabled, the signal networks "F_BRK0" and "F_BRK1" input to the AND gate (i.e., the second logic gate circuit) by the FPGA are controlled by software to output a low level (logic level 0). According to Y = A·B, it can be seen that a logic level 0 is output, that is, the networks "BRK0-" and "BRK1-" output a low level. Next, the rear-stage optocoupler circuit is turned on, the signals "BRK1" and "BRK2" output to the motor are grounded, a low level is output, and braking is released.

[0133] Therefore, it is possible to form a hardware control loop compatible with the software control loop by means of a signal acquisition unit, a control unit, a logical processing unit, and a signal output unit, whereby the emergency operation of the SCARA robot is enabled when none of the drive loops are available. For example, in response to the problem that after the robot triggers an emergency stop, the robotic arm cannot be moved without powering off and restarting, in an emergency situation, that is, when the SCARA robot is in an emergency state and none of the drive loops are available, the user needs to quickly release the braking of the third and fourth axes of the SCARA robot, but the operator can manually release the braking of the motor and move the robotic arm, thereby improving safety.

[0134] In some embodiments, the robot body switch includes a self-resetting switch. The first terminal of the self-resetting switch is connected to the input terminal (such as the SW_IN terminal) of the signal acquisition unit, and the second terminal of the self-resetting switch is grounded (connected to the analog ground GND, etc.). The self-resetting switch is a normally open switch and is turned on when pressed. For example, the switch signal of the robot body switch is only used as a signal input and is not directly connected to the brake line.

[0135] During emergency stop control, the control can be executed by the control unit. Specifically, when the robot needs to trigger an emergency stop, the control unit outputs an enable brake control signal. When the logical processing unit determines that the robot needs to trigger an emergency stop and receives the enable brake control signal, it performs logical processing on the enable brake control signal and then outputs an enable brake signal. When the signal output unit receives the enable brake signal, it controls the robot's motor to apply a brake.

[0136] When the robot's motor triggers an emergency stop through the control unit, even if the self-reset switch is reset, the braking state of the motor is not affected. For details, refer to the following exemplary description.

[0137] In some embodiments, this robot control method further includes a process of maintaining the braking of the motor after the self-reset switch is reset.

[0138] Figure 7 is a schematic flowchart of an embodiment in which the braking of the motor is maintained after the self-reset switch is reset in the method of the present disclosure. In relation to Figure 7, hereinafter, the specific process of maintaining the braking of the motor after the self-reset switch is reset, including steps S210 to S230, will be further described.

[0139] In step 210, when the robot triggers an emergency stop through the control unit and the robot's motor is braked, if the robot's self-reset switch is turned off through self-reset, a switch turn-off signal indicating that the robot's self-reset switch is turned off is acquired by the signal acquisition unit.

[0140] In step S220, when the robot triggers an emergency stop through the control unit and the robot's motor is braked, if the switch turn-off signal is received, after logical processing is performed on the switch turn-off signal, a braking maintenance signal is output by the logical processing unit.

[0141] In step 230, when the braking maintenance signal is received, the robot's motor is controlled by the signal output unit to maintain the braking state.

[0142] In the braking state, when the motor is not controlled, it must be in the braking state, that is, the "BRK1" and "BRK0" signals must be in the high level state. That the motor is not controlled means that the motor is not software-controlled. When adding the hardware loop, it is still necessary to realize the high level state of the "BRK1" and "BRK0" signals.

[0143] When the motor is not software-controlled, the signal networks F_BRK0 and F_BRK1 input to the second logic gate circuit (i.e., AND gate) by the FPGA are pulled up and output a high level (logic level 1). At that time, the switch is in the off state, and the "SW_IN" network is pulled up by the "24V_CTRL" power network. In this situation, the previous optocoupler circuit is not turned on. The "SW" and "SW_0" networks are grounded. In this situation, the bipolar transistor circuit is not turned on, the "SW_SIG" network is pulled up, and a high level (logic level 1) is output. From Y = A·B, it can be seen that a logic level 1 is output, that is, the networks "BRK0-" and "BRK1-" output a high level. In this case, the subsequent optocoupler circuit is also not turned on, and the signals "BRK1" and "BRK2" output to the motor are directly pulled up by "24V_IO" to output a high level, causing the motor to enter the braking state, which does not conflict with the requirements.

[0144] "BRK1" and "BRK2" are the motor braking signal of the third axis and the motor braking signal of the fourth axis. The subsequent optocoupler of the third axis outputs the motor braking signal of the third axis, and the subsequent optocoupler of the fourth axis outputs the motor braking signal of the fourth axis.

[0145] 「F_BRK0」and 「F_BRK1」 refer to the braking signal of the third axis output by the FPGA that is input to the logic device after passing through the drive circuit, and the braking signal of the fourth axis output by the FPGA that is input to the logic device after passing through the drive circuit.

[0146] 「BRK0-」 and 「BRK1-」 refer to the braking signal of the third axis that is input to the subsequent optocoupler after the processing of the logic device, and the braking signal of the fourth axis that is input to the subsequent optocoupler after the processing of the logic device.

[0147] 「24V_CTRL」 refers to the 24V power network in the optocoupler in the front stage of the controller.

[0148] 「24V_IO」 refers to the 24V power network in the optocoupler in the rear stage of the controller.

[0149] 「SW」, 「SW_0」, and 「SW_SIG」 refer to the switch feedback signal output to the FPGA by the front-stage optocoupler, the switch signal output to the triode transistor circuit by the front-stage optocoupler, and the switch signal output to the logic device by the triode transistor circuit.

[0150] Since the main body switch of the robot is a self-resetting switch, by releasing the button, it will automatically return to the open (not closed) state. In that situation, the signal is, in a sense, exactly the same as the signal before the addition of the hardware circuit. Therefore, it is compatible with the software.

[0151] Therefore, since the self-resetting switch is used as the main body switch of the robot, there is no need to worry about the safety issues caused by not applying the brake without delay. Specifically, the self-resetting switch is used as the main body switch of the robot. The self-resetting switch is adopted when the brake is manually released. Even if the operator accidentally forgets to reset the button, the robotic arm will not fall uncontrollably to avoid other dangers, thereby avoiding the situation where the motor always remains in the brake release state during operation and ensuring safety in this way.

[0152] In some embodiments, this method includes a process of monitoring the state of the robot body.

[0153] FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of an embodiment for monitoring the state of the robot body in the method of the present disclosure. In relation to FIG. 8, the following further describes a specific process for monitoring the state of the robot body, including steps S310 and S320.

[0154] In step S310, a current signal on the brake signal line of the robot is collected by the sampling unit, and the collected current signal is fed back to the feedback terminal of the control unit.

[0155] In step S320, the state of the robot body is monitored by the control unit according to the current signal of the robot body and the switch signal of the robot body switch. The switch signal of the robot body switch includes a switch turn-on signal indicating that the robot body switch is turned on or a switch turn-off signal indicating that the robot body switch is turned off. Specifically, the switch signal of the robot body switch is a switch signal output by the emitter on the transistor side of the optocoupler circuit in the front stage, such as the first optocoupler in the information acquisition unit.

[0156] For example, in addition to adding a hardware control loop, a switch signal is introduced. The switch signal can be split into two signals, one (SW_SIG) being a signal input involved in braking release and the other (SW) being a feedback signal input to the FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). The switch signal input to the FPGA and the sampled current signal input to the FPGA can form a safety feedback loop for monitoring the state of the main braking (or braking release) loop.

[0157] Therefore, in addition to adding a hardware control loop, by introducing a switch signal in combination with a current sampling circuit, a safety feedback loop is formed, thereby further improving the safety of the robot.

[0158] In some embodiments, the specific process of monitoring the state of the robot's main body by the control unit according to the current signal of the robot's main body and the switch signal of the robot's main body switch in step S320 includes any of the following monitoring situations.

[0159] In the first monitoring situation, when the robot is operating normally, if the current signal indicates that the robot is operating normally and the switch signal indicates that the robot's main body switch has been turned on from the off state, it is determined that the robot's main body switch has been turned on due to malfunction, and the robot is controlled to stop, and an alert message that the robot has malfunctioned during normal operation is transmitted.

[0160] In the second monitoring situation, when the robot is in a braking state, if the current signal indicates that the robot is in a braking state and the switch signal indicates that the robot's main body switch has been turned on from the off state, it is determined that the robot has been started by mistake, and the robot is controlled to invalidate the start.

[0161] For example, when the hardware control loop is compatible with the software control loop, if the entire system is not in an emergency state (i.e., the emergency stop button is not pressed), the release of braking is controlled by both the hardware control loop and the software control loop. In this case, the switch signal can be split into two signals, where one (SW_SIG) is a signal involved in releasing braking and the other (SW) is input to the FPGA as a feedback signal.

[0162] If the internal program of the robot operates normally, the robotic arm maintains its original state by the holding current and does not receive a low-level SW signal. If the main body switch of the robot (i.e., the self-resetting switch) is pressed during the normal operation of the robot to avoid a safety accident caused by human error, the feedback signal of SW will be involved. The FPGA detects an abnormal low level, stops the robot, and issues an alert. If the main body switch is pressed for debugging and in that situation someone wishes to start the robot, the FPGA invalidates the startup of the robot based on the sampled current signal (converted into a digital signal by the AD chip and input to the FPGA as a feedback of the main body state) and the SW signal (the signal controlling the main body switch), thereby avoiding a safety accident.

[0163] The processes and functions achieved by the method of this embodiment substantially correspond to the above-described robot embodiments, principles, and examples. Therefore, for details not described in this embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above-described embodiments and will not be restated here.

[0164] The technical solutions of the present disclosure have been verified through a number of tests. By adding a hardware control loop compatible with the software control loop, in addition to adding the hardware control loop, a safety feedback loop is formed by introducing a switch signal as a combination with the current sampling circuit, and as a result, the safety of the robot is further improved.

[0165] In summary, it is easy for those skilled in the art to understand that the excellent methods described above can be freely combined and superimposed with existing devices without collision.

[0166] The above description is only an example of the present disclosure and is not intended to limit the present disclosure. For those skilled in the art, the present disclosure may have various modifications and changes. Any modification, equivalent substitution, or improvement within the scope of the spirit and principle of the present disclosure is included in the scope of the claims of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A robot control device comprising a signal acquisition unit, a control unit, a logic processing unit, and a signal output unit, wherein the signal acquisition unit is configured to acquire a switch turn-on signal indicating that the main body switch of the robot is turned on when the robot triggers an emergency stop and the braking of the motor of the robot can be manually released when the main body switch of the robot is turned on, the control unit is configured to output an enable release control signal when the robot triggers the emergency stop and the braking of the motor of the robot can be released by enable control, the logic processing unit is configured to output a manual release signal after performing logical processing on the switch turn-on signal when the switch turn-on signal is received, and to output an enable release signal after performing logical processing on the enable release control signal when the enable release control signal is received, the signal output unit is configured to control the braking of the motor of the robot to be released when the manual release signal or the enable release signal is received, the number of output terminals of the signal acquisition unit, the number of logic processing units, and the number of signal output units match the number of motors in the robot that need to be braked or released from braking, when the number of motors in the robot that need to be braked or released from braking is 2, the motors in the robot that need to be braked or released from braking include a first motor and a second motor, the output terminals of the signal acquisition unit include a first output terminal and a second output terminal, the logic processing unit includes a first logic processing unit and a second logic processing unit, and the signal output unit includes a first signal output unit and a second signal output unit, The first output terminal of the signal acquisition unit is connected to the first input terminal of the first logic processing unit, the output terminal of the first logic processing unit is connected to the input terminal of the first signal output unit, and the output terminal of the first signal output unit is connected to the control terminal of the first motor for braking or for releasing the braking. The second output terminal of the signal acquisition unit is connected to the first input terminal of the second logic processing unit, the output terminal of the second logic processing unit is connected to the input terminal of the second signal output unit, and the output terminal of the second signal output unit is connected to the control terminal of the second motor for braking or for releasing the braking. A robot control device, wherein the first enable control terminal of the control unit is connected to the second input terminal of the first logic processing unit, and the second enable control terminal of the control unit is connected to the second input terminal of the second logic processing unit.

2. The main body switch of the robot is provided with a self-resetting switch. The first terminal of the self-resetting switch is connected to the input terminal of the signal acquisition unit, the second terminal of the self-resetting switch is grounded, and the self-resetting switch is a normally open switch and is turned on when pressed. The robot control device is When the robot triggers an emergency stop through the control unit and brakes are applied to the motors of the robot, if the self-resetting switch of the robot is turned off through self-resetting, the signal acquisition unit configured to acquire a switch turn-off signal indicating that the self-resetting switch of the robot is turned off. The logic processing unit configured to output a braking maintenance signal after performing logical processing on the switch turn-off signal when the switch turn-off signal is received. The robot control device according to claim 1, further comprising a signal output unit configured to control the motor of the robot to maintain a braking state when the braking maintenance signal is received.

3. It further includes a sampling unit configured to collect the current signal on the brake signal line of the robot. The control unit is further configured to monitor the state of the robot body according to the current signal of the robot body and the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot. The switch signal of the main body switch of the robot includes the switch turn-on signal indicating that the main body switch of the robot is turned on or the switch turn-off signal indicating that the main body switch of the robot is turned off. The robot control device according to claim 1.

4. The fact that the control unit monitors the state of the robot body according to the current signal of the robot body and the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot means that When the robot is operating normally, if the current signal indicates that the robot is operating normally and the switch signal indicates that the main body switch of the robot is turned on from the turn-off state, the robot is controlled to stop and an alert message indicating that the robot has malfunctioned during normal operation is transmitted. When the robot is in a braking state, if the current signal indicates that the robot is in the braking state and the switch signal indicates that the main body switch of the robot is turned on from the turn-off state, the robot is controlled to invalidate the startup. The robot control device according to claim 3.

5. The signal acquisition unit includes a first optocoupler module, a first switch module, and a second switch module. The diode side of the first optocoupler module is connected to the main body switch of the robot, and the transistor side of the first optocoupler module can output the switch signal of the main body switch of the robot. The switch signal of the main body switch of the robot is output to the first input terminal of the first logic processing unit after being processed by the first switch module. The switch signal of the main body switch of the robot is output to the first input terminal of the second logic processing unit after being processed by the second switch module, The switch signal of the main body switch of the robot is further output to the feedback terminal of the control unit. The robot control device according to claim 1.

6. The structure of the first switch module is the same as that of the second switch module. The first switch module includes a first bipolar transistor module. The base of the first bipolar transistor module is connected to the emitter on the transistor side of the first optocoupler module. The collector of the first bipolar transistor module is connected to the first input terminal of the first logic processing unit as the output terminal of the first switch module. The robot control device according to claim 5.

7. The structure of the first logic processing unit is the same as that of the second logic processing unit. The first logic processing unit includes a first AND gate module. The first input terminal of the first AND gate module is connected to the first output terminal of the signal acquisition unit. The second input terminal of the first AND gate module is connected to the first enable control terminal of the control unit. The output terminal of the first AND gate module is connected to the input terminal of the first signal output unit. The robot control device according to claim 1.

8. The structure of the first signal output unit is the same as that of the second signal output unit. The first signal output unit includes a second optocoupler module. The cathode on the diode side of the second optocoupler module is connected to the output terminal of the first logic processing unit. The emitter on the transistor side of the second optocoupler module is connected to the control terminal of the first motor to brake or release the braking. The robot control device according to claim 1.

9. A robot comprising the robot control device according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A robot control method, When the robot triggers an emergency stop and the braking of the motor of the robot can be manually released, when the main body switch of the robot is turned on, the signal acquisition unit acquires a switch turn-on signal indicating that the main body switch of the robot is turned on; When the robot triggers the emergency stop and the braking of the motor of the robot can be released by enable control, the control unit outputs an enable release control signal; When the logic processing unit receives the switch turn-on signal, after performing logical processing on the switch turn-on signal, it outputs a manual release signal. When the enable release control signal is received, after performing logical processing on the enable release control signal, it outputs an enable release signal; When the manual release signal or the enable release signal is received, the signal output unit controls the braking of the motor of the robot to be released; including The number of output terminals of the signal acquisition unit, the number of logic processing units, and the number of signal output units are the same as the number of motors in the robot that need to be braked or released from braking; When the number of motors in the robot that need to be braked or released from braking is 2, the motors in the robot that need to be braked or released from braking include a first motor and a second motor. The output terminals of the signal acquisition unit include a first output terminal and a second output terminal. The logic processing unit includes a first logic processing unit and a second logic processing unit. The signal output unit includes a first signal output unit and a second signal output unit; The first output terminal of the signal acquisition unit is connected to the first input terminal of the first logic processing unit. The output terminal of the first logic processing unit is connected to the input terminal of the first signal output unit. The output terminal of the first signal output unit is connected to the control terminal of the first motor for braking or for releasing the braking. The second output terminal of the signal acquisition unit is connected to the first input terminal of the second logic processing unit. The output terminal of the second logic processing unit is connected to the input terminal of the second signal output unit. The output terminal of the second signal output unit is connected to the control terminal of the second motor for braking or for releasing the braking. A robot control method, wherein the first enable control terminal of the control unit is connected to the second input terminal of the first logic processing unit, and the second enable control terminal of the control unit is connected to the second input terminal of the second logic processing unit.

11. The main body switch of the robot is provided with a self-resetting switch. The first terminal of the self-resetting switch is connected to the input terminal of the signal acquisition unit. The second terminal of the self-resetting switch is grounded. The self-resetting switch is a normally open switch and is turned on when pressed. The robot control method includes: When the signal acquisition unit triggers the emergency stop of the robot through the control unit and brakes are applied to the motors of the robot, if the self-resetting switch of the robot is turned off through self-resetting, acquiring a switch turn-off signal indicating that the self-resetting switch of the robot is turned off. When the logic processing unit receives the switch turn-off signal, after performing logical processing on the switch turn-off signal, outputting a braking maintenance signal. When the signal output unit receives the braking maintenance signal, controlling the motors of the robot to maintain the braking state. The robot control method according to claim 10, further comprising the above steps.

12. The step of collecting a current signal on the brake signal line of the robot by the sampling unit; The step of monitoring the state of the robot body by the control unit according to the current signal of the robot body and the switch signal of the robot body switch, wherein the switch signal of the robot body switch includes the switch turn-on signal indicating that the robot body switch is turned on, or the switch turn-off signal indicating that the robot body switch is turned off; The robot control method according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising the above steps.

13. The step of monitoring the state of the robot body by the control unit according to the current signal of the robot body and the switch signal of the robot body switch includes: When the robot is operating normally, if the current signal indicates that the robot is operating normally and the switch signal indicates that the robot body switch is turned on from the off state, controlling the robot to stop and transmitting an alert message indicating that the robot has malfunctioned during normal operation; When the robot is in a braking state, if the current signal indicates that the robot is in the braking state and the switch signal indicates that the robot body switch is turned on from the off state, controlling the robot to disable startup; The robot control method according to claim 12, including the above steps.

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