Steel Bar Bundling Robot

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of creating a reinforcement model obtained by modeling a primary reinforcement or a secondary reinforcement using straight lines.SOLUTION: A reinforcement binding robot 100 comprises a reinforcement binding machine 2, a conveyance unit 106 for conveying the reinforcement binding machine 2, and a control unit for controlling operation of the conveyance unit 106. The conveyance unit 106 comprises a longitudinal direction movement mechanism capable of moving the reinforcement binding robot 100 in a front-back direction and a first three-dimensional distance sensor for outputting first point group data obtained by representing a three-dimensional position of a subject in a first field of view using a point group. The control unit is configured to be capable of executing first reinforcement extraction processing of extracting a point group whose vertical position is within a predetermined reinforcement depth range from point groups included in the first point group data and reinforcement model creation processing of creating a reinforcement model obtained by modeling a primary reinforcement or a secondary reinforcement using straight lines on the basis of the point group extracted by the first reinforcement extraction processing.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a reinforcing bar bundling robot.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a reinforcing bar bundling robot capable of repeatedly performing an operation of moving over a plurality of primary reinforcing bars and a plurality of secondary reinforcing bars that intersect the plurality of primary reinforcing bars in the direction in which the plurality of primary reinforcing bars extend and bundling the intersection points of the plurality of primary reinforcing bars and the plurality of secondary reinforcing bars. The reinforcing bar bundling robot includes a reinforcing bar bundling unit, a conveying unit that conveys the reinforcing bar bundling unit, and a control unit that controls the operation of the conveying unit. The conveying unit includes a vertical movement mechanism capable of moving the reinforcing bar bundling robot in the front-rear direction.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a reinforcing bar bundling robot, if a reinforcing bar model in which a primary reinforcing bar or a secondary reinforcing bar is modeled by a straight line can be generated, it becomes possible to more easily control the movement by the conveying unit and the bundling of the reinforcing bars by the reinforcing bar bundling unit. In this specification, a technology capable of generating a reinforcing bar model in which a primary reinforcing bar or a secondary reinforcing bar is modeled by a straight line in a reinforcing bar bundling robot is provided.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The steel bar tying robot disclosed in this specification can alternately and repeatedly execute an operation of moving above the plurality of primary steel bars and the plurality of secondary steel bars in the direction in which the plurality of primary steel bars extend, and an operation of tying the intersections of the plurality of primary steel bars and the plurality of secondary steel bars. The steel bar tying robot may include a steel bar tying unit, a conveying unit for conveying the steel bar tying unit, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the conveying unit. The conveying unit may include a vertical movement mechanism capable of moving the steel bar tying robot in the front-rear direction, and a first three-dimensional distance sensor that outputs first point cloud data representing the three-dimensional position of a subject in a first field of view by a point cloud. The control unit may be configured to be capable of executing a first steel bar extraction process of extracting a point cloud whose vertical position is within a predetermined steel bar depth range from the point cloud included in the first point cloud data, and a steel bar model generation process of generating a steel bar model in which the primary steel bar or the secondary steel bar is modeled by a straight line based on the point cloud extracted by the first steel bar extraction process.

[0006] According to the above configuration, a steel bar model for the primary steel bars and the secondary steel bars can be generated using the first point cloud data acquired by the first three-dimensional distance sensor. The point cloud included in the first point cloud data acquired by the first three-dimensional distance sensor includes, in addition to the point cloud corresponding to the primary steel bars and the secondary steel bars, also the point cloud corresponding to a subject such as the ground located below the primary steel bars and the secondary steel bars. According to the above configuration, the point cloud corresponding to the primary steel bars and the secondary steel bars can be extracted by the first steel bar extraction process, and an accurate steel bar model for the primary steel bars and the secondary steel bars can be generated.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0007]

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0008] Regarding typical and non-limiting specific examples of the present invention, it will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. This detailed description is simply intended to show those skilled in the art the details for implementing preferred examples of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Also, the disclosed additional features and inventions can be used separately or together with other features and inventions in order to provide a further improved reinforcing bar bundling robot.

[0009] Also, the combinations of features and steps disclosed in the following detailed description are not essential for implementing the present invention in the broadest sense, and are described only for the purpose of explaining typical specific examples of the present invention in particular. Furthermore, various features of the following typical specific examples, as well as various features described in the claims, do not have to be combined as described in the specific examples here or in the order listed when providing additional and useful embodiments of the present invention.

[0010] All features described in this specification and / or the claims are intended to be disclosed individually and independently of each other as limitations on the initial disclosure and the specific matters described in the claims, apart from the configuration of the features described in the embodiments and / or the claims. Further, all descriptions regarding numerical ranges and groups or collectives are made with the intention of disclosing intermediate configurations as limitations on the initial disclosure and the specific matters described in the claims.

[0011] In one or more embodiments, the steel bar tying robot may alternately and repeatedly execute an operation of moving over the plurality of primary steel bars and the plurality of secondary steel bars in the direction in which the plurality of primary steel bars extend, and an operation of tying the intersections where the plurality of primary steel bars and the plurality of secondary steel bars intersect. The steel bar tying robot may include a steel bar tying unit, a conveying unit for conveying the steel bar tying unit, and a control unit for controlling the operation of the conveying unit. The conveying unit may include a vertical movement mechanism capable of moving the steel bar tying robot in the front-rear direction, and a first three-dimensional distance sensor that outputs first point cloud data representing the three-dimensional position of an object in the first field of view by a point cloud. The control unit may be configured to be capable of executing a first steel bar extraction process of extracting, from the point cloud included in the first point cloud data, a point cloud whose vertical position is within a predetermined steel bar depth range, and a steel bar model generation process of generating a steel bar model in which the primary steel bar or the secondary steel bar is modeled by a straight line based on the point cloud extracted by the first steel bar extraction process.

[0012] In one or more embodiments, the control unit may be configured to be capable of executing a cluster extraction process of further extracting, from the point cloud extracted by the first steel bar extraction process, the point cloud included in the largest cluster. The steel bar model generation process may be based on the point cloud extracted by the cluster extraction process.

[0013] Among the point clouds included in the first point cloud data acquired by the first three-dimensional distance sensor, there may be a case where, among the point clouds whose vertical positions are substantially the same as those of the primary steel bars and secondary steel bars, there are point clouds corresponding to subjects other than the primary steel bars and secondary steel bars. In the point clouds included in the first point cloud data acquired by the first three-dimensional distance sensor, since the point clouds corresponding to the primary steel bars and secondary steel bars form clusters, by extracting only the point clouds included in the largest cluster, it is possible to exclude the point clouds corresponding to subjects other than the primary steel bars and secondary steel bars. According to the above configuration, it is possible to more accurately extract the point clouds corresponding to the primary steel bars and secondary steel bars.

[0014] In one or more embodiments, the steel bar model generation process may include a secondary steel bar model generation process that generates a secondary steel bar model by modeling the secondary steel bars based on the point clouds extracted by the first steel bar extraction process, a secondary steel bar exclusion process that further extracts point clouds not included in the range near the secondary steel bar model from the point clouds extracted by the first steel bar extraction process, and a primary steel bar model generation process that generates a primary steel bar model by modeling the primary steel bars based on the point clouds extracted by the secondary steel bar exclusion process.

[0015] According to the above configuration, since the point clouds corresponding to the secondary steel bars are excluded and the primary steel bar model is generated based on the point clouds that only include the point clouds corresponding to the primary steel bars, it is possible to generate a more accurate primary steel bar model. Here, the range near the secondary steel bar model refers to, for example, a range where the distance from the straight line represented by the secondary steel bar model is equal to or less than a predetermined value (for example, 1.5 times, 1 time, etc. of the diameter of the secondary steel bar).

[0016] In one or more embodiments, the steel bar model generation process may further include a secondary steel bar extraction process that further extracts point clouds within a secondary steel bar candidate range set based on the positions of the point clouds located near both ends in the left-right direction among the point clouds extracted by the first steel bar extraction process. The secondary steel bar model generation process may be based on the point clouds extracted by the secondary steel bar extraction process.

[0017] According to the above configuration, in the secondary rebar model generation process, since the secondary rebar model is generated based on the point cloud from which many of the point clouds corresponding to the primary rebars are excluded, a more accurate secondary rebar model can be generated. Therefore, in the subsequent secondary rebar exclusion process, the point cloud corresponding to the secondary rebar can be excluded more accurately.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, in the secondary rebar model generation process, the secondary rebar model may be generated using the RANSAC method.

[0019] The point cloud used when generating the secondary rebar model in the secondary rebar model generation process includes not only the point cloud corresponding to the secondary rebar but also a small amount of the point cloud corresponding to the primary rebar. According to the above configuration, the point cloud corresponding to the primary rebar can be treated as an outlier by the RANSAC method, so that a more accurate secondary rebar model can be generated in the secondary rebar model generation process.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, the first three-dimensional distance sensor may be arranged downward.

[0021] According to the above configuration, the process of converting the three-dimensional position of the subject based on the first three-dimensional distance sensor to the three-dimensional position based on the rebar tying robot can be made simple.

[0022] In one or more embodiments, the transport unit may further include a second three-dimensional distance sensor that outputs second point cloud data representing the three-dimensional position of the subject in a second visual field behind the first visual field by a point cloud. The control unit may be further configured to be capable of executing a second rebar extraction process of extracting a point cloud whose vertical position is within the rebar depth range from the point cloud included in the second point cloud data. The rebar model generation process may also be based on the point cloud extracted by the second rebar extraction process.

[0023] According to the above configuration, since a reinforcement model for primary reinforcements and secondary reinforcements is generated using the first point cloud data acquired by the first three-dimensional distance sensor and the second point cloud data acquired by the second three-dimensional distance sensor, a more accurate reinforcement model can be generated.

[0024] In one or more embodiments, the reinforcement model generation process may include a first secondary reinforcement model generation process that generates a secondary reinforcement model in which the secondary reinforcement is modeled based on the point cloud extracted by the first reinforcement extraction process, a first secondary reinforcement exclusion process that further extracts a point cloud that is not included in the range near the secondary reinforcement model generated by the first secondary reinforcement model generation process from the point cloud extracted by the first reinforcement extraction process, a second secondary reinforcement model generation process that generates a secondary reinforcement model in which the secondary reinforcement is modeled based on the point cloud extracted by the second reinforcement extraction process, a second secondary reinforcement exclusion process that further extracts a point cloud that is not included in the range near the secondary reinforcement model generated by the second secondary reinforcement model generation process from the point cloud extracted by the second reinforcement extraction process, and a primary reinforcement model generation process that generates a primary reinforcement model in which the primary reinforcement is modeled based on the point cloud extracted by the first secondary reinforcement exclusion process and the point cloud extracted by the second secondary reinforcement exclusion process.

[0025] According to the above configuration, since a primary reinforcement model is generated based on a point cloud that is derived from the first point cloud data, in which the point cloud corresponding to the secondary reinforcement is excluded and only the point cloud corresponding to the primary reinforcement is included, and a point cloud that is derived from the second point cloud data, in which the point cloud corresponding to the secondary reinforcement is excluded and only the point cloud corresponding to the primary reinforcement is included, a more accurate primary reinforcement model can be generated.

[0026] In one or more embodiments, in the primary reinforcement model generation process, the primary reinforcement model may be generated using the least squares method.

[0027] If, by the RANSAC method, a configuration is adopted in which a primary reinforcement model is generated from the point cloud derived from the first point cloud data and the point cloud derived from the second point cloud data, when one of the number of points in the point cloud derived from the first point cloud data and the point cloud derived from the second point cloud data is large and the other is small, all of the points in the point cloud with the smaller number may be treated as outliers, and it may become impossible to generate an accurate primary reinforcement model. According to the above configuration, since the primary reinforcement model is generated from the point cloud derived from the first point cloud data and the point cloud derived from the second point cloud data by the least squares method, even when one of the number of points in the point cloud derived from the first point cloud data and the point cloud derived from the second point cloud data is large and the other is small, an accurate primary reinforcement model can be generated.

[0028] In one or more embodiments, the first three-dimensional distance sensor and the second three-dimensional distance sensor may be arranged downward.

[0029] According to the above configuration, the process of converting the three-dimensional position of the subject based on the first three-dimensional distance sensor or the second three-dimensional distance sensor into the three-dimensional position based on the steel bar tying robot can be made simple.

[0030] In one or more embodiments, the transport unit may include a crawler that travels on the plurality of primary steel bars and the plurality of secondary steel bars.

[0031] When the steel bar tying robot moves by a crawler, even when the steel bar tying robot is moved along the primary steel bar, the traveling direction of the steel bar tying robot may deviate in the left-right direction due to various factors. According to the above configuration, since the steel bar model for the primary steel bar and the secondary steel bar can be generated using the first point cloud data acquired by the first three-dimensional distance sensor, it is possible to determine whether the steel bar tying robot is moving along the primary steel bar.

[0032] (Example) As shown in Fig. 1, the steel bar tying robot 100 of this embodiment includes a steel bar tying machine 2, a power supply unit 102, an operation unit 104, and a conveying unit 106. The steel bar tying robot 100 is a robot that moves over a plurality of primary steel bars R1 arranged in parallel with each other along the horizontal direction and secondary steel bars R2 arranged in parallel with each other along the horizontal direction, and ties the intersection points of the primary steel bars R1 and the secondary steel bars R2 using the steel bar tying machine 2. When the primary steel bars R1 and the secondary steel bars R2 are viewed from above, the direction in which the secondary steel bars R2 extend is orthogonal to the direction in which the primary steel bars R1 extend. Also, the secondary steel bars R2 are arranged above the primary steel bars R1. The primary steel bars R1 are arranged at intervals of, for example, 100 mm - 300 mm, and the secondary steel bars R2 are arranged at intervals of, for example, 100 mm - 300 mm. The steel bar tying robot 100 has dimensions in the front-rear direction of, for example, about 900 mm and dimensions in the left-right direction of, for example, about 600 mm.

[0033] (Configuration of the steel bar tying machine 2) Hereinafter, with reference to Figs. 2 to 5, the configuration of the steel bar tying machine 2 will be described. It should be noted that the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction in the descriptions of Figs. 2 to 5 do not mean the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction based on the steel bar tying robot 100, but rather the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction based on the steel bar tying machine 2.

[0034] As shown in Fig. 2, the reinforcing bar tying machine 2 is a power tool for tying intersecting reinforcing bars R (for example, primary reinforcing bar R1 and secondary reinforcing bar R2) with a wire W. The reinforcing bar tying machine 2 can be removed from the reinforcing bar tying robot 100 and used by the user holding it by hand, or can be attached to the reinforcing bar tying robot 100 for use. The reinforcing bar tying machine 2 includes a housing 3. The housing 3 includes a main body portion 4, a gripping portion 6 provided at the lower part of the main body portion 4, and a battery attachment portion 8 provided at the lower part of the gripping portion 6. As shown in Fig. 2, a battery pack B can be attached to the lower part of the battery attachment portion 8, or as shown in Fig. 1, a battery adapter 108 can be attached. The battery pack B incorporates a secondary battery cell (not shown) such as a lithium ion battery cell, etc., and can be charged by a charger (not shown). The main body portion 4, the gripping portion 6, and the battery attachment portion 8 are integrally formed.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 3, a reel 10 around which a wire W is wound is detachably accommodated at the upper rear part of the main body portion 4. As shown in Fig. 2, the housing 3 includes a reel cover 5 shaped to cover the upper part of the reel 10. The reel cover 5 is rotatably held by cover holding portions 7 provided at the left rear part and the right rear part of the main body portion 4. The reel cover 5 opens and closes by rotating with respect to the main body portion 4.

[0036] As shown in Figs. 3 - 5, the reinforcing bar tying machine 2 includes a feeding mechanism 12, a guiding mechanism 14, a braking mechanism 16, a cutting mechanism 18, a twisting mechanism 20, and a control device 80.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 3, the feeding mechanism 12 feeds the wire W supplied from the reel 10 to the guiding mechanism 14 in front of the main body 4. The feeding mechanism 12 includes a feeding motor 22, a driving roller 24, and a driven roller 26. The wire W is clamped between the driving roller 24 and the driven roller 26. The feeding motor 22 is, for example, a DC motor with brushes. The operation of the feeding motor 22 is controlled by the control device 80. The feeding motor 22 rotates the driving roller 24. When the feeding motor 22 rotates the driving roller 24, the driven roller 26 rotates in the reverse direction, and the wire W clamped by the driving roller 24 and the driven roller 26 is fed out to the guiding mechanism 14, and the wire W is pulled out from the reel 10.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 4, the guiding mechanism 14 guides the wire W sent from the feeding mechanism 12 in an annular shape around the reinforcing bar R. The guiding mechanism 14 includes a guiding pipe 28, an upper curling guide 30, and a lower curling guide 32. The rear end of the guiding pipe 28 opens toward the space between the driving roller 24 and the driven roller 26. The wire W sent from the feeding mechanism 12 is fed into the guiding pipe 28. The front end of the guiding pipe 28 opens toward the inside of the upper curling guide 30. The upper curling guide 30 is provided with a first guiding passage 34 for guiding the wire W sent from the guiding pipe 28 and a second guiding passage (not shown) for guiding the wire W sent from the lower curling guide 32.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 4, the first guiding passage 34 is provided with a plurality of guiding pins 38 for guiding the wire W so as to give the wire W a downward curl and a cutter 40 that forms part of the cutting mechanism 18 described later. The wire W sent from the guiding pipe 28 is guided by the guiding pins 38 in the first guiding passage 34, passes through the cutter 40, and is sent out from the front end of the upper curling guide 30 toward the lower curling guide 32.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 5, a return plate 42 is provided on the lower curl guide 32. The return plate 42 guides the wire W sent from the front end of the upper curl guide 30 and returns it toward the rear end of the second guide passage of the upper curl guide 30.

[0041] The second guide passage of the upper curl guide 30 is arranged adjacent to the first guide passage 34. The second guide passage guides the wire W sent from the lower curl guide 32 and sends it out from the front end of the upper curl guide 30 toward the lower curl guide 32.

[0042] By the upper curl guide 30 and the lower curl guide 32, the wire W sent from the feeding mechanism 12 is wound annularly around the steel bar R. The number of turns of the wire W around the steel bar R can be preset by the user. When the feeding mechanism 12 sends out the wire W in a feeding amount corresponding to the set number of turns, the feeding motor 22 is stopped to stop the feeding of the wire W.

[0043] The braking mechanism 16 shown in Fig. 3 stops the rotation of the reel 10 in conjunction with the feed mechanism 12 stopping the feeding of the wire W. The braking mechanism 16 includes a solenoid 46, a link 48, and a brake arm 50. The operation of the solenoid 46 is controlled by the control device 80. On the reel 10, engaging portions 10a with which the brake arm 50 engages are formed at predetermined angular intervals in the radial direction. When the solenoid 46 is not energized, the brake arm 50 is separated from the engaging portion 10a of the reel 10. When the solenoid 46 is energized, the brake arm 50 is driven via the link 48, and the brake arm 50 engages with the engaging portion 10a of the reel 10. When the feed mechanism 12 feeds the wire W, the control device 80 does not energize the solenoid 46 and separates the brake arm 50 from the engaging portion 10a of the reel 10. Thereby, the reel 10 can rotate freely, and the feed mechanism 12 can pull out the wire W from the reel 10. Further, when the feed mechanism 12 stops feeding the wire W, the control device 80 energizes the solenoid 46 and engages the brake arm 50 with the engaging portion 10a of the reel 10. Thereby, the rotation of the reel 10 is prohibited. This can prevent the wire W from becoming slack between the reel 10 and the feed mechanism 12 even after the feed mechanism 12 stops feeding the wire W due to the inertia of the reel 10 continuing to rotate.

[0044] The cutting mechanism 18 shown in Figs. 4 and 5 cuts the wire W in a state where the wire W is wound around the reinforcing bar R. The cutting mechanism 18 includes a cutter 40 and a link 52. The link 52 rotates the cutter 40 in conjunction with a twisting mechanism 20 described later. When the cutter 40 rotates, the wire W passing through the inside of the cutter 40 is cut.

[0045] The twisting mechanism 20 shown in Fig. 5 twists the wire W wound around the reinforcing bar R to bind the reinforcing bar R with the wire W. The twisting mechanism 20 includes a twisting motor 54, a speed reduction mechanism 56, a screw shaft 58 (see Fig. 4), a sleeve 60, a push plate 61, and a pair of hooks 62.

[0046] The twisting motor 54 is, for example, a DC brushless motor. The operation of the twisting motor 54 is controlled by the control device 80. The rotation of the twisting motor 54 is transmitted to the screw shaft 58 via the speed reduction mechanism 56. The twisting motor 54 can rotate in the forward and reverse directions, and accordingly, the screw shaft 58 can also rotate in the forward and reverse directions. The sleeve 60 is arranged to cover the periphery of the screw shaft 58. When the rotation of the sleeve 60 is prohibited, when the screw shaft 58 rotates forward, the sleeve 60 moves forward, and when the screw shaft 58 rotates in the reverse direction, the sleeve 60 moves backward. The push plate 61 moves forward and backward integrally with the sleeve 60 in accordance with the forward and backward movement of the sleeve 60. Also, when the rotation of the sleeve 60 is permitted and the screw shaft 58 rotates, the sleeve 60 rotates together with the screw shaft 58.

[0047] When the sleeve 60 advances from the initial position to a predetermined position, the push plate 61 drives the link 52 of the cutting mechanism 18 to rotate the cutter 40. A pair of hooks 62 are provided at the front end of the sleeve 60 and open and close according to the forward and backward position of the sleeve 60. When the sleeve 60 moves forward, the pair of hooks 62 close to grip the wire W. Then, when the sleeve 60 moves backward, the pair of hooks 62 open to release the wire W.

[0048] The control device 80 rotates the twisting motor 54 with the wire W wound around the reinforcing bar R. At this time, the rotation of the sleeve 60 is prohibited, and as the screw shaft 58 rotates, the sleeve 60 advances and the push plate 61 and the pair of hooks 62 advance, and the pair of hooks 62 close to grip the wire W. Then, when the rotation of the sleeve 60 is permitted, as the screw shaft 58 rotates, the sleeve 60 rotates and the pair of hooks 62 rotate. As a result, the wire W is twisted and the reinforcing bar R is tied up.

[0049] When the twisting of the wire W is completed, the control device 80 rotates the twisting motor 54 in the reverse direction. At this time, the rotation of the sleeve 60 is prohibited. After the pair of hooks 62 are opened and the wire W is released, the sleeve 60 retreats by the rotation of the screw shaft 58, and the push plate 61 and the pair of hooks 62 also retreat. When the sleeve 60 retreats, the push plate 61 drives the link 52 of the cutting mechanism 18 to return the cutter 40 to the initial position. Then, when the sleeve 60 retreats to the initial position, the rotation of the sleeve 60 is permitted, and the sleeve 60 and the pair of hooks 62 rotate by the rotation of the screw shaft 58 to return to the initial angle.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 2, a first operation unit 64 is provided on the upper part of the main body 4. The first operation unit 64 is provided with a main switch 74 for switching on / off the main power supply, a main power supply LED 76 for displaying the on / off state of the main power supply, and the like. The first operation unit 64 is connected to the control device 80.

[0051] A second operation unit 90 is provided on the front upper surface of the battery attachment part 8. The user can set the number of turns of the wire W around the reinforcing bar R, the torque threshold value when twisting the wire W, and the like via the second operation unit 90. The second operation unit 90 is provided with a setting switch 98 for setting the number of turns of the wire W around the reinforcing bar R and the torque threshold value when twisting the wire W, a display LED 96 for displaying the current setting content, and the like. The second operation unit 90 is connected to the control device 80.

[0052] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, when the wire bundling machine 2 is removed from the wire bundling robot 100, the user uses the wire bundling machine 2 while gripping the gripping portion 6. A trigger 84 that can be pulled by the user is provided at the upper front portion of the gripping portion 6. As shown in FIG. 5, a trigger switch 86 for detecting on / off of the trigger 84 is provided inside the gripping portion 6. The trigger switch 86 is connected to the control device 80. When the user pulls the trigger 84 and the trigger switch 86 is turned on, the wire bundling machine 2 winds the wire W around the reinforcing bar R by the feeding mechanism 12, the guiding mechanism 14, and the braking mechanism 16, and cuts the wire W by the cutting mechanism 18 and the twisting mechanism 20, and executes a series of operations of twisting the wire W wound around the reinforcing bar R.

[0053] (Configuration of the power supply unit 102) As shown in FIG. 1, the power supply unit 102 is held by the transport unit 106. The power supply unit 102 includes a housing 110 and a cover 112. A control unit 126 is accommodated in the housing 110. The control unit 126 controls the operations of the power supply unit 102, the operation unit 104, and the transport unit 106.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 6, a battery housing chamber 110a is formed in the housing 110. A plurality of battery mounting portions 114 are provided in the battery housing chamber 110a. Each of the plurality of battery mounting portions 114 is detachable from each of the plurality of battery packs B. The cover 112 is attached to the housing 110 via a hinge 115 provided at the rear of the housing 110 near the upper end of the battery housing chamber 110a. The cover 112 is rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction with respect to the housing 110. As shown in FIG. 6, when the cover 112 is opened with respect to the housing 110, each of the plurality of battery packs B can be attached to and detached from the plurality of battery mounting portions 114 by sliding in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 1, when the cover 112 is closed with respect to the housing 110, the plurality of battery packs B attached to the plurality of battery mounting portions 114 are surrounded by the housing 110 and the cover 112. In this state, even when water is splashed on the power supply unit 102, it is possible to prevent water from splashing on the plurality of battery packs B inside the battery housing chamber 110a.

[0055] The cover 112 is biased in a closing direction with respect to the housing 110 by a torsion spring (not shown). The cover 112 is provided with a latch member 116 that can be operated by the user. As shown in FIG. 6, a latch receiver 110b is formed in the housing 110 corresponding to the latch member 116. When the user closes the cover 112 and rotates the latch member 116, the latch member 116 engages with the latch receiver 110b, and the cover 112 is maintained in a closed state with respect to the housing 110. From this state, when the user rotates the latch member 116 in the reverse direction, the engagement between the latch member 116 and the latch receiver 110b is released, and the user can open the cover 112 with respect to the housing 110.

[0056] On the upper surface of the housing 110 in front of the battery accommodation chamber 110a, a plurality of remaining amount display indicators 118, a remaining amount display button 120, and an operation execution button 122 are provided. Each of the plurality of remaining amount display indicators 118 is arranged corresponding to each of the plurality of battery attachment portions 114, and displays the remaining battery amount of the battery pack B attached to the corresponding battery attachment portion 114. The remaining amount display button 120 is a button for the user to switch the on / off of the display of the remaining battery amount by the plurality of remaining amount display indicators 118. The operation execution button 122 is a button for the user to switch the execution and stop of the operation of the steel bar binding robot 100.

[0057] On the upper surface of the housing 110 in front of the battery accommodation chamber 110a, a power supply cable 124 is connected. A battery adapter 108 is connected to the power supply cable 124. When the battery adapter 108 is attached to the steel bar binding machine 2, power from the plurality of battery packs B is supplied to the steel bar binding machine 2.

[0058] In the battery accommodation chamber 110a, a key attachment portion 119 to which the key 117 can be detachably attached is provided. The key 117 can be attached and detached by inserting and removing it with respect to the key attachment portion 119. When the key 117 is removed from the key attachment portion 119, the supply of power from the plurality of battery packs B to the steel bar binding machine 2, the operation unit 104, and the conveyance unit 106 is cut off. When the key 117 is attached to the key attachment portion 119, the supply of power from the plurality of battery packs B to the steel bar binding machine 2, the operation unit 104, and the conveyance unit 106 is permitted.

[0059] (Configuration of the operation unit 104) As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the operation unit 104 includes a lifting mechanism 130 and a gripping mechanism 132.

[0060] As shown in Fig. 7, the elevating mechanism 130 includes a lower base member 134, an upper base member 136, support pipes 138 and 140, an elevating platform 142, a screw shaft 144, a motor connecting portion 146, an elevating motor 148, a sensor support member 150, an upper limit detection sensor 152, and a lower limit detection sensor 154. The lower base member 134 is held by the conveying unit 106. The lower ends of the support pipes 138 and 140 are fixed to the lower base member 134. The upper ends of the support pipes 138 and 140 are fixed to the upper base member 136. The support pipes 138 and 140 are arranged parallel to each other. The support pipes 138 and 140 are arranged inclined in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction with respect to the vertical direction of the reinforcing bar bundling robot 100. Hereinafter, the direction in which the support pipes 138 and 140 extend is also referred to as the elevating direction. Through holes 142a and 142b through which the support pipes 138 and 140 penetrate are formed in the elevating platform 142. Holding members 156 and 158 for slidably holding the support pipes 138 and 140 are fixed to the through holes 142a and 142b. The holding members 156 and 158 may be, for example, linear bushings embedded with solid lubricants, linear ball bearings, or oil-free bearings. The elevating platform 142 is arranged between the lower base member 134 and the upper base member 136 in a state where each of the support pipes 138 and 140 slidably penetrates through the corresponding holding members 156 and 158. The screw shaft 144 is arranged between the support pipes 138 and 140. The lower end of the screw shaft 144 is rotatably held by the lower base member 134. The vicinity of the upper end of the screw shaft 144 is rotatably held by the upper base member 136. The screw shaft 144 is arranged parallel to the support pipes 138 and 140. A male thread is formed on the outer surface of the portion of the screw shaft 144 between the lower base member 134 and the upper base member 136. A through hole 142c through which the screw shaft 144 penetrates is formed in the elevating platform 142. A nut 160 is fixed to the through hole 142c. A female thread corresponding to the male thread of the screw shaft 144 is formed on the nut 160.The screw shaft 144 passes through the lifting table 142 with the male screw screwed into the female screw of the nut 160. The upper end of the screw shaft 144 is connected to the lifting motor 148 via the motor connection part 146. The lifting motor 148 is, for example, a DC motor with brushes. When the lifting motor 148 rotates in the forward direction, the rotation of the screw shaft 144 causes the lifting table 142 to descend from the upper base member 136 toward the lower base member 134. Conversely, when the lifting motor 148 rotates in the reverse direction, the rotation of the screw shaft 144 causes the lifting table 142 to ascend from the lower base member 134 toward the upper base member 136. The sensor support member 150 has its lower end fixed to the lower base member 134 and its upper end fixed to the upper base member 136. The upper limit detection sensor 152 and the lower limit detection sensor 154 are respectively fixed to the sensor support member 150. The upper limit detection sensor 152 is off normally and turns on when it abuts against the lifting table 142 when the lifting table 142 ascends to the upper limit position. The lower limit detection sensor 154 is off normally and turns on when it abuts against the lifting table 142 when the lifting table 142 descends to the lower limit position. When the control unit 126 of the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 lowers the reinforcing bar binding machine 2, it rotates the lifting motor 148 in the forward direction and stops the lifting motor 148 when the lower limit detection sensor 154 turns on. In addition, when the control unit 126 lowers the reinforcing bar binding machine 2, if the reinforcing bar binding machine 2 collides with the primary reinforcing bar R1, the secondary reinforcing bar R2 or other obstacles and the load on the lifting motor 148 suddenly increases, the control unit 126 also stops the lifting motor 148. The load on the lifting motor 148 can be specified, for example, from the current value of the lifting motor 148. Also, when the control unit 126 raises the reinforcing bar binding machine 2, it rotates the lifting motor 148 in the reverse direction and stops the lifting motor 148 when the upper limit detection sensor 152 turns on.

[0061] As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in the reinforcing bar tying robot 100 of this embodiment, when the tying machine 2 is lowered, the primary reinforcing bar R1 and the secondary reinforcing bar R2 approach the tying machine 2 from the side of the lower curling guide 32 instead of the side of the upper curling guide 30. Therefore, when the tying machine 2 is lowered, it is possible to prevent the primary reinforcing bar R1 and the secondary reinforcing bar R2 from colliding with the upper curling guide 30. Further, in the reinforcing bar tying robot 100 of this embodiment, when the tying machine 2 is raised, the primary reinforcing bar R1 and the secondary reinforcing bar R2 move away from the side of the upper curling guide 30 and toward the side of the lower curling guide 32. Therefore, when the tying machine 2 is raised, it is possible to prevent the primary reinforcing bar R1 and the secondary reinforcing bar R2 from being caught by the upper curling guide 30.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 8, the gripping mechanism 132 includes a first support plate 162, a second support plate 164, connecting shafts 166 and 168, a pivot pin 170, a torsion spring 172, a support pin 174, a link 176, a plunger 178, an actuator 180, and a torsion spring 182. The first support plate 162 is disposed to face one outer surface (for example, the right outer surface as viewed from the tying machine 2) of the gripping portion 6 of the tying machine 2. The second support plate 164 is disposed to face the other outer surface (for example, the left outer surface as viewed from the tying machine 2) of the gripping portion 6 of the tying machine 2. The first support plate 162 and the second support plate 164 are fixed to each other via the connecting shafts 166 and 168 while sandwiching the gripping portion 6 of the tying machine 2. On the surface of the first support plate 162 facing the gripping portion 6 and on the surface of the second support plate 164 facing the gripping portion 6, a plurality of protrusions (not shown) that fit into a plurality of recesses 6a (see FIG. 2) formed on the outer surface of the gripping portion 6 of the tying machine 2 are formed, respectively. Therefore, the position of the gripping portion 6 of the tying machine 2 is fixed with respect to the first support plate 162 and the second support plate 164.

[0063] The first support plate 162 is connected to the lifting platform 142 of the lifting mechanism 130 via a rotation pin 170. One end of the rotation pin 170 is fixed to the lifting platform 142. The other end of the rotation pin 170 is rotatably held by the first support plate 162. Therefore, the rebar tying machine 2 held by the first support plate 162 and the second support plate 164 moves up and down in accordance with the movement of the lifting platform 142 and is rotatable around the rotation pin 170 with respect to the lifting platform 142. The support pin 174 is fixed to the lifting platform 142 and extends from the lifting platform 142 toward the first support plate 162. The first support plate 162 is formed with a long hole 162a into which the support pin 174 is inserted and a protrusion 162b protruding toward the lifting platform 142. The long hole 162a defines the rotation range when the rebar tying machine 2 rotates around the rotation pin 170. The torsion spring 172 is disposed outside the rotation pin 170 and biases the protrusion 162b in a direction away from the support pin 174 (that is, biases the first support plate 162 with respect to the lifting platform 142). If the rebar tying machine 2 is configured to be non-rotatable with respect to the lifting platform 142, when an obstacle collides with the rebar tying machine 2, a large impact acts on the operation unit 104. As described above, by configuring the rebar tying machine 2 to be rotatable with respect to the lifting platform 142, even when the rebar tying machine 2 collides with an obstacle, it is possible to suppress a large impact from acting on the operation unit 104.

[0064] Link 176 is held by the second support plate 164. Link 176 is rotatable about a rotation axis along the left - right direction with respect to the second support plate 164. Link 176 includes a pressing portion 176a and an operating portion 176b. The pressing portion 176a is disposed to face the trigger 84 of the rebar tying machine 2. The operating portion 176b is connected to the actuator 180 via the plunger 178. The actuator 180 is, for example, a solenoid. The operation of the actuator 180 is controlled by the control unit 126 of the rebar tying robot 100. The torsion spring 182 biases the link 176 with respect to the second support plate 164 in a direction in which the pressing portion 176a moves away from the trigger 84. When the actuator 180 is off, the pressing portion 176a is separated from the trigger 84 by the biasing force of the torsion spring 182. When the actuator 180 is turned on, the link 176 rotates in a direction in which the operating portion 176b approaches the actuator 180, so that the pressing portion 176a presses the trigger 84. Thereby, a pulling operation on the trigger 84 of the rebar tying machine 2 is performed.

[0065] (Configuration of the conveying unit 106) As shown in FIG. 11, the conveying unit 106 includes a vehicle body 190, a right crawler 192, a left crawler 194, a side stepper 196, a front three - dimensional distance sensor 198, a rear three - dimensional distance sensor 200, and a central three - dimensional distance sensor 202.

[0066] The vehicle body 190 includes a base plate 204, a right frame 206, a left frame 208, a right plate 210, a left plate 212, a front frame 214, and a rear frame 216. The base plate 204 is arranged along the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the power unit 102 is held by the conveyance unit 106 by fixing the housing 110 to the upper surface of the base plate 204. A through hole 204a is formed in the base plate 204. As shown in FIG. 11, the operation unit 104 is held by the conveyance unit 106 by fixing the lower base member 134 to the edge of the through hole 204a. When the operation unit 104 raises and lowers the rebar tying machine 2, the rebar tying machine 2 passes through the through hole 204a.

[0067] The right frame 206 and the left frame 208 are fixed to the lower surface of the base plate 204. The right frame 206 extends in the front-rear direction at the right end of the base plate 204. The left frame 208 extends in the front-rear direction at the left end of the base plate 204. In the front-rear direction, the front end of the right frame 206 and the front end of the left frame 208 are at the same position as the front end of the base plate 204, and the rear end of the right frame 206 and the rear end of the left frame 208 are at the same position as the rear end of the base plate 204. The right plate 210 is fixed to the right surface of the right frame 206. The right plate 210 is arranged along the front-rear direction and the up-down direction. The left plate 212 is fixed to the left surface of the left frame 208. The left plate 212 is arranged along the front-rear direction and the up-down direction. In the up-down direction, the upper end of the right plate 210 and the upper end of the left plate 212 are at the same position as the upper surface of the base plate 204. In the front-rear direction, the front end of the right plate 210 and the front end of the left plate 212 protrude forward from the front end of the base plate 204, and the rear end of the right plate 210 and the rear end of the left plate 212 protrude rearward from the rear end of the base plate 204. The front frame 214 connects the vicinity of the front end of the right plate 210 and the vicinity of the front end of the left plate 212 in front of the front end of the base plate 204. The rear frame 216 connects the vicinity of the rear end of the right plate 210 and the vicinity of the rear end of the left plate 212 behind the rear end of the base plate 204. The front frame 214 and the rear frame 216 extend in the left-right direction. In the up-down direction, the front frame 214 and the rear frame 216 are arranged below the right frame 206 and the left frame 208.

[0068] The right crawler 192 includes a front pulley 218, a rear pulley 220, a plurality of auxiliary pulleys 222, a tension pulley 224, a rubber belt 226, a right crawler motor 228, and a gearbox 230. Tooth profiles that mesh with the rubber belt 226 are formed on the outer surfaces of the front pulley 218, the outer surface of the rear pulley 220, and the outer surfaces of the plurality of auxiliary pulleys 222, respectively. The rubber belt 226 is looped around the front pulley 218, the rear pulley 220, the plurality of auxiliary pulleys 222, and the tension pulley 224. The front pulley 218 is rotatably supported by the right plate 210 via a bearing 232 near the front end of the right plate 210. The rear pulley 220 is rotatably supported by the right plate 210 via a bearing 234 near the rear end of the right plate 210. The plurality of auxiliary pulleys 222 are rotatably supported by the right plate 210 via corresponding bearings 236 between the front pulley 218 and the rear pulley 220. The plurality of auxiliary pulleys 222 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction. The outer diameter of the front pulley 218 and the outer diameter of the rear pulley 220 are substantially the same, and the outer diameters of the plurality of auxiliary pulleys 222 are smaller than the outer diameters of the front pulley 218 and the rear pulley 220. In the vertical direction, the lower ends of the front pulley 218, the lower end of the rear pulley 220, and the lower ends of the plurality of auxiliary pulleys 222 are at substantially the same position.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 12, the tension pulley 224 is rotatably supported by a movable bearing 237. The movable bearing 237 is supported by the right plate 210 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. In the vicinity of the movable bearing 237, the base plate 204 and the right frame 206 are notched so as not to interfere with the movable bearing 237. Below the movable bearing 237, an adjustment bolt 238, a nut 240, and a bolt support member 242 are provided. The bolt support member 242 is fixed to the right plate 210. A through hole 242a through which the shaft portion 238a of the adjustment bolt 238 passes is formed in the bolt support member 242. An internal thread corresponding to the external thread of the shaft portion 238a is formed on the inner surface of the through hole 242a. The nut 240 is disposed below the bolt support member 242. The head 238b of the adjustment bolt 238 is disposed below the nut 240, and the shaft portion 238a of the adjustment bolt 238 is screwed into the nut 240 and also screwed into the through hole 242a of the bolt support member 242. Therefore, the vertical position of the adjustment bolt 238 is fixed in the manner of a so-called double nut. The upper end of the shaft portion 238a of the adjustment bolt 238 abuts against the lower surface of the movable bearing 237. By adjusting the vertical position of the adjustment bolt 238 with the rubber belt 226 wound around the tension pulley 224, the vertical position of the movable bearing 237 with respect to the right plate 210 can be adjusted. Thereby, the tension of the rubber belt 226 can be adjusted.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 11, the right crawler motor 228 is supported by the right plate 210 via a bearing 232 and a gearbox 230. The right crawler motor 228 is, for example, a DC brushless motor. The right crawler motor 228 is connected to the front pulley 218 via a reduction gear (not shown) built into the gearbox 230. When the right crawler motor 228 rotates in the forward or reverse direction, the front pulley 218 rotates in the forward or reverse direction, whereby the rubber belt 226 rotates in the forward or reverse direction outside the front pulley 218, the rear pulley 220, the plurality of auxiliary pulleys 222, and the tension pulley 224.

[0071] The left crawler 194 includes a front pulley 244, a rear pulley 246, a plurality of auxiliary pulleys 248, a tension pulley 250, a rubber belt 252, a left crawler motor 254, and a gearbox 256. Tooth profiles that mesh with the rubber belt 252 are formed on the outer surfaces of the front pulley 244, the outer surface of the rear pulley 246, and the outer surfaces of the plurality of auxiliary pulleys 248, respectively. The rubber belt 252 is stretched over the front pulley 244, the rear pulley 246, the plurality of auxiliary pulleys 248, and the tension pulley 250. The front pulley 244 is rotatably supported by the left plate 212 via a bearing 258 near the front end of the left plate 212. The rear pulley 246 is rotatably supported by the left plate 212 via a bearing 260 near the rear end of the left plate 212. The plurality of auxiliary pulleys 248 are rotatably supported by the left plate 212 via corresponding bearings 262 between the front pulley 244 and the rear pulley 246. The plurality of auxiliary pulleys 248 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction. The outer diameter of the front pulley 244 and the outer diameter of the rear pulley 246 are substantially the same, and the outer diameter of the plurality of auxiliary pulleys 248 is smaller than the outer diameters of the front pulley 244 and the rear pulley 246. In the vertical direction, the lower ends of the front pulley 244, the lower end of the rear pulley 246, and the lower ends of the plurality of auxiliary pulleys 248 are at substantially the same position.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 12, the tension pulley 250 is rotatably supported by a movable bearing 264. The movable bearing 264 is supported by the left plate 212 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. In the vicinity of the movable bearing 264, the base plate 204 and the left frame 208 are notched so as not to interfere with the movable bearing 264. Below the movable bearing 264, an adjustment bolt 266, a nut 268, and a bolt support member 270 are provided. The bolt support member 270 is fixed to the left plate 212. A through hole 270a through which the shaft portion 266a of the adjustment bolt 266 passes is formed in the bolt support member 270. An internal thread corresponding to the external thread of the shaft portion 266a is formed on the inner surface of the through hole 270a. The nut 268 is disposed below the bolt support member 270. The head 266b of the adjustment bolt 266 is disposed below the nut 268, and the shaft portion 266a of the adjustment bolt 266 is screwed into the nut 268 and also screwed into the through hole 270a of the bolt support member 270. Therefore, the vertical position of the adjustment bolt 266 is fixed in the manner of a so-called double nut. The upper end of the shaft portion 266a of the adjustment bolt 266 abuts against the lower surface of the movable bearing 264. By adjusting the vertical position of the adjustment bolt 266 in a state where the rubber belt 252 is wound around the tension pulley 250, the vertical position of the movable bearing 264 with respect to the left plate 212 can be adjusted. Thereby, the tension of the rubber belt 252 can be adjusted.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 11, the left crawler motor 254 is supported by the left plate 212 via a bearing 258 and a gear box 256. The left crawler motor 254 is, for example, a DC brushless motor. The left crawler motor 254 is connected to the front pulley 244 via a reduction gear (not shown) built in the gear box 256. When the left crawler motor 254 rotates in the forward or reverse direction, the front pulley 244 rotates in the forward or reverse direction, whereby the rubber belt 252 rotates in the forward or reverse direction outside the front pulley 244, the rear pulley 246, a plurality of auxiliary pulleys 248, and the tensioner pulley 250.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 13, the side stepper 196 includes step bars 272, 274, a front crank mechanism 276, a rear crank mechanism 277, a stepper motor 279, a gear box 281, a worm gear case 283, and a rotation transmission shaft 285. The step bars 272, 274 are bar-shaped members having a substantially rectangular cross section and extending in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 11, in the left-right direction, the step bar 272 is disposed between the center and the right end of the base plate 204, and the step bar 274 is disposed between the center and the left end of the base plate 204.

[0075] As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the front crank mechanism 276 includes a support plate 278, pulleys 280 and 282, a belt 284, crank arms 286 and 288, crank pins 290 and 292 (see FIG. 15), a crank plate 294, rollers 296 and 298, and a guide plate 300. The support plate 278 is fixed to the lower surface of the base plate 204 near the front end of the base plate 204. The support plate 278 is arranged along the left-right direction and the up-down direction. The pulley 280 is arranged behind the support plate 278 near the right end of the support plate 278. The pulley 282 is arranged behind the support plate 278 near the left end of the support plate 278. The pulleys 280 and 282 are each rotatably supported by the support plate 278. The diameter of the pulley 280 is substantially the same as the diameter of the pulley 282. The belt 284 is looped around the pulleys 280 and 282. Therefore, when one of the pulleys 280 and 282 rotates in the forward or reverse direction, the other also rotates in the forward or reverse direction at substantially the same rotational speed.

[0076] The crank arms 286, 288, the crank pins 290, 292, the crank plate 294, the rollers 296, 298, and the guide plate 300 are arranged in front of the support plate 278. As shown in FIG. 15, the crank arms 286, 288 include fitting holes 286a, 288a into which the shafts 280a, 282a of the pulleys 280, 282 are fitted, and elongated holes 286b, 288b extending in the longitudinal direction of the crank arms 286, 288. The crank arms 286, 288 rotate integrally with the pulleys 280, 282 about the shafts 280a, 282a when the pulleys 280, 282 rotate. The crank pins 290, 292 are slidably inserted into the elongated holes 286b, 288b. The crank pins 290, 292 are fixed to the crank plate 294 while passing through the crank plate 294. The crank plate 294 is arranged on the front side of the crank arms 286, 288. The crank plate 294 extends along the left - right direction and the up - down direction. The rollers 296, 298 (see FIG. 14) are attached to the crank pins 290, 292 on the front side of the crank plate 294. As shown in FIG. 14, the rollers 296, 298 are engaged with guide grooves 302, 304 formed on the rear surface of the guide plate 300. The guide plate 300 is fixed to the lower surface of the base plate 204 in front of the crank plate 294. The guide plate 300 extends along the left - right direction and the up - down direction. As shown in FIG. 15, the guide grooves 302, 304 of the guide plate 300 are formed in a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners. The guide grooves 302, 304 define a side - step track S shown by a dashed line in FIG. 15. The side - step track S has a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners and has an upper side and a lower side along the left - right direction and a right side and a left side along the up - down direction.

[0077] In the front crank mechanism 276, when the pulleys 280 and 282 rotate, the crank pins 290 and 292 move in the rotational directions of the crank arms 286 and 288 due to the rotation of the crank arms 286 and 288. At this time, since the rollers 296 and 298 are engaged with the guide grooves 302 and 304, the crank pins 290 and 292 move along the side-step orbit S defined by the guide grooves 302 and 304 while sliding inside the long holes 286b and 288b. As a result, the crank plate 294 to which the crank pins 290 and 292 are fixed also moves along the side-step orbit S defined by the guide grooves 302 and 304.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 16, the rear crank mechanism 277 includes a support plate 306, pulleys 308 and 310, a belt 312, crank arms 314 and 316, crank pins 318 and 320 (see FIG. 15), a crank plate 322, rollers 324 and 326, and a guide plate 328. The support plate 306 is fixed to the lower surface of the base plate 204 near the rear end of the base plate 204. The support plate 306 is arranged along the left-right direction and the up-down direction. The pulley 308 is arranged in front of the support plate 306 near the right end of the support plate 306. The pulley 310 is arranged in front of the support plate 306 near the left end of the support plate 306. The pulleys 308 and 310 are rotatably supported by the support plate 306 respectively. The diameter of the pulley 308 is substantially the same as the diameter of the pulley 310 and is substantially the same as the diameters of the pulleys 280 and 282 of the front crank mechanism 276. The belt 312 is wound around the pulleys 308 and 310. Therefore, when one of the pulleys 308 and 310 rotates in the forward or reverse direction, the other also rotates in the forward or reverse direction at substantially the same rotational speed.

[0079] The crank arms 314, 316, the crank pins 318, 320, the crank plate 322, the rollers 324, 326, and the guide plate 328 are arranged behind the support plate 306. As shown in FIG. 15, the crank arms 314, 316 include fitting holes 314a, 316a into which the shafts 308a, 310a of the pulleys 308, 310 are fitted, and elongated holes 314b, 316b extending in the longitudinal direction of the crank arms 314, 316. The crank arms 314, 316 rotate integrally with the pulleys 308, 310 about the shafts 308a, 310a when the pulleys 308, 310 rotate. The crank pins 318, 320 are slidably inserted into the elongated holes 314b, 316b. The crank pins 318, 320 are fixed to the crank plate 322 while passing through the crank plate 322. The crank plate 322 is arranged on the rear side of the crank arms 314, 316. The crank plate 322 extends along the left-right direction and the up-down direction. The rollers 324, 326 (see FIG. 16) are attached to the crank pins 318, 320 on the rear side of the crank plate 322. As shown in FIG. 16, the rollers 324, 326 are inserted into guide grooves 330, 332 formed on the front surface of the guide plate 328. The guide plate 328 is behind the crank plate 322 and fixed to the lower surface of the base plate 204. The guide plate 328 extends along the left-right direction and the up-down direction. As shown in FIG. 15, the guide grooves 330, 332 of the guide plate 328 are formed in a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners. The guide grooves 330, 332 define a side step track S indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 15. The side step track S has a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners and has an upper side and a lower side along the left-right direction and a right side and a left side along the up-down direction. The side step track S defined by the guide grooves 330, 332 is the same as the side step track S defined by the guide grooves 302, 304.

[0080] In the rear crank mechanism 277, when the pulleys 308 and 310 rotate, the rotation of the crank arms 314 and 316 causes the crank pins 318 and 320 to move in the rotation directions of the crank arms 314 and 316. At this time, since the rollers 324 and 326 are engaged with the guide grooves 330 and 332, the crank pins 318 and 320 move along the side step orbit S defined by the guide grooves 330 and 332 while sliding inside the long holes 314b and 316b. As a result, the crank plate 322 to which the crank pins 318 and 320 are fixed also moves along the side step orbit S defined by the guide grooves 330 and 332.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 13, the step bars 272 and 274 are fixed at their front ends to the crank plate 294 of the front crank mechanism 276 and at their rear ends to the crank plate 322 of the rear crank mechanism 277, respectively. Further, the pulley 280 of the front crank mechanism 276 and the pulley 308 of the rear crank mechanism 277 are connected by a rotation transmission shaft 285. For this reason, the pulleys 280 and 282 of the front crank mechanism 276 and the pulleys 308 and 310 of the rear crank mechanism 277 rotate synchronously with each other, and the crank plate 294 of the front crank mechanism 276 and the crank plate 322 of the rear crank mechanism 277 operate synchronously with each other. Note that a zero point detection sensor (not shown) is provided in one of the front crank mechanism 276 and the rear crank mechanism 277 (for example, the front crank mechanism 276). The zero point detection sensor includes, for example, a permanent magnet (not shown) fixed to the crank plate 294 and a hall element (not shown) fixed to the guide plate 300. The zero point detection sensor can detect whether the crank plates 294 and 322 are at the zero point position with the center in the left-right direction of the upper side of the side step orbit S as the zero point position.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 13, the worm gear case 283 is disposed rearward of the pulley 282 of the front crank mechanism 276. The worm gear case 283 is fixed to the support plate 278 of the front crank mechanism 276. The gear box 281 is disposed on the right side of the worm gear case 283 and is fixed to the worm gear case 283. The stepper motor 279 is disposed on the right side of the gear box 281 and is held by the gear box 281. The stepper motor 279 is, for example, a DC motor with brushes. The stepper motor 279 is connected to the pulley 282 via a reduction gear (not shown) built in the gear box 281 and a worm gear (not shown) built in the worm gear case 283. When the stepper motor 279 rotates in the forward or reverse direction, the pulleys 280, 282, 308, 310 rotate in the forward or reverse direction, whereby the crank plates 294, 322 move clockwise or counterclockwise along the side step orbit S, and the step bars 272, 274 also move clockwise or counterclockwise along the side step orbit S. As shown in FIG. 1, a through hole 204b is formed in the base plate 204 to avoid interference with the stepper motor 279, the gear box 281, and the worm gear case 283.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 17, when the crank plates 294, 322 are on the upper side of the side step orbit S (see FIG. 15) and the step bars 272, 274 are moving upward, the crank plates 294, 322 and the step bars 272, 274 are separated from the primary reinforcing bars R1 and the secondary reinforcing bars R2. In this state, since the right crawler 192 and the left crawler 194 are in contact with the primary reinforcing bars R1 and the secondary reinforcing bars R2, the rebar binding robot 100 can drive the right crawler 192 and the left crawler 194 to move in the front-rear direction.

[0084] When the stepper motor 279 is rotated from the state shown in FIG. 17, the crank plates 294 and 322 move along the side-step orbit S (see FIG. 15), and accordingly, the step bars 272 and 274 move downward, so that the crank plates 294 and 322 come into contact with the secondary reinforcing bar R2. When the stepper motor 279 is further rotated from this state, the crank plates 294 and 322 and the step bars 272 and 274 move further downward, so that as shown in FIG. 18, the right crawler 192 and the left crawler 194 separate from the secondary reinforcing bar R2. By continuously rotating the stepper motor 279, after the rebar tying robot 100 moves rightward or leftward by a step width corresponding to the lateral width of the side-step orbit S, the crank plates 294 and 322 and the step bars 272 and 274 move upward, and the right crawler 192 and the left crawler 194 come into contact with the primary reinforcing bar R1 and the secondary reinforcing bar R2 again, and the crank plates 294 and 322 and the step bars 272 and 274 separate from the secondary reinforcing bar R2. When the zero-point detection sensor detects that the crank plate 294 has moved to the zero-point position, the rotation of the stepper motor 279 stops. As described above, by driving the side stepper 196, the rebar tying robot 100 can move rightward or leftward by a predetermined step width.

[0085] Note that the side step track S defined by the guide grooves 302, 304, 330, and 332 is not limited to the substantially rectangular shape as described above, and can have various shapes. The side step track S is such that when the step bars 272 and 274 move along the side step track S, the lower ends of the step bars 272 and 274 move downward from the lower ends of the right crawler 192 and the left crawler 194, and then the lower ends of the step bars 272 and 274 move in the left-right direction, and then the lower ends of the step bars 272 and 274 move upward from the lower ends of the right crawler 192 and the left crawler 194. Any shape may be used as long as it satisfies these conditions. For example, the side step track S may be circular, elliptical, triangular with a bottom side downward, or polygonal with five or more sides.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 11, the front three-dimensional distance sensor 198 is provided on the front surface of the front frame 214 near the center in the left-right direction of the front frame 214. The rear three-dimensional distance sensor 200 is provided on the rear surface of the rear frame 216 near the center in the left-right direction of the rear frame 216. The center three-dimensional distance sensor 202 is provided on the lower surface of the base plate 204 near the center in the front-rear direction at the left end of the base plate 204. The front three-dimensional distance sensor 198 and the rear three-dimensional distance sensor 200 are each arranged to face downward. The center three-dimensional distance sensor 202 is arranged to face obliquely downward to the right. The front three-dimensional distance sensor 198, the rear three-dimensional distance sensor 200, and the center three-dimensional distance sensor 202 are, for example, TOF (Time-of Flight) sensors capable of outputting point cloud data representing the three-dimensional position of a subject in the field of view by a point cloud. The control unit 126 of the reinforcing bar tying robot 100 can specify the relative arrangement of the primary reinforcing bars R1 and the secondary reinforcing bars R2 with respect to each of the front three-dimensional distance sensor 198, the rear three-dimensional distance sensor 200, and the center three-dimensional distance sensor 202 based on the point cloud data acquired by the front three-dimensional distance sensor 198, the rear three-dimensional distance sensor 200, and the center three-dimensional distance sensor 202. The field of view of the front three-dimensional distance sensor 198 is arranged in front of the field of view of the center three-dimensional distance sensor 202, and the field of view of the rear three-dimensional distance sensor 200 is arranged behind the field of view of the center three-dimensional distance sensor 202. Note that, as the front three-dimensional distance sensor 198, the rear three-dimensional distance sensor 200, and the center three-dimensional distance sensor 202, a three-dimensional distance sensor using a stereo vision method or a pattern projection method may be used instead of the TOF sensor.

[0087] (Operation of the Reinforcing Bar Tying Robot 100) When the user operates the operation execution button 122 and an instruction to execute the operation of the reinforcing bar tying robot 100 is given, the control unit 126 executes the processes shown in FIGS. 19 and 20.

[0088] As shown in FIG. 19, in S2, until the control unit 126 reaches the primary reinforcing bar R1' to be bundled among the plurality of primary reinforcing bars R1, it executes a side-step process (see FIG. 28). Details of the side-step process will be described later.

[0089] In S4, the control unit 126 generates a primary reinforcing bar model that linearly models the position and angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1' as seen from the reinforcing bar bundling robot 100. Details of the generation process of the primary reinforcing bar model will be described later.

[0090] In S6, the control unit 126 determines whether the left-right position of the primary reinforcing bar R1' is within a first predetermined position range from the reference position. Here, the reference position refers to the position where the intersection of the primary reinforcing bar R1' and the secondary reinforcing bar R2 should exist when the operation unit 104 lowers the reinforcing bar bundler 2 to perform the bundling operation. For example, the reference position is located at the center in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the base plate 204 with respect to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. Also, the left-right position of the primary reinforcing bar R1' here refers to the left-right position of the primary reinforcing bar R1' at the same front-rear position as the reference position. The left-right position of the primary reinforcing bar R1' can be calculated based on the primary reinforcing bar model. Further, the first predetermined position range here means a range within which the bundling operation by the reinforcing bar bundler 2 can be executed if the left-right position of the primary reinforcing bar R1' is within that range. If the left-right position of the primary reinforcing bar R1' is not within the first predetermined position range (NO case), the process proceeds to S10. If the left-right position of the primary reinforcing bar R1' is within the first predetermined position range (YES case), the process proceeds to S8.

[0091] In S8, the control unit 126 determines whether the angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1' is within a predetermined angle range from the reference angle. The reference angle here refers to the angle that the primary reinforcing bar R1' should take with respect to the front-rear direction of the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 at the intersection of the primary reinforcing bar R1' and the secondary reinforcing bar R2 when the operation unit 104 lowers the reinforcing bar binding machine 2 to perform the binding operation. For example, the reference angle is zero degrees. The angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1' can be calculated based on the primary reinforcing bar model. Also, the predetermined angle range here is a range within which the binding operation by the reinforcing bar binding machine 2 can be executed if the angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1' is within that range. If the angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1' is not within the predetermined angle range (NO case), the process proceeds to S10. If the angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1 is within the predetermined angle range (YES case), the process proceeds to S22 (see FIG. 20).

[0092] In S10, the control unit 126 starts the reinforcing bar tracing control. In the reinforcing bar tracing control, the control unit 126 moves the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 forward or backward while giving a speed difference between the right crawler 192 and the left crawler 194 to approximate the position and angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1' in the left-right direction to the reference position and the reference angle. Details of the reinforcing bar tracing control will be described later.

[0093] In S12, the control unit 126 generates a primary reinforcing bar model related to the primary reinforcing bar R1' by the same process as in S4 in order to update the primary reinforcing bar model as the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 moves.

[0094] In S14, the control unit 126 determines whether the position of the primary reinforcing bar R1' in the left-right direction is within a first predetermined position range from the reference position. If the position of the primary reinforcing bar R1' in the left-right direction is not within the first predetermined position range (NO case), the process returns to S12. If the position of the primary reinforcing bar R1' in the left-right direction is within the first predetermined range (YES case), the process proceeds to S16.

[0095] In S16, the control unit 126 determines whether the angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1' is within a predetermined angle range from the reference angle. If the angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1' is not within the predetermined angle range (NO), the process returns to S12. If the angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1' is within the predetermined angle range (YES), the process proceeds to S18.

[0096] In S18, the control unit 126 ends the reinforcing bar tracing control. By performing the processes from S10 to S18, as shown in FIG. 21, the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 moves so that the horizontal position and angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1' match the reference position and reference angle. In FIGS. 21 to 24, the reference position and reference angle of the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 are represented by the cross cursor C.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 19, in S20, the control unit 126 performs a return process. In the return process, the control unit 126 moves the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 in a direction opposite to the direction in which the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 advanced in the processes from S10 to S18 immediately before. At this time, the control unit 126 gives a speed difference to the right crawler 192 and the left crawler 194 so that the horizontal position and angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1' that were within the first predetermined position range and the predetermined angle range in the processes from S10 to S18 immediately before do not deviate from the first predetermined position range and the predetermined angle range, and moves the reinforcing bar binding robot 100. The control unit 126 measures the forward or backward movement distance of the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 from when the reinforcing bar tracing control is started in S10 to when the reinforcing bar tracing control is ended in S18, and in the return process of S20, moves the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 in the reverse direction by the same movement distance. By performing the return process of S20, as shown in FIG. 22, the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 moves in the reverse direction while keeping the horizontal position and angle of the primary reinforcing bar R1' in a state where they match the reference position and reference angle.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 20, in S22, the control unit 126 starts the rebar trace control in the same manner as in S10 (see FIG. 19). Thereby, the rebar tying robot 100 starts to move forward or backward along the primary rebar R1'.

[0099] In S24, the control unit 126 generates a primary rebar model for the primary rebar R1' by the same process as in S4 in order to update the primary rebar model as the rebar tying robot 100 moves.

[0100] In S26, the control unit 126 identifies the position of the intersection of the primary rebar R1' and the secondary rebar R2. Details of the position identification process of the intersection will be described later.

[0101] In S28, the control unit 126 determines whether the position of the intersection of the primary rebar R1' and the secondary rebar R2 is within the second position range from the reference position. The second position range mentioned here is a range in which the tying operation by the rebar tying machine 2 can be performed if the position of the intersection of the primary rebar R1' and the secondary rebar R2 is within that range. If the position of the intersection is not within the second position range (NO), the process returns to S24. If the position of the intersection is within the second position range (YES), the process proceeds to S30.

[0102] In S30, the control unit 126 ends the rebar trace control. Thereby, the rebar tying robot 100 stops moving forward or backward along the primary rebar R1'.

[0103] In S32, the control unit 126 performs the rebar tying process. In the rebar tying process, the control unit 126 drives the lifting mechanism 130 to lower the rebar tying machine 2, sets the rebar tying machine 2 at the intersection of the primary rebar R1' and the secondary rebar R2, drives the gripping mechanism 132, and performs the tying operation of the primary rebar R1' and the secondary rebar R2 by the rebar tying machine 2. Then, the control unit 126 drives the lifting mechanism 130 to raise the rebar tying machine 2. After S32, the process proceeds to S34.

[0104] In S34, the control unit 126 determines whether the completion operation performed in S32 has been completed normally. If it is determined that the completion operation has not been completed normally (in the case of NO), the process returns to S32. If it is determined that the completion operation has been completed normally (in the case of YES), the process proceeds to S36.

[0105] In S36, the control unit 126 determines whether all the completion operations for the primary reinforcing bar R1' have ended. If it is determined that they have not ended yet (in the case of NO), the process returns to S22. By repeatedly performing the processes from S22 to S36, as shown in FIG. 23, the reinforcing bar tying robot 100 repeatedly executes the tying operation at the intersection of the primary reinforcing bar R1' and the secondary reinforcing bar R2 while moving along the primary reinforcing bar R1'.

[0106] As shown in FIG. 20, when it is determined in S36 that all the completion operations for the primary reinforcing bar R1' have ended (when it becomes YES), the process proceeds to S38.

[0107] In S38, the control unit 126 determines whether the completion operations have ended for all the primary reinforcing bars R1. If it is determined that they have not ended yet (in the case of NO), the process proceeds to S40.

[0108] In S40, the control unit 126 changes the primary reinforcing bar R1' that is the target of the completion operation to another primary reinforcing bar R1 for which the completion operation has not ended yet. After S40, the process returns to S2 (see FIG. 19).

[0109] When it is determined in S38 that the completion operations have ended for all the primary reinforcing bars R1 (in the case of YES), the processes in FIGS. 19 and 20 end.

[0110] In the processes of FIGS. 19 and 20, when the steel bar bundling robot 100 repeatedly performs the bundling operation at the intersection of the primary steel bar R1' and the secondary steel bar R2, the bundling operation may be performed by skipping one intersection of the primary steel bar R1' and the secondary steel bar R2. In this case, finally, the steel bar bundling robot 100 may select the intersection to be the target of the bundling operation so that at least one of the adjacent intersections is bundled.

[0111] (Steel bar tracing control) When moving the steel bar bundling robot 100, the control unit 126 determines the traveling speed vR(t) of the right crawler 192 and the traveling speed vL(t) of the left crawler 194, respectively, and rotates the right crawler motor 228 at a rotational speed corresponding to the traveling speed vR(t) of the right crawler 192, and rotates the left crawler motor 254 at a rotational speed corresponding to the traveling speed vL(t) of the left crawler 194. As shown in FIG. 24, in this case, the forward moving speed v(t) of the steel bar bundling robot 100 and the angular velocity ω(t) of the rotation around the vertical direction are respectively given by the following equations. v(t)=(vR(t)+vL(t)) / 2 (1) ω(t)=(vR(t)-vL(t)) / 2l (2) Here, 2l is the distance between the right crawler 192 and the left crawler 194.

[0112] In the steel bar tracing control performed in the processes of FIGS. 19 and 20, the control unit 126 determines vR(t) and vL(t) so that the reference position and the reference angle of the steel bar bundling robot 100 approach the position and the angle in the left-right direction of the primary steel bar R1'. Specifically, the control unit 126 calculates vR(t) and vL(t) by the following equations, respectively. vR(t)=vconst+Δv(t) (3) vL(t)=vconst-Δv(t) (4) Here, vconst is a constant value, and Δv(t) is a correction amount for approaching the reference position and the reference angle of the steel bar bundling robot 100 to the position and the angle in the left-right direction of the primary steel bar R1'.

[0113] When vR(t) and vL(t) are given by the above formulas (3) and (4), the speed v(t) and the angular velocity ω(t) achieved by the steel bar bundling robot 100 are as follows. v(t)=vconst (5) ω(t)=Δv(t) / l (6)

[0114] As shown in FIG. 24, when the horizontal position (the deviation amount from the reference position) of the primary steel bar R1' is e(t) and the angle (the deviation amount from the reference angle) of the primary steel bar R1' is θ(t), the control unit 126 calculates the correction amount Δv(t) by the following formula. Δv(t)=k1×e(t)+k2×e’(t)+k3×θ(t)+k4×θ’(t) (7) Here, e’(t) is the time derivative value of e(t), θ’(t) is the time derivative value of θ(t), and k1, k2, k3, and k4 are all positive constants.

[0115] As is also clear from FIG. 24, when the steel bar bundling robot 100 moves forward at a speed v and an angular velocity ω(t)(=Δv(t) / l) is given, as the steel bar bundling robot 100 moves forward, both e(t) and θ(t) approach zero. Therefore, by giving the correction amount Δv(t) as in the above formula (7), the reference position and the reference angle of the steel bar bundling robot 100 can be made closer to the horizontal position and the angle of the primary steel bar R1'.

[0116] FIG. 25 shows, as an example, the trajectory when the steel bar bundling robot 100 moves forward by steel bar trace control when there is a predetermined deviation amount between the reference position of the steel bar bundling robot 100 and the horizontal position of the primary steel bar R1'. In FIGS. 25 to 27, d1 [mm] indicates the position in the direction along the primary steel bar R1', and d2 [mm] indicates the position in the direction perpendicular to the direction along the primary steel bar R1'. As shown in FIG. 25, by performing the steel bar trace control, the deviation amount between the reference position of the steel bar bundling robot 100 and the horizontal position of the primary steel bar R1' is eliminated, and the steel bar bundling robot 100 can move along the primary steel bar R1'.

[0117] As another example, FIG. 26 shows the trajectory of the steel bar tying robot 100 when the right crawler 192 operates normally and the left crawler 194 slips as it moves forward. When the left crawler 194 slips, the actual traveling speed of the left crawler 194 becomes slower. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 26, when the steel bar tracing control is not performed, the steel bar tying robot 100 gradually deviates to the left from the primary steel bar R1' as it moves forward. In contrast, when the steel bar tracing control is performed, even when the left crawler 194 slips, a correction amount Δv(t) is given so that the reference position and reference angle of the steel bar tying robot 100 approach the position and angle in the left-right direction of the primary steel bar R1'. Therefore, the steel bar tying robot 100 does not move away from the primary steel bar R1' and can move forward along the primary steel bar R1'.

[0118] In addition, when vR(t) and vL(t) are given by the above formulas (3) and (4), vR(t) and vL(t) may exceed vconst. For this reason, it is necessary to prepare the right crawler motor 228 and the left crawler motor 254 that can operate at a high rotational speed, which may lead to an increase in the size and weight of the right crawler motor 228 and the left crawler motor 254.

[0119] Therefore, instead of the above formulas (3) and (4), vR(t) and vL(t) may be given as follows. That is, after calculating Δv by the above formula (7), when Δv≧0, vR(t)=vconst (8) vL(t)=vconst-2Δv(t) (9) and when Δv<0, vR(t)=vconst+2Δv(t) (10) vL(t)=vconst (11) This may be used.

[0120] When vR(t) and vL(t) are given by the above equations (8), (9), (10), and (11), since vR(t) and vL(t) do not exceed vconst, as the right crawler motor 228 and the left crawler motor 254, those capable of rotating at vconst can be prepared, and an increase in the size and weight of the right crawler motor 228 and the left crawler motor 254 can be suppressed.

[0121] When vR(t) and vL(t) are given by the above equations (8), (9), (10), and (11), the speed v(t) and the angular velocity ω(t) realized by the steel bar tying robot 100 are given by the following equations. v(t)=vconst - |Δv| (12) ω(t)=Δv(t) / l (13)

[0122] That is, when vR(t) and vL(t) are determined by the above equations (8), (9), (10), and (11), the forward movement speed v(t) of the steel bar tying robot 100 decreases by |Δv| compared to vconst. For this reason, if |Δv| becomes larger than vconst, the steel bar tying robot 100 will not move forward but will move backward.

[0123] Therefore, in this embodiment, the upper and lower limits of Δv(t) are set as follows. |Δv(t)| < k × vconst (14) Here, 0 < k ≦ 1.

[0124] Fig. 27 shows the trajectories of the steel bar tying robot 100 when vR(t) and vL(t) are given by formulas (3) and (4) (labeled as acceleration + deceleration in Fig. 27), and when vR(t) and vL(t) are given by formulas (8), (9), (10), (11), and (14) (labeled as only deceleration in Fig. 27). As shown in Fig. 27, when vR(t) and vL(t) are given by formulas (8), (9), (10), (11), and (14), the larger the value of k in formula (14), the faster the trajectory of the steel bar tying robot 100 approaches the primary steel bar R1'. However, if the value of k becomes too large, overshoot occurs and the convergence of the trajectory of the steel bar tying robot 100 becomes slow. Therefore, when vR(t) and vL(t) are given by formulas (8), (9), (10), (11), and (14), for example, by setting k to about 0.8, the trajectory of the steel bar tying robot 100 can be quickly brought closer to the primary steel bar R1'.

[0125] (Side-step processing) In the side-step processing shown in S2 of Fig. 19, the control unit 126 executes the processing shown in Fig. 28. In the following description, with the steel bar tying robot 100 as a reference, the right direction is the X direction, the forward direction is the Y direction, the upward direction is the Z direction, and the reference position of the steel bar tying robot 100 is represented by X0, Y0, and Z0.

[0126] In S52, the control unit 126 acquires point cloud data from the front three-dimensional distance sensor 198. In the following description, the point cloud data acquired from the front three-dimensional distance sensor 198 is also referred to as the front point cloud data.

[0127] In S54, the control unit 126 extracts a point cloud at a Z-direction position corresponding to the primary reinforcing bar R1' or the secondary reinforcing bar R2 from among the point clouds included in the front-side point cloud data. Specifically, the control unit 126 extracts, from among the point clouds included in the front-side point cloud data, a point cloud whose Z-direction position is within a predetermined reinforcing bar depth range (for example, a range with the Z-direction position of the lower surfaces of the right crawler 192 and the left crawler 194 as the upper end and a Z-direction position that is the sum of the diameters of the primary reinforcing bar R1 and the secondary reinforcing bar R2 below the upper end as the lower end). In the front-side point cloud data acquired in S52, point clouds corresponding to the primary reinforcing bar R1' or the secondary reinforcing bar R2 and point clouds corresponding to the ground or the like below the primary reinforcing bar R1' or the secondary reinforcing bar R2 are mixed. By performing the process of S54, it is possible to exclude the point clouds corresponding to the ground or the like and extract only the point clouds that are highly likely to correspond to the primary reinforcing bar R1' or the secondary reinforcing bar R2.

[0128] In S56, the control unit 126 clusters the point cloud extracted in S54, specifies the cluster with the largest number of point clouds as the reinforcing bar cluster, and extracts the point clouds included in the reinforcing bar cluster. The clustering of the point cloud is performed, for example, by associating points included in the point cloud with each other so that those points are included in the same cluster when the distance between points is within a predetermined value.

[0129] In S58, the control unit 126 extracts only the point clouds within a predetermined determination range from among the point clouds included in the reinforcing bar cluster specified in S56. The determination range is set, for example, with respect to the X direction, as a range from a position a predetermined distance away from the reference position X0 of the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 to a position X0 + ΔX0 to X0 - ΔX0 (for example, when ΔX0 is 1.5 times the diameter of the primary reinforcing bar R1', the range from X0 + ΔX0 to X0 - ΔX0). As a result, as shown in FIG. 29, only the point cloud PG2 within the determination range is extracted from the point cloud PG1 included in the reinforcing bar cluster (see FIG. 30). Note that in FIGS. 29, 30, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, and 39, the point cloud is illustrated as a hatched area, and it should be noted that the individual points constituting the point cloud are not illustrated.

[0130] As shown in FIG. 28, in S60, the control unit 126 determines whether the number of point groups within the confirmation range is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold with respect to the point group extracted in S58. As shown in FIG. 30, the confirmation range DR is, for example, the same range as the determination range used in S58 in the X direction and is a range having a predetermined length (for example, 1 mm) in the Y direction. As shown in FIG. 30, in this embodiment, a plurality of confirmation ranges DR with different positions in the X direction are set. As shown in FIG. 28, in S60, when the number of point groups within the confirmation range is less than the threshold (NO case), the control unit 126 determines that the front part of the steel bar bundling robot 100 is not located on the primary steel bar R1', and the process proceeds to S72. When the number of point groups within the confirmation range is equal to or greater than the threshold (YES case), the control unit 126 determines that the front part of the steel bar bundling robot 100 is located on the primary steel bar R1', and the process proceeds to S62.

[0131] In S62, the control unit 126 acquires point group data from the rear three-dimensional distance sensor 200. In the following description, the point group data acquired from the rear three-dimensional distance sensor 200 is also referred to as rear point group data.

[0132] In S64, similar to S54, the control unit 126 extracts point groups whose positions in the Z direction are within a predetermined steel bar depth range from among the point groups included in the rear point group data.

[0133] In S66, similar to S56, the control unit 126 clusters the point groups extracted in S64, specifies the cluster with the largest number of point groups as the steel bar cluster, and extracts the point groups included in the steel bar cluster.

[0134] In S68, similar to S58, the control unit 126 extracts only the point groups within a predetermined determination range from among the point groups included in the steel bar cluster specified in S56.

[0135] In S70, similar to S60, the control unit 126 determines whether the number of point groups within the confirmation range is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold with respect to the point group extracted in S58. When the number of point groups within the confirmation range is less than the threshold (in the case of NO), the control unit 126 determines that the rear part of the steel bar binding robot 100 is not positioned on the primary steel bar R1', and the process proceeds to S72.

[0136] In S72, the control unit 126 drives the side stepper 196 to move the steel bar binding robot 100 rightward or leftward. After S72, the process returns to S52.

[0137] In S70, when the number of point groups within the confirmation range is equal to or greater than the threshold (in the case of YES), the control unit 126 determines that the front part of the steel bar binding robot 100 is positioned on the primary steel bar R1'. In this case, since both the front and rear parts of the steel bar binding robot 100 are positioned on the primary steel bar R1' and there is no need to move the steel bar binding robot 100 in the left - right direction, the control unit 126 ends the process of FIG. 28.

[0138] According to the process of FIG. 28, the control unit 126 can determine whether the side - step movement of the steel bar binding robot 100 is completed by a process with a relatively small computational load.

[0139] (Generation process of the primary steel bar model performed by the control unit 126) In the primary steel bar model generation processes shown in S4 and S12 of FIG. 19 and S24 of FIG. 20, the control unit 126 executes the processes shown in FIGS. 31 and 32.

[0140] As shown in FIG. 31, in S82, the control unit 126 acquires front - side point group data from the front - side three - dimensional distance sensor 198.

[0141] In S84, the control unit 126 extracts point groups whose Z - direction position is within a predetermined steel bar depth range from among the point groups included in the front - side point group data.

[0142] In S86, the control unit 126 clusters the point cloud extracted in S84, identifies the cluster with the largest number of point clouds as the steel bar cluster, and extracts the point clouds included in the steel bar cluster.

[0143] In S88, the control unit 126 respectively identifies the maximum value Xmax and the minimum value Xmin of the positions in the X direction for the point clouds included in the steel bar cluster identified in S86.

[0144] In S90, the control unit 126 determines whether the difference between Xmax and Xmin identified in S88 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (for example, three times the diameter of the primary steel bar R1'). If the difference between Xmax and Xmin is less than the predetermined value (in the case of NO), the control unit 126 determines that the point cloud corresponding to the secondary steel bar R2 is not included in the steel bar cluster identified in S86, and the process proceeds to S102. If the difference between Xmax and Xmin is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (in the case of YES), the control unit 126 determines that the point cloud corresponding to the secondary steel bar R2 is included in the steel bar cluster identified in S86, and the process proceeds to S92.

[0145] In S92, the control unit 126 respectively identifies the maximum value Ymax1 and the minimum value Ymin1 of the positions in the Y direction for those point clouds among the point clouds included in the steel bar cluster identified in S86 that are near Xmax in the X direction.

[0146] In S94, the control unit 126 respectively identifies the maximum value Ymax2 and the minimum value Ymin2 of the positions in the Y direction for those point clouds among the point clouds included in the steel bar cluster identified in S86 that are near Xmin in the X direction.

[0147] In S96, the control unit 126 extracts only the point groups within a predetermined secondary reinforcing bar candidate range from among the point groups included in the reinforcing bar cluster specified in S86. The secondary reinforcing bar candidate range is, for example, in the X direction, the range from Xmax to Xmin, and in the Y direction, the range from the smaller of Ymin1 and Ymin2 to the larger of Ymax1 and Ymax2 is set. As a result, as shown in FIG. 33, only the point group PG2 within the secondary reinforcing bar candidate range is extracted from the point group PG1 included in the reinforcing bar cluster (see FIG. 34).

[0148] In S98, the control unit 126 generates a secondary reinforcing bar model in which the position and angle of the secondary reinforcing bar R2 as seen from the reinforcing bar binding robot 100 are modeled by a straight line by the RANSAC (Random Sample Consensus) method based on the point groups extracted in S96. Details of the generation of the reinforcing bar model by the RANSAC method will be described later. As a result, as shown in FIG. 34, a secondary reinforcing bar model RM2 is generated based on the point group PG2 within the secondary reinforcing bar candidate range.

[0149] In S100, the control unit 126 removes the point groups near the secondary reinforcing bar model generated in S98 from the point groups included in the reinforcing bar cluster specified in S86, and extracts the other point groups. The point groups near the secondary reinforcing bar model here are, for example, point groups whose distance from the secondary reinforcing bar model is smaller than a predetermined value (for example, 1 times the diameter of the secondary reinforcing bar R2) in the direction orthogonal to the secondary reinforcing bar model. As a result, as shown in FIG. 35, from the point group PG1 included in the reinforcing bar cluster, a point group PG3 from which the point groups near the secondary reinforcing bar model RM2 have been removed is extracted (see FIG. 36).

[0150] In S102, the control unit 126 generates a provisional primary reinforcing bar model by the RANSAC method based on the point groups extracted in S100 (or, in the case of NO in S90, the point groups included in the reinforcing bar cluster specified in S86). As a result, as shown in FIG. 36, a provisional primary reinforcing bar model TRM1 is generated from the point group PG3.

[0151] In S104, the control unit 126 extracts, from the point cloud extracted in S100, the point cloud that was used for generating the provisional primary rebar model TRM1 in S102 (i.e., the point cloud that was not regarded as an outlier in the RANSAC method) as the point cloud that is a candidate for the primary rebar R1'. Note that the point cloud extracted in S104 is also referred to as the front-side primary rebar candidate point cloud hereinafter.

[0152] Next, as shown in FIG. 32, in S106, the control unit 126 acquires rear-side point cloud data from the rear-side three-dimensional distance sensor 200.

[0153] The processing from S108 to S128 performed on the rear-side point cloud data is the same as the processing from S84 to S104 performed on the front-side point cloud data, so the description is omitted. The point cloud extracted in S128 is also referred to as the rear-side primary rebar candidate point cloud hereinafter.

[0154] In S130, based on the front-side primary rebar candidate point cloud obtained in S104 and the rear-side primary rebar candidate point cloud obtained in S128, a primary rebar model is generated by the least squares method. When the primary rebar model is generated in S130, the processing in FIGS. 28 and 29 ends.

[0155] Note that in the processing of S130, a primary rebar model may be generated by the RANSAC method instead of the least squares method. However, when using the RANSAC method, if there is a difference in the number between the front-side primary rebar candidate point cloud and the rear-side primary rebar candidate point cloud, the primary rebar candidate point cloud with the smaller number may be treated as an outlier and may not be used for generating the primary rebar model. As described above, by generating the primary rebar model by the least squares method, a more accurate primary rebar model can be obtained.

[0156] (Position identification processing of intersection points performed by the control unit 126) In the position identification processing of the intersection points shown in S26 of FIG. 20, the control unit 126 executes the processing shown in FIG. 37.

[0157] In S142, the control unit 126 acquires point cloud data from the central three-dimensional distance sensor 202. In the following description, the point cloud data acquired from the central three-dimensional distance sensor 202 is also referred to as central point cloud data.

[0158] In S144, the control unit 126 extracts, from the point clouds included in the central point cloud data, the point clouds whose positions in the Z direction are within a predetermined range of the depth of the reinforcing bars.

[0159] In S146, the control unit 126 clusters the point clouds extracted in S144, specifies the cluster with the largest number of point clouds as the reinforcing bar cluster, and extracts the point clouds included in the reinforcing bar cluster.

[0160] In S148, the control unit 126 removes, from the point clouds included in the reinforcing bar cluster specified in S146, the point clouds near the primary reinforcing bar model generated in S24 (see FIG. 20), and extracts the other point clouds. The point clouds near the primary reinforcing bar model referred to here are, for example, point clouds whose distance from the primary reinforcing bar model is smaller than a predetermined value (for example, one time the diameter of the primary reinforcing bar R1') in the direction orthogonal to the primary reinforcing bar model. As a result, as shown in FIG. 38, the point cloud PG2 from which the point clouds near the primary reinforcing bar model RM1 are removed is extracted from the point cloud PG1 included in the reinforcing bar cluster (see FIG. 39).

[0161] In S150, the control unit 126 determines whether the number of the point clouds extracted in S148 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. If the number of the point clouds is less than the predetermined value (NO), the control unit 126 determines that there is no intersection between the primary reinforcing bar R1' and the secondary reinforcing bar R2 within the field of view of the central three-dimensional distance sensor 202. In this case, without specifying the position of the intersection, the process in FIG. 30 ends. In S150, if the number of the point clouds is equal to or greater than the predetermined value (YES), the process proceeds to S152.

[0162] In S152, based on the point cloud extracted in S148, the control unit 126 identifies Yc, which is the Y-direction position of the intersection of the primary reinforcement R1' and the secondary reinforcement R2. For example, Yc is calculated as the average value Ymean of the Y-direction positions of the point cloud extracted in S148.

[0163] In S154, based on the primary reinforcement model generated in S24 (see FIG. 20) and Yc identified in S152, the control unit 126 identifies Xc, which is the X-direction position of the intersection of the primary reinforcement R1' and the secondary reinforcement R2. For example, Xc is identified as the X-direction position of the point on the primary reinforcement model where the Y-direction position is Yc. As a result, as shown in FIG. 39, the positions Xc and Yc of the intersection of the primary reinforcement R1' and the secondary reinforcement R2 are identified. After S154, the process of FIG. 30 ends.

[0164] In the process of S152, instead of calculating the average value Ymean of the Y-direction positions, Yc may be identified by the least squares method. In this case, assuming a straight line orthogonal to the straight line represented by the primary reinforcement model as the secondary reinforcement model, based on the point cloud extracted in S150, the intersection of the primary reinforcement model and the secondary reinforcement model is obtained by the least squares method, and thus Yc can be identified. However, as described above, by calculating the average value Ymean of the Y-direction positions and identifying Yc, the processing load on the control unit 126 can be reduced.

[0165] (Generation of Reinforcement Model by RANSAC Method) In this embodiment, as described below, the control unit 126 uses the RANSAC method, which is one of the robust estimation algorithms, to estimate the correct straight line model (temporary primary reinforcement model, secondary reinforcement model, etc.) from the point cloud including outliers.

[0166] First, as shown in FIG. 40, the control unit 126 randomly extracts two or more points (for example, P1, P2) from the point cloud as the modeling reference points.

[0167] Next, as shown in FIG. 41, the control unit 126 estimates a linear model (e.g., L1) based on the extracted modeled reference points P1 and P2, for example, by the least squares method. Then, the control unit 126 counts the number of outliers when the estimated linear model L1 is applied to the original point cloud. In the example shown in FIG. 41, in the original point cloud, the number of points whose distance from the estimated linear model L1 is greater than or equal to a predetermined value (the points in the hatched area in the figure) is counted as the number of outliers.

[0168] Then, as shown in FIG. 42, the control unit 126 repeatedly performs the above-described random extraction of the modeled reference points and estimation of the linear model to select candidates for the correct linear model. In the example shown in FIG. 42, the linear models L1 and L2 are excluded from the candidates because they have a large number of outliers, and the linear models L3 and L4 are selected as candidates because they have a small number of outliers. Then, the control unit 126 estimates, as the correct linear model, the one with less error with respect to the original point cloud (excluding outliers) from among the candidates L3 and L4 for the correct linear model. In the example shown in FIG. 42, among the linear models L3 and L4, the linear model L4 with less error with respect to the original point cloud excluding outliers is estimated as the correct linear model.

[0169] (Modification example) In the above embodiment, the reel 10 is attached to the wire bundling machine 2, and the configuration in which the wire bundling machine 2 bundles the reinforcing bar R using the wire W supplied from the reel 10 has been described. Differently, a wire supply unit (not shown) provided with a large reel (not shown) may be mounted on the transport unit 106 of the reinforcing bar bundling robot 100, and the wire bundling machine 2 may bundle the reinforcing bar R using the wire W supplied from the wire supply unit.

[0170] In the above-described embodiment, the case where a commercially available wire-tying machine 2 (for example, TR180D sold by Makita Corporation) is detachably attached to the rebar-tying robot 100 has been described. Differently, the rebar-tying robot 100 may be configured such that a dedicated rebar-tying unit (not shown) is non-detachably attached. In this case, the rebar-tying unit may be integrally configured with the operation unit 104.

[0171] In the above-described embodiment, an emergency stop button (not shown) for the user to emergently stop the operation of the rebar-tying robot 100 may be provided on the rebar-tying robot 100 (for example, on the housing 110 of the power supply unit 102). In this case, when the emergency stop button is pressed by the user, the control unit 126 stops the right crawler motor 228, the left crawler motor 254, the stepper motor 279, and the lifting motor 148, and turns off the actuator 180. After the user removes the danger and presses the operation execution button 122 again, the control unit 126 first drives the stepper motor 279 to return the front crank mechanism 276 and the rear crank mechanism 277 to the zero point position, and drives the lifting motor 148 to return the lifting mechanism 130 to the upper limit position. Thereafter, the control unit 126 performs normal control to operate the rebar-tying robot 100. Note that the emergency stop button may be provided near the outer periphery of the rebar-tying robot 100, for example, near the ends in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction, so that it can be easily pressed by the user in an emergency. Also, a plurality of emergency stop buttons may be provided.

[0172] In the above-described embodiment, an operation display indicator (not shown) for displaying the operating state of the steel bar tying robot 100 may be provided on the steel bar tying robot 100 (for example, on the housing 110 of the power supply unit 102). In this case, the operation display indicator may display the state of the tying operation performed by the steel bar tying robot 100 to the user. The state of the tying operation may include, for example, a state of tying all the intersection points of the primary steel bar R1 and the secondary steel bar R2, or a state of skipping one intersection point of the primary steel bar R1 and the secondary steel bar R2 and tying the others. Alternatively, the operation display indicator may display to the user a state in which the steel bar tying robot 100 has stopped abnormally. The operation display indicator may display the operating state of the steel bar tying robot 100 by, for example, the emission color of one or more light emitting parts, the blinking pattern, or a combination thereof. When the operation display indicator is provided on the housing 110, it may be arranged at a high position so as to be easily visible from a distance.

[0173] In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the transport unit 106 of the steel bar tying robot 100 includes the right crawler 192 and the left crawler 194 as a vertical movement mechanism capable of moving the steel bar tying robot 100 in the front-rear direction has been described. Differently, the transport unit 106 of the steel bar tying robot 100 may include other types of vertical movement mechanisms.

[0174] In the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the transport unit 106 of the steel bar tying robot 100 includes the side stepper 196 as a lateral movement mechanism capable of moving the steel bar tying robot 100 in the left-right direction has been described. Differently, the transport unit 106 of the steel bar tying robot 100 may include other types of lateral movement mechanisms.

[0175] As described above, in one or more embodiments, for a plurality of primary reinforcing bars R1 and a plurality of secondary reinforcing bars R2 intersecting the plurality of primary reinforcing bars R1, the reinforcing bar tying robot 100 can alternately and repeatedly execute an operation of moving over the plurality of primary reinforcing bars R1 and the plurality of secondary reinforcing bars R2 in the direction in which the plurality of primary reinforcing bars R1 extend, and an operation of tying the intersections where the plurality of primary reinforcing bars R1 and the plurality of secondary reinforcing bars R2 intersect. The reinforcing bar tying robot 100 includes a reinforcing bar tying machine 2 (an example of a reinforcing bar tying unit), a transport unit 106 that transports the reinforcing bar tying machine 2, and a control unit 126 that controls the operation of the transport unit 106. The transport unit 106 includes a right crawler 192 and a left crawler 194 (an example of a vertical movement mechanism) capable of moving the reinforcing bar tying robot 100 in the front-rear direction, and a front three-dimensional distance sensor 198 (an example of a first three-dimensional distance sensor) that outputs front-side point cloud data (an example of first point cloud data) representing the three-dimensional position of a subject in the first field of view by a point cloud. The control unit 126 is configured to be capable of executing a first reinforcing bar extraction process (see S82 and S84 in FIG. 31) of extracting, from the point cloud included in the front-side point cloud data, a point cloud whose vertical position is within a predetermined reinforcing bar depth range, and a reinforcing bar model generation process (see S98 and S102 in FIG. 31 and S130 in FIG. 32) of generating a reinforcing bar model in which the primary reinforcing bar R1 or the secondary reinforcing bar R2 is modeled by a straight line based on the point cloud extracted by the first reinforcing bar extraction process.

[0176] In one or more embodiments, the control unit 126 is configured to be capable of executing a cluster extraction process (see S86 in FIG. 31) of further extracting, from the point cloud extracted by the first reinforcing bar extraction process, the point cloud included in the largest cluster. The reinforcing bar model generation process is based on the point cloud extracted by the cluster extraction process (see S98 and S102 in FIG. 31 and S130 in FIG. 32).

[0177] In one or more embodiments, the rebar model generation process includes a secondary rebar model generation process (see S98 in FIG. 31) that generates a secondary rebar model by modeling the secondary rebar R2 based on the point cloud extracted by the first rebar extraction process, a secondary rebar exclusion process (see S100 in FIG. 31) that further extracts a point cloud not included in the range near the secondary rebar model from the point cloud extracted by the first rebar extraction process, and a primary rebar model generation process (see S102 in FIG. 31 and S130 in FIG. 32) that generates a primary rebar model by modeling the primary rebar R1 based on the point cloud extracted by the secondary rebar exclusion process.

[0178] In one or more embodiments, the rebar model generation process further includes a secondary rebar extraction process (see S96 in FIG. 31) that further extracts a point cloud within a secondary rebar candidate range set based on the positions of the point clouds located near both ends in the left-right direction among the point clouds extracted by the first rebar extraction process. The secondary rebar model generation process is based on the point cloud extracted by the secondary rebar extraction process (see S96 and S98 in FIG. 31).

[0179] In one or more embodiments, in the secondary rebar model generation process, the secondary rebar model is generated using the RANSAC method (see S98 in FIG. 31).

[0180] In one or more embodiments, the front three-dimensional distance sensor 198 is arranged downward.

[0181] In one or more embodiments, the transport unit 106 further includes a rear three-dimensional distance sensor 200 (an example of a second three-dimensional distance sensor) that outputs rear-side point cloud data (an example of second point cloud data) representing the three-dimensional positions of subjects within a second field of view behind the first field of view in the form of a point cloud. The control unit 126 is further configured to be able to execute a second rebar extraction process (see S106 and S108 in FIG. 32) that extracts a point cloud whose vertical position is within the rebar depth range from the point cloud included in the rear-side point cloud data. The rebar model generation process is also based on the point cloud extracted by the second rebar extraction process (see S130 in FIG. 32).

[0182] In one or more embodiments, the steel bar model generation process includes a first secondary steel bar model generation process (see S98 in FIG. 31) that generates a secondary steel bar model by modeling the secondary steel bar R2 based on the point cloud extracted by the first steel bar extraction process, a first secondary steel bar exclusion process (see S100 in FIG. 31) that further extracts a point cloud not included in the range near the secondary steel bar model generated by the first secondary steel bar model generation process from the point cloud extracted by the first steel bar extraction process, a second secondary steel bar model generation process (see S122 in FIG. 32) that generates a secondary steel bar model by modeling the secondary steel bar R2 based on the point cloud extracted by the second steel bar extraction process, a second secondary steel bar exclusion process (S124 in FIG. 32) that further extracts a point cloud not included in the range near the secondary steel bar model generated by the second secondary steel bar model generation process from the point cloud extracted by the second steel bar extraction process, and a primary steel bar model generation process (see S130 in FIG. 32) that generates a primary steel bar model by modeling the primary steel bar R1 based on the point cloud extracted by the first secondary steel bar exclusion process and the point cloud extracted by the second secondary steel bar exclusion process.

[0183] In one or more embodiments, in the primary steel bar model generation process, the primary steel bar model is generated using the least squares method (see S130 in FIG. 32).

[0184] In one or more embodiments, the front three-dimensional distance sensor 198 and the rear three-dimensional distance sensor 200 are arranged downward.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0185] 2: Steel bar tying machine 3: Housing 4: Main body part 5: Reel cover 6: Gripping part 6a: Recess 7: Cover holding part 8: Battery mounting part 10: Reel 10a: Engagement part 12: Feeding mechanism 14: Guide mechanism 16: Brake mechanism 18: Cutting mechanism 20: Twisting mechanism 22: Feed motor 24: Driving roller 26: Driven roller 28: Guide pipe 30: Upper curling guide 32: Lower curling guide 34: First guide path 38: Guide pin 40: Cutter 42: Feed return plate 46: Solenoid 48: Link 50: Brake arm 52: Link 54: Twisting motor 56: Reduction mechanism 58: Screw shaft 60: Sleeve 61: Push plate 62: Hook 64: First operation part 74: Main switch 76: Main power LED 80: Control device 84: Trigger 86: Trigger switch 90: Second operation part 96: Display LED 98: Setting switch 100: Steel bar bundling robot 102: Power supply unit 104: Operation unit 106: Conveying unit 108: Battery adapter 110: Housing 110a: Battery storage chamber 110b: Latch receiver 112: Cover 114: Battery mounting part 115: Hinge 116: Latch member 117: Key 118: Remaining amount display indicator 119: Key attachment part 120: Remaining amount display button 122: Operation execution button 124: Power supply cable 126: Control unit 130: Lifting mechanism 132: Gripping mechanism 134: Lower base member 136: Upper base member 138: Support pipe 140: Support pipe 142: Lifting platform 142a: Through hole 142b: Through hole 142c: Through hole 144: Screw shaft 146: Motor connection part 148: Lifting motor 150: Sensor support member 152: Upper limit detection sensor 154: Lower limit detection sensor 156: Holding member 158: Holding member 160: Nut 162: First support plate 162a: Long hole 162b: Protrusion 164: Second support plate 166: Connecting shaft 168: Connecting shaft 170: Rotating pin 172: Torsion spring 174: Support pin 176: Link 176a: Pressing part 176b: Operating part 178: Plunger 180: Actuator 182: Torsion spring 190: Chassis 192: Right crawler 194: Left crawler 196: Side stepper 198: Front three-dimensional distance sensor 200: Rear three-dimensional distance sensor 202: Central three-dimensional distance sensor 204: Base plate 204a: Through hole 204b: Through hole 206: Right frame 208: Left frame 210: Right plate 212: Left plate 214: Front frame 216: Rear frame 218: Front pulley 220: Rear pulley 222: Auxiliary pulley 224: Tensioner pulley 226: Rubber belt 228: Right crawler motor 230: Gearbox 232: Bearing 234: Bearing 236: Bearing 237: Movable bearing 238: Adjusting bolt 238a: Shaft portion 238b: Head portion 240: Nut 242: Bolt support member 242a: Through hole 244: Front pulley 246: Rear pulley 248: Auxiliary pulley 250: Tensioner pulley 252: Rubber belt 254: Left crawler motor 256: Gearbox 258: Bearing 260: Bearing 262: Bearing 264: Movable bearing 266: Adjusting bolt 266a: Shaft portion 266b: Head portion 268: Nut 270: Bolt support member 270a: Through hole 272: Step bar 274: Step bar 276: Front crank mechanism 277: Rear crank mechanism 278: Support plate 279: Stepper motor 280: Pulley 280a: Shaft 281: Gear box 282: Pulley 282a: Shaft 283: Worm gear case 284: Belt 285: Rotation transmission shaft 286: Crank arm 286a: Fitting hole 286b: Slot hole 288: Crank arm 288a: Fitting hole 288b: Slot hole 290: Crank pin 292: Crank pin 294: Crank plate 296: Roller 298: Roller 300: Guide plate 302: Guide groove 304: Guide groove 306: Support plate 308: Pulley 308a: Shaft 310: Pulley 310a: Shaft 312: Belt 314: Crank arm 314a: Fitting hole 314b: Slot hole 316: Crank arm 316a: Fitting hole 316b: Slot 318: Crank pin 320: Crank pin 322: Crank plate 324: Roller 326: Roller 328: Guide plate 330: Guide groove 332: Guide groove

Claims

1. Regarding a plurality of primary reinforcing bars and a plurality of secondary reinforcing bars that intersect the plurality of primary reinforcing bars, an operation of moving over the plurality of primary reinforcing bars and the plurality of secondary reinforcing bars in a direction in which the plurality of primary reinforcing bars extend, and an operation of binding portions where the plurality of primary reinforcing bars and the plurality of secondary reinforcing bars intersect are alternately and repeatedly executable, a reinforcing bar binding robot, a reinforcing bar binding unit, a conveying unit that conveys the reinforcing bar binding unit, comprising a control unit that controls the operation of the conveying unit, wherein the conveying unit, has a vertical movement mechanism capable of moving the reinforcing bar binding robot in the front-rear direction, is provided with a first three-dimensional distance sensor that outputs first point cloud data representing the three-dimensional position of a subject within a first field of view by a point cloud, wherein the control unit, a first reinforcing bar extraction process of extracting a point cloud whose vertical position is within a predetermined reinforcing bar depth range from the point cloud included in the first point cloud data, is configured to be able to execute a reinforcing bar model generation process of generating a reinforcing bar model in which the primary reinforcing bar or the secondary reinforcing bar is modeled by a straight line based on the point cloud extracted by the first reinforcing bar extraction process, wherein the reinforcing bar model generation process, a secondary reinforcing bar model generation process of generating a secondary reinforcing bar model in which the secondary reinforcing bar is modeled based on the point cloud extracted by the first reinforcing bar extraction process, a secondary reinforcing bar exclusion process of further extracting a point cloud that is not included in a range near the secondary reinforcing bar model from the point cloud extracted by the first reinforcing bar extraction process, including a primary reinforcing bar model generation process of generating a primary reinforcing bar model in which the primary reinforcing bar is modeled based on the point cloud extracted by the secondary reinforcing bar exclusion process. A reinforcing bar binding robot.

2. The control unit is configured to be able to execute a cluster extraction process of further extracting a point cloud included in the largest cluster from the point cloud extracted by the first reinforcing bar extraction process, wherein the reinforcing bar model generation process is based on the point cloud extracted by the cluster extraction process. The reinforcing bar binding robot according to Claim 1.

3. The reinforcing bar model generation process further includes a secondary reinforcing bar extraction process of further extracting a point cloud within a secondary reinforcing bar candidate range set based on the positions of point clouds located near both ends in the left-right direction among the point clouds extracted by the first reinforcing bar extraction process, wherein the secondary reinforcing bar model generation process is based on the point cloud extracted by the secondary reinforcing bar extraction process. The reinforcing bar binding robot according to Claim 1 or 2.

4. The reinforcing bar bundling robot according to claim 3, wherein in the secondary reinforcing bar model generation process, the secondary reinforcing bar model is generated using the RANSAC method.

5. The reinforcing bar bundling robot according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first three-dimensional distance sensor is disposed downward.

6. For a plurality of primary reinforcing bars and a plurality of secondary reinforcing bars intersecting the plurality of primary reinforcing bars, an operation of moving above the plurality of primary reinforcing bars and the plurality of secondary reinforcing bars in a direction in which the plurality of primary reinforcing bars extend, and an operation of bundling portions where the plurality of primary reinforcing bars and the plurality of secondary reinforcing bars intersect are alternately and repeatedly executable, a reinforcing bar bundling robot, comprising: a reinforcing bar bundling unit; a transport unit that transports the reinforcing bar bundling unit; a control unit that controls the operation of the transport unit, wherein the transport unit: includes a vertical movement mechanism capable of moving the reinforcing bar bundling robot in the front-rear direction; includes a first three-dimensional distance sensor that outputs first point cloud data representing the three-dimensional position of a subject in a first field of view by a point cloud; wherein the control unit: performs a first reinforcing bar extraction process of extracting a point cloud whose vertical position is within a predetermined reinforcing bar depth range from the point cloud included in the first point cloud data; is configured to be capable of executing a reinforcing bar model generation process of generating a reinforcing bar model in which the primary reinforcing bar or the secondary reinforcing bar is modeled by a straight line based on the point cloud extracted by the first reinforcing bar extraction process; the transport unit further includes a second three-dimensional distance sensor that outputs second point cloud data representing the three-dimensional position of a subject in a second field of view behind the first field of view by a point cloud; the control unit is further configured to be capable of executing a second reinforcing bar extraction process of extracting a point cloud whose vertical position is within the reinforcing bar depth range from the point cloud included in the second point cloud data; the reinforcing bar model generation process is also based on the point cloud extracted by the second reinforcing bar extraction process; the reinforcing bar model generation process: performs a first secondary reinforcing bar model generation process of generating a secondary reinforcing bar model in which the secondary reinforcing bar is modeled based on the point cloud extracted by the first reinforcing bar extraction process; further extracts a point cloud not included in a range near the secondary reinforcing bar model generated in the first secondary reinforcing bar model generation process from the point cloud extracted in the first reinforcing bar extraction process. A second secondary rebar model generation process that generates a secondary rebar model in which the secondary rebar is modeled based on the point cloud extracted by the second rebar extraction process; A second secondary rebar exclusion process that further extracts a point cloud that is not included in the range near the secondary rebar model generated in the second secondary rebar model generation process from the point cloud extracted in the second rebar extraction process; A rebar binding robot including a primary rebar model generation process that generates a primary rebar model in which the primary rebar is modeled based on the point cloud extracted by the first secondary rebar exclusion process and the point cloud extracted by the second secondary rebar exclusion process. **Claim 7** The rebar binding robot according to claim 6, wherein in the primary rebar model generation process, the primary rebar model is generated using the least squares method. **Claim 8** The rebar binding robot according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the first three-dimensional distance sensor and the second three-dimensional distance sensor are arranged downward. **Claim 9** The rebar binding robot according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the transport unit includes a crawler that travels on the plurality of primary rebars and the plurality of secondary rebars.

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