Control system and control program

Abstract

In a configuration in which a plurality of holding members are arranged in a holding mechanism, the degree of freedom in operation is increased. [Solution] The control system 1 includes a gripping mechanism 31 and a control device 70. The gripping mechanism 31 has a plurality of gripping members 313a, b that grip an object. The control device 70 controls the operation of the gripping mechanism 31. When controlling the operation of the gripping mechanism 31, the control device 70 also controls the relative positions of the plurality of gripping members 313a, b of the gripping mechanism 31.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control system and a control program. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, robots have been used to process a variety of objects. For example, there are robots that hold objects in a container and release the held objects into another container.

[0003] A technology relating to such a robot is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1. In the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, multiple holding members are arranged for one holding mechanism, and the holding mechanism is moved by a robot arm, thereby moving the multiple holding members up and down integrally. This allows operations such as gripping and releasing to be performed simultaneously with multiple holding members. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7161207 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In a configuration in which a plurality of holding members are arranged in a holding mechanism, such as that disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, it is desirable to increase the degree of freedom in operation. Furthermore, this problem is not limited to cases where the object is food as disclosed in Patent Document 1, but is common to a variety of fields in which holding is performed by robots, such as industrial fields. Furthermore, the holding method used by the robot is not limited to means for holding the object by gripping it with a gripping member, but is also common to cases where the object is held by means of suction or the like.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to increase the degree of freedom in operation in a configuration in which a plurality of holding members are arranged in a holding mechanism. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, a control system according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a holding mechanism having a plurality of holding members for holding an object; a control means for controlling the operation of the holding mechanism; Equipped with The control means further controls the relative positions of the plurality of holding members of the holding mechanism to be changed when controlling the operation of the gripping mechanism. It is characterized by: [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, in a configuration in which a plurality of holding members are arranged in a holding mechanism, the degree of freedom in performing operations can be increased. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a control system 1 according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a gripping mechanism 31. [Figure 3] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams showing the state of the gripping member 313 when gripping, releasing, and removing an ingredient. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams showing the state of the gripping member 313 when gripping, releasing, and removing an ingredient. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of a control device 70. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a control device 70. [Figure 7] 10A to 10C are schematic diagrams showing the movement of the gripping mechanism 31 when performing gripping and releasing operations. [Figure 8] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the gripping mechanism 31 when performing a relative movement operation. FIG. [Figure 9] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the gripping mechanism 31 when performing a relative movement operation. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the gripping mechanism 31 when performing a relative movement operation. FIG. [Figure 11] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the state of the gripping mechanism 31 when performing a relative movement operation. FIG. [Figure 12] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of an ingredient plating process executed by the control system 1. [Figure 13] 10 is a schematic diagram showing control of relative movement of a gripping member 313 in the horizontal direction in Modification 2. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Embodiment] [Overall configuration] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a control system 1 according to the present invention. Here, the control system 1 is assumed to be applied to a system that grips and releases food as an object. Therefore, in the following explanation, an example will be given in which the control system 1 grips ingredients for a side dish or the like and arranges the gripped ingredients in a container.

[0011] However, this is merely an example for the purpose of explanation and is not intended to limit the scope of application of the present invention, and the present invention is applicable to any system that holds any object. For example, it can be applied to a system that processes uncooked vegetables (such as shredded cabbage, carrots, or bean sprouts) instead of prepared dishes.It can also be applied to a system that processes workpieces (such as screws, bolts, or component parts of industrial products such as electronic devices) as objects. Furthermore, the method of holding the object is not limited to gripping the object, and for example, the object may be held by a method other than gripping, such as suction. Furthermore, the method of releasing the objects into the container is not limited to directly releasing them into the container. For example, the robot may release the objects into the discharge chute inlet, and then supply the objects from the discharge chute outlet into the container and arrange them therein. That is, the present invention can be implemented in a variety of control systems in general, regardless of the object to be grasped, the specific method of holding, or the field of application.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the control system 1 includes an ingredient storage container 10, a container supply device 20, an articulated robot 30, a storage state detection sensor 41, a container detection sensor 42, a first weighing scale 51, a second weighing scale 52, a base 60, casters 61, and a control device 70. Of these, the container supply device 20, the articulated robot 30, the storage state detection sensor 41, the container detection sensor 42, the first weighing scale 51, the second weighing scale 52, and the control device 70 are connected by wire or wireless communication and are able to communicate with each other.

[0013] In addition, a belt conveyor 2 is installed adjacent to the control system 1, which automatically transports containers of prepared foods from upstream to downstream. The belt conveyor 2 has a conveying surface for transporting the containers, and the containers are transported while placed on this conveying surface. In Figure 1, as shown by the dashed arrow, the left side of the paper is the upstream of the conveyance on the belt conveyor 2, and the right side of the paper is the downstream of the conveyance.

[0014] 1 shows only one control system 1, but the present invention is not limited to this. In this embodiment, it is assumed that multiple control systems 1 are installed along the conveying direction of one belt conveyor 2, and multiple articulated robots 30 work in cooperation with each other.

[0015] The ingredient storage container 10 has a storage space for storing ingredients such as prepared dishes to be served by the control system 1. The ingredient storage container 10 is realized by, for example, a general-purpose container such as a large tray or a large tray. The storage space of the ingredient storage container 10 stores various ingredients that can be grasped by the articulated robot 30, such as paste salads such as potato salad (i.e., prepared dishes containing viscous or sticky ingredients), udon (soybean curd refuse), dried strips of daikon radish, pickled vegetables, hijiki seaweed, boiled beans, fern springs, buttered corn, noodles, croquettes, and fried chicken. In this embodiment, the ingredient storage container 10 stores multiple servings (e.g., tens to hundreds of servings) of one type of ingredient. The ingredient storage container 10 can be replaced manually by an operator or automatically by the articulated robot 30 when the remaining amount of the stored ingredient becomes low.

[0016] In the control system 1, the container supplying device 20 supplies containers to a predetermined serving position where ingredients are to be served (here, the position where the second weighing scale 52 in FIG. 1 is located). A large number of containers are stored vertically inside the container supply device 20. When the control system 1 starts operation, the container supply device 20 supplies the containers one by one to the serving position. In response, the articulated robot 30 releases the ingredients, and the released ingredients are placed in the containers supplied to the serving position. Then, the push-out mechanism 21 provided in the container supply device 20 pushes the filled containers onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2. As a result, the filled containers are transported downstream by the belt conveyor 2.

[0017] Furthermore, a container detection sensor 42 is disposed near the position where the push-out mechanism 21 pushes out the container onto the belt conveyor 2. The container detection sensor 42 is a sensor that detects containers being transported on the transport surface of the belt conveyor 2. The container supply device 20 pushes out the container filled with ingredients onto the transport surface at a timing when the container detection sensor 42 has not detected other containers being transported on the transport surface (containers that have already been filled by other articulated robots 30). This makes it possible to prevent containers from colliding with each other on the transport surface. The reason why the other containers are transported from upstream is that, as described above, a plurality of control systems 1 are installed in this embodiment.

[0018] The articulated robot 30 is, for example, composed of a horizontal articulated robot or a vertical articulated robot, and is equipped with a gripping mechanism 31 capable of gripping ingredients, and a robot arm 32 that moves the gripping mechanism 31 to any position within its movable range.

[0019] The gripping mechanism 31 is attached to the tip of the robot arm 32 and is supported by the robot arm 32. The gripping mechanism 31 can move to any position within its movable range in accordance with the movement of the robot arm 32 based on the control of the control device 70. Furthermore, the joint that holds the gripping mechanism 31 has an axis that rotates the gripping mechanism 31 in a torsional direction relative to the robot arm 32. Therefore, when the gripping mechanism 31 grips an ingredient, the gripping direction of the gripping mechanism 31 can be adjusted by changing the orientation of the gripping mechanism 31. This makes it possible to change the orientation of the gripping mechanism 31 to a direction parallel to the inner wall surface of the ingredient-accommodating container 10 when the gripping mechanism 31 reaches the vicinity of the inner wall surface of the ingredient-accommodating container 10, making it easier to grip ingredients near the inner wall surface of the container.

[0020] The storage state detection sensor 41 is a sensor that detects the storage state of the ingredients stored in the ingredient storage container 10. The storage state detection sensor 41 is realized by, for example, a depth camera that can detect the distance to a subject. In this case, the angle of view of the storage state detection sensor 41 is set to, for example, an angle of view that can capture the entire area of ​​the opening surface of the ingredient storage container 10. The control device 70 can analyze the distance information detected by the storage status detection sensor 41 (i.e., depth information for each pixel across the entire area of ​​the opening surface of the ingredient storage container 10) to determine the remaining amount of ingredients in each area within the ingredient storage container 10, the roughness (unevenness) of the surface, etc.

[0021] As described above, the container detection sensor 42 is a sensor that detects containers being transported on the transport surface of the belt conveyor 2. The container detection sensor 42 is realized, for example, by an optical sensor (also referred to as a photodetector). The container detection sensor 42 detects containers being transported upstream of the position where the push-out mechanism 21 pushes the container onto the belt conveyor 2. The control device 70 can identify the timing at which the push-out mechanism 21 pushes out the container onto the belt conveyor 2 based on the detection result of the container detection sensor 42.

[0022] Both the first weighing scale 51 and the second weighing scale 52 are devices that detect the weight of an object. The first weighing scale 51 and the second weighing scale 52 are realized by weighing scales that measure weight using strain gauges, for example. Here, the first weighing scale 51 is placed at a position where the ingredient-storing container 10 is placed. The first weighing scale 51 detects the weight of the ingredient-storing container 10 itself and the weight of the ingredients stored in the ingredient-storing container 10. Based on the detection value of this first weight scale 51, the control device 70 can determine the total weight of the ingredients contained therein (i.e., the remaining amount) and the increase or decrease in the total weight due to the grasping of the ingredients contained therein, etc. (i.e., the change in the remaining amount).

[0023] Second weighing scale 52 is placed at a predetermined serving position where ingredients are served in control system 1. Second weighing scale 52 detects the weight of the container itself supplied to this serving position and the weight of the ingredients released and served in this container. The control device 70 can determine the total weight of the ingredients released and served in the container based on the detection value of the second weighing scale 52. The control device 70 can also determine, based on the detection value of the second weighing scale 52, whether the container has been supplied to the serving position or not, and whether the container with the ingredients served has been pushed onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2 or not.

[0024] The base 60 is a base for placing the ingredient storage container 10, the container supply device 20, the articulated robot 30, etc. These articulated robots 30, etc. have a total weight of several hundred kg (for example, more than 300 kg). Therefore, the base 60 has a structure with enough rigidity to support these items even when they are placed on the top surface.

[0025] The casters 61 are casters attached to the pedestal 60. The casters 61 come into contact with the ground, allowing the pedestal 60 to support the articulated robot 30 and the like. Furthermore, the casters 61 function as wheels, making it possible for the pedestal 60 to be moved by human power even when the articulated robot 30 and the like are placed on it.

[0026] The control device 70 is configured by an information processing device such as a PC (Personal Computer) or a programmable controller, and executes various programs to control the entire control system 1. For example, the control device 70 controls the operation of the container supply device 20 to supply containers and push out containers containing ingredients, and the operation of the articulated robot 30 to grasp ingredients from the ingredient storage containers 10 and release them into the containers to place the ingredients.

[0027] For example, the control device 70 controls the operation of the robot arm 32 to move the gripping mechanism 31 to a predetermined position via a predetermined route at a predetermined speed, and controls the operation of the actuator of the gripping mechanism 31 to grip and release ingredients using the gripping mechanism.

[0028] The above describes the components that make up the control system 1. In addition to these components, plate-like members may be further placed around or above the locations where the components are installed. This plate-like member shields each component from the external space, preventing ingredients grasped or released by the articulated robot 30 from scattering from the internal space to the external space. It also prevents workers from coming into contact with the articulated robot 30 while it is in operation, ensuring the safety of workers and preventing breakdowns in the articulated robot 30. In this case, the plate-like member is preferably made of a transparent material such as glass or resin so that the operating status of the control system 1 can be visually confirmed from the external space. Furthermore, an openable door may be provided on a part of the side wall using this plate-like member, so that when replacing the ingredient storage container 10, replenishing ingredients, adding containers to the container supply device 20, or performing maintenance on the control system 1, an operator can open this door and perform various tasks.

[0029] [Configuration of gripping mechanism 31] 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. As shown in FIG. 2, the gripping mechanism 31 includes a connecting portion 311, a plurality of air cylinders 312, and a plurality of gripping members 313. The gripping mechanism 31 having such a configuration is attached to the robot arm 32, whereby it is supported by the robot arm 32 and moves in accordance with the movement of the robot arm 32.

[0030] The connecting portion 311 is a substantially plate-shaped member, and is connected to each of the plurality of air cylinders 312. The top surface of the connecting portion 311 is attached to the robot arm 32. The plurality of air cylinders 312 are drive mechanisms that can move linearly back and forth in the vertical direction (that is, upward and downward). A plurality of gripping members 313 are attached to the plurality of air cylinders 312, respectively.

[0031] The multiple gripping members 313 are parts that grip the ingredients by coming into contact with the ingredients. Here, each of the multiple gripping members 313 can grip (i.e., hold) the ingredients independently. In other words, the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31 is such that multiple gripping members that can grip the ingredients independently are arranged for one gripping mechanism.

[0032] In the drawing, as an example of the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31, four air cylinders 312 are arranged so that their longitudinal directions extend vertically below the connecting portion 311. Four gripping members 313 are arranged so that their longitudinal directions extend vertically downward corresponding to the four air cylinders 312. In other words, the four gripping members 313 are arranged in a single row in the horizontal direction. However, this is just one example of a suitable arrangement, and the arrangement and number of gripping members 313 can be changed as desired depending on the environment in which this embodiment is implemented. In addition, although the gripping members 313 are arranged so that their opening and closing directions are the same in the drawing, this is not limited to this. For example, the gripping members 313 may be arranged so that the opening and closing direction of the first gripping member and the opening and closing direction of the second gripping member intersect. As an example, the multiple gripping members 313 may be arranged so that the opening and closing direction of the first gripping member and the opening and closing direction of the second gripping member are orthogonal in the horizontal plane (i.e., the opening and closing directions of the two gripping members differ by 90 degrees in the horizontal plane).

[0033] In this arrangement, the gripping member 313 includes a first gripping portion 313a and a second gripping portion 313b. The first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b are each wire-like and have a closed loop shape at the tip. The gripping member 313 also includes a pin cylinder (not shown) inside. When the pin cylinder is driven, the first gripping portion 313a moves to open and close. In contrast, the second gripping portion 313b does not move and maintains its position. Then, as the tip of first gripping portion 313a and the tip of second gripping portion 313b approach each other, gripping member 313 enters a closed state and can grip the ingredient. On the other hand, as the tip of first gripping portion 313a and the tip of second gripping portion 313b move away from each other, gripping member 313 enters an open state and can release the gripped ingredient.

[0034] Furthermore, the gripping mechanism 31 can move the position of each of the multiple gripping members 313 up and down by controlling the drive of the air cylinder 312. This position is a relative position with respect to the connecting portion 311. In other words, it is possible to control some or all of the gripping members 313 to move to a position closer to the connecting portion 311 (i.e., a raised position), or to control some or all of the gripping members 313 to move to a position farther away from the connecting portion 311 (i.e., a lowered position). Therefore, for example, it is possible to move some of the gripping members 313 to a higher position relative to the connecting portion 311, while moving other gripping members 313 to a lower position relative to the connecting portion 311. In other words, this corresponds to the relative movement of the position of one gripping member 313 with the position of another gripping member 313. Hereinafter, this movement of the position of at least some of the gripping members 313 relative to the connecting portion 311 or the other gripping members 313 will be simply referred to as "relative movement." In this embodiment, by moving the gripping members 313 relative to one another, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom in operation in a configuration in which multiple gripping members 313 are arranged relative to one gripping mechanism 31.

[0035] 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams showing the state of the gripping member 313 when gripping, releasing, and removing an ingredient. 3 and 4 show the gripping member 313 as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the opening and closing direction of the gripping member 313. When viewed from this direction, the second gripping portion 313b has a shape that extends vertically downward in a straight line. On the other hand, the first gripping portion 313a has a shape that is bent such that its central portion is away from the second gripping portion 313b. This bent shape allows the gripping member 313 to grip more ingredients than a shape that extends straight.

[0036] However, this is merely one example. Alternatively, depending on the specific shape and characteristics, first gripping portion 313a may have a shape that extends vertically downward in a straight line, similar to second gripping portion 313b. Alternatively, second gripping portion 313b may have a shape in which its central portion is bent so as to move away from first gripping portion 313a, similar to first gripping portion 313a. In other words, the central portions of both second gripping portion 313b and first gripping portion 313a may have shapes that are bent so as to move away from each other.

[0037] When a gripping operation is performed, first, as shown in Fig. 3(a), the gripping member 313 descends toward the ingredient-accommodating container 10 and penetrates into the group of ingredients accommodated in the ingredient-accommodating container 10. Then, the gripping member 313 attempts to grip the ingredients by pinching them between the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b. In this case, no reaction force from the ingredients acts on the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b, and the shape is maintained.

[0038] Next, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b approach each other, and then these two gripping portions close together, thereby performing a gripping operation. At this time, a reaction force from the ingredients acts on these gripping portions. In response, the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b elastically deform into a shape suitable for gripping the ingredients. For example, they elastically deform into a shape that matches the shape of the ingredient to be gripped or a shape that encloses multiple ingredients. This makes it possible to grip the ingredients securely.

[0039] The gripping mechanism 31 grips the ingredients with the gripping members 313 and moves to the position of the container to which the ingredients are to be released (the serving position) to release the ingredients. Then, as shown in Fig. 4(c), the first gripping part 313a and the second gripping part 313b move away from each other, and the two gripping parts open, thereby executing the release operation. The released ingredients fall straight down and are placed in a container. The first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b are formed of an elastically deformable material such as spring steel. Spring steel has the property of returning to its original shape before elastic deformation when it is not subjected to a reaction force. Therefore, after the ingredients are released, the container returns to its original shape before elastic deformation, as shown in FIG. 3(a), making it possible to use it repeatedly.

[0040] Furthermore, when the ingredients are released, there is a risk that some of the ingredients will adhere to the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b due to their properties. In particular, ingredients with properties such as viscous or sticky ingredients, ingredients with a lot of oil or water, and long ingredients that tend to cling to the food are prone to adhesion. Examples of viscous or sticky ingredients include paste salads such as potato salad. Examples of ingredients with a lot of oil or water include vegetables tossed in dressing and noodles with sauce. Examples of long ingredients that tend to cling to the food include bean sprouts, stir-fried burdock root, and noodles such as spaghetti. In this case, even if the target amount to be served is grasped at the grasping stage, the amount actually served after release will be less than the target amount. In such a case, as shown in Figure 4(d), it is preferable to perform a removal operation by moving the first gripping part 313a and the second gripping part 313b to remove the adhering ingredients and drop them onto the container.

[0041] One possible method for performing this removal operation is to move the gripping mechanism 31 using the robot arm 32, for example. In this case, removal may be performed by moving the gripping mechanism 31 up and down or left and right. Alternatively, removal may be performed by moving the gripping mechanism 31 downward and then suddenly stopping it to apply a downward inertial force to the ingredient. Alternatively, removal may be performed by vibrating the gripping mechanism 31 slightly up and down or left and right. Alternatively, the robot arm 32 may be gripped and released without moving, and the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b may be repeatedly opened and closed to remove the object. Alternatively, as described above, removal may be performed by driving the air cylinder 312 to move the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b up and down or by vibrating them.

[0042] In this embodiment, the articulated robot 30 is controlled more appropriately by having the gripping mechanism 31 perform the operations described with reference to FIGS.

[0043] [Hardware configuration of the control device 70] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control device 70. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, the control device 70 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 711, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 712, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 713, a bus 714, an input unit 715, an output unit 716, a memory unit 717, a communication unit 718, and a drive 719.

[0044] The CPU 711 executes various processes according to a program recorded in the ROM 712 or a program loaded from the storage unit 717 into the RAM 713 . The RAM 713 also stores data and the like necessary for the CPU 711 to execute various processes.

[0045] The CPU 711, ROM 712, and RAM 713 are connected to one another via a bus 714. To the bus 714, an input unit 715, an output unit 716, a storage unit 717, a communication unit 718, and a drive 719 are connected.

[0046] The input unit 715 includes an input device such as a mouse or a keyboard, and receives input of various information to the control device 70. The input unit 715 may also include a microphone, and receive input of various information by voice input from the worker. The output unit 716 is composed of a display, a speaker, etc., and outputs images and sounds. The storage unit 717 is configured with a solid state drive (SSD), a hard disk drive (HDD), a dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or the like, and stores various data managed by each server. The communication unit 718 controls communication with other devices via the network.

[0047] Removable media 731, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory, is appropriately attached to the drive 719. A program read from the removable media 731 by the drive 719 is installed in the storage unit 717 as needed. The above hardware configuration is the basic configuration of the control device 70, and it is possible to configure the control device 70 without some of the hardware, to configure the control device 70 with additional hardware, or to change the implementation form of the hardware.

[0048] [Functional configuration] Next, the functional configuration of the control device 70 will be described. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 70. 6, by executing a program for controlling the operation of the control system 1, an information acquisition unit 151, an articulated robot control unit 152, a container supply control unit 153, and a recording control unit 154 function in the CPU 711 of the control device 70. In addition, a parameter storage unit 171 and a history database (history DB) 172 are formed in the storage unit 717.

[0049] The parameter storage unit 171 stores various parameters used when the control system 1 operates. For example, the parameter storage unit 171 stores data that serve as control standards for the gripping operation, such as the position and shape of the ingredient storage container 10, the position and shape of the containers supplied from the container supply device 20, the position of the area in the container where the ingredients are provided and arranged, the weight per volume of the ingredient (i.e., the density of the ingredient) and the target amount of the ingredient to be gripped and released, parameters that define the operation pattern of the articulated robot 30, and the like.

[0050] The history DB 172 stores control-related parameters acquired when the control system 1 operates and measurement data of the weight of ingredients plated by the control system 1 as operation history.

[0051] The information acquiring unit 151 acquires information detected by various sensors and various weighing scales installed in the control system 1. For example, the information acquiring unit 151 acquires distance information detected by the storage state detection sensor 41 (i.e., depth information for each pixel across the entire area of ​​the opening surface of the ingredient storage container 10). In addition, for example, the information acquiring unit 151 sequentially acquires the detection results of other containers (containers that have been filled by other articulated robots 30) on the conveyance surface by the container detection sensor 42. Additionally, for example, the information acquisition unit 151 sequentially acquires data on the weight of the ingredient storage container 10 and the stored ingredients detected by the first weighing scale 51, and the weight of the container and the ingredients served in the container measured by the second weighing scale 52. In this way, the sensor information notified to the information acquisition unit 151 is used as appropriate by other functional blocks included in the control device 70.

[0052] The articulated robot control unit 152 controls the operation of the articulated robot 30, and causes the articulated robot 30 to perform a series of operations for arranging ingredients in accordance with the operation patterns defined in the control system 1. For example, the articulated robot control unit 152 causes the articulated robot 30 to perform an operation of gripping an ingredient with the gripping mechanism 31 of the articulated robot 30 (a gripping operation), an operation of releasing the ingredient gripped by the gripping mechanism 31 (a releasing operation), an operation of removing the ingredient attached to the gripping mechanism 31 (a removing operation), and an operation of moving the multiple gripping members 313 relative to one another (a relative moving operation).

[0053] For example, when performing grasping, the articulated robot control unit 152 determines in advance the height of the surface of the ingredients at each position in the ingredient storage container 10 based on distance information detected by the storage state detection sensor 41. Therefore, the articulated robot control unit 152 inserts the gripping members 313 into the group of ingredients a predetermined depth from this height to perform grasping. This predetermined depth can be set in advance based on the density of the ingredients, the properties of the ingredients (viscosity, etc.), the number and shape of the gripping members 313 that will perform grasping, the target amount (here, the target weight) to be targeted for grasping and releasing, etc. By setting the insertion depth in advance in this way, the gripping members 313 can grasp ingredients of a weight equal to or close to the target amount. Instead of setting the depth in advance, the articulated robot control unit 152 may calculate the depth of insertion using the values ​​detected by each sensor and each weighing scale as parameters (variables). Alternatively, a learning model may be constructed in advance by performing machine learning based on past gripping performance values, etc., and the depth of insertion may be determined using this learning model.

[0054] The container supply control unit 153 controls the container supply device 20 to supply, to the serving position, containers for serving ingredients to be served in the control system 1. The container supply control unit 153 also controls the container supply device 20 to push out the containers in which ingredients have been served onto the conveying surface at a timing when the container detection sensor 42 has not detected other containers being conveyed on the conveying surface (containers in which other articulated robots 30 have served).

[0055] The recording control unit 154 stores, in the history DB 172, parameters related to control acquired when the control system 1 performs a gripping operation or the like, and measurement data such as the weight of ingredients arranged by the control system 1. This data is used as log data or the like for the administrator of the control system 1 to analyze the operation of the control system 1.

[0056] [Control of the Articulated Robot 30 During Operation] Next, the control of the articulated robot 30 during operation by the articulated robot control unit 152 will be described. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the movement of the gripping mechanism 31 when performing a gripping operation and a release operation. In FIG. 7, the ingredient-storing container 10 and the wall surface of the container are shown in a see-through manner to clarify the situation. Furthermore, since a large amount of ingredients are stored in the storage space of the ingredient storage container 10, these large amounts of ingredients will hereinafter be referred to as a "group of ingredients." Note that the state of the gripping member 313 when performing each of these operations is as described above with reference to Figures 3 and 4.

[0057] First, as shown in Fig. 7(a), the articulated robot control unit 152 lowers the gripping mechanism 31 toward the group of ingredients. Then, the articulated robot control unit 152 closes the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b of the gripping member 313 to perform gripping, and then raises the gripping mechanism 31. This achieves the gripping operation. Thereafter, the articulated robot control unit 152 moves the gripping mechanism 31, while still gripping the ingredient, to above the container in which the ingredient will be placed.

[0058] 7(b), the articulated robot control unit 152 executes release by opening the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b of the gripping member 313. As a result, the ingredients are placed in the container, and the release operation is realized. Thereafter, the articulated robot control unit 152 moves the gripping mechanism 31 to a standby position above the ingredient-accommodating container 10. The above is the state of movement of the gripping mechanism 31 when performing the gripping operation and the release operation.

[0059] Next, the control during the relative movement operation, which is unique to this embodiment, will be described in detail. Figures 8 to 11 are schematic diagrams showing the state of the gripping mechanism 31 when performing the relative movement operation. These figures show the state in which the multiple gripping members 313 are observed from the front in the opening and closing direction.

[0060] In general technology, the premise is that in a configuration in which multiple holding members are arranged in one holding mechanism, the positions of the multiple holding members are fixed, which poses a problem of extremely low flexibility when making the holding members perform operations such as gripping and releasing.

[0061] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, a plurality of gripping members 313 are arranged for one gripping mechanism 31, similar to common techniques. However, in this embodiment, in consideration of the above-mentioned problems of the general technology, a drive mechanism (here, air cylinder 312) is arranged corresponding to each of the plurality of gripping members 313. Then, the gripping mechanism 31 controls the drive of this gripping mechanism to move each of the plurality of gripping members 313 up and down. In other words, each of the plurality of gripping members 313 is moved relative to one another. In this embodiment, by causing such relative movement, it is possible to further increase the degree of freedom of movement in a configuration in which a plurality of gripping members 313 are arranged for one gripping mechanism 31. Below, a specific control method for further increasing the degree of freedom of movement in this way will be exemplified.

[0062] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing control for adjusting the amount of ingredients to be grasped or released. Normally, when gripping or releasing, all of the multiple gripping members 313 provided in the gripping mechanism 31 are used. In contrast, in this embodiment, it is possible to control whether to use all of the gripping members 313 or only some of the gripping members 313 depending on the situation.

[0063] For example, if the shape and number of the gripping members 313 are set based on the target amount to be gripped or released, all of the gripping members 313 must be used.

[0064] On the other hand, there are situations where you want to grasp or release an amount smaller than this target amount. For example, if a target amount smaller than the normal target amount is set as a new target amount, you need to grasp and release an amount smaller than the normal target amount. Alternatively, when attempting to serve a target amount, an amount less than the target amount is served in the container due to reasons such as the ingredients falling during movement. In this case, it is necessary to re-grasp and release from the ingredient storage container 10 only the difference between the target amount and the amount served. Another example is when you try to serve the target amount, but in addition to the ingredients you are holding, you also end up serving the ingredients that are stuck to the container. In this case, you have served more than the target amount, so you need to grasp and remove from the container only the difference between the target amount and the amount served. In these various situations, the degree of freedom of movement can be increased by moving the multiple gripping members 313 relative to one another.

[0065] Specifically, in a situation where an appropriate amount of ingredient corresponding to a target amount needs to be gripped or released, all of the gripping members 313 are used to grip or release the ingredient, as shown in FIG. 8(A).

[0066] In contrast to this, in a situation where it is desired to grip or release an amount less than the target amount as described above, gripping and releasing are performed by some of the gripping members 313 (here, the first and second gripping members 313 from the left on the paper), as shown in FIG. 8(B). Meanwhile, relative movement is performed by raising the other gripping members 313 (here, the third and fourth gripping members 313 from the left on the paper). As a result, these other gripping members 313 are not inserted into the group of ingredients, and therefore do not grip any ingredients. Therefore, these other gripping members 313 do not release any ingredients. That is, it is possible to adjust the amount of gripping or releasing depending on the situation by relatively moving the gripping members 313. In this case, it is not necessary to take the time to change the number of gripping members 313 or to change to gripping members 313 with different shapes.

[0067] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing control when the same ingredient is gripped by multiple gripping members 313 at the same time. As shown in Figure 9(a), when gripping a long ingredient, there is a possibility that the same ingredient (i.e., the same individual) may be gripped simultaneously by adjacent gripping members 313 (here, the second and third gripping members 313 from the left on the page). For example, this is the case when gripping ingredients such as bean sprouts, stir-fried burdock root, or noodles such as spaghetti.

[0068] In this way, if the same ingredient is gripped by multiple gripping members 313, even if one gripping member 313 releases the ingredient, the other gripping members 313 will continue to grip the ingredient. As a result, the ingredient will not be released as expected, and the accuracy of the amount released will decrease. In particular, in a system in which combined weighing is performed based on the amount gripped by each of multiple gripping members 313 and release is performed using only some of the gripping members 313, the decrease in accuracy of the amount released is a major problem. In this case, by moving the plurality of gripping members 313 relative to one another, it is possible to increase the degree of freedom of movement.

[0069] Specifically, as shown in Figure 9(b), only one of the adjacent gripping members 313 (here, the second gripping member 313 from the left on the paper) is raised. In other words, a difference in height is created between the adjacent gripping members 313. This causes the gripping member 313 to pull up the ingredient it is simultaneously gripping, and the ingredient is released from the other gripping member 313 (here, the third gripping member 313 from the left on the paper). That is, by moving the gripping members 313 relative to one another, it is possible to prevent the same ingredient from being gripped simultaneously by multiple gripping members 313. This makes it possible to prevent a decrease in the accuracy of the amount to be released.

[0070] In this example, for clarity of explanation, only the second gripping member 313 from the left on the paper is raised, but this is not limiting. For example, a plurality of gripping members 313 may be raised, such as the second and fourth gripping members 313 from the left on the paper, or the first and third gripping members 313 from the left on the paper.

[0071] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing control for preventing the same ingredient from being gripped by multiple gripping members 313 at the same time. In this case, as shown in Figure 10(a), some of the gripping members 313 (here, the second and fourth gripping members 313 from the left on the paper) are raised in advance before gripping. In contrast, the other adjacent gripping members 313 (here, the first and third gripping members 313 from the left on the paper) are lowered. In other words, a difference in height is created in advance between the adjacent gripping members 313. When gripping is performed thereafter, the height at which gripping is performed will differ between adjacent gripping members 313. Therefore, the same ingredient will not be gripped by multiple gripping members 313 at the same time. That is, by moving the gripping members 313 relative to one another, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the same ingredient is gripped by a plurality of gripping members 313 at the same time.

[0072] In this example, since gripping is performed by all of the gripping members 313, it is desirable not to create a difference in height so that the elevated gripping members 313 cannot perform gripping, as shown in Figure 9. In other words, the elevated gripping members 313 are only moved high enough to perform gripping. To achieve this, for example, height can be controlled by using a double solenoid air cylinder or a Robo Cylinder, which can adjust the movement height to three positions, or by adjusting the installation position of the air cylinder. Furthermore, when controlling the height adjustment using such a mechanism or structure, the same effect can be achieved by relatively moving the height in N steps (N is an integer of 3 or more) rather than by relatively moving the height in two steps, up and down. This is particularly suitable when the width of the ingredients is narrow.

[0073] Alternatively, a gripping member 313 that has been lowered in advance may be configured to grip an ingredient, and then a gripping member 313 that has been raised in advance may be configured to lower and grip the ingredient. Alternatively, a gripping member 313 that has been lowered in advance may be configured to grip an ingredient, and then the gripping mechanism 31 may be inserted deeper into the group of ingredients, and then a gripping member 313 that has been raised in advance may grip the ingredient. In other words, by varying the timing at which the ingredients are gripped, it is possible to prevent the same ingredient from being gripped by multiple gripping members 313 at the same time.

[0074] FIG. 11(A) is a schematic diagram showing another control when the same ingredient is gripped by multiple gripping members 313 at the same time. In this example, as shown in Figure 10(a), we assume that the same ingredient is simultaneously gripped by multiple adjacent gripping members 313 (here, the second and third gripping members 313 from the left on the paper).

[0075] In this case, as shown in Figure 11(A), only one of the gripping members 313 (here, the third gripping member 313 from the left on the paper) is raised and lowered to move up and down, or this up and down movement is repeated. This allows the clumps of the same ingredients being held to be loosened and separated, or the same ingredients being held to be torn into pieces. That is, by moving the gripping members 313 relative to one another, it is possible to prevent the same ingredient from being gripped by multiple gripping members 313 at the same time.

[0076] FIG. 11(B) is a schematic diagram showing how to remove ingredients that have adhered to the gripping member 313. As described above with reference to FIG. 4(d), ingredients that have properties such as stickiness may stick to the gripping members 313.

[0077] In this case, as shown in Fig. 11(B), all of the gripping members 313 are moved up and down by being raised and lowered, or this up and down movement is repeated. This allows ingredients adhering to each gripping member 313 to be shaken off and dropped. That is, it is possible to remove the ingredients that have adhered by relatively moving the gripping members 313. Also, by removing the ingredients with such small up and down movements, it is possible to prevent the ingredients from scattering as they fall compared to removing the ingredients by moving the entire gripping mechanism 31 up and down.

[0078] As described above, according to this embodiment, the plurality of gripping members 313 are moved relative to one another, thereby increasing the degree of freedom of movement and making it possible to appropriately respond to various situations. That is, according to this embodiment, it is possible to solve the problem to be solved by the present invention, which is to "increase the degree of freedom in operation in a configuration in which a plurality of holding members are arranged in a holding mechanism."

[0079] [Overall operation] Next, the overall operation of the control system 1 will be described. 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of the ingredient plating process executed by the control system 1. The ingredient plating process is started, for example, when an operator performs an operation to start the ingredient plating process.

[0080] When the ingredient plating process is started, in step S11, the articulated robot control unit 152 reads operation data for executing a series of operations in the ingredient plating process (for example, operation pattern data, data on the position and shape of the ingredient storage container 10, etc.) from the parameter storage unit 171. This makes preparations for carrying out the above-mentioned gripping operation, release operation, removal operation, and relative movement operation.

[0081] In step S12, the articulated robot control unit 152 moves the gripping mechanism 31 to a standby position above the ingredient-accommodating container 10. In step S13, the articulated robot control unit 152 determines whether or not to move the multiple gripping members 313 relative to one another. For example, as shown in FIG. 8(B), it determines that relative movement is to be performed when gripping a small amount of ingredients. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10, it determines that relative movement is to be performed when preventing the same ingredient from being gripped. If relative movement is to be performed, the determination in step S13 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S14. On the other hand, if relative movement is not to be performed, the determination in step S13 is No, and the process proceeds to step S15.

[0082] In step S14, the articulated robot control unit 152 moves the plurality of gripping members 313 of the gripping mechanism 31 relative to each other.

[0083] In step S15, the articulated robot control unit 152 closes the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b of the gripping member 313, thereby causing the gripping member 313 to perform a gripping operation on the group of ingredients in the ingredient-accommodating container 10. The articulated robot control unit 152 can identify the weight of the ingredient currently being held by the gripping member 313 based on the change in weight before and after gripping detected by the ingredient weight meter 50. Therefore, the articulated robot control unit 152 compares the weight of the ingredient being held with the target amount to be gripped, and if the two do not match, executes a release operation without moving the gripping mechanism 31, and then performs a gripping operation again. It is preferable to repeat this release and re-gripping until the weight of the ingredient being held matches the target amount.

[0084] In step S16, the articulated robot control unit 152 determines whether or not to relatively move the multiple gripping members 313. For example, as shown in Fig. 9 and Fig. 11(A), when the state in which the same ingredient is gripped by the multiple gripping members 313 is to be released, it determines that relative movement should be performed. If relative movement is to be performed, the determination in step S16 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S17. On the other hand, if relative movement is not to be performed, the determination in step S16 is No, and the process proceeds to step S18.

[0085] In step S17, the articulated robot control unit 152 moves the plurality of gripping members 313 of the gripping mechanism 31 relative to each other.

[0086] In step S18, the articulated robot control unit 152 moves the gripping mechanism 31 to above the container in which the ingredients are to be placed. In step S19, the articulated robot control unit 152 performs the action of releasing the ingredients from the container by opening the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b of the gripping member 313 at the release position identified in step S16.

[0087] In step S20, the articulated robot control unit 152 determines whether or not to relatively move the multiple gripping members 313. For example, as shown in FIG. 11(B), it determines to relatively move when removing an adhesive ingredient. The adhesive ingredient may be removed above the container, above the ingredient-storing container 10, or by moving to a specific position for removal. If relative movement is to be performed, the determination in step S20 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S21. On the other hand, if relative movement is not to be performed, the determination in step S20 is No, and the process proceeds to step S22.

[0088] In step S21, the articulated robot control section 152 moves the plurality of gripping members 313 of the gripping mechanism 31 relative to one another, and performs, for example, removal of the attachment material.

[0089] In step S22, the record control unit 154 stores in the history DB 172 the control-related parameters acquired in the ingredient plating process and the measurement data (history data) of the weight of the plated ingredients.

[0090] In step S23, the articulated robot control unit 152 determines whether or not a condition for ending the ingredient plating process has been met. In this case, the condition for ending the ingredient plating process is that ingredients have been plated into the planned number of containers or that an operation to end the ingredient plating process has been performed by the worker. If the condition for terminating the ingredient plating process is not met, step S23 is judged as No, the process returns to step S12, a new container is supplied, and the process is performed again for this new container.On the other hand, if the condition for terminating the ingredient plating process is met, step S23 is judged as Yes, and the ingredient plating process ends.

[0091] According to the ingredient plating process described above, the various advantageous effects described above with reference to Figs. 8 to 11 etc. are achieved.

[0092] [Variations] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. The present invention can be embodied in various other embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and various modifications such as omissions and substitutions can be made. For example, not only can any of the modifications described below be applied to the embodiments of the present invention, but also some or all of the modifications described below can be appropriately combined and applied to the embodiments of the present invention.

[0093] [Variation 1] In the above-described embodiment, gripping and releasing are performed using the gripping member 313 having the shape shown in Fig. 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and gripping members 313 having other shapes may also be used. For example, as in the above-described embodiment, not only linear members such as wires but also a plurality of members such as plate-like members or rod-like members, which sandwich and hold the ingredient, can be used as the gripping member 313. In this case, the plurality of members may each have the same shape or different shapes.

[0094] Alternatively, for example, a member that is inserted into an object can be used instead of the gripping member 313. The inserting member is, for example, a skewer-like member that is inserted into edible meat as the object, or a fork-like member that is inserted into noodles as the object. Alternatively, for example, a member that attracts an object by suction with a suction cup or a member that attracts an object by an electromagnet can be used instead of the gripping member 313. That is, various members capable of realizing holding can be used in place of the gripping member 313. In the above-described embodiment, the gripping member 313 performs gripping using two gripping portions, the first gripping portion 313a and the second gripping portion 313b. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the gripping member 313 may be provided with three or more gripping portions, and gripping may be performed using these three or more gripping portions.

[0095] [Variation 2] In the above-described embodiment, the relative movement is realized by raising or lowering the multiple gripping members 313 to create a difference in height. That is, the relative movement is realized by moving the gripping members 313 in the vertical direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the relative movement may be realized by moving a certain number of gripping members 313 in the horizontal direction (i.e., left and right). In this case, instead of the air cylinder 312, a mechanism that moves back and forth horizontally (for example, an air cylinder arranged so that the direction of movement is horizontal) is used. Then, by arranging a plurality of such mechanisms corresponding to each of the plurality of gripping members 313, relative movement in the horizontal direction can be realized.

[0096] 13A to 13C are schematic diagrams showing the control of the relative movement of the gripping members 313 in the horizontal direction in this modified example. Similar to FIGS. 8 to 11, these figures show the state in which the multiple gripping members 313 are observed from the front in the opening and closing direction. Fig. 13(A) shows control when only some of the gripping members 313 are used. As described above with reference to Fig. 8, there are situations where it is desired to grip or release an amount smaller than a target amount. In such cases, the gripping member 313 that performs the gripping is moved horizontally in one direction, and the other gripping members 313 are moved horizontally in the other direction. In other words, the multiple gripping members 313 are moved relative to one another.

[0097] Here, as an example, the first and second gripping members 313 from the left on the paper are moved to the left side of the paper as gripping members 313 that will perform gripping. Also, the third and fourth gripping members 313 from the left on the paper are moved to the right side of the paper as other gripping members 313. Next, the gripping mechanism 31 is moved so that the gripping member 313 that will grip is positioned above the container, and the other gripping members 313 are positioned above the area outside the container. Then, in this state, the gripping mechanism 31 is lowered to perform gripping. As a result, the gripping member 313 that performs gripping is inserted into the group of ingredients, while the other gripping members 313 are lowered to an area outside the container. Therefore, the ingredients do not come into contact with the other gripping members 313, and as a result, the ingredients do not adhere to the other gripping members 313. Therefore, when the gripping mechanism 31 moves, the ingredients adhered to the other gripping members 313 can be prevented from falling off, etc.

[0098] In this example, it is assumed that when gripping, the position of each gripping member 313 is adjusted for the ingredient storage container 10. However, it is not limited to this, and when releasing, the position of each gripping member 313 may be adjusted for the container in which the ingredients are to be placed.

[0099] Furthermore, in this modification, by performing such relative horizontal movement of the multiple gripping members 313, it is possible to eliminate the state in which the same ingredient is being gripped, similar to the operations shown in Figures 9 and 11(A). Alternatively, by performing relative horizontal movement before gripping, it is possible to prevent the same ingredient from being gripped, similar to the operation shown in Figure 10. Furthermore, by performing relative horizontal movement after release, it is possible to remove any ingredients that have adhered, similar to the operation shown in Figure 11(B).

[0100] 13(B) shows the control of movement according to the width of the container. Assume that the overall width of the multiple gripping members 313 arranged in the normal state is wider than the width of the container in which ingredients are to be served. In this case, the width formed by the left side position of the first gripping member 313 from the left on the page and the right side position of the fourth gripping member 313 from the left on the page is wider than the left-to-right width of the container. In this case, if the ingredients are released as they are, some of the released ingredients will fall outside the container. Therefore, as shown in the figure, each gripping member 313 is moved toward the center of the connecting portion 311. In other words, the multiple gripping members 313 are moved relative to each other. As a result, the overall width of the arrangement of the multiple gripping members 313 fits within the width of the container in which the ingredients are to be served. Then, by performing release in this state, all of the released ingredients can be served in the container. In this example, it is assumed that the position of each gripping member 313 is adjusted for the container in which the ingredients are to be placed when releasing. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the position of each gripping member 313 may be adjusted for the ingredient storage container 10 when gripping.

[0101] By performing horizontal relative movement as in this modified example described above, the degree of freedom in operation can be further increased in a configuration in which a plurality of holding members are arranged in a holding mechanism. Furthermore, the horizontal relative movement of this modified example may be combined with the vertical relative movement of the above-described embodiment. Alternatively, to achieve the same control as in the above-described embodiment and this modified example, other mechanisms that perform rotational motion, such as motors, may be used, and the relative movement may be achieved by tilting adjacent gripping members 313 toward the depth or toward the front in the drawing using this mechanism.

[0102] [Variation 3] In the above-described embodiment, the weight of the ingredients held by the gripping member 313 or the ingredients placed on the gripping member 313 is determined based on the change in weight detected by the first weighing scale 51 or the second weighing scale 52, and control is performed based on this. However, this is not limited to this, and a load cell or a force sensor may be provided in the gripping member 313. Then, the weight of the ingredients held by the gripping member 313 or the ingredients placed on the gripping member 313 may be determined based on the change in weight detected by this load cell or force sensor, and control may be performed based on this. This makes it possible to omit the first weighing scale 51 or the second weighing scale 52. This also increases the degree of freedom in the location where the ingredient storage container 10 or the container is installed.

[0103] [Variation 4] In the above-described embodiment, the determination is made by comparing the target amount with the weight of the ingredients. However, the determination is not limited to this, and the target amount may be compared with the amount of the ingredients from another perspective. For example, the determination may be made by comparing the target amount with the volume of the ingredients. Alternatively, the determination may be made by comparing the target amount with the number of ingredients. The volume and number of ingredients can be determined, for example, by photographing the ingredients that are grasped or released with a camera and analyzing the photographed image using a technique such as machine learning.

[0104] [Configuration example] As described above, the control system 1 in this embodiment includes the gripping mechanism 31 and the control device 70. The gripping mechanism 31 has a plurality of gripping members 313a and 313b for gripping an object. The control device 70 controls the operation of the gripping mechanism 31 . When controlling the operation of the gripping mechanism 31, the control device 70 further performs control to change the relative positions of the plurality of gripping members 313a, b of the gripping mechanism 31.

[0105] The control device 70 changes the relative positions of the multiple gripping members 313a, b possessed by the gripping mechanism 31 by controlling the movement of at least one of the multiple gripping members 313a, b possessed by the gripping mechanism 31 in the vertical direction when gripping is performed.

[0106] The control device 70 changes the relative positions of the multiple gripping members 313a, b possessed by the gripping mechanism 31 by controlling the horizontal movement of at least one of the multiple gripping members 313a, b possessed by the gripping mechanism 31 when gripping is performed.

[0107] The control device 70 controls the multiple gripping members 313a, b of the gripping mechanism 31 to change their relative positions while the multiple gripping members 313a, b are gripping an object.

[0108] The control device 70 controls the relative positions of the multiple gripping members 313a, b of the gripping mechanism 31 to change so that the positions of the gripping members 313a, b that grip the object are different from the positions of the gripping members 313a, b that do not grip the object.

[0109] The above-described embodiment and modifications are merely examples of embodiments of the present invention, and various embodiments that realize the functions of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment and modified examples, the present invention has been described as being applied to a control system for serving prepared foods, but the present invention can also be applied to systems for gripping various objects. For example, the present invention can be applied to systems for gripping highly viscous or adhesive materials such as kneaded mortar, concrete, plaster, and clay. The present invention is suitable for gripping objects with a viscosity of at least medium (5000 mPa·s) at working temperature or room temperature. Furthermore, the examples described in the above-described embodiments can be combined as appropriate to implement the present invention. The above-described series of processes can be executed by hardware or software. In other words, the functional configuration in Fig. 6 is merely an example and is not particularly limited. That is, it is sufficient for the control system 1 to be provided with a function that can execute the above-described series of processes as a whole, and the type of functional block used to realize this function is not particularly limited to the example in Fig. 6. Furthermore, one functional block may be configured as a single piece of hardware, a single piece of software, or a combination thereof.

[0110] When a series of processes is executed by software, the programs that make up the software are installed into a computer or the like from a network or a recording medium. The computer may be a computer built into dedicated hardware, or may be a computer capable of executing various functions by installing various programs, such as a general-purpose personal computer.

[0111] The storage medium for storing the program may be a removable medium distributed separately from the device itself, or may be a storage medium pre-installed in the device itself. Removable media may be, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or a flash memory. Optical disks may be, for example, CD-ROMs (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory), DVDs (Digital Versatile Disks), or Blu-ray Discs (registered trademarks). Magneto-optical disks may be, for example, MDs (Mini-Disks). Flash memories may be, for example, USB (Universal Serial Bus) memories or SD cards. Storage media pre-installed in the device itself may be, for example, a ROM, SSD, HDD, or the like in which the program is stored.

[0112] In this specification, the steps describing the program to be recorded on the recording medium include not only processes that are performed in chronological order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed in chronological order but are performed in parallel or individually. In addition, in this specification, the term "system" refers to an overall device that is made up of a plurality of devices, a plurality of means, etc.

[0113] The above-described embodiment shows an example of application of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In other words, the present invention can be modified in various ways, such as by omission or substitution, without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and various embodiments other than the above-described embodiment can be adopted. The various embodiments and modifications that the present invention can adopt are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0114] 1 Control system, 2 Belt conveyor, 10 Ingredient storage container, 20 Container supply device, 21 Extrusion mechanism, 30 Articulated robot, 31 Grip mechanism, 311 Connection unit, 312 Air cylinder, 313 Grip member, 313a First gripping unit, 313b Second gripping unit, 32 Robot arm, 41 Storage state detection sensor, 42 Container detection sensor, 51 First weighing scale, 52 Second weighing scale, 60 Base unit, 61 Caster, 70 Control device, 151 Information acquisition unit, 152 Articulated robot control unit, 153 Container supply control unit, 154 Recording control unit, 171 Parameter memory unit, 172 History database (history DB), 711 CPU, 712 ROM, 713 RAM, 714 Bus, 715 Input unit, 716 Output unit, 717 Memory unit, 718 Communication unit, 719 Drives, 731 Removable Media

Claims

1. A holding mechanism having a plurality of holding members for holding an object, the holding members being disposed on a single robot arm; a control means for controlling the operation of the holding mechanism; Equipped with The control means determining a holding member to hold the object according to the amount of the object to be held; and controlling at least one of the holding members that perform holding and the holding members that do not perform holding among the plurality of holding members of the holding mechanism to move in a vertical direction when the holding is being performed, thereby changing the relative positions of the plurality of holding members of the holding mechanism, and further controlling the holding member that performs holding to perform holding. A control system comprising:

2. A holding mechanism having a plurality of holding members for holding an object, the holding members being disposed on a single robot arm; a control means for controlling the operation of the holding mechanism; Equipped with The control means and controlling at least one of the plurality of holding members of the holding mechanism to move in a vertical direction when the holding mechanism is performing the holding, thereby changing the relative positions of the plurality of holding members of the holding mechanism, and further controlling the plurality of holding members to perform holding at holding positions of different heights. A control system comprising:

3. A holding mechanism having a plurality of holding members for holding a long object, the holding members being arranged on a single robot arm; a control means for controlling the operation of the holding mechanism; Equipped with The control means and when a plurality of adjacent holding members of the holding mechanism are holding the same object, the control unit controls one of the adjacent holding members to move in a vertical direction, thereby further controlling the relative positions of the adjacent holding members to be changed. A control system comprising:

4. A holding mechanism having a plurality of holding members for holding an object, the holding members being arranged on one robot arm together with the plurality of holding members; A computer controlling a system comprising: determining a holding member to hold the object according to the amount of the object to be held; a control function for controlling at least one of the holding members that perform holding and the holding members that do not perform holding to move in a vertical direction when the holding is being performed, among the plurality of holding members that the holding mechanism has, to change the relative positions of the plurality of holding members that the holding mechanism has, thereby further controlling the holding member that performs holding to perform holding; A control program that realizes the above.

5. A holding mechanism having a plurality of holding members for holding an object, the holding members being arranged on one robot arm together with the plurality of holding members; A computer controlling a system comprising: a control function for controlling at least one of the plurality of holding members of the holding mechanism to move in the vertical direction when the holding is performed, thereby changing the relative positions of the plurality of holding members of the holding mechanism, and further controlling the plurality of holding members to perform holding at holding positions of different heights; A control program that realizes the above.

6. A holding mechanism having a plurality of holding members for holding a long object, the holding members being arranged on a single robot arm; A computer controlling a system comprising: a control function for further controlling the relative positions of the adjacent holding members of the holding mechanism to be changed by controlling one of the adjacent holding members to be moved in the vertical direction while the adjacent holding members hold the same object; A control program that realizes the above.

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