Food serving device and program

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of correctly portioning out a food product by a target weight.SOLUTION: A food product portioning-out device 1 includes: a gripper 11 which grips a portion of a food product 21 in an indeterminate shape by holding it; determination means (313, 314) which determines a first target value of a weight of the food product portioned out by one gripping operation to be calculated on the basis of the final target value of portioning-out, and determines a first picking position corresponding to the first target value on the basis of a captured image; and control means which executes portioning-out of the food product 21 by moving the gripper 11 to the first picking position. When the weight of the food product portioned out by the one gripping operation by the gripper 11 satisfies the first target value, the determination means determines a second target value of the weight of the food product portioned out by the next one gripping operation and determines a second picking position corresponding to the second target value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a food serving device and a program. [Background technology]

[0002] To improve the efficiency of operations and services in restaurants, there is a demand for automating the process of portioning and plating food. For example, Non-Patent Document 1 describes a system that uses a gripper to pick a target weight of salad or herbs from a container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Non-Patent Document 1] Prabhakar Ray and Matthew J. Howard, “Robotic Untangling of Herbs and Salads with Parallel Grippers,” in 2020 IEEE / RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), October 25-29, 2020, Las Vegas, NV, USA (Virtual). Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Non-Patent Document 1 describes a method for picking and portioning food of a preset target weight from a tray or the like containing food by adjusting the depth to which the gripper is inserted into a container containing food and the gripping mechanism of the gripper (width of the opening, etc.). However, even if the area and volume of the gripping mechanism are adjusted, it becomes difficult to accurately pick (portion) the target weight if the density of the target object is uneven or if there are voids within the object. The present invention aims to enable accurate portioning of food of a target weight. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In one aspect, the present invention provides a food processing system comprising a gripping unit that grips and holds a portion of irregularly shaped food, a movement mechanism that moves the gripping unit, a weighing unit that measures the weight of the food gripped by the gripping unit, a weighing unit that measures the weight of the gripped food, a photographing unit that photographs the surface shape of the food, a determination means that determines a first target value for the weight of the food to be dispensed in one gripping motion, calculated based on a final target value for dispensing, and determines a first picking position corresponding to the first target value based on the image photographed by the photographing unit, and a control means that moves the gripping unit to the first picking position using the movement mechanism to dispense the food, If the weight of the food portioned by a single gripping action by the gripping unit satisfies the first target value, the determination means determines a second target value for the weight of the food to be portioned in the next single gripping action, the determination means determines a second picking position corresponding to the second target value, and the control means moves the gripping unit to the second picking position to portion the food, while if the weight of the food portioned by a single gripping action by the gripping unit does not satisfy the first target value, the determination means re-determines the first target value, and the control means grasps the food at the re-determined first target value. According to the present invention, food can be accurately portioned out to a target weight.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the gripping portion may have a shape that narrows at the tip when the food item is gripped. According to this aspect, the smaller the target weight of the food to be grasped, the smaller the error amount of the weight of the grasped food from the target value can be.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the shape of the grip portion may be changed in accordance with the first target value and the second target value. According to this aspect, the smaller the target weight of the food to be grasped, the smaller the error amount of the weight of the grasped food from the target value can be.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the determining means may determine, for each food item, a target value for the number of gripping actions to be performed and a target value for the weight of the food item to be dispensed in each gripping action. According to this aspect, the conditions for the gripping operation can be changed depending on the properties (viscosity, density, etc.) of the food to be dispensed.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the determination means generates a learning model for each food item by learning measurement data of the weight of the food item grasped by the gripping unit at the picking position and image data of the picking position, and determines the first picking position and the second picking position using the learning model. According to this aspect, it is possible to appropriately determine the picking position according to the target value of the weight to be grasped.

[0010] In a preferred aspect, the density of the food is non-uniform, and the determining means may determine the first picking position and the second picking position further based on the density calculated based on the image. According to this aspect, it is possible to determine the picking position taking into consideration the non-uniformity of food density.

[0011] In another aspect, the present invention provides a program for causing a computer to function as a determination means for determining a first target value for the weight of food to be dispensed in one gripping motion, the first target value being calculated based on a final target value for the portion amount when dispensing a portion of irregularly shaped food, and for determining a first picking position corresponding to the first target value based on a captured image, and as a control means for moving a gripping unit that grasps and holds a portion of the food to the first picking position to dispense the food, and satisfies the first target value, the determination means determines a second target value for the weight of the food to be dispensed in the next single gripping operation and determines a second picking position corresponding to the second target value, and the control means moves the gripping unit to the second picking position to dispense the food, while if the weight of the food dispensed in one gripping operation by the gripping unit does not satisfy the first target value, the determination means re-determines the first target value, and the control means grasps the food at the re-determined first target value. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a food portioning device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a food portioning device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of a food portioning device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a gripper of a food portioning device according to one embodiment; [Figure 5] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating gripping of food by a gripper of the food portioning device according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating gripping of food by a gripper of the food portioning device according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a rotation mechanism of a food serving device according to one embodiment. FIG. [Figure 8]10A and 10B are diagrams for explaining rotation control of a gripper of a food portioning device according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing processing in a food portioning device according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing picking control in a food portioning device according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating gripping of food by a gripper of a food portioning device according to a modified example. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a container according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] [Embodiment] A food serving device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below. In the drawings and the following description, the left-right direction is the X-axis direction, the front-back direction is the Y-axis direction, and the up-down direction is the Z-axis direction. The directions or sides indicated by the arrows X, Y, and Z are respectively referred to as the right, rear, and upper sides, or the right side, rear, and upper sides, and the opposite directions or sides are respectively referred to as the left, front, and lower sides, or the left side, front, and lower sides. In the drawings, a circle with a "·" inside it indicates an arrow pointing from the back of the page to the front, and a circle with an "x" inside it indicates an arrow pointing from the front of the page to the back of the page.

[0014] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a food portioning device 1 according to one embodiment. Food portioning device 1 includes a gripper 11, a robot arm 12, a rotation mechanism 13, a weighing scale 14, a camera 15, and a platform scale 16.

[0015] Gripper 11 is provided at the tip of robot arm 12, moves by the operation of robot arm 12, and can grasp and hold a portion of irregularly shaped food 21 placed in container 20. In other words, gripper 11 is an example of a grasping unit that grasps and holds a portion of irregularly shaped food 21.

[0016] Irregularly shaped foods are generally foods that are not recognized as having a specific shape or that are recognized as being substantially continuous, and that are controlled by weight rather than the number of components that make up the food when portioned. Examples include thick paste salads such as potato salad, macaroni salad, and spaghetti salad, shredded cabbage, and simmered hijiki seaweed.

[0017] The robot arm 12 is attached to the tip and moves the gripper 11 to a position where the gripper 11 can grasp and hold a portion of the food product 21. Furthermore, when the gripper 11 has grasped and held a portion of the food product 21, the robot arm 12 moves the gripper 11 to the position of the platform scale 16 where a container 22 (described later) is placed. The robot arm 12 can move the gripper 11 in any of the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction. The robot arm 12 is an example of a movement mechanism that moves the gripper 11, which is the gripping unit.

[0018] The rotation mechanism 13 is provided between the tip of the robot arm 12 and the gripper 11, and rotates the gripper 11 around a rotation axis along the Z-axis direction (up and down direction). The rotation mechanism 13 is an example of a rotation mechanism that rotates the gripper 11, which is a gripping part.

[0019] Weigh scale 14 is provided above gripper 11 and measures the weight of gripper 11. When gripper 11 grips and holds food 21, the weight of gripper 11 increases. Therefore, by detecting the amount of increase, it is possible to measure the weight of food 21 gripped and held by gripper 11. Weigh scale 14 is an example of a weighing unit that measures the weight of food gripped by gripper 11, which is a gripping unit.

[0020] The photographing device 15 is a camera that is installed above the container 20 and photographs from above an image showing the surface shape of the food in the container 20. The photographing device 15 has the function of measuring the distance to the photographed object, and can measure the height in the Z-axis direction of each part of the food in the container 20. The photographing device 15 is an example of a photographing unit that photographs the surface shape of the food.

[0021] Platform scale 16 is installed outside container 20, and a container into which food 21 is dispensed is placed on top of it. Platform scale 16 measures the weight of food 21 gripped by gripper 11 after it has been dispensed into container 22.

[0022] Container 20 is a box-shaped body that is open at the top, with side panels that form walls extending upward on all four sides of a rectangular bottom panel. Food 21 is placed inside container 20. In this embodiment, food 21 is described as being a highly viscous, irregularly shaped food such as potato salad, but is not limited to this.

[0023] Container supply machine 23 is installed outside container 20 and adjacent to platform scale 16. A plurality of containers 22 are stored inside container supply machine 23, and one of the containers 22 is removed, transported and placed on platform scale 16. After the food 21 has been dispensed into container 22 on platform scale 16, container 22 on platform scale 16 is pushed out and moved onto conveyor 24.

[0024] Conveyor 24 is installed outside container 20, and is located on the opposite side of platform scale 16 from container supplying machine 23. Conveyor 24 is composed of a belt conveyor or the like. Containers 22 filled with food 21 pushed out from platform scale 16 are placed on the belt conveyor and transported.

[0025] 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of food portioning device 1. Food portioning device 1 includes a control device 30 that acquires information from weighing scale 14, camera 15, and platform scale 16, and controls the operation of gripper 11, robot arm 12, rotation mechanism 13, and container supply device 23. There are no particular restrictions on the location where control device 30 is installed, and it may be installed adjacent to robot arm 12, for example.

[0026] The control device 30 is a computer having a processor 301, a memory 302, and an input / output interface 303. These components are connected to each other so that they can communicate with each other, for example, by a bus.

[0027] Processor 301 controls each part of food portioning device 1 by reading and executing a computer program (hereinafter simply referred to as a program) stored in memory 302. Processor 301 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). Memory 302 is a storage device that stores an operating system, various programs, data, etc. that are loaded into processor 301.

[0028] The memory 302 includes a main memory device and an auxiliary memory device. The main memory device includes, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). The auxiliary memory device includes a solid-state drive or a hard disk drive. The input / output interface 303 relays signals between the processor 301 and the gripper 11, the robot arm 12, the rotation mechanism 13, the weighing scale 14, the imaging device 15, the platform scale 16, and the container supply machine 23.

[0029] 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of food portioning device 1. Control device 30 of food portioning device 1 functions as image acquisition unit 311, weight acquisition unit 312, target value determination unit 313, position determination unit 314, movement control unit 315, and rotation control unit 316 by processor 301 reading and executing programs stored in memory 302. Target value determination unit 313 and position determination unit 314 are examples of determination means. Movement control unit 315 and rotation control unit 316 are examples of control means.

[0030] The image acquisition unit 311 acquires image data showing an image of the surface shape of the food 21 photographed by the photographing device 15 and distance data showing the distance to the surface of the food 21. Then, height data showing the height of each part of the surface of the food 21 is calculated from the distance data.

[0031] The weight acquisition unit 312 acquires weight data indicating the weight of the food product 21 held by the gripper 11, as measured by the weighing scale 14. The weight acquisition unit 312 also acquires weight data indicating the weight of the food product 21 dispensed into the container 22, as measured by the platform scale 16.

[0032] The target value determination unit 313 determines a target value for the weight of the food 21 to be gripped when the food 21 is grasped and held by the gripper 11. The target values ​​that are determined include a final target value, a first target value, and a second target value (and in some cases, a third target value).

[0033] The final target value is the weight of the food 21 that should ultimately be dispensed into the container 22. In this embodiment, in order to dispense food 21 of a weight that reaches this final target value into the container 22, the gripper 11 can perform the gripping operation of the food 21 multiple times.

[0034] The first target value is a target value for the weight of food 21 to be obtained by the first gripping by gripper 11, and is a value less than or equal to the final target value. The second target value is a target value for the weight of food 21 to be obtained by the second gripping by gripper 11. The second target value is a value obtained by subtracting the weight of food 21 actually gripped and placed in container 22 by the first gripping from the final target value.

[0035] If the total weight of the food 21 obtained by the first and second grasping does not reach the final target value, the target value determination unit 313 determines a third target value, and then the third grasping is performed.

[0036] Based on the image data and height data acquired by the image acquisition unit 311, the position determination unit 314 determines a picking position where the gripper 11 can grip the food item 21 having the weight determined by the target value determination unit 313. Multiple locations are selected as candidates for the picking position, and one of these locations is determined. The picking position is indicated by the coordinate values ​​of the position of a predetermined portion (e.g., the tip) of the gripper 11 in the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction.

[0037] The movement control unit 315 drives and controls the robot arm 12 to move the gripper 11 to the picking position determined by the position determination unit 314. Next, the movement control unit 315 controls the gripper 11 to grab and hold a portion of the food product 21, and moves the gripper 11 in the gripped state to a position above the platform scale 16. The movement control unit 315 then controls the gripper 11 to drop the gripped food product 21 into the container 22 placed on the platform scale 16.

[0038] When the gripper 11 finishes gripping the food 21 at the picking position under the control of the movement control unit 315, the rotation control unit 316 controls the gripper 11 to rotate at that position around the center line of the gripper 11 along the Z-axis direction of the gripper 11 as the rotation axis.

[0039] During the execution of rotation control by the rotation control unit 316, the movement control unit 315 controls the robot arm 12 to move the rotation axis in a direction along the XY plane (a plane including the X axis and the Y axis). That is, the gripper 11 moves along the XY plane while rotating.

[0040] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the gripper 11. Fig. 4(A) is an external view showing a state in which the gripper claw portion 111, which is a gripping member at the tip of the gripper 10, is closed, Fig. 4(B) is an external view showing a state in which the gripper claw portion 111 at the tip of the gripper 10 is open, and Fig. 4(C) is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the gripper 11.

[0041] Gripper 11 is composed of gripper claws 111, a connecting portion 112, and a base 113. Four gripper claws 111 are provided at the lower tip of gripper 11 for gripping and holding food 21. Each gripper claw 111 is shaped like one piece of a hemisphere (or part of a sphere) divided into four equal parts, and as shown in Figure 4(A), when the four gripper claws 111 are closed, the four gripper claws 111 form a hemispherical shape.

[0042] 4(A) (hereinafter referred to as the closed state), food 21 can be gripped inside the hemispherical shape formed by the four gripper claws 111. In this embodiment, four gripper claws 111 are provided, but a number other than four may be provided as long as the hemispherical shape is divided into multiple parts.

[0043] FIG. 4(B) shows the four gripper claws 111 moving upward and opening their hemispherical shapes (hereinafter referred to as the open state). This open state is the state before the gripper moves to the picking position and grips the food 21 directly below. The gripper transitions from this open state to the closed state shown in FIG. 4(A), gripping the food 21 directly below. Furthermore, in the closed state shown in FIG. 4(A), food 21 gripped within the gripper claws 111 can be dropped downward by transitioning to the open state shown in FIG. 4(B). When the gripper claws 111 are in the open state, the interior wiping member 116 is exposed, as shown in FIG. 4(B).

[0044] The internal wiping member 116 provided inside the gripper claw portion 111 can peel off food 21 adhering to the inner surface of the gripper claw portion 111 by rubbing its outer periphery against the inner surface of the gripper claw portion 111 when the gripper claw portion 111 transitions from a closed state in which it holds food 21 to an open state.

[0045] 4(C), a connecting part 112 is provided above the gripper claw part 111 and the internal wiping member 116, and a base 113 is provided above the connecting part 112. A brushing member 117 is provided inside the internal wiping member 116, and the internal wiping member 116 is fixed to the brushing member 117. A connecting gear 1121, a rotating shaft 1122, and a support member 1123 are provided on the connecting part 112, and a motor 1131 is provided on the base 113.

[0046] One end of the rotating shaft 1122 is connected to the motor 1131, and the other end is connected to the brushing member 117. Therefore, the brushing member 117 rotates together with the rotating shaft 1122 as the motor 1131 rotates, thereby rotating the interior wiping member 116 fixed to the brushing member 117. This rotational movement allows food 21 adhering to the interior wiping member 116 to be brushed off when food 21 adhering to the inner surfaces of the gripper claws 111 is peeled off.

[0047] A pinion gear is provided on the rotating shaft 1122 and is in mesh with a connecting gear 1121. The connecting gear 1121 is arc-shaped, and although only one is shown in FIG. 4(C), there are actually four connecting gears 1121. Each of the four connecting gears 1121 is connected to four support members 1123. Furthermore, each of the four support members 1123 is connected to and supports the four gripper claws 111.

[0048] 4(C), like FIG. 4(A), shows the case where the gripper claw portion 111 is in a closed state. In this state, the connecting gear 1121 is engaged with the pinion gear of the rotating shaft 1122 at an upper position. In this state, the rotating shaft 1122 is rotated by the rotation of the motor 1131. As the rotating shaft 1122 rotates, the connecting gear 1121, which is engaged with the pinion gear provided on the rotating shaft 1122, moves along an arc shape, and moves upward, toward the position where the lower portion of the connecting gear 1121 in FIG. 4(C) engages with the rotating shaft 1122.

[0049] As the connecting gear 1121 moves, the support member 1123 also moves upward, and the gripper claws 111 connected to the support member 1123 also move upward. As a result, the gripper claws 111 transition to the open state as shown in FIG. 4(B).

[0050] When the gripper claw portion 111 is in the open state, by rotating the motor 1131 in the reverse direction, the connecting gear 1121 can be moved back to the position shown in Figure 4 (C), and the gripper claw portion 111 can be put into the closed state.

[0051] 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating gripping of food item 21 by gripper claw portion 111 of gripper 11. Fig. 5A shows a case where a relatively large amount of food item 21-1 is gripped, and Fig. 5B shows a case where a relatively small amount of food item 21-2 is gripped.

[0052] 5(A), when gripping a large amount of food 21-1, the gripper claws 111 are moved to a position lower in the Z-axis direction relative to the surface of the food 21 to close the gripper claws 111. In this case, the tips of the gripper claws 111 reach deep into the food 21, allowing a larger amount of food 21-1 to be gripped within the gripper claws 111.

[0053] As shown in Figure 5(B), when gripping a small amount of food 21-2, the gripper claws 111 are moved to a position higher in the Z-axis direction relative to the surface of the food 21 than in Figure 5(A) to close the gripper claws 111. In this case, the tips of the gripper claws 111 reach only a shallower position on the food 21 than in Figure 5(A), so a small amount of food 21-2 can be gripped within the gripper claws 111.

[0054] 5(A), area S1, which is the range of food 21 that can be gripped by gripper claw 111, is larger than area S2, which is the range of food 21 that can be gripped by gripper claw 111, in FIG. 5(B). Note that although areas S1 and S2 are shown as widths in FIG. 5, they are actually ranges indicated by a surface that extends rearward in the Y-axis direction.

[0055] As described above, this embodiment is premised on the premise that the gripper 11 grips the food item 21 multiple times to dispense the food item 21 having the final target weight. The operation of gripping a relatively large amount of food item 21-1 as shown in FIG. 5(A) is performed during the first gripping operation. Then, the operation of gripping a relatively small amount of food item 21-2 as shown in FIG. 5(B) is performed during the second or subsequent gripping operations.

[0056] When a relatively large area S1 of the surface of food 21 is grasped as shown in Fig. 5(A), the weight of the grasped food 21-1 has a larger error weight from the target value compared to when a relatively small area S2 is grasped as shown in Fig. 5(B). This is because the food 21 is easily affected by the unevenness of its surface.

[0057] For example, when the target weight for grasping as shown in Fig. 5(A) is 50 g, the actually grasped weight will be approximately 45 g to 55 g, with an error range of ±5 g. When the target weight for grasping as shown in Fig. 5(B) is 10 g, the actually grasped weight will be approximately 9 g to 11 g, with an error range of ±1 g, which is smaller than the ±5 g in the case of Fig. 5(A).

[0058] Therefore, in the first gripping operation, a relatively large amount of food 21-1 as shown in Figure 5(A) is gripped to obtain a weight close to the final target value, and in the second and subsequent gripping operations, the remaining small amount of food 21-2 is gripped to reach the final target value. This makes it possible to reduce the error in the gripped weight from the target value in the second and subsequent gripping operations, and food 21 with the final target weight can be reliably obtained in the second or third gripping operation (or even more in some cases).

[0059] As described above, the gripper claws 111 of the gripper 11 of this embodiment have a shape that narrows at the tip when in the closed state. Therefore, when gripping a smaller amount of food 21, the error in the gripped weight from the target value can be reduced.

[0060] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating how food item 21 is gripped by gripper claws 111 of gripper 11. In Fig. 6, food item 21P is shown as a graph of the surface height position (position in the Z-axis direction) for each predetermined range in the X-axis direction. While Fig. 6 shows a cross section along the X-axis direction, food item 21P can also be represented as a graph that extends in the Y-axis direction.

[0061] A graph showing the height direction position of food 21P, as shown in Figure 6, can be generated by the image acquisition unit 311 of the control device 30 acquiring image data showing an image of the surface shape of food 21 from the photographing device 15, and height data showing the height of each part of the surface of food 21.

[0062] The position determination unit 314 of the control device 30 generates a graph (food 21P) showing the height of food 21 at each position in the X-axis direction (and Y-axis direction) as shown in Figure 6 based on the image data and height data acquired by the image acquisition unit 311.

[0063] Then, based on the graph, the position determination unit 314 selects a position where food item 21 with a weight that is the target value determined by the target value determination unit 313 can be grasped. In the control device 30, average density data of food item 21 is set in advance, and the position determination unit 314 calculates the volume of food item P to be grasped based on the weight that is the target value and the set density data.

[0064] The position determination unit 314 selects the position (X-axis coordinate, Y-axis coordinate, Z-axis coordinate) of the gripper claw portion 111 that can grip a volume of food 21 corresponding to the target weight based on the shape of the gripper claw portion 111 when closed, the height data of each part of the food 21P, and the set density data.

[0065] As shown in Figure 6, the volume of food 21P-1 gripped within gripper claw 111 is determined by the shape of gripper claw 111 (which is known), the position of gripper claw 111 in the X-axis direction, Y-axis direction, and Z-axis direction, the surface shape (height distribution) of food 21P, and the density of food 21P (which is set in advance).

[0066] The position determination unit 314 determines multiple gripping positions (picking positions) by calculating gripping positions in the Z-axis direction at multiple positions in the XY plane where it is predicted that a volume equivalent to the target weight can be grasped, at which a desired volume of food 21 can be grasped.

[0067] Figure 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the rotation mechanism 13 of the food portioning device 1. As shown in Figure 7, a gripper 11, a rotation mechanism 13, and a weighing scale 14 are provided at the tip of the robot arm 12. The rotation mechanism 13 includes a connecting part 131, a motor 132, and a motor rotation shaft 133.

[0068] The connecting portion 131 is a member for connecting the gripper 11 and the weighing scale 14 provided below the rotation mechanism 13 to the rotation mechanism 13. The gripper 11 is attached to the weighing scale 14, and the weighing scale 14 is attached and fixed to the connecting portion 131.

[0069] The motor rotation shaft 133 is rotated by the motor 132. The motor 132 is fixed to the robot arm 12. The motor rotation shaft 133 is fixed to the connecting portion 131, and when the motor rotation shaft 133 rotates, the connecting portion 131, the weigh scale 14, and the gripper 11 rotate integrally. The motor rotation shaft 133 is provided so as to coincide with the center line L of the gripper 11 (and the gripper claw portion 111). When the motor rotation shaft 133 rotates, the gripper 11 (and the gripper claw portion 111) is shaped symmetrically with respect to the center line L, and rotates around this center line L as the center of rotation. Hereinafter, the center line L will also be referred to as the gripper rotation axis L.

[0070] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating rotation control of the gripper claw portion 111 of the gripper 11. Figure 8(A) is a plan view illustrating rotation control of the gripper claw portion 111 in a state in which the gripper claw portion 111 is gripping food item 21-1. Figures 8(B) and 8(C) are a cross-sectional view and a plan view, respectively, illustrating an example of control for changing the position of the rotation axis of the gripper claw portion 111 (i.e., gripper rotation axis L) in a state in which the gripper claw portion 111 is gripping food item 21-1.

[0071] 8(A) shows a state in which the gripper claws 111 of the gripper 11 are inserted into the picking position of the food item 21, and the gripper claws 111 are in a closed state to grip the food item 21-1. In this state, the rotation control unit 316 of the control device 30 executes control to rotate the gripper 11. By rotating the gripper 11, the gripper claws 111 also rotate in the same manner.

[0072] The gripper 11 rotates around the gripper rotation axis L. The outer shape of the gripper claws 111 in the closed state is symmetrical with respect to the gripper rotation axis L. It is preferable that the entire gripper 11 has a symmetrical shape with respect to the center line L.

[0073] The rotation control by the rotation control unit 316 involves rotating in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 8(A) (hereinafter referred to as the forward rotation direction) and then rotating in the direction of arrow B (hereinafter referred to as the reverse rotation direction). The rotation angles in the forward and reverse rotation directions are preferably 45 to 135 degrees, respectively. The direction of arrow B may be the forward rotation direction, and the direction of arrow A may be the reverse rotation direction. In other words, the rotation may be in the direction of arrow B, and then in the direction of arrow A. The above-described rotation control is performed by the rotation control unit 316 controlling the rotation mechanism 13.

[0074] 8(B), when the rotation control unit 316 is controlling the rotation of the gripper 11, i.e., while the gripper 11 and the gripper claws 111 are rotating, the movement control unit 315 drives and controls the robot arm 12 to move the gripper 11 in the direction of arrow C within a plane intersecting the gripper rotation axis L (for example, within an XY plane or a horizontal plane perpendicular to the rotation axis) or in the direction of arrow D opposite to the direction of arrow C. In other words, the rotation control of the gripper 11 is performed while changing the position of the gripper rotation axis L (or the motor rotation shaft 133) in a first direction (direction of arrow C) or a second direction (direction of arrow D).

[0075] For example, while the gripper claw 111 is rotating in the forward direction, the gripper rotation shaft L may be moved in the direction of arrow C, while while the gripper claw 111 is rotating in the reverse direction, the gripper rotation shaft L may be moved in the direction of arrow D, or vice versa. In other words, the gripper rotation shaft L performs a linear reciprocating motion within the XY plane in conjunction with the direction of rotation.

[0076] Fig. 8(C) shows another example of movement of the position of the gripper rotation axis L (shown as L1 to L4 in the figure) performed by the rotation control unit 316 while the gripper 11 is rotating. In Fig. 8(C), the gripper claw portion 111 is moved so that the position of the gripper rotation axis L describes a circular locus in the XY plane with the central axis R (axis along the Z-axis direction) as the center.

[0077] Point L1 and circle G in Figure 8(C) indicate the gripper rotation axis L and the outer circumferential position of the gripper claws 111 at the time when food 21-1 is gripped. L2, L3, and L4 indicate positions on a movement trajectory centered on central axis R of gripper rotation axis L. Circles G2, G3, and G4 indicate the outer circumferential positions of the gripper claws 111 of the gripper 11 when the gripper rotation axis L is at positions L2, L3, and L4, respectively.

[0078] The position of the gripper rotation axis L is moved in the direction of arrow E or in the direction of arrow F, which is opposite to the direction of arrow E. The movement control of the gripper rotation axis L in Fig. 8(C) is performed by the movement control unit 315 of the control device 30 controlling the drive of the robot arm 12, similar to the case of Fig. 8(B).

[0079] For example, while the gripper claw 111 is rotating in the forward direction, the gripper rotation axis L may be moved in the direction of arrow E, and while the gripper claw 111 is rotating in the reverse direction, the gripper rotation axis L may be moved in the direction of arrow F, or vice versa. In Fig. 8(C), the gripper rotation axis L moves within a range of a trajectory that is close to a full circle (close to 360 degrees), but it may also move within a range of a semicircle (180-degree rotation) or within a range of a quarter circle (90-degree rotation) that is less than 180 degrees.

[0080] As described above, by controlling the movement of the position of the gripper rotation axis L while rotating the gripper 11, the outer surfaces of the gripper claws 111 are pressed against the surrounding food 21. In this way, food 21 adhering to the outer surfaces of the gripper claws 111 is rubbed (smeared) against the surrounding food 21, and is removed from the outer surfaces of the gripper claws 111.

[0081] Furthermore, by rotating the gripper 11 as shown in Figure 8(A) and moving the gripper rotation axis L as shown in Figures 8(B) and 8(C), food 21 attached to any position on the outer surface of the gripper claw portion 111 of the gripper 11 can be rubbed evenly against the surrounding food 21.

[0082] Figure 9 is a diagram showing a flowchart of the processing in control device 30 of food portioning device 1. Processor 301 of control device 30 reads and executes a program stored in memory 302, thereby carrying out the processing shown in Figure 9.

[0083] First, the target value determination unit 313 of the control device 30 acquires a final target value for the weight of the food 21 to be dispensed into the container 22 (step S601). This final target value is set in advance by the user and stored in the memory 302 of the control device 30.

[0084] Next, the target value determination unit 313 determines a first target value, which is a target value for the weight of the food item 21 to be gripped by the gripper 11 in the first gripping operation (step S602). For example, assume that the final target value acquired in step S601 is 75 g. If an error in the final target value is allowed up to +3 g, the final target value will be 75 to 78 g. The first target value for the first gripping operation is, for example, in the range of 35 g to 75 g, which is less than the final target value. The reason for setting the first target value (its lower limit) is that if the gripped amount is significantly different from the final target value (for example, less than 50% of the final target value), discarding the gripped amount and starting the gripping operation again from the beginning is likely to shorten the final number of gripping operations or the time required for the total amount of food items to reach the final target value.

[0085] Next, the image acquisition unit 311 acquires image data showing the surface shape of the food 21 and height data showing the height of each part of the surface from the image capture device 15 (step S603). The position determination unit 314 calculates the volume of the food 21 to be gripped based on the weight of the first target value determined by the target value determination unit 313 and the preset density data of the food 21. Since the first target value is 35 g to 75 g as described above, the volume of the food 21 to be gripped is calculated based on a value between 35 g and 75 g, for example, 60 g. The position determination unit 314 then determines multiple picking positions (X-axis coordinate, Y-axis coordinate, Z-axis coordinate) of the gripper 11 that are predicted to be able to grip the food 21 of that volume (step S604). Next, the movement control unit 315 and rotation control unit 316 execute picking control (step S605).

[0086] Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a flowchart of picking control by the movement control unit 315 and rotation control unit 316 of the control device 30. The processor 301 of the control device 30 reads and executes a program stored in the memory 302, thereby executing the processing shown in Fig. 10. The picking control shown in Fig. 10 will be described below.

[0087] First, the movement control unit 315 selects one of the multiple picking positions determined by the position determination unit 314, and moves the gripper 11 to the position indicated by the X and Y coordinate values ​​of that picking position (step S651). This movement is performed by controlling the drive of the robot arm 12. Note that during this movement, the gripper claws 111 of the gripper 11 are kept in an open state. Note that the position of the gripper 11 in the Z-axis direction is moved to a position that is sufficiently high relative to the height of the surface of the food 21 so that the gripper 11 does not come into contact with the surface of the food 21.

[0088] When the movement of the gripper 11 to the position of the X-coordinate value and the Y-coordinate value indicated by the picking position is completed, the movement control unit 315 controls the drive of the robot arm 12 to move the gripper 11 downward to the position of the Z-axis coordinate value indicated by the picking position (step S652).

[0089] Next, the movement control unit 315 performs control to close the gripper claws 111 of the gripper 11 (step S653). This control causes the food item 21 to be gripped within the closed gripper claws 111. Hereinafter, the gripped food item 21 may be referred to as food item 21-1.

[0090] Next, the rotation control unit 316 controls the rotation mechanism 13 to rotate the gripper 11 (step S654). At this time, while the gripper 11 is rotating, the movement control unit 315 controls the robot arm 12 to move the gripper rotation axis L within the XY plane (within the horizontal plane) (rubbing operation). That is, the rotation control shown in FIG. 8(A) is performed, and the movement control of the gripper rotation axis L shown in FIG. 8(B) or FIG. 8(C) is performed.

[0091] Next, the movement control unit 315 drives and controls the robot arm 12 to move the gripper 11 upward to a position that is sufficiently higher than the surface of the food item 21 (step S655).

[0092] 9, with food item 21-1 held within gripper claws 111 of gripper 11, weight acquisition unit 312 acquires the weight measurement value of food item 21-1 held by gripper claws 111 from weighing scale 14 (step S606). Then, weight acquisition unit 312 determines whether the acquired weight measurement value satisfies the first target value, i.e., whether it is within the range of the first target value (35 g to 75 g) (step S607).

[0093] If the acquired weight measurement value does not satisfy the first target value (step S607: No), that is, if the gripped weight is too small (less than 35 g) or too large (more than 75 g), the movement control unit 315 controls the gripper claws 111 of the gripper 11 to be in the open state. In this case, the gripped food item 21-1 falls and is returned to the container 20 (step S608).

[0094] Next, the target value determination unit 313 redetermines the first target value (step S609). The first target value may be redetermined to be the same as the previously set value, or may be redetermined to a value different from the previously set value. For example, if the weight measurement value is larger than the previously set first target value, the first target value may be determined to be a value smaller than the previously set first target value. Also, if the weight measurement value is smaller than the previously set first target value, the first target value may be determined to be a value larger than the previously set first target value.

[0095] Then, the process returns to step S604 and the gripping process is repeated again using the redetermined first target value. In determining the picking position in step S604, since multiple picking positions have been determined in the previous process, the gripping process is performed at a picking position different from the previous one.

[0096] In the determination in step S607, if the weight being held is too large, the error from the final target value (for example, 75 g in this case) may be taken into consideration. In other words, if an error of, for example, 3 g is allowed for the final target value, if the weight is 78 g or less, the process may proceed to the next step, S610.

[0097] If the acquired weight measurement value satisfies the first target value (step S607: Yes), that is, if it is in the range of 35 g to 75 g, the movement control unit 315 moves the gripper 11 to the position of the platform scale 16 (step S610).

[0098] When the movement control unit 315 moves the gripper 11 to a position above the platform scale 16, it opens the gripper claws 111 of the gripper 11 and drops the food item 21-1 it was holding into the container 22 placed on the platform scale 16 (step S611).

[0099] Next, weight acquisition unit 312 acquires the weight measurement value of food 21-1 in container 22 measured by platform scale 16 (step S612). Then, weight acquisition unit 312 determines whether the weight measurement value is less than the final target value (step S613).

[0100] If the weight measurement value has reached the final target value (step S613: No), the food portioning process is complete, and control device 30 performs control to end the process. For example, control device 30 ends the process by outputting a signal to container supply device 23 indicating that portioning is complete. Then, container supply device 23 pushes out container 22, from which food 21-1 has been dispensed on platform scale 16, onto conveyor 24, and conveys the next container 22 onto platform scale 16. Recognizing that the next container 22 has been placed on platform scale 16, control device 30 restarts the process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9.

[0101] If the weight measurement value is less than the final target value (step S613: Yes), that is, if the weight measurement value of food 21-1 in container 22 on platform scale 16 has not reached the final target value of 75 g, target value determination unit 313 determines a second target value for the next (second) grasping operation.

[0102] This second target value is set to a value obtained by subtracting the weight measurement value (weight measurement value by platform scale 16) acquired in step S612 from the final target value (step S614). For example, if the weight measurement value acquired in step S612 is 65 g, the second target value is set to 10 g, which is obtained by subtracting 65 g from the final target value of 75 g. Then, the process returns to step S602, and a second gripping operation is performed.

[0103] The processes of steps S602 to S614 are repeated until the weight measurement value reaches the final target value in step S613. That is, after the second gripping operation, a third or subsequent gripping operation may be performed.

[0104] As described above, in this embodiment, a target value that is a relatively large weight is determined in the first gripping operation, and the gripper 11 performs the gripping operation. When gripping a large weight, the error between the target value and the actually gripped weight is large. However, in the second and subsequent gripping operations, the target value is smaller than in the first operation, so the error between the actually gripped weight and the target value is small. Therefore, by performing the second or third (or more) operation, the food 21 can be dispensed to the final target weight with high accuracy. For example, dispensing can be achieved even when the error allowed by laws, industry practices, or the final target value is small.

[0105] [Variations] The above-described embodiment can be modified in various ways. Examples of such modifications are shown below. Note that the above-described embodiment and the modifications shown below may be combined as appropriate.

[0106] (1) In the above-described embodiment, the gripper 11 has a hemispherical shape when it is closed and grips the food item 21 with the multiple gripper claws 111. As a result, the error in the gripped weight from the target value is reduced as the amount of food item 21 being gripped becomes smaller. However, the configuration of the tip of the gripper 11 is not limited to this. For example, in the case of a configuration in which the gripper has a spherical shape in the closed state, the number and shape of the gripper claws are not limited to the above-mentioned examples. Furthermore, shapes other than spherical shapes, such as conical shapes (circular cones or pyramids), may also be used. In short, it is preferable for the shape to be such that the tip tapers gradually in the Z-axis direction (the direction of insertion into the food; the depth direction). Furthermore, depending on the nature of the item to be picked, the structure may be such that a closed space such as a sphere or cone is not formed when gripped (in other words, the tips of the claws do not come into contact with each other).

[0107] 11A and 11B are diagrams illustrating the schematic shape of the gripper claws 511 of the gripper 51 according to the modified example, and how the gripper grips the food item 21. Fig. 11A shows the gripping of a relatively large amount of food item 21-3, and Fig. 11B shows the gripping of a relatively small amount of food item 21-4.

[0108] As shown in the figure, a plurality of (two in the example shown in the figure) flat gripper claws 511, which are gripping members, are provided at the tip of the gripper 51, facing each other and tilted inward (towards the center). The gripper 51 is lowered to insert the gripper claws 511 into the food 21, and the two gripper claws 511 are moved inward relative to each other (the distance between the gripper claws 511 is shortened), thereby pinching and gripping the food 21-3 or 21-4 between the two gripper claws 511.

[0109] As shown in Fig. 11, the gripper 51 can change the distance between the two gripper claws 511. The distance between the two gripper claws 511 in Fig. 11(A) is longer than the distance between the two gripper claws 511 in Fig. 11(B). Note that in Figs. 11(A) and 11(B), the length of the gripper claws 511 in the Z-axis direction (up-down direction) does not change.

[0110] 11(A), by increasing the distance between the two gripper claws 511, it is possible to increase the area S3, which is the range of food 21 that can be gripped. Also, by decreasing the distance between the two gripper claws 511, it is possible to decrease the area S4, which is the range of food 21 that can be gripped.

[0111] As in Figures 5(A) and (B) in the above-mentioned embodiment, when a relatively large area S3 of the surface of food 21 is grasped as in Figure 11(A), the weight of the grasped food 21-3 will have a larger error weight from the target value than when a relatively small area S4 is grasped as in Figure 11(B).

[0112] Therefore, in the first gripping attempt, when the target value is relatively large, a relatively large amount of food 21-3 is gripped to obtain a weight close to the final target value, as shown in Figure 11(A), and in the second and subsequent gripping attempts, when the target value is relatively small, a smaller amount of food 21-4 is gripped. In this way, the error in the gripped weight relative to the target value from the second gripping attempt onwards can be reduced, and food 21 with the weight of the final target value can be obtained in the second or third gripping attempt.

[0113] (2) In the above embodiment, the container 20 for holding the food 21 has side panels that serve as walls on the four sides of the bottom panel, but it may also be configured without side panels that serve as walls. Fig. 12 is a diagram illustrating a container 20A according to a modified example. Fig. 12(A) shows the operation of gripping food 21 using the container 20 according to the above-described embodiment, and Fig. 12(B) shows the operation of gripping food 21 using the container 20A according to the modified example.

[0114] 12(A), container 20 is made up of bottom plate 201 and side plate 202. When gripper 11 grips food item 21 in container 20, as explained in FIGS. 8(B) and 8(C), gripper claw 111 grips a portion of food item 21, and moves gripper claw 111 horizontally to press against surrounding food item 21, thereby rubbing food item 21 adhering to the outer surface of gripper claw 111 against surrounding food item 21.

[0115] If such a gripping action is repeated within the container 20, the gripping action will also be performed at a position close to the side panel 202 on the outer periphery of the container 20. In this case, as shown in Figure 12(A), the food 21 close to the side panel 202 will be pressed against the side panel 202, and the food 21 will gradually adhere to the surface of the side panel 202.

[0116] Food 21 that has adhered to the surface of side panel 202 is difficult to grip with gripper claw 111. Furthermore, when gripper 11 performs a gripping operation close to side panel 202, food 21 that has adhered to side panel 202 may come into contact with the outer periphery of gripper 11 that is above gripper claw 111, and may end up adhering to gripper 11. Food 21 that has adhered to parts of gripper 11 other than gripper claw 111 is difficult to remove, and this may affect the accuracy of measurement by weighing scale 14.

[0117] 12(B) does not have side panels 202, and food 21 is placed on bottom panel 201. In this configuration, when gripper 11 repeatedly grips food 21 inside container 21A, food 21 spreads out toward the outer periphery of container 20A. However, since there are no side panels as in FIG. 12(A), food 21 does not adhere to any part of gripper 11 other than gripper claws 111.

[0118] Furthermore, by performing the gripping operation by the gripper 11 in order from the food 21 on the outer periphery of the container 20A, it is possible to prevent the food 21 from being pushed out of the side panel 202 of the container 20A and to move the food 21 inward.

[0119] (3) In the above embodiment, the target weight of the food to be gripped by the gripper 11 is set arbitrarily by the user. However, the control device 30 may set the target value taking into consideration the physical properties (such as viscosity) and type of food, the number of gripping times or time constraints, and the allowable error in the final target weight.

[0120] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, it is assumed that the grasping operation is performed multiple times, but it is also possible to set an upper limit on the number of grasping operations (especially the number of dispensing operations) in advance and determine the target value for each operation based on the upper limit.

[0121] (4) In the above-described embodiment, the picking position is determined by calculating the volume of food corresponding to the target weight, and determining the position where food of the calculated volume can be grasped based on the image data and height data of the food from the photographing device 15. However, a learning model may be generated in advance in the control device 30, and the picking position may be determined using the learning model.

[0122] For example, using the food portioning device 1 according to the above embodiment, food items are gripped by the gripper 11 at a plurality of picking positions in advance for each type of food, and the weight of the gripped food items is measured using the weighing scale 14 or the platform scale 16. A learning model is generated by the control device 30 by learning the measurement data and image data of each picking position captured by the image capturing device 15.

[0123] In the actual food portioning process, the target value determination unit 313 of the control device 30 uses a learning model according to the type of food in question to determine the picking positions (the picking positions for the first gripping operation and the picking positions for the second and subsequent gripping operations) based on the target weight value to be grasped and image data of the food from the photographing device 15.

[0124] (5) In the above embodiment, the position determination unit 314 of the control device 30 determines a picking position where a volume of food 21 equivalent to the target weight can be grasped based on preset average density data of the food 21. Alternatively, the position determination unit 314 may determine a picking position based on the density of each part of the food 21 calculated based on image data of the food 21 from the image capture device 15.

[0125] For example, if the food item 21 is potato salad, image recognition using image data can estimate the density of each part based on the distribution of the potato, cucumber, and carrot ingredients that make up the potato salad, i.e., the proportion of each ingredient in each part. The picking position can be determined by estimating the graspable volume at the picking position candidate using these density estimates. In this way, even for food items with uneven density, an appropriate picking position can be determined.

[0126] (6) In the above-described embodiment, while the gripper 11 is being controlled to rotate while gripping the food product 21-1, movement control is performed to move the gripper claws 111 of the gripper 11 within the XY plane (within the horizontal plane) as shown in Figures 8(B) and (C). However, in addition to or instead of this movement control, control may be performed to move the gripper claws 111 downward in the direction of the gripper rotation axis L (downward along the Z axis; toward the bottom of the container). This movement control can be performed by the movement control unit 315 of the control device 30 controlling the drive of the robot arm 12, similar to the movement control shown in Figures 8(B) and (C).

[0127] In this way, by moving the gripper claw portion 111 downward while rotating the gripper 11 or controlling the movement of the position of the gripper rotation axis L, the outer surface of the gripper claw portion 111 can be pressed against the food 21 below, and the food 21 adhering to the lower surface of the gripper claw portion 111 can be removed by rubbing it against the food 21 below. Similarly, the gripper claws 111 may be moved upward while rotating the gripper 11 or while controlling the movement of the position of the gripper rotation axis L. That is, in step S655 of Fig. 8, by lifting the gripper claws 111 while rotating and / or moving in the XY plane, food adhering to the gripper claws 111 can be rubbed against or shaken off the surrounding food.

[0128] (7) In the above embodiment, when the gripper 11 is controlled to rotate around the gripper rotation axis L after gripping the food 21, the rotation angle is set arbitrarily. However, the rotation angle may be set depending on the viscosity of the food 21. For example, the rotation angle may be set to be larger when gripping a food 21 with a higher viscosity. Alternatively, instead of setting the rotation angle, the rotation speed may be set. For example, the rotation speed may be set to be higher when gripping food 21 with a higher viscosity.

[0129] 8(B), the horizontal movement of the gripper rotation axis L may be controlled based on the viscosity of the food 21. For example, the horizontal movement distance of the gripper rotation axis L may be determined to be greater when gripping a more viscous food 21. Furthermore, the horizontal movement speed of the gripper rotation axis L may be determined to be greater when gripping a more viscous food 21.

[0130] 8(C) , the rotation angle or rotation speed may be set according to the viscosity and other physical properties of the food 21. For example, the rotation angle about the central axis R of the gripper rotation axis L may be determined to be larger when gripping a more viscous food 21. Furthermore, the rotation speed about the central axis R of the gripper rotation axis L may be determined to be larger when gripping a more viscous food 21. Similarly, the movement speed of the gripper claws 111 in the Z-axis direction may be set according to the physical properties of the food 21, and the speed, movement amount (distance), and path of movement of the gripper rotation axis L in the XY plane may be set.

[0131] (8) In the above-described embodiment, food is the target, but the present invention can be applied to any object other than food as long as it can be grasped. The device of the present invention is particularly suitable for separating and processing irregularly shaped, particularly viscous, objects.

[0132] (9) In the above embodiment, food 21 is dispensed into containers 22. However, when distributing ingredients for a dish for customers in a restaurant or the like, food may be dispensed onto plates or other tableware. In this case, a tableware dispenser may be installed instead of container dispenser 23.

[0133] In short, the method for separating a portion of an object according to the present invention includes the steps of determining a first target weight of the object to be separated in one gripping operation, the first target weight being calculated based on a final target value for the amount of the object to be separated, determining a first picking position corresponding to the first target weight based on a captured image, and moving a gripping unit that grasps and holds a portion of the object to the first picking position to separate the object. If the weight of the object separated in one gripping operation satisfies the target weight, the method determines a second target weight of the object to be separated in the next gripping operation, determines a second picking position corresponding to the second target weight, and moves the gripping unit to the second picking position to separate the object. If the weight of the object separated in one gripping operation by the gripping unit does not satisfy the first target weight, the method re-determines the first target weight and grasps the object at the re-determined first target weight. [Explanation of symbols]

[0134] 1 food portioning device, 11 gripper, 12 robot arm, 13 rotation mechanism, 14 weighing scale, 15 photography device, 16 platform scale, 20 container, 21 food, 22 container, 23 container supply device, 24 conveyor, 30 control device, 51 gripper, 111 gripper claw portion, 112 connecting portion, 113 base body, 116 internal wiping member, 117 brushing off Members, 201... bottom panel, 202... side panel, 301... processor, 302... memory, 303... input / output interface, 311... image acquisition unit, 312... weight acquisition unit, 313... target value determination unit, 314... position determination unit, 315... movement control unit, 316... rotation control unit, 511... gripper claw unit, 1121... connecting gear, 1122... rotating shaft, 1123... support member, 1131... motor.

Claims

1. a gripping portion that grips and holds a portion of irregularly shaped food; a moving mechanism that moves the gripping portion; a weighing unit that measures the weight of the food grasped by the grasping unit; an imaging unit that images the surface shape of the food; a determination means for determining a first target value for the weight of the food to be dispensed in one grasping operation, the first target value being calculated based on a final target value for dispensing, and determining a first picking position corresponding to the first target value based on the image captured by the image capturing unit; a control means for moving the gripping unit to the first picking position by the moving mechanism and dispensing the food; and When the weight of the food item dispensed by one gripping operation by the gripping unit satisfies the first target value, the determination means determines a second target value for the weight of the food item to be dispensed in a next gripping operation, the determination means determines a second picking position corresponding to the second target value, and the control means moves the gripping unit to the second picking position to dispense the food item, while If the weight of the food item dispensed by the gripping unit in one gripping operation does not satisfy the first target value, the determining means re-determines the first target value, and the control means executes gripping of the food item at the re-determined first target value. Food serving device.

2. The gripping portion has a narrowed tip when the food is gripped.

2. The food serving device of claim 1.

3. The shape of the grip portion changes in accordance with the first target value and the second target value.

2. The food serving device of claim 1.

4. The determining means determines, for each food item, the number of gripping operations to be performed and a target value for the weight of the food item to be dispensed in each gripping operation. The food serving device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The determination means generates a learning model for each food item by learning measurement data of the weight of the food item gripped by the gripping unit at the picking position and image data of the picking position, and determines the first picking position and the second picking position using the learning model. The food serving device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. the food product has a non-uniform density; The determining means determines the first picking position and the second picking position further based on the density calculated based on the image. The food serving device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. Computer, a determination means for determining a first target weight of the food to be dispensed in one grasping operation, the first target weight being calculated based on a final target value of the portion of the irregularly shaped food, and determining a first picking position corresponding to the first target weight based on the captured image; a control means for moving a gripping unit that grips and holds a portion of the food to the first picking position to dispense the food; A program for making the device function as a When the weight of the food portioned by one gripping operation by the gripping unit satisfies the first target value, the determining means determines a second target value for the weight of the food to be picked in the next single gripping operation, and determines a second picking position corresponding to the second target value; The control means moves the gripper to the second picking position to dispense the food product, while If the weight of the food item dispensed by the gripping unit in one gripping operation does not satisfy the first target value, the determining means re-determines the first target value, and the control means executes gripping of the food item at the re-determined first target value. program.

Images