Parts supply device

Abstract

To provide a component supply device for supplying a plurality of components to a picking base while grasping the components stably.SOLUTION: A component supply device 1 comprises: a storage part 3 that stores a plurality of components; a supply part 4 which has a hand 422 for grasping the components and a base part 424 on which the hand 422 is set operably, and supplies one or more components grasped and taken out by the hand 422 out of the plurality of components stored in the storage part 3 to a predetermined position, while making the hand 422 and the base part 424 hold the components; and a hand control part 713 that controls the operation by which the hand 422 grasps the one or more components taken out from the storage part 3 and the operation by which the hand 422 and the base 424 hold the one or more components grasped by the hand 422.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a component supply device. [Background technology]

[0002] Due to labor shortages in factories and other facilities, there is a growing demand for parts supply devices that use robots to pick up parts and supply them to designated locations. In recent years, the range of motions required of robots has become wider and more complex in order to realize automated assembly of a wide variety of parts.

[0003] The robot used in the component supply device has a robot hand for picking and placing components. For example, Patent Document 1 describes an assembly device that can perform component assembly operations by detecting the force received by an operation guide unit with a force detection unit and using the detected information to guide the operation of a component holder unit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-89181 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the assembly device described in Patent Document 1 is specialized in controlling the force of the component holder to stably grip one component, and is not configured to grip multiple components at once. As a result, it is not possible to apply an appropriate force to hold multiple components, and it is not possible to stably hold multiple components. The assembly device described in Patent Document 1 does not anticipate situations where many components are stacked in bulk, and it is also not able to lift multiple components from a bulk pile of components.

[0006] Furthermore, with conventional technology, it was difficult to stably grasp multiple parts from a pile of parts. Depending on the part's orientation, the force applied to the parts was insufficient, and in some cases, no parts could be grasped at all. Even if multiple parts could be grasped, it was difficult to move them to the desired location. The reason for this was that simply grasping multiple parts could lead to parts slipping or the parts being shaped at an angle to the gripping area, making them prone to falling off. However, to improve productivity, it was necessary to hold multiple parts so that they could be moved together to the desired location. Therefore, there was a need for a technology that could stably grasp and hold multiple parts from parts that were bulk-stacked in various orientations.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a component supplying device that can stably grip and hold a plurality of bulk-stacked components. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve at least one of the above-mentioned objects, a component supply device reflecting one aspect of the present invention has a storage section that stores multiple components, a gripping section that grips the components, and a base section on which the gripping section is operably mounted, and is equipped with a supply section that holds one or more components that the gripping section has gripped and removed from the multiple components stored in the storage section, between the gripping section and the base section, and supplies the components to a predetermined position, and a supply adjustment section that controls the operation of the gripping section to grip one or more components from the storage section and the operation of holding the one or more components gripped by the gripping section, between the gripping section and the base section. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, a plurality of parts stacked in bulk can be stably gripped and held. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a component supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]1 is a top view of a component supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view of a component supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is a side view of a supply unit in a component supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hand of a supply unit in the component supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a gripping piece in the component supplying device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a front view of a hand of a supply unit in the component supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a perspective front view of a hand block according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 9] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing examples of types of parts to be gripped and gripping forces in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the closing angle of the two gripping pieces and the drive current of the opening / closing operation drive source in the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 1 is a perspective view of a pick table in a component supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system in a component supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 13] 3A to 3C are diagrams illustrating a component supplying operation of the component supplying device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 3A and 3B are explanatory views showing the operation of a supply unit from a storage unit of the component supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, to gripping a component and supplying it to a pick table. [Figure 15] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a harness in a hand block according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of removing an internal machine from the hand according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of parameters used in the component disassembly operation in the component supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] 10 is an explanatory view showing the operation of a supply unit from a storage unit of a component supply device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, to gripping a component and supplying it to a pick table. FIG. [Figure 19] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a state in which a component is gripped by gripping pieces according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments to which the present invention is applied will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0012] 1. First embodiment [Component supply device configuration] First, the configuration of the component supply device of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the component supply device of the first embodiment, Fig. 2 is a top view of the component supply device of the first embodiment, and Fig. 3 is a side view of the component supply device of the first embodiment.

[0013] The component supply device 1 according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 can stably grab one or more components from a group of many components piled up in a bulk state, and place the grabbed one or more components on a placing table in a bulk state.

[0014] This component supply device 1 comprises a frame 2, storage units 3A and 3B, a supply unit 4, pick tables 5A and 5B, place tables 6A and 6B, and a control board 7. The storage units 3A and 3B, the supply unit 4, the pick tables 5A and 5B, the place tables 6A and 6B, and the control board 7 are attached to the frame 2. The component supply device 1 arranges the components stored in the storage units 3A and 3B on the place tables 6A and 6B in the correct orientation, and supplies them to the equipment for the next process.

[0015] The frame 2 is formed in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and has a width, depth, and height. Here, in Figs. 1 to 3, the X-axis direction indicates the width direction of the frame 2, the Y-axis direction indicates the depth direction of the frame 2, and the Z-axis direction indicates the height direction of the frame 2. The X-axis and Y-axis directions correspond to two horizontal axis directions that are parallel to the horizontal plane, and the Z-axis direction corresponds to the vertical direction that is perpendicular to the horizontal plane. The frame 2 is composed of horizontal members extending in the X-axis or Y-axis direction and vertical members extending in the Z-axis direction.

[0016] The storage sections 3A and 3B are arranged on one side of the frame 2 in the Y-axis direction. The storage sections 3A and 3B face each other at an appropriate distance in the X-axis direction. The storage sections 3A and 3B are formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top. The storage sections 3A and 3B are provided with an elevation mechanism that moves the bottom in the Z-axis direction. This allows each storage section 3A and 3B to change the storage capacity and the height position of the components stored therein. When the storage sections 3A and 3B are not distinguished, they will be collectively referred to as "storage section 3."

[0017] The storage unit 3 stores a plurality of components. For example, a first component is stored in storage unit 3A, and a second component different from the first component is stored in storage unit 3B. In this case, the component supplying device 1 supplies the first component and the second component to the device of the next process. Alternatively, the first component may be stored in storage units 3A and 3B during a first period, and the second component may be stored in storage units 3A and 3B during a second period different from the first period. In this case, the component supplying device 1 supplies the first component to the device of the next process during the first period, and supplies the second component to the device of the next process during the second period.

[0018] The supply unit 4 is disposed approximately in the center of the upper portion of the frame 2. The supply unit 4 grasps one or more components from the large number of first components or the large number of second components stored in the storage units 3A, 3B, and drops them onto the pick tables 5A, 5B to supply them. As a result, the first components or second components are placed on the pick tables 5A, 5B. The supply unit 4 also grasps the first components or second components placed on the pick tables 5A, 5B one by one and supplies them to the place tables 6A, 6B. The configuration of the supply unit 4 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. When there is no need to distinguish between the first components and the second components, they will be collectively referred to as "components" in the following description.

[0019] The pick tables 5A and 5B are disposed on both sides of the supply unit 4 in the X-axis direction. The pick tables 5A and 5B are adjacent to the storage units 3A and 3B in the Y-axis direction. The pick tables 5A and 5B are located above the storage units 3A and 3B.

[0020] In the Z-axis direction, a portion of the pick table 5A overlaps with the storage section 3A. As a result, a component that has fallen from a portion of the pick table 5A is stored (returned) in the storage section 3A. In the Z-axis direction, a portion of the pick table 5B overlaps with the storage section 3B. As a result, a component that has fallen from a portion of the pick table 5B is stored (returned) in the storage section 3B. The configuration of the pick tables 5A and 5B will be explained later with reference to FIG. 11. When the pick tables 5A and 5B are not distinguished, they will be collectively referred to as "pick table 5."

[0021] The place tables 6A and 6B have belt conveyors that transport parts in the Y-axis direction. The place tables 6A and 6B are also attached to an X-axis movement mechanism. The X-axis movement mechanism moves the place tables 6A and 6B in the X-axis direction. The place tables 6A and 6B transport parts supplied from the supply unit 4 in the Y-axis direction and position them in a predetermined position. The positioned parts are supplied to the equipment for the next process. When the place tables 6A and 6B are not distinguished, they are collectively referred to as the "place table 6."

[0022] 1 and 3, the control board 7 is attached to the side of the frame 2. The control board 7 is provided with a control unit 71 (see FIG. 12) that controls the operations of the storage units 3A and 3B, the supply unit 4, and the place tables 6A and 6B. The control unit 71 controls the operation of the hand 422 to grasp one or more components from the storage unit 3, and the operation of the hand 422 and the base unit 424 to hold the one or more components grasped by the hand 422.

[0023] [Supply section configuration] Next, the configuration of the supply unit 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. Fig. 4 is a side view of the supply unit 4 in the component supply device 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the hand of the supply unit 4 in the component supply device 1. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the gripping piece 422a. Fig. 7 is a front view of the hand of the supply unit 4 in the component supply device 1. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the hand block 42.

[0024] Supply unit 4 has a hand 422 that grips a component, and a base unit 424 on which hand 422 is operably installed. Supply unit 4 holds one or more components that hand 422 grips and removes from the plurality of components stored in storage unit 3, using hand 422 and base unit 424, and supplies the components to a predetermined position.

[0025] 4, the supply unit 4 includes an arm block 41 and a hand block 42 connected to the arm block 41. The arm block 41 has a support base 411 and an arm 412 attached to the support base 411. The support base 411 is fixed to the frame 2. The support base 411 supports the arm 412 so that it can rotate.

[0026] The arm 412 freely moves the hand block 42 in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions. The arm 412 also freely rotates the hand block 42 around the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The arm 412 has a base member 413, a first link member 414, a second link member 415, and a connecting member 416.

[0027] The base member 413 is rotatably connected to the support table 411. The base member 413 rotates around the Z axis (first axis). One end of the first link member 414 is rotatably connected to the base member 413. The first link member 414 rotates around an axis (second axis) extending in the horizontal direction.

[0028] The second link member 415 has a rotating portion 415a and a swivel portion 415b connected to the rotating portion 415a. The rotating portion 415a is rotatably connected to the other end of the first link member 414. The rotating portion 415a rotates around an axis (third axis) extending in the horizontal direction. The rotating portion 415b is rotatably connected to the rotating portion 415a. The rotating portion 415b rotates around an axis (fourth axis) extending in the direction of connection with the rotating portion 415a.

[0029] The connecting member 416 has a rotating portion 416a and a swivel portion 416b connected to the rotating portion 416a. The rotating portion 416a is rotatably connected to the rotating portion 415b of the second link member 415. The rotating portion 416a rotates around an axis (fifth axis) extending in the horizontal direction. The rotating portion 416b is rotatably connected to the rotating portion 416a. The rotating portion 416b rotates around an axis (sixth axis) extending in the direction of connection with the rotating portion 416a. The second axis, the third axis, and 5 The directions in which the axes extend are parallel.

[0030] Fig. 5(A) shows a perspective view of the hand block 42 as seen from below, and Fig. 5(B) shows a perspective view of the hand block 42. Ha The hand block 42 has a housing 421, and a hand 422 and a camera 423 attached to the housing 421. The housing 421 is connected to a pivoting portion 416b of a connecting member 416 of the arm 412. The housing 421 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped case. A hand hole 421a through which the hand 422 passes and a lens hole 421b through which the objective lens of the camera 423 is exposed are formed on the bottom surface of the housing 421.

[0031] The hand 422 is used as an example of a gripping unit according to this embodiment. The hand 422 is composed of multiple (two in this embodiment) gripping pieces 422a. Inside the housing 421, there are disposed an opening / closing mechanism (opening / closing operation drive source 425 shown in FIG. 7) that opens and closes the two gripping pieces 422a, and an elevating mechanism (elevating operation drive source 427 shown in FIG. 7) that raises and lowers the two gripping pieces 422a. The length of the two gripping pieces 422a protruding from the hand hole 421a changes as they are raised and lowered by the elevating mechanism. Increasing the length of the two gripping pieces 422a protruding from the hand hole 421a increases the space available for holding components, allowing for a greater number of components to be held. On the other hand, shortening the length of the two gripping pieces 422a protruding from the hand hole 421a reduces the space available for holding components, allowing for a smaller number of components to be held.

[0032] The two gripping pieces 422a can also grip a single component by closing their tips. The hand 422 grips one or more components from a large number of components stored in the storage section 3A or storage section 3B and supplies them to the pick table 5A or pick table 5B. At this time, the two gripping pieces 422a move in an arc to grip the component, and while holding the component, the multiple gripping pieces 422a move in a direction to press the component against the base section 424. Thereafter, the two gripping pieces 442a of the hand 422 grip one component from one or more components placed on the pick table 5A or pick table 5B and supply it to the place table 6A or place table 6B.

[0033] Camera 423 represents a specific example of a detection unit according to the present invention. Camera 423 includes an imaging element, multiple lenses including an objective lens, a polarizing filter, lighting, etc. Camera 423 is housed in housing 421. The objective lens of camera 423 is exposed from lens hole 421b of housing 421.

[0034] The image (video) captured by the camera 423 is transmitted to the control unit 71, which will be described later. The control unit 71 detects information such as the positions of the storage units 3A and 3B and the pick tables 5A and 5B from the image captured by the camera 423.

[0035] In FIG. 6(A), a hand block 42 of 6(B) shows an example of an enlarged view of the gripping piece 422a. An elastic member and a friction member 422a1 are overlappingly fixed to the tip of the gripping piece 422a shown in FIG. 6(A). A soft material such as urethane is used as the elastic member. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6(B), wavy lines are formed on the friction member 422a1. Because the friction member 422a1 is the member that comes into contact with the component, the wavy lines formed on the friction member 422a1 prevent ribs or the like of the component from getting caught in the grooves of the lines. The friction member 422a1 is preferably made of a material with excellent wear resistance. The friction member 422a1 prevents the component from slipping off, and the elastic member prevents the corners at the tip of the gripping piece 422a from damaging the component.

[0036] Fig. 7(A) is a front view showing an example of the external configuration of hand block 42. As shown in Fig. 7(A), hand block 42 is composed of the above-mentioned housing 421 and two gripping pieces 422a. A base part 424 on which gripping pieces 422a are movably mounted is provided on the bottom surface of housing 421.

[0037] The base 424 has the function of supporting the parts gripped by the two gripping pieces 422a when the gripping pieces 422a close and come into contact with the parts to be gripped. This configuration in which at least two gripping pieces 422a and the base 424 grip one or more parts is called "form closure." The form closure configuration makes it possible to stably support and grip multiple parts compared to a configuration in which parts are simply pinched by the two gripping pieces 422a (force closure). The operation of the hand block 42 is controlled by a hand control unit 713 shown in FIG. 12, which will be described later.

[0038] 7(B) is a front perspective view showing an example of the internal configuration of hand block 42. As shown in FIG. 7(B), hand block 42 includes opening / closing operation drive source 425, lifting operation movable portion 426, and lifting operation drive source 427. The opening / closing operation drive source 425 is a drive source that opens and closes the two gripping pieces 422a, and is used as an example of an opening / closing operation drive unit. A servo motor or the like is used as the opening / closing operation drive source 425. The opening / closing operation drive source 425 opens and closes the two gripping pieces 422a. , omitted The opening and closing operations are symmetrical. Before the two gripping pieces 422a grip a part, the gripping force is almost zero. Once the two gripping pieces 422a begin to grip a part, the gripping force gradually increases. If the gripping force is too small, the part may fall off the two gripping pieces 422a, so it is necessary to increase the gripping force.

[0039] Therefore, the opening / closing operation drive source 425 closes the two gripping pieces 422a until they reach a predetermined gripping force, causing the two gripping pieces 422a to grip the component. When the width of the gripping pieces 422a is 15 mm as shown in FIG. 9 (described later), the predetermined gripping force is set for each component within the range of the shaded area in the graph. The open / closed state of the two gripping pieces 422a is detected by an open / close detection sensor 432 (described later in FIG. 15).

[0040] The lifting / lowering operation movable part 426 is a part that includes two gripping pieces 422a and raises and lowers the two gripping pieces 422a up and down simultaneously. The lifting / lowering operation drive source 427 is a drive source that raises and lowers the lifting / lowering operation movable part 426, which includes multiple gripping pieces 422a, and is used as an example of a lifting / lowering operation drive part. A servo motor or the like is used as the lifting / lowering operation drive source 427. The lifting / lowering operation movable part 426 is raised and lowered up and down by the lifting / lowering operation drive source 427. The multiple gripping pieces 422a that have been closed by the opening / closing operation drive source 425 grip components, and the multiple gripping pieces 422a that have been moved upward by the lifting / lowering operation drive source 427 press the gripped components against the base part 424.

[0041] When the gripping force of the two gripping pieces 422a gripping the component reaches a certain gripping force, the lifting operation movable part 426 maintains the gripping force and performs a lifting operation to move the two gripping pieces 422a upward (towards the base part 424) while still gripping the component. Then, the component gripped by the two gripping pieces 422a and lifted up hits the base part 424. Be The operation of the lifting operation movable part 426 to lift the gripping piece 422a up and down is performed in cooperation with the arm 412 (see FIG. 4) to which the supply part 4 is connected.

[0042] The base 424 is provided with abutment detection unit 428 that detects when the parts gripped by the gripping pieces 422a have butted against the base 424. As the butt detection unit 428, for example, a switch that outputs an ON signal only when pressure is applied is used. The hand control unit 713 (see FIG. 12) determines that the parts gripped by the two gripping pieces 422a have butted against the base 424 based on the butt detection result obtained from the butt detection unit 428. Then, the hand control unit 713 determines that the parts have butted against the base 424 based on the butt detection result obtained from the butt detection unit 428.

[0043] Here, the abutment detection unit 428 can grasp, as a abutment detection result, that the component has abutted against the base unit 424, based on the abutment force with which the multiple gripping pieces 422a abut the component against the base unit 424. For example, if the abutment detection unit 428 outputs an ON signal when the component abuts against the base unit 424, the hand control unit 713 can determine that the component has abutted against the base unit 424. After the part hits the base part 424, the hand control part 713 controls the lifting operation movable part 426 to move the two gripping pieces 42 2 Stop the lifting action of a.

[0044] As another example of the abutment detection unit 428, a pressure sensor may be provided. It may be determined that a component has abutted against the base unit 424 based on a pressure value detected by the pressure sensor as a abutting force when the component abuts against the base unit 424. Alternatively, the hand control unit 713 may determine that a component has abutted against the base unit 424 based on the amount of movement of the gripping pieces 422a in the closing direction and upward. For example, the hand control unit 713 may determine that a component has abutted against the base unit 424 when the amount of movement of the multiple gripping pieces 422a in the closing direction reaches 10 cm or the amount of movement in the upward direction reaches 15 cm.

[0045] Only the gripping piece 422a may be configured to be able to move up and down, or the entire hand block 42 may be configured to be able to move up and down. Furthermore, the hand 422 may be moved up and down in cooperation with the hand block 42 and the arm block 41 to which the hand 422 is attached.

[0046] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the hand block 42. FIG. 8(A) is a see-through front view of the hand block 42. FIG. 8(B) is an operation model diagram showing an enlarged view of the two gripping pieces 422a. In FIG. 8(A), the white arrow A1 indicates the vertical movement direction of the lifting / lowering operation movable part 426, i.e., the two gripping pieces 422a. The white arrow A2 indicates the direction of the arc movement of the two gripping pieces 422a. The multiple solid arrows indicate the normal direction inside the gripping piece 422a (the direction in which force is applied to the part), and the dashed arrow indicates the movement direction of the part.

[0047] As described above, the two gripping pieces 422a perform arcuate movement and lifting movement as indicated by the arrows in the figure. The arcuate movement is performed by the rotational drive of the two wheels 429 to which the bases of the two gripping pieces 422a are respectively connected. In the arcuate movement, the trajectory of the closing movement of the two gripping pieces 422a is such that the inner faces of the gripping pieces 422a face upward, so that the components gripped by the two gripping pieces 422a move toward the base 424. As a result, the two gripping pieces 422a gather the components onto the base 424, and the components can be supported by the two gripping pieces 422a and the base 424. Although the arcuate movement is exemplified here, the shape of the gripping pieces 422a may be changed so that the inner faces of the gripping pieces 422a face upward.

[0048] The inner shape of the gripping pieces 422a is composed of two types of curves with different directions. The first curved portion 422b is shaped such that the two gripping pieces 422a are curved inward toward the base portion 424. Therefore, when the first curved portion 422b moves, the two gripping pieces 422a close together and the part moves toward the base portion 424. Furthermore, when the two gripping pieces 422a move upward, the gap between the first curved portions 422b of the two gripping pieces 422a and the base portion 424 narrows, increasing the number of points of contact between the first curved portion 422b and the part. Because the first curved portion 422b can hold one or more parts, the first curved portion 422b is suitable for grasping multiple parts.

[0049] On the other hand, the second curved portion 422c has a shape in which the two gripping pieces 422a are curved outward toward the side away from the base 424. When the two gripping pieces 422a close and move upward, the second curved portion 422c moves horizontally. As a result, the second curved portion 422c applies a horizontal force to the component. In this way, the two gripping pieces 422a are shaped like inclined surfaces, and by moving in parallel, the components can be collected onto the base 424 that supports the components. Because the two gripping pieces 422a can grip a single component using the second curved portion 422c, the second curved portion 422c is suitable for picking a single component. However, when the two gripping pieces 422a grab a component from the storage section 3, the second curved portion 422c may also be used to grab the component.

[0050] 8(B), the two gripping pieces 442a move upward, filling the gap between the component and the base 424, allowing the two gripping pieces 442a and the base 424 to reliably grip the component. The lifting speed of the gripping pieces 422a when the two gripping pieces 422a lift the component up to the base 424, i.e., the speed of the lifting operation by the lifting operation movable unit 426, can be changed. For example, the hand control unit 713 can set the moving speed of the gripping pieces 422a in the direction in which the component is pressed against the base 424 to be slower than the moving speed of the gripping pieces 422a from the standby position to grip the component. Specifically, the lifting speed of the gripping pieces 422a when lifting the component up to the base 424 is set to be slower than other operations (for example, the speed when the gripping pieces 422a perform a closing operation or the descending speed of the gripping pieces 422a).

[0051] Furthermore, the hand control unit 713 can make the speed at which the components held by the two gripping pieces 422a strike the base unit 424 slower than the speed at which the two gripping pieces 422a start to rise upward from the lowest position. Furthermore, the hand control unit 713 can make the speed at which the two gripping pieces 422a move downward after distributing the components onto the pick table 5 faster than the speed at which the two gripping pieces 422a move upward. By making the rising speed of the gripping pieces 422a variable in this way, it is possible to prevent the components from striking the base unit 424 with excessive force.

[0052] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing examples of types of parts to be gripped (parts 1 to 6) and gripping forces.

[0053] FIG. 9 shows a graph indicating the allowable range of gripping force (unit: N) for each width of gripping piece 422a and for each of components 1 to 6. The horizontal axis of this graph shows components 1 to 6, and the vertical axis shows gripping force. Four types of graphs are shown here, each representing the minimum and maximum gripping force when gripping piece 442a with a 15 mm width of gripping piece 422a enters the component group, and the minimum and maximum gripping force when gripping piece 442a with a 20 mm width of gripping piece 422a enters the component group. The width of gripping piece 422a refers to the width of the tip of gripping piece 422a in the Y direction, as shown in FIG. 5.

[0054] Photographic images of parts 1 to 6 and the difference in their actual sizes are displayed side by side on the horizontal axis of the graph. The parts to be gripped by the part supply device 1 vary in size, shape, and weight. The graph shows that the maximum force required to push the narrow gripping piece 422a (15 mm) into the group of parts is smaller than that required to push the wide gripping piece 422a (20 mm). It also shows that the minimum force required to repel a part when gripped is smaller for the narrow gripping piece 422a (15 mm) than for the wide gripping piece 422a (20 mm). However, for part 6, the minimum force required to repel a part when gripped is reversed.

[0055] If the part is small in size and has a short long side, a small gripping force is sufficient, but if the part is large in size and has a long long side, a larger gripping force is required. Also, the wider the gripping piece 422a, the greater the gripping force. However, if the gripping piece 422a applies too strong a gripping force to the part, the part may be deformed or fly off. For this reason, a gripping force is preset according to the part to be gripped by the part supplying device 1. The part supplying device 1 stores the part's characteristic information, such as part shape, part weight, part center of gravity position, Material The gripping force of the two gripping pieces 422a is set based on one or more pieces of information from the component surface properties and the component surface friction coefficient. As shown in FIG. 9, if the width of the gripping piece 422a is 15 mm, the maximum force with which the gripping piece 422a is forced into the component group is set as the lower limit, and the minimum force with which the gripping piece 422a repels the component is set as the upper limit (the area shaded with diagonal lines in the figure), which is set as the allowable range of the gripping force. Then, the gripping force is set within the allowable range. For example, for component 1, the gripping force is set to 10.0 N, and for component 6, the gripping force is set to 20.0 N.

[0056] 12 changes the gripping force within a range in which the maximum gripping force required for gripping piece 422a to enter the group of components is set as the lower limit, and the minimum value at which gripping piece 422a throws the components away is set as the upper limit. The timing for moving gripping piece 422a upward is determined based on the gripping force and the amount of closure of gripping piece 422a.

[0057] The hand control unit 713 is also capable of changing the gripping force of the two gripping pieces 422a depending on the component to be gripped. The hand control unit 713 is also capable of changing the gripping force threshold depending on the amount of closure of the gripping pieces 422a. Therefore, if the gripping pieces 422a are closed less from their initial positions, the hand control unit 713 can assume that the component is large, and so the hand control unit 713 increases the gripping force threshold to ensure that the gripping pieces 422a grip the component. On the other hand, if the gripping pieces 422a are closed more from their initial positions, the hand control unit 713 can assume that the component is small, and so the hand control unit 713 decreases the gripping force threshold to ensure that the gripping pieces 422a grip the component without applying too strong a gripping force.

[0058] FIG. 10 is a graph showing the relationship between the closing angle of the two gripping pieces 422a and the drive current of the opening / closing operation drive source 425.

[0059] The amount of closure (or opening width) of the two gripping pieces 422a can be converted into the closing angle of the two gripping pieces 422a. Therefore, the hand control unit 713 can change the gripping force with which the multiple gripping pieces 422a grip a component, depending on the closing angle of the multiple gripping pieces 422a. Therefore, the hand control unit 713 supplies a drive current corresponding to the closing angle of the two gripping pieces 422a to the opening / closing operation drive source 425 (see FIG. 7). For example, when the closing angle of the two gripping pieces 422a is 70°, this is the timing when the two gripping pieces 422a begin to grip the component, so a large drive current is supplied to the opening / closing operation drive source 425, and the two gripping pieces 422a grip the component with strong force. On the other hand, as the two gripping pieces 422a perform the closing operation and the closing angle becomes smaller, the drive current also decreases. Even when the drive current decreases, the two gripping pieces 422a are locked so that they cannot open.

[0060] [Pick table configuration] Next, the configuration of the pick tables 5A and 5B will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the pick table 5A in the component supply device 1. As shown in FIG.

[0061] The pick tables 5A and 5B have the same configuration. Therefore, the configuration of the pick table 5A will be described here as an example. As shown in Fig. 11, the pick table 5A has a loading plate 51 that forms a loading surface and three wall plates 52 to 54 that are continuous with the loading plate 51.

[0062] The loading plate 51 is a substantially rectangular plate. The plane of the loading plate 51 is substantially perpendicular to the Z-axis direction. The loading plate 51 has two sides substantially parallel to the X-axis direction and two sides substantially parallel to the Y-axis direction. The wall plate 52 protrudes substantially perpendicularly from one of the two sides of the loading plate 51 substantially parallel to the X-axis direction, the side farther from the storage section 3A (see FIG. 2). The wall plates 53 and 54 protrude substantially perpendicularly from each of the two sides of the loading plate 51 substantially parallel to the Y-axis direction.

[0063] Wall plates 52 to 54 prevent the supplied components from falling off the load plate 51. The side of the load plate 51 where no wall plate is provided overlaps with the opening of the storage section 3A in the Z-axis direction. As a result, components that fall from the side of the load plate 51 where no wall plate is provided return to the storage section 3A. In addition, a tilting mechanism that tilts the pick table 5A is provided below the pick table 5A. The tilting mechanism tilts the pick table 5A so that the side of wall plate 52 is higher. As a result, components placed on the pick table 5A fall from the side of the load plate 51 where no wall plate is provided and are collected in the storage section 3A.

[0064] [Control system configuration] Next, the configuration of the control system of the component supplying device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system in the component supply device 1.

[0065] The control board 7 (see FIG. 1) is provided with a control unit 71 and a storage unit 72. The control unit 71 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The various functions of the control unit 71 are realized by the CPU executing predetermined processing programs stored in the ROM. The various functions of the control unit 71 include, for example, operation control of the arm 412 by an arm control unit 712 and operation control of the hand 422 by a hand control unit 713.

[0066] 12, the control unit 71 has an overall control unit 711, an arm control unit 712, a hand control unit 713, and a recognition control unit 714. The control unit 71 represents a specific example of a supply adjustment unit according to the present invention. However, the hand control unit 713 included in the control unit 71 may be described as a specific example of the supply adjustment unit.

[0067] The overall control unit 711 is connected to an arm control unit 712, a hand control unit 713, and a recognition control unit 714. The overall control unit 711 receives detection results from the recognition control unit 714, such as the positions of each unit, including the storage units 3A and 3B and the hand 422, the sizes of the pick tables 5A and 5B, and the number of parts held by the hand 422.

[0068] The overall control unit 711 performs overall control of the arm control unit 712 and the hand control unit 713 based on the detection results received from the recognition control unit 714 and the supply parameters 723 and characteristic information 724 stored in the memory unit 72.

[0069] The arm control unit 712 is connected to the drive unit of the arm 412. The arm control unit 712 receives control commands from the overall control unit 711. The arm control unit 712 generates an arm drive signal for driving the arm 412 based on the control command received from the overall control unit 711, and transmits the signal to the drive unit of the arm 412. As a result, the arm 412 performs an operation according to the control command from the overall control unit 711.

[0070] The hand control unit 713 is connected to the drive unit of the hand 422. The hand control unit 713 receives control commands from the overall control unit 711. The hand control unit 713 generates a hand drive signal for driving the hand 422 based on the control command received from the overall control unit 711 and transmits the signal to the drive unit of the hand 422. As a result, the hand 422 performs an operation in accordance with the control command from the overall control unit 711. The drive control of the two gripping pieces 422a of the hand 422 described above is also performed by the hand control unit 713.

[0071] The recognition control unit 714 is connected to the camera 423. The recognition control unit 714 controls the shooting by the camera 423 based on the shooting parameters 721 stored in the storage unit 72. In addition, the recognition control unit 714 performs image processing on the image data received from the camera 423 based on the image processing parameters (various correction values) stored in the storage unit 72.

[0072] The recognition control unit 714 detects the positions of the storage units 3A and 3B, the pick tables 5A and 5B, and the place tables 6A and 6B from the image data that has been image-processed. The recognition control unit 714 detects the posture of the hand 422 and the number of parts held by the hand 422 from the image data that has been image-processed. The recognition control unit 714 also detects the size (area) of the pick tables 5A and 5B, the shape of the pick tables 5A and 5B (whether or not they have wall panels), the outer shapes (outlines) of the parts placed on the pick tables 5A and 5B, etc. from the image data that has been image-processed. The recognition control unit 714 then transmits the detection results to the overall control unit 711.

[0073] The storage unit 72 stores imaging parameters 721, image processing parameters 722, supply parameters 723, and characteristic information 724. The imaging parameters 721 are used when the camera 423 captures an image of each part (pick tables 5A, 5B, etc.). Examples of imaging parameters include exposure time, lighting intensity, image size, etc., depending on the object being imaged. The image processing parameters 722 are various correction values ​​used when performing image processing on image data received from the camera 423.

[0074] The supply parameters 723 are used to determine the operation of the supply unit 4 when supplying components to the pick table 5A or the pick table 5B. The supply parameters 723 are stored in advance in the storage unit 72. The supply parameters 723 are prepared according to characteristic information, which will be described later. The contents of the supply parameters 723 will be described later with reference to FIG. 17.

[0075] The characteristic information 724 includes a predetermined value of the gripping force, a size of the part, a shape of the part, a weight of the part, a position of the center of gravity of the part, a material of the part, a surface property of the part, and Surface friction coefficient of the part number of The characteristic information 724 is information of at least one of the above. The characteristic information 724 is stored in advance in the memory unit 72 for each type of part. The control unit 71 may extract the characteristic information 724 from 3D model data of the part. In this case, the 3D model data of the part is stored in advance in the memory unit 72. The hand control unit 713 can change, for each part, at least one of the gripping force with which the multiple gripping pieces 422a grip the part, the closing amount of the multiple gripping pieces 422a, and the abutting force with which the multiple gripping pieces 422a abut the part against the base unit 424, based on the characteristic information 724 read from the memory unit 72.

[0076] [Component supply operation of the component supply device] Next, the component supplying operation of the component supplying device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the component supplying operation of the component supplying device 1. In FIG.

[0077] 13, in order for the component supplying device 1 to supply components to a device in the next process, the components are first stored in the storage section 3. The components may be stored in the storage section 3 by a device in the previous process, or may be stored manually.

[0078] Next, the supply unit 4 grasps one or more components from the large quantity of components in the storage unit 3 and supplies them to the pick table 5. At this time, the supply unit 4 performs a supply operation in which the grasped components are separated on the pick table 5. Hereinafter, the supply operation in which the components are separated on the pick table 5 will be referred to as the "component separation operation." By the component separation operation, the components are laid flat on the pick table 5.

[0079] Next, the camera 423 photographs the top of the pick table 5, and the recognition control unit 714 of the control unit 71 recognizes the top of the pick table 5 from a bird's-eye view. At this time, the recognition control unit 714 determines whether or not there are any grippable parts on the pick table 5. If it is determined that there are no grippable parts on the pick table 5, the supply unit 4 again grips one or more parts from the large amount of parts in the storage unit 3.

[0080] Note that even if a component is placed on the pick table 5, if the component is in a position that cannot be grasped by the supply unit 4, it is determined that there is no component that can be grasped on the pick table 5. In this case, the tilting mechanism is driven to tilt the pick table 5. As a result, the component placed on the pick table 5 falls from the side of the loading plate 51 where the wall panel is not provided, and is collected into the storage unit 3.

[0081] If it is determined that there is a part that can be grasped on the pick table 5, the recognition control unit 714 recognizes (determines) a gripping position for grasping one of the parts on the pick table 5. Then, the supply unit 4 grasps one part and supplies it to the place table 6. The place table 6 positions the supplied part in a predetermined position. The part positioned in the predetermined position is supplied to the equipment for the next process.

[0082] When the supply unit 4 supplies one component to the place table 6, the recognition control unit 714 recognizes (determines) a gripping position for gripping one of the components on the pick table 5. If there are no components on the pick table 5 at this time, the operation of supplying components to the place table 6 is terminated. Then, the supply unit 4 grips one or more components from the large number of components in the storage unit 3.

[0083] [Operation of the supply unit] Next, the operation of the supply unit 4 will be described with reference to FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the supply unit 4 from gripping a component from the storage unit 3 to supplying it to the pick table 5. Here, an example of a series of operations in which the supply unit 4 distributes the component to the pick table 5 will be described. The white arrows in the figure indicate the direction in which the hand 422 or gripping piece 422a moves up and down, or the direction in which the gripping piece 422a moves open and close.

[0084] Before describing the operation of the supply unit 4, the storage unit 3 will be described. As shown in FIG. 14 , the storage unit 3 has two slits 31 through which the two gripping pieces 422a of the hand 422 can pass, and a shutter 32 that opens and closes the two slits 31. The two slits 31 are provided on wall surfaces of the storage unit 3 that face each other in the X-axis direction. The two slits 31 extend in the Z-axis direction from an opening at the top of the storage unit 3. The slits 31 allow the two gripping pieces 422a to be inserted into a group of bulk-stacked parts to be inserted all the way into the storage unit 3.

[0085] The shutter 32 prevents components from falling out of the storage unit 3 and freely opens and closes the slits 31. The shutter 32 has a flange 32a that protrudes outward from the upper edge. The shutter 32 is biased upward in the Z-axis direction by a biasing member (not shown). When the flange 32a is pressed downward in the Z-axis direction by the hand 422, the shutter 32 moves downward against the biasing force of the biasing member. As a result, the shutter 32 opens the two slits 31. When the shutter 32 opens the slits 31 in conjunction with the descent of the supply unit 4, the gripping pieces 422a are inserted into the storage unit 3 through the slits 31. When the shutter 32 is released from the pressing force of the hand 422, it moves upward due to the biasing force of the biasing member. As a result, the shutter 32 closes the two slits 31.

[0086] The shutter 32 may be configured to move in the Z-axis direction by a drive unit. In this case, the shutter 32 moves in the Z-axis direction in conjunction with the elevation of the hand 422. The shutter according to the present invention is not limited to one that moves in the Z-axis direction, and any other opening and closing mechanism, such as a double door, may be used as long as it opens and closes the two slits 31.

[0087] To supply one or more components from the storage unit 3 to the pick table 5, first, the hand 422 of the supply unit 4 is moved above the storage unit 3. At this time, the two gripping pieces 422a of the hand 422 are in an open state. Also, the shutter 32 closes the two slits 31 of the storage unit 3. Next, the hand 422 is lowered. As a result, the flange 32a of the shutter 32 is pressed by the hand 422, and the shutter 32 is lowered against the biasing force of the biasing member. Then, the two slits 31 are opened, and the two gripping pieces 422a of the hand 422 are inserted into the two slits 31 (see FIG. 14(A)).

[0088] Next, the two gripping pieces 422a of the hand 422 are moved in a closing direction to insert the two gripping pieces 422a into the storage unit 3. As a result, the hand 422 pinches and grips one or more components between the tips of the two gripping pieces 422a in the closed state and / or inside the two gripping pieces 422a (see FIG. 14B). Then, when the gripping force with which the two gripping pieces 422a grip the components reaches a predetermined value, the hand control unit 713 stops the closing operation of the gripping pieces 422a and starts the lifting operation of the two gripping pieces 422a. Alternatively, the hand control unit 713 starts the lifting operation of the two gripping pieces 422a when the amount of closure of the two gripping pieces 422a becomes equal to or less than a threshold. At this time, the hand control unit 713 moves the gripping pieces 422a in a direction to press the component against the base unit 424. As a result, the component gripped by the gripping pieces 422a begins to move upward. In this way, the hand control unit 713 changes the timing at which the gripping pieces 422a begin to move upward, based on the gripping force with which the multiple gripping pieces 422a grip the component and the amount by which the multiple gripping pieces 422a close. Meanwhile, the shutter 32 is released from the pressing force of the hand 422 and rises due to the biasing force of the biasing member. As a result, the shutter 32 closes the two slits 31.

[0089] Next, the hand control unit 713 raises the hand 422 and removes one or more components gripped by the hand 422 from the storage unit 3 (see FIG. 14(C)). At this time, the components lifted by the gripping pieces 422a abut against the base unit 424. Then, when the abutting force provided on the base unit 424 reaches a predetermined value or the amount of movement of the gripping pieces 422a reaches or exceeds a threshold, a form closure is formed that stably holds the multiple components between the base unit 424 and the two gripping pieces 422a. Then, the hand control unit 713 moves the multiple gripping pieces 422a in a direction that presses the components against the base unit 424, and maintains the gripping force at a predetermined value while the components are abutting against the base unit 424.

[0090] If the abutment detection unit 428 is a switch, when the abutment force reaches a predetermined value, the switch is turned on and an ON signal is output. This allows the hand control unit 713 shown in FIG. 12 to determine that a force closure has been formed. Furthermore, when the amount of movement of the gripping piece 422a reaches approximately ¾ of the maximum amount of movement of the gripping piece 422a, the hand control unit 713 can determine that the amount of movement of the gripping piece 422a has exceeded a threshold value. Additionally, the hand control unit 713 can determine the gripping force, amount of closure, and amount of movement by using techniques such as the number of steps of a motor (for example, a servo motor) and motor torque control.

[0091] Thereafter, the hand control unit 713 moves the hand 422 above the pick table 5. Then, the two gripping pieces 422a of the hand 422 are opened, and the one or more gripped components are dropped and supplied onto the pick table 5 (see FIG. 14(D)). Here, when opening the two gripping pieces 422a to separate the components, it is necessary to prevent the components from getting caught between the gripping pieces 422a and the base unit 424. Therefore, the hand control unit 713 lowers the two gripping pieces 422a while opening them. This operation allows the components to be dropped onto the pick table 5. Thereafter, the control unit 71 changes the supply operation of the hand 422 (supply unit 4) according to the characteristic information of the one or more gripped components.

[0092] Here, an example of the construction of the harness of the lifting and lowering operation movable part 426 in the hand block 42 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of the harness inside the hand block 42.

[0093] 15(A) shows a perspective side view of the hand block 42. In this embodiment, a lifting / lowering operation movable part 426 provided in the hand block 42 lifts the gripping piece 422a. After the gripping piece 422a drops the component onto the pick table 5, the lifting / lowering operation movable part 426 lowers the gripping piece 422a to grip the next component. Therefore, every time the gripping piece 422a grips a component, a motor (not shown) used as a lifting / lowering operation drive source 427 is activated. In addition, a motor harness 430, which is a power supply line to the servo motor (an example of a drive part), is frequently moved within the hand block 42 in conjunction with the lifting / lowering operation movable part 426.

[0094] Therefore, the motor harness 430 is bundled with a bundling part 431 near the connection point with the circuit board (not shown). The motor harness 430 is then attached in a roughly U-shape so that the motor harness 430 is always placed in a slack state and no unnecessary tension is applied to the motor harness 430. By keeping the motor harness 430 in a slack state in this way, deterioration of the motor harness 430 can be prevented.

[0095] FIG. 15(B) shows a perspective view of the hand block 42. As shown in FIG. 15(A), an open / close detection sensor 432 for detecting the opening and closing movement of the gripping piece 422a is attached to the hand block 42. In this embodiment, the open / close detection sensor 432 also moves up and down as the gripping piece 422a moves up and down. Therefore, a sensor harness 433 connected to the open / close detection sensor 432 (an example of a drive unit) is housed in the hand block 42 in a spiral shape and connected to a circuit board (not shown). The sensor harness 433 is always arranged in a bent state. Therefore, even when the gripping piece 422a moves up and down, no unnecessary tension is applied to the sensor harness 433. By keeping the sensor harness 433 in a bent state in this way, deterioration of the sensor harness 433 can be prevented.

[0096] Next, maintenance of the hand block 42 will be described. FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of removing the internal machinery from the hand block 42.

[0097] 16(A) shows a perspective side view of hand block 42. As described above, hand block 42 is made up of hand 422 and camera 423. Here, the internal machinery of hand 422 is configured inside housing 421. Also, the internal machinery of camera 423 is configured inside camera holding portion 423a formed integrally with housing 421.

[0098] FIG. 16(B) shows a perspective side view of the hand block 42 with the internal machinery of the hand 422 removed. Because the hand 422 has many moving parts, it requires more frequent maintenance, such as alignment adjustment and part replacement, than the camera 423. Conventionally, the camera 423 was removed along with the hand 422, requiring calibration when resetting the camera 423. With the hand block 42 according to this embodiment, even if the internal machinery is removed from the hand 422 for maintenance, it is not necessary to remove the internal machinery of the camera 423 from the camera holder 423a. Therefore, maintenance of the hand block 42 does not affect the calibration of the camera 423.

[0099] [Supply parameters] Next, the supply parameters 723 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of the supply parameters 723.

[0100] In the component supply device 1, the supply unit 4 supplies components to the pick table 5, and then the components placed on the pick table 5 are grasped one by one by the hand 422 of the supply unit 4 and supplied to the place table 6. Therefore, when the supply unit 4 supplies the components to the pick table 5, the components are spread out to prevent overlapping of the components.

[0101] Therefore, control unit 71 changes the component disassembly operation when a first component is supplied to pick table 5 and the component disassembly operation when a second component is supplied to pick table 5. Control unit 71 determines supply parameters 723 in accordance with component characteristic information 724. Control unit 71 then determines the component disassembly operation to be performed by supply unit 4 based on the determined supply parameters 723. This allows supply unit 4 to perform the component disassembly operation in accordance with component characteristic information 724. As a result, at least two or more types of components can be stably separated for each component.

[0102] As described above, the characteristic information 724 may include, for example, The specified value of gripping force, the size of the part, Part shape, part weight, part center of gravity, part material, part surface, and Surface friction coefficient of the part number of Of the characteristic information 724, the part shape, part weight, part center of gravity position, and part material are particularly important items when determining the supply parameters 723. Therefore, when determining the part disassembly operation, it is preferable to use at least one of the part shape, part weight, part center of gravity position, and part material as the characteristic information 724.

[0103] The control unit 71 determines the supply parameters 723 shown in FIG. 17 based on at least one of the opening / closing speed of the multiple gripping pieces 422a, the posture of the multiple gripping pieces 422a, the closing amount of the multiple gripping pieces 422a, and the component abutting force. Note that at least one of the component drop height, component drop start position (position in the X-axis and Y-axis directions), component drop start angle, component drop velocity, and component drop acceleration may also be used as the supply parameters 723. Of these supply parameters 723, the component drop height and component drop start position are parameters that are particularly effective in disassembling the components. Therefore, when determining the component disassembly operation, it is preferable to determine at least one of the component drop height and component drop start position as the supply parameters 723.

[0104] The height at which the part falls can be changed by controlling the height position of the hand 422 with the arm 412. The position at which the part starts falling can be changed by controlling the positions of the hand 422 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions with the arm 412. The angle at which the part starts falling can be changed by controlling the posture of the hand 422 with the arm 412. The part's falling speed and falling acceleration are Part drop height By control It is possible.

[0105] Furthermore, the control unit 71 determines the supply parameters 723 according to the number of components to be supplied to the pick table 5. That is, the control unit 71 determines the supply parameters 723 according to the number of components held by the hand 422. In this embodiment, the recognition control unit 714 detects the number of components held by the hand 422 from the image captured by the camera 423.

[0106] For example, when one component is being held by the hand 422, the supply parameters 723 (e.g., the component drop height, the component drop start position) are determined so that the component is placed approximately in the center of the pick table 5. This prevents the component from being placed in contact with the wall panels 53, 54, etc., and makes it easier for the hand 422 to hold one component on the pick table 5 when supplying it to the place table 6.

[0107] Meanwhile, Hand 422 multiple When multiple parts are being held by the hand 422, the supply parameters 723 (e.g., the height at which the parts are dropped, the position at which the parts start to drop) are determined so that the multiple parts are separated. Specifically, the drop height is set higher than when the hand 422 is holding one part, so that the multiple parts are separated on the pick table 5.

[0108] The supply parameters 723 also include the gripping force, the closing amount of the gripping pieces 422a, and the abutting force. The gripping force, the closing amount of the gripping pieces 422a, and the abutting force can be changed based on the target part's characteristic information 724 (size, part shape, part weight, part center of gravity position, material, part surface properties, part surface friction coefficient).

[0109] The number of parts gripped by hand 422 may be detected from the amount of separation between two gripping pieces 422a of hand 422 when gripping a part. The number of parts gripped by hand 422 may also be detected from the weight of the gripped parts.

[0110] Furthermore, the control unit 71 determines the supply parameters 723 according to the state of the pick table 5. In this embodiment, the recognition control unit 714 detects the state of the pick table 5 from an image captured by the camera 423. However, the state of the pick table 5 may be stored in advance in the storage unit 72.

[0111] The state of the pick table 5 may include the area of ​​the placement surface (loading plate 51) of the pick table 5, the presence or absence of walls (wall panels 52 to 54), the height of the walls, and the recognition range of the pick table 5. The recognition range of the pick table 5 is the range within which one or more components are separated by the component separation operation. The control unit 71 determines the supply parameters 723 according to at least one of the area of ​​the placement surface of the pick table 5, the presence or absence of walls, the height of the walls, and the recognition range of the pick table 5. This allows the supply unit 4 to execute the component separation operation according to the state of the pick table 5.

[0112] [Second embodiment] Next, the configuration of a component supplying device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 18. The component supplying device according to the second embodiment controls the operation of the hand block based on captured images of the container and the hand block.

[0113] 18 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the supply unit 4 of the component supply device 1A from the storage unit 3 to gripping a component and supplying it to the pick table 5. The component supply device 1A of the second embodiment is equipped with a camera 200 that can take an overhead photograph of the storage unit 3 and the hand 422.

[0114] The camera 200 can capture images of the gripping pieces 422a gripping components. The recognition control unit 714 (see FIG. 12) can determine the opening and closing movements of the gripping pieces 422a, the gripping force, the lifting distance, and the like, based on the images captured by the camera 200. The hand control unit 713 shown in FIG. 12 can then determine, based on the recognition results of the recognition control unit 714, that a form closure has been formed between the two gripping pieces 422a and the base unit 424. At this time, the hand control unit 713 determines the number of components gripped by the hand 422 and the positions of the components, based on the images captured by the camera 200. When the gripping force with which the multiple gripping pieces 422a grip the components reaches a predetermined value and the number of components gripped by the hand 422 reaches a predetermined number (e.g., three), the hand control unit 713 moves the hand 422 in a direction to press the components gripped by the hand 422 against the base unit 424.

[0115] The hand control unit 713 may change the timing at which the hand 422 (two gripping pieces 442a) starts to move upward, based on the gripping force and the number of parts gripped by the hand 422 (two gripping pieces 442a) determined from the image. For example, even if the gripping force reaches a predetermined value, if the number of parts gripped by the two gripping pieces 442a is one, the hand control unit 713 may cause the two gripping pieces 442a to grip a part again, and start moving the two gripping pieces 442a upward when the number of parts gripped becomes two or more.

[0116] Here, the hand control unit 713 detects that a component has hit the base unit 424 based on the amount of components held by the hand 422 determined from the image. For this reason, the component supply device of the second embodiment may be configured without providing the hit detection unit 428 on the base unit 424. Note that, although the camera 200 is installed in a direction looking up from below in FIG. 18, in practice, the camera 200 should be installed in a position where it can capture images from the front of the storage unit 3 and the hand block 42.

[0117] Figure 18(A) is the same as Figure 14(A). When the flange 32a of the shutter 32 is pressed by the hand 422, the shutter 32 descends against the biasing force of the biasing member. Then, the two slits 31 are opened, and the two gripping pieces 422a of the hand 422 are inserted into the two slits 31 (see Figure 18(A)).

[0118] Then, the parts are gripped by the two gripping pieces 422a. When the overall control unit 711 shown in Fig. 12 recognizes that the gripping force has reached a predetermined value and that the amount of parts gripped by the gripping pieces 422a has reached a predetermined amount, it starts the lifting operation of the gripping pieces 422a (see Fig. 18(B)). The overall control unit 711 also acquires the amount of parts gripped by the gripping pieces 422a, which the recognition control unit 714 recognizes from the image captured by the camera 200.

[0119] When a lifting operation is performed with the gripping piece 422a gripping a component, the component hits the base part 424. The recognition control unit 714 then recognizes that the component has hit the base part 424 from the image captured by the camera 200. When the overall control unit 711 receives the recognition result from the recognition control unit 714, it determines that a form closure has been formed that holds the component at three points. Thereafter, the overall control unit 711 fixes the position of the gripping piece 422a, pick stand 5 supplies parts to.

[0120] The predetermined amount compared with the quantity of parts recognized from the captured image can be changed according to the characteristic information 724 of the parts, such as their size. For example, the predetermined amount may be six for small parts and two for large parts. In this case, the hand block 42 should grasp as many parts as possible in one grasping motion so that the quantity of grasped parts reaches the predetermined amount. However, if the quantity of parts does not reach the predetermined amount even after multiple opening and closing movements of the gripping pieces 422a, the hand block 42 may lift up the parts that it has grasped.

[0121] [Third embodiment] Next, the configuration of a component supplying device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 19. In the component supplying device according to the third embodiment, the opening and closing operations of the two gripping pieces 422d are performed in the horizontal direction.

[0122] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing how the gripping piece 422d grips a component. The two gripping pieces 422d attached to the hand block 42 have a shape with an inward-facing hypotenuse. The two gripping pieces 422d are arranged tilted inward and can move horizontally relative to each other. The multiple gripping pieces 422d move horizontally to grip a component, and while gripping the component, the multiple gripping pieces 422d press the component against the base part 424 to hold the component. As the two gripping pieces 422d move horizontally, the components gather at the bottom of the base part 424 (see FIG. 19(A)).

[0123] Thereafter, the two gripping pieces 422d further move horizontally, and as the distance between the tips of the gripping pieces 422d narrows, the gripped component moves toward the base 424. As a result, the component hits the base 424. A hand block 42 configured in this manner does not require the lifting operation movable part 426 and the lifting operation drive source 427 for raising and lowering the gripping pieces 422d in the vertical direction. Furthermore, instead of the opening / closing operation drive source 425, a horizontal operation drive source for moving the gripping pieces 422d horizontally may be provided. This allows the configuration of the hand block 42 to be simplified.

[0124] The above describes the embodiment of the component supply device of the present invention, including its functions and effects. However, the component supply device of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0125] For example, in the first embodiment described above, the hand 422 of the supply unit 4 is configured to grip a component and supply it to the pick table 5. However, the supply unit according to the present invention is not limited to using a gripping mechanism, and may also grip and release a component by other methods, such as suction, air suction, magnetic attraction, or holding by a container-like member.

[0126] Alternatively, three or more gripping pieces 422a may be provided. For example, by arranging three gripping pieces 422a at intervals of 120 degrees, the three gripping pieces 422a can grip the component more reliably. [Explanation of symbols]

[0127] 1...component supply device, 2...frame, 3, 3A, 3B...accommodation section, 4...supply section, 5, 5A, 5B, 105...pick table, 6, 6A, 6B...place table, 7...control board, 31...slit, 32...shutter, 32a...flange, 41...arm block, 42...hand block, 71...control section, 72...storage section 、4 22...Hand, 422a...Grasping piece, 711...Overall control unit, 712...Arm control unit, 713...Hand control unit, 714...Recognition control unit, 721...Photographing parameters, 722...Image processing parameters, 723...Supply parameters, 724...Characteristic information

Claims

1. a housing portion for housing a plurality of components; a supply unit having a gripping unit that grips the component and a base unit on which the gripping unit is operably installed, the supply unit holding one or more components that are gripped and removed by the gripping unit from the plurality of components accommodated in the accommodation unit between the gripping unit and the base unit, and supplying the components to a predetermined position; a supply adjustment unit that controls an operation of the gripping unit to grip one or more of the components from the storage unit and an operation of the gripping unit and the base unit to hold the one or more components gripped by the gripping unit. Parts supply device.

2. The gripping section is composed of a plurality of gripping pieces, and the plurality of gripping pieces move in an arc to grip the component, and while gripping the component, the plurality of gripping pieces move in a direction to press the component against the base section. The component supply device according to claim 1 .

3. The supply unit includes: an opening / closing operation drive unit that opens and closes the plurality of gripping pieces; a lifting operation drive unit that lifts and lowers the plurality of gripping pieces, The plurality of gripping pieces that have been closed by the opening / closing operation drive unit grip the components, and the plurality of gripping pieces that have been moved upward by the lifting operation drive unit press the gripped components against the base unit.

3. The component supply device according to claim 2.

4. The gripping piece has a first curved portion that curves inward toward the base portion and a second curved portion that curves outward toward the base portion, The first curved portion is operated to hold one or more parts, and the second curved portion is operated to grip a part.

3. The component supply device according to claim 2.

5. When a gripping force with which the plurality of gripping pieces grip the component reaches a predetermined value, the supply adjustment unit stops the closing operation of the gripping pieces and moves the gripping pieces in a direction to press the component against the base unit. The component supply device according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. The supply adjustment unit moves the plurality of gripping pieces in a direction to press the component against the base unit, and maintains the gripping force at the predetermined value while the component is being pressed against the base unit.

6. The component supply device according to claim 5.

7. The supply adjustment unit slows down the movement speed of the gripping pieces in the direction in which the gripping pieces press the component against the base unit, compared to the movement speed of the gripping pieces from the standby position until they grip the component. The component supply device according to any one of claims 2 to 6.

8. the base portion has a collision detection portion that detects when the component gripped by the gripping piece is abutted against the base portion, The supply adjustment unit determines that the component has been abutted against the base unit based on the abutment detection result obtained from the abutment detection unit.

3. The component supply device according to claim 2.

9. The supply adjustment unit determines, as the abutment detection result, that the component has abutted against the base portion based on an abutting force with which the plurality of gripping pieces abut the component against the base portion or an amount of upward movement of the plurality of gripping pieces.

9. The component supply device according to claim 8.

10. a storage unit for storing characteristic information for each type of the part; The supply adjustment unit changes, for each component, at least one of the gripping forces with which the plurality of gripping pieces grip the component, the closing amounts of the plurality of gripping pieces, and the abutting forces with which the plurality of gripping pieces abut the component against the base unit, based on the characteristic information read from the storage unit.

3. The component supply device according to claim 2.

11. The characteristic information includes at least one of information on the predetermined value of the gripping force, the size of the part, the shape of the part, the weight of the part, the position of the center of gravity of the part, the material of the part, the surface property of the part, and the surface friction coefficient of the part. The component supply device according to claim 10.

12. The supply adjustment unit changes the gripping force with which the plurality of gripping pieces grip the component in accordance with a closing angle of the plurality of gripping pieces.

3. The component supply device according to claim 2.

13. The supply adjustment unit changes the timing at which the gripping pieces start to move upward based on the gripping force with which the gripping pieces grip the component and the amount by which the gripping pieces close.

4. The component supply device according to claim 3.

14. The vertical movement of the gripping pieces is performed in cooperation with the arm to which the supply unit is connected.

4. The component supply device according to claim 3.

15. the housing portion has a slit extending from an opening of the component and a shutter for freely opening and closing the slit; The shutter opens the slit in conjunction with the lowering of the supply unit, and the gripping piece is inserted into the inside of the storage unit through the slit.

4. The component supply device according to claim 3.

16. The gripping section is composed of a plurality of gripping pieces each having an inwardly facing oblique side, and the plurality of gripping pieces move horizontally to grip the component, and in a state where the component is gripped, the plurality of gripping pieces press the component against the base section to hold the component. The component supply device according to claim 1 .

17. a camera capable of photographing the storage section and the grip section; The supply adjustment unit determines the number of components gripped by the gripping unit and the positions of the components based on the image captured by the camera, and when the gripping force with which the multiple gripping pieces grip the components reaches a predetermined value and the number of components gripped by the gripping unit reaches a predetermined number, moves the gripping unit in a direction to press the components gripped by the gripping unit against the base unit.

3. The component supply device according to claim 2.

18. The supply adjustment unit changes the timing at which the gripping unit starts to move upward based on the gripping force and the amount of the components gripped by the gripping unit determined from the image, and detects that the components gripped by the gripping pieces have hit the base based on the amount of the components gripped by the gripping unit determined from the image.

18. The component supply device according to claim 17.

19. The harness that is built into the supply unit and connects the drive unit and the circuit board is arranged in a bent state.

3. The component supply device according to claim 2.

Images