Food portioning device and program

Abstract

To reduce a food adhering to a food dividing device.SOLUTION: A food dividing device 1 includes: a gripper 11 which grips and holds one part of a food 21 placed on a container 20 and having an indefinite shape; a robot arm 12 which moves the gripper 11; a rotation mechanism 13 which rotates the gripper 11; and a control unit 30 which rotates the holding part 11 by the rotation mechanism 13 while changing a position of a rotary shaft in a state that the one part of the food 21 is held at the inner side of the gripper 11 and the outer side of the gripper 11 contacts with the other part of the food 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a food sorting device and a program.

Background Art

[0002] For the purpose of improving the efficiency of operations and services in restaurants, there is a desire to automate the operation of sorting and individually plating foods. For example, Non-Patent Document 1 describes picking salads and herbs from a container using a gripper by a target weight.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Non-Patent Document 1 describes that when inserting a gripper into food, the gripper is opened outward to cut off the surrounding food and then closed inward to grasp the food. However, in the case of highly viscous foods, the food may adhere to the outside of the gripper, which may cause hygienic problems. In addition, the adhered food may fall at an unexpected timing, which may also hinder accurate weighing. An object of the present invention is to reduce the adhesion of food to a food sorting device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a food serving device comprising: a gripping part for grasping and holding a portion of an irregularly shaped food placed in a container; a moving mechanism for moving the gripping part; a rotating mechanism for rotating the gripping part; and a control unit that rotates the gripping part by the rotating mechanism while changing the position of the rotation axis, in a state in which a portion of the food is held inside the gripping part and the outside of the gripping part is in contact with the other part of the food. According to the present invention, the amount of food adhering to the food serving device is reduced.

[0006] In a preferred embodiment, the gripping portion, when gripping the food, has a shape symmetrical with respect to the axis of rotation, and the control unit rotates the gripping portion in the forward rotation direction and then in the reverse rotation direction. According to this embodiment, the adhesion of food to the outside of the gripping portion can be reduced to the entire area surrounding the gripping portion.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the control unit may move the rotation axis in a first direction within a plane intersecting the rotation axis while rotating in the forward direction, and move the rotation axis in a second direction different from the first direction within the plane while rotating in the reverse direction. According to this embodiment, the adhesion of food to the outside of the gripping portion can be reduced to the entire area surrounding the gripping portion.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the second direction may be the opposite direction to the first direction. According to this embodiment, the adhesion of food to the outside of the gripping portion can be reduced to the entire area surrounding the gripping portion.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the rotation angle of the rotation may be between 45 degrees and 135 degrees. According to this embodiment, the adhesion of food to the outside of the gripping portion can be reduced to the entire area surrounding the gripping portion.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the control unit may move the gripping portion downward in the rotational axis direction while the gripping portion is rotating. According to this embodiment, it is possible to reduce the adhesion of food to the lower side of the gripping portion.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the control unit may determine at least one of the rotation angle and rotation speed of the rotation mechanism according to the viscosity of the food. According to this embodiment, the adhesion of food to the outside of the gripping portion can be reduced by appropriate rotational control according to the viscosity of the food.

[0012] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a program for causing a computer to function as a control means for controlling a gripping part that grasps and holds a portion of an irregularly shaped food placed in a container, a moving mechanism for moving the gripping part, and a rotating mechanism for rotating the gripping part, wherein the control means provides a program that performs control to rotate the gripping part while changing the position of the rotation axis, in a state in which a portion of the food is held inside the gripping part and the outside of the gripping part is in contact with the other part of the food. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] A diagram showing the configuration of a food portioning device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a food portioning device according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] A block diagram showing the functional configuration of a food portioning device according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] A diagram showing the configuration of the gripper of a food portioning device according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] A diagram illustrating the gripping of food by a gripper in a food portioning device according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating the gripping of food by a gripper in a food portioning device according to one embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure showing the configuration of the rotation mechanism of the food sorting device according to an embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure for explaining the rotation control of the gripper of the food sorting device according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure showing the flowchart of the process in the food sorting device according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] Figure showing the flowchart of the picking control in the food sorting device according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] Figure for explaining the gripping of food by the gripper of the food sorting device according to a modified example. [Figure 12] Figure for explaining the container according to a modified example.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] [Embodiment] Hereinafter, a food sorting device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the drawings and the following description, the left - right direction is the X - axis direction, the front - rear direction is the Y - axis direction, and the up - down direction is the Z - axis direction. The directions indicated by the arrows X, Y, Z or the indicated sides are the right - hand side, the rear - hand side, the upper - hand side, or the right side, the rear side, the upper side, respectively, and the opposite directions or opposite sides are the left - hand side, the front - hand side, the lower - hand side, or the left side, the front side, the lower side, respectively. Also, in the drawings, those with "·" in "○" mean arrows from the back to the front of the paper surface, and those with "×" in "○" mean arrows from the front to the back of the paper surface.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a food sorting device 1 according to an embodiment. The food sorting device 1 includes a gripper 11, a robot arm 12, a rotation mechanism 13, a weighing scale 14, a photographing device 15, and a platform scale 16.

[0016] The gripper 11 is provided at the tip of the robot arm 12, moves by the operation of the robot arm 12, and can grasp and hold a part of the irregular - shaped food 21 placed in the container 20. That is, the gripper 11 is an example of a gripping part that grasps and holds a part of the irregular - shaped food 21.

[0017] Irregularly shaped foods are generally those that are not perceived as having a specific shape or are perceived as essentially a continuum, and are managed by weight rather than the number of individual components when portioning them. Examples include high-viscosity paste salads such as potato salad, macaroni salad, and spaghetti salad, as well as shredded cabbage and simmered hijiki seaweed.

[0018] The robot arm 12 moves the gripper 11 attached to its tip, moving the gripper 11 to a position where it can grasp and hold a portion of the food 21. Furthermore, while the gripper 11 is grasping a portion of the food 21, the robot arm 12 moves the gripper 11 to the position of the scale 16 on which the container 22 (described later) is placed. The robot arm 12 can move the gripper 11 in any of the X-axis, Y-axis, or Z-axis directions. The robot arm 12 is an example of a movement mechanism for moving the gripper 11, which is the gripping part.

[0019] The rotation mechanism 13 is provided between the tip of the robot arm 12 and the gripper 11, and is a mechanism that rotates the gripper 11 around a rotation axis along the Z-axis direction (vertical direction). The rotation mechanism 13 is an example of a rotation mechanism that rotates the gripper 11, which is the gripping part.

[0020] The weighing scale 14 is located above the gripper 11 and measures the weight of the gripper 11. The weight of the gripper 11 increases when it grasps and holds the food 21. Therefore, by detecting this increase, the weight of the food 21 that the gripper 11 is grasping can be measured. The weighing scale 14 is an example of a weighing unit that measures the weight of the food grasped by the gripper 11, which is the gripping part.

[0021] The imaging device 15 is a camera installed above the container 20 that captures images from above showing the surface shape of the food inside the container 20. The imaging device 15 has a function to measure the distance to the object being photographed, and can measure the height in the Z-axis direction of each part of the food inside the container 20. The imaging device 15 is an example of an imaging unit that photographs the surface shape of food.

[0022] The platform scale 16 is placed on the outside of the container 20, with a container for portioning the food 21 placed on top. The platform scale 16 then measures the weight of the food 21, which has been gripped by the gripper 11 and portioned into the container 22.

[0023] Container 20 is a box-shaped container with an open top, and has rectangular bottom plates with side panels that form walls on all four sides facing upwards. Food 21 is placed inside container 20. In this embodiment, food 21 is described as a highly viscous, irregularly shaped food such as potato salad, but is not limited to this.

[0024] The container supply machine 23 is installed outside the container 20 and adjacent to the scale 16. Multiple containers 22 are stored inside the container supply machine 23, and one container 22 is taken out and transported onto the scale 16 for placement. Once the portioning of food 21 into the container 22 on the scale 16 is complete, the container 22 on the scale 16 is pushed out and moved onto the conveyor 24.

[0025] The conveyor 24 is installed outside the container 20 and is positioned opposite the container supply machine 23 to the scale 16. The conveyor 24 consists of a belt conveyor and the like. Containers 22 containing the food 21 pushed out from the scale 16 are placed on the belt conveyor and transported.

[0026] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the food portioning device 1. The food portioning device 1 acquires information from a weighing scale 14, a camera 15, and a platform scale 16, and includes a control device 30 for controlling the operation of the gripper 11, robot arm 12, rotation mechanism 13, and container feeder 23. The location where the control device 30 is installed is not particularly limited, but it may be installed adjacent to the robot arm 12, for example.

[0027] The control device 30 is a computer having a processor 301, memory 302, and input / output interface 303. These components are connected to each other in a communicative manner, for example, by a bus.

[0028] The processor 301 controls each part of the food serving device 1 by reading and executing computer programs (hereinafter simply referred to as "programs") stored in the memory 302. The processor 301 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The memory 302 is a storage device that stores the operating system, various programs, data, etc., that are loaded into the processor 301.

[0029] The memory 302 includes main memory and auxiliary memory. The main memory includes, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory). The auxiliary memory 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, robot arm 12, rotary mechanism 13, weighing scale 14, imaging device 15, platform scale 16, and container feeder 23.

[0030] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the food portioning device 1. The control device 30 of the food portioning device 1 functions as an image acquisition unit 311, a weight acquisition unit 312, a target value determination unit 313, a position determination unit 314, a movement control unit 315, and a rotation control unit 316, by having the processor 301 read and execute a program stored in the memory 302.

[0031] The image acquisition unit 311 acquires image data showing the surface shape of the food 21 captured by the imaging device 15, and distance data showing the distance to the surface of the food 21. Then, it calculates height data showing the height of each part of the surface of the food 21 from the distance data.

[0032] The weight acquisition unit 312 acquires weight data indicating the weight of the food 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 21 portioned into the container 22, as measured by the platform scale 16.

[0033] The target value determination unit 313 determines the target weight of the food 21 to be grasped when the food 21 is grasped and held by the gripper 11. The target values ​​determined include a final target value, a first target value, a second target value (and possibly a third target value).

[0034] The final target value is the weight of the food 21 that should ultimately be placed in the container 22. In this embodiment, the gripper 11 can perform the gripping operation of the food 21 multiple times in order to place the food 21 into the container 22 to reach this final target weight.

[0035] The first target value is the target weight of the food 21 obtained by the first gripping by the gripper 11, and is less than or equal to the final target value. The second target value is the target weight of the food 21 obtained by the second gripping by the gripper 11. The second target value is the final target value minus the weight of the food 21 actually gripped and placed in the container 22 during the first gripping.

[0036] If the total weight of the food 21 obtained through the first and second grasping does not reach the final target value, the target value determination unit 313 will determine a third target value. Then, the third grasping is performed.

[0037] The position determination unit 314 determines a picking position, which is the position where the gripper 11 can grasp a food item 21 of the weight determined by the target value determination unit 313, based on the image data and height data acquired by the image acquisition unit 311. Multiple locations are selected as candidates for the picking position, and one of them is determined. The picking position is indicated by the coordinate values ​​in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions of a predetermined part (e.g., the tip) of the gripper 11.

[0038] The movement control unit 315 drives 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 grasp and hold a portion of the food 21, and moves the gripper 11 to a position above the scale 16 while holding the food. Then, the movement control unit 315 controls the gripper 11 to drop the held food 21 into the container 22 placed on the scale 16.

[0039] The rotation control unit 316 controls the gripper 11 to rotate at the picking position when the gripper 11 has finished gripping the food 21 at the picking position, using the center line of the gripper 11 along the Z-axis direction as the axis of rotation.

[0040] While the rotation control unit 316 is performing rotation control, the movement control unit 315 controls the robot arm 12 to move its rotation axis in a direction along the XY plane (a plane including the X and Y axes) by driving and controlling the robot arm 12. In other words, the gripper 11 moves along the XY plane while rotating.

[0041] Figure 4 shows the configuration of the gripper 11. Figure 4(A) is an external view showing the gripper claw portion 111, which is the gripping member at the tip of the gripper 10, in a closed state. Figure 4(B) is an external view showing the gripper claw portion 111 at the tip of the gripper 10 in an open state. Figure 4(C) is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the gripper 11.

[0042] The gripper 11 is composed of a gripper claw portion 111, a connecting portion 112, and a base body 113. The lower tip of the gripper 11 is provided with four gripper claw portions 111 for grasping and holding food 21. Each gripper claw portion 111 is shaped like one of four equal parts of a hemisphere (or a part of a sphere), and as shown in Figure 4(A), when the four gripper claw portions 111 are closed, the four gripper claw portions 111 form a hemispherical shape.

[0043] In the state shown in Figure 4(A) (hereinafter referred to as the closed state), the food 21 grasped can be held inside the hemispherical shape formed by the four gripper claws 111. In this embodiment, four gripper claws 111 are provided, but more than four may be provided if the hemispherical shape is divided into multiple sections.

[0044] Figure 4(B) shows the four gripper claws 111 in an open hemispherical state (hereinafter referred to as the open state) when they have moved upward. This open state is the state before moving to the picking position and grasping the food 21 directly below. From this open state, it transitions to the closed state shown in Figure 4(A), and the food 21 directly below is grasped. Also, in the closed state shown in Figure 4(A), the food 21 grasped within the gripper claws 111 can be dropped downward by transitioning to the open state shown in Figure 4(B). When the gripper claws 111 are in the open state, the internal wiping member 116 is exposed, as shown in Figure 4(B).

[0045] The internal wiping member 116, provided on the inside of the gripper claw portion 111, can remove food 21 adhering to the inner surface of the gripper claw portion 111 by rubbing its outer circumference against the inner surface of the gripper claw portion 111 when the gripper claw portion 111 transitions from a closed state, where it grips the food 21, to an open state.

[0046] In Figure 4(C), a connecting portion 112 is provided above the gripper claw portion 111 and the internal wiping member 116, and a base body 113 is provided above the connecting portion 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. The connecting portion 112 is provided with a connecting gear 1121, a rotating shaft 1122, and a support member 1123, and a motor 1131 is provided on the base body 113.

[0047] The rotating shaft 1122 is connected to the motor 1131 at one end and to the brushing member 117 at the other end. Therefore, the brushing member 117 rotates together with the rotating shaft 1122 due to the rotation of the motor 1131, causing the internal wiping member 116 fixed to the brushing member 117 to rotate. This rotational motion allows the internal wiping member 116 to be brushed off the food 21 that adheres to the inner surface of the gripper claw portion 111 when the food 21 adheres to the gripper claw portion 111 is peeled off.

[0048] The rotating shaft 1122 is equipped with a pinion gear, which meshes with a connecting gear 1121. The connecting gear 1121 is arc-shaped, and although only one is shown in Figure 4(C), there are four of them. 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 four gripper claw portions 111, supporting the gripper claw portions 111.

[0049] Figure 4(C), like Figure 4(A), shows the case where the gripper claw portion 111 is in the closed position. In this state, the connecting gear 1121 is meshed with the pinion gear of the rotating shaft 1122 in the upper position. In this state, the rotation of the motor 1131 causes the rotating shaft 1122 to rotate. Due to the rotation of the rotating shaft 1122, the connecting gear 1121, which meshes with the pinion gear provided on the rotating shaft 1122, moves along its arc shape, and the lower part of the connecting gear 1121 in Figure 4(C) moves upward, which is the direction of the position where it meshes with the rotating shaft 1122.

[0050] As the connecting gear 1121 moves, the support member 1123 also moves upward, and the gripper claw portion 111 connected to the support member 1123 also moves upward. As a result, the gripper claw portion 111 moves to the open state as shown in Figure 4(B).

[0051] With the gripper claw portion 111 in the open position, rotating the motor 1131 in the reverse direction allows the connecting gear 1121 to be moved back to the position shown in Figure 4(C), thereby closing the gripper claw portion 111.

[0052] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating how the gripper claws 111 of the gripper 11 grip food 21. Figure 5(A) shows the case where a relatively large amount of food 21-1 is gripped, and Figure 5(B) shows the case where a relatively small amount of food 21-2 is gripped.

[0053] As shown in Figure 5(A), when gripping a large amount of food 21-1, the gripper claw portion 111 is moved to a lower position in the Z-axis direction relative to the surface position of the food 21 to close the gripper claw portion 111. In this case, the tip of the gripper claw portion 111 reaches a deeper position on the food 21, so a larger amount of food 21-1 can be gripped within the gripper claw portion 111.

[0054] As shown in Figure 5(B), when gripping a small amount of food 21-2, the gripper claw portion 111 is moved to a position higher in the Z-axis direction relative to the surface position of the food 21 compared to the case in Figure 5(A), thereby closing the gripper claw portion 111. In this case, the tip of the gripper claw portion 111 only reaches a shallower position on the food 21 compared to the case in Figure 5(A), so a small amount of food 21-2 can be gripped within the gripper claw portion 111.

[0055] The area S1, which represents the range of food 21 that can be gripped by the gripper claw portion 111 in Figure 5(A), is larger than the area S2, which represents the range of food 21 that can be gripped by the gripper claw portion 111 in Figure 5(B). Although areas S1 and S2 are shown as widths in Figure 5, they are actually ranges represented by surfaces that extend backward in the Y-axis direction.

[0056] In this embodiment, as described above, it is assumed that the gripper 11 will grasp the food 21 multiple times in order to portion out the food 21 to the final target weight. The action of grasping a relatively large amount of food 21-1, as shown in Figure 5(A), is performed during the first grasp. The action of grasping a relatively small amount of food 21-2, as shown in Figure 5(B), is performed during the second and subsequent grasps.

[0057] As shown in Figure 5(A), when a relatively large area S1 of the surface of the food 21 is grasped, the weight of the grasped food 21-1 will have a larger error weight relative to the target value compared to when a relatively small area S2 is grasped, as shown in Figure 5(B). This is because the weight is more susceptible to the effects of the unevenness of the surface of the food 21.

[0058] For example, if the target weight for grasping is 50g as shown in Figure 5(A), the actual weight grasped will be approximately 45g to 55g, resulting in an error range of ±5g. Then, for example, if the target weight for grasping is 10g as shown in Figure 5(B), the actual weight grasped will be approximately 9g to 11g, resulting in an error range of ±1g, which is smaller than the ±5g in Figure 5(A).

[0059] Therefore, in the first grasp, a relatively large amount of food 21-1, as shown in Figure 5(A), is grasped to obtain a weight close to the final target value, and in the second and subsequent grasps, the remaining smaller amount of food 21-2 necessary to reach the final target value is grasped. This reduces the error in the grasped weight relative to the target value in the second and subsequent grasps, and ensures that the food 21 with the final target weight is reliably obtained in the second or third grasp (or possibly more) grasp operation.

[0060] As described above, the gripper claw portion 111 of the gripper 11 in this embodiment has a shape that narrows at the tip when closed. Therefore, the error in the gripped weight relative to the target value can be reduced, especially when gripping small amounts of food 21.

[0061] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating the gripping of food 21 by the gripper claws 111 of the gripper 11. In Figure 6, the food 21P is shown as a graph of the surface height position (Z-axis position) for each predetermined range in the X-axis direction. Although Figure 6 shows a cross-section along the X-axis direction, the food 21P can also be represented as a graph extending in the Y-axis direction.

[0062] A graph showing the height position of the 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 the surface shape of the food 21 from the imaging device 15, and height data showing the height of each part of the surface of the food 21.

[0063] The position determination unit 314 of the control device 30 generates a graph (food 21P) showing the height at each position of the food 21 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.

[0064] Then, the position determination unit 314 selects a position where the food 21 with the target weight determined by the target value determination unit 313 can be grasped, based on the graph. In the control device 30, the average density data of the food 21 is set in advance, and the position determination unit 314 calculates the volume of the food P to be grasped based on the target weight and the set density data.

[0065] 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 food 21 with a volume corresponding to the target weight, based on the shape of the gripper claw portion 111 when it is closed, the height data of each part of the food 21P, and the set density data.

[0066] As shown in Figure 6, the volume of the food 21P-1 gripped within the gripper claw portion 111 is determined by the shape of the gripper claw portion 111 (which is known), the position of the gripper claw portion 111 in the X, Y, and Z axes, the surface shape (height distribution) of the food 21P, and the density of the food 21P (which is predetermined).

[0067] The position determination unit 314 determines multiple gripping positions (picking positions) by calculating a gripping position in the Z-axis direction that allows for the gripping of a food item 21 of a desired volume at multiple positions in the XY plane where it is predicted that a volume corresponding to the target weight can be gripped.

[0068] Figure 7 shows the configuration of the rotating mechanism 13 of the food portioning device 1. As shown in Figure 7, the tip of the robot arm 12 is equipped with a gripper 11, a rotating mechanism 13, and a weighing scale 14. The rotating mechanism 13 includes a connecting part 131, a motor 132, and a motor rotating shaft 133.

[0069] The connecting portion 131 is a member that connects the gripper 11 and weighing scale 14, which are located below the rotating mechanism 13, to the rotating mechanism 13. The gripper 11 is attached to the weighing scale 14, and the weighing scale 14 is attached to and fixed to the connecting portion 131.

[0070] 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 part 131, and as the motor rotation shaft 133 rotates, the connecting part 131, the weighing scale 14, and the gripper 11 rotate together. The motor rotation shaft 133 is positioned to coincide with the center line L of the gripper 11 (and the gripper claw portion 111). Due to the rotation of the motor rotation shaft 133, the gripper 11 (and the gripper claw portion 111) has a shape symmetrical 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 shaft L.

[0071] Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the rotational control of the gripper claw portion 111 of the gripper 11. Figure 8(A) is a plan view illustrating the rotational control of the gripper claw portion 111 when the gripper claw portion 111 is gripping food 21-1. Figures 8(B) and 8(C) are a cross-sectional view and a plan view, respectively, illustrating control examples of changing the position of the rotation axis (i.e., gripper rotation axis L) of the gripper claw portion 111 when the gripper claw portion 111 is gripping food 21-1.

[0072] Figure 8(A) shows the gripper claw portion 111 of the gripper 11 inserted into the picking position of the food 21, with the gripper claw portion 111 in the closed position, gripping the food 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 claw portion 111 also rotates.

[0073] The gripper 11 rotates around the gripper rotation axis L. The external shape of the gripper claw portion 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 shape symmetrical with respect to the center line L.

[0074] The rotation control unit 316 controls the rotation by first rotating in the direction of arrow A in Figure 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 between 45 and 135 degrees, respectively. Alternatively, the direction of arrow B may be the forward rotation direction and the direction of arrow A may be the reverse rotation direction. That is, the rotation may be performed in the direction of arrow B, and then in the direction of arrow A. This rotation control is performed by the rotation control unit 316 controlling the rotation mechanism 13.

[0075] As shown in Figure 8(B), when the rotation control unit 316 is controlling the rotation of the gripper 11, that is, while the gripper 11 and gripper claws 111 are rotating, the movement control unit 315 drives the robot arm 12 to move the gripper 11 in the direction of arrow C or the direction of arrow D, which is opposite to the direction of arrow C, in a plane intersecting the gripper rotation axis L (for example, in the XY plane or horizontal plane perpendicular to the rotation axis). In other words, the rotation control of the gripper 11 is performed by changing the position of the gripper rotation axis L (or motor rotation axis 133) in the first direction (direction of arrow C) or the second direction (direction of arrow D).

[0076] For example, while the gripper claw portion 111 is rotating in the forward direction, the gripper rotation axis L may be moved in the direction of arrow C, while while the gripper claw portion 111 is rotating in the reverse direction, the gripper rotation axis L may be moved in the direction of arrow D, or vice versa. In other words, the gripper rotation axis L moves in conjunction with the direction of rotation, XY Within the plane It performs linear reciprocating motion.

[0077] Figure 8(C) shows another example of the movement of the gripper rotation axis L (shown as L1 to L4 in the figure) during rotation of the gripper 11 by the rotation control unit 316. In Figure 8(C), the gripper claw portion 111 is moved so that the position of the gripper rotation axis L traces a circular trajectory in the XY plane with respect to the central axis R (axis along the Z-axis direction).

[0078] In Figure 8(C), point L1 and circle G indicate the position of the gripper rotation axis L and the outer circumference of the gripper claw portion 111 at the time the food 21-1 is grasped. L2, L3, and L4 indicate the positions on the movement trajectory around the central axis R of the gripper rotation axis L. Circles G2, G3, and G4 indicate the position of the outer circumference of the gripper claw portion 111 of the gripper 11 when the gripper rotation axis L is at positions L2, L3, and L4, respectively.

[0079] 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. In Figure 8(C), the movement control of the gripper rotation axis L is performed by the movement control unit 315 of the control device 30 driving and controlling the robot arm 12, as in the case of Figure 8(B).

[0080] For example, when the gripper claw portion 111 is rotating in the forward direction, the gripper rotation axis L may be moved in the direction of arrow E, and when the gripper claw portion 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 Figure 8(C), the gripper rotation axis L is shown to move within a range of a trajectory that is close to a full circle (close to 360 degrees), but it may also be within a range of a semicircle (180-degree rotation) or a quarter circle (90-degree rotation) which is less than 180 degrees.

[0081] As described above, by controlling the position of the gripper rotation axis L while rotating the gripper 11, the outer surface of the gripper claw portion 111 is pressed against the surrounding food 21. In this way, the food 21 adhering to the outer surface of the gripper claw portion 111 is rubbed against the surrounding food 21 and removed from the outer surface of the gripper claw portion 111.

[0082] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(A), by rotating the gripper 11, and as shown in Figures 8(B) and (C), by moving the gripper rotation axis L, any food 21 attached to any position on the outer surface of the gripper claw portion 111 of the gripper 11 can be evenly rubbed against the surrounding food 21.

[0083] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the processing in the control device 30 of the food portioning device 1. The processor 301 of the control device 30 reads and executes the program stored in the memory 302, thereby executing the process shown in Figure 9.

[0084] First, the target value determination unit 313 of the control device 30 acquires the final target weight of the food 21 to be divided into the container 22 (step S601). This final target value is pre-set by the user and stored in the memory 302 of the control device 30.

[0085] Next, the target value determination unit 313 determines a first target value, which is the target weight of the food 21 to be grasped in the first grasping operation by the gripper 11 (step S602). For example, suppose the final target value obtained in step S601 is 75g. If an error of up to +3g in the final target value is allowed, the final target value will be 75-78g. The first target value in the first grasping operation is set to a range of 35g-75g, which is less than or equal to the final target value. The reason for setting a lower limit for the first target value is that if the grasped amount is considerably far from the final target value (for example, less than 50% of the final target value), it is likely that discarding the grasped amount and restarting the grasping operation from the beginning will shorten the time required to reach the final target value in terms of the number of grasping operations or the total amount of food portioned.

[0086] 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 imaging device 15 (step S603). The position determination unit 314 calculates the volume of the food 21 to be grasped from the weight of the first target value determined by the target value determination unit 313 and the density data of the food 21 that has been set in advance. As the first target value is 35g to 75g as described above, the volume of the food 21 to be grasped is calculated here based on a value between 35g and 75g, for example, 60g. Then, the position determination unit 314 determines multiple picking positions (X-axis coordinate, Y-axis coordinate, Z-axis coordinate) of the gripper 11 that are predicted to be able to grasp the food 21 of that volume (step S604). Subsequently, the movement control unit 315 and the rotation control unit 316 perform picking control (step S605).

[0087] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the picking control performed 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 the program stored in the memory 302, thereby executing the process shown in Figure 10. The picking control shown in Figure 10 will be explained below.

[0088] 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 driving and controlling the robot arm 12. During this movement, the gripper claw portion 111 of the gripper 11 is kept in the open position. Furthermore, to prevent the gripper 11 from coming into contact with the surface of the food 21, the Z-axis position of the gripper 11 is moved to a position sufficiently high relative to the height of the surface of the food 21.

[0089] Once the gripper 11 has moved to the position indicated by the X and Y coordinate values ​​of the picking position, the movement control unit 315 drives the robot arm 12 to move the gripper 11 downward to the position indicated by the Z axis coordinate value of the picking position (step S652).

[0090] Next, the movement control unit 315 controls the gripper claw portion 111 of the gripper 11 to a closed state (step S653). This control causes the food 21 to be held within the closed gripper claw portion 111. Hereafter, the held food 21 may be referred to as food 21-1.

[0091] Next, the rotation control unit 316 controls the rotation of the gripper 11 by driving the rotation mechanism 13 (step S654). At this time, while the gripper 11 is rotating, the movement control unit 315 controls the movement of the gripper rotation axis L in the XY plane (horizontal plane) by driving the robot arm 12 (rubbing motion). That is, it performs the rotation control shown in Figure 8(A) and the movement control of the gripper rotation axis L shown in Figure 8(B) or Figure 8(C).

[0092] Next, the movement control unit 315 drives and controls the robot arm 12 to move the gripper 11 upward, to a position sufficiently high relative to the surface height of the food 21 (step S655).

[0093] Returning to Figure 9, with the gripper 11's gripper claw portion 111 gripping the food 21-1, the weight acquisition unit 312 acquires the weight measurement of the food 21-1 being gripped by the gripper claw portion 111 from the weighing scale 14 (step S606). The weight acquisition unit 312 then determines whether the acquired weight measurement meets the first target value, that is, whether it is within the range of the first target value (35g to 75g) (step S607).

[0094] If the acquired weight measurement does not meet the first target value (step S607: No), that is, if the gripped weight is too small (less than 35g) or too large (more than 75g), the movement control unit 315 controls the gripper claw portion 111 of the gripper 11 to open. In this case, the gripped food 21-1 falls and is returned to the container 20 (step S608).

[0095] Next, the target value determination unit 313 re-determines the first target value (step S609). The first target value may be re-determined to be the same as the value set previously, or a different value may be re-determined as the first target value. For example, if the measured weight was larger than the previous first target value, the first target value may be determined to be smaller than the previous value. Also, if the measured weight was smaller than the previous first target value, the first target value may be determined to be larger than the previous value.

[0096] Then, the process of gripping using the newly determined first target value is repeated, returning to step S604. 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 different picking position than the previous one.

[0097] Furthermore, in the judgment made in step S607, if the gripped weight is too large, an error relative to the final target value (in this case, for example, 75g) may be considered. That is, if an error of, for example, 3g is acceptable for the final target value, then if the weight is 78g or less, the process may proceed to the next step S610.

[0098] If the acquired weight measurement meets the first target value (step S607: Yes), that is, if it is in the range of 35g to 75g, the movement control unit 315 moves the gripper 11 to the position of the platform scale 16 (step S610).

[0099] When the movement control unit 315 moves the gripper 11 to a position above the scale 16, it opens the gripper claw portion 111 of the gripper 11, causing the food 21-1 that it was gripping to fall into the container 22 placed on the scale 16 (step S611).

[0100] Next, the weight acquisition unit 312 acquires the weight measurement of the food 21-1 in the container 22, which was measured by the platform scale 16 (step S612). Then, the weight acquisition unit 312 determines whether the weight measurement is less than the final target value (step S613).

[0101] If the measured weight reaches the final target value (step S613: No), the food portioning process is considered complete, and the control device 30 performs control to terminate the process. For example, the control device 30 outputs a signal to the container supply machine 23 indicating that portioning is complete, and terminates the process. The container supply machine 23 then pushes the container 22 containing the portioned food 21-1 from the scale 16 to the conveyor 24, and transports the next container 22 onto the scale 16. Recognizing that the next container 22 has been placed on the scale 16, the control device 30 restarts the process shown in the flowchart of Figure 9.

[0102] If the measured weight is less than the final target value (step S613: Yes), that is, if the measured weight of the food 21-1 in the container 22 of the platform scale 16 has not reached the final target value of 75g, the target value determination unit 313 determines a second target value for the next (second) gripping operation.

[0103] This second target value is the final target value minus the weight measurement (weight measurement by the platform scale 16) obtained in step S612 (step S614). For example, if the weight measurement obtained in step S612 was 65g, the second target value will be 10g, which is the final target value of 75g minus 65g. Then, return to step S602 and perform the second gripping operation.

[0104] The process in steps S602 to S614 is repeated in step S613 until the measured weight reaches the final target value. In other words, a third or subsequent gripping operation may be performed after the second gripping operation.

[0105] As described above, in this embodiment, a target weight, which is relatively large, 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 weight and the actual gripped weight will be larger. However, in the second and subsequent gripping operations, the target weight becomes smaller than in the first operation, so the error between the target weight and the actual gripped weight becomes smaller. Therefore, by performing the operation a second or third time (or more times), the food 21 can be divided into the final target weight with high precision. For example, even if the allowable error in laws, industry practices, or the final target value is small, division can be achieved.

[0106] [Differentiation] The embodiments described above can be modified in various ways. Examples of these modifications are shown below. The embodiments described above and the modifications shown below may be combined as appropriate.

[0107] (1) In the above-described embodiment, the gripper 11 becomes hemispherical in the closed state when gripping food 21 with a plurality of gripper claws 111, and as a result, the error in the gripped weight relative to the target value is reduced when gripping a small amount of food 21. However, the configuration of the tip of the gripper 11 is not limited to this. For example, in the case of a configuration that becomes spherical when closed, the number and shape of the gripper claws are not limited to the examples described above. In addition to a spherical shape, other shapes such as cones (cones or pyramids) are also acceptable. In short, it is preferable that the shape gradually narrows at the tip in the Z-axis direction (the direction in which it is inserted into food; the depth direction). Furthermore, depending on the nature of the object being handled, the structure may be such that no closed space, such as a sphere or cone, is formed when the object is being held (in other words, the tips of the claws do not come into contact with each other).

[0108] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the shape of the gripper claw portion 511 of the gripper 51 according to a modified example, and for illustrating the gripping of food 21. Figure 11(A) shows the case of gripping a relatively large amount of food 21-3, and Figure 11(B) shows the case of gripping a relatively small amount of food 21-4.

[0109] As shown in the figure, the tip of the gripper 51 is provided with a plurality (two in this example) of flat gripper claws 511, which are gripping members, facing each other and each tilted inward (towards the center). By lowering the gripper 51 and inserting the gripper claws 511 into the food 21, the two gripper claws 511 are moved inward from each other (shortening the distance between the gripper claws 511), thereby gripping the food 21-3 or food 21-4 between the two gripper claws 511.

[0110] As shown in Figure 11, the gripper 51 can change the distance between its two gripper claws 511. The distance between the two gripper claws 511 in Figure 11(A) is longer than the distance between the two gripper claws 511 in Figure 11(B). Note that in Figures 11(A) and 11(B), the length of the gripper claws 511 in the Z-axis direction (vertical direction) does not change.

[0111] As shown in Figure 11(A), increasing the distance between the two gripper claws 511 can increase the area S3, which is the range of food 21 that can be gripped. Conversely, as shown in Figure 11(B), shortening the distance between the two gripper claws 511 can decrease the area S4, which is the range of food 21 that can be gripped.

[0112] Similar to Figures 5(A) and 5(B) in the embodiments described above, when a relatively large area S3 of the surface of the food 21 is grasped as in Figure 11(A), the weight of the grasped food 21-3 will have a larger error weight relative to the target value compared to when a relatively small area S4 is grasped as in Figure 11(B).

[0113] Therefore, in the first grasp, when the target value is relatively large, a relatively large amount of food 21-3, as shown in Figure 11(A), is grasped to obtain a weight close to the final target value, and in the second and subsequent grasps, when the target value is relatively small, a smaller amount of food 21-4 is grasped. By doing so, the error in the grasped weight relative to the target value can be reduced in the second and subsequent grasps, and the food 21 with the final target weight can be obtained in the second or third grasp.

[0114] (2) In the above embodiment, the container 20 for holding the food 21 is provided with side panels that form walls on all four sides of the bottom plate, but it may also be configured without side panels that form walls. Figure 12 is a diagram illustrating a modified container 20A. Figure 12(A) shows the gripping operation of food 21 using the container 20 according to the above embodiment, and Figure 12(B) shows the gripping operation of food 21 using the modified container 20A.

[0115] In Figure 12(A), the container 20 is composed of a bottom plate 201 and side plates 202. When the gripper 11 performs the gripping operation of the food 21 inside the container 20, as explained in Figures 8(B) and (C), the gripper claw portion 111 grips a part of the food 21 and moves the gripper claw portion 111 horizontally, pressing it against the surrounding food 21, thereby rubbing the food 21 adhering to the outer surface of the gripper claw portion 111 against the surrounding food 21.

[0116] If this gripping motion is repeated inside the container 20, the gripping motion will also occur in positions close to the side plate 202 on the outer periphery of the container 20. In that case, as shown in Figure 12(A), the food 21 in positions close to the side plate 202 will be pressed against the side plate 202, and the food 21 will gradually adhere to the surface of the side plate 202.

[0117] Food 21 adhering to the surface of the side plate 202 is difficult to grip with the gripper claw portion 111. Furthermore, if the gripper 11 performs a gripping operation close to the side plate 202, the food 21 adhering to the side plate 202 may come into contact with the outer circumference of the gripper 11 above the gripper claw portion 111 and adhere to the gripper 11. Food 21 adhering to parts of the gripper 11 other than the gripper claw portion 111 in this way is difficult to brush off and may affect the accuracy of the measurement by the weighing scale 14.

[0118] In the container 20A shown in Figure 12(B), there are no side plates 202, and the food 21 is placed on the bottom plate 201. In this configuration, if the gripper 11 repeatedly grips the food 21 inside the container 21A, the food 21 will spread outwards towards the outer periphery of the container 20A. However, as shown in Figure 12(A), there are no side plates, so the food 21 does not adhere to any part of the gripper 11 other than the gripper claw portion 111.

[0119] Furthermore, by performing the gripping operation by the gripper 11 sequentially from the food 21 on the outer periphery of the container 20A, it is possible to prevent the food 21 from being pushed outwards from the side panel 202 of the container 20A and to move the food 21 inwards.

[0120] (3) In the above-described embodiment, the target value of the weight of the food to be gripped in the gripping operation of the gripper 11 is set arbitrarily by the user. However, the control device 30 may set the target value considering the physical properties (such as viscosity) and type of food, the number of grippings or time constraints, and the allowable error in the final target weight.

[0121] Furthermore, although the above-described embodiment assumes that the gripping operation is performed multiple times, it is also possible to set an upper limit on the number of times gripping (number of times the sorting operation) is performed in advance, and determine the target value for each operation based on that upper limit.

[0122] (4) In the above embodiment, the picking position was determined by calculating the volume of food corresponding to the target weight and determining a position where food of the calculated volume can be grasped based on the image data and height data of the food from the imaging device 15. However, the control device 30 may generate a learning model in advance and use that learning model to determine the picking position.

[0123] For example, using the food portioning device 1 according to the above embodiment, the gripper 11 grasps the food at a plurality of pre-selected picking positions, and the weight of the grasped food is measured by a weighing scale 14 or a platform scale 16. The control device 30 generates a learning model by learning from these measurement data and image data of each picking position captured by the imaging device 15.

[0124] In the actual food portioning process, the target value determination unit 313 of the control device 30 uses a learning model corresponding to the type of food to determine the picking position (the picking position for the first gripping operation and the picking position for the second and subsequent gripping operations) based on the target weight to be grasped and the image data of the food from the imaging device 15.

[0125] (5) In the above-described embodiment, the position determination unit 314 of the control device 30 determines a picking position in which a volume of food 21 corresponding to the target weight can be grasped, based on preset average density data of food 21. Alternatively, the position determination unit 314 may determine the picking position based on the density of each part of the food 21 calculated based on image data of the food 21 from the imaging device 15.

[0126] For example, if food item 21 is potato salad, image recognition using image data can be used to estimate the density of each part based on the distribution of the ingredients that make up the potato salad—potatoes, cucumbers, and carrots—that is, the proportion of each ingredient in each part. By using these estimated densities to estimate the volume that can be grasped at candidate picking locations, the picking location can be determined. In this way, even for foods with uneven density, the picking location can be appropriately determined.

[0127] (6) In the above-described embodiment, while the gripper 11 is rotating with the food 21-1 in place, movement control is performed to move the gripper claw portion 111 of the gripper 11 in the XY plane (horizontal plane) as shown in Figures 8(B) and (C). In addition to this movement control, or instead of this movement control, control may be performed to move the gripper claw portion 111 downward in the direction of the gripper rotation axis L (downward along the Z axis; towards the bottom of the container). This movement control can be performed by the movement control unit 315 of the control device 30 driving and controlling the robot arm 12, similar to the movement control in Figures 8(B) and (C).

[0128] In this way, by moving the gripper claw portion 111 downward while rotating the gripper 11 or controlling 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 claw portion 111 may be moved upward while rotating the gripper 11 or while controlling the position of the gripper rotation axis L. That is, in step S655 of Figure 8, by pulling up the gripper claw portion 111 while performing rotational and / or movement in the XY plane, food adhering to the gripper claw portion 111 can be rubbed against or shaken off the surrounding food.

[0129] (7) In the above embodiment, when controlling the rotation of the gripper 11 around the gripper rotation axis L after gripping the food 21, the rotation angle was set arbitrarily, but the rotation angle may be set according to the viscosity of the food 21. For example, the rotation angle may be set to be larger when gripping food 21 with high viscosity. Alternatively, instead of setting the rotation angle, the rotation speed may be set. For example, the rotation speed may be increased when gripping a highly viscous food 21.

[0130] Furthermore, regarding the control of the horizontal movement of the gripper rotation axis L shown in Figure 8(B), the movement distance or movement speed may be set according to the viscosity of the food 21. For example, the horizontal movement distance of the gripper rotation axis L may be set to be greater when gripping a food 21 with high viscosity. Alternatively, for example, the horizontal movement speed of the gripper rotation axis L may be set to be greater when gripping a food 21 with high viscosity.

[0131] Furthermore, with regard to rotational control around the central axis R of the gripper rotation axis L shown in Figure 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 around the central axis R of the gripper rotation axis L may be set to be larger when gripping a food 21 with high viscosity. Similarly, the rotation speed around the central axis R of the gripper rotation axis L may be set to be larger when gripping a food 21 with high viscosity. Likewise, the movement speed of the gripper claw portion 111 in the Z-axis direction may be set according to the physical properties of the food 21, and the movement speed, amount of movement (distance), and path of the gripper rotation axis L in the XY plane may be set.

[0132] (8) In the embodiments described above, the present invention was applied to food products, but the present invention can be applied to any object other than food products, as long as it is an object that can be grasped. The apparatus of the present invention is particularly suitable for separating irregularly shaped and especially viscous articles.

[0133] (9) In the above embodiment, the food 21 is divided into containers 22, but when dividing ingredients for dishes to be served to customers in a restaurant, etc., the food may be divided into plates or other tableware. In that case, a tableware dispenser may be installed instead of the container dispenser 23.

[0134] In short, in the present invention, a part of an irregularly shaped object is held inside a gripping part that grasps and holds the object, and the outside of the gripping part is in contact with other parts of the object. The control is performed to rotate the gripping part by the rotation mechanism while changing the position of the rotation axis of the rotation mechanism. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0135] 1. Food portioning device, 11. Gripper, 12. Robot arm, 13. Rotating mechanism, 14. Weighing scale, 15. Imaging device, 16. Platform scale, 20. Container, 21. Food, 22. Container, 23. Container feeder, 24. Conveyor, 30. Control device, 51. Gripper, 111. Gripper claw, 112. Connecting part, 113. Base, 116. Internal wiping member, 117. Brushing off Components, 201...Bottom plate, 202...Side plate, 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 part that grasps and holds a portion of irregularly shaped food placed in a container, A moving mechanism for moving the gripping portion, A rotating mechanism for rotating the gripping portion, A control unit rotates the gripping portion by the rotation mechanism while changing the position of the rotation axis, in a state in which a portion of the food is held inside the gripping portion and the outside of the gripping portion is in contact with the other portion of the food; Equipped with, The gripping portion, when holding the food, has a shape symmetrical with respect to the axis of rotation. The control unit rotates the gripping portion in the forward rotation direction, and then rotates it in the reverse rotation direction. The control unit moves the rotation axis in a first direction within a plane intersecting the rotation axis while rotating in the forward direction, and moves the rotation axis in a second direction different from the first direction within the plane while rotating in the reverse direction. Food portioning device.

2. The second direction is the opposite direction to the first direction. The food serving apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The rotation angle of the aforementioned rotation is between 45 degrees and 135 degrees. The food serving apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The control unit moves the gripping portion downward in the rotation axis direction while the gripping portion is rotating. A food serving device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The control unit, Depending on the viscosity of the food, at least one of the rotation angle and rotation speed of the rotating mechanism is determined. A food serving device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. Computers, A program for controlling a gripping part that grasps and holds a portion of an irregularly shaped food placed in a container, a gripping part that has a shape symmetrical with respect to the axis of rotation when the food is grasped, a moving mechanism that moves the gripping part, and a rotating mechanism that rotates the gripping part, The control means is With a portion of the food held inside the gripping portion and the outside of the gripping portion in contact with the rest of the food, control is performed to rotate the gripping portion by the rotation mechanism while changing the position of the rotation axis. The control means rotates the gripping portion in the forward rotation direction, and then rotates it in the reverse rotation direction. The control means moves the rotation axis in a first direction within a plane intersecting the rotation axis while rotating in the forward direction, and moves the rotation axis in a second direction different from the first direction within the plane while rotating in the reverse direction. program.

Images