Processing system and program

Abstract

Depending on the situation, select the area to be processed more appropriately. [Solution] The processing system 1 comprises a multi-joint robot 30 and a control device 70. The multi-joint robot 30 processes the ingredients located at the location of the ingredient container 10. The control device 70 controls the multi-joint robot 30. The control device 70 divides the location of the ingredient container 10 into multiple regions and controls the multi-joint robot 30 to select the region in which processing will be performed from the multiple regions, according to the content of the processing to be performed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a processing system and a program.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, work has been carried out by robots to process various objects. For example, there are robots that hold an object in a storage container in which the object is stored and release the held object into another container.

[0003] Technologies related to such robots are disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1. In the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, the holding operation is repeatedly performed by巡回ing a plurality of regions in the storage container.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] As described above, in the conventional technology as disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is disclosed that the processing is repeated by巡回ing a plurality of regions in which the object to be processed is stored. However, it is desired to more appropriately select the region to be processed according to the situation, rather than simply巡回ing a plurality of regions.

[0006] Moreover, such problems are not limited to the case where the object is food, but are common to various fields in which processing is performed by robots, such as the industrial field. Furthermore, the content of the processing performed by the robot is not limited to the case where the object is held by gripping. For example, it is also common to the case where the object is held by a method such as adsorption.

[0007] The objective of this invention is to select the area to be processed more appropriately depending on the situation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To solve the above problems, a processing system according to one embodiment of the present invention is A robot that performs processing on an object located at the processing position, Control means for controlling the robot, Equipped with, The control means is The processing location is divided into multiple regions, and control is performed to select the region in which processing is to be performed from the multiple regions according to the content of the processing to be performed by the robot. It is characterized by the following: [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to select the area to be processed more appropriately depending on the situation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of the processing system 1 according to the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. [Figure 3] This is a front view showing the gripping mechanism 31 in the open state (i.e., the state during the release operation). [Figure 4] This is a front view showing the gripping mechanism 31 in the closed state (i.e., the state during gripping operation). [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control device 70. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 70. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram showing the state of processing system 1 when performing gripping and releasing operations. [Figure 8]It is a schematic diagram showing the state of the processing system 1 when performing a gripping operation or a releasing operation. [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram showing the state of the processing system 1 when performing a gripping operation or a releasing operation. [Figure 10] It is a schematic diagram showing the state of the processing system 1 when performing a gripping operation or a releasing operation. [Figure 11] It is a schematic diagram showing the state of the processing system 1 when performing a gripping operation or a releasing operation. [Figure 12] It is a flowchart showing the flow of the ingredient loading process executed by the processing system 1. [Figure 13] It is a schematic diagram showing the state of the division of each area in the first modification. [Figure 14] It is a schematic diagram showing the state of the division of each area in the second modification. [Figure 15] It is a diagram showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31a in the fourth modification.

Embodiments for Carrying out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Embodiment] [Overall Configuration] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram schematically showing the configuration of the processing system 1 according to the present invention. Here, the processing system 1 is assumed to apply the present invention to a system that grips and releases food as an object. In the following description, a case where the processing system 1 grips ingredients such as prepared dishes and releases the gripped ingredients into a container will be described as an example.

[0012] However, this is only an example for explanation and is not intended to limit the scope of application of the present invention. The present invention is applicable to the entire system that holds any object. For example, it can be applied to systems that hold uncooked vegetables (such as shredded cabbage, carrots, or bean sprouts) rather than prepared foods. It can also be applied to systems that hold industrial products such as electronic devices (such as screws, bolts, or product components) as objects. Furthermore, the method of holding the object is not limited to gripping it. For example, holding the object may be achieved by methods other than gripping, such as suction. Furthermore, the method of releasing the object into the container is not limited to releasing it directly into the container. For example, a robot may release the object into the discharge chute's input port, and then supply the object to the container from the discharge port of the discharge chute for filling. In other words, the present invention can be implemented in a wide range of holding systems, regardless of the object to be gripped, the specific method of holding, or the field in which it is applied.

[0013] As shown in Figure 1, the processing system 1 comprises a food container 10, a container supply device 20, a multi-joint robot 30, a food storage state detection sensor 41, a serving state detection sensor 42, a first weighing scale 51, a second weighing scale 52, a base 60, a control device 70, and a first transport path T1. Of these components, the container supply device 20, the articulated robot 30, the storage state detection sensor 41, the serving state detection sensor 42, the first weighing scale 51, the second weighing scale 52, the first transport path T1, and the control device 70 are connected to each other by wired or wireless communication and are able to communicate with one another.

[0014] Adjacent to the processing system 1, a belt conveyor 2 is installed to automatically transport the prepared food containers from upstream to downstream. The belt conveyor 2 has a second transport path T2, which is a transport surface for transporting the containers. The containers, which have been filled with ingredients by the articulated robot 30, are then transported downstream on this second transport path T2. In Figure 1, as indicated by the arrows representing the second transport direction, the left side of the page represents the upstream of transport in the second transport path T2, and the right side of the page represents the downstream of transport. A location for subsequent operations (e.g., closing the container lids) is provided downstream of the second transport path T2.

[0015] Although Figure 1 shows only one processing system 1, it is not limited to this. In this embodiment, it is assumed that multiple processing systems 1 are installed along the second transport direction of a single belt conveyor 2, and that multiple articulated robots 30 work together.

[0016] The ingredient container 10 has a storage space for storing ingredients such as side dishes that are to be served in the processing system 1. The ingredient container 10 can be implemented using a general-purpose container such as a large tray or tub. The storage space of the ingredient container 10 can hold various ingredients that can be grasped by the articulated robot 30, such as paste salads like potato salad (i.e., side dishes containing ingredients with viscosity or stickiness), okara (soy pulp), dried daikon radish, namasu (pickled daikon radish and carrots), hijiki seaweed, boiled beans, fiddlehead ferns, buttered corn, noodles, croquettes, and fried chicken. In this embodiment, the ingredient container 10 is assumed to contain multiple servings (for example, several dozen to several hundred servings) of one type of ingredient. When the amount of ingredients stored in the ingredient container 10 becomes low, it can be replaced manually by an operator or automatically by the articulated robot 30.

[0017] The container supply device 20 is a device that supplies containers for the articulated robot 30 to put ingredients into. Inside the container supply device 20, a large number of containers are housed vertically. When the processing system 1 starts operating, the container supply device 20 supplies containers by discharging them one by one into the first transport path T1.

[0018] The first transport path T1 transports the containers supplied by the container supply device 20 to the serving position 62, where the ingredients are placed, by the articulated robot 30. The first transport path T1 is installed on the top surface of the base 60 and includes a transport mechanism for transporting the containers to the serving position 62 and an extrusion mechanism for pushing the containers from the serving position 62 to the second transport path T2. The conveying mechanism may be a mechanism that conveys the container by contacting the bottom surface of the container with the conveying surface, such as a belt conveyor 2, or it may be a mechanism that conveys the container by having a component contact the side or back of the container and pushing it out. When the container is transported to the serving position 62 by the transport mechanism, the articulated robot 30 releases the ingredients, and the released ingredients are placed into the container supplied to the serving position 62. Then, the extrusion mechanism pushes the filled container onto the second transport path T2 of the belt conveyor 2. As a result, the filled container is transported downstream on the second transport path T2.

[0019] The articulated robot 30 is composed of, for example, a horizontal articulated robot or a vertical articulated robot, and includes a gripping mechanism 31 capable of gripping an object, a robot arm 32 for moving the gripping mechanism 31 to any position within its range of motion, and a robot base end 33.

[0020] The gripping mechanism 31 is attached to the tip of the robot arm 32 and is supported by the robot arm 32. The gripping mechanism 31 can then be moved to any position within its range of motion in accordance with the movement of the robot arm 32 based on the control of the control device 70. Furthermore, the joint that holds the gripping mechanism 31 is equipped with an axis that rotates the gripping mechanism 31 in a twisting direction relative to the robot arm 32. Therefore, when the gripping mechanism 31 grips an ingredient, the direction in which the gripping mechanism 31 grips can be adjusted by changing the orientation of the gripping mechanism 31. As a result, when the gripping mechanism 31 reaches near the inner wall surface of the ingredient container 10, it becomes possible to change the orientation of the gripping mechanism 31 to a direction parallel to the inner wall surface of the ingredient container 10, making it easier to grip ingredients near the inner wall surface of the container. The robot base portion 33 is the base part that supports the robot arm 32 to which the gripping mechanism 31 is attached. The robot base portion 33 is installed on the frame 63, which will be described later.

[0021] The contents state detection sensor 41 is a sensor that detects the contents state of the contents contained in the contents container 10. The contents state detection sensor 41 is implemented, for example, by a depth camera capable of detecting the distance to a subject. In this case, the field of view of the contents state detection sensor 41 is set to be such that it can capture the entire opening surface of the contents container 10. To this end, the contents state detection sensor 41 is positioned, for example, vertically above the center of the contents container 10 in the horizontal plane. The control device 70 can determine the amount of ingredients remaining in each area of ​​the ingredient container 10, the degree of surface roughness (unevenness), etc., by analyzing the distance information detected by the storage state detection sensor 41 (i.e., depth information for each pixel across the entire opening surface of the ingredient container 10).

[0022] The serving state detection sensor 42 is a sensor that detects the serving state of the container in which the ingredients are placed and the operating status of the gripping mechanism 31. Similar to the storage state detection sensor 41, the serving state detection sensor 42 is implemented, for example, by a depth camera capable of detecting the distance to the subject. In this case, the field of view of the serving state detection sensor 42 is set to capture, for example, the entire opening surface of the container in which the ingredients are placed and the operating status of the gripping mechanism 31 that places the ingredients into the container. To this end, the serving state detection sensor 42 is positioned, for example, vertically above the center of the serving position 62 in the horizontal plane. The control device 70 can identify the arrangement state of the ingredients in each area of ​​the container where the ingredients are placed, the operating status of the gripping mechanism 31, etc., by analyzing the distance information detected by the food arrangement state detection sensor 42 (i.e., depth information for each pixel across the entire opening surface of the container where the ingredients are placed, and depth information of the gripping mechanism 31 regarding the behavior of the gripping mechanism 31).

[0023] The first weighing scale 51 and the second weighing scale 52 are both devices for detecting the weight of an object. The first weighing scale 51 and the second weighing scale 52 are implemented, for example, by weighing scales that measure weight using strain gauges. Here, the first weighing scale 51 is positioned where the ingredient container 10 will be placed. The first weighing scale 51 then detects the weight of the ingredient container 10 itself, as well as the weight of the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10. Based on the values ​​detected by the first weighing scale 51, the control device 70 can determine the total weight of the ingredients contained (i.e., the remaining amount) and the increase or decrease in the total weight due to gripping or other actions of the ingredients contained (i.e., the change in the remaining amount).

[0024] The second weighing scale 52 is positioned at a predetermined serving position 62 in the processing system 1 where the ingredients are placed. The second weighing scale 52 detects the weight of the container itself supplied to this serving position 62, and the weight of the ingredients that are released into and placed in this container. The control device 70 can determine the total weight of the ingredients that have been released into the container and placed inside, based on the detection value of the second weighing scale 52. The control device 70 can also determine, based on the detection value of the second weighing scale 52, whether the container has been supplied to the serving position 62 and whether the filled container has been pushed out onto the conveying surface of the belt conveyor 2.

[0025] The base 60 is a base for installing the ingredient container 10, the container supply device 20, the first transport path T1, and the articulated robot 30, etc. These articulated robots 30, etc., have a combined weight of several hundred kg (for example, more than 300 kg). Therefore, the base 60 has a structure with sufficient rigidity to support these components even when they are placed on its top surface.

[0026] Such a base portion 60 is equipped with casters 61, a serving position 62, and a stand 63. The caster 61 is a caster mounted on the base 60. The base 60 supports the articulated robot 30, etc., by contacting the ground with this caster 61. Furthermore, because this caster 61 functions as a wheel, the base 60 can be moved by human power. As described above, the serving position 62 is the position where the ingredients are placed by the articulated robot 30. The support frame 63 is provided vertically above the first transport path T1 and is a structure that supports the object to be supported vertically above the first transport path T1. In this embodiment, the robot base end portion 33 of the articulated robot 30 is installed as the object to be supported. As a result, in this embodiment, the first transport path T1 and the articulated robot 30 are arranged to overlap vertically. In this case, the legs of the support frame 63 are configured to straddle the first transport path T1. Therefore, they do not obstruct the transport of containers along the first transport path T1. Thus, in processing system 1, instead of arranging the container transport path and the robot in close proximity and adjacent positions as in conventional technology, they are arranged to overlap vertically. This makes it possible to reduce the installation area of ​​processing system 1 and to facilitate worker access to each component.

[0027] Furthermore, in processing system 1, the main components of processing system 1, such as the ingredient container 10, the container supply device 20, the articulated robot 30, and the first transport path T1, are all installed on a portable base 60. By using casters 61, these components can be moved as a single unit by human power. Therefore, it becomes possible to easily transport the processing system 1 and change its layout in food factories and other facilities.

[0028] The control device 70 is composed of an information processing device such as a PC (Personal Computer) or a programmable controller, and controls the entire processing system 1 by executing various programs. For example, the control device 70 controls the operation of the container supply device 20, such as supplying containers or pushing out containers that have already been filled, and the operation of the articulated robot 30, such as grasping ingredients from the ingredient container 10 and releasing them into the container to fill it with ingredients.

[0029] For example, the control device 70 controls the drive of the robot arm 32 to move the gripping mechanism 31 to a predetermined position along a predetermined route and at a predetermined speed, and controls the drive of the actuator of the gripping mechanism 31 to perform actions such as gripping and releasing the material using the gripping mechanism.

[0030] The components constituting the processing system 1 have been described above. In addition to these components, plate-like members may be further arranged to surround or above the locations where each component is installed. This plate-like member shields each component from the external space, preventing materials gripped or released by the articulated robot 30 from scattering from the internal space to the external space. It also prevents workers from coming into contact with the articulated robot 30 while it is in operation, thereby ensuring worker safety and preventing malfunctions of the articulated robot 30. In this case, the plate-like member should be made of a transparent material such as glass or resin, so that the operating status of the processing system 1 can be visually observed from the outside space. Furthermore, this plate-like member may be used to provide an additional, openable and closable door on a part of the side wall. This allows workers to open the door and perform various tasks such as replacing or replenishing ingredients in the ingredient container 10, adding containers to the container supply device 20, or performing maintenance on the processing system 1.

[0031] [Configuration of the gripping mechanism 31] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31. As shown in Figure 2, the gripping mechanism 31 comprises a coupling member 311, two air cylinders 312, two connecting members 313, and two gripping members 314. In the following description, the front, back, left side, and right side of the gripping mechanism 31 are defined as indicated by arrows in the figure.

[0032] The connecting member 311 is a member that connects the gripping mechanism 31 and the robot arm 32. The gripping mechanism 31 is supported by the robot arm 32 when connected to the robot arm 32 by the connecting member 311, and moves in accordance with the movement of the robot arm 32. Two air cylinders 312 are also arranged inside the connecting member 311.

[0033] The two air cylinders 312 are a drive mechanism that can move back and forth in a straight line in the horizontal direction (in this case, left-right direction). In this case, the two air cylinders 312 are arranged so that their directions of movement are opposite to each other. The piston rods (i.e., the reciprocating parts) of the two air cylinders 312 are each connected to a connecting member 313 corresponding to itself.

[0034] The two connecting members 313 are members that connect the corresponding air cylinder 312 and the corresponding gripping member 314. The piston rod of the corresponding air cylinder 312 is connected to the upper end of the connecting member 313, and the upper end of the corresponding gripping member 314 is connected to the lower end of the connecting member 313. This forms a pair of sets consisting of the air cylinder 312, the connecting member 313, and the gripping member 314. When this pair of sets is driven, the gripping and releasing operations of the gripping mechanism 31 are realized.

[0035] The two gripping members 314 are the parts that grip the ingredients by contacting them. The two gripping members 314 are positioned so that their opening surfaces face each other. The shape of the two gripping members 314 is such that when their opening surfaces come close together and come into contact, they form a gripping space for gripping the ingredients. The gripping member 314 of this shape is composed of a plate-like member having multiple surfaces, and is provided with slits (i.e., narrow gaps) of a size that prevents the gripped ingredients from falling out. By providing these slits, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of sticky ingredients to the gripping member 360 (for example, the ingredients sticking to it). Therefore, it becomes possible to suppress the occurrence of situations where the attached ingredients fall off and to easily release the ingredients.

[0036] Figure 3 is a front view showing the gripping mechanism 31 in the open state (i.e., the state during the release operation). Figure 4 is a front view showing the gripping mechanism 31 in the closed state (i.e., the state during the gripping operation). As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the air cylinder 312 and the connecting member 313 are fastened together at the first point P1 in a rotatable manner using screws or the like. Furthermore, in the two connecting members 313, one connecting member 313 and the other connecting member overlap and intersect near the center, and at the intersection point, the second point P2, they are also fastened together at the same point in a rotatable manner using screws or the like. In addition, the lower end of the gripping member 314 is designated as the third point P3.

[0037] With this structure, the gripping mechanism 31 as a whole achieves a mechanism similar to that of a typical pair of scissors or forceps. In this case, the first point P1 functions as the point of force application, the second point P2 functions as the fulcrum, and the third point P3 functions as the point of application. The specific operation in this configuration will now be explained. In Figures 3 and 4, the forward and backward directions of the piston rods of each air cylinder are indicated by white arrows.

[0038] First, when transitioning to the open state, as shown in Figure 3, the piston rods of each of the two air cylinders 312 are driven to extend outwards from the gripping mechanism 31 (in this case, outwards in the left-right direction). In other words, the piston rods are driven to move away from each other. As a result, the first point P1, which is the point of force application, moves away from each other, and the third point P3, which is the point of application, also moves away from each other via the second point P2, which is the fulcrum. In this way, the gripping mechanism 31 transitions to the open state. Consequently, the gripping mechanism 31 can release the gripped material from the opening surface of the gripping member 314.

[0039] In contrast, when transitioning to the closed state, as shown in Figure 3, the piston rods of each of the two air cylinders 312 are driven to retract toward the inside of the gripping mechanism 31 (in this case, toward the inside in the left-right direction). That is, they are driven to move closer to each other. As a result, the first point P1, which is the point of force application, moves closer together, and the third points P3, which are the points of application, also move closer together via the second point P2, which is the fulcrum. In this way, the gripping mechanism 31 transitions to the closed state. Consequently, the edges of the opening surfaces of the gripping members 314 come into contact with each other, and a gripping space is formed on the inner surface of the gripping members 314. The gripping mechanism 31 can then grip the object by enclosing it in this gripping space.

[0040] Furthermore, because the gripping mechanism 31 as a whole has a scissor-like shape, the force driving the two air cylinders 312 horizontally is converted into a force that opens and closes the gripping member 314 diagonally (i.e., a combination of horizontal and vertical directions). This makes it easier to insert the gripping member 314 into the contents compared to when the gripping member 314 is directly connected to the air cylinders 312 and simply opens and closes horizontally. Furthermore, the gripping mechanism 31 performs an action that gathers the contained ingredients from the left-right and up-down directions toward the center of the gripping space using the two gripping members 314, making it possible to grip the ingredients more efficiently.

[0041] Note that one or more such gripping mechanisms 31 may be attached to a single robot arm 32. For example, as shown in Figure 1, two gripping mechanisms 31 may be arranged side by side on a single robot arm 32 so that their opening and closing directions are parallel.

[0042] [Hardware configuration of control device 70] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the hardware configuration of the control device 70. As shown in Figure 5, the control device 70 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 711, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 712, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 713, a bus 714, an input unit 715, an output unit 716, a storage unit 717, a communication unit 718, and a drive 719.

[0043] The CPU 711 executes various processes according to the program recorded in the ROM 712 or the program loaded into the RAM 713 from the storage unit 717. RAM713 also stores data necessary for CPU711 to perform various processes.

[0044] The CPU 711, ROM 712, and RAM 713 are interconnected via a bus 714. The input unit 715, output unit 716, storage unit 717, communication unit 718, and drive 719 are connected to the bus 714.

[0045] The input unit 715 is equipped with an input device such as a mouse or keyboard and accepts various types of information for input to the control device 70. Alternatively, the input unit 715 may be equipped with a microphone and accept various types of information via voice input from the operator. The output unit 716 consists of a display, speakers, etc., and outputs images and sound. The memory unit 717 consists of an SSD (Solid State Drive), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), or DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory), and stores various types of data managed by each server. The communications unit 718 controls communication with other devices via the network.

[0046] The drive 719 is appropriately equipped with removable media 731, which may consist of a magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or semiconductor memory. Programs read from the removable media 731 by the drive 719 are installed in the storage unit 717 as needed. The above hardware configuration is the basic configuration of the control device 70, and it is possible to omit some hardware, add additional hardware, or change the hardware implementation.

[0047] [Functional configuration] Next, the functional configuration of the control device 70 will be described. Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 70. As shown in Figure 6, by executing a program to control the operation of the processing system 1, the CPU 711 of the control device 70 functions as follows: information acquisition unit 151, articulated robot control unit 152, container supply control unit 153, and recording control unit 154. In addition, the storage unit 717 is configured with a parameter storage unit 171 and a history database (history DB) 172.

[0048] The parameter storage unit 171 stores various parameters used when the processing system 1 operates. For example, the parameter storage unit 171 stores data that serves as control criteria for the gripping operation, such as the position and shape of the ingredient container 10, the position and shape of the containers supplied from the container supply device 20, the position of the area in the container where the ingredients are provided and served, the weight per unit volume of the ingredients (i.e., the density of the ingredients), and the target amount of ingredients to be grasped and released, as well as parameters that define the operation pattern of the articulated robot 30.

[0049] The history DB172 stores control parameters acquired when processing system 1 is operating, as well as measurement data of the weight of ingredients served by processing system 1, as operation history.

[0050] The information acquisition unit 151 acquires information detected by various sensors and weighing scales installed in the processing system 1. For example, the information acquisition unit 151 sequentially acquires distance information detected by the storage state detection sensor 41 and the serving state detection sensor 42. In addition, for example, the information acquisition unit 151 sequentially acquires weight values ​​detected by the first weighing scale 51 and the second weighing scale 52. In this way, the various types of information acquired by the information acquisition unit 151 are used as appropriate by other functional blocks provided by the control device 70.

[0051] The articulated robot control unit 152 controls the movement of the articulated robot 30 and causes the articulated robot 30 to perform a series of operations for serving ingredients based on the operation patterns defined in the processing system 1 and various information acquired by the information acquisition unit 151. For example, the articulated robot control unit 152 causes the articulated robot 30 to perform operations such as gripping the ingredients with the gripping mechanism 31 (gripping operation), releasing the ingredients gripped by the gripping mechanism 31 (release operation), and removing ingredients attached to the gripping mechanism 31 (removal operation).

[0052] For example, when performing a gripping operation, the articulated robot control unit 152 determines the surface height of the ingredients at each position within the ingredient container 10 in advance, based on the distance information detected by the storage state detection sensor 41. Then, the articulated robot control unit 152 inserts the gripping member 314 into the group of ingredients to a predetermined depth from this height and performs the gripping operation. This predetermined depth can be set in advance based on the density of the ingredients, the characteristics of the ingredients (viscosity, etc.), the number and shape of the gripping members 314 to be used for gripping, and the target amount (in this case, the target weight) to be targeted for gripping and releasing. By setting the insertion depth in advance in this way, the gripping member 314 can grip ingredients of the same weight as the target amount, or a weight close to the target amount.

[0053] Furthermore, for example, when performing a release operation, the articulated robot control unit 152 pre-determines the position and shape of the container on which the ingredients are placed, as well as the position of the area within the container where the ingredients are placed, based on data that serves as the control standard for the release operation and is stored in the parameter storage unit 171. Therefore, the articulated robot control unit 152 moves the gripping member 314 to an appropriate position based on this determined position and then performs the release operation. Note that this appropriate position includes not only the position in the horizontal plane, but also the position in the vertical direction (i.e., height).

[0054] In this embodiment, the weight of the ingredients that were actually grasped and the weight of the ingredients that were actually released can be determined based on the weight values ​​detected by the first weighing scale 51 and the second weighing scale 52. The articulated robot control unit 152 then performs various adjustment operations if these weights are far from the target amount. For example, if the weight of the grasped ingredients is too much or too little from the target amount, the grasped ingredients are released from the ingredient container 10 and the grasping is repeated to grasp only the target amount. Alternatively, if the weight of the released ingredients is too much or too little from the target amount, the robot returns to the ingredient container 10, grasps the missing weight and releases it into the container, or grasps the excess weight from the container and returns it to the ingredient container 10. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the state of the ingredient container 10 and the ingredients in the container (for example, the height and unevenness of the ingredient surface) can be identified based on the distance information detected by the storage state detection sensor 41 and the serving state detection sensor 42. The articulated robot control unit 152 then performs various adjustment operations based on the state of these ingredients. For example, it adjusts the position for gripping and releasing based on the state of these ingredients. Alternatively, it shapes the serving state of the ingredients by leveling the surface of the released ingredients based on the state of the ingredients released into the container.

[0055] In addition, for example, when performing a removal operation, the articulated robot control unit 152 controls the removal operation based on parameters that define the operation pattern of the articulated robot 30, which are stored in the parameter storage unit 171. As a prerequisite for the removal operation, when a gripping operation or release operation is performed, some of the ingredients may adhere to the gripping member 360 due to the characteristics of the ingredients. In particular, ingredients with characteristics such as viscosity or stickiness, ingredients with a lot of oil or moisture, and long, easily tangled ingredients are prone to adhesion. Therefore, it is preferable for the articulated robot control unit 152 to perform a removal operation by moving the gripping member 314 up and down or vibrating it to remove the adhered ingredients and drop them into the ingredient storage container 10, etc.

[0056] The container supply control unit 153 controls the container supply device 20 to supply containers for serving ingredients to be placed in the processing system 1 to the first transport path T1. The container supply control unit 153 also controls the first transport path T1 to transport the containers supplied by the container supply device 20 to the serving position 62, and push containers with ingredients already placed on them onto the transport surface.

[0057] The recording control unit 154 stores control parameters acquired when the processing system 1 performs gripping operations, etc., and measurement data of the weight of the ingredients served by the processing system 1 in the history DB 172. This data is used by the administrator of the processing system 1, etc., as log data for analyzing the operation of the processing system 1.

[0058] [Control during operation of the articulated robot 30] Next, we will explain how the articulated robot control unit 152 controls the articulated robot 30 during its operation. Figures 7 to 11 are schematic diagrams showing the state of the processing system 1 during gripping and releasing operations. Figures 7 to 11 illustrate the processing system 1 as viewed from above, looking downwards. Furthermore, a large quantity of ingredients is contained within the storage space of the ingredient container 10. These large quantities of ingredients will be referred to as "groups of ingredients" in the following explanation and diagrams.

[0059] First, referring to Figure 7(a), the positional relationship between the placement of each sensor in the processing system 1 and the standby position of the articulated robot 30 will be explained. In the processing system 1, each sensor is placed in a position that makes it easy to detect the object to be detected.

[0060] Specifically, the contents containment detection sensor 41 is positioned vertically above the center of the ingredient containment container 10 on the horizontal plane, and the shooting direction (i.e., the measurement direction) is vertically downward. Similarly, the serving state detection sensor 42 is positioned vertically above the center of the serving position 62 on the horizontal plane, and the shooting direction (i.e., the measurement direction) is vertically downward.

[0061] Here, each sensor detects the state of the ingredients by optical means. Therefore, if there is an obstacle between each sensor and the ingredients, it will obstruct the optical path of each sensor, making proper detection impossible. In this respect, in processing system 1, the gripping mechanism 31 and robot arm 32 of the articulated robot 30, which move to perform gripping and releasing operations, can become such obstacles.

[0062] Therefore, the gripping mechanism 31 and the robot arm 32 define a "standby position" as the region where the optical path between the ingredient container 10 and the opening surface of the ingredient container 62 does not overlap vertically with the detection of the containment state detection sensor 41 and the serving state detection sensor 42 (in this case, the region between the ingredient container 10 and the serving position 62 in the horizontal plane). When gripping or releasing operations are not being performed, the gripping mechanism 31 and the robot arm 32 are moved to the standby position. This allows for highly accurate detection of the ingredients' condition without interfering with the optical detection methods of each sensor. Note that in Figures 7(b) to 11, the contents detection sensor 41 and the serving state detection sensor 42 are omitted from the illustration in order to clearly show the state of the container and ingredients.

[0063] Specifically, when the processing system 1 starts operating, as shown in Figure 7(a), the gripping mechanism 31 and the robot arm 32 first move to the standby position and wait. Next, as shown in Figure 7(b), the container supply device 20 supplies containers by discharging them one by one into the first transport path T1. The containers are then transported in the first transport direction toward the serving position 62 along the first transport path T1. At this time, the containers move vertically below the articulated robot 30 installed on the frame 63. Here, as mentioned above, the legs of the frame 63 are configured to straddle the first transport path T1. Therefore, the presence of the articulated robot 30 does not obstruct the transport of containers along the first transport path T1. In Figure 7(b), only one container is transported by the first transport path T1. However, as shown in Figure 1, multiple containers may be supplied sequentially onto the first transport path T1 in an adjacent arrangement, and these multiple containers may be transported sequentially to the serving position 62.

[0064] Then, as shown in Figure 8(c), the container reaches the serving position 62. In this case, a mechanism may be provided to prevent the container from moving by contacting the side of the container or the upper surface of the rim of the container at the serving position 62.

[0065] Next, as shown in Figure 8(d), the gripping mechanism 31 grips the ingredients from the ingredient container 10. Then, after being moved to the serving position 62 by the robot arm 32, the gripping mechanism 31 releases the ingredients from the container at the serving position 62. This results in the ingredients being served in the container.

[0066] Once the gripping and releasing operations are completed, the gripping mechanism 31 and the robot arm 32 return to their standby positions, as shown in Figure 9(e). Then, the articulated robot control unit 152 determines the next action to take based on the amount of ingredients placed in the container by the release, as detected by the second weighing scale 52 (hereinafter referred to as "serving amount"). In this case, three possible criteria for determining the next action to take are as follows:

[0067] <Criteria for determining action> (1) The serving size matches the target amount. (2) The serving size is less than the target amount. (3) The serving size is excessive compared to the target amount.

[0068] If the above (1) is true, as shown in Figure 9(f), the container with the ingredients is pushed from the first transport path T1 to the second transport path T2 of the belt conveyor 2. The container with the ingredients is then transported downstream by the second transport path T2. This completes the series of plating operations of the processing system 1, including the gripping and releasing operations.

[0069] On the other hand, if (2) above is the case, as shown in Figure 10(x), the gripping mechanism 31 grips the missing ingredients from the ingredient container 10. Then, after being moved to the serving position 62 by the robot arm 32, the gripping mechanism 31 releases the missing ingredients from the container at the serving position 62. As a result, the container is filled with the missing ingredients. Then, as shown in Figure 9(e), the gripping mechanism 31 and the robot arm 32 return to their standby positions. The articulated robot control unit 152 then performs its next action based on the amount of food dispensed detected by the second weighing scale 52. In this case, the next action is determined based on the criteria (1) to (3) above.

[0070] On the other hand, in the case of (3) above, as shown in Figure 11(y), the gripping mechanism 31 grips the excess ingredients from the container. The gripping mechanism 31 is then moved to the ingredient container 10 by the robot arm 32, releasing the excess ingredients from the ingredient container 10. As a result, the excess ingredients that were in the container are returned to the ingredient container 10. Then, as shown in Figure 9(e), the gripping mechanism 31 and the robot arm 32 return to their standby positions. The articulated robot control unit 152 then performs its next action based on the amount of food dispensed detected by the second weighing scale 52. In this case, the next action is determined based on the criteria (1) to (3) above.

[0071] The above describes the control flow of the articulated robot 30 by the articulated robot control unit 152. In this embodiment, when the articulated robot control unit 152 causes the articulated robot 30 to perform processes such as gripping and releasing operations as described above, it divides the area in the ingredient container 10 where the ingredients are contained into multiple areas. Then, the articulated robot control unit 152 selects the area in which the processing will be performed from the divided areas, according to the content of the processing to be performed by the articulated robot 30.

[0072] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing the division of multiple regions in this embodiment. Figure 11 illustrates a bird's-eye view of the ingredient container 10, the articulated robot 30, and the serving position 62, looking downwards from vertically above.

[0073] As shown in Figure 11, in this embodiment, the area in the ingredient container 10 where the ingredients are contained is divided into a large-quantity gripping area and an adjustment area. The adjustment area is further divided into a small-quantity gripping area and an excess-quantity recovery area. The articulated robot control unit 152 then selects the area in which the articulated robot 30 will perform gripping and release operations as follows.

[0074] The large-volume gripping area is used to grip a relatively larger quantity of ingredients than the small-volume gripping area. As shown in Figure 8(d), when initially placing ingredients into a container, the articulated robot control unit 152 executes a gripping operation for the target amount of ingredients in the large-volume gripping area. Then, the articulated robot control unit 152 releases the gripped ingredients into the container to complete the placement of the ingredients into the container. This corresponds to the processing in the first path in Figure 11.

[0075] The adjustment area is used to adjust the amount of ingredients placed in the container. As mentioned above, this adjustment area is divided into a small-quantity gripping area and an excess-quantity recovery area. The small-quantity gripping area is used to grip relatively smaller amounts of ingredients compared to the large-quantity gripping area. As shown in Figure 10(x), if the amount of ingredients placed in the container is insufficient, the articulated robot control unit 152 will execute a gripping operation for the insufficient amount of ingredients in the small-quantity gripping area. The articulated robot control unit 152 then adjusts the amount of ingredients by releasing the gripped insufficient amount of ingredients into the container. This corresponds to the processing in the second path in Figure 11.

[0076] The excess recovery area is used to release the ingredients. As shown in Figure 10(y), the articulated robot control unit 152 grasps the excess ingredients from the container when the amount of ingredients placed in the container is excessive. The articulated robot control unit 152 then adjusts the amount of ingredients by releasing the grasped excess ingredients into the excess recovery area. This corresponds to the processing in the third path in Figure 11.

[0077] The reasons for selecting an area based on the type of processing to be performed are explained below. First, in the large-volume gripping area, while it is possible to grip a large amount of ingredients at once, large irregularities (for example, unevenness in surface roughness or height) tend to form on the surface of the ingredients. Furthermore, in areas where irregularities have formed on the ingredients, it becomes difficult to grip small amounts of ingredients as needed. Therefore, as described above, the system is divided into a large-volume gripping area and a small-volume gripping area. Furthermore, the process of grasping only the necessary amount of ingredients (i.e., only the amount needed) should be performed in the small-quantity grasping area, not the large-quantity grasping area. When grasping such small quantities, the surface irregularities of the ingredients become minute. Therefore, the small-quantity grasping area can continue to perform the process of grasping small quantities of ingredients with high precision. In other words, by separating the area into a large-volume gripping area and a small-volume gripping area, it becomes possible to achieve both the gripping of large quantities of ingredients in the large-volume gripping area and the precise gripping of small quantities of ingredients in the small-volume gripping area.

[0078] Furthermore, in the excess material recovery area, since the excess material is released, depending on the characteristics of the material (e.g., viscosity or stickiness), the released material may bulge at the release point, potentially causing large irregularities on the surface of the material. In this case, it becomes difficult to grasp the appropriate amount from this point. Therefore, by separating the grasping area (large-volume grasping area and small-volume grasping area) from the excess material recovery area, it is possible to prevent the released material from causing difficulties in grasping. In particular, separating the small-volume grasping area, where it is necessary to grasp small amounts of material with high precision, from the excess material recovery area is beneficial.

[0079] Furthermore, when controlling the amount of food placed in the container to be as close to the target amount as possible, the ingredients are first grasped in the large-volume grasping area, and then the remaining ingredients are adjusted multiple times by grasping in the small-volume grasping area. In other words, the processing in the small-volume grasping area is performed more frequently than the processing in the large-volume grasping area. Taking this into consideration, the small-volume grasping area is located closer to the serving position 62 than the large-volume grasping area. This shortens the distance of the second path, making it possible to quickly perform the frequent adjustment of insufficient ingredients by going back and forth along this second path. In other words, the overall operating time required for serving can be reduced. Furthermore, by making the second path shorter, the possibility of ingredients falling or scattering during the frequently performed adjustment of insufficient ingredients can be reduced, or the area where this occurs can be narrowed. In other words, the overall amount of ingredients that fall or scatter during plating can be suppressed.

[0080] As explained above, according to the processing system 1, the area containing the ingredients in the ingredient container 10 is divided into multiple areas, and the area to be processed is selected from the divided areas according to the content of the processing to be performed. This results in many advantageous effects as described above. In other words, according to the processing system 1 of this embodiment, the problem that the present invention aims to solve, which is to "select the area to be processed more appropriately depending on the situation," can be solved.

[0081] Furthermore, the location from which processing is performed in each area described above (for example, from which location in the large-volume gripping area the ingredients are gripped) can be appropriately selected based on the state of the ingredients detected by the storage state detection sensor 41. Also, although the explanation has assumed that gripping is performed only once in the large-volume gripping area, if a large amount is to be placed in the container, multiple gripping operations may be performed in the large-volume gripping area before adjusting for any shortages or excesses of ingredients in other areas. In other words, the above-described methods of utilizing each area are merely suitable examples and are not necessarily limited to them.

[0082] [Overall Operation] Next, we will explain the overall operation of processing system 1. Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the flow of the ingredient plating process performed by processing system 1. The ingredient plating process is initiated, for example, when an operator initiates the ingredient plating process.

[0083] When the ingredient placement process begins, in step S11, the articulated robot control unit 152 reads operation data (for example, operation pattern data, position and shape data of the ingredient container 10, etc.) from the parameter storage unit 171 to perform a series of operations in the ingredient placement process. This prepares the robot for performing the gripping and releasing operations described above. In step S12, the articulated robot control unit 152 moves the robot arm 32 and the gripping mechanism 31 to the standby position.

[0084] In step S13, the container supply control unit 153 transports the container to the serving position 62 via the first transport path T1. In step S14, the articulated robot control unit 152 causes the gripping mechanism 31 to grip a target amount of ingredients in the large-capacity gripping area of ​​the ingredient container 10.

[0085] In step S15, the articulated robot control unit 152 performs the plating by releasing the target amount of ingredients being held by the gripping mechanism 31 from the container. In step S16, the articulated robot control unit 152 moves the robot arm 32 and the gripping mechanism 31 to the standby position.

[0086] In step S17, the articulated robot control unit 152 determines the relationship between the serving amount and the target amount. If the serving amount is less than the target amount, it is determined in step S17 that "the serving amount is insufficient," and the process proceeds to step S18. If the serving amount is more than the target amount, it is determined in step S17 that "the serving amount is excessive," and the process proceeds to step S20. Furthermore, if the serving amount and the target amount are the same, it is determined in step S17 that they "match," and the process proceeds to step S22. In this case, even if there is an error between the serving amount and the target amount, if the error falls within a predetermined tolerance range, it may be accepted and the process may be determined to "match."

[0087] In step S18, the articulated robot control unit 152 causes the gripping mechanism 31 to grip the missing ingredients from the small-quantity gripping area of ​​the ingredient container 10. In step S19, the articulated robot control unit 152 performs plating by releasing the missing ingredients held by the gripping mechanism 31 from the container. Then, the process returns to step S16, and the determination in step S17 is performed again.

[0088] In step S20, the articulated robot control unit 152 causes the gripping mechanism 31 to grip the excess ingredients from the container. In step S21, the articulated robot control unit 152 instructs the gripping mechanism 31 to release the excess ingredients it is gripping into the excess ingredient collection area of ​​the ingredient container 10. Then, the process returns to step S16, and the determination in step S17 is performed again.

[0089] In step S22, the container supply control unit 153 causes the first transport path T1 to push the container with the ingredients into the second transport path T2. Then, the container is transported downstream via the second transport path T2.

[0090] In step S23, the recording control unit 154 stores the control parameters acquired during the ingredient plating process and the measured weight data (history data) of the plated ingredients in the history DB 172.

[0091] In step S24, the articulated robot control unit 152 determines whether the conditions for terminating the ingredient placement process have been met. In this case, the conditions for terminating the ingredient placement process are that the ingredients have been placed in the planned number of containers, or that the operator has performed an operation to terminate the ingredient placement process. If the conditions for terminating the ingredient plating process are not met, the result is determined as No in step S24, and the process returns to step S12, a new container is supplied, and the process is repeated for this new container. On the other hand, if the conditions for terminating the ingredient plating process are met, the result is determined as Yes in step S24, and the ingredient plating process is terminated.

[0092] As described above, the ingredient plating process yields various advantageous effects as shown in Figure 11, etc.

[0093] [Differentiation] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are merely illustrative and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. The present invention can take various other forms without departing from the spirit of the invention, and various modifications such as omissions and substitutions can be made. For example, it is possible not only to apply any of the modifications described below to the embodiments of the present invention, but also to combine some or all of the modifications described below as appropriate and apply them to the embodiments of the present invention.

[0094] [Example 1] In the embodiment described above, it was assumed that the divisions into a large-volume gripping area, a small-volume gripping area, and an excess-collection area (i.e., the location and boundaries of each area) were fixed. However, the divisions of these areas may be changed flexibly. Figure 13 is a schematic diagram showing the division of each area in this modified example. Figure 13 illustrates the division of the ingredient container 10 as viewed from above, looking downwards.

[0095] Figure 13(a) shows the same state as shown in Figure 11, and the articulated robot control unit 152 initially divides each area in this manner, even in this modified example. However, as the gripping mechanism 31 performs gripping and releasing operations in each area, the state of the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10 (for example, the remaining amount of ingredients and the surface condition of the ingredients) changes. The articulated robot control unit 152 identifies such changes in the state of the ingredients based on the state of the ingredients detected by the containment state detection sensor 41. Here, as an example, we assume that the amount of ingredients remaining in the small amount gripping area becomes insufficient due to repeated gripping of the insufficient amount of ingredients, and that the ingredients can no longer be gripped.

[0096] In this case, as shown in Figure 13(b), the articulated robot control unit 152, for example, divides a portion of the large-capacity gripping area adjacent to the initial small-capacity gripping area into a new small-capacity gripping area. That is, it moves the position of the small-capacity gripping area. This makes it possible to grip the remaining ingredients in the new small-capacity gripping area. As another example, let's assume that the amount of ingredients remaining in the excess-capacity recovery area increases due to the release of excess ingredients being repeated many times, and that releasing any more ingredients would cause them to overflow from the ingredient container 10.

[0097] In this case, as shown in Figure 13(c), the articulated robot control unit 152, for example, divides the initial small-quantity gripping area where the amount of remaining ingredients is low into a new excess-quantity recovery area. That is, it moves the position of the excess-quantity recovery area. This makes it possible to release the excess ingredients in the new excess-quantity recovery area. As another example, it is also possible to make the initial excess-quantity recovery area, where the amount of remaining ingredients is increasing, into a new large-quantity gripping area.

[0098] As explained above, by flexibly changing the classification according to the state of the ingredients contained in the ingredient container 10, it becomes possible to select the area to be processed more appropriately. While the above explanation assumes swapping the positions of the areas, it is also possible to change the boundaries of each area so that a part of one area becomes a part of another.

[0099] Furthermore, when the ingredient container 10 is replaced, the state of the ingredients in the new ingredient container 10 (for example, the amount of ingredients remaining or the surface condition of the ingredients) is not necessarily the same each time. Therefore, the position and boundaries of each area may be set each time according to the initial state of the ingredients in the new ingredient container 10. In other words, the initial divisions do not necessarily have to be the same as those shown in Figures 11 and 13(a).

[0100] [Differentiation 2] The divisions in the above-described embodiment are preferred examples, but are not limited thereto. Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing the divisions of each area in this modified example. Figure 14 illustrates the divisions of the ingredient container 10 as viewed from above, looking downwards.

[0101] In the example shown in Figure 14(A), a combined area for large-volume gripping and excess-volume recovery is provided instead of an excess-volume recovery area. In the above embodiment, when the excess ingredients are released, the ingredients may bulge at the release point, potentially causing large irregularities on the surface of the ingredients. Therefore, the large-volume gripping area and the excess-volume recovery area were separated. However, depending on the properties of the ingredients (for example, if they are highly fluid), such large irregularities are unlikely to occur. Therefore, as in this example, the large-volume gripping area and the excess-recovery area are combined, and if there is a large amount of ingredients remaining in this combined area, the ingredients in this combined area are targeted for large-volume gripping. This makes it possible to reuse the ingredients that are released as excess.

[0102] In the example shown in Figure 14(B), it is assumed that two different ingredients are contained in one ingredient container 10. For example, the first ingredient is the main ingredient and the second ingredient is a topping, and the second ingredient is assumed to have characteristics that make it more easily crumbled or prone to scattering or falling compared to the first ingredient. In this case, the container is divided as shown in the diagram, with the first ingredient placed in the first ingredient area and the second ingredient placed in the second ingredient area. Then, the first ingredient in the first ingredient area is grasped and placed in the container, and then the second ingredient in the second ingredient area is grasped and placed on top of the first ingredient in the container. In this case, since the second ingredient area is near the container, the distance to the container is shortened. Therefore, it is possible to suppress problems such as crumbling, scattering, and dropping caused by the characteristics of the second ingredient.

[0103] In the example shown in Figure 14(C), multiple ingredient containers 10 are used. For example, if the container is divided into three areas as in the embodiment described above, three ingredient containers 10a to c are used, corresponding to each area. That is, in the embodiment described above, one ingredient container 10 was logically divided into three areas, but in this example, three ingredient containers 10 are used to physically divide the container into three areas. In this way, by using each area differently as in the embodiment described above, the same effects as in the embodiment described above can be achieved.

[0104] [Difference 3] In the above-described embodiment, it was assumed that the shape of the side walls and bottom surface of the ingredient container 10 is uniform throughout (i.e., all parts have the same shape). However, it is not limited to this, and for example, the shape may be made different in different areas.

[0105] For example, in the small-quantity gripping area, only a small amount of ingredients are gripped, and there is no need to insert deeply into the group of ingredients. Therefore, the bottom surface of the small-quantity gripping area is made higher than that of other areas. This shortens the distance between the opening surface and the bottom surface of the ingredient container 10, so that even if ingredients are gripped repeatedly, the occurrence of extreme unevenness can be suppressed. Furthermore, in the small-quantity gripping area, it is desirable to grip small amounts of ingredients with high precision. Therefore, the bottom surface of the small-quantity gripping area is shaped like a sieve, allowing any liquid from the ingredients to drain out. This ensures that the moisture content of the ingredients in the small-quantity gripping area remains constant, allowing for precise gripping of small amounts of ingredients.

[0106] In addition, depending on the hygiene management standards of the food factory or other facility where the processing system 1 is installed, it may be desirable to avoid reusing ingredients that have been placed in a container. In such cases, the bottom of the excess collection area can be made lower than the bottom of other areas. Alternatively, an opening for discharging ingredients can be provided at the bottom of the excess collection area. This prevents the reuse of excess ingredients released into the excess collection area.

[0107] In addition, for example, in areas for gripping large quantities of material, the bottom surface can be sloped to create areas that are relatively deeper and areas that are shallower. Furthermore, the material is primarily gripped in the deeper areas. Furthermore, when the amount of ingredients remaining in the deeper section becomes low, the ingredients that were in the shallower section move to the deeper section due to the slope, thus maintaining a constant amount of ingredients in the deeper section. This makes it possible to repeatedly grip the food at a consistent insertion depth.

[0108] Additionally, for example, by lowering the wall surface of the portion adjacent to the container in the small-quantity gripping area, it becomes possible to facilitate the movement of the gripping mechanism 31 via the first to third paths shown in Figure 11. Alternatively, for example, the side walls may be omitted in part or all of the area of ​​the ingredient container 10, and the ingredient container 10 may be defined as a predetermined plane on which the ingredients are placed, with this plane being divided into various areas.

[0109] [Differentiation Example 4] The gripping mechanism 31 of the above-described embodiment shown in Figures 2 to 4 may be modified. Figure 15 shows the configuration of the gripping mechanism 31a in this modified example. Figure 15(A) shows a front view of the gripping mechanism 31a, and Figure 15(B) shows a left side view of the gripping mechanism 31a.

[0110] In the gripping mechanism 31 of the above-described embodiment, the plate-like member is composed of multiple surfaces and is provided with slits (i.e., narrow gaps) of a size that prevents the gripped material from falling out. By providing such slits, it is possible to suppress the adhesion of adhesive or other easily adhering materials to the gripping member 360 (for example, the material sticking to it). However, in the case of ingredients that are finely packed, such as hijiki seaweed, or ingredients that deform, such as potato salad or okara (soy pulp), there is a risk that these ingredients may protrude from the slits and spill out. Therefore, the gripping mechanism 31a is designed to have the same overall shape as the gripping mechanism 31, but without the slits. This prevents ingredients with the characteristics described above from spilling, keeping the surrounding area clean and allowing for precise control over the amount of ingredients served.

[0111] Furthermore, the shape of the gripping member 314 of the gripping mechanism 31 may also be of a different shape. For example, a gripping member 314 can be made up of multiple members such as wire-like linear members, plate-like members, or rod-like members, and grips the food by sandwiching it between these multiple members. In this case, the multiple members may each have the same shape or they may have different shapes.

[0112] [Difference 5] In the embodiment described above, the gripping and releasing operations were performed by comparing the target amount with the weight of the ingredients. However, the system is not limited to this, and the determination may also be made by comparing the target amount with the amount of ingredients from other perspectives. For example, the determination may be made by comparing the target amount with the volume of the ingredients. Alternatively, the determination may be made by comparing the target amount with the number of ingredients. The volume of the serving and the number of ingredients can be determined, for example, by performing image analysis on the detection results of the storage state detection sensor 41 and the serving state detection sensor 42.

[0113] [Modification 6] In the embodiment described above, the gripping member 314 identified the weight of the ingredients it gripped or the ingredients it served based on the weight changes detected by the first weighing scale 51 and the second weighing scale 52, and performed control based on this. However, it is not limited to this, and load cells or force sensors may be placed on the gripping member 314. Then, the gripping member 314 may identify the weight of the ingredients it gripped or the ingredients it serves based on the weight changes detected by the load cells or force sensors, and perform control based on this. This makes it possible to omit the first weighing scale 51 and the second weighing scale 52. In addition, this increases the degree of freedom in the placement of the ingredient container 10 and the container itself.

[0114] [Example Configuration] As described above, the processing system 1 in this embodiment comprises a multi-joint robot 30 and a control device 70. The articulated robot 30 processes the ingredients located at the position of the ingredient container 10. The control device 70 controls the articulated robot 30. The control device 70 divides the location of the ingredient container 10 into multiple regions and controls the selection of the region in which processing is performed from among the multiple regions, according to the content of the processing to be performed by the articulated robot 30.

[0115] The control device 70 causes the articulated robot 30 to perform holding and releasing processes. The control device 70 divides the position of the ingredient container 10 into multiple regions such that there is a first region for holding and processing a relatively large amount of ingredients compared to the second region, and a second region for holding or releasing a relatively small amount of ingredients compared to the first region.

[0116] The control device 70 divides the position of the ingredient container 10 into multiple regions such that the second region is closer to the articulated robot 30 than the first region.

[0117] The control device 70 changes the boundaries dividing multiple regions in response to changes in the state of the ingredients at the location of the ingredient container 10 as the articulated robot 30 repeats the processing.

[0118] The control device 70 determines which processing content corresponds to which area, based on the state of the ingredients at the location of the ingredient container 10 before the articulated robot 30 starts processing.

[0119] The location of the ingredient container 10 is an ingredient container, and the shape of the container differs depending on the region. The control device 70 divides the position of the ingredient container 10 into multiple regions based on the shape of each region.

[0120] The embodiments and modifications described above are merely examples of embodiments of the present invention, and various embodiments that realize the functions of the present invention are included within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the embodiments and modifications described above, the present invention was explained using the application of the present invention to a processing system for plating prepared foods as an example, but the present invention can be applied to systems for gripping various objects. For example, the present invention can be applied to systems for gripping materials with high viscosity or adhesiveness, such as mixed mortar, concrete, plaster, and clay. The present invention is suitable for gripping objects having a viscosity of medium viscosity or higher (5000 mPa·s) or higher at working temperature or room temperature. Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented by appropriately combining the examples described in the above embodiments. The series of processes described above can be executed by hardware or by software. In other words, the functional configuration in Figure 6 is merely illustrative and not particularly limiting. That is, it is sufficient for the processing system 1 to be equipped with the functionality to execute the series of processes described above as a whole, and the type of functional block used to realize this functionality is not particularly limited to the example in Figure 6. Furthermore, a single functional block may consist of hardware alone, software alone, or a combination of both.

[0121] When a series of processes are executed by software, the programs that make up that software are installed on a computer or other device from a network or storage medium. A computer may be a computer built into dedicated hardware. Alternatively, a computer may be a computer capable of performing various functions by installing various programs, such as a general-purpose personal computer.

[0122] The storage medium for storing programs consists of removable media distributed separately from the main unit, or storage media pre-installed in the main unit. Removable media consists of, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, or flash memory. Optical disks consist of, for example, CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory), DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), Blu-ray Disc (registered trademark), etc. Magneto-optical disks consist of, for example, MD (Mini-Disk). Flash memory consists of, for example, USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory or SD cards. Furthermore, storage media pre-installed in the main unit consists of, for example, ROM, SSD, HDD, etc., on which programs are stored.

[0123] In this specification, the step of describing a program to be recorded on a recording medium includes not only processes that are performed chronologically in that order, but also processes that are not necessarily performed chronologically, but are executed in parallel or individually. Furthermore, in this specification, the term "system" refers to an overall system composed of multiple devices, means, etc.

[0124] The above embodiments illustrate one example of applying the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. That is, the present invention can be modified in various ways, such as by omitting or substituting, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and various embodiments other than those described above are possible. Various embodiments that the present invention can take and their variations are included in the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0125] 1 Processing system, 2 Belt conveyor, 10 Ingredient container, 20 Container supply device, 30 Articulated robot, 31 Gripping mechanism, 311 Connecting member, 312 Air cylinder, 313 Linking member, 314 Gripping member, 32 Robot arm, 33 Robot base end, 41 Ingredient storage state detection sensor, 42 Serving state detection sensor, 51 First weighing scale, 52 Second weighing scale, 60 Base unit, 61 Caster, 62 Serving position, 63 Stand, 70 Control device, 151 Information acquisition unit, 152 Articulated robot control unit, 153 Container supply control unit, 154 Recording control unit, 171 Parameter storage unit, 172 History database (History DB), 711 CPU, 712 ROM, 713 RAM, 714 Bus, 715 Input unit, 716 Output unit, 717 Storage unit, 718 Communication unit, 719 Drive, 731 Removable media, T1 First transport path, T2 Second transport path

Claims

1. A robot that performs processing on an object present in a containment container, Control means for controlling the robot, Equipped with, The control means is The containment container is logically divided into multiple regions corresponding to each of the multiple processes performed by the robot, and control is performed to select the region in which the robot will perform a process from among the multiple processes, depending on which of the multiple processes the robot will perform. A processing system characterized by the following:

2. The control means is The robot is made to perform the holding process and the release process. The container is divided into multiple regions such that there is a first region for holding and processing a relatively larger amount of the object than the second region, and a second region for holding or releasing a relatively smaller amount of the object than the first region in order to adjust the difference between the amount of the object held in the first region and the target amount of the object to be grasped and served. The processing system according to feature 1.

3. The control means is The robot is made to release the object held in the first region at the serving position, thereby performing the serving process, The aforementioned second region, If the amount of the ingredients served is less than the target amount, a small-quantity gripping area is provided for holding the missing portion of the ingredients. If the amount of the ingredients served exceeds the target amount, an excess recovery area is provided for releasing the excess amount of the target material. Further subdivide so that there exists The processing system according to claim 2, characterized in that it is as described above.

4. The control means is The contents of the container are divided into multiple regions such that the small amount gripping region is closer to the robot than the first region and the excess recovery region. The processing system according to claim 3.

5. The control means is As the robot repeats the processing, it changes the boundaries dividing the multiple regions in accordance with the changes in the state of the object within the one containment container. The processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. Within the aforementioned single containment container, the shape of the containment container differs depending on the region. The control means divides the inside of the single containment container into multiple regions based on the shape of each region. The processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

7. A robot that performs processing on an object present in a containment container. A computer that controls a system equipped with the following: A control function that logically divides the contents of one containment container into multiple regions corresponding to each of the multiple processes performed by the robot, and controls the selection of the region in which the robot will perform a process from among the multiple processes, depending on which of the multiple processes the robot will perform. A program characterized by achieving this.

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