Picking device

Abstract

To provide a picking system, a picking device, and a picking method capable of appropriately picking up a work by suppressing interference with an outer frame of a container and an inner member other than the work.SOLUTION: A picking system 10 according to the present disclosure includes: a storage unit 103 in which first point group data indicating a shape of a container 110 is stored; a recognition unit 104 for recognizing an opening end outer frame of the container as second point group data from an image obtained by imaging the container; and a specification unit 105 for specifying an attitude of the container by comparing the first point group data with the second point group data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a picking system, a picking device, and a picking method, and particularly to a picking system, a picking device, and a picking method for taking out a workpiece accommodated in a container using an arm.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an article taking-out device that recognizes the position of an article in a container and takes out the recognized article with an arm.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The article taking-out device disclosed in Patent Document 1 photographs a container with a camera, detects the opening end face of the container, particularly the inner wall of the container, recognizes the position of an article in the container with a three-dimensional measuring machine, and takes out the article with an arm.

[0005] However, if the posture of the container, particularly the inclination angle, is not correctly detected, the arm may interfere with an object other than the workpiece, such as a buffer material, and the number of parts that can be gripped may decrease. On the other hand, if gripping is performed ignoring objects other than the workpiece, there is a risk of collision with other objects and a decrease in the gripping success rate.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a picking system, a picking device, and a picking method that can suppress interference between the outer frame of a container and an inner member other than the workpiece and appropriately pick up the workpiece. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The picking system according to this disclosure includes a storage unit that stores first point cloud data indicating the shape of a container, a recognition unit that recognizes the outer frame of the open end of the container as second point cloud data from an image obtained by imaging the container, and a specification unit that identifies the orientation of the container by comparing the first point cloud data and the second point cloud data. In this way, it is possible to provide a picking system that can suppress interference between the outer frame of the container and internal materials other than the workpiece, and pick up the workpiece appropriately.

[0008] Furthermore, picking may be performed starting from the workpiece closest to the outer frame of the open end of the container. By doing so, it is possible to provide a picking system that reduces computational costs and improves productivity.

[0009] The picking device according to this disclosure comprises a control unit equipped with the picking system and an arm that retrieves a workpiece stored in the container based on information obtained by the identification unit. In this manner, it is possible to provide a picking device that can suppress interference with the outer frame of the container and internal materials other than the workpiece, and that can appropriately pick up the workpiece.

[0010] The picking method described herein involves performing the picking system described above to pick workpieces from the container. This method reduces computational costs and improves productivity. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] This disclosure provides a picking system, picking device, and picking method that can suppress interference between the outer frame of a container and internal materials other than the workpiece, and that can appropriately pick up workpieces. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the picking system related to this disclosure. [Figure 2] This diagram illustrates the process of extracting the top surface area of ​​the container relating to this disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart of the picking system related to this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] <Embodiment 1> The present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the picking system according to the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1(a), the picking system 10 is mounted on and executed in a control unit 101 of a picking device 100 that controls the arm 102. The control unit 101 includes a storage unit 103, a recognition unit 104, and a specification unit 105.

[0014] The storage unit 103 pre-stores first point cloud data indicating the shape of the container 110 placed on the transport table 120. The recognition unit 104 recognizes the outer frame of the open end of the container 110 as second point cloud data from the image of the container 110 obtained by the imaging unit 106, which will be described later. The identification unit 105 compares the first point cloud data stored in the storage unit 103 with the second point cloud data obtained by the recognition unit 104 to determine the orientation of the container 110.

[0015] The imaging unit 106 captures an image of the container 110 and transmits the obtained image information to the control unit 101 or the recognition unit 104. The imaging unit 106 preferably includes a camera, a three-dimensional measuring machine, etc. In Figure 1(b), the imaging unit 106 is shown as being located within the control unit 101, but this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the imaging unit 106 may be located on the top of the transport table 120 or the like to capture an image of the container 110. In this case, it is preferable that the imaging unit 106 has a communication function to transmit the image information of the container 110 to the control unit 101.

[0016] Figure 1(c) shows the state when a deviation θ occurs between the normal vector A of the container 110 and the vector B in the direction in which the arm 102 is inserted. The arm 102 preferably has a two-finger hand mounted thereon.

[0017] The first point cloud data and the second point cloud data represent a set of points having position information (X, Y, Z) and color information (R, G, B). The acquisition of the second point cloud data of the outer frame of the open end of the container 110 will be described using FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0018] First, the imaging unit 106 acquires the image data and the three-dimensional point cloud data of the container 110 shown in FIG. 2(a) (S11).

[0019] Next, the recognition unit 104 performs semantic segmentation (region classification) on the image data of the container 110 (S12), and extracts the three-dimensional point cloud data of the outer frame 111 of the open end of the container 110 shown in FIG. 2(b) (S13).

[0020] Thereafter, the specifying unit 105 compares the second point cloud data, which is the extracted three-dimensional point cloud data, with the first point cloud data, which is the registered three-dimensional point cloud data of the container 110 stored in the storage unit 103 (S14), and calculates the relative position between the container 110 and the arm 102 (S15).

[0021] After the calculation, based on the information of the obtained three-dimensional point cloud, the gripping point of the arm 102 is searched for (S16). For the determination of the gripping point, machine learning introducing Graspability (ease of gripping) as a parameter may be used. Thereby, it becomes possible to make the deviation θ between the normal vector A of the container 110 and the vector B in the direction in which the arm 102 is inserted, as shown in FIG. 1(c), approach zero.

[0022] By doing so, it becomes possible to appropriately take out the workpiece even in the container 110 that houses the workpiece and internal members other than the workpiece such as buffer materials. Also, in the gripping point search of S16, since the calculation area can be narrowed down by excluding the outer frame 111 of the opening end of the container 110, the calculation cost can be reduced.

[0023] Also, in taking out the workpiece, it is preferable to take it out from the workpiece stored in the area close to the outer frame 111 of the opening end. By doing so, each time the workpiece is successfully taken out, the calculation area can be narrowed down, so the calculation cost is reduced and the productivity can be improved.

[0024] In this way, it is possible to provide a picking system, a picking device, and a picking method that suppress interference between the outer frame of the container and internal members other than the workpiece and can appropriately pick up the workpiece.

[0025] Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the above, and can be appropriately changed without departing from the gist.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0026] 10 Picking system 100 Picking device 101 Control unit 102 Arm 103 Storage unit 104 Recognition unit 105 Identification unit 106 Imaging unit 110 Container 111 Outer frame of opening end 120 Carrier

Claims

[Claim 1] An imaging unit for imaging a container and a workpiece inside the container, An arm for sequentially removing the workpiece from the container, A picking device comprising: a control unit that controls the arm based on images of the container and the workpiece captured by the imaging unit, The control unit, A storage unit storing first point cloud data showing the shape of the container, A recognition unit recognizes the outer frame of the open end of the container as second point cloud data from the aforementioned image, The system includes a specification unit that identifies the orientation of the container by comparing the first point cloud data with the second point cloud data, Based on the information obtained by the specified unit and the information obtained from the image, the gripping point of the workpiece contained in the container is searched, and the arm is controlled to pick up the workpiece at the gripping point. The control unit, The arm is controlled to remove the workpiece stored in the area near the outer frame of the opening end. The calculation area is narrowed by excluding the region near the outer frame of the opening end, which includes the removed workpiece, and the gripping point is searched. Picking device.

Images