Gripping device, control method, and program

Abstract

The present invention makes it possible to appropriately convey an article. This gripping device comprises: an upper surface gripping part having a first attachment surface that can be attached to the upper surface of an article; a protruding part that protrudes from the side of the article towards the article and can support the article; and a control unit that controls the operation of the upper surface gripping part and the protruding part. The control unit sets the protrusion amount of the protruding part on the basis of the transportation data of the article, and causes the protruding part to protrude on the basis of the protrusion amount.

Description

Grip device, control method and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a gripping device, a control method, and a program.

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Gripping devices such as palletizing devices that stack items on trays such as pallets are known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a hand device that has a suction mechanism that is driven up and down by a workpiece pressing mechanism to suction the top surface of the workpiece, and fork claws that are inserted under the workpiece to hold it.

[0003] Patent No. 2838957

[0004] However, there is room for improvement in terms of properly transporting items such as workpieces.

[0005] The present disclosure is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a gripping device, a control method, and a program that can properly transport an item.

[0006] The gripping device of the present disclosure comprises an upper gripping portion having a first suction surface capable of adsorbing to the upper surface of an object, a protrusion portion that protrudes from the side of the object toward the object and is capable of supporting the object, and a control portion that controls the operation of the upper gripping portion and the protrusion portion, wherein the control portion sets the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion based on the transport target data of the object, and causes the protrusion portion to protrude based on the protrusion amount.

[0007] The gripping device according to the present disclosure has an upper gripping portion having a first suction surface capable of being adsorbed to the upper surface of an article, a side gripping portion having a second suction surface capable of being adsorbed to the side surface of the article, a protrusion protruding from the side of the article toward the article and capable of supporting the article, and a flip-up mechanism capable of switching between a first state in which the side gripping portion is positioned below the lower end of the upper gripping portion and a second state in which the side gripping portion is positioned above the lower end of the upper gripping portion.

[0008] The control method disclosed herein is a control method for controlling the operation of a gripping device having an upper gripping portion with a first suction surface capable of adsorbing to the upper surface of an item, and a protrusion portion that protrudes from the side of the item toward the item and is capable of supporting the item, and includes a step of setting the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion based on transport target data of the item, and a step of protruding the protrusion portion based on the protrusion amount.

[0009] The program of the present disclosure is a program that causes a computer to execute a control method for controlling the operation of a gripping device that has an upper gripping portion having a first suction surface that can be adsorbed to the upper surface of an item, and a protrusion that protrudes from the side of the item toward the item and can support the item, and causes the computer to execute a step of setting the protrusion amount of the protrusion based on transport target data for the item, and a step of protruding the protrusion based on the protrusion amount.

[0010] According to the present disclosure, items can be transported appropriately.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a gripping device according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a 90° flip-up mode of the gripping device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a 180° flip-up mode of the gripping device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of the gripping device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of setting the protrusion amount. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of control of the gripping device. FIG. 7 is a flowchart explaining the processing flow of the control device.

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments, and when there are multiple embodiments, the present disclosure also includes configurations in which the respective embodiments are combined.

[0013] (Configuration of Grip Device) Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a grip device according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a 90° flip-up mode of the grip device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a 180° flip-up mode of the grip device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram of the grip device shown in Fig. 1. The grip device 1 shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is attached to a palletizing device as a grip device, and is a device that stacks articles on a pallet, unloads articles from a pallet, or transfers articles from one pallet to another in a facility that is subject to logistics management, such as a warehouse.

[0014] Here, the Japan Pallet Association defines a pallet as "a surface on which a single unit of cargo can be placed, with a structure that allows for all loading, transport, and storage by hand or by dedicated vehicles such as forklifts. This includes those with superstructures." In this embodiment, a pallet refers to a container or platform on which goods R are stacked. In other words, the pallet referred to here is not limited to a so-called flat platform, but also includes a cart or the like, and may be of any shape. Goods R are stacked on a pallet, such as goods to be shipped. Note that the term "goods R" also refers to cardboard boxes and the like in which goods are packaged. At least the top surface Ra of the goods R is flat, and in this embodiment, a rectangular or cubic cardboard box is assumed.

[0015] 1 to 3, the gripping device 1 includes a base 10, an upper gripping unit 20, a side gripping unit 30, a first arm 40, a second arm 50, a flip-up mechanism 60, a third arm 70, and a support unit 80. Also, as shown in Fig. 4, the gripping device 1 further includes a control device 90 that controls the operation of each unit of the gripping device 1, an imaging device 100, and an input / output device 102. Note that in this embodiment, the gripping device 1 including the control device 90, the imaging device 100, and the input / output device 102 includes an embodiment in which the functions of each device are configured as part of a palletizing device to which the gripping device 1 is attached or a conveyance system in which the palletizing device is deployed.

[0016] In this embodiment, the articles R are stacked on a pallet. The upper vertical surface of the article R is the top surface Ra, the horizontal lateral surface perpendicular to the vertical direction is the side surface Rb, and the lower vertical surface is the bottom surface Rc. The direction perpendicular to the second opposing surface 30a that faces the side surface Rb of the article R when the side gripping unit 30 supports the side surface Rb of the article R is defined as the X-axis direction, the direction parallel to the rotation axis A of the flip-up mechanism 60 is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis directions and perpendicular to the first opposing surface 20a that faces the top surface Ra of the article R when the top surface gripping unit 20 supports the top surface Ra of the article R is defined as the Z-axis direction. At least during operation of the gripping device 1, the X-axis and Y-axis directions correspond to the horizontal direction, and the Z-axis direction corresponds to the vertical direction.

[0017] 1 to 3 is connected to the tip of the arm of the palletizing device, to which the gripping device 1 is attached, via a pivoting shaft 12, a turning mechanism 14, and an elevating mechanism 16. The pivoting shaft 12 is fixed to the upper surface side of the base 10 so that its axis is parallel to the Z-axis direction. The base 10 and the pivoting shaft 12 are supported rotatably in a rotational direction φ, which is about the axis of the pivoting shaft 12, relative to the arm of the palletizing device.

[0018] The turning mechanism 14 shown in Figure 4 turns the base 10 and the turning shaft 12 in a rotation direction φ. For example, if the palletizing device is an articulated robot, the turning of the turning shaft 12 by the turning mechanism 14 corresponds to the operation of the sixth axis of the articulated robot. The turning mechanism 14 is realized by a well-known mechanism such as a rotary actuator including a motor, a rack-and-pinion mechanism including an air cylinder, or a wire or link mechanism. The operation of the turning mechanism 14 is controlled by a control unit 96 of the control device 90.

[0019] The lifting mechanism 16 linearly moves the base 10 and the swivel shaft 12 in a vertical direction V parallel to the Z-axis direction. For example, if the palletizing device is a multi-joint robot, the linear movement of the swivel shaft 12 by the lifting mechanism 16 is achieved by the cooperative operation of multiple axes of the multi-joint robot. If the palletizing device is a Cartesian coordinate robot, the linear movement of the swivel shaft 12 by the lifting mechanism 16 corresponds to the operation of a linear joint in the vertical direction of the Cartesian coordinate robot. In this case, the lifting mechanism 16 is achieved by a well-known mechanism such as a linear actuator including a motor, an air cylinder, etc., or a rack-and-pinion mechanism. The operation of the lifting mechanism 16 is controlled by a control unit 96 of the control device 90.

[0020] (Upper surface gripping portion) The upper surface gripping portion 20 is provided on the lower part of the base 10. The upper surface gripping portion 20 has a first opposing surface 20a on its lower surface that faces the upper surface Ra of the article R. The upper surface gripping portion 20 is fixed to the base 10 so that the first opposing surface 20a is perpendicular to the Z-axis direction. The upper surface gripping portion 20 rises and falls and rotates in accordance with the rising and lowering movements and rotation movements of the base 10 and the rotating shaft portion 12. The upper surface gripping portion 20 has a first suction portion 22 on the first opposing surface 20a that is capable of suctioning the article R.

[0021] In the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the first suction unit 22 is depicted as a single block. However, it may be, for example, a plurality of suction pads protruding downward from the first opposing surface 20 a of the upper gripping unit 20. The first suction unit 22 has a first suction surface 22 a at its lower end. When the first suction surface 22 a abuts against the upper surface Ra of the article R, the first suction unit 22 adheres to the upper surface Ra of the article R with the first suction surface 22 a by activating the first suction mechanism 24 shown in FIG. 4 . The first suction mechanism 24 includes, for example, a vacuum generator connected to the first suction surface 22 a via an air pipe (not shown) and configured to suck air from the first suction surface 22 a. For example, when the first suction unit 22 is composed of a plurality of suction pads, each suction pad is connected to the first suction mechanism 24, which is a vacuum generator, via an air pipe. The operation of the first suction mechanism 24 is controlled by the control unit 96 of the control device 90.

[0022] (Side Gripping Section) The side gripping section 30 is provided on a side of the base section 10 in the X-axis direction via a first arm section 40, a second arm section 50, and a flip-up mechanism 60. The side gripping section 30 has a second opposing surface 30a that faces the side surface Rb of the article R. The side gripping section 30 is movable in the longitudinal direction of the first arm section 40 relative to the base section 10 by a first extension / contraction mechanism 44 (described later). The side gripping section 30 is also movable in the longitudinal direction of the second arm section 50 relative to the base section 10 by a second extension / contraction mechanism 54 (described later). The side gripping section 30 is also rotatable in a rotation direction θ around a rotation axis A of the flip-up mechanism 60 relative to the base section 10 by the flip-up mechanism 60. The rotation axis A is a horizontal axis that is parallel to both the first suction surface 22a of the top gripping section 20 and the second suction surface 32a of the side gripping section 30.

[0023] The side gripping unit 30 is movable relative to the top gripping unit 20 within the X-Z plane by the first telescopic mechanism 44, the second telescopic mechanism 54, and the flip-up mechanism 60. In other words, the first telescopic mechanism 44 and the second telescopic mechanism 54 are movement mechanisms that move the side gripping unit 30 relative to the top gripping unit 20. The side gripping unit 30 of this embodiment does not move relative to the top gripping unit 20 in the Y-axis direction, but may be configured to be movable relative to the top gripping unit 20 in the Y-axis direction. The side gripping unit 30 has a second suction unit 32 on the second opposing surface 30a that is capable of suctioning the article R.

[0024] In the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the second suction portion 32 is depicted as a single block. However, it may be, for example, a plurality of suction pads protruding from the second opposing surface 30a of the side gripping portion 30. The second suction portion 32 has a second suction surface 32a at the end opposite the second opposing surface 30a. When the second suction surface 32a is in contact with the side surface Rb of the article R, the second suction portion 32 adheres to the side surface Rb of the article R with the second suction surface 32a by activating the second suction mechanism 34 shown in FIG. 4 . The second suction mechanism 34 includes, for example, a vacuum generator connected to the second suction surface 32a via an air pipe (not shown) and configured to suck air from the second suction surface 32a. For example, if the second suction portion 32 is configured with a plurality of suction pads, each suction pad is connected to the second suction mechanism 34, which is a vacuum generator, via an air pipe. The operation of the second suction mechanism 34 is controlled by the control unit 96 of the control device 90.

[0025] In the configuration shown in FIG. 1 , where the longitudinal direction of the first arm 40 is parallel to the X-axis direction and the longitudinal direction of the second arm 50 is parallel to the Z-axis direction, the second opposing surface 30a of the side gripping unit 30 faces the side surface Rb of the article R. In this configuration, the second suction surface 32a of the second suction unit 32 faces the side surface Rb of the article R. Also, in this configuration, the entire second suction surface 32a is located below the first suction surface 22a. In the configuration shown in FIG. 2 , where the longitudinal direction of the first arm 40 is parallel to the Z-axis direction and the longitudinal direction of the second arm 50 is parallel to the X-axis direction, the second opposing surface 30a faces vertically downward. In this configuration, the second suction surface 32a of the second suction unit 32 faces vertically downward. Also, in this configuration, the second suction surface 32a is located above the first suction surface 22a by a distance B.

[0026] (First Arm) The first arm 40 is provided on a side of the base 10 in the X-axis direction via the second arm 50 and the flip-up mechanism 60. The first arm 40 has a first support portion 42 and a first extension / contraction mechanism 44. The first support portion 42 is located at one end of the first arm 40 in the longitudinal direction. The first support portion 42 is connected to the second arm 50. The first support portion 42 supports the first extension / contraction mechanism 44 and is connected to the side grip portion 30 via the first extension / contraction mechanism 44. In this embodiment, the first support portion 42 has a frame shape that houses and supports the first fixed portion 44a of the first extension / contraction mechanism 44. The first extension / contraction mechanism 44 extends along the longitudinal direction of the first arm 40 and is extendable and contractible in a first extension / contraction direction F1, which is the longitudinal direction of the first arm 40. In the state shown in Figure 1, where the longitudinal direction of the first arm 40 is parallel to the X-axis direction and the longitudinal direction of the second arm 50 is parallel to the Z-axis direction, the first extension / retraction mechanism 44 is pre-extended / retracted to match the width dimension w of the article R so that the second suction surface 32a abuts against the side surface Rb of the article R.

[0027] In this embodiment, the first telescopic mechanism 44 includes a first fixed portion 44a and a first movable portion 44b. The first fixed portion 44a is fixed to the first support portion 42. The first fixed portion 44a supports the first movable portion 44b so that the first movable portion 44b can move linearly in the first telescopic direction F1 within a predetermined range. The first movable portion 44b is movable in the first telescopic direction F1 relative to the first fixed portion 44a. One longitudinal end of the first movable portion 44b is supported by the first fixed portion 44a. The other longitudinal end of the first movable portion 44b is fixed to the side gripping portion 30. The first telescopic mechanism 44 may be realized by a well-known mechanism such as a cylinder, an electric actuator, a wire, or a link mechanism having a cylindrical first fixed portion 44a and a rod-shaped first movable portion 44b.

[0028] (Second Arm) The second arm 50 is provided on a side of the base 10 in the X-axis direction via a flip-up mechanism 60. The second arm 50 has a second support portion 52 and a second extension / contraction mechanism 54. The second support portion 52 is located at one end of the second arm 50 in the longitudinal direction. The second support portion 52 is connected to the flip-up mechanism 60. The second support portion 52 supports the second extension / contraction mechanism 54 and is connected to the first support portion 42 of the first arm 40 via the second extension / contraction mechanism 54. In this embodiment, the second support portion 52 has a frame shape that houses and supports the second fixed portion 54a of the second extension / contraction mechanism 54. The second extension / contraction mechanism 54 extends along the longitudinal direction of the second arm 50 and is extendable and contractible in a second extension / contraction direction F2, which is the longitudinal direction of the second arm 50. In the state shown in Figure 1 where the longitudinal direction of the first arm 40 is parallel to the X-axis direction and the longitudinal direction of the second arm 50 is parallel to the Z-axis direction, the second extension / retraction mechanism 54 is pre-extended / retracted to match the height dimension h of the article R so that the second suction surface 32a abuts at a suitable height position on the side surface Rb of the article R.

[0029] In this embodiment, the second telescopic mechanism 54 includes a second fixed portion 54a and a second movable portion 54b. The second fixed portion 54a is fixed to the second support portion 52. The second fixed portion 54a supports the second movable portion 54b so that the second movable portion 54b can move linearly in the second telescopic direction F2 within a predetermined range. The second movable portion 54b is movable in the second telescopic direction F2 relative to the second fixed portion 54a. One longitudinal end of the second movable portion 54b is supported by the second fixed portion 54a. The other longitudinal end of the second movable portion 54b is fixed to the first support portion 42 of the first arm 40. The second telescopic mechanism 54 may be realized by a well-known mechanism such as a cylinder having a cylindrical second fixed portion 54a and a rod-shaped second movable portion 54b, an electric actuator, a wire, or a link mechanism.

[0030] (Supporting Part) The supporting part 80 is connected to the base 10 via the third arm 70. The supporting part 80 is a mechanism for supporting the article R. In the present embodiment, the supporting part 80 is provided on the side of the base 10 in the X-axis direction. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the supporting part 80 is connected to the flip-up mechanism 60 via the third arm 70, and is rotatable in the rotational direction θ relative to the base 10 by the flip-up mechanism 60. That is, in the present embodiment, the supporting part 80 is connected to the flip-up mechanism 60 together with the side gripping part 30, and is rotatable in the rotational direction θ relative to the base 10 together with the side gripping part 30.

[0031] However, the support part 80 is not limited to being connected to the same flip-up mechanism 60 as the side grip part 30, and may be connected to a flip-up mechanism other than the flip-up mechanism 60 to which the side grip part 30 is connected. In this case, the side grip part 30 and the support part 80 rotate independently by independently driving their respective flip-up mechanisms. Furthermore, the support part 80 does not need to be connected to a flip-up mechanism and not be able to rotate in the rotation direction θ. In this case, the support part 80 is fixed in the state shown in FIG. 1 , i.e., with the third arm part 70 extending in the Z direction.

[0032] 1, the third arm 70, the support 80, and the side grip 30 are provided on the same side (X-axis direction side) of the base 10, but this is not limiting. For example, the third arm 70 and the support 80 may be provided on a different side from the side grip 30 (for example, the Y-axis direction side of the base 10 or the opposite side in the X-axis direction).

[0033] The support part 80 has a storage part 82 and a protrusion 84. The storage part 82 is a housing with an opening 80A formed at its tip. As shown in FIG. 1 , when the support part 80 supports the item R, the storage part 82 is positioned so that the opening 80A opens toward the side surface Rb of the item R. In other words, when the support part 80 supports the item R, the storage part 82 is positioned so that the direction toward the bottom part 80B (the bottom surface opposite the tip) and the opening 80A is the direction opposite to the X direction.

[0034] The protrusion 84 is a member that is stored inside the storage section 82. The protrusion 84 can protrude from the opening 80A of the storage section 82 and, in this embodiment, can extend and retract in direction G1. Direction G1 refers to the axial direction of the opening 80A and can also be said to be the direction connecting the bottom 80B and the opening 80A. When the protrusion 84 is extended, it protrudes from the opening 80A, and when it is contracted, it returns to the opening 80A and is stored in the storage section 82. Furthermore, the amount of protrusion (i.e., the protrusion length in direction G1) of the protrusion 84 can be adjusted by the control device 90.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 1 , when the support portion 80 supports the item R, the support portion 80 is positioned to the side of the item R (the X-direction side in the example of FIG. 1 ) by movement of the third arm portion 70, which will be described later. In this state, the protrusion 84 extends in the direction G1, protruding from the side of the item R toward the item R and supporting the item R. The protrusion 84 protrudes beyond the side surface Rb of the item R toward the center of the item R (the opposite side of the X-direction from the side surface Rb in the example of FIG. 1 ) to support the item R. In this embodiment, the protrusion 84 protrudes from the side of the item R toward the item R and supports the bottom surface Rc of the item R. That is, the protrusion 84 supports the item R by contacting its upper surface with the bottom surface Rc of the item R. However, the protrusion 84 is not limited to supporting the bottom surface Rc. For example, the protrusion 84 may protrude and be inserted into an opening provided in the side surface Rb of the item R and support the edge of the opening, thereby supporting the item R.

[0036] In this embodiment, the protrusion 84 is a plate-shaped member, but the shape thereof is not limited to a plate shape and may be any shape. For example, when the protrusion 84 is inserted into an opening provided in the side surface Rb of the article R, the protrusion 84 may have a shape (e.g., a shaft shape) that can be inserted into the opening.

[0037] (Third Arm) The third arm 70 is provided on the side of the base 10 in the X-axis direction via the flip-up mechanism 60. However, as described above, the third arm 70 is not limited to being connected to the flip-up mechanism 60, and may be connected to a flip-up mechanism other than the flip-up mechanism 60, or may not be connected to a flip-up mechanism and have a non-rotating structure. If the third arm 70 has a non-rotating structure, the third arm 70 is fixed in the state shown in FIG. 1 , i.e., with its longitudinal direction aligned with the Z direction.

[0038] The third arm 70 has a third support part 72 and a third extension / contraction mechanism 74. The third support part 72 is located at one end of the third arm 70 in the longitudinal direction. The third support part 72 is connected to the flip-up mechanism 60. The third support part 72 supports the third extension / contraction mechanism 74. In this embodiment, the third support part 72 has a frame shape that houses and supports the third fixed part 74a of the third extension / contraction mechanism 74. A support part 80 is attached to the tip of the third extension / contraction mechanism 74 (the side opposite to the side to which the third support part 72 is connected). The third extension / contraction mechanism 74 extends along the longitudinal direction of the third arm 70 and is extendable and contractible in a third extension / contraction direction G2, which is the longitudinal direction of the third arm 70. In the state shown in Figure 1 where the longitudinal direction of the third arm 70 is parallel to the Z-axis direction, the third extension / retraction mechanism 74 is pre-extended / retracted to match the height dimension h of the item R so that the support portion 80 is positioned at a suitable height position on the side surface Rb of the item R.

[0039] In this embodiment, the third telescopic mechanism 74 includes a third fixed portion 74a and a third movable portion 74b. The third fixed portion 74a is fixed to the third support portion 72. The third fixed portion 74a supports the third movable portion 74b so that the third movable portion 74b is movable in the third telescopic direction G2 within a predetermined range. The third movable portion 74b is movable in the third telescopic direction G2 relative to the third fixed portion 74a. One longitudinal end of the third movable portion 74b is supported by the third fixed portion 74a. The other longitudinal end of the third movable portion 74b is fixed to the support portion 80. The third telescopic mechanism 74 may be realized by a well-known mechanism such as a cylinder having a cylindrical third fixed portion 74a and a rod-shaped third movable portion 74b, an electric actuator, a wire, or a link mechanism.

[0040] (Flip-up Mechanism) The flip-up mechanism 60 is switchable between a first state (the state shown in FIG. 1 ) in which the side gripping portion 30 is positioned below the lower end of the top gripping portion 20 (in this embodiment, the first suction surface 22 a of the first suction portion 22), and a second state (the state shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 ) in which the side gripping portion 30 is positioned above the lower end of the top gripping portion 20. The flip-up mechanism 60 is connected to the top gripping portion 20 via the base 10. The flip-up mechanism 60 is also connected to the side gripping portion 30 via the first arm 40 and the second arm 50. The flip-up mechanism 60 is also connected to the support portion 80 via the third arm 70. The flip-up mechanism 60 in this embodiment is provided on a side of the base 10 in the X-axis direction. The flip-up mechanism 60 rotates the second arm 50, the first arm 40, the side gripping portion 30, the third arm 70, and the support portion 80 relative to the base 10 in a rotational direction θ around a rotation axis A parallel to the Y-axis direction.

[0041] In this embodiment, the flip-up mechanism 60 has a fixed portion 62 and a rotating portion 64. The fixed portion 62 is fixed to the connecting portion 10a of the base 10. That is, the fixed portion 62 moves integrally with the base 10 and the upper gripping portion 20. The rotating portion 64 is rotatable in a rotation direction θ about a rotation axis A relative to the fixed portion 62. The rotating portion 64 is fixed to the second support portion 52 of the second arm portion 50 and the third support portion 72 of the third arm portion 70. The flip-up mechanism 60 is realized by a well-known mechanism, such as a rotary actuator including a motor, a rack-and-pinion mechanism including an air cylinder, or a wire or link mechanism. The flip-up mechanism 60 has a locking mechanism (not shown) that can position the rotating portion 64 in the rotation direction θ relative to the fixed portion 62. The locking mechanism is realized by a well-known mechanism, such as an air lock using high-pressure air, a mechanical lock driven by a motor, or a solenoid lock using an electromagnetic solenoid.

[0042] The flip-up mechanism 60 allows the side gripping portion 30, the first arm 40, the second arm 50, the support portion 80, and the third arm 70 to rotate in a rotational direction θ around the rotation axis A between the 0° position shown in FIG. 1 , the 90° position shown in FIG. 2 , and the 180° position shown in FIG. 3 . A locking mechanism (not shown) allows the side gripping portion 30, the first arm 40, the second arm 50, the support portion 80, and the third arm 70 to be positioned at any position between the 0° position shown in FIG. 1 and the 180° position shown in FIG. 3 . At the 0° position shown in FIG. 1 , the first arm 40 is positioned below the second arm 50, and the second suction surface 32 a of the side gripping portion 30 is positioned below the first suction surface 22 a of the top gripping portion 20 and faces the side surface Rb of the article R. At the 0° position, the third arm 70 is parallel to the Z direction. At the 90° position shown in Fig. 2, the second suction surface 32a of the side gripping portion 30 faces vertically downward and is located a distance B above the first suction surface 22a of the top gripping portion 20. At the 180° position shown in Fig. 3, the second suction surface 32a of the side gripping portion 30 faces in the X-axis direction opposite the base 10, and the first arm 40 is located above the second arm 50.

[0043] (Other Configuration Examples of the Gripping Device) As described above, the gripping device 1 according to this embodiment has the upper gripping portion 20, the side gripping portion 30, and the support portion 80 (protrusion 84), and grips the article R using at least one of the upper gripping portion 20, the side gripping portion 30, and the support portion 80. However, the gripping device 1 is not limited to having all of the upper gripping portion 20, the side gripping portion 30, and the support portion 80, and may not have the side gripping portion 30, for example. In this case, the gripping device 1 may not have the first arm 40 or the second arm 50, and may have only the upper gripping portion 20, the third arm 70, and the support portion 80. In this case, for example, the third arm 70 to which the support portion 80 is connected may be connected to the flip-up mechanism 60 and be rotatable, or the flip-up mechanism 60 may not be provided, and the third arm 70 and the support portion 80 may not be rotatable.

[0044] (Imaging Device) The imaging device 100 shown in Fig. 4 captures an image of a pallet on which items R are to be loaded or unloaded, the items R loaded on the pallet, and the stacked arrangement of the items R, and outputs image data that can identify the position and individual items of the imaged object to the control device 90. The imaging device 100 is placed in a position where the pallet and the items R loaded on the pallet can be observed. In this case, the imaging device 100 captures an image of all (plural) items R loaded on the pallet, thereby capturing an image of the stacked arrangement of the multiple items R, i.e., the layout of the multiple items R. The imaging device 100 may be attached to the gripping device 1 or may be placed separately from the gripping device 1. The imaging device 100 includes one or more cameras.

[0045] 4 includes an input device through which an operator inputs various pieces of information for operating the gripping device 1, and an output device for presenting various pieces of information to the operator. The input device is realized by, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a physical switch, a button, or a touch panel. The output device is realized by, for example, a display device such as a liquid crystal display device or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display device, a light-emitting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode), or a speaker. The input / output device 102 may be an information terminal capable of inputting and outputting various pieces of information.

[0046] (Control Device) The control device 90 shown in FIG. 4 is a computer that controls the gripping device 1. The control device 90 has a communication unit 92, a storage unit 94, and a control unit 96. The communication unit 92 is a module used by the control unit 96 to communicate with external devices such as the management device 120, and may include, for example, an antenna. In this embodiment, wireless communication is assumed as the communication method used by the communication unit 92, but any communication method may be used. The storage unit 94 is a memory that stores the calculation contents and programs of the control unit 96, and various information acquired from the management device 120 via the communication unit 92, and includes, for example, at least one of a main storage device such as a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), and an external storage device such as an HDD (hard disk drive).

[0047] The control unit 96 is an arithmetic processing device and includes an arithmetic circuit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The control unit 96 executes various processes by reading and executing programs (software) from the storage unit 94. The control unit 96 may execute processes using a single CPU, or may be provided with multiple CPUs and execute processes using the multiple CPUs.

[0048] The control of the gripping device 1 by the control device 90 will be described later.

[0049] (Management Device) The management device 120 shown in Fig. 4 is a system that manages the operation of each device in a logistics management facility in which the gripping device 1 of this embodiment is deployed. The management device 120 is, for example, a WCS (Warehouse Control System) or a WMS (Warehouse Management System), but is not limited to a WCS or a WMS and may be any system, such as a back-end system such as another production management system. The location at which the management device 120 is installed is arbitrary, and the management device 120 may be installed within the facility in which the gripping device 1 is installed, or may be installed at a location remote from the facility to manage the facility from that location.

[0050] (Control of Grip Device) Next, the control of the grip device 1 by the control device 90 (control unit 96) will be described.

[0051] (Acquisition of transport target data) The control device 90 acquires transport target data for the item R to be transported. The transport target data is information about the item R to be transported. The transport target data may include, among the information about the item R, parameters of the item R that affect the transport parameters (control parameters of the gripping device 1), in other words, parameters of the item R that affect the ease of transport. The transport target data may be acquired by any method. For example, the control device 90 may acquire the transport target data from the management device 120 via the communication unit 92, or may acquire image data of the item R by capturing an image of the item R using the imaging device 100, and detect the transport parameters from the image data of the item.

[0052] Examples of the transport target data include the type, weight, and dimensions of the items R to be stacked on the pallet, the perforations or zippers on the boxes, the number of glued items, the number of items R, the placement of each item R on the pallet or the position where each item R is stacked on the pallet, and the order in which the items R are unloaded from the pallet or stacked on the pallet. Since this information can be known in advance, the control device 90 may acquire this information from the management device 120. The transport target data may also include the number, position, shape, and size of the items R. The control device 90 may acquire (detect) this information from image data of the items R. The transport target data may also include the moisture content of the cardboard boxes that make up the items R, or the amount of deformation of the cardboard boxes that make up the items R. When acquiring the moisture content, a moisture detector (e.g., a contact or non-contact moisture sensor) (not shown) may be provided, and the control device 90 may acquire the moisture content by using the moisture detector to detect the moisture content of the cardboard boxes. In addition, when obtaining the amount of deformation, a shape detector (e.g., a contact displacement meter or a non-contact laser displacement meter) not shown is provided, and the control device 90 may detect the amount of deformation from the shape of the cardboard box using the shape detector.

[0053] (Setting of transport parameters) The control device 90 sets transport parameters based on the transport object data. The transport parameters are control parameters of the gripping device 1 for transporting the item R to be transported, and can be said to be parameters that indicate the operation content of the gripping device 1. The control device 90 may set the transport parameters using any method based on the transport object data. For example, if there are multiple types of transport object data, the control device 90 may set the transport parameters using all of them, or may set the transport parameters using only some of them.

[0054] The control device 90 may also acquire transport history data and set transport parameters based on the transport target data and the transport history data. The transport history data is transport target data for item R that has been transported in the past. Any method for setting transport parameters based on the transport target data and the transport history data may be used. For example, the control device 90 may select, from the transport history data for multiple items, transport history data whose parameter values ​​correspond to the current transport target data, and set the transport parameters for the item R to be transported this time based on the transport parameters (transport parameters for the selected item R) used when transporting item R of the selected transport history data. In this case, for example, the control device 90 may apply the transport parameter values ​​of the selected item R directly to the transport parameters for the item R to be transported this time, or may correct the transport parameter values ​​of the selected item R to set the transport parameters for the item R to be transported this time. Note that any method for acquiring transport history data may be used. For example, the control device 90 may read out transport history data stored in the memory unit 94 or acquire transport history data from the management device 120.

[0055] The transport parameter may include the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84. In this embodiment, it is also preferable to determine whether or not the protrusion 84 is required to support the article as a transport parameter. In this embodiment, it is also preferable to set the movement speed of the gripping device 1 as a transport parameter. The movement speed of the gripping device 1 is the speed (conveyance speed) at which the gripping device 1 moves while gripping the article R, and may refer to the movement speed of the gripping device 1 relative to the palletizing device to which the gripping device 1 is attached. The movement speed of the gripping device 1 may also include the rotation speed and rotation acceleration of the upper gripping unit 20 and the side gripping unit 30 by the rotation mechanism 14, the ascent speed and ascent acceleration of the upper gripping unit 20 and the side gripping unit 30 by the lifting mechanism 16, and the movement speed of the third arm 70 in the third extension / contraction direction G2. Furthermore, at least one (preferably all) of the suction pressure and suction time of the article R by the first suction mechanism 24 and the suction pressure and suction time of the article R by the second suction mechanism 34 may be set as the transport parameters. Furthermore, at least one (preferably all) of the necessity of side gripping by the side gripping portion 30 and the flip-up direction and angle of the side gripping portion 30 may be set as the transport parameters.

[0056] (Protrusion Amount of Protrusion) As described above, in this embodiment, the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84 is set as a transport parameter. Because the protrusion portion 84 supports the item R by protruding, the degree of support for the item R (the degree to which the item R can be stably supported) varies depending on the degree of protrusion amount. For example, the greater the protrusion amount, the more stably the item R can be supported, but if the protrusion amount is too large, the work time may increase due to the amount of protrusion operation. On the other hand, if the protrusion amount is small, the work time may be shortened, but the item R may not be stably supported. In contrast, in this embodiment, by setting the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84 based on the transport target data, the protrusion amount can be set according to the characteristics of the item R, and therefore the item R can be appropriately supported.

[0057] A specific example of setting the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 as a transport parameter is described below. As described above, the control device 90 sets the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 as a transport parameter based on the transport object data (or, for example, the transport object data and transport performance data). More specifically, the control device 90 determines whether or not the protrusion 84 needs to support the item (i.e., whether or not to protrude the protrusion 84) based on the transport object data, and if it determines that the protrusion 84 needs to support the item, it preferably sets the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 and causes the protrusion 84 to protrude.

[0058] Any method may be used to determine whether or not the protrusion 84 needs to support the item. For example, the control device 90 may select transport performance data whose parameter values ​​correspond to the current transport target data, and determine that the protrusion 84 needs to support the item if the transport parameters for the selected item R indicate that the item is supported by the protrusion 84. For another example, the control device 90 may determine that the protrusion 84 needs to support the item if the weight of the item R indicated in the transport target data is equal to or greater than a threshold. For another example, the control device 90 may determine that the protrusion 84 needs to support the item if the moisture content of the item R indicated in the transport target data is equal to or greater than a threshold. For another example, the control device 90 may determine that the protrusion 84 needs to support the item if the deformation amount of the item R indicated in the transport target data is equal to or greater than a threshold. For another example, the control device 90 may determine that the protrusion 84 needs to support the item based on the type of item R (e.g., the type of cardboard box) indicated in the transport target data. In this case, for example, whether or not the item needs to be supported by the protrusion 84 is set in advance for each type of item R, and if the type of item R indicated in the transport target data is a type that is deemed to require support, it can be determined that the item needs to be supported by the protrusion 84.

[0059] The method for setting the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84 based on the transport object data may also be arbitrary. For example, the control device 90 may select transport performance data whose parameter values ​​correspond to the current transport object data, and set the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84 based on the protrusion amount indicated in the transport parameters of the selected item R. Furthermore, for example, the control device 90 may set the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84 based on at least one of the weight, moisture content, and deformation amount of the item R indicated in the transport object data. In this case, for example, the control device 90 may increase the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84 as the weight of the item R increases, as the moisture content of the item R increases, or as the deformation amount of the item R increases. Furthermore, for example, the control device 90 may set the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84 based on the type of item R (e.g., type of cardboard box) indicated in the transport object data. In this case, for example, the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84 is set in advance for each type of item R, and the protrusion amount set for the type of item R indicated in the transport target data may be adopted as the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84.

[0060] Furthermore, for example, the control device 90 may set the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84 based on not only the transport object data but also transport parameters other than the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84. It is preferable that the control device 90 sets the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84 based on the transport object data and the movement speed of the gripping device 1, which is one of the transport parameters.

[0061] FIG. 5 is a graph showing an example of setting the protrusion amount. The control device 90 may set a correspondence relationship between the movement speed of the gripping device 1 and the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 (data indicating the protrusion amount for each movement speed) based on transport object data (e.g., at least one of the type of item R, moisture content, and deformation amount). In this case, for example, the correspondence relationship between the movement speed of the gripping device 1 and the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 is set in advance for each transport object data (e.g., for each type of item R). In this case, the correspondence relationship between the movement speed and the protrusion amount is set so that the more fragile the transport object data indicates the cardboard box of item R, the greater the change in the protrusion amount relative to the change in the transport speed. FIG. 5 shows an example of the correspondence relationship between the movement speed and the protrusion amount. Line L1 in FIG. 5 indicates the correspondence relationship between the movement speed and the protrusion amount for certain transport object data. Line L2 indicates the correspondence relationship between the movement speed and the protrusion amount for transport object data indicating that the cardboard box of item R is more fragile than the transport object data indicated by line L1.

[0062] The control device 90 selects a correspondence relationship between the movement speed and the protrusion amount that corresponds to the currently acquired transport object data from among the correspondence relationships between the movement speed and the protrusion amount. Then, the control device 90 adopts, in the selected correspondence relationship, the protrusion amount that corresponds to the currently set movement speed of the gripping device 1 as the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84. Using FIG. 5 as an example, if the currently acquired transport object data corresponds to the transport object data of line L1, the control device 90 selects the correspondence relationship of line L1 and adopts, in the correspondence relationship of line L1, the protrusion amount that corresponds to the currently set movement speed of the gripping device 1 as the protrusion amount of the protrusion portion 84.

[0063] (Setting whether or not to use the side gripping unit) A method for setting whether or not to use the side gripping unit 30 will also be described below. The control device 90 determines whether or not side gripping is necessary (whether or not to use the side gripping unit 30) based on the transport object data. For example, if the item R can be sufficiently lifted by the top gripping unit 20 alone, the control device 90 determines that side gripping is unnecessary. If the item R cannot be sufficiently lifted by the top gripping unit 20 alone, the control device 90 determines that side gripping is necessary.

[0064] When the control device 90 determines that side gripping is unnecessary, it is preferable to determine the flip-up direction and angle of the side gripping unit 30 based on image data of the item R included in the transport target data. The flip-up direction indicates the position of the side gripping unit 30 in the φ rotation direction. The flip-up angle indicates the position of the side gripping unit 30 in the θ rotation direction. For example, if there is an obstacle around the item R, the side gripping unit 30 may interfere with the obstacle. Specifically, if another item R is stacked adjacent to the side gripping unit 30 (to the right as shown in FIG. 1 ) of the item R, the side gripping unit 30 may interfere with the adjacent item R when the upper gripping unit 20 abuts the top surface Ra of the item R.

[0065] The control device 90 determines whether there is another obstructing object R in the direction of the side gripping unit 30 relative to the object R, based on image data included in the transport object data. If the control device 90 determines that there is no obstructing object R, it determines to maintain the lifting direction and angle of the side gripping unit 30. On the other hand, if the control device 90 determines that there is another obstructing object R, it determines a lifting angle of the side gripping unit 30 that allows the side gripping unit 30 to avoid the obstruction. For example, if the control device 90 determines, based on the transport object data, that the height dimension h of the obstructing object R is equal to or less than the height dimension h of the object R to be transported, it determines the lifting angle to be 90° (the position shown in FIG. 2). For example, if the control device 90 determines, based on the transport object data, that the height dimension h of the obstructing object R is greater than the height dimension h of the object R to be transported but less than a predetermined threshold, it determines the lifting angle to be 180° (the position shown in FIG. 3). The predetermined threshold is preset based on the configuration of the gripping device 1 other than the side gripping unit 30. In the configuration of this embodiment, for example, the predetermined threshold value is set within a range in which the second support portion 52 does not interfere at the 180° position shown in FIG.

[0066] For example, when the control device 90 determines based on the transport object data that the height dimension h of the obstructing article R is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the control device 90 determines to move the side gripping unit 30 in the φ rotation direction. The control device 90 determines the bounce angle at which the side gripping unit 30 can avoid the obstructing article R using the above procedure when the side gripping unit 30 has moved 90°, 180°, or 270° in the φ rotation direction.

[0067] In this manner, the control device 90 sets the transport parameters, such as the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 .

[0068] (Control of gripping device) The control device 90 controls the gripping device 1 based on the set transport parameters. That is, for example, the control device 90 protrudes the gripping device 1 by the protrusion amount 84 based on the set protrusion amount. An example of transport of the item R by the gripping device 1 under the control of the control device 90 will be described below.

[0069] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of control of the gripping device. First, the control device 90 controls the gripping device 1 based on the transport parameters to move the gripping device 1 above the item R to be transported. The item R is placed on a surface GR, with its bottom surface Rc in contact with the surface GR. Then, as shown in step S1 of FIG. 6 , the control device 90 controls the base 10 and the pivot shaft 12 based on the transport parameters to position the upper surface gripping unit 20 on the upper surface Ra of the item R and cause the upper surface gripping unit 20 to adsorb the upper surface Ra of the item R. This allows the upper surface gripping unit 20 to grip the item R. Furthermore, when performing side gripping, the control device 90 controls the first arm 40 and the second arm 50 based on the transport parameters to position the side surface gripping unit 30 on the side surface Rb of the item R and cause the side surface gripping unit 30 to adsorb the side surface Rb of the item R. This allows the side surface gripping unit 30 to grip the item R. If side gripping is not performed, this control is not necessary.

[0070] 6, the control device 90 raises the base 10 based on the transport parameters, and lifts the article R held by the upper gripping unit 20 or the side gripping unit 30. The control device 90 raises the article R to a position where the entire area of ​​the article R does not contact the surface GR.

[0071] Then, as shown in step S3, the control device 90 causes the protrusion 84 to protrude from the side of the lifted item R toward the item R based on the transport parameters (set protrusion amount). As a result, the protrusion 84 comes into contact with the bottom surface Rc of the item R and supports the bottom surface Rc of the item R. Note that this control is not necessary if support by the protrusion 84 is not performed. The control device 90 then controls the gripping device 1 based on the transport parameters to move the item R, which is held by the upper gripping unit 20 or the side gripping unit 30 and supported by the protrusion 84, to the desired position.

[0072] When placing the item R at the destination, the process is performed in the reverse order. That is, the control device 90 retracts the protrusion 84 to release the support of the item R by the protrusion 84, and then lowers the base 10 to place the item R held by the upper gripping unit 20 and the side gripping unit 30 at the destination. The control device 90 then controls the upper gripping unit 20 and the side gripping unit 30 to release the grip of the item R.

[0073] In this manner, in this embodiment, the article R is gripped by the upper gripping portion 20 or the side gripping portion 30, lifted upward, and then supported by the protrusions 84. This makes it possible to transport the article R without colliding with other articles, which is preferable.

[0074] (Processing Flow) Next, the processing flow of the control device 90 described above will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating the processing flow of the control device. As shown in FIG. 7, the control device 90 acquires transport target data for the item R to be transported (step S10) and sets transport parameters based on the transport target data (step S12). When setting the transport parameters, if it is determined that the protrusion 84 needs to support the item R (step S14; Yes), the control device 90 also sets the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 as a transport parameter (step S16). In this case, as described above, the control device 90 may set the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 based on the transport target data and transport parameters other than the protrusion amount (e.g., movement speed). After setting the protrusion amount, the control device 90 controls the gripping device 1 based on the set transport parameters to grip and transport the item R (step S18). In this case, the control device 90 protrudes the protrusion 84 by the set protrusion amount to support the item R and transport the item R. On the other hand, if it is determined that support of the item R by the protrusion 84 is not necessary (step S14; No), the process proceeds to step S18, where the control device 90 controls the gripping device 1 based on the set transport parameters to grip and transport the item R (step S18). However, in this case, the control device 90 transports the item R without protruding the protrusion 84 and without supporting the item R with the protrusion 84. After transporting the item R in step S18 and placing it at the destination, if the process is to be terminated (step S20; Yes), the process is terminated, and if the process is not to be terminated (step S20; No), the process returns to step S10 and continues.

[0075] (Effects) As described above, the gripping device 1 according to the first aspect of the present disclosure includes an upper gripping unit 20 having a first suction surface 22a capable of adsorbing to the upper surface Ra of the item R, a protrusion 84 that protrudes from the side of the item R toward the item R and is capable of supporting the item R, and a control unit 96 that controls the operation of the upper gripping unit 20 and the protrusion 84. The control unit 96 sets the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 based on the transport target data of the item R and causes the protrusion 84 to protrude based on the protrusion amount. According to the present disclosure, the item R can be stably held by gripping it with the upper gripping unit 20 and the protrusion 84. Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, because the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 is controlled based on the transport target data of the item R, the protrusion amount can be set according to the characteristics of the item R, allowing the item R to be appropriately supported and transported.

[0076] A gripping device 1 according to a second aspect of the present disclosure is the gripping device 1 according to the first aspect, wherein the control unit 96 sets transport parameters, which are control parameters of the gripping device 1 for transporting an item, based on transport target data, and sets the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 based on transport parameters other than the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84. According to the present disclosure, by setting the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 based on transport parameters other than the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84, the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 can be more appropriately set, and the item R can be appropriately supported and transported.

[0077] A gripping device 1 according to a third aspect of the present disclosure is the gripping device 1 according to the first or second aspect, in which the control unit 96 sets the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 based on the movement speed of the gripping device 1 indicated in the conveying parameters. According to the present disclosure, by setting the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 based also on the movement speed of the gripping device 1, the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 can be more appropriately set, and the article R can be appropriately supported and conveyed.

[0078] A gripping device 1 according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the gripping device 1 according to any of the first to third aspects, wherein the control unit 96 determines whether to protrude the protrusion 84 based on the transport object data, and if it determines to protrude the protrusion 84, sets the protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 and protrudes the protrusion 84. According to the present disclosure, by determining whether to protrude the protrusion 84, the protrusion 84 can be used as needed, and the item R can be properly supported and transported.

[0079] The gripping device 1 according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure is the gripping device 1 according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, in which the protruding portion 84 protrudes to support the bottom surface Rc of the article R. By supporting the bottom surface Rc with the protruding portion 84, the article R can be properly supported and transported.

[0080] A gripping device 1 according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure is the gripping device 1 according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, further comprising a side gripping unit 30 having a second suction surface 32a capable of adsorbing to the side surface Rb of the article R, and a flip-up mechanism 60 switchable between a first state in which the side gripping unit 30 is positioned below the lower end of the upper gripping unit 20 and a second state in which the side gripping unit 30 is positioned above the lower end of the upper gripping unit 20, and a second state in which the side gripping unit 30 is positioned above the lower end of the upper gripping unit 20. A control unit 96 controls the flip-up mechanism 60 based on transport target data for the article. According to the present disclosure, controlling the side gripping unit 30 in this manner allows the article R to be more appropriately supported and transported. Furthermore, when the side gripping unit 30 is in the second state, it is positioned above the lower end of the upper gripping unit 20, i.e., above the top surface of the article R, thereby avoiding interference with obstacles at least equal in height to the article R. By switching the state of the side gripping portion 30 in this manner, the article R can be transported appropriately while avoiding interference between other articles R and the side gripping portion 30.

[0081] A gripping device 1 according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure includes an upper gripping unit 20 having a first suction surface 22a capable of adsorbing to an upper surface Ra of an article R, a side gripping unit 30 having a second suction surface 32a capable of adsorbing to a side surface Rb of the article R, a protrusion 84 that protrudes from the side of the article R toward the article R and is capable of supporting the article R, and a flip-up mechanism 60 that can switch between a first state in which the side gripping unit 30 is positioned below the lower end of the upper gripping unit 20 and a second state in which the side gripping unit 30 is positioned above the lower end of the upper gripping unit 20. According to the present disclosure, the article R can be supported by the upper gripping unit 20, the side gripping unit 30, and the protrusion 84, allowing the article R to be properly transported. Furthermore, the presence of the flip-up mechanism 60 allows the article R to be properly transported while avoiding interference between other articles R and the side gripping unit 30.

[0082] A control method according to an eighth aspect of the present disclosure controls the operation of a gripping device 1 having an upper surface gripping portion 20 with a first suction surface 22a capable of adsorbing to an upper surface Ra of an item R, and a protrusion 84 that protrudes from the side of the item R toward the item R and is capable of supporting the item R. This control method includes a step of setting a protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 based on transport target data for the item R, and a step of protruding the protrusion 84 based on the protrusion amount. According to the present disclosure, the item R can be properly supported and transported.

[0083] A program according to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure causes a computer to execute a control method for controlling the operation of a gripping device 1 having an upper surface gripping portion 20 with a first suction surface 22a capable of adsorbing to an upper surface Ra of an item R, and a protrusion 84 that protrudes from the side of the item R toward the item R and is capable of supporting the item R. The program causes the computer to execute a step of setting a protrusion amount of the protrusion 84 based on transport target data for the item R, and a step of protruding the protrusion 84 based on the protrusion amount. According to the present disclosure, the item R can be properly supported and transported.

[0084] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the embodiments are not limited to the contents of these embodiments. Furthermore, the above-described components include those that can be easily imagined by a person skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those that are within the so-called equivalent range. Furthermore, the above-described components can be combined as appropriate. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or modifications of the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the above-described embodiments.

[0085] 1 Gripping device 10 Base 20 Top gripping part 30 Side gripping part 40 First arm part 50 Second arm part 60 Flip-up mechanism 70 Third arm part 80 Support part 82 Storage part 84 Projection part 90 Control device 96 Control part R Article Ra Top surface Rb Side surface Rc Bottom surface

Claims

1. A gripping device comprising: an upper gripping part having a first suction surface capable of being adsorbed to the upper surface of an object; a protrusion capable of supporting the object by protruding from the side of the object toward the object; and a control part that controls the operation of the upper gripping part and the protrusion, wherein the control part sets a protrusion amount of the protrusion based on transport target data of the object, and protrudes the protrusion based on the protrusion amount.

2. The gripping device described in claim 1, wherein the control unit sets transport parameters which are control parameters of the gripping device for transporting the item based on the transport object data, and sets the protrusion amount of the protrusion based on the transport parameters other than the protrusion amount of the protrusion.

3. The gripping device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit sets the protrusion amount of the protrusion based on the moving speed of the gripping device indicated in the transport parameters.

4. A gripping device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit determines whether to protrude the protrusion based on the transport object data, and if it determines to protrude the protrusion, sets a protrusion amount of the protrusion and protrudes the protrusion.

5. A gripping device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the protrusion supports a bottom surface of the object by protruding.

6. A gripping device as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a side gripping portion having a second suction surface capable of being adsorbed to the side of the item; and a flip-up mechanism capable of switching between a first state in which the side gripping portion is positioned below the lower end of the top gripping portion, and a second state in which the side gripping portion is positioned above the lower end of the top gripping portion, wherein the control unit controls the flip-up mechanism based on transport target data for the item.

7. A gripping device having: an upper gripping portion having a first suction surface capable of being adsorbed to the upper surface of an article; a side gripping portion having a second suction surface capable of being adsorbed to the side surface of the article; a protrusion protruding from the side of the article toward the article and capable of supporting the article; and a flip-up mechanism capable of switching between a first state in which the side gripping portion is positioned below a lower end of the upper gripping portion, and a second state in which the side gripping portion is positioned above the lower end of the upper gripping portion.

8. A control method for controlling the operation of a gripping device having an upper gripping portion with a first suction surface capable of being adsorbed to the upper surface of an object, and a protrusion capable of supporting the object by protruding from the side of the object toward the object, the control method including the steps of: setting a protrusion amount of the protrusion based on transport target data for the object; and protruding the protrusion based on the protrusion amount.

9. A program that causes a computer to execute a control method for controlling the operation of a gripping device having an upper gripping portion with a first suction surface capable of adsorbing to the upper surface of an object, and a protrusion that protrudes from the side of the object toward the object and is capable of supporting the object, the program causing a computer to execute the steps of: setting a protrusion amount of the protrusion based on transport target data for the object; and protruding the protrusion based on the protrusion amount.

Images