Sheet material processing method and processing system

Abstract

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a sheet material processing method and a sheet material processing system for performing a preliminary operation for facilitating a detection operation and a gripping operation of a relatively large sheet material such as a bed sheet. This processing method for processing a sheet material Z having an edge element ZF indicating a peripheral edge includes a form change step for changing the form of the sheet material Z using a grip portion 1. The form change step includes a spreading step for increasing the degree of exposure of the edge element ZF by spreading the sheet material Z.

Description

Sheet material processing method and processing system

[0001] The present invention relates to a sheet material processing method and processing system for determining the shape of a sheet material such as a sheet before the sheet material is automatically folded.

[0002] Sheets and other sheet materials are usually larger than a human body, and folding them neatly requires considerable skill and effort. In addition, hotels and other facilities often require the folding of large quantities of sheets at once, so dedicated automatic folding machines are usually used.

[0003] As a technique related to such automatic folding of sheet material, an invention relating to a method for efficiently detecting laundry is known, as disclosed in Patent Document 1.

[0004] The invention described in Patent Document 1 is a method in which the topography of the laundry is determined, and based on this topography, one point on the laundry to be detected by a detection means is determined, the detection means is controlled to move to that point, and the laundry is detected by the detection means, thereby securely grasping only that one piece of laundry.

[0005] Normally, laundry is rolled up in a random shape after washing, but the invention described in Patent Document 1 makes it possible to identify a single point on the laundry to be detected and grasped based on topography, thereby enabling the user to smoothly pick up a desired laundry item from among multiple laundry items without making a mistake in the object or location to grasp.

[0006] German Patent No. DE102014005355A1

[0007] In the linen supply industry, before the laundry is fed into a dedicated device and undergoes processes such as folding and sorting, it is necessary to detect and grasp the haphazardly piled sheet material as described above, and to arrange the shape of the sheet material to a certain extent.

[0008] Recently, the invention described in Patent Document 1 has primarily been aimed at clothing, but when a relatively large sheet material such as a bedsheet is used as the target, the shape of the rolled-up material becomes more complex. Therefore, there is a high possibility that the point to be grasped by a robotic arm or the like will not be sufficiently exposed. In such a situation, the appropriate target cannot be detected and grasped, which can cause inconvenience in the subsequent process of sending the target to a dedicated device, and there is a concern that this will increase the workload of managers and others, such as requiring more manual intervention.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described situation, and its objective is to provide a sheet material processing method and processing system that performs preliminary operations to facilitate the detection and gripping operations of relatively large sheet materials such as sheets.

[0010] To achieve this object, the present disclosure provides processing methods [1] to

[11] .

[0011] [1] A processing method for processing a sheet material having edge elements that indicate a periphery, the processing method comprising a shape change step of changing the shape of the sheet material using a gripping portion, the shape change step including a stretching step of stretching the sheet material to increase the degree of exposure of the edge elements.

[0012] According to the present invention, the stretching process increases the degree of exposure of the edge elements, which are the areas that need to be detected and grasped when shaping the sheet material, thereby facilitating the detection and grasping operations of the sheet material.

[0013] [2] The processing method described in [1], wherein the stretching process includes a gripping process of gripping the sheet material with the gripping unit, and a conveying process of conveying at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the sheet material with a conveying unit configured to be movable along a movement path extending horizontally.

[0014] With this configuration, the sheet material can be smoothly stretched in the horizontal direction, improving processing efficiency.

[0015] [3] The processing method according to [2], wherein the gripping unit is configured to be movable along the movement path.

[0016] With this configuration, the way in which the sheet material is stretched can be flexibly changed depending on the shape of the sheet material.

[0017] [4] The processing method described in [3], wherein the shape change step includes a detection step of detecting the edge elements exposed to the outside by an imaging unit, the gripping step lifts the gripped sheet material upward, the detection step detects the edge elements for an area imaged from the upstream side of the movement path and an area imaged from the downstream side, and the transport step changes the relative speed between the movement speed of the gripping unit along the movement path and the movement speed of the transport unit along the movement path based on differences in the degree of exposure of each edge element for each of the areas.

[0018] With this configuration, the sheet material can be stretched appropriately depending on the shape of the sheet material so that the degree of exposure of the edge elements is increased.

[0019] [5] The processing method according to [4], wherein the transport unit is a conveyor, and the transport step changes the relative speed so that the area of ​​the edge element with a greater degree of exposure is positioned so as to be exposed outward.

[0020] By adopting such a configuration, an appropriate stretching operation of the sheet material can be performed while the sheet material is placed on the conveyor, so as to increase the degree of exposure of the edge elements, making it easier to control the conveying section.

[0021] [6] The processing method described in [4] or [5], wherein the imaging unit has a first imaging unit whose imaging direction is from upstream to downstream of the movement path, and a second imaging unit that is arranged downstream of the first imaging unit and whose imaging direction is from downstream to upstream of the movement path.

[0022] With this configuration, the edge elements of each region can be detected more reliably in the detection step.

[0023] [7] The processing method according to any one of [4] to [6], wherein the edge element is at least one of a colored thread, an embroidery pattern, a design, the number of threads, a pile, a hem, and a selvedge applied to the sheet material.

[0024] With this configuration, the edge elements of each region can be detected more reliably in the detection step.

[0025] [8] The processing method according to [1], wherein the stretching step includes a gripping step of gripping the sheet material with the gripping portion, and a lowering step of gripping the sheet material with the gripping portion, lifting it upward, and lowering it downward.

[0026] With this configuration, the sheet material can be stretched in a small space.

[0027] [9] The processing method according to [8], wherein the lowering step causes the sheet material to fall downward by the gripping portion.

[0028] With this configuration, it is possible to make use of the air resistance that the sheet material receives, and to extend the sheet material more efficiently.

[0029]

[10] The processing method according to [8] or [9], wherein the stretching step includes a conveying step of conveying at least a part of the peripheral edge of the sheet material by a conveying section configured to be movable along a movement path extending in a horizontal direction.

[0030] With this configuration, the sheet material can be smoothly extended in the horizontal direction while maintaining a space-saving design.

[0031]

[11] The processing method described in

[10] , wherein the conveying unit is a conveyor arranged below the gripping unit, and includes a first conveyor and a second conveyor arranged below the first conveyor, and the lowering step drops the sheet material conveyed by the first conveyor onto the second conveyor.

[0032] By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to secure a certain drop distance while maintaining space saving, and it is possible to more suitably stretch the sheet material.

[0033] To achieve this objective, the present disclosure also provides a processing system

[12] ,

[13] .

[0034]

[12] A processing system for processing sheet material having a predetermined feature provided along a peripheral edge, the processing system comprising: a gripping unit for gripping the sheet material; and a transport unit for transporting at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the sheet material, the transport unit moving along a movement path extending horizontally to stretch the sheet material.

[0035]

[13] A processing system for processing sheet material having a predetermined feature provided along a periphery, the processing system comprising a gripping unit for gripping the sheet material, the gripping unit gripping the sheet material, lifting it upward, and dropping it downward, thereby stretching the sheet material.

[0036] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a sheet material processing method and processing system that performs a preliminary operation to facilitate the detection operation and gripping operation of a relatively large sheet material such as a sheet.

[0037] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processing system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a processing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a processing system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a processing method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a processing method according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flowchart of a processing method according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] The present invention relates to a processing system and a processing method for processing a sheet material having a predetermined edge element attached along a peripheral edge thereof.

[0039] The sheet material Z in each embodiment is a sheet of a size similar to or larger than the body, such as that used on a bed, but may also be a bath towel or the like with pile, a hem, or selvedge. The sheet material Z has a colored thread sewn around its periphery as an edge element ZF that indicates its periphery. The edge element ZF is indicated by a gray dashed line in each drawing.

[0040] 1 to 19, a processing system according to the first embodiment will be described. For ease of explanation, the x-axis direction shown in FIG. 1 will be referred to as the front-rear direction (or the downstream side or the upstream side), the y-axis direction as the left-right direction, and the z-axis direction as the up-down direction.

[0041] <<Processing System>> The configuration of the processing system X will be described below with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figures 1(a) and 2(a) show front views of the processing system X, and Figures 1(b) and 2(b) show plan views of the processing system X, respectively. Also in Figures 3 to 18, (a) shows a front view and (b) shows a plan view, respectively. Furthermore, Figure 1 shows the upstream side of the processing system X, and Figure 2 shows the downstream side of the processing system X.

[0042] 1, the processing system X includes a gripping unit 1 that grips a sheet material Z, a transport unit 2 that transports at least a portion of the periphery of the sheet material Z, and an imaging unit 3 that detects an edge element ZF exposed to the outside. The processing system X also includes a first manipulator M1 that delivers the sheet material Z to the gripping unit 1, a second manipulator M2 that grips the sheet material Z together with the gripping unit 1, and a spreading unit E that spreads the periphery of the sheet material Z. The processing system X also includes a moving unit T that moves the gripping unit 1 in the forward and backward directions, and a sub-transport unit C that transports the sheet material Z below the first manipulator M1.

[0043] The gripping unit 1, transporting unit 2, imaging unit 3, first manipulator M1, second manipulator M2, spreading means E, moving means T, and sub-transporting unit C are controlled in conjunction with one another by a control system including one or more control units (not shown), and work together to execute the processing method. The control unit includes, for example, a PLC or a computer-executed software controller, and is configured to be able to communicate with the gripping unit 1, transporting unit 2, imaging unit 3, first manipulator M1, second manipulator M2, spreading means E, moving means T, and sub-transporting unit C.

[0044] The gripping unit 1 is a robot arm that is generally configured to extend in the left-right direction as a whole, with its tip configured as an end effector and its base end attached to the moving means T. In addition, a plurality of gripping units 1 are attached to the moving means T at intervals along the movement path of the moving means T.

[0045] The transport unit 2 is a conveyor configured to transport the sheet material Z along a movement path extending in the horizontal direction (the x-axis direction in this embodiment). The transport unit 2 also has a first conveyor 21 arranged on the upstream side and a second conveyor 22 arranged on the downstream side. Note that the transport unit 2 is arranged below each of the gripping units 1, but it is sufficient that the transport unit 2 is arranged adjacent to each of the gripping units 1 during the stretching process, etc., and it may also be arranged above each of the gripping units 1 as an initial position.

[0046] The first conveyor 21 and the second conveyor 22 are each an electric so-called belt conveyor, except that their lengths in the front-to-back direction are different, and are roughly composed of a pulley c1, a belt c2 wound around it, support legs c3 that support these at a predetermined height, and a belt holder c4.

[0047] The imaging unit 3 has a first imaging unit 31 whose imaging direction is from upstream to downstream on the movement path, and a second imaging unit 32 which is arranged downstream of the first imaging unit 31 and whose imaging direction is from downstream to upstream on the movement path.

[0048] Each of the first and second imaging units 31, 32 includes an imaging unit body k1 and a support column k2 that supports the imaging unit body k1 upward. Each imaging unit body k1 is supported by the support column k2 so as to be able to capture an image of the space between each first conveyor 21 and the sub-conveyor C.

[0049] The first manipulator M1 and the second manipulator M2 are provided with, for example, an imaging unit (not shown) for image recognition at their tips, and after recognizing the gripping position of the conveyed sheet material Z, grip the sheet material Z with the end effector at the tip. Note that the imaging units corresponding to the manipulators M1 and M2 may be provided separately from the manipulators M1 and M2, like the imaging unit 3.

[0050] The extension means E has a pair of extension means bodies E1, a pair of front and rear rails E2 that support each extension means body E1 so that it can slide in the front and rear direction, left and right rails E3 that support each front and rear rail E2 so that it can slide in the left and right direction, and a pair of approximately L-shaped support legs E4 that support the left and right rails E3.

[0051] Each extension means body E1 is a robot arm roughly configured in a substantially L-shape when viewed from the front, with its tip configured as an end effector and its base end attached to the front and rear rails E2.

[0052] The moving means T has a moving means main body T1 extending in the front-rear direction, and a support column T2 that supports each moving means main body T1 above the transport section 2.

[0053] The moving means main body T1 is a rail that slidably supports the gripping unit 1 along its outer periphery. A pair of moving means main bodies T1 are provided adjacent to each other in the left-right direction, allowing the gripping unit 1, which extends in the left-right direction, to slide stably. Furthermore, the movement path of the moving means main body T1 is a closed path when viewed from the front, and the gripping unit 1 moves in the front-to-back direction above the transport unit 2 by circulating along this path counterclockwise when viewed from the front.

[0054] A plurality of support pillars T2 are provided at intervals in the front-rear direction, and each is provided so as to straddle the outside (right side) of the moving means main body T1 to the left side of the transport unit 2.

[0055] The sub-conveying section C is configured as a so-called electrically driven belt conveyor, similar to the first conveyor 21 and the second conveyor 22 .

[0056] In addition, the end effectors of each gripping section 1, each manipulator M1, M2, and the spreading means E perform not only a gripping operation but also a suction operation for attracting the sheet material Z.

[0057] <<Processing Method>> A processing method using the above-described processing system X will be described below with reference to Figures 3 to 19. Note that although the processing method using one gripping unit 1 will be described below, in reality, each gripping unit 1 circulates along the movement path of the moving means main body T1 at a preset timing. This allows multiple sheet materials Z to be processed continuously at short time intervals, including the operation of other components. Also, the support columns T2 are not shown in Figures 3 to 18.

[0058] Here, when determining the gripping positions by the imaging unit 3, the first manipulator M1, and the second manipulator M2, the control system extracts feature amounts by convolution or the like from the imaging data of the sheet material Z acquired by the imaging unit 3, and detects the edge element ZF. In this embodiment, the control system detects the edge element ZF by segmenting a predetermined area from the imaging data. Note that the feature amount is an index based on numerical data that represents the state in which the edge element ZF is captured in the captured image of the sheet material Z captured by the imaging unit 3, the first manipulator M1, and the second manipulator M2.

[0059] 3, in the receiving process, the randomly rolled sheet material Z is transported to a position adjacent to the first manipulator M1 by the sub-conveyor C. At this time, the gripping unit 1 is placed on standby by the moving means T so as to be positioned between the first imaging unit 31 and the second imaging unit 32 when viewed from the front.

[0060] 4, the first manipulator M1 recognizes the edge element ZF and grips a portion of the periphery of the sheet material Z. At this time, the first manipulator M1 captures a color image of a predetermined area of ​​the sheet material Z, for example, from a plan view direction (FIG. 4B), and acquires image data. The control system then extracts feature amounts based on the acquired image data and detects the edge element of the sheet material Z, thereby determining the coordinates of the destination (gripping position) of the end effector, and the end effector moves to the periphery of the sheet material Z and grips that portion.

[0061] As a result, the first manipulator M1 receives the sheet material Z transported by the sub-transport unit C.

[0062] <<<Gripping Process>>> In the gripping process, as shown in FIG. 5, the end effector of the first manipulator M1 moves to directly above the end effector of the gripping unit 1, and the gripping unit 1 grips directly below the gripping position of the first manipulator M1.

[0063] As a result, a portion of the sheet material Z is lifted above the conveying unit 2 or the sub-conveying unit C. At this time, the sheet material Z is disposed between the first imaging unit 31 and the second imaging unit 32 in a front view, and is suspended between the first conveyor 21 and the sub-conveying unit C. At this time, the first manipulator M1 returns to the initial position shown in FIG. 3 in preparation for the delivery of the sheet material Z to be subsequently conveyed.

[0064] 6, in the detection process, the first imaging unit 31 and the second imaging unit 32 capture images of the sheet material Z from the upstream side and the downstream side of the movement path. At this time, the first imaging unit 31 and the second imaging unit 32 capture, for example, color images of predetermined areas of the sheet material Z and acquire imaging data.

[0065] As a result, the control system extracts feature amounts based on the imaging data for each region imaged by the first imaging unit 31 and the second imaging unit 32, and detects edge elements ZF.

[0066] 7 , in the placing process, the gripping unit 1 moves downstream and the sheet material Z is placed on the first conveyor 21. At this time, as the gripping unit 1 moves, the first conveyor 21 is driven downstream at a speed slower than the moving speed of the gripping unit 1, thereby assisting the placing operation of the sheet material Z on the first conveyor 21. Note that the sheet material Z lifted upward in the gripping process is placed lying down on the first conveyor 21 at the upstream end of the first conveyor 21 by the gripping unit 1 moving downstream while being moved diagonally downward.

[0067] Here, in the detection process, the behavior of the conveying process described below changes based on the difference in the exposure degree of each edge element in each region (edge ​​element ZF in the region viewed from the upstream side imaged by the first imaging unit 31, and edge element ZF in the region viewed from the downstream side imaged by the second imaging unit 32).

[0068] In more detail, in the detection step, the degree of exposure of the edge element ZF included in the image data of each region is compared, and it is determined which image data has a greater degree of exposure. Then, in the transport step, the relative speed between the movement speed of the gripping unit 1 along the movement path and the movement speed of the transporting unit 2 along the movement path is changed so that the region with a greater degree of exposure is oriented relative to the second manipulator M2 (so that it is exposed outward).

[0069] The conveying process when the edge element ZF in the area detected by the first imaging unit 31 has a high degree of exposure will be referred to as conveying process A, and the subsequent processes will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 8 to 12. The conveying process when the edge element ZF in the area detected by the second imaging unit 32 has a high degree of exposure will be referred to as conveying process B, and the subsequent processes will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 13 to 18.

[0070] <<<Conveying Process A>>> In the conveying process A, as shown in Fig. 8, the gripping unit 1 is moved further downstream from the state shown in Fig. 7 by the moving means T, and the portion of the sheet material Z gripped by the gripping unit 1 moves downstream. In other words, the gripping unit 1 moves faster than the driving speed of the conveying unit 2 (first conveyor 21 and second conveyor 22).

[0071] As a result, the sheet material Z is stretched so that the area detected by the first imaging unit 31 is exposed to the outside. At this time, the relative speed is such that the movement speed of the gripping unit 1 is faster than the drive speed of the conveying unit 2. Therefore, the conveying unit 2 may not be driven and only the gripping unit 1 may move, or the conveying unit 2 may be driven more slowly than the gripping unit 1.

[0072] 9 , in the delivery process, the second manipulator M2 recognizes the edge element ZF and grips the peripheral edge of the sheet material Z. At this time, the second manipulator M2, for example, captures a color image of a predetermined area of ​​the sheet material Z and acquires image data. The control system then detects the edge element ZF based on the acquired image data, thereby determining the coordinates of the destination (gripping position) of the end effector, and the end effector moves to the peripheral edge of the sheet material Z and grips that portion.

[0073] In addition, when determining the gripping position, the second manipulator M2 determines the position so that the length of the edge element ZF from the gripping position of the gripping portion 1 to the gripping position of the second manipulator M2 is long enough to allow the extension operation by the extension means E.

[0074] Next, the end effector of the second manipulator M2 moves downstream as shown in Fig. 10. Then, the movement of the second manipulator M2 is stopped at a position where the gripping positions of the gripper 1 and the second manipulator M2 are aligned in the front-rear and up-down directions, and at a predetermined interval in the left-right direction.

[0075] 11, each spreading means body E1 moves inward along the left and right rails E3 so that the spacing between each spreading means body E1 is approximately the same as the spacing between the gripping positions of the gripping unit 1 and the second manipulator M2. Also, as each spreading means body E1 moves forward along the front and rear rails E2, the end effector of each spreading means body E1 grips directly below the gripping position of the gripping unit 1 and the second manipulator M2. In this way, the sheet material Z is delivered to each spreading means body E1.

[0076] Next, as shown in Fig. 12, each spreading means body E1 moves outward along the left and right rails E3, spreading the periphery of the sheet material Z between the gripping positions. At this time, the second manipulator M2 returns to the initial position shown in Fig. 8 in preparation for gripping the next sheet material Z to be conveyed. At this time, the gripping unit 1 also returns to the initial position shown in Fig. 3 in preparation for gripping and conveying the next sheet material Z to be conveyed.

[0077] 13 , in the conveying process B, the conveying unit 2 is driven, and thereby the portion of the sheet material Z placed on the conveying unit 2 moves downstream. That is, the conveying unit 2 (first conveyor 21 and second conveyor 22) is driven at a speed faster than the movement speed of the gripping unit 1.

[0078] As a result, the sheet material Z is stretched so that the area detected by the second imaging unit 32 is exposed to the outside. At this time, the relative speed is such that the movement speed of the conveying unit 2 is faster than the movement speed of the gripping unit 1. Therefore, the gripping unit 1 may not move and only the conveying unit 2 may be driven, or the gripping unit 1 may move more slowly than the conveying unit 2.

[0079] <<<<Transfer Process>>>> In the transfer process, first, as shown in Figure 14, while the conveying unit 2 is driving, the gripping unit 1 moves downstream at a speed slower than the driving speed of the conveying unit 2, thereby moving the entire sheet material Z downstream.

[0080] 14, the second manipulator M2 detects the edge element ZF in the same manner as the first manipulator M1 in the receiving step, and grips the peripheral edge of the sheet material Z. The gripping position is determined in the same manner as after the conveying step A.

[0081] Next, the end effector of the second manipulator M2 moves upstream as shown in Fig. 15. Then, the movement of the second manipulator M2 is stopped at a position where the gripping positions of the gripper 1 and the second manipulator M2 are aligned in the front-to-back and up-down directions, and at a predetermined interval in the left-to-right direction.

[0082] Next, as shown in FIG. 16, the second conveyor 22 is driven upstream, so that the portion of the sheet material Z placed on the conveying unit 2 moves upstream.

[0083] Next, as shown in FIG. 17, in the same manner as in the delivery step after the transport step A, the sheet material Z is delivered to each of the extension means bodies E1.

[0084] Next, as shown in Fig. 18, in the same manner as in the delivery process after the conveying process A, each spreading means body E1 moves outward along the left and right rails E3, thereby spreading the peripheral edges of the sheet material Z between the gripping positions. At this time, the second manipulator M2 returns to the initial position shown in Fig. 8 in preparation for gripping the next sheet material Z to be conveyed. At this time, the gripping unit 1 also returns to the initial position shown in Fig. 3 in preparation for gripping and conveying the next sheet material Z to be conveyed.

[0085] 12 and 18, the sheet material Z may be moved further downstream by the second conveyor 22, or may be collected by an operator. By various methods including those described above, the sheet material Z is fed to a dedicated device (not shown) for folding, sorting, etc.

[0086] Furthermore, the above-mentioned series of operations, i.e., the operating speed of each component, the timing at which the operation starts, the position at which the operation stops, the timing of detection and comparison by the imaging unit 3, etc., are controlled by a control system (not shown), and are therefore carried out smoothly and automatically.

[0087] 19 is a flowchart showing the flow of the above-described series of processing methods. Note that the placing step is not essential in the processing method according to this embodiment, and the conveying step may be performed by moving the gripping unit 1 or driving the conveying unit 2 including the first conveyor 21 after the detection step.

[0088] <<Effects>> As described above, according to this embodiment, the stretching process increases the degree of exposure of the edge element ZF, which is the area that needs to be detected and grasped when shaping the sheet material Z, thereby facilitating the detection and grasping operations of the sheet material Z.

[0089] Furthermore, the gripping and conveying steps allow the sheet material Z to be smoothly stretched in the horizontal direction, improving processing efficiency.

[0090] Furthermore, since the gripping portion 1 is configured to be movable along the movement path, the way in which the sheet material Z is stretched can be flexibly changed depending on the shape of the sheet material Z.

[0091] In addition, based on the detection of features by the detection process, the relative speed between the gripping section 1 and the conveying section 2 is changed by the conveying process, so that the sheet material Z can be appropriately stretched so as to increase the degree of exposure of the edge element ZF depending on the shape of the sheet material Z.

[0092] Furthermore, by using the first conveyor 21 and the second conveyor 22 as the conveying section 2, the appropriate stretching operation of the sheet material Z can be performed while the sheet material Z is placed on each conveyor 21, 22, making it easier to control the conveying section 2.

[0093] Furthermore, since the imaging unit 3 has the first imaging unit 31 and the second imaging unit 32, the edge elements ZF of each region can be detected more reliably in the detection step.

[0094] Furthermore, since the edge elements ZF are colored threads applied to the sheet material, the edge elements ZF in each region can be detected more reliably in the detection step.

[0095] 20 to 26, a processing system according to a second embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, components that are essentially the same as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified. For ease of explanation, the x-axis direction shown in FIG. 20 will be referred to as the left-right direction, the y-axis direction as the front-rear direction (or the downstream side or the upstream side), and the z-axis direction as the up-down direction.

[0096] <<Processing System>> The configuration of the processing system X will be described below with reference to Fig. 20. Fig. 20(a) shows a front view of the processing system X, and Fig. 20(b) shows a plan view of the processing system X. In Figs. 21 to 25, (a) shows a front view and (b) shows a plan view, respectively.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 20, the processing system X includes a gripping unit 1 that grips a sheet material Z, and a transport unit 2 that transports at least a part of the periphery of the sheet material Z.

[0098] Unlike the first embodiment, the first manipulator M1 also serves as the gripper 1 in this embodiment.

[0099] The transport unit 2 in this embodiment has a first conveyor 21 and a second conveyor 22, similar to the first embodiment. However, unlike the first embodiment, the second conveyor 22 is disposed below the first conveyor 21, and is disposed such that the driving direction of the first conveyor 21 and the driving direction of the second conveyor 22 are substantially perpendicular in plan view.

[0100] Additionally, in this embodiment, the first conveyor 21 also serves as the sub-conveyor C in embodiment 1. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a pair of second manipulators M2 are provided on the left and right sides of the second conveyor 22.

[0101] 21 to 25, a processing method using the above-described processing system X will be described. Note that in the processing method according to this embodiment, the receiving step and the gripping step in the processing method according to embodiment 1 are carried out simultaneously.

[0102] 21 , in the gripping process, the first manipulator M1 (gripping unit 1) recognizes the edge element ZF of the sheet material Z transported by the first conveyor 21 and grips a part of the peripheral edge of the sheet material Z. The determination of the gripping position is the same as in the receiving process in the first embodiment.

[0103] Next, as shown in FIG. 22, the end effector of the first manipulator M1 moves to a position directly above the second conveyor 22, whereby the sheet material Z is lifted above the second conveyor 22.

[0104] <<<<Downward Step>>> In the downward step, as shown in FIG. 23 , the first manipulator M1 releases the sheet material Z, causing the sheet material Z to fall onto the second conveyor 22.

[0105] As a result, the sheet material Z is subjected to air resistance as it falls and is stretched. At this time, the second conveyor 22 may be driven downstream to assist the stretching operation of the sheet material Z. Furthermore, the lowering process does not necessarily have to be by dropping, and for example, the first manipulator M1 may be lowered toward the second conveyor 22 at a predetermined speed while maintaining the state of being held by the first manipulator M1.

[0106] <<<Conveying Process>>> In the conveying process, as shown in Fig. 24, the second conveyor 22 is driven downstream, and the entire sheet material Z moves between the pair of second manipulators M2. At this time, the second manipulator M2 returns to the initial position shown in Fig. 20 in preparation for gripping the sheet material Z to be subsequently conveyed.

[0107] 25 , in the delivery process, each second manipulator M2 recognizes the edge element ZF and grips the peripheral edge of the sheet material Z at different positions. Then, the movement of each second manipulator M2 is stopped at a position where the gripping positions of each second manipulator M2 are aligned in the front-to-back and up-down directions, and at a predetermined interval in the left-to-right direction.

[0108] After the transfer process shown in Figure 25, for example, as in embodiment 1, a stretching means E may be provided downstream and each gripping position may be handed over to this, or the stretching operation may be performed by each second manipulator M2.

[0109] Then, as in the first embodiment, the sheet material Z is fed to a dedicated device (not shown) for folding, sorting, etc., by various methods, such as movement downstream by the second conveyor 22 or collection by an operator. Also, as in the first embodiment, the above-described series of operations, i.e., the operating speed, operation start timing, operation stop position, etc. of each component are controlled by a separately provided control unit (not shown), and are therefore performed smoothly and automatically.

[0110] 26 is a flowchart showing the flow of the above-described series of processing methods. In the processing method according to this embodiment, the morphology change process has the same configuration as the extension process, but by providing an imaging unit 3 as in embodiment 1, a detection process may be added to the morphology change process. This allows the imaging data to be used, for example, to adjust the drive speed of the second conveyor 22.

[0111] <<Effects>> As described above, according to this embodiment, as in embodiment 1, the extension process increases the degree of exposure of the edge element ZF, which is the area that needs to be detected and grasped when shaping the sheet material Z, thereby facilitating the detection and grasping operations of the sheet material Z.

[0112] Furthermore, the lowering process allows the sheet material Z to be stretched efficiently in a space-saving manner while making use of air resistance.

[0113] Furthermore, by further including a conveying step, the sheet material Z can be smoothly stretched in the horizontal direction while maintaining a space-saving design.

[0114] Furthermore, since the conveying section 2 has a first conveyor 21 and a second conveyor 22 arranged below the first conveyor 21, it is possible to ensure a certain falling distance while maintaining space saving, and the sheet material Z can be stretched more suitably.

[0115] <Modifications> The shapes and dimensions of the components shown in the above-described embodiment are merely examples, and can be modified in various ways based on design requirements and the like.

[0116] For example, the edge element ZF is not limited to colored threads, but may be at least one of an embroidery pattern, a design, the number of threads, a pile, a hem, and a selvedge, or a combination thereof.

[0117] The edge element ZF does not necessarily have to be located on the periphery of the sheet material Z, and it is sufficient if the periphery of the sheet material Z can be roughly grasped through image recognition. For example, when processing a sheet material Z having a pile surrounded by a hem or selvedge, the detection process may directly recognize the hem or selvedge, or may recognize the boundary between the hem / selvedge and the pile. Furthermore, the periphery may be recognized by, for example, calculating the difference between the segment of the entire sheet material Z in the image data and the segment of a non-edge element (e.g., the pile of the sheet material Z).

[0118] Furthermore, as the stretching process, stretching by transporting the sheet material Z in a horizontal direction (embodiment 1) and stretching by dropping it (embodiment 2) have been shown, but as another example, the stretching process may be performed by blowing air onto the sheet material Z.

[0119] Furthermore, the following modifications are possible for each embodiment.

[0120] First Embodiment For example, the sub-conveyance unit C is not necessarily required, and the sheet material Z may be placed adjacent to the first manipulator M1 by an operator each time.

[0121] Furthermore, the transport unit 2 does not necessarily have to have the first conveyor 21 and the second conveyor 22, and the sheet material Z may be transported by a single conveyor.

[0122] Furthermore, the movement path formed by the transport unit 2 may be inclined in the vertical direction or curved in the horizontal direction depending on the location where the processing system X is installed.

[0123] Furthermore, the imaging unit 3 does not necessarily have to have a first imaging unit 31 and a second imaging unit 32, and may be configured to image multiple areas using a single imaging unit while appropriately changing the imaging position.

[0124] Alternatively, a pair of gripping units 1 and moving means T may be provided, one of which may serve as the conveying unit 2. That is, a configuration may be adopted in which the pair of gripping units 1 stretches and conveys the sheet material Z. In this case, the conveying unit 2 in the first embodiment does not need to be driven, and may simply be used as a mounting table.

[0125] In addition, in the conveying step, it may be determined which image data has a smaller degree of exposure for the edge elements ZF included in the image data for each region. In this case, if the degree of exposure of the edge elements ZF in the region detected by the first image capturing unit 31 is small, conveying step B is performed, and if the degree of exposure of the edge elements ZF in the region detected by the second image capturing unit 32 is small, conveying step A is performed.

[0126] <<Embodiment 2>> For example, one of the second manipulators M2 may be replaced with the gripping unit 1 and moving means T as in embodiment 1, and the sheet material Z may be gripped by the gripping unit 1 and the second manipulator M2.

[0127] Furthermore, the driving direction of the first conveyor 21 and the driving direction of the second conveyor 22 may be arranged to be substantially parallel or inclined in a plan view.

[0128] X Processing system 1 Gripper 2 Conveyor 3 Imaging unit M1 First manipulator M2 Second manipulator E Spreading means T Moving means C Sub-conveyor Z Sheet material ZF Edge element

Claims

1. A processing method for processing a sheet material having edge elements indicating a periphery, comprising a shape change step of changing the shape of the sheet material using a gripping portion, the shape change step including an extension step of increasing the exposure degree of the edge elements by stretching the sheet material.

2. The processing method according to claim 1, wherein the stretching process includes a gripping process of gripping the sheet material with the gripping section, and a transporting process of transporting at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the sheet material with a transporting section configured to be movable along a moving path extending horizontally.

3. The processing method according to claim 2, wherein the gripping portion is configured to be movable along the movement path.

4. The processing method of claim 3, wherein the shape change process includes a detection process for detecting the edge elements exposed to the outside by an imaging unit, the gripping process lifts the gripped sheet material upward, the detection process detects the edge elements for an area imaged from the upstream side of the moving path and an area imaged from the downstream side, and the transporting process changes the relative speed between the moving speed of the gripping unit along the moving path and the moving speed of the transporting unit along the moving path based on the difference in the degree of exposure of each edge element for each area.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the transport section is a conveyor, and the transport step varies the relative speed so that the edge element has a more exposed area and is positioned so as to be exposed outward.

6. A processing method as described in claim 4 or 5, wherein the imaging unit has a first imaging unit whose imaging direction is from upstream to downstream of the movement path, and a second imaging unit that is arranged downstream of the first imaging unit and whose imaging direction is from downstream to upstream of the movement path.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the edge element is at least one of a colored thread applied to the sheet material, an embroidery pattern, a design, a number of threads, a pile, a hem, and a selvedge.

8. The processing method according to claim 1, wherein the stretching step includes a gripping step of gripping the sheet material with the gripping portion, and a lowering step of gripping the sheet material with the gripping portion, lifting it upward, and lowering it downward.

9. The processing method according to claim 8, wherein the lowering step causes the sheet material to fall downward by the gripping portion.

10. A processing method as described in claim 8 or 9, wherein the stretching step includes a conveying step of conveying at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the sheet material by a conveying section configured to be movable along a moving path extending horizontally.

11. The processing method described in claim 10, wherein the conveying section is a conveyor arranged below the gripping section and has a first conveyor and a second conveyor arranged below the first conveyor, and the lowering process drops the sheet material conveyed by the first conveyor onto the second conveyor.

12. A processing system for processing sheet material having a predetermined edge feature applied along a peripheral edge, comprising: a gripping section for gripping the sheet material; and a transport section for transporting at least a portion of the peripheral edge of the sheet material, the transport section moving along a horizontally extending movement path to stretch the sheet material.

13. A processing system for processing sheet material having a predetermined edge element provided along a periphery, comprising a gripping portion for gripping the sheet material, the gripping portion gripping the sheet material, lifting it upward, and dropping it downward, thereby stretching the sheet material.

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