Robot device and control method for same

Abstract

Provided is a control method for a robot device provided with a robot hand that can grasp a target and a robot arm that moves the robot hand, said method comprising: in order to stack flat a plurality of workpieces, which are each enclosed with a plurality of surfaces, on a placement surface on which the plurality of workpieces are placed such that at least some of the workpieces are placed on top of each other, relatively moving an alignment member grasped by the robot hand and a plurality of the workpieces; and, when an imaged surface of a detection target workpiece among the plurality of workpieces differs from a target surface, rotating the detection target workpiece via the robot hand. Thus, it is possible to adjust the rotation angle of an object having a substantially polygonal cross-sectional shape via a simple mechanism, or to orient the object in a prescribed direction and stably fix the object.

Description

Robot device and control method thereof

[0001] The present invention relates to a robot device equipped with a robot hand and a method for controlling the robot device.

[0002] Examples of objects that can be manipulated by a robot device include linear objects with a substantially circular cross-section, such as a thin cable, and objects with a substantially polygonal cross-section, such as a connector housing into which one or more cables are inserted. For linear objects, a robot device is known that grips the linear object with two fingers of a robot hand and then rotates the linear object by sliding the two fingers relative to one another to match the rotation angle with the object to be connected (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this technology, it is desirable to be able to adjust the rotation angle of objects other than linear objects, such as objects with a substantially polygonal cross-section, using a simple mechanism, or to stably hold the object in a predetermined orientation.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-192666

[0004] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control method for a robot device having a robot hand capable of grasping an object and a robot arm that moves the robot hand, the control method including: grasping an alignment member with the robot hand; moving the alignment member and a plurality of workpieces relative to each other above a loading surface on which a plurality of workpieces, each surrounded by a plurality of surfaces, are placed so that at least a portion of the workpieces are stacked, in order to stack the plurality of workpieces flat; capturing an image of a surface of a workpiece to be detected among the plurality of works on the loading surface; and, when the imaged surface of the workpiece to be detected differs from a target surface, rotating the workpiece to be detected via the robot hand.

[0005] According to a second aspect, there is provided a control method for a robot device having a robot hand capable of grasping an object and a robot arm that moves the robot hand, the control method including: selecting a work holding member having a shape corresponding to a work to be processed from a plurality of work holding members having different shapes, each of which is surrounded by a plurality of surfaces; detachably placing the selected work holding member on a base member via the robot hand; placing the work to be processed on the holding surface of the selected work holding member via the robot hand; and fixing the work to be processed placed on the holding surface of the work holding member.

[0006] According to a third aspect, there is provided a robot device comprising a robot hand capable of grasping an object, a robot arm that moves the robot hand, and a control device that controls the operation of the robot hand and the robot arm, the robot device further comprising an alignment member that can be grasped by the robot hand, and an imaging device that can detect a surface of a workpiece surrounded by multiple surfaces, the control device relatively moving the alignment member and the multiple workpieces via the robot hand so that at least a portion of the alignment member comes into contact with at least a portion of the multiple workpieces in order to stack the multiple workpieces flat above a loading surface on which the multiple workpieces each surrounded by multiple surfaces are placed so that at least a portion of the workpieces are stacked, the control device causes the imaging device to image the surface of a workpiece to be detected among the multiple workpieces, and when the imaged surface of the workpiece to be detected differs from a target surface, the control device rotates the workpiece to be detected via the robot hand.

[0007] According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a robot device comprising: a robot hand capable of grasping an object; a robot arm that moves the robot hand; and a control device that controls the operation of the robot hand and the robot arm, the robot device comprising: a base member; a plurality of work holding members that are detachable from the base member, each having a different shape and capable of holding a workpiece surrounded by a plurality of surfaces; a fixing mechanism that fixes the workpiece held on the work holding member; and an imaging device that captures an image of at least a portion of the movement range of the robot hand, wherein the control device uses the imaging results of the imaging device to detachably mount a work holding member selected from the plurality of work holding members and having a shape corresponding to a workpiece to be processed among the plurality of workpieces onto the base member via the robot hand, mounts the workpiece to be processed on the holding surface of the work holding member via the robot hand, and fixes the workpiece to be processed mounted on the holding surface of the work holding member using the fixing mechanism.

[0008] 1A is a perspective view showing a robot device according to a first embodiment, FIG. 1B is an enlarged perspective view showing an example of a housing to be held, and FIG. 1C is a perspective view showing a robot hand according to a modified example. It is a diagram showing a control device for the robot device and a control device for the robot hand. It is a flowchart showing an example of a method for stacking and rotating workpieces (housings), and it is a flowchart showing an example of a method for fixing workpieces (housings) with a housing holder. It is a perspective view showing a state in which a comb-shaped member held by a robot hand and multiple housings are moved relative to each other, it is an enlarged front view showing the fingers and comb-shaped member of the robot hand, and it is a side view with a portion cut away showing the fingers and comb-shaped member. It is a front view showing a state in which an alignment member and multiple housings are moved relative to each other, it is a perspective view showing multiple housings on a stage with different surfaces facing upward, and it is a side view showing the relationship between the height of the alignment member and the length and width of the multiple housings. 9A is a plan view showing a state in which a housing is moved across a step, (B) is a side view showing another state in which a housing is moved across a step, (C) is a side view showing a state in which a large housing is moved across a high step, and (D) is a cross-sectional view showing a step portion of a modified example. (A) and (B) are side views showing a rotatable jig of another modified example, (C), (D), (E), and (F) are side views showing a modified example using an intermediate step, respectively, and (G), (H), (I), and (J) are side views showing a modified example using an inclined intermediate step, respectively.

[0034] FIG. 9B is a perspective view showing a state in which a selected housing holder is transported onto a base member of a connection device by a robot device. (A) is a perspective view showing a state in which the housing holder in FIG. 8 is fixed on a base member, and (B) is a cross-sectional view of the housing holder in FIG. 9A as viewed in the Y direction.

[0035] FIG. 9C is a perspective view showing a state in which a housing held by a robot hand is transported onto a housing holder of a connection device. 12A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a housing is placed in an accommodating portion of a housing holder, and FIG. 12B is a perspective view showing a state in which the housing is held by the housing holder. FIG. 12A is a perspective view showing a state in which the housing holder of the second embodiment is fixed to a base member, and FIG. 12B is a cross-sectional view seen in the Y direction of FIG. 12A.10A and 10B are perspective views showing a state in which a robot device transfers a housing holder onto a base member in a second embodiment, in which (A) is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the housing holder's accommodation section and cover section are open, and (B) is a perspective view showing a state in which the housing is held by the housing holder.

[0009] [First Embodiment] A first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1(A) to 11(B). Figure 1(A) shows a robot device 2 according to this embodiment. In Figure 1(A), the X and Y axes are defined as being parallel to and orthogonal to the installation surface FLa of the robot device 2, and the Z axis is defined as being perpendicular to the installation surface FLa. As an example, the installation surface FLa is a substantially horizontal plane, and the direction above the installation surface FLa (the direction opposite to the vertical direction) is defined as the positive direction of the Z axis.

[0010] 1A, the robot device 2 includes a robot body 4 and a robot hand (hereinafter referred to as a two-fingered gripper) 6 having two movable fingers 34A and 34B joined to the robot body 4. The robot device 2 also includes a control device 10 that controls the operation of the robot body 4 and a control device 12 that controls the operation of the two-fingered gripper 6. A coordinate system consisting of a position X on the X-axis, a position Y on the Y-axis, and a position Z on the Z-axis of the gripping position where the two-fingered gripper 6 grips an object (workpiece) is referred to as a robot coordinate system (X, Y, Z). The robot coordinate system may be set by any method. For example, the origin of the robot coordinate system may be set at the center of a base 14 (described later). The robot device 2 may also include a robot hand (multi-fingered gripper) having three or more fingers.

[0011] The robot main body 4 includes a base 14, a rotating part 18A, a first robot arm 18B and a first link 18E, a connecting member 18C, a second robot arm 18D and a second link 18F, and a third robot arm 18G, all of which are movably connected to the base 14. A two-fingered gripper 6 is joined to a tip 20C of the third robot arm 18G. The two-fingered gripper 6 (robot hand) can also be called an end effector.

[0012] As an example, the rotation angle θ1 of the rotating unit 18A about an axis parallel to the Z axis can be controlled, the swing angle φ1 of the first robot arm 18B can be controlled, the swing angle φ2 of the second robot arm 18D can be controlled, and the rotation angle θz of the two-fingered gripper 6 about an axis parallel to the Z axis can be controlled by the third robot arm 18G. The third robot arm 18G has a tip end 20C, a driving unit 20A that changes the rotation angle θz of the tip end 20C, and a connecting unit 20B that connects the driving unit 20A to the second robot arm 18D and the second link 18F. The links 18E and 18F function to maintain the two-fingered gripper 6 parallel to the Z axis when the first arm 18B and the second arm 18D are driven. The rotating parts 18A, 20A, the first arm 18B, and the second arm 18D each have a drive motor and an encoder 19A, 19B, 19C, or 19D (see FIG. 2) that detects the rotation angle.

[0013] Therefore, the robot device 2 can control the position of the two-fingered gripper 6 joined to the third robot arm 18G in four degrees of freedom, including the positions in the X, Y, and Z directions and the rotation angle θz about the Z axis. In the robot device 2, the third robot arm 18G and the two-fingered gripper 6 move parallel to the Z axis. A robot device 2 that can control the position of the two-fingered gripper 6 in four degrees of freedom in this way can have a simple configuration and is relatively inexpensive. In other words, it has high cost performance depending on the application.

[0014] The robot device 2 may be configured to be able to control the position of the two-finger gripper 6 with six degrees of freedom, including the positions in the X, Y, and Z directions and the rotation angles in three directions around the X, Y, and Z axes. That is, the robot device 2 may control the movement of the two-finger gripper 6 with six degrees of freedom (or five degrees of freedom). However, as described below, depending on the task performed by the robot device 2, the degrees of freedom of the robot device 2 may be two, three, or four. That is, in these cases, the degrees of freedom of the robot device 2 may be any of two to four. Furthermore, although the robot device 2 of this embodiment is a vertically articulated type, the configuration of the robot device 2 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 1A . The robot device 2 may have any configuration, such as a horizontally articulated type (SCARA type) or a parallel link type.

[0015] The two-fingered gripper 6 includes a main body 32 fixed to the tip 20C of the robot arm 18G via a joint (not shown), first and second finger portions 34A and 34B movable relative to the main body 32, and a control device 12. The joint (not shown) is detachably fixed to the tip 20C by mechanical means such as a movable claw mechanism, screw fixing, or leaf spring fixing, or by electrical means (such as electromagnet fixing). The joint is provided with connections (not shown) for electrical wiring, compressed air piping, and / or vacuum suction piping, as needed. The joint is provided with positioning portions (not shown), such as multiple protrusions or recesses, so that the position and rotation angle relative to the tip 20C are set to predetermined values. Therefore, the two-fingered gripper 6 can be easily replaced with robot hands having various other functions.

[0016] As an example, the finger units 34A, 34B each include a movable unit 36A, 36B that is driven to open and close by the main unit 32, and a flat grip unit (grip unit) 38A, 38B that is fixed to the movable units 36A, 36B via bolts or the like (not shown) and serves to clamp and hold an object to be grasped. The movable units 36A, 36B and the grip units 38A, 38B may be integrally formed. In this embodiment, the grip units 38A, 38B are replaceable with other grip units having a shape optimal for the object to be grasped, for example. The main unit 32 is provided with a finger drive unit 13C for driving the movable units 36A, 36B and an encoder unit 13B for position detection (see FIG. 2). The finger units 34A, 34B may be movable relative to one another; for example, the finger unit 34A may be movable and the finger unit 34B may be fixed.

[0017] 1A , a first imaging device 22A is installed on the ceiling of the room in which the robot device 2 is installed. The imaging device 22A captures images within the range in which the two-finger gripper 6 moves. The imaging device 22A can be installed at any position, such as on the side or floor of the room. Furthermore, as an example, a second imaging device 22B is installed on the side of the drive unit 20A of the third robot arm 18G of the robot device 2. The imaging device 22B is used to capture images of the workpiece gripped by the two-finger gripper 6 and the state of the destination of the workpiece gripped by the two-finger gripper 6. The imaging device 22B can also be installed in a position where the opening and closing of the finger portions 34A, 34B of the main body 32 of the two-finger gripper 6 can be observed (e.g., position Q1 indicated by the dotted line). If the imaging device 22B is installed on the main body 32, the imaging device 22B will rotate when the two-finger gripper 6 rotates.

[0018] It is also possible to omit the first imaging device 22A installed in the room. Alternatively, it is also possible to omit the second imaging device 22B on the robot device 2 (two-finger gripper 6) side and use only the first imaging device 22A. Each of the imaging devices 22A and 22B has an autofocus mechanism, which allows it to calculate an approximate value of the distance to the imaging target. It is also possible for the imaging devices 22A and 22B not to have an autofocus mechanism. If an autofocus mechanism is not provided, the operator may manually focus on the target. However, as the imaging devices 22A and 22B, in addition to ordinary cameras, three-dimensional cameras (such as stereo cameras) capable of accurately measuring the distance to the target may also be used.

[0019] 1A , the finger portions 34A and 34B of the two-finger gripper 6 of this embodiment grip (hold) a thin, elongated cable 24 as an example of a linear object. The cable 24 has a non-rotationally symmetric terminal 24a attached to the tip thereof for connecting to a rectangular parallelepiped (polygonal cross-section) housing 26A serving as a connector. Note that the two-finger gripper 6 may grip linear objects such as wires, tubes, and optical cables in addition to cables. In this case, the terminal 24a or the like may not be attached to the tip of the linear object. Furthermore, the workpieces to be gripped by the two-finger gripper 6 include multiple housings 26A, 26B, 26C, etc., each having a variety of different shapes. Terminals of multiple cables, such as the cable 24, can be connected to the housings 26A to 26C. Furthermore, the two-finger gripper 6 can grip workpieces of any other shape.

[0020] 1(B), the housing 26A is surrounded by six surfaces (multiple surfaces) including a front surface 26Aa on which a plurality of terminal holes 27A corresponding to cable terminals are arranged in a grid pattern, a back surface 26Ab opposite the front surface 26Aa, a top surface 26Ac on which clamps 28A for securing the terminals of a plurality of cables connected to the housing 26A are provided, a bottom surface 26Ad opposite the top surface 26Ac, and two side surfaces 26Ae and 26Af with the smallest areas. Also, as an example, the length of the housing 26A in the long side direction (the distance between the side surfaces 26Ae and 26Af) is longer than the width of the short side direction (the distance between the front surface 26Aa and the back surface 26Ab), and the width of the short side direction is longer than the height (the distance between the top surface 26Ac and the bottom surface 26Ad). The relationship between the length, width, and height varies depending on the workpiece.

[0021] For example, information such as the length, width, and height of the housing 26A may be obtained from an image of the housing 26A captured by the imaging device 22B (or 22A, the same applies below), or may be stored in advance as shape data of the workpiece to be grasped. In reality, the image of the surface 26Ac of the housing 26A is different between the front surface 26Aa and the back surface 26Ab (asymmetric with respect to the center line of the surface 26Ac), and when the image of the surface 26Ac of the housing 26A is captured by the imaging device 22B, it is possible to identify the direction of the front surface 26Aa of the housing 26A from the image.

[0022] In addition, when the object to be gripped by the two-finger gripper 6 is a relatively small or thin workpiece such as the cable 24 and the housings 26A to 26C, a modified two-finger gripper 6A shown in Fig. 1(C) can be used instead of the two-finger gripper 6. In Fig. 1(C), the two-finger gripper 6A has a main body 32, movable parts 36A and 36B driven by the main body 32, a holding part 33A provided on the side of the main body 32, and a tweezers-type tool 39 held by an attachment part 33B at the lower end of the holding part 33A. The tool 39 has two openable and closable movable plates 39a and 39b, and the ends of the movable plates 39a and 39b are connected to form a fulcrum part, which is held by the attachment part 33B. Movable plates 39a and 39b are arranged between the movable parts 36A and 36B, and by opening and closing the movable parts 36A and 36B in the main body 32, the movable plates 39a and 39b open and close, and the tip ends of the movable plates 39a and 39b can grasp a workpiece such as the housings 26A to 26C or the cable 24.

[0023] 2 shows the control device 10 of the robot device 2 and the control device 12 of the two-finger gripper 6 of this embodiment. In Fig. 2, the control device 10 includes a control information input / output unit 11A that inputs and outputs control information (such as the type or position of a workpiece to be processed) to and from, for example, an operator, a main control unit 11B that transmits and receives control information to and from the control device 12 of the two-finger gripper 6 and controls the operation of the entire device, and a coordinate calculation unit 11C that processes the detection results of multi-axis (at least four axes in this embodiment) encoders 19A to 19D that detect the movements of the rotating unit 18A and the robot arms 18B, 18D, and 18G, and calculates the coordinates and rotation angle of the gripping position (for example, the midpoint of the tips of the movable units 36A and 36B) of the two-finger gripper 6 at the tip of the third robot arm 18G.

[0024] The control device 10 further includes an image processing unit 11D that processes the image signals of the image capturing devices 22A and 22B to recognize, for example, the shape of a workpiece to be held by the two-fingered gripper 6, the position of the workpiece to be transported (target position), etc. In this case, the transformation relationship between the coordinate system of the image captured by the image capturing device 22A and the coordinate system of the two-fingered gripper 6 of the robot device 2 (robot coordinate system (X, Y, Z)), and the transformation relationship between the coordinate system of the image captured by the image capturing device 22B and the coordinate system of the gripping position of the two-fingered gripper 6 relative to the robot arm 18G (robot hand coordinate system) are determined in advance, and these transformation relationships are stored. The control device 10 also includes an arm control unit 11E that controls the movements of the rotation unit 18A, the robot arms 18B, 18D, 18G, and the two-fingered gripper 6 based on the processing results of the coordinate calculation unit 11C and the image processing unit 11D and control information from the main control unit 11B, and a memory unit 11F.

[0025] The storage unit 11F may include, for example, a storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD), or a non-volatile memory such as a universal serial bus (USB) memory. The storage unit 11F stores programs and various setting values ​​of the control device 10, as well as the conversion relationship between the two coordinate systems described above. In the present embodiment, as an example, the arm control unit 11E controls the operation of the control device 12 of the two-finger gripper 6 under the control of the main control unit 11B, or the main control unit 11B directly controls the operation of the control device 12.

[0026] The control device 12 for the two-finger gripper 6 includes a hand control unit 13A that controls the operation of the entire device of the two-finger gripper 6, an encoder unit 13B that processes detection signals from a sensor that detects the rotation angle of a motor (not shown) that drives the movable units 36A and 36B, and thereby determines the rotation angle of the motor and, ultimately, the positions of the finger units 34A and 34B (movable units 36A and 36B), and a finger drive unit 13C that uses control information from the hand control unit 13A and the detection results of the encoder unit 13B to drive the motor to open and close the finger units 34A and 34B.

[0027] The control device 12 further includes a finger grip force detection unit 13D that calculates the grip force of the finger portions 34A, 34B from the motor current value, and a memory unit 13E. The hand control unit 13A controls the operation of the finger drive unit 13C using the detection results of the encoder unit 13B, and controls the positions of the finger portions 34A, 34B to target positions (e.g., positions instructed by the arm control unit 11E). The memory unit 13E has a configuration similar to that of the memory unit 11F, and stores the programs and various setting values ​​of the control device 12.

[0028] Next, an example of a method for aligning a plurality of workpieces, such as a plurality of housings 26A, using the robot device 2 of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 3A. Aligning the housings 26A refers to aligning the stacked housings 26A so that none of the housings 26A overlap (hereinafter referred to as "flat stacking"), and rotating the workpieces so that the top surfaces of the stacked housings 26A each face a target surface (e.g., surface 26Ac in FIG. 1B). This type of alignment is performed, for example, when processing a large number of housings 26A delivered from a parts manufacturer and placed in a stack on a workpiece table. After alignment, the aligned housings 26A can be easily connected to, for example, a plurality of cables 24.

[0029] In this embodiment, in step 100 of FIG. 3A , as shown in FIG. 4A , on an installation surface FLa on which the robot device 2 is installed, multiple housings 26A are supplied so as to be stacked on a flat upper surface 40c of a flat plate-shaped workpiece stage 40 within the movable range of the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2. The workpiece stage 40 is, for example, a flat plate-shaped member surrounded by two sides parallel to the X axis and two sides parallel to the Y axis, and has sidewalls 40a, 40b on both ends of the Y direction. Step adjustment units 42 are provided in the −X and −Y direction regions of the upper surface 40c. The step adjustment unit 42 has a first adjustment surface 42a that is higher than the upper surface 40c by a predetermined height, and a second adjustment surface 42c that is higher by an even greater height than the first adjustment surface 42a. The step at the boundary between the first adjustment surface 42a and the upper surface 40c is the first step portion 42b, and the step at the boundary between the second adjustment surface 42c and the upper surface 40c is the second step portion 42d. The step adjustment portion 42 may further include one or more adjustment surfaces of different heights. In this case, as an example, step portions 42b, 42d, etc. (steps) are selected and used depending on the selected housing 26A, etc. Furthermore, the correspondence between the housing and the step may be stored, and when the housing information is input, the corresponding step may be installed on the stage 40.

[0030] In the next step 102, the comb-shaped member 44 is gripped by the fingers 34A and 34B of the two-fingered gripper 6 (robot hand) of the robot device 2, and the comb-shaped member 44 is moved above the stage 40. When the stage 40 arranged as shown in Fig. 4(A) is used, the comb-shaped member 44 is a flat member parallel to the side wall portions 40a and 40b of the stage 40, i.e., parallel to a plane including an axis parallel to the X axis and an axis parallel to the Z axis (hereinafter also referred to as the XZ plane), and the edge portion of the comb-shaped member 44 facing the stage 40 is provided with notches 44a, 44b, and 44c of width Ha at a height Hb from the top surface 40c and spaced apart at intervals narrower than width Ha, as shown in Fig. 4(B). As an example, the width Ha of the cutouts 44a to 44c is set to be wider than the width La (the distance between the front surface 26Aa and the back surface 26Ab in FIG. 1B) in the short-side direction of the housing 26A to be grasped, and the width Ha is set to be narrower than the length Lc (the distance between the side surfaces 26Ae and 26Af in FIG. 1B) of the housing 26A. Also, the height Hb of the cutouts 44a to 44c is set to be wider than the height Lb (the distance between the top surface 26Ac and the bottom surface 26Ad in FIG. 1B) of the housing 26A, and the height Hb is set to be narrower than the width La of the housing 26A.

[0031] As shown in Figure 4(C), by moving the comb-shaped member 44 having such a shape so as to pass above the stacked housings 26A, the overlapping of the multiple housings 26A is resolved after passing through the cutout portions 44a to 44c of the comb-shaped member 44. Therefore, in step 104, the robot device 2 moves the comb-shaped member 44 in the -Y direction via the two-finger gripper 6. At this time, on the upper surface 40a of the stage 40 in Figure 4(A), the housings 26A are stacked in an area 40d before the comb-shaped member 44 passes, whereas in an area 40e after the comb-shaped member 44 has passed, the multiple housings 26A are leveled and do not overlap, i.e., are stacked flat.

[0032] If, for example, observation using the imaging device 22B reveals that stacked housings 26A remain in the area 40e through which the comb-shaped member 44 passed, the comb-shaped member 44 can be repeatedly moved in the +Y direction or the -Y direction using the two-finger gripper 6 until all of the housings 26A are stacked flat. Instead of moving the comb-shaped member 44 in the Y direction relative to the stage 40, or in conjunction with moving the comb-shaped member 44 in the Y direction relative to the stage 40, the stage 40 can be moved in the direction opposite to the movement of the comb-shaped member 44 using a drive device (not shown). In short, the comb-shaped member 44 and the stage 40 can be moved relative to each other in a direction perpendicular to or intersecting the surface of the comb-shaped member 44. As a result, all of the housings 26A on the upper surface 40a of the stage 40 can be stacked flat. Thereafter, the comb-shaped member 44 gripped by the two-finger gripper 6 is returned to a storage unit (not shown). The comb-shaped member 44 and the alignment member 46 described below can also be considered to be part of the configuration of the robot device 2.

[0033] In step 104, instead of using the comb-shaped member 44, an alignment member 46 having a rod-shaped handle portion 46a and a flat plate portion 46b fixed thereto, as shown in FIG. 5A , may be used. In this case, the handle portion 46a of the alignment member 46 is grasped by the finger portions 34A and 34B of the two-finger gripper 6, and the height of the two-finger gripper 6 is controlled to adjust the height of the flat plate portion 46b from the upper surface 40a of the stage 40. The alignment member 46 is then moved in the Y direction relative to the stage 40 so as to level the stacked housings 26A, thereby allowing the multiple housings 26A to be stacked flat. In this case, the stage 40 may also be moved in the opposite direction instead of or in conjunction with moving the alignment member 46.

[0034] 5(B), the orientation of the housing 26A on the stage 40 can be an orientation with the front (or bottom) facing up, as in position P1, an orientation with the side facing up, as in position P2, or an orientation with the front or back facing up, as in position P3. Therefore, if the aim is to position the housing 26A with the front or bottom facing up, as in position P1, for example, the height of the edge portion of the flat plate portion 46b of the alignment member 46 relative to the stage 40 may be changed in stages when the alignment member 46 is moved relative to the stage 40.

[0035] For example, when the alignment member 46 and the stage 40 are first moved relative to each other, the height Hb1 of the flat plate portion 46b of the alignment member 46 is set to a height greater than the height Lc of the housing 26A, as shown at dotted line position P4 in FIG. 5C . Next, when the alignment member 46 and the stage 40 are moved relative to each other, the height of the flat plate portion 46b of the alignment member 46 is set to be smaller than the height Lc and larger than the width (width La between the side surfaces) of the housing 26A. Note that the width La between the side surfaces is larger than the height Lb of the housing 26A. Finally, when the alignment member 46 and the stage 40 are moved relative to each other, the height Hb2 of the flat plate portion 46b of the alignment member 46 is set to be smaller than the width La and larger than the height Lb of the housing 26A, as shown at position P5 in FIG. 5C . In this way, by moving the alignment member 46 and the table 40 relative to each other while gradually lowering the height of the flat plate portion 46b of the alignment member 46, it is possible to level out the large number of housings 26A and stack them flat.

[0036] Furthermore, in order to efficiently perform subsequent operations, it is preferable that the upper surfaces of the housings 26A stacked in this manner be the surfaces 26Ac (see FIG. 1B) on which the clamps 28A are located. Therefore, as an example, the target surface for the upper surfaces of the housings 26A is the surfaces 26Ac. Furthermore, in the state in which step 104 is completed, the upper surfaces of all of the housings 26A on the top surface 40a of the stage 40 are the surfaces 26Ac on which the clamps 28A are located, or the bottom surfaces 26Ad (see FIG. 1B) facing the surfaces 26Ac. If the upper surfaces of the housings 26A are the surfaces 26Ac, they can be left as they are. However, if the upper surfaces are the bottom surfaces 26Ad, the housings 26A must be rotated (flipped) by 180 degrees.

[0037] Therefore, in the next step 106, the imaging device 22B captures images of the upper surfaces of all of the stacked housings 26A. The image processing unit 11D in FIG. 2 then uses the captured images of the upper surfaces of all of the housings 26A to identify any housings 26A whose upper surfaces are different from the target surface (here, the surface 26Ac) (i.e., the bottom surface 26Ad is facing up), and provides position information of the identified housings 26A to the main control unit 11B. If it is determined in step 108 that there is a housing 26A whose upper surface is different from the target surface, the process proceeds to step 110, where, under the control of the main control unit 11B, the finger portions 34A, 34B of the two-fingered gripper 6 of the robot device 2 grip the housing 26A at the identified position, and place the gripped housing 26A on, for example, the first adjustment surface 42a of the step adjustment unit 42 on the stage 40, as shown in FIG. 6A .

[0038] At this time, the two-finger gripper 6 is rotated around an axis parallel to the Z-axis so that the longitudinal direction (width direction of the side surface) of the housing 26A becomes parallel to the first step portion 42b (here, the step parallel to the X-axis) of the first adjustment surface 42a. In this state, the pair of side surfaces 26Ae, 26Af that have a larger intersection angle with the first step portion 42b (in this example, the intersection angle is approximately 90 degrees) among the six surfaces of the housing 26A are gripped by the two-finger gripper 6. In this state, the finger portions 34A, 34B (housing 26A) are moved across the first step portion 42b, gradually increasing the distance between the finger portions 34A, 34B. This action causes the housing 26A to rotate approximately 180 degrees while falling across the first step portion 42b, so that the upper surface of the housing 26A that has passed the first step portion 42b and reached position P6 on the upper surface 40c becomes the target surface 26Ac.

[0039] If the rotation angle of the housing 26A is 90 degrees when the housing 26A is moved across the first step portion 42b, the two-finger gripper 6 may be used to return the housing 26A to the first adjustment surface 42a and then move the housing 26A across the first step portion 42b again to rotate the housing 26A another 90 degrees. As a result, the housing 26A rotates 180 degrees from its initial state, and the upper surface of the housing 26A that has reached the top surface 40c becomes the target surface 26Ac. That is, if the orientation of the housing 26A that has crossed the first step portion 42b is such that its side is facing upward, as in position P3 in FIG. 5B , the housing 26A may be pushed in the +Y direction with some of the finger portions 34A and 34B to rotate it another 90 degrees. Alternatively, the two-finger gripper 6 may be used to return the housing 26A to the first adjustment surface 42a, and the two-finger gripper 6 may be moved again so that the housing 26A crosses the first step portion 42b and falls.

[0040] Furthermore, instead of gripping the side of the housing 26A with the two-finger gripper 6, as shown in FIG. 6B , the housing 26A on the first adjustment surface 42a may be pushed in the Y direction with the finger portions 34B of the two-finger gripper 6, causing the housing 26A to fall across the first step portion 42b while rotating. With this method, the housing 26A can be rotated approximately 180 degrees depending on the combination of the shape of the housing 26A and the height of the first step portion 42b. In this case, too, when the rotation angle of the housing 26A is 90 degrees, the housing 26A may be returned to the first adjustment surface 42a, and the housing 26A may be dropped across the first step portion 42b again, thereby rotating the housing 26A another 90 degrees.

[0041] In order to rotate the housing 26A, in addition to the operation of dropping the housing 26A across the first step portion 42b as described above, the housing 26A may also be raised across the first step portion 42b from the upper surface 40c side to the first adjustment surface 42a side. When the housing 26A is raised across the first step portion 42b in this manner, the housing 26A rotates, and if the rotation angle is 90 degrees, the operation of raising the housing 26A across the first step portion 42b can be repeated.

[0042] In the next step 112, the image of the upper surface of the housing 26A after it has rotated across the first step 42b is captured by the imaging device 22A (or imaging device 22B), and the image processing unit 11D determines whether the image of the surface obtained is the image of the target surface (surface 26Ac). If the image of the surface obtained is not the image of the target surface, the process returns to step 110, where the housing 26A is rotated again. On the other hand, if the image of the surface obtained is the image of the target surface, the process returns to step 108, where it is determined whether any housings 26A whose upper surfaces are different from the target surface remain. This alignment process is completed when the upper surfaces of all housings 26A match the target surfaces. Alignment of housings 26B and 26C of other shapes can also be performed in a similar manner. Furthermore, even if housings 26A to 26C are mixed, alignment of all housings 26A to 26C can be performed in a similar manner. It should be noted that rather than continuing the alignment process until all of the housings 26A to 26C are aligned, the alignment process may proceed to the next process (described below) in order, starting with the housing 26A (or housings 26B, 26C) for which alignment has been completed (the process of fixing the housings 26A to 26C to the corresponding housing holders 50A to 50C, described below, and connecting the cables).

[0043] As described above, according to the alignment method of this embodiment, the four-degree-of-freedom robot device 2 relatively moves the comb-shaped member 44 to level the multiple housings 26A stacked on the upper surface of the stage 40, thereby stacking the multiple housings 26A flat. The robot device 2 then rotates (flipped) the multiple housings 26A using the steps so that the upper surfaces of the multiple housings 26A each become the surface 26Ac. This allows alignment of the multiple housings 26A (i.e., the upper surfaces of the multiple housings in the stacked state become the target surfaces (here, the surfaces 26Ac)) with a simple mechanism. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, 1) when flatly stacking the housings 26A-26D, the robot device 2 (two-finger gripper 6) may have two degrees of freedom (e.g., movement in the X direction (or Y direction) and Z direction). 2) When picking up the stacked housings and aligning them in a desired direction, the robot device 2 preferably has four degrees of freedom (movement and rotation in three dimensions).

[0044] 6(C), for example, when rotating housing 26C, which is larger than housing 26A, housing 26C may be placed on second adjustment surface 42c, which is higher than first adjustment surface 42a, by two-finger gripper 6. In this state, as in the case of FIG. 6(A), two side surfaces of housing 26C are sandwiched between finger portions 34A and 34B, and finger portions 34A and 34B are gradually opened as two-finger gripper 6 is moved in the Y direction. As a result, housing 26C crosses second step portion 42d while rotating, and the upper surface of housing 26C at position P6 becomes surface 26Cc.

[0045] Furthermore, for example, when rotating a housing 26D having a different shape from the housings 26A to 26C, as shown in FIG. 6C , positioning pins 41 may be provided at two locations on the top surface of the stage 40, and multiple flat plates 42A may be stacked on the top surface of the stage 40 so that they can be positioned using the positioning pins 41. If the housing 26D is large, a larger number of flat plates 42A may be stacked, and the housing 26D may be dropped onto the stacked flat plates 42A while rotating. If the housing 26D is small, a smaller number of flat plates 42A may be stacked (for example, one), and the housing 26D may be dropped onto the stacked flat plates 42A while rotating, thereby allowing the upper surfaces of housings of various shapes to be set as the target surface. In this case, for example, a gripped portion that can be gripped by a two-finger gripper 6 may be provided at the end of the flat plate 42A, and a number of flat plates 42A determined depending on the size of the housing 26D to be rotated may be stacked using the two-finger gripper 6. This allows the number of flat plates 42A to be changed automatically.

[0046] As another modification, as shown in FIG. 7A , an L-shaped rotation adjustment jig 48 that can rotate around a rotation axis 48 a of a support portion 48 b may be installed on the upper surface of the mounting table 40. In this example, after the housing 26A is placed on the inner surface of the rotation adjustment jig 48 by the two-finger gripper 6, the finger portions 34A and 34B are released from the housing 26A and the rotation adjustment jig 48 is rotated 90 degrees by the finger portions 34A and 34B, thereby rotating the housing 26A 90 degrees, as shown in FIG. 7B . Thereafter, the finger portions 34A and 34B of the two-finger gripper 6 grip the side surfaces of the housing 26A, and the finger portions 34A and 34B are gradually opened while the two-finger gripper 6 is moved, thereby rotating the housing 26A further 90 degrees so that the upper surface of the housing 26A becomes the surface. Alternatively, the upper surface of the housing 26A can be made to face up by rotating the rotation adjustment jig 48 to the state shown in Figure 6(C) while clamping and lifting the housing 26A with the two-finger gripper 6, placing the housing 26A on the inner surface of the rotation adjustment jig 48, and then rotating the rotation adjustment jig 48 by 90 degrees using the finger portions 34A and 34B.

[0047] As yet another modification, as shown in FIG. 7C , a step adjustment unit 43 having an intermediate step portion 43b may be provided on the upper surface of the stage 40. The step adjustment unit 43 has an upper surface 43a on which the housing 26A to be inverted is initially placed, and an intermediate step surface 43b that is lower than the upper surface 43a. The intermediate step surface 43b is parallel to the upper surface 40c (a substantially horizontal surface) of the stage 40 and is higher than the upper surface 40c. The width Hc of the intermediate step surface 43b is set narrower than the height Lb (the distance between the top and bottom surfaces, see FIG. 5B ) of the housing 26A to be rotated. As an example, the width Hc of the intermediate step surface 43b is set slightly narrower than half the height Lb of the housing 26A.

[0048] In this modification, when the housing 26A is inverted (rotated 180 degrees), the housing 26A gripped by the finger portions 34A and 34B of the two-finger gripper 6 is placed on the upper surface 43a of the step adjustment portion 43, as shown in FIG. 7D. Then, as shown in FIG. 7E, the two-finger gripper 6 is moved toward the intermediate step surface 43b (across the step) while the finger portions 34A and 34B are opened, causing the housing 26A to rotate 90 degrees and be placed on the intermediate step surface 43b. Thereafter, because the width Hc of the intermediate step surface 43b is narrower than half the height Lb of the housing 26A, the housing 26A rotates another 90 degrees due to the inertial force of the rotation up to that point and its own weight, and falls onto the upper surface 40c of the stage 40, as shown in FIG. 7F. In this state, the upper surface of the housing 26A is the target surface.

[0049] In this modification, as shown in FIG. 7G, the step adjustment unit 43 may be provided with an inclined intermediate step portion 43c. The intermediate step surface 43c is at a height between the upper surface 43a of the step adjustment unit 43 and the upper surface 40c of the stage 40, and is inclined clockwise at an angle δ with respect to a plane parallel to the upper surface 40c (a substantially horizontal plane). The angle δ is, for example, approximately 15° to 40°. The intermediate step surface 43c may be formed of a material with a higher coefficient of friction than the upper surface 40a to prevent the housing 26A from slipping. The intermediate step surface 43c may also be formed of a material with high friction resistance, such as polyvinyl chloride. Alternatively, the intermediate step surface 43c may have one or more grooves formed therein to prevent the housing 26A from slipping. The width of the intermediate step surface 43c may be somewhat greater than half the height of the housing 26A.

[0050] In this modification, when the housing 26A is inverted, the housing 26A gripped by the finger portions 34A and 34B of the two-finger gripper 6 is placed on the upper surface 43a of the step adjustment portion 43, as shown in FIG. 7(H). Then, as shown in FIG. 7(I), the two-finger gripper 6 is moved toward the intermediate step surface 43b (a direction crossing the step) while the finger portions 34A and 34B are opened, causing the housing 26A to rotate approximately 90 degrees and reach the intermediate step surface 43c. At this time, because the intermediate step surface 43c is inclined, another rotation is induced, and the housing 26A rotates another 90 degrees. As shown in FIG. 7(J), the upper surface becomes the target surface and the housing 26A falls onto the upper surface 40c. According to these modifications, the housing 26A can be rotated 180 degrees by simply dropping the housing 26A across the step portion once with the two-finger gripper 6. It is also possible to provide a plurality of intermediate step surfaces 43b or 43c in the step adjustment portion 43 so that the housing 26A crosses the plurality of intermediate step surfaces.

[0051] Next, in order to connect a plurality of cables 24 (or other cables of different shapes) to the numerous connector housings 26A-26D aligned as described above, in this embodiment, members (hereinafter referred to as housing holders) 50A, 50B, 50C, and 50D that fix and hold the housings 26A, 26B, 26C, and 26D are used, as shown in Fig. 8. First, the configuration of the housing holders 50A-50D, the configuration of the connection device 8A that fixes the housing holders 50A-50D and connects the cables 24 and the like, and finger portions 34C and 34D (described below) of the robot device 2 that handles the housing holders 50A-50D will be described.

[0052] In FIG. 8 , a turntable 52 is installed on a mounting surface within the movable range of the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2, and housing holders 50A-50D are stored on the turntable 52. Note that a storage mechanism, such as a horizontally or vertically rotatable magazine mechanism used in a tool changer of a machining center, may be used instead of the turntable 52. It is also possible to use a conveyor-type or slide-type changer mechanism instead of the turntable 52. Note that FIG. 8 shows a state in which the housing holder 50A, which was at position P7 on the turntable 52, is being carried out by the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2. For ease of explanation, it is assumed below that the cable is connected to the housing 26A selected from the housings 26A-26C, and that the member capable of fixing the housing 26A is the housing holder 50A. Note that, as an example, the housings 26A-26C are aligned and placed on the top surface of the stage 40 (not shown in FIG. 8 ) of FIG. 4A.

[0053] On the installation surface of the robot device 2 in FIG. 8 , a flat base member 54 of a connection device 8A used to connect multiple cables to a housing 26A is installed within the movable range of the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2. The base member 54 is bounded by two pairs of sides parallel to the X-axis and Y-axis of the robot coordinate system (X, Y, Z), and has a rectangular shape elongated in the X direction. Two pairs of positioning pins 56 are located near the end of the base member 54 in the +X direction, and a flat permanent magnet 62A (described in detail below) is installed between the two pairs of positioning pins 56 of the base member 54. Note that only one pair of positioning pins 56 may be provided at one end of the base member 54. In addition, a drive unit 58 is installed in an area near the end of the base member 54 in the -X direction, and an opening / closing unit 60 (described in detail below) of the housing holder 50A is supported so that it can be driven in the X direction by the drive unit 58. The drive unit 58 can be, for example, an electromagnetic or compressed air cylinder. It should be noted that the movement of the opening / closing unit 60 (described later) may be performed using the robot device 2 (two-finger gripper 6) without providing the driving unit 58. It is also possible to regard the turntable 52, and the connection device 8A including the base member 54, driving unit 58, and opening / closing unit 60 as part of the configuration of the robot device 2.

[0054] The two finger sections 34C and 34D opened and closed by the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2 of this embodiment are formed by fixing flat gripping sections 38C and 38D, respectively, with bolts (not shown) to the inside of two movable sections 36A and 36B opened and closed by the main body section 32. If the opening and closing direction of the finger sections 34C and 34D is the X direction, the gripping sections 38C and 38D are each flat and parallel to a plane (YZ plane) that includes an axis parallel to the Y axis and an axis parallel to the Z axis. One of the gripping sections, 38C, has protrusions 38Ca and 38Cb protruding in the -Z direction at both ends in the Y direction, and a plurality of openings 38Cc of approximately the same width are formed at unequal intervals at the lower end between the protrusions 38Ca and 38Cb of the gripping section 38C.

[0055] The other gripping portion 38D has a shape obtained by rotating the one gripping portion 38C by 180 degrees around an axis parallel to the Z axis, and has protrusions 38Da and 38Db at both ends of the gripping portion 38D in the Y direction, with multiple openings 38Dc between the protrusions 38Da and 38Db. An example of the use of the openings 38Cc and 38Dc will be described. For example, with the cable 24 (see FIG. 1A ) gripped between one gripping portion 38C of the two-finger gripper 6 and a flat plate portion (not shown) provided on the installation surface and positioned in the opening 38Dc of the other gripping portion 38D, the rotation angle of the cable 24 can be adjusted by moving the two-finger gripper 6 in the Z direction.

[0056] This operation can be used to adjust the angle of rotation of the cable 24 or the like gripped by the two-finger gripper 6 when connecting the cable 24 or the like to a fixed housing 26A or the like as described below. In this case, even if the thickness of the cables gripped by the two-finger gripper 6 varies, the angle of rotation can be adjusted. Note that the finger portions 34C and 34D of the two-finger gripper 6 may be used to grip the comb-shaped member 44 in FIG. 4A and the alignment member 46 in FIG. 5A described above. In other words, the finger portions 34C and 34D in FIG. 8 may be used as the finger portions 34A and 34B in FIG. 1.

[0057] Next, Fig. 9(A) shows the housing holder 50A placed on the base member 54, and Fig. 9(B) is a cross-sectional view of the housing holder 50A of Fig. 9(A) as viewed in the +Y direction. As shown in Figs. 9(A) and 9(B), the housing holder 50A has a frame 64 placed on the upper surface of the base member 54 and an accommodation portion 66A fixed to the frame 64 by two bolts 74A and capable of accommodating the housing 26A. The housing holder 50A further has a cover portion 68A for pressing down and securing the housing 26A accommodated in the accommodation portion 66A, a lever portion 70 for opening and closing the cover portion 68A relative to the accommodation portion 66A, two bolts 74B connecting the cover portion 68A and the lever portion 70, and a rotation shaft 72 for rotatably supporting the lever portion 70 relative to the frame 64. Two pairs of openings 64f are provided at both ends of the frame 64 in the Y direction, through which the two pairs of positioning pins 56 of the base member 54 are inserted. Note that when a pair of positioning pins 56 are provided on the base member 54 side, for example, at the end in the -Y direction, it is sufficient to provide a pair of openings 64f, through which the pair of positioning pins 56 are inserted, at the end in the -Y direction of the frame 64. Also, for example, one of the pair of openings 64f may be a circular opening and the other an elongated hole. When two pairs of positioning pins 56 are provided, one of the two pairs of openings 64f may be a circular opening and the other an elongated hole or a larger circular opening.

[0058] The inner surface 66Aa of the accommodating portion 66A is recessed to fit the bottom surface (bottom surface 26Ad) of the housing 26A, and openings 66Ab, 66Ac are formed on both sides of the accommodating portion 66A in the Y direction (longitudinal direction) to allow passage of portions of the finger portions 34C, 34D of the two-finger gripper 6 that grip the housing 26A. When the housing 26A is gripped by the finger portions 34C, 34D of the two-finger gripper 6 in FIG. 8 , for example, two side surfaces of the housing 26A are gripped by protrusions 38Ca, 38Da at the ends of the gripping portions 38C, 38D of the finger portions 34C, 34D. The protrusions 38Ca, 38Da that grip the housing 26A are configured to allow the housing 26A to be placed on the inner surface 66Aa of the accommodating portion 66A through the openings 66Ab, 66Ac of the accommodating portion 66A.

[0059] Furthermore, the inner surface 68Aa of the cover portion 68A is recessed to fit the upper surface (surface 26Ac) of the housing 26A. By replacing the accommodation portion 66A with accommodation portions 66B-66D (not shown) shaped to fit the housings 26B-26D and replacing the cover portion 68A with cover portions 68B-68D (not shown) shaped to fit the housings 26B-26D, the housing holder 50A can be converted into the housing holders 50B-50D. Replacing the accommodation portion 66A with accommodation portions 66B-66D can be easily performed by simply removing and re-fastening the bolt 74A, and replacing the cover portion 68A with cover portions 68B-68D can be easily performed by simply removing and re-fastening the bolt 74B. Furthermore, since the accommodation portions 66A-66D and the cover portions 68A-68D can each be easily manufactured using, for example, a three-dimensional printer, multiple housing holders 50A-50D can be easily manufactured.

[0060] The frame 64 also includes a bottom plate 64a to which the storage section 66A is fixed at both Y-direction ends by bolts 74A, sidewalls 64b and 64c provided at the −X-direction ends of the bottom plate 64a, and a pair of flat ears 64d and 64e provided above the +X-direction ends of the sidewalls 64b and 64c. The ears 64d and 64e are parallel to a plane (the YZ plane) that includes an axis parallel to the Y axis and an axis parallel to the Z axis, respectively. When the housing holder 50A of this embodiment (as well as the other housing holders 50B to 50D) is transported by the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2 shown in FIG. 8 , the pair of ears 64d and 64e of the housing holder 50A are gripped by the gripping portions 38C and 38D of the fingers 34C and 34D of the two-finger gripper 6. When the gripping portions 38C, 38D are viewed from the front, there is almost no gap where the gripping portions 38C, 38D overlap, so that the gripping portions 38C, 38D can stably grip the ears 64d and 64e of the housing holder 50A.

[0061] 9A includes a flat plate portion 70a connected to the cover portion 68A via a bolt 74B, and side wall portions 70b and 70c provided on the bottom surface of the -X-direction end of the flat plate portion 70a. A rotation shaft 72 is provided so as to pass from the side wall portions 64b and 64c of the frame 64 through the side wall portions 70b and 70c of the lever portion 70. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 9B, a cylindrical drive shaft 74 is provided between the side wall portions 70b and 70c of the lever portion 70, and the drive shaft 74 is housed in a recess of the opening / closing portion 60 that is driven in the X-direction by the drive unit 58 on the base member 54.

[0062] According to this configuration, when the drive unit 58 drives (moves) the opening-closing unit 60 in the +X direction, the cover unit 68A and the lever unit 70 rotate counterclockwise about the rotation shaft 72. Conversely, when the drive unit 58 drives the opening-closing unit 60 in the −X direction, the cover unit 68A and the lever unit 70 rotate clockwise about the rotation shaft 72. By driving the opening-closing unit 60 in the X direction in this manner, the cover unit 68A (lever unit 70) can be opened and closed relative to the storage unit 66A. Furthermore, when the housing holder 50A is installed on the base member 54, the −X direction end of the frame 64 (bottom plate portion 64a) is set shorter than the −X direction end of the lever unit 70 so that the drive shaft 74 can engage with the recessed portion of the opening-closing unit 60.

[0063] Furthermore, a permanent magnet 62B with a polarity that attracts the permanent magnet 62A is provided on the frame 64 at a position facing the permanent magnet 62A on the base member 54. Similarly, a permanent magnet 76B is provided on the surface of the −X-direction end of the accommodation portion 66A of the housing holder 50A, and a permanent magnet 76A with a polarity that attracts the permanent magnet 76B is provided on the cover portion 68A at a position facing the permanent magnet 76B. Note that only one of the permanent magnets 62A, 62B may be a permanent magnet (magnetic body), and the other may be a ferromagnetic body such as a piece of iron. Similarly, only one of the permanent magnets 76A, 76B may be a permanent magnet, and the other may be a ferromagnetic body such as a piece of iron. In this case, the drive unit 58 on the base member 54 has sufficient drive force to rotate the lever portion 70 (cover portion 68A) counterclockwise against the attractive force of the permanent magnets 62A, 62B.

[0064] Note that instead of removably fixing the frame 64 of the housing holder 50A to the base member 54 with the permanent magnets 62A and 62B, the frame 64 may be removably fixed to the base member 54 by, for example, vacuum suction, an electromagnet, or an elastic member such as a coil spring. Similarly, instead of opening and closing the cover portion 68A to the storage portion 66A with the permanent magnets 76A and 76B, the cover portion 68A may be openably and closably fixed to the storage portion 66A by, for example, an electromagnet or an elastic member such as a coil spring.

[0065] Next, an example of a method for fixing housings 26A-26D (26D not shown) in corresponding housing holders 50A-50D using the robot device 2 of FIG. 8 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3B. First, in step 120 of FIG. 3, a housing to be worked on is selected. The housing to be worked on is specified, for example, by an operator via the control information input / output unit 11A of the control device 10 to the main control unit 11B. Note that the housing to be worked on may also be selected according to a work procedure previously stored in the memory unit 11F. Here, it is assumed that housing 26A has been selected. Next, in step 122, under the control of the main control unit 11B, the robot device 2 transports the corresponding housing holder 50A (simply referred to as "holder" in FIG. 3B) on the turntable 52 onto the base member 54 of the connection device 8A. Specifically, the two-finger gripper 6 is moved onto the turntable 52, the housing holder 50A at position P7 is recognized from the image of the imaging device 22B, the finger portions 34C and 34D of the two-finger gripper 6 grasp the ear portions 64d and 64e of the housing holder 50A, the two-finger gripper 6 is raised, and the housing holder 50A is transported onto the base member 54.

[0066] An identification unit having an identification symbol such as a barcode, a QR code (registered trademark), or a character string for identifying the housing holders 50A to 50D may be attached in advance to the top surface of the housing holders 50A to 50D. When the two-finger gripper 6 grips a target housing holder 50A or the like, an image of the identification symbol of the housing holder 50A or the like to be gripped is captured by the imaging device 22B of the robot device 2, and an assurance step (assurance function of the robot device 2) may be provided in which the imaging device 22B captures an image of the identification symbol of the housing holder 50A or the like to be gripped and, based on the obtained image, assures that the housing holder 50A or the like to be gripped is the target housing holder.

[0067] Then, the two pairs (or one pair) of positioning pins 56 of the base member 54 are recognized from the image of the imaging device 22B, and the housing holder 50A is positioned relative to the base member 54 so that the two pairs of positioning pins 56 are inserted into the two pairs of openings 64f of the frame 64 of the housing holder 50A shown in FIG. 9A . The housing holder 50A is then placed on the base member 54. Thereafter, the finger portions 34C and 34D of the two-finger gripper 6 are disengaged from the ear portions 64d and 64e of the housing holder 50A, and the two-finger gripper 6 is raised. In this state, as shown in FIG. 9B , the drive shaft 74 engaged with the lever portion 70 of the housing holder 50A is fitted into the recess of the opening / closing unit 60 driven by the drive unit 58 on the base member 54. Furthermore, the housing holder 50A is attracted to and held by the base member 54 due to the attractive forces of the permanent magnets 62A of the base member 54 and the permanent magnets 62B of the frame 64.

[0068] In the next step 124, the main control unit 11B controls the drive unit 58 via the control information input / output unit 11A to open the cover unit 68A from the accommodation portion 66A of the housing holder 50A, as shown in FIG. 11A, and stops the cover unit 68A in this state. To do this, the drive unit 58 pushes the drive shaft 74 in the +X direction via the opening / closing unit 60, causing the lever unit 70 and the cover unit 68A to rotate counterclockwise around the rotation shaft 72. Then, in step 126, as shown in FIG. 10, the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2 grips and transports the selected housing 26A, and places the housing 26A in the accommodation portion 66A of the housing holder 50A, which is fixed by the connection device. At this time, the upper surface of the housing 26A to be gripped by the robot device 2 is set to the surface 26Ac by the above-mentioned alignment process.

[0069] Therefore, the imaging device 22A captures an image of the upper surface of the housing 26A to be gripped, and the image processing unit 11B uses the image to recognize the orientation of the front surface 26Aa (the surface on which multiple terminals are formed) of the housing 26A. If the front surface 26Aa of the housing 26A does not face the +X direction, the two-finger gripper 6 grips and lifts the side of the housing 26A. The two-finger gripper 6 is then rotated so that the front surface 26Aa faces the +X direction, and the housing 26A is then placed on the placement surface. The two-finger gripper 6 is then rotated so that the protrusions 38Ca and 38D of the gripping portions 38C and 38D of the finger portions 34C and 34D face the -X direction, and the protrusions 38Ca and 38D of the gripping portions 38C and 38D grip the side of the housing 26A. In this state, the front surface 26Aa of the housing 26A faces the +X direction, as shown in FIG. 10 .

[0070] Thereafter, the housing 26A is raised and transported above the accommodation portion 66A of the housing holder 50A held by the connection device. Then, as shown in FIG. 11A, the gripping portions 38Ca and 38D of the two-finger gripper 6 are inserted into the openings 66Ab and 66Ac of the accommodation portion 66A, and the housing 26A is placed on the inner surface 66Aa of the accommodation portion 66A. The gripping portions 38C and 38D are then opened, and the two-finger gripper 6 is moved. In the next step 128, as shown in FIG. 9B, the drive unit 58 moves the opening / closing unit 60 in the −X direction to close the cover portion 68A via the lever portion 70 so as to cover the housing 26A accommodated in the accommodation portion 66A. At this time, the permanent magnet 76A on the cover portion 68A side and the permanent magnet 76B on the accommodation portion 66A side attract the cover portion 68A toward the accommodation portion 66A, holding the housing 26A. In this state, as shown in FIG. 11B, the front surface 26Aa of the housing 26A held in the housing holder 50A, on which a plurality of terminal holes are provided, faces outward.

[0071] In step 130, the cable 24 shown in FIG. 1A is gripped with the fingers 34C and 34D of the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2, and the terminals 24a of the gripped cable 24 are inserted (connected) into the terminal holes of the housing 26A held by the housing holder 50A. After the cable terminals have been inserted into the corresponding terminal holes of all of the held housings 26A, in step 132, the cover portion 68A of the housing holder 50A is opened, and the clamp portion 28A of the housing 26A is fixed using, for example, the fingers 34C and 34D of the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2, and the housing 26A is then removed from the housing holder 50A. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 9A, the cover portion 68A is closed over the storage portion 66A. The removed housing 26A is transported, for example, to an inspection device (not shown).

[0072] In the next step 134, if the next housing to be worked on is the same housing 26A as the previously processed housing, the operation returns to step 124, and steps 124 to 132 are repeated to secure the next housing 26A to the housing holder 50A and connect multiple cables. On the other hand, if in step 134 the next housing to be worked on is a different type of housing from housing 26A, such as housings 26B to 26D, then in step 136, the housing holder 50A held on the base member 54 of the connection device is removed, and the housing holders 50B to 50D to be worked on are placed on the base member 54. Thereafter, steps 124 to 132 are repeated. The operation ends when all the housings to be worked on have been used up.

[0073] As described above, according to the housing fixing method of this embodiment, a housing holder 50A corresponding to the housing 26A to be worked on is selected, and the selected housing holder 50A is detachably installed on the base member 54 of the connection device. Then, multiple housings 26A, which have been pre-aligned so that their upper surfaces are the front surfaces 26Ac, are gripped with the two-finger gripper 6 of the four-degree-of-freedom robot device 2 with their front surfaces 26Aa facing forward. The gripped housings 26A are then placed in the housing compartment 66A of the housing holder 50A on the base member 54, and the cover 68A of the housing compartment 66A is closed. Therefore, with a simple mechanism, the housing 26A can be placed in the housing holder 50A with the front surface 26Aa facing forward, and the housing 26A can be stably held. This allows multiple cables 24 to be efficiently inserted into the held housing 26A.

[0074] As described above, the robot device 2 of this embodiment is a robot device that includes a two-fingered gripper 6 (robot hand) that can grip an object (workpiece), a rotating unit 18A and robot arms 18B, 18D, 18G (robot arm mechanism) that move the two-fingered gripper 6, and a control device 10 that controls the operation of the two-fingered gripper 6 and the robot arm mechanism, and is also equipped with a comb-shaped member 44 or alignment member 46 (alignment member) that can be gripped by the two-fingered gripper 6, and an imaging device 22B that can detect the surface of a workpiece (housing 26A) that is surrounded by multiple surfaces.

[0075] Then, in order to stack the housings 26A flat above the loading surface on which the multiple housings 26A (workpieces) are placed in a stacked manner, the control device 10 moves the comb-shaped member 44 and the multiple housings 26A relative to each other via the two-finger gripper 6 so that the comb-shaped member 44 comes into contact with at least a portion of the housings 26A, and causes the imaging device 22B to capture an image of the surface of the housing 26A to be detected, and when the imaged surface differs from the target surface, rotates the housing 26A via the two-finger gripper 6.

[0076] The control method for the robot device 2 of this embodiment includes step 102 of gripping the comb-shaped member 44 with the two-finger gripper 6, step 104 of relatively moving the comb-shaped member 44 and the multiple housings 26A to stack the multiple housings 26A above a mounting surface on which the housings 26A are stacked, step 106 of capturing an image of the surface of the housing 26A to be detected, and step 110 of rotating the housing 26A via the two-finger gripper 6 when the captured imaged surface differs from the target surface. According to this embodiment, even when the cross-sectional shape of the housings 26A (workpiece) to be processed is substantially polygonal, a simple mechanism can be used to stack the multiple housings 26A and adjust the rotation angle of the housings 26A so that the upper surfaces of the housings 26A become the target surface (e.g., surface 26Ac). This allows subsequent tasks, such as inserting multiple cables 24 into the housings 26A, to be performed efficiently.

[0077] In addition, the control method for the robot device 2 of this embodiment further includes step 120 of selecting a housing holder 50A having a shape corresponding to the housing 26A to be processed from a plurality of housing holders 50A to 50D (workholding members) having different shapes; step 122 of detachably placing the selected housing holder 50A on the base member 54 of the connection device 8A via the two-finger gripper 6; step 126 of placing the housing 26A on the inner surface 66Aa (holding surface) of the storage section 66A of the selected housing holder 50A via the two-finger gripper 6; and step 128 of closing the cover section 68A of the housing holder 50A to fix the housing 26A placed on the inner surface 66Aa of the storage section 66A.

[0078] According to this method, for example, the housing 26A is held in the housing holder 50A with the upper surface of the housing 26A as the surface 26Ac and its front surface as the front surface 26Aa on which terminals are formed. Then, the cover portion 68A is closed to secure the housing 26A, thereby stably holding the housing 26A in the optimal direction for subsequent work. After this, for example, multiple cables 24 can be efficiently inserted into the housing 26A stably held in the housing holder 50A. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, when 3) picking up aligned housings 26A or the like and fixing (setting) them in the housing holder 50A or the like, the robot device 2 (two-finger gripper 6) can have two degrees of freedom (in the X direction (or Y direction) and Z direction). Furthermore, when 4) fixing the housing 26A or the like in the housing holder 50A or the like, or when replacing the housing holder 50A or the like, it is preferable that the robot device 2 have at least two degrees of freedom (in the X direction (or Y direction) and Z direction).

[0079] The above-described embodiment can be modified as follows. In the above-described embodiment, the alignment (stacking and rotating) of the housings 26A, etc. and the securing of the housings 26A, etc. to the housing holders 50A, etc. are performed by a single robot device 2. However, for example, the functions of stacking the housings 26A, etc., rotating the housings 26A, etc., and securing the housings 26A, etc. to the housing holders 50A, etc. may each be performed by a single robot device similar to the robot device 2, and a total of three robot devices may perform these three functions. Furthermore, for example, the task of stacking the housings 26A, etc. may be performed by multiple robot devices 2 in parallel. In addition, in the above-described embodiment, comb-shaped members 44 or alignment members 46 (alignment members) are used to level the stacked housings 26A and secure them to the flat stack. However, for example, when the areas of the gripping portions 38A, 38B of the finger portions 34A, 34B of the two-finger gripper 6 are large, it is possible to stack the housings 26A flat by treating the finger portions 34A, 34B of the two-finger gripper 6 as alignment members and moving the finger portions 34A, 34B relative to the multiple housings 26A without using such alignment members.

[0080] In the above-described embodiment, the rotation angle of the housing 26A is adjusted using steps such as the steps 42b and 42d or the rotation adjustment jig 48. However, the angle of the housing 26A may be rotated 180 degrees (flipped) by, for example, placing the upper surface of the housing 26A on a rotating member that can suction-hold the housing 26A and rotate it 180 degrees, raising the rotating member, and then rotating the rotating member 180 degrees. In the above-described embodiment, the robot device 2 performs multiple processes (a stacking process for the housings 26A, etc., a direction changing process for orienting the stacked housings 26A, etc., in a desired direction, a process for setting the housing holders 50A, etc., corresponding to the housings 26A, etc., in the connecting device, a process for fixing (setting) the housings 26A, etc., to the housing holders 50A, etc., and a process for replacing the housing holders 50A, etc.). However, the robot device 2 may perform only at least one of the multiple processes or at least two of the multiple processes. In this case, the other processes may be performed by another robot device having a similar configuration to the robot device 2. For example, the robot device 2 may perform only the alignment (stacking and changing direction) of the housings 26A, etc., or only the setting and replacement of the housing holders 50A, etc., or may perform a combination of these two sets of processes.

[0081] Second Embodiment A second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 12A to 14B. In FIGS. 12A to 14B, parts corresponding to those in FIGS. 1A to 11B are designated by the same or similar reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted. Similar to the two-finger gripper 6 in FIG. 8, the two-finger gripper 6 (robot hand) of the robot device 2 in FIG. 13 of this embodiment also has finger portions 34C and 34D having portions 38Ca and 38Da and multiple openings 38Cc and 38Dc. The configurations of the rotating portion 18A and robot arms 18B to 18G (robot arm mechanism) of the robot device 2, and the configurations of the control devices 10 and 12 in FIG. 2 are similar to those of the first embodiment. However, in this embodiment, the configurations of the housing holders 80A to 80D that hold the housings 26A to 26D (26D not shown) are different from those of the housing holders 50A to 50D of the first embodiment.

[0082] Fig. 12(A) shows a state in which the housing holder 80A is placed on the base member 54 of the connection device 8B, and Fig. 12(B) is a cross-sectional view of the housing holder 80A of Fig. 12(A) as viewed in the +Y direction. As shown in Figs. 12(A) and (B), the housing holder 80A has a frame 64 placed on the upper surface of the base member 54, a storage section 66A fixed on the frame 64, a cover section 68A that secures the housing 26A accommodated in an inner surface 66Aa of the storage section 66A, a lever section 70 fixed to the cover section 68A, and a rotation shaft 72 that supports the lever section 70 rotatably with respect to the frame 64.

[0083] Openings 66Ab and 66Ac are formed on both sides of the accommodation portion 66A in the Y direction (longitudinal direction) to allow passage of portions 34Ca and 34Da of the fingers 34C and 34D that grip the housing 26A. In this embodiment, too, the housing holder 80A can be changed to housing holders 80B to 80D by replacing the accommodation portion 66A with accommodation portions 66B to 66D (not shown) shaped to fit the housings 26B to 26D and replacing the cover portion 68A with cover portions 68B to 68D (not shown) shaped to fit the housings 26B to 26D. Identification symbols such as QR codes (registered trademark) or character strings that allow the housing holders 80A to 80D to be distinguishable from one another may also be provided.

[0084] The frame 64 also has a bottom plate 64a to which the storage section 66A is fixed, side wall sections 64b and 64c provided at the −X direction end of the bottom plate section 64a, and a pair of flat ear sections 64d and 64e provided above the +X direction end of the side wall sections 64b and 64c. When the housing holder 80A of this embodiment (and the other housing holders 80B to 80D as well) is transported by the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2 shown in FIG. 13 , the pair of ear sections 64d and 64e of the housing holder 80A are gripped by the gripping sections 38C and 38D of the fingers 34C and 34D of the two-finger gripper 6.

[0085] 12A , the lever portion 70 of the housing holder 80A has a flat plate portion 70a connected to the cover portion 68A and small sidewall portions 70b and 70c provided on the bottom surface of the −X-direction end of the flat plate portion 70a. A rotation shaft 72 is provided so as to extend from the sidewall portions 64b and 64c of the frame 64 through the sidewall portions 70b and 70c of the lever portion 70. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 12B , a support portion 82 is provided on the bottom surface of the −X-direction end of the lever portion 70. The support portion 82 supports a cylindrical or spherical rotor 84 so that the rotor 84 can rotate around an axis parallel to the Y-axis, for example. A rectangular prism-shaped handle portion 86 is fixed to the top of the rotor 84. The handle portion 86 protrudes above the lever portion 70 through a long, narrow hole 70d that is elongated in the X-direction and provided in the lever portion 70. 12(B), by gripping the handle portion 86 with the finger portions 34C, 34D of the two-finger gripper 6 and lowering the two-finger gripper 6, the lever portion 70 and the cover portion 68A rotate counterclockwise around the rotation shaft 72, and the cover portion 68A can be opened from the storage portion 66A, as shown in FIG. 14(A). In this configuration, there is no need to provide a drive portion for rotating the lever portion 70 on the base member 54 (connection device 8B) side.

[0086] 12B, permanent magnets 62A and 62B are provided to attach the frame 64 to the base member 54, and permanent magnets 76A and 76B are provided to attach the cover portion 68A to the housing portion 66A. Furthermore, a permanent magnet 76C is provided on the side of the support portion 82, and a permanent magnet 76D with a polarity opposite to that of the permanent magnet 76C is provided in a corresponding area of ​​the base member 54. With this configuration, when the handle portion 86 is lowered and the lever portion 70 is rotated as shown in FIG. 14A, the position of the lever portion 70 is maintained by the attractive force of the permanent magnets 76C and 76D. Therefore, the finger portions 34C and 34D can be released from the handle portion 86, allowing the two-finger gripper 6 to transport, for example, a housing 26A. Regarding the permanent magnets 76C and 76D, for example, one of them can be made of a ferromagnetic material. Furthermore, any fixing mechanism other than the permanent magnets 76C and 76D can be used. The remaining configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0087] In this embodiment, an example of a method for fixing housings 26A to 26D (26D not shown) within the movable range of the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2 shown in FIG. 13 in the corresponding housing holders 80A to 80D will be described. As an example, the housings 26A to 26D to be used are assumed to be aligned and placed on the upper surface of the work table 40 (not shown in FIG. 13) shown in FIG. 4A. In this case, the work target is the housing 26A, and the housing 26A is aligned with its surface 26Ac facing upward. First, the housing holder 80A corresponding to the housing 26A to be worked on is selected, and the robot device 2 transports the corresponding housing holder 80A on the turntable 52 onto the base member 54 of the connection device 8B. At this time, the finger portions 34C and 34D of the two-finger gripper 6 grip the ears 64d and 64e of the housing holder 80A.

[0088] Then, the housing holder 80A is placed on the base member 54 so that the two pairs (or one pair) of positioning pins 56 of the base member 54 are inserted into the two pairs (or one pair) of openings 64f of the frame 64 of the housing holder 80A shown in Figure 12(A). After this, the finger portions 34C, 34D of the two-finger gripper 6 are released from the ear portions 64d, 64e of the housing holder 50A, and the two-finger gripper 6 is raised. In this state, the housing holder 80A is attracted to and held by the base member 54 due to the attractive forces of the permanent magnets 62A of the base member 54 and the permanent magnets 62B of the frame 64.

[0089] Next, as shown in FIG. 14(A), the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2 grasps the handle portion 86 of the lever portion 70 of the housing holder 80A, and the two-finger gripper 6 is lowered to open the cover portion 68A from the storage portion 66A of the housing holder 80A, and the attractive force of the permanent magnets 76C and 76D brings the cover portion 68A to a standstill. After this, the finger portions 34A, 34B of the two-finger gripper 6 are released from the handle portion 86, and the two-finger gripper 6 is moved above the housing 26A in FIG. 13, and with the +X direction surface of the housing 26A becoming the front surface 26Aa (the surface on which the terminals are located), the sides of the housing 26A are gripped by the portions 38Ca, 38Da of the gripping portions 38C, 38D of the finger portions 34A, 34B of the two-finger gripper 6, and the housing 26A is placed on the inner surface 66Aa of the accommodating portion 66A of the housing holder 80A in FIG. 14 (A).

[0090] 14(A), the finger portions 34A, 34B of the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2 are again used to grasp the handle portion 86 of the lever portion 70 of the housing holder 80A, and the two-finger gripper 6 is raised to close the cover portion 68A over the storage portion 66A, as shown in FIG. 14(B). At this time, the permanent magnets 76A on the cover portion 68A side and the permanent magnets 76B on the storage portion 66A side attract the cover portion 68A toward the storage portion 66A so as to press down on the housing 26A. Therefore, even when the two-finger gripper 6 is released from the handle portion 86, the housing 26A is stably held within the housing holder 80A. Furthermore, the front surface 26Aa of the housing 26A held within the housing holder 50A, on which multiple terminal holes are provided, faces outward.

[0091] Next, the cable 24 shown in FIG. 1A is grasped with the fingers 34C and 34D of the two-finger gripper 6 of the robot device 2, and the terminal 24a of the grasped cable 24 is inserted (connected) into the terminal hole of the housing 26A held by the housing holder 80A. By repeating this process, it is possible to insert the cable terminals into the corresponding terminal holes of all of the held housings 26A. Thereafter, the cover portion 68A of the housing holder 80A is opened, and the clamp portion 28A of the housing 26A is fixed using the two-finger gripper 6, and then the housing 26A is removed from the housing holder 80A. When other housings 26B to 26D are to be worked on, the corresponding housing holders 80B to 80D are similarly placed on the base member 54, allowing the housings 26B to 26D to be stably held by the housing holders 80B to 80D.

[0092] As described above, according to this embodiment, the housing holder 80A having a shape appropriate for the housing 26A to be worked on is selected, the selected housing holder 80A is placed (set) on the base member 54 of the connection device, and the cover portion 68A of the housing holder 80A is opened. The housing 26A is then placed in the accommodation portion 66A of the housing holder 80A, with the orientation set so that the upper surface is the front surface 26Ac and the front surface is the front surface 26Aa. The cover portion 68A is then closed, thereby fixing and holding the housing 26A within the housing holder 80A. Therefore, for example, for an object having a substantially polygonal cross-section, simply by changing the shape of the housing holder 80A, a simple mechanism can be used to stably fix and hold the object with the upper and front surfaces facing the target surface.

[0093] In this case, in this embodiment, the cover portion 68A of the housing holder 80A can be opened and closed using the two-fingered gripper 6 of the robot device 2, so there is no need to provide a separate drive unit for opening and closing the cover portion 68A, and the configuration can be further simplified. As described above, the robot device 2 of this embodiment includes the two-fingered gripper 6 (robot hand) that can grasp an object, the rotating unit 18A and robot arms 18B, 18D, 18G (robot arm mechanism) that move the two-fingered gripper 6, and the control device 10 that controls the operation of the two-fingered gripper 6 and the robot arm mechanism.

[0094] The robot device 2 comprises a base member 54, a plurality of housing holders 80A-80D (work holding members) that are detachable from the base member 54 and can hold housings 26A-26D that have different shapes and are each surrounded by a plurality of surfaces, a lever section 70 (fixing mechanism) that fixes the housings 26A-26D held by the housing holders 80A-80D, and an imaging device 22B that captures an image of at least a portion of the movement range of the two-finger gripper 6. The control device 10 detachably places the housing holder 80A, which has a shape corresponding to the housing 26A to be processed, on the base member 54 via the two-finger gripper 6, places the housing 26A to be processed on an inner surface 66a (holding surface) of a accommodating section 66A of the housing holder 80A via the two-finger gripper 6, and fixes the housing 26A placed on the holding surface of the housing holder 80A using the lever section 70.

[0095] According to this embodiment, the housing 26A, whose orientation has been adjusted using the two-finger gripper 6, is placed in the housing holder 80A, and the housing holder 80A is closed using the lever unit 70. Therefore, for example, for an object having a substantially polygonal cross section, the object can be stably fixed and held in the housing holder 80A with the upper and front surfaces facing the target surface by simply changing the shape of the housing holder 80A with a simple mechanism. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the lever unit 70 is driven using the two-finger gripper 6, so there is no need to provide a separate drive unit, and the robot device 2 can be simplified as a whole.

[0096] In the above-described embodiment, the cover portion 68A is opened and closed by rotating it relative to the storage portion 66A of the housing holder 80A using a rotation mechanism. However, the storage portion 66A and the cover portion 68A may be opened and closed by, for example, sliding the cover portion 68A laterally relative to the storage portion 66A. Furthermore, for example, a robot device 2 that grasps the handle portion 86 to open and close the cover portion 68A, and a robot device (a robot device having a configuration similar to that of the robot device 2) that transports the housing 26A to the storage portion 66A may be provided, so that the two processes are shared by the two robot devices.

[0097] Furthermore, the robot device 2 equipped with the two-fingered gripper 6 (robot hand) of the above-described embodiment is not limited to the above-described robot device, but can also be applied to various robot devices equipped with other joint structures such as robot arms (for example, assembly robots, human collaborative robots, etc.). Furthermore, the robot device equipped with the above-described robot hand can be used to grasp (hold) an object in an automatic guided vehicle (AGV) or an autonomous mobile robot (AMR).

[0098] The present specification also describes the following aspects of the invention: 1) A control method for a robot device including a robot hand capable of grasping an object and a robot arm that moves the robot hand, the control method including: grasping an alignment member with the robot hand; relatively moving a plurality of workpieces, each surrounded by a plurality of surfaces, above a placement surface on which the plurality of workpieces are placed so that at least a portion of the workpieces are stacked, so that the plurality of workpieces are stacked flat, the alignment member and the plurality of workpieces being in contact with at least a portion of the plurality of workpieces; capturing an image of a surface of a workpiece to be detected among the plurality of workpieces placed on the placement surface; and rotating the workpiece to be detected via the robot hand when the captured surface of the workpiece to be detected differs from a target surface. 2) The control method described in 1, wherein rotating the workpiece to be detected includes moving the workpiece to be detected by the robot hand so that it crosses a step provided on the placement surface while rotating. 3) The control method according to 2, wherein at least one intermediate step surface that is horizontal or inclined with respect to a horizontal plane is provided between the surface of the step and the surface of the placement surface. 4) The control method according to 2 or 3, comprising gripping, with the robot hand, a pair of surfaces of the workpiece to be detected that form a larger intersection angle with the step when moving the workpiece to be detected so as to cross the step provided on the placement surface with the robot hand. 5) The control method according to 1, wherein rotating the workpiece to be detected includes placing the workpiece to be detected on a jig with an L-shaped cross section that is rotatably provided on the placement surface, and rotating the jig on the placement surface. 6) The alignment member has a handle portion and a flat portion, and moving the alignment member and the plurality of workpieces relative to each other includes gripping the handle portion with the robot hand and moving the flat portion via the handle portion so as to level the plurality of workpieces with the flat portion, a control method described in any one of 1 to 5.7) The control method according to any one of 1 to 5, wherein the aligning member is a comb-shaped member having a plurality of openings through which the width of the workpiece in the short side direction can pass, and moving the aligning member and the plurality of workpieces relatively includes aligning the plurality of workpieces by passing each of the plurality of workpieces through any of the plurality of openings of the comb-shaped member. 8) The control method according to any one of 1 to 7, including selecting a work holding member having a shape corresponding to a workpiece to be processed among the plurality of workpieces from a plurality of work holding members having mutually different shapes, detachably mounting the selected work holding member on a base member via the robot hand, mounting the workpiece to be processed on a holding surface of the selected work holding member via the robot hand, and fixing the workpiece to be processed mounted on the holding surface of the work holding member to the work holding member. 9) The control method according to 8), wherein the work holding member has a storage section on which the work is placed, and a fixing section that is openably and closably connected to the storage section and that is capable of holding and fixing the work placed in the storage section, and placing the work to be processed on the holding surface of the selected work holding member includes placing the work in the storage section with the fixing section open from the storage section, and fixing the work to be processed to the work holding member includes closing the fixing section relative to the storage section and sandwiching the work between the fixing section and the storage section. 10) The control method according to 9), wherein the base member is provided with a drive section that opens and closes the fixing section relative to the storage section, and opening and closing the fixing section relative to the storage section is performed by the drive section.

[0099] 11) A control method for a robot device having a robot hand capable of grasping an object and a robot arm that moves the robot hand, the control method including: selecting a work holding member having a shape corresponding to a work to be processed from a plurality of work holding members having different shapes, each of which is surrounded by a plurality of surfaces; detachably placing the selected work holding member on a base member via the robot hand; placing the work to be processed on the holding surface of the selected work holding member via the robot hand; and fixing the work to be processed placed on the holding surface of the work holding member. 12) The workpiece holding member has a storage section on which the workpiece is placed, and a fixing section that is openably and closably connected to the storage section and can hold and fix the workpiece placed in the storage section, placing the workpiece to be processed on a holding surface of the selected workpiece holding member includes placing the workpiece in the storage section with the fixing section open from the storage section, and fixing the workpiece to be processed to the workpiece holding member includes closing the fixing section to the storage section and sandwiching the workpiece between the fixing section and the storage section. 13) The control method according to 12, wherein the workpiece to be processed is sandwiched between the fixing section and the storage section by attracting the fixing section and the storage section via a magnetic body, and includes opening the fixing section from the storage section with a force that exceeds the attractive force of the magnetic body when removing the workpiece to be processed from the workpiece holding member. 14) A control method described in any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein each of the multiple work holding members is provided with a different identification symbol, and selecting a work holding member having a shape corresponding to the work to be processed includes detecting the identification symbol and using the detection result to verify whether the selected work holding member is the target work holding member.15) The control method according to any one of 11 to 14, wherein the workpiece holding member has a pair of flat-plate-shaped gripped portions and a pair of openings, and includes gripping the pair of gripped portions with the robot hand when placing the workpiece holding member on the base member, and passing the pair of gripping portions through the pair of openings of the workpiece holding member while holding the workpiece on the holding surface of the workpiece holding member. 16) The control method according to any one of 1 to 15, wherein the degrees of freedom of movement of the robot hand of the robot device are any two to four degrees of freedom selected from movement in three mutually perpendicular directions and rotation around one axis. 17) The control method according to any one of 1 to 16, wherein the workpiece is a rectangular parallelepiped object to which linear objects are connected.

[0100] 18) A robot apparatus comprising a robot hand capable of grasping an object, a robot arm that moves the robot hand, and a control device that controls operation of the robot hand and the robot arm, the robot apparatus further comprising an alignment member that can be grasped by the robot hand, and an imaging device that can detect a surface of a workpiece surrounded by multiple surfaces, the control device relatively moving the alignment member and the multiple workpieces via the robot hand so that at least a part of the alignment member comes into contact with at least a part of the multiple workpieces in order to stack the multiple workpieces above a placement surface on which the multiple workpieces are placed so that at least a part of the workpieces are stacked, causing the imaging device to image a surface of a workpiece to be detected among the multiple workpieces, and when the imaged surface of the workpiece to be detected differs from a target surface, rotating the workpiece to be detected via the robot hand. 19) The robot apparatus according to 18, wherein a step is provided on the placement surface, and the control device moves the workpiece to be detected so that it crosses the step while rotating with the robot hand in order to rotate the workpiece to be detected. 20) The robot device according to 19, wherein at least one intermediate step surface is provided between the surface of the step and the surface of the placement surface, the intermediate step surface being horizontal or inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. 21) The robot device according to 20, wherein one or more grooves are provided in the intermediate step surface. 22) The robot device according to 20 or 21, wherein the intermediate step surface is formed of a material having a higher coefficient of friction than the surface of the step. 23) The robot device according to any one of 19 to 22, wherein the control device, when moving the workpiece to be detected so as to cross the step with the robot hand, causes the robot hand to grip a pair of surfaces of the workpiece to be detected that form a larger intersecting angle with the step. 24) The robot device according to 18, further comprising a jig rotatably provided on the placement surface and having an L-shaped cross section, and the control device causes the workpiece to be detected to be placed on the jig via the robot hand and rotates the jig on the placement surface in order to rotate the workpiece to be detected.25) The robot device according to any one of 18 to 24, wherein the alignment member has a handle portion and a flat portion, and the control device causes the robot hand to grip the handle portion and moves the flat portion via the handle portion so as to level the plurality of workpieces with the flat portion. 26) The robot device according to any one of 18 to 24, wherein the alignment member is a comb-shaped member having a plurality of openings through which the width of the workpieces in the short side direction can pass, and the control device aligns the plurality of workpieces by passing each of the plurality of workpieces through one of the plurality of openings of the comb-shaped member when moving the comb-shaped member with the robot hand. 27) A robot device according to any one of 18 to 26, comprising: a base member; a plurality of work holding members detachable from the base member, each having a different shape and capable of holding a workpiece of a corresponding shape; and a fixing mechanism for fixing the workpiece held by the work holding members, wherein the control device detachably places a work holding member selected from the plurality of work holding members and having a shape corresponding to a workpiece to be processed among the plurality of workpieces on the base member via the robot hand, places the workpiece to be processed on the holding surface of the selected work holding member via the robot hand, and fixes the workpiece to be processed placed on the holding surface of the work holding member via the fixing mechanism. 28) The robot device according to 27, wherein the workpiece holding member has a storage section on which the workpiece is placed, a fixing section connected to the storage section so as to be able to open and close and capable of holding and fixing the workpiece placed in the storage section, and an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the storage section and the fixing section, wherein when the workpiece to be processed is placed on a holding surface of the selected workpiece holding member, the control device places the workpiece in the storage section via the robot hand in a state where the fixing section is opened from the storage section via the opening and closing mechanism, and when fixing the workpiece to be processed to the workpiece holding member, the control device closes the fixing section and the storage section via the opening and closing mechanism to sandwich the workpiece between the fixing section and the storage section. 29) The robot device according to 28, further comprising a drive unit provided on the base member for operating the opening and closing mechanism of the workpiece holding member, and the control device operates the open and close mechanism.30) The robot device according to 28, wherein the control device operates the opening / closing mechanism via the robot hand. 31) The robot device according to any one of 27 to 30, wherein the fixing mechanism has the opening / closing mechanism of the workpiece holding member and a magnetic body for attracting the fixing portion of the workpiece holding member and the storage portion.

[0101] 32) A robot device comprising a robot hand capable of grasping an object, a robot arm that moves the robot hand, and a control device that controls the operation of the robot hand and the robot arm, the robot device comprising: a base member; a plurality of work holding members that are detachable from the base member, each having a different shape and capable of holding a workpiece surrounded by a plurality of surfaces; a fixing mechanism that fixes the workpiece held by the work holding members; and an imaging device that captures an image of at least a portion of the movement range of the robot hand, wherein the control device uses the imaging results of the imaging device to detachably mount a work holding member selected from the plurality of work holding members and having a shape corresponding to a workpiece to be processed among the plurality of workpieces onto the base member via the robot hand, place the workpiece to be processed on the holding surface of the work holding member via the robot hand, and fix the workpiece to be processed placed on the holding surface of the work holding member using the fixing mechanism. 33) The robot device according to 32, wherein the workpiece holding member has a storage section on which the workpiece is placed, a fixing section connected to the storage section so as to be openable and closable and capable of holding and fixing the workpiece placed in the storage section, and an opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the storage section and the fixing section, wherein when the workpiece to be processed is placed on a holding surface of the selected workpiece holding member, the control device places the workpiece in the storage section via the robot hand in a state in which the fixing section is opened from the storage section via the opening / closing mechanism, and when fixing the workpiece to be processed to the workpiece holding member, the control device closes the fixing section and the storage section via the opening / closing mechanism to sandwich the workpiece between the fixing section and the storage section. 34) The robot device according to 33, wherein the opening / closing mechanism has a rotation shaft that rotatably supports the fixing section with respect to the storage section. 35) The robot device according to 33 or 34, further comprising a drive unit provided on the base member and operating the opening / closing mechanism of the workpiece holding member, and the control device operates the opening / closing mechanism via the drive unit. 36) The robot device described in 33 or 34, wherein the control device operates the opening and closing mechanism via the robot hand.37) The robot device according to any one of 33 to 36, wherein the fixing mechanism has the opening / closing mechanism of the work holding member and a magnetic body for attracting the fixing portion and the storage portion of the work holding member. 38) The robot device according to any one of 32 to 37, wherein the plurality of work holding members are provided with different identification symbols, and the control device verifies whether the selected work holding member is a target work holding member using the imaging results of the identification symbols of the work holding members taken by the imaging device. 39) The robot device according to any one of 32 to 38, wherein the workpiece holding member has a pair of flat plate-shaped grippable portions and a pair of openings, and the control device, when placing the workpiece holding member on the base member, causes the robot hand to grip the pair of grippable portions, and when placing the workpiece on the holding surface of the workpiece holding member, moves the robot hand so that the pair of fingers of the robot hand, while gripping the workpiece, pass through the pair of openings of the workpiece holding member. 40) The robot device according to any one of 32 to 39, wherein, when the type of workpiece to be processed is changed, the control device replaces the workpiece holding member on the base member via the robot hand with the workpiece holding member having a shape corresponding to the changed workpiece to be processed. 41) The robot device according to any one of 18 to 40, wherein the degrees of freedom of movement of the robot hand of the robot device are any two to four degrees of freedom selected from movement in three mutually perpendicular directions and rotation around one axis. 42) A robot device according to any one of 18 to 41, wherein the workpiece held by the workpiece holding member is a rectangular parallelepiped object to which a linear object is connected.

[0102] 2...Robot device, 6...Two-finger gripper (robot hand), 10...Control device for robot device, 12...Control device for robot hand, 18A...Rotating section, 18B, 18D, 18G...Robot arm, 22A, 22B...Imaging device, 32...Main body section, 34A, 34B...Finger section, 34C, 34D...Finger section, 38A, 38B...Gripping section, 38C, 38D...Gripping section, 44...Comb-shaped member, 46...Alignment member, 50A to 50D, 80A to 80D...Housing holder, 54...Base member, 58...Drive section, 60...Opening / closing section, 66A...Storage section, 68A...Cover section, 70...Lever section, 72...Rotating shaft, 74...Drive shaft

Claims

1. A control method for a robot device equipped with a robot hand capable of grasping an object and a robot arm that moves the robot hand, the control method comprising: grasping an alignment member with the robot hand; moving the alignment member and a plurality of workpieces relative to each other above a mounting surface on which a plurality of workpieces, each surrounded by a plurality of surfaces, are placed so that at least a portion of the workpieces are stacked flat, so that at least a portion of the alignment member comes into contact with at least a portion of the plurality of workpieces, in order to stack the plurality of workpieces flat; capturing an image of a surface of a workpiece to be detected among the plurality of workpieces on the mounting surface; and when the imaged surface of the workpiece to be detected differs from a target surface, rotating the workpiece to be detected via the robot hand.

2. A control method as described in claim 1, wherein rotating the workpiece to be detected includes moving the workpiece to be detected by the robot hand so that it rotates across a step provided on the placement surface.

3. The control method according to claim 2, wherein at least one intermediate step surface is provided between the surface of the step and the surface of the placement surface, the intermediate step surface being horizontal or inclined relative to the horizontal plane.

4. A control method as described in claim 2, which includes, when the robot hand moves the workpiece to be detected across a step provided on the placement surface, gripping with the robot hand a pair of surfaces of the workpiece to be detected that form a larger intersection angle with the step.

5. A control method according to claim 1, wherein rotating the workpiece to be detected includes placing the workpiece to be detected on a jig with an L-shaped cross section that is rotatably mounted on the placement surface, and rotating the jig on the placement surface.

6. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the alignment member has a handle portion and a flat portion, and moving the alignment member and the plurality of workpieces relative to each other includes gripping the handle portion with the robot hand and moving the flat portion via the handle portion so as to level the plurality of workpieces with the flat portion.

7. The control method according to claim 1, wherein the alignment member is a comb-shaped member having a plurality of openings through which the width of the workpiece in the short side direction can pass, and moving the alignment member and the plurality of workpieces relative to each other includes passing each of the plurality of workpieces through one of the plurality of openings of the comb-shaped member to align the plurality of workpieces.

8. A control method as described in claim 1, comprising: selecting a work holding member having a shape corresponding to a work to be processed from a plurality of work holding members having mutually different shapes; detachably placing the selected work holding member on a base member via the robot hand; placing the work to be processed on the holding surface of the selected work holding member via the robot hand; and fixing the work to be processed placed on the holding surface of the work holding member to the work holding member.

9. The control method according to claim 8, wherein the work holding member has a storage section on which the work is placed, and a fixing section that is connected to the storage section so as to be able to open and close and that is capable of holding and fixing the work placed in the storage section, and wherein placing the work to be processed on the holding surface of the selected work holding member includes placing the work in the storage section with the fixing section open from the storage section, and fixing the work to be processed to the work holding member includes closing the fixing section against the storage section and sandwiching the work between the fixing section and the storage section.

10. A control method as described in claim 9, wherein the base member is provided with a drive unit that opens and closes the fixed portion relative to the storage portion, and the opening and closing of the fixed portion relative to the storage portion is performed by the drive unit.

11. A control method for a robot device equipped with a robot hand capable of grasping an object and a robot arm that moves the robot hand, the control method including: selecting a work holding member having a shape corresponding to a work to be processed from a plurality of work holding members having mutually different shapes, each of which is surrounded by a plurality of surfaces; detachably placing the selected work holding member on a base member via the robot hand; placing the work to be processed on the holding surface of the selected work holding member via the robot hand; and fixing the work to be processed placed on the holding surface of the work holding member.

12. The control method described in claim 11, wherein the work holding member has a storage section on which the work is placed, and a fixing section that is connected to the storage section so as to be able to open and close and that is capable of holding and fixing the work placed in the storage section, and wherein placing the work to be processed on the holding surface of the selected work holding member includes placing the work in the storage section with the fixing section open from the storage section, and fixing the work to be processed to the work holding member includes closing the fixing section against the storage section and sandwiching the work between the fixing section and the storage section.

13. A control method as described in claim 12, wherein clamping the workpiece to be processed between the fixing portion and the storage portion includes attracting the fixing portion and the storage portion via a magnetic body, and when removing the workpiece to be processed from the work holding member, includes opening the fixing portion from the storage portion with a force that exceeds the attractive force of the magnetic body.

14. A control method as described in claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of work holding members is provided with a different identification symbol, and selecting a work holding member having a shape corresponding to the work to be processed includes detecting the identification symbol and verifying, using the detection result, whether the selected work holding member is the target work holding member.

15. The control method described in claim 11, wherein the work holding member has a pair of flat plate-shaped gripped portions and a pair of openings, and includes: when placing the work holding member on the base member, gripping the pair of gripped portions with the robot hand; and when placing the work on the holding surface of the work holding member, the pair of gripping portions of the robot hand pass through the pair of openings of the work holding member while gripping the work.

16. A control method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the degrees of freedom of movement of the robot hand of the robot device are any of two to four degrees of freedom selected from movements in three mutually orthogonal directions and rotation around one axis.

17. A control method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the workpiece is a rectangular parallelepiped object to which linear objects are connected.

18. A robot device comprising a robot hand capable of grasping an object, a robot arm that moves the robot hand, and a control device that controls the operation of the robot hand and the robot arm, the robot device further comprising: an alignment member that can be grasped by the robot hand; and an imaging device that can detect the surface of a workpiece surrounded by multiple surfaces, wherein the control device relatively moves the alignment member and the multiple workpieces via the robot hand so that at least a portion of the alignment member comes into contact with at least a portion of the multiple workpieces in order to stack the multiple workpieces flat above a loading surface on which the multiple workpieces are placed so that at least a portion of each workpiece is stacked; causes the imaging device to image the surface of a workpiece to be detected among the multiple workpieces; and when the imaged surface of the workpiece to be detected differs from a target surface, rotates the workpiece to be detected via the robot hand.

19. The robot device according to claim 18, wherein the placement surface has a step, and the control device moves the workpiece to be detected so that the robot hand rotates the workpiece across the step in order to rotate the workpiece to be detected.

20. The robot device according to claim 19, wherein at least one intermediate step surface that is horizontal or inclined relative to a horizontal plane is provided between the surface of the step and the surface of the placement surface.

21. The robotic device according to claim 20, wherein the intermediate step surface is provided with one or more grooves.

22. The robot device according to claim 20, wherein the intermediate step surface is formed of a material having a higher coefficient of friction than the surface of the step.

23. The robot device according to claim 19, wherein the control device causes the robot hand to grasp a pair of surfaces of the workpiece to be detected that form a larger intersecting angle with the step when the robot hand moves the workpiece to be detected across the step.

24. A robot device as described in claim 18, further comprising a jig having an L-shaped cross section that is rotatably mounted on the placement surface, and the control device places the workpiece to be detected on the jig via the robot hand and rotates the jig on the placement surface in order to rotate the workpiece to be detected.

25. A robot device as described in claim 18, wherein the alignment member has a handle portion and a flat portion, and the control device causes the robot hand to grasp the handle portion and moves the flat portion via the handle portion so as to level the plurality of workpieces on the flat portion.

26. The robot device described in claim 18, wherein the alignment member is a comb-shaped member having a plurality of openings through which the width of the workpiece in the short side direction can pass, and the control device aligns the plurality of workpieces by passing each of the plurality of workpieces through one of the plurality of openings of the comb-shaped member when moving the comb-shaped member with the robot hand.

27. A robot device according to claim 18, comprising: a base member; a plurality of work holding members detachably attached to the base member, each having a different shape and capable of holding a work of a corresponding shape; and a fixing mechanism for fixing the work held by the work holding members, wherein the control device detachably places a work holding member selected from the plurality of work holding members and having a shape corresponding to a work to be processed among the plurality of workpieces on the base member via the robot hand; places the work to be processed on the holding surface of the selected work holding member via the robot hand; and fixes the work to be processed placed on the holding surface of the work holding member via the fixing mechanism.

28. The robot device according to claim 27, wherein the work holding member has a storage section on which the work is placed, a fixing section that is openably and closably connected to the storage section and is capable of holding and fixing the work placed in the storage section, and an opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes the storage section and the fixing section, and wherein the control device, when placing the work to be processed on the holding surface of the selected work holding member, places the work in the storage section via the robot hand in a state where the fixing section is opened from the storage section via the opening / closing mechanism, and when fixing the work to be processed to the work holding member, closes the fixing section and the storage section via the opening / closing mechanism, and sandwiches the work between the fixing section and the storage section.

29. The robot device according to claim 28, further comprising a drive unit provided on the base member for operating the opening / closing mechanism of the workpiece holding member, and the control device operates the opening / closing mechanism via the drive unit.

30. The robot device according to claim 28, wherein the control device operates the opening and closing mechanism via the robot hand.

31. A robot device according to claim 27, wherein the fixing mechanism comprises the opening / closing mechanism of the workpiece holding member and a magnetic body for attracting the fixing portion of the workpiece holding member to the storage portion.

32. A robot device comprising a robot hand capable of grasping an object, a robot arm that moves the robot hand, and a control device that controls the operation of the robot hand and the robot arm, the robot device comprising: a base member; a plurality of work holding members that are detachable from the base member, each having a different shape and capable of holding a workpiece surrounded by a plurality of surfaces; a fixing mechanism that fixes the workpiece held by the work holding members; and an imaging device that captures an image of at least a portion of the movement range of the robot hand, wherein the control device uses the imaging results of the imaging device to detachably mount a work holding member selected from the plurality of work holding members and having a shape corresponding to a workpiece to be processed among the plurality of workpieces onto the base member via the robot hand, mount the workpiece to be processed on the holding surface of the work holding member via the robot hand, and fix the workpiece to be processed mounted on the holding surface of the work holding member using the fixing mechanism.

33. The robot device according to claim 32, wherein the work holding member has a storage section on which the work is placed, a fixing section that is openably and closably connected to the storage section and is capable of holding and fixing the work placed in the storage section, and an opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes the storage section and the fixing section, and wherein the control device, when placing the work to be processed on the holding surface of the selected work holding member, places the work in the storage section via the robot hand in a state where the fixing section is opened from the storage section via the opening / closing mechanism, and when fixing the work to be processed to the work holding member, closes the fixing section and the storage section via the opening / closing mechanism, and sandwiches the work between the fixing section and the storage section.

34. A robot device according to claim 33, wherein the opening and closing mechanism has a rotation shaft that rotatably supports the fixed part relative to the storage part.

35. A robot device according to claim 33, further comprising a drive unit provided on the base member for operating the opening / closing mechanism of the workpiece holding member, and the control device operates the opening / closing mechanism via the drive unit.

36. The robot device according to claim 33, wherein the control device operates the opening and closing mechanism via the robot hand.

37. A robot device according to claim 33, wherein the fixing mechanism comprises the opening / closing mechanism of the workpiece holding member and a magnetic body for attracting the fixing portion of the workpiece holding member to the storage portion.

38. A robot device as described in claim 32, wherein each of the plurality of work-holding members is provided with a different identification symbol, and the control device verifies whether the selected work-holding member is the target work-holding member using the imaging results of the imaging device capturing the identification symbols of the work-holding members.

39. A robot device according to claim 32, wherein the workpiece holding member has a pair of flat plate-shaped grippable portions and a pair of openings, and the control device causes the robot hand to grip the pair of grippable portions when placing the workpiece holding member on the base member, and moves the robot hand so that the pair of fingers of the robot hand, while gripping the workpiece, pass through the pair of openings of the workpiece holding member when placing the workpiece on the holding surface of the workpiece holding member.

40. A robot device as described in claim 32, wherein when the type of workpiece to be processed is changed, the control device replaces the workpiece holding member on the base member via the robot hand with a workpiece holding member having a shape corresponding to the changed workpiece to be processed.

41. A robot device according to any one of claims 18 to 40, wherein the degrees of freedom of movement of the robot hand of the robot device are any of two to four degrees of freedom selected from movement in three mutually orthogonal directions and rotation around one axis.

42. A robot device according to any one of claims 18 to 40, wherein the work held by the work holding member is a rectangular parallelepiped object to which a linear object is connected.

Images