Binding device, binding method, and binding program

Abstract

A binding system (1) is provided with: a reinforcing bar binding machine (61) capable of binding an intersection (P) of an object to be bound including at least two reinforcing bars (S); a second camera (51) capable of observing the vicinity of the intersection (P); and a control device (7). A control unit (77) of the control device (7) acquires the shape of a workpiece (B) in the vicinity of the intersection (P) on the basis of information observed by the second camera (51).

Description

Binding apparatus, binding method and binding program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a binding apparatus, a binding method, and a binding program for binding reinforcing bars.

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a binding system that sequentially and automatically binds intersections of crossing reinforcing bars with a wire on a workpiece formed by combining a plurality of reinforcing bars. In this type of binding system, information of binding points, which are intersections of reinforcing bars, may be acquired by a sensor or a camera. For example, in the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, positional information of intersections is acquired by a camera and used for binding work.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-110556 Specification of Chinese Patent Application Publication No. 113400460

[0004] However, the techniques described in the above Patent Documents 1 and 2 cannot detect the distance in the depth direction at the intersection of the workpiece. If the distance in the depth direction cannot be grasped, it cannot be determined whether or not the binding machine can be inserted to a depth at which the intersection can be bound. Being able to determine whether the binding machine can be inserted, and consequently whether the intersection can be bound, is useful for the safe and smooth progress of binding work.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present disclosure is to suitably determine whether an intersection can be bound.

[0006] According to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, the binding apparatus includes: a binding portion capable of binding an intersection of objects to be bound formed of at least two rod-shaped objects; an observation portion capable of observing the vicinity of the intersection; and an acquisition portion that acquires information of the objects to be bound in the vicinity of the intersection based on information observed by the observation portion.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, whether an intersection can be bound can be suitably determined.

[0008] This is a perspective view of the main body of the binding system according to the embodiment. This is a block diagram showing the schematic control configuration of the binding system according to the embodiment. This is a side view of the binding device according to the embodiment. This is a flowchart showing the binding procedure according to the embodiment. This is a flowchart showing the binding procedure according to the embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating how to determine the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing bars (vertical and horizontal) at the intersection. This is a diagram showing an example of the reinforcement pattern of a workpiece according to the embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating whether or not the binding machine can be inserted into the intersection. This is a diagram illustrating whether or not the binding machine can be inserted considering the distance between the intersection and the back surface.

[0009] The embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0010] [Configuration of the Binding System] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the main body 10 of the binding system 1 according to this embodiment, and Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the schematic control configuration of the binding system 1. As shown in these figures, the binding system 1 binds a workpiece B (object to be bound), which consists of multiple reinforcing bars S arranged in a grid, at the intersections where the multiple rod-shaped reinforcing bars S overlap and intersect. The binding system 1 corresponds to an example of a binding device according to this disclosure. The workpiece B only needs to consist of at least two reinforcing bars S (rod-shaped objects). Specifically, the binding system 1 comprises a main body 10 and a control device 7.

[0011] The device body 10 comprises a workpiece holding unit 2, an overall imaging unit 3, a robot arm 4, an individual imaging unit 5, and a binding device 6. Of these, the workpiece holding unit 2 is located inside the frame 11 of the device body 10, while the overall imaging unit 3, robot arm 4, individual imaging unit 5, and binding device 6 are mounted on the frame 11. In the following description, the XYZ directions refer to the orientations shown in Figure 1. The XYZ directions are orthogonal to each other, the XY plane is approximately horizontal, and the Z direction is approximately vertical.

[0012] The frame 11 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, elongated in the X direction, and includes four support columns 12 erected at the four corners in the X and Y directions, and four beams 13 that span the X and Y directions at the upper ends of the support columns 12. Of the area inside the frame 11, approximately half of one side in the X direction (right side in Figure 1) is the shooting area E1 where shooting is performed by the overall shooting unit 3, and the other half (left side in Figure 1) is the binding area E2 where binding work is performed by the robot arm 4 and the binding device 6.

[0013] <Workpiece Holding Unit> The workpiece holding unit 2 holds the workpiece B and moves the held workpiece B between the shooting area E1 and the binding area E2. Specifically, the workpiece holding unit 2 comprises a holding base 21 for holding the workpiece B, a rail 22 that supports the holding base 21 so that it can move, and a drive motor 23 that drives the rail 22. The holding base 21 is formed in the shape of a rectangular plate with its four sides aligned in the X and Y directions. Support plates 211 are erected on the four sides of the holding base 21 to support a plurality of reinforcing bars S that constitute the workpiece B. The support plates 211 have a plurality of U-shaped grooves 211a that open upward, and the reinforcing bars S are inserted into these U-shaped grooves 211a. The plurality of reinforcing bars S are arranged in a grid pattern along the X and Y directions with their ends inserted into the U-shaped grooves 211a of the support plates 211. The rail 22 is laid along the X direction and guides the holding base 21 in the X direction. In this embodiment, the rail 22 is laid so that the holding base 21 (workpiece B) can move at least between the shooting area E1 and the binding area E2. However, the rail 22 may be extended to the outside of the frame 11, and the workpiece B may be configured to move to the work processes before and after binding. The drive motor 23 is a drive source for moving the holding base 21. Based on a drive command from the control device 7, the drive motor 23 moves the holding base 21 between the shooting area E1 and the binding area E2. The workpiece holding unit 2 only needs to be able to move the holding base 21 (workpiece B) from the shooting area E1 to the binding area E2.

[0014] <Overall Imaging Unit> The overall imaging unit 3 images the entire workpiece B in the imaging area E1. Specifically, the overall imaging unit 3 includes a first camera 31 positioned above the imaging area E1 and a moving mechanism 32 that movably supports the first camera 31. The first camera 31 is positioned facing downwards and images the workpiece B held by the workpiece holding unit 2 from above in the imaging area E1. The first camera 31 in this embodiment is a compound-lens (e.g., quad-lens) stereo camera that acquires depth information (vertical direction) along with image information (monochrome image) in the XY plane and outputs it to the control device 7.

[0015] The moving mechanism 32 includes a Y-direction slider 33 that extends along the Y direction. The Y-direction slider 33 is spanned on a beam 13 along the X direction and is supported on the beam 13 so as to be movable in the X direction. The first camera 31 is suspended from the Y-direction slider 33 so as to be movable in the Y direction. Based on a control command from the control device 7, the moving mechanism 32 drives a drive source (not shown) to move the first camera 31 to a predetermined position (XY coordinates). The moving mechanism 32 is intended to capture images of the entire workpiece B in multiple steps in order to obtain an image of the workpiece B with a desired resolution, as will be described later. Therefore, depending on the performance of the first camera 31 and the shape of the workpiece B, the moving mechanism 32 may only move the first camera 31 in either the X or Y direction, or it may not be provided at all.

[0016] <Robot Arm> The robot arm 4 is equipped with an individual imaging unit 5 and a binding device 6, and moves the individual imaging unit 5 and the binding device 6 to a desired position in the binding area E2. The robot arm 4 of this embodiment comprises a moving mechanism 46, a robot arm body 40, and a controller 49.

[0017] The moving mechanism 46 moves the robot arm body 40. The moving mechanism 46 in this embodiment includes a Y-direction slider 461 that spans the beam 13 of the frame 11. The Y-direction slider 461 moves the robot arm body 40 in the Y direction. However, the specific configuration of the moving mechanism 46 is not particularly limited, and for example, it may include a mechanism that moves the robot arm body 40 in the X direction. Also, if the operating range of the robot arm body 40 can cover the entire binding area E2 without relying on the moving mechanism 46, the moving mechanism 46 may not be provided.

[0018] The robot arm body 40 is a ceiling-mounted vertical articulated robot, installed facing downwards on a Y-direction slider 461 suspended on a beam 13 in the binding area E2. Specifically, the robot arm body 40 comprises a base section 41, multiple arms 42, an end effector 43, and multiple joint sections 44. Note that the robot arm body 40 is not limited to a vertical articulated robot, as long as it is capable of moving the mounted individual imaging unit 5 and binding device 6.

[0019] Multiple arms 42 are connected in series with a base portion 41 as their base end. The base portion 41 is mounted on a Y-direction slider 461 of the moving mechanism 46 and is supported so as to be movable in the Y direction. Multiple joint portions 44 rotatably connect the base portion 41, the multiple arms 42, and the end effector 43. Each joint portion 44 is provided with a motor 441 that drives the arm 42 (or end effector 43) connected to the tip of the joint portion 44, and an encoder 442 that detects the position (speed) of the motor 441 and outputs it to the controller 49. The end effector 43 is connected to the tip of the multiple arms 42. The end effector 43 is equipped with an individual imaging unit 5 and a binding device 6. The specific configuration of the tip of the robot arm body 40 is not particularly limited, as long as it is equipped with an individual imaging unit 5 and a binding device 6. For example, the individual imaging unit 5 may be fixed to the joint 44 at the very tip, and the fastening device 6 may be connected via a tool changer as an end effector.

[0020] The controller 49 controls the operation of each part of the robot arm 4 based on control commands from the control device 7. Specifically, the controller 49 operates each motor 441 and the movement mechanism 46, and outputs information acquired by each encoder 442 to the control device 7. The controller 49 may also locally control the operation of the mounted individual imaging unit 5 and the binding device 6 based on control commands from the control device 7.

[0021] <Individual Imaging Unit> The individual imaging unit 5 is mounted at the tip of the robot arm body 40 and individually photographs the intersections P (see Figure 6) of the reinforcing bars S to be tied in the tying area E2 with a higher resolution than the overall imaging unit 3. Specifically, the individual imaging unit 5 comprises a second camera 51, a lifting motor 52, and a lighting unit 53. The second camera 51 is attached to the end effector 43 of the robot arm 4 facing the tip (downward) and photographs the intersections P of the reinforcing bars S to be tied from above, facing the intersections P. The second camera 51 is provided so as to be movable in the tip direction (up and down direction) relative to the end effector 43. The second camera 51 in this embodiment is, for example, an RGB camera and acquires image information (color image) of the intersections P to be tied and outputs it to the control device 7. The second camera 51 corresponds to an example of the observation unit according to this disclosure. The lifting motor 52 is a drive source that moves (lifts and lowers) the second camera 51 toward the tip (up and down) relative to the end effector 43. The lighting unit 53 is a ring light positioned slightly in front of the second camera 51 and around the shooting range, and illuminates the object being photographed by the second camera 51. The lighting unit 53 in this embodiment has a plurality of light sources (floodlights; not shown) that are evenly arranged around the second camera 51 and capable of illuminating the object being photographed by the second camera 51 from different angles.

[0022] <Binding Device> Figure 3 is a side view of the binding device 6. As shown in this figure, the binding device 6 is mounted on the tip of the robot arm body 40. The binding device 6 includes a rebar binding machine (hereinafter simply referred to as "binding machine") 61 that binds the intersections P of the reinforcing bars S that make up the workpiece B with wire W, a slack-forming unit 62 that pulls out the wire W from the reel 63 and forms slack in the wire W between the binding machine 61 and the reel 63, and a control unit 64 (see Figure 2) that executes the binding operation of the binding machine 61 and the slack-forming operation of the wire W of the slack-forming unit 62 according to operation commands from the control device 7.

[0023] The binding machine 61 has an inlet 611 into which two wires W are fed from outside the housing along the feeding direction F shown in the figure. The two wires W fed into the interior from the inlet 611 are wound around the reinforcing bar S, and the two wires W wound around the reinforcing bar S are fed in the reverse feeding direction R to wrap around the reinforcing bar S and cut, after which the wires W are twisted and the reinforcing bar S is bound together with the wires W.

[0024] Therefore, the binding machine 61 includes a wire feeding section for feeding the wire W, a wire guide 612 for guiding the wire W, a curl guide 613 and a guide 614 for winding the wire W around the reinforcing bar S, a cutting section for cutting the wire W wound around the reinforcing bar S, and a wire twisting section for twisting the wire W wound around the reinforcing bar S.

[0025] The wire guide 612 is provided in front of the entrance 611 and guides the two wires W to enter the entrance 611 along the feeding direction F.

[0026] The wire feeding section is located inside the entrance section 611 and feeds two wires W along the feeding direction F by gripping them with a pair of feed gears. The wire feeding section is equipped with a feed motor 615 (see Figure 2) which serves as the drive source. The feed motor 615 drives the two wires W in the feeding direction F by forward rotation, allowing the wires W to be wound around the reinforcing bar S by the curl guide 613 and guide guide 614 located further ahead. That is, the wires W, which have been curled into an arc shape by the curl guide 613, are fed from the curl guide 613 towards the guide guide 614 and inserted into the guide guide 614. The feed motor 615 can also drive the two wires W in the reverse feeding direction R by reverse rotation, allowing the reinforcing bar S to be tightened with the wires W.

[0027] The cutting section is located inside the entrance section 611 and further inside the wire feeding section. The cutting section has a movable blade and a fixed blade (not shown), and the drive source for the movable blade is shared with the wire twisting section. The movable blade can be moved toward the fixed blade by the twisting motor 616 (see Figure 2), which is the drive source for the wire twisting section, to cut the two wires W. Note that the drive source for the cutting section may be provided separately and independently.

[0028] The binding device 6 in Figure 3 is supported by an end effector 43 at the tip of the robot arm 4, and performs the binding operation when the pivot axis Zr of the end effector 43 is parallel to the aforementioned Z direction (vertical up and down direction). The binding device 6 is set so that the position where the wire W is bound to the reinforcing bar S is located on the axis of the pivot axis Zr, and during binding, the robot arm 4 positions the binding device 6 so that the intersection point P of the reinforcing bar S is on the axis of the pivot axis Zr.

[0029] The curl guide 613 and the guide 614 are located at the tip of the binding machine 61 (the lower end during binding operation), and are positioned on either side of the aforementioned pivot axis Zr. The base end of the curl guide 613 is positioned beyond the entrance 611 in the feeding direction F, and a guide path is formed on the inside of the curl guide 613 to curl the wire W as it moves from the base end to the tip.

[0030] The guide 614 is positioned opposite the curl guide 613 and receives the wire W curled by the curl guide 613 from its tip and guides the wire W to the base end while maintaining the curled state, with a guide path formed on its inside. Through the cooperation of the curl guide 613 and the guide 614, the wire W can be deformed into a loop and wrapped around the reinforcing bar S. Hereinafter, the tip portion of the tying machine 61 that is inserted into the intersection P (the portion that is inserted between the reinforcing bars S that make up the intersection P), including the curl guide 613 and the guide 614, will be referred to as the insertion portion 61T.

[0031] The wire twisting section has a locking member that captures the wire W while it is wound around the reinforcing bar S between the base end of the guide 614 and the base end of the curl guide 613. The locking member is supported inside the binding machine 61 so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis concentric with the aforementioned pivot axis Zr, and is provided with torque for rotational drive by the aforementioned twisting motor 616. After the wire W is cut by the cutting section, the locking member is rotated by the twisting motor 616, twisting both ends of the wire W to bind the reinforcing bar S.

[0032] On one side of the binding machine 61 in the direction along its pivot axis Zr (the upper side during binding), two reels 63 of wire W are rotatably supported side by side. The two reels 63 are each rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 3, and are arranged side by side on that axis.

[0033] The slack-forming section 62 is positioned on one side of the binding machine 61 and the two reels 63 in a direction Xw perpendicular to the pivot axis Zr. The slack-forming section 62 includes a first slack-forming section 621 and a second slack-forming section 622 that move past each other, and a slack-forming motor 623 that serves as the driving source for these passing movements.

[0034] The feed direction F of the wire W, as described above, is generally parallel to a plane that is parallel to the pivot axis Zr and the orthogonal direction Xw. Furthermore, the feed direction F of the wire W is inclined somewhat upward in the plane of Figure 3 with respect to the orthogonal direction Xw on the upstream side. Both the first slack-forming section 621 and the second slack-forming section 622 hold rollers over which the two wires W are stretched.

[0035] The first slack-forming section 621 and the second slack-forming section 622 move in a passing motion generally along the feeding direction F, thereby extending the path length of the wire W from the reel 63 to the entrance 611 of the binding machine 61 and allowing the wire W to be pulled out from the reel 63. In addition, the first slack-forming section 621 and the second slack-forming section 622 return to their original positions after the passing motion, thereby providing the wire W with the amount of slack that was pulled out from the reel 63. Note that the slack-forming section 62 is not required.

[0036] Incidentally, the two wires W are required to be fed into the inlet 611 of the binding machine 61 from a direction close to the feeding direction F (i.e., an incidence angle close to the feeding direction F). The feeding direction F is a suitable direction for deforming the wires W into an appropriate loop shape by the curl guide 613 and guide guide 614 located further along that direction of travel. In order to supply the wires W to the inlet 611 of the binding machine 61 along the feeding direction F, the slack-forming section 62 is arranged such that the path from the downstream second slack-forming section 622 to the inlet 611 of the binding machine 61 is along the feeding direction F. When passing each other, the second slack-forming section 622 moves away from the inlet 611 of the binding machine 61 along the feeding direction F.

[0037] Therefore, the binding device 6 is positioned such that the slack-forming portion 62 protrudes significantly from one side (the right side of the page in Figure 3) in the direction Xw perpendicular to the binding machine 61 (rotating axis Zr). The second camera 51 and lighting unit 53 of the individual shooting unit 5 are positioned on the left side of the page in Figure 3 relative to the binding machine 61 of the binding device 6.

[0038] <Control Device> As shown in Figure 2, the control device 7 is a computer that comprehensively controls the bundling system 1. Specifically, the control device 7 comprises an operation unit 72, a display unit 73, a storage unit 76, and a control unit 77. The operation unit 72 is an operating means for the user to perform various operations to operate the control device 7, and includes, for example, a pointing device such as a mouse or a keyboard. The display unit 73 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or other display, and displays various information based on display signals from the control unit 77. The display unit 73 may also be a touch panel that serves as part of the operation unit 72, or it may provide audio output.

[0039] The storage unit 76 is a memory composed of RAM (Random Access Memory) and ROM (Read Only Memory), and stores various programs and data, as well as functioning as a workspace for the control unit 77. In this embodiment, the storage unit 76 pre-stores a binding program 761, a rebar arrangement model 764, and binding unit information 765 for executing the binding process described later, as well as image data 762 acquired during the binding process. Here, the control unit 77 may include a processor. The processor is composed of, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). RAM is configured as system memory, and ROM is configured as a hard disk or flash memory. The program related to the binding method is stored in storage memory and read into system memory. Based on the read program, the processor executes the operation of the binding system 1 and the binding device 6.

[0040] Image data 762 is image information of the workpiece B (reinforcement bar S) acquired by the first camera 31 and the second camera 51 during the execution of the binding process described later. Binding section information 765 is information about the binding machine 61, including information about the shape of the insertion section 61T that is inserted into the intersection P of the binding machine 61. This information about the insertion section 61T includes information about the insertion length Hm (see Figure 8) of the insertion section 61T that is inserted into the intersection P.

[0041] The reinforcing bar arrangement model 764 is arrangement information of a plurality of reinforcing bars S in a work B that is a target of operation. The reinforcing bar arrangement model 764 may be, for example, information on the number of reinforcing bars S arranged in each XYZ direction (bar arrangement pattern), information such as the spacing between reinforcing bars S in each XYZ direction, information on the angle when the reinforcing bars S are inclined, information on the size and cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing bars S, and the like. In addition, the storage unit 76 may record various data other than the above acquired during execution of the binding process described later as needed.

[0042] The control unit 77, as described above, is configured of, for example, a CPU or the like, and controls the operation of each part of the control device 7. Specifically, the control unit 77 operates each part of the control device 7 based on the operation content or the like of the operation unit 72, or expands a program stored in advance in the storage unit 76, and executes various processes in cooperation with the expanded program.

[0043] [Operation of Binding System] Next, the operation of the binding system 1 when executing a binding process for binding a work B will be described. FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing the procedure of the binding process, and FIGS. 6 to 9 are diagrams for explaining the binding process. Among these, FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining how to obtain the cross-sectional shape of the reinforcing bars S (vertical bars and horizontal bars) at the intersection P, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of a bar arrangement pattern, FIG. 8 is a diagram for explaining whether the binding machine 61 can be inserted into the intersection P, and FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining whether the binding machine 61 can be inserted in consideration of the distance between the intersection P and the back surface.

[0044] In the binding process, a plurality of reinforcing bars S arranged in a grid pattern along each X and Y direction are bound at intersections P (see FIG. 6) where the plurality of reinforcing bars S intersect. This binding process is executed by the control unit 77 of the control device 7 reading and expanding the binding program 761 from the storage unit 76. Here, it is assumed that the work B is placed on the holding table 21 in advance and arranged in the imaging area E1 (see FIG. 1). In the following description, (the control unit 77 of) the control device 7 exclusively executes each process, but the control subject of the binding process is not particularly limited. For example, (the control unit of) each component of the binding system 1 may execute the process, or the control device 7 and each component may execute the process in cooperation.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 4, when the binding process is executed, first the control unit 77 of the control device 7 photographs the workpiece B with the first camera 31 of the overall photographing unit 3 in the photographing area E1 (step S1). Here, the control unit 77 acquires, for the entire workpiece B, image data (monochrome image) of the XY plane including distance information by the first camera 31 which is a stereo camera, and stores the image data in the storage unit 76. More specifically, the control unit 77 controls the moving mechanism 32 to move the first camera 31 within the XY plane in accordance with the size of the workpiece B, the angle of view of the first camera 31, and the like, and divides the entire workpiece B into a plurality of portions (for example, 2×2 four divisions in each direction of X and Y) with partial overlap, and performs photographing. Then, the control unit 77 combines the obtained plurality of images to generate an image of the entire workpiece B, and stores the image in the storage unit 76.

[0046] Next, the control unit 77 calculates the positions of all intersection points P included in the workpiece B based on the image data acquired in step S1 (step S2). Here, the control unit 77 calculates three-dimensional position information including XYZ coordinates for each intersection point P. In this step, it is only necessary to calculate the positions of a plurality of intersection points P among all the intersection points P of the workpiece B. Also here, the position of each intersection point P may be calculated based on a reinforcing bar arrangement model 764 obtained by modeling the arrangement of a plurality of intersection points P. In this case, when the shape (arrangement) matches the reinforcing bar arrangement model 764, it is regarded as an intersection point P, so position calculation is easy.

[0047] Next, the control unit 77 drives the drive motor 23 of the workpiece holding unit 2 to operate the holding table 21, and moves the workpiece B to the binding area E2 (step S3).

[0048] Next, the control unit 77 selects an intersection point P to be bound among the plurality of intersection points P included in the workpiece B (step S4). Here, the control unit 77 selects, for example based on a preset binding order, one intersection point P to be bound next from the plurality of intersection points P excluding the intersection points P that have already been bound (recognized as bound). Hereinafter, the intersection point P to be bound next selected here is referred to as "target intersection point Pa".

[0049] Next, in the binding area E2, the control unit 77 moves the second camera 51 of the individual imaging unit 5 mounted on the robot arm 4 closer to the target intersection Pa selected in step S4 (step S5). Here, the control unit 77 controls the movement of the robot arm 4 based on the position information of the target intersection Pa calculated in step S2 and the amount of movement of the workpiece B in the X direction moved in step S3, and moves the second camera 51 to directly above the target intersection Pa. Then, the control unit 77 controls the operation of the lifting motor 52 to lower the second camera 51 and bring it closer to the target intersection Pa to a predetermined distance, so that it faces (directly opposite) the target intersection Pa. As a result, the target intersection Pa is positioned directly in front of the downward-facing second camera 51, and for example, only the target intersection Pa is within the field of view of the second camera 51 (other intersections P are outside the field of view).

[0050] Next, the control unit 77 uses the second camera 51, which was brought close in step S5, to photograph the target intersection Pa and acquire image data (step S6). Here, the control unit 77 acquires image data (color image) of the target intersection Pa using the second camera 51 and stores it in the storage unit 76. The second camera 51 observes a predetermined observation range within the vicinity of the target intersection Pa. As a result, image data 762b of the target intersection Pa (see Figure 6) with a higher resolution than the image data acquired by the first camera 31 in step S1 is obtained. In this step, the control unit 77 may also control the lighting unit 53 to photograph the target intersection Pa with multiple different lighting patterns. This allows for the generation of a three-dimensional image based on changes in the patterns of projected and reflected light, and the acquisition of distance information.

[0051] Next, the control unit 77 performs a binding feasibility determination to determine whether binding is possible at the target intersection Pa (step S7). Here, the binding feasibility of the target intersection Pa is determined based on the image data acquired by the second camera 51 and the information from the binding machine 61. The following description will focus on the case where the target intersection Pa is where two reinforcing bars S in the X direction and two in the Y direction (a total of four bars) intersect. Therefore, in the following description, "higher side (upper side)" means the side closer to the second camera 51 in the shooting direction of the second camera 51 (foreground side), or the side closer to the binding machine 61 in the insertion direction of the binding machine 61 (foreground side), and "lower side (lower side)" means the opposite side. In the following, among the multiple reinforcing bars S that intersect at intersection P, those along the Y direction are called "vertical bars Sy," and those along the X direction are called "horizontal bars Sx" (see Figure 6). In the following example, it is assumed that the vertical bars Sy are positioned above the horizontal bars Sx at intersection P.

[0052] Specifically, in determining whether or not binding is possible, as shown in Figure 5, the control unit 77 first detects the upper end positions (upper surface heights) of the vertical reinforcement Sy and horizontal reinforcement Sx based on the image data acquired in step S6 (step S71). Here, as shown in Figure 6, the control unit 77 detects the highest Z-direction position of the vertical reinforcement Sy and horizontal reinforcement Sx at the base position of the target intersection Pa, that is, a position outside the target intersection Pa but near the target intersection Pa. Specifically, the control unit 77 detects the highest position of the vertical reinforcement Sy in the detection cross section Gy perpendicular to the Y direction at the Y-direction position near the target intersection Pa as the upper end position Hy. Similarly, the control unit 77 detects the highest position of the horizontal reinforcement Sx in the detection cross section Gx perpendicular to the X direction at the X-direction position near the target intersection Pa as the upper end position Hx. Here, since the vertical reinforcement Sy is located above the horizontal reinforcement Sx, Hy > Hx. The fact that the detected cross section Gy is at a Y-direction position (root position) near the target intersection Pa, and that the detected cross section Gx is at an X-direction position (root position) near the target intersection Pa, is a preferred example when detecting the top surface height, and each detected cross section Gy and Gx are not particularly limited to the root position. The detected cross section may be at a position further from the root position than the Y-direction position shown for the detected cross section Gy in Figure 6. Similarly, the detected cross section may be at a position further from the root position than the X-direction position shown for the detected cross section Gx in Figure 6. In other words, the vicinity of the intersection of the bundled object in detecting the upper end positions of the vertical reinforcement Sy and the horizontal reinforcement Sx is a position different from the intersection, and is a position where at least the shape of the upper surfaces of the vertical reinforcement Sy and the horizontal reinforcement Sx can be measured.

[0053] Next, the control unit 77 detects the upper surface shapes of the longitudinal reinforcement Sy and transverse reinforcement Sx based on the image data acquired in step S6 (step S72). Here, the control unit 77 detects the upper surface shapes Fy and Fx of the longitudinal reinforcement Sy and transverse reinforcement Sx in the detected cross-sections Gy and Gx. This allows the upper surface shapes Fy and Fx of each reinforcement S to be obtained in the width direction perpendicular to the extension direction in the horizontal plane. In steps S71 and S72, information on the Z-direction position of the longitudinal reinforcement Sy and transverse reinforcement Sx is obtained from the image data acquired by the second camera 51. The method of acquisition in this case is not particularly limited, and a 3D camera or a 2.5D camera may be used as the second camera 51, or height information may be extracted based on contrast information (shading information) contained in the 2D image data. Also, the order of processing in steps S71 and S72 may be reversed.

[0054] Next, the control unit 77 estimates the number of vertical reinforcements Sy and horizontal reinforcements Sx, as well as their overall cross-sectional shape (step S73). In this step, the control unit 77 matches the top surface shapes Fy and Fx obtained in step S72 with the cross-sectional shape of each reinforcement bar S, which is assumed to be circular (shown by dashed lines in Figure 6). Then, the control unit 77 estimates the number of vertical reinforcements Sy and horizontal reinforcements Sx, and the overall cross-sectional shape of the vertical reinforcements Sy and horizontal reinforcements Sx including these numbers (a shape with two circles placed side by side), as the state in which these best match. As a result, as shown in Figure 7, the reinforcement pattern PT (2x2 in the example shown) that shows the relationship between the number of vertical reinforcements Sy and horizontal reinforcements Sx at the target intersection Pa is determined. Note that the cross-sectional shape of each reinforcement bar S may be obtained and stored in advance without relying on assumptions. In this case, it is preferable that size information such as diameter is included. Furthermore, while there are no particular limitations on the cross-sectional shape of each reinforcing bar S, many are based on a circular shape, such as those with two parallel surfaces formed on both the upper and lower ends.

[0055] Next, the control unit 77 estimates the lower end position of the target intersection Pa (step S74). Here, as shown in Figure 6, the control unit 77 determines the lower end position Hw of the target intersection Pa as the lowest position in the overall cross-sectional shape of the lower horizontal bar Sx estimated in step S73.

[0056] Next, the control unit 77 determines whether the binding machine 61 can be inserted into (approached to) the target intersection Pa by comparing the shapes of the target intersection Pa and the binding machine 61 (step S75). Specifically, the control unit 77 calculates the difference "Hy-Hw" between the upper end position Hy of the upper vertical reinforcement Sy and the lower end position Hw of the lower horizontal reinforcement Sx as the vertical height of the target intersection Pa, and stores it in the storage unit 76 in association with the target intersection Pa. Then, the control unit 77 compares the calculated difference Hy-Hw with the upper and lower insertion lengths Hm of the binding machine 61. The insertion length Hm of the binding machine 61 is, as shown in Figure 8, the maximum length of the insertion part 61T of the binding machine 61 that is inserted into the intersection P along the insertion direction, for example, the distance in the Z direction between the bottom surface 61f of the space surrounding the reinforcement S (between the curl guide 613 and the guide guide 614) and the tip (lower end) of the curl guide 613. The value of the insertion length Hm is pre-stored in the binding unit information 765 of the storage unit 76. If the difference between the upper end position Hy of the vertical reinforcement Sy and the lower end position Hw of the horizontal reinforcement Sx is smaller than the insertion length Hm of the binding machine 61 (Hy - Hw < Hm), the control unit 77 determines that the binding machine 61 can be inserted into the target intersection Pa, and therefore the target intersection Pa can be bound. However, the specific comparison method is not particularly limited; for example, the value of the difference Hy - Hw, taking into account various errors and margins, may be compared with the insertion length Hm.

[0057] In this step, instead of (or in addition to) the above determination, the distance between the target intersection Pa and its back surface may be considered to determine whether the binding machine 61 can be inserted into the target intersection Pa. In this case, as shown in Figure 9, the control unit 77 first determines the highest height (back surface height) Hb of the back surface D of the reinforcing bar S from the image data. Here, "back surface D" of the reinforcing bar S refers to the part other than the reinforcing bar S and which is lower than the reinforcing bar S. Here, the control unit 77 masks the intersection P portion including the reinforcing bar S within a predetermined measurement range in the image data, and then determines the height of the highest position among the remaining back surface D as the back surface height Hb. Then, the control unit 77 determines whether the binding machine 61 can be inserted by comparing the difference between the lower end position Hw of the horizontal reinforcing bar Sx and the back surface height Hb, "Hw - Hb", with a predetermined value that allows binding without contacting the back surface D with the binding machine 61. In other words, the control unit 77 determines that the binding machine 61 can be inserted, i.e., binding is possible, if the difference "Hw - Hb" is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, and determines that binding is not possible if it is less than the predetermined value.

[0058] Next, as shown in Figure 4, the control unit 77 operates the binding device 6 to bind the target intersection Pa with wire W (step S8). Here, first the control unit 77 controls the movement of the robot arm 4 and, instead of the second camera 51, moves the binding device 6 mounted on the end effector 43 closer to the target intersection Pa, and inserts the insertion part 61T of the binding machine 61 into the target intersection Pa. At this time, the control unit 77 controls the movement of the binding machine 61 so that the reinforcing bars S that make up the target intersection Pa do not come into contact with the binding machine 61. Then, the control unit 77 operates the binding device 6 to bind the target intersection Pa with wire W. However, if it is determined in step S75 above that the target intersection Pa cannot be bound, the control unit 77 omits the process in step S8. At this time, since the binding device 6 is positioned opposite the target intersection Pa with sufficiently high positional accuracy, the target intersection Pa can be bound appropriately. At this time, the amount of wire W used to tie the target intersection Pa may also be calculated and stored in the memory unit 76. The amount of wire W used can be estimated from the actual wire feed amount (excluding the pull-back amount) in the wire feed unit. Alternatively, the wire length required to tie the target intersection Pa (including the pull-back length) may be estimated based on the reinforcing bar diameter and intersection angle of the reinforcing bars S that constitute the target intersection Pa, and this may be used instead of the amount of wire W used.

[0059] Next, the control unit 77 determines whether or not to terminate the binding process (step S10). If it determines not to terminate the process (step S10; No), it proceeds to step S4 described above. As a result, steps S4 to S10 are repeated until, for example, all necessary intersections P are bound. That is, the selection of the next intersection P to be bound (change of target intersection Pa), the photography of the target intersection Pa, and the binding are performed sequentially. Then, in step S10, if it determines to terminate the binding process, for example, by completing the binding of all necessary intersections P (step S10; Yes), the control unit 77 terminates the binding process.

[0060] [Technical Effects of This Embodiment] As described above, according to this embodiment, information about the workpiece B near the intersection P is acquired based on the information observed by the second camera 51. This allows the depth distance at the intersection P to be obtained. Therefore, it is possible to suitably determine whether the binding machine 61 can be inserted into the intersection P, and consequently whether the intersection P can be bound. Furthermore, the number of unbound intersections can be reduced compared to cases where binding feasibility cannot be determined. Unbound intersections require manual binding in subsequent processes, and reducing the number of unbound intersections improves productivity.

[0061] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the upper surface shapes Fy and Fx (shapes of opposing surfaces) that face the observation unit (first camera, second camera) and the binding machine 61 at the intersection P (nearby) during binding are acquired. This allows the depth distance at the intersection P to be acquired, and it is possible to determine whether or not the binding machine 61 can be inserted into the intersection P.

[0062] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the upper surface shapes Fy and Fx extending in the width direction of the reinforcing bar S are obtained. As a result, a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the extension direction of the reinforcing bar S is obtained, making it easier to perform determinations using this cross-sectional shape compared to obtaining a cross-sectional shape that is inclined diagonally with respect to the extension direction.

[0063] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the shape of the reinforcing bar S at a position outside the intersection point P (detected cross-sections Gy, Gx) is obtained. As a result, only one of the upper vertical reinforcement Sy or the lower horizontal reinforcement Sx is detected, and both are not detected simultaneously. Therefore, determination can be made simply and accurately.

[0064] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the upper surface shapes Fy and Fx of the vertical reinforcement Sy and the horizontal reinforcement Sx are obtained. As a result, the determination is made based on information from both the vertical reinforcement Sy and the horizontal reinforcement Sx, allowing for more accurate determination.

[0065] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, among the multiple reinforcing bars S that intersect at intersection P, the height position of the horizontal bar Sx on the far side (lower side) as seen from the second camera 51 is obtained. This allows the lower end position Hw of the horizontal bar Sx to be obtained, and the distance in the depth direction at intersection P (Hy-Hw) can be suitably determined. In addition, this allows the vertical gap between the vertical bar Sy and the horizontal bar Sx to be determined.

[0066] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, it is determined whether or not the binding machine 61 can be inserted into the intersection P based on the position information of the lower horizontal reinforcement Sx and the shape information of the binding machine 61 that is pre-stored in the memory unit 76. In this way, by comparing the actual position information of the reinforcement S with the shape of the binding machine 61, it is possible to determine with high accuracy whether or not binding is possible.

[0067] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, it is determined whether or not the binding machine 61 can be inserted into the intersection P based on the distance between the position of the lower horizontal bar Sx and the back surface D of the intersection P. This allows the intersection P to be bound effectively without the binding machine 61 coming into contact with the back surface D.

[0068] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the shape of the reinforcing bar S is obtained for each of the multiple intersections. This allows for a determination of whether or not tying is possible for all intersections P, and enables the production of high-quality workpieces B with good tying conditions.

[0069] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to determine whether or not the tying machine 61 can be inserted into the intersection P based on information on the arrangement patterns of multiple reinforcing bars S that are stored in advance in the memory unit 76. This allows for efficient tying work by referring to the previously acquired information on the arrangement patterns. For example, if it is confirmed that the arrangement pattern estimated by photographing one (or several) intersections P matches the previously acquired information on the arrangement patterns, it may be determined that the other intersections P also have a similar arrangement pattern.

[0070] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the second camera 51 is capable of acquiring three-dimensional information. Therefore, although the shape of the reinforcing bar S can be acquired even with a second camera 51 that utilizes two-dimensional information, using a second camera 51 capable of acquiring three-dimensional information allows for the acquisition of the shape of the reinforcing bar S with higher accuracy. In addition, since the second camera 51 is an optical camera, it can detect information with high accuracy using optical information.

[0071] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the lighting unit 53 has light sources evenly distributed around the second camera 51. This suppresses the influence of shadows from the surrounding environment on the shooting, and allows the shooting conditions of the second camera 51 regarding light intensity to be kept constant. Therefore, the shape of the reinforcing bars S, and consequently the determination of whether or not they can be tied together, can be performed stably and with high accuracy.

[0072] [Modifications] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, when the height positions of the upper and lower reinforcing bars S (vertical bars Sy and horizontal bars Sx) at the intersection P are detected, the (upper and lower) gap between these reinforcing bars S may be detected. That is, the lower end position of the upper vertical bar Sy can be estimated from the overall cross-sectional shape of the upper vertical bar Sy, and the gap between the reinforcing bars S can be determined as the difference between this and the upper end position Hx of the lower horizontal bar Sx. Information on the gap between the reinforcing bars S can be used, for example, for tie control to eliminate the gap (such as slowing down the initial pull-back and then speeding up the subsequent pull-back).

[0073] Furthermore, in the binding process of the above embodiment, the number of reinforcing bars S intersecting at intersection P and their overall cross-sectional shape (i.e., reinforcement pattern) are estimated to determine whether binding is possible. However, for example, if the same reinforcement pattern is observed consecutively at several intersections P, it may be assumed that the same reinforcement pattern will be observed at subsequent intersections P, and the reinforcement pattern estimation process (e.g., step S73) may be omitted.

[0074] Furthermore, in the bundling process of the above embodiment, the bundling feasibility determination in step S7 is performed based on the information observed (captured) by the second camera 51. However, the bundling feasibility determination may also be performed based on the information observed by the first camera 31. In other words, the observation unit according to this disclosure includes the first camera 31 and the second camera 51. The observation unit according to this disclosure only needs to be able to observe the vicinity of the intersection of the workpiece (object to be bundled), and the vicinity of the intersection refers to at least one intersection (a place where the reinforcing bars S overlap) and the surrounding reinforcing bars S and space. In other words, the observation unit only needs to be able to obtain information about the reinforcing bars S, i.e., information such as shape and position, through observation, and the type of sensor is not particularly limited. For example, it may be a sensor using an optical radar system, active stereo method, optical interferometry, lens focusing method, etc., or it may be another sensor using magnetism, ultrasound, X-rays, etc. Furthermore, it is desirable that it is able to acquire three-dimensional information (three-dimensional shape, i.e., XYZ coordinate information of the object), but it may also acquire only two-dimensional information.

[0075] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the shooting area E1 (first region) and the binding area E2 (second region) are different. However, the shooting area E1 and the binding area E2 may partially overlap or may be a single unit (identical). In this case, the overall shooting unit 3 and the robot arm 4 are configured to move across a range that includes the shooting area E1 and the binding area E2.

[0076] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a workpiece B in which multiple reinforcing bars S are arranged in a generally planar manner was given as an example of the object to be bound according to the disclosure. However, the object to be bound according to the disclosure only needs to have intersections P, and may be an object in which multiple reinforcing bars are arranged three-dimensionally. Here, an object to be bound in which multiple reinforcing bars are arranged three-dimensionally means an object in which multiple intersections are arranged three-dimensionally.

[0077] Alternatively, the robot arm 4 may be configured to select a binding device 6 having an insertion portion (a portion inserted between reinforcing bars S) of a size corresponding to the target intersection Pa. In this case, the robot arm 4 and the binding device 6 are configured to be detachable, and multiple binding devices 6 having insertion portions of different sizes are prepared. The control unit 77 then selects one binding device 6 from among the multiple binding devices 6 that is capable of binding the target intersection Pa to be bound. In this case, the multiple binding devices 6 may be arranged at predetermined positions within the movement range of the robot arm 4, and the exchange of binding devices 6 by the robot arm 4 may be automated.

[0078] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example of applying the present disclosure to a robot arm system using a robot arm was described. However, the present disclosure can also be suitably applied to binding methods other than the robot arm system, such as a workpiece transport system that transports workpieces, a gantry system that moves the device using a gantry, and a self-propelled system that moves the entire device, including the binding device, on the workpiece. However, the present disclosure can be more suitably applied to a system in which the entire device is installed (fixed), for example, indoors and the workpiece is moved, as in the above embodiment. In the case of a freely moving body such as a self-propelled robot or outdoor work, applying the structure of the above embodiment may result in problems such as an increased risk of collision of the information acquisition unit, distortion of the acquired signal (camera image) due to collisions, etc., an increase in the overall size of the device, and the need to waterproof the information acquisition unit.

[0079] Furthermore, details shown in the above embodiments may be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0080] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications or alterations can be conceived within the scope of the claims, and these will naturally also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above embodiments may be combined in any way without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0081] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2025-055001 filed on March 28, 2025, and its contents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0082] 1 Binding system (binding device) 7 Control device 31 First camera (observation unit) 51 Second camera (observation unit) 53 Lighting unit 61 Rebar tying machine (binding unit) 61T Insertion unit 76 Memory unit 77 Control unit (acquisition unit, judgment unit) 761 Binding program 765 Binding unit information B Workpiece (object to be bound) D Back Fx Top surface shape (shape of opposing surface) (of the lower rebar) Fy Top surface shape (shape of opposing surface) (of the upper rebar) Hx Upper end position (of the lower rebar) Hy Upper end position (of the upper rebar) Hw Lower end position (of the lower rebar) Hb Back height P Intersection Pa Target intersection S Rebar (rod-shaped object) Sy Vertical reinforcement Sx Horizontal reinforcement

Claims

1. A binding device comprising: a binding unit capable of binding the intersection of at least two rod-shaped objects; an observation unit capable of observing the vicinity of the intersection; and an acquisition unit that acquires information about the objects to be bound near the intersection based on the information observed by the observation unit.

2. The binding device according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the shape near the intersection.

3. The binding device according to claim 2, wherein the acquiring unit acquires the shape of the rod-shaped object in the width direction.

4. The binding device according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the shape at a position away from the intersection.

5. The binding device according to claim 1, which obtains the shape of each of the multiple rod-shaped objects that intersect at the intersection point.

6. The binding device according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the position of the rod-shaped object that is furthest from the observation unit among the plurality of rod-shaped objects that intersect at the intersection.

7. The binding device according to claim 6, comprising: a storage unit for storing shape information of the binding portion in advance; and a determination unit for determining whether or not the binding portion can be inserted into the intersection based on the position information of the rod-shaped object on the far side and the shape information of the binding portion.

8. The binding device according to claim 7, wherein the determination unit determines whether or not the binding unit can be inserted into the intersection based on the distance between the position of the rod-shaped object on the far side and the back surface of the intersection.

9. The binding device according to claim 1, wherein the acquisition unit acquires the shape for each of the plurality of intersections.

10. The binding device according to claim 1, comprising: a storage unit that stores information on the reinforcement pattern of the object to be bound in advance; and a determination unit that determines whether or not the binding unit can be inserted into the intersection based on the information on the object to be bound obtained by the acquisition unit and the information on the reinforcement pattern.

11. The bundling device according to claim 1, wherein the observation unit is capable of acquiring three-dimensional information.

12. The fastening device according to claim 1, wherein the observation unit is an optical camera.

13. The bundling device according to claim 12, further comprising illumination having light sources evenly arranged around the observation section.

14. A binding device comprising a binding section capable of binding the intersection of at least two rod-shaped objects, an observation section capable of observing the vicinity of the intersection, and a control unit that controls the operation of the binding device, wherein the control unit performs an acquisition step of acquiring the shape of the objects to be bound based on the information observed by the observation section.

15. A binding device comprising a binding unit capable of binding the intersection of at least two rod-shaped objects, an observation unit capable of observing the vicinity of the intersection, and a computer that controls the operation of the binding device, wherein the computer functions as an acquisition unit that acquires the shape of the objects to be bound based on the information observed by the observation unit, and a binding program.

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