Robot Arm Tool Matching Through Two-Stage Sensor Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot systems face challenges in ensuring that detachable tools mounted to robot arms accurately match the designated tools, leading to potential operational inefficiencies and errors due to improper tool attachment or interference from objects.
Innovation Solution
A robot system with a sensor and control device that performs a two-step determination process to verify tool attachment and matching, including a first determination based on operational feedback and a second determination using sensor data to confirm the tool's characteristics, such as weight, length, and appearance, without requiring additional identification circuits on the tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tool is detachably mounted to the robot arm without verification, then the mounting operation is simple and fast, but the reliability of tool matching is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The control device receives detection results from the sensor about the mounted tool and feeds this information back to determine whether the mounted tool matches the designated tool. This feedback mechanism enables automatic verification of tool matching without adding significant system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical verification methods with a sensor-based detection system. The sensor automatically detects tool characteristics (such as weight, length, or appearance) and transmits this data to the control device, substituting manual or mechanical verification with an automated sensing system.
2Measurement precision
If sensor data is used to verify tool characteristics, then the measurement precision of tool matching is improved, but the loss of time for verification increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is positioned to detect tool characteristics immediately when the tool is mounted, performing verification actions preliminarily before the robot arm proceeds to its operational task. This ensures that tool matching is confirmed in advance, preventing time loss during operational interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device quickly processes the sensor data to determine tool matching status and skips unnecessary verification steps when the tool is confirmed to match. This rapid determination process minimizes verification time while maintaining measurement precision.
3Reliability
If additional identification circuits are added to tools for verification, then the reliability of tool identification is improved, but the ease of manufacture of tools deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the identification function from the tool itself and places it in the sensing system. Instead of adding identification circuits to each tool, the sensor detects inherent tool characteristics (weight, length, appearance) that naturally vary between different tools, thereby identifying the tool type without modifying the tool structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor serves multiple functions: it detects tool presence, verifies tool matching, and identifies tool characteristics. This multi-functional sensing system eliminates the need for dedicated identification circuits on each tool, maintaining tool manufacturing simplicity while achieving reliable tool identification.
Data Source
AI summary
According to one embodiment, a robot system includes a robot arm, a sensor, and a control device. A tool is detachably mounted to the robot arm. The sensor is configured to acquire data related to the tool. The control device is configured to control the robot arm. The control device is configured to perform at least a first determination of operating the tool after the tool is mounted, and determining whether or not the tool is mounted based on an operation result, and a second determination of determining whether or not the mounted tool matches a prescribed tool by using the data acquired by the sensor, the second determination being performed when the tool is determined to be mounted in the first determination.