Robot Inching Control Using Force-Sensitive Manual Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robot controllers face poor operability during inching operations, where precise adjustments of position and orientation are needed, due to limitations in directional control and the requirement for constant visual confirmation of button positions on the teach pendant, leading to increased time and risk of accidental movements.
Innovation Solution
A controller with an operation device that includes a movable part for pushing, pulling, and tilting operations, and an operation detection unit to detect these actions, allowing for minute changes in robot position and orientation through a manual control unit that performs inching operations based on detected forces or operation durations, enabling movement along predetermined paths without needing constant visual confirmation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If buttons on a teach pendant are used for jog operations, then the robot can be driven along coordinate axes, but the operability is poor during inching operations and constant visual confirmation is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical button-pressing interface with a force-sensitive movable part (stick) that detects operation direction and magnitude through force sensing. This substitution eliminates the need for visual confirmation of button positions and enables intuitive directional control during inching operations, directly resolving the operability and time loss issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The movable part (stick) acts as an intermediary between the operator and the robot control system. It translates physical manipulation (pushing, pulling, tilting) into control signals for inching operations, providing tactile feedback and directional indication without requiring visual attention to the teach pendant display.
2Manufacturing precision
If inching operations are performed with coordinate axis constraints, then precise positioning is achieved, but movement flexibility in other directions is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic control where the movable part can be manipulated in multiple degrees of freedom (pushing, pulling, tilting in various directions). The force detection unit dynamically determines the operation direction based on the stick's orientation and applied force, allowing the robot to move in any desired direction while maintaining precise inching control, thus achieving both precision and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds dimensional freedom to the control interface by allowing the movable part to be operated in three-dimensional space (pushing/pulling along the stick axis and tilting in multiple directions). This multi-dimensional manipulation capability enables the operator to control robot movement in any direction while maintaining precise positioning through force-sensitive detection.
3Reliability
If force detection is used to determine inching operation, then accidental movements are minimized, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movable part serves multiple functions: it detects operation direction, determines operation magnitude, and prevents accidental movements through force threshold detection. This multi-functional design consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single integrated component, achieving reliability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses force magnitude as a parameter to distinguish between intentional and accidental operations. By setting a threshold force level, the system automatically filters out accidental touches (below threshold) while responding to deliberate operations (above threshold). This parameter-based approach provides reliable accidental movement prevention through simple threshold comparison logic.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances operability by allowing precise and efficient manual control of robot movements, reducing the time to reach target positions and orientations while minimizing accidental movements, and improving the overall precision and speed of robot operations.
Implementation Method 1
A force sensor is attached to the operation handle or the robot. The controller detects a direction of the operation of the operation handle by the force sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A controller of a robot includes an operation device for an operator to perform an operation of manually changing a position and an orientation of the robot. The operation device includes a movable part configured to perform a pushing operation, a pulling operation, and a tilting operation in a predetermined direction, and an operation detection unit configured to detect the operation of the movable part. The processing device includes a manual control unit that controls an inching operation that changes the position and the orientation of the robot by a predetermined minute amount. The manual control unit determines whether or not the inching operation is performed based on the magnitude of the force with which the movable part is operated.