Industrial Robot Safe Automatic Mode for Human-Robot Cooperation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current industrial robots operating in automatic or remote modes pose safety risks to human operators when they need to interact with the working area, as existing safety systems often interrupt production flow unnecessarily to ensure safety.
Innovation Solution
An industrial robot system with a control unit that includes detection systems such as image-recording units, inertial sensors, and torque measurement devices to automatically switch to a Safe Automatic Operating mode when an operator is present, reducing motor speeds and monitoring for impacts, allowing for safe operator interaction without halting production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the robot operates in automatic mode with normal speed, then productivity is improved, but safety risks increase when operators need to interact with the working area
Solution Approach 1:
The robot control system dynamically adjusts its operating parameters based on the detection of operator presence. When an operator is detected in the working area, the system automatically reduces motor speeds to a predetermined safe speed, allowing the robot to continue operating at reduced speed rather than stopping completely. This dynamic adaptation maintains productivity while ensuring operator safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs detection systems (such as image-recording units, inertial sensors, or torque measurement devices) to continuously monitor the working area for operator presence. This feedback information is processed by the control unit, which then adjusts the robot's motor speeds accordingly. The continuous feedback loop ensures that the robot responds in real-time to operator presence, balancing safety and productivity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If existing safety systems interrupt production flow when operators are present, then safety is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of a static safety system that completely stops production, the invention implements a dynamic response where the robot continues to operate at a predetermined safe speed when an operator is detected. This allows production flow to be maintained while still ensuring operator safety through speed reduction rather than complete interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system changes the operational parameters of the robot by reducing motor speeds to a predetermined safe level when operator presence is detected. This parameter change allows the robot to continue functioning at a reduced capacity rather than stopping entirely, thus maintaining productivity while ensuring safety. The system can restore normal speeds when the operator leaves the working area.
Data Source
AI summary
An industrial robot and control system including a high degree of cooperation between a human operator and the robot for increased safety. In an automatic operation mode, at least a first detection device detects the presence of a foreign body in the robot working area and the control system places the robot in a safe automatic operating mode. A second and third detection devices may be employed to detect possible impacts with the robot.