Robot Emergency Stop Control for Article-Safe Deceleration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robot control systems do not adequately consider the article held by the robot during emergency stops, leading to potential damage due to excessive inertial forces.
Innovation Solution
A control device and method that includes a prediction unit to anticipate contact with obstacles and an acceleration change unit to adjust deceleration based on the presence of an article, ensuring safe and controlled emergency stops.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the robot immediately stops when contact is predicted to avoid operator injury, then safety is improved, but the article held by the robot may be damaged due to excessive inertial force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the deceleration profile adaptive rather than fixed. The control device dynamically adjusts the deceleration amount based on real-time detection of article presence and predicts the held state of the article. This allows the robot to transition from a static emergency stop protocol to a dynamic response that optimizes both safety and article protection depending on current conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of deceleration amount based on detected conditions. When an article is detected and the held state is insufficient, the control device reduces the deceleration amount during emergency stop to prevent excessive inertial force from damaging the article. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction by allowing full deceleration when safe and reduced deceleration when articles are present.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the robot reduces deceleration to protect the article during emergency stop, then article damage is reduced, but the stopping distance increases potentially compromising safety
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by detecting the presence of articles and predicting their held state before the emergency stop is executed. The control device uses the laser scanner to detect articles in advance and predicts whether the article is securely held based on robot acceleration and article weight. This advance detection and prediction allows the system to prepare an appropriate deceleration profile that balances safety and article protection from the outset.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring robot acceleration, article weight, and laser scanner detection results to predict the held state of the article. This prediction feeds back to the control device, which adjusts the deceleration amount accordingly. The feedback loop ensures that deceleration is optimized in real-time based on actual conditions, preventing both excessive force on articles and compromising safety.
3Speed
If the robot uses standard emergency stop protocol without considering article presence, then response time is fast, but productivity is excessively impaired due to frequent stops
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the emergency stop response based on local conditions - specifically whether an article is present and its held state. Instead of applying a uniform stop protocol everywhere, the system applies full emergency stop only when necessary (when articles are securely held or no articles are present) and uses reduced deceleration when articles are detected with insufficient held state. This localized adaptation reduces unnecessary stops and maintains productivity while preserving safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the stop protocol dynamic by adjusting deceleration based on real-time detection of article presence and held state prediction. This dynamic approach allows the robot to maintain normal operation longer by avoiding unnecessary emergency stops, thereby improving productivity while still responding rapidly when actual hazards are detected. The system transitions from a static always-stop protocol to a dynamic selective-stop protocol.
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
Prevents contact between the robot and operator while minimizing damage to the article by adjusting deceleration according to the presence of the article, thus enhancing safety and productivity.
Implementation Method 1
a laser scanner or the like detects that the operator has entered the working range of the robot
Implementation Method 2
the robot suddenly brakes during the emergency stop to avoid contact with the operator, the inertial force may apply an excessive force to the article held by the robot
Data Source
AI summary
In the present invention, contact between an operator and a robot that moves a workpiece is avoided, and an effect on an article is reduced. This robot controller (1), which controls the operation speed of a robot (2) that moves a workpiece (3), comprises: a prediction unit (11) that predicts contact from the position of a robot and the position of a person or object; and an acceleration change unit (12) that, when contact is predicted by the prediction unit, changes the acceleration at which the speed of the robot is reduced to perform an emergency stop in accordance with the presence of the workpiece.