WO2019207687A1 - Horizontal articulated robot - Google Patents

Abstract

This horizontal articulated robot is provided with: a base (20); an arm comprising a plurality of arm members; and a hand (1) arranged so as to be offset with respect to the tip of the arm (200) in a first plane parallel to a plane in which the arm (200) operates, said hand (1) being configured so as to rotate around a rotational axis positioned in the first plane.

Description

Horizontal articulated robot

The present invention relates to a horizontal articulated robot.

A restaurant system including manipulator means for grasping a dish on which ingredients are arranged and moving it to a table is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the restaurant system disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the food is arranged on the plate, it is not considered to invert the plate.

Incidentally, there is known a robot hand (horizontal articulated robot) capable of reversing a workpiece being held (see, for example, Patent Document 2). The robot hand disclosed in Patent Document 2 includes a plate on which a suction cup for sucking and holding a wafer (work) is disposed, and a holder connected to the base of the plate.

The spindle is connected to the holder so that its axial direction is the same as the penetration direction of the plate into the cassette. When the spindle is rotated by the motor, the wafer held on the plate can be reversed through the suction cup.

JP 2010-12153 A JP 2017-45784 A

However, in the robot hand disclosed in Patent Document 2, when the wafer carried out from the cassette is reversed and loaded into a cassette disposed at a position opposite to the carried-out cassette, the wafer is reversed. Later, the entire robot hand needs to be rotated (turned) 180 ° around the Z-axis (vertical axis). For this reason, work took time and there was still room for improvement from the viewpoint of work efficiency.

The horizontal articulated robot according to the present invention is offset with respect to the tip of the arm within a first plane that is parallel to a base, an arm having a plurality of arm members, and a plane on which the arm operates. And a hand configured to rotate about a rotation axis located in the first plane.

By this, by rotating the hand around the rotation axis, the work gripped by the hand can be conveyed while being reversed, so that the work efficiency can be improved. In addition, since the hand is disposed so as to be offset with respect to the distal end portion of the arm, contact with the arm can be suppressed when the hand rotates around the rotation axis.

According to the horizontal articulated robot of the present invention, the work efficiency can be improved by carrying the work held by the hand while inverting it.

FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing a schematic configuration of the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view schematically showing a schematic configuration of the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view schematically showing a schematic configuration of the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing a schematic configuration of the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing a schematic configuration of the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the control device in the horizontal articulated robot shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. Moreover, in all drawings, the component for demonstrating this invention is extracted and illustrated, and illustration may be abbreviate | omitted about another component. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
The horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment has a base, an arm having a plurality of arm members, and a first plane that is a plane parallel to the plane on which the arm operates, And a hand arranged to be offset and configured to rotate about a rotation axis located in the first plane.

In the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment, the hand may be offset in the direction of the rotation axis located in the first plane with respect to the tip of the arm.

In the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment, the pair of hands may be arranged so as to be separated from each other in the extending direction of the rotation axis.

The horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment further includes a control device, and the control device rotates the hand around the rotation axis so as to invert the work held by the hand, thereby reversing the work. You may be comprised so that it may mount in a state.

Further, in the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment, the control device uses the space on the side where the arm is not arranged with respect to the plane parallel to the first plane and including the hand as the tip of the hand. The hand may be configured to rotate such that the hand moves.

Hereinafter, an example of the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[Configuration of horizontal articulated robot]
FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing a schematic configuration of the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment.

2 and 3 are side views schematically showing a schematic configuration of the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a state where the hand holds the workpiece, and FIG. 3 shows a state where the held workpiece is reversed and conveyed.

4 and 5 are plan views schematically showing a schematic configuration of the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 shows a state where the hand holds the workpiece, and FIG. 5 shows a state where the held workpiece is reversed and conveyed.

FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the control device in the horizontal articulated robot shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, the vertical and horizontal directions of the horizontal articulated robot are shown as the vertical and horizontal directions shown in the figure. 2 and 3, the vertical direction and the front-rear direction of the horizontal articulated robot are shown as the vertical direction and the front-rear direction shown in the drawing, respectively. Furthermore, in FIG.4 and FIG.5, the front-back direction and the left-right direction of a horizontal articulated robot are respectively represented as the front-back direction and the left-right direction shown in the figure.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the horizontal articulated robot 100 according to the first embodiment includes gripping hands (hands) 1A and 1B, a manipulator 2, and a control device 3, and includes a gripping hand. The work W is held and transported by 1A and 1B. Examples of the work W include tableware such as a plate in the first embodiment. The workpiece W may be, for example, food, a semiconductor wafer, or the like.

The horizontal articulated robot 100 according to the first embodiment exemplifies a form that employs a horizontal articulated robot of the type installed on the floor, but is not limited thereto, and is a type of horizontal articulated type that is suspended from the ceiling. A robot may be employed.

The manipulator 2 includes a base (base) 20 and a pair of arms 200A and 200B. A vacuum generator 26 is disposed inside the base 20. A suction unit 12 of gripping hands 1A and 1B, which will be described later, is connected to the vacuum generator 26 via a pipe (not shown). Thereby, the gripping hands 1 </ b> A and 1 </ b> B can hold the work W by suction by making the inside of the suction part 12 have a negative pressure by the vacuum generator 26.

In the first embodiment, a configuration in which the vacuum generator 26 is disposed inside the base 20 is adopted. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the vacuum generator 26 is disposed outside the base 20. You may employ | adopt the form currently made.

In addition, the base 20 is provided with a base shaft 30. The base shaft 30 includes, for example, a ball screw mechanism, a drive motor, a rotation sensor that detects the rotation position of the drive motor, and a current sensor (none of which is shown) that detects a current that controls the rotation of the drive motor. It is configured to expand and contract in the vertical direction. The drive motor may be a servo motor that is servo-controlled by the control device 3, for example. The rotation sensor may be an encoder, for example.

The base shaft 30 is provided with arms 200 </ b> A and 200 </ b> B so as to be rotatable around a rotation axis L <b> 1 parallel to the axis of the base shaft 30. Specifically, the arm 200A and the arm 200B are provided so as to have a vertical difference. Note that the arm 200A and the arm 200B are configured to operate independently or to operate in association with each other.

The arm 200 </ b> A includes a first arm member 21, a second arm member 22, and a third arm member 23. Similarly, the arm 200 </ b> B includes a first arm member 21, a second arm member 22, and a third arm member 23. The arm 200B is configured in the same manner as the arm 200A, and thus detailed description thereof is omitted.

The first arm member 21 has a rotary joint J1 at the base end and a rotary joint J2 at the tip. Further, the second arm member 22 is provided with a linear motion joint J3 at the tip.

And the 1st arm member 21 has the base end part connected with the base shaft 30 via the rotation joint J1, and can rotate around the rotation axis L1 by the rotation joint J1. Further, the second arm member 22 has a base end portion connected to the distal end portion of the first arm member 21 via the rotary joint J2, and can rotate around the rotation axis L2 by the rotary joint J2. it can.

The 3rd arm member 23 is connected with the tip part of the 2nd arm member 22 via the direct-acting joint J3 so that an up-and-down movement is possible to the 2nd arm member 22. A rotary joint J4 is provided at the lower end of the third arm member 23, and a mounting device 24 is provided at the lower end of the rotary joint J4.

The mounting device 24 is configured so that the gripping hand 1A can be attached and detached. Specifically, for example, the mounting device 24 includes a pair of bar members that are configured such that the distance between them can be adjusted, and the gripping hand 1 </ b> A is sandwiched between the pair of bar members, thereby holding the gripping hand. 1A can be mounted on the mounting device 24. Thereby, the gripping hand 1A can be rotated around the rotation axis L3 by the rotary joint J4. The tip of the bar member may be bent. In addition, the rotation axis L1, the rotation axis L2, and the rotation axis L3 are in a parallel relationship with each other, and are configured to extend in the vertical direction in the first embodiment.

The gripping hand 1 </ b> A has a rod-shaped first member 10, a base plate 11, and a suction part 12. The base plate 11 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and the suction portion 12 is disposed on the main surface thereof. At least one suction portion 12 is disposed at each of the base end portion and the tip end portion of the base plate 11 (here, two locations).

Since the gripping hand 1B is configured in the same manner as the gripping hand 1A, its detailed description is omitted. In the first embodiment, a form in which the work W is sucked and held by the sucking unit 12 is adopted, but the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration in which a claw portion is provided on the main surface of the base plate 11 and the workpiece W is gripped (chucked) by the claw portion may be employed.

In addition, the gripping hand 1A has a distal end portion (third arm member 23) of the arm 200 in a first plane (here, a horizontal plane; the planes of FIGS. 4 and 5) that is a plane parallel to the plane on which the arm 200A operates. Are arranged so as to be offset with respect to the front end portion of the first rotation plane L4 and are configured to rotate around the rotation axis L4 located in the first plane (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

More specifically, the gripping hand 1 </ b> A has a proximal end portion connected to the distal end portion of the arm 200 (third arm member 23) via the connection member 25. In other words, the gripping hand 1A is arranged so that its base end portion is separated in the extending direction of the rotation axis L4 with respect to the tip end portion of the arm 200 (third arm member 23) when viewed from the vertical direction. ing.

A drive motor (not shown) is connected to the connection member 25. The connecting member 25 is configured to rotate around the rotation axis L4 by a drive motor. Thereby, the gripping hand 1 can be rotated around the rotation axis L4.

The manipulator 2 includes a drive motor for rotating around the rotation axes L1 to L4 corresponding to the first arm member 21, the second arm member 22, the third arm member 23, and the connection member 25, It has a power transmission mechanism, a rotation sensor, and a current sensor (all not shown). The drive motor may be a servo motor that is servo-controlled by the control device 3, for example. The rotation sensor may be an encoder, for example.

As shown in FIG. 6, the control device 3 includes an arithmetic unit 3a such as a CPU, a storage unit 3b such as a ROM and a RAM, and a servo controller 3c.

The storage device 3b stores information such as a basic program of the robot controller and various fixed data. The arithmetic unit 3a controls various operations of the manipulator 2 by reading and executing software such as a basic program stored in the storage unit 3b.

That is, the arithmetic unit 3a generates a control command for the manipulator 2 and outputs it to the servo controller 3c. The servo controller 3c controls the drive of the servo motor that rotates the rotation shaft corresponding to each of the first arm member 21 to the third arm member 23 of the manipulator 2 based on the control command generated by the arithmetic unit 3a. It is configured as follows.

The control device 3 may be configured by a single control device 3 that performs centralized control, or may be configured by a plurality of control devices 3 that perform distributed control in cooperation with each other. In the first embodiment, the memory 3b is arranged in the control device 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the memory 3b is provided separately from the control device 3. You may employ | adopt the form which is.

[Operation and effect of horizontal articulated robot]
Next, operations and effects of the horizontal articulated robot 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. In the following description, the gripping hands 1A and 1B hold the workpiece W arranged on the front side of the horizontal articulated robot 100, and the holding workpiece W is reversed while the workpiece W is reversed. The operation of transporting and placing will be described. In addition, the following operation is executed when the arithmetic unit 3a of the control device 3 reads a program stored in the storage unit 3b.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the horizontal articulated robot according to the first embodiment.

First, it is assumed that the operator operates the input device (not shown) and inputs the holding and transporting of the workpiece W to the control device 3. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the control device 3 drives each drive motor of the manipulator 2 to move the gripping hands 1A and 1B to a predetermined first place (step S101). Here, the first place is, for example, a loading position where the workpiece W is loaded, and is stored in the storage device 3b in advance.

Next, the control device 3 drives each drive motor of the manipulator 2 and the vacuum generator 26 to hold the workpiece W on the gripping hands 1A and 1B (step S102; see FIGS. 2 and 4).

Note that the control device 3 may execute the following process after the process of step S102 is completed. For example, when the workpiece W is tableware, a semiconductor wafer, or the like, the control device 3 may drive the cleaning device to clean the workpiece W. Further, for example, when the workpiece W is a part such as an automobile, the coating device may be driven to paint the workpiece W.

Next, the control device 3 drives each drive motor of the manipulator 2 and the vacuum generation device 26 to convey the work W held by the gripping hands 1A and 1B while being reversed (step S103).

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the control device 3 allows the first arm member 21 and the second arm member 23 of the manipulator 2 to be substantially L-shaped when viewed from the vertical direction. Each drive motor is driven. Next, the control device 3 drives the drive motor so as to rotate the connecting member 25 around the rotation axis L4. As a result, the gripping hands 1A and 1B can be transported backward while rotating around the rotation axis L4 and inverting the workpiece W held.

At this time, the control device 3 has a space (a space above or below the arms 200A and 200B) on the side where the arms 200A and 200B are not disposed with respect to a plane (here, a horizontal plane) including the gripping hands 1A and 1B. ), The gripping hands 1A and 1B may be rotated so that the tip ends of the gripping hands 1A and 1B move. Thereby, when gripping hand 1A, 1B rotates, a contact with arm 200A, 200B can be suppressed.

Note that the control device 3 may execute the following processing after the processing in step S103 is completed. For example, the control device 3 may drive the blower to dry the workpiece W that has been subjected to processing such as cleaning or painting.

Next, the control device 3 drives each drive motor of the manipulator 2 and the vacuum generator 26 to place the work W held by the gripping hands 1A and 1B in a predetermined second place set in advance. (Step S104) and the program is terminated. The predetermined second place may be, for example, a work area or a production line where the next process (work) is performed on the work W, or a case for storing the work W, or the like. It is often stored in advance in the storage device 3b.

In the horizontal articulated robot 100 according to the first embodiment configured as described above, the gripping hands 1A and 1B are rotated in a first plane which is a plane parallel to the plane on which the arms 200A and 200B operate. It is configured to rotate about the axis L4. Accordingly, the work W can be conveyed while being reversed by rotating the gripping hands 1A and 1B around the rotation axis L4. For this reason, work efficiency can be improved compared with the conventional robot hand.

Also, in the horizontal articulated robot 100 according to the first embodiment, the gripping hands 1A and 1B are arranged so as to be offset with respect to the distal ends of the arms 200A and 200B, respectively. For this reason, it is possible to suppress the gripping hands 1A, 1B from coming into contact with the arms 200A, 200B when the gripping hands 1A, 1B rotate around the rotation axis L4.

Moreover, in the horizontal articulated robot 100 according to the first embodiment, the gripping hands 1A and 1B can respectively transport the workpiece W simultaneously.

Further, in the case where the horizontal articulated robot 100 is of the type installed on the floor, it is possible to prevent the cleaning liquid or the like falling from the workpiece W from being applied to the arms 200A and 200B. Further, in the case where the horizontal articulated robot 100 is a type that is suspended from the ceiling, it is possible to suppress the cleaning liquid or the like falling from the horizontal articulated robot 100 from being applied to the workpiece W.

In the horizontal articulated robot 100 according to the present embodiment, a configuration including a pair of arms 200A and 200B is employed, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and a configuration including a single arm may be employed. You may employ | adopt the form provided with more than this arm.

From the above description, many modifications or other embodiments of the present invention are obvious to one skilled in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description should be construed as illustrative only and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The details of the structure and / or function may be substantially changed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The horizontal articulated robot of the present invention is useful in the field of industrial robots because work efficiency can be improved by carrying the work held by the hand while inverting it.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1A Gripping hand 1B Gripping hand 2 Manipulator 3 Control device 3a Arithmetic unit 3b Storage unit 3c Servo controller 10 First member 11 Base plate 12 Adsorption part 20 Base 21 First arm member 22 Second arm member 23 Third arm member 24 Mounting device 25 Connecting member 26 Vacuum generator 30 Base shaft 100 Horizontal articulated robot 200A Arm 200B Arm L1 Rotating shaft L2 Rotating shaft L3 Rotating shaft L4 Rotating shaft W Workpiece

Claims (5)

A substrate;
An arm having a plurality of arm members;
In a first plane that is a plane parallel to the plane in which the arm operates, the arm is disposed so as to be offset with respect to the tip of the arm, and rotates around a rotation axis located in the first plane. A horizontal articulated robot comprising: The horizontal articulated robot according to claim 1, wherein the hand is offset in a direction of a rotation axis located in the first plane with respect to a tip portion of the arm. The horizontal articulated robot according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pair of hands are arranged so as to be separated from each other in the extending direction of the rotating shaft. A control device,
The control device is configured to rotate the hand around the rotation axis so as to invert the work held by the hand and place the work in an inverted state. 4. The horizontal articulated robot according to any one of 3 above. The control device rotates the hand so that the tip of the hand moves in a space parallel to the first plane and including the hand on a side where the arm is not disposed. The horizontal articulated robot according to claim 4, wherein the horizontal articulated robot is configured to cause

Images