Control device of robot arm and teaching system and method using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10144125-B2
Application number	US-201615392251-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2016
Priority date	Aug 12, 2016
Publication date	Dec 4, 2018
Grant date	Dec 4, 2018

Abstract

A control device of robot arm including a pressure sensing module and a control module is provided. The pressure sensing module, disposed on an operating portion of a robot arm, has a touch-sensing surface for detecting an operation command applied to the touch-sensing surface. The control module receives at least a pressure sensing signal outputted by the pressure sensing module and outputs a motor driving signal to the robot arm in response to the operation command. The touch-sensing surface includes a first touch-sensing region and a second touch-sensing region. The first touch-sensing region is for defining a first reference coordinate system satisfying a translational motion mode. The second touch-sensing region is for defining a second reference coordinate system satisfying a rotational motion mode. The control module controls the robot arm according to the operation command.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control device of a robot arm, comprising:
a pressure sensing module disposed on an operating portion of a robot arm and having a touch-sensing surface for detecting an operation command applied to the touch-sensing surface, wherein the touch-sensing surface comprises a first touch-sensing region and a second touch-sensing region, the first touch-sensing region is for defining a first reference coordinate system related to a translational motion mode, and the second touch-sensing region is for defining a second reference coordinate system related to a rotational motion mode; and
a control module configured to receive at least a pressure sensing signal outputted by the pressure sensing module and to output a motor driving signal to the robot arm in response to the operation command, wherein the control module controls the robot arm to move towards a target position according to the operation command.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensing module comprises a plurality of pressure sensing elements interconnected and arranged in a form of an array, each pressure sensing element has an upper electrode layer, a pressure sensing layer and a lower electrode layer, and the pressure sensing layer is interposed between the upper electrode layer and the lower electrode layer.

3. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the touch-sensing surface is a curved surface, and located on the end effector of the robot arm.

4. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the end effector is a cylinder with an axis, the first touch-sensing region and the second touch-sensing region both surround the circumferential surface of the cylinder.

5. The control device according to claim 4 , wherein the robot arm performs one-dimensional (1D) or two-dimensional (2D) translational motion perpendicular to the axis of the end effector according to a single-touch point on the first touch-sensing region, or performs a translational motion along the axis of the end effector according to trajectories formed by at least two touch points on the first touch-sensing region.

6. The control device according to claim 4 , wherein the robot arm performs a rotational motion rotating about the axis perpendicular to the axis of the end effector according to a single-touch point on the second touch-sensing region, or performs a rotational motion rotating about the axis of the end effector according to trajectories formed by at least two touch points on the second touch-sensing region.

7. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control module comprises a joint-motor controller and a mode-switching module, the mode-switching module is for switching operating modes of the robot arm, the operating modes of the robot arm comprise a compliance teaching mode and a touch operating mode, under the touch operating mode, the joint-motor controller generates a set of motor torque signals for moving the robot arm according to the operation command.

8. The control device according to claim 7 , wherein the control module comprises at least a joint-motor encoder disposed on a joint of the robot arm, and the joint-motor encoder generates a set of joint angle and torque signals according to the moving trajectory of the robot arm under the compliance teaching mode.

9. The control device according to claim 8 , wherein the control module comprises a teaching controller, and the teaching controller stores the set of joint angle and torque signals generated by the joint-motor encoder under the compliance teaching mode and converts those signals into the motor driving signal to reproduce the moving trajectory of the robot arm.

10. The control device according to claim 7 , wherein the joint-motor controller further comprises a gravity compensator, the gravity compensator calculates a gravity compensation torque applied to each link according to an angle of each joint, the mass and length of each link, and the distances between the mass-center of each link and joint.

11. The control device according to claim 7 , wherein the joint-motor controller further comprises a friction compensator, the friction compensator calculates a friction compensation torque applied to each joint according to a rotation speed of each joint of the robot arm.

12. A robot arm teaching system, comprising:
a pressure sensing module disposed on an operating portion of a robot arm and having a touch-sensing surface for detecting an operation command applied to the touch-sensing surface, wherein the touch-sensing surface comprises a first touch-sensing region and a second touch-sensing region, the first touch-sensing region is for defining a first reference coordinate system related to a translational motion mode, and the second touch-sensing region is for defining a second reference coordinate system related to a rotational motion mode; and
a control module configured to receive at least a pressure sensing signal outputted by the pressure sensing module and to output a motor driving signal to the robot arm in response to the operation command, wherein the control module comprises:
a joint-motor controller for generating a set of motor torque signals for moving the robot arm according to the operation command;
a mode-switching module for switching operating modes of the robot arm, wherein the operating modes of the robot arm comprise a compliance teaching mode and a touch operating mode; and
a plurality of joint-motor encoders disposed on each joint of the robot arm, wherein the joint-motor encoders generate a set of joint angle signals according to a moving trajectory of the robot arm under the compliance teaching mode;

wherein, the control module controls the robot arm to move towards a target position according to the operation command.

13. The teaching system according to claim 12 , wherein the pressure sensing module comprises a plurality of pressure sensing elements interconnected and arranged in a form of an array, each pressure sensing element has an upper electrode layer, a pressure sensing layer and a lower electrode layer, and the pressure sensing layer is interposed between the upper electrode layer and the lower electrode layer.

14. The teaching system according to claim 12 , wherein the touch-sensing surface is a curved surface, and located on the end effector of the robot arm.

15. The teaching system according to claim 14 , wherein the end effector is a cylinder with an axis, and the first touch-sensing region and the second touch-sensing region both surround a circumferential surface of the cylinder.

16. The teaching system according to claim 15 , wherein the robot arm performs 1D or 2D translational motion perpendicular to the axis of the end effector according to a single-touch point on the first touch-sensing region, or performs a translational motion along the axis of the end effector according to trajectories formed by at least two touch points on the first touch-sensing region.

17. The teaching system according to claim 15 , wherein the robot arm performs a rotational motion rotating about the axis perpendicular to the axis of the end effector according to a single-touch point on the second touch-sensing region, or performs a rotational motion rotating about the axis of the end effector according to trajectories formed by at least two touch points on the second touch-sensing region.

18. The teaching system according to claim 14 , wherein the control module further comprises a teaching controller, the teaching controller stores a set of joint angle and torque signa

Assignees

• Ind Tech Res Inst

Inventors

• Su Jui-Yiao
• Liu yan-chen
• Chen Ching-Shun
• Chen Chang-Yi
• Wu cheng-li
• Yu Hung-Hsiu

Classifications

• G05B2219/39548

  Enter interactively parameter for gripper, then teach movement · CPC title

• B25J13/081

  Touching devices, e.g. pressure-sensitive · CPC title

• B25J9/0081 Primary

  with leader teach-in means · CPC title

• G05B2219/36417

  Programmed coarse position, fine position by alignment, follow line, path adaptive · CPC title

• G05B2219/36433

  Position assisted teaching · CPC title