Robot system, container opening method, and manufacturing method of object to be processed

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10196165-B2
Application number	US-201414562774-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2014
Priority date	Dec 13, 2013
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A robot system includes a robot, a hand attached to the robot, and a controller configured to control operation of the robot. The controller includes an initial control unit configured to rotate the hand in a state where the hand holds the screw cap tightened onto a conical tube in a first attitude, and a normal control unit configured to rotate the hand in a state where the hand holds the screw cap in a second attitude different from the first attitude after the hand is operated by the initial control unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robot system comprising:
a first robot;
a first hand comprising:
a hand body attached to the first robot; and
holding members extending from the hand body in an extending direction to hold a screw cap tightened onto a container therebetween, the holding members each having a concave portion such that the concave portions of the holding members face each other; and

a control device configured to control an operation of the first robot, wherein the control device includes:
an initial control unit programmed to rotate the first hand about a center axis of the screw cap in a state where the holding members of the first hand hold the screw cap in a first attitude in which the extending direction is at a first angle with respect to the center axis of the screw cap; and
a normal control unit programmed to rotate the first hand about the center axis in a state where the holding members of the first hand hold the screw cap in a second attitude different from the first attitude after the first hand is operated by the initial control unit, wherein, in the second attitude, the extending direction is at a second angle with respect to the center axis of the screw cap, the second angle being different from the first angle,

wherein the control device is configured to control the operation of the first robot such that the screw cap is in contact with a first surface area on the concave portions of the holding members of the first hand in the first attitude and such that the screw cap is in contact with a second surface area of the holding members on the first hand in the second attitude, the first surface area being larger than the second surface area.

2. The robot system according to claim 1 , wherein
the first robot includes a plurality of joints capable of being rotary driven,
the initial control unit is configured to rotate the first hand by driving the plurality of joints simultaneously, and
the normal control unit is configured to rotate the first hand by driving one of the joints.

3. The robot system according to claim 2 , wherein a distance between the holding members is adjustable.

4. The robot system according to claim 2 , wherein the control device is configured to control the operation of the first robot such that the screw cap is in contact with a first position on the first hand in the first attitude and such that the screw cap is in contact with a second position on the first hand in the second attitude, the first position being different from the second position.

5. The robot system according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between the holding members is adjustable.

6. The robot system according to claim 5 , wherein the control device is configured to control the operation of the first robot such that the screw cap is in contact with a first position on the first hand in the first attitude and such that the screw cap is in contact with a second position on the first hand in the second attitude, the first position being different from the second position.

7. The robot system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured to control the operation of the first robot such that the screw cap is in contact with a first position on the first hand in the first attitude and such that the screw cap is in contact with a second position on the first hand in the second attitude, the first position being different from the second position.

8. The robot system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second robot; and
a second hand attached to the second robot, wherein
the control device is configured to control operation of the second robot to cause the second hand to hold the container and to keep the container at an operation position.

9. The robot system according to claim 8 , wherein the first robot is a seven-axis robot.

10. The robot system according to claim 8 , further comprising a common body to which the first robot and the second robot are attached.

11. The robot system according to claim 10 , wherein the first robot is a seven-axis robot.

12. The robot system according to claim 8 , wherein the second hand holds the container using a holding tool.

13. The robot system according to claim 12 , further comprising a common body to which the first robot and the second robot are attached.

14. The robot system according to claim 13 , wherein the first robot is a seven-axis robot.

15. The robot system according to claim 12 , wherein the first robot is a seven-axis robot.

16. The robot system according to claim 1 , wherein the first robot is a seven-axis robot.

17. The robot system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the extending direction is substantially orthogonal to the axial direction in the first attitude, and
wherein the extending direction is substantially parallel to the axial direction in the second attitude.

18. The robot system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a flange connected to the hand body and rotatably supported by the first robot, wherein
the normal control unit is configured to rotate the flange about the center axis of the screw cap in the second attitude.

19. A container opening method comprising:
rotating a first hand, which is attached to a first robot and comprising holding members extending in an extending direction, in a state where the holding members of the first hand hold a screw cap tightened onto a container, about a rotation axis of the screw cap in a first attitude in which the extending direction is at a first angle with respect to the rotation axis of the screw cap; and thereafter rotating the first hand in a state where the holding members of the first hand hold the screw cap in a second attitude different from the first attitude, wherein, in the second attitude, the extending direction is at a second angle with respect to the rotation axis of the screw cap, the second angle being different from the first angle.

20. A manufacturing method of an object to be processed including a container body and a screw cap tightened onto the container body, the method comprising:
rotating a first hand, which is attached to a first robot and comprising holding members extending in an extending direction, in a state where the holding members of the first hand hold the screw cap, about a rotation axis of the screw cap in a first attitude in which the extending direction is at a first angle with respect to the rotation axis of the screw cap; and thereafter rotating the first hand in a state where the holding members of the first hand hold the screw cap in a second attitude different from the first attitude, wherein, in the second attitude, the extending direction is at a second angle with respect to the rotation axis of the screw cap, the second angle being different from the first angle.

Assignees

• Yaskawa Electric Corp

Inventors

• Miyauchi Kohei

Classifications

• G01N35/0099

  comprising robots or similar manipulators (robots per se B25J) · CPC title

• Y10S901/02

  Arm motion controller · CPC title

• G01N2035/0405

  manipulating closing or opening means, e.g. stoppers, screw caps, lids or covers · CPC title

• Y10S901/31

  Gripping jaw · CPC title

• B67B7/14 Primary

  for removing tightly-fitting lids or covers, e.g. of shoe-polish tins, by gripping and rotating · CPC title