Robot apparatus and method for controlling robot apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10245725-B2
Application number	US-201615097662-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 13, 2016
Priority date	Apr 22, 2015
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

A robot apparatus determines a reactive force of a wire member by a sensor, used for the transmission of a driving signal between the robot apparatus and a joint (or end effector). The robot apparatus includes: a plurality of links which constitute a robot arm; rotational joints which connect each of the links to each other; a motor which drives each of the rotational joints; and a cable as a wire member, which is arranged along each link and transmits a driving signal at least to a driving source. A controlling apparatus drives and controls the motor which drives the rotational joints, based on a value of a reactive force, which a cable reactive force measuring unit outputs, which measures the reactive force to be applied to a joint portion when the cable is deformed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A robot apparatus provided with a first link, a second link, a joint which connects the first link and the second link to each other, a driving source which drives the joint, a wire member which is arranged along the first link or the second link, and a controlling apparatus which controls the driving source, comprising:
the wire member, attached to the first link or the second link through a deformation member, to transmit a driving signal at least to the driving source; and
a first sensor for measuring a deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by deformation of the wire member due to driving of the joint by the driving source,
wherein the controlling apparatus drives and controls the driving source, based on a value of the deformation amount measured by the first sensor.

2. The robot apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the joint is a rotational joint and the driving source is a rotational driving source;
the joint has a second sensor for determining a rotational driving torque of the joint; and
the controlling apparatus executes a torque control of controlling a rotational driving torque of the driving source, based on a value determined by the second sensor, and on the value measured by the sensor.

3. The robot apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is installed on a rotating axis of the joint.

4. The robot apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the driving signal which is transmitted through the wire member is an electric signal.

5. The robot apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the wire member is installed in an outside or an inside of the first link or the second link.

6. The robot apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the first sensors are provided, and the joint is arranged between the plurality of the first sensors.

7. An end effector capable of being mounted on a robot arm included in a robot apparatus provided with a first link, a second link, a joint which connects the first link and the second link to each other, a driving source which drives the joint, a wire member which is arranged along the first link or the second link, a controlling apparatus which controls the driving source, the wire member being attached to the first link or the second link through a deformation member, to transmit a driving signal at least to the driving source, and a first sensor for measuring a deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by deformation of the wire member due to driving of the joint by the driving source, wherein the controlling apparatus drives and controls the driving source, based on a value of the deformation amount measured by the first sensor, the end effector comprising:
a connection member for mounting the end effector to one of the first link or the second link; and
a wire connection member for connecting the wire member to the end effector,
wherein the end effector is connected to the wire member when the end effector is mounted to the first link or second link on the robot arm.

8. A robot controlling program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the program for operating a controlling apparatus to execute controlling of a robot apparatus provided with a first link, a second link, a joint which connects the first link and the second link to each other, a driving source which drives the joint, a wire member which is arranged along the first link or the second link, and the controlling apparatus which controls the driving source, the wire member being attached to the first link or the second link through a deformation member, to transmit a driving signal at least to the driving source, and a first sensor for measuring a deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by deformation of the wire member due to driving of the joint by the driving source, the program comprising:
code for measuring the deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by deformation of the wire member due to the driving of the joint by the driving source; and
code for the controlling apparatus to drive and control the driving source, based on a value of the deformation measured by the first sensor.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a readable robot controlling program operating a controlling apparatus to execute controlling of a robot apparatus provided with a first link, a second link, a joint which connects the first link and the second link to each other, a wire member arranged along the first link or the second link, a driving source which drives the joint, the controlling apparatus which controls the driving source, the wire member being attached to the first link or the second link through a deformation member, to transmit a driving signal at least to the driving source, and a first sensor for measuring a deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by deformation of the wire member due to driving of the joint, the program comprising:
code for measuring the deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by the deformation of the wire member due to driving of the joint by the driving source; and
code for the controlling apparatus to drive and control the driving source, based on a value of the deformation amount measured by the first sensor.

10. A controlling method of a robot apparatus provided with a first link, a second link, a joint which connects the first link and the second link to each other, a wire member arranged along the first link or the second link, a driving source which drives the joint, a controlling apparatus which controls the driving source, the wire member being attached to the first link or the second link through a deformation member, to transmit a driving signal at least to the driving source, and a sensor for measuring a deformation amount of the deformation member, the controlling method comprising:
measuring, executed by the controlling apparatus, to operate the sensor to measure the deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by deformation of the wire member due to driving of the joint by the driving source; and
driving and controlling, executed the controlling apparatus, to operate the driving source to drive the joint, based on a value of the deformation amount measured in the measuring by the sensor.

Assignees

• Canon Kk

Inventors

• Ogawara Takayuki

Classifications

• B25J19/0025

  Means for supplying energy to the end effector · CPC title

• B25J9/1633 Primary

  compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control · CPC title

• B25J13/085 Primary

  Force or torque sensors (B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence) · CPC title

• B25J9/1694

  characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion · CPC title

• G05B2219/40599

  Force, torque sensor integrated in joint · CPC title