Industrial robot, controller, and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10800032-B2
Application number	US-201815891342-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2018
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

An industrial robot having high operability for a user is provided. An industrial robot includes a manipulator, a controller which controls an operation of the manipulator, and a detection device attached to the manipulator and detecting a gesture input. The controller executes a process corresponding to the detected gesture input.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An industrial robot comprising:
a manipulator;
a controller which controls an operation of the manipulator; and
a detection device attached to the manipulator and configured to detect a gesture input, wherein the detection device comprises a sensor or a switch,
the controller executes a process corresponding to the detected gesture input,
the detection device is further used for measuring a distance between the manipulator and an object,
the controller decreases an operation speed of the manipulator compared with a case of the distance being a first distance when the measured distance is a second distance which is shorter than the first distance,
the controller further decreases the operation speed of the manipulator to zero when the distance between the manipulator and the object is smaller than a predetermined distance, and
the controller further lengthens the predetermined distance at which the operation speed is zero when the object moves away from the manipulator.

2. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein, when the distance is shorter than a predetermined threshold value, the controller lowers a sensor sensitivity of the detection device compared with that when the distance is longer than the threshold value.

3. The industrial robot according to claim 2 , wherein the controller receives a direct teaching operation with respect to the industrial robot as a process corresponding to the gesture input on condition that the gesture input is an input of a predetermined pattern.

4. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein the controller receives a direct teaching operation with respect to the industrial robot as a process corresponding to the gesture input on condition that the gesture input is an input of a predetermined pattern.

5. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein the controller changes an auxiliary torque at a time of a direct teaching operation with respect to the industrial robot as a process corresponding to the gesture input on condition that the gesture input is an input of a predetermined pattern.

6. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein the controller restarts the industrial robot as a process corresponding to the gesture input on condition that the gesture input is an input of a predetermined pattern.

7. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein the controller returns a posture of the manipulator to a default posture as a process corresponding to the gesture input on condition that the gesture input is an input of a predetermined pattern.

8. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein:
the controller includes, as operation modes,:
a first mode in which the manipulator repeatedly executes a first operation; and
a second mode in which the manipulator repeatedly executes a second operation, and
the controller switches, when the operation mode is the first mode, the operation mode from the first mode to the second mode as a process corresponding to the gesture input on condition that the gesture input is an input of a predetermined pattern.

9. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein:
the manipulator includes an arm; and
the detection device is attached to the arm.

10. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein:
the manipulator includes a first arm, a second arm, and a joint which moves the second arm with respect to the first arm; and
the detection device is attached to the joint.

11. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein:
the manipulator includes a first arm, a second arm, and a joint which moves the second arm with respect to the first arm; and
the detection device is attached to at least one arm of the first arm and the second arm and to the joint.

12. The industrial robot according to claim 11 , wherein:
the detection device is attached to the first arm and the second arm; and
the controller executes a process corresponding to a combination of a gesture input to the first arm, another gesture input to the second arm, and further another gesture input to the joint.

13. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein a predetermined notification process is executed on condition that the gesture input is an input of a predetermined pattern.

14. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein the detection device is a sensor array including a plurality of proximity sensors.

15. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein the detection device is a push switch or a pressure sensor.

16. The industrial robot according to claim 1 , wherein the controller comprising:
processor of determining a pattern of a gesture input to the industrial robot on the basis of an output from the detection device attached to the manipulator and
executing a process corresponding to the pattern which has been detected.

17. A method in a controller controlling an operation of a manipulator of an industrial robot, the method comprising:
a step of determining a pattern of a gesture input to the industrial robot on the basis of an output from a detection device attached to the manipulator, wherein the detection device comprises a sensor or a switch and is used for measuring a distance between the manipulator and an object;
a step of executing a process corresponding to the pattern which has been detected;
a step of decreasing an operation speed of the manipulator compared with a case of the distance being a first distance when the measured distance is a second distance which is shorter than the first distance;
a step of decreasing the operation speed of the manipulator to zero when the distance between the manipulator and the object is smaller than a predetermined distance; and
a step of lengthening the predetermined distance at which the operation speed is zero when the object moves away from the manipulator.

Assignees

• Omron Tateisi Electronics Co

Inventors

• Kamisono Daichi
• Tani Yoshiharu
• Osako Kazunori
• Higuchi Toshiyuki
• Hashimoto Minoru
• Fujita Masaki

Classifications

• B25J9/1656 Primary

  characterised by programming, planning systems for manipulators · CPC title

• B25J9/0081 Primary

  with leader teach-in means · CPC title

• Y10S901/15

  Jointed arm · CPC title

• G05B19/423

  Teaching successive positions by walk-through, i.e. the tool head or end effector being grasped and guided directly, with or without servo-assistance, to follow a path · 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