Method of controlling robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11465288-B2
Application number	US-202016881118-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2020
Priority date	May 24, 2019
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A method of controlling a robot that performs work using an end effector on an object transported by a handler includes calculating a target position of the end effector based on a position of the object, calculating a tracking correction amount for correction of the target position in correspondence with a transport amount of the object, controlling the end effector to follow the object based on the target position and the tracking correction amount, acquiring an acting force acting on the end effector from the object using a force sensor, calculating a force control correction amount for correction of the target position to set the acting force to a target force, and controlling the acting force to be the predetermined target force by driving the manipulator based on the force control correction amount.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a robot that performs work using an end effector on an object transported along a predetermined path by a handler and includes a manipulator supporting the end effector, a base supporting the manipulator, and a moving unit moving the base by a control apparatus, the method comprising:
acquiring a position of the object using a position sensor;
calculating a target position of the end effector based on the position of the object;
acquiring a transport amount of the object by the handler;
calculating a tracking correction amount for correction of the target position in correspondence with the transport amount;
controlling the end effector to follow the object by driving the manipulator based on the target position and driving the moving unit based on the tracking correction amount;
acquiring an acting force acting on the end effector from the object using a force sensor;
calculating a force control correction amount for correction of the target position to set the acting force to a predetermined target force; and
controlling the acting force from the object to be the predetermined target force by driving the manipulator based on the force control correction amount.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
when the target position is out of a first range with reference to a position of the base, the moving unit is driven based on the tracking correction amount.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
when the tracking correction amount is equal to or larger than a first threshold value, the moving unit is driven based on the tracking correction amount.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
when the force control correction amount is used for correction of the target position in a path direction along the path, the moving unit is driven based on a component of the force control correction amount in the path direction and the manipulator is driven based on another than the component of the force control correction amount in the path direction.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein
when the target position is out of a second range with reference to a position of the base, the moving unit is driven based on the component of the force control correction amount in the path direction.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein
when the component of the force control correction amount in the path direction is equal to or larger than a second threshold value, the moving unit is driven based on the component of the force control correction amount in the path direction.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
an initial position of the base at a start of the work is determined to reduce a movement amount of the moving unit based on a movable range of the end effector with reference to a position of the base.

8. A method of controlling a robot that performs work using an end effector on an object transported along a predetermined path by a handler and includes a manipulator supporting the end effector, a base supporting the manipulator, and a moving unit moving the base by a control apparatus, the method comprising:
acquiring a position of the object using a position sensor;
calculating a target position of the end effector based on the position of the object;
acquiring a transport amount of the object by the handler;
calculating a tracking correction amount for correction of the target position in correspondence with the transport amount;
controlling the end effector to follow the object by driving the manipulator based on the target position, the tracking correction amount, and a movement amount of the moving unit while driving the moving unit along the path;
acquiring an acting force acting on the end effector from the object using a force sensor;
calculating a force control correction amount for correction of the target position to set the acting force to a predetermined target force; and
controlling the acting force from the object to be the predetermined target force by driving the manipulator based on the force control correction amount.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Takeuchi Kaoru

Classifications

• B25J9/0093 Primary

  co-operating with conveyor means · CPC title

• B25J9/1684 Primary

  Tracking a line or surface by means of sensors · CPC title

• B25J9/0009

  Constructional details, e.g. manipulator supports, bases · CPC title

• G05B2219/39102

  Manipulator cooperating with conveyor · CPC title

• B25J9/1664

  characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning · CPC title