Handling device, control device, and computer program product

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11745337-B2
Application number	US-202016798562-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2020
Priority date	Aug 29, 2019
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A handling device according to an embodiment has a holder, a calculator, and a controller. The holder is capable of holding an object. The calculator calculates an estimated holding safety factor when the holder holds an object. The controller causes the holder to hold the object on the basis of the estimated holding safety factor calculated by the calculator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A handling device comprising:
a holder capable of holding an object;
a calculator that calculates an estimated holding safety factor when the holder holds the object; and
a controller that causes the holder to hold the object on the basis of the estimated holding safety factor calculated by the calculator,
wherein the controller changes a moving speed of the holder on the basis of the estimated holding safety factor, and
wherein the estimated holding safety factor is a ratio calculated according to a following equation:

ratio
=

P

M
×

R
I

,

where P is an adsorption pressure of an arbitrary holding method, M is a moment determined by a distance L between a contact surface center K and a center of gravity G of the object, R is a shortest distance between an adsorption surface contour and the center of gravity G of the object; and I is a geometrical moment of inertia determined by an arbitrary holding method,
wherein the controller controls, when an aspect ratio of a contact area in which the holder and the object are in contact is greater than 1 and a direction intersecting a direction with the smallest spread degree in distribution on a contact surface is set as a specific distribution direction, an operation of the holder such that the holder holding the object moves in the specific distribution direction, and
wherein, in the contact area, a length of the contact area corresponds to a length in a direction with a largest spread degree in the distribution on the contact surface, and a width of the contact area corresponds to a length in the direction with the smallest spread degree in the distribution on the contact surface as a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the length.

2. The handling device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the calculator calculates the estimated holding safety factor on the basis of contact area information on an area in which the holder and the object are in contact and distance information on a distance between a center of a contact surface on which the holder and the object are in contact and a center of gravity of the object.

3. The handling device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the calculator calculates the estimated holding safety factor on the basis of a numerical value obtained by dividing a pressure enabling adsorption of a contact surface on which the holder and the object are in contact by a value indicating a stress obtained by dividing a distance between a center of the contact surface of the holder and the object and a center of gravity of the object by a geometrical moment of inertia with the contact surface of the holder and the object set as a cross-section.

4. The handling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an action planning unit that plans a motion method including a motion route of the holder,
wherein the calculator calculates a direction of contact distribution for a distribution on a contact surface on which the holder and the object are in contact,
the controller causes the action planning unit to plan the motion method of the holder such that the estimated holding safety factor is equal to or greater than a target value on the basis of the direction of contact distribution calculated by the calculator, and
the controller causes the holder to operate on the basis of the motion method planned by the action planning unit.

5. The handling device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the action planning unit plans a plurality of motion methods in advance,
the controller causes the action planning unit to select the best motion method capable of maintaining the highest estimated holding safety factor among the plurality of motion methods on the basis of the direction of contact distribution calculated by the calculator, and
the controller causes the holder to operate on the basis of the best motion method selected by the action planning unit.

6. The handling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an action planning unit that plans motion route information on a motion route of the holder,
wherein the calculator calculates a holding method of the holder on the basis of the motion route information planned by the action planning unit and calculates the estimated holding safety factor for the holding method, and
the controller causes the holder to operate on the basis of the holding method calculated by the calculator such that the estimated holding safety factor is equal to or greater than a target value.

7. The handling device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the action planning unit plans a plurality of types of motion route information in advance,
the calculator calculates a plurality of holding methods of the holder on the basis of the plurality of types of motion route information planned by the action planning unit in advance and calculates the estimated holding safety factor for the plurality of holding method, and
the controller causes the holder to operate on the basis of the best holding method capable of maintaining the highest estimated holding safety factor among the plurality of holding methods calculated by the calculator.

8. A handling device, comprising:
a holder configured to hold an object; and
a controller configured to control, when determining that an aspect ratio of a contact area in which the holder and the object are in contact is greater than 1 and a direction intersecting a direction with a smallest spread degree in a distribution on contact surface is set as a specific distribution direction, an operation of the holder such that the holder holding the object moves in the specific distribution direction, wherein
in the contact area, in the aspect ratio, a length of the contact area corresponds to a length in a direction with a largest spread degree in the distribution on the contact surface, and a width of the contact area corresponds to a length in the direction with a smallest spread degree in the distribution on the contact surface as a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the length, and
the specific distribution direction is a direction with a stronger bending with respect to an applied load than the direction with the smallest spread degree in the distribution on the contact surface.

9. The handling device according to claim 8 ,
wherein the holder has a holding surface for holding the object, and
the controller is further configured to set a reference axis associated with the specific distribution direction on the holding surface, and control the operation of the holder based on the reference axis.

10. A control device comprising:
a calculator that calculates an estimated holding safety factor when a holder capable of holding an object holds the object; and
a controller that causes the holder to hold the object on the basis of the estimated holding safety factor calculated by the calculator,
wherein the controller changes a moving speed of the holder on the basis of the estimated holding safety factor; and
wherein the estimated holding safety factor is a ratio calculated according to a following equation:

ratio
=

P

M
×

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Eto Haruna
• Tokura Seiji
• Komoda Kazuma
• Jiang Ping
• Ogawa Akihito

Classifications

• B25J15/08

  having finger members (B25J15/02, B25J15/04 take precedence) · CPC title

• B25J13/00

  Controls for manipulators (programme controls B25J9/16) · CPC title

• B25J13/08

  by means of sensing devices, e.g. viewing or touching devices · CPC title

• B25J15/00

  Gripping heads {and other end effectors (grippers used in machine tools B23Q7/04; gripping members fitted on cranes B66C1/42, B66C1/44; gripping means used for mounting electrical components H05K13/04; gripping means used in the manufacture of semiconductors H10P72/7602)} · CPC title

• G05B2219/39505

  Control of gripping, grasping, contacting force, force distribution · CPC title