Control method for robot system, robot system, and storage medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12157236-B2
Application number	US-202217704071-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2022
Priority date	Mar 26, 2021
Publication date	Dec 3, 2024
Grant date	Dec 3, 2024

Abstract

A control method for a robot system includes a detection step of detecting a position of a female connector, a reference position setting step of setting a reference position as a reference for determination as to whether or not an insertion of a male connector into the female connector is successful based on the position of the female connector, and an insertion operation step of moving the male connector in an insertion start position along an insertion direction of the female connector, with a position where a force sensor of a robot detects a predetermined force generated by contact between the male connector and the female connector during the movement as a comparison position, and determining whether or not the insertion is successful by comparing the reference position and the comparison position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control method for a robot system of gripping a male connector by a gripping unit of a robot and inserting the male connector into an insertion hole of a female connector, comprising:
a detection step of detecting a position of the female connector;
a reference position setting step of setting a reference position as a reference for determination as to whether or not an insertion of the male connector into the female connector is successful based on the detected position of the female connector; and
an insertion operation step of moving the male connector in an insertion start position along an insertion direction of the female connector, with a position where a force sensor of the robot detects a predetermined force generated by contact between the male connector and the female connector during the movement as a comparison position, and determining whether or not the insertion is successful by comparing the reference position and the comparison position.

2. The control method for a robot system according to claim 1 , wherein
at the insertion operation step, when the comparison position is located at a downstream in the insertion direction with respect to the reference position, a success of the insertion of the male connector into the female connector is determined.

3. The control method for a robot system according to claim 2 , wherein
when the success is determined, the insertion operation step is ended.

4. The control method for a robot system according to claim 1 , wherein
at the insertion operation step, when the comparison position is located at an upstream in the insertion direction with respect to the reference position, a failure of the insertion of the male connector into the female connector is determined.

5. The control method for a robot system according to claim 4 , wherein
when the failure is determined, the insertion start position is changed and the insertion operation step is performed again.

6. The control method for a robot system according to claim 1 , wherein
at the insertion operation step, when the force sensor detects the predetermined force, the movement of the male connector stops.

7. A robot system inserting a male connector into an insertion hole of a female connector, comprising:
a robot in which a gripping unit gripping the male connector is provided; and
a robot control apparatus controlling the robot, wherein
the robot control apparatus detects a position of the female connector, sets a reference position as a reference for determination as to whether or not an insertion of the male connector into the female connector is successful based on the detected position of the female connector, moves the male connector in an insertion start position along an insertion direction of the female connector using the robot, with a position where a force sensor of the robot detects a predetermined force generated by contact between the male connector and the female connector during the movement as a comparison position, and determines whether or not the insertion is successful by comparing the reference position and the comparison position.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for commanding a robot system having a robot including a gripping unit and a force sensor, and a robot control apparatus controlling the robot to grip a male connector by the gripping unit and insert the male connector into an insertion hole of a female connector,
the program controlling the robot system to perform a detection step of detecting a position of the female connector, a reference position setting step of setting a reference position as a reference for determination as to whether or not an insertion of the male connector into the female connector is successful based on the detected position of the female connector, and an insertion operation step of moving the male connector in an insertion start position along an insertion direction of the female connector, with a position where the force sensor of the robot detects a predetermined force generated by contact between the male connector and the female connector during the movement as a comparison position, and determining whether or not the insertion is successful by comparing the reference position and the comparison position.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Ueda Junya

Classifications

• B25J13/088

  with position, velocity or acceleration sensors · CPC title

• B25J13/085 Primary

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

• G05B2219/40032

  Peg and hole insertion, mating and joining, remote center compliance · CPC title

• B25J9/1697

  Vision controlled systems · CPC title

• B25J9/1687 Primary

  Assembly, peg and hole, palletising, straight line, weaving pattern movement · CPC title