Work support device, work support method, computer program product, and work support system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021170589-A1
Application number	US-202017005365-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 28, 2020
Priority date	Dec 9, 2019
Publication date	Jun 10, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

According an embodiment, a work support device includes an arm unit, a brake unit, a state determination unit, and a brake control unit. The arm unit includes a grasping part configured to grasp an object, a plurality of joint parts, and a plurality of link parts actuatably coupled through each joint part. The brake unit is provided to at least one of the joint parts to restrict actuation of the arm unit. The state determination unit determines the state of the arm unit. The brake control unit controls the brake unit to restrict actuation of the arm unit in accordance with the state of the arm unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A work support device comprising:
an arm unit including a grasping part configured to grasp an object, a plurality of joint parts, and a plurality of link parts actuatably coupled through each joint part; a brake unit provided to at least one of the joint parts to restrict actuation of the arm unit; a state determination unit configured to determine a state of the arm unit; and a brake control unit configured to control the brake unit to restrict the actuation of the arm unit in accordance with the state of the arm unit.

2 . The work support device according to claim 1 , wherein
the grasping part and one of the link parts are coupled with each other through one of the joint parts, and the link parts are coupled with each other through one of the joint parts, and the brake unit restricts actuation of the arm unit by restricting actuation of the at least one of the joint parts.

3 . The work support device according to claim 2 , further comprising a target angle derivation unit configured to derive a target angle that is a joint angle of each joint part when the grasping part is positioned at a target position, wherein
the state determination unit includes a joint angle determination unit configured to determine, as the state, whether at least one of the joint parts has reached the target angle, and the brake control unit restricts the actuation of the arm unit by restricting the actuation of the joint part determined to have reached the target angle.

4 . The work support device according to claim 1 , wherein
the state determination unit includes a positioning determination unit configured to determine, as the state, whether the grasping part is positioned at the target position, and the brake control unit controls the brake unit to restrict the actuation of the arm unit when the grasping part is determined to be positioned at the target position.

5 . The work support device according to claim 4 , wherein
the arm unit includes a detector configured to detect the target position, and the positioning determination unit determines whether the grasping part is positioned at the target position based on a result of detection by the detector.

6 . The work support device according to claim 1 , wherein
the state determination unit includes an in-region operation determination unit configured to determine, as the state, whether at least a partial region of the arm unit is likely to protrude from inside of a set spatial region to outside of the set spatial region, and the brake control unit controls the brake unit to restrict the actuation of the arm unit when the partial region of the arm unit is determined to be likely to protrude to the outside of the set spatial region.

7 . The work support device according to claim 1 , wherein
the arm unit includes an obstacle sensing unit configured to sense an obstacle, the state determination unit includes a collision determination unit configured to determine, as the state, whether at least a part of the arm unit is in a close state in which the part of the arm unit is close to the obstacle based on a result of sensing by the obstacle sensing unit, and the brake control unit controls the brake unit to restrict the actuation of the arm unit when the part of the arm unit is determined to be in the close state.

8 . The work support device according to claim 7 , wherein
the arm unit includes a force sensor configured to detect the direction of pressure applied to the arm unit, and the collision determination unit determines whether the part of the arm unit is in the close state based on a result of detection by the force sensor and a result of the sensing by the obstacle sensing unit.

9 . The work support device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the joint parts is horizontally rotatable, and at least one of the joint parts is vertically rotatable.

10 . The work support device according to claim 1 , wherein
one of the link parts and the grasping part are coupled with each other through one of the joint parts, and the joint part is horizontally and vertically rotatable.

11 . The work support device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a movement control unit configured to move the grasping part of the arm unit to a target position; and a reception unit configured to receive a switching instruction to perform switching between a manual mode in which the arm unit is manually moved and an automatic mode in which the arm unit is moved to the target position under control of the movement control unit, wherein when a switching instruction to the automatic mode is received, the movement control unit controls a drive unit configured to drive the joint parts of the arm unit to move the grasping part to the target position.

12 . The work support device according to claim 11 , wherein a plurality of the drive units is provided to the respective joint parts.

13 . The work support device according to claim 1 , further comprising a support unit that is provided to a scaffold capable of accommodating a worker and supports the arm unit.

14 . The work support device according to claim 13 , wherein the support unit is provided to an outer frame member of the scaffold and movably supports the arm unit.

15 . A work support method executed by a work support device including an arm unit including a grasping part configured to grasp an object, a plurality of joint parts, and a plurality of link parts actuatably coupled through each joint part, and a brake unit provided to at least one of the joint parts to restrict actuation of the arm unit, the method comprising:
determining the state of the arm unit; and controlling the brake unit to restrict the actuation of the arm unit in accordance with the state of the arm unit.

16 . A computer program product having a non-transitory computer readable medium including programmed instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a computer configured to control a work support device including an arm unit including a grasping part configured to grasp an object, a plurality of joint parts, and a plurality of link parts actuatably coupled through each joint part, and a brake unit provided to at least one of the joint parts to restrict actuation of the arm unit, cause the computer to perform:
determining the state of the arm unit; and controlling the brake unit to restrict the actuation of the arm unit in accordance with the state of the arm unit.

17 . A work support system comprising:
an arm unit including a grasping part configured to grasp an object, a plurality of joint parts, and a plurality of link parts actuatably coupled through each joint part; a brake unit provided to at least one of the joint parts to restrict actuation of the arm unit; a state determination unit configured to determine a state of the arm unit; and a brake control unit configured to control the brake unit to restrict the actuation of the arm unit in accordance with the state of the arm unit.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Nakamoto Hideichi
• Ogawa Akihito
• Ooga Junichiro
• Ogawa Hideki
• Eto Haruna
• Higo Ryosuke

Classifications

• B66B5/0087 Primary

  Devices facilitating maintenance, repair or inspection tasks (devices incorporated in the buffer B66B5/288; railings on top of the car B66B11/0226) · CPC title

• G05D3/12

  using feedback · CPC title

• F16M11/2078

  with ball-joint (ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06) · CPC title

• F16M11/2035

  in more than one direction · CPC title

• F16M13/02

  for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle · CPC title