Robot system, method for controlling robot, and method for producing to-be-processed material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9329593-B2
Application number	US-201414191432-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	May 3, 2016
Grant date	May 3, 2016

Abstract

A robot system includes a plurality of robots, a plurality of cells, a detection device, and a changer device. Each of the plurality of robots is configured to operate based on an operation command. The plurality of cells respectively accommodate the plurality of robots and are connectable to each other. The detection device is configured to detect that the plurality of cells are connected to each other. When the detection device detects that the plurality of cells are connected to each other, the changer device is configured to change at least one operation command among operation commands for the plurality of robots respectively accommodated in the connected cells.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A method for controlling a robot, the method comprising:
detecting, by a detection device, connection between a plurality of cells respectively corresponding to a plurality of robots each configured to operate based on an operation command, each of the plurality of cells including a plurality of walls and a bottom surface that supports the robot and a work area in which each of the plurality of robots is configured to operate, the work area being located within a space of the cell defined by the plurality of walls and the bottom surface:
connecting the plurality of cells to connect work areas and create a specific area that extends across the spaces of two adjacent cells;
when the connection between the plurality of cells is detected, automatically changing at least one operation command among operation commands for the plurality of robots respectively accommodated in the connected cells based on a rule for the specific area; and
controlling the plurality of robots in accordance with the at least one changed operation command.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising forming a sharable cooperative area within the plurality of cells which is accessible by the plurality of robots.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising detecting when outer walls of respective cells are brought into contact or are connected.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising opening one of the outer walls after detecting when the outer walls have been brought into contact or are connected.

5. A method comprising:
supplying to-be-processed materials each to a corresponding one cell among a plurality of cells respectively corresponding to a plurality of robots each configured to operate based on an operation command, each of the plurality of cells including a plurality of walls and a bottom surface that supports the robot and a work area in which each of the plurality of robots is configured to operate, the work area being located within a space of the cell defined by the plurality of walls and the bottom surface;
connecting work areas to create a specific area that extends across the spaces of two adjacent cells;
detecting, by a detection device, connection between the plurality of cells;
when the connection between the plurality of cells is detected in the detecting step, automatically changing at least one operation command among operation commands for the plurality of robots respectively accommodated in the connected cells based on a rule for the specific area;
controlling the plurality of robots in accordance with the at least one changed operation command to perform work on the to-be-processed materials; and
taking out the to-be-processed materials done with work performed by the plurality of robots from the work areas of the plurality of cells.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising forming a sharable cooperative area within the plurality of cells which is accessible by the plurality of robots.

7. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising detecting when outer walls of respective cells are brought into contact or are connected.

8. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising opening one of the outer walls after detecting when the outer walls have been brought into contact or are connected.

9. A robot system comprising:
a plurality of robots each configured to operate based on respective operation commands;
a plurality of cells respectively accommodating the plurality of robots and being connectable to each other, each of the plurality of cells including a plurality of walls and a bottom surface that supports the robot and a work area in which each of the plurality of robots is configured to operate, the work areas being located within a space of the cell defined by the plurality of walls and the bottom surface and connectable to create a specific area that extends across the space of two adjacent cells;
a detection device configured to detect that the plurality of cells are connected to each other; and
a changer device configured to, when the detection device detects that the plurality of cells are connected to each other, change at least one operation command among operation commands for the plurality of robots respectively accommodated in the connected cells based on a rule for the specific area.

10. The robot system according to claim 9 , wherein the specific area comprises one area among an exclusive area and a cooperative area, the exclusive area being where one particular robot among the plurality of robots is allowed to operate, the cooperative area being sharable as a work area among the plurality of robots.

11. The robot system according to claim 10 , wherein the changer device is configured to change the at least one operation command to synchronize the operations of the plurality of robots.

12. The robot system according to claim 9 , wherein the changer device is configured to change the at least one operation command to synchronize the operations of the plurality of robots.

13. The robot system according to claim 9 , wherein the changer device is configured to change the at least one operation command to synchronize the operations of the plurality of robots when the changer device determines that synchronous operation of the plurality of the robots increases efficiency of the plurality of robots.

14. The robot system according to claim 9 , wherein the specific area includes a sharable cooperative area within the plurality of cells which is accessible by the plurality of robots.

15. The robot system according to claim 9 , wherein the detection device comprises a sensor configured to detect when outer walls of respective cells are brought into contact or are connected.

16. The robot system according to claim 15 , wherein the changer device is configured to open one of the outer walls when the detection device detects that the outer walls have been brought into contact or are connected.

Assignees

• Yaskawa Denki Seisakusho Kk

Inventors

• Izumi Tetsuro
• Nakamura Tamio
• Kouno Dai
• Nagai Ryoichi

Classifications

• G05B2219/39109

  Dual arm, multiarm manipulation, object handled in cooperation · CPC title

• G05B2219/39135

  For multiple manipulators operating at same time, avoid collision · CPC title

• B25J9/0084

  comprising a plurality of manipulators · CPC title

• B25J9/1682 Primary

  Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators · CPC title

• B25J21/00

  Chambers provided with manipulation devices (constructional features of the mounting of the manipulator in the wall B25J1/08 {; glove-boxes for nuclear applications G21F7/04}) · CPC title