Deburring device including visual sensor and force sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9724801-B2
Application number	US-201414314506-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2014
Priority date	Jun 28, 2013
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

A deburring device includes a deburring tool for removing burrs from an object, a robot for moving an object or the tool, a force sensor for detecting force acting on the tool, and a visual sensor for detecting a position of a burr portion of the object. According to the deburring device, information regarding shape data of the burr portion and a posture of the tool is obtained beforehand based on three-dimensional data of the object. Based on the shape data and the posture of the tool, a robot program is created. In accordance with an actual burr portion detected by the visual sensor, the robot program is replaced as necessary. During the deburring, the robot is controlled according to the force control by using a detected value from the force sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A deburring device comprising:
a deburring tool for removing burrs from an object;
a robot for moving at least one of the object and the deburring tool relative to each other;
a force sensor for detecting force acting on the deburring tool;
a burr portion shape data storing part for storing expected burr portion shape data which are composed of an expected position and posture of a burr portion of the object subject to the deburring, based on expected three-dimensional data representative of a shape of the object;
a deburring posture specifying part for specifying an expected posture and position of the deburring tool relative to the object, based on the expected burr portion shape data stored by the burr portion shape data storing part;
a robot deburring program creating part for creating a robot deburring program for the deburring tool which includes at least a plurality of robot operating commands for controlling the robot and the deburring tool, based on the expected posture and position of the deburring tool specified by the deburring posture specifying part and the expected burr portion shape data;
a visual sensor for detecting an actual position of the burr portion of the object from an image of the object;
a robot deburring program replacing part for replacing the plurality of robot operating commands for the deburring tool in the robot deburring program individually by moving the robot to the expected posture and position, sensing by the visual sensor the actual position of the burr portion of the object and correcting the expected posture and position of the robot based on the actual position of the burr portion of the object, so as to move the deburring tool relative to the object along the actual position of the burr portion; and
a force control part for controlling the robot based on force acting on the deburring tool detected by the force sensor and on a predetermined target value of the force, when the robot is operated in accordance with the robot deburring program replaced by the robot deburring program replacing part,
wherein the visual sensor includes a search area limiting part for limiting the search area in the image of the object based on the shape data of the burr portion, and is configured to detect the actual position of the burr portion from the limited search area.

2. The deburring device according to claim 1 , wherein the visual sensor is configured to detect the actual position of the burr portion by detecting a characteristic line representative of the burr portion from the image.

3. The deburring device according to claim 1 , further comprising a deburring posture calculating part for calculating an actual posture of the deburring tool for the deburring, based on the actual position of the burr portion detected by the visual sensor, on the burr portion shape data stored in the burr portion shape data storing part, and on the posture of the deburring tool specified by the deburring posture specifying part,
wherein the robot program replacing part is configured to replace the robot program based on the actual posture of the deburring tool.

4. The deburring device according to claim 3 , wherein the force control part is configured to correct at least one of the actual position of the burr portion and the actual posture of the deburring tool, such that the force acting on the deburring tool approaches the target value.

5. The deburring device according to claim 4 , wherein the force control part comprises a replacing part configured to replace at least one of the burr portion shape data stored in the burr portion shape data storing part and the posture of the deburring tool specified by the deburring posture specifying part, based on a moving trajectory and posture of the deburring tool when the deburring is actually carried out.

6. The deburring device according to claim 1 , further comprising a wearing amount calculating part for calculating a wearing amount of the deburring tool by:
measuring a first position of the deburring tool when in contact with the object,
measuring a second position of the deburring tool when in contact with the object,
computing the wearing amount of the deburring tool based on a difference between the first position and the second position, and
correcting the target value of the force acting on the deburring tool based on the wearing amount.

7. The deburring device according to claim 1 , wherein the deburring tool is attached to the robot, and the object is fixedly provided near the robot.

8. The deburring device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the deburring tool is attached to the robot, and the object is provided such that at least one of the position and posture of the object can be changed by a second robot different from the robot or by a movable device, and
wherein the robot is controlled relative to the second robot or the movable device.

9. The deburring device according to claim 1 , wherein the robot is configured to hold the object, and the deburring tool is fixedly provided near the robot.

10. The deburring device according to claim 1 , wherein the robot is configured to hold the object, and the deburring tool is provided near the robot such that at least one of the position and posture of the deburring tool can be changed by a second robot different from the robot or by a movable device, and
wherein the robot is controlled relative to the second robot or the movable device.

11. The deburring device according to claim 1 , further comprising a second visual sensor different from the visual sensor, the second visual sensor being configured to detect a position of the object.

12. The deburring device according to claim 1 , wherein the visual sensor is further configured to detect a position of the object.

13. The deburring device according to claim 1 , further comprising a data processing part for carrying out at least one of setting of the visual sensor necessary for the visual sensor to obtain an image of the object and creation of a robot program which specifies movement of the robot and is necessary for the visual sensor to obtain an image of the object, based on the burr portion shape data.

Assignees

• Fanuc Corp

Inventors

• Gu Yihua

Classifications

• G05B2219/45151

  Deburring · CPC title

• B24B9/00

  Machines or devices designed for grinding edges or bevels on work or for removing burrs; Accessories therefor (B24B21/00 takes precedence; for sharpening cutting edges on tools B24B3/00; removing burrs by loose abrasive material B24B31/00) · CPC title

• B24B49/16 Primary

  taking regard of the load · CPC title

• B24B49/12

  involving optical means · CPC title

• B25J11/006

  Deburring or trimming · CPC title