JP2009172720A - Bin picking device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To inexpensively provide a bin picking device having a device constitution to effectively utilize a movable range of a carrying device of a multi-shaft type robot, etc., and to convey all workpieces in a pallet without being left. <P>SOLUTION: In this bin picking device, an imaging device 5 to detect the workpieces in the pallet 3 is arranged in a fixed state to an upper side of the pallet 3, the carrying device of an articulated robot 1 is arranged on a wall surface 7 provided around the pallet 3, the articulated robot 1 can be saved when the imaging device 5 takes a photograph, and an operation range 10 of a holding device 2 at a tip of the articulated robot 1 is between the pallet 3 and the imaging device 5. In this device constitution, the operation range of the carrying device and the imaging device part of a detection device are prevented from interfering with each other. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a supply device that supplies assembly parts or processed materials to a production line that performs assembly, processing, etc., and a work housed in an unaligned state in a pallet is mounted on a transfer device such as an articulated robot. The present invention relates to a bin picking device for holding a workpiece to a next process such as an assembling process or a machining process.

JP-A-63-174890 discloses a supply device for supplying workpieces stored in a non-aligned state in a pallet in a state where they are aligned in a production line composed of assembly and processing steps. The workpiece is photographed by an imaging device arranged above the pallet, the position and orientation of the workpiece is calculated based on the photographed data, and the posture control of the transfer device attached to the pallet is performed based on the calculated data, 2. Description of the Related Art A bin picking device is known that grips a workpiece by a gripping device attached to the leading end of a transport device and supplies the workpiece to the next process.

However, the bin picking device having the device configuration described in the above publication grips and conveys a work housed in an unaligned state in the pallet with a gripping device of an articulated robot arranged beside the pallet. Therefore, not only can you use the range of the foot where the movement range of the articulated robot is limited, but also the place where the robot arm cannot be tilted at a steep angle due to the wall surface of the pallet, so that the workpiece can not be gripped properly Comes out.

Therefore, the articulated robot needs to have a long arm and a large size in order for the gripping device to enter the pallet and transport the workpieces in all places.

In addition, when the work is in the shape of a thin disk or the like, the work may stand so as to stick to the wall surface of the pallet. It may not be possible to determine that the workpiece will remain until the end.
JP-A 63-174890

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bin picking device having a device configuration that can effectively use a movable range of a transfer device such as a multi-axis robot without waste, and further, a work in a pallet remains. The purpose is to be able to transport everything.

As a means for solving the above-described problems, the present invention provides a wall surface in which an imaging device for detecting a workpiece in a pallet is arranged in a fixed state above the pallet, and a transfer device for an articulated robot is provided around the pallet. The articulated robot can be retracted when the imaging device takes an image, and the conveying device is arranged so that the operating range of the gripping device at the tip of the articulated robot is between the pallet and the imaging device. The apparatus configuration is such that the operation range of the image pickup apparatus section of the detection apparatus does not interfere with each other.

By adopting such an apparatus configuration, the articulated robot is hung on the wall surface provided around the pallet, and the operating range of the tip of the articulated robot becomes wider. It can be transported with a small robot.

As another means, if the workpiece cannot be detected by shooting from above with a thin workpiece or the like, an imaging device for detecting the workpiece in the pallet is arranged in a fixed state at the tip of the robot. The robotic robot's transfer device is placed on the wall surface around the pallet and the movement range of the articulated robot's tip is above the pallet, and the imaging device at the tip of the robot takes a picture from the inside of the pallet. By making it possible, a standing workpiece can be detected, and the workpiece can be conveyed without remaining.

Further, a tilting mechanism is provided that tilts the pallet by disposing the driving device below the pallet and moving one or both sides of the pallet stored with the workpiece in an unaligned state up and down by the driving device.

Alternatively, a device configuration in which a hole smaller than the workpiece is provided on the side of the pallet, a driving device is disposed on the side of the pallet, and a pusher provided at the tip of the driving device pushes the workpiece from the hole in the pallet to change the posture and position of the workpiece. Provide.

When the workpiece is standing, when the size of the gripping device is larger than the size of the workpiece, the gripping device hits the floor surface of the pallet and the workpiece cannot be gripped. Further, when the work is inclined toward the wall surface of the pallet, the gripping device hits the side surface of the pallet, and the work cannot be gripped.

For workpieces where such a case is predicted, the bin picking device having the above configuration can be used to change the posture by tilting or moving the workpiece so that it can be detected by the detection device and transported by the gripping device. it can.

As explained above, the articulated robot can be mounted on the wall, so that the operating range of the robot tip can be used effectively, so that it can be transported by a robot smaller than the conventional robot installed on the floor. Therefore, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In addition, by arranging the imaging device in a fixed state at the robot tip, the imaging device at the robot tip can shoot from the inside of the pallet, so that standing workpieces can be detected and all workpieces are transported. be able to.

Furthermore, since the posture and position of the workpiece can be changed by providing a tilt mechanism on the pallet or pushing the workpiece with a pusher from the side surface of the pallet, all the workpieces can be transported without being left behind.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 shows an apparatus configuration of the first embodiment of the present invention.

The articulated robot 1 is installed on the wall surface 7 perpendicular to the floor surface 6 in a wall-mounted state, and the pallet 3 in which the workpieces 4 are stored in an unaligned state is placed on the floor surface 6 below the articulated robot 1. The camera 5 of the imaging device is fixedly installed at a position where the state inside the pallet 3 can be detected above the articulated robot 1.

The image data photographed by the camera 5 is three-dimensionally measured for position and orientation by the detection device, determined which work is to be transported, and the result is fed back to the articulated robot 1 which is a transport device. The orientation of the gripping device 2 fixed to the tip of the articulated robot 1 is gripped according to the workpiece 4 to be transported and transported to the next process. Note that when the pallet 3 is photographed by the camera 5, the articulated robot 1 and the gripping device 2 are retracted from the photographing range of the camera.

In the prior art, the articulated robot 1 is installed on the floor 6, and as can be seen from the operation range 10 of the gripping device, there is no room for gripping the workpiece 4 accommodated in the pallet 3. Place is limited. For this reason, there is a high possibility that the robot becomes a death point peculiar to the robot, and there is a case where the workpiece cannot be gripped. However, in the present embodiment, by arranging the articulated robot 1 on the wall surface 7, the widest motion range of the robot is effective. Can be used.

FIG. 3 shows an apparatus configuration of Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

The articulated robot 1 is fixed to the wall surface 7 in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and is configured to effectively use the operating range of the robot. However, the camera 5 is fixed to the tip of the articulated robot 1 and the wrist of the robot. By moving, you can enter the pallet and shoot. For this reason, a workpiece that cannot be identified from an image captured by a fixed camera as in the first embodiment can be identified by changing the camera angle as illustrated in FIG. 4 in the configuration of the second embodiment. .

Next, as a configuration that allows the workpiece 4 in the pallet to be gripped, a drive device that drives up and down is installed below the pallet 3. A tilting mechanism used when the gripping device cannot be gripped while standing on the wall will be described.

As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a driving device 8 that drives up and down is disposed below the gantry 11 on which the pallet 3 is placed, and the driving device 8 is rotatably connected to the gantry 11 on which the pallet 3 is placed. The end of the pallet is raised by raising the driving device on one side to constitute a tilting mechanism.

By tilting the pallet 3 by the driving device 8, the workpiece 4 standing on the pallet 3 can be brought down, and the gripping device 2 can grip the workpiece 4, so that the workpiece in the pallet is not left. Can be transported. In the present embodiment, the drive device that drives the tilting mechanism up and down has been described. However, as long as one side or both sides of the pallet are moved up and down to tilt the pallet, other methods such as rotation and link can be used.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a hole having a size that prevents the workpiece 4 from coming out is provided on the side surface of the pallet 3, and a driving device 8 having a pusher 9 fixed to the tip is fixed to the gantry 11 on the side of the pallet. The pusher 9 is disposed so as to be able to be pushed into the inside through a hole provided in the pallet 3.

By inserting the pusher 9 into the pallet from the hole provided in the pallet 3, the workpiece 4 standing so as to stick to the side surface of the pallet 3 can be brought down as shown in FIG. The apparatus 2 can be gripped and transported.

Explanatory drawing explaining the structure of a prior art example Explanatory drawing explaining the structure of Example 1. FIG. Explanatory drawing explaining the structure of Example 2. FIG. Explanatory drawing explaining the inside of the pallet Explanatory drawing explaining the structure of Example 3. Explanatory drawing explaining the inclination mechanism of Example 3. Explanatory drawing explaining the structure of Example 4. Explanatory drawing explaining the structure after the extrusion of Example 4.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Articulated robot 2 Gripping device 3 Pallet 4 Work 5 Camera 6 Floor surface 7 Wall surface 8 Drive device 9 Pusher 10 Operating range of gripping device 11 Mount

Claims (4)

  An articulated robot in which a pallet in which workpieces are housed in an unaligned state, a detection device that three-dimensionally measures the position and orientation of the workpiece in the pallet by an imaging device, and a gripping device that grips the workpiece are connected. In a bin picking device composed of a transport device and a control device that sends a command to the transport device based on the measurement result of the detection device, an imaging device for detecting a workpiece in the pallet is fixed above the pallet. The articulated robot transport device is arranged on the wall surface around the pallet, and when the imaging device takes a picture, the articulated robot can be retracted, and the operation of the gripping device at the tip of the articulated robot A bin picking device characterized in that the range is arranged between the pallet and the imaging device.   An articulated robot in which a pallet in which workpieces are housed in an unaligned state, a detection device that three-dimensionally measures the position and orientation of the workpiece in the pallet by an imaging device, and a gripping device that grips the workpiece are connected. In a bin picking device composed of a transport device and a control device that sends a command to the transport device based on the measurement result of the detection device, an imaging device for detecting a workpiece in the pallet is fixed to the tip of the robot The bin is characterized in that the transfer device for the articulated robot is arranged on the wall surface provided around the pallet and the operating range of the tip of the articulated robot is located above the pallet. Picking device.   A drive device is arranged below the pallet, and a tilting mechanism for tilting the pallet is provided by moving one or both sides of the pallet stored in an unaligned state up and down by the drive device. The bin picking apparatus of Claim 1 and Claim 2. A hole smaller than the workpiece is provided on the side of the pallet, the drive unit is arranged on the side of the pallet, and the pusher provided at the tip of the drive unit pushes the workpiece from the hole in the pallet to change the posture and position of the workpiece. The bin picking device according to claim 1 or 2.