JPH06100928B2 - Robot degeneration control mechanism - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial field of application> The present invention relates to a function degeneration control mechanism for a robot, and is useful when applied to a slave robot of a remote control robot system.

<Prior Art> FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of a remote control robot. As shown in the figure, this remote-controlled robot 01 is configured to include an arm 02, a movable leg portion 03, and a main drive portion of an ITV camera arm portion 04, and the arm 02 has first to sixth joints 05, 06, 07,08,
Includes 09,010. Then, this remote control robot 01
Performs a predetermined work on behalf of a human in a bad environment based on a command from an operator 012 using an operation panel 011 installed on a safe base side. The command signal from the operator 012 side is supplied from the communication device 013 installed on the operation panel 011 side to the communication device 014 installed on the robot 01 side.

By the way, in the remote control robot 01 having this kind of multi-joint arm 02, the drive system of each joint 05, 06, ..., 010 is
Sub computer 10, servo amplifier as shown in FIG.
20, servo motor 30, tacho generator T30, position detector 40, load 50, overcurrent detector 60 which is a failure detection means, and buzzer 70 which is an alarm means. …, 010 are almost the same. Therefore, the sub computer 10, the servo amplifier 20, the servo motor 30, the overcurrent detector 60, etc. of the drive system of each joint 05, 06, ..., 010 are gathered in one place due to mounting problems, and the control unit, It is unitized as an amplifier unit, a motor unit, etc.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, as described above, since this type of remote control robot operates on behalf of humans in a bad environment for humans such as high temperature, high humidity, and under radiation, If this breaks down during work, it will be extremely difficult to repair or recover it,
Therefore, high reliability is required for this kind of robot.

However, in the conventional remote-controlled robot, even if an abnormality or a failure is detected by the operator or the self-diagnosis function of the robot itself, it can be stopped so that the robot does not operate abnormally, and the subsequent processing is performed by the operator. However, the robot could not be recovered in all cases. Further, if some of the components of the robot break down, the operation of the robot is stopped and the operating rate of the robot is reduced. In particular, although it has a function of detecting a failure of the overcurrent detector 60 and the like, it is not used for improving the operation rate of the robot merely by using it for an alarm. Incidentally, the stop of the robot is logically judged by some predetermined conditions and automatically performed by the robot itself, and the operation stop of the robot is judged by the evaporator 012 in the entire situation including the stop of the robot. Stop the robot by performing an operation to stop the robot.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a function degeneration control mechanism for a robot capable of maintaining the minimum function and avoiding the worst situation.

<Means for Solving Problems> The configuration of the present invention that achieves the above-mentioned object is a failure detecting means for detecting a failure of each part of the robot such as a current of a motor driving each part of the robot exceeding a predetermined value. And an abnormality prediction means for predicting abnormality of each part of the robot, such as an olfactory sensor for predicting abnormality of servo amplifier, and a failure or abnormality part of each part of the robot by receiving output signals from the failure detection means and the abnormality prediction means , Failure diagnosis means for specifying the degree and content, and the output signal of the failure diagnosis means to isolate the failure / abnormal part, limit the function of the failure / abnormal part, and share it with other means of the failure / abnormal part. And a function degeneration control means for measuring.

<Examples> Examples of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. This embodiment is applied to, for example, the robot shown in FIG. 3, and comprises a failure detecting means 200, an abnormality predicting means 201, a failure diagnosing means 202, and a function degradation control means 203. Failure detection means
Reference numeral 200 is for detecting a failure of each part of the robot, for example, a current of a motor driving each part of the robot exceeds a predetermined value. The abnormality predicting means 201 is for predicting an abnormality in each part of the robot, such as an olfactory sensor for predicting an abnormality in the servo amplifier. Here, the failure is a case where the symptom is known and a causal relationship can be utilized, that is, a case where the current flowing through a certain motor is excessive, so that the part can be identified as a failure, and an abnormality The term "normal" refers to a state in which the odor is abnormally emitted from the vicinity of a certain servo amplifier and is out of the normal state. At this time, a well-known semiconductor gas sensor is a specific example of a suitable olfactory sensor.
This is the same sensor in principle as the sensor of the gas leak detector used at home. In particular, in the case of the olfactory sensor, it has already been proposed that not only the gas sensor but also several kinds of gas sensors having different detection performances are combined to identify many kinds of gas, and this can also be used. Predicting the abnormality of the servo amplifier can be translated into detection of abnormal heat generation. That is, an abnormality of the servo amplifier mainly produces an abnormal odor accompanied by abnormal heat generation. Therefore, by detecting the abnormal odor with the olfactory sensor, the abnormality of the servo amplifier can be predicted.

The failure diagnosing means 202 receives the output signals from the failure detecting means and the abnormality predicting means, and specifies the location, degree and content of the failure and abnormality of each part of the robot. here,
The degree of failure and abnormality means, for example, the degree to which "an output of a certain value or more is continuously output for any input" or "a value of the input is reduced to a certain value or less". At this time, as the information to be used, the information of the abnormality predicting means 201 is used first, and then the failure detecting means 200.
Information is used. Also, the output is diagnosed by a pseudo command in order to check the degree.

More specifically, the failure diagnosing means 202 fixes the failure / abnormal point, and determines whether the fixed point should be isolated, degenerated, or shared based on the fixing result and the type of the failure / abnormality. However, failures and their countermeasures are generally predetermined. Specifically, as described above, the servo amplifier exists corresponding to each axis of the robot, and since all of these servo amplifiers are unitized, the servo amplifier of a certain axis becomes abnormal due to overload. If so, first, the odor sensor detects abnormal odor caused by abnormal heat generation, and then the degree of abnormality is checked by giving the above-mentioned pseudo command (test signal) to the servo amplifier in which the abnormality is detected. As a result, if it does not move at all, it is a signal for sharing the servo amplifier of other normal axes, a signal for limiting the command value to use if moving with a low load, and if there is no problem even if isolated, it will be isolated. The respective signals are sent to the function degeneration control means 203.

As a specific example of the failure diagnosis means 202, similar to the failure diagnosis of a normal mechanical system, a diagnosis is performed based on signals from the failure detection means such as a current detection sensor of a servo amplifier and an overload detection sensor. be able to. The diagnostic method can be easily realized by a known method such as model comparison or simple check of upper and lower limit values. The function degradation control means 203 receives the output signal of the failure diagnosis means 202, isolates the failure / abnormal portion, reduces the function, and shares the failure / abnormal portion with other means. The isolation in this case is specifically performed physically by operating a relay or the like or logically using a logical element. Further, degeneration of the function increases the load (increases the resistance) or lowers the limiter limit value, for example. Further, the sharing is performed by switching each part of the robot in a time-sharing manner, or simultaneously operating a plurality of parts with the same output. For example, when the servo amplifier of the first joint of the right arm is diagnosed as a failure, the servo amplifiers of the first joint of the right arm and the second joint of the right arm are shared.

In this embodiment, the failure event is detected by the failure detection means.
Detected by using 200, predicts an abnormal event using the abnormality prediction means 201, identifies a failure or abnormality by the failure diagnosis means 202, then temporarily stops the robot, and immediately performs degenerate operation by the function degeneration control means 203. Let me do it.

<Effects of the Invention> As described in detail with reference to the embodiments, according to the present invention, for example, even if the servo amplifier of the second joint of the right arm of the robot fails, the servo amplifier of the first joint is used to control the operating speed. Although there is a decrease, the operation of the robot is not stopped, and thus the operating rate of the robot can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of a remote control robot, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram thereof. In the drawing, 200 is a failure detecting means, 201 is an abnormality predicting means, 202 is a failure diagnosing means, and 203 is a function degeneration control means.

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Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Each part of the robot, such as a failure detecting means for detecting a failure of each part of the robot such as a current of a motor for driving each part of the robot exceeding a predetermined value and an olfactory sensor for predicting an abnormality of a servo amplifier. Of the failure prediction means for predicting the abnormality of the robot, the failure diagnosis means for receiving the output signals from the failure detection means and the failure prediction means, and specifying the location, degree and content of the failure and abnormality of each part of the robot; A robot having a function degeneration control means for receiving an output signal to isolate a failure / abnormal portion, limiting the function of the failure / abnormal portion, and sharing the failure / abnormal portion with other means. Function degeneration control mechanism.