JPH0753327B2 - Robot equipment - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a robot device, and more particularly to a robot device having an image processing function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a robot apparatus having an image processing function inputs an image of a part to be grasped by the image processing apparatus, analyzes the image, and calculates position coordinates (XY coordinates and inclination) of the part to be grasped. After that, the robot was configured to notify the position coordinates to the robot and then the robot grasps and assembles the parts in accordance with the notified position coordinates.

[0003]

However, in the conventional configuration, if it takes time to analyze the image and calculate the position coordinates of the part to be grasped by the image processing apparatus, the time is added to the part assembly time as it is, and the production efficiency is improved. It had the drawback of falling.

In view of the above, the present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and therefore, in the image processing apparatus, even when it takes some time to analyze the image of the part to be grasped and calculate the position coordinates, the assembly time of the part is not affected. An object of the present invention is to provide a robot apparatus which does not reduce the production efficiency of assembling parts.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has a robot unit capable of three-dimensional operation, which is integrally provided with a means for grasping a part and an image pickup means for inputting an image. And, while assembling the parts grasped by the robot part, image processing of the image of the object input from the image pickup means is performed to obtain the position coordinates of the object, and the position coordinates are obtained based on the request of the robot part. And an image processing section for sending information corresponding to the above to the robot section.

[0006]

In the robot apparatus configured as described above,
The command of the robot unit to the image processing unit is divided into two types, a processing start command and a processing result notification command, and while the robot unit is assembling the components, the image processing unit analyzes the image of the component to be grabbed next. Also, the position coordinates can be calculated.

In this way, by dividing the command into two types, the robot unit that has grasped the part sends a processing start command to the image processing unit for the next component to be grasped, and the image input of the component to be grasped next and the component Notification of simple results such as the presence / absence detection. Then, the robot section assembles the parts to be grabbed, while the image processing section continues to input the image of the part to be grabbed next and notifies the robot part of the simple result, and then the part to grab next. Image analysis is performed and position coordinates are calculated. Therefore, when the robot unit finishes assembling the parts, the image processing unit has finished calculating the position coordinates of the parts to be grabbed next.
When the processing result notification command is sent from the robot unit to the image processing unit, the position coordinates of the component to be grasped can be immediately notified from the image processing unit to the robot unit.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to assembling an hour hand of a watch will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, the robot 1 includes an hour hand chuck 2 at the tip of the operating part.
And the image processing apparatus camera 3 are attached. The pallet 6 on which the watch 5 having been assembled up to the dial is mounted is transported to the transport line 4 and positioned at the hour hand assembly position 7. The tray 9 in which the hour hands 8 are arranged at regular intervals is positioned at the tray fixing position 11 by the tray automatic supply device 10.

At this time, the robot 1 chucks the hour hand 8a by using the hour hand chuck 2, and then the image of the hour hand 8b on the tray 9 is passed through the camera 3 to the image memory in the image processing device (Me) 12. So that it can be taken into
The robot 1 moves and sends a processing start command to the image processing apparatus 12. When the image processing device 12 receives this processing start command, the image of the hour hand 8b is taken into the image memory. This time is about 0.03 seconds since it is a normal TV image.
Next, the image processing device 12 detects the presence / absence of the hour hand 8b using the data stored in the image memory. This time is
Since it is a simple process of detecting the presence / absence, it takes about 0.1 seconds.

Next, the image processing apparatus 12 sends the result of the processing start command to the robot, and subsequently performs image analysis and position coordinate calculation of the hour hand 8b using the data stored in the image memory. Then, when the robot 1 is notified of the result of the processing start command from the image processing device 12,
The hour hand 8a chucked to the hour hand chuck 2,
Assemble the clock 5 on the pallet 6. This assembly time is about 2 seconds, while the time required for image analysis and position coordinate calculation in the image processing device 12 is about 1 second. Therefore, when the robot 1 sends a processing result notification command to the image processing device 12 after the assembly of the hour hand 8a, the image processing device 12 can immediately notify the robot 1 of the position coordinates of the hour hand 8b. Therefore, the robot 1 can immediately grab the hour hand 8b.

However, it is needless to say that the image processing time is waited only when the first hour hand is chucked. The above operation procedure is shown in FIG. As is apparent from FIG. 2, when one piece on the pallet is chucked, the step of capturing the next hour hand image during the movement to the assembly position is entered, but this time is extremely short (0.03 Second), so it can be almost ignored.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram of a robot apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, the robot 1, chuck 2, camera 3 and image processing apparatus 12 correspond to FIG. 1, respectively.
The image processing device 12 includes a camera interface 120,
Image memory 121, robot interface program 122, image processing program 124 and CPU 123
It consists of First, the image processing program 124
Detects that there is no image data in the image memory 121, it gives a no-image signal to the robot 1 via the CPU 123 and the robot interface program 122. Then, the robot 1 outputs an image capture command to the image processing device 12. This is the start of the flowchart in FIG. The robot 1 is driven by the signal from the robot interface program 122, and the camera 3 obtains the image signal of the hour hand to be grabbed next. This image signal is input to the image memory 121 via the camera interface 120. At this time, when the image of the hour hand cannot be obtained, that is, when the tray 9 is empty, it is a step of transporting the next tray, although omitted in the flowchart.

The data in the image memory 121 is stored in the CPU 1
It is analyzed by the image processing program 124 under the control of 23 and converted into chuck coordinate position data. This coordinate position data is the robot interface program 122.
Will be stored in. Next, according to a command from the robot 1, a signal corresponding to the position data is output from the robot interface program 122, and the robot 1 chucks the target hour hand. Since the positions of the camera 3 and the chuck 2 do not match, it goes without saying that the position of the robot 1 is different between when the image is captured and when the chuck is performed.

In addition to the embodiment applied to the assembly of the hour hand of the watch described above, the present invention is also applied to the assembly of the dial, minute hand, second hand, side, back cover, coil block for watch, etc. of the watch. it can. Further, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied not only to the assembly related to the watch but also to all the robot devices for grasping and assembling the parts.

[0015]

According to the present invention, in a robot apparatus, a robot unit integrally provided with a means for grasping a part and an image pickup means for inputting an image, and a three-dimensionally operable robot part, and a part grasped by the robot part are provided. During processing, the image of the object input from the image pickup means is image-processed to obtain the position coordinates of the object, and information corresponding to the position coordinates is sent to the robot unit based on a request from the robot unit. Since the image processing unit for sending out is configured to have the following effects.

The command of the robot unit to the image processing unit is divided into two types, a process start command and a process result notification command, and while the robot unit is assembling parts,
Since the image processing unit can perform the image analysis and the position coordinate calculation of the part to be grabbed next, the assembling time can be shortened and the production efficiency of the assembling of the parts can be improved.

The robot section integrally includes a means for grasping a part and an image pickup means for inputting an image, and should be grasped next while the robot section grasps a part and then moves the part to an assembly position. Images of parts can be input without affecting the assembly time. Therefore, it is effective in improving the production efficiency of assembling the parts.

Since the means for grasping the parts and the image pickup means for inputting the image are integrally provided, the robot portion can be downsized, which is effective in saving the space of the robot apparatus.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an embodiment in which a robot apparatus according to the present invention is applied to assembling an hour hand of a watch.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart in an embodiment in which the robot apparatus according to the present invention is applied to the assembly of the hour hand of a watch.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a robot apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Robot 2 Chuck for Hour Hand 3 Camera for Image Processing Device 4 Conveyor Line 5 Clock with Assembly Completed to Dial 6 Pallet 7 Clock Assembly Position 8, 8a, 8b Hour Hand 9 Tray 10 Tray Automatic Supply Device 11 Tray Fixing Device 12 Image Processing Device (Me)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A unit for integrally grasping a component and an image pickup unit for inputting an image, wherein the unit for grasping the component is a component.
Move from where you picked up to where to assemble the part
An image of the part to be grabbed next is taken from the imaging means in the meantime.
A three-dimensionally operable robot part that outputs intricately ,
Determined the parts images to grab the next input from the imaging means and the image processing coordinates of the part to grab the next during assembly of the robot part is grabbed parts, the requirements of the robot part An image processing unit that sends information corresponding to the position coordinates to the robot unit based on
A robot apparatus comprising: