IP Library Granted Patent US 11,745,337
Granted Patent B2
US 11,745,337 · App. 16/798,562 · Granted Sep 5, 2023

Handling device, control device, and computer program product

Inventors: Haruna Eto (Kawasaki, JP); Seiji Tokura (Kawasaki, JP); Kazuma Komoda (Kawasaki, JP); Ping Jiang (Ota, JP); Akihito Ogawa (Fujisawa, JP)
Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
B25J9/1612B25J9/1664B25J15/00B65G61/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,745,337
App. No.
16/798,562
Granted
Sep 5, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A handling device according to an embodiment has a holder, a calculator, and a controller. The holder is capable of holding an object. The calculator calculates an estimated holding safety factor when the holder holds an object. The controller causes the holder to hold the object on the basis of the estimated holding safety factor calculated by the calculator.

Claims (76)

1. A handling device comprising:

a holder capable of holding an object;

a calculator that calculates an estimated holding safety factor when the holder holds the object; and

a controller that causes the holder to hold the object on the basis of the estimated holding safety factor calculated by the calculator,

wherein the controller changes a moving speed of the holder on the basis of the estimated holding safety factor, and

wherein the estimated holding safety factor is a ratio calculated according to a following equation:

ratio

=

P

M

×

R

I

,

where P is an adsorption pressure of an arbitrary holding method, M is a moment determined by a distance L between a contact surface center K and a center of gravity G of the object, R is a shortest distance between an adsorption surface contour and the center of gravity G of the object; and I is a geometrical moment of inertia determined by an arbitrary holding method,

wherein the controller controls, when an aspect ratio of a contact area in which the holder and the object are in contact is greater than 1 and a direction intersecting a direction with the smallest spread degree in distribution on a contact surface is set as a specific distribution direction, an operation of the holder such that the holder holding the object moves in the specific distribution direction, and

wherein, in the contact area, a length of the contact area corresponds to a length in a direction with a largest spread degree in the distribution on the contact surface, and a width of the contact area corresponds to a length in the direction with the smallest spread degree in the distribution on the contact surface as a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the length.

2. The handling device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the calculator calculates the estimated holding safety factor on the basis of contact area information on an area in which the holder and the object are in contact and distance information on a distance between a center of a contact surface on which the holder and the object are in contact and a center of gravity of the object.

3. The handling device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the calculator calculates the estimated holding safety factor on the basis of a numerical value obtained by dividing a pressure enabling adsorption of a contact surface on which the holder and the object are in contact by a value indicating a stress obtained by dividing a distance between a center of the contact surface of the holder and the object and a center of gravity of the object by a geometrical moment of inertia with the contact surface of the holder and the object set as a cross-section.

4. The handling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an action planning unit that plans a motion method including a motion route of the holder,

wherein the calculator calculates a direction of contact distribution for a distribution on a contact surface on which the holder and the object are in contact,

the controller causes the action planning unit to plan the motion method of the holder such that the estimated holding safety factor is equal to or greater than a target value on the basis of the direction of contact distribution calculated by the calculator, and

the controller causes the holder to operate on the basis of the motion method planned by the action planning unit.

5. The handling device according to claim 4 ,

wherein the action planning unit plans a plurality of motion methods in advance,

the controller causes the action planning unit to select the best motion method capable of maintaining the highest estimated holding safety factor among the plurality of motion methods on the basis of the direction of contact distribution calculated by the calculator, and

the controller causes the holder to operate on the basis of the best motion method selected by the action planning unit.

6. The handling device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an action planning unit that plans motion route information on a motion route of the holder,

wherein the calculator calculates a holding method of the holder on the basis of the motion route information planned by the action planning unit and calculates the estimated holding safety factor for the holding method, and

the controller causes the holder to operate on the basis of the holding method calculated by the calculator such that the estimated holding safety factor is equal to or greater than a target value.

7. The handling device according to claim 6 ,

wherein the action planning unit plans a plurality of types of motion route information in advance,

the calculator calculates a plurality of holding methods of the holder on the basis of the plurality of types of motion route information planned by the action planning unit in advance and calculates the estimated holding safety factor for the plurality of holding method, and

the controller causes the holder to operate on the basis of the best holding method capable of maintaining the highest estimated holding safety factor among the plurality of holding methods calculated by the calculator.

8. A handling device, comprising:

a holder configured to hold an object; and

a controller configured to control, when determining that an aspect ratio of a contact area in which the holder and the object are in contact is greater than 1 and a direction intersecting a direction with a smallest spread degree in a distribution on contact surface is set as a specific distribution direction, an operation of the holder such that the holder holding the object moves in the specific distribution direction, wherein

in the contact area, in the aspect ratio, a length of the contact area corresponds to a length in a direction with a largest spread degree in the distribution on the contact surface, and a width of the contact area corresponds to a length in the direction with a smallest spread degree in the distribution on the contact surface as a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the length, and

the specific distribution direction is a direction with a stronger bending with respect to an applied load than the direction with the smallest spread degree in the distribution on the contact surface.

9. The handling device according to claim 8 ,

wherein the holder has a holding surface for holding the object, and

the controller is further configured to set a reference axis associated with the specific distribution direction on the holding surface, and control the operation of the holder based on the reference axis.

10. A control device comprising:

a calculator that calculates an estimated holding safety factor when a holder capable of holding an object holds the object; and

a controller that causes the holder to hold the object on the basis of the estimated holding safety factor calculated by the calculator,

wherein the controller changes a moving speed of the holder on the basis of the estimated holding safety factor; and

wherein the estimated holding safety factor is a ratio calculated according to a following equation:

ratio

=

P

M

×

R

I

,

where P is an adsorption pressure of an arbitrary holding method; is a moment determined by a distance L between a contact surface center K and a center of gravity G of object R is a shortest distance between an adsorption surface contour and the center of gravity G of the object, and I is a geometrical moment of inertia determined by an arbitrary holding method,

wherein the controller controls, when an aspect ratio of a contact area in which the holder and the object are in contact is greater 1 and a direction intersecting a direction with the smallest spread degree in distribution on a contact surface is set as a specific distribution direction, an operation of the holder such that the holder holding the object moves in the specific distribution direction, and

wherein, in the contact area, a length of the contact area corresponds to a length in a direction with a largest spread degree in the distribution on the contact surface, and a width of the contact area corresponds to a length in the direction with the smallest spread degree in the distribution on the contact surface as a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the length.

11. The control device according to claim 10 ,

wherein the calculator calculates the estimated holding safety factor on the basis of contact area information on an area in which the holder and the object are in contact and distance information on a distance between a center of a contact surface on which the holder and the object are in contact and a center of gravity of the object.

12. The control device according to claim 10 ,

wherein the calculator calculates the estimated holding safety factor on the basis of a numerical value obtained by dividing a pressure enabling adsorption of a contact surface on which the holder and the object are in contact by a value indicating a stress obtained by dividing a distance between a center of the contact surface of the holder and the object and a center of gravity of the object by a geometrical moment of inertia with the contact surface of the holder and the object set as a cross-section.

13. The control device according to claim 10 , further comprising:

an action planning unit that plans a motion method including a motion route of the holder,

wherein the calculator calculates a direction of contact distribution regarding a distribution on a contact surface on which the holder and the object are in contact,

the controller causes the action planning unit to plan the motion method of the holder such that the estimated holding safety factor is equal to or greater than a target value on the basis of the direction of contact distribution calculated by the calculator, and

the controller causes the holder to operate on the basis of the motion method planned by the action planning unit.

14. The control device according to claim 10 , further comprising:

an action planning unit that plans motion route information on a motion route of the holder,

wherein the calculator calculates a holding method of the holder on the basis of the motion route information planned by the action planning unit and calculates the estimated holding safety factor for the holding method, and

the controller causes the holder to operate on the basis of the holding method calculated by the calculator such that the estimated holding safety factor is equal to or greater than a target value.

15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which an executable program is recorded, the program instructing a computer to function as the control device of claim 10 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2020
From: ETO, HARUNA; TOKURA, SEIJI; KOMODA, KAZUMA; JIANG, PING; OGAWA, AKIHITO
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 052544/0323 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-156850 · Aug 29, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210060769A1 · Mar 4, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,703,113