JPH0429514B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] When handling dangerous substances such as radioactive substances, the present invention can be operated by a substitute arm while separating the bulkhead and monitoring from a safe position. The present invention relates to such a manipulator, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a command signal generating device used when an operator manually operates a controlled object that has three degrees of freedom in terms of the position and orientation of the manipulator.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 8 shows a conventional command signal generating device for this type of manipulator. In the figure, 1 is an operator's hand, 2 is a gripper that is held by the operator's hand when operating the manipulator, 3 is an inner frame that rotatably supports this gripper 2, and 4 is an outer frame that supports this inner frame 3. A rotating shaft rotatably supported on the frame 5; 6 a rotating shaft rotatably supporting the outer frame 5 on one end of the telescopic arm 7; 9 a rotating shaft approximately in the middle of the telescopic arm 7; 10 is a rotating shaft supported in a swinging degree of freedom, 8
is a counterweight that is attached to one end of the telescopic arm 7 and is used to balance the telescopic arm 7, which swings about the rotation shaft 9 as a fulcrum.

The conventional command signal generator for a manipulator is configured as described above, so that when the operator grasps the gripper 2 and rotates it in a desired direction, the gripper 2 can be configured to correspond to the position and orientation. The command value to be controlled is output to the manipulator that is the controlled object. That is, the posture of the gripper 2 is determined by the rotation of the gripper 2 within the inner frame 3 and the rotation of the outer frame 5 by the rotation axis 4 of the inner frame 3.
The gripper 2 is configured such that the extensions of the axes of these three types of rotation axes are concentrated at one point in the gripper 2. ing. Further, the position of the gripper 2 is detected by the displacement of the telescoping arm 7 and the rotation of the rotation shafts 9 and 10.

The rotation angle and expansion/contraction displacement detected by the operation of each of these parts are converted into electrical signals and input into a control computer (not shown).
Command signals for six different degrees of freedom of the manipulator are generated by predetermined calculations.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

As mentioned above, the conventional command signal generation device for a manipulator generates a command signal using the gripper, the rotation angle of the signal generation mechanism interlocked with the gripper, and the amount of expansion/contraction displacement. Since the signal generator mechanism requires at least six types of rotation or extension/contraction functions, its configuration is extremely complex and large, and when the gripper is operated, the posture of the gripper also moves accordingly. Therefore, the disadvantage is that it requires skill to operate the gripper.

In view of the above points, it is an object of the present invention to provide a command signal generation device for a manipulator that can be simplified in structure, downsized, and easily manipulated in position and orientation.

[Means for solving problems]

A command signal generating device for a manipulator according to the present invention is provided on a gripper that is gripped by an operator's hand when operating the manipulator, and on both axial ends of a predetermined portion on the circumferential surface of the gripper. a pair of X-axis power sensors that respectively detect positive and negative compressive forces in the X direction;
A pair of Y-axis power sensors are provided at both axial ends of the peripheral surface of the gripper at different angles from the X-axis power sensor, and detect the positive and negative compressive forces in the Y direction applied to the gripper. a Z-axis power sensor that is provided on the axis of the end surface of the gripper and detects the positive and negative compressive force in the Z direction applied to the fixed gripper; and a torque sensor that detects the positive and negative torsional torques of the Z-axis.

[Effect]

In this invention, X and Y axis power sensors applied to the gripper are provided on the circumferential surfaces of both axial ends of the gripper, and a Z axis power sensor is installed on the axis of the end face of the gripper. ，
Positive and negative compressive forces in the Z direction are detected and a command signal for the manipulator is generated.

Further, a difference in the detection output of each of the above-mentioned X power sensors and a difference in the detection output of each of the above-mentioned Y-axis power sensors,
With the torque sensor installed on the end face of the gripper,
Torsional torques on the X, Y, and Z axes are detected and command signals for the manipulator are generated.

[Embodiments of the invention]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 7 are explanatory diagrams of its operation. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 20 denotes a gripper (hereinafter referred to as fixed gripper) fixed to a substantially U-shaped fixed base 14 via a sensor to be described later, and 15 indicates this fixed gripper 20.
Torque sensors 16a and 16c are provided on the axis of the fixed gripper 20 at the lower end thereof and detect positive and negative torsional torques applied to the fixed gripper. A pair of X-axis power sensors are provided at
The torsional torque on the perpendicular Y-axis is detected from the difference in detection output. 16b and 16d are X-axis power sensors 16 on the upper and lower circumferential surfaces of the fixed gripper 20.
a and 16c are a pair of Y-axis power sensors installed along the axis of the fixed gripper at different angles, and these detect the positive and negative compressive forces in the Y direction applied to the fixed gripper 20, respectively. At the same time, the torsional torque on the orthogonal X-axis is detected from the difference in the detection outputs. 16e is a fixed gripper 20
This is a Z-axis power sensor provided on the axis of the upper end surface of the fixed gripper 20, and detects the positive and negative compressive forces in the Z direction applied to the fixed gripper 20. Note that the above coordinate axes X,
Y and Z are +X in the left direction toward the drawing, +Y in the front direction, and +Y in the upward direction with respect to the operator's hand 1.
Z, and they run directly to each other.

Next, the compressive force in the X, Y, and Z directions, and the
Regarding shaft torsion torque detection operation, 2nd to 7th
This will be explained using figures.

First, FIG. 2 shows a case where a compressive force in the X direction is detected. When force F _X is applied in the X direction, a positive compressive force is applied to the The value of the sum of the outputs of the shaft power sensors is proportional to the force F _X applied to the fixed gripper 20, and is input to the control computer.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a case where compressive force in the Y direction is detected. When force F _Y is applied in the Y direction, a positive compressive force is applied to the Y-axis power sensors 16b and 16d, and these two Y-axis The value of the sum of the outputs of the shaft power sensors is proportional to the force F _Y applied to the fixed gripper 20,
Input to the control computer.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a case where a compressive force in the Z direction is detected. When a force F _Z is applied in the Z direction, a positive compressive force is applied to the Z axis power sensor 16e, and this Z
The value of the output of the shaft power sensor is proportional to the force F _Z applied to the fixed gripper 20 and is input to the control computer. In this case, torque sensor 1
An upward pulling force is applied to 5, but this torque sensor does not respond to tensile or compressive forces.

Next, FIG. 5 shows the case _of detecting the torsional torque on the X-axis. When the torsional torque T The difference in the outputs of the sensors is proportional to the torsional torque T _X applied to the fixed gripper 20 and is input to the control computer.

Next, FIG. 6 shows the case of detecting the torsional torque on the Y-axis. When the torsional torque T _Y is applied to the Y-axis, positive and negative compressive forces are applied to the X-axis power sensors 16a and 16c, respectively. The difference in the outputs of the sensors is proportional to the torsional torque T _Y applied to the fixed gripper 20 and is input to the control computer.

Finally, FIG. 7 shows a case where torsional torque is detected on the Z-axis. When torsional torque T _Z is applied to the Z-axis, torsional torque is applied to the torque sensor 15, and the value of the output of this torque sensor 15 is It is proportional to the torsional torque T _Z applied to the fixed gripper 20 and is input to the control computer.

In the above-described embodiment, a case was described in which the torque sensor 15 was used to detect the torsional torque of the Z-axis, but the power sensors 16a to 1
The same effect can be obtained by using two power sensors same as 6e and detecting the torsional torque by the sum or difference of these outputs. It goes without saying that a torque sensor that detects the above is also included within the scope of the present invention.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, there is a gripper that is gripped by the operator's hand when operating the manipulator, and a gripper that is provided at both axial ends of a predetermined portion on the circumferential surface of the gripper, and that is applied to the gripper. A pair of X-axis power sensors for detecting positive and negative compressive forces in the X-direction, respectively, and the X-axis power sensors on the circumferential surface of the gripper are respectively provided at both ends in the axial direction at different angles. a pair of Y-axis power sensors each detecting the positive and negative compressive forces in the Y direction applied to the fixed gripper; It consists of a Z-axis power sensor that detects the Z-axis power sensor, and a torque sensor that is installed on the end face of the gripper and detects the positive and negative torsional torque of the Z-axis applied to the gripper, so the configuration is simple and can be manufactured in a small size. Instead, the positive and negative compressive forces (position) on the X, Y, and Z axes and the torsional torque (posture) on the X, Y, and Z axes can be independently commanded, making position and posture operations easy. It has the excellent effect of being able to

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2 to 7 are explanatory diagrams of the operation of a command signal generator for a manipulator according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a conventional command signal generator for a manipulator. FIG. In the figure, 1 is the operator's hand, 14 is a fixed stand,
15 is a torque sensor, 16a and 16c are X-axis power sensors, 16b and 16d are Y-axis power sensors,
16e is a Z-axis power sensor, and 20 is a gripper. Note that the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same or corresponding parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A gripper that is gripped by an operator's hand when operating a manipulator; and 1. A gripper that is provided at both axial ends of a predetermined portion on the circumferential surface of the gripper to detect positive and negative forces applied to the gripper in the X direction. A pair of X-axis power sensors each detecting the compressive force of a pair of Y-axis power sensors that respectively detect positive and negative compressive forces in the directions; and a Z-axis power sensor that is provided on the axis of the end face of the gripper and detects the positive and negative compressive forces in the Z direction applied to the fixed gripper. A command signal generation device for a manipulator, comprising: a sensor; and a torque sensor provided on the gripper to detect positive and negative torsional torques of the Z-axis applied to the gripper.