Material or article handling – Apparatus for moving intersupporting articles into – within,... – Stack forming apparatus
Patent
1985-09-23
1987-10-06
Spar, Robert J.
Material or article handling
Apparatus for moving intersupporting articles into, within,...
Stack forming apparatus
180 21, 364184, 364513, 901 3, 901 6, 901 9, 901 49, B25J 900
Patent
active
046979794
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a robot system safety method and, more particularly, to a safety method for protecting an operator from a robot.
A playback-type robot performs a workpiece loading and unloading operation for machine tools, an automatic welding operation and other activities based on robot command data taught in advance. Since an industrial robot of this kind possesses considerable weight and operates at high speed, an individual may be struck and injured and, in extreme cases, injured fatally by the robot unless appropriate precautions are taken. Since an operator has many opportunities to work near a robot, the degree of danger is very high.
For this reason, safety measures for protecting an operator from a robot have been adopted in robot systems.
However, conventional safety methods are inadequate and accidents are caused by even the slightest operator carelessness.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a robot system safety method capable of reliably protecting an operator from a robot.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a robot system safety method capable of decelerating and stopping a robot by sensing when an operator is about to penetrate the robot operating zone.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a robot system safety method whereby a robot in an automatic operating state can be moved by manipulating a teach control panel, even after the robot has been decelerated and stopped.
The present invention provides a safety method in a robot system including at least a robot, peripheral equipment serviced by the robot, a robot control unit which causes the robot to execute predetermined services for the peripheral equipment, and a teach control panel. A door is provided at the entrance to the robot operating zone, and the door is provided with a safety switch for terminating automatic operation of the robot in an automatic operating state. When the safety switch is actuated by opening the door, robot motion in the automatic operating state is decelerated and stopped. During the time that the safety switch is in the actuated state, the robot is placed in a playback operation state to enable control that is performed at the teach control panel. According to the present invention, the robot control unit senses that the operator is about to penetrate the robot operating zone before such penetration occurs and is capable of slowing down and stopping the robot, thus reliably protecting the operator from the robot.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a robot system to which the present invention can be applied;
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a teach control panel;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a robot control unit used in the present invention;
FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B) form a flowchart for processing according to the method of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a chart for describing the relationship between mode and robot operating state; and
FIG. 6 is a view for describing another arrangement of a safety switch.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1, numeral 1 denotes a robot, and numerals 2-5 designate peripheral equipment such as machine tools or cells in which welding members are fixed to tables by jigs for receiving robot services. Numeral 6 denotes a robot 1 control unit for controlling the robot based on robot command data taught in advance. Shown at numeral 7 is a manual data input unit with a CRT (which unit is hereafter referred to as an MDI/CRT). Numeral 8 represents an operator's panel, and numeral 9 a portable (pendant-type) teach control panel.
The items of peripheral equipment 2, 3, 4, 5 are connected to the robot control unit via cables and respectively apply robot service request signals RSR1, RSR2, RSR3, RSR4 to the robot control unit 6. In an automatic operating state, the robot control unit 6 receives the request signals and controls the robot by performing predetermined processing on the basis of robot command data stored in an in
REFERENCES:
patent: 3774217 (1973-11-01), Bonner et al.
patent: 4379335 (1983-04-01), Kirsch et al.
patent: 4442387 (1984-04-01), Lindbom
patent: 4506335 (1985-03-01), Magnuson
patent: 4535207 (1985-08-01), Lindqvist
Nakashima Seiichiro
Sakakibara Shinsuke
Torii Nobutoshi
Toyoda Kenichi
Fanuc Ltd.
Spar Robert J.
Underwood Donald W.
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