JPH0457789A - robot refueling device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION "Field of Industrial Application" The present invention relates to a robot refueling device that performs manual refueling work at a refueling station.

"Prior Art" Conventionally, a robot refueling device that performs refueling work in a targeted manner at a refueling station has been known.

This system consists of a robot that operates from a standby position and performs refueling work by inserting the installed refueling nozzle into the vehicle's refueling port, a control device that controls these robots and the refueling nozzle, and a control device that controls the vehicle's refueling port using image recognition and other methods. The fuel filler opening detection means detects the position and outputs this position data to the control device.

(Here, "standby position" means the position or posture of the robot when it is not working, and also includes the traveling position if it has a traveling function.) When the refueling port detection means searches for the refueling port of the vehicle that has entered and the position data is output to the control device, the robot is operated based on the position data to insert the refueling nozzle into the refueling port and refuel. When the fixed amount of refueling is completed, the robot returns to the standby position.

Usually, this type of device is equipped with an emergency stop switch on the control device to stop the robot in the event of an emergency situation, and the refueling port position changes when the vehicle moves during work. In the event that a person or the like enters the work space, the operator can press the emergency stop switch to emergency stop the operation of the entire abot F refueling system, as it is dangerous.

``Problem to be Solved by the Invention'' However, according to the conventional robot refueling system, when restarting work after the emergency stop is performed and the abnormal situation is resolved, the operator manually moves the robot and waits. Since it had to be returned to its original position, it was difficult and time-consuming to resume work.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a robot #oil device that can easily and quickly resume work after the abnormal situation is resolved.

Means for Solving the Problems J The robot refueling device of the present invention includes a robot that operates from a standby position and performs refueling work by inserting a mounted refueling nozzle into a vehicle's refueling port, and a robot that operates from a standby position to perform refueling work by inserting a mounted refueling nozzle into a vehicle's refueling port. a control device for controlling the operation of the robot to insert the refueling nozzle into the refueling port, an insertion detection means for detecting that the refueling nozzle is inserted into the refueling port and outputting an insertion signal, and a reset for outputting a reset signal. and a signal output operation means, the robot is configured to move the refueling nozzle from the position where reset is instructed to the standby position by the shortest route only when the reset signal is output and the insertion signal is not output. The present invention is characterized in that the control device is provided with a robot control means for operating the robot.

"Operation J" According to the robot refueling device of the present invention, if the refueling nozzle is not inserted into the refueling port of the vehicle, the robot is controlled by the robot control means of the MaB device by operating the reset input means and moves to the standby position by the shortest distance. It works until.

Therefore, if an emergency stop is performed while the refueling nozzle is not inserted into the refueling port, the robot or refueling nozzle must be operated on the vehicle or It is possible to automatically return the robot to the standby position without interfering with the robot and resume operation easily and in a short time.

Even if an emergency stop is performed with the refueling nozzle inserted into the refueling port, you can manually operate the robot to take the refueling nozzle out of the refueling port, move it a short distance away, and then operate the reset input means. Since the remaining operations are automatically performed and the robot returns to the standby position, operation can be resumed more easily and in a shorter time than in the past. Moreover, in this case, even if the operator forgets to manually evacuate the yfI refueling nozzle and operates the reset input means, the operation of the reset input means is invalid and the robot does not operate. It is safe because there is no interference between the refueling nozzle and the vehicle refueling port.

[Example J Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the robot refueling device, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the robot refueling device.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, this device operates from a standby position to direct the mounted refueling nozzle 40 to the refueling port K of the vehicle S.
A robot 50 that is inserted into the fuel tank and performs refueling work, a control device 60 that controls the robot 50 and the refueling nozzle 40,
When the refueling nozzle 10 is inserted into the refueling port K, the robot y) in the control device 60 detects the insertion sensor (insertion detection means) 30 which outputs an insertion signal to the control means 60a, and searches for the refueling port K of the vehicle S. The position information is transmitted to the robot control means 60a.
It is equipped with an image recognition means 70 for outputting to the image.

This device also includes a reset switch (
The control device 60 is provided with a reset signal output operating means) 10 and an emergency switch (emergency stop switch) 20 for emergencyly stopping the operation of the robot 50 and the refueling from the refueling nozzle 40.

The robot 50 has, for example, three degrees of freedom in the main axis and five degrees of freedom in the wrist.
It is a 6Ii/I multi-joint type with 3 self-degrees at 0a, and can move the refueling nozzle 40 attached to the wrist 50a to any position within its operating range and direct it in any direction. .

Furthermore, even when the robot 50 is stopped by the emergency stop switch, the robot 50 maintains the position and posture at the time of stopping (i.e., the arm does not descend due to gravity), and in such a stopped state. It can also be easily moved manually. Specifically, for example, a gravity balance mechanism made of a spring or the like is provided so that the gravity balance of the arm, etc. is H over the entire operating range I.
It has this kind of performance due to the following characteristics.

The robot control means 60a normally operates according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, which will be described later, and controls the robot 50 based on feedback control based on the refueling port position data from the image recognition means 70 to perform refueling work. .

That is, this robot control means 60al is taught in advance to obtain position data D, to D as shown in FIG.
An operation program consisting of I is stored, and the robot control means 60a corrects this operation program based on the refueling port position data from the image recognition means 70,
By operating the robot 50 according to the corrected operation program, the refueling nozzle 40 can be reliably moved to the refueling port K and refueling can be performed even if the vehicle S is placed in a slightly different position than during teaching. ing.

Note that the position data D is data corresponding to the initial position where the robot 50 starts its operation, that is, the standby position.

During operation of the device, the robot control means 60a constantly repeats the operation shown in the flowchart shown in FIG. Only when the robot 50 is not in use, the robot 50 is forcibly moved along the shortest route to the standby position regardless of its operating state.

The image recognition means 70 includes two CCs, as shown in FIG.
It is composed of D cameras 71 and 72, an image analysis section 73, a recognized image data storage section 74, and an analysis data output section 75. Here, the recognized image data storage section 74 stores in advance image data regarding the shape of the object to be photographed, that is, the fuel filler opening. The image analysis unit 73 also compares and analyzes the image data from the two CCD cameras 71 and 72 with the image data about the shape of the fuel filler stored in the recognized image data storage unit 74, and 3-dimensional position data is calculated, and a signal corresponding to this value is outputted from the analysis data output section 75 to the robot # control means 60a.

Note that the reference numeral 80 in FIG. 7 is a start switch not shown in FIG. 1, and when this switch 80 is pressed, the normal refueling operation is started by the robot control means 60a. There is. Also,
The insertion sensor 30 is built into or attached to the fuel nozzle 40.

In addition, those indicated by numerals 90 and 100 in FIG.
Each is a monitor screen. For example, monitor screen 9
0 displays the operating status and input/output signal status of the robot control means 60a, and also displays the monitor screen 10.
0 is the one in which images captured by the CCD cameras 71 and 72 are displayed.

Next, the operation of the robot refueling device configured as above will be explained along with the detailed functions of the robot control means 60a.
This will be explained with reference to FIG. 3 or 4.

First, normal refueling work is performed as follows.

That is, when a vehicle enters a predetermined area and stops in a predetermined area, and an operator presses the nutato sui nochi 80 after removing the refueling OK cap, this robot refueling device performs the following steps as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 81 to S7 are executed.

E/P SIJ The image recognition means 70I starts searching for the fuel filler opening and proceeds to step S2.

If an image corresponding to the fuel filler KE stored in the U steering knob S2 recognition image data storage unit 74 is obtained by the CCD camera 71, 72, the process advances to step S3; otherwise, the vehicle H Since a positioning failure has occurred, the process returns to step S1.

E-Step S3J: The image analysis unit 73 calculates the positional data of the refueling port in the robot coordinate system, and the analysis data output unit 75 transmits this positional data to the robot control means 60a, and the process proceeds to Step S4.

[Step S4 In the corobot control means 60a, the position data D of the robot 50 taught from the refueling port position data transmitted in step S3.

.about.Dn is corrected, an operation program having the corrected position data D and .about.Do' is created as shown in FIG. 6, and the process proceeds to step S5.

F step S5 The robot 50 is operated by the corobot control means 60a, and the operation of the first half of the program obtained in step S4, that is, from the standby position to the refueling position (the position where the refueling nozzle 40 is inserted into the refueling port K) is performed. The operation is performed and the process proceeds to step S6.

[Step S6] The robot control means 60a operates the refueling nozzle 40 to refuel the vehicle S with fuel supplied to the refueling nozzle 40 through the hose 110, and the process proceeds to step S7.

[Step S7 The robot 50 is operated by the corobot control means 60a to perform the second half of the program obtained in step S4, that is, the operation from the refueling position to the standby position, and the process ends.

Further, as described above, as long as the device is in operation, this robot refueling device constantly repeats the following operations of steps Sll to S14, as shown in the flowchart of FIG.

[Step S4 The corobot system 8 means 60a determines whether a reset signal from the reset switch 10 is input. If it is input, the process proceeds to step S12; if not, the process ends.

[Step S12] The robot control means 60a determines whether or not the robot 50 is in the standby position. If it is not in the standby position, the process proceeds to step SI3, and if it is in the standby position, the process ends.

[Step S13] The robot # control means 60a determines whether or not the insertion signal from the insertion sensor 30 has been input. If not, proceed to step 514t; if it has been input, the process ends.

[Step S14] The robot control means 60a forcibly returns the robot 50 to the waiting position m along the shortest route, regardless of the operating state of the robot 50 at this point. The operation path at this time is, for example, the position coordinates of the refueling nozzle 40 at this point (X, Y, Z,), and the position coordinates of the refueling nozzle 40 at the standby position of the Rojo Nozzle 50. The position coordinates are (xo,
YO+zo) and the moving distance of the refueling nozzle 40 is R, on the condition that the following formula (1) holds true.
It may be calculated by the robot control means 60a.

R=((X--Zon"+(Yr-Yo>"(Zr-Z
o) 'F"" --- (1) As is clear from the above explanation, according to the robot refueling device of this embodiment, the refueling nozzle 40 is inserted into the refueling port KJ of the vehicle S. If not, by pressing the reset switch 10,
The robot 50 is a robot control means 60a of the control device 60.
is controlled and moves to the standby position in the shortest distance.

Therefore, when the refueling nozzle 40 is not inserted into the refueling port K, simply pressing the reset switch 10 automatically moves the robot 50 or the refueling nozzle 40 to the standby position without interfering with the vehicle S, etc. operation can be resumed easily and in a short time.

Even if an emergency stop is performed with the refueling nozzle 40 inserted into the refueling port K, the robot 50 can be manually operated to take out the refueling nozzle 40 from the refueling port K and evacuated a certain distance, and then the reset switch can be switched. 10, the remaining operations are automatically performed and the robot 50 returns to the standby position, making it possible to resume the robot operation more easily and in a shorter time than in the past. Moreover, in this case, even if the operator forgets to manually retract the refueling nozzle 40 and presses the reset switch 10, the operation of the reset switch 10 is invalid and the robot 50 does not operate. It is safe because there is no interference between the fuel nozzle 40 and the vehicle fuel filler port due to the operation.

Therefore, according to this robot refueling device, even if an abnormal situation such as sudden movement of the vehicle or a person entering the operating area of the robot occurs and an emergency stop is required, it is easy and quick after the abnormal situation is resolved. Robo in time yh
This has the effect of allowing the driver to return to the standby position and resume operation smoothly.

Note that determining whether or not the refueling nozzle 40 has been inserted is as follows.
The image recognition means 70 may be used instead of the insertion sensor.

"Effect of the Invention J According to the robot refueling device of the present invention, even if an abnormal situation such as sudden movement of a vehicle or a person entering the robot's operating area occurs during robot operation and an emergency stop is made, After release, the robot can be easily and quickly returned to the standby position and operation can be resumed smoothly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1 to 7 are diagrams showing an embodiment of the present invention,
Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the robot refueling device, Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the image recognition means, and Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of the robot refueling device.
4 are flowcharts showing the operation of the robot refueling device, FIGS. 5 and 6 are diagrams showing the robot operation program, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the robot refueling device. . 10... Reset signal output operation means (reset switch), O... Insertion detection means (insertion sensor), O...
...;・Refueling nozzle, O...Robot, 0...Control device, Oa...Robot*Jll1 means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A robot that operates from a standby position and performs refueling work by inserting a mounted refueling nozzle into the refueling port of a vehicle, and controlling the operation of the robot to insert the refueling nozzle into the refueling port of the vehicle. comprising a control device, an insertion detection means for detecting that the refueling nozzle is inserted into the refueling port and outputting an insertion signal, and a reset signal output operation means for outputting a reset signal, the reset signal. The control device is provided with robot control means for operating the robot so that when the insertion signal is output, the refueling nozzle moves from the position where reset is instructed to the standby position via the shortest route. A robot refueling device characterized by: