Method for inserting an object into an object-receiving area using a robot manipulator

Abstract

A method and robot for inserting an object into an object-receiving area using an actuator-driven robot manipulator of a robot, wherein the robot manipulator has an effector at its distal end, designed to receive and/or grip the object, and wherein an inserting trajectory T is defined for the object-receiving area and the object to be inserted, and a target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T) of the object to be inserted is defined along the inserting trajectory T for locations {right arrow over (R)}.sub.T of the inserting trajectory T including the following operations: receiving/gripping the object using the effector, moving the object using the robot manipulator along the inserting trajectory {right arrow over (T)} into the object-receiving area while continuously performing predetermined tilting motions of the object that are closed and cyclical motions relative to the target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T) via a force-regulated and/or impedance-regulated control of the robot manipulator until a specific threshold condition G1 for a torque acting on the effector and/or a force acting on the effector is reached or exceeded, and/or a provided force/torque signature and/or a position/speed signature on the effector is reached or exceeded, which indicate(s) that the object has been completely successfully inserted into the object-receiving area within specified tolerances; releasing the object by the effector; and moving the effector away from the object-receiving area along the exit trajectory A using the robot manipulator.

Claims

1. A method of inserting an object into an object-receiving area by an actuator-driven robot manipulator of a robot and controlling the robot manipulator, wherein the robot manipulator has an effector at its distal end, designed to receive and/or grip the object, and wherein an inserting trajectory T is defined for the object-receiving area and the object to be inserted, and a target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T) of the object to be inserted is defined along the inserting trajectory T for locations {right arrow over (R)}.sub.T of the inserting trajectory T, the method comprising the following steps: 1.1 receiving/gripping the object using the effector; 1.2 moving the object using the robot manipulator along the inserting trajectory {right arrow over (T)} into the object-receiving area while continuously performing predetermined tilting motions of the object that are closed and cyclical motions relative to the target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T) via a force-regulated and/or impedance-regulated control of the robot manipulator, until: a specific threshold condition G1 for a torque acting on the effector and/or a force acting on the effector is reached or exceeded, and/or a provided force/torque signature and/or a position/speed signature on the effector is reached or exceeded, which indicate(s) that the object has been completely successfully inserted into the object-receiving area within specified tolerances; 1.3 releasing the object by the effector; and 1.4 moving the effector away from the object-receiving area using the robot manipulator along a specified exit trajectory A.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein releasing the object in step 1.3 takes place by continuously performing force-regulated and/or impedance-regulated tilting motions.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising making translational lateral motions of the effector with the object in step 1.2 and/or step 1.3 around the inserting trajectory T/exit trajectory A.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tilting motions in step 1.2 and/or in step 1.3 tilt the object around one, two, or three tilting axes relative to the target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T), such that the tilting of the object around the tilting axis is by an angle in a range of up to ±1°, ±2°, ±5°, ±7°, ±10°, ±12°, ±15° to the target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein, if during the receiving/gripping of the object by the effector in step 1.1 an error should occur, repeating the receiving/gripping of the object by the effector with different parameters for receiving/gripping the object.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, to an extent that an error should occur when the object is moved by the robot manipulator along the inserting trajectory T in the inserting direction into the object-receiving area, repeating moving the object using the robot manipulator into the object-receiving area along a modified inserting trajectory T* and/or with modified parameters for the force-regulated and/or impedance-regulated tilting motions of the object relative to the target orientation O.sub.soll ({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T).

7. A robot with an actuator-driven robot manipulator to insert an object into an object-receiving area, wherein the robot manipulator has an effector at its distal end, designed to receive and/or grip the object, and wherein an inserting trajectory T is defined for the object-receiving area and the object to be inserted, and a target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T) ° f the object to be inserted is defined along the inserting trajectory T for locations {right arrow over (R)}.sub.T of the inserting trajectory T, the robot comprising a control unit designed to perform operations comprising: 11.1 receiving/gripping the object using the effector; 11.2 moving the object using the robot manipulator along the inserting trajectory {right arrow over (T)} into the object-receiving area while continuously performing predetermined tilting motions of the object that are closed and cyclical motions relative to the target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T) via a force-regulated and/or impedance-regulated control of the robot manipulator, until: a specific threshold condition G1 for a torque acting on the effector and/or a force acting on the effector is reached or exceeded, and/or a provided force/torque signature and/or a position/speed signature on the effector is reached or exceeded, which indicate(s) that the object has been completely successfully inserted into the object-receiving area within specified tolerances; 11.3 releasing the object by the effector; and 11.4 moving the effector away from the object-receiving area using the robot manipulator along a specified exit trajectory A.

8. The robot according to claim 7, wherein the releasing the object in operation 11.3 takes place by continuously performing force-regulated and/or impedance-regulated tilting motions.

9. The robot according to claim 7, further comprising making translational lateral motions of the effector with the object in operation 11.2 and/or operation 11.3 around the inserting trajectory T/exit trajectory A.

10. The robot according to claim 7, wherein the tilting motions in operation 11.2 and/or in operation 11.3 rotate or tilt the object around one, two, or three tilting axes relative to the target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T), such that the tilting of the object around the tilting axis is by an angle in a range of up to ±1°, ±2°, ±5°, ±7°, ±10°, ±12°, ±15° to the target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T).

11. The robot according to claim 7, wherein, if during the receiving/gripping of the object by the effector in operation 11.1 an error should occur, repeating the receiving/gripping of the object by the effector with different parameters for receiving/gripping the object.

12. The robot according to claim 7, wherein, to an extent that an error should occur when the object is moved by the robot manipulator along the inserting trajectory T in the inserting direction into the object-receiving area, repeating movement of the object using the robot manipulator into the object-receiving area along a modified inserting trajectory T* and/or with modified parameters for the force-regulated and/or impedance-regulated tilting motions of the object relative to the target orientation O.sub.soll ({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T).

13. A system to insert an object into an object-receiving area by an actuator-driven robot manipulator of a robot and control the robot manipulator, wherein the robot manipulator has an effector at its distal end, designed to receive and/or grip the object, and wherein an inserting trajectory T is defined for the object-receiving area and the object to be inserted, and a target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T) of the object to be inserted is defined along the inserting trajectory T for locations {right arrow over (R)}.sub.T of the inserting trajectory T, the system comprising: a data processing device; and storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by the data processing device, cause the data processing device to perform operations comprising: 11.1 receiving/gripping the object using the effector; 11.2 moving the object using the robot manipulator along the inserting trajectory T into the object-receiving area while continuously performing predetermined tilting motions of the object that are closed and cyclical motions relative to the target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T) via a force-regulated and/or impedance-regulated control of the robot manipulator, until: a specific threshold condition G1 for a torque acting on the effector and/or a force acting on the effector is reached or exceeded, and/or a provided force/torque signature and/or a position/speed signature on the effector is reached or exceeded, which indicate(s) that the object has been completely successfully inserted into the object-receiving area within specified tolerances; 11.3 releasing the object by the effector; and 11.4 moving the effector away from the object-receiving area using the robot manipulator along a specified exit trajectory A.

14. A non-transitory storage medium storing instructions to insert an object into an object-receiving area, wherein the robot manipulator has an effector at its distal end, designed to receive and/or grip the object, and wherein an inserting trajectory T is defined for the object-receiving area and the object to be inserted, and a target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T) ° f the object to be inserted is defined along the inserting trajectory T for locations {right arrow over (R)}.sub.T of the inserting trajectory T, the instructions when executed by a data processing device cause the data processing device to perform operations comprising: 11.1 receiving/gripping the object using the effector; 11.2 moving the object using the robot manipulator along the inserting trajectory {right arrow over (T)} into the object-receiving area while continuously performing predetermined tilting motions of the object that are closed and cyclical motions relative to the target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T) via a force-regulated and/or impedance-regulated control of the robot manipulator, until: a specific threshold condition G1 for a torque acting on the effector and/or a force acting on the effector is reached or exceeded, and/or a provided force/torque signature and/or a position/speed signature on the effector is reached or exceeded, which indicate(s) that the object has been completely successfully inserted into the object-receiving area within specified tolerances; 11.3 releasing the object by the effector; and 11.4 moving the effector away from the object-receiving area using the robot manipulator along a specified exit trajectory A.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of a proposed method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of a proposed method of inserting an object into an object-receiving area by an actuator-driven robot manipulator of a robot and of controlling the robot manipulator, wherein the robot manipulator has an effector at its distal end, designed to receive and/or grip the object, and wherein a inserting trajectory T is defined for the object-receiving area and the object to be inserted, and a target orientation O.sub.soll({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T) of the object to be inserted is defined along the inserting trajectory T for locations {right arrow over (R)}.sub.T of the inserting trajectory T.

(4) The method includes the following steps. In a first step 101, the effector is used to receive/grip the object.

(5) In a second step 102, the object is moved using the robot manipulator along the inserting trajectory {right arrow over (T)} into the object-receiving area while rotating/tilting the object relative to the target orientation O.sub.soll ({right arrow over (R)}.sub.T) in a force-regulated and/or impedance-regulated manner until a specific threshold condition G1 for a torque acting on the effector and/or a force acting on the effector is reached or exceeded, and/or until a provided force/torque signature and/or a position/speed signature on the effector is reached or exceeded, which indicate(s) that the object has been completely successfully inserted into the object-receiving area within specified tolerances.

(6) After the successful completion of step 102, a release of the object by the effector by way of force-regulated and/or impedance-regulated rotating/tilting motions follows in step 103.

(7) Step 104 involves the moving away of the effector by the robot manipulator along a specified exit trajectory A.

(8) Although the invention has been further illustrated and explained by way of preferred example embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived therefrom by the person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention. It is thus understood that a plurality of possible variations exists. It is also understood that embodiments presented by way of example are really merely examples that should not be construed as limiting the scope, the possible applications or the configuration of the invention in any way. The above description and the description of the FIGURE rather enable the person skilled in the art to concretely implement the example embodiments, wherein the person skilled in the art, having knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, can make numerous changes, for example, with respect to the function or the arrangement of individual elements, mentioned in an example embodiment, without departing from the scope defined by the claims and their legal equivalences, such as further explanations in the description.

REFERENCE LIST

(9) 101-104 Steps of the method.