Patent ID: 11970344
Assignee: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 9:
10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer for an apparatus for controlling a robot arm with an end effector for packing one or more workpieces in a box-shaped open container, cause the computer to execute functions comprising:
statistically calculating a predetermined safety distance based on a plurality of values of an inward projection of a side part of a contact prevention sheet that covers both a top of and an inner surface of at least one side wall of the box-shaped open container, the predetermined safety distance being for preventing any of the workpieces from interfering with the contact prevention sheet, while being packed into the box-shaped open container;
specifying a position in the box-shaped open container at which a selected workpiece among the one or more workpieces is located, the box-shaped open container having a bottom wall and the at least one side wall that extends to the top of the box-shaped open container, the inner surface of the at least one side wall being covered, from the top, with the contact prevention sheet having an indefinite and changeable shape, the contact prevention sheet preventing direct contact between the selected workpiece and the inner surface and being put on the top of the container without being completely fixed thereto such that the contact prevention sheet covers the top and the inner surface;
instructing the robot arm to pick up the selected workpiece with the end effector;
determining whether the specified position in the box-shaped open container is adjacent to the inner surface of the at least one side wall of the container; and
instructing the robot arm to move the selected and picked-up workpiece downward while preventing the selected and picked-up workpiece from entering a predetermined safety zone in response to a determination that the specified position is adjacent to the inner surface of the at least one side wall of the box-shaped open container,
wherein the safety zone represents an internal space of the container defined between the inner surface of the at least one side wall and a virtual plane that is parallel to the at least one side wall and is separated away therefrom by the predetermined safety distance in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the at least one side wall and the virtual plane.