WORKING APPARATUS OF PLIABLE STRUCTURE

Abstract: A working apparatus of pliable structure having a sup­ port (4), an arm assembly (6) pivotally connected to the support (4). The arm assembly (6) includes at least a first arm member (8) and a second arm member (10) pivotally connected to each other and pivotally moved by a first actuator (12) and a second actuator (14), respectively. At least the second arm member has an external load (P) applied to its forward end portion (O₃) for working. The apparatus includes angle sensor means (E₁, E₂) for sensing pivoting angles of the first arm member and second arm member, respectively, load sensor means (F) for sensing the external load (P), target position indication means (22, 32) for indicating coordinate values (x, y) of a target position of the forward end portion of the second arm member, and control means (24, 34) including deflection calculation means (24a, 34a) for inputting signals (ϑ₁, ϑ₂, P) produced by the angle sensor means and load sensor means and cal­ culating a deflection (Δx, Δy) of the arm assembly at the forward end portion of the second arm member, pivoting angle calculation means (24d, 34d) for inputting signals produced by the target position indication means and cal­ culating provisional pivoting angles (ϑ 1r , ϑ 2r ) for the first arm member and second arm member corresponding to the target position when the arm assembly is assumed to produce no deflection, and correcting angle calculation means (24e, 34c) for inputting signals produced by the de­ flection calculation means and pivoting angle calculation means and calculating, as correcting angles (Δϑ₁, Δϑ₂), the pivoting angles for the first arm member and second arm member corresponding to the deflection in the position of the provisional pivoting angles, whereby the first actuator and second actuator are actuated based on the signals produced by the pivoting angle calculation means and cor­ recting angle calculation means to pivotally move the first arm member and second arm member, respectively, to thereby correct any error caused by the deflection of the arm assembly in positioning the forward end portion of the second arm member for achieving accurate positioning thereof at the target position.

Description: This invention relates to a working apparatus of pliable structure, such as a cargo handling apparatus with a multiple degree of freedom, a robbot, etc., which is equipped with an arm assembly having a plurality of arms connected together for pivotal movement. To save labor and cope with diversification of workload in assembling and construction workstations, there has in recent years been an increasing demand for a working apparatus equipped with an arm assembly having a plurality of arms with a multiple degree of freedom. Meanwhile, one of the problems which manufactures encounter nowadays in reducing production costs is how to obtain a light weight of this type of working apparatus. Under these circumstances, assembling robots and coating robots have in recent years been introduced. These robots have relatively short arms which are about 2 to 3 meters in length, and no great influences are exerted on production costs even if a rigid structure with little deflection is adopted to increase the precision and accuracy with which the arms are positioned. However, in working apparatus such as construction machines, an arm assembly having a plurality of arms of large length which are 20 to 30 meters in length and have a plurality of joints is required to handle articles of heavy weight. In this type of working apparatus, it is impossible to adopt a rigid structure as is the case with the assembling and coating robots referred to hereinabove, because the size of the arms would have to be increased and an increase in the size of the arms would require an increase in the size of actuators for driving the arms. This would inevitably result in a rise in production costs. After all, the use of a rigid structure in this type of working apparatus would be economically infeasible. This has prompted one to try to adopt a pliable structure for working apparatus in which the arms have minimized dimensions (including the width). The problem encountered in working apparatus of pliable structure is that difficulty is experienced in achieving a high degree of precision and accuracy in positioning the arms because of possible inevitable deflection of the arms. GB-A-2 102 590 shows a digital movement controller for automatic multi-axis machines. Each axis is moved by an actuator and its movement is monitored by a transducer electrically connected to an individual control module including digital data processing means that repeatedly determines the distance through which the axis has moved, compares the position of the axis with an interim target position and supplies a control signal to the actuator to cause it to move to a required direction and velocity during the next time period until the axis has reached its final target position. In contrast to the present invention the position of the axis is not corrected by means of advanced control whereby an accepted degree of pliabilty of the structure is taken into account. Moreover, it is not explicitly disclosed how the calculations are performed for deriving the necessary control signals. EP-A-062 076 dicloses a control method and an apparatus for controlling an industrial robot. The apparatus includes a memory for storing the deflection amount of an arm when the arm having a predetermined length holds a workpiece having a predetermined weight. An arithmetic circuit is provided for calculating the deflection amount of bending caused by a workpiece of any weight on the basis of the prestored values. However, the disclosed apparatus takes only the deflections into account due to the static load but does not suggest the calculation of deflection due to dynamic loads produced while moving an arm assembly. This invention has been developed for the purpose of obviating the aforesaid problem in adopting a pliable structure for a working apparatus. Accordingly, the invention has as its object the provision of a working apparatus of pliable structure which is capable, by accommodating a deflection of each arm, of achieving positioning the arms with a high degree of precision and accuracy during operation of the working apparatus. To accomplish the aforesaid object, there is provided according to the invention a working apparatus having the features as recited in claim 1. In the working apparatus of pliable structure, it may further comprise correction initiation indication means for starting correction of the positioning error caused by the deflection of the arm assembly, whereby the first arm member and second arm member are first pivotally moved by the signal produced by the pivoting angle calculation means and then they are pivotally moved by the signal produced by the correcting angle calculation means to correct the positioning error after the pivotal movement of the first and second arm members caused by the first signal has been terminated. Fig. 1 is a side view of the working apparatus of pliable structure comprising one embodiment of the invention, showing the arm assembly mounted thereon; Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the control system for positioning the forward end portion of the second arm of the arm assembly of the working apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are schematic views each showing the arm assembly of Fig. 1 as a model and indicating the quantity of state, in explanation of the arithmetic operation performed by the control unit of the system shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a flow chart in explanation of the program used when the control unit shown in Fig. 2 is realized by means of a microcomputer; Fig. 6 is a flow chart showing in detail the steps of the flow chart shown in Fig. 5; and In Fig. 1, the reference numeral 2 designates a working apparatus of pliable structure comprising one embodiment of the invention. The working apparatus of pliable structure 2 comprises a support 4 held stationary, and an arm assembly 6 pivotally mounted by the support 4 and comprising a plurality of arm members or a first arm member 8 and a second arm member 10, for example. The first arm member 8 is connected through a pin to the support 4 for pivotal movement about a point O₁, and the second arm member 10 is connected through a pin to the first arm member 8 for pivotal movement about a point O₂. An external load P is applied to a point O₃ at a forward end of the second arm member 10. The first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 are constructed such that they each have a light weight and produce a deflection which is not negligible. The first arm member 8 is pivotally moved with respect to the mount 4 by a hydraulic cylinder 12 connected to the support 4, and the second arm member 10 is pivotally moved with respect to the first arm member 8 by a hydraulic cylinder 14 connected to the first arm member 8. An angle gauge E₁ is located at the point O₁ about which the first arm member 8 is pivotally moved with respect to the support 4 for sensing a pivoting angle of the arm assembly 6 or a pivoting angle ϑ₁ of the first arm member 8 with respect to the horizontal extending through the point O₁. An angle gauge E₂ is located at the point O₂ about which the second arm member 10 is pivotally moved with respect to the first arm member 8 for sensing a relative angle ϑ₂ between the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10. An accelerometer A₁ is located at a forward end of the first arm member 8 to sense an acceleration α₁ at that portion. An accelerometer A₂ is located at a forward end of the second arm member 10 to sense an acceleration α₂ at that portion. A force sensor F is located at the point O₃ at which an external load P is applied to the forward end of the second arm member 10 by cargo suspended therefrom to sense the external load P. The angle gauges E₁ and E₂, accelerometers A₁ and A₂ and force sensor F are arranged in a manner to constitute parts of a positioning control system 20 shown in Fig. 2. The control system 20 comprises a target position indication device 22 operative to produce a signal for indicating a target position of the external load applied point O₃ at the forward end of the second arm member 10 in the form of signals indicative of the coordinate values (x, y) of an x-y coordinate system having its origin at the point O₁. The signal x, y produced by the indication device 22 is delivered into a control unit 24 for correcting an error caused by the deflection of the arm assembly 6 in positioning the forward end of the second arm member 10. The control unit 24 comprises a deflection calculation section 24a connected to the angle gauges E₁ and E₂, accelerometers A₁ and A₂ and force sensor F for inputting signals ϑ₁, ϑ₂, α₁, α₂, and P therefrom to calculate a deflection at the external load applied point O₃ as values Δx and Δy of the x- and y-direction components of the x-y coordinate system, an initial position calculation section 24b connected to the angle gauges E₁ and E₂ and target position indication device 22 for inputting signals produced by the angle gauges E₁ and E₂ when the device 22 produces the signal x, y for indicating the target position and calculating an initial position of the external load applied point O₃ as coordinate values (x o , y o ) of the x-y coordinate system, and a locus position calculation section 24c connected to the target position indication device 22 and initial position calculation section 24b for inputting signals therefrom for the calculating a multiplicity of instantaneous target positions of the external load applied point O₃, which may be N in number, for example, located on a locus between the initial position and target position as coordinate values (x i , y i )(i = 1, 2, 3....N) of the x-y coordinate system. The signals x i , y i produced by the locus position calculation section 24c are supplied to a pivoting angle calculation section 24d which, based on these signals, calculates provisional pivoting angles ϑ 1r and ϑ 2r for the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 corresponding to instantaneous target positions x i and y i when the arm assembly 6 is assumed to be a rigid structure producing no deflection. Meanwhile, the signal Δx, Δy produced by the deflection calculation section 24a is supplied, together with the signal ϑ 1r , ϑ 2r produced by the pivoting angle calculation section 24d, to a correcting angle calculation section 24e which, based on these signals, calculates correcting angle Δϑ₁ and Δϑ₂ for the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 corresponding to deflections Δx and Δy in the position of the provisional angles ϑ 1r and ϑ 2r , respectively. The signals produced by the pivoting angle calculation section 24d and correcting angle calculation section 24e are supplied to adders 24f and 24g which calculate corrected pivoting angles ϑ 1r + Δϑ₁ and ϑ 2r + Δϑ₂ for the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10. The adders 24f and 24g produce outputs which are supplied to adders for feedback 24h and 24i, respectively, which calculate differences between the corrected pivoting angles ϑ 1r + Δϑ₁ and ϑ 2r + Δϑ₂ and the actual pivoting angles ϑ₁ and ϑ₂ of the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 sensed by the angle gauses E₁ and E₂ respectively, and supply difference signals to a servomechanism 26. The servomechanism 26 which may be composed of the hydraulic cylinders 12 and 14, servo valves and electromagnetic proportional valves, not shown, is driven by the signals from the adders 24h and 24i so as to cause the hydraulic cylinders 12 and 14 to act in a manner to bring the pivoting angles of the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 into coincidence with the corrected pivoting angles ϑ 1r + Δϑ₁ and ϑ 2r + Δϑ₂, respectively. The outputs produced by the adders 24h and 24i are also supplied to a comparator section 24j where it is judged whether or not the differences (ϑ 1r + Δϑ₁) - ϑ₁ and (ϑ 2r + Δϑ₂) - ϑ₂ between the corrected pivoting angles and the actual angles sensed by the angle gauges E₁ and E₂ are smaller than an allowance Δϑ a . When the result obtained is (ϑ 1r + Δϑ₁) - ϑ₁ < Δϑ a and (ϑ 2r + Δϑ₂) - ϑ₂ < Δϑ a , the comparator section 24j produces a renewal signal which is supplied to the locus position calculation section 24c which, upon receipt of this signal, switches the signal indicating the instantaneous target position x i , y i to a new signal indicating the next following instantaneous target position x i+1 , y i+1 , so that control is effected based on the renewed signals to correct an error in positioning the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10. The locus position calculation section 24c stops producing signals when the instantaneous target position reaches the final position x n , y n , thereby terminating a positioning control operation. Thus, the control unit 24 operates such that the positioning error caused by the deflection of the arm assembly 6 can be corrected while the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 are being pivotally moved, thereby accurately positioning the external load applied point O₃ at the target position. The principle of calculations done at the deflection calculation section 24a of the control unit 24 will be described by referring to Figs. 3 and 4. Referring to Fig. 3, let the torque acting on the point O₁ and the torque acting on the point O₂ when the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 are pivotally moved be denoted by T₁ and T₂, respectively. Then, the torques T₁ and T₂ can be expressed as follows utilizing Lagrangian equation of motion: where: J₁ : the moment of inertia of first arm member 8. J₂ : the moment of inertia of second arm member 10. J₃ : the moment of inertia of external load. m₁ : the mass of first arm member 8. m₂ : the mass of second arm member 10. m₃ : the mass of external load. ℓ₁ : the fundamental length of first arm meber 8 (the distance between the points O₁ and O₂). ℓ₂ : the fundamental length of second arm member 10 (the distance between the points O₂ and O₃). ℓ gl : the distance between the point O₁ and the position of the center of gravity O A of first arm member 8. ℓ g2 : the distance between the point O₂ and the position of the center of gravity O B of second arm member 10. β : the deviation angle of the position of the center of gravity O A of first arm member 8 with respect to the point O₁. γ : the deviation angle of the position of the center of gravity O B of second arm member 10 with respect to the point O₂. g : gravitational acceleration. In the above values, J₁, J₂, J₃, m₁, m₂, ℓ₁, ℓ₂, ℓ g1 , ℓ g2 , β, γ and g are known and constant. The value m₃ is given by P / g and thus can be known by sensing P. The relations and exist between the accelerations α₁ and α₂ and the angular velocities ₁ and ₂ at the points O₂ and O₃. Thus, it is possible to obtain ₁ and ₂ by sensing α₁ and α₂. The angular velocities ₁ and ₂ can be obtained by differentiating the signals ϑ₁ and ϑ₂ of the angle gauges E₁ and E₂, respectively. Thus, the sum W₁, W₂ of the dynamic loads acting on the points O₂ and O₃ at the forward ends of the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 and the loads applied thereto by the weights of arm members can be obtained if one divides by the lengths ℓ₁ and ℓ₂ of the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 the torques T₁ and T₂ obtained by the equations (1) and (2), respectively, as follows: Thus, the deflection V₂ produced at the point O₃ at the forward end of the second arm member 10 by the sum W₂ of the dynamic load and the static load applied to the point O₃ can be obtained by the following equation: V₂ = {W₂/3EI₂}ℓ₂³ (3) Consequently, the value of V₂ can be obtained. The deflection V₁ produced at the point O₂ at the forward end of the first arm member 8 by the sum W₁ of the dynamic load the static load applied to the point O₂ can be obtained by the following equation: V₁ = {W₁/3 EI₁}ℓ₁³ (4) In Fig. 4, the target position of the point O₃ which is the external load applied point of the second arm member 10 is set at a point O''₃, and the pivoting angles of the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 for bringing the point O₃ to the target position O''₃ are set at ϑ₁' and ϑ₂', respectively, when the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 are assumed to produce no deflection. In actual practice, however, the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 produce deflections as described hereinabove. As a result, the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 are actually located in positions lower than their target positions, and the deflections V₁ and V₂ can be obtained by the equations (3) and (4), respectively, as described hereinabove. Also, ϑ₁'≈ϑ₁ and ϑ₂'≈ϑ₂. Thus, the x- and y-coordinates of the deflections V₁ and V₂ in the x-y coordinate system which may be denoted by V 1x , V 1y , V 2x and V 2y can be expressed as follows: V 1x = V₁sinϑ₁'≈V₁sinϑ₁ V 1y = V₁cosϑ₁'≈V₁cosϑ₁ V 2x = -V₂cos(ϑ₂' + ϑ₁' - π/2) ≈-V₂sin(ϑ₁ + ϑ₂) V 2y = -V₂sin(ϑ₁' + ϑ₂ - π/2) ≈V₂cos(ϑ₁ + ϑ₂) Thus, the deflection Δx in the x-direction and the deflection Δy in the y-direction at the point O₃ can be obtained by the following equations: In this way, the deflections Δx and Δy are calculated at the deflection calculation section 24a. In the locus position calculation section 24c of the control unit 24, the coordinate values (x i , y i ) of the instantaneous positions are obtained by calculating the difference between the coordinate values (x o , y o ) of the initial positions and the coordinate values (x, y) of the target positions and dividing the difference into N portions. That is, the values of x i , y i are obtained by the following equations: Calculation is done as follows in the pivoting angle calculation section 24d. Let us assume that the external load applied point O₃ is located in the instantaneous target position (x i , y i ), and let the angle formed by the line 0₁0₃ connecting the points O₁ and O₃ together and the first arm member 8 and the angle formed by the line O₁O₃ and the x-axis be denoted by b₁ and b₂ respectively. Then, with regard to the line O₁O₃ , the following relation holds: 0₁0₃ = x² i + y² i With regard to the triangle O₁O₂O₃, the following relation holds based on the cosine theorem: ℓ₂² = ℓ₁² + O₁O₃ ² - 2ℓ₁· O₁O₃ · cos b₁ Thus, the following equation can be obtained: Since tan b₂ = y i /x i , b₂ can be expressed as follows: b₂ = tan⁻¹ (y i /x i ) Since ϑ 1r = b₁ + b₂ , ϑ 1r can be obtained from the following equation: Likewise, the following relation holds based on the cosine theorem with regard to the triangle O₁O₂O₃: O₁O₃ ² = ℓ₁² + ℓ₂² - 2ℓ₁ℓ₂ cosϑ 2r Thus, ϑ 2r is given by In the correcting angle calculation section 24e, calculation is done as follows: As signals ϑ 1r and ϑ 2r are produced by the pivoting angle calculation section 24d, the coordinate values (x, y) of the external load applied point O₃ are given as follows: Δx = f₁ (ϑ 1r , ϑ 2r ) (7) Δy = f₂ (ϑ 1r , ϑ 2r ) (8) Generally, if the errors of X₁, X₂, X₃ are expressed as ΔX₁, ΔX₂, ΔX₃ with regard to functions expressed as Y = f (X₁, X₂, X₃.....), then the error ΔY of Y can be expressed as follows: ΔY = (∂f/∂X₁)·ΔX₁+(∂f/∂X₂)·ΔX₂+(∂f/∂X₃)·ΔX₃+..... When this relation is applied to the equations (7) and (8), the following equations are obtained: Δx = (∂f₁/∂ϑ 1r )·Δϑ₁+(∂f₁/∂ϑ 2r )·Δϑ₂ (9) Δy = (∂f₂/∂ϑ 2r )·Δϑ₁+(∂f₂/∂ϑ 2r )·Δϑ₂ (10) By substituting the Δx and Δy of the equations (5) and (6) into the equations (9) and (10) respectively, Δϑ₁ and Δϑ₂ can be obtained. The Δϑ₁ and Δϑ₂ obtained in this way are outputted to the adders 24f and 24g from the correcting angle calculation section 24e. In the embodiment shown and described hereinabove, the calculation sections 24a-24e and the comparator section 24j of the control unit 24 can be constituted by logical circuits. Also, they can be realized by using a microcomputer. The control unit as a whole can be realized by using a microcomputer. An operation program for the control unit 24 to be used when it is realized by using a microcomputer will be described by referring to the flow charts shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In step a shown in Fig. 5, the coordinate values (x, y) of the target position indicated by the target position indication device 22 are read out. In step b , the coordinate values (x o , y o ) of the initial position are calculated based on the outputs ϑ₁ and ϑ₂ of the angle gauges E₁ and E₂ when a signal indicative of the target position is produced by the device 22. Then, in step c , based on the coordinate values (x, y) of the target position and the coordinate values (x o , y o ) of the initial position, the ith coordinates values (x i , y i ) out of those of the multiplicity of instantaneous target positions on the locus between the initial position and the target position are calculated. The manner of the calculation done in this step is the same as described by referring to the locus position calculation section 24c. In step d , the provisional pivoting angles ϑ 1r and ϑ 2r for the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 for realizing the instantaneous target position (x i , y i ) are calculated. The manner of the calculation done in this step is the same as described by referring to the pivoting angle calculation section 24d. In step e , as shown in detail in Fig. 6, signals ϑ₁, ϑ₂, α₁, α₂ and P produced by the angle gauges E₁ and E₂, accelerometers A₁ and A₂ and force sensor F are inputted, and, based on the inputted values, calculation is done by using the equations (1) to (4) to obtain the deflections V₁ and V₂ at the points O₂ and O₃ at the forward ends of the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 and based on the values of V₁ and V₂, calculation is done by using the equations (5) and (6) to obtain the deflections Δx and Δy at the forward end O₃ of the second arm member 10. Further, based on these values and the values of ϑ 1r and ϑ 2r obtained in step d calculation is done by using the equations (7) to (10) to obtain correcting angles Δϑ₁ and Δϑ₂ for the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10 corresponding to the deflections Δx and Δy, respectively. In step f , the correcting angles Δϑ₁ and Δϑ₂ are added to the provisional pivoting angles ϑ 1r and ϑ 2r to obtain corrected pivoting angles ϑ 1r + Δϑ₁ and ϑ 2r + Δϑ₂. In step g , the differences between the signals ϑ₁ and ϑ₂ outputted by the angle gauges E₁ and E₂ and the corrected pivoting angles ϑ 1r + Δϑ₁ and ϑ 2r + Δϑ₂ are obtained, and whether or not the difference is smaller than the allowance Δϑ a is judged. When the difference is found to be larger than the allowance Δϑ a , the operation shifts to step h in which a signal corresponding to the differences is outputted to the servomechanism 26 to pivotally move the arms members 8 and 10. When the difference is found to become smaller than the allowance Δϑ a as the result of the pivotal movement of the arm members 8 and 10, the operation shifts to step i . In step i , the number i of the ith instantaneous target position is compared with the division number N, and when i = N, the operation is terminated. When i ≠ N, the operation returns to step c and the coordinate values of the next following instantaneous target position are calculated, and the same process as described hereinabove is repeated. In the embodiment shown and described hereinabove, the signals α₁ and α₂ produced by the accelerometers A₁ and A₂ have been used to obtain angular accelerations ₁ and ₂ in the equations (1) and (2) used to calculate deflections at the deflection calculation section 24a. However, the angular accelerations ₁ and ₂ can be also be obtained by twice differentiating the values of the output signals ϑ₁ and ϑ₂ of the angle gauges E₁ and E₂. Thus, the accelerometers A₁ and A₂ can be done without. However, to increase the accuracy of the result of calculation of the angular accelerations, accelerometers had better been used. To obtain the angular velocities, calculation has been done to differentiate output signals ϑ₁ and ϑ₂ of the angle gauges E₁ and E₂. However, to increase the accuracy of the calculation, angular velocity meters may be provided to directly obtain the values of the angular velocities ϑ ˙₁ and ϑ ˙₂. In the embodiments shown in Fig. 2, the arm assembly 6 has been described as comprising the first arm member 8 and second arm member 10. However, the invention is not limited to this specific number of arm members, and the arm assembly may comprise three or more than three arm members, for example. The arm members 8 and 10 have been described as being driven for pivotal movement by the hydraulic cylinders 12 and 14, respectively. However, this is not restrictive, and any actuators such as hydraulic motors may be used as actuators in place of the hydraulic cylinders 12 and 14. The arm members 8 and 10 may be driven, not hydraulically, but pneumatically or electrically as desired. In the embodiments shown in Fig. 2, the arm assembly 6 is constructed such that an external load is applied only to the forward end of the second arm member 10. However, the invention is not limited to this specific construction of the arm assembly, and the first arm member 8 may support in a predetermined position a deck for an operator to stand and supervise the operation, so that an additional external load is applied to the arm assembly 6 in a portion thereof other than the forward end of the second arm member 10. From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the working apparatus of pliable structure according to the invention is constructed such that the arm assembly can be positioned with a high degree of accuracy and precision by taking into consideration the deflections of the arm members, and this makes the working apparatus of pliable structure according to the invention suitable for use as working apparatus, such as construction machinery, which require elongated arms of light weight.

Claims: A working apparatus of pliable structure having a support (4) and an arm assembly (6) pivotally connected to said support, said arm assembly including at least a first arm member (8) and a second arm member (10), said arm members being constructed such that they each have a light weight and produce a deflection which is not negligible under operational conditions, said arm members being pivotally connected to each other and being pivotally moved by a first (12) and a second (14) actuator, respectively said second arm member having an external load (P) applied to its forward end portion; the apparatus comprising: angle sensors (E1,E2) for sensing pivoting angles (ϑ1, ϑ2) of said first and said second arm members, respectively; a force sensor (F) for sensing the external load (P); accelerators (A1,A2) for sensing accelerations (α₁,α₂) at said first arm member (8) and said second arm member (10), respectively; target position indicating means (22) for indicating coordinate values (x, y) of a desired target position of said forward end portion; initialposition calculating means (24b) for inputting the signals provided by said angle sensors (E1,E2) and calculating coordinate values (x o , y o ) of an initial position of said forward end portion; locus position calculating means (24c) for calculating a multiplicity of coordinate values (x i , y i ) of instantaneous target positions derived from the desired target position (x ,y) and the initial position (x o ,y o ); pivoting angle calculation means (24d) for calculating provisional pivoting angles (ϑ1r, ϑ2r) corresponding to said instantaneous target positions (x i ,y i ), said calculation being carried out under the assumption that said arm assembly (6) has a rigid structure producing no deflection; and comparator means (24h, 24i) for deriving error signals for controlling a servomechanism (26) on the bais of differencies between calculated pivoting angles and instantaneous pivoting angles (ϑ1,ϑ2)said servomechanism (26) comprising said first (12) and second (14) actuators; characterized in that said working apparatus further comprises: deflection calculating means (24a) for calculating deflections (Δx,Δy) of said arm assembly (6) at said forward end portion on the basis of signals (ϑ1, ϑ2;P;α₁,α₂) provided by said angle sensors (E1,E2), said force sensor (F) and said accelerators (A1,A2); correcting angle calculation means (24e) for calculating correcting angles (Δϑ1, Δϑ2) on the basis of values of deflections (Δx,Δy) and provisional pivoting angles (ϑ1r, ϑ2r); and means (24f, 24g) for calculating corrected pivoting angles (ϑ1r + Δϑ1; ϑ2r + Δϑ2) on the basis of said provisional pivoting angles (ϑ1r, ϑ2r) and said correcting angles (Δϑ1, Δϑ2). A working apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said error signals for controlling said servomechanism (26) are also applied to a comparator section (24j) for judging whether or not the differencies (ϑ 1r + Δϑ₁) - ϑ₁ and (ϑ r2 + Δϑ₂) - ϑ₂ between the corrected pivoting angles and the actual angles sensed by the angle gauges E₁ und E₂ are smaller than an allowance Δϑ a and out putting a renewal signal to said locus position calculating means (24c) when the differencies are smaller than the allowance, said locus position calculating means (24c) being operative to change the signal indicative of the instantaneous target position (X i ,y i ) to a new signal indicative of the next following instantaneous target position (X i+1 , y i+1 ) and desist from producing the signal when the final instantaneous target position is reached.

Inventors: ARITAKE, TAKESHI, HONMA, KAZUO, NAGASAWA, KIYOSHI, NAKAJIMA, KICHIO, TOKAIRIN, HIROAKI
Applicants: HITACHI CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: B25J9
IPC codes: G05D3, B25J9, B66C23, B25J13, G05B19