Patent Description:
An industrial robot typically includes a manipulator with a highly rigid structure and controls the three-dimensional (3D) position of an end effector while measuring the state with sensors. However, a robot simply with a highly rigid structure cannot perform certain operations, such as an operation including contact with an object and an operation involving precision higher than the measurement error of a sensor. In response to this, a known approach uses a soft robot (flexible robot). For example, a robot may partially include a flexible structure that can be displaced or deform under an external force and automatically follow the shape of an object. One such technique is a compliance control structure, examples of which are described in Patent Literatures <NUM> and <NUM>.

However, known compliance control structures described in Patent Literatures <NUM> and <NUM> have a small movable range with limited motions (small displacements in a horizontal plane) and thus have limited use environments or limited uses.

One or more aspects of the present invention are directed to a joint structure for a robot that can perform active control of multiple degrees of freedom and have flexibility.

A joint structure according to an aspect of the present disclosure is a joint structure for connecting a first element and a second element included in a manipulator for a robot. The joint structure includes a Stewart platform that controls at least one of a position or an angle of the second element relative to the first element. The Stewart platform includes a first member to be joined to the first element, a second member to be joined to the second element, a plurality of legs connecting the first member and the second member, a driver that changes an effective length of each of the plurality of legs to change at least one of a position or an angle of the second member relative to the first member, and a soft structure that elastically changes the effective length of each of the plurality of legs in response to an external force applied to the second member and restores the effective length of each of the plurality of legs in response to the external force being removed. Each of the plurality of legs includes a rod slidably supported by a support to change the effective length of a corresponding leg of the plurality of legs by sliding. The driver includes a wire-shaped member being flexible and attached to the rod, and an elastic member elastically deformable in response to the wire-shaped member being pulled and the rod being slid. The elastic member generates an elastic restoring force against a pulling force on the wire-shaped member.

The first element may be a link between joints of the manipulator. The second element may be a link nearer the end effector than the first element or may be the end effector. This structure allows active control with multiple degrees of freedom over at least one of the relative position or the relative angle between the first element and the second element by changing the effective length of each leg of the Stewart platform with the driver. In the robot under an external force, the effective length of each leg changes elastically, allowing at least one of the relative position or the relative angle between the first element and the second element to change passively in accordance with the external force. This structure achieves both active control with multiple degrees of freedom and flexibility. Furthermore, in this structure, the rod slides and the elastic member gradually deforms elastically under the pulling force being applied to the wire-shaped member. The rod stops sliding when an equilibrium is achieved between the pulling force and the elastic restoring force. In this structure, the sliding of the rod can be easily and precisely controlled by adjusting the pulling force applied to the wire-shaped member. The effective length of a single leg may be determined either by the sliding of the rod in the leg alone or by the sliding of the rods in all the legs, depending on the specific structure of the Stewart platform. In either case, the effective length of each leg can be precisely controlled by precisely controlling the sliding of each rod.

The effective length of a leg herein refers to a distance from a connecting point between the first member and the leg to a connecting point between the second member and the leg. This applies to the effective length of a leg including multiple rods connected together or of a leg including a bent member.

In the above structure, the elastic member may serve as the soft structure. When, for example, an external force acts in the same direction as the pulling force on the wire-shaped member, the resultant of the pulling force and the external force further deforms the elastic member, thus changing the sliding of the rod and changing the effective length of the leg. Once the external force is removed, the sliding of the rod returns to the position at which an equilibrium is achieved with the pulling force. In this manner, the same component can serve as both the driver and the soft structure to reduce the number of components and to reduce the cost and miniaturize the device.

The elastic member may include a nonlinear spring element. The soft structure may have stiffness variable by changing an amount of deformation of the elastic member in response to an amount of pulling of the wire-shaped member. This further allows control of the stiffness (softness) of the joint structure.

The support may be a bearing in the first member. This can simplify the structure of each leg.

The support may be a cylinder included in each of the plurality of legs. The cylinder may receive the rod placed in a slidable manner. This can simplify the structures of the first member and the second member.

The wire-shaped member may have an end located outside the joint structure to be connected to a drive source separate from the joint structure. In this manner, the drive source for the wire-shaped member separate from the joint structure is located outside the joint structure, allowing the joint structure to be compact and lightweight.

The joint structure may further include a lock structure switchable between a free state with the second element being free to move independently of the first element and a locked state with the second element being locked to the first element. In the locked state, the first element and the second element act as a single rigid body. This allows the structure to switch between serving as a rigid robot (locked state) and serving as a soft robot (free state) as appropriate for an intended robot operation or environment, thus expanding the applicable range of the robot and allowing an efficient operation of the robot.

One or more aspects of the present invention may be directed to a joint structure for a robot, or an actuator that controls the position and the angle of a component of a manipulator for a robot including at least one of the above elements. One or more aspects of the present invention may be directed to a manipulator for a robot with the joint structure or an actuator, or may be such a robot. One or more aspects of the present invention may be directed to a control method or a drive method for controlling the position and the angle of a component of a robot manipulator using the joint structure described above. The above elements may be combined with one another in any possible manner in one or more aspects of the present invention.

The joint structure for a robot according to the above aspects of the present invention can perform active control of multiple degrees of freedom and have flexibility.

One example use of the present invention will now be described with reference to <FIG> are schematic diagrams of a robot joint structure with a Stewart platform. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in <FIG> is a side view (as viewed in the direction indicated by arrow B in <FIG>).

A joint structure <NUM> is used to connect a first element <NUM> and a second element <NUM> included in a manipulator RM for a robot. The manipulator RM is an articulated manipulator. The manipulator RM includes the first element <NUM> nearer its basal end, and the second element <NUM> nearer its distal end than the first element <NUM>.

The joint structure <NUM> includes a Stewart platform <NUM> that can control at least one of the position or the angle of the second element <NUM> relative to the first element <NUM>. The Stewart platform includes multiple legs for supporting a single member. The single member is moved with six degrees of freedom of motion, or specifically, translation in x- y-, and z-directions and rotation about x, y, and z axes, by changing the effective length of each leg (by changing the combination of the effective lengths of the legs). The Stewart platform is also called a motion base, a <NUM>-axis platform, or a <NUM>-degree of freedom (DOF) platform.

The Stewart platform <NUM> mainly includes a first member <NUM> joined to the first element <NUM>, a second member <NUM> joined to the second element <NUM>, multiple legs <NUM> connecting the first member <NUM> and the second member <NUM>, and a driver <NUM> that changes the effective length of each leg <NUM>. The legs <NUM> are typically six legs, but may be another number of legs.

In the example of <FIG>, each leg <NUM> includes two rods <NUM> and <NUM> connected to each other in a bendable manner. The rod <NUM> is supported by a bearing <NUM> in the first member <NUM>. The rod <NUM> is connected to the second member <NUM> with a universal joint <NUM>.

A flexible wire-shaped member <NUM> is attached to an upper end of the rod <NUM>. The wire-shaped member <NUM> extends outside the joint structure <NUM> for connection to a drive source M. An elastic member <NUM> is located concentrically with the rod <NUM>. In the example structure shown in <FIG>, the wire-shaped member <NUM> and the elastic member <NUM> are included in the driver <NUM> for the legs <NUM>.

The operation of the driver <NUM> will now be described. When a pulling force F1 is applied to the wire-shaped member <NUM> with the drive source M, the rod <NUM> slides upward in <FIG>, and the elastic member <NUM> gradually deforms elastically (by compression deformation). Once an equilibrium is achieved between the pulling force F1 and the elastic restoring force F2 from the elastic member <NUM>, the rod <NUM> stops sliding to stabilize the effective length of the leg <NUM>. In this structure, the effective length of each leg <NUM> can be controlled easily and precisely by adjusting the pulling force applied to the wire-shaped member <NUM> with the drive source M. During the operation of the robot, the orientation (position and angle) of the second member <NUM> can be controlled as intended by controlling the drive source M with a controller (not shown) to adjust the effective length of each leg <NUM>. In the example of <FIG>, the pulling force F1 on the left leg <NUM> is greater than the pulling force F1 on the right leg <NUM>. In this structure, the left leg <NUM> is shorter than the right leg <NUM>, and the second member <NUM> rotates about the y axis.

The elastic member <NUM> also serves as a flexible, or a soft structure that elastically changes the effective length of the leg <NUM> under an external force on the second member <NUM> (second element <NUM>) and restores the effective length of the leg <NUM> when the external force is removed. For example, an external force acts on the second member <NUM> as shown in the right portion of <FIG>, and the external force F3 is applied in the direction to lift the right leg <NUM>. In this case, the resultant of the pulling force F1 and the external force F3 further compresses and deforms the elastic member <NUM>, shortening the effective length of the right leg <NUM>. This allows at least one of the relative position or the relative angle between the first element <NUM> and the second element <NUM> to passively change in accordance with the external force. Once the external force F3 is removed, as shown in the left portion of <FIG>, the effective length of the leg <NUM> returns to a length corresponding to the position at which an equilibrium is achieved with the pulling force F1.

The drive source M may be a linear motor or a rotary motor. The drive source M may be driven electrically or by fluid pressure. Instead of applying the pulling force F1 to the wire-shaped member <NUM>, the drive source M may drive the wire-shaped member <NUM> to determine the length of retraction of the wire-shaped member <NUM>. In this case, the rod <NUM> stops at a position corresponding to the retracted length of the wire-shaped member <NUM> and is urged by the elastic restoring force F2 from the elastic member <NUM>. Under an external force applied to the rod <NUM> that compresses the elastic member <NUM> exceeding the elastic restoring force F2, the rod <NUM> moves until an equilibrium is achieved between the elastic restoring force F2, which increases as the elastic member <NUM> is compressed, and the external force. This causes the wire-shaped member <NUM>, which is positioned in the length direction with the drive motor M, to deflect in response to the displacement of the rod <NUM>. The deflection occurs mainly in a portion of the wire-shaped member <NUM> not extending through a tube (described later).

The joint structure <NUM> described above can achieve both active control with multiple degrees of freedom and flexibility.

A robot and a joint structure for the robot according to one or more embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to <FIG> is a schematic diagram of the robot, showing its overall structure.

In the present embodiment, the manipulator RM in a vertically articulated robot R includes an end effector E2 with the joint structure <NUM> including the Stewart platform. However, this is a mere example, and the structure and the type of the robot R are not limited to the example of <FIG>. More specifically, the robot R may be any robot including at least one manipulator, and is applicable to various types of robots, including an industrial robot, a humanoid robot, a nursing care robot, a transport robot, a household robot, and a surgical support robot, among which the industrial robot is an appropriate example to include the joint structure <NUM>. The industrial robot may be, for example, a selective compliance structure robot arm (SCARA) robot, a parallel link robot, or a Cartesian coordinate robot, in addition to the above vertically articulated robot. The joint structure <NUM> may be installed at a position not limited to the connection of the end effector E2, but may be a connection between the links.

The robot R in the present embodiment includes, as its main components, the manipulator RM, a controller RC, and the drive source M. The manipulator RM is an articulated manipulator including multiple links and joints that connect the links each other. The manipulator RM is driven by a servo motor. The controller RC controls the servo motor included in the manipulator RM and the drive source M.

The end effector E2 is connected to a link E1 at the distal end of the manipulator RM with the joint structure <NUM>. In the present embodiment, the link E1 corresponds to the first element <NUM> in <FIG>, and the end effector E2 corresponds to the second element <NUM> in <FIG>. The drive source M drives the driver <NUM> for the Stewart platform in the joint structure <NUM>. The drive source M may be of any type and with any structure that can pull and feed the wire-shaped member <NUM>, but is to have a pulling force to change the effective length of the leg <NUM> against the elastic restoring force from the elastic member <NUM> and to stroke and allow a sufficient movable range of the Stewart platform and the end effector E2. The drive source M may be, for example, a motor, a hydraulic actuator, or a pneumatic actuator. Separate drive sources M may be used for the respective legs <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG> show the joint structure <NUM> in detail. <FIG> is a perspective view of the joint structure <NUM>. <FIG> is a side view of the joint structure <NUM> (home position). <FIG> is a side view of the joint structure <NUM> (z translation). <FIG> is a side view of the joint structure <NUM> (x translation). <FIG> is a side view of the joint structure <NUM> (rotation). Hereafter, the xyz coordinate system is defined for the joint structure <NUM> to have the normal of the first member <NUM> (or the axis direction of the link E1) to be the z axis.

The joint structure <NUM> can perform active control of the <NUM>-DOF motion of the end effector E2 (translation in x-direction, y-direction, and z-direction, and rotation about the x, y, and z axes) with the Stewart platform <NUM>.

The Stewart platform <NUM> includes the first member <NUM> being substantially a disk and the second member <NUM> being substantially a disk, which are connected by the six legs <NUM>. The six legs <NUM> each have the same structure. Each leg <NUM> includes two rods <NUM> and <NUM> that are connected by a pin joint <NUM> in a bendable manner. The rod <NUM> nearer the basal end is supported by the sliding bearing <NUM> in a through-hole in the first member <NUM> to be slidable in z-direction and rotatable about the z axis. The rod <NUM> nearer the distal end is connected to the second member <NUM> with the universal joint <NUM> and is rotatable in any direction relative to the second member <NUM>. A ball joint may be used to connect the rod <NUM> to the second member <NUM>.

The flexible wire-shaped member <NUM> is attached at the end of the basal end of the rod <NUM>. In the present embodiment, a metal wire is used as the wire-shaped member <NUM>. A cable (a rope) formed from chemical or natural fibers may also be used as the wire-shaped member <NUM>. The wire-shaped member <NUM> extends outside the joint structure <NUM> for connection to the drive source M. The path of the wire-shaped member <NUM> between the joint structure <NUM> and the drive source M includes at least a curved portion of the wire-shaped member <NUM> extending through a non-stretchable tube (not shown) having two ends at fixed positions. When the wire-shaped member <NUM> is under a pulling force, the wire-shaped member <NUM> at the joint structure <NUM> is displaced in response to the displacement of the wire-shaped member <NUM> at the drive source M.

The elastic member <NUM> is located concentrically with the rod <NUM> between a flange <NUM> at the lower end of the rod <NUM> (at the end nearer the pin joint <NUM>) and the first member <NUM>. In the present embodiment, a coil spring (compression spring) is used as the elastic member <NUM>.

The controller RC calculates a target effective length for the six legs <NUM> and the control quantity corresponding to the target effective length (e.g., the pulling force or the pulling amount) based on the target orientation of the second member <NUM> (the position and the angle relative to the first member <NUM>). Once the controller RC controls the drive source M to individually adjust the effective length of the six legs <NUM>, the second member <NUM> has the target orientation (position and angle).

The effective lengths of the six <NUM> legs are referred to as LL1 to LL6, the maximum effective length as LLmax, and the minimum effective length as LLmin. In <FIG>, LL1 = LL2 = LL3 = LL4 = LL5 = LL6 = LLmax. In other words, all the six legs <NUM> are set to have the maximum effective length LLmax. In this case, the second member <NUM> is displaced in the xy plane by <NUM> (specifically with the xy-coordinates of the center of the second member <NUM> of (<NUM>,<NUM>)) and the second member <NUM> rotates by <NUM> degrees. This is a reference state (home position). As shown in <FIG>, the wire-shaped members <NUM> of the six legs <NUM> are pulled by the same amount when the effective lengths remain LL1 = LL2 = LL3 = LL4 = LL5 = LL6. In this case, the second member <NUM> translates in z-direction while remaining parallel to the xy plane. When the effective lengths of the legs LL1 to LL6 are adjusted individually, the second member <NUM> can also translate in x-direction or y-direction as shown in <FIG>, or rotates as shown in <FIG>. The states shown in <FIG> may also be combined, thus achieving active <NUM>-DOF control.

In addition to the active control described above, the joint structure <NUM> according to the present embodiment can also perform passive motions that follow an external force. In the state shown in <FIG>, for example, the second member <NUM> may receive a force applied in z-direction (upward in the figure). In this case, the six legs <NUM> are lifted when the effective lengths remain LL1 = LL2 = LL3 = LL4 = LL5 = LL6. The second member <NUM> can thus be displaced in z-direction as shown in <FIG>. In the state shown in <FIG>, the second member <NUM> may receive a force applied in x-direction (leftward in <FIG>) to change the effective length of each leg <NUM> accordingly. The second member <NUM> can be displaced in x-direction as shown in <FIG>. In the state shown in <FIG>, the second member <NUM> may receive a moment to rotate the second member <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. Once the external force is removed, the effective length of each leg <NUM> returns to the previous state under the restoring force from the elastic member <NUM>, and the orientation (position and angle) of the second member <NUM> also returns to the previous state (the previous state refers to the effective length or orientation determined through active control by the driver <NUM>). This soft structure allows the end effector E2 to move freely independently of the link E1, thus achieving a soft robot.

In the joint structure <NUM> according to the present embodiment, all the wire-shaped members <NUM> may be pulled up with a force sufficiently greater than the elastic restoring force from the elastic members <NUM>. The elastic members <NUM> are then completely collapsed to lock the position of the rods <NUM>. In this case, LL1 = LL2 = LL3 = LL4 = LL5 = LL6 = LLmin. In other words, all the six legs <NUM> have the minimum effective length LLmin. In this state, the second member <NUM> does not move easily under an external force acting on the second member <NUM>. In other words, the soft structure described above is disabled, causing the link E1 and the end effector E2 to act as a single rigid body. This structure serves as a lock structure that allows switching between a free state in which the end effector E2 is free to move independently of the link E1 and a locked state in which the end effector E2 is locked to the link E1.

In this structure, active control with multiple degrees of freedom of the relative position and the relative angle between the link E1 (first element) and the end effector E2 (second element) can be achieved by changing the effective length of each leg <NUM> in the Stewart platform <NUM> with the driver <NUM>. In the robot R under an external force, the effective length of each leg <NUM> changes elastically, causing at least one of the relative position or the relative angle between the link E1 and the end effector E2 changes passively in accordance with the external force. This structure achieves both active control with multiple degrees of freedom and flexibility.

In the driver <NUM> in the present embodiment, the sliding of the rod <NUM> stops and the effective length of the leg <NUM> is stabilized when an equilibrium is achieved between the pulling force on the wire-shaped member <NUM> and the elastic restoring force from the elastic member <NUM>. In this structure, the effective length of the leg <NUM> can be controlled easily and precisely by adjusting the pulling force applied to the wire-shaped member <NUM>.

In the present embodiment, the drive source M for the wire-shaped member <NUM> separate from the joint structure <NUM> is located outside the joint structure <NUM>, allowing the joint structure <NUM> to be compact and lightweight.

The joint structure <NUM> according to the present embodiment serves as the lock structure that allows switching between a rigid robot (locked state) and a flexible robot (free state). For example, the structure can be used as appropriate for an intended robot operation or environment, thus expanding the applicable range of the robot and allowing an efficient operation of the robot.

The joint structure <NUM> according to the present embodiment includes the driver <NUM> also serving as the soft structure and the lock structure. This structure reduces the number of components and reduces the cost and allows the equipment to be more compact.

The embodiment described above is a mere example of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment described above, but may be modified variously within the scope of the technical ideas of the invention.

In a first modification, a nonlinear spring element is used as the elastic member <NUM>. <FIG> is a graph showing the difference in characteristics between a linear spring and a nonlinear spring, with the horizontal axis representing displacement (deflection) and the vertical axis representing load. A linear spring has a direct proportional relationship between load and displacement, and has the stiffness (spring constant) constant independently of displacement. A nonlinear spring has the stiffness (spring constant) that increases as the displacement increases. Such nonlinear characteristics can be achieved using, for example, a coil spring with a nonuniform coil diameter, a coil spring with an unequally spaced pitch, or a coil spring with a nonuniform wire diameter.

For example, controlling the drive source M may allow switching in multiple levels of the amount of extension of the wire-shaped member <NUM> in the free state, such as s1, s2, and s3 mm (s1 < s2 < s3) to change the displacement of the elastic member <NUM>. The stiffness (softness) of the joint structure <NUM> in the free state can thus be controlled. For example, the structure can be adjusted to have suitable stiffness (softness) as appropriate for an intended robot operation and environment, thus expanding the applicable range of the robot and allowing an efficient operation of the robot.

<FIG> shows a joint structure according to a second modification. The joint structure according to the second modification differs from the structure according to the above embodiment in the legs, the driver, and the soft structure. As shown in <FIG>, each leg <NUM> includes a rod <NUM>, a cylinder <NUM> into which the rod <NUM> is slidable, a piston <NUM> at an end of the rod <NUM>, and an elastic member <NUM> accommodated in a space defined by the piston <NUM> and the cylinder <NUM>. The connection between the legs <NUM> and the first member <NUM> and between the legs <NUM> and the second member <NUM> is achieved using universal joints or ball joints. The wire-shaped member <NUM> for driving the rod <NUM> is attached to the piston <NUM> and extends outside the joint structure <NUM> through the inside of the cylinder <NUM> and through a through-hole in the first member <NUM>.

In this structure, the wire-shaped member <NUM> receives a pulling force applied to it with the drive source M. The rod <NUM> is then pulled into the cylinder <NUM> and the elastic member <NUM> gradually deforms elastically (by compression deformation). Once an equilibrium is achieved between the pulling force and the elastic restoring force from the elastic member <NUM>, the rod <NUM> stops sliding to stabilize the effective length of the leg <NUM>. This structure also allows the effective length of the leg <NUM> to be easily and precisely controlled by adjusting the pulling force applied to the wire-shaped member <NUM> with the drive source M. In this structure as well, the drive source M may drive the wire-shaped member <NUM> to determine the retraction length of the wire-shaped member <NUM>.

The elastic member <NUM> also serves as the soft structure. For example, an external force may act in the same direction as the pulling force on the wire-shaped member <NUM>. The resultant of the pulling force and the external force further compresses and deforms the elastic member <NUM>, changing the effective length of the leg <NUM>. Once the external force is removed, the effective length of the leg <NUM> returns to a length corresponding to the position at which an equilibrium is achieved with the pulling force or to the position corresponding to the determined retracted length of the wire-shaped member <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a joint structure according to a fourth modification. The fourth modification is a modification of the lock structure. The lock structure mainly includes a first lock portion <NUM> on the first member <NUM> and a second lock portion <NUM> on the second member <NUM>. The structure locks the first member <NUM> and the second member <NUM> together by shortening the effective lengths of the legs <NUM> and engaging the first lock portion <NUM> with the second lock portion <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A joint structure (<NUM>) for connecting a first element (<NUM>) and a second element (<NUM>) included in a manipulator (RM) for a robot (R), the joint structure (<NUM>) comprising:
a Stewart platform (<NUM>) configured to control at least one of a position or an angle of the second element (<NUM>) relative to the first element (<NUM>),
the Stewart platform (<NUM>) including
a first member (<NUM>) to be joined to the first element (<NUM>),
a second member (<NUM>) to be joined to the second element (<NUM>),
a plurality of legs (<NUM>) connecting the first member (<NUM>) and the second member (<NUM>),
a driver (<NUM>) configured to change an effective length of each of the plurality of legs (<NUM>) to change at least one of a position or an angle of the second member (<NUM>) relative to the first member (<NUM>), and
a soft structure configured to elastically change the effective length of each of the plurality of legs (<NUM>) in response to an external force applied to the second member (<NUM>) and to restore the effective length of each of the plurality of legs (<NUM>) in response to the external force being removed,
characterized in that
each of the plurality of legs (<NUM>) includes a rod (<NUM>; <NUM>) slidably supported by a support (<NUM>; <NUM>), the rod (<NUM>; <NUM>) being configured to slide to change the effective length of the leg (<NUM>), and
the driver (<NUM>) includes
a wire-shaped member (<NUM>) being flexible and attached to the rod (<NUM>; <NUM>), and
an elastic member (<NUM>) elastically deformable in response to the wire-shaped member (<NUM>) being pulled and the rod (<NUM>; <NUM>) being slid, the elastic member (<NUM>) being configured to generate an elastic restoring force against a pulling force on the wire-shaped member (<NUM>).