US 12,109,686 B2
Control apparatus, control method, and computer-readable storage medium storing a control program
Chisato Nakashima, Kyoto (JP); and Yoshiya Shibata, Kyoto (JP)
Assigned to OMRON CORPORATION, Kyoto (JP)
Appl. No. 17/789,525
Filed by OMRON Corporation, Kyoto (JP)
PCT Filed Jan. 16, 2020, PCT No. PCT/JP2020/001364
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 28, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/144935, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 22, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0064484 A1, Mar. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B25J 15/06 (2006.01); B23P 19/04 (2006.01); B23P 19/06 (2006.01); B25J 13/08 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 15/06 (2013.01) [B23P 19/04 (2013.01); B23P 19/06 (2013.01); B25J 13/08 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control apparatus for controlling a motion of a robot device, the robot device comprising a suction head to pick up a workpiece using compressed air and a pressure sensor to detect pressure of the compressed air, the control apparatus comprising a processor configured with a program to perform operations comprising:
operation as a movement controller configured to cause the robot device to move the suction head to a predetermined position at which the workpiece is fed;
operation as a suction controller configured to cause the robot device to attempt to pick up the workpiece with the suction head at the predetermined position;
operation as a determiner configured to determine whether the suction head has picked up the workpiece in the attempt based on a detection result of the pressure of the compressed air from the pressure sensor;
operation as a searcher configured to cause, in response to determination that the suction head has yet to pick up the workpiece, the robot device to rotationally move the suction head spirally in a horizontal direction while causing the suction head to perform a suction operation for the workpiece using the compressed air; and
operation as an estimator configured to estimate a direction in which the workpiece is located with respect to the predetermined position based on a change in the pressure of the compressed air detected by the pressure sensor during the rotational movement of the suction head,
wherein the processor is configured with the program to perform operations such that
in response to the determination that the suction head has yet to pick up the workpiece, operation as the movement controller comprises causing the robot device to further move the suction head in the estimated direction, and
after the suction head is further moved in the estimated direction, operation as the suction controller comprises causing the robot device to reattempt to pick up the workpiece with the suction head.