Tool stocker, interchangeable tool, robot apparatus, robot system, control method of robot system, and storage medium

Abstract

A tool stocker for holding a tool is equipped with a stocker-inclining member that inclines the tool stocker and also equipped with a mechanism that adjusts an attaching/detaching position at which an interchangeable tool is attached to and detached from a robot arm. The attaching/detaching position can be adjusted by using the tool stocker so as to fit moving paths of the robot arm appropriately.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tool stocker that holds an interchangeable tool that can be attached to and detached from a robot arm and has a contact portion that performs a predetermined operation on a target object, the tool stocker comprising:
 a stocker-inclining member that inclines a contact surface of the tool stocker to a predetermined angle, the contact surface coming into contact with the interchangeable tool; and   a position adjustment mechanism that adjusts an attaching/detaching position at which the interchangeable tool and the robot arm come into contact with each other.   
     
     
         2 . The tool stocker according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the robot arm has a mounting surface with which the interchangeable tool comes into contact, and   wherein the position adjustment mechanism adjusts the attaching/detaching position in such a manner that the contact surface and the mounting surface becomes close to or away from each other when the robot arm engages/disengages the interchangeable tool.   
     
     
         3 . The tool stocker according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a positioning mechanism that comes into contact with the interchangeable tool and thereby positions the contact portion to a predetermined position when the tool stocker holds interchangeable tool.   
     
     
         4 . The tool stocker according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein when the tool stocker holds the interchangeable tool, the positioning mechanism positions the contact portion and the contact portion comes into contact with the target object and thereby grips the target object.   
     
     
         5 . The tool stocker according to  claim 1 , further comprising an electrical connection portion,
 wherein the interchangeable tool includes a drive source and the electrical connection portion is electrically connected to the interchangeable tool to drive the drive source.   
     
     
         6 . The tool stocker according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein when the interchangeable tool is detached from the robot arm and held by the tool stocker, the drive source is driven via the tool stocker and thereby causes the contact portion to perform part of the predetermined operation on the target object.   
     
     
         7 . The tool stocker according to  claim 5 , further comprising
 a fluid connection portion that supplies air for generating air pressure to the contact portion that adsorbs and retains the target object by using the air pressure.   
     
     
         8 . An interchangeable tool that is detachably attached to a robot arm and has contact portions that performs a predetermined operation on a target object, the interchangeable tool comprising:
 a mechanism that moves the contact portions closer to and away from each other; and   a position regulating portion for positioning the contact portions to a predetermined position in a state in which the interchangeable tool is detached from the robot arm and held by the tool stocker.   
     
     
         9 . The interchangeable tool according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein in the state in which the interchangeable tool is detached from the robot arm and held by the tool stocker, the position regulating portion positions the contact portions and the contact portions come into contact with the target object and grip the target object.   
     
     
         10 . The interchangeable tool according to  claim 8 , further comprising a first electrical connection portion and a second electrical connection portion,
 wherein the position regulating portion is a drive source that is disposed in the interchangeable tool and drives the mechanism that moves the contact portions closer to and away from each other,   wherein the first electrical connection portion is electrically connected to the robot arm to drive the drive source, and   wherein the second electrical connection portion is electrically connected to the tool stocker to drive the drive source.   
     
     
         11 . The interchangeable tool according to  claim 10 , wherein when the interchangeable tool is detached from the robot arm and held by the tool stocker, the drive source is driven by electric power supplied from the second electrical connection portion and thereby the contact portions perform part of the predetermined operation on the target object. 
     
     
         12 . The interchangeable tool according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a first fluid connection portion that supplies air for generating air pressure to the contact portions while the interchangeable tool is in contact with the robot arm; and   a second fluid connection portion that supplies air for generating the air pressure to the contact portions while the interchangeable tool is in contact with the tool stocker,   wherein each of the contact portions adsorbs and retains the target object by using the air pressure.   
     
     
         13 . A robot system comprising:
 a robot arm having a mounting surface;   an interchangeable tool that can be attached to and detached from the robot arm and has a contact portion that performs a predetermined operation on a target object; and   a tool stocker that holds the interchangeable tool,   wherein the tool stocker includes
 a stocker-inclining member that inclines a contact surface of the tool stocker to a predetermined angle, the contact surface coming into contact with the interchangeable tool, and 
 a position adjustment mechanism that adjusts an attaching/detaching position at which the interchangeable tool and the robot arm come into contact with each other, and 
   wherein the tool stocker is disposed at a position at which the contact surface opposes the mounting surface of the robot arm on a predetermined moving path of the robot arm when the interchangeable tool is attached to the robot arm.   
     
     
         14 . The robot system according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the interchangeable tool includes
 a mechanism that moves the contact portions closer to and away from each other, and 
 a position regulating portion for positioning the contact portions to a predetermined position in a state in which the interchangeable tool is detached from the robot arm, and 
   wherein the tool stocker includes
 a positioning mechanism that comes into contact with the position regulating portion and thereby positions the contact portions to a predetermined position when the tool stocker holds the interchangeable tool. 
   
     
     
         15 . The robot system according to  claim 14 , further comprising
 a supply device that supplies the target object in such a manner that the interchangeable tool can perform part of a predetermined operation on the target object in the state in which the interchangeable tool is held by the tool stocker,   wherein when the tool stocker holds the interchangeable tool, the positioning mechanism positions the contact portions and the contact portions come into contact with the target object and thereby grip the target object.   
     
     
         16 . The robot system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the positioning mechanism includes a lever member that can turn around a turning axis and an elastic member that elastically urges the lever member, and   wherein the lever member that is elastically urged by the elastic member presses the position regulating portion and thereby positions the mechanism that moves the contact portions closer to and away from each other to a predetermined position.   
     
     
         17 . The robot system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the positioning mechanism is formed of a tapered portion, and   wherein the position regulating portion comes into contact with the tapered portion and thereby positions the mechanism that moves the contact portions closer to and away from each other to a predetermined position.   
     
     
         18 . The robot system according to  claim 14 , further comprising
 a supply device that supplies the target object in such a manner that the interchangeable tool can perform part of a predetermined operation on the target object in the state in which the interchangeable tool is held by the tool stocker; and   a control device that controls the robot system,   wherein the positioning mechanism is a drive source that is disposed in the interchangeable tool and drives the mechanism that moves the contact portions closer to and away from each other, and   wherein the control device causes the supply device to supply the target object, drives the drive source in the state in which the interchangeable tool is held by the tool stocker, and causes the contact portions to perform part of the predetermined operation on the target object.   
     
     
         19 . The robot system according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the interchangeable tool includes   a first electrical connection portion that is electrically connected to the robot arm to drive the drive source, and   a second electrical connection portion that is electrically connected to the tool stocker to drive the drive source.   
     
     
         20 . The robot system according to  claim 19 ,
 wherein the part of the predetermined operation is gripping the target object,   wherein the supply device is an adjustment tool that adjusts a gripping position of the contact portions, and   wherein the control device drives the drive source by using electric power from the second electrical connection portion and thereby brings the contact portions into contact with the adjustment tool in a case in which the interchangeable tool is held by the tool stocker.   
     
     
         21 . The robot system according to  claim 18 ,
 wherein the contact portion adsorbs and retains the target object by using air pressure, and   wherein the interchangeable tool includes
 a first fluid connection portion that supplies air for generating the air pressure to the contact portion while the interchangeable tool is in contact with the robot arm, and 
 a second fluid connection portion that supplies air for generating the air pressure to the contact portion while the interchangeable tool is in contact with the tool stocker. 
   
     
     
         22 . A control method of controlling a robot system that includes
 a robot arm,   an interchangeable tool that can be attached to and detached from the robot arm and has contact portions that perform a predetermined operation on a target object, and   a tool stocker that holds the interchangeable tool,   the interchangeable tool having a mechanism that moves the contact portions closer to and away from each other and a position regulating portion that positions the mechanism to a predetermined position in a state in which the interchangeable tool is detached from the robot arm,   the tool stocker having a positioning mechanism that comes into contact with the position regulating portion and thereby positions the contact portions to a predetermined position when the tool stocker holds the interchangeable tool,   the control method comprising:   holding the interchangeable tool by using the tool stocker while the contact portions or the position regulating portion of the interchangeable tool is brought into contact with the positioning mechanism of the tool stocker; and   positioning the mechanism that moves the contact portions closer to and away from each other to a predetermined position by using the positioning mechanism.   
     
     
         23 . The control method according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the robot system further includes a supply device that supplies the target object in such a manner that the interchangeable tool can perform part of the predetermined operation on the target object in the state in which the interchangeable tool is held by the tool stocker,   the control method further comprising:   supplying the target object, by using supply device, to a position at which the interchangeable tool can grip the target object in the state in which the interchangeable tool is held by the tool stocker,   wherein in the positioning the mechanism, the positioning mechanism positions the contact portions and the contact portions is brought into contact with the target object and thereby the interchangeable tool grips the target object.   
     
     
         24 . The control method according to  claim 22 ,
 wherein the robot system further includes a supply device that supplies the target object in such a manner that the interchangeable tool can perform part of the predetermined operation on the target object in the state in which the interchangeable tool is held by the tool stocker, and   the positioning mechanism is a drive source that is disposed in the interchangeable tool and drives the mechanism that moves the contact portions closer to and away from each other,   the control method further comprising:   supplying the target object by using the supply device in such a manner that the interchangeable tool can perform part of the predetermined operation on the target object in the state in which the interchangeable tool is held by the tool stocker;   holding the interchangeable tool by using the tool stocker; and   operating the contact portions to perform part of the predetermined operation on the target object by driving the drive source in the state in which the interchangeable tool is held by the tool stocker.   
     
     
         25 . The control method according to  claim 24 ,
 wherein the supply device is an adjustment tool that adjusts a gripping position of the contact portions,   the control method further comprising:   in place of the operating the contact portions, bringing the contact portions and the adjustment tool into contact with each other by driving the drive source via the tool stocker;   recording a contact position of the contact portions that come into contact with the adjustment tool in the bringing the contact portions; and   overwriting the gripping position with the contact position recorded in the recording the contact position.   
     
     
         26 . A storage medium that is computer readable, the storage medium comprising:
 a control program that is stored therein and that can implement a control method of controlling a robot system that includes a robot arm, an interchangeable tool that can be attached to and detached from the robot arm and has contact portions that perform a predetermined operation on a target object, and a tool stocker that holds the interchangeable tool,   wherein the interchangeable tool includes
 a mechanism that moves the contact portions closer to and away from each other, and 
 a position regulating portion that positions the mechanism to a predetermined position in a state in which the interchangeable tool is detached from the robot arm, 
   wherein the tool stocker includes
 a positioning mechanism that comes into contact with the position regulating portion and thereby positions the contact portions to a predetermined position when the tool stocker holds the interchangeable tool, and 
   wherein the control program includes
 a step of holding the interchangeable tool by using the tool stocker while the contact portions or the position regulating portion of the interchangeable tool is brought into contact with the positioning mechanism of the tool stocker, and 
 a step of positioning the mechanism that moves the contact portions closer to and away from each other to a predetermined position by using the positioning mechanism.