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EP-3697577-B1 - A METHOD AND A DEVICE FOR HANDLING PLIABLE OBJECTS

EP3697577B1EP 3697577 B1EP3697577 B1EP 3697577B1EP-3697577-B1

Inventors

  • Valásek, Michael

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20180716

Claims (7)

  1. A method for handling pliable objects (1) by means of at least one robot (2, 3) where a pliable object (1) is gripped by robot arms (6), wherein the pliable object (1) is moved over to a defined position or a static fixture, then a strengthening fixture (5) is put on the pliable object, subsequently before a barrier (4) with hole the pliable object is gripped by handling tools (11) directly connected to at least two arms (6) of one or more industrial robots or HRC (human-robot collaboration) robots and the pliable object is pushed into the hole in the barrier (4) and taken out from the hole by an industrial robot or HRC robot behind the barrier, whereas during handling the pliable object, the handling tools change the grasp on the pliable object, whereby the method is for subsequent handling within a manufacturing or assembling operation.
  2. A method for handling pliable objects as described in Claim 1, characterized in that wherein during pushing the pliable object through the hole in the barrier the pliable object is rotated around its longitudinal axis in one direction using an industrial or HRC robot.
  3. A method for handling pliable objects as described in previous Claims, characterized in that during pushing the pliable object through the hole in the barrier, the pliable object is rotated alternately in one or opposite directions of the rotation around its longitudinal axis using an industrial or HRC robot.
  4. A method for handling pliable objects as described in previous Claims, characterized in that during pushing the pliable object through the hole, at least one of the robots or robot arms placed before a barrier moves behind the barrier.
  5. A method for handling pliable objects as described in previous Claims, characterized in that for following handling within a manufacturing or assembling operation at least two separate pliable objects are gripped by at least two groups of industrial robots or HRC robots.
  6. A method for handling pliable objects as described in previous Claims, characterized in that a manufacturing or assembling operation lies in a mutual interlacement of pliable objects.
  7. A system for handling pliable objects using robot arms consisting of one or more industrial or HRC robots with at least two handling tools (11) and a strengthening fixture (5) configured to be put on the pliable object (1), whereby the handling tools (11) are carried by the arms (6) of the one or more industrial or HRC robots, whereby the one or more industrial or HRC robots are stationary industrial robots (18) or mobile industrial robots (19), or stationary HRC robots (2) or mobile HRC robots (3).

Description

Technical Field of the Invention The invention concerns a method for handling a pliable object by means of a robot, where a pliable object can be gripped by robot arms and a system for handling pliable objects using robot arms. State-of-the-art Nowadays industrial robots are capable to handle heavy loads. However, when failed, such a robot can be dangerous for people present within its working area. Therefore robots for collaboration with humans have been developed, the so-called HRC robots (human-robot collaboration). Humans can move within their working area without a risk of an injury. However, HRC robots have a low carrying capacity and are not capable to handle heavy loads. Therefore there is a problem when using industrial robots for handling pliable, especially flexible, objects, above all of larger dimensions. In a today's typical procedure a pliable object is first attached to a manipulation fixture carried by a gripping head of an industrial robot. A manipulation fixture is usually of a high weight due to larger dimensions of a pliable object and carrying the pliable object by a gripping head on an end of a robot arm requires the use of an industrial robot with a high carrying capacity within the working area of which people cannot be present with regard to their safety. More complicated manipulations with flexible objects, such as cables, wires, hoses, textiles, cannot be performed using conventional industrial robots and their use, especially for assembly operations, is hardly realizable. The simple use of a two-hand industrial robot for textile folding in a free space is known but its use in the presence of people is a problem again with regard to their safety. The documents DE 10 2012 019958 A1, WO 2014/199124 A2, EP 2 018 940 A2 and JP 2017 100194 A form part of the prior art. The aim of this invention is a method for the use of HRC robots capable to handle pliable, especially flexible, objects, while enabling the presence of people within their working area possible without a danger. Another aim is for HRC robots to be able to carry out more complicated manipulations with flexible objects, which cannot be even performed using industrial robots. Subject Matter of the Invention The invention is defined by a method for handling pliable objects by means of at least one robot according to claim 1 and a system for handling pliable objects using robot arms according to claim 7. Overview of Figures in Drawings Attached figures show schematic depictions of a device for handling pliable objects, where: Fig. 1 shows a known device with an industrial robot,Fig. 2 to 14 show particular alternatives of the device according to the invention with HRC robots as described in examples of embodiments,Figs. 15 and 16 show a device according to the invention with industrial robots as described in examples of embodiments,Figs. 17 to 22 show particular alternatives of handling tools andFigs. 23 and 24 show possible embodiments of a strengthening fixture,Fig. 25 shows a barrier with a hole consisting of another pliable object,Fig. 26 shows a scheme of interlacement of two pliable objects andFig. 27 shows a scheme of a manipulation with two pliable objects. Examples of the Embodiments of the Invention Figure 1 shows a known solution for handling pliable objects. A conventional industrial robot 20 attached to frame 10 handles pliable object 1, for example pliable object 1 is attached by handling tools 11 to manipulation fixture 21 carried by arm 6 of industrial robot 20. Owing to a higher number of handling tools 11 carried by one manipulation fixture 21, pliable object 1 can become deformed only to a limited extent allowed by the quantity of handling tools 11. Handling tools 11 can be e.g. suckers. Manipulation fixture 21 is typically of a high weight and requires the use of a conventional industrial robot with a high carrying capacity within the working area of which people cannot stay with regard to a risk of injury. Figure 2 shows a method of handling pliable, especially flexible, objects 1 using stationary HRC robots 2 attached to frame 10. A difference in a method of handling by stationary HRC robot 2 in comparison with handling by industrial robot 20 is in a fact that a heavy manipulation fixture with more handling tools, through which a pliable object is attached to the manipulation fixture, used with industrial robots is replaced by more handling tools 11, each of which carried by a different arm 6 of one or more stationary HRC robots 2 and each of them carries pliable object 1. The handling procedure goes as follows: Manipulated pliable object 1 is placed to a defined position, often to some static fixture on a rim of a working area of stationary HRC robots 2. This can be performed by an industrial robot with a heavy manipulation fixture 21 outside a working area of HRC robots 2 or by people using other tools. Then, as depicted in Figure 2, two stationary HRC robots 2 grasp manipulated pliable object 1 by ha