This application is a new U.S. patent application that claims benefit of JP 2017-148016 filed on Jul. 31, 2017, the content of JP 2017-148016 is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to an operation terminal integrated-machine operation panel that operates a control device of a machine, and to an external device.
A portable teaching operation panel connected to a control device of an industrial machine, etc., via wired or wireless communication has been used in order to operate the industrial machine, etc. To date, a portable operation member has been known that includes a holding portion for detachably holding a mobile communication apparatus capable of wireless communication with an industrial machine, a connector connected to the mobile communication apparatus, and an operation section for creating an operation command to the industrial machine, and that transmits the operation command to the industrial machine via the mobile communication apparatus (for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2015-232804 A).
The machine operation panel is preferably small, because the machine operation panel is operated while being separated from the control device and held by an operator. On the other hand, a terminal having a relatively large screen size, which is typified by a tablet terminal, has become widespread as the mobile communication apparatus. When the tablet terminal is used for programming of application software, data analysis, etc., a larger screen size is more advantageous.
However, by integrating the machine operation panel and the tablet terminal together in order to use the tablet terminal as is, as the mobile communication apparatus of the machine operation panel, the size of the machine operation panel increases, thereby resulting in poor operability by an operator.
A machine operation panel according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a machine operation panel connected to a control device of a machine and configured to operate the control device, the machine operation panel including: an operation terminal that includes a touch panel for display and input of information and is configured to be portable; and an external device that includes an emergency stop button, an enable switch, and an input device configured to input data to the operation terminal, the external device being connected to the operation terminal, wherein the operation terminal is attached to the external device such that at least a part of a display region of the touch panel is covered, and wherein at least a part of the input device is provided in a region overlapping the display region.
An external device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an external device connected to a control device of a machine and configured to operate the control device, the external device including: an emergency stop button configured to stop the control device; an enable switch active during teaching operation of the machine; and an input device configured to input data to an operation terminal, wherein the operation terminal is attached such that at least a part of a display region of the operation terminal is covered, and wherein at least a part of the input device is provided in a region overlapping the display region.
The objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of the embodiments in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
A machine operation panel according to a first embodiment is described.
The operation terminal 1 includes a touch panel 11 for display and input of information. The operation terminal 1 is preferably portable. For example, a tablet terminal can be used as the operation terminal 1. However, the operation terminal 1 is not limited to this, and a notebook computer including a main body and a display that can be separated from each other can also be used.
The touch panel 11 includes a display device and a position input device disposed on the display device. The size of a display region of the display device is equal to the size of the touch panel. The size of the display region of the display device is preferably about 7 to 15 inches, but may be equal to or less than 7 inches, or equal to or greater than 15 inches. For example, a liquid crystal display device, an organic EL display device, etc., can be used as the display device. An electrostatic capacitance method, a resistance film method, a surface acoustic wave method, etc., can be adopted as a position input method of the position input device. Information can be input to the operation terminal 1 and the operation terminal 1 can be operated by touching the touch panel 11 with a finger or a touch pen.
The external device 2 includes an emergency stop button 23, an enable switch (241, 242), and an input device 21. The emergency stop button 23 is formed as a physical button on the external device 2. In order to compulsorily stop the machine, the emergency stop button 23 is pressed to transmit an emergency stop instruction to the control device, and the machine then stops.
The enable switch (241, 242) is defined as an enabling device in compliance with ISO 10218-2:2011 (E) and used for securing safety of operators, and serves as a switch for teaching operation of a machine only in a case where the enable switch is active. The representative enable switch (241, 242) has a three-position structure as described in Annex C of ISO 10218-1:2011 (E), and allows safety to be ensured by stopping a machine such as a robot when an operator senses danger and releases the switch or presses the switch firmly. The enable switch is effective in ensuring safety when the operator works near a movable section such as a robot arm during teaching of the robot.
Data, text, etc., can be input by operating the input device 21. A keyboard can be provided as the input device 21. However, the input device 21 is not limited to this, and a plurality of buttons may be disposed.
The external device 2 may further include a manual pulse generating device 22. The manual pulse generating device 22 can generate a command pulse by manually rotating a handle. The manual pulse generating device 22 may be displayed on the touch panel 11 and generate a command pulse.
The external device 2 may be provided with one or a plurality of switches 25. Examples of the switch 25 include a start button and a stop button of a program. Lamps may be provided instead of the switch. For example, a blue lamp may be caused to light up during normal operation, and a red lamp may be caused to light up during an abnormal condition.
The external device 2 is preferably provided with an interface 28 for connecting with the control device 100. A USB connector, etc., can be used as the interface (I/F) 28.
The connector 16 is provided on a base surface, a side surface, or a rear surface of the operation terminal 1 and can be detachably connected to an external connector 26 of the external device 2. A USB connector, a micro USB connector, etc., can be used as the connector 16.
The communication device 15 communicates with an external communication device 27 of the external device 2. Moreover, the communication device 15 can also communicate with a communication device (not illustrated) of the control device.
The touch panel 11 includes the display device and the position input device disposed on the display device. The display device included in the touch panel 11 can display a screen of application software for operating the machine, textual information, etc. The operator touches the position input device of the touch panel 11 to input positional information, and the input positional information is then transmitted to the controller 13.
The controller 13 includes a central processing unit (CPU) and is connected to the touch panel 11, the storage device 14, the communication device 15, and the connector 16. The controller 13 acquires data from the touch panel 11 and the communication device 15, and executes application software, etc., that controls the machine by using information stored in the storage device 14. Further, upon connection of the operation terminal 1 with the external device 2, the controller 13 can detect completion of the connection based on a signal from the connector 16.
A RAM and a ROM built in the operation terminal 1 can be used as the storage device 14 capable of storing the application software that controls the machine, information about control of the machine, etc. Moreover, a memory, etc., connected from the outside can also be used as the storage device 14.
The external device 2 includes the emergency stop button 23, the enable switch (241, 242), the manual pulse generating device 22, the input device 21, the external connector 26, and the external communication device 27.
The external connector 26 is a terminal for connecting with the connector 16 of the operation terminal 1. When the operation terminal 1 is held by the external device 2, the external connector 26 is disposed in a position in contact with the connector 16 or connected to the connector 16 via a cable.
When the operation terminal 1 is connected to the external device 2 in a wireless fashion, data or information input to the input device 21 is transmitted to the communication device 15 of the operation terminal 1 via the external communication device 27. On the other hand, when the operation terminal 1 is connected to the external device 2 in a wired fashion, data or information input to the input device 21 is transmitted to the connector of the operation terminal 1 via the external connector 26. Information from the emergency stop button 23, the enable switch (241, 242), and the manual pulse generating device 22 is transmitted to the control device of the machine from the external communication device 27 or transmitted to the control device of the machine via the communication device 15 of the operation terminal 1.
As illustrated in
As a configuration of the external device 2 for holding the operation terminal 1, the external device 2 may have a box-shaped slot. However, the configuration of the external device 2 for holding the operation terminal 1 is not limited to this, and another configuration for fixing the operation terminal 1 may be adopted.
As illustrated in
An active region usable as the display region of the display device of the operation terminal 1 after the operation terminal 1 is integrated with the external device 2 can be designated by the operator touching the touch panel 11. The active display region that can be visually identified by the operator is reduced by covering a part of the display region of the operation terminal 1 by the external device 2, but when the operation terminal 1 is used as the operation panel, no problem arises because even a relatively small screen for operation is sufficient and a large display region (screen) is not needed.
Next, a machine operation panel according to a second embodiment is described.
When the connector 16 of the operation terminal 1 is connected to the external connector 26 of the external device 2, a signal indicating completion of the connection is transmitted to the display switching device 12. The display switching device 12 transmits a signal to the controller 13 for requesting switching of a display of the touch panel 11. The touch panel 11 switches the screen of the display device based on the signal from the controller 13.
As illustrated in
A region of the display region of the touch panel 11, except for the region 20 covered by the external device 2, can be visually identified from the outside. In the embodiment illustrated in
As in the machine operation panel according to the second embodiment, operability can be improved by causing the display device of the touch panel 11 to display a dedicated screen for machine operation when the operation terminal 1 is connected to the external device 2.
Next, a machine operation panel according to a third embodiment is described.
A transparent input device 211 of the external device 2 is a keyboard including transparent keys. Further, the external device 2 is transparent in a region of the external device 2 where the display region of the touch panel 11 of the operation terminal 1 and the input device 211 overlap. Moreover, the operation terminal 1 performs key display on a screen corresponding to the transparent input device 211 in the display region of the display device of the touch panel 11. A button of the transparent input device 211 provided in the external device 2 is caused to operate together with the screen of the display device of the touch panel 11 in the operation terminal 1 disposed below the button. In other words, each key of the transparent input device 211 and positional information on the touch panel 11 are previously associated with each other. With this configuration, when each key of the transparent input device 211 is pressed, a same operation as that when the key display, which is displayed on the touch panel 11, corresponding to the pressed key is directly touched can be performed.
In the machine operation panel according to the third embodiment, the key display is displayed on the screen of the display device of the touch panel 11 in the operation terminal 1, so that arrangement of keys can be freely set and language can be switched among English, Japanese, Chinese, etc.
Further, by making the external device 2 in the region 20 covering the display region of the touch panel 11 to be transparent, the operation terminal 1 may cause at least one of a state of control of the machine or help information to be displayed in a display region corresponding to the transparent region of the external device 2 in the display region of the touch panel 11. For example, by providing a transparent portion in the region 20 of the external device 2 covering the display region of the operation terminal 1, lamps 251 indicating the state of control of the machine can be displayed in the display region of the display device of the touch panel 11 and thus be visually identified through the transparent portion. For example, a blue lamp may be displayed in a case where the machine is operating normally. Further, a yellow lamp may be displayed in a case where an abnormal condition of the machine occurs. Moreover, a red lamp may be displayed in a case where the machine stops. This configuration can eliminate concerns about life of the lamps and save time for replacing the lamps.
By providing a transparent portion of the external device 2 around the manual pulse generating device 22 and the emergency stop button 23, a description 221 of each apparatus can be displayed around each apparatus and be thus visually identified. This configuration allows help information such as “PRESS THIS BUTTON” to be displayed during operation of the machine operation panel, and allows the operation of the machine operation panel to be correctly executed.
Next, a machine operation panel according to a fourth embodiment is described.
On the other hand, in
A hollow portion into which the operation terminal 1 can be inserted from both up and down directions is provided in the rear surface of the external device 2.
For example, when the operation terminal is inserted from above in
Similarly, when the operation terminal is inserted from below in
A width W of the operation terminal inserted into the hollow portion 40 of the external device 2 needs to satisfy a condition (W2<W<W1) where the width W is smaller than a gap W1 between the two stoppers (31 and 32, or 33 and 34) and larger than a gap W2 between the two hinges (41 and 42, or 43 and 44). This configuration allows the operation terminal to be easily inserted into the hollow portion 40 of the external device 2 and to be held.
Next, a machine operation panel according to a fifth embodiment is described.
Further, in the description above, a case of the screen display following when the external device 2 connected to the operation terminal 1 rotates through 180 degrees is described, but this embodiment is not restrictive. In other words, when the external device 2 is rotated 180 degrees without the operation terminal 1 inserted into the external device 2, and then the operation terminal 1 is inserted into the external device 2, the display can follow the rotation by rotating the display region of the touch panel (11) 180 degrees.
It is preferable that the region 20 covering the operation terminal 1 and the input device 21 of the external device 2 are made to be transparent and the key display displayed in the display region of the touch panel 11 can be visually identified. In this case, even in a case where the machine operation panel 105 is rotated 180 degrees, by rotating a direction of the keys displayed in the display region of the touch panel (11) 180 degrees, the display of the keys can be correctly visually identified from the transparent input device 21 and key input can be correctly performed.
Moreover, the region 20 covering the operation terminal 1 of the external device 2 may be made to be transparent, and switches 25 may be displayed in the display region of the touch panel 11. In this way, the switches 25 can be disposed in a desired position of the external device 2 even in the case where the machine operation panel 105 is rotated 180 degrees.
Note that as illustrated in
In the description above, the embodiment in which the operation terminal 1 is combined with the external device 2 to be used as the machine operation panel is illustrated, but it is preferable that the external device 2 can operate the control device also in isolation. The external device 2 according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an external device connected to a control device of a machine and configured to operate the control device. The external device 2 includes: the emergency stop button 23 configured to stop the control device; the enable switch (241, 242) active during teaching operation of the machine; and the input device 21 configured to input data to an operation terminal. The operation terminal is attached such that at least a part of the display region of the operation terminal is covered. At least a part of the input device 21 is provided in a region overlapping the display region.
Examples of the operation by the external device 2 in isolation include an operation that can be achieved without a display screen of an operation terminal, such as jog feeding while looking at a robot. In a case where the external device 2 includes the lamps 25, the lamps 25 can preferably light up also during operation in isolation. The enable switch (241, 242), the emergency stop button 23, and the manual pulse generating device 22 can be preferably operated also in the case of the external device in isolation.
In the machine operation panel according to one aspect of the present disclosure, excellent operability by an operator can be maintained without increasing the size of the machine operation panel even in a case where an operation terminal such as a tablet terminal is used as a mobile communication apparatus of the machine operation panel.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2017-148016 | Jul 2017 | JP | national |