# US 10,245,725 B2 · Robot apparatus and method for controlling robot apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,725 B2 - Document ID: US10245725B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/097,662 - Filed: 2016-04-13 - Published: 2016-10-27 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2015-04-22 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Takayuki Ogawara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245725B2 ## CPC - B25J 9/1633: {compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control} - B25J 9/1694: {characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion} - B25J 13/085: {Force or torque sensors (B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence)} - B25J 19/0025: {Means for supplying energy to the end effector} - G05B 2219/40599: Force, torque sensor integrated in joint - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A robot apparatus determines a reactive force of a wire member by a sensor, used for the transmission of a driving signal between the robot apparatus and a joint (or end effector). The robot apparatus includes: a plurality of links which constitute a robot arm; rotational joints which connect each of the links to each other; a motor which drives each of the rotational joints; and a cable as a wire member, which is arranged along each link and transmits a driving signal at least to a driving source. A controlling apparatus drives and controls the motor which drives the rotational joints, based on a value of a reactive force, which a cable reactive force measuring unit outputs, which measures the reactive force to be applied to a joint portion when the cable is deformed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robot apparatus provided with a first link, a second link, a joint which connects the first link and the second link to each other, a driving source which drives the joint, a wire member which is arranged along the first link or the second link, and a controlling apparatus which controls the driving source, comprising: the wire member, attached to the first link or the second link through a deformation member, to transmit a driving signal at least to the driving source; and a first sensor for measuring a deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by deformation of the wire member due to driving of the joint by the driving source, wherein the controlling apparatus drives and controls the driving source, based on a value of the deformation amount measured by the first sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: the joint is a rotational joint and the driving source is a rotational driving source; the joint has a second sensor for determining a rotational driving torque of the joint; and the controlling apparatus executes a torque control of controlling a rotational driving torque of the driving source, based on a value determined by the second sensor, and on the value measured by the sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor is installed on a rotating axis of the joint. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving signal which is transmitted through the wire member is an electric signal. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wire member is installed in an outside or an inside of the first link or the second link. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The robot apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the first sensors are provided, and the joint is arranged between the plurality of the first sensors. ### Claim 7 An end effector capable of being mounted on a robot arm included in a robot apparatus provided with a first link, a second link, a joint which connects the first link and the second link to each other, a driving source which drives the joint, a wire member which is arranged along the first link or the second link, a controlling apparatus which controls the driving source, the wire member being attached to the first link or the second link through a deformation member, to transmit a driving signal at least to the driving source, and a first sensor for measuring a deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by deformation of the wire member due to driving of the joint by the driving source, wherein the controlling apparatus drives and controls the driving source, based on a value of the deformation amount measured by the first sensor, the end effector comprising: a connection member for mounting the end effector to one of the first link or the second link; and a wire connection member for connecting the wire member to the end effector, wherein the end effector is connected to the wire member when the end effector is mounted to the first link or second link on the robot arm. ### Claim 8 A robot controlling program stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, the program for operating a controlling apparatus to execute controlling of a robot apparatus provided with a first link, a second link, a joint which connects the first link and the second link to each other, a driving source which drives the joint, a wire member which is arranged along the first link or the second link, and the controlling apparatus which controls the driving source, the wire member being attached to the first link or the second link through a deformation member, to transmit a driving signal at least to the driving source, and a first sensor for measuring a deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by deformation of the wire member due to driving of the joint by the driving source, the program comprising: code for measuring the deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by deformation of the wire member due to the driving of the joint by the driving source; and code for the controlling apparatus to drive and control the driving source, based on a value of the deformation measured by the first sensor. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a readable robot controlling program operating a controlling apparatus to execute controlling of a robot apparatus provided with a first link, a second link, a joint which connects the first link and the second link to each other, a wire member arranged along the first link or the second link, a driving source which drives the joint, the controlling apparatus which controls the driving source, the wire member being attached to the first link or the second link through a deformation member, to transmit a driving signal at least to the driving source, and a first sensor for measuring a deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by deformation of the wire member due to driving of the joint, the program comprising: code for measuring the deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by the deformation of the wire member due to driving of the joint by the driving source; and code for the controlling apparatus to drive and control the driving source, based on a value of the deformation amount measured by the first sensor. ### Claim 10 A controlling method of a robot apparatus provided with a first link, a second link, a joint which connects the first link and the second link to each other, a wire member arranged along the first link or the second link, a driving source which drives the joint, a controlling apparatus which controls the driving source, the wire member being attached to the first link or the second link through a deformation member, to transmit a driving signal at least to the driving source, and a sensor for measuring a deformation amount of the deformation member, the controlling method comprising: measuring, executed by the controlling apparatus, to operate the sensor to measure the deformation amount of the deformation member when the deformation member is deformed by deformation of the wire member due to driving of the joint by the driving source; and driving and controlling, executed the controlling apparatus, to operate the driving source to drive the joint, based on a value of the deformation amount measured in the measuring by the sensor.