Link operating device control device and control method

A control device for a link actuation device, the control device controlling the link actuation device in which a parallel link mechanism and a linear motion mechanism are combined and which performs working by causing an end effector to continuously act along a line extending over a boundary surface at a corner on a flat work surface of a target workpiece,

• the parallel link mechanism having a structure in which a distal-end-side link hub, to which the end effector is mounted, is connected to a proximal-end-side link hub via three or more link mechanisms such that a posture of the distal-end-side link hub is changeable relative to the proximal-end-side link hub, and the parallel link mechanism including a plurality of actuators for changing the posture of the distal-end-side link hub,
• the linear motion mechanism having a function of linearly moving in two-axis directions or three-axis directions orthogonal to each other by being driven by actuators, and the linear motion mechanism being provided so as to move the proximal-end-side link hub of the parallel link mechanism or move the target workpiece,
• the control device comprising:
• a line storage configured to store the line as line segment data;
• an operation command generator configured to generate an operation command for operating the parallel link mechanism and the linear motion mechanism, on the basis of the stored line;
• and
• a controller configured to control the actuators of the linear motion mechanism and the parallel link mechanism in accordance with the generated operation command, wherein
• the operation command generator includes:
• an area division unit configured to divide the line on the flat work surface into a straight area and a corner area, using the boundary surface as a reference, in accordance with a predetermined rule;
• a straight area operation command generation unit configured to generate a command for operating only the linear motion mechanism while keeping the posture of the parallel link mechanism fixed, in the straight area;
• and
• a corner area operation command generation unit configured to generate a command so that an acting point of the end effector passes on the boundary surface at a substantially constant speed by the linear motion mechanism and the parallel link mechanism performing coordinated operations in the corner area.