# US 12,113,469 B2 · Robot, humanoid robot, and robot fall control method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,113,469 B2 - Document ID: US12113469B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/784,687 - Filed: 2020-11-18 - Published: 2023-01-19 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-17 - Assignees: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Masayuki Kamon; Junichi Karasuyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12113469B2 ## CPC - H02P 3/22: by short-circuit or resistive braking - B25J 9/126: {Rotary actuators} - B25J 9/1628: {characterised by the control loop} - B25J 9/1674: {characterised by safety, monitoring, diagnostic} - B25J 13/087: {for sensing other physical parameters, e.g. electrical or chemical properties} - B25J 17/00: Joints - B25J 19/0004: {Braking devices (brakes in general F16D)} - B62D 57/032: with alternately or sequentially lifted supporting base and legs; with alternately or sequentially lifted feet or skid (B62D57/024 takes precedence) - H02P 5/46: for speed regulation of two or more dynamo-electric motors in relation to one another - H02P 5/68: controlling two or more DC dynamo-electric motors (H02P5/46, H02P5/60 take precedence) - G05B 2219/40264: Human like, type robot arm - H02P: CONTROL OR REGULATION OF ELECTRIC MOTORS, ELECTRIC GENERATORS OR DYNAMO-ELECTRIC CONVERTERS; CONTROLLING TRANSFORMERS, REACTORS OR CHOKE COILS - 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}) - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - 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 (100) includes a resistance circuit (60) configured or programmed to perform a control to reduce a braking force of a dynamic brake by changing a resistance value of a resistance component (63) with respect to a power supply path (61) when motors (30) are stopped at an abnormal stop. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robot comprising: a robot body including a plurality of joints; a plurality of motors provided in the plurality of joints; and a resistance circuit including a resistance component electrically connectable to a power supply path that supplies electric power to the motors to consume electric energy generated by rotation of the motors, the resistance circuit activating a dynamic brake by consuming the electric energy by the resistance component; wherein the resistance circuit is configured or programmed to perform a control to reduce a braking force of the dynamic brake by changing a resistance value of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path when the motors are stopped at an abnormal stop, and the resistance circuit is configured or programmed to perform a control to reduce the braking force of the dynamic brake until the motors are stopped by changing the resistance value of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path when a fall of the robot body is controlled. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the resistance circuit is configured or programmed to perform a control to change the resistance value of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path by alternately repeating a connection operation and a non-connection operation of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path to reduce the braking force of the dynamic brake when the motors are stopped at the abnormal stop. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the resistance circuit includes a regenerative resistance circuit including a regenerative resistor to consume regenerative energy generated in the motors. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The robot according to claim 3, wherein the regenerative resistance circuit performs an operation to connect the regenerative resistor to the power supply path at the abnormal stop at an operating voltage lower than an operating voltage for activating the regenerative resistor during normal operation. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The robot according to claim 4, wherein the resistance circuit is configured or programmed to perform a control to switch the normal operation to the operation at the abnormal stop based on an abnormal stop signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the resistance circuit is configured or programmed to perform a control to reduce the braking force of the dynamic brake until the motors are stopped by changing the resistance value of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path when the motors are stopped at the abnormal stop. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The robot according to claim 6, wherein the robot body includes a humanoid robot body including the plurality of joints corresponding to a plurality of human joints. ### Claim 8 A robot comprising: a robot body including a plurality of joints; a plurality of motors provided in the plurality of joints; a resistance circuit including a resistance component electrically connectable to a power supply path that supplies electric power to the motors to consume electric energy generated by rotation of the motors, the resistance circuit activating a dynamic brake by consuming the electric energy by the resistance component; and a voltage detector to detect a voltage in the power supply path; wherein the resistance circuit is configured or programmed to perform a control to reduce a braking force of the dynamic brake by changing a resistance value of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path when the motors are stopped at an abnormal stop, the resistance circuit is configured or programmed to perform a feedback control to reduce the braking force of the dynamic brake until the motors are stopped by changing the resistance value of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path based on the voltage in the power supply path detected by the voltage detector when the motors are stopped at the abnormal stop, the resistance circuit is configured or programmed to perform a feedback control to reduce the braking force of the dynamic brake until the motors are stopped by changing the resistance value of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path based on a comparison between the voltage in the power supply path detected by the voltage detector and a predetermined reference voltage when the motors are stopped at the abnormal stop, and the resistance circuit is configured or programmed to, when the motors are stopped at the abnormal stop, perform a feedback control to reduce the braking force of the dynamic brake until the motors are stopped by performing an operation to increase the resistance value of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path when the voltage in the power supply path detected by the voltage detector exceeds the predetermined reference voltage, and performing an operation to decrease the resistance value of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path when the voltage in the power supply path is equal to or lower than the predetermined reference voltage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The robot according to claim 8, wherein the resistance circuit further includes a switch to switch between a connection state and a non-connection state of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path; and the resistance circuit is configured or programmed to perform a control to reduce the braking force of the dynamic brake until the motors are stopped by alternately repeating an on operation and an off operation of the switch based on the predetermined reference voltage to alternately repeat a connection operation and a non-connection operation of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path when the motors are stopped at the abnormal stop. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The robot according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined reference voltage is variable. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The robot according to claim 1, wherein the resistance component is provided in common for the plurality of motors provided for the plurality of joints; and the resistance circuit is configured or programmed to collectively control the braking force of the dynamic brake for the plurality of motors by changing the resistance value of the resistance component provided in common for the plurality of motors with respect to the power supply path when the motors are stopped at the abnormal stop. ### Claim 12 A humanoid robot comprising: a humanoid robot body including a plurality of joints corresponding to a plurality of human joints; a plurality of motors provided in the plurality of joints; and a resistance circuit including a resistance component electrically connectable to a power supply path that supplies electric power to the motors to consume electric energy generated by rotation of the motors, the resistance circuit activating a dynamic brake by consuming the electric energy by the resistance component; wherein the resistance circuit is configured or programmed to perform a control to reduce a braking force of the dynamic brake until the motors are stopped by changing a resistance value of the resistance component with respect to the power supply path when the motors are stopped at an abnormal stop associated with a fall of the humanoid robot body. ### Claim 13 A robot fall control method at an abnormal stop for a robot including a plurality of joints, the robot fall control method comprising: detecting a voltage in a power supply path that supplies electric power to a plurality of motors provided in the plurality of joints; and performing a feedback control to reduce a braking force of a dynamic brake by changing a resistance value of a resistance component with respect to the power supply path in a resistance circuit that activates the dynamic brake by consuming electric energy generated by rotation of the motors by the resistance component electrically connectable to the power supply path, based on the detected voltage in the power supply path.