Robot position teaching system and method

A robot position teaching systems, comprising:

• a robot controller to control a robot;
• a visual sensor to measure a three-dimensional position;
• an image processing device to measure a position by processing and analyzing an image recognized by the visual sensor so as to transmit the measurement data to the robot controller;
• a position teaching unit having a grasping portion graspable by a hand of an operator, and an index visually recognizable by the visual sensor, fixed at a distal end of a rod-type body extending from the grasping portion;
• said visual sensor being mounted on a hand of the robot to which a position is to be taught;
• said grasping portion of said position teaching unit having a moving switch, an approach teaching switch, an arrival teaching switch, and push buttons to selectively turn on or off the respective switches, said grasping portion accommodating a control portion to generate a signal corresponding to the selective ON/OFF state of the respective switches, and including a transmitting portion to transmit the signal generated in said control portion;
• wherein said robot controller is connected to a signal receiving portion to receive the signal from the transmitting portion, so that said robot controller moves, in response to action of one of the push buttons, the robot toward a position of the index measured by said image processing device at a given speed or less when the moving switch is turned on, while said robot controller stores as teaching position data measurement data obtained at a time of calculation in said image processing device when said approach teaching switch is turned on, or stores as the teaching position data a current position of the robot when said arrival teaching switch is turned on.

A robot position teaching unit, comprising:

• a position index portion having an index visually recognizable by a visual sensor and movable by a user;
• a moving command portion to generate a moving command to the robot to move toward the index based upon the detected visual recognition of the index by the visual sensor;
• and
• an approach/arrival signal portion to generate an approach/arrival signal to inform the robot that the robot arrives at or approaches a desired teaching position.

A robot position teaching method of teaching a position to a robot by using a robot position teaching unit including a grasping portion, a position index portion having an index visually recognizable by a visual sensor, an extending portion interposed between said grasping portion and said position index portion, a moving command portion to generate a moving command to the robot to move toward the index, and an approach/arrival signal portion to generate an approach/arrival signal to inform the robot that the robot arrives at or approaches a teaching position, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting said moving command from said robot position teaching unit to said robot;
• finding a position of said index by the visual sensor;
• moving said robot toward the found position of said index;
• transmitting the approach/arrival signal from said robot position teaching unit to said robot when said robot approaches or arrives at a desired teaching position;
• and
• storing a teaching position in said robot depending upon the position of said index found on the basis of updated output from said visual sensor, or upon a current position of the robot at a time of transmission of the approach/arrival signal.