# US 8,862,267 B2 · Gripping apparatus and gripping apparatus control method

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- Number: US 8,862,267 B2
- Document ID: US8862267B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/682,242
- Filed: 2008-09-26
- Published: 2010-10-07
- Granted: 2014-10-14
- Earliest claimed: 2007-10-29
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Masato Aoba; Masakazu Matsugu; Masafumi Takimoto
- Inventors: Masato Aoba; Masakazu Matsugu; Masafumi Takimoto
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8862267B2

## CPC

- B25J 9/1612: {characterised by the hand, wrist, grip control}
- B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems}
- G05B 2219/39391: Visual servoing, track end effector with camera image feedback
- G05B 2219/39568: Extract, insert objects by controlling fingers, dexterous
- G05B 2219/40032: Peg and hole insertion, mating and joining, remote center compliance
- G05B 2219/40087: Align hand on workpiece to pick up workpiece, peg and hole
- H01R 43/28: for wire processing before connecting to contact members, not provided for in groups H01R43/02 - H01R43/26
- 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)
- H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS

## Abstract

A gripping apparatus comprises an information acquisition unit (A 311, A315, A301) configured to acquire information about a position and orientation of an object (23) to be gripped by a gripper (12), a movement path generating unit (A610) configured to acquire a target state suitable for gripping the object, based on the acquired information, and generate a movement path of the gripper toward the target state, and a controller configured to move the gripper along the generated movement path and cause the gripper to grip the object.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a first obtaining unit configured to obtain an image of an object in a state where the object held by a holding unit is in front of an interface unit and is not inserted into the interface unit;
a storing unit configured to store a first model of the object and a second model of the interface unit;
a second obtaining unit configured to obtain a relative position and orientation between the object and the interface unit based on the first model, the second model and the obtained image;
a calculating unit configured to calculate a first position and orientation of the object and a second position and orientation of the object based on the obtained relative position and orientation of the object, wherein the first position and orientation corresponding to a condition that a portion of the object is obliquely inserted in the interface unit, the second position and orientation corresponding to a condition that the object has been inserted in the interface unit;
a movement path generating unit configured to generate a movement path which is from a position and orientation of the object held by a holding unit in a state where the object is in front of an interface unit and is not inserted into the interface unit, to the second position and orientation through the first position and orientation of the object; and
a controller configured to move the holding unit along the generated movement path.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to move the holding unit along the generated movement path and to cause the holding unit to insert the object into the interface unit.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:
the movement path generating unit sets a first movement path of the holding unit when the holding unit holds the object, based on first information,
the movement path generating unit sets a second movement path of the holding unit which is used when the holding unit inserts the object into the interface unit, based on second information,
the controller moves the holding unit along the set first movement path and causes the holding unit to hold the object, and
the controller moves the holding unit holding the object along the set second movement path, and causes the holding unit to insert the object into the interface unit.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the movement path generating unit calculates a curve leading to a target state suitable for gripping the object as the first movement path.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an information obtaining unit configured to obtain parametric model data of a position and orientation of the object.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the parametric model data shows a model having a rectangular shape.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement path generating unit sets a plurality of orientations of the holding unit, and the movement path generating unit generates the movement path passing through the plurality of orientations.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the parametric model data shows a model having an outer shape of the object obtained from CAD data.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining unit has a plurality of cameras.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining unit has a camera and a lighting unit.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the information obtaining unit has a camera and a projector.

### Claim 12

A method for controlling an apparatus, comprising:
obtaining an image of an object in a state where the object held by a holding unit is in front of an interface unit and is not inserted into the interface unit;
storing a first model of the object and a second model of the interface unit;
obtaining a relative position and orientation between the object and the interface unit based on the first model, the second model and the obtained image;
calculating a first position and orientation of the object and a second position and orientation of the object based on the obtained relative position and orientation of the object, wherein the first position and orientation corresponding to a condition that a portion of the object is obliquely inserted in the interface unit, the second position and orientation corresponding to a condition that the object has been inserted in the interface unit;
generating a movement path which is from a position and orientation of the object held by a holding unit in a state where the object is in front of an interface unit and is not inserted into the interface unit, to the second position and orientation through the first position and orientation of the object; and
moving the holding unit along the generated movement path.

### Claim 13

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to function as:
a first obtaining unit configured to obtain an image of an object in a state where the object held by a holding unit is in front of an interface unit and is not inserted into the interface unit;
a storing unit configured to store a first model of the object and a second model of the interface unit;
a second obtaining unit configured to obtain a relative position and orientation between the object and the interface unit based on the model, the second model and the obtained image;
a calculating unit configured to calculate a first position and orientation of the object, and a second position and orientation of the object based on the obtained relative position and orientation of the object, wherein the first position and orientation corresponding to a condition that a portion of the object is obliquely inserted in the interface unit, the second position and orientation corresponding to a condition that the object has been inserted in the interface unit;
a movement path generating unit configured to generate a movement path which is from a position and orientation of the object held by a holding unit in a state where the object is in front of an interface unit and is not inserted into the interface unit, to the second position and orientation through the first position and orientation of the object; and
a controller configured to move the holding unit along the generated movement path.