Encoder unit, angle measuring method, and robot

{
  "publication_number": "US10775204B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Encoder unit, angle measuring method, and robot",
  "abstract": "Template matching with an image captured by the first imaging element is performed to obtain a first movement amount in a circumferential direction of the first mark, template matching with an image captured by the second imaging element is performed to obtain a second movement amount in a circumferential direction of the second mark, and a rotation angle is calculated and output by using the first movement amount and the second movement amount.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An encoder unit comprising: a speed reducer having an output shaft that rotates around a rotary shaft so as to output a drive force; and an encoder that measures a rotation angle of the output shaft, wherein the encoder includes a rotary unit that moves rotationally around the rotary shaft along with rotational movement of the output shaft, a scale portion that is disposed on the rotary unit in a circumferential direction around the rotary shaft and has a first mark and a second mark, a first imaging element that images the first mark, a second imaging element that is disposed at a position symmetrical with the first imaging element with respect to the rotary shaft and images the second mark, a processor that performs a process of obtaining a rotation angle of the rotary unit based on imaging results imaged by the first imaging element and the second imaging element, and a storage unit that stores an instruction that is readable by the processor, and wherein the processor reads the instruction from the storage unit such that template matching with an image captured by the first imaging element is performed to obtain a first movement amount in the circumferential direction of the first mark, template matching with an image captured by the second imaging element is performed to obtain a second movement amount in the circumferential direction of the second mark, and a rotation angle is calculated and output by using the first movement amount and the second movement amount.",
    "2. The encoder unit according to claim 1, wherein the processor performs template matching by using a reference image in association with angle information, when obtaining the first movement amount.",
    "3. A robot comprising: a first member; a second member that moves rotationally with respect to the first member; and an encoder unit according to claim 2, wherein the output shaft is connected to the second member.",
    "4. The encoder unit according to claim 1, wherein, when viewed in a direction along the rotary shaft, an angle between a straight line connecting the rotary shaft to the first imaging element and a straight line connecting the rotary shaft to the second imaging element is within a range from 174 degrees to 186 degrees.",
    "5. A robot comprising: a first member; a second member that moves rotationally with respect to the first member; and an encoder unit according to claim 4, wherein the output shaft is connected to the second member.",
    "6. The encoder unit according to claim 1, wherein the first imaging element has a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix shape in directions along an X axis and a Y axis which are orthogonal to each other, wherein the storage unit stores angular deviation information which is information on an angular deviation from each of a direction, in which the first imaging element and the second imaging element are aligned, and the direction along the X axis, and wherein the processor calculates the rotation angle by using the angular deviation information.",
    "7. The encoder unit according to claim 6, wherein the processor uses a correction factor as the angular deviation information, and wherein, when any position of the scale portion is moved from a first position to a second position different from the first position in a captured image of the first imaging element, h represents a distance between the first position and the second position in the direction along the X axis, v represents a distance between the first position and the second position in the direction along the Y axis, and a represents the correction factor, a relationship of α=√(h 2 +v 2)/h is satisfied.",
    "8. A robot comprising: a first member; a second member that moves rotationally with respect to the first member; and an encoder unit according to claim 7, wherein the output shaft is connected to the second member.",
    "9. A robot comprising: a first member; a second member that moves rotationally with respect to the first member; and an encoder unit according to claim 6, wherein the output shaft is connected to the second member.",
    "10. A robot comprising: a first member; a second member that moves rotationally with respect to the first member; and an encoder unit according to claim 1, wherein the output shaft is connected to the second member.",
    "11. The robot according to claim 10, wherein the second member is an arm, and wherein the rotary unit is the arm.",
    "12. An angle measuring method for measuring a rotation angle of an output shaft by using an encoder that includes a rotary unit that moves rotationally around a rotary shaft along with rotation of the output shaft of a speed reducer having the output shaft that rotates around the rotary shaft so as to output a drive force, a scale portion that is disposed on the rotary unit in a circumferential direction around the rotary shaft and has a first mark and a second mark, a first imaging element that images the first mark, and a second imaging element that is disposed at a position symmetrical with the first imaging element with respect to the rotary shaft and images the second mark, the method comprising: performing template matching with an image captured by the first imaging element to obtain a first movement amount in the circumferential direction of the first mark; performing template matching with an image captured by the second imaging element to obtain a second movement amount in the circumferential direction of the second mark; and calculating and outputting a rotation angle by using the first movement amount and the second movement amount.",
    "13. The angle measuring method according to claim 12, further comprising: obtaining a correction factor and storing the correction factor in a storage unit before the first movement amount and the second movement amount are obtained, wherein, in the calculating and outputting of the rotation angle, the rotation angle is calculated by using the correction factor."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to an encoder unit, an angle measuring method, and a robot.\n\nIn the related art, an optical rotary encoder is known as a type of encoder. For example, JP-A-2007-178320 discloses a rotary encoder that includes a dial, a code pattern provided in the vicinity of a peripheral edge of the dial, and a pair of CCD linear sensors that read a code pattern at a symmetrical position. Here, the pair of CCD linear sensors reads the code pattern, obtained read angles are averaged, and thereby an error due to eccentricity of the dial is to be reduced. Further, when an eccentricity factor related to eccentricity of the dial is stored in advance, and a user measures an angle, an angle measurement value is corrected with the eccentricity factor such that an angle error due to the eccentricity with respect to a rotary shaft of the dial is to be eliminated.\n\nA rotary encoder is used for measuring a rotation angle of an output shaft of a speed reducer such as a wave speed reducer. Here, the output shaft of the speed reducer has axial run-out (dynamic eccentricity) with rotation. Therefore, in this case, when, as described in a method disclosed in JP-A-2007-178320, an eccentricity factor obtained in advance in order to eliminate an angle error due to eccentricity is used, a problem arises in that it is not possible to sufficiently reduce an error due to eccentricity of a dial, which is caused by the axial run-out described above, and it is difficult to enhance detection accuracy.",
  "cpc": [
    "G01D 5/34776",
    "B25J 13/088",
    "B25J 19/023",
    "B25J 9/161",
    "G01B 11/26",
    "G01D 5/26",
    "G01D 5/34715",
    "G01D 5/34738",
    "G06T 2207/30204",
    "G06T 7/60",
    "G06T 7/74"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 19/02",
    "G01D 5/347",
    "G06T 7/60",
    "G06T 7/73"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Seiko Epson Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Takayuki Kondo"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-02-14",
  "publication_date": "2020-09-15",
  "grant_date": "2020-09-15",
  "priority_date": "2018-02-15",
  "application_number": "US-201916275658-A",
  "family_id": "67541472",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "JP2003097975A",
    "JP2007178320A",
    "US7378643B2",
    "US8552362B2",
    "US20170274537A1",
    "JP2017177238A",
    "US20180209822A1",
    "JP2018120306A"
  ]
}