Omron Corporation

Misato Nabeto

Hiroki Koga

Sayaka Doi

Tatsuakira Masaki

Hiroshi Sameshima

Keiki Matsuura

Hiroshi Tsuji

Masayo Ikuta

Hiroshi Kitajima

Kenji Sakurai

Yui Kimura

Kenji Sakurrai

A tactile sensor has an electrostatic capacitance-type sensor portion having a layered structure in which a first electrode layer, an elastic layer, and a second electrode layer are layered. The first electrode layer has plural first electrodes, and the second electrode layer is configured by one or plural second electrodes in a single layer. Two or more of the plural first electrodes are partially-overlapping electrodes that partially overlap with the second electrode as viewed in a normal direction of a contacting surface of the sensor portion. A number of one or plural openings formed in one of the second electrodes, or a number of one or plural island portions formed by one or plural second electrodes, is less than a number of the plural first electrodes.

Tactile sensor

In a tactile sensing system, a sensor portion of a tactile sensor is provided at a grasping portion of a robot, and outputs plural signals respectively corresponding to plural first electrodes that face a second electrode. On the basis of all or some of the plural signals, an output section calculates respective pressure values of plural pressure detecting positions within a contacting surface of the sensor portion which contacting surface contacts a workpiece, and outputs data of a pressure distribution. Further, on the basis of all or some of the plural signals, the output section calculates one aggregate shearing force value for the entire contacting surface, and outputs data of the aggregate shearing force value.

Tactile sensing system

A tactile sensor, comprising: a cover provided so as to cover at least a portion of a base; a first force detection section configured to detect a force acting on the cover in a direction toward the base from the cover; and a second force detection section configured to detect the force acting on the cover in a case in which the cover is further displaced in the direction toward the base after the first force detection section has detected the force acting on the cover.

Tactile sensor, robot hand, and robot

A tactile sensor pertaining to the present disclosure includes a cover that is provided so as to cover at least part of a base portion, a detection unit that is disposed between the cover and the base portion and detects force applied to the cover, and a limiting structure that limits inclination of the cover with respect to the base portion.

The end effector includes a palm, a plurality of fingers capable of grasping operation, a tactile sensor unit provided with each of the plurality of fingers, and a force receiving portion that receives a force from the object being grasped when the object being grasped is grasped by the plurality of fingers, the force receiving portion being connected to each of the plurality of fingers via the tactile sensor unit. The force receiving portion includes a grasping surface that receives a force from the object being grasped, the grasping surface being placed facing the object being grasped to be able to grasp the object being grasped, and a pressing surface that is placed further away from the palm than the second end portion of each of the plurality of fingers and extends in a direction intersecting the grasping surface.

End effector and end effector device

The end effector device includes an end effector including a palm and a plurality of fingers, a drive device, a position shift direction determination unit and a position shift correction unit. Each finger includes a tactile sensor unit capable of detecting external forces in at least three axial directions. The position shift direction determination unit determines in which direction the object being grasped is position-shifted with respect to the fitting recess based on a detection result detected by the tactile sensor unit in a case where at least one of the external forces detected by the tactile sensor unit is a specified value or more. The position shift correction unit moves the palm in a direction opposite to a position shift direction of the object being grasped determined by the position shift direction determination unit.

End effector device

An end effector includes a palm and a plurality of fingers capable of moving in a direction intersecting an extending direction of each of fingers as well as approaching each other and grasping and object being grasped. At least one of the plurality of fingers includes a proximity sensor unit provided at a tip portion in the extending direction, the proximity sensor unit being placed capable of detecting approach and separation of the proximity sensor unit with respect to an object in the extending direction and capable of detecting approach and separation of the object with respect to the proximity sensor unit in the extending direction. The proximity sensor unit includes a frame shaped detection region that covers an edge of the tip portion when viewed from the extending direction.

A power supply circuit includes: a primary capacitor configured to temporarily store the energy from an energy harvester; a storage element configured to store the energy for supply to a load; a buck converter configured to charge the storage element with the energy stored in the primary capacitor; a secondary capacitor configured to connect to the primary capacitor to operate in a first state where the voltage between both terminals of the primary capacitor is applied to both terminals of the secondary capacitor and a second state where the voltage between both terminals of the primary capacitor is not applied to both terminals of the secondary capacitor; and a control circuit configured to operate with the secondary capacitor as a power source.

Power supply circuit

Power generated by a vibration power generator utilizing an electret is efficiently supplied to a power supply load. A vibration power generator includes a first substrate and a second substrate configured to be moved relative to each other by external vibration while remaining opposite each other, a group of a plurality of electrets arranged in the relative movement direction on one surface side of the first substrate, and a group of electrodes arranged in the relative movement direction on a surface side of the second substrate opposite to the group of electrets, and including a first current collecting electrode and a second current collecting electrode. A power supply load to which power generated by the external vibration is supplied and which has an impedance lower than an internal impedance of the vibration power generator is electrically connected to each of the first and second current collecting electrodes.

Vibration power generator

Power generated by a vibration power generator using an electret is efficiently supplied to a power supply load. A vibration power generator includes a first substrate and a second substrate configured to be moved relative to each other by external vibration while remaining opposite each other, a group of a plurality of electrets arranged in the relative movement direction on one surface side of the first substrate, and a group of a plurality of electrodes arranged in the relative movement direction on a surface side of the second substrate opposite to the group of electrets, the group of electrodes including first current collecting electrodes and second current collecting electrodes electrically connected to respective power supply loads to which power generated by the external vibration is supplied, and ground electrodes each provided between the first current collecting electrode and the second current collecting electrode and grounded.

A vibration power generator configured to generate power by displacement between an electret group having a plurality of electrets and an electrode group having a plurality of electrodes in a relative movement direction in response to an external vibration, includes a casing in which the electret group and the electrode group are disposed, a fixed member in which one of the electret group and the electrode group is disposed, the fixed member being fixed to a side of the casing, and a movable member in which the other of the electret group and the electrode group is disposed. The movable member is disposed in the casing such that the movable member is relatively movable in response to the external vibration while opposed to the fixed member.

Vibration power generator and power generator

A vibration energy detection apparatus has a vibration power generator installed in an inspection object that converts vibration energy generated in the inspection object into power, an electric storage unit that stores generated power of the vibration power generator, a voltage monitor that monitors a storage voltage of the electric storage unit, a discharge controller that discharges electric storage energy of the electric storage unit when the storage voltage of the electric storage unit exceeds a predetermined storage voltage, and a vibration energy calculator that calculates the vibration energy generated in the inspection object based on the number of formation times of an electric storage state of the electric storage unit. The electric storage state is continuously or intermittently formed by the discharge by the discharge controller.

Vibration energy detection apparatus and vibration energy detection system

A voltage conversion circuit has a plurality of primary capacitors charged by a power supply, a secondary capacitor connected in parallel to the respective plurality of primary capacitors that is charged at a voltage supplied to a load circuit, a plurality of switching circuits provided in association with the respective plurality of primary capacitors that change over a connection state between the primary capacitors and the secondary capacitor, and a connection control circuit that successively connects the respective primary capacitors to the secondary capacitor through the corresponding switching circuits, the respective primary capacitors across which the charging voltages reach a predetermined connection voltage higher than a charging voltage across the secondary capacitor.

Voltage conversion circuit with improved conversion efficiency

A voltage converting circuit includes a plurality of first capacitors that are charged by a power source, a second capacitor, connected in parallel to the plurality of first capacitors, which is able to be charged to a voltage that is supplied to a load circuit, and a plurality of switching circuits, provided in such a way as to correspond to the plurality of first capacitors, each of which switches states of connection between its corresponding first capacitor and the second capacitor. The first capacitors are sequentially connected to the second capacitor through the corresponding switching circuits as charging voltages of the first capacitors reach a predetermined connection voltage that is higher than a charging voltage of the second capacitor so that the first capacitors are not short-circuited with each other.

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Nara, Japan

Misato Nabeto