Control device, robot system, and robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020101618-A1
Application number	US-201916585198-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 27, 2019
Priority date	Sep 28, 2018
Publication date	Apr 2, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A control device includes a control section configured to control a motion of a robot arm using values detected by a plurality of distance sensors. The plurality of distance sensors include a first distance sensor and a second distance sensor disposed in a first direction orthogonal to the axial direction of a dispenser. The second distance sensor is disposed in a position further apart from the dispenser than the first distance sensor. The control section executes, on a robot, a first instruction for causing the robot to execute discharge of a discharge object by the dispenser when a distance acquired by the first distance sensor is a distance in a predetermined range and a distance acquired by the second distance sensor is a distance larger than the distance in the predetermined range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A control device that controls a robot including a robot arm, a dispenser provided at a distal end of the robot arm and configured to discharge a discharge object, and a plurality of distance sensors configured to detect distances to a target in a direction in which the discharge object is discharged,
the control device comprising a control section configured to control a motion of the robot arm using values detected by the distance sensors, wherein the plurality of distance sensors include a first distance sensor and a second distance sensor, the first distance sensor is disposed between the dispenser and the second distance sensor, the second distance sensor is disposed along a first direction orthogonal to an axis of the dispenser and extending from the axis of the dispenser toward the first distance sensor, and the dispenser discharges the discharge object when a first condition that a first value detected by the first distance sensor is included in a predetermined range and a second value detected by the second distance sensor exceeds the range is satisfied.

2 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein
the plurality of distance sensors further include a third distance sensor and a fourth distance sensor, the third distance sensor is disposed between the dispenser and the fourth distance sensor, the fourth distance sensor is disposed along a second direction orthogonal to the axis of the dispenser and the first direction and extending from the axis of the dispenser toward the third distance sensor, and the dispenser discharges the discharge object and moves in the second direction when a second condition that a third value detected by the third distance sensor and a fourth value detected by the fourth distance sensor are included in the range is satisfied in addition to the first condition.

3 . The control device according to claim 2 , wherein, when the dispenser is moving in the second direction, the dispenser stops the movement in the second direction when a third condition that the fourth value exceeds the range is satisfied.

4 . The control device according to claim 3 , wherein
the plurality of distance sensors further include a fifth distance sensor, the fifth distance sensor is disposed such that a third direction extending from the axis of the dispenser toward the fifth distance sensor is orthogonal to the axis of the dispenser, and the dispenser moves in the third direction when a fourth condition that a fifth value detected by the fifth distance sensor is included in the range is satisfied in addition to the third condition.

5 . The control device according to claim 4 , wherein
the plurality of distance sensors further include a sixth distance sensor, the sixth distance sensor is disposed such that a fourth direction extending from the axis of the dispenser toward the sixth distance sensor is orthogonal to the axis of the dispenser and the third direction, and the control section moves the dispenser in the third direction and causes the dispenser to discharge the discharge object when a fifth condition that a sixth value detected by the sixth distance sensor exceeds the range is satisfied in addition to the fourth condition.

6 . The control device according to claim 5 , wherein the control section controls an angle formed by the axis of the dispenser and a discharge surface, onto which the discharge object is discharged, to be a predetermined angle using three or more distance sensors, detected values of which are included in the range, among the plurality of distance sensors.

7 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device controls the robot including ultrasonic sensors as the distance sensors.

8 . The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device controls the robot including laser sensors as the distance sensors.

9 . A robot system comprising:
a robot including a robot arm, a dispenser provided at a distal end of the robot arm and configured to discharge a discharge object, and a plurality of distance sensors configured to detect distances to a target in a direction in which the discharge object is discharged; and the control device according to claim 1 , the controlling device controlling the robot.

10 . A robot controlled by a control device, the robot comprising:
a robot arm; a dispenser provided at a distal end of the robot arm and configured to discharge a discharge object; and a plurality of distance sensors configured to detect distances to a target in a direction in which the discharge object is discharged, wherein the plurality of distance sensors include a first distance sensor and a second distance sensor, the first distance sensor is disposed between the dispenser and the second distance sensor, the second distance sensor is disposed along a first direction orthogonal to an axis of the dispenser and extending from the axis of the dispenser toward the first distance sensor, and the dispenser discharges the discharge object when a first condition that a first value detected by the first distance sensor is included in a predetermined range and a second value detected by the second distance sensor exceeds the range is satisfied.

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Miyamoto Yoshito

Classifications

• B25J9/1697 Primary

  Vision controlled systems · CPC title

• B25J13/086

  Proximity sensors · CPC title

• G05B2219/37423

  Distance, gap between tool and surface sensor · CPC title

• G05B2219/37269

  Ultrasonic, ultrasound, sonar · CPC title

• B25J19/02

  Sensing devices · CPC title