# US 2020/0101618 A1 · Control device, robot system, and robot > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0101618 A1 - Document ID: US20200101618A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/585,198 - Filed: 2019-09-27 - Published: 2020-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-28 - Assignees: Seiko Epson Corporation - Applicants: Seiko Epson Corporation - Inventors: Yoshito MIYAMOTO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200101618A1 ## CPC - B25J 9/1697: {Vision controlled systems} - B25J 19/022: {using lasers} - B25J 9/1684: {Tracking a line or surface by means of sensors} - B25J 13/086: {Proximity sensors} - B25J 19/026: {Acoustical sensing devices} - G05B 2219/37269: Ultrasonic, ultrasound, sonar - G05B 2219/37423: Distance, gap between tool and surface sensor - 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) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) 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. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) 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. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) 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. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) 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. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device controls the robot including ultrasonic sensors as the distance sensors. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device controls the robot including laser sensors as the distance sensors. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) 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. ### Claim 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.