Intelligent identification and sorting equipment and method for defective cans

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of sorting and recognition, and particularly discloses an intelligent recognition and sorting device and method for defective cans, the device comprises a detection and recognition unit, the detection and recognition unit comprises a machine body, a carrying mechanism is arranged in the machine body, and the carrying mechanism is used for transferring cans entering the machine body from one side of the machine body to the other side of the machine body; the two ends of the carrying mechanism correspond to the conveying line and are arranged close to the conveying line, a plurality of visual detection mechanisms are further arranged on the two sides of the carrying mechanism, and the visual detection mechanisms are used for detecting and identifying whether the cans transferred by the carrying mechanism have flaws or not; the carrying mechanism comprises a transfer assembly and a plurality of placing stations, the placing stations are arranged outside the transfer assembly in an array mode and are in running fit with the transfer assembly, when the transfer assembly works, the placing stations rotate along with the transfer assembly and achieve autorotation of the cans, then 360-degree dead-corner-free detection of the cans is achieved, and therefore the recognition and sorting precision and efficiency of the defective cans are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of sorting and identification, and in particular discloses an intelligent identification and sorting device and method for defective cans. Background Art

[0002] Canned foods, as sealed foods, are susceptible to cosmetic defects during production, storage, and transportation due to mechanical collisions and stacking. These defects can include dents, deformation, damaged welds, or detached or misplaced labels. These defects not only affect the product's aesthetic appearance but can also compromise the can's sealing properties. A failed seal can allow microbial intrusion, causing the contents to deteriorate and spoil. Therefore, accurate identification and sorting of cosmetic defects before canned foods leave the factory is a key step in ensuring production quality.

[0003] However, existing can defect recognition technologies generally have the defect of incomplete detection coverage: most technologies use fixed-mounted visual inspection cameras, which can only capture images of local surfaces (such as the top and front) of the can when it is stationary or moving in a single direction. Since the cans are cylindrical or irregular in shape, their sides and other areas are prone to forming detection blind spots. Defects such as fine scratches on the sides of the cans and slight dents on the bottom are difficult to capture, resulting in a high missed detection rate. After the defective cans that have been missed enter the subsequent packaging and transportation links, they still need to be manually re-inspected and checked, which not only increases additional labor costs, but also cannot guarantee the thoroughness of the re-inspection, making it difficult to meet the requirements of large-scale production for defect recognition accuracy. At the same time, during the can production process, dust, production debris or oil stains are easily attached to the surface of the can. The existing technology does not have a cleaning mechanism synchronized with the detection. These stains will obscure the defect features, causing the visual inspection system to misjudge (identifying stains as defects or missing real defects due to stains blocking them), further reducing the detection accuracy. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide an intelligent identification and sorting device for defective cans, so as to solve at least one of the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art.

[0005] Specifically, the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0006] An intelligent identification and sorting device for defective cans, wherein a feeding unit and a discharging unit are provided on two opposite sides of the device, and a sorting unit is further provided on another side of the device different from the opposite sides. The device comprises a detection and identification unit, and the detection and identification unit comprises a body. A carrier mechanism is provided inside the body along the conveying direction of the feeding unit. The carrier mechanism is used to transfer cans entering the body from one side of the body to the other side. Both ends of the carrier mechanism correspond to and are arranged close to the conveying line. A plurality of visual inspection mechanisms are further provided on both sides of the carrier mechanism. The visual inspection mechanisms detect and identify whether the cans transferred by the carrier mechanism have defects.

[0007] The carrier mechanism includes a transfer component and a plurality of placement stations. The plurality of placement stations are arranged in an array outside the transfer component and rotate in conjunction with the transfer component. When the transfer component is working, the placement stations rotate accordingly and realize the self-rotation of the cans.

[0008] Optionally, the transfer assembly includes a transfer frame with rotating rollers installed at both ends, and the exteriors of the two rotating rollers are provided with conveying chain plates.

[0009] Optionally, a support plate is further provided inside the transfer frame in the conveying area close to the conveying chain plate, and the top array of the support plate is provided with support rollers for supporting the conveying chain plate. A strip slit extending along the conveying direction of the conveying chain plate is also provided in the middle of the support plate, and both ends of the strip slit pass through the support plate to form teeth on one side of the strip slit.

[0010] Optionally, the placement station includes a bottom plate rotatably arranged on a conveying chain plate, and a chuck is installed on the upper portion of the bottom plate;

[0011] A rotary linkage mechanism is also provided at the bottom of the base plate, and the rotary linkage mechanism includes a gear and a connecting shaft. The gear is provided inside the transmission chain plate and meshes with the teeth. The connecting shaft is installed on the top of the gear and its top end passes through the transmission chain plate and is connected to the base plate.

[0012] A passing groove is provided in the middle of the rotating roller, and the depth of the passing groove is adapted to the gear.

[0013] Optionally, a guard plate is sleeved around the base plate, the top of the guard plate protrudes from the base plate, and the bottom of the guard plate is fixedly connected to the conveying chain plate and rotatably cooperates with the base plate.

[0014] Optionally, an airflow cleaning component is also provided on the placement station, and the airflow cleaning component includes a nozzle and an air supply mechanism. The airflow output end of the nozzle is arranged upward and inclined along the axial direction close to the base plate. The air supply mechanism is installed inside the conveying chain plate and corresponds to the placement station. The air supply mechanism is connected to the nozzle.

[0015] Optionally, the air supply mechanism includes a piston cylinder, which has an outlet end and an inlet end, the outlet end is connected to the nozzle through an outlet pipe, and a piston assembly is provided inside the piston cylinder. The piston assembly transports the gas extracted from the piston cylinder through the inlet end through the outlet end and the outlet pipe to the nozzle for spraying through the piston action.

[0016] Optionally, a cam turntable with an arc-shaped protrusion on the outer circumference is also connected to the upper part of the gear, and a fitting groove is provided on the outer edge of the cam turntable. A connecting rod is also provided between the side of the fitting groove and the piston cylinder, and one end of the connecting rod slides in the fitting groove and the other end extends into the piston cylinder and is connected to the piston assembly.

[0017] Optionally, the sorting unit includes a sorting bevel, the top of the sorting bevel extends through the interior of the body, and a sorting robot is also provided at a position inside the body near the sorting bevel. The control terminal of the sorting robot is connected to the visual inspection mechanism by signal. When the visual inspection mechanism detects and identifies that there are defects on the outside of the can, the control terminal controls the sorting robot to put the defective can into the sorting bevel for sorting and elimination.

[0018] An intelligent identification and sorting method for defective cans, comprising the following steps:

[0019] Step 1: Initial feeding: When the cans to be tested are transported to the body of the detection and identification unit in sequence through the feeding unit, the conveying roller of the carrier mechanism drives the conveying chain plate to move along the circular rotary path, thereby driving the operation of the placement station, so that the cans are accurately placed in each placement station in sequence and fixed by the chuck on the bottom plate, thereby realizing the sequential delivery of the cans from the feeding unit into the body of the machine;

[0020] Step 2: Inspection and identification. When the placement stations carrying cans move with the conveyor chain to the upper part of the support plate and the visual inspection mechanism inspects and identifies the outside of the cans, the gears at the bottom of the placement stations gradually enter the strip gap of the support plate and mesh with the teeth on one side of the strip gap. At this time, the gears follow the conveyor chain and rotate by meshing with the teeth in the strip gap. The gears then rotate and drive the bottom plate to rotate through the connecting shaft. The bottom plate then drives the cans to rotate, allowing the cans to rotate while moving with the conveyor chain. At this time, the visual inspection mechanism simultaneously captures all-round images of the rotating cans and identifies whether the cans have any appearance defects.

[0021] Step 3: During the inspection process, the airflow is cleaned. While the gears at each placement station drive the cans to rotate, the cam disc connected to the upper part of the gear rotates synchronously with the gear. After the cam disc rotates, it rotates through the fitting groove on its outer edge, thereby pushing the connecting rod to move back and forth along the radial direction of the cam disc. The connecting rod pushes the piston assembly in the piston cylinder to perform a reciprocating piston action, so that the piston cylinder draws external air through the air intake end and then transmits the air to the nozzle through the air outlet pipe through the air outlet end. The airflow ejected from the nozzle directly acts on the surface of the rotating can, and the outside of the can body is cleaned simultaneously to prevent stains from covering up can defects.

[0022] Step 4: Discharge sorting: After the visual inspection mechanism completes defect identification, it converts the detection results into electrical signals and transmits them to the control terminal of the sorting robot; the control terminal analyzes and judges after receiving the signals:

[0023] If the can is determined to be good, the carrier mechanism continues to drive the placement station to move. When it moves to the position corresponding to the discharge unit, the chuck releases the fixation on the can, and the can is transferred to the discharge unit along with the carrier mechanism, and then transported to the next production process by the discharge unit.

[0024] If it is determined to be a defective can, the control terminal sends an action instruction to the sorting robot. When the placement station carrying the defective can moves to a position close to the sorting bevel, the sorting robot grabs the defective can and puts it into the sorting bevel for discharge, thereby completing the sorting operation of the defective cans.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0026] (1) The present invention provides a carrier mechanism, including a transfer assembly and a transfer placement station, and cooperates with a visual inspection mechanism to enable the cans to rotate synchronously while moving along with the conveyor chain, so that all surfaces of the can body can enter the inspection field of view, thereby solving the problem of missed detection caused by the blind spot of the existing technology and significantly improving the accuracy of defect recognition.

[0027] (2) The present invention provides an airflow cleaning component, which cleverly utilizes the gear power during the rotation of the can to synchronously drive the piston to generate airflow, and simultaneously realizes real-time cleaning of stains on the surface of the can during detection, thereby solving the problem of recognition errors or omissions caused by stains blocking, and ensuring the accuracy of recognition and sorting.

[0028] (3) The sorting and identification method proposed in the present invention uses self-rotation detection during the transportation process and synchronous cleaning during the detection process to eliminate the blind spots on the can surface detection and fully capture the defect characteristics. Synchronous cleaning removes stains and reduces misjudgments, allowing the visual inspection mechanism to obtain a clear image of the entire surface of the can without obstruction, reducing detection errors from the source and greatly improving the high accuracy of the can sorting and identification process.

[0029] In summary, the present invention provides an intelligent identification and sorting device and method for defective cans. By setting a carrier mechanism that can drive the cans to rotate and cooperating with a multi-directional visual inspection mechanism, 360° no-dead-angle detection can be achieved during the can transportation process. At the same time, an integrated synchronous cleaning mechanism eliminates interference from surface stains, effectively improving detection accuracy and sorting efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, constitute a part of this application, and do not constitute a limitation of the embodiments of the present invention. In the drawings:

[0031] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the carrier mechanism of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the support plate of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the transfer assembly of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 5 It is a schematic side view of a partial structure of the transfer assembly of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 6 It is a structural schematic diagram of the transmission roller of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 7 is a schematic front cross-sectional structural diagram of the transfer assembly of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the steps of the identification and sorting method of the present invention.

[0039] In the above drawings, the reference numerals represent: 1. detection and identification unit; 2. feeding unit; 3. discharging unit; 11. carrying mechanism; 12. visual detection mechanism; 41. sorting bevel; 42. sorting robot; 111. transfer assembly; 112. placement station; 131. nozzle; 132. piston cylinder; 133. piston assembly; 1111. transfer frame; 1112. rotating roller; 1113. conveying chain plate; 1114. support plate; 1121. bottom plate; 1122. guard plate; 1123. gear; 1124. connecting shaft; 1321. air outlet end; 1322. air suction end; 11121. through groove; 11141. teeth; 11142. support roller; 11231. cam turntable; 11232. connecting rod; 13211. air outlet pipe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clear, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the examples. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their description are only used to explain the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. The embodiments described below are part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0041] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that these specific details are not necessarily required to practice the present invention. In other examples, well-known structures, materials, or methods are not specifically described to avoid obscuring the present invention. The materials, instruments, and reagents used in the following examples, unless otherwise specified, are commercially available. The techniques used in the examples, unless otherwise specified, are conventional techniques well known to those skilled in the art.

[0042] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of the technical features being referred to. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. Throughout the description of this application, "plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0043] Example 1:

[0044] Please also refer to Figures 1 to 7 As shown, this embodiment discloses an intelligent identification and sorting device for defective cans, wherein a feeding unit 2 and a discharging unit 3 are provided on two opposite sides of the device, and a sorting unit is further provided on another side of the device different from the two opposite sides, wherein the feeding unit 2 is used to convey the cans to be tested to the detection and identification unit 1 for testing, and the discharging unit 3 is used to convey the qualified cans after testing to the next process, and the sorting unit is used to sort the defective cans after testing. The detection and identification unit 1 includes a body, and a carrier mechanism 11 is provided inside the body along the conveying direction of the feeding unit 2, and the carrier mechanism 11 is used to transfer the cans entering the body from one side of the body to the other side, and the two ends of the carrier mechanism 11 correspond to the conveying line and are arranged close to each other, and a plurality of visual inspection mechanisms 12 are further provided on both sides of the carrier mechanism 11, and the visual inspection mechanism 12 detects and identifies whether the cans transferred by the carrier mechanism 11 have defects;

[0045] The carrier mechanism 11 includes a transfer component 111 and a plurality of placement stations 112. The plurality of placement stations 112 are arranged in an array outside the transfer component 111 and rotate with the transfer component 111. When the transfer component 111 is working, the placement stations 112 rotate accordingly and realize the self-rotation of the cans.

[0046] The visual inspection mechanism 12 includes an industrial camera and a ring-shaped fill light, which are arranged at equal intervals on both sides of the conveying path of the carrier mechanism 11, for example.

[0047] It should be noted that during the can production process, mechanical collisions or stacking pressure often cause the can body to dent, deform or the label to fall off. Traditional inspection equipment uses fixed visual inspection devices, which can only capture local surface images when the can is stationary or moving in one direction. Therefore, other areas on the side of the cylindrical can are prone to form detection blind spots, resulting in low detection and recognition accuracy.

[0048] It should also be noted that research has found that the self-rotation of cans can eliminate the blind spot of cylindrical surface detection, but the existing conveying mechanism is difficult to achieve synchronous dynamic rotation detection of cans during the transportation process of cans.

[0049] Therefore, based on the above problems, in this embodiment, the carrier mechanism 11 and the visual inspection mechanism 12 in the detection and identification unit 1 are collaboratively designed to achieve full-surface detection of the cans without blind spots by following the translation of the carrier mechanism 11 and the rotation of the placement station 112 when the cans are moving in the machine body.

[0050] Compared with the existing technology, when traditional equipment uses a fixed detection station, it needs to pause multiple times to take multi-angle shots. When the equipment disclosed in this embodiment realizes can detection in the machine body, it uses the linkage mechanical structure design of the transfer component 111 and the placement station 112 in the carrier mechanism 11. When the can to be tested enters the machine body through the feeding unit 2, it will be accurately placed on the placement station 112 of the carrier mechanism 11. Then the transfer component 111 starts to operate and drives the array-distributed placement stations 112 to move along the conveying direction. Due to the rotational coordination structure between the placement station 112 and the transfer component 111, the operating force of the transfer component 111 can be cleverly converted into the self-rotation driving force of the placement station 112. That is, the placement station 112 will rotate around the axis perpendicular to the conveying direction while moving along the conveying path inside the machine body with the transfer component 111, thereby driving the cans placed thereon to synchronously realize the composite movement of translation and rotation.

[0051] At the same time, during this composite motion process, multiple visual inspection mechanisms 12 arranged on both sides of the machine body will continuously aim at the moving and rotating cans, and use the principle that all surfaces such as the sides and bottom of the cylindrical or special-shaped structure of the cans can be exposed in the inspection field of view in turn when the cans rotate. This solves the problem of incomplete surface collection caused by the cans being only stationary or moving in a single direction in the prior art, so that the inspection blind spots originally formed by the curvature of the side and the bottom of the can body will gradually enter the collection range of the visual inspection mechanism 12 as the cans rotate, and continuous all-round image collection is performed on the outer circumferential surface of the cans, eliminating the visual blind spots in the traditional fixed inspection mode, ensuring that every part of the can surface (including minor scratches and slight depressions on the bottom) can be captured by the image, and realizing 360° full-surface non-dead-angle inspection of the cans without stopping during the transportation process, avoiding the additional cost of manual re-inspection of missed defective cans, greatly improving the accuracy of defect identification, ensuring that cans with appearance defects are effectively identified, and ultimately ensuring food safety and product quality standards, while reducing efficiency loss and error risks caused by manual intervention, and significantly improving inspection accuracy.

[0052] In some embodiments, as Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the transfer assembly 111 includes a transfer frame 1111 with rotating rollers 1112 installed at both ends, and the exterior of the two rotating rollers 1112 is provided with a conveying chain plate 1113.

[0053] The rotating roller 1112 is a cylindrical rotating drive component, specifically a rubber-coated metal roller. Its ends are connected to the transfer frame 1111 via bearings, forming a supporting structure for the annular transmission path. The conveyor chain 1113 is an endless conveyor belt composed of multiple hinged links, specifically a metal chain with anti-slip grooves. It is mounted on the outside of the rotating roller 1112 to form a closed loop, supporting the placement station 112 and transmitting power.

[0054] In this embodiment, the transfer frame 1111 serves as the basic support structure of the transfer assembly 111, providing a stable installation reference for the rotating rollers 1112 at both ends thereof. One of the rotating rollers 1112 can rotate under an external power drive (such as a motor), thereby driving the conveying chain plate 1113 mounted on its outside to perform continuous rotational motion, forming a continuous conveying path, thereby continuously transporting and inspecting the cans entering the machine body.

[0055] In some optional embodiments, such as Figure 3As shown, the interior of the transfer frame 1111 is further provided with a support plate 1114 close to the conveying area of ​​the conveying chain plate 1113, and the top array of the support plate 1114 is provided with a support roller 11142 for supporting the conveying chain plate 1113. A strip slit extending along the conveying direction of the conveying chain plate 1113 is also provided in the middle of the interior of the support plate 1114, and both ends of the strip slit pass through the support plate 1114, forming teeth 11141 on one side of the strip slit.

[0056] Among them, the support plate 1114 refers to a plate-like structure arranged below the conveying chain plate 1113 and fixedly connected to the transfer frame 1111. Specifically, it can be formed by processing a metal plate, and its top plane is parallel to the moving trajectory of the conveying chain plate 1113, and is used to provide rigid support. The support roller 11142 refers to a rotatable cylinder installed on the top of the support plate 1114, which can be specifically realized by the combination of bearings and roller shafts, and is arranged at equal intervals along the conveying direction, and is used to disperse the load pressure of the conveying chain plate 1113 and reduce friction resistance. The strip seam refers to a narrow opening that runs through the middle of the support plate 1114 and extends along the conveying direction, which is used to provide a meshing space for the gear 1123. The tooth 11141 refers to a continuous tooth structure arranged on one side of the strip seam, and can specifically adopt straight teeth or helical teeth that match the module of the gear 1123, and is used to form a forced meshing relationship with the gear 1123.

[0057] The support plate 1114 is provided with support rollers 11142 on the top of the support plate 1114, thereby providing support for the conveying chain plate 1113 carrying the cans. That is, the sliding friction between the conveying chain plate 1113 and the support plate 1114 is converted into rolling friction through the support rollers 11142, thereby greatly reducing the resistance during the relative movement between the two. This not only avoids the conveying trajectory deviation of the conveying chain plate 1113 caused by the sagging of the load, but also reduces the wear of the chain plate to extend the service life. At the same time, it ensures the smooth operation of the conveying chain plate 1113, provides effective support for the stable transportation of the placement station 112 and the cans, and the opening of the strip gap provides a precise entry and exit channel for the gear 1123 at the bottom of the placement station 112, ensuring that when the placement station 112 moves with the conveying chain plate 1113, the gear 1123 can smoothly enter the strip gap and engage and disengage with the gap side teeth 11141 without jamming or misalignment, thereby ensuring the continuous operation of the entire transfer component 111 to adapt to the continuous sorting and identification requirements of the production line.

[0058] In some optional embodiments, such as Figure 4 、 Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, the placement station 112 includes a bottom plate 1121 rotatably mounted on a conveying chain plate 1113 , and a chuck is mounted on the upper portion of the bottom plate 1121 ;

[0059] A rotation linkage mechanism is also provided at the bottom of the base plate 1121, and the rotation linkage mechanism includes a gear 1123 and a connecting shaft 1124. The gear 1123 is provided inside the transmission chain plate 1113 and engages with the teeth 11141. The connecting shaft 1124 is installed on the top of the gear 1123 and its top end passes through the transmission chain plate 1113 and is connected to the base plate 1121.

[0060] The bottom plate 1121 is a circular support for the cans. It can be made of aluminum alloy and feature anti-slip ridges on its surface to increase friction. The bottom plate 1121 is rotatably connected to the conveyor chain plate 1113 via bearings, allowing the cans to rotate synchronously with the bottom plate 1121 when secured. The chuck is a fixture for clamping the cans. It can be a three-jaw chuck with spring preload for rapid clamping and release. The chuck is mounted at the center of the top surface of the bottom plate 1121, ensuring that the can axis aligns with the rotational axis of the bottom plate 1121.

[0061] In this embodiment, the bottom plate 1121 and the chuck are provided to quickly clamp and secure the cans after they enter the placement station 112, effectively preventing the cans from shifting or tipping over during translation or subsequent rotation along the conveyor chain 1113, thereby ensuring the cans' stable posture during the inspection process.

[0062] Furthermore, through the rotary linkage mechanism at the bottom of the bottom plate 1121, a stable power transmission path is formed through the meshing of the gear 1123 with the teeth 11141 on one side of the strip-shaped slit of the support plate 1114. That is, when the conveying chain plate 1113 drives the placement station 112 to move along the conveying area of ​​the support plate 1114, the gear 1123 will generate a rotational motion due to meshing with the fixed teeth 11141, and the rotation is directly transmitted to the upper bottom plate 1121 through the connecting shaft 1124, so that the bottom plate 1121 drives the cans fixed by the chuck to rotate synchronously, thereby It is possible to achieve precise self-rotation of the cans during the transfer inspection process without setting up an additional drive device, so that the outer surface of the cans (cylindrical or special-shaped structures) can be exposed in sequence and evenly to the field of view of the visual inspection mechanism 12 on both sides of the body, ensuring that minor scratches, slight dents, label misalignment and other defects on the surface of the can can be accurately captured by the visual inspection mechanism 12, greatly improving the comprehensiveness and accuracy of defect identification. At the same time, during the rotation process, some dust or debris attached to the surface of the can is thrown off under the action of centrifugal force, avoiding obstruction and affecting the identification results.

[0063] It should be added that, in order to facilitate the smooth passage of the gear 1123 at the bottom of the placement station 112 during the movement of the conveying chain plate 1113, it is preferred that the gear 1123 at the bottom of the placement station 112 be Figure 6As shown, a through groove 11121 is opened in the middle of the rotating roller 1112, and the depth of the through groove 11121 is adapted to the gear 1123, so that when the conveying chain plate 1113 moves onto the rotating roller 1112, the through groove 11121 can just accommodate the connecting shaft 1124 and the gear 1123 to pass through.

[0064] In some embodiments, a guard plate 1122 is further provided around the base plate 1121 , the top of the guard plate 1122 is protruding from the base plate 1121 , and the bottom of the guard plate 1122 is fixedly connected to the conveying chain plate 1113 and rotatably cooperates with the base plate 1121 .

[0065] The guard plate 1122 is an annular structure surrounding the outer circumference of the base plate 1121. It can be made of stainless steel and welded or bolted together. Its inner diameter is slightly larger than the diameter of the cans to create a accommodating space, and its outer diameter matches the conveyor chain plate 1113 to achieve a fixed connection. The top of the guard plate 1122 protrudes from the base plate 1121 to form a limit structure, which is used to restrict the radial displacement of the cans during rotation.

[0066] In this embodiment, the guard plate 1122 can effectively prevent the cans from falling from the placement station 112 or shifting laterally during the process of the cans rotating driven by the bottom plate 1121 and translating with the conveyor chain plate 1113. At the same time, due to the rotational coordination between the guard plate 1122 and the bottom plate 1121, the rotation of the bottom plate 1121 will not be interfered with, ensuring that the cans remain stable during the composite movement of translation and rotation.

[0067] In some preferred embodiments, Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown, the placement station 112 is also provided with an airflow cleaning component, which includes a nozzle 131 and an air supply mechanism. The airflow output end of the nozzle 131 is set upward and inclined along the axial direction close to the bottom plate 1121. The air supply mechanism is installed inside the conveying chain plate 1113 and corresponds to the placement station 112. The air supply mechanism is connected to the nozzle 131.

[0068] It should be understood that during the production and transportation of cans, dust, oil stains and other stains will inevitably adhere to the surface of the can, and these debris attached to the surface of the can will inevitably interfere with the visual inspection mechanism 12, causing its image recognition to be misjudged or missed, thereby affecting the detection accuracy of the visual inspection mechanism 12. Research has found that the existing technology obviously lacks a cleaning mechanism synchronized with the detection, making it difficult to meet the requirements of large-scale production for detection accuracy and efficiency. It has been further found that the stains on the surface of the can need to be removed simultaneously before detection to avoid obstructing defect features.

[0069] Therefore, compared with the prior art, this embodiment realizes comprehensive and synchronous cleaning of the outer surface of the can during the inspection process through the arrangement of the airflow cleaning component, which is achieved through the coordinated cooperation of the nozzle 131 and the air supply mechanism. Specifically, when the can rotates at the placement station 112, the air supply mechanism generates a compressed airflow through the reciprocating motion of the piston assembly 133, which is delivered to the nozzle 131 through the air outlet pipe 13211. The nozzle 131 guides the airflow to the surface of the can body at an upward angle, and the airflow direction forms an angle with the rotation axis of the can body, so that the airflow forms a spiral shape along the circumference of the can body. Sweeping path. During this process, the impact force of the airflow acts on the dust, debris or oil attached to the surface of the can, and the stains are peeled off through the shearing effect of the airflow, thereby utilizing the synergistic effect of the can's rotation and the directional airflow to achieve full-circle dynamic cleaning of the can surface, thereby effectively eliminating the interference of stains on visual inspection, and avoiding the visual inspection mechanism 12 from misidentifying or missing due to defects blocked by stains attached to the can surface, thereby ensuring that the image collected by the visual inspection mechanism 12 can clearly present the true appearance characteristics of the can, greatly reducing the false detection rate and missed detection rate.

[0070] In some optional embodiments, specifically in Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown in the figure, the air supply mechanism includes a piston cylinder 132, which has an air outlet end 1321 and an air intake end 1322. The air outlet end 1321 is connected to the nozzle 131 through an air outlet pipe 13211. A piston assembly 133 is provided inside the piston cylinder 132. The piston assembly 133 transports the gas extracted from the piston cylinder 132 through the air intake end 1322 through the piston action to the nozzle 131 through the air outlet end 1321 and the air outlet pipe 13211 for ejection.

[0071] The piston cylinder 132 is a cylindrical container with a sealed cavity, specifically a metal cylinder. Its intake end 1322 is connected to the external environment for gas intake, while its outlet end 1321 forms a directional airflow channel with the nozzle 131 through a pipeline. The piston assembly 133 is a sealed structure that reciprocates within the cylinder, specifically a rubber seal and metal piston rod assembly. Axial displacement changes the cylinder's internal volume, creating negative pressure intake and positive pressure exhaust. The outlet pipe 13211 is the air channel connecting the cylinder and the nozzle 131, specifically a flexible rubber hose or metal bellows.

[0072] In this embodiment, the reciprocating motion of the piston assembly 133 within the piston cylinder 132 allows for stable extraction of external air through the air intake end 1322 , and then precisely delivers the air to the nozzle 131 through the air outlet end 1321 and the air outlet pipe 13211 , thereby continuously providing the nozzle 131 with a constant pressure airflow, thereby ensuring that the nozzle 131 can effectively eject airflow to remove dust, debris, oil, and other stains from the surface of the can being tested.

[0073] As a supplementary explanation, the air intake end 1322 and the air outlet end 1321 are preferably respectively installed with a one-way air intake valve and an air outlet valve, so that the air intake end 1322 and the air outlet end 1321 can only perform corresponding air intake and air outlet operations through the air intake valve and the air outlet valve, thereby avoiding gas confusion.

[0074] In some more preferred embodiments, specifically as 4 and Figure 7 As shown in the figure, a cam turntable 11231 with an arc-shaped protrusion on the outer circumference is also connected to the upper part of the gear 1123, and a fitting groove is provided on the outer edge of the cam turntable 11231. A connecting rod 11232 is also provided between the side of the fitting groove and the piston cylinder 132. One end of the connecting rod 11232 slides in the fitting groove and the other end extends into the piston cylinder 132 and is connected to the piston assembly 133.

[0075] Cam disc 11231 is a disc-shaped component coaxially connected to gear 1123. Its outer surface forms an arc-shaped raised structure. It can be formed from metal or high-strength plastic and is used to transmit the rotational motion of gear 1123 to connecting rod 11232. The fitting groove is a curved groove along the outer edge of cam disc 11231. It can be milled or stamped. Its contour slidably matches the end of connecting rod 11232 and is used to convert the rotational motion of cam disc 11231 into linear displacement of connecting rod 11232. Connecting rod 11232 is a rigid rod with its ends connected to the fitting groove and piston assembly 133, respectively. It can be made of stainless steel or aluminum alloy and is used to convert the rotational power of cam disc 11231 into reciprocating motion of piston assembly 133.

[0076] In this embodiment, by setting the gear 1123, the cam turntable 11231 and the connecting rod 11232, a mechanical linkage is generated, and the power of the can's self-rotation is directly reused, so that when the gear 1123 drives the cam turntable 11231 to rotate, the connecting rod 11232 can push the piston assembly 133 to perform a reciprocating piston action in the piston cylinder 132, thereby eliminating the need for an additional power device, simplifying the equipment structure, reducing energy consumption and maintenance costs, and realizing that while the can is rotating, the nozzle 131 can continuously spray air to remove dust and debris on the surface, completely avoiding detection errors caused by stains blocking defects, and ultimately achieving integration and efficiency of the equipment structure while improving detection accuracy.

[0077] Specifically, a cam turntable 11231 with an arc-shaped raised outer shaft and a fitting groove on the outer edge is connected to the upper part of the gear 1123, and a transmission chain is built with a connecting rod 11232 with one end slidingly matched with the fitting groove and the other end connected to the piston assembly 133. When the gear 1123 drives the can to rotate, the cam turntable 11231 rotates synchronously with the gear 1123, and then the fitting groove rotates and forces the end of the connecting rod 11232 to slide back and forth radially along the cam turntable 11231 through its curved trajectory, thereby driving the other end of the connecting rod 11232 to do reciprocating linear motion in the piston cylinder 132, that is, every time the cam turntable 11231 rotates one circle, the raised and recessed parts of the fitting groove are in contact with each other. The sunken area will alternately push or pull the connecting rod 11232, thereby driving the piston assembly 133 to complete a reciprocating piston action in the piston cylinder 132, so that the piston assembly 133 performs a suction action, and the external gas enters the piston cylinder 132 through the suction end 1322 and is compressed, and finally transported to the nozzle 131 through the outlet pipe 13211 to form a directional airflow. During the rotation of the can, the airflow ejected from the nozzle 131 continuously acts on the surface of the can to remove dust or debris attached to the can, so as to achieve the simultaneous completion of the cleaning of the can surface during the inspection process, avoid stains interfering with the image acquisition accuracy of the visual inspection mechanism 12, and improve the equipment operation efficiency and inspection accuracy.

[0078] In some optional embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the sorting unit includes a sorting bevel 41, the top of the sorting bevel 41 extends through the interior of the body, and a sorting robot 42 is provided at a position inside the body near the sorting bevel. The control terminal of the sorting robot 42 is connected to the visual inspection mechanism 12 by signal. When the visual inspection mechanism 12 detects and identifies defects on the outside of the can, the control terminal controls the sorting robot 42 to put the defective can into the sorting bevel for sorting and elimination.

[0079] The sorting bevel 41 refers to an inclined guide structure with a top opening connected to the detection area inside the machine body. It can be specifically implemented by stamping a metal plate and welding it to the side wall of the machine body to guide the sorted cans to slide out of the equipment along the direction of gravity. The sorting robot 42 refers to a clamping device with multi-degree-of-freedom movement capabilities. It can preferably be implemented by a four-axis robot arm driven by a servo motor combined with a grasping suction cup structure, and canned goods can be grasped and released through a preset motion trajectory. The control terminal refers to an electronic controller with integrated signal processing and logical operation functions. It can be specifically implemented by a PLC or an embedded industrial computer. It is used to receive the image analysis results of the visual inspection mechanism 12 and generate corresponding sorting instructions.

[0080] In this embodiment, the sorting unit extends through the top of the sorting bevel 41 to the interior of the machine body, the sorting robot 42 is arranged inside the machine body near the sorting bevel, and the control terminal of the sorting robot 42 is connected to the visual inspection mechanism 12 by signal. When the visual inspection mechanism 12 identifies that there are defects on the outside of the can, the control terminal can promptly control the sorting robot 42 to put the defective can into the sorting bevel for discharge, thereby realizing accurate and rapid sorting of defective cans and preventing them from mixing into good products and affecting product quality.

[0081] Example 2:

[0082] The difference between the embodiment 1 is that, Figure 8 As shown, this embodiment provides an intelligent identification and sorting method for defective cans, which includes the following steps:

[0083] During the initial feeding, when the cans to be tested are sequentially conveyed to the body of the detection and identification unit 1 by the feeding unit 2, the conveying roller of the carrier mechanism 11 drives the conveying chain plate 1113 to move along the circular rotary path, thereby driving the placement station 112 to operate, so that the cans are accurately placed in each placement station 112 in sequence and fixed by the chuck on the bottom plate 1121, thereby realizing the sequential conveying of the cans from the feeding unit 2 into the body;

[0084] Detection and identification: When each placement station 112 carrying cans moves with the conveying chain plate 1113 to the upper part of the support plate 1114, and the visual inspection mechanism 12 detects and identifies the outside of the cans, the gear 1123 at the bottom of the placement station 112 gradually enters the strip-shaped gap of the support plate 1114 and meshes with the teeth 11141 on one side of the strip-shaped gap. At this time, the gear 1123 moves with the conveying chain plate 1113 and rotates by meshing with the teeth 11141 in the strip-shaped gap, and then the gear 1123 rotates and drives the bottom plate 1121 to rotate through the connecting shaft 1124, thereby driving the cans to rotate through the bottom plate 1121, so that the cans can rotate while moving with the conveying chain plate 1113. At this time, the visual inspection mechanism 12 synchronously collects all-round images of the rotating cans and identifies whether the cans have appearance defects;

[0085] During the inspection process, the air flow is cleaned. While the gear 1123 of each placement station 112 drives the can to rotate, the cam turntable 11231 connected to the upper part of the gear 1123 rotates synchronously with the gear 1123, so that the cam turntable 11231 rotates through the fitting groove on its outer edge and then pushes the connecting rod 11232 to move back and forth along the radial direction of the cam turntable 11231, so that the connecting rod 11232 pushes the piston assembly 133 in the piston cylinder 132 to perform a reciprocating piston action, so that the piston cylinder 132 draws external air through the air intake end 1322, and then transmits the air through the air outlet pipe 13211 to the nozzle 131 through the air outlet end 1321, so that the air flow ejected from the nozzle 131 directly acts on the surface of the rotating can, and simultaneously cleans the outside of the can body to prevent stains from covering up can defects;

[0086] After the visual inspection mechanism 12 completes defect recognition, it converts the detection results into electrical signals and transmits them to the control terminal of the sorting robot 42; the control terminal analyzes and judges after receiving the signals:

[0087] If the can is determined to be good, the carrier mechanism 11 continues to drive the placement station 112 to move. When it moves to the position corresponding to the discharge unit 3, the chuck releases the fixation on the can, and the can is transferred to the discharge unit 3 along with the carrier mechanism 11, and is transported to the next production process by the discharge unit 3.

[0088] If it is determined to be a defective can, the control terminal sends an action instruction to the sorting robot 42. When the placement station 112 carrying the defective can moves to a position close to the sorting bevel 41, the sorting robot 42 grabs the defective can and puts it into the sorting bevel 41 for discharge, thereby completing the sorting operation of the defective cans.

[0089] Compared with the existing technology, the traditional sorting and identification method uses fixed detection, which leads to blind spots on the side of the can and lacks an online cleaning mechanism. The present application realizes the self-rotation and synchronous cleaning of the cans through mechanical linkage, eliminates the interference of surface stains on image recognition during the detection process, and integrates the cleaning action into the continuous conveying process through the motion conversion of the cam turntable 11231 and the piston assembly 133.

[0090] Specifically, this system has achieved 360° detection of the can surface without dead angles, effectively eliminating detection blind spots, and synchronized the cleaning action with the conveying process using a mechanical linkage mechanism. Through the synergistic effect of the can rotation and airflow, production residues attached to the can surface are removed in real time, avoiding stains from being misjudged as defects or covering up real defects. It synchronizes the cleaning action with the conveying detection process, maintaining the continuous operation efficiency of the production line while ensuring detection accuracy, greatly improving the sorting and identification efficiency.

[0091] In addition, the structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in the drawings of this specification are schematic diagrams, which serve only to match the contents disclosed in the specification for people familiar with this technology to understand and read, and are not used to limit the conditions under which the present invention can be implemented. Therefore, they have no substantive technical significance. Any modification of the structure, change in the proportion relationship or adjustment of the size should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in the present invention without affecting the efficacy and purpose that can be achieved by the present invention.

[0092] At the same time, the terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "middle", etc. used in this specification regarding position and orientation are only for the convenience of description and are not intended to limit the scope of implementation of the present invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially changing the technical content, should also be regarded as the scope of implementation of the present invention.

Claims

1. An intelligent identification and sorting device for defective cans, wherein a feeding unit (2) and a discharging unit (3) are provided on two opposite sides of the device, and a sorting unit is further provided on another side of the device different from the two opposite sides. The device comprises a detection and identification unit (1), characterized in that: The detection and identification unit (1) includes a body, and a carrier mechanism (11) is provided inside the body along the conveying direction of the feeding unit (2). The carrier mechanism (11) is used to transfer cans entering the body from one side of the body to the other side. Both ends of the carrier mechanism (11) correspond to and are arranged close to the conveying line. A plurality of visual inspection mechanisms (12) are also provided on both sides of the carrier mechanism (11). The visual inspection mechanisms (12) detect and identify whether the cans transferred by the carrier mechanism (11) have defects. The carrier mechanism (11) includes a transfer assembly (111) and a plurality of placement stations (112). The plurality of placement stations (112) are arranged in an array outside the transfer assembly (111) and are rotatably coupled with the transfer assembly (111). When the transfer assembly (111) is in operation, the placement stations (112) rotate accordingly and realize self-rotation of the cans.

2. The intelligent identification and sorting equipment for defective cans according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The transfer assembly (111) comprises a transfer frame (1111) with rotating rollers (1112) installed at both ends, and a transmission chain plate (1113) is sleeved on the exterior of the two rotating rollers (1112).

3. The intelligent identification and sorting equipment for defective cans according to claim 2 is characterized in that: The transfer frame (1111) is further provided with a support plate (1114) in the conveying area close to the conveying chain plate (1113), and the top array of the support plate (1114) is provided with a support roller (11142) for supporting the conveying chain plate (1113). A strip slit extending along the conveying direction of the conveying chain plate (1113) is further provided in the middle of the support plate (1114), and both ends of the strip slit pass through the support plate (1114), forming teeth (11141) on one side of the strip slit.

4. The intelligent identification and sorting equipment for defective cans according to claim 3 is characterized in that: The placement station (112) includes a bottom plate (1121) rotatably arranged on a conveying chain plate (1113), and a chuck is installed on the upper portion of the bottom plate (1121); A rotation linkage mechanism is further provided at the bottom of the bottom plate (1121), the rotation linkage mechanism comprising a gear (1123) and a connecting shaft (1124); the gear (1123) is provided inside the transmission chain plate (1113) and meshes with the teeth (11141); the connecting shaft (1124) is mounted on the top of the gear (1123), and its top end passes through the transmission chain plate (1113) and is connected to the bottom plate (1121); A through groove (11121) is provided in the middle of the rotating roller (1112), and the depth of the through groove (11121) is adapted to the gear (1123).

5. The intelligent identification and sorting equipment for defective cans according to claim 4 is characterized in that: A guard plate (1122) is sleeved around the base plate (1121), the top of the guard plate (1122) protruding from the base plate (1121), and the bottom of the guard plate (1122) is fixedly connected to the conveying chain plate (1113) and rotatably engaged with the base plate (1121).

6. The intelligent identification and sorting equipment for defective cans according to claim 4 is characterized in that: The placement station (112) is also provided with an airflow cleaning component, which includes a nozzle (131) and an air supply mechanism. The airflow output end of the nozzle (131) is arranged upward and tilted along the axial direction close to the bottom plate (1121). The air supply mechanism is installed inside the conveying chain plate (1113) and corresponds to the placement station (112). The air supply mechanism is connected to the nozzle (131).

7. The intelligent identification and sorting equipment for defective cans according to claim 6 is characterized in that: The air supply mechanism comprises a piston cylinder (132), the piston cylinder (132) having an air outlet end (1321) and an air intake end (1322), the air outlet end (1321) being connected to the nozzle (131) via an air outlet pipeline (13211), a piston assembly (133) being provided inside the piston cylinder (132), and the piston assembly (133) transporting the gas extracted from the piston cylinder (132) via the air intake end (1322) to the nozzle (131) through the air outlet end (1321) and the air outlet pipeline (13211) for ejection through the piston action.

8. The intelligent identification and sorting equipment for defective cans according to claim 7 is characterized in that: A cam turntable (11231) with an arc-shaped protrusion on its outer circumference is also connected to the upper part of the gear (1123), and a fitting groove is provided on the outer edge of the cam turntable (11231). A connecting rod (11232) is also provided between the side of the fitting groove and the piston cylinder (132), and one end of the connecting rod (11232) is slidably engaged with the fitting groove and the other end extends into the piston cylinder (132) and is connected to the piston assembly (133).

9. The intelligent identification and sorting equipment for defective cans according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sorting unit comprises a sorting oblique opening (41), the top end of which extends through the interior of the machine body. A sorting robot (42) is provided at a position inside the machine body near the sorting oblique opening. The control terminal of the sorting robot (42) is connected to the visual inspection mechanism (12) by signal. When the visual inspection mechanism (12) detects and identifies that there is a defect on the outside of the can, the control terminal controls the sorting robot (42) to put the defective can into the sorting oblique opening (41) for sorting and removal.

10. A method for intelligently identifying and sorting defective cans, according to the intelligent identification and sorting device for defective cans according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: During the initial feeding, when the cans to be tested are sequentially conveyed to the body of the detection and identification unit (1) through the feeding unit (2), the conveying roller of the carrier mechanism (11) drives the conveying chain plate (1113) to move along the circular rotary path, thereby driving the placement station (112) to operate, so that the cans are accurately placed in each placement station (112) in sequence, and the cans are fixed by the chuck on the bottom plate (1121), thereby realizing the sequential conveying of the cans of the feeding unit (2) into the body; Detection and identification: when each placement station (112) carrying cans moves with the conveying chain plate (1113) to the upper part of the support plate (1114) and the visual inspection mechanism (12) detects and identifies the outside of the cans, the gear (1123) at the bottom of the placement station (112) gradually enters the strip-shaped gap of the support plate (1114) and meshes with the teeth (11141) on one side of the strip-shaped gap. At this time, the gear (1123) moves with the conveying chain plate (1113) and rotates by meshing with the teeth (11141) in the strip-shaped gap, and then the gear (1123) rotates and drives the bottom plate (1121) to rotate through the connecting shaft (1124), thereby driving the cans to rotate through the bottom plate (1121), so that the cans can rotate while moving with the conveying chain plate (1113). At this time, the visual inspection mechanism (12) synchronously collects all-round images of the rotating cans and identifies whether the cans have appearance defects; During the inspection process, the air flow is cleaned. While the gear (1123) of each placement station (112) drives the can to rotate, the cam turntable (11231) connected to the upper part of the gear (1123) rotates synchronously with the gear (1123), so that the cam turntable (11231) rotates through the fitting groove on its outer edge and then drives the connecting rod (11232) to move back and forth along the radial direction of the cam turntable (11231), so that the connecting rod (11232) drives the piston assembly (133) in the piston cylinder (132) to perform a reciprocating piston action, so that the piston cylinder (132) extracts external air through the air intake end (1322), and then transmits the air through the air outlet pipe (13211) to the nozzle (131) through the air outlet end (1321), so that the air flow ejected from the nozzle (131) directly acts on the surface of the rotating can, and the exterior of the can body is cleaned synchronously to prevent stains from covering up can defects; After the visual inspection mechanism (12) completes defect recognition, it converts the detection results into electrical signals and transmits them to the control terminal of the sorting robot (42). The control terminal analyzes and judges after receiving the signals: If the can is determined to be a good product, the carrier mechanism (11) continues to drive the placement station (112) to move, and when it moves to the position corresponding to the discharge unit (3), the chuck releases the fixation on the can, and the can is transferred to the discharge unit (3) along with the carrier mechanism (11), and is transported to the next production process by the discharge unit (3); If the can is determined to be defective, the control terminal sends an action instruction to the sorting robot (42). When the placement station (112) carrying the defective can moves to a position close to the sorting oblique port (41), the sorting robot (42) grabs the defective can and puts it into the sorting oblique port (41) for discharge, thereby completing the sorting operation of the defective cans.

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