Apparatus and method for feeding flexible annular workpieces

Abstract

A device and a method for feeding a flexible annular workpiece. The device comprises a feeder (101) adapted to separate at least one workpiece (201) from a stack of workpieces (201) to a predetermined position by means of vibration, an identification assembly (102) adapted to acquire and analyze an image of the at least one workpiece, and an operating assembly (103) adapted to be coupled to a selected workpiece (201) at an operating position to feed the selected workpiece (201) to a standby position. With the device, a selected flexible annular workpiece such as a tape can be separated from a stack of workpieces without manual handling of the workpiece and automatically fed to a standby position. In this way, the feeding of flexible annular workpieces can be performed faster and with higher precision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of this disclosure generally relate to an apparatus and method for supplying a flexible annular workpiece. Background Technology

[0002] Flexible ring-shaped components are commonly used in equipment for purposes such as transmission and sealing. Common flexible ring-shaped components include belts, such as V-belts, annular belts, timing belts (also known as toothed belts), and O-rings. Belts, commonly used in vehicle engines, industrial robots, and household appliances, are designed to transmit power from the driving part to the driven part. O-rings provide a seal between two components.

[0003] For some relatively "rigid" O-rings, due to their small diameter-to-width ratio, they are generally less prone to deformation or relatively controllable deformation compared to relatively "flexible" belts due to their large diameter-to-width ratio. Several methods have been proposed for supplying and even assembling relatively "rigid" O-rings. These methods at least partially utilize the "rigid" nature of relatively "rigid" O-rings and may therefore be unsuitable for relatively "flexible" belt components.

[0004] In reality, due to its ring shape and its flexibility and elasticity, a relatively "flexible" belt tends to entangle with other belts when in a hopper. As a result, it becomes difficult for the robot to position and grasp the flexible belt, let alone assemble it into the intended location on the equipment. Therefore, for some relatively flexible ring-shaped workpieces, such as belts, they are usually manually fed and assembled into the appropriate position on the equipment. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Embodiments of this disclosure provide an apparatus for supplying a flexible annular workpiece.

[0006] In a first aspect, an apparatus for supplying a flexible annular workpiece is provided. The apparatus includes a feeder adapted to separate at least one workpiece from a stack of workpieces to a predetermined position by vibration; an identification component adapted to acquire and analyze an image of at least one workpiece at the predetermined position to identify an operating position of a selected workpiece; and an operating component adapted to engage with the selected workpiece at the operating position to supply the selected workpiece to a standby position.

[0007] Using the apparatus according to embodiments of the present disclosure, a selected flexible annular workpiece (e.g., a belt) can be separated from a stack of workpieces and automatically fed to a standby position without manual operation of the workpiece. In this way, the flexible annular workpiece can be fed faster and more accurately.

[0008] In some embodiments, the feeder includes a hopper arranged at an angle on and driven by a vibrator, adapted to receive a stack of workpieces, the hopper including an outlet disposed at a lower position; and a baffle disposed at the outlet such that the outlet has a height greater than the height of the workpieces, allowing at least one workpiece to be discharged from and separated from the outlet. In this way, tangled workpieces can be effectively separated through the outlet, ensuring that at least one workpiece released from the outlet is substantially untangled. As a result, the reliability of the device is further improved.

[0009] In some embodiments, the hopper is arranged above a predetermined position such that the distance between the outlet and the predetermined position is greater than or equal to the length of the workpiece's long axis after deformation. This arrangement ensures that at least one workpiece can fall to the predetermined position, thereby further improving the reliability of the device.

[0010] In some embodiments, the identification component includes: a camera positioned at a predetermined position to acquire an image of at least one workpiece at the predetermined position; and a controller adapted to: determine a selected edge of the at least one workpiece in the image; determine a minimum distance between the position of the selected edge and a corresponding adjacent edge of the at least one workpiece; and determine the position of the selected edge as an operating position in response to the minimum distance being greater than or equal to a predetermined value. This allows for the identification of operating positions in a simple manner.

[0011] In some embodiments, the marking component further includes a frame arranged across the predetermined location; and a support member arranged on the frame to support the camera. This arrangement makes the device easier to manufacture and increases its flexibility.

[0012] In some embodiments, the operating component includes a gripper coupled to the robot to grip a selected workpiece at an operating position. This arrangement makes it easier to feed the selected workpiece.

[0013] In some embodiments, the marking component is further adapted to determine a gripping direction along which the gripper grips the selected workpiece, the gripping direction being perpendicular to the tangential direction of the selected edge at the operating position. This ensures that the selected workpiece can be securely gripped.

[0014] In some embodiments, the actuation component includes a push rod coupled to the robot to radially outward push a selected workpiece at an operating position. This allows the selected workpiece to be supplied to a standby position, while the actuation component has a simplified structure.

[0015] In some embodiments, the device further includes at least one wall having a notch to allow the selected workpiece, pushed by a push rod, to pass through. This arrangement ensures that only one selected workpiece is supplied to the standby position, thereby further improving the reliability of the device.

[0016] In some embodiments, the device further includes a pusher plate arranged to push the at least one workpiece to ensure that the at least one workpiece is in the predetermined position. The pusher plate can ensure that at least one workpiece released from the hopper is in the predetermined position.

[0017] In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes a forming plate arranged in a standby position and adapted to form a portion of the selected workpiece into a predetermined shape. This further facilitates further operations on the selected workpiece, such as assembling the workpiece onto a device. The applicability of the apparatus is improved.

[0018] In some embodiments, the marking component is also adapted to determine a reference point positioned inside the selected workpiece relative to the operating position. This arrangement ensures that the selected workpiece is fed into the forming plate to facilitate further operation of the selected workpiece.

[0019] In some embodiments, the forming plate is U-shaped or V-shaped or includes two edges separated by a predetermined distance. This allows for more flexible manufacturing of the forming plate.

[0020] In a second aspect, a method for supplying a flexible annular workpiece is provided. The method includes separating at least one workpiece from a stack of workpieces to a predetermined position by vibration; identifying the operating position of a selected workpiece by analyzing an image of the at least one workpiece at the predetermined position; and engaging an operating component at the operating position to the selected workpiece to supply the selected workpiece to a standby position.

[0021] In some embodiments, identifying the operation position of the selected workpiece includes determining a selected edge of at least one workpiece in an image; determining a minimum distance between the position of the selected edge and a corresponding adjacent edge of at least one workpiece; and determining the position of the selected edge as the operation position in response to the minimum distance being greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

[0022] In some embodiments, the method further includes determining a gripping direction perpendicular to the tangential direction of the selected edge at the operating position; and gripping the selected workpiece along the gripping direction.

[0023] In some embodiments, the method further includes determining a reference point located inside the selected workpiece relative to the operating position; and using the reference point to connect the selected workpiece to the operating component.

[0024] It should be understood that the summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the embodiments of this disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Other features of this disclosure will become readily apparent from the following description. Attached Figure Description

[0025] The above and other objects, features and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the more detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals generally denote the same parts.

[0026] Figure 1 The front and side views of the flexible ring-shaped workpiece are shown;

[0027] Figure 2 A simplified perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0028] Figure 3 A perspective view of the feeder of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0029] Figure 4 A simplified perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0030] Figure 5 A perspective view of the operating components of the apparatus when operating a selected workpiece according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0031] Figure 6 A perspective view of the operating components when a selected workpiece is pushed into a forming plate according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0032] Figure 7 A perspective view of a forming plate in which a workpiece is arranged, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown;

[0033] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating a method for supplying a flexible ring-shaped workpiece according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0034] Throughout the accompanying drawings, the same or similar reference numerals are used to denote the same or similar elements. Detailed Implementation

[0035] This disclosure will now be discussed with reference to several exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are discussed only to enable those skilled in the art to better understand and implement this disclosure, and are not intended to imply any limitation on the scope of the subject matter.

[0036] As used herein, the term "comprising" and its variations should be interpreted as open-ended terms meaning "including but not limited to". The term "based on" should be understood as "at least partially based on". The terms "one embodiment" and "embodiment" should be understood as "at least one embodiment". The term "another embodiment" should be understood as "at least one other embodiment". The terms "first", "second", etc., may refer to different or the same objects. Other explicit and implicit definitions may be included below. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the definitions of terms are consistent throughout the specification.

[0037] Flexible ring-shaped components, such as belts or O-rings, are essential parts used for power transmission and sealing in automobiles, robots, and household appliances. Flexible ring-shaped components of many sizes are used in industry. Figure 1 The front and side views of a flexible ring-shaped workpiece are shown. As shown, the flexible ring-shaped workpiece with a certain degree of elasticity has a linear diameter W (called the width), an inner diameter I (called the diameter), and an axial height T. Generally, the ratio of diameter I to width W (called the diameter-width ratio) can reflect the deformability of the flexible ring-shaped workpiece to a certain extent. Specifically, the smaller the ratio, the more difficult the deformation; the larger the ratio, the easier the deformation.

[0038] When the diameter-to-width ratio of a flexible ring-shaped workpiece exceeds a certain threshold, it is prone to deformation and entanglement with other workpieces. Therefore, it is practically impossible to separate and feed a tangled mass of flexible ring-shaped workpieces using traditional feeding equipment and methods. Consequently, in many cases, manual separation or feeding of flexible ring-shaped workpieces is required. Manual operation is inefficient and labor-intensive, significantly reducing the overall assembly efficiency of equipment using flexible ring-shaped workpieces. Furthermore, manual separation and feeding of flexible ring-shaped workpieces is also prone to errors and various assembly problems.

[0039] To improve efficiency and accuracy, embodiments of this disclosure provide an apparatus for feeding a flexible annular workpiece. Reference will now be made to... Figures 2-7 Some example embodiments are described. Belts such as timing belts, which are widely used in the art, will be primarily used as examples of flexible annular workpieces to describe the concepts of this disclosure below. It should be understood that this is merely illustrative and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Any other suitable flexible annular workpiece 201, such as O-rings, etc., can also be automatically separated and fed using the means according to embodiments of this disclosure without human intervention, which will not be repeated below.

[0040] Figure 2A simplified perspective view of an apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. As shown, the apparatus 100 for supplying a flexible annular workpiece 201 (hereinafter also referred to as workpiece 201) generally includes a feeder 101, an marking assembly 102, and an operating assembly 103. The operating assembly 103 may be part of or disposed on an end effector of a robot (not shown). Figure 2 As shown, in the feeder 101, a pile of workpieces 201 are entangled or overlapped with each other. Typically, it is difficult for a robotic arm or robot to automatically select or separate workpieces 201 from this pile and feed them to a standby position directly. To facilitate the automatic separation and feeding of workpieces 201, the feeder 101 is adapted to separate at least one workpiece 201 from the pile of workpieces 201 to a predetermined position by vibration.

[0041] In some embodiments, the marking component 102 can detect whether one or more workpieces 201 are present at a predetermined position. In response to the detection of the presence of one or more workpieces 201 at the predetermined position, the vibration of the feeder will stop until the marking component 102 detects again that no workpiece is present at the predetermined position. Of course, it should be understood that the vibration of the feeder can also be started or stopped by other triggering conditions. For example... Figure 2 As shown, at the predetermined position, four workpieces 201 have been separated from a pile of workpieces 201. The number of workpieces falling from the feeder 101 due to vibration is related to the detection interval, the size of the outlet, and the tilt angle of the feeder 101, and it should be understood that the smaller the number, the higher the processing efficiency. Therefore, in order to improve processing efficiency, the above parameters, such as the size of the outlet and the tilt angle of the feeder 101, are reasonably arranged so that the number of falling workpieces is controlled within a reasonable range, for example, from 1 to 5.

[0042] The feeder 101 can separate at least one workpiece 201 from a stack of workpieces 201 in any suitable manner. For example, in some embodiments, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the feeder 101 may include a hopper 1012 and a baffle 1014. The hopper 1012 is used to receive a stack of workpieces 201 and is arranged at an angle, with an outlet 1013 arranged in a lower position. The hopper 1012 is driven to vibrate by a vibrator. The tilt angle of the hopper 1012 is set to allow the workpieces 201 disposed therein to slide effectively at a desired speed during its vibration. For example, in some embodiments, the tilt angle may be in the range of 15° to 30°. In addition to the tilt angle, the inner bottom surface of the hopper 1012 is sufficiently smooth to allow effective sliding of the workpieces 201 during vibration.

[0043] Figure 1 and Figure 2In some embodiments, a pneumatic vibrator is shown to provide vertical vibration. The pneumatic vibrator is connected to an air pressure source to achieve low-frequency, high-amplitude vibration, which is beneficial for the effective separation of workpiece 201. It should be understood that the above embodiments of the vibrator are pneumatic vibrators and are merely illustrative and do not impose any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. The vibrator can be any suitable component capable of providing appropriate vibration (including vertical vibration, horizontal vibration, or a combination of both) to the hopper 1012. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the vibrator may include a motor and an eccentric wheel to provide vibration.

[0044] As the hopper 1012 vibrates, the workpiece 201 slides to the outlet 1013 located at the lower part of the hopper 1012 and is eventually discharged from the outlet 1013. To prevent tangled workpieces 201 from being discharged from the outlet 1013, a baffle 1014 is arranged at the outlet 1013 such that the outlet 1013 has a height that only allows untangled or unoverlapping workpieces 201 to pass through. The upper part of the overlapping or tangled workpieces will be blocked by the baffle 1014 to achieve separation. As a result, the tangled workpieces 201 can only be discharged from the outlet 1013 after separation. In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the height H of the outlet 1013 defined by the baffle 1014 can be greater than the height T of the workpiece 201. For example, depending on factors such as vibration amplitude, the height H of the outlet 1013 can be 1 to 3 times the height T of the workpiece 201, such as 1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.5, 2, or 2.5 times. In this way, the feeder 101 ensures that at least one workpiece 201 discharged from the feeder 101 does not become entangled, which is beneficial for the subsequent identification and operation of the workpiece 201.

[0045] In addition, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, there is a distance (i.e., a height difference) between the outlet 1013 of the hopper 1012 and a predetermined position. The workpiece 201 discharged from the outlet 1013 will fall into the predetermined position. During the fall, the workpiece 201 may fall with its long axis as its basic vertical orientation. To prevent the workpiece 201 from hanging at the outlet 1013 and not falling into the predetermined position, the height difference between the outlet 1013 and the predetermined position is greater than or at least equal to the length of the long axis of the workpiece 201 after deformation. This arrangement ensures that the workpiece 201 discharged from the outlet 1013 can fall into the predetermined position.

[0046] As can be seen from the above, the workpieces 201 can be effectively separated and discharged to a predetermined location using a simple structure through the hopper 1012 for receiving a pile of workpieces 201 and the baffle 1014 for limiting the height of the outlet 1013. It should be understood that the feeder 101 described in the above embodiments is merely illustrative and does not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. Any other suitable structures and / or arrangements are also possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the feeder 101 may also include a combination of a vibratory transmitter and the baffle 1014.

[0047] After workpiece 201 is placed in a predetermined position, in order to ensure that the operating component 103 can operate a workpiece 201 (referred to as the selected workpiece 201) to a standby position, the identification component 102 is adapted to acquire and analyze an image of workpiece 201 in the predetermined position to identify the operating position of the selected workpiece 201. The standby position, as described above, is a general term for the position that facilitates subsequent processing (e.g., forming, assembly, etc.) of the flexible annular workpiece 201.

[0048] The operating position for gripping the selected workpiece 201 can be positioned at any suitable edge (referred to as the selected edge) of at least one workpiece 201 at a predetermined position. To prevent the operating component 103 from interfering with other workpieces during gripping, the minimum distance between the position of the selected edge and the corresponding adjacent edge of at least one workpiece 201 can be determined when determining the operating position. In some embodiments, if the minimum distance is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the position of the selected edge at which the minimum distance is determined can be determined as the operating position.

[0049] To prevent the operating component 103 from simultaneously supplying more than one workpiece 201, the inventors have discovered that the operating position of the selected workpiece 201 for operating the selected workpiece 201 is preferably located at the outer boundary of at least one workpiece 201 at a predetermined position. The outer boundary refers to a continuous closed line formed by the outermost portions of the edges of at least one workpiece 201 at the predetermined position. Otherwise, if the operating position is located at any inner edge of at least one workpiece 201, there is a risk that one or more workpieces may become stuck on the gripped workpieces 201 and be held together. Hereinafter, the concepts of this disclosure will be described primarily by way of using the outer boundary as an example of a selected edge. It should be understood that other edges besides the outer boundary can also be used as selected edges, and will not be described separately below.

[0050] In some embodiments, the marking component 102 may include a camera 1021 arranged above a predetermined position to acquire an image of at least one workpiece 201 at the predetermined position. In some embodiments, the marking component 102 may further include a frame 1022 arranged across the predetermined position and a support 1023 movably arranged on the frame 1022 to support the camera 1021, such as... Figure 1 As shown.

[0051] The movement of the support member 1023 allows the camera 1021 to acquire images of at least one workpiece 201 at a predetermined position more flexibly. For example, in some embodiments, if the workpiece 201 at the predetermined position is deviated from the observation area of ​​the camera 1021, the support member 1023 for supporting the camera 1021 can be moved or deflected to align the observation area with these workpieces 201.

[0052] It should be understood that the above embodiments providing frame 1022 and movable support 1023 are merely illustrative and do not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. Any other suitable structure and / or arrangement is also possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, frame 1022 and support 1023 may also be fixed, and there may be additional arrangements to prevent the observation area of ​​camera 1021 from being blocked or deviated from its predetermined position, for example, by hopper 1012.

[0053] For example, in some alternative embodiments, the device 100 may further include a pusher plate 105. The pusher plate 105 may be driven by a suitable drive component, such as a motor or cylinder, to perform actions such as... Figure 4 The movement is indicated by the double arrows. If at least a portion of a workpiece 201 is blocked by the hopper 1012 or located outside a predetermined position already aligned with the observation area of ​​the camera 1021, the pusher plate 105 can push the workpiece 201 to ensure that at least one workpiece 201 is in the predetermined position and is not blocked by the hopper 1012. This improves the reliability of the device 100.

[0054] By acquiring an image of the at least one workpiece 201, the identification component 102 can analyze the image and identify the operating position of the selected workpiece 201 from its outer boundary. This can be achieved through a controller of the identification component 102. In some embodiments, the controller of the identification component 102 may be a component separate from the controller of the robot that can be used to operate the operation component 103. In some alternative embodiments, the controller of the identification component 102 may also be integrated into the robot's controller. That is, in some embodiments, the robot's controller is used to analyze the image and identify the operating position.

[0055] The controller can identify the operation position using an appropriate algorithm or method. For example, in some embodiments, the controller is adapted to first determine the outer boundary of at least one workpiece 201 in the image, which can be achieved by any suitable algorithm. After determining the outer boundary, the minimum distance between the location of the outer boundary and the corresponding adjacent inner edge of the workpiece 201 can be determined. In response to the minimum distance being greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the location of the outer boundary with the determined minimum distance is determined as the operation position. This predetermined value can be greater than the width of the operation component 103 used to operate the selected workpiece 201, which ensures that the operation component 103 does not interfere with other workpieces 201 during the operation of the selected workpiece 201. In this way, the operation position can be automatically identified without manual intervention.

[0056] It should be understood that the above embodiments for identifying operation locations are merely illustrative and do not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. Any other suitable methods or approaches are also possible. For example, in some embodiments, alternatively or additionally, regions densely filled with several junctions can be identified and transferred to a single pixel to improve algorithm accuracy and efficiency.

[0057] It should also be understood that the above embodiments regarding the operating position located at the outer boundary are merely illustrative and do not imply any limitation on the scope of this application. The operating position may also be the inner edge of at least one workpiece 201. For example, in some embodiments, there are other techniques or algorithms that can prevent the risk of one or more workpieces getting stuck on the gripped workpiece 201 or overlapping edges being gripped, and the operating position may also be at any suitable location at any edge of at least workpiece 201.

[0058] Once the selected workpiece 201's operating position is identified, the operating component 103 will then, for example, be controlled by a robot as described above, to engage with the selected workpiece 201 at the operating position to supply the selected workpiece 201 to a standby position. In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 As shown, the operating component 103 may include a gripper 1031 coupled to the robot. The gripper 1031 may include at least two gripping members that are movable toward or away from each other to grip or release a selected workpiece 201.

[0059] To improve the success rate of gripping and reduce the required stroke of the gripping member, in some embodiments, a gripping direction along which the gripping member moves can be determined. In some embodiments, the gripping direction can be perpendicular to the tangential direction of the selected edge at the operating position (e.g., the outer boundary). For example, after identifying the operating position, the controller can then determine the tangential direction of the selected edge at the operating position. Subsequently, the direction perpendicular to the tangential direction can be determined as the gripping direction to ensure that the workpiece 201 can be gripped radially rather than circumferentially at the operating position, thereby further improving the reliability of the device 100.

[0060] It should be understood that the above embodiments in which the selected workpiece 201 is operated by the gripper 1031 are merely illustrative and do not impose any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. Any other suitable structure and / or arrangement is also possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the operating component 103 may include a push rod 1032 coupled to the robot, such as Figure 4 As shown.

[0061] Instead of gripping, push rod 1032 can radially push the selected workpiece 201 outward from the operating position. This allows for the supply of the workpiece 201 with a simple structure. In some embodiments, push rod 1032 can also be formed by moving the gripping members of gripper 1031, as mentioned above, closer together. That is, with gripper 1031 arranged, the selected workpiece 201 can be gripped or pushed by gripper 1031. In some alternative embodiments, push rod 1032 can also be a component separate from gripper 1031 to further simplify the structure of operating assembly 103.

[0062] To ensure that the selected workpiece 201 is pushed from its inside to its outside by the push rod 1032, in some embodiments, a reference point positioned inside the selected workpiece 201 relative to the operating position can be determined. For example, in some embodiments, after determining the operating position, a reference point indicating the inside of the selected workpiece 201 can then be determined. The push rod 1032 can then be operated to move above or near the reference point. Subsequently, the push rod 1032 moves vertically downward such that the distance between the free end of the push rod 1032 and the plane used to arrange the selected workpiece 201 is less than the height T of the workpiece 201. Thus, as the push rod 1032 moves further toward the operating position, the selected workpiece 201 will be pushed or dragged by the push rod 1032.

[0063] To prevent other workpieces 201 besides the selected workpiece 201 from being dragged to a spare position by the selected workpiece 201 during the process of the push rod 1032 pushing the selected workpiece 201, in some embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown, at least one wall 104 with a notch 1041 can be arranged. The width of the notch 1041 is greater than or equal to the minimum curvature diameter of the workpiece 201 after deformation. Furthermore, as described above, the width of the notch 1041 is also set to prevent other workpieces 201 besides the selected workpiece 201 from being dragged through the notch 1041. For this purpose, in some embodiments, the width of the notch 1041 can be less than two or three times the minimum curvature diameter. Thus, only the selected workpiece 201 can be pushed through the notch 1041. Other workpieces 201 that can be dragged by the selected workpiece 201 are blocked by the wall 104.

[0064] The standby position is positioned outside wall 104 relative to the predetermined position. After passing through notch 1041, the selected workpiece 201 will continue to be pushed to the standby position. In some embodiments, a forming plate 106 may be provided at the standby position. The forming plate 106 may be used to shape a portion of the selected workpiece 201 into a predetermined shape, such as... Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown.

[0065] In some embodiments, the forming plate 106 may include two edges separated by a predetermined distance. This predetermined distance may relate to the diameter of a portion of the device on which the workpiece 201 will be assembled. For example, in some embodiments where the device (e.g., a robot joint) has a more compact size, the predetermined distance may be slightly smaller than the diameter of the portion of the device on which the workpiece 201 will be assembled. In some alternative embodiments, the predetermined distance may be slightly larger than the diameter of the portion of the device. After the selected workpiece 201 is pushed or gripped to a position adjacent to the forming plate 106, the selected workpiece 201 will move along... Figure 6 The direction of the arrow shown is further pushed, as... Figure 6 As shown, the arrow is oriented roughly parallel to the edge.

[0066] As the selected workpiece 201 moves between the two edges, the two edges will force the portion of the selected workpiece 201 between the two edges to deform, ultimately causing the entire workpiece 201 to deform, such as... Figure 7 As shown. The deformed workpiece 201 will be further processed, for example, assembled onto the equipment that requires workpiece 201.

[0067] It should be understood that the above embodiments in which the forming plate 106 includes two edges are merely illustrative and do not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure. Any other suitable structures and / or arrangements are also possible. For example, in some alternative embodiments, the forming plate 106 may also be U-shaped or V-shaped.

[0068] After the selected workpiece 201 has been assembled in the device, the marking component 102 will be further operated to mark the operating position of the next selected workpiece 201 from the newly selected edge formed by the remaining(s) workpiece(s) 201 in the predetermined position. The above gripping or pushing of the selected workpiece 201 will be repeated until no workpiece 201 is in the predetermined position.

[0069] When no workpiece 201 is in the predetermined position, the feeder 101 is then operable to separate the next batch of workpieces 201 from the remaining workpieces 201 in the hopper 1012 until the number of workpieces 201 in the hopper 1012 is less than a predetermined value or equal to zero. Then, the next batch of workpieces 201 can be supplied in the hopper 1012 for further operations.

[0070] As can be seen from the above, using the apparatus 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure, the selected flexible annular workpiece 201 (e.g., a belt) can be separated from a stack of workpieces 201 and automatically supplied to a standby position without human intervention. In this way, the flexible annular workpiece 201 can be supplied faster and more accurately.

[0071] According to other aspects of this disclosure, a method for supplying a flexible annular workpiece 201 is provided. Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating a method for supplying a flexible annular workpiece 201 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. This method can be implemented as program code stored in memory, which can be executed by a robot controller or any other suitable controller or processor.

[0072] In block 410, the controller uses vibration to separate at least one workpiece 201 from a stack of workpieces 201 to a predetermined position, which can be performed by the feeder 101 as described above. After separating and positioning at least one workpiece 201 at the predetermined position, in block 420, the controller identifies the operating position of the selected workpiece 201 from selected edges (e.g., outer boundaries) of the at least one workpiece 201 by analyzing an image of the at least one workpiece 201 at the predetermined position, the image being acquired by the identification component 102 as described above. After identifying the operating position, in block 430, the controller causes the operating component 103 to engage (e.g., grasp or push) the selected workpiece 201 at the operating position. In this way, the selected workpiece 201 can be supplied to a standby position.

[0073] In the standby position, as described above, the selected workpiece 201, or at least a portion thereof, can be shaped to facilitate further operation. After the selected workpiece 201 is removed from the standby position for further operation, the steps shown in boxes 420 and 430 can be repeated until no workpiece 201 is in the predetermined position. The steps shown in box 410 can then be repeated. In this way, the stacked workpieces 201 can be supplied to the standby position for automatic further operation without human intervention. The efficiency and accuracy of supplying the flexible annular workpiece 201 can be significantly improved.

[0074] In some embodiments, in order to identify the operating position of the selected workpiece 201, the controller may determine a selected edge, such as an outer boundary, of at least one workpiece 201 in the image. Subsequently, a minimum distance may be determined between the position of the selected edge and a corresponding adjacent edge of the at least one workpiece 201. In response to a minimum distance being greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the position of the selected edge for which the minimum distance is determined may be identified as the operating position.

[0075] In some embodiments, the controller may also determine a gripping direction perpendicular to the tangential direction of the selected edge at the operating position. In this way, the selected workpiece 201 can be gripped along the gripping direction, for example, by the gripper 1031 as described above. Thus, the selected workpiece 201 can be gripped radially, which reduces the stroke of the gripper 1031 and therefore reduces the size of the drive components (e.g., cylinders) used to drive the gripper 1031. In this way, the cost of the gripper 1031 can be reduced.

[0076] In some embodiments, the controller can also determine a reference point positioned inside the selected workpiece relative to the operating position. On one hand, this allows the operating component 103, such as the push rod 1032, to move to a position where it can be engaged with the workpiece 201 via the reference point. On the other hand, it ensures that the selected workpiece 201 can be pushed into the forming plate 106. In this way, the reliability of the device 100 can be significantly improved.

[0077] It should be understood that the detailed embodiments described above are merely illustrative or explanatory of the principles of this disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements should be included within the scope of this disclosure without departing from its spirit and scope. Furthermore, the appended claims are intended to cover all variations and modifications falling within the scope and limits of the claims or their equivalents.

Claims

1. An apparatus for supplying a flexible annular workpiece (201), comprising: A feeder (101) is adapted to separate at least one workpiece (201) from a pile of workpieces (201) to a predetermined position by vibration; The identification component (102) is adapted to acquire and analyze an image of the at least one workpiece (201) at the predetermined position to identify the operation position of the selected workpiece; as well as An operating component (103) is adapted to be coupled to the selected workpiece (201) at the operating position to supply the selected workpiece (201) to a standby position. The identification component (102) includes: A camera (1021) is positioned above the predetermined position to acquire the image of the at least one workpiece (201) at the predetermined position; as well as Controller, suitable for: Determine the selected edge of the at least one workpiece (201) in the image; Determine the minimum distance between the selected edge and the corresponding adjacent edge of the at least one workpiece (201); and In response to the minimum distance being greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the position of the selected edge is determined as the operation position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feeder (101) comprises: A hopper (1012), inclinedly arranged on and driven by a vibrator, and adapted to receive the stack of workpieces (201), the hopper (1012) including an outlet (1013) disposed at a lower position of the hopper (1012); and A baffle (1014) is arranged at the outlet (1013) such that the outlet (1013) has a height (H) greater than the height (T) of the workpiece (201) to allow the at least one workpiece (201) to be discharged from and separated from the outlet (1013).

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the hopper (1012) is arranged above the predetermined position such that the distance between the outlet (1013) and the predetermined position is greater than or equal to the length of the long axis of the workpiece (201) after deformation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identification component (102) further comprises: The frame (1022) is arranged to span the predetermined position; as well as A support member (1023) is arranged on the frame (1022) to support the camera (1021).

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operating component (103) comprises: A gripper (1031) is attached to the robot to grip the selected workpiece (201) at the operating position.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the marking component (102) is further adapted to determine a gripping direction, wherein the gripper (1031) grips the selected workpiece (201) along the gripping direction, the gripping direction being perpendicular to the tangential direction of the selected edge at the operating position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operating component (103) comprises: A push rod (1032) is attached to the robot to push the selected workpiece (201) radially outward at the operating position.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising: At least one wall (104) includes a notch (1041) for allowing the selected workpiece (201) pushed by the push rod (1032) to pass through.

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-8, further comprising: A pusher plate (105) is arranged to push the at least one workpiece (201) to ensure that the at least one workpiece (201) is in the predetermined position.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1-8, further comprising: A forming plate (106) is arranged at the standby position and is adapted to form a portion of the selected workpiece (201) into a predetermined shape.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the marking component (102) is further adapted to determine a reference point positioned inside the selected workpiece (201) relative to the operating position.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the forming plate is U-shaped or V-shaped, or comprises two edges separated by a predetermined distance.

13. A method for supplying a flexible annular workpiece (201), comprising: Vibration is used to separate at least one workpiece (201) from a pile of workpieces (201) to a predetermined position; The operating position of the selected workpiece is identified by analyzing an image of at least one workpiece (201) at the predetermined position; and The operating component (103) is coupled to the selected workpiece (201) at the operating position to supply the selected workpiece (201) to the standby position. The operation position that identifies the selected workpiece includes: Determine the selected edge of the at least one workpiece (201) in the image; Determine the minimum distance between the selected edge and the corresponding adjacent edge of the at least one workpiece (201); and In response to the minimum distance being greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the position of the selected edge is determined as the operation position.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: Determine the gripping direction, which is perpendicular to the tangential direction of the selected edge at the operating position; as well as The selected workpiece (201) is gripped along the gripping direction.

15. The method according to any one of claims 13-14, further comprising: Determine a reference point that is positioned inside the selected workpiece relative to the operating position; as well as Using the reference point, the selected workpiece (201) is attached to the forming plate by the operating components.

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