Material tray placing equipment and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides material placing equipment and a control method thereof.The material placing equipment integrates a first feeding and placing system and a second feeding and placing system, and the first feeding and placing system is used for placing materials through a mechanical orientation mechanism arranged in a first feeding module; the device is specially used for physically orienting and arranging a first type of materials which are relatively regular in shape and high in structural property, then the materials are conveyed and accurately positioned through a material arranging channel, and finally plate arranging is completed through an industrial robot. And the second feeding and placing system is used for mildly dispersing and tiling a second type of materials which are irregular, are supplied in bulk, are not easy to damage or have low appearance requirements through a flexible material arranging module, identifying and positioning are carried out by virtue of a second positioning camera, and then self-adaptive picking and placing are carried out by virtue of the same industrial robot. Thus, two sets of independent feeding and arranging systems provided by one material arranging plate device are used for achieving feeding, arranging and arranging, arranging of different types of materials can be covered, and the universality of the material arranging plate device is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of mechanical automation, and in particular to a material handling device and its control method. Background Technology

[0002] In the assembly and production processes of modern manufacturing industries such as 3C electronics and automobiles, materials need to be transferred from the incoming material tray to the production tray before entering the automated production line, and after production is completed, the products need to be transferred from the production tray to the shipping tray.

[0003] To improve efficiency, some companies have adopted automated material handling equipment. However, most of these devices are designed for materials of specific shapes and varieties. Once the materials change, the mechanical components need to be redesigned, manufactured, and debugged, resulting in traditional material handling equipment having limited functionality and poor versatility. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the existing technical problems, this application provides a material tray-loading device and its control method that can improve versatility and production efficiency.

[0005] In a first aspect, a material tray-distributing device is provided, comprising: Main control module; The first material feeding and placement system includes a first feeding module, a material assembling channel, a first placement module, a positioning component, and a first positioning camera. The first feeding module receives a first type of material and is equipped with a mechanical orientation mechanism for orienting the first type of material. The material assembling channel is located at the outlet of the first feeding module and is used to organize and transport the first type of material. The positioning component is located at the end of the material assembling channel. The field of view of the first positioning camera covers the area where the positioning component is located. The second feeding and material handling system includes a second feeding module, a second material handling module, a flexible material handling module, and a second positioning camera. The flexible material handling module is located at the outlet of the second feeding module. The second feeding module is used to receive a second type of material, and the flexible material handling module is used to sort the second type of material. The field of view of the second positioning camera covers the area where the flexible material handling module is located. Industrial robots consist of multiple actuators; The main control module is communicatively connected to the industrial robot, the first positioning camera, and the second positioning camera, and is used to control the industrial robot to pick up materials from the positioning component using a matching execution component and place the materials on the first material placement module, or to pick up materials from the flexible material placement module and place the materials on the second material placement module.

[0006] Secondly, a control method for a material handling device is provided, applied to the main control module of the material handling device, wherein the material handling device includes: Main control module; The first material feeding and placement system includes a first feeding module, a material assembling channel, a first placement module, a positioning component, and a first positioning camera. The first feeding module receives a first type of material and is equipped with a mechanical orientation mechanism for orienting the first type of material. The material assembling channel is located at the outlet of the first feeding module and is used to organize and transport the first type of material. The positioning component is located at the end of the material assembling channel. The field of view of the first positioning camera covers the area where the positioning component is located. The second feeding and material handling system includes a second feeding module, a second material handling module, a flexible material handling module, and a second positioning camera. The flexible material handling module is located at the outlet of the second feeding module. The second feeding module is used to receive a second type of material, and the flexible material handling module is used to sort the second type of material. The field of view of the second positioning camera covers the area where the flexible material handling module is located. Industrial robots consist of multiple actuators; The method includes: The pose information of the material is obtained by analyzing the material images captured by the first positioning camera or the second positioning camera. Based on the pose information, the industrial robot is controlled to pick up materials from the positioning component using a matching execution component and place the materials on the first material placement module, or pick up materials from the flexible material placement module and place the materials on the second material placement module.

[0007] The material handling equipment provided in the above embodiments integrates a first feeding and handling system and a second feeding and handling system. The first feeding and handling system, through a mechanical orientation mechanism built into the first feeding module, is specifically used for the physical orientation and arrangement of first-type materials with relatively regular shapes and strong structures. These materials are then transported and precisely positioned via a material handling channel, and finally, the material is placed on a tray by an industrial robot. The second feeding and handling system, through a flexible material handling module, gently disperses and lays out second-type materials that are irregular, bulk, not easily damaged, or have low appearance requirements. It relies on a second positioning camera for identification and positioning, and then the same industrial robot performs adaptive picking and tray placement. Thus, by utilizing two independent feeding and handling systems provided by a single material handling equipment, feeding, material handling, and tray placement are achieved, covering the handling of different types of materials, improving the versatility of the material handling equipment, and expanding its application range. The entire process is uniformly scheduled by the main control module, with no human intervention throughout the entire process from disordered material arrival to orderly tray placement, achieving intelligent and efficient material handling and reducing reliance on manpower.

[0008] The control method for the material traying device provided in the above embodiments belongs to the same concept as the corresponding material traying device embodiments, and thus has the same technical effect as the corresponding material traying device embodiments, which will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0009] Figures 1 to 2 This is a schematic diagram of a material handling device with its outer shell removed, according to one embodiment.

[0010] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the material tray-distributing device in one embodiment.

[0011] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the outer casing of a material tray device in one embodiment.

[0012] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a material handling device with its outer casing removed, according to another embodiment.

[0013] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the blister tray feeding structure in one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 7 This is a flowchart of a control method for a material tray device in one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the hardware connection of the control system in one embodiment.

[0016] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the control process in one embodiment.

[0017] Among them: 40, Industrial robot; 21, First feeding module; 22, First material handling module; 23, Material handling channel; 24, Positioning component; 25, First positioning camera; 31, Second feeding module; 32, Second material handling module; 33, Flexible material handling module; 34, Second positioning camera; 100, Housing; 101, Upper door; 102, Lower door; 103, Touch screen; 104, Safety switch; 105, Louver; 106, Ventilation. Window; 107. Observation window; 200. Machine platform; 201. Feeding machine platform; 202. Loading machine platform; 27. Third positioning camera; 311. First feeding unit; 312. Second feeding unit; 321. First loading unit; 322. Support; 323. Second loading unit; 3231. Picking tray position; 3232. Empty tray position; 3233. Full tray position; 3234. Drive unit; 41. Execution component; 50. Alarm. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments should not be regarded as limitations on this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0020] In the following description, the phrase "some embodiments" refers to a subset of all possible embodiments. It should be noted that "some embodiments" can be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments, and can be combined with each other without conflict.

[0021] In the following description, the terms "first, second, and third" are used merely to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of objects. It is understood that "first, second, and third" may be interchanged in a specific order or sequence where permitted, so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0022] A material tray-loading device, such as Figures 1 to 5 As shown, it includes: a main control module, a first feeding and tray system, a second feeding and tray system, and an industrial robot 40.

[0023] Among them, such as Figure 1 As shown, the first feeding and tray-stacking system includes: a first feeding module 21, a material sizing channel 23, a first tray-stacking module 22, a positioning component 24, and a first positioning camera 25; the first feeding module 21 is used to receive a first type of material and is provided with a mechanical orientation mechanism for orienting the first type of material; the material sizing channel 23 is located at the outlet of the first feeding module 21 and is used to sort and convey the first type of material; the positioning component 24 is provided at the end of the material sizing channel 23; the field of view of the first positioning camera 25 covers the area where the positioning component 24 is located.

[0024] like Figure 2 As shown, the second feeding and material handling system includes a second feeding module 31, a second material handling module 32, a flexible material handling module 33, and a second positioning camera 34. The flexible material handling module 33 is located at the outlet of the second feeding module 31. The second feeding module 31 is used to receive the second type of material, and the flexible material handling module 33 is used to sort the second type of material. The field of view of the second positioning camera 34 covers the area where the flexible material handling module 33 is located.

[0025] Specifically, such as Figures 3-5As shown, the material handling equipment adopts a semi-enclosed structure, mainly including a machine base 200 and a shell 100 that partially covers the machine base. The machine base 200 is functionally divided into a loading machine base 201, used as the loading area, and a material handling machine base 202, used as the material handling area. The loading machine base 201 adopts an open or semi-open design to facilitate loading by operators. The material handling machine base 202 is a closed or highly protected design, with its exterior completely covered by the shell 100 to isolate the high-speed moving industrial robot 40 and other mechanisms inside, ensuring personnel safety and preventing external dust interference or accidental human contact from affecting the precision material handling process.

[0026] The housing 100 is equipped with an upper door 101, a lower door 102, a touch screen 103, a safety switch 104, louvers 105, a ventilation window 106, and an observation window 107. The touch screen 103 and the observation window 107 can be located on the upper door 101 for easy operation, while the louvers 105 and the ventilation window 106 can be located on the lower door 102.

[0027] like Figure 5 As shown, the first feeding module 21 and the second feeding module 31 can be installed on the feeding machine 201. The material handling channel 23, the flexible material handling module 33, the first material handling module 22, the second material handling module 32, the industrial robot 40, the positioning component 24, the first positioning camera 25 and the second positioning camera 34 are installed on the material handling machine 202.

[0028] Specifically, the first feeding module 21 is used to receive the first type of material. Its interior is equipped with a slightly inclined spiral track or slopes and steps with specific geometric shapes. Driven by periodic vibration, the scattered material placed within moves along the track. During this process, preliminary mechanical screening is achieved through the interaction of the material's own geometry, center of gravity, and the track structure. Material with a specific facet or orientation downwards adheres to the track and continuously moves towards the outer exit; while material with an incorrect orientation falls due to imbalance and is collected back to the vibrating plate center for re-screening. The qualified material is finally output from the outlet of the first feeding module 21 and falls into the material handling channel 23. Therefore, the first feeding and material handling system is suitable for handling the first type of material, which has relatively regular shapes and strong structural integrity, such as standard fasteners and irregularly shaped parts with clearly defined features.

[0029] The material handling channel 23 is typically a linear vibrating feeder, such as a mechanical vibrating plate, which conveys materials through continuous directional vibration. Shape screening structures such as notches, blocks, or guide strips can be further installed on the material handling channel 23 to perform secondary sorting and screening of the material's orientation, ensuring that the material is conveyed to the downstream positioning component 24 in a uniform manner.

[0030] The positioning component 24 serves as a positioning station, using actuators such as cylinders to push the material delivered there to a physically fixed picking position. The field of view of the first positioning camera 25 covers the area where the positioning component 24 is located, and it can acquire images of the material located on the positioning component 24 for identifying the material's pose information. Specifically, the first positioning camera 25 is fixedly installed above the positioning component 24. The vision analysis software stored in the main control module is used to process the images, identify and calculate the precise pose of the material in the camera coordinate system, including the X and Y coordinates and the rotation angle R. Then, through a pre-calibrated hand-eye conversion matrix, the pose data is converted into the target coordinates in the industrial robot's base coordinate system.

[0031] Subsequently, the main control module controls the industrial robot 40 to move to the specified coordinates and drives its end effector 41 (such as a suction cup or gripper) to pick up materials and place them at the predetermined position of the first material handling module 22. The main control module continuously counts the number of materials in the trays and compares the real-time count of each tray with the preset full tray quantity. When the material count of a tray reaches or exceeds the preset full tray quantity, the main control module determines that the tray is full. The main control module can trigger an audible and visual alarm. After hearing or seeing the alarm, the on-site operator goes to the equipment, removes the full tray, replaces it with an empty tray, and can reset the material count of the corresponding tray to zero via a human-machine interface such as a touch screen or a reset button.

[0032] In this embodiment, the first positioning camera 25 can be integrated onto the body of the industrial robot 40, with its lens continuously facing the side where the positioning component 24 is located. With this configuration, the first positioning camera 25 and the industrial robot 40 form a cooperative motion unit, and the first positioning camera 25 can move synchronously with the movement of the industrial robot 40.

[0033] The first positioning camera 25 can capture images of the material on the positioning component 24 for identification as the industrial robot 40 moves toward the positioning component 24, achieving simultaneous movement and positioning. Since the first positioning camera 25 is fixedly connected to the industrial robot 40, the spatial relationship between them remains constant, thus enabling the construction of a stable hand-eye system with simple calibration. What the first positioning camera 25 observes is essentially the relative motion and target position information within the industrial robot 40's own coordinate system. This allows visual positioning data to be quickly and directly converted into motion commands for the robot without complex dynamic coordinate transformations, resulting in advantages such as fast response speed and accurate positioning.

[0034] The second feeding module 31 is typically a multi-faceted material feeding bin, used to receive and store randomly stacked second-type materials in batches. The flexible material handling module 33 can be a flexible vibratory feeder, whose surface can undergo flexible micro-vibration to separate, flip, and flatten the materials, creating conditions for visual recognition. The field of view of the second positioning camera 34 covers the area where the flexible material handling module 33 is located, used to acquire images of the dispersed materials in the feeder, so that the main control module can visually recognize and calculate the center coordinates X, Y and rotation angle Rz of the materials that meet the picking requirements. This information is then converted to the robot coordinate system and provided to the industrial robot 40. In one specific embodiment, the second positioning camera 34 can be fixedly installed above the flexible material handling module 33, so that its field of view covers the area where the flexible material handling module 33 is located. The industrial robot 40 picks up the materials on the flexible material handling module 33 according to the coordinate information and places them on the second material placement module 32. The main control module continuously counts the number of materials in the feeder and continuously compares the real-time count of each feeder with the preset value. When the material count of a certain tray reaches or exceeds the preset maximum capacity value, the main control module determines that the tray is full. The main control module can trigger an audible and visual alarm. After hearing or seeing the alarm, the on-site operator goes to the equipment, removes the full tray, replaces it with an empty tray, and can reset the material count of the corresponding tray to zero through a human-machine interface such as a touch screen or a reset button.

[0035] The second material feeding and placement system is suitable for placing irregular, bulk materials, non-damaging materials, or polyhedral electronic components with low appearance requirements, etc.

[0036] The industrial robot 40 can be a robotic arm equipped with multiple actuators 41. By configuring the relationship between material types and actuators 41, the industrial robot 40 intelligently switches actuators 41 to pick up the corresponding materials. Specifically, the material handling equipment sets the placement positions of the actuators 41, matching the appropriate actuators 41 according to different materials. When the industrial robot 40 reaches the placement position of the actuator 41, it quickly unloads the actuator 41 for one material and quickly switches to the actuator 41 for another material.

[0037] The material handling equipment of this application integrates a first feeding and placing system and a second feeding and placing system. The first feeding and placing system, through the mechanical orientation mechanism built into the first feeding module 21, is specifically used for the physical orientation and arrangement of first-type materials with relatively regular shapes and strong structures. These materials are then transported and precisely positioned via the material handling channel 23, and finally placed on a tray by an industrial robot 41. The second feeding and placing system, through the flexible material handling module 33, gently disperses and lays out second-type materials that are irregular, bulk, not easily damaged, or have low appearance requirements. It relies on a second positioning camera 34 for identification and positioning, and then the same industrial robot performs adaptive picking and tray placement. Thus, the material handling equipment of this application provides two independent feeding and placing systems to realize feeding, material handling, and tray placement, covering the tray placement of different types of materials, improving the versatility of the material handling equipment, and expanding the application range of the equipment. The entire process is uniformly scheduled by the main control module, and the entire process from disordered material arrival to orderly tray placement is unmanned, achieving intelligent and efficient tray placement and reducing reliance on manpower.

[0038] In one embodiment, the first feeding module 21 includes a first vibrator; the material handling channel 23 includes a second vibrator and a conveying track; the first vibrator, the second vibrator, and the conveying track are connected to the main control module.

[0039] The first feeding module 21 is typically a circular vibratory feeder with a first vibrator located below it. The main control module activates the first vibrator, driving the feeder and its internal slightly inclined spiral track to generate periodic multidimensional vibrations. The material climbs along the track during vibration and undergoes preliminary mechanical screening and orientation through the interaction of the mechanical orientation mechanism. Only materials conforming to a preset orientation are allowed to pass through, while the rest fall back to the bottom of the feeder for re-screening. The pre-oriented material is then discharged from the outlet of the first feeding module 21 and enters the material handling channel 23.

[0040] The main control module also controls the second vibrator to start, driving the conveyor track to generate directional linear vibration, and conveying the material forward to the positioning component 24.

[0041] In this embodiment, a physically oriented assembly line is formed by the combination of the first vibrator of the first feeding module 21, the second vibrator of the material sorting channel 23, and the conveying track. It is particularly suitable for the first type of material with obvious structural features and suitable for mechanical screening, and can achieve reliable mechanical automatic orientation.

[0042] In one embodiment, a detection switch 26 is provided on the side, above or below the positioning component 24 to detect the occupancy status of the positioning component 24. When the presence of a first type of material is detected on the positioning component 24, an occupancy signal is sent to the main control module. The occupancy signal is used to instruct the main control module to stop the first vibrator, the second vibrator and the conveyor track, control the first positioning camera 25 to take pictures and control the industrial robot 40 to pick up the material from the positioning component 24. And / or, When the first type of material of the positioning component 24 is detected to have been removed, an empty position signal is sent to the main control module. The empty position signal is used to instruct the main control module to control the first vibrator, the second vibrator and the conveyor track to start.

[0043] In this embodiment, when the material handling channel 23 conveys the pre-oriented and sorted first type of material to the positioning component 24, the sensing area of ​​the detection switch 26 is triggered by the material. The detection switch 26 then sends a placeholder signal to the main control module.

[0044] After receiving the placeholder signal, the main control module synchronously performs the following operations: The first vibrator of the first feeding module 21, the second vibrator of the material handling channel 23, and the conveyor track are stopped. This cuts off the upstream material supply and prevents subsequent materials from accumulating at the positioning component 24 because the industrial robot 40 has not yet removed the current material.

[0045] A shooting command is sent to the first positioning camera 25, which then captures an image of the material on the positioning component 24. The main control module processes the image, identifies and calculates the precise pose of the material in the camera coordinate system, including the X and Y coordinates and the rotation angle R.

[0046] Send a material picking instruction and coordinates to the industrial robot 40. The industrial robot 40 then performs the material picking operation based on the coordinates to pick up the target material.

[0047] After the industrial robot 40 successfully picks up the material from the positioning component 24 and removes it, the detection switch 26 detects an empty space. The detection switch 26 sends an empty space signal to the main control module. Upon receiving the empty space signal, the main control module controls the first and second vibrators and the conveyor track to restart, continuing to transport the material to the positioning component 24 and starting a new cycle.

[0048] In this embodiment, the detection switch 26 is used to control the start and stop timing of feeding and picking, ensuring that the feeding and picking actions alternate in sequence to avoid conflicts.

[0049] In one embodiment, such as Figure 1As shown, the first material feeding and placement system also includes a third positioning camera 27 that is communicatively connected to the main control module. The third positioning camera 27 is located between the positioning component 24 and the first placement module 22 and is used to collect images of the picked-up material after the industrial robot 40 picks up the material and before placing the material. The main control module is used to identify the actual pose of the material based on the image and control the industrial robot 40 to adjust the placement action based on the deviation between the actual pose and the target placement pose.

[0050] Specifically, the execution component 41 of the industrial robot 40 may include a suction cup, which can be used to pick up and place materials. When the industrial robot 40 picks up the first type of material from the positioning component 24 using the end suction cup, the material may shift in position due to airflow or uneven contact surfaces at the moment of adsorption. The industrial robot 40 carrying the material moves towards the first placement module 22. When it passes above the field of view of the third positioning camera 27, the third positioning camera 27 is triggered and captures a real-time image of the grasped material.

[0051] After receiving the image, the main control module quickly identifies and calculates the actual pose of the material on the suction cup, including the X, Y, and Z coordinates and rotation angle, using a visual algorithm. Subsequently, the main control module compares the actual pose with the pre-set target placement pose on the first material placement module 22, and calculates the deviation values ​​between the two in terms of spatial position and angle.

[0052] The main control module sends the deviation value as a real-time compensation command to the industrial robot 40. When placing materials, the industrial robot 40 adjusts its end effector trajectory and posture to compensate for the deviation, thereby accurately placing the materials that have been gripped by the suction cup and may have pose errors into the predetermined position of the first material placement module 22.

[0053] In this embodiment, by setting a third positioning camera 27 to actively compensate for the picking error of the industrial robot 40, the accuracy of the industrial robot 40 in placing materials is improved.

[0054] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the second feeding module 31 includes at least two feeding bins, and the outlets of at least two feeding bins are connected to the flexible material handling module 33. Thus, the at least two feeding bins share the flexible material handling module 33 and the subsequent material placement system. This allows for the fulfillment of feeding requirements for various types of second-class materials.

[0055] In one embodiment, the second feeding module 31 includes a first feeding unit 311 and a second feeding unit 312, which can respectively put two different types of second materials into different feeding units.

[0056] In some embodiments, if the placement requirements of multiple types of second-class materials are consistent, the second placement module 32 can be shared. However, if the placement requirements of multiple types of second-class materials are inconsistent, the second placement module 32 may include a first placement unit 321 and a second placement unit 323. The second placement unit 323 may employ a blister tray unloading structure, and the first placement unit 321 may employ a customized large flat plate.

[0057] Specifically, such as Figure 6 As shown, the blister tray unloading structure may include a material pick-up tray position 3231, an empty material tray position 3232, a full material tray position 3233, and a drive unit 3234, wherein the drive unit 3234 is connected to the main control module. The drive unit 3234 enables the movement of an empty material tray between the empty material tray position 3232 and the material pick-up tray position 3231, and the movement of a full material tray between the material pick-up tray position 3231 and the full material tray position 3233. The blister tray unloading structure is used to place small, lightweight, and regularly shaped materials such as chips, capacitors, connectors, structural components, and circuit boards.

[0058] The first material handling unit 321 or the first material handling module 22 can be a customized large plate. The first material handling module 22 is fixed to the material handling machine base 202 by the bracket 322. The customized large plate is usually a load-bearing platform tailored for specific products or complex components, and may be made of metal or high-precision plastic. The customized large plate usually has positioning structures such as positioning columns, which can be used to place large, heavy, irregularly shaped or materials that require precise positioning and clamping.

[0059] In one embodiment, each feeding bin includes a driver connected to the main control module, and the main control module responds to control commands to start the driver of only one feeding bin at a time.

[0060] Since multiple feeding bins share the flexible material forming module 33, if two or more feeding bins simultaneously feed different types of materials into the flexible material forming module 33, resulting in mixed materials in the flexible material forming module 33, this will cause difficulties for visual positioning and sorting.

[0061] To address this issue, in this embodiment, each feeding hopper is equipped with an independent driver and is connected to the main control module. The main control module is configured to control the drivers of each feeding hopper in a time-sharing manner, or to individually start the driver of a specified feeding hopper in response to a user's start command for that hopper. That is, within the same production time period, only one feeding hopper is started to supply the corresponding type of second material to the flexible material processing module 33.

[0062] In one embodiment, the user can make settings via the touch screen 103, such as starting the first or second feeding and unloading system separately, or starting a feeding hopper of the second feeding and unloading system.

[0063] In application, the user can fill each feeding hopper of the second feeding module 31 with material, start the second feeding and unloading system, and then leave. The main control module responds to control commands, controlling only one feeding hopper's driver to start at a time. For example, each feeding hopper can be started sequentially, and the next feeding hopper can be started only after the material in one feeding hopper has been unloaded. In this way, by sharing the flexible material handling module 33 and only adding a relatively simple feeding hopper, the equipment can handle two or more different types of complex materials, significantly improving the equipment's versatility. At the same time, it avoids the mixing of different materials in the flexible material handling module 33, ensuring the accuracy of unloading.

[0064] In one embodiment, the first and second feeding and unloading systems share the industrial robot 40. The main control module responds to control commands by activating only either the first or second feeding and unloading system at any given time. That is, within any given work cycle, the main control module activates only the first or second feeding and unloading system. For example, when processing material A, the vibrator, conveyor track, positioning component 24, first positioning camera 25, and industrial robot 40 of the first feeding and unloading system work together to unload the material. At this time, the hopper, flexible material handling module 33, and second positioning camera 34 of the second feeding and unloading system are in standby or paused state. When the task for material A is completed, the main control module stops the first feeding and unloading system and then switches to the second feeding and unloading system, scheduling the industrial robot to unload the material. This ensures that only one feeding and unloading system is running at any given time, avoiding hardware conflicts and material confusion.

[0065] In one embodiment, when the amount of material on the flexible material loading module 33 is detected to be greater than a first threshold, the driver of the loading bin is controlled to stop.

[0066] Specifically, the main control module analyzes the images captured by the second positioning camera 34 to identify the quantity of material in the flexible material forming module 33. When the quantity exceeds a first threshold, the drive of the feeding hopper is stopped to prevent material from accumulating in the flexible material forming module 33.

[0067] In one embodiment, when the amount of material on the flexible material loading module 33 is detected to be less than a second threshold, the driver of the loading hopper is controlled to start.

[0068] Specifically, the main control module analyzes the images captured by the second positioning camera 34 to identify the quantity of materials in the flexible material handling module 33. When the quantity is less than a second threshold, it controls the start-up of the feeding hopper's driver. By identifying the quantity of materials in the flexible material handling module 33, the timing of feeding and picking is controlled to ensure that the feeding and picking actions alternate in sequence, avoiding conflicts.

[0069] Based on the same technical concept, another aspect of this application provides a control method for a material tray-stacking device, based on the main control module of the aforementioned material tray-stacking device. The structure of the material tray-stacking device has been described in the preceding embodiments and will not be repeated here.

[0070] like Figure 7 As shown, the method includes: Step 702: Obtain the pose information of the material. The pose information is obtained by analyzing the material images captured by the first positioning camera 25 or the second positioning camera 34.

[0071] Step 704: Based on the pose information, control the industrial robot 40 to pick up materials from the positioning component 24 using the matching execution component 41 and place the materials on the first material placement module 22, or pick up materials from the flexible material placement module 33 and place the materials on the second material placement module 32.

[0072] When the material handling equipment is used to place the first type of material, the first type of material is placed in the first feeding module 21 of the first feeding and handling system. The first feeding module 21 uses vibration and a structure customized according to the shape of the material to arrange the material in a specific direction. Then, the first type of material is sent to the material handling channel 23. The material handling channel 23 conveys the material forward, and the material enters the positioning component 24. The positioning component 24 positions the material by the action of a cylinder. The above process realizes the feeding and positioning of the material. The first positioning camera 25 captures the image of the positioned material. The main control module processes the image, identifies and calculates the precise pose of the material in the camera coordinate system. The main control module controls the industrial machine 40 to move to the coordinate and drives the quick-change execution component 41 at its end, such as a suction cup or gripper, to complete the material picking operation and place the material in the predetermined position of the first material handling module 22.

[0073] When the material handling equipment is used to place the second type of material, the material is placed in the hopper of the second feeding module 31. The material is then fed to the flexible material handling module 33 through the hopper. The flexible material handling module 33 vibrates to separate, flip, and flatten the material, creating conditions for visual recognition. The second positioning camera 34 is fixedly installed above the flexible material handling module 33 to acquire images of the dispersed material in the tray. The main control module performs visual recognition to calculate the center coordinates X, Y and rotation angle Rz of the material that meets the picking requirements. This information is then converted to the robot coordinate system and provided to the industrial robot 40. The industrial robot 40 picks up the material based on the coordinate information and places it in the second material handling module 32.

[0074] The material handling equipment of this application integrates a first feeding and handling system and a second feeding and handling system. The first feeding and handling system, through the mechanical orientation mechanism built into the first feeding module 21, is specifically used for the physical orientation and arrangement of the first type of materials with relatively regular shapes and strong structures. These materials are then transported and precisely positioned via the material handling channel 23, and finally placed on the tray by the industrial robot 40. The second feeding and handling system, through the flexible material handling module 33, gently disperses and lays out the second type of materials with irregular and complex shapes. It relies on the second positioning camera 34 for identification and positioning, and then the same industrial robot 40 performs adaptive picking and tray placement. Thus, by utilizing two independent feeding and handling systems provided by a single material handling equipment, feeding, material handling, and tray placement are achieved, covering the handling of different types of materials, improving the versatility of the material handling equipment, and expanding its application range. The entire control method is uniformly scheduled by the main control module, achieving unmanned operation from disordered material arrival to orderly tray placement, realizing intelligent and efficient material handling, and reducing reliance on human labor.

[0075] In one embodiment, the first feeding module 21 includes a first vibrator; the material handling channel 23 includes a second vibrator and a conveying track; the first vibrator, the second vibrator and the conveying track are connected to the main control module; a detection switch 26 connected to the main control module is provided on the side, above or below the positioning component 24 for detecting the occupancy status of the positioning component 24.

[0076] In one embodiment, the control method of the material tray device further includes: when the first feeding and traying system is started, acquiring a occupancy signal sent by the detection switch 26, the occupancy signal being triggered when the detection switch 26 detects that there is a first type of material on the positioning component 24; responding to the occupancy signal, controlling the first vibrator, the second vibrator and the conveying track to stop, controlling the first positioning camera 25 to take pictures and controlling the industrial robot 40 to perform material picking operations.

[0077] In this embodiment, when the material handling channel 23 conveys the pre-oriented and sorted first type of material to the positioning component 24, the sensing area of ​​the detection switch 26 is triggered by the material. The detection switch 26 then sends a placeholder signal to the main control module.

[0078] After receiving the placeholder signal, the main control module synchronously performs the following operations: The first vibrator of the first feeding module 21, the second vibrator of the material handling channel 23, and the conveyor track are stopped. This cuts off the upstream material supply and prevents subsequent materials from accumulating at the positioning component 24 because the industrial robot 40 has not yet removed the current material.

[0079] A shooting command is sent to the first positioning camera 25, which then captures an image of the material on the positioning component 24. The main control module processes the image, identifies and calculates the precise pose of the material in the camera coordinate system, including the X and Y coordinates and the rotation angle R.

[0080] Send a material picking instruction and coordinates to the industrial robot 40. The industrial robot 40 performs the material picking operation based on the coordinates and picks up the target coordinates.

[0081] In one embodiment, the control method of the material tray device further includes: acquiring an empty position signal sent by the detection switch 26; the empty position signal is triggered when the detection switch 26 detects that the first type of material of the positioning component 24 has been removed; and in response to the empty position signal, controlling the first vibrator, the second vibrator and the conveying track to start.

[0082] After the industrial robot 40 successfully picks up the material from the positioning component 24 and removes it, the detection switch 26 detects an empty space. The detection switch 26 sends an empty space signal to the main control module. Upon receiving the empty space signal, the main control module controls the first and second vibrators and the conveyor track to restart, continuing to transport the material to the positioning component 24 and starting a new cycle.

[0083] In this embodiment, the detection switch 26 is used to control the start and stop timing of feeding and picking, ensuring that the feeding and picking actions alternate in sequence to avoid conflicts. In one embodiment, the second feeding module 31 includes at least two feeding bins, the outlets of which are connected to the flexible material forming module 33; each feeding bin includes a driver connected to the main control module.

[0084] In one embodiment, the control method for the material tray device further includes: when the second feeding and traying system is started, responding to a control command, controlling only the driver of one of the feeding hoppers to start at the same time.

[0085] In this embodiment, each feeding hopper is equipped with an independent driver and is connected to the main control module. The main control module is configured to control the drivers of each feeding hopper in a time-sharing manner, or to individually start the driver of a specified feeding hopper in response to a user's start command. That is, within the same production time period, only one feeding hopper is started to supply the corresponding type of second material to the flexible material handling module 33. In this way, by sharing the flexible material handling module 33 and only adding a relatively simple feeding hopper, the equipment can handle two or more different types of complex materials, significantly improving the versatility of the equipment. At the same time, it avoids the confusion of different materials in the flexible material handling module 33 and ensures the accuracy of material placement.

[0086] In one embodiment, the control method for the material handling equipment further includes: responding to a control command and controlling only the first material handling system or the second material handling system to start at the same time.

[0087] The first and second material handling systems share the industrial robot 40. The main control module responds to control commands by activating only one system at a time. That is, within any given work cycle, the main control module activates only one system. For example, when processing material A, the first material handling system's vibrator, conveyor track, positioning component 24, first positioning camera 25, and industrial robot 40 work together to handle the material. Meanwhile, the second material handling system's hopper, flexible material handling module 33, and second positioning camera 34 are in standby or paused mode. Once the material A task is completed, the main control module stops the first material handling system and then switches to the second system, activating the industrial robot 40 to handle the material. This ensures that only one material handling system operates at a time, avoiding hardware conflicts and material mixing.

[0088] In one embodiment, the control method of the material tray device further includes: when it is detected that the amount of material on the flexible material loading module 33 is greater than a first threshold, controlling the driver of the loading hopper to stop.

[0089] Specifically, the main control module analyzes the images captured by the second positioning camera 34 to identify the quantity of material in the flexible material forming module 33. When the quantity exceeds a first threshold, the drive of the feeding hopper is stopped to prevent material from accumulating in the flexible material forming module 33.

[0090] In one embodiment, the control method of the material tray device further includes: when it is detected that the amount of material on the flexible material loading module 33 is less than a second threshold, controlling the driver of the loading hopper to start.

[0091] Specifically, the main control module analyzes the images captured by the second positioning camera 34 to identify the quantity of materials in the flexible material handling module 33. When the quantity is less than a second threshold, it controls the start-up of the feeding hopper's driver. By identifying the quantity of materials in the flexible material handling module 33, the timing of feeding and picking is controlled to ensure that the feeding and picking actions alternate in sequence, avoiding conflicts.

[0092] In one embodiment, the first material handling module 22 and the second material handling module 32 include material trays, and the material handling device also includes an alarm 50 connected to the main control module.

[0093] In one embodiment, the control method of the material tray device further includes: counting the amount of material in the trays of the first tray 22 and the second tray 32; and controlling the alarm to sound when the amount of material in either tray is greater than the preset full tray quantity.

[0094] Specifically, the alarm 50 can be an audible and visual alarm.

[0095] Each time the industrial robot 40 successfully places a material into a tray slot in the first placement module 22 or the second placement module 32, the main control module increments the count of the placed material in that tray. The counting method can be a feedback signal from the industrial robot 40 after completing the placement action, an array setting, or detection by a dedicated sensor such as a photoelectric sensor above the tray. The main control module internally sets a preset maximum capacity value for each tray, such as 24 pieces / tray. The main control module continuously compares the real-time count of each tray with this preset value. When the material count of a tray reaches or exceeds the preset maximum capacity value, the main control module determines that the tray is full. The main control module sends a trigger command to the alarm 50. The alarm 50 activates, typically using a combination of sound and light, such as a flashing red light and a ringing buzzer, to provide a clear warning signal. Upon hearing or seeing the alarm, the on-site operator goes to the equipment, removes the full tray, replaces it with an empty tray, and can reset the material count of the corresponding tray to zero via a human-machine interface such as a touchscreen or a reset button. After receiving the reset signal, the main control module stops the alarm and the equipment continues to operate.

[0096] This enables automated monitoring and alerts of the production process, reducing the burden of frequent inspections by operators.

[0097] The control system hardware of this application is as follows: Figure 8 It consists of a positioning camera, a robot, a PLC, and a touch screen. The positioning camera and robot communicate via TCP / IP protocol, the robot and PLC via Modbus TCP protocol, the PLC and touch screen / servo motors via Profinet protocol, and the PLC and mechanical / flexible vibratory feeders via I / O communication. The positioning camera can control different lenses and light sources for image positioning; the robot can control different quick-change modules to switch between actuators such as suction heads; the PLC can control the mechanical and flexible vibratory feeders for material feeding, control the servo actuators, and the touch screen can drive the PLC to issue commands for control, while the PLC can transmit information to the touch screen for display.

[0098] The control system software of this application, such as Figure 9 It consists of an HMI system, a PLC system, a servo system, a vibratory feeder system, and a robot + positioning camera system. The control system software operates as follows: In manual mode, materials are selected via the touchscreen in the HMI system, then switched to automatic mode. The PLC in the PLC system controls the servo slide in the servo system to move to the corresponding position based on the material input status on the touchscreen. The PLC sends characters / strings to the robot buffer in the robot + positioning camera system via Ethernet port. The robot parses the characters / strings and selects the corresponding quick-change to grasp. The robot sends characters / strings to the CCD host computer data register in the robot + positioning camera system via Ethernet port. The CCD host computer selects the appropriate camera to cooperate with the robot for identification and material handling. During the material handling process, the positioning camera, vibratory feeder, robot, and PLC systems cooperate to complete the process. Specifically, the positioning camera takes a picture, the CCD host computer sends coordinates to the robot, and the robot performs the grasping action; if the positioning camera takes a picture and there is no material, the CCD host computer sends characters / strings to the robot, which then transmits them to the PLC, which controls the vibratory feeder to vibrate and add material; if the positioning camera takes a picture and there is no suitable material to grasp, the CCD host computer sends characters / strings to the robot, which then transmits them to the PLC, which controls the vibratory feeder to vibrate and change the material position. When the tray is full, the CCD host computer sends characters / strings to the robot via the Ethernet port. The robot then transmits the data to the PLC, which controls the buzzer to prompt the operator to retrieve the tray.

[0099] This application provides a material handling device applicable to various material forms. The device comprehensively utilizes technologies such as mechanical vibratory feeders, flexible vibratory feeders, industrial robots, robot quick-change modules, machine vision, and material hoppers. By employing machine vision, flexible vibratory feeders, industrial robots, robot quick-change modules, and material hoppers, it achieves disordered grasping and automatic traying of polyhedral materials; and by employing mechanical vibratory feeders, industrial robots, robot quick-change modules, machine vision, and material hoppers, it achieves ordered arraying and automatic traying of irregularly shaped materials. This multi-functional collaborative combination covers the identification, positioning, grasping, secondary positioning, and traying processes for most types of materials, thereby improving the applicability of the traying device, increasing traying efficiency, and enhancing the accuracy of the trayed materials.

[0100] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Unless otherwise specified, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0101] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of the present invention, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of the present invention.

[0102] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A material tray-distributing device, characterized in that, include: Main control module; The first material feeding and placement system includes a first material feeding module (21), a material handling channel (23), a first material placement module (22), a positioning component (24), and a first positioning camera (25); the first material feeding module (21) is used to receive a first type of material and is provided with a mechanical orientation mechanism for orienting the first type of material; the material handling channel (23) is located at the outlet of the first material feeding module (21) and is used to sort and transport the first type of material; the positioning component (24) is provided at the end of the material handling channel (23); the field of view of the first positioning camera (25) covers the area where the positioning component (24) is located; The second feeding and placement system includes a second feeding module (31), a second placement module (32), a flexible material handling module (33), and a second positioning camera (34). The flexible material handling module (33) is located at the outlet of the second feeding module (31). The second feeding module (31) is used to receive the second type of material, and the flexible material handling module (33) is used to sort the second type of material. The field of view of the second positioning camera (34) covers the area where the flexible material handling module (33) is located. Industrial robot (40), including multiple actuators (41); The main control module is communicatively connected to the industrial robot (40), the first positioning camera (25) and the second positioning camera (34), and is used to control the industrial robot (40) to pick up materials from the positioning component (24) using a matching execution component (41) and place the materials on the first material placement module (22), or to pick up materials from the flexible material placement module (33) and place the materials on the second material placement module (32).

2. The material tray-distributing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first feeding module (21) includes a first vibrator; the material handling channel (23) includes a second vibrator and a conveying track; the first vibrator, the second vibrator and the conveying track are connected to the main control module.

3. The material tray-distributing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The positioning component (24) is provided with a detection switch (26) connected to the main control module on its side, above or below. The detection switch (26) is used to detect the occupancy status of the positioning component (24). When the first type of material is detected on the positioning component (24), the occupancy signal is sent to the main control module. The occupancy signal is used to instruct the main control module to control the first vibrator, the second vibrator and the conveying track to stop, control the first positioning camera (25) to take pictures and control the industrial robot (40) to perform material picking operation. And / or, When the first type of material of the positioning component (24) is detected to be removed, the empty position signal is sent to the main control module to instruct the main control module to control the first vibrator, the second vibrator and the conveying track to start.

4. The material tray-distributing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first material loading and unloading system also includes a third positioning camera (27) that is communicatively connected to the main control module. The third positioning camera (27) is located between the positioning component (24) and the first unloading module (22) and is used to collect images of the picked-up material after the industrial robot (40) picks up the material and before placing the material. The main control module is used to identify the actual pose of the material based on the image and control the industrial robot (40) to adjust the placement action based on the deviation between the actual pose and the target placement pose.

5. The material tray-distributing equipment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The second feeding module (31) includes at least two feeding bins, and the outlets of at least two feeding bins are connected to the flexible material forming module (33).

6. The material tray-distributing device according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each of the aforementioned feeding hoppers includes a driver connected to the main control module, the main control module being used for: The response control command can start the drive of only one of the feeding hoppers at a time; And / or, The control command responds to start only the first or the second material feeding and unloading system at any given time. And / or, When the quantity of material on the flexible material loading module (33) is detected to be greater than the first threshold, the driver of the loading hopper is controlled to stop. And / or, When the quantity of material on the flexible material loading module (33) is less than the second threshold, the driver of the loading hopper is controlled to start.

7. A control method for a material tray-distributing device, characterized in that, A main control module for a material handling equipment, the material handling equipment comprising: Main control module; The first material feeding and placement system includes a first material feeding module (21), a material handling channel (23), a first material placement module (22), a positioning component (24), and a first positioning camera (25); the first material feeding module (21) is used to receive a first type of material and is provided with a mechanical orientation mechanism for orienting the first type of material; the material handling channel (23) is located at the outlet of the first material feeding module (21) and is used to sort and transport the first type of material; the positioning component (24) is provided at the end of the material handling channel (23); the field of view of the first positioning camera (25) covers the area where the positioning component (24) is located; The second material feeding and placement system includes a second material feeding module (31), a second material placement module (32), a flexible material forming module (33), and a second positioning camera (34). The flexible material forming module (33) is located at the outlet of the second material feeding module (31). The second material feeding module (31) is used to receive the second type of material, and the flexible material forming module (33) is used to organize the second type of material. The field of view of the second positioning camera (34) covers the area where the flexible material forming module (33) is located. Industrial robot (40), including multiple actuators (41); The method includes: The pose information of the material is obtained by analyzing the material image captured by the first positioning camera (25) or the second positioning camera (34). Based on the pose information, the industrial robot (40) is controlled to pick up materials from the positioning component (24) using a matching execution component (41) and place the materials on the first material placement module (22), or pick up materials from the flexible material placement module (33) and place the materials on the second material placement module (32).

8. The control method for the material tray-distributing equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first feeding module (21) includes a first vibrator; the material handling channel (23) includes a second vibrator and a conveying track; the first vibrator, the second vibrator and the conveying track are connected to the main control module; a detection switch (26) connected to the main control module is provided on the side, above or below of the positioning component (24) for detecting the occupancy status of the positioning component (24); The method further includes: When the first material feeding and placement system is started, the occupancy signal sent by the detection switch (26) is obtained. The occupancy signal is triggered when the detection switch (26) detects that the first type of material exists on the positioning component (24). In response to the occupancy signal, the first vibrator, the second vibrator and the conveying track are controlled to stop, the first positioning camera (25) is controlled to take pictures and the industrial robot (40) is controlled to pick up materials from the positioning component (24); And / or, The empty space signal sent by the detection switch (26) is obtained; the empty space signal is triggered when the detection switch (26) detects that the first type of material of the positioning component (24) has been removed; In response to the empty position signal, the first vibrator, the second vibrator, and the conveyor track are controlled to start.

9. The control method for the material tray-distributing equipment according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, The second feeding module (31) includes at least two feeding bins, and the outlets of the at least two feeding bins are connected to the flexible material forming module (33); each feeding bin includes a driver connected to the main control module; The method further includes at least one of the above: When the second feeding and unloading system is activated, in response to control commands, only the drive of one of the feeding hoppers is activated at the same time; In response to control commands, only the first or the second feeding and unloading system can be activated at any given time. When the quantity of material on the flexible material loading module (33) is detected to be greater than the first threshold, the driver of the loading hopper is controlled to stop. When the quantity of material on the flexible material loading module (33) is less than the second threshold, the driver of the loading hopper is controlled to start.

10. The control method for the material tray-distributing equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first material handling module (22) and the second material handling module (32) include material trays, and the material handling device further includes an alarm (50) connected to the main control module; the method further includes: Count the quantity of materials in the trays of the first material handling module (22) and the second material handling module (32); When the amount of material in any of the trays exceeds the preset full capacity, the alarm is activated.

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