Automatic diaphragm grabbing system based on vision

By using a vision-based automatic grasping system to detect and correct the flatness of the separator in real time, the problems of positional displacement and damage during the separator grasping process in existing technologies are solved, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of lithium battery production and adapting to the needs of multi-variety production.

CN121553736APending Publication Date: 2026-02-24JIANG SU SHUANG LIANG QING NENG YUAN KE JI YOU XIAN GONG SI
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202511445369.8
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-10-11
Publication Date
2026-02-24

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In existing automated production of lithium battery separators, the flatness detection efficiency of the separator is low, and there is a lack of real-time feedback during the gripping process, which leads to positional deviation, damage, and low production efficiency, making it difficult to adapt to the needs of switching between multiple product types.

Method used

The system employs a vision-based automatic gripping system, which combines a vision inspection module, a dynamic correction module, and an adaptive gripping module. It uses an industrial camera and a laser rangefinder to detect the flatness of the diaphragm in real time, and uses the dynamic correction module and the adaptive gripping module to perform instant correction and gripping. The system includes multiple smoothing rollers and an array of vacuum suction cups.

Benefits of technology

It enables high-precision detection and real-time correction of diaphragm flatness, improving production quality and efficiency, reducing the risk of diaphragm damage, and adapting to the needs of multi-variety production.

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Abstract

The invention discloses an automatic diaphragm grabbing system based on vision. The system comprises a rack assembly, a conveying assembly, a vision detection module, a dynamic correction module, a self-adaptive grabbing module and a control unit. The visual detection module recognizes the unevenness defect of the diaphragm through a gray scale comparison algorithm; the correction module is provided with symmetrical elastic smoothing rollers, and accurate and instant smoothing is achieved by controlling the smoothing rollers according to the detected position of the uneven area; the grabbing mechanism is combined with a lifting and rotating driving structure through an array type vacuum suction cup assembly to achieve flexible grabbing, the diaphragm is stably adsorbed after correction is completed, and the angle is adjusted. All the modules are electrically connected with the control unit to form an automatic closed loop of'detection-correction-grabbing-transfer ', so that the influence of wrinkles and warping of diaphragms on subsequent procedures is effectively avoided, the continuous operation efficiency and the product yield of a production line are improved, and the device is suitable for automatic production scenes of high-precision thin film products such as lithium battery diaphragms and optical films.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated production technology related to lithium battery manufacturing and polymer thin film material processing, specifically to a vision-based automatic separator gripping system. Background Technology

[0002] In industries such as lithium batteries and optical displays, the separator is a core component. Its function is to isolate the positive and negative electrodes to prevent short circuits, while allowing lithium ions to pass through. Separators are typically extremely thin polymer films, which are soft and prone to deformation such as wrinkles and warping.

[0003] In existing automated production, separator gripping is mostly accomplished using simple robotic arms in conjunction with vacuum suction cups. This method has significant drawbacks: the flatness of the separator cannot be effectively predicted before gripping, and there is a lack of real-time feedback mechanisms during the gripping process. If the separator already has wrinkles or deforms at the moment of gripping due to static electricity, uneven tension, or other reasons, the robotic arm will still perform the gripping as usual, which can easily lead to positional displacement, separator damage, and even affect subsequent processes such as cutting and bonding. When this separator is stacked into the battery cell, it can cause a decrease in battery performance or even safety hazards, directly affecting the final performance of the product.

[0004] In existing technologies, some companies rely on manual inspection to help determine the flatness of the diaphragm. However, manual inspection is inefficient, subjective, and cannot meet the needs of high-speed automated production lines. Even if an uneven diaphragm is detected, the machine must be stopped for adjustment, severely impacting production continuity. Some companies have also tried adding a "passive smoothing brush" next to the gripping mechanism, but the brush can only lightly comb the surface dust of the diaphragm and cannot eliminate wrinkles and warping. Another technology uses a combination of "vacuum adsorption + roller pressing," but the roller pressing position is fixed, making it impossible to accurately correct localized uneven areas. Furthermore, the roller pressing pressure is not adjustable, which can easily lead to the stretching and breakage of thin diaphragms. In addition, the vacuum suction cups of traditional gripping devices are mostly fixed in layout. When the diaphragm width changes, the suction cups must be manually disassembled and reinstalled, with adjustment time reaching 1-2 hours, seriously affecting the efficiency of switching between multiple product types. These problems have not been effectively solved.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for an automated device that can intelligently detect the flatness of the diaphragm before, during, and after grasping, and make real-time corrections based on the detection results, in order to solve the above-mentioned technical pain points and improve production quality and efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology and provide a vision-based automatic diaphragm grasping system.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A vision-based automatic diaphragm gripping system includes a frame assembly, a conveying assembly, a vision inspection module, a dynamic correction module, an adaptive gripping module, and a control unit; The frame assembly includes a vertical support, a horizontal slide rail, a slider drive module, and a lifting cylinder; A conveying assembly for conveying a diaphragm to be gripped, at least a portion of which extends into the working area covered by the rack assembly; The vision inspection module includes multiple industrial cameras, a light source module and a laser rangefinder. The vision inspection module is mounted on the frame and located above the conveying path of the conveying component. Its detection end faces the upper surface of the conveying component and it detects the flatness of the conveyed diaphragm surface in real time. The dynamic correction module is mounted on the frame and located above the conveying path of the conveying assembly. It is used to smooth and correct any unevenness detected in the diaphragm. The adaptive gripping module is slidably mounted on the crossbeam of the frame and can move along the crossbeam to the top of the conveying assembly to complete the gripping and placement of the diaphragm. The control unit includes a PLC controller, a touch screen display, and an alarm module. Each module is electrically connected to the control system via wires to work together, receive detection signals from the vision inspection module, and control the actions of the dynamic correction module and the adaptive grasping module.

[0008] Furthermore, the dynamic correction module includes two symmetrically arranged correction components. Each correction component includes a drive motor, a transmission screw, and a smoothing roller. The drive motor is fixed on a vertical support. A transverse slide rail is arranged along both sides of the conveying component. A slider drive module is slidably arranged along the transverse slide rail. The slider on the transverse slide rail is driven by the slider drive module to move along the transverse slide rail. A smoothing cylinder is arranged on the slider. A smoothing roller is arranged between the control ends of the lower ends of the two smoothing cylinders. The axis of the smoothing roller is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying component. The smoothing rollers of the two correction components can move relative to each other under the drive of the drive motor to achieve bidirectional smoothing of wrinkles on the diaphragm surface.

[0009] Furthermore, the dynamic correction module also includes a unit-type pleating and leveling roller group disposed on one side of the smoothing roller, and at least one pleating and leveling roller group is disposed on one side of the smoothing roller. The pleated leveling roller assembly includes multiple smoothing roller units, each comprising a turntable and a smoothing brush wheel. The turntable is circumferentially rotatable at the bottom of the dynamic correction module, while the smoothing brush wheel is rotatably mounted on the turntable. The pleated leveling roller assembly also includes a brush wheel drive mechanism that synchronously drives the smoothing brush wheels of each smoothing roller unit within the assembly. Each smoothing roller unit independently has a rotation drive mechanism that drives the turntable to rotate circumferentially. The pleated leveling roller assembly can adjust the smoothing of the diaphragm by directing some smoothing roller units towards a specific direction and other smoothing roller units towards other specific directions, allowing the pleated leveling roller assembly to smooth the diaphragm in multiple directions in a single pass. Support rollers are located at both ends of the pleated leveling roller assembly, providing suspended support and ensuring that the smoothing brush wheel and diaphragm have no or low-pressure contact.

[0010] Furthermore, the turntable is provided with a circular outer ring, which is rotatably connected to the dynamic correction module. The rotation drive mechanism includes a gear ring disposed on the outer ring and a rotation motor meshing with the gear ring. The rotation motor is fixedly disposed inside the dynamic correction module. The smoothing brush wheel section includes a brush wheel shaft that rotates along the outer diameter direction. Multiple brush wheel assemblies are evenly spaced on the brush wheel shaft, and a single-groove driven O-belt pulley is provided in the middle of the brush wheel shaft. The brush wheel drive mechanism includes a drive shaft that is parallel to the smoothing roller and rotates in a controlled manner within the dynamic correction module. Multiple single-groove drive O-belt pulleys are provided on the drive shaft, and the multiple drive O-belt pulleys are respectively positioned directly above each smoothing roller unit. A transmission O-belt is fitted on the drive O-belt pulley and the driven O-belt pulley. When the turntable rotates, the brush wheel shaft deflects horizontally relative to the drive shaft. The smoothing roller unit creates negative pressure at the brush wheel assembly. When it passes through the diaphragm folds, one or more smoothing roller units opposite to the folds adjust their brush wheel shafts to be parallel to the folds. The negative pressure environment attracts the diaphragm and the brush wheel assembly rolls and flattens the folds. Then, the smoothing roller presses and flattens and shapes the folds.

[0011] Furthermore, the turntable is provided with a sealing wheel cover corresponding to the brush wheel assembly. The upper part and the surrounding area of ​​the sealing wheel cover are sealing covers, and the bottom of the cover is a negative pressure opening. It also includes a negative pressure pipeline connected to the sealing wheel cover. The negative pressure is formed inside the sealing cover. The brush wheel assembly is rotatably disposed inside the sealing wheel cover and draws the diaphragm from the negative pressure opening.

[0012] Furthermore, the negative pressure is formed at the tip of the brush bristles of the brush wheel assembly. The brush wheel shaft is a hollow tube, with one end open and connected to the negative pressure pipeline via a swivel joint. The inside of the brush wheel assembly is a hollow chamber, which is connected to the hollow tube inside the brush wheel shaft to establish negative pressure inside the hollow chamber. Hollow bristles are provided around the brush wheel assembly, and the bristles are connected to the hollow chamber. A U-shaped cover is provided on the outside of the brush wheel assembly. The U-shaped cover is positioned close to the brush wheel assembly so that when the bristles turn into the U-shaped cover, they are bent by the inner wall of the U-shaped bend and the hollow tube inside the bristles is closed. The opening side of the U-shaped cover is positioned downwards. When the bristles turn out of the U-shaped bend, the hollow tube inside is unobstructed and a negative pressure suction and brushing diaphragm is formed at the tip of the bristles.

[0013] Furthermore, the conveyor belt surface is provided with micron-level anti-slip texture, and an electrostatic eliminator is installed under the belt to prevent the diaphragm from shifting or adsorbing impurities during conveying and correction. The control unit has a built-in image processing module and a motion control module. The image processing module is used to receive images of the diaphragm captured by an industrial camera and identify the wrinkled areas and degree of warping on the diaphragm surface through a grayscale contrast algorithm. The industrial cameras are spaced apart along the conveying direction, with their lenses perpendicularly facing the diaphragm surface. The light source module is a parallel light source, using an adjustable color temperature LED light source, and the color temperature of the light source is adjusted according to the color of the diaphragm to optimize the grayscale contrast effect. It is installed between the industrial camera and the diaphragm. The laser rangefinders are distributed around the industrial camera. By measuring the distance difference between each point on the diaphragm surface and the sensor, the flatness is further determined.

[0014] Furthermore, the adaptive gripping module includes a lifting cylinder, a rotary motor, and an array of vacuum suction cups. The lifting cylinder is fixed on a sliding seat of the crossbeam, with its piston rod facing downwards and connected to the rotary motor. The output end of the rotary motor is connected to the vacuum suction cup assembly, which is used to drive the vacuum suction cup assembly to rotate and adjust the gripping angle. The vacuum suction cup assembly includes multiple vacuum suction cups evenly distributed along the width of the diaphragm, which can achieve stable gripping of the diaphragm through negative pressure adsorption.

[0015] Furthermore, the vacuum suction cup assembly also includes a pressure buffer valve, a negative pressure monitoring sensor, and a flexible buffer pad. The pressure buffer valve is connected in series between the vacuum suction cup and the vacuum system to slow down the rate of negative pressure build-up and prevent the thin diaphragm from being deformed due to excessive instantaneous negative pressure. The negative pressure monitoring sensor is electrically connected to the control unit to monitor the negative pressure value of each suction cup in real time. When the negative pressure of a certain vacuum suction cup is abnormal, the control unit triggers local pressure replenishment or alarm prompts to prevent the diaphragm from falling off during the gripping process and to ensure gripping stability. The flexible buffer pad is made of silicone material and flexibly fits the surface of the diaphragm.

[0016] Furthermore, the control unit has a built-in alarm module that is electrically connected to the control unit; when the flatness detection module detects that the unevenness of the diaphragm exceeds a preset threshold and the correction module cannot repair it, the control unit triggers the alarm module to issue an audible and visual alarm, and at the same time controls the conveying component to stop running; The control unit also has a built-in parameter storage module that records the flatness detection results, correction parameters, and process time for each grab, and is used to preset the detection threshold, correction pressure, and grab negative pressure parameters for at least different types of diaphragms to adapt to the grabbing of multiple types of diaphragms.

[0017] The advantages and beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. Dual detection for high reliability: By combining "static global detection" and "dynamic local detection", the system ensures the real-time visibility of the diaphragm status and the success rate of the capture moment to the greatest extent.

[0018] 2. Real-time feedback and strong adaptability: Real-time detection during the grasping process enables the device to respond to unexpected deformations that occur at the moment of grasping and make intelligent decisions (such as abort or retry), thus possessing adaptive capabilities.

[0019] 3. Improved Precision: By using industrial cameras and image processing algorithms, the flatness of the diaphragm can be automatically and with high precision, avoiding errors from manual inspection and improving the quality consistency and safety of the final product.

[0020] 4. Improve production efficiency: The flatness correction module works in conjunction with the gripping mechanism to correct uneven diaphragms without stopping the machine, thus improving the overall operating efficiency of the automated production line.

[0021] 5. Protect the diaphragm: The elastic silicone layer of the smoothing roller and the negative pressure control of the vacuum suction cup can effectively prevent scratches and damage to the diaphragm during the gripping and correction process, thereby improving the product yield.

[0022] 6. Multi-variety adaptability: Through modular suction cup slide rails and parameter storage modules, it can quickly adapt to different types of diaphragms with widths of 300-1000mm and thicknesses of 5-20μm, reducing the changeover time from the traditional 1-2 hours to less than 10 minutes, meeting the needs of small-batch, multi-variety production. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a vision-based automatic diaphragm grasping system according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a bottom-view diagram of the dynamic correction module and the adaptive grasping module in this invention; Figure 3 This is a front view of the dynamic correction module and the adaptive capture module in this invention; Figure 4This is a top view of the pleated leveling roller assembly in this invention; Figure 5 This is a bottom view of the pleated leveling roller assembly in this invention; Figure 6 This is a front view of the pleated leveling roller assembly in this invention; Figure 7 This is an isometric view of the roller unit in this invention; Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view of the roller unit in this invention; Figure 9 This is a side view of the brush wheel assembly with bristles according to the present invention.

[0024] In the diagram: 1. Frame assembly; 2. Conveying assembly; 3. Vision inspection module; 4. Dynamic correction module; 5. Adaptive gripping module; 6. Vertical support; 7. Horizontal slide rail; 9. Industrial camera; 10. Light source module; 11. Smoothing roller; 12. Pleated smoothing roller group; 13. Smoothing roller unit; 14. Turntable section; 15. Smoothing brush wheel section; 16. Brush wheel drive mechanism; 17. Turnaround drive mechanism; 18. Support roller; 19. Gear ring; 20. 21. Rotary motor; 22. Brush wheel shaft; 23. Brush wheel assembly; 24. Driven O-belt pulley; 25. Driven O-belt pulley; 26. O-belt; 27. Sealing wheel cover; 28. Negative pressure opening; 29. ​​Negative pressure pipeline; 30. Brush bristles; 31. Hollow chamber; 32. U-shaped cover; 33. Anti-slip texture; 34. Static eliminator; 35. Lifting cylinder; 36. Rotary motor; 37. Array-type vacuum suction cup; 38. Smoothing section cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to examples. These examples are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] An automatic diaphragm gripping device and method based on vision detection, such as Figure 1-9 As shown, the frame assembly 1 is the "basic skeleton" of the device, providing fixed support and ensuring the overall structural stability of the device. It includes a vertical support 6, a horizontal slide rail 7, a slider drive module (including a servo motor and ball screw, not shown in the figure), and a lifting cylinder 35. The conveying assembly 2 is used to convey the diaphragm to be gripped, and at least a portion of it extends into the working area covered by the frame assembly 1 for conveying the diaphragm to be gripped. The vision inspection module 3 uses multiple industrial cameras 9, a light source module 10 (including a ring light source and a parallel light source) and a laser range sensor. It is fixed on the frame and located above the conveying path of the conveying component 2. Its detection end faces the diaphragm on the surface of the conveying component 2 and is used to detect the surface flatness of the diaphragm in real time. The dynamic correction module 4 includes two symmetrically arranged correction components. Each correction component includes a drive motor, a transmission screw, and a smoothing roller 11. It is mounted on the frame and located above the conveying path between the flatness detection module and the adaptive gripping mechanism, and is used to smooth and correct the detected uneven diaphragm. The adaptive gripping mechanism, including a lifting cylinder 35, a rotary motor 36 and an array of vacuum suction cups 37, is slidably mounted on the crossbeam of the frame and can move along the crossbeam to the top of the conveying assembly 2 to complete the gripping and placement of the diaphragm. The control unit includes a PLC controller, a touch screen, a data storage module, and an alarm module. Each module is electrically connected to the control system via wires to work together, receive detection signals from the flatness detection module, and control the actions of the correction module and the adaptive gripping mechanism.

[0027] Specifically, the vertical support 6 can be fixed to the ground as an independent support frame, or it can be as follows: Figure 1-3 As shown, the vertical support 6 is set on the frame of the conveying assembly 2. In actual use, the conveying assembly 2 includes at least one belt conveyor line. For example, only one conveyor line is set. The end of the conveyor line is the next processing step of the diaphragm or the finished product sealing step, etc. The frame assembly 1 is set between the conveying assembly 2 and the next process to facilitate the transfer of the diaphragm.

[0028] In this embodiment, two conveying components 2 are provided. The surface of the belt of the conveying component 2 is provided with micron-level anti-slip texture 33, and an electrostatic eliminator 34 is installed under the belt to prevent the diaphragm from shifting or adsorbing impurities during the conveying and correction process.

[0029] The first conveyor in the diagram transports the diaphragm to the vision inspection module 3 for flatness detection, followed by targeted dynamic correction and smoothing. Once the requirements are met, the adaptive gripping module 5 transfers the diaphragm to the second conveyor line. For example, the two conveyor lines are arranged perpendicularly to each other. The vertical support 6 is arranged along the direction of the first conveyor assembly 2 and extends to the second conveyor line. The vision inspection module 3 is arranged on the first conveyor line. Horizontal slide rails 7 and slider drive modules are arranged on both sides corresponding to the position of the vision inspection module 3. The slider drive module includes a servo motor and a ball screw (not shown in the diagram). The servo motor drives the ball screw to rotate, thereby controlling the slider to move along the horizontal slide rails 7. In this embodiment, two sets of correction components are arranged above the first conveyor line, corresponding to the two sets of vision inspection modules 3. The two sets of correction components are independently controlled by the corresponding slider drive modules. The servo motor is fixed on a vertical frame, and its output end is connected to a ball screw, allowing the smoothing cylinder 38 to move along the transverse slide rail 7. The lower end of the smoothing cylinder 38 is a controlled free end, and smoothing rollers 11 are installed between the free ends on both sides. The smoothing cylinders 38 on both sides move up and down synchronously, thereby controlling the smoothing rollers 11 to move down and cooperate with the transverse movement of the smoothing cylinders 38 to perform a smoothing operation on the diaphragm surface. The two sets of correction components realize bidirectional smoothing of wrinkles on the diaphragm surface. The surface of the smoothing rollers 11 is covered with an elastic silicone layer with a Shore hardness of 50-70HA, which can prevent scratching the diaphragm surface during the smoothing process.

[0030] Specifically, the vision inspection module 3 employs an industrial camera 9. The lens of the industrial camera 9 is a low-distortion optical lens, and the lens surface is coated with an anti-reflection film to reduce ambient light interference and ensure the authenticity of image acquisition. The industrial cameras 9 are spaced apart along the width direction of the conveying assembly 2, and their lenses are perpendicular to the diaphragm surface.

[0031] In this embodiment, the light source module 10 adopts a ring light source, but other types of light sources can be used instead without limitation. The light source is an adjustable color temperature LED light source, which is used to adjust the color temperature of the light source according to the color of the diaphragm to optimize the grayscale contrast effect. It is installed between the industrial camera 9 and the diaphragm to provide uniform illumination to the diaphragm surface and improve detection accuracy. In this embodiment, grayscale contrast is used to achieve visual inspection. Specifically, the light source module 10 provides uniform illumination to the diaphragm surface to avoid reflection affecting the detection accuracy. The industrial camera 9 captures images of the diaphragm surface and transmits them to the image processor. By comparing preset grayscale values, it identifies uneven areas such as wrinkles and warped edges, and outputs the coordinates and degree of unevenness (e.g., a wrinkle height ≥ 0.5mm is considered substandard). A laser rangefinder is also set up to assist in verification. By measuring the distance difference between each point on the diaphragm surface and the sensor, the flatness is further judged (a correction signal is triggered when the distance difference is > 0.3mm), avoiding misjudgment from single image detection. The laser rangefinder is distributed around the industrial camera 9 to assist in verification. By measuring the distance difference between each point on the diaphragm surface and the sensor, the flatness is further judged, avoiding misjudgment from single image detection.

[0032] In the aforementioned embodiment, only one smoothing roller 11 is provided. As an improvement, the dynamic correction module 4 in this embodiment also includes a unit-type pleating and leveling roller group 12 provided on one side of the smoothing roller 11. At least one pleating and leveling roller group 12 is provided on one side of the smoothing roller 11. In actual use, multiple pleating and leveling roller groups 12 can be provided. In this embodiment, one unit-type pleating and leveling roller group 12 is provided as an example, and the pleating and leveling roller group 12 is provided on the outside of the smoothing roller 11.

[0033] Specifically, the pleated leveling roller group 12 is provided with multiple smoothing roller units 13. The pleated leveling roller group 12 can be adjusted so that some smoothing roller units 13 smooth the diaphragm in a specific direction, and other smoothing roller units 13 smooth the diaphragm in other specific directions, so that the pleated leveling roller group 12 smooths the diaphragm in multiple directions at one time. Support rollers 18 are provided at both ends of the pleated leveling roller group 12. The support rollers 18 provide suspended support for the pleated leveling roller group 12, so that the smoothing brush part 15 forms a pressureless contact or low-pressure contact with the diaphragm.

[0034] In actual wrinkle smoothing, the vision inspection module 3 first detects wrinkles on the diaphragm. When wrinkles are detected, the control unit locates the wrinkle and controls the corresponding dynamic correction module 4 to move from the inside to the outside to smooth it out. Specifically, the free end of the smoothing cylinder 38 first lifts and moves to the inside of the diaphragm, at which point the wrinkle is on the outside. Then, the lower end of the smoothing cylinder 38 extends to control the dynamic correction module 4 to move down and press against the diaphragm surface. It can be understood that at this time, the smoothing roller 1... 1. The rollers directly press against the diaphragm surface, smoothing the diaphragm as they move laterally. The outer pleating and leveling roller group 12 is supported by support rollers 18 at both ends, maintaining a slight gap between its bottom and the diaphragm, thus forming a pressure-free contact. Alternatively, even if the bottom of the pleating and leveling roller group 12 contacts the diaphragm, the support rollers 18 reduce the pressure on the diaphragm, as higher pressure would hinder automatic leveling of the pleated areas. During the leveling process, moving from the inside to the outside on the diaphragm, when the diaphragm... When there are no wrinkles, the brush wheel assembly 22 located in the smoothing brush wheel section 15 of the smoothing brush wheel unit 13 of the outer wrinkle leveling roller group 12 is controlled to be parallel to the smoothing roller 11. At this time, the wrinkle leveling roller group 12 maintains a state of parallelism with the smoothing roller 11. As the dynamic correction module 4 moves outward, when it moves to the wrinkle coordinates marked by the control unit in advance visual detection, the wrinkle leveling roller group 12 contacts the wrinkled area first. Since the wrinkle leveling roller group 12 is a unit type, each smoothing roller unit 13 inside it can... Each roller is independently adjusted and controlled, causing the smoothing roller unit 13 corresponding to the fold position to rotate horizontally. This adjusts the brush wheel assembly 22 inside the roller to be parallel to the fold direction to smooth the fold. In this embodiment, the smoothing roller unit 13 uses negative pressure attraction + brushing to achieve a better smoothing effect by brushing the surface of the diaphragm while it is being attracted. After the multiple sets of fold smoothing rollers 12 smooth the folds, they are then rolled and smoothed by the smoothing roller 11 to achieve automatic smoothing operation.

[0035] Specifically, such as Figure 4-8 As shown, the smoothing roller unit 13 includes a turntable part 14 and a smoothing brush wheel part 15. The turntable part 14 has a disc structure, and a ring of balls is provided on the upper and lower sides of its outer edge to form a thrust bearing structure. Multiple limiting rollers are distributed circumferentially on its outer side. The limiting rollers around the turntable part 14, combined with the balls, allow the turntable part 14 to rotate freely and flexibly within the chassis of the dynamic correction module 4. The turntable part 14 is circumferentially rotatable in the chassis at the bottom of the dynamic correction module 4. The smoothing brush wheel part 15 is rotatably mounted on the turntable part 14. The pleated smoothing roller group 12 also includes a brush wheel drive mechanism 16 that synchronously drives the smoothing brush wheel parts 15 of each smoothing roller unit 13 in the roller group to rotate synchronously. Each smoothing roller unit 13 is independently provided with a rotation drive mechanism 17 that drives the turntable part 14 to rotate circumferentially.

[0036] The brush wheel drive mechanism 16 includes a drive shaft 24, which is parallel to and rotatably mounted in the dynamic correction module 4. The drive shaft 24 is driven by a reduction motor (not shown in the figure) mounted on the pleating and leveling roller group 12. The drive shaft 24 is provided with multiple single-groove drive O-pulls 25, which are respectively positioned directly above each leveling roller unit 13. Therefore, when the drive shaft 24 rotates, it can simultaneously drive the leveling brush wheel parts 15 in multiple leveling roller units 13 to rotate. The leveling brush wheel part 15 includes a brush wheel shaft 21 that rotates along the outer diameter direction, and multiple brush wheels are evenly spaced on the brush wheel shaft 21. Component 22, the brush wheel shaft 21 has a single-groove driven O-belt pulley 23 in the middle, and the driving O-belt pulley 25 and the driven O-belt pulley 23 are fitted with a transmission O-belt 26; when the turntable 14 rotates, the brush wheel shaft 21 deflects in the horizontal direction relative to the driving shaft 24; it can be understood that when the turntable 14 rotates, it drives the driven O-belt pulley 23 to deflect, thereby causing the O-belt 26 to twist to a certain extent, and because the O-belt 26 is used for transmission, it allows relative deflection between the driving O-belt pulley 25 and the driven O-belt pulley 23 and simultaneous transmission, but it is necessary to limit the horizontal rotation of the turntable 14 within the range of ±90° to avoid transmission failure caused by excessive rotation and knotting of the O-belt 26.

[0037] Specifically, the turntable 14 has a circular outer ring, which is rotatably connected to the dynamic correction module 4. The rotation drive mechanism 17 includes a gear ring 19 on the outer ring and a rotation motor 20 that meshes with the gear ring 19. The rotation motor 20 is fixedly installed inside the dynamic correction module 4. The rotation motor 20 is a servo motor, which rotates according to the control unit, thereby causing the turntable 14 to rotate so that the smoothing brush wheel 15 matches the direction of the wrinkles. The smoothing roller unit 13 creates negative pressure at the brush wheel assembly 22. When passing over the diaphragm folds, one or more smoothing roller units 13 with their brush wheel shafts 21 aligned parallel to the folds are adjusted. The negative pressure environment attracts the diaphragm, and the brush wheel assembly 22 rolls and flattens the folds. Then, the smoothing roller 11 rolls and flattens and shapes the diaphragm. Since the fold-flattening roller group 12 is suspended and supported by the support rollers 18 at both ends, in conjunction with the negative pressure of the smoothing roller unit 13, the negative pressure formed at the brush wheel assembly 22 can attract and lift the diaphragm at the folds by a small distance. As the brush wheel assembly 22 rotates, the folds are gradually flattened (the smoothing roller 11 on the inner side also rolls and positions the diaphragm). After flattening, it is convenient for the smoothing roller 11 to roll and shape the diaphragm. It can be understood that the folds of the diaphragm can be flattened without damage under negative pressure, which has a better effect.

[0038] As one embodiment of negative pressure at the brush wheel assembly 22, the turntable part 14 is provided with a sealing wheel cover 27 corresponding to the brush wheel assembly 22. The upper part and the surrounding area of ​​the sealing wheel cover 27 are sealed covers, and the bottom of the sealing wheel cover 27 is a negative pressure opening 28. It also includes a negative pressure pipe 29, which is connected to the sealing wheel cover 27. The negative pressure is formed inside the sealing wheel cover 27. The brush wheel assembly 22 is rotatably disposed inside the sealing wheel cover 27 and draws the diaphragm from the negative pressure opening 28. Specifically, the sealing wheel covers 27 connected to the negative pressure pipeline 29 can create negative pressure attraction at the negative pressure opening 28 at the bottom of each brush wheel assembly 22. It can be understood that in this embodiment, the bottom of the brush wheel assembly 22 protrudes from the negative pressure opening 28 and is slightly lower than the negative pressure opening 28, which facilitates the brush wheel assembly 22 to brush and level the diaphragm. The rotation of the brush wheel assembly 22 is driven by the brush wheel drive mechanism 16. Specifically, it is driven by the following transmission path: drive shaft 24 - drive O-belt pulley 25 - O-belt 26 - driven O-belt pulley 23, so that each brush wheel assembly 22 can rotate synchronously to brush the diaphragm.

[0039] As another implementation of the negative pressure at the brush wheel assembly 22, the negative pressure is formed at the ends of the bristles 30 of the brush wheel assembly 22. In this embodiment, the bristles 30 are similar to the bristles on a brush, distinguished from the surface of the smoothing roller 11. The bristle 30 structure allows for gentler contact with the diaphragm, resulting in better leveling. In this embodiment, the bristles 30 are not ordinary solid bristles, but hollow bristles. The brush wheel shaft 21 is a hollow tube, with one end open and connected to the negative pressure pipeline 29 via a rotating joint. The brush wheel assembly 22 has a hollow chamber 31 inside, which is hollow both inside the brush wheel shaft 21 and inside the brush wheel assembly 22. The tube connection creates a negative pressure inside the hollow chamber 31. The outer wall of the brush wheel assembly has numerous densely packed bristles 30, which are connected to the hollow chamber 31 via an internal hollow tube. It is understood that when a negative pressure is created inside the hollow chamber 31, the hollow bristles 30 can generate negative pressure at their tips, simultaneously brushing the diaphragm. This allows countless bristles 30 to form numerous tiny tentacles, cyclically attracting and pulling at the diaphragm's wrinkles, gradually smoothing them out. Furthermore, to ensure the negative pressure is specifically used to attract the diaphragm from the bottom direction, rather than from other directions... The brush wheel assembly 22 is provided with a U-shaped cover 32. The U-shaped cover 32 is located close to the brush wheel assembly 22. When the brush bristles 30 rotate into the U-shaped cover 32, they are bent by the inner wall of the U-shape and the hollow tubes inside the brush bristles 30 are closed. The opening side of the U-shaped cover 32 is set downward. When the brush bristles 30 rotate out of the U-shape, their hollow tubes are unobstructed and a negative pressure is formed at the end of the brush bristles 30 to attract and brush the diaphragm. It can be understood that in actual use, when the brush bristles 30 rotate to the opening side of the bottom U-shape, the brush bristles 30 are straightened. At this time, the air passages inside are unobstructed, and a negative pressure can be formed at the end of the brush bristles 30. As the brush bristles 30 rotate into the inner bend of the U-shaped cover 32, the bending action of the inner bend closes the air passages inside the brush bristles 30, so the end of the brush bristles 30 loses the negative pressure attraction. This embodiment can effectively reduce the load on the negative pressure system and make its attraction to the diaphragm more controllable.

[0040] Furthermore, the adaptive gripping module 5 includes a lifting cylinder 35, a rotary motor 36, and an array of vacuum suction cups 37. The lifting cylinder 35 is fixed to the sliding seat of the crossbeam, with its piston rod facing downwards and connected to the rotary motor 36. The output end of the rotary motor 36 is connected to the vacuum suction cup assembly, used to drive the vacuum suction cup assembly to rotate and adjust the gripping angle. The vacuum suction cup assembly includes multiple vacuum suction cups evenly distributed along the width of the diaphragm, which can achieve stable gripping of the diaphragm through negative pressure adsorption. The sliding seat can adopt a structure combining a slide rail, a slider, and a linear motor to achieve precise horizontal movement of the gripping module, covering the gripping area of ​​diaphragms of different specifications. The lifting cylinder 35 drives the gripping module to rise and fall vertically, controlling the contact and disengagement between the gripping module and the diaphragm, adapting to the stacking height of diaphragms of different thicknesses.

[0041] The vacuum suction cup assembly further includes a pressure buffer valve, a negative pressure monitoring sensor, and a flexible buffer pad. The pressure buffer valve is connected in series between the vacuum suction cup and the vacuum system to slow down the rate of negative pressure build-up and prevent the thin diaphragm from being deformed due to excessive instantaneous negative pressure. The negative pressure monitoring sensor is electrically connected to the control unit to monitor the negative pressure value of each suction cup in real time. When the negative pressure of a vacuum suction cup is abnormal, the control unit triggers local pressure replenishment or alarm prompts to prevent partial detachment of the diaphragm during the gripping process and ensure gripping stability. The flexible buffer pad is made of silicone material with a thickness of 0.2mm, which can conform to the surface of the diaphragm, reduce rigid contact between the suction cup and the diaphragm, and further reduce the risk of new wrinkles being generated during the gripping process.

[0042] Furthermore, if the flatness test finds slight unevenness within the allowable range, the control system will first activate the suction cup corresponding to the flat area, and then activate the suction cup corresponding to the slightly uneven area, using the suction force to flatten the diaphragm.

[0043] Furthermore, the control unit incorporates an image processing module and a motion control module. The image processing module receives images of the diaphragm captured by the industrial camera 9 and identifies the wrinkled areas and degree of warping on the diaphragm surface using a grayscale contrast algorithm.

[0044] The motion control module controls the movement path and pressure of the smoothing roller 11 of the correction module based on the coordinates and degree of the unevenness output by the image processing results, and at the same time controls the start, stop and gripping position of the gripping mechanism.

[0045] Furthermore, the control unit has a built-in alarm module electrically connected to it. When the flatness detection module detects that the unevenness of the diaphragm exceeds a preset threshold and the correction module cannot repair it, the control unit triggers the alarm module to issue an audible and visual alarm, and simultaneously controls the conveyor assembly 2 to stop operating. The alarm module also includes a remote signal interface, which can synchronously send alarm information to the workshop MES system, facilitating remote monitoring of equipment status by management personnel.

[0046] Furthermore, the control unit also has a built-in parameter storage module that records the flatness detection results, correction parameters, and process time for each capture, facilitating subsequent production traceability (e.g., if a batch of diaphragms frequently exhibits unevenness, the tension parameters of previous production processes can be adjusted retrospectively). It can also preset at least 10 sets of detection thresholds, correction pressures, and capture negative pressure parameters for different types of diaphragms (such as PP diaphragms, PE diaphragms, and composite diaphragms), which users can switch between with a single click via the touchscreen to adapt to the production needs of various diaphragm types.

[0047] The touch screen of the control unit can display real-time detection images, working parameters of each module (such as negative pressure value, corrective tension, and displacement data), and supports manual setting of parameters (such as adjusting negative pressure value and corrective tension according to different diaphragm models).

[0048] Furthermore, the specific steps of the control unit are as follows: when unevenness of the diaphragm is detected, the control system drives the dynamic correction module 4 to move to the corresponding position according to the coordinates of the unevenness location. The PU soft rubber on the surface of the smoothing roller 11 adheres to the diaphragm surface and rolls radially along the uneven area. The wrinkles are smoothed by slight tension stretching. After correction, the flatness of the diaphragm is checked again. If the flatness meets the standard, the gripping and transfer process continues; if it does not meet the standard, feedback is sent to the control system, an alarm signal is issued, and manual intervention is required to prevent unqualified diaphragms from flowing into subsequent processes. The control unit includes a PLC controller, a touch screen display, a data storage module, and an alarm module (audio-visual alarm). It receives the detection data from the "visual detection module 3", judges whether the flatness of the diaphragm meets the standard through a preset program, and sends action commands (such as "pre-detect unevenness → start correction module → correction completed → start gripping module") to the "adaptive gripping module 5" and the "dynamic correction module 4". The touch screen can display real-time detection images and operating parameters of each module (such as negative pressure value, correction tension, and displacement data), and supports manual parameter setting (such as adjusting negative pressure value and correction tension according to different diaphragm models); the data storage module records the flatness detection results, correction parameters, and process time of each capture, which is convenient for subsequent production traceability; when serious unevenness occurs (such as still not meeting the standard after 3 corrections) or module failure occurs, the alarm module issues an audible and visual alarm and stops the operation of the device to prevent the fault from escalating.

[0049] The working principle of the device can be summarized as follows: when the diaphragm moves to the detection area with the conveying component 2, the control unit activates the industrial camera 9 and the light source component; the two industrial cameras 9 respectively capture the left and right half of the diaphragm, and the image data is transmitted to the image processing module of the control unit in real time; the image processing module compares the gray value of the diaphragm surface with the gray value threshold of a standard flat diaphragm. If the gray value difference of a certain area exceeds ±5%, it is determined to be a wrinkled or warped area, and the location and unevenness of the area are recorded. If unevenness is detected in the diaphragm, the control unit controls the slider drive module of the dynamic correction module 4 to start according to the location of the uneven area. The transmission ball screw drives the two sets of smoothing rollers 11 to move relative to each other along both sides of the diaphragm. When the elastic silicone layer contacts the diaphragm surface, it smooths the wrinkled area in both directions through a contact pressure of 0.2-0.5MPa. During the smoothing process, the industrial camera 9 performs a secondary inspection in real time. If the unevenness drops below the preset threshold (grayscale difference ≤ ±2%), the correction is completed, and the conveying component 2 continues to convey the diaphragm to the gripping area. If the secondary inspection still fails to meet the standard, the alarm module is triggered, and the conveying component 2 stops.

[0050] After the corrected diaphragm reaches the gripping area, the control unit controls the piston rod of the lifting cylinder 35 to extend, and the vacuum suction cup assembly descends to a distance of 5-10mm from the diaphragm surface. The vacuum system is activated, and the vacuum suction cup generates a negative pressure of -0.06 to -0.08MPa to adsorb the diaphragm surface. Then, the lifting cylinder 35 resets, and the rotary motor 36 adjusts the diaphragm angle (0-180° adjustable) according to the requirements of subsequent processes. Finally, the sliding seat drives the gripping mechanism to move to the target position. During the gripping process, the industrial camera 9 transmits image data to the image processing module of the control unit in real time. If the flatness does not meet the standard, the above process is repeated until the vacuum is released and the gripping is completed.

[0051] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the technical principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A vision-based automatic diaphragm grasping system, characterized in that, It includes rack components, conveyor components, vision inspection module, dynamic correction module, adaptive grasping module, and control unit; The frame assembly includes a vertical support, a horizontal slide rail, a slider drive module, and a smoothing cylinder; A conveying assembly for conveying a diaphragm to be gripped, at least a portion of which extends into the working area covered by the rack assembly; The vision inspection module includes multiple industrial cameras, a light source module and a laser rangefinder. The vision inspection module is mounted on the frame and located above the conveying path of the conveying component. Its detection end faces the upper surface of the conveying component and it detects the flatness of the conveyed diaphragm surface in real time. The dynamic correction module is mounted on the frame and located above the conveying path of the conveying assembly. It is used to smooth and correct any unevenness detected in the diaphragm. The adaptive gripping module is slidably mounted on the crossbeam of the frame and can move along the crossbeam to the top of the conveying assembly to complete the gripping and placement of the diaphragm. The control unit includes a PLC controller, a touch screen display, and an alarm module. Each module is electrically connected to the control system via wires to achieve collaborative operation. The control unit receives detection signals from the vision detection module and controls the actions of the dynamic correction module and the adaptive grasping module.

2. The vision-based automatic diaphragm grasping system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dynamic correction module includes two symmetrically arranged correction components. Each correction component includes a drive motor, a transmission screw, and a smoothing roller. The drive motor is fixed on a vertical support. A transverse slide rail is arranged along both sides of the conveying component. A slider drive module is slidably arranged along the transverse slide rail. The slider on the transverse slide rail is driven by the slider drive module to move along the transverse slide rail. A smoothing cylinder is arranged on the slider. A smoothing roller is arranged between the control ends of the lower ends of the two smoothing cylinders, and the axis of the smoothing roller is perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying component. The smoothing rollers of the two correction components can move relative to each other under the drive of the drive motor to achieve bidirectional smoothing of wrinkles on the diaphragm surface.

3. A vision-based automatic diaphragm grasping system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The dynamic correction module also includes a unit-type pleated leveling roller group disposed on one side of the smoothing roller, and at least one pleated leveling roller group is disposed on one side of the smoothing roller. The pleated leveling roller assembly includes multiple smoothing roller units, each comprising a turntable and a smoothing brush wheel. The turntable is circumferentially rotatable at the bottom of the dynamic correction module, while the smoothing brush wheel is rotatably mounted on the turntable. The pleated leveling roller assembly also includes a brush wheel drive mechanism that synchronously drives the smoothing brush wheels of each smoothing roller unit within the assembly. Each smoothing roller unit independently has a rotation drive mechanism that drives the turntable to rotate circumferentially. The pleated leveling roller assembly can adjust the smoothing of the diaphragm by directing some smoothing roller units towards a specific direction and other smoothing roller units towards other specific directions, allowing the pleated leveling roller assembly to smooth the diaphragm in multiple directions in a single pass. Support rollers are located at both ends of the pleated leveling roller assembly, providing suspended support and ensuring that the smoothing brush wheel and diaphragm have no or low-pressure contact.

4. The vision-based automatic diaphragm grasping system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The turntable is provided with a circular outer ring, which is rotatably connected to the dynamic correction module. The rotation drive mechanism includes a gear ring provided on the outer ring and a rotation motor meshing with the gear ring. The rotation motor is fixedly installed inside the dynamic correction module. The smoothing brush wheel section includes a brush wheel shaft that rotates along the outer diameter direction. Multiple brush wheel assemblies are evenly spaced on the brush wheel shaft, and a single-groove driven O-belt pulley is provided in the middle of the brush wheel shaft. The brush wheel drive mechanism includes a drive shaft that is parallel to the smoothing roller and rotates in a controlled manner within the dynamic correction module. Multiple single-groove drive O-belt pulleys are provided on the drive shaft, and the multiple drive O-belt pulleys are respectively positioned directly above each smoothing roller unit. A transmission O-belt is fitted on the drive O-belt pulley and the driven O-belt pulley. When the turntable rotates, the brush wheel shaft deflects horizontally relative to the drive shaft. The smoothing roller unit creates negative pressure at the brush wheel assembly. When it passes through the diaphragm folds, one or more smoothing roller units opposite to the folds adjust their brush wheel shafts to be parallel to the folds. The negative pressure environment attracts the diaphragm and the brush wheel assembly rolls and flattens the folds. Then, the smoothing roller presses and flattens and shapes the folds.

5. The vision-based automatic diaphragm grasping system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The turntable is equipped with a sealing wheel cover corresponding to the brush wheel assembly. The upper part and the surrounding area of ​​the sealing wheel cover are sealed covers, and the bottom of the cover is a negative pressure opening. It also includes a negative pressure pipeline connected to the sealing wheel cover. The negative pressure is formed inside the sealing wheel cover. The brush wheel assembly is rotatably disposed inside the sealing wheel cover and draws the diaphragm from the negative pressure opening.

6. The vision-based automatic diaphragm grasping system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The negative pressure is formed at the tip of the brush bristles of the brush wheel assembly. The brush wheel shaft is a hollow tube, with one end open and connected to the negative pressure pipeline via a swivel joint. The inside of the brush wheel assembly is a hollow chamber, which is connected to the hollow tube inside the brush wheel shaft to create negative pressure inside the hollow chamber. Hollow bristles are arranged around the brush wheel assembly, and the bristles are connected to the hollow chamber. A U-shaped cover is provided on the outside of the brush wheel assembly. The U-shaped cover is positioned close to the brush wheel assembly so that when the bristles turn into the U-shaped cover, they are bent by the inner wall of the U-shaped bend and the hollow tube inside the bristles is closed. The opening side of the U-shaped cover is facing downwards. When the bristles turn out of the U-shaped bend, the hollow tube inside is unobstructed and a negative pressure suction and brushing diaphragm is formed at the tip of the bristles.

7. The vision-based automatic diaphragm grasping system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conveyor assembly has a belt surface with micron-level anti-slip texture, and an electrostatic eliminator is installed under the belt to prevent the diaphragm from shifting or adsorbing impurities during conveying and correction. The control unit has a built-in image processing module and a motion control module. The image processing module is used to receive images of the diaphragm captured by an industrial camera and identify the wrinkled areas and degree of warping on the diaphragm surface through a grayscale contrast algorithm. The industrial cameras are spaced apart along the conveying direction, with their lenses perpendicularly facing the diaphragm surface. The light source module is a parallel light source, using an adjustable color temperature LED light source, and the color temperature of the light source is adjusted according to the color of the diaphragm to optimize the grayscale contrast effect. It is installed between the industrial camera and the diaphragm. The laser rangefinders are distributed around the industrial camera. By measuring the distance difference between each point on the diaphragm surface and the sensor, the flatness is further determined.

8. The vision-based automatic diaphragm grasping system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adaptive gripping module includes a lifting cylinder, a rotary motor, and an array of vacuum suction cups. The lifting cylinder is fixed on a sliding seat of the crossbeam, with its piston rod facing downwards and connected to the rotary motor. The output end of the rotary motor is connected to the vacuum suction cups assembly, which is used to drive the vacuum suction cups assembly to rotate and adjust the gripping angle. The vacuum suction cups assembly includes multiple vacuum suction cups evenly distributed along the width of the diaphragm, which achieve stable gripping of the diaphragm through negative pressure adsorption.

9. A vision-based automatic diaphragm grasping system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The vacuum suction cup assembly also includes a pressure buffer valve, a negative pressure monitoring sensor, and a flexible buffer pad. The pressure buffer valve is connected in series between the vacuum suction cup and the vacuum system to slow down the rate of negative pressure build-up and prevent the thin diaphragm from being deformed due to excessive instantaneous negative pressure. The negative pressure monitoring sensor is electrically connected to the control unit to monitor the negative pressure value of each suction cup in real time. When the negative pressure of a vacuum suction cup is abnormal, the control unit triggers local pressure replenishment or alarm prompts to prevent the diaphragm from falling off during the gripping process and to ensure gripping stability. The flexible buffer pad is made of silicone material and flexibly fits the surface of the diaphragm.

10. A vision-based automatic diaphragm grasping system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit has a built-in alarm module that is electrically connected to the control unit. When the flatness detection module detects that the unevenness of the diaphragm exceeds the preset threshold and the correction module cannot repair it, the control unit triggers the alarm module to issue an audible and visual alarm and controls the conveying component to stop running. The control unit also has a built-in parameter storage module that records the flatness detection results, correction parameters, and process time for each grab, and is used to preset the detection threshold, correction pressure, and grab negative pressure parameters for at least different types of diaphragms to adapt to the grabbing of multiple types of diaphragms.