Screw locking control method and system

Abstract

The invention provides a screw locking system. The screw locking system comprises a computer device, a photographing device coupled with the computer device, and a screw locking tool coupled with the computer device. The computer device can receive a real-time image shot by the shooting device, track the position of a screw locking tool in the real-time image, and judge whether the screw locking tool enters a correct locking range or not according to the currently tracked position and the locking range sequentially read from locking sequence information. And determining to disable or enable the screw locking tool according to the judgment result.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to screw fastening, and more particularly to a screw fastening control method and system. Background Technology

[0002] Existing screw fastening tools cannot report their current location to the computer device, so the computer device cannot know the position of the screw being fastened by the tool, and therefore cannot control the screw fastening sequence. This problem is a major problem for products that need to fasten multiple screws in a predetermined order, because screws not fastened in sequence can easily cause product malfunctions or defects, and even damage to expensive components (such as server CPUs).

[0003] Therefore, how to provide a screw fastening system that allows for controllable screw fastening sequence and saves on construction costs is an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a new screw fastening system, which not only controls the screw fastening sequence but also saves on construction costs. Specifically:

[0005] The screw fastening system of the present invention includes a computer device, a camera device coupled to the computer device, and a screw fastening tool coupled to the computer device. The computer device has fastening sequence information, which includes multiple fastening ranges and their order. The computer device receives a real-time image captured by the camera device, tracks the position of the screw fastening tool in the real-time image, and performs a fastening start judgment operation based on the fastening range currently in the order read from the fastening sequence information. The locking start determination process includes: determining whether the screw locking tool is currently within the currently read locking range based on the currently tracked position of the screw locking tool and the currently read locking range; when it is determined that the screw locking tool is not currently within the currently read locking range, disabling the screw locking tool and repeating the locking start determination process; and when it is determined that the screw locking tool is currently within the currently read locking range, enabling the screw locking tool, reading the next lock range from the locking sequence information, and then repeating the locking start determination process.

[0006] In one embodiment, the computer device of the screw fastening system of the present invention can also perform a setup operation to establish the fastening sequence information.

[0007] In one embodiment, the establishment operation performed by the computer device of the screw fastening system of the present invention includes: dividing a product in the real-time image into multiple grids, and defining a sequence number for each grid with a screw hole; wherein the grids with the screw holes represent the fastening ranges, and the sequence numbers of the grids with the screw holes form the order of the fastening ranges.

[0008] In one embodiment, the setup operation performed by the computer device of the screw fastening system of the present invention includes: sequentially selecting screw holes of a product in a real-time image in a desired order, and taking the vicinity of each selected screw hole as the fastening range, and taking the selection order as the order of the fastening range.

[0009] In one embodiment, the computer device of the screw fastening system of the present invention tracks the position of the screw fastening tool using an image tracking method. The image tracking method includes identifying a distinguishing feature of the screw fastening tool and tracking the position of the distinguishing feature. The distinguishing feature is either the color or outline of the screw fastening tool itself, or it may be the color or outline of an identifying object mounted on a body of the screw fastening tool. Preferably, the identifying object includes a mounting bracket and a color plate located on top of the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket includes a clamping ring for holding the top of the body and a rod with its two ends respectively connecting the clamping ring and the color plate.

[0010] The present invention also provides a locking control method, comprising receiving a real-time image captured by a photographic device and tracking the position of a screw locking tool in the real-time image; reading a first-order locking range from locking sequence information, the locking sequence information including multiple locking ranges and their order; and performing a locking initiation judgment operation; wherein the locking initiation judgment operation includes: determining whether the screw locking tool is currently located within the currently read locking range based on the currently tracked position of the screw locking tool and the currently read locking range; when it is determined that the screw locking tool is not yet located within the currently read locking range, disabling the screw locking tool and repeating the locking initiation judgment operation; when it is determined that the screw locking tool is located within the currently read locking range, enabling the screw locking tool, reading the next-order locking range from the locking sequence information, and then repeating the locking initiation judgment operation.

[0011] In one embodiment, the locking control method of the present invention includes a creation operation for establishing the locking sequence information. The creation operation includes: dividing the real-time image into multiple grids and defining a sequence number for each grid with a screw hole, wherein the grids with the screw holes represent the locking ranges respectively, and the sequence numbers of the grids with the screw holes form the order of the locking ranges.

[0012] In one embodiment, the locking control method of the present invention includes another establishment operation, which includes: sequentially selecting multiple screw holes in the real-time image, and taking the vicinity of each selected screw hole as the locking range, and taking the selection order as the order of the locking range.

[0013] In one embodiment, the screw fastening control method of the present invention includes an image tracking means for tracking the position of the screw fastening tool. The image tracking means includes identifying an identification feature of the screw fastening tool and tracking the position of the identification feature. The identification feature may be the color or outline of the screw fastening tool itself, or it may be the color or outline of an identification object mounted on a body of the screw fastening tool.

[0014] In one embodiment, the locking control method of the present invention includes a color adjustment operation for adjusting the color of the identification feature. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a top view schematic diagram of an embodiment of the screw fastening system of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 This is a schematic flowchart of an embodiment of the locking and fastening control method of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional view of the screw fastening tool in this embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] In the attached figures, the following labels are used:

[0019] Computer device 1

[0020] Computer host 11 Monitor 12

[0021] Photographic Device 2

[0022] Screw fastening tool 3

[0023] Body 31 Object Recognition 32

[0024] Mounting bracket 321, color swatch 322

[0025] Clamping ring 321a Support rod 321b

[0026] Work Area 4

[0027] Product 5

[0028] User 6

[0029] Screw holes A to C

[0030] Steps a to c

[0031] Steps c1 to c4. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Figure 1 One embodiment of the screw fastening system of the present invention includes a computer device 1, a photographic device 2 coupled to the computer device 1, and a screw fastening tool 3 coupled to the computer device 1. In this embodiment, the screw fastening system is configured in a workstation. In a multi-workstation application architecture, one workstation is configured with one screw fastening system, so each screw fastening system has its own computer device 1. However, the functions of these computer devices 1 can also be integrated into a single computer device (e.g., a server), in which case one computer device can be coupled to multiple photographic devices 2 and multiple screw fastening tools 3.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, the computer device 1 includes a computer host 11 and a monitor 12. The photography device 2 can be a commercially available webcam. The screw fastening tool 3 can be an existing electric screwdriver (or socket) with at least torque feedback and / or rotation feedback functions.

[0034] The camera device 2 is used to continuously capture images of a work area 4 and immediately transmit the captured real-time images to the computer device 1. Since the camera device 2 captures the actions of a user 6 holding a screw fastening tool 3 to fasten a screw to a product 5 in the work area 4, the real-time images include the process of the user 6 moving and changing the position of the screw fastening tool 3.

[0035] Computer device 1 installs a screw fastening control application. After the application is activated, it executes a screw fastening control method according to the application's settings to ensure that when user 6 uses screw fastening tool 3 to fasten screws onto product 5, the screws are sequentially fastened into the screw holes of product 5 according to a sequence defined by fastening sequence information. This fastening sequence information includes multiple fastening ranges arranged in this order; that is, each fastening range has its own priority or sequence number, and they are arranged sequentially according to their priority or sequence number. This sequence is the actual order in which screws should be fastened into the screw holes of product 5. These fastening ranges respectively cover the positions of the screw holes of product 5. Specifically, the first-priority fastening range includes the position (coordinates) of screw hole A on product 5 where the first screw should be fastened, the second-priority fastening range includes the position (coordinates) of screw hole C on product 5 where the second screw should be fastened, the third-priority fastening range includes the position (coordinates) of screw hole B on product 5 where the third screw should be fastened, and so on.

[0036] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the locking control method includes the following steps:

[0037] a) Receive the real-time image captured by the camera device 2 and track the position of the screw fastening tool 3 in the real-time image;

[0038] b) Read the first-order locking range from the locking sequence information; and

[0039] c) Execute a lock-attachment start-up judgment operation, which includes:

[0040] c1) Based on the currently tracked position of the screw fastening tool 3 and the currently read fastening range, determine whether the screw fastening tool 3 is already within the currently read fastening range;

[0041] c2) When the judgment result is "no", it means that the screw fastening tool 3 is not yet within the currently read fastening range. At this time, the screw fastening tool 3 is disabled, and then the process returns to step c1 to repeat the fastening start judgment operation.

[0042] c3) When the judgment result is "yes", it means that the screw fastening tool 3 is within the currently read fastening range, the screw fastening tool 3 is enabled, and the subsequent step c4 is executed;

[0043] c4) Read the next lock range from the lock sequence information, and then return to step c1 to repeat the lock start judgment operation.

[0044] The execution order of steps a and b above can be reversed or performed simultaneously, without regard to... Figure 2 The order shown is limited.

[0045] In step a, the computer device 1 can use an image tracking method to track the position of the screw fastening tool 3 in the real-time image. The image tracking method includes identifying a distinguishing feature of the screw fastening tool 3 in the real-time image and tracking the position of that distinguishing feature. The distinguishing feature can be the color or outline of the screw fastening tool 3 itself, or the color or outline of the hand of the user 6 holding the screw fastening tool 3. Furthermore, as... Figure 3 As shown, the identification feature may be the color or outline of an identification object 32 mounted on a body 31 of the screw fastening tool 3. Preferably, the identification object 32 includes a mounting bracket 321 and a color plate 322 located on top of the mounting bracket 321. More preferably, the mounting bracket 321 includes a clamping ring 321a and a support rod 321b. The clamping ring 321a clamps the top of the body 31. A bottom end of the support rod 321b is connected to the clamping ring 321a, and a top end of the support rod 321b is connected to the color plate 322.

[0046] In one embodiment, the computer device 1 may first convert the received real-time image into the HSV color space, and then use the converted color space and image processing methods to separate a specified color as the identification feature. The specified color may be the color of the color palette 322, the color of the device body 31, or the color of the hand.

[0047] In one embodiment, the computer device 1 can also adjust the color of the identification feature through a color adjustment operation, such as adjusting the HSV high and low range values, so that the system can also track screw fastening tools 3 with different torques. These screw fastening tools 3 with different torques are screw fastening systems used in different workstations.

[0048] In step a, computer device 1 transmits each tracked position to the locking initiation judgment operation in step c, thereby constantly determining whether the screw fastening tool 3 has entered the current priority locking range, and deciding to disable or enable the screw fastening tool 3 based on the judgment result. For example, in the locking initiation judgment operation, if the locking range currently read by computer device 1 is in the first priority, then computer device 1 will determine whether each tracked position has fallen into the first priority locking range. If the locking range currently read by computer device 1 is in the second priority, then computer device 1 will determine whether each tracked position has fallen into the second priority locking range, and so on. At the moment of judgment, if the screw fastening tool 3 has not been moved into the fastening range by the user, or has entered and immediately left the fastening range, the computer device 1 will determine this in step c1 based on its tracked position and the fastening range, and then disable the screw fastening tool 3 as shown in step c2. At this time, the user 6 cannot start the screw fastening tool 3. Conversely, if the screw fastening tool 3 has been moved into and remains within the fastening range by the user, the computer device 1 will also determine this in step c1, and then enable the screw fastening tool 3 as shown in step c3. At this time, the user 6 can start the screw fastening tool 3.

[0049] As shown in step c2, although the screw fastening tool 3 is disabled, the computer device 1 is still tracking the position of the screw fastening tool 3 and repeatedly executing the fastening initiation judgment operation using the tracked position. Therefore, as soon as the user 6 moves the screw fastening tool 3 into the current (e.g., the first) fastening range, the computer device 1 will immediately determine this in step c1 and immediately enable the screw fastening tool 3. At this time, the user 6 can use the screw fastening tool 3 to fasten a screw into the screw hole of the product 5 that should be fastened (e.g., the first one). When the screw fastening tool 3 completes the aforementioned fastening work of the screw, the computer device 1 can immediately know that the aforementioned fastening work has been completed through the torque feedback or number of turns feedback of the screw fastening tool 3. Then, as shown in step c4, the computer device 1 reads the next (e.g., the second) fastening range from the fastening sequence information and uses it to execute the fastening initiation judgment operation. Once the computer device 1 determines in step c1 that the screw fastening tool 3 has entered the fastening range, then, as described above, the computer device 1 allows the user 6 to activate and use the screw fastening tool 3 to fasten a screw into the next (e.g., the second) screw hole on the product 5 that should be fastened. Similarly, each screw hole on the product 5 that should be fastened will be fastened with screws one by one in the order defined in the fastening sequence information, for example, in the order A→C→B, fastening three screws into screw holes A through C respectively.

[0050] If user 6 moves the screw fastening tool 3 outside the current fastening range, for example, if the current fastening range is the second position, but user 6 moves the screw fastening tool 3 to the first, third, or other fastening range, this means that the user has not moved the screw fastening tool 3 to the correct position (i.e., the position of the screw hole where the screw should be fastened) according to the order defined in the fastening sequence information. The computer device 1 will identify such an error in step c1 and therefore disable the screw fastening tool 3 to prevent the user from using the screw fastening tool 3 to fasten the screw to the wrong screw hole (i.e., not the screw hole in the current sequence).

[0051] In one embodiment, the computer device 1 can also send a reminder message to the user 6 when the screw fastening tool 3 is moved outside the current fastening range, to remind and urge him to move the screw fastening tool 3 to the correct position.

[0052] In one embodiment, the display 12 of the computer device 1 can also display the product 5, all the screw holes on the product 5, the sequence number of the screw holes, and the fastening status of the screw holes (fastening completed or not fastening completed), and indicate which screw holes should be fastened with screws, for example, by displaying flashing text or symbols next to a screw hole to indicate that the screw hole is the one that should be fastened with screws in the above order. In addition, the display 12 can also display the reminder message, and may even display a moving indicator (e.g., a moving color block) representing the screw fastening tool 3. Since the computer device 1 tracks the position of the screw fastening tool 3 at all times, the moving indicator can change its position accordingly as the position of the screw fastening tool 3 changes.

[0053] Preferably, the locking control method further includes a creation operation for establishing the locking sequence information, the creation operation including: dividing the real-time image into multiple grids, and defining a sequence number for each grid with a screw hole, wherein the grids with the screw holes represent the locking ranges respectively, and the sequence numbers of the grids with the screw holes form the sequence of the locking ranges.

[0054] Preferably, the locking control method further includes another establishment operation, which includes: sequentially selecting multiple screw holes in the real-time image, and taking the vicinity of each selected screw hole as the locking range, and taking the selection order as the order of the locking range.

[0055] As can be seen from the above description, the order formed by the sequence or number of each locking range in the locking sequence of the present invention represents the order in which each screw hole on the product 5 is screwed. The locking control method of the present invention reads these locking ranges in this order and uses them in this order to determine whether the screw locking tool 3 has been moved to the correct position, and enables or disables the screw locking tool 3 according to the determination result. This requires the user 6 to move the screw locking tool 3 one by one to the correct locking range in order in order to lock each screw into each screw hole. That is, screw locking cannot be performed as long as the screw locking tool 3 is not moved in this order. In this way, it can ensure or force the user 6 to perform screw locking in a correct order.

[0056] Compared to existing technologies, the screw fastening system of this invention does not require any infrared sensors on the product 5, nor does it require integrating related control circuitry or detection modules into the screw fastening tool 3 to detect its position. Therefore, the screw fastening system of this invention not only ensures that the screws on the product 5 are fastened in a predetermined sequence, avoiding product malfunctions, defects, and damage to expensive parts caused by screws not being fastened in the correct order, but also utilizes relatively inexpensive commercially available screw fastening tools 3, significantly reducing setup costs.

Claims

1. A method of lock-and-key regulation, characterized by: comprising: receiving a real-time image captured by a camera, and tracking a position of a screw driving tool in the real-time image; reading a first range of attachment from an attachment sequence information, the attachment sequence information comprising a plurality of ranges of attachment and their orders; and performing an attachment enabling judgment operation, the attachment enabling judgment operation comprising: judging whether the screw driving tool has been located in the currently read range of attachment according to the currently tracked position of the screw driving tool and the currently read range of attachment; disabling the screw driving tool and repeating the attachment enabling judgment operation when it is judged that the screw driving tool has not been located in the currently read range of attachment; and enabling the screw driving tool and reading a next range of attachment from the attachment sequence information when it is judged that the screw driving tool has been located in the currently read range of attachment, and then repeating the attachment enabling judgment operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein: comprising an establishing operation for establishing the attachment sequence information, the establishing operation comprising: dividing the real-time image into a plurality of cells, and defining a serial number for each cell having a screw hole, wherein the cells having the screw holes represent the ranges of attachment respectively, and the serial numbers of the cells having the screw holes form the orders of the ranges of attachment.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein: comprising an establishing operation for establishing the attachment sequence information, the establishing operation comprising: sequentially selecting a plurality of screw holes in the real-time image in order, and taking a vicinity of each of the selected screw holes as the ranges of attachment, and taking the selection order as the orders of the ranges of attachment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein: comprising an image tracking means for tracking the position of the screw driving tool, the image tracking means comprising recognizing a distinguishing feature of the screw driving tool and tracking the position of the distinguishing feature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein: wherein the distinguishing feature is a color or an outline of the screw driving tool itself.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein: wherein the distinguishing feature is a color or an outline of a distinguishing object mounted on a body of the screw driving tool.

7. The method of claim 5 or 6, wherein: comprising a color adjusting operation for adjusting the color of the distinguishing feature.

8. A screw attachment system characterized by: comprising a computer device, a camera coupled to the computer device, and a screw driving tool coupled to the computer device, wherein the computer device has an attachment sequence information comprising a plurality of ranges of attachment and their orders, the computer device receives a real-time image captured by the camera, and tracks a position of the screw driving tool in the real-time image, and performs an attachment enabling judgment operation according to a currently read range of attachment from the attachment sequence information, the attachment enabling judgment operation comprising: judging whether the screw driving tool has been located in the currently read range of attachment according to the currently tracked position of the screw driving tool and the currently read range of attachment; disabling the screw driving tool and repeating the attachment enabling judgment operation when it is judged that the screw driving tool has not been located in the currently read range of attachment; and enabling the screw driving tool and reading a next range of attachment from the attachment sequence information when it is judged that the screw driving tool has been located in the currently read range of attachment, and then repeating the attachment enabling judgment operation. When it is determined that the screw locking tool is located in the locking range currently read, the screw locking tool is enabled, the next locking range in the locking sequence information is read, and the locking start determination operation is repeated.

9. The screw attachment system of claim 8, wherein: The computer device can further perform a building operation for building the locking sequence information.

10. The screw attachment system of claim 9, wherein: The building operation includes dividing a plurality of grids in the real-time image and defining a serial number for each grid with a screw hole, wherein the grids with the screw holes represent the locking ranges, and the serial numbers of the grids with the screw holes form the sequence of the locking ranges.

11. The screw attachment system of claim 9, wherein: The building operation includes sequentially selecting the screw holes in the real-time image in sequence and taking the vicinity of each selected screw hole as the locking ranges, and taking the selection sequence as the sequence of the locking ranges.

12. The screw attachment system of claim 8, wherein: The computer device tracks the position of the screw locking tool by an image tracking means, which includes recognizing an identification feature of the screw locking tool and tracking the position of the identification feature.

13. The screw attachment system of claim 12, wherein: The identification feature is the color or contour of the screw locking tool itself.

14. The screw attachment system of claim 12, wherein: The identification feature is the color or contour of an identification object installed on a machine body of the screw locking tool.

15. The screw attachment system of claim 14, wherein: The identification object includes a mounting bracket and a color plate on the top of the mounting bracket, the mounting bracket includes a clamping ring for clamping the top of the machine body and a support rod connected to the clamping ring and the color plate at both ends.

Images