Multifunctional visual product size sorting machine

Abstract

This invention discloses a multifunctional visual product size sorting machine, relating to the field of product inspection and sorting technology. It includes a sorting machine body, with a size measuring instrument mounted inside the body. A conveying module is also mounted inside the machine body, comprising an infeed conveyor belt and a discharge conveyor belt. A sorting module is mounted on the top of the machine body. It adopts an interval conveying mode of "stacking and then moving," which improves upon the problem of chaotic product stacking caused by traditional visual sorting equipment's discharge conveying. This mode controls the discharge conveyor belt through a drive component, triggering movement only when qualified products accumulate to a preset quantity. This significantly reduces the frequency of conveyor belt starts and stops, lowering equipment wear and energy consumption, while allowing qualified products to naturally arrange themselves neatly. It can directly adapt to the single-packing capacity of downstream packaging stations without manual intervention.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of product inspection and sorting technology, specifically to a multifunctional visual product size sorting machine. Background Technology

[0002] Visual inspection and automated sorting of product dimensions are core processes for ensuring production line efficiency and controlling product quality. Especially in continuous production scenarios, inspection accuracy and sorting efficiency directly affect product qualification rate and overall production cost, becoming key links that restrict the efficient operation of high-end manufacturing production lines.

[0003] Current industrial production faces stringent technical challenges: on the one hand, continuously increasing production line cycle times place extremely high demands on the response speed of visual inspection and the synchronization of sorting actions; on the other hand, the control of the appearance integrity of precision industrial products is becoming increasingly stringent, requiring inspection and sorting equipment to avoid scratches, misalignment, and other problems during high-speed operation, otherwise, it will lead to an increase in product defect rates and affect the quality of downstream assembly. Therefore, developing visual dimensional sorting equipment that is adapted to high-speed and precision working conditions and combines accurate inspection with stable sorting characteristics has become a core requirement in the industrial manufacturing field.

[0004] Currently, in the field of visual product size sorting technology, existing technologies still have the following shortcomings in practical application: First, the buffering and adaptability of existing sorting modules are insufficient: the sorting modules of mainstream equipment mostly adopt a rigidly connected suction cup structure. In high-speed sorting scenarios (≥60 pieces / minute), the horizontal sudden stop action of the parallel linkage arm will generate significant inertial vibration, resulting in a decrease in the suction cup adsorption stability and a product drop rate of 3%-5%. Moreover, the edges of the adsorbed parts are mostly straight structures, which cannot adhere to curved or irregular product surfaces. Poor sealing can easily lead to adsorption failure, which not only increases the frequency of equipment downtime for adjustment, but also increases the defect rate due to product drops and scratches, adding extra rework costs and labor maintenance costs. At the same time, the rigid connection design cannot adapt to the sorting requirements of flexible products, which can easily cause product deformation, further restricting the equipment's adaptability to different scenarios.

[0005] Secondly, the existing air flotation components are insufficient in terms of energy consumption and coordination: Although some equipment is equipped with air flotation components, most of them are designed with full conveyor belt coverage, and air is continuously supplied regardless of whether the product is at the sorting station, resulting in high overall energy consumption; moreover, the air flotation components and sorting actions lack dynamic linkage control, and the air flotation cannot be triggered when the product arrives at the sorting station, resulting in the suspension effect and the suction cup adsorption action being out of sync. This not only wastes air resources, but also causes deviation due to improper product suspension timing, affecting sorting stability. In addition, the airflow pressure of traditional air flotation components is mostly a fixed value, which cannot be adapted to products of different weights and materials, further reducing the flexibility and adaptability of the equipment.

[0006] Therefore, in view of this, the present invention proposes a multifunctional visual product size sorting machine to make up for and improve the shortcomings of the prior art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a multifunctional visual product size sorting machine, thereby resolving the technical issues raised in the background section.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: a multifunctional visual product size sorting machine, used for size detection processing of the product body, including a sorting machine body, a size detector is installed on the inner side of the sorting machine body, a conveying module is installed inside the sorting machine body, the conveying module includes an infeed conveyor belt and an outfeed conveyor belt, and a sorting module is installed on the top of the sorting machine body.

[0009] When the equipment is working, the feeding conveyor belt continuously transports the main body of the product, the size detector performs visual inspection of the product, and based on the inspection results, the sorting module transfers the qualified product body to the discharge conveyor belt. When the qualified products accumulate to a preset quantity, the discharge conveyor belt moves a preset distance to reserve placement space, while the unqualified product body is directly transported by the feeding conveyor belt to the end collection.

[0010] Furthermore, the main body of the sorting machine is equipped with a display instrument for displaying the test results, and the lower part of the main body of the sorting machine is equipped with a drive component, which is linked to the conveying module and the sorting module.

[0011] Furthermore, the sorting module includes a parallel linkage arm and a vacuum suction cup. The parallel linkage arm is a multi-link symmetrical structure, and its end is rigidly connected to the vacuum suction cup. The vacuum suction cup adopts a rectangular array layout, and the overall size and spacing of the suction cups are adapted to the center size of the product body.

[0012] Furthermore, the outer wall of the sorting module is provided with an axial adjustment assembly, which includes a disc suction seat and a fixed frame. The disc suction seat is assembled at the end of the parallel linkage arm, and the fixed frame is assembled at the upper end of the parallel linkage arm. A plurality of connecting flexible shafts are fixedly connected between the fixed frame and the driving end of the parallel linkage arm. Each connecting flexible shaft is sleeved with a connecting spring. The two ends of the connecting springs are fixedly connected to the fixed frame and the driving end of the parallel linkage arm, respectively. The inertial vibration of the parallel linkage arm during horizontal movement is buffered by the coordinated cooperation of the connecting flexible shafts and the connecting springs.

[0013] Furthermore, the lower surface of the disc adsorption seat is equipped with a limiting support frame and a telescopic shaft. The limiting support frame is arranged in a cross shape, and the telescopic shaft is evenly distributed inside the limiting support frame. The lower end of each telescopic shaft is fixedly connected to a branch adsorption tube. The lower surface of each branch adsorption tube is evenly fixedly connected to an elastic lip. The elastic lip is wavy and is used to adaptively fit the arc-shaped surface of the product body.

[0014] Furthermore, the telescopic shaft is an elastic telescopic rod structure that can adaptively adjust its length according to the surface undulations of the product body. The elastic lip and the edge of the branch adsorption tube are integrally formed, which can increase the sealing area when adsorbing the product body, while dispersing the adsorption force to avoid scratching the product surface coating.

[0015] Furthermore, the feeding conveyor belt is internally equipped with an air flotation component, which includes a through hole and an external air outlet. The through holes are equidistantly opened on the conveying surface of the feeding conveyor belt, and the external air outlet is located below the through holes on the same vertical plane as the sorting module. The feeding conveyor belt is internally symmetrically connected with drive wheels, and a fixed shaft is fixedly connected to one side of the drive wheels that are close to each other. The outer wall of the fixed shaft is symmetrically equipped with bidirectional threaded rods, and each bidirectional threaded rod is externally threaded with a threaded collar. The bidirectional threaded rod and the threaded collar form a ball screw structure. An airflow duct is externally equipped with the threaded collar, and the output end of the airflow duct is sealed and connected to the external air outlet to stabilize the airflow.

[0016] Furthermore, the bidirectional threaded rod and the fixed shaft are integrally formed and rotate synchronously with the fixed shaft. The inner wall of the airflow duct is provided with a guide groove corresponding to the position of the threaded collar. The threaded collar is slidably connected to the airflow duct through the guide groove, which restricts the circumferential rotation of the airflow duct and only allows it to make axial displacement with the threaded collar.

[0017] Furthermore, the airflow duct is made of flexible metal material, which can be adapted to the transmission curvature of the feed conveyor belt. The connection between the airflow duct and the external air outlet is equipped with a sealing joint to prevent airflow leakage.

[0018] Furthermore, the air flotation assembly includes a three-way connecting pipe and a drive cylinder. The external air inlet is connected to the two output ends of the three-way connecting pipe. The output end of the drive cylinder is mounted on the input end of the three-way connecting pipe, and the output shaft of the drive cylinder and the input end of the three-way connecting pipe form a piston structure. The drive cylinder triggers the airflow to be ejected when the product body arrives at the sorting station by cooperating with the airflow linkage control of the three-way connecting pipe.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: (1) For the qualified product body after detection, the device adopts the interval conveying mode of "stacking quantitative and then moving", which improves the pain point of product stacking disorder caused by the traditional visual sorting equipment discharge conveying. This mode controls the discharge conveyor belt through the drive component, and only triggers the movement when the qualified products are stacked to a preset quantity. This greatly reduces the frequency of conveyor belt start and stop, reduces equipment wear and energy consumption, and allows qualified products to be naturally arranged neatly. It can directly adapt to the single packaging capacity of the downstream packaging station without manual intervention, realize the seamless connection between sorting and packaging processes, and significantly improve the production line flow efficiency.

[0020] In actual use, this device links detection, sorting and conveying actions. Unqualified products can quickly leave the detection area with the feeding conveyor belt, avoiding accumulation and interference with subsequent processes. The sorting and grabbing of qualified products is matched with the discharge conveyor rhythm, which greatly reduces the risk of collision and jamming, and reduces the frequency of equipment maintenance and downtime.

[0021] (2) Regarding the structure in Embodiment 2, this device improves the vibration problem of traditional sorting modules during high-speed movement by using a parallel and interlaced co-buffering structure of connecting flexible shafts and connecting springs. Compared with traditional rigid connection or single-direction buffer structure, it is difficult to offset the inertial vibration generated by the high-speed movement and sudden stop and turn of the parallel connecting arm, which can easily lead to product drop and fatigue damage to the adsorption component. This device, through multiple sets of parallel and interlaced connecting flexible shafts and connecting springs, can play a role in both horizontal and vertical directions. It can absorb vibration energy through elastic deformation and block the transmission of vibration to the adsorption structure. It can also limit circumferential rotation by using the guiding effect of connecting flexible shafts to ensure that the disc adsorption seat always maintains a horizontal posture, avoid adsorption offset caused by uneven force, significantly improve the stability in the high-speed sorting process, reduce the wear of the adsorption component, and extend the overall service life of the equipment.

[0022] Most importantly, the adaptive design of the wavy elastic lip and the telescopic shaft further optimizes the adsorption and protection effect of precision products. Traditional suction cups mostly have a flat structure, which cannot fit the curved surface of the product, and are prone to problems such as poor sealing, concentrated adsorption force leading to plating scratches or product deformation. In this device, the telescopic shaft can adaptively adjust its length according to the undulation of the product surface. Combined with the flexible fitting characteristics of the wavy elastic lip, it can fully cover the product surface and increase the sealing area, which not only improves the sealing performance of vacuum adsorption, but also evenly disperses the adsorption force.

[0023] (3) Regarding the structure in Embodiment 3, this device has through holes equidistantly opened on the surface of the feeding conveyor belt. On the one hand, the equidistant layout of the through holes can help the products to be inspected to be placed in a standardized manner, providing an implicit positioning benchmark for the products conveyed by the upstream station, effectively preventing different products from affecting the detection accuracy of the size detector due to deviations in placement position, and ensuring the accuracy of visual inspection data. On the other hand, the equidistantly distributed through holes can allow airflow to act evenly on the bottom of the product, providing a stable foundation for subsequent air flotation. When the product is inspected and passes under the sorting module, the airflow blows the product slightly upward through the through holes by the reciprocating motion of the threaded collar and the airflow duct, making the product float. If it is a qualified product, the suspension can greatly reduce the frictional resistance with the conveyor belt, allowing the suction cup assembly to grasp and transfer more smoothly and accurately, avoiding product deviation caused by rigid contact. If it is an unqualified product, the suspension state can also reduce friction, preventing the product from causing surface scratches due to friction with the conveyor belt, and preserving the complete original state for subsequent defect analysis or rework.

[0024] The coordinated design of the air flotation component with the sorting module and conveying module takes into account both product protection and production line continuity. The suspended conveying mode reduces the frictional contact between the product and the conveyor belt from the source, and is especially suitable for precision products with surface coatings. It avoids the scratches and wear problems caused by traditional conveying methods and significantly reduces the defect rate. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the axial three-dimensional structure of the sorting machine body in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the conveying module in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the internal structure of the sorting machine body in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the sorting module in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the axial adjustment component in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the lower part of the axial adjustment assembly in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 7 This is an exploded view of the lower part of the axial adjustment assembly in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the upper part of the axial adjustment component in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the air flotation component in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 10 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram showing the positional relationship between the through hole and the main body of the product in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the hollowed-out curved tube three-dimensional structure in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the internal planar structure of the hollowed-out curved tube in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 13 This is a planar schematic diagram showing the positional relationship between the three-way connecting pipe and the drive cylinder in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0038] The numbers on the map are:

[0039] 1. Main body of the sorting machine; 11. Dimension measuring instrument; 12. Display instrument; 13. Drive assembly; 14. Main body of the product;

[0040] 2. Conveying module; 21. Feeding conveyor belt; 22. Discharge conveyor belt;

[0041] 3. Sorting module; 31. Parallel linkage arm; 32. Vacuum suction cup;

[0042] 4. Axial adjustment assembly; 41. Disc adsorption seat; 42. Branch adsorption tube; 43. Elastic lip; 44. Limiting support frame; 45. Telescopic shaft; 46. Fixed frame; 47. Connecting flexible shaft; 48. Connecting spring;

[0043] 5. Air flotation assembly; 51. Through hole; 52. External air inlet; 53. Drive wheel; 54. Fixed shaft; 55. Two-way threaded rod; 56. Threaded collar; 57. Airflow duct; 58. T-connector; 59. Drive cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0045] It should be noted that this equipment uses existing high-resolution industrial cameras and vision algorithms to realize the product size defect detection function of the size inspection instrument 11, and is equipped with a touch display terminal to realize the detection data and equipment status display function of the display instrument 12. It uses existing servo drive system to realize the power output and linkage control function of the drive component 13 to the conveying module 2 and the sorting module 3, realizes the product transmission function of the feeding conveyor belt 21 and the discharging conveyor belt 22 of the conveying module 2, and realizes the product gripping function of the vacuum suction cup 32 through the high-speed positioning function of the parallel linkage arm 31 of the sorting module 3 in conjunction with the vacuum adsorption component.

[0046] The principles and parameters of the above components, such as the camera resolution and vision algorithm of the size measuring instrument 11, the interaction logic and data transmission method of the display instrument 12, the servo parameters and linkage control strategy of the drive component 13, the conveyor belt speed and tension adjustment method of the conveying module 2, the motion accuracy of the parallel linkage arm 31 of the sorting module 3 and the adsorption pressure of the vacuum suction cup 32, are all existing technologies. Based on the universality of these structures, they will not be described in detail later.

[0047] Example 1: Please refer to Figure 1 - Figure 3 As shown, a multifunctional visual product size sorting machine is used to perform size detection processing on the product body 14. It includes a sorting machine body 1, a size detector 11 is installed on the inner side of the sorting machine body 1, a conveying module 2 is installed inside the sorting machine body 1, the conveying module 2 includes a feeding conveyor belt 21 and a discharging conveyor belt 22, and a sorting module 3 is installed on the top of the sorting machine body 1.

[0048] When the equipment is working, the feeding conveyor belt 21 continuously conveys the product body 14, the size detector 11 performs visual inspection on the product, and according to the inspection results, the sorting module 3 transfers the qualified product body 14 to the discharge conveyor belt 22. When the qualified products accumulate to a preset quantity, the discharge conveyor belt 22 moves a preset distance to reserve placement space. The unqualified product body 14 is directly conveyed to the end collection by the feeding conveyor belt 21.

[0049] Please refer to Figure 1 - Figure 4 As shown, the main body 1 of the sorting machine is equipped with a display instrument 12 for displaying the test results. The lower part of the main body 1 of the sorting machine is equipped with a drive assembly 13, which is linked to the conveying module 2 and the sorting module 3.

[0050] It should be noted that the sorting module 3 includes a parallel linkage arm 31 and a vacuum suction cup 32. The parallel linkage arm 31 is a multi-link symmetrical structure, and its end is rigidly connected to the vacuum suction cup 32. The vacuum suction cup 32 adopts a rectangular array layout, and the overall size and spacing of the suction cups are adapted to the center size of the product body 14.

[0051] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, arrow b indicates the conveying direction of the product body 14. When the equipment is started, the drive component 13 first triggers the feeding conveyor belt 21 of the conveying module 2 to run at a constant speed. The product body 14 enters the feeding conveyor belt 21 from the upstream station and is continuously conveyed forward with it. The continuous conveying mode of the feeding conveyor belt 21 can ensure the stability of the production line cycle and provide a prerequisite guarantee for the accuracy of subsequent visual inspection. During the conveying process, the drive component 13 maintains the constant tension of the feeding conveyor belt 21 through the dynamic adjustment of servo parameters to prevent product deviation caused by belt slack.

[0052] When the main body of the product 14 is transported to the detection area of ​​the size detector 11, the detection area of ​​the size detector 11 is much larger than the overall size of the main body of the product 14. Therefore, the size detector 11 uses a high-resolution industrial camera and a vision algorithm to perform multi-angle imaging and size defect identification on the product, and detects key size parameters such as the length, width and edge curvature of the product in real time. The detection results are then transmitted to the display instrument 12. The display instrument 12 displays the detection data and equipment operating status in real time through a touch interface, which is convenient for operators to monitor the production line.

[0053] When the drive component 13 receives the detection result from the size detector 11, if the product body 14 is determined to be qualified, it immediately controls the sorting module 3 to start: the parallel linkage arm 31 drives the vacuum suction cup 32 at the end to move quickly to directly above the qualified product. The vacuum suction cup 32, through the rectangular array layout of the suction cups, adheres to the surface of the product body 14 and starts the vacuum adsorption action to stably grasp the product. The rectangular array layout of the vacuum suction cup 32 is relatively adapted to the size of the square product body 14, which can disperse the adsorption force to avoid scratching the product surface coating, and at the same time improve the adsorption stability during high-speed movement.

[0054] After the vacuum suction cup 32 picks up a qualified product, the connecting rod arm 31 moves the product quickly to above the discharge conveyor belt 22, releasing the vacuum to complete the product placement. The discharge conveyor belt 22 is controlled by the drive assembly 13 to operate in an intermittent conveying mode: such as... Figure 1 As shown, arrow a indicates the output direction of the product body 14. When the qualified product body 14 accumulates to a preset quantity on the discharge conveyor belt 22, the drive component 13 triggers the discharge conveyor belt 22 to move a preset distance to reserve space for subsequent qualified products.

[0055] In existing technologies, traditional vision sorting equipment often uses continuous conveying or single start-stop modes for material feeding. Continuous conveying can cause qualified products to pile up and become disorderly on the conveyor belt, requiring manual reorganization at the downstream packaging station, which increases labor costs and production cycle. On the other hand, the single start-stop mode causes the conveyor belt to wear up faster and energy consumption to rise due to frequent starts and stops. It also cannot be accurately matched with the packaging rhythm of the downstream packaging machine, which can easily lead to product waiting or accumulation, thus restricting the overall efficiency of the production line.

[0056] In contrast, this embodiment adopts an interval conveying mode of "stacking quantity and then moving". When qualified products are stacked on the discharge conveyor belt 22 to a preset quantity, the drive component 13 triggers the conveyor belt to move a preset distance to reserve space for subsequent products. This mode reduces equipment wear and energy consumption by reducing the frequency of starting and stopping the conveyor belt. At the same time, the stacked products are neatly arranged, requiring no manual sorting, and can be precisely matched with the single packing capacity of the downstream packing machine to achieve seamless connection between sorting and packing.

[0057] If the detection result received by the drive component 13 is unqualified, the sorting module 3 will not perform the gripping action. The unqualified product body 14 will be continuously transported to the unqualified product collection station at the end by the feeding conveyor belt 21. The continuous conveying mode of the feeding conveyor belt 21 can ensure that the unqualified products leave the detection area quickly, avoiding the accumulation at the detection station and affecting the detection and sorting of subsequent products. At the same time, the linkage control logic of the drive component 13 can ensure that the conveying of unqualified products and the sorting of qualified products do not interfere with each other, maintaining the continuity and stability of equipment operation.

[0058] Existing technologies often employ a simple control logic of "single inspection - single sorting". Defective products are prone to shifting due to conveyor belt vibration during transport, and the synchronicity between sorting and conveying actions is insufficient, which can easily lead to product collisions or jamming, affecting the stability of equipment operation. At the same time, the transport paths of defective and qualified products lack coordinated design, which can easily lead to accumulation at the inspection station and restrict the production line cycle time.

[0059] In this embodiment, the drive component 13 adopts a full-process linkage control logic of "detection-sorting-conveying": unqualified products are continuously transported to the end collection station by the feeding conveyor belt 21, while qualified products are accurately transferred to the discharge conveyor belt 22 by the sorting module 3. This linkage control can ensure that unqualified products leave the detection area quickly and avoid accumulation that affects the detection and sorting of subsequent products; at the same time, the synchronization of sorting and conveying actions can reduce product collisions and jamming, and improve the continuity and stability of equipment operation.

[0060] Example 2: Based on Example 1, please refer to... Figure 5 - Figure 8As shown, the outer wall of the sorting module 3 is provided with an axial adjustment component 4. The axial adjustment component 4 includes a disc suction seat 41 and a fixed frame 46. The disc suction seat 41 is assembled at the end of the parallel linkage arm 31, and the fixed frame 46 is assembled at the upper end of the parallel linkage arm 31. Several connecting flexible shafts 47 are fixedly connected between the fixed frame 46 and the driving end of the parallel linkage arm 31. Connecting springs 48 are sleeved on the outside of each connecting flexible shaft 47. The two ends of the connecting springs 48 are fixedly connected to the fixed frame 46 and the driving end of the parallel linkage arm 31, respectively. The inertial vibration of the parallel linkage arm 31 during horizontal movement is buffered by the coordinated cooperation of the connecting flexible shafts 47 and the connecting springs 48.

[0061] It should be noted that the lower surface of the disc adsorption seat 41 is equipped with a limiting support frame 44 and a telescopic shaft 45. The limiting support frame 44 is arranged in a cross shape, and the telescopic shaft 45 is evenly distributed inside the limiting support frame 44. The lower end of each telescopic shaft 45 is fixedly connected to a branch adsorption tube 42. The lower surface of the branch adsorption tube 42 is evenly fixedly connected to an elastic lip 43. The elastic lip 43 is wavy and is used to adaptively fit the arc-shaped surface of the product body 14. The telescopic shaft 45 is an elastic telescopic rod structure that can adaptively adjust its length according to the surface undulations of the product body 14. The edge of the elastic lip 43 and the branch adsorption tube 42 are integrally formed, which can increase the sealing area when adsorbing the product body 14, and at the same time disperse the adsorption force to avoid scratching the coating on the product surface.

[0062] Specifically, based on the axial adjustment component 4 in Embodiment 2, when the drive component 13 determines that the product body 14 is qualified, it immediately controls the sorting module 3 to start. The parallel linkage arm 31 moves quickly to directly above the qualified product with high-speed positioning characteristics. During the high-speed horizontal movement of the parallel linkage arm 31, especially during the process of sudden stop and turn, significant inertial vibration will be generated. At this time, the connecting flexible shaft 47 swings slightly with the vibration, and the externally sleeved connecting spring 48 undergoes elastic deformation of stretching or compression simultaneously. It absorbs the vibration energy through its own elastic potential energy, avoiding the vibration from being directly transmitted to the disc adsorption seat 41 and the adsorption structure below. Compared with the rigid connection suction cup module in the prior art, this buffer design can reduce the vibration transmission rate during high-speed movement by more than 40%, effectively reducing the risk of product falling off, while protecting the adsorption component from fatigue damage caused by high-frequency vibration and extending the service life of the equipment.

[0063] Once the disc adsorption seat 41 is positioned above the product body 14, the wavy elastic lip 43 of the branch adsorption tube 42 first contacts the product surface, ensuring that the lip of each branch adsorption tube 42 fits tightly against the product surface. The wavy elastic lip 43 increases the sealing area to improve the sealing performance of vacuum adsorption, while dispersing the adsorption force to avoid scratching the product surface coating. Subsequently, the parallel connecting rod arm 31 drives the product body 14 to move quickly above the discharge conveyor belt 22. During this process, the disc adsorption seat 41 integrates the adsorption force of multiple branch adsorption tubes 42, so that the force is evenly distributed on the product surface, avoiding product deformation caused by local stress concentration. When the qualified product body 14 moves to the preset position of the discharge conveyor belt 22, the vacuum system stops supplying gas, and the branch adsorption tubes 42 release the product body 14, allowing it to be placed stably on the conveyor belt.

[0064] When the parallel connecting rod arm 31 moves vertically downwards towards the product body 14, the parallel and staggered connecting flexible shafts 47 and connecting springs 48 first work together in the vertical direction: the connecting springs 48 buffer the downward impact force through their own elastic deformation, avoiding scratches on the coating caused by hard contact between the branch adsorption tubes 42 and the product surface; the parallel and staggered layout makes the force of multiple sets of springs and flexible shafts evenly distributed between the fixed frame 46 and the drive end, and with the guiding effect of the connecting flexible shafts 47, it can ensure that the disc adsorption seat 41 always maintains a horizontal posture, avoiding tilting due to uneven force, and allowing the wavy elastic lips 43 of all branch adsorption tubes 42 to simultaneously adhere to the product surface, improving the uniformity and sealing of adsorption.

[0065] When the parallel connecting arm 31 moves horizontally at high speed, the parallel staggered structure is the core design for buffering horizontal inertial vibration: the horizontal inertial force will cause the disc adsorption seat 41 to have a displacement tendency relative to the drive end. At this time, the staggered connecting springs 48 will generate opposite elastic forces in both horizontal directions. For example, the left connecting spring 48 is stretched and the right connecting spring 48 is compressed, so that the horizontally staggered connecting springs 48 are deformed by force respectively, and absorb the horizontal vibration energy through elastic potential energy. The connecting flexible shaft 47, due to its parallel staggered layout, provides horizontal flexible buffering while restricting the circumferential rotation of the disc adsorption seat 41, avoiding adsorption offset caused by torsion. Compared with the single-direction buffering structure in the prior art, this design can reduce the horizontal vibration transmission rate by more than 50%, effectively reducing the risk of product falling off during high-speed movement.

[0066] When the component moves above the discharge conveyor belt 22 and the product is placed vertically downwards, the parallel and staggered connecting springs 48 once again play a buffering role in the vertical direction, preventing the impact force of the downward placement from causing product deformation. At the same time, in conjunction with the guiding role of the connecting flexible shaft 47, it can ensure that the disc adsorption seat 41 remains in a horizontal position, so that the product body 14 is placed stably on the conveyor belt, avoiding tilting or deviation, ensuring the regularity of discharge, and providing a stable foundation for subsequent interval conveying and downstream packaging operations.

[0067] Example 3: Based on Example 1, please refer to... Figure 9 - Figure 12 As shown, an air flotation component 5 is provided inside the feeding conveyor belt 21. The air flotation component 5 includes a through hole 51 and an external air outlet 52. The through holes 51 are equidistantly opened on the conveying surface of the feeding conveyor belt 21. The external air outlet 52 is located below the through holes 51, which are on the same vertical plane as the sorting module 3. The feeding conveyor belt 21 is symmetrically connected to the transmission wheels 53. A fixed shaft 54 ​​is fixedly connected to the side of the transmission wheels 53 that are close to each other. The outer wall of the fixed shaft 54 ​​is symmetrically equipped with bidirectional threaded rods 55. The outside of each bidirectional threaded rod 55 is threadedly connected to a threaded collar 56, and the bidirectional threaded rod 55 and the threaded collar 56 form a ball screw structure. An airflow duct 57 is assembled outside the threaded collar 56. The output end of the airflow duct 57 is sealed and connected to the external air outlet 52 to stabilize the transmission of airflow.

[0068] It should be noted that the bidirectional threaded rod 55 and the fixed shaft 54 ​​are integrally formed and rotate synchronously with the fixed shaft 54. The inner wall of the airflow duct 57 is provided with a guide groove corresponding to the position of the threaded collar 56. The threaded collar 56 is slidably connected to the airflow duct 57 through the guide groove, which restricts the circumferential rotation of the airflow duct 57 and only allows it to make axial displacement with the threaded collar 56. The airflow duct 57 is made of flexible metal material and can be adapted to the transmission curvature of the feed conveyor belt 21. A sealing joint is installed at the connection between the airflow duct 57 and the external air outlet 52 to prevent airflow leakage.

[0069] Specifically, based on the air flotation component 5 in Embodiment 3, after the equipment is started, the drive component 13 first triggers the feeding conveyor belt 21 to run at a constant speed. The transmission wheel 53 rotates synchronously with the conveyor belt and drives the fixed shaft 54 ​​to rotate. Since the bidirectional threaded rod 55 and the fixed shaft 54 ​​are integrally formed, they rotate synchronously. Through the ball screw structure, the threaded collar 56 is driven to move axially back and forth along the guide groove on the inner wall of the airflow duct 57. At this time, the overall position of the airflow duct 57 remains fixed, and only the threaded collar 56 moves inside it. The guide groove on the inner wall of the airflow duct 57 restricts the circumferential rotation of the threaded collar 56 and only allows it to move axially, providing a structural basis for the subsequent stable generation of airflow.

[0070] As the product body 14 is continuously conveyed by the feeding conveyor belt 21 to the upper part of the corresponding through hole 51 of the sorting module 3, the threaded collar 56 moves toward the end of the airflow duct 57 near the external air outlet 52. At this time, the axial movement of the threaded collar 56 will compress the air inside the airflow duct 57, causing the airflow to be ejected upward from the through hole 51 through the external air outlet 52 and act on the lower part of the product body 14. Regardless of whether the product test result is qualified or unqualified, it will be slightly lifted by the airflow and suspended in a floating state.

[0071] When the product body 14 leaves the sorting module 3 above the corresponding through hole 51 along the feeding conveyor belt 21, the threaded collar 56 moves in the opposite direction along the airflow duct 57. At this time, the position of the airflow inside the airflow duct 57 is completely offset from the product body 14 that has left, avoiding interference of the airflow with subsequent conveying. At the same time, the reverse-moving threaded collar 56 will replenish the airflow duct 57 with air, reserving airflow for the arrival of the next product. This offset design does not require additional valve control. The airflow can be triggered and cut off simply by the reciprocating movement of the threaded collar 56, simplifying the control logic of the equipment and reducing the number of failure points.

[0072] As the feeding conveyor belt 21 continues to operate, the subsequent product bodies 14 will move sequentially to the upper part of the corresponding through hole 51 of the sorting module 3. At this time, the threaded collar 56 moves again to the air delivery end of the airflow duct 57, compresses the internal air to generate airflow and acts on the lower part of the new product, repeating the suspension triggering action. During this cycle, the continuous rotation of the bidirectional threaded rod 55 drives the reciprocating movement of the threaded collar 56, so that the airflow duct 57 continuously generates intermittent airflow, and the airflow triggering timing is synchronized with the product conveying rhythm. The equidistant layout of the through holes 51 is adapted to the product placement spacing, ensuring that each product can be stably lifted by the airflow when passing through this position, providing stable suspension support for the subsequent sorting action.

[0073] When the equipment stops, the drive assembly 13 controls the feed conveyor belt 21 to stop running, the transmission wheel 53 and the fixed shaft 54 ​​stop rotating synchronously, and the threaded collar 56 is reset to the initial position of the airflow duct 57 under the drive of the ball screw structure, waiting for the next equipment start-up.

[0074] It is worth noting that, please refer to Figure 9 as well as Figure 13 As shown, the air flotation assembly 5 includes a three-way connecting pipe 58 and a drive cylinder 59. The external air inlet 52 is connected to the two output ends of the three-way connecting pipe 58. The output end of the drive cylinder 59 is mounted on the input end of the three-way connecting pipe 58, and the output shaft of the drive cylinder 59 and the input end of the three-way connecting pipe 58 form a piston structure. The drive cylinder 59 triggers the airflow to be ejected when the product body 14 arrives at the sorting station by cooperating with the airflow linkage control of the three-way connecting pipe 58.

[0075] Specifically, after the equipment is started, the feeding conveyor belt 21 runs continuously. The three-way connecting pipe 58 in the air flotation component 5 and the drive cylinder 59 enter the pre-preparation state synchronously. The piston structure of the drive cylinder 59 initially fits against the input end of the three-way connecting pipe 58 to form a seal to reduce no-load energy consumption. When the product body 14 arrives at the sorting station, the drive component 13 moves in conjunction with the drive cylinder 59, causing the output end of the drive cylinder 59 to move along the inner wall of the output end of the three-way connecting pipe 58 toward the external air inlet 52, ensuring that the generated gas is ejected from the through hole 51, making the product suspend. This provides low-friction conditions for the suction cup to grasp qualified products and avoids the surface defects of unqualified products from expanding due to friction.

[0076] After the product leaves the sorting station, the piston of the drive cylinder 59 quickly resets. The airflow generated during the reset phase is offset from the position of the product body 14 to avoid interfering with subsequent products. The entire process is achieved through the mechanical linkage between the three-way connecting pipe 58 and the drive cylinder 59, which simplifies the control logic and maintenance cost of the equipment. As the production line continues to operate, the air flotation component 5 will trigger this action cyclically, precisely synchronizing with the conveying rhythm to ensure efficient and stable operation of the equipment.

[0077] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A multifunctional visual product size sorting machine for performing size inspection on a product body (14), comprising a sorting machine body (1), wherein a size measuring instrument (11) is mounted on the inner side of the sorting machine body (1), characterized in that: The sorting machine body (1) is equipped with a conveying module (2) inside. The conveying module (2) includes a feeding conveyor belt (21) and a discharging conveyor belt (22). The top of the sorting machine body (1) is equipped with a sorting module (3). When the multifunctional visual product size sorting machine is working, the feeding conveyor belt (21) continuously transports the product body (14), the size detector (11) performs visual inspection on the product, and according to the inspection results, the sorting module (3) transfers the qualified product body (14) to the discharge conveyor belt (22). When the qualified products accumulate to a preset number, the discharge conveyor belt (22) moves a preset distance to reserve placement space. The unqualified product body (14) is directly transported to the end collection by the feeding conveyor belt (21). The outer wall of the sorting module (3) is provided with an axial adjustment component (4). The axial adjustment component (4) includes a disc suction seat (41) and a fixed frame (46). The disc suction seat (41) is assembled at the end of the parallel linkage arm (31). The fixed frame (46) is assembled at the upper end of the parallel linkage arm (31). A plurality of connecting flexible shafts (47) are fixedly connected between the fixed frame (46) and the driving end of the parallel linkage arm (31). A connecting spring (48) is sleeved on the outside of each connecting flexible shaft (47). The two ends of the connecting spring (48) are fixedly connected to the fixed frame (46) and the driving end of the parallel linkage arm (31), respectively. The inertial vibration of the parallel linkage arm (31) during horizontal movement is buffered by the coordinated cooperation of the connecting flexible shaft (47) and the connecting spring (48). The lower surface of the disc adsorption seat (41) is fitted with a limiting support frame (44) and a telescopic shaft (45). The limiting support frame (44) is arranged in a cross shape. The telescopic shaft (45) is evenly distributed inside the limiting support frame (44). The lower end of each telescopic shaft (45) is fixedly connected to a branch adsorption tube (42). The lower surface of the branch adsorption tube (42) is evenly fixedly connected to an elastic lip (43). The elastic lip (43) is wavy and is used to adaptively fit the arc surface of the product body (14). The telescopic shaft (45) is an elastic telescopic rod structure that can adaptively adjust its length according to the surface undulations of the product body (14). The elastic lip (43) and the edge of the branch adsorption tube (42) are integrally formed, which can increase the sealing area when adsorbing the product body (14) and at the same time disperse the adsorption force to avoid scratching the coating on the product surface.

2. The multifunctional visual product size sorting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sorting machine body (1) is equipped with a display instrument (12) for displaying the test results. The lower part of the sorting machine body (1) is equipped with a drive assembly (13), which is linked to the conveying module (2) and the sorting module (3).

3. The multifunctional visual product size sorting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sorting module (3) includes a parallel linkage arm (31) and a vacuum suction cup (32). The parallel linkage arm (31) is a multi-link symmetrical structure, and its end is rigidly connected to the vacuum suction cup (32). The vacuum suction cup (32) adopts a rectangular array layout, and the overall size and spacing of the suction cups are adapted to the center size of the product body (14).

4. The multifunctional visual product size sorting machine according to claim 1, characterized in that: An air flotation assembly (5) is provided inside the feeding conveyor belt (21). The air flotation assembly (5) includes a through hole (51) and an external air inlet (52). The through holes (51) are equidistantly opened on the conveying surface of the feeding conveyor belt (21). The external air inlet (52) is located below the through holes (51) which are on the same vertical plane as the sorting module (3). The feeding conveyor belt (21) is symmetrically connected with drive wheels (53). The drive wheels (53) are close to each other on one side. A fixed shaft (54) is fixedly connected. The outer wall of the fixed shaft (54) is symmetrically equipped with a bidirectional threaded rod (55). The outer side of the bidirectional threaded rod (55) is threaded with a threaded collar (56). The bidirectional threaded rod (55) and the threaded collar (56) form a ball screw structure. An airflow duct (57) is assembled on the outside of the threaded collar (56). The output end of the airflow duct (57) is sealed and connected to the external air outlet (52) for stable airflow conduction.

5. A multifunctional visual product size sorting machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bidirectional threaded rod (55) and the fixed shaft (54) are integrally formed and rotate synchronously with the fixed shaft (54). The inner wall of the airflow duct (57) is provided with a guide groove corresponding to the position of the threaded collar (56). The threaded collar (56) is slidably connected to the airflow duct (57) through the guide groove, which restricts the circumferential rotation of the airflow duct (57) and only allows it to make axial displacement with the threaded collar (56).

6. A multifunctional visual product size sorting machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The airflow duct (57) is made of flexible metal material and can be adapted to the transmission arc of the feed conveyor belt (21). The connection between the airflow duct (57) and the external air outlet (52) is equipped with a sealing joint to prevent airflow leakage.

7. A multifunctional visual product size sorting machine according to claim 4, characterized in that: The air flotation component (5) includes a three-way connecting pipe (58) and a drive cylinder (59). The external air inlet (52) is connected to the two output ends of the three-way connecting pipe (58). The output end of the drive cylinder (59) is mounted on the input end of the three-way connecting pipe (58). The output shaft of the drive cylinder (59) and the input end of the three-way connecting pipe (58) form a piston structure. The drive cylinder (59) triggers the airflow to spray out when the product body (14) arrives at the sorting station by cooperating with the airflow linkage control of the three-way connecting pipe (58).

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