A needle storage and needle ejector and an intelligent needle management cabinet

Abstract

The application discloses a machine needle storage and needle outlet device and a machine needle intelligent management cabinet. The machine needle storage and needle outlet device comprises a needle storage rotating structure, a base, a counting trigger element, a needle outlet mechanism and a circuit control board. The needle storage rotating structure is arranged above the base. The counting trigger element is arranged on one side of the needle storage rotating structure and is used for being triggered by the machine needle and generating a counting signal when the machine needle rotates through the needle storage rotating structure. The needle outlet mechanism is arranged on the base and below the needle storage rotating structure. The circuit control board is arranged below the base and is electrically connected with the counting trigger element and used for receiving and processing the counting signal. The counting trigger element cooperates with the circuit control board, one signal trigger corresponds to one machine needle, the number of machine needles passing through can be accurately counted and the inventory count is completed, and the accuracy of machine needle management is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of needle technology, specifically to a needle storage and dispensing device and a needle intelligent management cabinet. Background Technology

[0002] In processing industries such as clothing, bags, and textiles, machine needles are key consumables for equipment such as sewing machines and knitting machines. As the equipment operates at high speed, the needles will inevitably wear out, bend, or even break. In order to ensure the quality of sewing or knitting and the safe operation of the equipment, it is necessary to inspect and replace the needles regularly. Especially in the production line of multi-needle equipment, the management of the needles is particularly important.

[0003] Traditional needle management relies mainly on manual counting and dispensing. This method is inefficient and prone to omissions and errors, especially when needles are supplied in batches, making it difficult to meet the production needs of modern smart factories.

[0004] Therefore, existing manufacturers have designed a semi-automatic needle dispensing structure. The semi-automatic needle dispensing structure mainly consists of a needle storage chamber (usually a cylindrical or box-shaped container made of transparent plastic or metal), a gravity-type needle dispensing port at the bottom, and a simple mechanical lever. The needles are stored in the needle storage chamber in a stacked or loose manner. When a needle needs to be retrieved, the operator manually presses or rotates the external lever. When the lever moves to the lowest point or a specific position, it will move the bottom needle of the needle storage chamber, causing it to fall from the needle dispensing port. The operator can then catch the needle by hand below the needle dispensing port.

[0005] The existing needle delivery structure has the following problems in practical applications:

[0006] 1) Due to the small size, light weight and irregular shape of the needle, it relies on manual mechanical operation. The stability of the simple mechanical control is poor. The needle outlet channel is not closed tightly, which can cause the needle to be accidentally ejected. The needle is very likely to tilt or get stuck at the needle outlet. Once the needle is stuck, not only will it be unable to eject normally, but it may even damage the lever, which will not meet the requirements of the needle supply accuracy in automated production.

[0007] 2) It does not have a counting function, requires manual counting, has low accuracy, and is prone to errors. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to address the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a needle storage and dispensing device and a needle intelligent management cabinet that can realize automatic needle dispensing control, counting and detection of needle drop, improve the stability and efficiency of needle supply, meet the needs of automated production, and improve needle management efficiency.

[0009] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0010] On one hand, the present invention provides a needle storage and dispensing device, which includes a needle storage rotating structure for storing a plurality of needles, a base, a counting trigger element, a dispensing mechanism, and a circuit control board. The needle storage rotating structure is disposed above the base, and the counting trigger element is disposed on one side of the needle storage rotating structure for being triggered by the needles and generating a counting signal when the needle storage rotating structure drives the needles to rotate past. The dispensing mechanism is disposed on the base and located below the needle storage rotating structure, and the circuit control board is disposed below the base. The circuit control board is electrically connected to the counting trigger element and is used to receive and process the counting signal.

[0011] Furthermore, the needle storage rotating structure includes a needle storage disk and a rotating drive mechanism, wherein the rotating drive mechanism is disposed on the base and connected to the lower part of the needle storage disk.

[0012] Furthermore, the counting trigger element includes a trigger switch and an elastic contact piece, the elastic contact piece having a fixed end and a free end, the fixed end being mounted on the trigger switch, and the free end extending to the rotation path of the needle reservoir and intersecting the rotation trajectory of the needle.

[0013] Furthermore, the needle dispensing mechanism includes a needle dispensing channel, an opening and closing component, a power drive component, and a transmission mechanism disposed on the base. The opening and closing component is movably disposed below the base and is also located at the bottom of the dispensing channel. The transmission mechanism is connected to the power output end of the power drive component and is drively connected to the opening and closing component. The circuit control board is electrically connected to the power drive component.

[0014] Furthermore, the rotary drive assembly includes a rotary drive component and a transmission wheel. The rotary drive component is connected to the transmission wheel. The lower edge of the needle storage disk is provided with a toothed structure that cooperates with the transmission wheel. The needle storage disk meshes with the transmission wheel through the toothed structure. The rotary drive component drives the needle storage disk to rotate through the transmission wheel and the toothed structure. The rotary drive component is electrically connected to the circuit control board.

[0015] Furthermore, the needle storage and dispensing device includes a detection element, which is disposed below the base and electrically connected to the circuit control board.

[0016] Furthermore, the detection element includes a non-contact sensor and a detection through hole disposed on the non-contact sensor. The non-contact sensor is disposed below the base and is also located below the power drive component of the needle dispensing mechanism. The detection through hole corresponds to the position of the needle dispensing channel on the base.

[0017] Furthermore, the needle storage and dispensing device includes a control compartment, which is fixed below the base. The control compartment has an internal accommodating space, and the circuit control board is fixed to the accommodating space of the control compartment.

[0018] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a smart needle management cabinet, which includes a cabinet body and an identification unit, a control system, a needle storage compartment, and a needle retrieval compartment disposed on the cabinet body. The needle storage compartment has a receiving space for storing a needle storage and dispensing device. The bottom of the receiving space has a needle drop opening adapted to the bottom of the needle storage and dispensing device. The needle retrieval compartment is located below the needle storage compartment and is connected to the needle drop opening of the needle storage compartment for receiving needles released from the needle storage and dispensing device and falling through the needle drop opening. The waste needle recycling port is located above the waste needle recycling compartment and is connected to the waste needle recycling compartment. The control system is wirelessly connected to the circuit control board of the needle storage and dispensing device.

[0019] Furthermore, the identity recognition unit includes at least one of a face recognition camera, a fingerprint recognition module, or a card reader, used to identify the operator's identity and authorize use.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] 1) The needle storage and dispensing device of the present invention includes a needle storage rotating structure, a base, a counting trigger element, a needle dispensing mechanism, and a circuit control board. The needle storage rotating structure is disposed above the base, and the counting trigger element is disposed on one side of the needle storage rotating structure. It is used to be triggered by the needle as the needle storage rotating structure rotates past the rotating needle, generating a counting signal. The needle dispensing mechanism is disposed on the base and below the needle storage rotating structure. The circuit control board is disposed below the base and is electrically connected to the counting trigger element, used to receive and process the counting signal. The present invention, through the cooperation of the counting trigger element and the needle storage rotating structure, allows the needle to touch the counting trigger element when rotating with the needle storage rotating structure, thus achieving on / off switching and generating a counting signal. The counting signal is directly transmitted to the circuit control board. Through the cooperation of the counting trigger element and the circuit control board, each needle corresponds to one signal trigger, which can accurately count the number of needles passing through and complete inventory counting, ensuring the accuracy of needle management.

[0022] 2) The intelligent needle management cabinet of the present invention includes a cabinet body and an identification unit, a control system, a needle storage compartment, and a needle retrieval compartment mounted on the cabinet body. The needle storage compartment has a space for storing needles from the needle storage device. The bottom of the space has a needle drop opening adapted to the bottom of the needle storage device. The needle retrieval compartment is located below the needle storage compartment and is connected to the needle drop opening. It receives needles released from the needle storage device and falling through the drop opening. A waste needle recycling port is located above and connected to the waste needle recycling compartment. This invention uses a control system to automatically dispense and inventory needles from the needle storage device, achieving automation and informatization of needle issuance. This reduces manual inventory and recording workload, eliminates the risk of needle pricks caused by careless discarding of waste needles, and ensures operator safety. Through accurate issuance and traceable management, it reduces needle loss and misuse, making it highly suitable for production sites such as textile and garment manufacturing and leather processing where needles are frequently used. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the needle storage and dispensing device of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the needle storage and dispensing device of the present invention from another angle;

[0025] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the structure of the needle storage and dispensing device of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0026] Figure 4 This is an exploded view of the structure of the needle storage and dispensing device of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0027] Figure 5 This diagram illustrates the relationship between the needle storage rotating structure, the base, the counting trigger element, and the needle dispensing mechanism of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0028] Figure 6 This diagram illustrates the relationship between the needle storage rotating structure, the base, the counting trigger element, and the needle dispensing mechanism of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0029] Figure 7 This is an exploded view of the rotating needle storage structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the base and the needle-emitting mechanism of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the base and the needle-emitting mechanism of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0032] Figure 10This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the base of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 11 This is a block diagram of the various circuit modules of the circuit control board of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the intelligent needle management cabinet of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the intelligent needle management cabinet of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the signal flow direction of the control system of the present invention.

[0037] The diagram shows: 1. Rotary needle storage structure; 11. Needle storage plate; 111. Needle groove; 112. Toothed structure; 12. Rotary drive mechanism; 121. Rotary drive component; 122. Transmission wheel; 2. Base; 21. First mounting cavity; 22. Second mounting cavity; 23. Third mounting cavity; 24. Fourth mounting cavity; 3. Counting trigger element; 31. Trigger switch; 32. Elastic contact piece; 4. Needle dispensing mechanism; 41. Needle dispensing channel; 42. Opening and closing component; 43. Power drive component; 44. Transmission mechanism; 5. Circuit control board; 6. Control compartment; 7. Detection element; 71. Non-contact sensor; 72. Detection through hole; 8. Intelligent needle management cabinet; 81. Cabinet body; 82. Identification unit; 83. Control system; 831. Main controller; 832. Operation display screen; 84. Needle storage compartment; 841. Accommodation space; 85. Needle retrieval compartment; 851. Needle retrieval door; 86. Waste needle recycling port; 87. Waste needle recycling compartment. Detailed Implementation

[0038] 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.

[0039] like Figures 1-11As shown, Embodiment 1 of the present invention provides a needle storage and dispensing device. The needle storage and dispensing device includes a needle storage rotating structure 1 for storing a plurality of needles, a base 2, a counting trigger element 3, a dispensing mechanism 4, and a circuit control board 5. The needle storage rotating structure 1 is disposed above the base 2. The counting trigger element 3 is disposed on one side of the needle storage rotating structure 1 and is used to be triggered by the needles when the needle storage rotating structure 1 drives the needles to rotate and generate a counting signal. The dispensing mechanism 4 is disposed on the base 2 and located below the needle storage rotating structure 1. The circuit control board 5 is disposed below the base 2 and is electrically connected to the counting trigger element 3 for receiving and processing the counting signal. This invention utilizes a counting trigger element 3 in conjunction with a needle storage rotating structure 1. As the needle rotates with the needle storage rotating structure 1, it touches the counting trigger element 3 to achieve on / off switching, generating a counting signal. This signal is directly transmitted to the circuit control board 5. Through the interaction of the counting trigger element 3 and the circuit control board 5, each needle corresponds to one signal trigger, accurately counting the number of needles passed and completing inventory counting, ensuring the accuracy of needle management. The needle storage and dispensing device of this invention can count accurately, with high precision and strong stability, effectively avoiding omissions and errors. It provides accurate data support for needle inventory management, improving needle management efficiency and automation, avoiding errors from manual counting. Simultaneously, the needle dispensing mechanism 4 automatically dispenses needles, preventing needle jamming or abnormal falling that could lead to needle obstruction or needle retention, ensuring the smoothness and safety of the production process.

[0040] The needle storage rotating structure 1 of the present invention includes a needle storage disk 11 and a rotating drive mechanism 12. The rotating drive mechanism 12 is disposed on a base 2 and connected to the lower part of the needle storage disk 11. The needle storage disk 11 is rotatably disposed above the base 2. The rotating drive assembly includes a rotating drive component 121 and a transmission wheel 122. The rotating drive component 121 is connected to the transmission wheel 122. The lower edge of the needle storage disk 11 is provided with a toothed structure 112 that meshes with the transmission wheel 122. The needle storage disk 11 engages with the transmission wheel 122 through the toothed structure 112. The rotating drive component 121 drives the needle storage disk 11 to rotate through the transmission wheel 122 and the toothed structure 112. The rotating drive component 121 is electrically connected to a circuit control board 5. In a specific implementation, multiple needle grooves 111 for accommodating machine needles are evenly distributed along the circumferential edge of the needle storage disk 11. The needle storage tray 11 can be designed with the number of needle slots 111 according to the actual needs of needle storage, adapting to the storage needs of different specifications and quantities of needles, and can be widely used in needle output scenarios of various sewing equipment.

[0041] In this embodiment, the rotary drive 121 is a micro motor. When the needle storage plate 11 rotates, and a needle in a needle slot 111 on the needle storage plate 11 passes through, the lower end of the needle will touch the elastic contact 32 on the trigger switch 31, causing it to deform and triggering the trigger switch 31 to close. When the needle moves away from the elastic contact 32 on the trigger switch 31, the trigger switch 31 opens. Each closing and opening of the trigger switch 31 is a level transition in the circuit, i.e., a pulse signal. The number of this pulse signal directly corresponds to the number of needles that have passed through. This pulse signal is the counting signal of the counting trigger element 3, which can realize the function of automatically calculating the number of needles in the needle storage device.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bottom of the needle groove 111 on the circumferential edge of the needle storage plate 11 is provided with a hollow structure so that the needle can fall under the action of gravity at the needle outlet channel 41. The needle moves synchronously when it rotates with the needle storage plate 11, so that the needle can touch the elastic contact 32 when it passes the counting trigger element 3, ensuring that each needle can trigger the counting signal and improve the counting accuracy.

[0043] The counting trigger element 3 of the present invention includes a trigger switch 31 and an elastic contact 32. The elastic contact 32 has a fixed end and a free end. The fixed end is mounted on the trigger switch 31, and the free end extends to the rotation path of the needle storage disk 11 and intersects with the rotation trajectory of the needle. When the needle rotates with the needle storage rotating structure 1 to the trigger switch 31, the needle presses the elastic contact 32 and causes it to displace, thereby triggering the internal contacts of the trigger switch 31 to close and open, realizing the output of counting pulses by the trigger switch 31. In specific implementation, the trigger switch 31 of the present invention has a contact, and the fixed end of the elastic contact 32 is arranged opposite to the contact. When the needle rotates with the needle storage disk 11 to the free end of the elastic contact 32, the needle presses the elastic contact 32, causing the elastic contact 32 to act on the contact, causing the trigger switch 31 to generate a counting signal.

[0044] To achieve the needle ejection function, this invention includes a needle ejection mechanism 4. The needle ejection mechanism 4 comprises a vertically penetrating needle ejection channel 41 located at the base 2, an opening / closing member 42, a power drive member 43, and a transmission mechanism 44. The opening / closing member 42 is movably disposed below the base 2 and is also located at the bottom of the ejection channel. The transmission mechanism 44 is connected to the power output end of the power drive member 43, and the transmission mechanism 44 is drively connected to the opening / closing member 42. Driven by the power drive member 43, the transmission mechanism 44 drives the opening / closing member 42 to slide to the position of closing the outlet of the ejection channel. The circuit control board 5 is electrically connected to the power drive member 43 and is used to receive detection signals for counting and controlling needle ejection. In this embodiment, the opening / closing member 42 is located at the bottom outlet of the needle ejection channel 41. The power drive member 43 is a micro motor, the transmission mechanism 44 is a drive gear fixedly connected to the power output shaft of the power drive member 43, and the opening / closing member 42 is a rack and pinion, with the drive gear fixed to the power output shaft of the power drive member 43. When the power drive component 43 is started to rotate, the power drive component 43 will drive the drive gear to rotate, and the drive gear will drive the opening and closing component 42 to perform linear reciprocating motion, thereby causing the opening and closing component 42 to slide at the bottom of the base 2.

[0045] In specific implementation, when the power drive component 43 rotates clockwise, it drives the drive gear to rotate clockwise, so that the drive gear drives the rack to move to the right, blocking the needle outlet channel 41 and closing it. When the power drive component 43 rotates counterclockwise, it drives the drive gear to rotate counterclockwise, driving the rack to move to the left, away from the needle outlet channel 41, thus opening the needle outlet channel 41. At this time, the needle above the outlet channel can fall off due to gravity. This invention achieves precise linear control of the opening and closing of the needle outlet channel 41 through the needle outlet mechanism 4 composed of the power drive component 43, the transmission gear, and the rack. The reciprocating motion of the rack directly acts on the needle outlet channel 41, and its blocking action is more stable and reliable compared to traditional levers or rotating baffles. When closed, the rack tightly blocks the needle outlet channel 41, ensuring that needles will not fall accidentally when the needle storage tray 11 rotates to select needles. When the needle groove 111 rotates to a specific position with the needle storage tray 11 and the needle outlet channel 41 is open, the needle outlet channel 41 of the base 2 and the needle groove 111 are on the same axis. At this time, the rack completely exits the needle outlet channel 41, without obstructing it, ensuring the smooth flow of the needles and effectively avoiding needle jamming caused by interference from the material blocking mechanism. Through the cooperation of the needle outlet mechanism 4 and the circuit control board 5, precise switching control of the needle outlet channel 41 is achieved. The circuit control board 5 can automatically control the needle outlet action based on the counting results and the drop detection signal, realizing the integration of counting and needle outlet without manual intervention, improving production efficiency and meeting the needs of automated production.

[0046] In a specific implementation, the base 2 of the present invention is provided with a first mounting cavity 21 for accommodating a power drive component 43 and a drive gear, a second mounting cavity 22 for accommodating an opening and closing component 42 (i.e., a rack), a third mounting cavity 23 for accommodating a rotation drive component 121, and a fourth mounting cavity 24 for accommodating a counting trigger element 3. The first mounting cavity 21 is located at the upper end of the second mounting cavity 22, the power drive component 43 is built into the first mounting cavity 21 of the base 2, and the counting trigger element 3 is located on one side of the needle storage plate 11 and built into the fourth mounting cavity 24 of the base 2.

[0047] The needle storage and dispensing device of the present invention includes a detection element 7, which is disposed below the base 2 and electrically connected to the circuit control board 5. The detection element 7 includes a non-contact sensor 71 and a detection through-hole 72 disposed on the non-contact sensor 71. The non-contact sensor 71 is disposed below the base 2 and is also located below the power drive member 43 of the needle dispensing mechanism 4. The detection through-hole 72 corresponds to the position of the needle dispensing channel 41 on the base 2, in order to detect whether a needle has passed through the needle dispensing channel 41. In this embodiment, the non-contact sensor 71 is preferably a ring proximity switch sensor, which is disposed below the base 2. The power drive component 43 of the needle dispensing mechanism 4 is fixed to the upper end face of the non-contact sensor 71. The detection through hole 72 provided on the non-contact sensor 71 coincides with the central axis of the needle dispensing channel 41, ensuring that when the needle falls from the needle dispensing channel 41, it can pass smoothly through the detection through hole 72. Only when the needle passes through the detection through hole 72 can it be identified, thus ensuring the reliability of the needle dispensing detection.

[0048] In other embodiments, the non-contact sensor 71 of the present invention can also use an existing metal detection sensor. The working principle of the metal detection sensor is as follows: the oscillator inside the metal detection sensor generates an alternating magnetic field. When a metal needle passes through the detection through hole 72 (i.e., enters the detection area), eddy currents are generated on the surface of the needle, causing the oscillation state of the oscillator to change. The signal processing circuit inside the metal detection sensor converts the changed signal into a switching signal and transmits it to the circuit control board 5. If the needle does not fall normally (e.g., it is stuck in the needle outlet channel 41), the metal detection sensor cannot detect the change in eddy currents, and the metal detection sensor outputs an abnormal signal to the circuit control board 5.

[0049] The needle storage and dispensing device of the present invention includes a control compartment 6, which is fixed below the base 2. The control compartment 6 has an internal accommodating space 841, and a circuit control board 5 is fixed in the accommodating space 841 of the control compartment 6. By fixing the circuit control board 5 inside the control compartment 6 and arranging the components in an orderly manner on the base 2, the overall structure is compact and small in size, reducing the space occupied by the device installation.

[0050] In this embodiment, the circuit control board 5 integrates a main control chip, a wireless communication module, an input detection circuit, a motor drive module, an LED display drive module, and a power supply module. The main control chip is electrically connected to the wireless communication module, the input detection circuit, the motor drive module, the LED display drive module, and the power supply module. The main control chip is an STM32F407VET6, which has a built-in timer input capture pin. The wireless communication module is an ESP8266 wireless module, which is electrically connected to the main control chip via a UART serial port. The input detection circuit includes an optocoupler electrically connected to a contact switch. The isolated input interface and the level conversion interface electrically connected to the ring proximity switch are connected to the output of the input detection circuit, which is connected to the timer input capture pin of the main control chip. The motor drive module uses a TMC2208 driver chip, whose STEP and DIR pins are electrically connected to the GPIO pins of the main control chip, and whose UART interface is electrically connected to another UART peripheral of the main control chip. Its output is electrically connected to the power drive component 43 (i.e., the micro motor) and the rotation drive component 121 (i.e., the micro motor) to control the operation of the power drive component 43 and the rotation drive component 121 to realize the pin-out operation. The input of the LED display driver module is electrically connected to the SPI interface of the main control chip, and the output of the LED display driver module is used to connect to the LED indicator. The power supply module converts the external DC voltage into multiple stable voltages to power the main control chip, the wireless communication module, the input detection circuit, the motor drive module, and the LED display driver module.

[0051] In its specific implementation, the main control chip of this invention uses an STM32F407VET6, equipped with 17 timers, including an advanced PWM timer, suitable for motor control, precise timing, and other scenarios. It integrates three 12-bit ADCs and two 12-bit DACs, supporting multi-channel data acquisition and analog signal output. The main control chip is electrically connected to a contact switch via its internal timer input capture pin to receive on / off signals and complete needle counting. The wireless communication module uses an ESP8266 wireless module, electrically connected to the main control chip via a UART serial port. It is also used for data interaction with the control system 83 of the intelligent needle management cabinet 8, receiving needle retrieval commands, uploading counting results, and status information. The optocoupler isolation input interface uses a PC817 optocoupler to achieve electrical isolation and improve anti-interference capability. The level conversion interface uses a voltage comparator circuit to shape the output signal of the ring proximity switch sensor before inputting it to the main control chip. The output of the input detection circuit is connected to the timer input capture pin of the main control chip to achieve hardware counting of pulse signals.

[0052] The LED display driver module of this invention includes a 74HC595 serial-to-parallel converter chip electrically connected to the SPI interface of the main control chip. This chip can drive multiple LED indicators. The LED display driver module controls the on / off state and color of the LED indicators according to the instructions of the main control chip to indicate the device status. In this embodiment, green indicates normal operation, red indicates missing needles, blue indicates a fault, and flashing indicates needle dispensing. The LED indicators are used to display the status information corresponding to the number of needles, allowing operators to promptly grasp the status of the needles in the needle storage and dispensing device. The power supply module converts the externally input 24V DC voltage into multiple stable voltages: the LM2596 DC-DC step-down chip converts 24V to 5V to power the ring proximity switch sensor and motor drive module; the AMS1117-3.3 LDO chip converts 5V to 3.3V to power the main control chip, wireless communication module, etc. This invention, through the cooperation of the circuit control board 5 with the counting trigger element 3, detection element 7, rotation drive element 121, and power drive element 43, achieves precise control counting and automatic needle dispensing of the needle storage and dispensing device.

[0053] like Figures 12-14 As shown, the present invention also provides a smart needle management cabinet 8, which includes a cabinet body 81 and an identification unit 82, a control system 83, a needle storage compartment 84, and a needle retrieval compartment 85 disposed on the cabinet body 81. The needle storage compartment 84 is provided with a accommodating space 841 for storing a needle storage and dispensing device. The bottom of the accommodating space 841 is provided with a needle drop opening adapted to the bottom of the needle storage and dispensing device. The needle retrieval compartment 85 is located below the needle storage compartment 84 and is connected to the needle drop opening of the needle storage compartment 84 for receiving needles released from the needle storage and dispensing device and falling through the needle drop opening. The waste needle recycling port 86 is located above the waste needle recycling compartment 87 and is connected to the waste needle recycling compartment 87. The control system 83 is wirelessly connected to the circuit control board 5 of the needle storage and dispensing device. In this embodiment, the identification unit 82 and the control system 83 are located on the upper part of the cabinet 81, the needle retrieval chamber 85 is located on the lower part of the cabinet 81 and below the needle storage chamber 84, and the waste needle recycling port 86 and the waste needle recycling chamber 87 are located in the lower area of ​​the cabinet 81. The cabinet 81 is made of cold-rolled steel plate by bending and welding, and the surface is sprayed. The overall structure is a vertical cabinet 81, which has good stability and aesthetics.

[0054] This invention uses a control system 83 to automatically dispense and inventory needles from a needle storage device, thus automating and informatizing needle issuance. This reduces the workload of manual inventory and recording, eliminates the risk of needle pricks caused by careless disposal of waste needles, and ensures operator safety. Through precise issuance and traceable management, it reduces the loss and misuse of needles. It is highly suitable for production sites such as textile and garment manufacturing and leather processing that require frequent use of needles, and has promising market application prospects.

[0055] The identity recognition unit 82 includes a face recognition camera for identifying and authorizing the use of operators. The face recognition camera and control system 83 are fixed to the upper front side of the cabinet 81. The face recognition camera is used to capture the operator's facial image and compare it with the pre-stored face template in the control system 83 to achieve identity verification.

[0056] In other embodiments, the identity recognition unit 82 may also employ a fingerprint recognition module or a card reader to meet identity verification requirements in different scenarios.

[0057] In this embodiment of the invention, the needle storage compartment 84 is located in the middle of the cabinet 81, and a transparent door that can be opened is provided on its front side to facilitate observation of the internal situation. Several accommodating spaces 841 are arranged in an array in the needle storage compartment 84. Each accommodating space 841 contains a needle storage and dispensing device. The bottom of each accommodating space 841 is provided with a needle drop port that matches the bottom of the needle storage and dispensing device. The needles dispensed by the needle storage and dispensing device fall from the needle drop port to the needle retrieval compartment 85 below. The needle retrieval compartment 85 is located below the needle storage compartment 84 and is fixedly connected to the cabinet 81. A needle retrieval door 851 is provided on the front side of the needle retrieval compartment 85. The needle retrieval door 851 is set as a transparent observation door to facilitate observation of the internal needle collection situation. The waste needle recycling compartment 87 is located in the lower right part of the cabinet 81. The waste needle recycling port 86 is located at the upper end of the waste needle recycling compartment 87. The waste needle recycling port 86 is connected to the waste needle recycling compartment 87 through an inclined slide.

[0058] The circuit control board 5 of the needle storage and dispensing device of the present invention receives the counting pulse signal of the trigger switch 31 to accumulate the number of dispensing needles; receives the detection signal of the ring proximity switch sensor to confirm that the needle has fallen normally; and indicates the status of the device (such as normal, missing needles, malfunction, etc.) according to the instructions sent by the control system 83.

[0059] The needle ejection control process of the needle storage and ejector is as follows:

[0060] The control system 83 issues a needle command. Upon receiving the command, the circuit control board 5 of the needle storage and dispensing device drives the rotary drive 121 to rotate the needle storage tray 11. When the needle on the needle storage tray 11 passes the elastic contact 32 of the trigger switch 31, it closes the elastic contact 32. When the needle leaves the elastic contact 32 of the trigger switch 31, it opens the contact switch. At this time, the circuit control board 5 controls the power drive 43 to drive the opening and closing member 42 to open the needle dispensing channel 41. The needle falls freely from the needle dispensing channel 41. When the needle falls, it passes the detection through hole 72 of the ring proximity switch sensor. The main control chip of the circuit control board 5 compares the number of times the contact switch opens and closes with the number of needles detected by the ring proximity switch sensor to confirm whether the needle has fallen normally, and thus determines whether the needle storage tray 11 dispenses needles accurately.

[0061] The control system 83 of the present invention includes a main controller 831 and an operation display screen 832. The main controller 831 is electrically connected to the operation display screen 832. The main controller 831 is connected to the circuit control board 5 of multiple needle storage and dispensing devices through an internal communication bus. In this embodiment of the invention, the operation display screen 832 is preferably a 21.5-inch capacitive touch screen with a resolution of 1920×1080. It displays images via HDMI and transmits touch signals via USB. The main controller 831 module adopts an industrial-grade embedded motherboard (model RK3399). This embedded motherboard integrates a six-core 64-bit CPU (dual-core Cortex-A72 + quad-core Cortex-A53), a Mali-T864 GPU, and 4GB of LPDDR4 memory, and runs an Android / Linux operating system. The main controller 831 module is installed on the cabinet 81 and runs needle management software, which is responsible for data processing, instruction issuance, and other operations.

[0062] The main controller 831 module of the present invention includes the following interfaces:

[0063] Dual-band Wi-Fi module (2.4G / 5G) and gigabit Ethernet interface for connecting to enterprise LAN;

[0064] The HDMI interface connects to the 832 operation display screen for interface display.

[0065] Connect the face recognition camera via USB interface;

[0066] Multiple RS485 and CAN interfaces are provided for connecting internal devices.

[0067] Multiple GPIO interfaces are used to control relays and read digital sensors.

[0068] The internal communication bus of the control system 83 adopts RS485 industrial bus, which has the advantages of long transmission distance, strong anti-interference ability and support for multiple nodes. In order to realize centralized control of each needle storage and dispensing device, the main controller 831 and the circuit control board 5 of each needle storage and dispensing device are connected to form a master-slave communication network through RS485 bus. The main controller 831 acts as the network host, and the circuit control board 5 of each needle storage and dispensing device acts as the network slave node. Each node is assigned a unique bus address. The bus is laid with shielded twisted pair cable, and 120Ω terminating matching resistors are connected in parallel at both ends to eliminate signal reflection and ensure the reliability of long-distance communication.

[0069] In a specific implementation, the circuit control board 5 of this invention also integrates a TTL to RS485 interface module. This TTL to RS485 interface module includes an RS485 transceiver chip (preferably MAX485) and its peripheral circuitry. The differential signal terminals (A, B) of the RS485 transceiver chip are connected to the RS485 bus of the control system 83, and the TTL terminal is connected to the UART pin of the main control chip. In this embodiment, the ESP8266 wireless module of the circuit control board 5 is configured in serial port pass-through mode, and its Wi-Fi function is disabled. The ESP8266 wireless module acts as a transparent transmission bridge between the TTL level and the RS485 module, forwarding the serial data sent by the main control chip to the RS485 bus without distortion, and forwarding the data received by the RS485 bus to the main control chip.

[0070] The main controller 831 communicates with the circuit control boards 5 of each needle storage and dispensing device using the Modbus RTU protocol. The main controller 831 communicates with the circuit control boards 5 of each needle storage and dispensing device through polling to read counting data, issue needle dispensing commands, configure parameters, etc.

[0071] In terms of communication protocol, the system adopts the standard Modbus RTU protocol. The master controller 831 sequentially accesses each slave node in a polling manner, sending messages containing information such as pin retrieval commands and configuration parameters. To implement this protocol in hardware, the master control chip of each circuit control board 5 has a Modbus slave protocol stack programmed into it and is assigned a unique bus address. When the master controller 831 sends a command, the circuit control board 5 will only parse and execute the command (such as driving pin retrieval) if the address in the command matches the address of the circuit control board 5 itself. The circuit control board 5 will then encapsulate the actual number of pins retrieval, working status, and other data into a response message and return it to the master controller 831 via the RS485 bus. All bus communication follows the Modbus protocol data unit format to ensure the accuracy and reliability of command transmission.

[0072] The array consists of multiple needle storage and dispensing units, the number of which can be flexibly configured according to the specifications of the cabinet 81 (e.g., 16, 32, or 64). Each needle storage and dispensing unit corresponds to a specific model of needle and acts as an independent node on the bus, realizing distributed control and centralized management of needles of multiple specifications. The main controller 831 uniformly manages all needle storage and dispensing units, identification units 82, and operation display screens 832, realizing intelligent management of the entire process from identification, command issuance, automatic needle dispensing, accurate counting, status display to waste needle recycling.

[0073] The working process of the intelligent needle management cabinet 8 of the present invention is as follows:

[0074] First, the operator stands in front of the intelligent needle management cabinet 8, and the facial recognition camera automatically captures facial images and identifies the operator's identity.

[0075] Secondly, after the verification is successful, the control system 83 enters the operation interface, which displays the available needle models and quantities. The operator selects the required needle model and quantity and clicks to confirm needle collection.

[0076] Then, the control system 83 sends a signal to the circuit control board 5 of the needle storage and dispensing device in the corresponding accommodating space 841 according to the instruction. The circuit control board 5 controls the rotary drive 121 to drive the needle storage plate 11 to rotate. The circuit control board 5 also controls the power drive 43 to run, so that the power drive 43 drives the opening and closing member 42 to move, opening the needle dispensing channel 41 and releasing a specified number of needles from the needle slot 111 of the needle storage plate 11. The needles fall freely through the needle dispensing channel 41 to the needle drop outlet, and then fall from the needle drop outlet to the needle collection chamber 85. The needle dispensing process is detected in real time by the trigger switch 31 and the ring proximity switch sensor. The circuit control board 5 feeds back the actual number of needles dispensed to the control system 83.

[0077] Next, after the needle is dispensed, the operator opens the needle retrieval door 851 to remove the needle; if there is a discarded needle, the operator can put it into the discarded needle recycling port 86, and the discarded needle falls into the discarded needle recycling bin 87 through the slide.

[0078] Finally, the control system 83 sends an inventory command to the circuit control board 5 of the needle storage and dispensing device. After receiving the command, the circuit control board 5 drives the rotary drive 121 to rotate the needle storage tray 11. When the needle on the needle storage tray 11 passes the elastic contact 32 of the trigger switch 31, it closes the elastic contact 32 of the trigger switch 31. When the needle leaves the elastic contact 32 of the trigger switch 31, it opens the contact switch. Each closing and opening of the trigger switch 31 is a pulse signal. At this time, the number of needles counted is increased by 1. This process is repeated to achieve accurate counting of the needles.

[0079] The present invention has been described in detail above. The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. All equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the scope of this application should still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A needle storage and dispensing device, characterized in that: The needle storage and dispensing device includes a needle storage rotating structure for storing a plurality of needles, a base, a counting trigger element, a needle dispensing mechanism, and a circuit control board. The needle storage rotating structure is disposed above the base, and the counting trigger element is disposed on one side of the needle storage rotating structure. It is used to be triggered by the needles and generate a counting signal when the needle storage rotating structure drives the needles to rotate past. The needle dispensing mechanism is disposed on the base and located below the needle storage rotating structure. The circuit control board is disposed below the base and electrically connected to the counting trigger element. It is used to receive and process the counting signal.

2. The needle storage and dispensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The needle storage rotating structure includes a needle storage disk and a rotating drive mechanism, which is located on the base and connected to the bottom of the needle storage disk.

3. The needle storage and ejector device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The counting trigger element includes a trigger switch and an elastic contact. The elastic contact has a fixed end and a free end. The fixed end is mounted on the trigger switch, and the free end extends to the rotation path of the needle reservoir and intersects with the rotation trajectory of the needle.

4. The needle storage and dispensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The needle dispensing mechanism includes a needle dispensing channel, an opening and closing component, a power drive component, and a transmission mechanism disposed on a base. The opening and closing component is movably disposed below the base and is also located at the bottom of the dispensing channel. The transmission mechanism is connected to the power output end of the power drive component and is drively connected to the opening and closing component. The circuit control board is electrically connected to the power drive component.

5. The needle storage and dispensing device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The rotary drive assembly includes a rotary drive component and a transmission wheel. The rotary drive component is connected to the transmission wheel. The lower edge of the needle storage plate is provided with a toothed structure that cooperates with the transmission wheel. The needle storage plate meshes with the transmission wheel through the toothed structure. The rotary drive component drives the needle storage plate to rotate through the transmission wheel and the toothed structure. The rotary drive component is electrically connected to the circuit control board.

6. The needle storage and ejector device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The needle storage and dispensing device includes a detection element, which is disposed below the base and electrically connected to the circuit control board.

7. The needle storage and ejector device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The detection element includes a non-contact sensor and a detection through hole disposed on the non-contact sensor. The non-contact sensor is disposed below the base and is also located below the power drive component of the needle dispensing mechanism. The detection through hole corresponds to the position of the needle dispensing channel on the base.

8. The needle storage and dispensing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The needle storage and dispensing device includes a control compartment, which is fixed below the base. The control compartment has an internal accommodating space, and the circuit control board is fixed to the accommodating space of the control compartment.

9. A smart needle management cabinet, characterized in that: The intelligent needle management cabinet includes a cabinet body and an identification unit, a control system, a needle storage compartment, and a needle retrieval compartment mounted on the cabinet body. The needle storage compartment has a space for storing the needle storage and dispensing device, and the bottom of the space has a needle drop opening that matches the bottom of the needle storage and dispensing device. The needle retrieval compartment is located below the needle storage compartment and is connected to the needle drop opening of the needle storage compartment. It is used to receive needles released from the needle storage and dispensing device and falling through the needle drop opening. The waste needle recycling port is located above the waste needle recycling compartment and is connected to the waste needle recycling compartment. The control system is wirelessly connected to the circuit control board of the needle storage and dispensing device.

10. The intelligent needle management cabinet according to claim 9, characterized in that: The identity recognition unit includes at least one of a face recognition camera, a fingerprint recognition module, or a card reader, and is used to identify the operator's identity and authorize use.

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