Liquid cooling assembly multi-aspect appearance synchronous detection device and method

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of liquid cooling assembly multidirectional appearance synchronous detection equipment and method, it is related to industrial automation visual inspection technical field.The equipment includes rack, fixture transfer platform, four-way vision mechanism, front air knife assembly, multi-axis micro-distance probe module and mobile air needle assembly;Four-way vision mechanism includes top vision module, bottom vision module and two lateral vision modules;Front air knife assembly is arranged at the entrance of detection station, including lifting frame and airflow nozzle;Mobile air needle assembly is arranged at one side of fixture transfer platform, and recessed structure can be fixed-pointed swept;Multi-axis micro-distance probe module is arranged at the other side, and micro camera probe can be driven to extend into fluid connector interior and probe.This application removes surface and internal impurities by air knife and air needle two-stage cleaning system, realizes full coverage of outer surface and internal blind area detection by combining four-way vision and endoscopic probe, effectively solves the technical problems that existing equipment cannot detect internal defects of fluid connector and surface impurities interfere with imaging.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of industrial automation visual inspection technology, and in particular to a multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection device and method for liquid-cooled components. Background Technology

[0002] Liquid cooling components (especially cold plates used in servers and new energy vehicles) are widely used due to their high heat dissipation efficiency. The cleanliness, surface smoothness, welding quality, and internal sealing during the manufacturing process directly determine their lifespan and leakage risk. Therefore, before liquid cooling components leave the factory, rigorous visual inspection of their appearance and key internal components is required.

[0003] Currently, existing CCD appearance inspection machines in the industry generally suffer from the following pain points: Firstly, there is a lack of detection for deep holes and internal blind areas. Existing visual inspection equipment typically only has cameras mounted on the outside of the liquid cooling components, capable of only photographing the outer surface and completely unable to penetrate the deep holes inside the fluid connectors. There is a lack of effective automated detection methods for critical defects located inside the fluid connectors, such as missing seals or damaged internal threads. Furthermore, if impurities such as dust and aluminum shavings inside the fluid connectors are not removed beforehand, it will also affect the accuracy of internal inspections.

[0004] Secondly, insufficient surface cleanliness affects the accuracy of inspection. After CNC machining, welding, or cleaning, the surface of liquid cooling plates is prone to residual cutting fluid, water stains, oil, or metal dust. These deposits may be misjudged as "scratches" or "dirt" during visual inspection, leading to a falsely low yield rate. At the same time, oil and water stains will produce severe reflections under strong light, seriously interfering with the camera's imaging quality and affecting the accuracy of defect identification.

[0005] Third, the testing process is fragmented and inefficient. In the existing solution, the cleaning process and the testing process are independent of each other. Usually, the liquid cooling components need to be pre-treated by separate cleaning equipment before being transferred to the testing equipment for visual inspection. This not only increases the equipment footprint and the amount of manual intervention, but also reduces the testing efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The main objective of this invention is to provide a multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection device and method for liquid cooling components, aiming to solve the technical problems of existing liquid cooling component appearance inspection equipment being unable to inspect the inside of fluid joints, surface impurities interfering with imaging, and low efficiency caused by the separation of cleaning and inspection processes.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes a multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection device for liquid-cooled components, comprising: The frame includes a base and a protective cover on top of the base. The base is provided with a loading station and a first inspection station, and a second inspection station is provided below the base. The first inspection station has an inspection port that communicates with the second inspection station. At least one fixture transfer platform is slidably provided on the base, and the fixture transfer platform can reciprocate along the loading station and the first inspection station. The four-way vision mechanism includes a top vision module located in the first inspection station and above the fixture transfer platform, two lateral vision modules located on both sides of the fixture transfer platform, and a bottom vision module located in the second inspection station and below the fixture transfer platform. A front-mounted air knife assembly is set at the entrance of the first inspection station and spans the conveying path of the fixture transfer platform. The air knife assembly includes a lifting frame and an airflow nozzle mounted on the lifting frame. The lifting frame drives the airflow nozzle to move up and down between a clearance position higher than the fixture transfer platform and a working position close to the surface of the liquid cooling component. A multi-axis micro-exploration module is disposed on one side of the fixture transfer platform, including a multi-axis robotic arm and a miniature camera probe disposed at the end of the multi-axis robotic arm. The multi-axis robotic arm is used to drive the miniature camera probe to extend into the fluid connector of the liquid cooling component for exploration. A mobile air needle assembly is disposed on the other side of the fixture transfer platform relative to the multi-axis micro-probing module. It includes a mobile module disposed along the length of the platform and an air needle module connected to the end of the mobile module. The mobile module can drive the air needle module to move to a recessed structure on the surface of the liquid cooling component for point purging.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the fixture transfer platform is provided with a fixture base plate for supporting the liquid cooling components. The fixture base plate has an air-avoiding through hole for the bottom vision module to capture images, and the detection port corresponds to the position of the air-avoiding through hole.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the top vision module includes two first Y-axis moving components arranged along the length of the first detection station, a first X-axis moving component slidably mounted between the two first Y-axis moving components, and a Z-axis slide slidably mounted on the first X-axis moving component, wherein a top camera is mounted on the Z-axis slide.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the bottom vision module includes two second Y-axis moving components disposed within the second detection station, and a second X-axis moving component slidably mounted between the two second Y-axis moving components. A bottom camera is mounted on the second X-axis moving component, and the bottom camera captures images of the bottom surface of the liquid cooling component through the detection port and the clearance hole.

[0011] In one possible implementation, each of the lateral vision modules includes a third Y-axis moving component arranged along the length direction of the first detection station and a third X-axis moving component slidably disposed on the third Y-axis moving component, wherein a side camera is mounted on the third X-axis moving component. The side vision module also includes a light-shielding partition with a central through-hole. The lens of the side camera passes through the central through-hole, and the light-shielding partition is fitted to the front end of the lens to isolate ambient stray light and fix and protect the lens.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the end of the miniature camera probe integrates a macro lens, a polarizing LED coaxial light source, and a front polarizing mirror. The polarizing LED coaxial light source is arranged around the outer periphery of the macro lens, and the front polarizing mirror is arranged on the light-emitting side of the polarizing LED coaxial light source.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the air needle module includes a base frame, an air duct disposed within the base frame, an air needle assembly communicating with the air duct, and an adjustment bracket connected to the base frame, the adjustment bracket being used to adjust the direction of the air needle assembly.

[0014] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a method for simultaneous multi-directional appearance inspection of liquid cooling components, employing the simultaneous multi-directional appearance inspection equipment for liquid cooling components as described in any of the above possible embodiments, and comprising the following steps: S1: The liquid cooling component is placed on the fixture transfer platform at the loading station, and the fixture transfer platform carries the liquid cooling component from the loading station to the first detection station. S2: When the liquid cooling component passes through the entrance of the first detection station, the lifting frame of the front air knife component drives the airflow nozzle to descend to the working position, and the airflow nozzle sprays out high-pressure airflow to sweep the liquid cooling component to remove surface dust and water stains. S3: After the fixture transfer platform is moved into place, the moving module of the movable air needle assembly drives the air needle module to move to the recessed structure on the surface of the liquid cooling assembly, and performs fixed-point blowing inside the recessed structure. S4: The top vision module, bottom vision module, and two side vision modules of the four-way vision mechanism respectively perform appearance inspection on the top surface, bottom surface, and two sides of the liquid cooling component; S5: The multi-axis robotic arm of the multi-axis micro-probing module drives the micro-camera probe to move above the fluid connector of the liquid cooling component and then extends into the fluid connector to perform circumferential scanning imaging of the sealing ring installation status and thread integrity inside the fluid connector. S6: The vision control system integrates and judges the images acquired by the four-way vision mechanism and the miniature camera probe, and outputs the detection results.

[0015] In one possible implementation, during step S5, when the miniature camera probe extends into the fluid connector, the polarized LED coaxial light source and the front polarizing mirror integrated at the end of the miniature camera probe are turned on to eliminate reflections from the inner metal wall of the fluid connector.

[0016] In one possible implementation, after step S6, the method further includes: binding the detection result and defect location with a preset SN identification code on the liquid cooling component, and uploading it to the MES system; The fixture transfer platform returns the liquid cooling component from the first inspection station to the loading station.

[0017] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: I. This invention employs a two-stage cleaning system combining air knives and air needles. The front-mounted air knife assembly performs a horizontal sweeping of the large top and bottom surfaces before the liquid-cooled assembly enters the inspection station, removing floating dust and water stains. The moving air needle assembly then performs targeted sweeping of recessed structures (such as joints, threaded holes, flow channels, and grooves) to remove residual aluminum shavings or oil. This two-stage cleaning effectively eliminates interference from water stain reflections and misjudgments of foreign objects in visual inspection, significantly improving the accuracy of visual algorithms in identifying true defects.

[0018] Second, based on the four-way vision mechanism, this invention adds a multi-axis micro-probing module driven by a multi-axis robotic arm, which can carry a miniature camera probe to accurately insert into the fluid connector of the liquid cooling component for inspection. With the help of a polarized LED coaxial light source and a front polarizing mirror to eliminate reflections on the inner metal wall, problems such as missing internal sealing rings and thread damage that were previously undetectable can be automatically detected.

[0019] Third, the structure is compact and highly automated. This invention integrates cleaning, transfer, appearance inspection, and blind spot detection into a single device by placing the front air knife assembly at the entrance of the first inspection station and configuring a lifting frame for obstacle avoidance. The entire closed-loop inspection process can be completed through a single fixture transfer platform, without manual intervention or separate cleaning pretreatment equipment, which greatly saves equipment floor space and labor costs and improves inspection efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the liquid cooling component multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection device of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the internal structure of the inspection station of the multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection equipment for liquid cooling components of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the bottom vision module and the fixture transfer platform of the present invention. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the first perspective of the lateral vision module of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the second perspective of the lateral vision module of the present invention.

[0022] Explanation of icon numbers: 1. Frame; 11. Base; 12. Protective cover; 13. Loading station; 14. First inspection station; 15. Second inspection station; 16. Inspection port; 2. Fixture transfer platform; 21. Fixture base plate; 22. Clearance through hole; 31. Top vision module; 311. First Y-axis moving assembly; 312. First X-axis moving assembly; 313. Z-axis slide; 314. Top camera; 32. Bottom vision module; 321. Second Y-axis moving assembly; 322. Second X-axis moving assembly; 323. Bottom camera; 33. Side vision module; 331. Third Y-axis moving assembly; 332. Third X-axis moving assembly; 333. Side camera; 334. Light-shielding partition; 335. Central through-hole; 4. Front-mounted air knife assembly; 41. Lifting frame; 42. Airflow nozzle; 5. Multi-axis micro-exploration module; 51. Multi-axis robotic arm; 52. Miniature camera probe; 6. Movable air needle assembly; 61. Movable module; 62. Air needle module; 621. Base frame; 622. Air duct; 623. Air needle assembly; 624. Adjustment bracket.

[0023] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0025] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the present invention proposes a multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection device for liquid cooling components, including a frame 1, a fixture transfer platform 2, a four-way vision mechanism (including a top vision module 31, a bottom vision module 32 and two side vision modules 33), a front air knife assembly 4, a multi-axis micro-probing module 5 and a mobile air needle assembly 6.

[0026] Specifically, the frame 1 includes a base 11 and a protective cover 12 disposed above the base 11. The protective cover 12 is used to isolate the testing area from the external environment, preventing external dust from entering the testing area, and also serves as a safety protection function. The base 11 is provided with a loading station 13 and a first testing station 14, wherein the loading station 13 is used by the operator to place the liquid cooling components to be tested, and the first testing station 14 is the main testing area. A second testing station 15 is provided below the base 11, and the first testing station 14 has a testing port 16 communicating with the second testing station 15. At least one fixture transfer platform 2 is slidably disposed on the base 11. The fixture transfer platform 2 can reciprocate along the loading station 13 and the first testing station 14 to transport the liquid cooling components from the loading station 13 to the first testing station 14 for testing, and after testing, return the liquid cooling components from the first testing station 14 to the loading station 13. Preferably, the fixture transfer platform 2 is driven by a rodless cylinder, which has the advantages of compact structure and small space occupation, and can adapt to the limited space inside the equipment.

[0027] In this embodiment, the fixture transfer platform 2 is provided with a fixture base plate 21 for supporting the liquid cooling assembly. Preferably, the fixture base plate 21 has a contour groove and a positioning clamping mechanism, so that the liquid cooling assembly can be positioned in the contour groove and fixed by the positioning clamping mechanism to ensure the positional accuracy of the liquid cooling assembly during the testing process. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the fixture base plate 21 has an air-blocking through hole 22 for the bottom vision module 32 to take pictures. The detection port 16 is positioned corresponding to the air-blocking through hole 22, thereby providing the bottom vision module 32 with an upward shooting light path.

[0028] like Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the four-way vision mechanism includes a top vision module 31, a bottom vision module 32, and two side vision modules 33. The top vision module 31 is located within the first inspection station 14 and above the fixture transfer platform 2, and is used to image the top surface of the liquid cooling assembly. The bottom vision module 32 is located within the second inspection station 15 and below the fixture transfer platform 2, and is used to image the bottom surface of the liquid cooling assembly. The two side vision modules 33 are located on either side of the fixture transfer platform 2, and are used to image the two sides of the liquid cooling assembly.

[0029] In this embodiment, the top vision module 31 is a three-axis moving gantry module, specifically including two first Y-axis moving components 311 arranged along the length of the first inspection station 14, a first X-axis moving component 312 slidably mounted between the two first Y-axis moving components 311, and a Z-axis slide 313 slidably mounted on the first X-axis moving component 312. A top camera 314 is mounted on the Z-axis slide 313. The Z-axis slide 313 has a dynamic focusing function, which can adjust the height of the top camera 314 in real time according to the welding undulations on the surface of the liquid cooling component to ensure clear imaging. Preferably, the first Y-axis moving component 311 and the first X-axis moving component 312 can adopt a structure of servo motor and lead screw guide rail to achieve high-precision position control.

[0030] The bottom vision module 32 is a dual-axis moving gantry module, specifically including two second Y-axis moving components 321 set in the second inspection station 15, and a second X-axis moving component 322 slidably mounted between the two second Y-axis moving components 321. A bottom camera 323 is mounted on the second X-axis moving component 322. Figure 3 As shown, the imaging optical path of the bottom camera 323 passes through the detection port 16 and the clearance hole 22 in sequence to capture images of the bottom surface of the liquid cooling component.

[0031] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the lateral vision module 33 includes a third Y-axis moving component 331 arranged along the length of the first inspection station 14 and a third X-axis moving component 332 slidably disposed on the third Y-axis moving component 331. A side camera 333 is mounted on the third X-axis moving component 332. The side camera 333 can be moved outward to both sides via the third X-axis moving component 332 to avoid interference with the fixture transfer platform 2. The lateral vision module 33 also includes a light-shielding partition 334 with a central through-hole 335. The lens of the side camera 333 passes through the central through-hole 335, and the light-shielding partition 334 is fitted to the front end of the lens to isolate ambient stray light and fix and protect the lens, thereby ensuring the imaging quality of the side wall inspection.

[0032] like Figure 2As shown, the front air knife assembly 4 is located at the entrance of the first inspection station 14 and spans the conveying path of the fixture transfer platform 2. The front air knife assembly 4 includes a lifting frame 41 and an airflow nozzle 42 mounted on the lifting frame 41. The lifting frame 41 is driven by a motor or cylinder, which moves the airflow nozzle 42 up and down between a clearance position higher than the fixture transfer platform 2 and a working position close to the surface of the liquid cooling component. When the fixture transfer platform 2 needs to carry the liquid cooling component through, the lifting frame 41 moves the airflow nozzle 42 up to the clearance position to avoid collision and interference with the fixture transfer platform 2; when the liquid cooling component is transferred to the inspection position and needs to be cleaned, the lifting frame 41 moves the airflow nozzle 42 down to the working position. At this time, the airflow nozzle 42 is close to the surface of the liquid cooling component and uses high-pressure airflow to horizontally sweep the top and bottom surfaces of the liquid cooling component (in conjunction with the clearance holes 22 of the fixture base plate 21), effectively removing surface dust and water stains. Preferably, the airflow nozzle 42 is a wide-width air knife, with its air outlet extending in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the fixture transfer platform 2, and the width of the air outlet is not less than the width of the liquid cooling component, so as to ensure large-area full coverage of the top and bottom surfaces of the liquid cooling component.

[0033] like Figure 2 As shown, the movable air needle assembly 6 is disposed on the other side of the fixture transfer platform 2 opposite to the multi-axis micro-probing module 5. The movable air needle assembly 6 includes a movable module 61 disposed along the length direction of the fixture transfer platform 2 and an air needle module 62 connected to the end of the movable module 61. The movable module 61 can drive the air needle module 62 to move to the recessed structure on the surface of the liquid cooling component for targeted purging. In this embodiment, the movable module 61 is a miniature linear guide slider module, which has the advantages of compact structure and high movement accuracy, and can accurately position the air needle module 62 above or to the side of the recessed structure to be cleaned.

[0034] like Figure 2 As shown, the air needle module 62 includes a base frame 621, an air duct 622 disposed within the base frame 621, an air needle assembly 623 communicating with the air duct 622, and an adjustment bracket 624 connected to the base frame 621. The adjustment bracket 624 is used to adjust the direction of the air needle assembly 623 so that the air outlet direction of the air needle assembly 623 can be aligned with the interior of the recessed structure. In this embodiment, the air needle assembly 623 is a high-pressure air nozzle. Before the visual inspection is initiated, the moving module 61 drives the air needle assembly 623 to be precisely moved to the top or side of recessed structures such as liquid cooling component connectors, threaded holes, flow channels, or grooves, to perform targeted blowing on the deep holes, flow channels, grooves, and other small and hidden areas, removing residual aluminum shavings or oil stains inside, and providing a clean field of view for subsequent internal inspection.

[0035] like Figure 2As shown, the multi-axis micro-detection module 5 is disposed on one side of the fixture transfer platform 2, opposite to the movable air needle assembly 6. The multi-axis micro-detection module 5 includes a multi-axis robotic arm 51 and a miniature camera probe 52 disposed at the end of the multi-axis robotic arm 51. The multi-axis robotic arm 51 is used to drive the miniature camera probe 52 to extend into the fluid connector of the liquid cooling assembly for detection. In this embodiment, the multi-axis robotic arm 51 is a servo slide module combining the X-axis and Z-axis or a servo slide module combining the X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis, which can flexibly adjust the posture of the miniature camera probe 52 according to the spatial position of the fluid connector on the liquid cooling assembly.

[0036] The miniature camera probe 52 integrates a macro lens, a polarized LED coaxial light source, and a front polarizing mirror at its end. The polarized LED coaxial light source is arranged around the outer periphery of the macro lens, and the front polarizing mirror is positioned on the light-emitting side of the polarized LED coaxial light source. After cleaning the inside of the fluid connector of the liquid cooling assembly, the multi-axis robotic arm 51 drives the miniature camera probe 52 to precisely move above the fluid connector, and then descends along the Z-axis to insert the miniature camera probe 52 into the fluid connector. At this time, the polarized LED coaxial light source emits illumination light, which is polarized by the front polarizing mirror and illuminates the inner wall of the fluid connector. The macro lens receives the reflected light and forms an image. Polarized illumination effectively eliminates specular reflections on the metal inner wall of the fluid connector, thus clearly capturing the installation status of the internal sealing ring and the integrity of the threads.

[0037] The detection method of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the structure of the above-described equipment.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown, the multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection method for liquid cooling components of the present invention includes the following steps: S1: Loading Step. The operator places the liquid cooling component into the contour groove of the fixture transfer platform 2 and secures it using the positioning and clamping mechanism. After pressing the start button, the fixture transfer platform 2, driven by a rodless cylinder, carries the liquid cooling component from the loading station 13 to the first inspection station 14.

[0039] S2: Front-mounted air knife surface cleaning step. When the fixture transfer platform 2 carrying the liquid cooling component passes the entrance of the first inspection station 14, the lifting frame 41 of the front-mounted air knife component 4 lowers the airflow nozzle 42 to the working position. The airflow nozzle 42 (wide-width air knife) sprays high-pressure airflow, horizontally sweeping the top and bottom surfaces of the liquid cooling component (the sweeping airflow on the bottom surface acts on the bottom surface of the liquid cooling component through the clearance hole 22 on the fixture base plate 21), removing floating dust and water stains from the surface of the liquid cooling component. After the sweeping is completed, the lifting frame 41 raises the airflow nozzle 42 to a clearance position to avoid obstructing subsequent inspections.

[0040] S3: Precise Cleaning Steps for Air Needles. After the fixture transfer platform 2 is moved into place, the movable air needle assembly 6 is activated. The movable module 61 (miniature linear guide slider module) drives the air needle module 62 to move along the length of the fixture transfer platform 2, precisely positioning the air needle assembly 623 (high-pressure air nozzle) above or to the side of the recessed structure (such as fluid connectors, threaded holes, flow channels, grooves, etc.) on the surface of the liquid cooling component. The air needle assembly 623 sprays high-pressure airflow to precisely clean the interior of the recessed structure, removing residual aluminum shavings or oil stains.

[0041] It's important to note that cleaning steps S2 and S3 are not simply repetitive blowing; rather, they are differentiated cleaning processes targeting two different forms of contaminants: "large-area surface dust" and "hidden impurities within recessed structures." They differ significantly in cleaning range, blowing precision, and airflow mechanism. S2's air knife cleaning covers the entire surface of the liquid-cooled component, using a wide airflow for rapid, large-area cleaning; S3's air needle cleaning focuses on fine structures such as deep holes and threaded holes, typically only a few millimeters in diameter, using a fine-diameter, high-pressure air nozzle for precise, targeted blowing. These two processes work together to form a complete cleaning chain from macro to micro, providing a clean environment for subsequent visual inspection and internal exploration.

[0042] S4: Four-way appearance synchronous inspection step. After cleaning is completed, the system calls the current model's formula, and the four-way vision mechanism is activated.

[0043] The first Y-axis moving component 311 and the first X-axis moving component 312 of the top vision module 31 drive the top camera 314 to move in the horizontal plane to scan and inspect the top surface of the liquid cooling component. Simultaneously, the Z-axis slide 313 adjusts the height of the top camera 314 in real time according to the welding undulations on the surface of the liquid cooling component, achieving dynamic focusing and ensuring image clarity in all areas of the top surface. The top camera 314 is used to detect scratches, holes, characters, etc., on the top surface of the liquid cooling component.

[0044] The second Y-axis moving component 321 and the second X-axis moving component 322 of the bottom vision module 32 drive the bottom camera 323 to move in the horizontal plane. The bottom camera 323 scans and detects the bottom surface of the liquid cooling component from bottom to top through the detection port 16 and the clearance hole 22 on the fixture base plate 21 to detect defects such as scratches and indentations on the bottom surface.

[0045] Two lateral vision modules 33 are respectively positioned on both sides of the fixture transfer platform 2. Their respective third Y-axis moving components 331 drive the side cameras 333 to move along the Y-axis, simultaneously capturing images of the two sidewalls of the liquid-cooled assembly for detecting defects such as weld quality and sidewall scratches. During the inspection process, a light-shielding plate 334 is attached to the front of the lens of the side camera 333, effectively isolating ambient stray light and ensuring the image quality of the sidewalls.

[0046] S5: Internal Blind Zone Microscopic Inspection Step. Simultaneously with or after the four-way visual inspection (preferably simultaneously to improve inspection efficiency), the multi-axis microscopic inspection module 5 is activated. The multi-axis robotic arm 51 moves the miniature camera probe 52 directly above the fluid connector, then descends along the Z-axis, inserting the miniature camera probe 52 into the fluid connector of the liquid cooling assembly. The polarized LED coaxial light source at the end of the miniature camera probe 52 and the front polarizing mirror are simultaneously activated, illuminating the inner wall of the fluid connector with polarized light, eliminating specular reflections on the metal inner wall. The macro lens performs a circumferential scan imaging of the installation status and thread integrity of the internal sealing ring.

[0047] It is worth noting that the execution of S5 depends on the cleaning effect of S3. Without the targeted blowing of the air needle in S3, impurities such as aluminum shavings and oil stains inside the fluid connector will obscure the detailed features of the sealing ring and threads, leading to blurred imaging or misjudgment. This invention arranges the air needle cleaning of S3 and the endoscopic inspection of S5 in opposite spatial positions (the air needle assembly 6 is located on one side of the fixture transfer platform 2, and the multi-axis micro-probing module 5 is located on the other side), allowing cleaning and inspection to be performed alternately or sequentially at the same workstation without the need for additional workstation transfer. This compact layout of "cleaning first and then inspecting at the same workstation" is an important structural basis for this invention to achieve closed-loop detection of the entire process of a single machine.

[0048] S6: Image Integration and Data Output Steps. The vision control system performs integrated AI judgment on the images collected by the top vision module 31, bottom vision module 32, two side vision modules 33, and miniature camera probe 52 to identify scratches, dirt, indentations, weld defects on the surface of the liquid cooling component, as well as defects such as missing sealing rings and thread damage inside the fluid connector. The judgment results are displayed on the monitor, and the original image, detection results, and defect location are automatically bound to the preset SN identification code (QR code) on the liquid cooling component and uploaded to the MES system.

[0049] S7: Finished Product Return Step. After the inspection is completed, the fixture transfer platform 2, driven by the rodless cylinder, retracts the liquid cooling component from the first inspection station 14 to the loading station 13. The operator sorts and puts the qualified or defective products according to the inspection results, completing one complete inspection cycle.

[0050] In the accompanying drawings of this embodiment, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the accompanying drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting this patent. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0051] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection device for liquid-cooled components, characterized in that, include: The frame includes a base and a protective cover on top of the base. The base is provided with a loading station and a first inspection station, and a second inspection station is provided below the base. The first inspection station has an inspection port that communicates with the second inspection station. At least one fixture transfer platform is slidably provided on the base, and the fixture transfer platform can reciprocate along the loading station and the first inspection station. The four-way vision mechanism includes a top vision module located in the first inspection station and above the fixture transfer platform, two lateral vision modules located on both sides of the fixture transfer platform, and a bottom vision module located in the second inspection station and below the fixture transfer platform. A front-mounted air knife assembly is set at the entrance of the first inspection station and spans the conveying path of the fixture transfer platform. The air knife assembly includes a lifting frame and an airflow nozzle mounted on the lifting frame. The lifting frame drives the airflow nozzle to move up and down between a clearance position higher than the fixture transfer platform and a working position close to the surface of the liquid cooling component. A multi-axis micro-exploration module is disposed on one side of the fixture transfer platform, including a multi-axis robotic arm and a miniature camera probe disposed at the end of the multi-axis robotic arm. The multi-axis robotic arm is used to drive the miniature camera probe to extend into the fluid connector of the liquid cooling component for exploration. A mobile air needle assembly is disposed on the other side of the fixture transfer platform relative to the multi-axis micro-probing module. It includes a mobile module disposed along the length of the platform and an air needle module connected to the end of the mobile module. The mobile module can drive the air needle module to move to a recessed structure on the surface of the liquid cooling component for point purging.

2. The multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection device for liquid-cooled components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixture transfer platform is provided with a fixture base plate for supporting the liquid cooling components. The fixture base plate has an air-avoiding through hole for the bottom vision module to take pictures. The detection port is positioned corresponding to the air-avoiding through hole.

3. The multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection device for liquid-cooled components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top vision module includes two first Y-axis moving components arranged along the length of the first detection station, a first X-axis moving component slidably mounted between the two first Y-axis moving components, and a Z-axis slide table slidably mounted on the first X-axis moving component, with a top camera mounted on the Z-axis slide table.

4. The multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection device for liquid-cooled components according to claim 2, characterized in that, The bottom vision module includes two second Y-axis moving components disposed in the second detection station, and a second X-axis moving component slidably mounted between the two second Y-axis moving components. A bottom camera is mounted on the second X-axis moving component, and the bottom camera takes pictures of the bottom surface of the liquid cooling component through the detection port and the clearance hole.

5. The multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection device for liquid-cooled components according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each of the lateral vision modules includes a third Y-axis moving component arranged along the length direction of the first detection station and a third X-axis moving component slidably disposed on the third Y-axis moving component, wherein a side camera is mounted on the third X-axis moving component; The side vision module also includes a light-shielding partition with a central through-hole. The lens of the side camera passes through the central through-hole, and the light-shielding partition is fitted to the front end of the lens to isolate ambient stray light and fix and protect the lens.

6. The multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection device for liquid-cooled components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The miniature camera probe integrates a macro lens, a polarizing LED coaxial light source, and a front polarizing mirror at its end. The polarizing LED coaxial light source is arranged around the outer periphery of the macro lens, and the front polarizing mirror is arranged on the light-emitting side of the polarizing LED coaxial light source.

7. The multi-directional appearance synchronous inspection device for liquid-cooled components according to claim 1, characterized in that, The air needle module includes a base frame, an air duct disposed within the base frame, an air needle assembly communicating with the air duct, and an adjustment bracket connected to the base frame. The adjustment bracket is used to adjust the direction of the air needle assembly.

8. A method for simultaneous multi-directional appearance inspection of liquid-cooled components, employing the simultaneous multi-directional appearance inspection equipment for liquid-cooled components as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: The liquid cooling component is placed on the fixture transfer platform at the loading station, and the fixture transfer platform carries the liquid cooling component from the loading station to the first detection station. S2: When the liquid cooling component passes through the entrance of the first detection station, the lifting frame of the front air knife component drives the airflow nozzle to descend to the working position, and the airflow nozzle sprays out high-pressure airflow to sweep the liquid cooling component to remove surface dust and water stains. S3: After the fixture transfer platform is moved into place, the moving module of the movable air needle assembly drives the air needle module to move to the recessed structure on the surface of the liquid cooling assembly, and performs fixed-point blowing inside the recessed structure. S4: The top vision module, bottom vision module, and two side vision modules of the four-way vision mechanism respectively perform appearance inspection on the top surface, bottom surface, and two sides of the liquid cooling component; S5: The multi-axis robotic arm of the multi-axis micro-probing module drives the micro-camera probe to move above the fluid connector of the liquid cooling component and then extends into the fluid connector to perform circumferential scanning imaging of the sealing ring installation status and thread integrity inside the fluid connector. S6: The vision control system integrates and judges the images acquired by the four-way vision mechanism and the miniature camera probe, and outputs the detection results.

9. The method for simultaneous multi-directional appearance inspection of liquid-cooled components according to claim 8, characterized in that, In step S5, when the miniature camera probe is inserted into the fluid connector, the polarized LED coaxial light source and the front polarizing mirror integrated at the end of the miniature camera probe are turned on to eliminate the reflection from the inner metal wall of the fluid connector.

10. The method for simultaneous multi-directional appearance inspection of liquid-cooled components according to claim 8, characterized in that, The step S6 further includes: binding the detection results and defect locations with a preset SN identification code on the liquid cooling component and uploading it to the MES system; The fixture transfer platform returns the liquid cooling component from the first inspection station to the loading station.

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