An automatic dish washing line capable of realizing feed balance and a feed control method

Abstract

The application belongs to the field of automatic dishware cleaning and replenishment balancing, and particularly relates to an automatic dishware cleaning line capable of realizing replenishment balancing and a replenishment control method, which solves the problems of manual operation contact pollution, production line suspension caused by man-machine rhythm mismatch and the inability to execute a replenishment balancing strategy in the prior art, and comprises a vacancy detection sensor, a line head replenishment mechanism, a quality inspection mechanism and a central control system. The vacancy detection sensor is used for detecting vacancy positions in each profiling and blanking position and recording vacancy position data in combination with the position information. The line head replenishment mechanism is arranged at a replenishment position at a fixed interval after the detection position, is connected with a backup dishware warehouse signal, is used for receiving a replenishment signal sent by the central control system and automatically replenishing corresponding category dishware into the vacancy profiling position at the replenishment position. The quality inspection mechanism is connected with the central control system signal. The quality inspection mechanism has an active mode and a passive mode. The application realizes automatic line head replenishment, automatic removal of buffer zone blockage and accurate balancing of the number of each category of dishware.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automated tableware cleaning, specifically relating to an automated tableware cleaning line that can achieve replenishment balance and a replenishment control method. Background Technology

[0002] In automated tableware washing lines, dedicated turnover boxes are used for tableware recycling (each box contains 12 sets of tableware, each set including one plate, one soup bowl, one teacup, and one wine glass; each type of tableware can only be placed in its corresponding contour slot and cannot be mixed). Due to reasons such as incomplete box recycling, robotic arm failures, robotic arm drops during transport, and quality inspection failures, the number of the four types of tableware output from the washing line may be mismatched. This causes the subsequent automated assembly robotic arm to wait due to missing parts, reducing production efficiency. In existing technologies, to solve the problem of mismatched quantities of the four types of tableware, manual or non-manual replenishment is typically implemented in two areas: the line start area and the quality inspection and assembly buffer area. Specific methods are as follows: Line replenishment: After the robotic arm picks up tableware from the turnover box and places it into one of the 48 dropping positions (4 tracks, 12 dropping positions per track, each track corresponding to one type of tableware) in the washing conveyor belt dropping area, the operator visually confirms any vacancies and manually replenishes the corresponding tableware type in the empty position on the conveyor belt. The dropping area and the washing and disinfection area share the same conveyor belt, which has contoured slots for placing the corresponding tableware. Each type of tableware occupies one track, and the tableware moves with the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt position encoder outputs the current dropping area position.

[0003] Buffer area replenishment: Operators retrieve clean tableware from the temporary storage bin and manually replenish the vacant positions of the corresponding category's conveyor belt in the quality inspection and assembly buffer area. At the exit of the washing area, the tableware falls autonomously into the corresponding conveyor belt of the quality inspection and assembly buffer area. Each type of tableware occupies one conveyor belt, but the tableware within each belt is not fixed to the conveyor belt and can slide. The tableware is moved by the friction between the conveyor belt and the bottom of the tableware.

[0004] Handling buffer blockages: When the quantity of a certain type of tableware on the conveyor belt is less than 10, and the quantity of other types of tableware reaches the maximum capacity of the buffer for that type, the operator needs to manually remove the excess tableware from the buffer and place it into the temporary storage bin to free up space and prevent the washing line from becoming blocked. The temporary storage bin plays a dual role here as a "replenishment source" (replenishing when there are missing pieces) and a "buffer source" (temporarily storing when there is a blockage).

[0005] This model has the following problems: 1. Mismatch between human and machine rhythm: Automated production lines are designed for continuous high-speed operation. When manually replenishing materials or handling blockages and picking out tableware, it is necessary to be highly synchronized with the automated cleaning line. Otherwise, it is easy to cause assembly buffer blockage, forcing the production line to stop, disrupting the continuity of the production line, reducing overall production efficiency, and the start-up and shutdown caused by human-machine asynchrony also affect the equipment life and energy consumption performance. 2. Inability to execute replenishment balancing strategies: Manual replenishment can only perform simple actions of "replenishing when there is a shortage" or "replenishing when there is a replenishment source". It cannot make strategic judgments based on the current quantity ratio of the four types of tableware - whether to replenish, how much to replenish, and which type to replenish. Manuals cannot calculate and execute optimization strategies in real time, which often leads to more imbalance with each replenishment, wasting spare warehouse resources, increasing the burden of subsequent buffer balancing, and ultimately reducing overall production efficiency.

[0006] In addition, existing quality inspection agencies have limited functions. Although they can remove broken and dirty tableware, they do not distinguish between the two and treat them together, thus failing to participate in the balance adjustment of the production line. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention aims to solve the technical problems existing in the prior art and provide an automated tableware washing line and a feeding control method that can achieve feeding balance.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides an automated tableware washing line capable of achieving replenishment balance, comprising: Material loading area at the beginning of the production line; Robotic arm unloading area; A gap detection sensor is set at a detection position after the material dropping area of ​​the robotic arm. It is used to detect the gap position in each contouring material dropping position and record the gap position data in combination with the position information. The line-start replenishment mechanism is set at a replenishment position at a fixed interval after the detection position. It is connected to the spare tableware warehouse signal and is used to receive the replenishment signal sent by the central control system and automatically replenish the corresponding type of tableware into the empty contour position at the replenishment position. The cleaning and disinfection area is used for cleaning and disinfecting tableware. Quality inspection and assembly buffer area; used for buffering, quality inspection, and transporting cleaned and disinfected tableware; A quality inspection unit is set up on the mesh belt path of the buffer area. Each type of tableware corresponds to one quality inspection unit, and the quality inspection unit is signal-connected to the central control system. It is used to distinguish between broken tableware and dirty tableware and to perform rejection and counting respectively. A spare tableware storage unit, signal-connected to the line-start replenishment mechanism, is used to store spare tableware of various types and supply it to the line-start replenishment mechanism; and The central control system is connected to the empty space detection sensor, the line replenishment mechanism, the quality inspection mechanism, and the spare tableware warehouse, respectively. It is used to make replenishment balance decisions based on the quantity of tableware to be processed, the quantity to be assembled, and the inventory of spare tableware warehouse for each type of tableware, send replenishment signals to the line replenishment mechanism, and send external rejection signals to the quality inspection mechanism.

[0009] As a further technical solution, the feeding area at the beginning of the line is equipped with a turnover box QR code recognition unit and a turnover box tableware recognition unit. The turnover box QR code recognition unit is used to obtain the turnover box recycling information. The turnover box tableware recognition unit is signal-connected to the turnover box QR code recognition unit and is used to identify the actual quantity of each type of tableware in the turnover box and compare it with the recycling information for confirmation.

[0010] As a further technical solution, the robotic arm unloading area is set on the cleaning mesh belt, with each type of tableware occupying one lane of the cleaning mesh belt. Each lane contains several continuous contour unloading positions for receiving tableware picked up and placed by the robotic arm from the turnover box.

[0011] As a further technical solution, a cleaning mesh belt position encoder is also included, which is connected to the cleaning mesh belt signal and is used to track the movement of the cleaning mesh belt and output the current material drop area position information; As a further technical solution, the quality inspection agency has an active mode and a passive mode: In the active mode, the quality inspection agency performs visual inspection on the tableware in motion, distinguishes between broken tableware and dirty tableware, and removes them separately. Broken tableware is counted in the breakage count, and dirty tableware is counted in the reserve count; In the passive mode, the quality inspection agency receives an external removal signal sent by the central control system, performs unconditional removal of tableware in the designated lane, and simultaneously performs quality inspection and distinction. Broken tableware is counted in the breakage count, and unbroken tableware is counted in the reserve count.

[0012] As a further technical solution, the central control system is also used to manage external replenishment sources. When the inventory of a certain category of tableware in the spare tableware warehouse is insufficient to support replenishment at the line head, a replenishment request is generated based on the shortage and pushed to the management terminal. That is, the present invention uses a three-level shortage level mechanism for external replenishment source management. When the inventory of the spare tableware warehouse is insufficient, the system automatically triggers the corresponding level of replenishment request, forming a three-level balancing strategy of "automatic replenishment at the line head → buffer blockage removal → external replenishment source supplementation", which ensures the continuous and stable operation of the system under various working conditions.

[0013] As a further technical solution, the central control system classifies the shortage level into mild shortage, moderate shortage, and severe shortage according to the shortage amount, and respectively corresponds to three processing methods: recording early warning, triggering warehouse transfer request, and triggering purchase request.

[0014] Secondly, the present invention also provides a replenishment balance control method for an automated tableware washing line, wherein the replenishment balance control method is applied to the automated tableware washing line capable of achieving replenishment balance, and the method includes the following steps: Step 1: Obtain the recycling information of the turnover box and the actual quantity of each type of tableware in the box. After comparing and confirming the two, the robot will place the tableware into the contouring dropping position of the washing mesh belt dropping area. Step 2: Detect the position of each gap using a gap detection sensor, record the gap position data using the cleaning conveyor belt position encoder, and send the number of gaps to the central control system. Step 3: The central control system calculates the current quantity Ck to be processed for the four types of tableware, determines the maximum value M=max(Cb,Cg, Ct, Cp), and calculates the shortage quantity Δk=M-Ck for each category; Step 4: The central control system queries the corresponding category inventory Sk in the spare tableware warehouse, determines the replenishment order quantity for each category, and sends a replenishment signal to the replenishment mechanism at the beginning of the line. The replenishment mechanism at the beginning of the line replenishes the corresponding category of tableware into the empty shape position at the replenishment position. After the replenishment is completed, it sends a replenishment success signal back to the central control system. Step 5: The central control system monitors the quantity Pk of each category to be assembled in the quality inspection and assembly buffer area in real time. When the minimum quantity Pmin of a category is less than the safety threshold and the maximum quantity Pmax of a category reaches the maximum capacity reservation value of that category, an external rejection signal is sent to the corresponding category quality inspection agency. Step 6: After receiving the external rejection signal, the quality inspection agency switches to passive mode and unconditionally rejects the tableware in the designated lane. At the same time, quality inspection is carried out to distinguish the tableware. Damaged tableware is counted in the damage count, and undamaged tableware is counted in the spare count. The rejected tableware is sent to the spare tableware warehouse. Step 7: Continue executing steps 5 to 6 until Pmin is not less than the safety threshold and Pmax is not greater than the maximum capacity reservation value for this category, thus completing the buffer balancing.

[0015] As a further technical solution, the quantity C of each category to be processed k The calculation formula is: Among them, E current A represents the number of empty positions detected by the empty position detection bit. total To accumulate the number of assembly times, B k D represents the cumulative number of damaged items in a certain product category. k R represents the cumulative number of items removed due to dirt and blockage for a specific product category. k The cumulative replenishment quantity for a certain product category.

[0016] As a further technical solution, the calculation formula for the quantity Pk to be assembled in each category is as follows: Where k is the cumulative number of a certain type of tableware that fell from the cleaning area exit to the quality inspection and assembly buffer area, and A total To accumulate the number of assembly times, B k D represents the cumulative number of damaged items in a certain product category. k The cumulative number of items removed due to dirt and blockage for a specific product category. The cumulative number of a certain type of tableware that fell from the cleaning area exit into the quality inspection and assembly buffer area.

[0017] As a further technical solution, in step 4...

[0018] in, This represents the number of visual recognitions for the i-th turnover box, which is obtained through the tableware recognition unit inside the turnover box. This indicates the quantity of material unloaded by the robotic arm from the i-th turnover box; This indicates the cumulative number of contaminants and blockages removed. Indicates the total number of damaged items; Indicates the cumulative amount of materials replenished; Indicates the quantity transferred from the warehouse; If Sk ≥ Δk; the material replenishment command quantity = Δk; if S k If the quantity is less than △k, then the category with the lowest inventory is used as the benchmark, and the remaining categories are replenished to the same quantity as that category, so that the quantities of the four categories to be processed are equal.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention achieves fully automated feeding by installing a gap detection sensor at the detection position after the robotic arm's material unloading area, a line-start feeding mechanism at a fixed interval after the detection position, and a quality inspection mechanism on the conveyor belt path in the buffer area. The passive and active modes of the quality inspection mechanism, in conjunction with the central control system, execute feeding balance decisions, thus realizing fully automated feeding. Line-start feeding is the feeding method, while the quality inspection mechanism's blocking removal in the buffer area is the reverse balancing method. The automatic feeding action of the line-start feeding mechanism synchronized with the production line cycle, and the blocking removal action of the quality inspection mechanism in passive mode, eliminate the need for production line slowdown or pause for manual operation during feeding and blocking handling, thus eliminating the human-machine rhythm loss in existing technologies. The frequent start-ups and shutdowns of the production line caused by mismatched supplies have been eliminated, ensuring the continuous and efficient operation of the production line. Furthermore, the passive mode design of the quality inspection mechanism eliminates the need for any additional robotic arms or replenishment devices in the buffer area to remove blocked items. The automatic balance of the quantity of each category in the buffer area can be achieved simply by reusing the rejection function of the quality inspection mechanism, simplifying the system structure and reducing equipment costs. Through the classification and rejection and counting of broken and soiled tableware in the active mode of the quality inspection mechanism, accurate classification and counting data are provided for the replenishment balance decision of the central control system. This overcomes the shortcomings of existing quality inspection mechanisms that do not distinguish between broken and soiled tableware and cannot participate in production line balance adjustment, forming a complete data closed loop. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the overall structure of an automated tableware washing line; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the quality inspection rejection process. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the material replenishment and balancing process; Figure 4 This is a diagram of the interface of the material replenishment monitoring system; Figure 5 A diagram showing the interface for data collection by the vacancy detection sensor and the quality inspection agency. Detailed Implementation It should be noted that the following detailed description is illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of the invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used in this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.

[0022] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the scope of exemplary embodiments according to the invention. As used herein, unless otherwise expressly indicated by the invention, the singular form is also intended to include the plural form. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof. The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the following embodiments are used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] This invention relates to a replenishment balance control system and method for an automated tableware washing line. The core improvement lies in: setting an automatic replenishment mechanism at the online first replenishment position, with the central control system making replenishment balance decisions based on real-time quantity data; the quality inspection mechanism has dual working modes, active and passive, and in passive mode, it responds to external rejection signals from the central control system to remove blocked items from the buffer area; thereby eliminating the risk of contact contamination from manual operation in the buffer area, solving the problem of production line stoppage caused by human-machine rhythm mismatch, and achieving precise balance of the quantity of tableware of each category.

[0024] Example 1 Reference Figure 1In one embodiment, an automated tableware washing line capable of achieving replenishment balance includes a line-start feeding area, a robotic arm unloading area, a washing mesh belt position encoder, an empty space detection sensor, a line-start replenishment mechanism, a washing and disinfection area, a quality inspection and assembly buffer area, a quality inspection mechanism, a spare tableware warehouse, and a central control system; there is no need to set up complex replenishment robotic arms or replenishment positions in the buffer area, and only the rejection function of the quality inspection mechanism is reused to achieve blockage rejection.

[0025] The loading area at the beginning of the production line is equipped with a QR code recognition unit for the turnover boxes and a tableware recognition unit for the tableware inside the turnover boxes. The QR code recognition unit scans the turnover boxes arriving at the beginning of the production line to obtain the recycling information of the box, including the registered quantity of each type of tableware.

[0026] The tableware identification unit inside the turnover box is connected to the turnover box QR code identification unit to visually identify the actual quantity of each type of tableware in the box, and compares the identification result with the recycling information obtained from the QR code to confirm the accurate quantity of each type of tableware in this cycle.

[0027] The robotic arm's unloading area is located on the cleaning conveyor belt. Recycling information is obtained through the QR codes on the turnover boxes and compared with the identification at the beginning of the line. This allows for advance knowledge of the quantity of each type of product in the current cycle, providing prior data support for replenishment decisions and improving system response speed.

[0028] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the washing conveyor belt is divided into four tracks, each corresponding to a type of tableware: soup bowl, glass, teacup, and plate. Each track contains several continuous contour-following dropping positions, with contour-following slots matching the shape of the corresponding type of tableware. Tableware can only be placed in the contour-following position of its corresponding track and cannot be mixed. After the robotic arm picks up the tableware from the turnover box, it places it into the contour-following dropping position of the corresponding track on the washing conveyor belt.

[0029] The cleaning mesh belt position encoder is connected to the cleaning mesh belt signal to track the movement of the cleaning mesh belt and output the precise position information of the current material dropping area on the mesh belt in real time, so that the system can determine the current coordinates of each contoured material dropping position on the mesh belt.

[0030] Reference Figure 2 The vacancy detection sensor is installed at the detection position after the robotic arm's unloading area and is connected to the position encoder signal of the cleaning conveyor belt. The vacancy detection sensor detects each contour unloading position one by one, identifies which contouring positions are vacant, and records the vacancy position data and transmits it to the PLC and central control system of the line head feeding mechanism, in conjunction with the position information output by the cleaning conveyor belt position encoder.

[0031] The feeder mechanism at the beginning of the line is located at a fixed interval after the detection station and is connected to the spare tableware storage. The PLC of the feeder mechanism calculates whether there is an empty space based on the empty position data. After receiving the feeder signal from the central control system, it waits for the corresponding empty position to reach the feeder position as the conveyor belt moves. Then, it retrieves the corresponding type of tableware from the spare tableware storage and automatically fills the empty position. After feeder completion, the feeder mechanism sends a successful feeder signal to the central control system. The fixed interval design between the empty position detection sensor and the feeder mechanism provides sufficient preparation time for the feeder mechanism's calculations and mechanical actions, achieving precise and automatic feeder operation. The sliding characteristic of the tableware within the buffer conveyor belt is naturally compatible with the passive mode's mechanism of relative order removal within the conveyor belt, allowing for blocking removal without precise positioning and avoiding the technical difficulties caused by the non-fixed position of the tableware in the buffer area.

[0032] Specifically, the aforementioned line-start replenishment mechanism is existing technology. It includes a conveyor belt, a stepper motor, a material presence detection sensor, and a cylinder. Each stepper motor movement moves the tableware on the conveyor belt forward one position. A material presence detection sensor above the replenishment position checks for tableware at that location. If no tableware is present, a signal is sent to the PLC of the line-start replenishment mechanism. The PLC then sends a signal to the stepper motor to drive the belt forward until tableware is present at that position, at which point it stops. After the central control system sends a replenishment signal to the PLC of the line-start replenishment mechanism, the PLC receives a replenishment gap detection sensor and detects an empty space. The PLC then drives the cylinder to push the tableware into the discharge port. The tableware slides accurately from the discharge port into the replenishment gap, completing one replenishment cycle.

[0033] The cleaning and disinfection area shares the same cleaning conveyor belt as the robotic arm's unloading area. The tableware moves forward with the cleaning conveyor belt in a contoured position, sequentially undergoing the processes of slag removal, cleaning, and disinfection to complete the cleaning and disinfection treatment.

[0034] The quality inspection and assembly buffer area is located at the exit of the cleaning and disinfection area, and includes a buffer conveyor belt. The buffer conveyor belt is also divided into four conveyor lanes, each corresponding to a type of tableware. After cleaning and disinfection, the tableware falls autonomously from the exit of the cleaning and disinfection area onto the corresponding conveyor lane of the buffer conveyor belt. The buffer conveyor belt then moves the tableware forward due to the friction between the belt and the bottom of the tableware. Because the tableware is not fixed to the buffer conveyor belt, it can slide relative to each other within the lanes.

[0035] Reference Figure 3 The quality inspection units are located on the conveyor belt path in the buffer area, with one unit corresponding to each type of tableware, for a total of four units. The quality inspection units are connected to the central control system and have both active and passive operating modes.

[0036] In active mode, the quality inspection agency uses visual inspection to detect tableware in motion, distinguishing between broken and soiled tableware, and then performing rejection actions accordingly. Broken tableware is rejected and enters the scrap channel, where it is counted as broken tableware; soiled tableware is rejected and enters the return channel to the spare tableware warehouse, where it is counted as spare tableware.

[0037] In passive mode, the quality inspection agency receives external rejection signals from the central control system and unconditionally rejects tableware in designated lanes. Each time an external rejection signal is received, a rejection action is performed. Simultaneously, the quality inspection agency performs quality inspection differentiation: if the rejected tableware is broken, it is counted in the breakage count; if it is unbroken (including normal and soiled tableware), it is counted in the reserve count, and the rejected unbroken tableware is sent to the reserve tableware warehouse.

[0038] The aforementioned quality inspection agency has upgraded from a single "rejection without distinction" to a comprehensive functional node that includes "proactive rejection of damaged parts, proactive rejection of dirty parts, and passive rejection of blocked parts," possessing two counting and classification capabilities to form a data closed loop; in passive mode, the mechanism of "unconditional proactive rejection + synchronous quality inspection differentiation" realizes buffer block rejection. The aforementioned quality inspection mechanism includes a rejection action mechanism, an image acquisition device, and a PLC controller. The image acquisition device performs visual inspection on the moving tableware, primarily used to distinguish between broken and soiled tableware and reject them accordingly. The rejection action mechanism employs a pneumatic spray method, with each lane independently equipped with an air nozzle and a high-frequency solenoid valve. The air nozzle is positioned relative to the corresponding lane's conveying path, and the high-frequency solenoid valve controls the spraying action of the air nozzle. Because each lane has its own independent air nozzle and high-frequency solenoid valve, the rejection actions of each lane do not interfere with each other. In passive mode, the PLC controller of the quality inspection mechanism receives an external rejection signal with a response time of less than 50ms, matching the production line cycle time.

[0039] The spare tableware storage is connected to the line replenishment mechanism and stores spare tableware of various categories, including tableware that failed to be picked up, tableware dropped by the robotic arm, dirty tableware detected by quality inspection, and non-damaged tableware rejected due to blockage in the buffer area. It supplies spare tableware to the line replenishment mechanism. Damaged tableware does not enter the spare tableware storage but goes directly to the scrap chute.

[0040] The central control system is connected to the QR code recognition unit of the turnover box, the tableware recognition unit inside the turnover box, the position encoder of the washing conveyor belt, the empty space detection sensor, the feeding mechanism at the beginning of the line, the quality inspection mechanism, and the spare tableware warehouse. It receives data feedback from each device in real time, executes feeding balance decisions, sends feeding signals to the feeding mechanism at the beginning of the line, and sends external rejection signals to the quality inspection mechanism.

[0041] The aforementioned system eliminates manual replenishment and removal of materials in the buffer area. All replenishment and blockage handling actions are completed automatically by machines, eliminating human contact with clean tableware. It achieves automatic replenishment at the line start point, automated blockage removal in the buffer area, and automatic detection and sorting removal by the quality inspection department. The entire replenishment balancing process requires no manual intervention. Line start replenishment replaces the "replenishment source" function of the temporary storage bin, and blockage removal replaces the "buffer source" function of the temporary storage bin. The temporary storage bin no longer undertakes balancing and adjustment, further simplifying the system structure. The automated replenishment response speed matches the production line cycle time, eliminating the need for production line slowdown or pause to wait for manual operation, ensuring continuous and efficient operation of the production line.

[0042] In some implementations, the empty space detection sensor is a laser sensor, positioned at the second location after the robotic arm's material drop area. Laser sensors offer high detection accuracy and fast response speed; their placement at the second location after the material drop area effectively avoids interference with the robotic arm's placement of tableware, ensuring accurate detection.

[0043] In some implementations, the line start replenishment mechanism is located at a replenishment position 11 positions after the empty position detection sensor. The 11-position interval between the detection position and the replenishment position provides sufficient preparation time for the PLC calculation and mechanical action of the line start replenishment mechanism, enabling the replenishment mechanism to complete the calculation and be ready before reaching the replenishment position at the empty position, thus achieving precise automatic replenishment.

[0044] Understandably, without changing the core material replenishment balance control mechanism, the empty space detection sensor is not limited to a laser sensor. Other sensors that can detect the empty space at the contour-following material drop position can also be used, as long as they can work with the cleaning conveyor belt position encoder to accurately record the empty space data.

[0045] It is understandable that the visual inspection methods of quality inspection agencies are not limited to specific image processing algorithms. Commonly used machine vision solutions in this field can be used to distinguish between broken and dirty tableware, as long as they can be classified and counted in active mode and unconditionally removed and simultaneously inspected in passive mode.

[0046] Example 2 Reference Figure 2 In one embodiment, the replenishment balance control method for the automated tableware washing line is applied to the aforementioned automated tableware washing line that can achieve replenishment balance. It includes a line-start replenishment decision process and a buffer blockage rejection decision process, wherein the line-start replenishment decision process is the only replenishment method; the buffer blockage rejection decision process is a reverse balancing method. Specifically, the steps of the line replenishment decision-making process are as follows: First, after the turnover box arrives at the loading area at the beginning of the line, the turnover box QR code recognition unit scans the code to obtain the recycling information of the box. The turnover box QR code recognition unit identifies the actual quantity of each type of tableware in the box, and the two are compared to confirm the accurate quantity of each type of tableware in this cycle. The robotic arm grabs all the tableware in the turnover box and places it into the contouring dropping position of the corresponding track of the washing conveyor belt.

[0047] As the cleaning conveyor belt moves forward, each material drop position passes the detection position of the empty space detection sensor. The empty space detection sensor detects the empty position in each contouring material drop position, records the empty position data in conjunction with the cleaning conveyor belt position encoder, and sends the number of empty positions to the central control system.

[0048] The central control system calculates the current quantity C of the four types of tableware to be processed. k C k Including C b C g C t C p Determine the maximum value M = max(C) b C g C t C p ), calculate the shortage quantity of each category △k=M-Ck; where: b=soup bowl, g=glass cup, t=tea cup, p=plate;

[0049] in: The number of empty spaces detected by the empty space detection unit is subtracted from 12 to get the actual quantity of the box; existing tableware turnover boxes are generally equipped with 12 sets of tableware, each set containing four types of tableware (soup bowl, glass, teacup, plate). The sum of the quantity of a certain type of tableware placed in the material drop area from each turnover box. This is the cumulative total of the quantities placed in the material drop area after each turnover box is completed. The data is accumulated once after identification.

[0050] : The cumulative number of assembly attempts multiplied by 10 (each assembly attempt consists of 10 sets, which means consuming 10 pieces of each type of tableware). : Total number of damaged products in a certain category (detected by the quality inspection agency in an active mode); : The cumulative number of products removed due to dirt and blockage (including active dirt removal and passive blockage removal). : Cumulative replenishment quantity for a certain product category (replenishment by the material replenishment agency at the beginning of the production line).

[0051] Note: Each assembly consists of 10 sets, therefore the consumption quantity is the number of assembly times × 10 pieces / category, and all parameters are calculated on a daily basis.

[0052] Quantities pending processing for each category: Soup bowl:

[0053] glass:

[0054] cup:

[0055] plate:

[0056] The central control system queries the corresponding category inventory Sk in the spare tableware warehouse to determine the replenishment order quantity for each category: when Sk is greater than or equal to Δk, the replenishment order quantity is Δk; when Sk is less than Δk, the category with the least inventory is used as the benchmark, and the remaining categories are replenished to the same quantity as that category, so that the quantity of each category to be processed remains relatively balanced after replenishment. Furthermore, a certain category ( () spare inventory for:

[0057] in, This represents the number of visual recognitions for the i-th turnover box, which is obtained through the tableware recognition unit inside the turnover box. This indicates the quantity of material unloaded by the robotic arm from the i-th turnover box; This indicates the cumulative number of contaminants and blockages removed; this value mainly represents the active contaminant removal plus passive blockage removal by the quality inspection agency. This represents the cumulative number of damaged items. This value is the number of items that the quality inspection agency actively rejects and removes as damaged items, which are then sent to the scrap channel and need to be subtracted from the available inventory. This indicates the cumulative replenishment quantity; this value is the amount of material taken from the spare warehouse by the line replenishment mechanism and replenished to the line head, consuming inventory and needing to be subtracted from the available inventory. This indicates the quantity transferred from the warehouse; this value represents the amount transferred from external warehouses to the reserve warehouse.

[0058] The central control system sends a replenishment signal to the initial replenishment mechanism, with each signal corresponding to the replenishment of one piece of tableware. The PLC of the initial replenishment mechanism calculates whether there is an empty space based on the empty position data. When the corresponding empty position is reached, the replenishment action is executed, placing the corresponding type of tableware into the empty contour position. After replenishment is completed, the initial replenishment mechanism sends a replenishment success signal to the central control system, which then updates the C... k and R k value.

[0059] The replenishment decision is triggered either after each turnover box completes the material loading identification or when the count of pending items in the central control system changes. This dual triggering mechanism ensures the timeliness of the replenishment decision.

[0060] It should be further explained that: the first-line replenishment is the only replenishment method of this invention, and all replenishment actions are completed automatically here. No manual replenishment or robotic replenishment devices are set up in the quality inspection and assembly buffer areas.

[0061] The central controller calculates the optimal replenishment amount (replenishing to the maximum value M, but not to full) and the minimum retrieval strategy (only triggering removal when a category is close to full capacity and another category is below safety stock) based on real-time data, avoiding unstrategic replenishment and resource waste caused by manual "replenishing when there is a shortage".

[0062] Furthermore, the specific steps of the buffer blocking eviction decision process are as follows: Triggering Timing: The central control system continuously monitors the quantity Pk of each product category awaiting assembly in the quality inspection and assembly buffer area in real time. A judgment is triggered whenever the count of Pk changes, whereby the quantity Pk of each product category awaiting assembly... k The calculation method is as follows:

[0063] in, The cumulative number of a certain type of tableware that fell from the cleaning area exit into the quality inspection and assembly buffer area; : The cumulative number of assembly attempts multiplied by 10 (each assembly attempt consists of 10 sets, which means consuming 10 pieces of each type of tableware). : Total number of damaged items in a certain category (detected and removed by the quality inspection agency in an active mode); : The cumulative number of dirty and clogged items removed for a certain product category (including active dirty removal and passive clog removal).

[0064] Quantities to be assembled for each category: Soup bowl:

[0065] glass:

[0066] cup:

[0067] plate:

[0068] The specific decision-making logic is as follows: Read the current quantity of the four types of tableware to be assembled from the buffer.

[0069] Calculate the minimum number of categories P min =min(P b , P g , P t , P p ), Calculate the maximum number of product categories, P. max =max(P b , P g , P t , P p ), and determine P max Maximum reserved capacity of the cache area for the corresponding product category; When P min Less than the safety threshold and P max When the maximum capacity reserve value for this product category is reached, the central control system sends a signal to P. max The quality inspection agency for the corresponding product category sends an external rejection signal; specifically, the safety threshold can be set to 10 items, and the maximum capacity reservation value is the maximum capacity of the buffer area for this product category minus 1, reserving 1 empty space to prevent the buffer area from being completely blocked.

[0070] After receiving an external rejection signal, the quality inspection agency switches to passive mode and performs an unconditional rejection of the tableware in the designated lane. At the same time, quality inspection is carried out to distinguish the tableware. Damaged tableware is counted in the damage count, and undamaged tableware is counted in the reserve count. The rejected undamaged tableware is sent to the reserve tableware warehouse.

[0071] The central control system continuously sends external rejection signals until P min Not less than the safety threshold and P max The number of items in the cache should not exceed the maximum capacity reservation value for that category, thus balancing the number of items in each category.

[0072] Since the position of the tableware in the buffer zone is not fixed and can slide, the quality inspection agency determines the removal target based on the relative order of the tableware in the lane in passive mode. Blockage removal can be completed without precise positioning, which is naturally suitable for scenarios where the position of the tableware in the buffer zone is not fixed.

[0073] In one implementation, the central control system also executes an external replenishment source management process as a backup strategy when the spare tableware inventory is insufficient.

[0074] When the inventory of a certain category of tableware in the spare tableware warehouse is Sk When there is insufficient material to support the replenishment of the production line, the central control system records the shortage information, including the type and quantity of the shortage, and determines the shortage level based on the quantity of the shortage.

[0075] The shortage levels are divided into three levels: mild shortage corresponds to a shortage of less than 50 units of a single product category and does not occur for more than 3 consecutive periods, and the handling method is to only record an alert; moderate shortage corresponds to a shortage of not less than 50 units or occurring for 3 consecutive periods, and the handling method is to trigger a warehouse transfer request; severe shortage corresponds to a shortage of not less than 200 units or a total spare warehouse inventory below the safety line, and the handling method is to trigger a purchase request.

[0076] The central control system generates corresponding replenishment requests based on the shortage level, including the category, quantity, urgency, and suggested source of replenishment, and pushes these requests to the management terminal. After external replenishment is received, the central control system updates the spare tableware inventory, and the system resumes normal operation.

[0077] This embodiment employs a three-level shortage level mechanism, enabling the system to take differentiated countermeasures based on the severity of the shortage. This forms a three-level balancing strategy of "automatic replenishment at the beginning of the line - buffer blockage removal - external replenishment source," ensuring the continuous and stable operation of the system under various operating conditions.

[0078] Where there is no conflict, the technical features in the foregoing embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0079] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automated tableware washing line capable of achieving balanced replenishment, characterized in that, include: Material loading area at the beginning of the production line; Robotic arm unloading area; A gap detection sensor is set at a detection position after the material dropping area of ​​the robotic arm. It is used to detect the gap position in each contouring material dropping position and record the gap position data in combination with the position information. The line-start replenishment mechanism is set at a replenishment position at a fixed interval after the detection position. It is connected to the spare tableware warehouse signal and is used to receive the replenishment signal sent by the central control system and automatically replenish the corresponding type of tableware into the empty contour position at the replenishment position. The cleaning and disinfection area is used for cleaning and disinfecting tableware. Quality inspection and assembly buffer area; located at the exit of the cleaning and disinfection area, including a buffer area conveyor belt; A quality inspection unit is set up on the mesh belt path of the buffer area. Each type of tableware corresponds to one quality inspection unit, and the quality inspection unit is signal-connected to the central control system. The quality inspection unit has an active mode and a passive mode: In the active mode, the quality inspection unit performs visual inspection on the tableware in motion, distinguishes between broken tableware and dirty tableware, and removes them respectively. Broken tableware is counted in the breakage count, and dirty tableware is counted in the reserve count. In the passive mode, the quality inspection unit receives an external removal signal sent by the central control system, performs unconditional removal of tableware in a designated lane, and simultaneously performs quality inspection and distinction. Broken tableware is counted in the breakage count, and unbroken tableware is counted in the reserve count. The spare tableware storage is signal-connected to the line head replenishment mechanism and is used to store spare tableware of various types and supply it to the line head replenishment mechanism. as well as The central control system is connected to the empty space detection sensor, the line replenishment mechanism, the quality inspection mechanism, and the spare tableware warehouse, respectively. It is used to make replenishment balance decisions based on the quantity of tableware to be processed, the quantity to be assembled, and the inventory of spare tableware warehouse for each type of tableware, send replenishment signals to the line replenishment mechanism, and send external rejection signals to the quality inspection mechanism.

2. The automated tableware washing line capable of achieving material replenishment balance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding area at the beginning of the line is equipped with a turnover box QR code recognition unit and a turnover box tableware recognition unit. The turnover box QR code recognition unit is used to obtain the turnover box recycling information. The turnover box tableware recognition unit is signal-connected to the turnover box QR code recognition unit and is used to identify the actual quantity of each type of tableware in the turnover box and compare it with the recycling information for confirmation.

3. The automated tableware washing line capable of achieving material replenishment balance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robotic arm's material unloading area is set on the washing mesh belt. Each type of tableware occupies one lane of the washing mesh belt, and each lane contains several continuous contour unloading positions for receiving tableware that the robotic arm grabs and places from the turnover box.

4. The automated tableware washing line capable of achieving material replenishment balance according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a cleaning mesh belt position encoder, which is connected to the cleaning mesh belt signal and is used to track the movement of the cleaning mesh belt and output the current material drop zone position information.

5. The automated tableware washing line capable of achieving material replenishment balance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central control system is also used to manage external replenishment sources. When the inventory of a certain category of tableware in the spare tableware warehouse is insufficient to support replenishment at the line head, a replenishment request is generated based on the shortage and pushed to the management terminal.

6. The automated tableware washing line capable of achieving material replenishment balance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central control system classifies the shortage level into mild shortage, moderate shortage, and severe shortage based on the amount of shortage, and corresponding to three processing methods: recording early warning, triggering warehouse transfer requests, and triggering procurement requests, respectively.

7. A method for controlling the replenishment balance in an automated tableware washing line, characterized in that, The replenishment balance control method for the automated tableware washing line is applied to the automated tableware washing line capable of achieving replenishment balance as described in claims 1-6, and the method includes the following steps: Step 1: Obtain the recycling information of the turnover box and the actual quantity of each type of tableware in the box. After comparing and confirming the two, the robot will place the tableware into the contouring dropping position of the washing mesh belt dropping area. Step 2: Detect the position of each lane vacancy using a vacancy detection sensor and send the number of vacancyes to the central control system; Step 3: The central control system calculates the current quantity C of each type of tableware to be processed. k Determine the maximum value M among the current pending quantities; calculate the shortage quantity Δk = MC for each category. k ; Step 4: The central control system queries the corresponding category inventory S of the spare tableware warehouse. k Determine the replenishment command quantity △k for each category, send a replenishment signal to the replenishment mechanism at the beginning of the line, and the replenishment mechanism at the beginning of the line will replenish the corresponding category of tableware into the empty position at the replenishment position. After the replenishment is completed, a replenishment success signal is fed back to the central control system. Step 5: The central control system monitors in real time the quantity P of each category awaiting assembly in the quality inspection and assembly buffer area. k When the minimum number of product categories P min Less than the safety threshold and the maximum number of product categories P max When the maximum capacity reservation value for the product category is reached, an external rejection signal is sent to the corresponding product category quality inspection agency; Step 6: After receiving the external rejection signal, the quality inspection agency switches to passive mode and unconditionally rejects the tableware in the designated lane. At the same time, quality inspection is carried out to distinguish the tableware. Damaged tableware is counted in the damage count, and undamaged tableware is counted in the spare count. The rejected tableware is sent to the spare tableware warehouse. Step 7: Continue executing steps 5 and 6 until P. min Not less than the safety threshold and P max The cache size should not exceed the maximum capacity reservation value for this product category to achieve cache balancing.

8. The feeding balance control method for an automated tableware washing line according to claim 7, characterized in that, The quantity C of each category to be processed k The calculation formula is: Among them, E current A represents the number of empty positions detected by the empty position detection bit. total To accumulate the number of assembly times, B k D represents the cumulative number of damaged items in a certain product category. k R represents the cumulative number of items removed due to dirt and blockage for a specific product category. k The cumulative replenishment quantity for a certain product category.

9. The feeding balance control method for an automated tableware washing line according to claim 7, characterized in that, The calculation formula for the quantity Pk to be assembled for each category is as follows: Where k is the cumulative number of a certain type of tableware that fell from the cleaning area exit to the quality inspection and assembly buffer area, and A total To accumulate the number of assembly times, B k D represents the cumulative number of damaged items in a certain product category. k The cumulative number of items removed due to dirt and blockage for a certain product category.

10. The feeding balance control method for an automated tableware washing line according to claim 7, characterized in that, In step 4, in, This represents the number of visual recognitions for the i-th turnover box, which is obtained through the tableware recognition unit inside the turnover box. This indicates the quantity of material unloaded by the robotic arm from the i-th turnover box; This indicates the cumulative number of contaminants and blockages removed. Indicates the total number of damaged items; Indicates the cumulative amount of materials replenished; Indicates the quantity transferred from the warehouse; If Sk ≥ Δk; the material replenishment command quantity = Δk; if S k If the quantity is less than △k, then the category with the lowest inventory is used as the benchmark, and the remaining categories are replenished to the same quantity as that category, so that the quantities of the four categories to be processed are equal.

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