Goods multi-level package association relationship verification system
By setting up data collection units at the entrance and exit of the palletizer and combining them with the management platform, the order of the identification codes of the goods units can be accurately maintained, which solves the problem of chaotic association between pallets and goods units and improves the accuracy of association and traceability.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202423137376.5
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-19
- Publication Date
- 2025-10-28
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-12-19
AI Technical Summary
In the packaging process of fast-moving consumer goods, the order of association between pallets and product units can easily become confused, leading to continuous malfunctions and affecting the accuracy of subsequent pallet association.
By employing entry and exit data collection units, combined with a management platform, the range of goods units in the target pallet is accurately determined by collecting the identification codes of the goods units and maintaining their entry order. This ensures the accurate association between the identification codes and the pallets, preventing subsequent association errors.
This improves the accuracy of the association between pallet and product unit identification codes, reduces the probability of continuous and confusing associations, and ensures the accuracy of product unit traceability and statistics.
Smart Images
Figure CN223486519U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the technical field of production line automation control, and in particular to a multi-level packaging relationship verification system for goods. Background Technology
[0002] In the packaging production line of fast-moving consumer goods, goods need to undergo one or more levels of packaging to obtain product units (including one or more products) that are easy to transport and / or sell. Batch of product units enter an automatic palletizer, which stacks a fixed number of product units on pallets in a fixed manner, so that forklifts can be used to move the pallets to achieve rapid outbound shipment of batches of product units.
[0003] Each unit of goods has a box code printed on its outer packaging. The box code identifies the unit and can be used to retrieve information such as the production date and batch number. To better facilitate the statistics and traceability of goods, during the stacking stage, it is necessary to associate the box codes of the units stacked on each pallet with the pallet's number. In related technologies, since the number of units stacked on each pallet is fixed, the common association method is to collect the box code of each unit before it enters the palletizer, and then associate a consecutive preset number of box codes with the pallets currently being stacked.
[0004] However, during the stacking stage, damaged packaging units may be picked out, causing a discrepancy between the pallet's associated box code sequence and the actual stacked units, resulting in a disordered association sequence. Furthermore, even after a unit is picked out, the palletizer will still pick up the units to be stacked to maintain a consistent number of units on each pallet. In other words, a disordered association sequence on one pallet can also lead to disordered association sequences on subsequent pallets, thus causing a continuous chain of problems.
[0005] Therefore, reducing the likelihood of continuous and confusing associations between pallets and goods units is an urgent problem to be solved. Utility Model Content
[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a multi-level packaging relationship verification system for goods that can reduce the probability of continuous and chaotic associations between pallets and goods units, in order to address the above-mentioned technical problems.
[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides a multi-level packaging association verification system for goods, the system comprising an inlet acquisition unit, a management platform, and an outlet acquisition unit, wherein:
[0008] An entry data acquisition unit is installed at the entrance of the palletizer to collect the identification code of each product unit entering the palletizer and send the identification code to the management platform.
[0009] The management platform is used to maintain the identification code of each product unit based on the order in which each product unit enters the palletizer;
[0010] An exit acquisition unit, located at the exit end of the palletizer, is used to acquire a first identification code and a second identification code from the target pallet and send the first identification code and the second identification code to the management platform; the target pallet is a pallet that has been palletized by the palletizer, the first identification code is the identification code of the first item in the palletizing sequence, and the second identification code is the identification code of the last item in the palletizing sequence.
[0011] Among them, all the identification codes between the first identification code and the second identification code are used as identification codes to be associated, and the identification codes to be associated are used to associate with the pallet code of the target pallet.
[0012] In one embodiment, the ingress acquisition unit includes an acquisition camera and a trigger module, wherein:
[0013] The trigger module is located on one side of the palletizer entrance, and when any of the goods units passes through the trigger module, the trigger module is triggered and generates a first acquisition command.
[0014] The signal input terminal of the acquisition camera is connected to the signal output terminal of the trigger module, and the acquisition camera acquires the identification code of the goods unit in response to the first acquisition command;
[0015] The acquisition camera is also used to send the identification code to the management platform.
[0016] In one embodiment, the palletizer is provided with a conveyor belt at its entrance, the conveyor belt being used to transport the product unit to the entrance of the palletizer;
[0017] The acquisition camera acquires images at a set frequency to obtain an identification image including the identification code of the product unit; the set frequency is determined based on the speed of the conveyor belt.
[0018] In one embodiment, the acquisition camera is a high-speed camera.
[0019] In one embodiment, the triggering module is a photoelectric switch or a proximity switch.
[0020] In one embodiment, the exit acquisition unit includes a first camera and a second camera, wherein:
[0021] The first camera is fixedly installed, and the field of view of the first camera includes the first item in the pallet stacking order in the target pallet;
[0022] The second camera is fixedly installed, and the field of view of the second camera includes the last item in the stacking order of the target pallet.
[0023] In one embodiment, the system further includes a weighing unit for obtaining the actual weight of the target pallet and sending the actual weight to the management platform;
[0024] The management platform is also used to generate a second acquisition command when it is determined that the actual weight is within a preset weight range, and to send the second acquisition command to the first camera and the second camera;
[0025] The first camera acquires the first identifier code in response to the second acquisition command, and the second camera acquires the second identifier code in response to the second acquisition command.
[0026] In one embodiment, the identification code is a QR code.
[0027] In one embodiment, the system further includes a display unit that is communicatively connected to the management platform and is used to display various data received and generated by the management platform.
[0028] In one embodiment, the system further includes an input unit that is communicatively connected to the management platform.
[0029] The aforementioned multi-level packaging association verification system allows the entry acquisition unit to collect the identification codes of each product unit entering the palletizer. Upon receiving the identification codes from the entry acquisition unit, the management platform can maintain the order of the identification codes and the order in which each product unit enters the palletizer, ensuring that the order of the identification codes matches the order in which they enter the palletizer. This provides a foundation for accurate association between the identification codes and the pallet. Furthermore, the exit acquisition unit sends the first and second identification codes to the management unit, facilitating accurate determination of the range of product units palletized in the target pallet. All identification codes between the first and second identification codes are then used as identification codes to be associated with the target pallet's pallet code. This ensures that the identification codes of all product units palletized in the target pallet are associated with the target pallet's pallet code. Furthermore, the second identifier accurately identifies the last item in the stacking order of the target pallet. Therefore, the identifiers of subsequent item units will not be associated with the current target pallet, thus preventing continuous confusion in the association between the identifiers of subsequent pallets and item units. This improves the accuracy of the association between the identifiers of pallets and item units. Attached Figure Description
[0030] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application or related technologies, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or related technical descriptions. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.
[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application environment of a multi-level packaging relationship verification system for goods in one embodiment.
[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the connection relationship between each unit in a multi-level packaging association verification system for goods in one embodiment. Detailed Implementation
[0033] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application more clear, the following further describes this application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this application and are not intended to limit this application.
[0034] The multi-level packaging association verification system for goods provided in this application embodiment can be applied to, for example... Figure 1In the application environment shown, product units are conveyed to the inlet of the palletizer via a conveyor belt. The palletizer stacks the product units entering from the inlet onto pallets in a fixed manner (palletizing sequence and / or stacking structure). The number of product units stacked on each pallet is a fixed standard quantity, which corresponds to the packaging level and / or product type of the product units. This is not limited in this embodiment. The pallet with the standard quantity of product units stacked is the target pallet, which is exported from the outlet of the palletizer.
[0035] It should be noted that the product unit can be any packaging level below the pallet level. In this embodiment, the product unit can be at the SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) level. In this embodiment, the product is a fast-moving consumer good, such as alcoholic beverages; the specific type of product is not limited in this embodiment.
[0036] Each unit of goods has a box code printed on its outer packaging. The box code identifies the unit and can be used to retrieve information such as the production date and batch number. To better facilitate the statistics and traceability of goods, during the stacking stage, it is necessary to associate the box codes of the units stacked on each pallet with the pallet's number. In related technologies, since the number of units stacked on each pallet is fixed, the common association method is to collect the box code of each unit before it enters the palletizer, and then associate a consecutive preset number of box codes with the pallets currently being stacked.
[0037] However, during the stacking stage, damaged packaging units may be picked out, causing a discrepancy between the pallet's associated box code sequence and the actual stacked units, resulting in a disordered association sequence. Furthermore, even after a unit is picked out, the palletizer will still pick up the units to be stacked to maintain a consistent number of units on each pallet. In other words, a disordered association sequence on one pallet can also lead to disordered association sequences on subsequent pallets, thus causing a continuous chain of problems.
[0038] During the palletizing process, if workers find damaged packaging on a unit of goods, they will remove it. Ideally, if no damaged packaging is found during palletizing, the target pallet will contain the standard quantity of goods. Furthermore, the difference between the sequence number of the first and last unit in the pallet's stacking sequence will equal the standard quantity minus one.
[0039] For example, the standard quantity is 100. Ideally, there are no damaged product units during palletizing. The first and last product units in the target pallet are numbered 101 and 200, respectively. Therefore, ideally, the target pallet is typically associated with the standard quantity's identifier code following the sequence numbering of the previous pallet. For example, if the previous pallet was associated with identifier codes for product units numbered 1-100, then the current target pallet would be directly associated with pallet codes for product units numbered 101-200.
[0040] However, in reality, because the number of product units to be stacked on a pallet is usually quite large, damage to the packaging of product units during the stacking process is a high probability event. That is, product units numbered 101-200 are not all stacked on the target pallet, and therefore need to be supplemented from product units numbered 200 and beyond. Therefore, in practice, if the current target pallet is directly associated with the identification codes of product units numbered 101-200, but the target pallet may already contain product unit numbered 202, the identification code of product unit numbered 202 will actually be associated with the next pallet. Therefore, in practice, there is often a situation where the identification codes of product units are confused with the pallets on which the product units are stacked, and especially, a confusion in the association of one pallet can cause continuous confusion in the association of subsequent pallets.
[0041] To address the issue of confusing associations between pallet and goods unit identification codes, in one exemplary embodiment, referring to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 This paper provides a multi-level packaging relationship verification system for goods. The system includes an inlet data acquisition unit, a management platform, and an outlet data acquisition unit, wherein:
[0042] The entrance data collection unit is located at the entrance of the palletizer and is used to collect the identification code of each product unit entering the palletizer and send the identification code to the management platform.
[0043] The management platform is used to maintain the identification code of each product unit based on the order in which they enter the palletizer.
[0044] Specifically, the entry acquisition unit collects identification data, including the identification codes of the product units. The entry acquisition unit can communicate with the management platform via wired or wireless means, allowing it to send the collected product unit identification codes to the platform. The management platform parses the received identification data to obtain the identification codes and, based on the order in which the product units enter the palletizer, adds each identification code to the identification sequence, associating each code with a serial number. The serial number can use Roman numerals and is a consecutive digit; product units entering the palletizer earlier have lower serial numbers, and subsequent units have progressively higher numbers. For example, if the identification sequence already associates product unit serial numbers up to 50, and five more product units enter the palletizer sequentially, their serial numbers could be 51, 52, 53, 54, and 55.
[0045] An exit acquisition unit, located at the exit end of the palletizer, is used to acquire a first identification code and a second identification code from the target pallet and send them to the management platform. The target pallet is a pallet that has been palletized by the palletizer. The first identification code is the identification code of the first item in the palletizing sequence, and the second identification code is the identification code of the last item in the palletizing sequence. All identification codes between the first and second identification codes are used as identification codes to be associated, and these identification codes are used to associate with the pallet code of the target pallet.
[0046] Specifically, in this embodiment of the application, for a target pallet that has been palletized, the pallet codes of the first and last goods units in the palletizing sequence are collected by the exit collection unit, namely the first identification code and the second identification code; the exit collection unit is connected to the management unit by wired or wireless means, thereby sending the first identification code and the second identification code to the management unit.
[0047] The management unit can determine the sequence number corresponding to the first and second identifiers. Then, based on these sequence numbers, the management unit retrieves all identifiers between the first and second identifiers from the identifier queue as identifiers to be associated, and automatically associates these identifiers with the target pallet. Alternatively, the management unit can mark the identifiers to be associated in the identifier queue, and then staff can associate these identifiers with the target pallet through relevant operations.
[0048] In the aforementioned multi-level packaging association verification system, the entry acquisition unit can collect the identification codes of each product unit entering the palletizer. This allows the management platform to maintain the identification codes according to the order in which each product unit enters the palletizer, ensuring that the order of the identification codes matches the order in which they enter the palletizer. This provides a foundation for accurate association between the identification codes and the pallet. Furthermore, the exit acquisition unit sends the first and second identification codes to the management unit, facilitating accurate determination of the range of product units palletized in the target pallet. All identification codes between the first and second identification codes are then used as identifiers to be associated with the target pallet's pallet code. This ensures that the identification codes of all product units palletized in the target pallet are associated with the target pallet's pallet code. Furthermore, the second identifier accurately identifies the last item in the stacking order of the target pallet. Therefore, the identifiers of subsequent item units will not be associated with the current target pallet, thus preventing continuous confusion in the association between the identifiers of subsequent pallets and item units. This improves the accuracy of the association between the identifiers of pallets and item units.
[0049] In one embodiment, reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The entry acquisition unit may specifically include an acquisition camera and a trigger module, wherein: the trigger module is set on one side of the entry end of the palletizer, and when any product unit passes through the trigger module, the trigger module is triggered and generates a first acquisition command; the signal input terminal of the acquisition camera is connected to the signal output terminal of the trigger module, and the acquisition camera acquires the identification code of the product unit in response to the first acquisition command; the acquisition camera is also used to send the identification code to the management platform.
[0050] Specifically, a conveyor belt is installed at the entrance of the palletizer. Product units are placed at equal intervals on the conveyor belt and transported to the entrance of the palletizer. The trigger module can be a photoelectric switch or an electromagnetic induction type proximity switch. When a product unit on the conveyor belt passes the set position of the trigger module, the trigger module is activated, generating a first acquisition command, which can be a high-level signal. The signal output terminal of the trigger module is electrically connected to the signal input terminal of the acquisition camera. The first acquisition command generated by the trigger module is sent to the acquisition camera, which performs image acquisition in response to the first acquisition command, obtaining an identification image of the product unit. The identification image includes the identification code of the product unit; then, the identification image is sent as identification data to the management platform.
[0051] The acquisition camera can also be set to acquire images at a set frequency to obtain an identification image including the identification code of the product unit; the set frequency is determined based on the speed of the conveyor belt; for example, if the conveyor belt transports 30 product units to the entrance of the palletizer at a fixed operating speed per minute, the acquisition camera can acquire an image every 2 seconds.
[0052] Furthermore, in order to obtain clearer identification images, high-speed cameras can be used for data acquisition. High-speed cameras have a higher frame rate and dynamic capture capability. When the conveyor belt is running at a high speed, using a high-speed camera as the data acquisition camera can capture clearer identification images, which makes it easier for the management platform to more accurately analyze the identification images and obtain the identification code of the goods unit.
[0053] Furthermore, to ensure that the number of palletized product units in each target pallet remains at a standard quantity, it is necessary to confirm the number of product units on each target pallet. Since each pallet is of standard size and each product unit is identical, after the palletizer exports the pallet after palletizing, the target pallet is placed on a weighing unit for weighing to obtain the actual weight of the entire target pallet. The weighing unit then sends the actual weight of the target pallet to the management platform.
[0054] The management platform pre-sets a weight range, which is calculated as the standard weight of the pallet + the standard weight of the product unit * the standard quantity ± a fluctuation parameter. The fluctuation parameter takes into account the weight fluctuation caused by individual differences in product units. The management platform further compares the actual weight of the target pallet with the preset weight range. If the actual weight is determined to be within the weight range, the quantity of product units on the target pallet is determined to be the standard quantity. The management platform then generates a second acquisition command and sends it to the exit acquisition unit, which in turn controls the exit acquisition unit to acquire the first and second identification codes.
[0055] Specifically, the management platform can be, but is not limited to, various personal computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets, IoT devices, or can be implemented using a standalone server or a server cluster consisting of multiple servers.
[0056] In one embodiment, reference Figure 1 and Figure 2The exit acquisition unit may specifically include a first camera and a second camera. The first camera is fixedly mounted, and its field of view includes the first item in the pallet's stacking order. The second camera is also fixedly mounted, and its field of view includes the last item in the pallet's stacking order. The signal input terminals of both the first and second cameras are connected to the signal output terminal of the management platform. This ensures that when the first camera receives a second acquisition command from the management platform, the first camera acquires a first identification code, and the second camera acquires a second identification code.
[0057] Furthermore, the identification code in this embodiment can be a QR code, which can be associated with more information, such as the production time, production workshop, production batch, raw materials, production process, and other information of the product unit. Of course, the identification code can also be other types, and this embodiment does not specifically limit the specific type of the identification code.
[0058] In one embodiment, the multi-level packaging association verification system provided in this application further includes a display unit, which is communicatively connected to the management platform and is used to display various data received and generated by the management platform. The system also includes an input unit, which is communicatively connected to the management platform.
[0059] The display unit is used to form a visually visible image and can be a display screen, a projection device, or a virtual reality imaging device. The display screen can be an LCD screen or an e-ink screen, and the input unit can be a touch layer covering the display screen, or buttons, trackballs, or touchpads set on the casing of electronic devices, or external keyboards, touchpads, or mice, etc.
[0060] After the management platform determines the identifier codes to be associated, it marks them, and the management unit can display the marked identifier codes. Furthermore, the display unit can display an identifier sequence, highlighting the corresponding serial numbers of the first and second identifier codes. Users can input data or commands into the management platform via the input unit to select all identifier codes between the serial numbers of the first and second identifier codes as identifier codes to be associated. Users can also manually select to associate the identifier codes to be associated with the pallet code of the target pallet via the input unit.
[0061] Furthermore, the display unit can also display and arrange the actual weight of each target pallet, so that on-site staff can better determine the operation of the multi-level packaging relationship verification system.
[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, a multi-level packaging relationship verification system for goods is provided. The system construction process includes:
[0063] A data acquisition camera is installed at the entrance of the palletizer to collect the box codes (identification codes) of the goods units entering the palletizer and to determine the time of collection. The management platform arranges the box codes of each goods unit according to the order of collection time and assigns them serial numbers to form a box code queue (identification queue).
[0064] Add a first camera at the exit end of the palletizer to read the box codes of goods units at fixed positions on the target pallet; adjust the camera's installation position to stably obtain one box code at a fixed position in the camera's field of view. Calculate the order in which the goods units arrive at the aforementioned box code positions on the target pallet, using this as the baseline sequence number for verification. Add an algorithm that uses the actual sequence number of the box code in the box code queue collected by the first camera as the baseline point, and extracts a segment of box code data in a fixed order (quantity) before and after the baseline point from the box code queue according to the standard quantity of goods units palletized in the target pallet, as the box code that needs to be associated with the target pallet; create a pallet code for the target pallet, and establish the association relationship between the pallet code and the box code that needs to be associated with the target pallet.
[0065] Each type of product unit collected during production has a fixed stacking quantity and method. Therefore, generally speaking, each product unit on the pallet exterior has a fixed collection sequence. By reading the box code at a fixed position on the target pallet after stacking and finding its sequence number in the box code queue, and comparing it with its theoretical queue sequence number, it is possible to determine if any stacking anomalies have occurred. Algorithm-based queue correction ensures the accuracy of subsequent box-pallet association relationships and prevents consecutive box-pallet association errors.
[0066] The modules and units in the aforementioned multi-level packaging relationship verification system can be implemented entirely or partially through software, hardware, or a combination thereof. These modules and units can be embedded in or independent of the processor in an electronic device, or stored in the memory of the electronic device as software, so that the processor can call and execute the corresponding operations of each module.
[0067] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 2 The structure shown is merely a block diagram of a portion of the structure related to the present application and does not constitute a limitation on the modules and units applied thereto. Specific modules and units may include more or fewer components than those shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.
[0068] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.
[0069] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed. However, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A multi-level packaging association verification system for goods, characterized in that, The system includes an inlet data acquisition unit, a management platform, and an outlet data acquisition unit, wherein: An entry data acquisition unit is installed at the entrance of the palletizer to collect the identification code of each product unit entering the palletizer and send the identification code to the management platform. The management platform is used to maintain the identification code of each product unit based on the order in which each product unit enters the palletizer; An exit acquisition unit, located at the exit end of the palletizer, is used to acquire a first identification code and a second identification code from the target pallet and send the first identification code and the second identification code to the management platform; the target pallet is a pallet that has been palletized by the palletizer, the first identification code is the identification code of the first item in the palletizing sequence, and the second identification code is the identification code of the last item in the palletizing sequence. Among them, all the identification codes between the first identification code and the second identification code are used as identification codes to be associated, and the identification codes to be associated are used to associate with the pallet code of the target pallet.
2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inlet acquisition unit includes an acquisition camera and a trigger module, wherein: The trigger module is located on one side of the palletizer entrance, and when any of the goods units passes through the trigger module, the trigger module is triggered and generates a first acquisition command. The signal input terminal of the acquisition camera is connected to the signal output terminal of the trigger module, and the acquisition camera acquires the identification code of the goods unit in response to the first acquisition command; The acquisition camera is also used to send the identification code to the management platform.
3. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The palletizer is equipped with a conveyor belt at its entrance, which is used to transport the product units to the entrance of the palletizer. The acquisition camera acquires images at a set frequency to obtain an identification image including the identification code of the product unit; the set frequency is determined based on the speed of the conveyor belt.
4. The system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The acquisition camera is a high-speed camera.
5. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The triggering module is a photoelectric switch or a proximity switch.
6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The exit acquisition unit includes a first camera and a second camera, wherein: The first camera is fixedly installed, and the field of view of the first camera includes the first item in the pallet stacking order in the target pallet; The second camera is fixedly installed, and the field of view of the second camera includes the last item in the stacking order of the target pallet.
7. The system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The system also includes a weighing unit, which is used to obtain the actual weight of the target pallet and send the actual weight to the management platform; The management platform is also used to generate a second acquisition command when it is determined that the actual weight is within a preset weight range, and to send the second acquisition command to the first camera and the second camera; The first camera acquires the first identifier code in response to the second acquisition command, and the second camera acquires the second identifier code in response to the second acquisition command.
8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The identification code is a QR code.
9. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes a display unit, which is communicatively connected to the management platform and is used to display various data received and generated by the management platform.
10. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The system also includes an input unit, which is communicatively connected to the management platform.