Vision inspection machine

Abstract

The utility model discloses a visual inspection machine, including rotary conveying device, mould base and visual detection device, and rotary conveying device includes carousel, and mould base is located on carousel, and mould base can autorotate, and visual detection device includes visual sunshade, visual camera and two light sources, and visual camera is located the top of mould base, and visual sunshade is equipped with detection port, and visual camera detects the round pipe on mould base through detection port, and two light sources are located the below of visual sunshade, and are symmetrically arranged in the side top of mould base. Cooperation visual sunshade shields the non workpiece part in the visual camera field of view, reduces invalid image information, reduces the amount of calculation, effectively improves the judgment speed, and the inner wall of cover is the reflection to light source light, and the light of light source is reflected to the round pipe surface, makes up the shadow that direct light can exist, makes workpiece surface brightness more even, promotes image definition.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of surface defect detection technology, and in particular to a visual inspection machine. Background Technology

[0002] Most existing visual inspection machines for surface defects of round tube products are conveyor chain type or linear multi-station type. They are effective for inspecting large-diameter round tube products, but they have the following disadvantages for inspecting small-radius round tubes: When the visual camera is inspecting, non-workpiece parts, such as other parts of the equipment and stray light areas, will appear in the field of view, which contain a lot of invalid image information, resulting in a large amount of calculation. Moreover, the uneven lighting leads to low image clarity and poor visual sampling effect. Utility Model Content

[0003] This invention aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a visual inspection machine that can reduce invalid image information, lower computational load, and improve image clarity.

[0004] The visual inspection machine according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: A rotary conveyor, including a turntable, is used to convey round tubes to different workstations; A mold base is disposed on the turntable, and the mold base is capable of rotation for rotating the circular tube; A visual inspection device is used to detect cylindrical surface defects of a round tube on a mold base. The visual inspection device includes a visual light shield, a visual camera, and two light sources. The visual camera is located above the mold base, and the visual light shield is located between the visual camera and the mold base. The visual light shield has a detection port, through which the visual camera detects the round tube on the mold base. The visual light shield is used to shield non-workpiece parts within the field of view of the visual camera. The two light sources are located below the visual light shield and are symmetrically arranged on the upper side of the mold base.

[0005] The visual inspection machine according to the embodiments of this utility model has at least the following beneficial effects: the visual light shield covers the non-workpiece parts within the field of view of the visual camera, preventing the background environment (such as other parts of the equipment, stray light areas) from entering the field of view of the visual camera, reducing invalid image information, reducing the amount of calculation, and effectively improving the judgment speed. At the same time, the inner wall of the shield reflects the light from the light source, reflecting the light emitted by the light source onto the surface of the circular tube, compensating for the shadows that may exist in direct light, making the brightness of the workpiece surface more uniform, and improving the image clarity.

[0006] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the inner wall of the visual light shield is provided with a reflective part, which is used to reflect the light from the light source onto the circular tube.

[0007] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the visual inspection device further includes a dust removal device. The turntable conveying tube first passes through the dust removal device and then through the visual inspection device. The dust removal device includes a roller and a driving device for driving the roller to rotate. The roller is used to abut against the mold base to drive the mold base to rotate.

[0008] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the dust removal device further includes a dust removal exhaust hood, which is connected to a fan to achieve negative pressure exhaust.

[0009] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the visual inspection device further includes a mold base self-rotation device and a cam mechanism. The mold base self-rotation device includes a servo motor, a pressure head, a transmission rod, a first compression spring, a wide gear, and a narrow gear. The servo motor drives the narrow gear to rotate, and the wide gear meshes with the narrow gear. The pressure head and the wide gear are connected to the transmission rod. The cam mechanism includes a cylindrical cam and a sliding plate. The sliding plate is slidably disposed on the transmission rod. The first compression spring is sleeved on the transmission rod and located between the sliding plate and the pressure head. The cylindrical cam drives the sliding plate to reciprocate in the front-back direction by rotating. The pressure head can abut against the rear end of the mold base under the rebound force of the first compression spring to drive the mold base located at the corresponding position of the visual inspection device to rotate.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the visual inspection device further includes a front center support, which includes a central support shaft, a vertical support, and a connecting assembly. The central support shaft is used to connect the rotary conveyor, and the central support shaft and the mold base are located on the same side of the turntable. The central support shaft is arranged in a horizontal direction, and the vertical support is connected to the central support shaft through the connecting assembly.

[0011] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the visual inspection device further includes a first photoelectric switch, which is used to detect whether the round tube is properly fitted into the mold base.

[0012] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the visual inspection device further includes a second photoelectric switch, which is located at the bottom empty position of the turntable and is used to detect whether there is still a round tube in the mold base.

[0013] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the visual inspection device further includes a stepping module, which is used to drive the visual camera to rise and fall.

[0014] According to some embodiments of the present invention, the visual inspection device further includes a manual adjustment module, which is used to drive the visual light shield to rise and fall.

[0015] Additional aspects and advantages of this invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0016] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the functional modules of the visual inspection machine according to an embodiment of the present utility model; Figure 2 for Figure 1 A partial structural schematic diagram of the vision inspection machine is shown; Figure 3 for Figure 1 A partial structural schematic diagram of the vision inspection machine is shown; Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partial structural schematic diagram of the vision inspection machine is shown; Figure 5 for Figure 1 A partial structural schematic diagram of the vision inspection machine is shown; Figure 6 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a partial structural schematic of the vision inspection machine.

[0017] Reference numerals: 1-Feeding device; 2-Dust removal device; 3-Vision inspection device; 4-Qualified product discharge device; 5-Defective product discharge device; 6-Rotary conveyor device; 7-Mold base; 8-Main power device; 9-Intermediate transmission device; 10-Mold base self-rotation device. 11-Turntable; 12-Qualified product scraper cylinder; 13-Qualified product scraper; 14-Defective product scraper cylinder; 15-Defective product scraper; 16-Qualified product conveyor line; 17-Defective product conveyor line; 18-Fourth sprocket; 19-Second chain; 20-Main connecting shaft; 21-Main motor; 22-RV reducer; 23-First synchronous belt pulley; 24-First synchronous belt; 25-First spiral bevel gear right-angle commutator; 26-Front drive shaft; 27-Third sprocket; 28-Fifth synchronous belt pulley; 29-Third synchronous belt; 30-Sixth synchronous belt pulley; 31-Fifth sprocket; 32-Third chain; 33-Sixth sprocket; 34 - Seventh sprocket; 35- Fourth chain; 36- Ninth sprocket; 37- Seventh timing belt pulley; 38- Fourth timing belt; 39- Eighth timing belt pulley; 40- First cam divider; 41- Second timing belt pulley; 42- Third timing belt pulley; 43- Second timing belt; 44- Fourth timing belt pulley; 45- Cylindrical cam; 46- Slide plate; 47- Pressure head; 48- First compression spring; 49- Wide gear; 50- Narrow gear; 51- Servo motor; 52- Ninth timing belt pulley; 53- Fifth timing belt; 54- Second spiral bevel gear right-angle commutator; 55- Vertical drive shaft; 56- Tenth sprocket; 57- Fifth chain; 5 8-Eleventh sprocket; 59-Twelfth sprocket; 60-Thirteenth timing belt pulley; 61-Seventh timing belt; 62-Fourteenth timing belt pulley; 63-First shaft; 64-Relay shaft; 65-Sixth chain; 66-Thirteenth sprocket; 67-First crank wheel; 68-First connecting rod; 69-Slider; 70-Push rod; 71-Fourteenth sprocket; 72-Second crank wheel; 73-Second connecting rod; 74-Slide plate; 75-Second compression spring; 76-Anti-rotation head; 77-First sprocket shaft; 78-Second sprocket shaft; 79-Eleventh timing belt pulley; 80-Sixth timing belt pulley; 81-Twelfth timing belt; 82-Connecting... 83-Encoder; 84-First sprocket; 85-First chain; 86-Second sprocket; 87-Bearing housing; 88-Roller; 89-Eighth sprocket; 90-Tenth synchronous belt pulley; 91-Feed ramp channel; 92-Distribution groove wheel; 93-Second cam divider; 95-Dust extraction hood; 96-Vision light shield; 97-Right light source; 98-Left light source; 99-Vision camera; 100-Stepper module; 101-Manual adjustment module; 102-Second rotating shaft; 103-Intermediate shaft; 104-Camshaft; 105-First photoelectric switch; 106-Second photoelectric switch; 107-Front center support. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The embodiments of this utility model are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this utility model, and should not be construed as limiting this utility model.

[0019] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the directional descriptions, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicate the directional or positional relationship based on the directional or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0020] In the description of this utility model, "several" means one or more, "multiple" means two or more, "greater than," "less than," and "exceeding" are understood to exclude the stated number, while "above," "below," and "within" are understood to include the stated number. If "first" or "second" is used in the description, it is only for the purpose of distinguishing technical features and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance, or implicitly indicating the number of indicated technical features, or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0021] In the description of this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly defined, terms such as "setting," "installation," and "connection" should be interpreted broadly, and those skilled in the art can reasonably determine the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model in conjunction with the specific content of the technical solution.

[0022] Reference Figure 1 The visual inspection machine of this utility model embodiment includes a feeding device 1, a dust removal device 2, a visual inspection device 3, a qualified product discharge device 4, a defective product discharge device 5, a rotary conveyor device 6, a mold base 7, a main power device 8, an intermediate transmission device 9, and a mold base self-rotation device 10.

[0023] The feeding device 1 separates individual round tubes and pushes them into the mold base 7. The mold base 7 is mounted on a rotary conveyor 6. The rotary conveyor 6 rotates, causing the round tubes on the mold base 7 to move from the position corresponding to the feeding device 1 to the position corresponding to the dust removal device 2, then to the position corresponding to the vision inspection device 3, and finally sequentially to the positions corresponding to the qualified product discharge device 4 and the defective product discharge device 5. The dust removal device 2 removes dust from the round tubes before inspection, preventing dust and other impurities on the tube surface from affecting the inspection results of the vision inspection device 3. The vision inspection device 3 performs surface defect inspection on the cylindrical parts of the product and, based on the inspection results, conveys the inspected round tubes to different positions. For example, if the inspection result is a qualified product, the round tube is conveyed to the position corresponding to the qualified product discharge device 4, which removes the finished product and places it on the conveyor line connecting to the next processing equipment; if the inspection result is a defective product, the round tube is conveyed to the position corresponding to the defective product discharge device 54, which removes the defective product and places it on the designated conveyor line. The main power unit 8 provides power for the movement of components such as the feeding device 1, dust removal device 2, qualified product discharge device 4, defective product discharge device 5, rotary conveyor device 6, and mold base self-rotation device 10. (Refer to...) Figure 3 The main power unit 8 mainly uses a main power motor 21 in conjunction with an RV reducer 22 and a first spiral bevel gear right-angle commutator 25, etc., to distribute the main power in multiple directions. Then, the power distributed by the main power unit 8 in each direction is transmitted to the various functional components through an intermediate transmission device 9, which is a combination of various mechanical transmission devices. The mold base self-rotation device 10 is set at the position corresponding to the vision inspection device 3 to drive the mold base 7 to rotate, thereby facilitating the vision inspection device 3 to inspect the circumference of the round tube. After the inspection is completed, the mold base self-rotation device 10 is disconnected from the mold base 7, so that the rotation conveyor 6 can drive the mold base 7 to the next station.

[0024] The specific composition and working principle of each component are explained below.

[0025] Reference Figure 2 The feeding device 1 is located at the end of the inclined material channel 91. Multiple round tubes are placed on the inclined material channel 91. The round tubes can automatically roll to the position of the feeding device 1. The feeding device 1 includes a material distribution groove wheel 92 and a first pushing mechanism. The axis of the material distribution groove wheel 92 is set in the horizontal direction, that is, the rotation axis of the material distribution groove wheel 92 is horizontal, and the whole is in a "horizontal" state. The circumferential surface of the material distribution groove wheel 92 is provided with multiple grooves parallel to the axis of the material distribution groove wheel. Each groove can only accommodate one round tube. After the round tube on the inclined material channel 91 reaches the groove of the material distribution groove wheel 92, the material distribution groove wheel rotates one division, which can separate the single round tube and send the round tube to the front of the aligned mold base 7. Then, it is pushed into the mold base 7 of the first station by the first pushing mechanism.

[0026] Reference Figure 3 and Figure 5 The first pushing mechanism includes a first crank wheel 67, a first connecting rod 68, a slider 69, and a push rod 70. The main power device 8 drives the first crank wheel 67 to rotate via an intermediate transmission device 9. The first crank wheel 67 drives the slider 69 (slider 69 is slidably connected to the guide rod) to perform reciprocating linear motion via the first connecting rod 68. The push rod 70 is connected to the slider 69 and is used to push the round tube in the groove into the mold base 7. When the slider 69 moves backward, the push rod 7 extends into the groove of the distributing groove wheel 92 and pushes the round tube in the groove into the mold base 7 axially (horizontally). When the slider 69 moves forward, the push rod 7 disengages from the groove, ready for the next push. The end of the push rod 70 is provided with a rubber head, which is used to push the round tube and prevent damage to the round tube. As a crank-slider mechanism, the first pushing mechanism can realize the control of the action timing.

[0027] Reference Figure 2 The dust removal device 2 includes a dust extraction hood 95 with a shaped funnel-shaped opening. The dust extraction hood 95 is arranged near the circular pipe and is connected to an external fan. It achieves the dust removal effect through negative pressure extraction. During operation, the external fan starts and forms a "negative pressure extraction" through its connection with the dust extraction hood 95: the fan draws air to create a negative pressure environment inside and around the dust extraction hood 95 that is lower than the external atmospheric pressure. The surrounding dust-laden air is drawn into the dust extraction hood 95 under the action of the air pressure difference, and the dust adhering to the circular pipe is also drawn into the dust extraction hood 95 along with the air.

[0028] Reference Figure 6 The dust removal device includes rollers 88. The main power unit 8 drives the rollers 88 to rotate via an intermediate transmission device 9. The rollers 88 abut against the mold base 7, thereby using friction to drive the mold base 7 to rotate. Specifically, the rollers 88 are close to the circumferential surface of the tail end of the mold base 7, thus driving the mold base 7 to rotate and completing the dust removal of the entire circumferential surface of the tube. The rotation of the mold base 7 causes the tube to rotate synchronously, exposing the entire circumferential surface of the tube to the dust removal area (the suction range of the dust removal hood 7), thereby achieving an all-round, no-dead-angle dust removal effect and avoiding the ineffective cleaning of local surfaces due to the tube being stationary. The rollers 88 can be made of polyurethane material to reduce wear on the mold base 7 and reduce noise.

[0029] Reference Figure 2The rotary conveyor 6 includes a turntable 11 with multiple mold base mounting holes evenly spaced along the circumference of the turntable 11. Each mold base mounting hole holds one mold base 7. When the turntable 11 rotates by an angle, causing the circular tube on the mold base 7 to be conveyed to the next station, a mold base 7 will simultaneously arrive at the current station, enabling each station to work continuously and improving the efficiency of batch production.

[0030] Reference Figure 4 The rotary conveyor 6 also includes a first cam divider 40 for driving the turntable 11 to rotate intermittently. The cam divider is also called a cam indexer or intermittent divider. The input shaft of the cam divider is driven to rotate continuously by a power source such as a motor, while the output shaft (connected to the turntable 11) rotates only within a specific angular range (indexing angle) under the push of the cam, remaining stationary the rest of the time, thus completing the "intermittent" characteristic. The first cam divider 40 drives the turntable 11 to perform a periodic motion of "rotate-stop-rotate-stop," rather than continuous rotation. This intermittent motion is key to achieving automated workstation switching (e.g., allowing the circular tube on the turntable 11 to stop at different positions for dust removal, processing, inspection, and other operations).

[0031] Reference Figure 4 The vision inspection machine also includes an encoder 83, which is used to provide real-time feedback of the input shaft phase data of the first cam divider 40. The intermediate transmission device 9 includes a second rotating shaft 102 and a coupling 82. The second rotating shaft 102 and the first cam divider 40 are connected to the same power source. Power is transmitted to the second rotating shaft 102 and then connected to the encoder 83 via the coupling 82. "Phase data" here refers to the real-time rotation angle or position information of the input shaft. Since the input shaft of the cam divider is driven by a motor to rotate continuously (e.g., several revolutions per second), while the output shaft (connected to the turntable 11) rotates intermittently within a specific angular range (indexing motion), the phase of the input shaft (i.e., the current rotation angle) directly determines the position state of the output shaft (e.g., "rotating" or "stationary at a certain position"). The input shaft and output shaft (connected to the turntable 11) of the first cam divider 40 have a fixed transmission ratio (e.g., the input shaft rotates 8 revolutions, the output shaft rotates 1 revolution, and the indexing is 4 times). The phase of the input shaft is obtained by encoder 83, which can be used to deduce the current position of the output shaft (e.g., "when the input shaft rotates to 30°, the output shaft is stationary at a certain position"). Based on this, the system determines whether the tube has reached the designated position for visual inspection, avoiding missed or false detections due to positional deviations.

[0032] Because the first cam divider 40 driving the turntable 11 is of the hollow type (DT), its rotation is driven by the outer flange of the turntable 11, while the central flange remains stationary. Since the first cam divider 40 is vertically mounted, after the turntable 11 and mold base 7 are mounted, the entire support structure is a cantilever beam, with the only support point being the fixed mounting plate behind the first cam divider 40, resulting in unilateral stress. After a relatively long cylindrical workpiece is inserted into the mold base 7, the distance from the front end of the cylindrical workpiece to the support point is relatively long, resulting in a long lever arm. If the front end of the cylindrical workpiece is overloaded (e.g., the cylindrical part is closed, and the push rod 70 pushes it forcefully during loading), the bending moment at the center position will be very large.

[0033] To solve the above problems, refer to Figure 3 The vision inspection machine also includes a front center support 107, which comprises a central support shaft, a vertical support, and a connecting assembly. The central support shaft is used to connect the rotary conveyor 6. The central support shaft and the mold base 7 are located on the same side of the turntable 11. The central support shaft is set horizontally, and the vertical support is connected to the central support shaft through the connecting assembly. The front center support 107 is used to strengthen the vertically mounted turntable 11 under multi-directional stress and to facilitate the connection of the inspection device when the mold base 7 is relatively long and the bending moment relative to the center is large. With the addition of the front center support 107, the divider becomes a two-point support (simply supported beam form), one in front and one behind. When the front end of the circular tube is overloaded, the center position is less prone to deformation when subjected to bending moment.

[0034] In some embodiments, the mold base 7 includes a bearing housing mounted on the turntable 11 and a bearing disposed within the bearing housing. The bearing housing is installed in a mold base mounting hole. The mold base 7 also includes a insert for passing through a circular tube, i.e., the circular tube can be fitted onto the insert to achieve radial positioning (preventing the circular tube from wobbling) and support of the circular tube. The insert is mounted on the bearing, with both ends protruding outside the bearing, and a ring is provided at the end facing away from the circular tube. The diameter of the ring is larger than the diameter of the insert. In other words, the insert for fitting the circular tube passes through the bearing, with one end suspended at the outer end. That is, after the insert passes through the bearing, the end for fitting the circular tube is in a "suspended" state, facilitating the loading and unloading of the circular tube. A ring for contact rotation is installed at the tail end. The ring is the force-bearing point for power transmission. When the roller 88 contacts and rotates with the ring, the frictional force drives the ring and the insert to rotate, thereby driving the circular tube fitted onto the insert to rotate synchronously. The enlarged diameter structure of the ring increases the contact area between the roller 88 and the insert, avoiding local stress concentration or slippage caused by the roller only contacting the thin end of the insert, thus improving the stability and efficiency of power transmission.

[0035] Reference Figure 2The visual inspection device 3 includes a visual light shield 96, a visual camera 99, and two light sources 97 and 98. The visual camera 99 is located above the mold base 7, and the visual light shield 96 is located between the visual camera 99 and the mold base 7. The visual light shield 96 has a detection port through which the visual camera 99 inspects the circular tube on the mold base 7. The visual light shield 96 is used to shield the non-workpiece parts within the field of view of the visual camera 99. The two light sources 97 and 98 are located below the visual light shield 96 and are symmetrically arranged on the upper sides of the mold base 7, illuminating the circular tube obliquely from both sides, forming a symmetrical lighting layout. The inner wall of the visual light shield 96 has a reflective part (usually a coating or special structure) to reflect the light from the two light sources 97 and 98 onto the circular tube. The reflective part can directionally reflect the divergent light emitted by the two light sources 97 and 98 to the outer circle of the circular tube, reducing the scattering of light to other areas of the visual light shield 96 (such as the side walls and top) and improving the light energy utilization rate.

[0036] Two light sources 97 and 98 provide efficient illumination to the outer surface of the cylindrical tube. The detection port of the vision shield 96 provides an imaging channel for the vision camera 99, ensuring that the vision camera 99 can accurately capture the cylindrical tube on the mold base 7 through the detection port. In conjunction with the vision shield 96, the non-workpiece parts within the field of view of the vision camera 99 are shielded, preventing the background environment (such as other parts of the equipment, stray light areas) from entering the camera's field of view, reducing invalid image information, reducing the amount of calculation, and effectively improving the judgment speed. At the same time, the inner wall of the shield reflects the light from the light source, reflecting the light emitted by the light source onto the surface of the cylindrical tube, compensating for the shadows that may exist in direct light, making the brightness of the workpiece surface more uniform and improving image clarity.

[0037] The vision inspection device 3 also features a rapid product changeover adjustment function. Specifically, it includes a stepper module 100, which drives the vision camera 99 to rise and fall. The device also includes a manual adjustment module 101, which drives the vision light shield 96 to rise and fall. When switching products, if the product's vision process parameters are already saved, the system can directly control the stepper module 100 to raise and lower the vision camera 99 to the accurate position. The vision light shield 96 can also be adjusted to the corresponding scale position by adjusting the manual adjustment module 101, quickly adjusting the occlusion range and saving debugging time.

[0038] Reference Figure 4The mold base self-rotation device 10 includes a servo motor 51, a pressure head 47, a transmission rod, a wide gear 49, and a narrow gear 50. The servo motor 51 drives the narrow gear 50 to rotate, and the wide gear 49 meshes with the narrow gear 50. The pressure head 47 and the wide gear 49 are connected to the transmission rod. The servo motor 51 drives the pressure head 47, made of polyurethane material, to rotate through the narrow gear 50 and the wide gear 49. When the pressure head 47 presses forward to the bottom of the mold base 7, the mold base 7 is driven to rotate by the pressure head 47, and the rotation speed is adjusted by the servo motor 51 as needed. Since the visual inspection device 3 can usually only take pictures from a single perspective (directly above), the circumference of the circular tube needs to be rotated to be completely scanned. Therefore, the mold base self-rotation device 10 needs to drive the mold base 7 to rotate during the inspection stage so that each part of the circular tube enters the camera's field of view in sequence to achieve complete inspection. The pressure head 47 is made of polyurethane material to avoid rigid collisions or vibrations caused by direct contact between metal parts and the mold base 7, which would affect the inspection accuracy. Furthermore, the high coefficient of friction of the polyurethane surface prevents slippage between the pressure head 47 and the mold base 7, ensuring effective power transmission. The soft material also prevents the pressure head 47 from scratching the surface of the mold base 7.

[0039] Understandably, once the circumferential surface inspection of the round tube is completed, the rotary conveyor 6 needs to drive the mold base 7 to the next station. To avoid interfering with the station switching of the rotary conveyor 6, the pressure head 47 needs to disengage from the mold base 7. For this purpose, the mold base self-rotation device 10 is also equipped with a first compression spring 48. The intermediate transmission device 9 includes a cylindrical cam 45 and a sliding plate 46. The sliding plate 46 is slidably mounted on the transmission rod, and the first compression spring 48 is sleeved on the transmission rod and located between the sliding plate and the pressure head. The cylindrical cam 45 drives the sliding plate 46 to reciprocate in the front-back direction through rotation. The pressure head 47, under the restoring force of the first compression spring 48, abuts against the rear end of the mold base 7, thereby driving the mold base 7, located at the corresponding position of the vision inspection device 3, to rotate. In other words, the cylindrical cam 45 drives the roller-loaded sliding plate 46 to reciprocate back and forth, and under the restoring force of the first compression spring 48, pushes the pressure head 47 against the rear end of the mold base 7. Under the rotation of the mold base self-rotation device 10, the mold base 7 is driven to rotate synchronously, realizing the inspection of the entire circumference of the round tube surface. The width of the wide gear 49 is greater than that of the narrow gear 50, so that when the wide gear 49 moves along the length of the transmission rod, it can still maintain meshing with the narrow gear 50 (the extra width of the wide gear 49 covers the distance of axial movement), ensuring that the power of the servo motor 51 can be stably transmitted to the pressure head 47.

[0040] When the mold base needs to be rotated, the cylindrical cam 45 drives the slide plate 46 forward (closer to the pressure head 47). The slide plate 46 compresses the first compression spring 48, causing it to contract and push the pressure head 47 forward until it finally abuts against the rear end of the mold base 7. The servo motor 51 drives the pressure head 47 to rotate, which in turn drives the mold base 7 to rotate through friction, meeting the visual inspection requirements. When the inspection is completed and a change of station is required, the cylindrical cam 45 drives the slide plate 46 backward (away from the pressure head 47). The pressure head 47 then retracts and disengages from the mold base 7. At this time, the mold base 7 can move freely with the rotary conveyor 6. The cam mechanism composed of the cylindrical cam 45 and the slide plate 46 can realize the control of the action timing.

[0041] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 3 The qualified product discharge device 4 includes a qualified product conveyor line 16 and a qualified product scraper 13. The qualified product scraper 13 is used to remove the qualified round tubes from the mold base 7 and push them into the qualified product conveyor line 16. In this embodiment, when the round tube product reaches the discharge position, the qualified product scraper cylinder 12 pushes out the qualified product scraper 13, and the slide plate 74 pushes forward to remove the round tube from the mold base 7 and drop it onto the qualified product conveyor line 16.

[0042] The defective product discharge device 5 includes a defective product conveyor line 17 and a defective product scraper 15. The defective product scraper 15 is used to remove the unqualified round tubes from the mold base 7 and push them into the defective product conveyor line 17. In this embodiment, when the round tube product reaches the discharge position, the defective product scraper cylinder 14 pushes out the defective product scraper 15, and the slide plate 74 pushes forward to remove the round tube from the mold base 7 and drop it onto the defective product conveyor line 17.

[0043] Reference Figure 3 The intermediate transmission device 9 also includes a second pushing mechanism, which includes a second crank wheel 72, a second connecting rod 73, and a slide plate 74. The second crank wheel 72 drives the slide plate 74 to reciprocate linearly via the second connecting rod 73. The qualified product scraper 13 and the defective product scraper 15 move together with the slide plate 74. The vision inspection machine also includes a qualified product scraper cylinder 12 and a defective product scraper cylinder 14. The qualified product scraper cylinder 12 is used to push the qualified product scraper 13 to extend and retract, and the defective product scraper cylinder 14 is used to push the defective product scraper 15 to extend and retract, so as to move closer to or away from the mold base 5. As another crank-slider mechanism, the second pushing mechanism can realize the control of the action timing.

[0044] After visual inspection, the round tubes need to enter different processes according to the inspection results (qualified / defective): qualified products enter subsequent processing or packaging, while defective products need to be rejected or reworked. The qualified product discharge device 4 and the defective product discharge device 5 together constitute the "classification discharge module", the core objective of which is to accurately and efficiently detach the round tubes from the mold base 7 and transport them according to category, avoiding mixing or jamming.

[0045] The qualified product conveyor line 16 is a horizontal or inclined conveying device (such as a belt conveyor or chain conveyor) used to receive qualified round tubes that have detached from the mold base 7 and transport them to the next process (such as packaging or storage). The defective product conveyor line 17 is similar to the qualified product conveyor line, but with a different direction or destination (such as returning to the rework area or waste bin), used to receive round tubes that fail the inspection.

[0046] After the visual inspection device 3 completes the circumferential surface inspection of the round tube, the system sends a command to the discharge module based on the inspection result (qualified / defective). If qualified, the qualified product discharge process is triggered: the qualified product scraper cylinder 12 starts, the piston rod extends, and pushes the qualified product scraper 13 towards the round tube until its front end contacts the rear end face of the round tube on the mold base 7. The second crank wheel 72 is driven to rotate by the main power device 8, which drives the slide plate 74 to move forward through the second connecting rod 73; the slide plate 74 pushes the qualified product scraper 13 forward synchronously, pushing the round tube out of the insert of the mold base 7. After the round tube is pushed out of the mold base 7, it falls into the qualified product conveyor line 16 due to gravity or the tilt angle of the conveyor line. The crank wheel 72 continues to rotate, and the slide plate 74 is pulled back to its original position; the qualified product scraper cylinder 12 retracts, and the scraper 13 retracts, preparing for the next discharge. If unqualified, the defective product discharge process is triggered. The process is similar to that of qualified products, except that the trigger cylinder is the defective product scraper cylinder 14. The round tube eventually falls into the defective product conveyor line 17. During this process, the qualified product scraper cylinder 12 does not move, and the qualified product scraper 13 remains in a retracted state to prevent the slide plate 74 from accidentally touching the round tube on the mold base 7 at the corresponding position of the qualified product conveyor line 16 during its forward movement.

[0047] Because the mold base 7 can rotate, if the round tube rotates during discharge, it may cause the tube to deviate in direction when detaching, resulting in unstable material discharge, or even jamming between the mold base 7 and the qualified product conveyor line 16. To solve this problem, the vision inspection machine is also equipped with a braking device. The braking device is located behind the station of the qualified product discharge device 4 corresponding to the turntable 11. The purpose of the braking device is to lock the rotational freedom of the mold base 7 at the moment of discharge, ensuring its stationary position and thus guaranteeing the stability of the discharge process. (Refer to...) Figure 2 The braking device is constructed as an anti-rotation head 76 with a second compression spring 75, which is installed behind the station of the turntable 11 corresponding to the qualified product discharge device 4. The small rebound force of the second compression spring 75 acts on the anti-rotation head 76 to press against the rear end of the mold base 7, ensuring that the mold base 7 will not rotate during the discharge process.

[0048] The vision inspection machine also has the function of detecting the status of the round tube after feeding and discharging from the mold base 7. Specifically, refer to Figure 3The vision inspection machine includes a first photoelectric switch 105 installed at the dust removal station, used to detect whether the automatic feeding device 1 in the previous step has properly inserted the round tube into the mold base 7 or whether there is a shortage of round tube material in the inclined material channel 91. The vision inspection device also includes a second photoelectric switch 106, which is installed at the lowest empty station, used to detect whether the qualified product discharge device 4 and the defective product discharge device 5 have completely discharged the round tube, preventing collisions at the automatic feeding device 1. For example, the connecting assembly of the front center support 107 includes two locking clamps, which are used to fix the photoelectric switches 105 and 106 on the central support shaft and can be axially adjusted according to the change in the length of the round tube workpiece.

[0049] The specific transmission routes of the main power unit 8 and the intermediate transmission unit 9 are described in detail below.

[0050] In this embodiment, the main power unit 8 and the intermediate transmission unit 9 are the transmission parts of the linked machine. The main transmission route of the vision inspection machine is as follows: after the main power motor 21 is reduced in speed by the RV reducer 22, the power is transmitted from the rear end to the first spiral bevel gear right angle commutator 25 through the main connecting shaft 20. Thus, the main transmission route is divided into three parts.

[0051] The first branch transmits power to the first rotating shaft 63 through the first belt drive mechanism consisting of the first synchronous pulley 23, the first synchronous belt 24, and the second synchronous pulley 41 mounted on the main drive shaft 20. Then, through the second belt drive mechanism consisting of the third synchronous pulley 42, the second synchronous belt 43, and the fourth synchronous pulley 44, the power is transmitted to the camshaft 104. This generates two more branches: the middle of the camshaft 104 drives the cylindrical cam 45 to rotate (branch 1-1), and the tail end drives the first sprocket 84 to rotate (branch 1-2).

[0052] In the first-1 branch, the cylindrical cam 45 drives the roller slide plate 46 to reciprocate back and forth. Under the action of the rebound force of the first compression spring 48, the pressure head 47 is pushed to the rear end of the mold base 7. Under the rotation action of the mold base self-rotation device 10, the mold base 7 is driven to rotate synchronously, so as to realize the detection of the entire circumference of the round tube.

[0053] In the first and second branches, the first sprocket 84, the first chain 85, and the second sprocket 86 form the first chain drive mechanism, which drives the roller 88 to rotate. When the turntable 11 rotates to this station, the roller 88 is close to the circumferential surface of the tail end of the mold base 7, thereby driving the mold base 7 to rotate and completing the dust removal of the entire circumferential surface of the tube.

[0054] In the second branch, the front end of the first spiral bevel right-angle commutator 25 is connected to the front drive shaft 26. The second chain drive mechanism is formed by the third sprocket 27, the second chain 19, and the fourth sprocket 18, which transmits power to the qualified product conveyor line 16 and drives the belt of the qualified product conveyor line 16 to move at a constant speed.

[0055] In the third branch, the right-end output shaft of the first spiral bevel gear right-angle commutator 25 is connected to the third belt drive mechanism, which consists of the fifth synchronous pulley 28, the third synchronous belt 29, and the sixth synchronous pulley 30, and transmits power to the relay shaft 64.

[0056] The third branch continues to distribute on relay axis 64, with one branch (3-1) connected to the left end and one branch (3-2) connected to the right end.

[0057] In the 3-1 branch, power is transmitted from the first sprocket shaft 77 to the second sprocket shaft 78 via the third chain drive mechanism consisting of the fifth sprocket 31, the third chain 32, and the sixth sprocket 33 on the left end. From the first sprocket shaft 77, power is transmitted from the second sprocket shaft 78 to the second sprocket shaft 78 via the fourth chain drive mechanism consisting of the seventh sprocket 34, the fourth chain 35, and the eighth sprocket 89. The ninth sprocket 36 is connected to the left end of the second sprocket shaft 78, transmitting power to the defective product conveyor line 17 and driving the belt of the defective product conveyor line 17 to move at a constant speed. The third belt drive mechanism is arranged vertically, the relay shaft 64 is arranged horizontally, the third chain drive mechanism is inclined downwards, the first sprocket shaft is arranged horizontally and is located in front of the first helical bevel gear right-angle commutator 25 and below the front drive shaft 26, the fourth chain drive mechanism is arranged longitudinally and is located to the right of the front drive shaft 26, the second sprocket shaft is arranged horizontally and is located in front of the front drive shaft 26, the qualified product conveyor line 16 is arranged horizontally, and the defective product conveyor line 17 is arranged longitudinally.

[0058] The third-second branch, via a fourth belt drive mechanism consisting of the seventh synchronous pulley 38, the fourth synchronous belt 38, and the eighth synchronous pulley 39, transmits power to the left end of the input shaft of the first cam divider 40, driving the turntable 11 to rotate intermittently. Simultaneously, the transmission route of the fourth branch is output from the right end of the input shaft.

[0059] The fourth branch, on the right end of the input shaft of the first cam divider 40, transmits power to the second spiral bevel gear right angle commutator 54 through the fifth belt drive mechanism composed of the ninth synchronous pulley 52, the fifth synchronous belt 53, and the tenth synchronous pulley 90.

[0060] The fourth branch continues to distribute on the second spiral bevel right-angle commutator 54, with one branch (4-1) connected to the left end and one branch (4-2) connected to the lower end.

[0061] The 4-1 branch transmits power to the second rotating shaft 102 via the sixth belt drive mechanism, which consists of the eleventh synchronous pulley 79, the sixth synchronous belt 80, and the twelfth synchronous pulley 81. This shaft is then connected to the encoder 83 via a coupling 82. The encoder 83 can thus provide real-time feedback of the input shaft phase data of the first cam divider 40. Based on this feedback, the system controls the extension and retraction of the qualified product scraper cylinder 12 and the defective product scraper cylinder 14.

[0062] Branch 4-2 transmits power to the input shaft of the second cam divider 93 via a seventh belt drive mechanism consisting of a vertical drive shaft 55, a thirteenth synchronous pulley 60, a seventh synchronous belt 61, and a fourteenth synchronous pulley 62. This drives the material distribution groove wheel 92 to rotate intermittently, completing the material distribution action. Simultaneously, a fifth chain drive mechanism consisting of a tenth sprocket 56, a fifth chain 57, and an eleventh sprocket 58 is connected to the vertical drive shaft 55, transmitting power to the intermediate shaft 103, from which the fifth branch is derived.

[0063] In the fifth branch, the power is transmitted on the intermediate shaft 103 through the sixth chain drive mechanism consisting of the twelfth sprocket 59, the sixth chain 65, the thirteenth sprocket 66, and the fourteenth sprocket 71, which generates branches again, driving the first crank wheel 67 (the fifth-first branch) and the second crank wheel 72 (the fifth-second branch) to rotate respectively.

[0064] In the 5-1st branch, the first crank wheel 67 and the first connecting rod 68 drive the slider 69 to reciprocate linearly, so that the push rod 70 pushes the round tube from the groove of the material distribution groove wheel 92 into the mold base 7.

[0065] In the 5-2nd branch, the second crank wheel 72 and the second connecting rod 73 drive the slide plate 74 to reciprocate linearly, which in turn drives the qualified product scraper 13 and the defective product scraper 15 to move forward, so that the round tube is separated from the mold base 7, and the qualified products and defective products fall into their respective conveyor lines.

[0066] To better understand this embodiment, the operation process of the visual inspection machine in this embodiment will be described in detail below.

[0067] The round tube rolls down the inclined material channel 91 into the groove of the material distribution wheel 92. When the first cam divider 40 starts to rotate to the next station (the rotation angle is 60 degrees at a time), the second cam divider 93 rotates synchronously under the drive of the intermediate transmission device 9 (refer to the branch line 4-2 above), driving the material distribution wheel 92 to rotate 60 degrees counterclockwise, separating the round tube in the groove from the round tube in the inclined material channel 91.

[0068] When the first cam divider 40 rotates to halfway (30 degrees), under the action of the intermediate transmission device 9, the push rod 70 begins to move from the farthest end toward the turntable 11 driven by the first crank wheel 67, connecting rod 68, and slider 69 (refer to section 5-1 above). It is slow at first, but after the first cam divider 40 rotates to the position (60 degrees), the forward speed of the push rod 70 begins to increase. After pushing the round tube into the mold base 7 (at this time, when the first cam divider 40 is at halfway through the stop cycle), it begins to retract, thus realizing the fast forward and fast back in the entire feeding process.

[0069] After the first cam divider 40 rotates to its position (60 degrees), under the action of the intermediate transmission device 9, the sprocket 84, chain 85, sprocket 86, and moving roller 88 drive the mold base 7 on the dust removal device 2 to rotate (refer to the first and second branches above), thus achieving dust removal on the entire circumference.

[0070] After the first cam divider 40 rotates to its final position (60 degrees), under the action of the intermediate transmission device 9, the cylindrical cam 45 quickly pushes the pressure head 47 to the rear end of the mold base 7 and presses it in place (refer to section 1-1 above). The servo motor of the mold base self-rotation device 10 starts to rotate at a set speed, driving the mold base 7 to rotate synchronously. The vision camera 99 on the vision inspection device 3 begins to collect images and judge the results. When the next rotation cycle of the first cam divider 40 is about to arrive, under the action of the intermediate transmission device 9, the cylindrical cam 45 quickly pulls the pressure head 47 away, causing it to disengage from the rear end of the mold base 7.

[0071] After the visual judgment results are obtained, when the round tube is sent from the visual inspection device 3 to the qualified product discharge device 4 by the turntable 11, when the first cam divider 40 rotates halfway (30 degrees), under the action of the intermediate transmission device 9, the slide plate 74 reaches the closest point to the turntable 11 and begins to slowly push forward (refer to section 5-2 above). After the first cam divider 40 rotates to the position (60 degrees), the forward pushing speed of the slide plate 74 begins to increase. After the encoder 83 detects that it has reached the designated position, if the judgment result is qualified, the qualified product scraper cylinder 12 pushes out the qualified product scraper 13, pulling the qualified round tube out of the mold base 7 and dropping it onto the qualified product conveyor line 16 for conveying to the machine of the next process. When the first cam divider 40 is in the halfway point of the stop cycle, the slide plate 74 reaches the front limit point. After the encoder 83 detects that it has reached the designated position, it closes. The qualified product scraper cylinder 12 drives the qualified product scraper 13 to retract (refer to section 4-1 above), and the slide plate 74 begins to retract. If the judgment result is a defective product, the qualified product scraper cylinder 12 does not move, the qualified product scraper 13 is in the retracted state, and the slide plate 74 completes the empty push operation on the qualified product discharge device 4. The round tube does not fall off and continues to wait to be sent to the defective product discharge device 5 by the turntable 11 in the next rotation cycle of the first cam divider 40. The retraction process of the slide plate 74 after completing the empty push operation is the same as described above.

[0072] When the defective round tube is sent from the qualified product discharge device 4 to the defective product discharge device 5 by the turntable 11, when the slide plate 74 reaches the closest point to the turntable 11, it is pushed forward until the encoder 83 detects that it has reached the designated position. Then, the defective product scraper cylinder 14 drives the defective product scraper 15 to push out, pulling the defective round tube out of the mold base 7 and dropping it onto the defective product conveyor line 17 for conveying. When the slide plate 74 reaches the front limit point when the first cam divider 40 is in the middle of the stop cycle, the good product scraper cylinder 14 drives the defective product scraper 15 to retract, and the slide plate 74 begins to retract.

[0073] The visual inspection machine provided in this embodiment uses a single main power motor 21 to drive all actions except for the rotation of the "qualified product scraper cylinder 12", the "defective product scraper cylinder 14", and the "rotation of the self-rotating device 10", thus achieving the completion of the main inspection and conveying actions using a single main power source. Specifically, it includes the following actions: 1. Intermittent transmission indexing of turntable 11 (cam divider drive). 2. The qualified product conveyor line 16 rotates continuously at a uniform speed (chain drive). 3. The defective product conveyor line 17 rotates continuously at a uniform speed (chain drive). 4. The intermittent back-and-forth movement of the self-rotating device 10 driven by the cylindrical cam 45 (cam mechanism). 5. The rollers 88 on the dust removal station rotate continuously at a uniform speed (chain drive). 6. Intermittent indexing of the material distribution groove wheel 92 (cam divider drive); 7. Linear reciprocating motion of push rod 70 (crank-slider mechanism); 8. Linear reciprocating motion of slide 74 (crank-slider mechanism); 9. The encoder 83 rotates continuously at a constant speed (synchronous belt drive).

[0074] The main power motor 21 is a three-phase asynchronous motor, and the speed of the whole machine can be adjusted by the frequency converter. However, the coordination and speed ratio of the above actions are achieved by the transmission structure of each link (see the transmission branch in the "Specific Implementation" section of the original text for details).

[0075] The extension and retraction of the qualified product scraper cylinder 12 and the defective product scraper cylinder 14 are controlled by the encoder 83, which provides real-time feedback of position signals during rotation.

[0076] The rotation of the self-rotating device 10 is controlled by the servo motor 51, and the position control vision system collects image data in real time during the rotation process.

[0077] The vision inspection machine provided in this embodiment of the utility model uses a single active power source to drive various actions and functions through an innovative linkage mechanism to complete the defect detection and sorting of the circumferential surface of the round tube workpiece. Furthermore, through the cam mechanism and crank-slider mechanism in the intermediate transmission device 9, mechanical structure transmission is used instead of program control to realize the connection or disconnection of power and the timing control of various actions, thereby improving work efficiency, accuracy and reliability, and saving manpower and material resources.

[0078] The embodiments of the present utility model have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. Within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art, various changes can be made without departing from the spirit of the present utility model.

Claims

1. A vision inspection machine characterized in that, include: A rotary conveyor, including a turntable, is used to convey round tubes to different workstations; A mold base is disposed on the turntable, and the mold base is capable of rotation for rotating the circular tube; A visual inspection device is used to detect cylindrical surface defects of a round tube on a mold base. The visual inspection device includes a visual light shield, a visual camera, and two light sources. The visual camera is located above the mold base, and the visual light shield is located between the visual camera and the mold base. The visual light shield has a detection port, through which the visual camera detects the round tube on the mold base. The visual light shield is used to shield non-workpiece parts within the field of view of the visual camera. The two light sources are located below the visual light shield and are symmetrically arranged on the upper side of the mold base.

2. The vision inspection machine of claim 1, wherein, The inner wall of the visual light shield is provided with a reflective part, which is used to reflect the light from the light source onto the circular tube.

3. The vision inspection machine of claim 1, wherein, The visual inspection device also includes a dust removal device. The turntable conveyor tube first passes through the dust removal device and then through the visual inspection device. The dust removal device includes rollers and a drive device for driving the rollers to rotate. The rollers are used to abut against the mold base to drive the mold base to rotate.

4. The vision inspection machine of claim 3, wherein, The dust removal device also includes a dust removal exhaust hood, which is connected to a fan to achieve negative pressure exhaust.

5. The vision inspection machine of claim 1, wherein, The visual inspection device further includes a mold base self-rotation device and a cam mechanism. The mold base self-rotation device includes a servo motor, a pressure head, a transmission rod, a first compression spring, a wide gear, and a narrow gear. The servo motor drives the narrow gear to rotate, and the wide gear meshes with the narrow gear. The pressure head and the wide gear are connected to the transmission rod. The cam mechanism includes a cylindrical cam and a sliding plate. The sliding plate is slidably disposed on the transmission rod. The first compression spring is sleeved on the transmission rod and located between the sliding plate and the pressure head. The cylindrical cam drives the sliding plate to reciprocate in the front-back direction by rotating. The pressure head can abut against the rear end of the mold base under the rebound force of the first compression spring to drive the mold base located at the corresponding position of the visual inspection device to rotate.

6. The vision inspection machine of claim 1, wherein, The visual inspection device also includes a front center support, which comprises a central support shaft, a vertical support, and a connecting assembly. The central support shaft is used to connect the rotary conveyor. The central support shaft and the mold base are located on the same side of the turntable. The central support shaft is arranged in a horizontal direction. The vertical support is connected to the central support shaft through the connecting assembly.

7. The vision inspection machine of claim 1, wherein, The visual inspection device also includes a first photoelectric switch, which is used to detect whether the round tube is properly fitted into the mold base.

8. The vision inspection machine of claim 1, wherein, The visual inspection device also includes a second photoelectric switch, which is located at the bottom empty position of the turntable and is used to detect whether there is still a round tube in the mold base.

9. The vision inspection machine of claim 1, wherein, The visual inspection device also includes a stepping module, which is used to drive the visual camera to rise and fall.

10. The vision inspection machine of claim 1, wherein, The visual inspection device also includes a manual adjustment module, which is used to raise and lower the visual light shield.

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