Optical blocking object detection system

Abstract

This invention relates to an optical blocking object detection system, comprising: a motor, a plurality of axles, a conveyor belt, a plurality of light sources, at least one baffle, a computer host, and an object detection device. The computer host's database stores the time difference between the object blocking the light sources and a digital signal indicating the motor's rotational speed. The computer host calculates whether the object is an acceptable object in the database. After detection, the computer host transmits the result to the motor to rotate forward or reverse, driving the conveyor belt to transport the object forward or backward. This invention, with its optical blocking object detection system, improves detection speed and effectively reduces hardware costs and maintenance costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an optical blocking identification system for the recycling port of an automated recycling machine, particularly applicable to automated recycling machines for batteries, recycling bottles, and mobile phones. Prior Technology

[0002] Prior art pertains to an entrance gate device for an optically recognized banknote receiver, particularly a gate capable of blocking external light interference. For example, as disclosed in Republic of China Patent Publication No. TWI352939B, this device has an entrance at the front of the main body connected to a channel. A transmission device is located on both sides of the channel, and the transmission device is equipped with a motor connected to multiple rollers and a belt. This motor drives the preset identification documents and banknotes to move, bringing them in or out. Furthermore, images of the identification documents are displayed on the upper and lower sides of the channel. The sampling module for counterfeit and age identification includes an optical identification module that can distinguish the face value and authenticity of banknotes. The insertion port is equipped with a gate device that can be driven by a solenoid valve to open or close inside the insertion port. The upper and lower sides of the insertion port, corresponding to the inner and outer sides of the gate, are equipped with detection modules that can detect the insertion of certificates or banknotes and then activate the solenoid valve to open or close the gate. The system can also block interference from external light to improve the recognition of preset certificates or banknotes and prevent dust or small objects from entering the insertion port and channel.

[0003] Prior art relates to an interference fringe inspection device that emits monochromatic light, such as monochromatic light close to the bright-line spectrum of a low-pressure sodium lamp, as disclosed in Republic of China Patent Publication No. TWI729442B. This interference fringe inspection device includes: a low-pressure light source composed of a mercury-containing discharge tube; a first optical filter and a second optical filter sequentially disposed in front of the light source; and a light diffusion plate. The first optical filter has the optical property of blocking spectral components in a wavelength region shorter than the peak wavelength of the light produced by the light source; the second optical filter has the optical property of blocking spectral components in a wavelength region longer than the peak wavelength of the light produced by the light source; and the light transmitted through the first and second optical filters is diffused by the light diffusion plate.

[0004] Prior art research addresses an electronic gate equipped with an optical sensor, as disclosed in Republic of China Patent Publication No. TWM574718U, which includes an island-shaped base, a detection and control device, and an arc-shaped gate panel. The island-shaped base includes an arc-shaped groove and a drive component. The arc-shaped groove is formed approximately along the length of the island-shaped base. The drive component can slide controllably within the arc-shaped groove. The detection and control device includes a sensing component and a judgment control element. The judgment control device receives and judges the sensing signal generated by the sensing component, and determines whether to generate a drive signal to drive the drive component based on the sensing signal. When the drive component receives the drive signal, the drive component moves the arc-shaped gate panel from the outside of the island-shaped base to the arc-shaped groove, where it is housed within the island-shaped base. Through the design of the groove, the arc-shaped gate panel is clamped, preventing it from loosening due to collision. Simultaneously, the single-piece opening design avoids misjudgment and management oversights. The sensing component includes a light sensor located on one side of the island-shaped base. The light sensor generates a light path. When the light path is blocked and then restored, the light sensor generates a pass signal to the judgment control element.

[0005] Previous art research on an improved structure for a battery recycling machine, such as the Republic of China Patent Publication No. TWI804296B, discloses that it includes: a machine body with a body plane and a control circuit inside; and a conveyor carrier, which is inclinedly disposed on the machine body, and has a carrier plane with an inclination angle to the body plane. A conveyor drive module and an optical identification module are electrically connected to the control circuit on the side of the conveyor carrier. A conveyor belt is disposed on the carrier plane, and guide plates are perpendicularly disposed on both sides of the conveyor belt. A light-transmitting module is disposed at the opening of the guide plate. The optical identification module illuminates the opening and the light-transmitting module to physically scan and identify the type of item to be sorted on the conveyor belt. Therefore, this improved battery recycling machine structure, through the inclined arrangement of the conveyor carrier and the side illumination of the optical identification module, can effectively avoid the influence of leakage or dirt on the identification results. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention is an optical blocking object detection system, comprising: a motor, which is a servo motor capable of forward and reverse rotation and speed variation; a plurality of axles, each axle having a height difference between its two sides, causing the axle to tilt at an angle, the axles being connected to the motor, and the motor driving the axles to rotate; a conveyor belt, which loops around the surface of the axles, and the rotation of the axles drives the conveyor belt to rotate; a plurality of light sources, which emit linear light rays; a plurality of receivers, which receive the linear light rays from the light sources and monitor the time difference between whether the linear light rays are blocked or not; at least one baffle, which is disposed on both sides of the axles and the conveyor belt, and the baffle is disposed on the light source or the receiver; and a computer host, which is connected to the motor and the receivers. The system transmits and receives digital signals to the motor and the receiver. The computer host includes a database and a central processing unit. An object is identified; the object is cylindrical or rectangular. The object is placed on the conveyor belt and transported forward. As the object is transported forward, it blocks the light source, preventing it from being received by the receiver. The receiver transmits the digital signals of the time difference between the object blocking the light source and the motor speed back to the computer host. The computer host's database stores these digital signals. The computer host calculates whether the object is an acceptable object in the database. After identification, the computer host transmits the result to the motor to rotate forward or reverse, driving the conveyor belt to transport the object forward or backward. The axle has an inclination angle of 1-10 degrees to the horizontal. The light source is a linear ray emitting infrared light. Alternatively, the light source can be a linear ray emitting visible light. Multiple light sources and multiple receivers are arranged in an array in relative positions. The system comprises multiple light sources with length and height spacing, and multiple receivers with length and height spacing. The receivers receive linear infrared or visible light rays from the light sources. Furthermore, the baffle is equipped with a metal detector, which is either a conductivity sensor or a magnetic permeability sensor. This metal detector is connected to a computer host and transmits the detected digital signal back to the computer host. This signal serves as a parameter for the computer host to calculate whether the identified object contains metal and to analyze whether it is an acceptable object in the database. The computer host is wirelessly connected to the motor and the receiver. Alternatively, the computer host can be wired to the motor and the receiver. This invention features an optical blocking object identification system, which exhibits superior performance and convenience compared to prior art, not only improving identification speed but also effectively reducing hardware costs and maintenance costs. This invention, an optical blocking object identification system, improves identification speed. It utilizes a calculation technique that uses the difference between the speed at which the object is carried forward by the conveyor belt and the speed at which the light source is blocked. This allows for rapid and accurate identification of target objects, making operations more efficient and faster in various application scenarios, especially at the inlet of recycling machines for identifying and recycling items such as batteries, bottles, and mobile phones. It is distinct from conventional techniques, demonstrating novelty, advancement, and undeniable practical benefits.Regarding the techniques, methods, and effects employed in this invention, a preferred embodiment is described in detail below with accompanying drawings. It is believed that the aforementioned objectives, structure, and features of this invention can be understood in a deeper and more concrete manner from this description. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0007] Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of the optical blocking object recognition system of this creation. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the optical blocking object recognition system of this creation. Figure 3 shows a front view of the axle of the optical blocking object recognition system of this invention. Figure 4 shows a side view of the axle of the optical blocking object recognition system of this invention. Implementation

[0008] The following describes the implementation of this invention through specific embodiments. Those skilled in the art can easily understand the other advantages and effects of this invention from the content disclosed in this specification. This invention can also be implemented or applied through other different embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified and changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of this invention.

[0009] First, please refer to Figure 1, which shows a perspective view of the optical blocking object detection system of this invention, and Figure 2, which shows a perspective view of the same system. This illustrates that the present invention is an optical blocking object detection system, comprising: a motor 101, which is a servo motor capable of forward rotation, reverse rotation, and speed variation; a plurality of axles 201, each axle 201 having a height difference between its two sides, causing it to have an inclined angle; the axles 201 are connected to the motor 101, and the motor 101 drives the axles 201 to rotate; a... A conveyor belt 301 is looped around the surface of the axle 201, and the rotation of the axle 201 drives the conveyor belt 301 to rotate; a plurality of light sources 401 emit linear light rays; a plurality of receivers 501 receive the linear light rays from the light sources 401 and monitor the time difference between whether the linear light rays are blocked or not; at least one baffle 601 is disposed on both sides of the axle 201 and the conveyor belt 301, and the baffle 601 is used to mount either the light source 401 or the receiver 501; a computer host. 701, the computer host 701 is connected to the motor 101 and the receiver 501. The computer host 701 transmits and receives digital signals to the motor 101 and the receiver 501. The computer host 701 is equipped with a database and a central processing unit; and an object recognition device 801, which is cylindrical or rectangular. The object recognition device 801 is placed on the conveyor belt 301 and conveyed forward. When the object recognition device 801 is conveyed forward, the light source 401 blocks the light source 401 from being received by the receiver 501. The receiver 501... 1. The digital signal of the time difference between the object 801 blocking the light source 401 and the rotation speed of the motor 101 is transmitted back to the computer host 701. The computer host 701 stores the digital signal of the time difference between the object 801 blocking the light source 401 and the rotation speed of the motor 101. The computer host 701 calculates whether the object 801 is an accepted object in the database. After the computer host 701 identifies the object, the result is transmitted to the motor 101 to rotate forward or reverse, and drives the conveyor belt 301 to transport forward or backward.

[0010] The object to be identified, 801, can be at least a battery, a recycling bottle, or a mobile phone. The axle 201 has a tilt angle of 1 to 10 degrees relative to the horizontal. The light source 401 emits linear infrared light. Alternatively, the light source 401 can emit linear visible light. A plurality of light sources 401 and a plurality of receivers 501 are arranged in an array in relative positions. The plurality of light sources 401 have length and height spacing, and the plurality of receivers 501 also have length and height spacing. The receivers 501 receive either linear infrared or linear visible light from the light source 401. Furthermore, the baffle 601 is equipped with a metal detector 901, which is a conductivity sensor or a magnetic permeability sensor. The metal detector 901 is connected to the computer host 701 and transmits the detected digital signal back to the computer host 701. This signal serves as a parameter for the computer host 701 to calculate whether the identified object 801 contains metal and to analyze whether it is an acceptable object in the database. The computer host 701 is wirelessly connected to the motor 101 and the receiver 501. Alternatively, the computer host 701 can be wired to the motor 101 and the receiver 501.

[0011] Figure 3 shows a front view of the axle of the optical blocking object detection system of this invention. The axle 201 has an inclined angle, which is 1 to 10 degrees from the horizontal line, as shown by angle A in the figure. When the object to be detected 801 is placed on the conveyor belt 301 and moves forward, this inclined angle helps the cylindrical object to be detected 801 to roll from a high position to a low position. When the cylindrical object to be detected 801 rolls to the position of the lower baffle 601, the cylindrical object to be detected 801 can move forward parallel to the conveyor belt 301. In other words, the cylindrical object to be detected 801 moves forward in a straight line, reducing the chance of the cylindrical object to be detected 801 being placed horizontally or at an angle, and improving the accuracy of the receiver 501 in measuring the time difference of the blocking after the light source 401 is blocked by the cylindrical object to be detected 801.

[0012] To help the review committee better understand the practical application of this invention, an example is given of its application in the recycling port of an automated battery recycling machine. Figure 4 shows a side view of the wheel axle of this invention's optical blocking object identification system. The wheel axle 201 drives the conveyor belt 301 to carry the identified object 801 forward. The tilted wheel axle 201 causes the identified object 801 to roll towards the lower baffle 601, and the identified object 801 on the conveyor belt 301 is carried forward in a straight line, close to the lower baffle 601. The forward speed of the identified object 801 and the time signal received by the receiver 501 from the light source 401 when it passes through the light source 401 will block the receiver 501 from receiving the light source 401. The computer host 701 will be able to calculate the type of the identified object 801 to ensure that the identified object 801 is an acceptable object in the database of the computer host 701.

[0013] As shown in Figure 4, there are length and height spacings between the multiple light sources; similarly, there are length and height spacings between the multiple receivers 501. Four light sources 401 are set as shown, but the number can be increased or decreased according to actual needs to suit the appearance detection of the object. Three light sources 401 can measure the length and height of the identified object 801, while four or more light sources 401 can measure more features of the identified object 801, such as its concave or convex arc structure. In the figure, the light sources 401 are linear infrared rays, and the receivers 501 are also equipped with sensing elements capable of receiving linear infrared rays. Light sources 401 with different heights and length spacings are directed towards corresponding receivers 501. When the identified object 801 passes through a light source 401, it blocks the receiver 501 from receiving the light source 401. Different heights of light sources 401 blocking the light source 401 allow for the identification of the height type of the identified object 801, and different lengths of light sources 401 blocking the light source 401 allow for the identification of the length type of the identified object 801. Each receiver 501 is blocked by the time difference of the identified object 801, and can also calculate the type of the identified object 801 by combining the forward speed of the identified object 801, so as to ensure that the identified object 801 is an accepted object in the database of the computer host 701. If the identified object 801 is not an accepted object in the database of the computer host 701, the conveyor belt 301 will retreat to the identified object 801.

[0014] This invention is an optical blocking object identification system that provides a faster identification process and achieves efficient object identification with fewer hardware devices. This not only reduces initial hardware investment but also lowers subsequent maintenance costs, making it more economical to deploy and operate in the recycling industry. The structural features of this invention are distinct from prior art, demonstrating its novelty, advancement, and practical benefits. Therefore, it effectively addresses the shortcomings of existing technologies and has considerable practical applicability.

[0015] In summary, the specific structure disclosed in this invention does indeed offer advantages in terms of saving hardware costs and maintenance costs for automated recycling machine identification systems. Compared to traditional image recognition systems at the recycling port of automated recycling machines, the application of the optical blocking identification system demonstrates irreplaceable convenience in the field of automated recycling equipment applications due to its superior identification speed, savings in hardware costs and maintenance costs. With continuous technological advancements, this system will continue to play an important role in future technological developments. Its overall structure is unprecedented in similar products and was not disclosed prior to this application, thus meeting the statutory requirements of patent law. Therefore, this invention patent application is filed in accordance with the law.

[0016] However, the above description is only one preferred embodiment of this invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of this invention. All equivalent changes and modifications made in accordance with the scope of the patent application and the contents of the invention specification should still fall within the scope of this invention.

[0017] 101: Motor 201: Wheel and Axle 301: Conveyor Belt 401: Light source 501: Receiver 601: Baffle 701: Computer host 801: Object Identification 901: Metal Detector

Claims

1. An optical blocking object detection system, comprising: a motor, which is a servo motor capable of forward rotation, reverse rotation, and speed variation; a plurality of axles, the axles having a height difference between their two sides, causing the axles to have an inclination angle, the axles being connected to the motor, and the motor driving the axles to rotate; a conveyor belt, the conveyor belt being looped around the surface of the axles, the rotation of the axles driving the conveyor belt to rotate; a plurality of light sources, the light sources emitting linear light rays; a plurality of receivers, the receivers receiving the linear light rays from the light sources and monitoring the time difference between whether the linear light rays are blocked or not; and at least one baffle, the baffle being disposed on both sides of the axles and the conveyor belt, and the baffle being disposed on the light source or the receiver; A computer host is connected to the motor and the receiver. The computer host transmits and receives digital signals to the motor and the receiver. The computer host has a database and a central processing unit. An object detector, which is cylindrical or rectangular, is placed on the conveyor belt and conveyed forward. As the object is conveyed forward, it blocks the light source, which is then received by the receiver. The receiver transmits the digital signals of the time difference between the object blocking the light source and the motor speed back to the computer host. The computer host's database stores the digital signals of the time difference between the object blocking the light source and the motor speed. The computer host calculates whether the object is an acceptable object in the database. After identification, the computer host transmits the result to the motor to rotate forward or reverse, driving the conveyor belt to convey the object forward or backward.

2. The optical blocking object detection system as described in claim 1, wherein, The wheel axle has an inclination angle, which is 1 to 10 degrees from the horizontal line.

3. The optical blocking object detection system as described in claim 1, wherein, The light source is a linear ray that emits infrared light.

4. The optical blocking object detection system as described in claim 1, wherein, The light source is a linear ray that emits visible light.

5. The optical blocking object detection system as described in claim 1, wherein, Multiple light sources and multiple receivers are arranged in an array at relative positions.

6. The optical blocking object detection system as described in claim 1, wherein, The multiple light sources are spaced apart by length and height; and the multiple receivers are spaced apart by length and height.

7. The optical blocking object detection system as described in claim 1, wherein, The receiver receives linear infrared light or linear visible light from a light source.

8. The optical blocking object identification system as described in claim 1, further comprising: the baffle is equipped with a metal detector, which is a conductivity sensor or a magnetic permeability sensor; the metal detector is connected to the computer host and transmits the detected digital signal back to the computer host as a parameter for the computer host to calculate whether the identified object contains metal material and analyze whether it is an acceptable object in the database.

9. The optical blocking object detection system as described in claim 1, wherein, The computer host connects to the motor and the receiver wirelessly.

10. The optical blocking object detection system as described in claim 1, wherein, The computer host is connected to the motor and the receiver via a wired connection.

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