Silicone pencil preparation device and method

Abstract

Disclosed in embodiments of the present disclosure are a silicone pencil preparation device and method. A specific embodiment of the silicone pencil preparation device comprises: a conveying apparatus, a grabbing apparatus, a silicone injection molding machine, and a control apparatus. The conveying apparatus comprises an unprocessed pencil conveying apparatus and a processed pencil conveying apparatus. The silicone injection molding machine comprises a main machine, the main machine is provided with a mold and a mold closing system, the mold comprises a front mold and a rear mold, the mold is secured onto the mold closing system comprised in the main machine, and a middle portion of a front mold cavity is provided with a pencil carrying slot. The control apparatus is configured to perform the following steps: moving an unprocessed pencil conveyed by the unprocessed pencil conveying apparatus to the pencil carrying slot; performing a mold closing operation; performing an injection molding operation on the front mold cavity and a rear mold cavity; performing a mold splitting operation; and moving a processed pencil in the pencil carrying slot to the processed pencil conveying apparatus. According to the silicone pencil prepared by the silicone pencil preparation device, the use comfort of a user and the safety during use can be improved.

Description

Silicone pencil preparation equipment and method Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the technical field of silicone pencil preparation, and more particularly to a silicone pencil preparation device and method. Background Art

[0002] Pencil is a kind of pen that is used for writing and drawing sketch.At present, the method for preparing pencil usually is: wrapping lead by wooden material, and coating a layer of paint on the wooden pencil outside. Technical issues

[0003] However, the inventors have found that the above-mentioned method for preparing pencils often has the following technical problems:

[0004] First, the wooden pencils produced are relatively hard, which can easily cause calluses on the hands of users after long-term use, resulting in poor user comfort. Furthermore, the paint coating on the outside often contains harmful substances, which can easily harm children's health if chewed, making them less safe to use.

[0005] Second, the preparation speed is not determined according to the characteristics of the prepared material, resulting in a low qualified rate of the prepared pencils, so that a large number of discarded pencils result in a waste of resources.

[0006] Third, the defects on the front and back of the prepared pencils are not identified, resulting in the pencils that users ultimately receive having many defects and a poor feel in use, which leads to a poor user experience.

[0007] The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the inventive concept and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art. Technical Solutions

[0008] The content of this disclosure is used to briefly introduce concepts that will be described in detail in the detailed description section below. The content of this disclosure is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed technical solution, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed technical solution.

[0009] Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a device and method for preparing a silicone pencil to solve one or more of the technical problems mentioned in the above background technology section.

[0010] In a first aspect, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a silicone pencil preparation device, comprising a conveying device, a gripping device, a silicone injection molding machine, and a control device, wherein the conveying device comprises an unprocessed pencil conveying device and a processed pencil conveying device, the unprocessed pencil conveying device is configured to convey unprocessed pencils, and the processed pencil conveying device is configured to convey processed pencils; the gripping device is located between the unprocessed pencil conveying device and the processed pencil conveying device, and the silicone injection molding machine is located on either side of the gripping device; the silicone injection molding machine comprises a mainframe, a mold and a clamping system are provided on the mainframe, the mold comprises a front mold and a rear mold, the mold is fixed on the clamping system included in the mainframe, the front mold is provided with a front mold cavity, and the rear mold is provided with a front mold cavity. A rear mold cavity is provided, and a pencil-carrying slot is provided in the middle portion of the front mold cavity. When the front mold and the rear mold are in a clamped state, the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity are in communication. The conveying device, the gripping device, and the silicone injection molding machine are all in communication with the control device. The control device is configured to perform the following steps: control the gripping device to move an unprocessed pencil conveyed by the unprocessed pencil conveying device into the pencil-carrying slot; control the clamping system of the silicone injection molding machine to perform a clamping operation; control the silicone injection molding machine to perform an injection molding operation on the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity; control the clamping system of the silicone injection molding machine to perform a mold separation operation; and control the gripping device to move a processed pencil in the pencil-carrying slot onto the processed pencil conveying device.

[0011] Optionally, the silicone pencil preparation equipment further includes a visual inspection device, which is arranged on either side of the processed pencil transmission device, and is communicatively connected to the control device, and includes an image acquisition component, an image processing component, and an image recognition component; the visual inspection device is configured to perform the following steps: performing image acquisition on the processed pencil carried on the processed pencil transmission device by the image acquisition component to obtain a processed pencil image; performing image preprocessing on the processed pencil image by the image processing component to obtain a processed pencil image after image preprocessing; performing defect recognition processing on the processed pencil image after image preprocessing by the image recognition component to obtain a defect recognition result; and sending the defect recognition result to the control device; the control device is further configured to control the grasping device to perform a grasping operation corresponding to the defect recognition result based on the received defect recognition result.

[0012] Optionally, the silicone pencil preparation equipment further includes a waste bin, which is located on either side of the gripping device; the control device is further configured to control the gripping device to place the defective processed pencil into the waste bin in response to the received defect recognition result indicating that the processed pencil has a defect.

[0013] Optionally, the depth of the pencil-carrying groove is greater than the depth of the front mold cavity; the inner shape of the pencil-carrying groove fits the outer shape of the unprocessed pencil; the size of the front mold cavity is greater than the inner size of the pencil-carrying groove; and the gap between the front mold cavity and the pencil-carrying groove is used to form a silicone layer.

[0014] Optionally, the silicone injection molding machine further includes a feeding system and a mixing system, wherein the feeding system is configured to provide liquid silicone to the host, and the mixing system is configured to mix the provided liquid silicone.

[0015] Optionally, the liquid silicone provided by the feeding system includes a first preset liquid silicone and a second preset liquid silicone, wherein the ratio of the first preset liquid silicone to the second preset liquid silicone is 1:1.

[0016] Optionally, the grasping device is a robot arm, and the hand of the robot arm is provided with a vacuum suction cup, the shape of the vacuum suction cup is an elongated strip, and the shape of the groove at the bottom of the vacuum suction cup is fitted with the shape of the unprocessed pencil or the shape of the processed pencil.

[0017] In a second aspect, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for preparing a silicone pencil, which is applied to the silicone pencil preparation equipment as described in the first aspect, wherein the above-mentioned conveying device includes an unprocessed pencil conveying device and a processed pencil conveying device, and the above-mentioned silicone pencil preparation equipment includes a conveying device, a gripping device, a silicone injection molding machine, and a control device. The above-mentioned silicone injection molding machine includes a main body, and the main body is provided with a mold and a mold clamping system, the above-mentioned front mold is provided with a front mold cavity, the above-mentioned rear mold is provided with a rear mold cavity, and the middle part of the above-mentioned front mold cavity is provided with a pencil supporting groove. The above-mentioned method includes: moving the unprocessed pencil conveyed by the above-mentioned unprocessed pencil conveying device into the above-mentioned pencil supporting groove by the above-mentioned gripping device; performing a mold clamping operation by the above-mentioned silicone injection molding machine; performing an injection molding operation on the above-mentioned front mold cavity and the above-mentioned rear mold cavity by the above-mentioned silicone injection molding machine; performing a mold separation operation by the above-mentioned silicone injection molding machine; and moving the processed pencil in the above-mentioned pencil supporting groove onto the above-mentioned processed pencil conveying device by the above-mentioned gripping device.

[0018] Optionally, the above-mentioned silicone injection molding machine also includes a heating system, a viscosity sensor and at least one temperature sensor; and the above-mentioned injection molding operation on the above-mentioned front mold cavity and the above-mentioned rear mold cavity is performed by the above-mentioned silicone injection molding machine, including: detecting the temperature of the mold to obtain mold temperature information; generating the mold preheating temperature to be adjusted according to the preset mold preheating temperature information and the above-mentioned mold temperature information; preheating the above-mentioned mold through the above-mentioned heating system according to the above-mentioned mold preheating temperature to be adjusted and the preset mold preheating time; detecting the temperature of the liquid silicone to obtain silicone temperature information. In which, the above-mentioned silicone temperature information can characterize the temperature of liquid silicone; based on the preset silicone temperature information and the above-mentioned silicone temperature information, the silicone preheating temperature to be adjusted is generated; based on the above-mentioned silicone preheating temperature to be adjusted, the liquid silicone to be injected is heated by the above-mentioned heating system; based on the target injection pressure and the target injection speed, the injection molding operation corresponding to the above-mentioned target injection pressure and the above-mentioned target injection speed is performed by the injection molding system included in the above-mentioned silicone injection molding machine, wherein the above-mentioned target injection pressure and the above-mentioned target injection speed are determined by the artificial intelligence chip based on the real-time silicone temperature detected by the above-mentioned temperature sensor and the real-time silicone viscosity detected by the viscosity sensor, and the machine learning model carried by the above-mentioned artificial intelligence chip is obtained by training with a training sample set, and the training samples in the above-mentioned training sample set include sample silicone temperature and sample silicone viscosity.

[0019] Optionally, the silicone pencil preparation device further includes a visual inspection device and a rotating device; and the method further includes: collecting an image of the processed pencil carried on the processed pencil transmission device under a first light source and an image of the processed pencil under a second light source by the visual inspection device to obtain a first processed pencil image and a second processed pencil image; rotating the processed pencil by the rotating device; collecting an image of the processed pencil after rotation under the first light source and an image of the processed pencil after rotation under the second light source to obtain a first rotated pencil image and a second rotated pencil image; denoising the first processed pencil image and the second processed pencil image to obtain a first processed pencil denoised image and a second processed pencil denoised image; and performing denoising on the first rotated pencil image and the second processed pencil image. The second rotated pencil image is subjected to denoising processing to obtain a first rotated pencil denoised image and a second rotated pencil denoised image; edge processing is performed on the first processed pencil denoised image and the second processed pencil denoised image to obtain a first processed pencil edge image and a second processed pencil edge image; edge processing is performed on the first rotated pencil denoised image and the second rotated pencil denoised image to obtain a first rotated pencil edge image and a second rotated pencil edge image; a defect recognition result corresponding to the processed pencil is determined based on the first processed pencil edge image, the second processed pencil edge image, the first rotated pencil edge image and the second rotated pencil edge image; and a grabbing operation corresponding to the defect recognition result is performed based on the determined defect recognition result. Beneficial effects

[0020] The aforementioned embodiments of the present disclosure have the following beneficial effects: silicone pencils produced using the silicone pencil production apparatus of some embodiments of the present disclosure can improve user comfort and safety during use. Specifically, pencils produced using related pencil production methods often suffer from poor user comfort and safety due to the following reasons: the resulting wooden pencils are relatively hard, which can easily cause calluses on the user's hands after long-term use, resulting in poor user comfort. Furthermore, the external paint coating often contains harmful substances, which can easily endanger children's health if chewed, resulting in low safety during use. Based on this, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a silicone pencil preparation device, including a transmission device, a gripping device, a silicone injection molding machine, and a control device, wherein the transmission device includes an unprocessed pencil transmission device and a processed pencil transmission device, the unprocessed pencil transmission device is configured to transmit unprocessed pencils, and the processed pencil transmission device is configured to transmit processed pencils; the gripping device is located between the unprocessed pencil transmission device and the processed pencil transmission device, and the silicone injection molding machine is located on either side of the gripping device; the silicone injection molding machine includes a mainframe, a mold and a clamping system are provided on the mainframe, the mold includes a front mold and a rear mold, the mold is fixed on the clamping system included in the mainframe, the front mold is provided with a front mold cavity, and the rear mold is provided with a The rear mold cavity and the front mold cavity are provided with a pencil receiving slot in the middle portion thereof. When the front and rear molds are in the closed state, the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity are in communication. The conveying device, the gripping device, and the silicone injection molding machine are all in communication with the control device. The control device is configured to perform the following steps: controlling the gripping device to move the unprocessed pencil conveyed by the unprocessed pencil conveying device into the pencil receiving slot; controlling the mold clamping system of the silicone injection molding machine to perform a mold clamping operation; controlling the silicone injection molding machine to perform an injection molding operation on the front and rear mold cavities; controlling the mold clamping system of the silicone injection molding machine to perform a mold opening operation; and controlling the gripping device to move the processed pencil in the pencil receiving slot onto the processed pencil conveying device. Because a layer of silicone is injected onto the outside of the unprocessed pencil, the silicone can encase the outer layer of the pencil. Because silicone is soft, it is more comfortable to hold. Furthermore, silicone is more environmentally friendly and non-toxic, thereby improving user comfort and safety. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The above and other features, advantages, and aspects of the various embodiments of the present disclosure will become more apparent with reference to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent the same or similar elements. It should be understood that the drawings are schematic and that components and elements are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0022] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of some embodiments of a silicone pencil manufacturing device according to the present disclosure;

[0023] FIG2 is a flow chart of some embodiments of a method for preparing a silicone pencil according to the present disclosure. Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although certain embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein. On the contrary, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the drawings and embodiments of the present disclosure are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present disclosure.

[0025] It should also be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts related to the invention are shown in the drawings. In the absence of conflict, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be combined with each other.

[0026] It should be noted that the concepts of "first" and "second" mentioned in this disclosure are only used to distinguish different devices, modules or units, and are not used to limit the order or interdependence of the functions performed by these devices, modules or units.

[0027] It should be noted that the modifications of "one" and "multiple" mentioned in the present disclosure are illustrative rather than restrictive, and those skilled in the art should understand that unless otherwise clearly indicated in the context, they should be understood as "one or more".

[0028] The names of the messages or information exchanged between multiple devices in the embodiments of the present disclosure are only used for illustrative purposes and are not used to limit the scope of these messages or information.

[0029] The present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and in conjunction with embodiments.

[0030] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of some embodiments of the silicone pencil manufacturing equipment according to the present disclosure, including an unprocessed pencil conveying device 1 , a processed pencil conveying device 2 , a gripping device 3 , and a silicone injection molding machine 4 .

[0031] In some embodiments, the silicone pencil production equipment may include a conveying device, a gripping device 3, a silicone injection molding machine 4, and a control device. The conveying device may be a device for conveying raw or processed pencils. The conveying device may include a raw pencil conveying device 1 and a processed pencil conveying device 2. The raw pencil conveying device 1 may be configured to convey raw pencils. The processed pencil conveying device 2 may be configured to convey processed pencils. For example, both the raw pencil conveying device 1 and the processed pencil conveying device 2 may be conveyor belts. The gripping device 3 may be a device for gripping raw or processed pencils. For example, the gripping device 3 may be a robotic arm. The control device may be a device for controlling other devices and machines. For example, the control device may be a single-chip microcomputer.

[0032] In some embodiments, the gripping device may be located between the unprocessed pencil conveying device 1 and the processed pencil conveying device 2. The silicone injection molding machine 4 may be located on either side of the gripping device.

[0033] In some embodiments, the silicone injection molding machine 4 may include a mainframe. The mainframe may be equipped with a mold and a clamping system. The mold may include a front mold and a rear mold. The mold may be fixed to the clamping system included in the mainframe. The front mold may be provided with a front mold cavity. The rear mold may be provided with a rear mold cavity. A pencil-carrying groove may be provided in the middle portion of the front mold cavity. When the front and rear molds are clamped, the front mold cavity may communicate with the rear mold cavity. It can be understood that the pencil-carrying groove is used to secure a pencil within the front mold cavity. The diameter of the pencil-carrying groove may be parallel to the diameter of the front mold cavity. The horizontal cross-sectional dimensions of the front mold cavity and the horizontal cross-sectional dimensions of the rear mold cavity may be the same. The height of the pencil-carrying groove and the height of the front mold cavity may be less than the height of an unprocessed pencil. Furthermore, the depth of the rear mold cavity may be greater than the depth of the pencil within the rear mold cavity. Thus, during production, the height of the pencil protrudes from the front mold cavity, facilitating the gripping device 3 to grip the processed pencil. The silicone protrudes from one end of the pencil, making it easy for users to hold the pencil when it is used at a shorter length.

[0034] In some embodiments, the transmission device, the gripping device 3, and the silicone injection molding machine 4 can all be communicatively connected to the control device. The specific manner in which the transmission device, the gripping device 3, and the silicone injection molding machine 4 communicate with the control device is not limited. As an example, the specific manners can be wireless and wired. The wireless connection methods can include, but are not limited to, 3G / 4G connections, WiFi connections, Bluetooth connections, WiMAX connections, Zigbee connections, UWB (ultra wideband) connections, and other wireless connection methods currently known or to be developed in the future.

[0035] In some embodiments, the control device may be configured to perform the following steps:

[0036] The first step is to control the gripping device 3 to move the unprocessed pencil conveyed by the unprocessed pencil conveying device 1 into the pencil receiving slot. In practice, the gripping device 3 first grips the unprocessed pencil conveyed by the unprocessed pencil conveying device 1. Then, the gripping device 3 moves above the pencil receiving slot. Thereafter, the gripping device 3 rotates the unprocessed pencil to a vertical orientation. Finally, the gripping device 3 places the unprocessed pencil into the pencil receiving slot.

[0037] The second step is to control the mold closing system included in the above-mentioned silicone injection molding machine 4 to perform the mold closing operation. In practice, the movable template included in the above-mentioned mold closing system can move forward to close the front mold and the rear mold.

[0038] The third step is to control the silicone injection molding machine 4 to perform injection molding operations on the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity.

[0039] The fourth step is to control the mold clamping system included in the silicone injection molding machine 4 to perform a mold separation operation. In practice, the movable template included in the mold clamping system can move backward to separate the front mold and the rear mold.

[0040] In the fifth step, the gripping device 3 is controlled to move the processed pencil in the pencil holding slot onto the processed pencil conveying device 2. In practice, the gripping device 3 first grips the processed pencil in the pencil holding slot. Then, the gripping device 3 moves the processed pencil above the processed pencil conveying device 2. Thereafter, the gripping device 3 rotates the processed pencil to a horizontal orientation. Finally, the gripping device 3 places the processed pencil onto the processed pencil conveying device 2.

[0041] Optionally, the silicone pencil manufacturing apparatus may further include a visual inspection device. The visual inspection device may be a device for inspecting whether a processed pencil has defects. The visual inspection device may include an image acquisition component, an image processing component, and an image recognition component. The image acquisition component may be a component for capturing images of the processed pencil. For example, the image acquisition component may be a camera. The image processing component may be a component for performing image preprocessing on the captured processed pencil image. The image recognition component may be a component for identifying whether the processed pencil corresponding to the captured processed pencil image has defects. For example, both the image processing component and the image recognition component may be image processing chips. The visual inspection device may be disposed on either side of the processed pencil conveyor 2. The visual inspection device may be communicatively connected to the control device. The visual inspection device may be configured to perform the following steps: using the image acquisition component to capture an image of the processed pencil carried on the processed pencil conveyor 2 to obtain a processed pencil image; and using the image processing component to perform image preprocessing on the processed pencil image to obtain a processed pencil image. The image recognition component performs defect recognition on the pre-processed image of the processed pencil to obtain a defect recognition result. This defect recognition result is transmitted to the control device. The control device can also be configured to control the gripping device 3 to perform a gripping operation corresponding to the received defect recognition result based on the received defect recognition result. Thus, the visual inspection device can identify whether the processed pencil has defects.

[0042] Optionally, the silicone pencil production apparatus may further include a waste bin. The waste bin may be located on either side of the gripping device 3. The control device may also be configured to, in response to the received defect recognition result indicating a defect in a processed pencil, control the gripping device 3 to place the defective processed pencil into the waste bin. This allows defective processed pencils to be placed in the waste bin, thereby improving the quality of the processed pencils ultimately transported.

[0043] Optionally, the depth of the pencil-carrying groove can be greater than the depth of the front mold cavity. The inner shape of the pencil-carrying groove can be aligned with the outer shape of the unprocessed pencil. This means that when an unprocessed pencil is placed in the pencil-carrying groove, it can fit snugly against the inner wall of the groove. The dimensions of the front mold cavity can be larger than the inner dimensions of the pencil-carrying groove. The gap between the front mold cavity and the pencil-carrying groove can be used to form a silicone layer.

[0044] Optionally, the silicone injection molding machine 4 may further include a feeding system and a mixing system. The feeding system may be configured to provide liquid silicone to the host machine. The mixing system may be configured to mix the provided liquid silicone.

[0045] Optionally, the liquid silicone provided by the feeding system may include a first preset liquid silicone and a second preset liquid silicone. The ratio of the first preset liquid silicone to the second preset liquid silicone may be 1:1. The specific materials of the first preset liquid silicone and the second preset liquid silicone are not limited. For example, the first preset liquid silicone and the second preset liquid silicone may be made of materials such as polydimethylsiloxane, silicon dioxide, dimethylpolysiloxane, and ethyl silicate.

[0046] Optionally, the grasping device 3 may be a robotic arm. The hand of the robotic arm may be provided with a vacuum suction cup. The vacuum suction cup may be in the shape of an elongated strip. The groove at the bottom of the vacuum suction cup may be shaped to match the shape of an unprocessed pencil or a processed pencil. It can be understood that the shape of the portion of the vacuum suction cup used to grasp the unprocessed pencil is the same as the shape of the unprocessed pencil or the processed pencil. Thus, the vacuum suction cup can grasp pencils more quickly and can more easily adjust the orientation of the unprocessed pencil and the processed pencil.

[0047] The aforementioned embodiments of the present disclosure have the following beneficial effects: silicone pencils produced using the silicone pencil production apparatus of some embodiments of the present disclosure can improve user comfort and safety during use. Specifically, pencils produced using related pencil production methods often suffer from poor user comfort and safety due to the following reasons: the resulting wooden pencils are relatively hard, which can easily cause calluses on the user's hands after long-term use, resulting in poor user comfort. Furthermore, the external paint coating often contains harmful substances, which can easily endanger children's health if chewed, resulting in low safety during use. Based on this, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a silicone pencil preparation device, including a transmission device, a gripping device, a silicone injection molding machine, and a control device, wherein the transmission device includes an unprocessed pencil transmission device and a processed pencil transmission device, the unprocessed pencil transmission device is configured to transmit unprocessed pencils, and the processed pencil transmission device is configured to transmit processed pencils; the gripping device is located between the unprocessed pencil transmission device and the processed pencil transmission device, and the silicone injection molding machine is located on either side of the gripping device; the silicone injection molding machine includes a mainframe, a mold and a clamping system are provided on the mainframe, the mold includes a front mold and a rear mold, the mold is fixed on the clamping system included in the mainframe, the front mold is provided with a front mold cavity, and the rear mold is provided with a The rear mold cavity and the front mold cavity are provided with a pencil receiving slot in the middle portion thereof. When the front and rear molds are in the closed state, the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity are in communication. The conveying device, the gripping device, and the silicone injection molding machine are all in communication with the control device. The control device is configured to perform the following steps: controlling the gripping device to move the unprocessed pencil conveyed by the unprocessed pencil conveying device into the pencil receiving slot; controlling the mold clamping system of the silicone injection molding machine to perform a mold clamping operation; controlling the silicone injection molding machine to perform an injection molding operation on the front and rear mold cavities; controlling the mold clamping system of the silicone injection molding machine to perform a mold opening operation; and controlling the gripping device to move the processed pencil in the pencil receiving slot onto the processed pencil conveying device. Because a layer of silicone is injected onto the outside of the unprocessed pencil, the silicone can encase the outer layer of the pencil. Because silicone is soft, it is more comfortable to hold. Furthermore, silicone is more environmentally friendly and non-toxic, thereby improving user comfort and safety.

[0048] 2, a process 200 of some embodiments of the method for preparing a silicone pencil according to the present disclosure is shown. The method for preparing a silicone pencil comprises the following steps:

[0049] Step 201: Move the unprocessed pencils transferred by the unprocessed pencil transfer device into the pencil carrying slot by a grabbing device.

[0050] In some embodiments, the silicone pencil manufacturing method (e.g., the silicone pencil manufacturing apparatus shown in Figure 1) can use the gripping device to move the unprocessed pencil conveyed by the unprocessed pencil conveying device into the pencil holding slot. The conveying device can include an unprocessed pencil conveying device and a processed pencil conveying device. The silicone pencil manufacturing apparatus can include a conveying device, a gripping device, a silicone injection molding machine, and a control device. The silicone injection molding machine can include a mainframe. The mainframe can be provided with a mold and a mold clamping system. The front mold can be provided with a front mold cavity. The rear mold can be provided with a rear mold cavity. The center portion of the front mold cavity can be provided with a pencil holding slot. In practice, the gripping device first grips the unprocessed pencil conveyed by the unprocessed pencil conveying device. Then, the gripping device can move above the pencil holding slot. Thereafter, the gripping device can rotate the unprocessed pencil to a vertical orientation. Finally, the gripping device can place the unprocessed pencil into the pencil holding slot.

[0051] Step 202 : performing a mold closing operation by a mold closing system included in the silicone injection molding machine.

[0052] In some embodiments, the execution body can perform the mold closing operation through the mold closing system included in the silicone injection molding machine. In practice, the movable template included in the mold closing system can move forward to close the front mold and the rear mold.

[0053] Step 203 : performing injection molding operations on the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity using a silicone injection molding machine.

[0054] In some embodiments, the execution body may perform injection molding operations on the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity through the silicone injection molding machine.

[0055] Optionally, the silicone injection molding machine may further include a heating system, a viscosity sensor, and at least one temperature sensor. The heating system may be used to heat the liquid silicone and preheat the mold. The temperature sensor may be used to detect the temperature of the mold and the liquid silicone. The at least one temperature sensor may include a temperature sensor disposed on the mold and a temperature sensor disposed on the liquid silicone. The viscosity sensor may be used to detect the viscosity of the liquid silicone.

[0056] In some optional implementations of some embodiments, the execution entity may perform the injection molding operation on the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity using the silicone injection molding machine by performing the following steps:

[0057] The first step is to detect the mold temperature and obtain mold temperature information. The mold temperature information can represent the mold temperature. In practice, the execution entity can detect the mold temperature using a temperature sensor installed in the mold and use the detected temperature as the mold temperature information.

[0058] The second step is to generate the mold preheating temperature to be adjusted based on the preset mold preheating temperature information and the above mold temperature information. The above preset mold preheating temperature information can represent the preheating temperature required to be set during the preparation of the preset mold. The above mold preheating temperature to be adjusted can be the temperature at which the heating system needs to heat the mold. In practice, the above execution entity can input the above preset mold preheating temperature information and the above mold temperature information into a pre-trained mold preheating temperature generation model to be adjusted to obtain the mold preheating temperature to be adjusted. The above mold preheating temperature generation model to be adjusted can be a neural network model that takes the preset mold preheating temperature information and the mold temperature information as input and takes the mold preheating temperature to be adjusted as output. For example, the above mold preheating temperature generation model to be adjusted can be a convolutional neural network model.

[0059] In the third step, the mold is preheated using the heating system based on the mold preheating temperature to be adjusted and the preset mold preheating time. The preset mold preheating time may be a preset duration for mold preheating. In practice, the execution entity may heat the mold at the mold preheating temperature to be adjusted for the preset mold preheating time using the heating system. It is understood that the mold preheating temperature to be adjusted may be updated based on detected mold temperature information.

[0060] The fourth step is to detect the temperature of the liquid silicone and obtain silicone temperature information. The silicone temperature information can represent the temperature of the liquid silicone. In practice, the execution entity can detect the temperature of the liquid silicone using a temperature sensor disposed on the liquid silicone and use the detected temperature as the silicone temperature information.

[0061] The fifth step is to generate the silicone preheating temperature to be adjusted based on the preset silicone temperature information and the above-mentioned silicone temperature information. The above-mentioned preset mold preheating temperature information can represent the preheating temperature that the preset liquid silicone needs to be set to. The above-mentioned silicone preheating temperature to be adjusted can be the temperature at which the heating system needs to heat the liquid silicone. In practice, the above-mentioned execution entity can input the above-mentioned preset silicone preheating temperature information and the above-mentioned silicone temperature information into a pre-trained silicone preheating temperature generation model to be adjusted to obtain the silicone preheating temperature to be adjusted. The above-mentioned silicone preheating temperature generation model to be adjusted can be a neural network model that takes the preset silicone preheating temperature information and the silicone temperature information as input and takes the silicone preheating temperature to be adjusted as output. For example, the above-mentioned silicone preheating temperature generation model to be adjusted can be a convolutional neural network model.

[0062] In step 6, the liquid silicone to be injected is heated by the heating system according to the preheating temperature of the silicone to be adjusted. In practice, the execution entity may heat the liquid silicone at the preheating temperature of the silicone to be adjusted by the heating system. It is understood that the preheating temperature of the silicone to be adjusted may be updated based on the detected silicone temperature information.

[0063] The seventh step is to perform an injection molding operation corresponding to the target injection molding pressure and the target injection molding speed through the injection molding system included in the above-mentioned silicone injection molding machine, based on the target injection molding pressure and the target injection molding speed. The target injection molding pressure and the target injection molding speed can be determined by the artificial intelligence chip based on the real-time silicone temperature detected by the temperature sensor and the real-time silicone viscosity detected by the viscosity sensor. The machine learning model carried by the above-mentioned artificial intelligence chip can be obtained by training a training sample set. The training samples in the above-mentioned training sample set include sample silicone temperature and sample silicone viscosity. Specifically, the machine learning model carried by the above-mentioned artificial intelligence chip is obtained by training with real-time silicone temperature and real-time silicone viscosity as input, and with target injection molding pressure and target injection speed as expected output. As an example, the above-mentioned machine learning model can be a convolutional neural network model.

[0064] The above-mentioned related content, as an inventive feature of an embodiment of the present disclosure, resolves the second technical problem mentioned in the background art: "The production speed is not determined based on the characteristics of the material being prepared, resulting in a low pass rate for the produced pencils, leading to a large number of discarded pencils and a waste of resources." This waste of resources is caused by the following: The production speed is not determined based on the characteristics of the material being prepared, resulting in a low pass rate for the produced pencils, leading to a large number of discarded pencils. Resolving this problem can reduce resource waste. To achieve this, the silicone pencil production equipment disclosed herein includes a silicone injection molding machine that also includes a heating system, a viscosity sensor, and at least one temperature sensor; and the silicone injection molding machine performs an injection molding operation on the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity, including: detecting the mold temperature to obtain mold temperature information; generating a to-be-adjusted mold preheating temperature based on preset mold preheating temperature information and the mold temperature information; preheating the mold using the heating system based on the to-be-adjusted mold preheating temperature and the preset mold preheating time; and detecting the temperature of the liquid silicone to obtain silicone temperature information. Among them, the above-mentioned silicone temperature information can represent the temperature of liquid silicone; based on the preset silicone temperature information and the above-mentioned silicone temperature information, the silicone preheating temperature to be adjusted is generated; based on the above-mentioned silicone preheating temperature to be adjusted, the liquid silicone to be injected is heated by the above-mentioned heating system; based on the target injection pressure and the target injection speed, the injection molding operation corresponding to the above-mentioned target injection pressure and the above-mentioned target injection speed is performed by the injection molding system included in the above-mentioned silicone injection molding machine, wherein the above-mentioned target injection pressure and the above-mentioned target injection speed are determined by the artificial intelligence chip based on the real-time silicone temperature detected by the above-mentioned temperature sensor and the real-time silicone viscosity detected by the viscosity sensor, and the machine learning model carried by the above-mentioned artificial intelligence chip is obtained by training a training sample set, and the training samples in the above-mentioned training sample set include sample silicone temperature and sample silicone viscosity. Because the preheating temperature of the mold or liquid silicone can be determined based on the real-time temperature, the mold or liquid silicone can be preheated at a more accurate temperature. Also, because the injection pressure and injection speed are determined according to the temperature and viscosity of the liquid silicone, injection molding can be performed at a more accurate injection pressure and injection speed, thereby reducing the generation of bubbles, improving the qualified rate of the prepared silicone pencils, reducing the probability of discarded silicone pencils, and thus reducing resource waste.

[0065] In step 204 , a mold separation operation is performed by a mold clamping system included in the silicone injection molding machine.

[0066] In some embodiments, the execution body can perform the mold separation operation through the mold closing system included in the silicone injection molding machine. In practice, the movable template included in the mold closing system can move backward to separate the front mold and the rear mold.

[0067] In step 205, the processed pencil in the pencil holding slot is moved to the processed pencil conveyor by a gripping device. In practice, the gripping device first grips the processed pencil in the pencil holding slot. Then, the gripping device moves above the processed pencil conveyor. Thereafter, the gripping device rotates the processed pencil to a horizontal orientation. Finally, the gripping device places the processed pencil on the processed pencil conveyor.

[0068] In some embodiments, the execution body may move the processed pencils in the pencil carrying groove to the processed pencil conveying device through the grasping device.

[0069] Optionally, the silicone pencil manufacturing apparatus may further include a visual inspection device and a rotating device. The rotating device may be a device for rotating the processed pencil. For example, the rotating device may be a 180° flipping device. As another example, the rotating device may be a robotic arm.

[0070] Optionally, the above execution entity may further perform the following steps:

[0071] In the first step, a visual inspection device captures an image of the processed pencil carried on the processed pencil transport device under a first light source and an image of the processed pencil under a second light source, thereby obtaining a first processed pencil image and a second processed pencil image. The first and second light sources may both be lighting devices. For example, both may be flashlights. The first and second light sources may be positioned at different locations.

[0072] In the second step, the processed pencil is rotated by the rotating device. As an example, the rotating device can grab the processed pencil and turn it 180 degrees.

[0073] In the third step, an image of the processed pencil after being rotated under the first light source and an image of the processed pencil after being rotated under the second light source are collected to obtain a first rotated pencil image and a second rotated pencil image.

[0074] In a fourth step, denoising is performed on the first processed pencil image and the second processed pencil image to obtain a first processed pencil denoised image and a second processed pencil denoised image. In practice, the execution entity may perform denoising on the first processed pencil image and the second processed pencil image using various denoising methods to obtain the first processed pencil denoised image and the second processed pencil denoised image. By way of example, the various denoising methods may include, but are not limited to, at least one of: mean filtering, median filtering, and Gaussian filtering.

[0075] Step 5: De-noising the first rotated pencil image and the second rotated pencil image to obtain a first rotated pencil de-noised image and a second rotated pencil de-noised image. In practice, the execution entity may perform de-noising on the first rotated pencil image and the second rotated pencil image using various de-noising methods to obtain the first rotated pencil de-noised image and the second rotated pencil de-noised image.

[0076] Step 6: Edge processing is performed on the first processed pencil denoised image and the second processed pencil denoised image to obtain a first processed pencil edge image and a second processed pencil edge image. In practice, the execution entity may perform edge processing on the first processed pencil image and the second processed pencil image using various edge processing methods to obtain the first processed pencil edge image and the second processed pencil edge image. By way of example, the edge processing methods may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: a Canny operator, a Roberts operator, a Prewitt operator, and a Sobel operator.

[0077] In step 7, edge processing is performed on the first rotated pencil denoised image and the second rotated pencil denoised image to obtain a first rotated pencil edge image and a second rotated pencil edge image. In practice, the execution entity may perform edge processing on the first rotated pencil image and the second rotated pencil image using various edge processing methods to obtain the first rotated pencil edge image and the second rotated pencil edge image.

[0078] In step 8, based on the first processed pencil edge image, the second processed pencil edge image, the first rotated pencil edge image, and the second rotated pencil edge image, a defect recognition result corresponding to the processed pencil is determined. In practice, the execution entity may determine the defect recognition result corresponding to the processed pencil by performing the following steps:

[0079] The first sub-step involves determining at least one first defect region in the first processed pencil edge image. The first defect region may be a set of coordinates representing the location of a defect in the pencil. The defect may be at least one of the following: breakage, stains, or cracks. In practice, first, for each pixel in the first processed pencil edge image, a similarity between the pixel and the corresponding pixel in the target anti-corrosion sleeve image is determined as a first similarity. As an example, the execution entity may determine the similarity between the pixel in the first processed pencil edge image and the corresponding pixel in the target anti-corrosion sleeve image using various similarity algorithms. For example, these various similarity algorithms include RGB similarity approximation algorithms, gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) color histograms, and local binary patterns (LBP). The execution entity may then determine each pixel in the first processed pencil edge image whose corresponding first similarity is less than or equal to a preset similarity threshold as a first defect region.

[0080] The second sub-step involves determining at least one second defect region in the second processed pencil edge image. In practice, for each second processed pencil edge image pixel in the second processed pencil edge image, a similarity between the second processed pencil edge image pixel and the corresponding pixel in the target anti-corrosion sleeve image is determined as the second similarity. As an example, the execution entity may determine the similarity between the second processed pencil edge image pixel and the corresponding pixel in the target anti-corrosion sleeve image using various similarity algorithms. The execution entity may then determine each second processed pencil edge image pixel whose corresponding second similarity is less than or equal to a preset similarity threshold as a second defect region.

[0081] In a third sub-step, for each of the at least one first defect region, determine a similarity between the first defect region and the corresponding first defect region in the at least one second defect region, as a forward similarity. In practice, the execution entity may determine the similarity between the first defect region and the corresponding first defect region in the at least one second defect region using various similarity algorithms.

[0082] In a fourth sub-step, the first defect regions whose corresponding forward similarity is greater than or equal to a preset similarity threshold are determined as common defect regions.

[0083] In a fifth sub-step, a positive defect ratio is determined by taking the ratio of the sum of the areas of the common defect regions to the area of ​​the first processed pencil edge image.

[0084] The sixth sub-step is determining at least one first rotational defect region in the first rotated pencil edge image. In practice, first, for each first rotated pencil edge image pixel in the first rotated pencil edge image, the similarity between the first rotated pencil edge image pixel and the corresponding pixel in the target anti-corrosion sleeve image is determined to obtain a first rotational similarity. Determining the first rotational similarity is the same as determining the first similarity and is not further described here.

[0085] The seventh sub-step is to determine at least one second rotation defect region of the second rotated pencil edge image. Here, the steps of determining the second rotation similarity and determining the second similarity are the same and will not be repeated here.

[0086] In the eighth sub-step, for each of the at least one first rotation defect region, a similarity between the first rotation defect region and the corresponding first rotation defect region in the at least one second rotation defect region is determined as rotational similarity. Determining the rotational similarity is the same as determining the forward similarity and is not further described here.

[0087] In a ninth sub-step, the first rotation defect regions whose corresponding rotation similarity is greater than or equal to a preset similarity threshold are determined as common rotation defect regions.

[0088] In a tenth sub-step, a ratio of the sum of the areas of the common rotation defect regions to the area of ​​the first rotation pencil edge image is determined as a rotation defect ratio.

[0089] In the eleventh sub-step, a defect identification result corresponding to the processed pencil is determined based on the forward defect ratio and the rotational defect ratio. For example, in response to determining that the forward defect ratio and / or the rotational defect ratio are greater than or equal to a preset rotational defect ratio threshold, the defect identification result corresponding to the processed pencil is determined to be defective. In response to determining that the forward defect ratio and / or the rotational defect ratio are less than the preset rotational defect ratio threshold, the defect identification result corresponding to the processed pencil is determined to be non-defective. In this manner, pencils with significant defects can be screened out.

[0090] The ninth step is to execute a capture operation corresponding to the defect recognition result according to the determined defect recognition result.

[0091] The above-mentioned related content, as an inventive feature of an embodiment of the present disclosure, solves the third technical problem mentioned in the background technology: "Failure to identify defects on the front and back of the prepared pencil results in the user ultimately receiving a pencil with numerous defects, a poor feel, and thus a poor user experience." The reason for this poor user experience is as follows: Failure to identify defects on the front and back of the prepared pencil results in the user ultimately receiving a pencil with numerous defects, a poor feel, and thus a poor user experience. If this problem is resolved, the user experience will be improved. To achieve this effect, the silicone pencil preparation device disclosed herein further includes a visual inspection device and a rotating device; and the method further includes: collecting, by the visual inspection device, an image of the processed pencil carried on the processed pencil transmission device under a first light source and an image of the processed pencil under a second light source, to obtain a first processed pencil image and a second processed pencil image; rotating the processed pencil by the rotating device; collecting an image of the processed pencil after rotation under the first light source and an image of the processed pencil after rotation under the second light source, to obtain a first rotated pencil image and a second rotated pencil image; denoising the first processed pencil image and the second processed pencil image, to obtain a first processed pencil denoised image and a second processed pencil denoised image; and performing denoising on the first rotated pencil image. The first and second rotated pencil images are subjected to denoising, thereby obtaining a first rotated pencil denoised image and a second rotated pencil denoised image; edge processing is performed on the first processed pencil denoised image and the second processed pencil denoised image, thereby obtaining a first processed pencil edge image and a second processed pencil edge image; edge processing is performed on the first rotated pencil denoised image and the second rotated pencil denoised image, thereby obtaining a first rotated pencil edge image and a second rotated pencil edge image; a defect recognition result corresponding to the processed pencil is determined based on the first processed pencil edge image, the second processed pencil edge image, the first rotated pencil edge image, and the second rotated pencil edge image; and a capture operation corresponding to the defect recognition result is performed based on the determined defect recognition result. Because images of the same processed pencil are collected under different lighting conditions to determine whether a defect exists, it is possible to more accurately identify whether the processed pencil has a defect. Because the image of the same processed pencil is also collected for the rotated pencil to determine whether there are defects, it is possible to more completely identify whether the processed pencil has defects, so that processed pencils with larger defects can be placed in a waste bin, thereby improving the quality of the final processed pencils, improving the user experience, and thus improving the user experience.

[0092] The aforementioned embodiments of the present disclosure have the following beneficial effects: silicone pencils produced by the silicone pencil production methods of some embodiments of the present disclosure can improve user comfort and safety. Specifically, the reason why pencils produced by related pencil production methods suffer from poor user comfort and safety is that the wooden pencils produced are relatively hard, which can easily cause calluses on the user's hands after long-term use. Furthermore, the paint coating on the exterior often contains harmful substances, which can be harmful to children's health if chewed. Based on this, the silicone pencil production methods of some embodiments of the present disclosure include: moving the unprocessed pencil from the unprocessed pencil transport device into the pencil holding slot using the gripping device; performing a mold closing operation using the mold closing system of the silicone injection molding machine; performing an injection molding operation on the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity using the silicone injection molding machine; performing a mold opening operation using the mold closing system of the silicone injection molding machine; and moving the processed pencil from the pencil holding slot to the processed pencil transport device using the gripping device. Because a layer of silicone is injected onto the exterior of the unprocessed pencil, the silicone can encase the outer layer of the pencil. Also, because silicone is softer, it is more comfortable to hold the pen, and silicone is more environmentally friendly and non-toxic, which can improve the user's comfort and safety during use.

[0093] The above descriptions are merely some preferred embodiments of the present disclosure and illustrate the underlying technical principles. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the invention encompassed by the embodiments of the present disclosure is not limited to technical solutions formed by specific combinations of the aforementioned technical features. It also encompasses other technical solutions formed by any combination of the aforementioned technical features or their equivalents, without departing from the aforementioned inventive concept. For example, a technical solution formed by replacing the aforementioned features with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions disclosed in the embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A silicone pencil preparation device, comprising a transmission device, a gripping device, a silicone injection molding machine and a control device, wherein: The conveying device comprises an unprocessed pencil conveying device and a processed pencil conveying device, wherein the unprocessed pencil conveying device is configured to convey unprocessed pencils, and the processed pencil conveying device is configured to convey processed pencils; The gripping device is located between the unprocessed pencil conveying device and the processed pencil conveying device, and the silicone injection molding machine is located on either side of the gripping device; The silicone injection molding machine comprises a main machine, on which a mold and a clamping system are arranged, wherein the mold comprises a front mold and a rear mold, and the mold is fixed on the clamping system included in the main machine, wherein the front mold is provided with a front mold cavity, and the rear mold is provided with a rear mold cavity, wherein a pencil bearing groove is provided in the middle part of the front mold cavity, and when the front mold and the rear mold are clamped, the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity are communicated; The transmission device, the gripping device and the silicone injection molding machine are all in communication connection with the control device; The control device is configured to perform the following steps: Controlling the gripping device to move the unprocessed pencils transmitted by the unprocessed pencil transmission device into the pencil carrying slot; Controlling the mold clamping system included in the silicone injection molding machine to perform a mold clamping operation; Controlling the silicone injection molding machine to perform injection molding operations on the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity; Controlling the mold clamping system included in the silicone injection molding machine to perform a mold separation operation; The gripping device is controlled to move the processed pencils in the pencil carrying slot to the processed pencil transmission device.

2. The silicone pencil preparation device according to claim 1, wherein: The silicone pencil preparation device further includes a visual inspection device, which is arranged on either side of the processed pencil transmission device, the visual inspection device is communicatively connected with the control device, and the visual inspection device includes an image acquisition component, an image processing component and an image recognition component; The visual inspection device is configured to perform the following steps: The processed pencil carried by the processed pencil transmission device is imaged by the image acquisition component to obtain an image of the processed pencil; Performing image preprocessing on the processed pencil image by the image processing component to obtain a processed pencil image after image preprocessing; Performing defect recognition processing on the processed pencil image after image preprocessing by the image recognition component to obtain a defect recognition result; sending the defect identification result to the control device; The control device is also configured to control the grasping device to perform a grasping operation corresponding to the defect identification result according to the received defect identification result.

3. The silicone pencil preparation device according to claim 2, wherein: The silicone pencil preparation device also includes a waste box, which is located on either side of the gripping device; The control device is further configured to control the gripping device to put the defective processed pencils into the waste bin in response to the received defect recognition result indicating that the processed pencils have defects.

4. The silicone pencil preparation device according to claim 1, wherein: The depth of the pencil bearing groove is greater than the depth of the front mold cavity; The inner shape of the pencil bearing groove is fitted with the outer shape of the unprocessed pencil, the size of the front mold cavity is larger than the inner size of the pencil bearing groove, and the gap between the front mold cavity and the pencil bearing groove is used to form a silicone layer.

5. The silicone pencil preparation device according to claim 1, wherein: The silicone injection molding machine also includes a feeding system and a mixing system. The feeding system is configured to provide liquid silicone to the host, and the mixing system is configured to mix the provided liquid silicone.

6. The silicone pencil preparation device according to claim 5, wherein: The liquid silicone provided by the feeding system includes a first preset liquid silicone and a second preset liquid silicone, wherein the ratio of the first preset liquid silicone to the second preset liquid silicone is 1:

1.

7. The silicone pencil preparation device according to claim 1, wherein: The gripping device is a manipulator, the hand of the manipulator is provided with a vacuum suction cup, the shape of the vacuum suction cup is a long strip, and the shape of the groove at the bottom of the vacuum suction cup is embedded with the shape of an unprocessed pencil or the shape of a processed pencil.

8. A method for preparing a silicone pencil, applied to the silicone pencil preparation device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The transmission device includes an unprocessed pencil transmission device and a processed pencil transmission device, the silicone pencil preparation equipment includes a transmission device, a gripping device, a silicone injection molding machine and a control device, the silicone injection molding machine includes a host, the host is provided with a mold and a mold clamping system, the front mold is provided with a front mold cavity, the rear mold is provided with a rear mold cavity, and the middle part of the front mold cavity is provided with a pencil bearing groove, and the method includes: The unprocessed pencils transmitted by the unprocessed pencil transmission device are moved into the pencil carrying groove by the grasping device; Performing a mold closing operation by means of a mold closing system included in the silicone injection molding machine; Performing injection molding operation on the front mold cavity and the rear mold cavity by the silicone injection molding machine; Performing a mold separation operation through a mold clamping system included in the silicone injection molding machine; The processed pencils in the pencil carrying groove are moved to the processed pencil transmission device by the grabbing device.

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