Method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automated sorting systems for industrial products, particularly textile articles, are not reliable enough to operate without human intervention, leading to the need for manual sorting and packaging, which is inefficient and prone to errors.
Innovation Solution
An automated method involving multiple robotic systems and sensors for sorting, checking, and packaging textile articles, including a separation step using robots and cameras, a checking step with air jets and chromatic lamps to verify cleanliness and integrity, a sanitization step in a sealed area, and a packaging step using a heat-shrink film, allowing for hermetically sealed packaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated sorting systems are used for textile articles, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to insufficient accuracy and need for human intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection and mechanical sorting with an automated optical inspection system using cameras and image processing algorithms. The system captures images of textile articles during transport and automatically detects defects, stains, and contamination, enabling reliable automated sorting without human intervention while maintaining high sorting accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate inspection station with imaging devices positioned between the sorting mechanism and packaging area. This intermediary system captures detailed images of articles, processes them through algorithms to identify non-conformities, and provides feedback for automated sorting decisions, thereby ensuring both speed and accuracy
2Reliability
If manual sorting is used to ensure reliability, then sorting accuracy is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to inefficiency and time consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual sorting operations with automated robotic arms guided by computer vision systems. The imaging devices capture articles during conveyance, and algorithms automatically determine sorting categories, enabling the robotic system to sort articles at high speed with accuracy comparable to or exceeding manual inspection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous inspection and sorting operations where articles are inspected and sorted without interruption during their transport through the system. The imaging and sorting processes occur continuously as articles move along the conveyor, eliminating the stop-start nature of manual sorting and significantly increasing throughput
3Reliability
If multiple checking steps are implemented to ensure cleanliness and integrity, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a multi-functional inspection system where a single integrated imaging station performs multiple detection functions simultaneously. The same camera system and image processing algorithms detect various defect types including stains, tears, contamination, and cleanliness issues, eliminating the need for separate specialized devices for each inspection function and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the inspection, classification, and sorting functions into an integrated automated system. The imaging devices, processing algorithms, and robotic sorting mechanisms work together as a unified system, where information from a single inspection pass is used to make sorting decisions, reducing the need for multiple separate checking steps and simplifying the overall process
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables reliable, efficient, and automated sorting and packaging of textile articles, reducing the need for human intervention and minimizing the disposal of non-conforming items by ensuring compliance with cleanliness and integrity standards before packaging.
Implementation Method 1
hangs the article in front of an air jet that completely spreads out the article
Implementation Method 2
a system of cameras and laser sensors identifies to which type the article in question belongs to
Implementation Method 3
a system of cameras and laser sensors identifies to which type the article in question belongs to
Implementation Method 4
a plurality of chromatic headlamps illuminate said article at different predetermined frequencies
Implementation Method 5
packages them with a common heat-shrink film to create a hermetically sealed package
Implementation Method 6
the article is sprayed with a common disinfectant agent
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Method for the automatic separation, check and packaging of articles, according to the steps:(A) Separation in an area (9) in which a robot (10) picks an article (100) and hangs it on a hook (12), a robot (20) picks it and hangs it in front of an air jet (30) to spread it out in front of cameras and laser sensors (40-40'), to identify the type of article (100); the robot (20) places the article (100) on a transport mechanism (50-50'-50"-50"') dedicated to the type it belongs to;(B) Check in an area (55) with an air jet (56) that spreads out the article (100) while chromatic headlamps (58-58') illuminate it allowing the cameras (57-57') to detect the imperfections thereof; then sorting the conforming articles on a track (50.a) and the imperfect articles on a second track (50.b) towards a disposal area (80) from which they are returned to the second area (55) for a second check (B ); if they are stained, they are washed again; if they are pierced, they are destroyed; (C) Sanitization in a sealed area (60) with an air extractor (61) and a pressure sensor (62) to keep the area (60) in a vacuum while nebulizers (63-63') spray the article (100) with a disinfectant; (D) packaging by a packaging machine (90).