Secondary Battery Inspection Using Segmented Lighting and Merged Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inspection apparatuses for cylindrical secondary batteries have low inspection efficiency due to the use of one or two cameras to inspect the lateral surface of a single battery.
Innovation Solution
An appearance inspection apparatus that captures 360-degree lateral images of multiple secondary batteries using a combination of light patterns and image processing to generate a single composite image, while also obtaining top and bottom images simultaneously, using a tray system and synchronized camera and lighting units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If one or two cameras are used to inspect the lateral surface of a single battery, then the inspection apparatus can capture the lateral surface images, but the inspection efficiency is low
Solution Approach 1:
The lateral surface inspection is divided into multiple segments by using multiple cameras positioned at different angles (first camera for first lateral surface, second camera for second lateral surface). Each camera captures a specific segment of the battery surface, and the images are combined to form a complete inspection result. This segmentation allows simultaneous inspection of multiple surfaces without requiring a single complex camera system.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple imaging results from different cameras and lighting conditions are merged into a single comprehensive inspection result. The control unit combines the first imaging result from the first camera and the second imaging result from the second camera to create a complete lateral surface inspection. This merging process consolidates multiple data sources into a unified inspection outcome, improving efficiency while maintaining thoroughness.
2Speed
If multiple batteries are inspected simultaneously using a tray system, then the inspection speed increases, but the coordination of cameras and lighting units becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection system uses periodic lighting patterns where the first and second lighting units alternately illuminate the batteries at different time points. The first lighting unit illuminates during the first time point for the first camera, and the second lighting unit illuminates during the second time point for the second camera. This periodic action allows multiple batteries to be inspected simultaneously while maintaining clear image capture through time-sequenced illumination.
Solution Approach 2:
The tray is pre-configured to hold multiple batteries in specific positions before inspection begins. The first and second lighting units are pre-positioned to illuminate specific areas of the tray, and the cameras are pre-positioned to capture images of the batteries in their loaded states. This preliminary arrangement of batteries and inspection components enables simultaneous inspection without requiring complex real-time coordination during the actual inspection process.
3Productivity
If top and bottom images are obtained while the battery is being loaded in a tray, then the inspection process is streamlined, but the positioning precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tray serves multiple functions: it holds the batteries for inspection, provides a reference frame for positioning, and enables simultaneous capture of top, bottom, and lateral surface images. The third lighting unit and third camera are configured to work with the tray system to capture top and bottom images without requiring the battery to be removed or repositioned. This multi-functional use of the tray system streamlines the inspection process while maintaining positioning precision through the tray's structured design.
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is an appearance inspection apparatus for a secondary battery, which simultaneously obtains laterals image by picking up a plurality of secondary batteries loaded in a tray, and then simultaneously obtains top and bottom images of the secondary batteries by returning the plurality of inspected secondary batteries back to the tray and transporting the tray