Coil Spring Wire Detection for Accurate Target Strand Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shape measuring methods for coil springs struggle to accurately determine a target wire due to multiple adjacent wires being included in the captured data, making it difficult to measure the shape accurately.
Innovation Solution
A wire detection system that includes a support mechanism for rotating the coil spring, a sensor to measure wire contours, and a control device to detect a target wire by processing wire data, using search algorithms to identify the correct wire based on contour-corresponding points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a sensor captures wire data of a coil spring, then the measurement coverage is improved, but multiple adjacent wires are included in the captured data making it difficult to determine the target wire
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the continuous wire data into individual wire sections by detecting discontinuities in the contour data. The target wire detection unit identifies where the wire contour is interrupted, which corresponds to the gap between adjacent wires, thereby separating the target wire from neighboring wires in the captured data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the specific target wire information from the mixed wire data by using the discontinuity detection method. The target wire detection unit isolates the target wire's contour data by identifying the start and end positions based on where the wire contour is interrupted, effectively extracting only the relevant target wire information from the complete wire data set.
2Device complexity
If the light source or camera position is fixed, then the measurement setup is simplified, but the captured wire data includes multiple adjacent wires making target wire determination difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by using the wire data itself to identify the target wire. The discontinuity in the wire contour data, which naturally occurs at wire boundaries, is utilized as the identification criterion. This eliminates the need for additional identification markers or complex positioning systems, as the wire data's own characteristics are used for target wire determination.
3Quantity of substance
If image processing is performed on all wire data, then comprehensive shape information is obtained, but the shape measurement accuracy is reduced due to inclusion of non-target wires
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by performing image processing only on the extracted target wire data rather than all wire data. The target wire detection unit identifies and isolates the target wire's contour information, allowing subsequent shape measurement processing to be applied selectively to only the relevant portion, thereby improving measurement accuracy while reducing unnecessary processing of non-target wire data.
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
The system effectively detects the target wire from wire data with high accuracy, enabling precise application of coating materials to specific positions on the coil spring, reducing contact damage and improving measurement accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
a surface of a coil spring is irradiated with linear slit light expanded in an axial direction of the coil spring fixed to a rotation stage, and the reflected light is captured by a camera
Data Source
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AI summary
A wire detection system 1 includes a support mechanism 4 configured to support a coil spring W and allows the coil spring W to rotate on a specific axis Ax following a central axis of the coil spring W, a sensor 5 configured to measure a contour position of a wire of the coil spring W and output wire data, and a control device 3 configured to control operations of the support mechanism 4 and the sensor 5. The control device 3 includes a support mechanism control unit configured to operate the support mechanism 4 to rotate the coil spring W on the specific axis Ax, a sensor control unit configured to operate the sensor 5 to acquire the wire data from the sensor 5, and a target wire detection unit configured to detect a contour position of a target wire among contour positions of wires of the coil spring W included in the wire data.