Combination Weighing Camera Control for Balanced Article Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional combination weighing apparatuses oversupply or undersupply articles due to reliance on load sensors, particularly with items like chicken thighs that quickly flow from a distribution table to radiation feeders.
Innovation Solution
A combination weighing apparatus with a distribution unit, radiation feeders, a camera, and a controller that controls article supply based on captured images to adjust the supply of articles to prevent oversupply and undersupply.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If supply control is based on load sensor output from the distribution table, then the distribution table can be kept free from articles, but articles are excessively supplied to the radiation feeder when articles stagnate there
Solution Approach 1:
A camera is introduced as an intermediary detection device between the radiation feeder and the control system. The camera captures images of articles on the radiation feeder, and image processing detects stagnation regions, providing more accurate feedback for supply control than load sensor alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by detecting article stagnation on the radiation feeder via camera imaging and using this information to adjust the supply from the external apparatus. When stagnation is detected, supply is restricted; when no stagnation exists, supply is permitted, creating a closed-loop control system.
2Productivity
If articles are supplied to the distribution table as long as it becomes free from articles, then the distribution table maintains continuous operation, but oversupply occurs to the radiation feeder
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of article stagnation on the radiation feeder before excess supply occurs. By detecting stagnation regions in advance through camera imaging, the control system can prevent oversupply before it happens, maintaining both continuous operation and supply balance.
3Device complexity
If load sensor alone is used for supply control, then the system structure remains simple, but article stagnation on the radiation feeder cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges load sensor detection with camera-based image processing to create a comprehensive detection system. The load sensor monitors overall weight while the camera detects specific stagnation regions, combining both methods to achieve complete article supply control without excessive complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A combination weighing apparatus (1) according to an embodiment includes: a distribution unit (2) that radially distributes articles (M) supplied from an external apparatus (100); a plurality of radiation feeders (31, 32, 3n) that conveys the articles (M) conveyed from the distribution unit (2) in a direction away from the distribution unit (2); a camera (20) that captures a region where the articles (M) are conveyed on the radiation feeders (31, 32, 3n); and a controller (4) that controls supply of the articles (M) by the external apparatus (100) on a basis of an image captured by the camera (20).