Conveyor Article Sorting with Imaging and Pin Grouping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for inspecting and grouping randomly oriented articles on a conveyor are inefficient due to the need for additional upstream and downstream equipment, which increases cost and limits flexibility in handling articles of different shapes and sizes, especially when articles are clustered or interlocked.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with an inspection head, a grouping unit comprising individually controllable pins, and a control unit processes images to identify and separate articles based on predetermined criteria, allowing for simultaneous inspection, sorting, and grouping of articles into batches without requiring them to be singulated, using imaging and air jets to manage clustered articles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional beam interruption counters and activated gates are used for counting and grouping articles, then accurate counting and grouping can be achieved, but additional downstream equipment is required which increases cost and device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the inspection system and grouping function into a single integrated apparatus. The imaging system captures images of articles on the conveyor, the control unit processes these images to identify articles meeting criteria, and the same control unit activates pins downstream to group the identified articles. This merging eliminates the need for separate beam interruption counters and gates, reducing equipment complexity while maintaining counting accuracy through image-based identification.
2Measurement precision
If upstream equipment is added to segregate clustered articles before imaging, then the imaging system can differentiate between articles, but the additional equipment increases cost and device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical upstream segregation equipment with an optical imaging system that can identify and differentiate articles even when clustered or interlocked. The imaging system captures images of articles in their natural state on the conveyor, and the control unit processes these images to distinguish individual articles and determine which meet the specified criteria. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical segregation equipment while maintaining or improving article differentiation accuracy.
3Reliability
If separate pieces of equipment are used for inspection and grouping, then each function can be optimized, but the system is unlikely to be capable of rapid changeover to handle articles of different shapes and sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal apparatus that performs both inspection and grouping functions through integrated components. The imaging system can capture images of various article types, the control unit can process images of different shapes and sizes to identify articles meeting different criteria, and the pin mechanism can group articles according to different specifications. This multi-functional design enables rapid changeover to handle different article types without requiring separate specialized equipment for each function.
4Manufacturing precision
If downstream equipment is added to count and separate accepted articles into groups, then accurate grouping can be achieved, but the equipment makes grouping by parameters other than number difficult and increases cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamic pin mechanism downstream that can be selectively activated based on real-time image processing results. The control unit identifies articles meeting criteria and activates specific pins to group these articles dynamically. This dynamic system can adapt to different grouping parameters (number, weight, volume) by adjusting which pins are activated and when, providing grouping accuracy while maintaining flexibility for different article types and grouping requirements.
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 sorts and groups articles into predetermined quantities or weights, even when they are randomly oriented or clustered, reducing equipment costs and enabling rapid changeover for different article types, while accurately tracking and separating rejected articles during free fall.
Implementation Method 1
an imaging system for acquiring images of articles on the conveyor within a field of view of the imaging system
Implementation Method 2
accurately tracking and separating rejected articles during free fall
Implementation Method 3
using imaging and air jets to manage clustered articles
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided an apparatus for grouping randomly oriented articles traveling on a conveyor, said conveyor having an in-feed end, an out-feed end and a predetermined width. The apparatus comprises an inspection head located in a fixed position above the conveyor, the inspection head for capturing images of the articles traveling on the conveyor, a grouping unit located in a fixed position relative to the conveyor and downstream of the inspection head and a control unit for receiving and processing the captured images from the inspection head. The grouping unit comprises a plurality of individually controllable pins, the individually controllable pins each moveable between a buffering position wherein the pin arrests movement of an article in alignment with the pin and a grouping position wherein the pin allows the article to move to a grouping location. The processing of the captured images for identifying the location of the articles traveling on the conveyor and for controlling the individual activation of the pins between buffering position and the grouping position.