CN117434063A - Device with improved lighting management - Google Patents

Device with improved lighting management Download PDF

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Publication number
CN117434063A
CN117434063A CN202310894842.5A CN202310894842A CN117434063A CN 117434063 A CN117434063 A CN 117434063A CN 202310894842 A CN202310894842 A CN 202310894842A CN 117434063 A CN117434063 A CN 117434063A
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CN
China
Prior art keywords
light sources
control unit
work plane
plane
opposite sides
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
CN202310894842.5A
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Chinese (zh)
Inventor
亚历山德罗·科尔西科皮科利诺
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Comelz Co ltd
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Comelz Co ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Comelz Co ltd filed Critical Comelz Co ltd
Publication of CN117434063A publication Critical patent/CN117434063A/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26F—PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING
    • B26F1/00—Perforating; Punching; Cutting-out; Stamping-out; Apparatus therefor
    • B26F1/38—Cutting-out; Stamping-out
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
    • G01N21/84—Systems specially adapted for particular applications
    • G01N21/88—Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
    • G01N21/8851—Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D5/00—Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
    • B26D5/02—Means for moving the cutting member into its operative position for cutting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26F—PERFORATING; PUNCHING; CUTTING-OUT; STAMPING-OUT; SEVERING BY MEANS OTHER THAN CUTTING
    • B26F1/00—Perforating; Punching; Cutting-out; Stamping-out; Apparatus therefor
    • B26F1/38—Cutting-out; Stamping-out
    • B26F1/3806—Cutting-out; Stamping-out wherein relative movements of tool head and work during cutting have a component tangential to the work surface
    • B26F1/3813—Cutting-out; Stamping-out wherein relative movements of tool head and work during cutting have a component tangential to the work surface wherein the tool head is moved in a plane parallel to the work in a coordinate system fixed with respect to the work
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C14—SKINS; HIDES; PELTS; LEATHER
    • C14B—MECHANICAL TREATMENT OR PROCESSING OF SKINS, HIDES OR LEATHER IN GENERAL; PELT-SHEARING MACHINES; INTESTINE-SPLITTING MACHINES
    • C14B17/00—Details of apparatus or machines for manufacturing or treating skins, hides, leather, or furs
    • C14B17/005—Inspecting hides or furs
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06H—MARKING, INSPECTING, SEAMING OR SEVERING TEXTILE MATERIALS
    • D06H3/00—Inspecting textile materials
    • D06H3/02—Inspecting textile materials visually
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21K—NON-ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES USING LUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING CHARGES OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL; LIGHT SOURCES USING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES AS LIGHT-GENERATING ELEMENTS; LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F21K9/00—Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
    • F21K9/20—Light sources comprising attachment means
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
    • F21S41/00—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps
    • F21S41/10—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps characterised by the light source
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
    • F21S41/00—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps
    • F21S41/10—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps characterised by the light source
    • F21S41/14—Illuminating devices specially adapted for vehicle exteriors, e.g. headlamps characterised by the light source characterised by the type of light source
    • F21S41/141—Light emitting diodes [LED]
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
    • G01N21/01—Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
    • G01N21/84—Systems specially adapted for particular applications
    • G01N21/88—Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
    • G01N21/89—Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination in moving material, e.g. running paper or textiles
    • G01N21/8914—Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination in moving material, e.g. running paper or textiles characterised by the material examined
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C14—SKINS; HIDES; PELTS; LEATHER
    • C14B—MECHANICAL TREATMENT OR PROCESSING OF SKINS, HIDES OR LEATHER IN GENERAL; PELT-SHEARING MACHINES; INTESTINE-SPLITTING MACHINES
    • C14B5/00—Clicking, perforating, or cutting leather
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06H—MARKING, INSPECTING, SEAMING OR SEVERING TEXTILE MATERIALS
    • D06H7/00—Apparatus or processes for cutting, or otherwise severing, specially adapted for the cutting, or otherwise severing, of textile materials
    • D06H7/24—Devices specially adapted for cutting-out samples
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
    • G01N21/84—Systems specially adapted for particular applications
    • G01N21/88—Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
    • G01N21/8851—Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges
    • G01N2021/8887—Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges based on image processing techniques

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Pathology (AREA)
  • Forests & Forestry (AREA)
  • Immunology (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Biochemistry (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer Vision & Pattern Recognition (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Investigating Materials By The Use Of Optical Means Adapted For Particular Applications (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)

Abstract

Described herein is an apparatus (1) for inspecting and/or treating a material, in particular leather, comprising: a work plane (2) adapted to provide a support surface for the material and having at least one first pair of opposite sides (2 a) and at least one second pair of opposite sides (2 b); a control unit (C) adapted to manage the device (1); and an illumination system (15) comprising at least: a first set of light sources (15') arranged and configured to illuminate a work plane (2) from a raised position relative to the work plane (2) according to a first angle of incidence with the work plane (2); and a second set of light sources (15 ") arranged and configured to emit glancing light towards the work plane (2) according to a second angle of incidence with the work plane (2), the second angle of incidence being smaller than the first angle of incidence. The second set of light sources (15') comprises: a plurality of first light sources (15 "a) arranged at least one of the two opposite sides (2 a) of the first pair of opposite sides; and a plurality of second light sources (15 "b) arranged at least one of the two opposite sides (2 b) of the second pair of opposite sides.

Description

Device with improved lighting management
Application field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for inspecting textiles, and more particularly, to an apparatus for inspecting leather of various articles of leather clothing, footwear, automobile industry, etc., and the following description is made with reference to the filed of application, only for simplifying the description thereof. In some embodiments, the apparatus may also be a material cutter, in particular for cutting leather.
Prior Art
As is well known in this particular technical field, there are inspection devices on which the fabric to be inspected (in particular leather) is arranged before cutting. During inspection, the fabric disposed on these devices is analyzed by an operator to detect and mark all the defects that occur, which are recorded and stored in a digital file; additionally or alternatively, it is also possible to obtain an image of the leather to be analyzed without manually marking the defect, and then to process said image by software. In fact, each type of fabric, even of optimal quality, may have surface defects such as small spots, surface variations, areas of low quality, etc. For this reason, in the case of quality control, it is important to identify and report any defects prior to further processing.
In connection with the subsequent processing of the material, there are devices capable of performing automatic sheet cutting according to a predetermined cutting pattern. In particular, there are so-called cutting tables or tables, which do not envisage the presence of a closed cutting chamber (and generally even no conveyor belt), but only a working plane (generally fixed) on which the material to be cut is arranged. Typically, in said apparatus there is at least one track for the sliding of a carriage moving at least one transversely extending beam or arm supporting a movable cutting unit on said arm for cutting a sheet arranged on a work plane. There are also cutting machines with a cutting chamber (for example box-shaped) into which the material is fed by a conveyor belt, which then transports the cut portions to an unloading area.
The problem shared by all these devices is associated with the illumination of the work area, wherein different operations and/or different materials may require correspondingly different illumination modes to work under optimal conditions. This is particularly critical in leather inspection machines, where defect detection is closely related to the illumination selected, and it is often necessary to change the illumination pattern when changing the type of leather to be inspected, and during inspection of a single leather; in practice, there are drawbacks that can only be detected by selecting a suitable illumination of some type.
Thus, it is desirable to effectively manage lighting based on potentially varying current demands, which is not possible with known devices.
The technical problem underlying the present invention is to provide a device having structural and functional characteristics so as to allow to overcome the limitations and drawbacks that still affect the known solutions, in particular a device with improved lighting control, allowing for example to perform management of different types of leathers and/or different operations effectively and very easily.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that can easily detect any type of defect in a material under inspection and, more generally, can facilitate inspection of the material by an operator.
Summary of The Invention
The solution idea of the invention is to provide a device in which there are many different light sources from different directions, in particular different glancing lamps, in order to allow a very efficient inspection of the material. Based on the needs of the operator, the illumination of the work plane is adjusted by the control unit (which may have the operating settings of the machine stored in its memory) by selecting a specific illumination mode (e.g. the intensity or type of the turned-on lamp) among the various possible modes and adjusting the illumination system accordingly. The result is a universal system in which the desired illumination is established based on the choice of the operator, so that the optimum illumination conditions are always obtained, for example based on the material on the work plane or on the operations that the machine has to perform. These operations may occur automatically, for example by selecting an exact operating mode of the device involving a specific combination of parameters, or even by a specific selection of specific parameters by the user, all in any case involving a control of the lighting system of the control unit (for example, in the case of manual adjustment, the control unit is used to control the adjustment of the panels of the individual lamps). Suitably, there are different groups of lamps glancing at the work plane, said different groups being oriented differently with respect to each other with respect to said work plane (front and side), and even being selectable and adjustable with respect to each other, to analyze any aspect of the leather on the work plane and detect any surface defects.
Based on this solution concept, the above-mentioned technical problem is solved by an apparatus for inspecting and/or treating a material, in particular leather, comprising a work plane adapted to provide a support surface for the material, said work plane comprising at least one first pair of opposite sides, for example of greater extension, and at least one second pair of opposite sides, for example of lesser extension; a control unit adapted to manage the apparatus; and an illumination system comprising at least: a first set of light sources arranged and configured to illuminate a work plane from an elevated position relative to the work plane according to a first angle of incidence with the work plane; and a second set of light sources arranged and configured to emit glancing light to the work plane according to a second angle of incidence with the work plane, the second angle of incidence being smaller than the first angle of incidence, wherein the second set of light sources comprises: a plurality of first light sources arranged at least one of two opposite sides of the first pair of opposite sides; and a plurality of second light sources arranged at least one of two opposite sides of the second pair of opposite sides.
More specifically, the present invention includes the following additional or alternative features employed, alone or in combination, if desired.
According to an aspect of the invention, the device may be configured to allow adjustment (automatically based on the selected mode or even manually by an operator) of the relative intensity and/or the relative color temperature between at least the plurality of glancing lamps.
More generally, the device may be configured to allow relative adjustment between the plurality of first light sources and the plurality of second light sources, for example by adjusting the relative intensity (and/or possibly the color temperature) between the light sources.
Additionally or alternatively, according to an aspect of the invention, the apparatus may be configured to allow relative adjustment of the first set of light sources and the second set of light sources.
In particular, according to an aspect of the invention, the apparatus (e.g. the control unit) may be configured to allow selective activation of one of the first set of light sources or the second set of light sources. Additionally or alternatively, the apparatus (e.g. the control unit) may be configured to adjust the relative intensities between the first and second sets of light sources and thus dim the sets of light sources according to different values.
According to an aspect of the invention, the control unit may comprise a memory unit comprising a plurality of operation instructions, each operation instruction corresponding to one of the lighting modes of the lighting system, wherein the apparatus further comprises means configured to allow selection of the lighting mode among the stored lighting modes, the control unit being configured to control the lighting system based on the selection.
According to an aspect of the invention, the memory unit may comprise a plurality of previously stored instructions for a corresponding plurality of fabrics (materials, in particular different types of leather), each instruction corresponding to a specific lighting pattern of the lighting system, which lighting pattern is adapted to the relevant fabric and selectable by the control unit.
According to an aspect of the invention, the control unit may be configured to set a first intensity and/or color temperature of the lighting system, and in at least one second lighting mode, the control unit may be configured to set a second intensity and/or color temperature of the lighting system different from the first intensity and/or color temperature.
According to an aspect of the invention, the lighting system may comprise a plurality of LEDs.
According to an aspect of the invention, the second set of light sources may comprise a plurality of light sources arranged side by side at respective edges of the working plane and a plurality of respective lenses configured to generate a light beam having an opening angle ranging between 5 ° and 25 °.
According to an aspect of the invention, the second set of light sources may comprise a plurality of light sources at respective sides of the working plane configured to generate a light beam having an angle of incidence with the working plane in the range between 0 ° and 30 °, wherein negative angles are also possible, in any case to ensure a desired glancing.
According to an aspect of the invention, the second set of light sources may comprise a plurality of light sources arranged in at least two substantially parallel rows.
According to an aspect of the invention, the light sources arranged on one row may be configured to produce a light beam having an angle of incidence with the work plane that is different from the angle of incidence of the light sources arranged on the other row.
According to an aspect of the invention, the edges of the first pair of opposite edges may be larger extending edges and the edges of the second pair of opposite edges may be smaller extending edges with respect to the two edges (e.g. adjacent to the larger extending edges), wherein the plurality of first light sources are arranged at least one of the two opposite edges of the larger extension, and wherein the second set of light sources are arranged at least one of the two opposite edges of the smaller extension (preferably the two edges of the smaller extension), the working plane preferably being rectangular.
According to an aspect of the invention, the device may comprise a support element adapted to support the lighting system.
According to an aspect of the invention, the apparatus may comprise at least one image detector adapted to acquire images and/or videos of the material on the working plane, wherein the control unit is configured to allow the illumination system to switch between at least a first operation mode adapted to allow an operator to inspect the material and a second operation mode adapted to allow the images and/or videos to be acquired by said at least one image detector and corresponding to different settings of the illumination system, wherein optimal operating parameters of said image detector (i.e. optimal parameters for acquiring images and/or videos) are possibly stored in a memory unit of the control unit and optimized compared to settings of the illumination system in said second operation mode, wherein said parameters of the image detector are not modified when switching between the first operation mode and the second operation mode.
According to an aspect of the invention, the device may further comprise at least one projector adapted to project the element onto the work plane.
According to an aspect of the invention, the control unit may be configured to define (and possibly also dynamically) a work area based on which the material arranged on the work plane is virtually subdivided, and the projector may be configured to project contours corresponding to the work area onto the work plane, each of the contours being adapted to allow an operator to identify a single work area, e.g. to distinguish the single work area relative to other work areas.
According to an aspect of the invention, the working area is defined based on the acquired material image, for example by an image detector (e.g. the same detector as previously described for the technical lamp).
According to an aspect of the invention, the projectors may be configured to project profiles corresponding to a single working area separately from each other, wherein the control unit is adapted to allow selection of a specific profile and thus to allow projection of the profile to be switched to projection of a different profile, and wherein the control unit is further adapted to control the illumination system based on the specific projected profile.
For example, the control unit may also be configured to control the illumination system to turn off, or to maintain at a reduced intensity, the light sources of the illumination system corresponding to (i.e. adapted to illuminate) the non-projection work area (e.g. the area that has been previously connected to a specific light source by the central unit).
According to an aspect of the invention, the projection profile may be square or rectangular.
According to an aspect of the invention, the work plane may be provided with means adapted to allow movement of the material in the direction of travel, which means may comprise means allowing actuation of the movement means based on user input.
According to an aspect of the invention, the control unit may be configured to define the dimensions of the bottom of the square or rectangular shape of the profile previously based on the shape of the material (in particular based on the extension of the material in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of travel), and to adjust the dimensions of the height of said square or rectangular shape of the projected profile according to the travel of the material along the direction of travel.
Obviously, the profile need not have a closed shape (i.e. square or rectangular shape as described above), but the profile may also be a line extending in a direction (e.g. transverse) with respect to the direction of travel and dynamically adjusted according to the travel of the material, so as to define the working areas (horizontal areas) in this way when the material is travelling.
According to an aspect of the invention, the device may further comprise at least a first projector and a second projector for projecting the element onto the work plane, wherein the control unit is operatively connected to the first projector and the second projector and comprises operating means configured to allow selective activation of one of the first projector or the second projector, wherein the control unit is further configured to control the lighting system based on the activated projector, wherein the control unit is configured to automatically switch the lighting system from a first projection mode when the first projector is selected to a second projection mode when the second projector is selected.
According to an aspect of the invention, the first projector may comprise at least one laser source and the second projector may be a video projector.
According to an aspect of the invention, the control unit may be configured to modify the intensity of the light emitted by the illumination system under switching between the first projection mode and the second projection mode, and vice versa.
According to an aspect of the invention, the apparatus may be a material (leather) inspection machine comprising a plurality of image detectors (such as those previously described) adapted to acquire images of the fabric (material) on the work plane, wherein the control unit is configured to process the images acquired by said image detectors and to generate a digital copy of the inspected fabric. Optionally, there may also be a signaling element adapted to indicate a defect on the fabric surface.
The control unit may also be configured to associate a defect on the fabric indicated by the signalling element with the acquired fabric image, or to automatically process the image and detect the defect without user notification, in both cases possibly generating a report indicating at least the shape and the position of the defect on the fabric.
In an embodiment of the invention, the projector may comprise at least one laser projector adapted to project, in addition to the profile, defects of the material identified by the operator in the working area through the signalling element.
According to an aspect of the invention, the control unit may be configured to define a plurality of cutting areas (quality areas) on the digitized image, the type, number and location of the cutting areas being defined and optimized based on information acquired by the control unit during the inspection of the fabric.
According to an aspect of the invention, the apparatus may be a cutting machine comprising at least one cutting unit adapted to cut material arranged on a work plane.
The invention also relates to a device for inspecting and/or treating a material, in particular leather, comprising: a work plane adapted to provide a support surface for the material (said work plane for example comprising at least one first pair of opposite sides, for example of greater extension, and at least one second pair of opposite sides, for example of lesser extension); a control unit adapted to manage the apparatus; a lighting system; and at least one projector to project the elements onto the work plane, wherein the control unit is configured to define a work area based on which the material arranged on the work plane is virtually subdivided, and the projector is configured to project onto the work plane contours corresponding to said work area, each of said contours being adapted to identify (allow for example by an operator) a single work area (e.g. relative to other work areas).
Hereinafter, advantageous and optional aspects of the invention (i.e., devices capable of defining and projecting various working areas) will be described in relation to this particular device described herein.
According to one aspect, the apparatus comprises at least one image detector, and the working area is defined based on an image of the material acquired by said image detector and processed by the control unit.
According to an aspect, the projectors may be configured to project profiles corresponding to a single working area separately from each other, wherein the control unit is adapted to allow selection of a specific profile and thus to allow projection of a profile to be switched to projection of a different profile, and wherein the control unit is further adapted to control the illumination system based on the specific projected profile.
For example, the control unit may also be configured to control the illumination system to turn off, or to maintain at a reduced intensity, the light sources of the illumination system corresponding to (i.e. adapted to illuminate) the non-projection work area (e.g. the area that has been previously connected to a specific light source by the central unit).
According to an aspect, the projection profile may be square or rectangular.
According to an aspect, the work plane may be equipped with a movement device configured to allow movement of the material in the direction of travel, and the device may comprise means allowing actuation of the movement device based on user input.
According to an aspect, the control unit may be configured to define the dimensions of the bottom of the square or rectangular shape of the projection profile (i.e. the sides extending in a direction orthogonal to the direction of travel) based on the shape of the material (in particular based on the extension of the material in said direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of travel), and to adjust the dimensions of the height of said square or rectangular shape of the projection profile (i.e. the sides extending in the direction of travel) according to the travel of the material in the direction of travel.
Obviously, the profile need not have a closed shape (i.e. square or rectangular shape as described above), but the profile may also be a line extending in a direction (e.g. transverse) with respect to the direction of travel and dynamically adjusted according to the travel of the material, so as to define the working areas (horizontal areas) in this way when the material is travelling.
According to an aspect, the device may be an inspection machine (in particular of leather) comprising at least one image detector (in particular a plurality of detectors, such as the above-mentioned detectors for subdivision into working areas, which have been defined previously) adapted to acquire an image of the fabric (material, i.e. its surface) on a working plane, wherein the control unit is configured to process the image acquired by said image detector and to generate a digital copy of the inspected material (e.g. leather). Optionally, there may also be a signaling element adapted to indicate a defect on the surface of the material.
The control unit may also be configured to associate defects on the material indicated by the signalling element with the acquired material image, or to automatically process the image and detect defects without user notification, in both cases it being possible to generate a report indicating at least the shape and location of defects on the inspected material, i.e. surface defects.
In an embodiment, the projector may comprise at least one laser projector, which, in addition to the contour, is adapted to project a defect of the material identified by the operator via the signaling element in a working area corresponding to the contour that has been projected. Thus, the projected element may be a contour or even a defect.
According to an aspect, the control unit may be configured to define a plurality of cutting areas (quality areas) on the digitized image, the type, number and location of the cutting areas being defined and optimized based on information acquired by the control unit during the inspection of the material.
Features and advantages of the device according to the invention will become apparent from the following description of its embodiments, given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Brief description of the drawings
In those figures:
fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;
Figure 2 shows a front view of the device of figure 1;
figure 3 shows a partial side view of the device of figure 1;
figure 4 shows a detail of a device according to an embodiment of the invention;
figure 5 shows another perspective view of the device of figure 1;
fig. 6A shows an example of a virtual subdivision of a material into different working areas, fig. 6B shows an example of a projected working area according to an embodiment of the invention; and
figure 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention.
Detailed description of the preferred embodiments
With reference to these figures, a device (or machine) according to the invention is globally and schematically indicated with 1.
It is noted that the drawings represent schematic drawings not to scale, but rather they are drawn to emphasize important features of the invention. Furthermore, in the figures, different elements are depicted in a schematic way, their shape being varied according to the desired application. It is also noted that in the drawings, like reference numerals refer to elements of identical shape or function. Finally, specific features described with respect to the embodiments shown in the figures are also applicable to other embodiments shown in other figures.
It is also noted that the process stages may be reversed, if desired, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Furthermore, positional references used in this specification, including indications such as below or above, over or under or similar phrases, refer to the operational configuration shown in the drawings and should not be assigned a limiting meaning in any way. In any case, said reference is used in practice by the skilled person when referring to the components of the device of the invention.
To facilitate the following description of the device 1, two orthogonal directions are identified by way of example: y-direction and X-direction.
In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus 1 is a textile (in particular leather) inspection machine for the manufacture of clothing, leather clothing, footwear, automotive and furniture items and the like. The device 1 is therefore preferably suitable for inspection of leather materials, even if other materials are obviously possible.
However, it is noted that the teachings of the present invention are not limited to devices for inspecting fabrics, but also apply to devices for cutting fabrics (in particular leather), as will be detailed hereinafter. Thus, we can say that the apparatus according to the invention is generally an apparatus for processing and/or inspecting a material to be cut.
In any case, as a preferred, non-limiting example, most of the following description shows a device for inspecting leather, while at the end of the description a brief example of a cutting device will also be provided, wherein the inventive teaching is the same for both said devices.
Furthermore, in the context of the present invention, the term "sheet" means any element of any shape and material (in particular leather) and of substantially two-dimensional dimensions, having a certain thickness (generally reduced), which requires inspection/processing by the apparatus 1, and also unwinding from a roll. Typically, the material is also denoted as a horizontal material, obviously without limiting its shape or composition.
In general, the device 1 comprises a control unit C comprising a suitable memory unit (denoted by reference MEM) and suitably programmed and responsible for its automatic management and control. The control unit may be, for example, a computerized unit, which is integrated or external to the device 1 and operatively connected to the device 1. Furthermore, it is noted that the control unit C may be a single control unit or may comprise a plurality of local and/or remote units. Thus, the control unit C is able to control the device 1 to obtain its automated operation. In any case, the invention is in no way limited to an architecture for the control unit C, which may generally be any suitable computerized unit, including one or more units arranged in any manner as needed and/or in the environment (possibly also including means for interacting with an operator, such as a screen, buttons, etc.). It is also noted that in the context of the present invention even selection and user interaction means may be considered as part of the control unit C.
As shown in fig. 1, 2, 3 and 5, the apparatus 1 of the present invention comprises a work plane 2 (also called a work table) adapted to provide a support plane (denoted by the reference numeral α) for the material to be inspected. The working plane 2 preferably has a quadrangular plane (even more preferably rectangular), even though it is not limited to a specific shape.
In general, the term work plane 2 refers to a structure supporting a sheet to be cut, as known in the art, said plane preferably having at least two opposite sides 2a extending more and at least two opposite sides 2b extending less (even more preferably rectangular or at least defining a rectangular work surface) and having a certain thickness, so the term "sides" refers to the side edge portions of the work plane. Clearly, although a rectangle is the preferred shape, other shapes where there are two major and two minor opposite sides (e.g. trapezoids, or even having more than four sides) are not precluded. Nor does it exclude a square shape, which in any case has two pairs of opposite sides, wherein a side of a first pair of opposite sides is adjacent to a side of a second pair of opposite sides.
In use, an operator stands on the unobstructed side of the work plane 2, for example the side that extends considerably.
In the case of a rectangular work plane 2, the Y-direction (transverse to the work plane 2) is parallel to its minor side and the X-direction (longitudinal to the work plane 2) is parallel to its major side, as shown.
The device 1 has a base 5, for example a box-shaped base, which constitutes a support for the work plane 2 and possibly encloses the mechanical and electronic elements of the auxiliary device 1.
As shown, the apparatus 1 further comprises an illumination system 15 to illuminate the work plane 2.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lighting system 15 comprises at least one first set of light sources (for simplicity, identified with the reference numeral 15 'and also referred to as "upper lamps 15'") arranged and configured to illuminate the work plane 2 from above, i.e. from a raised position with respect to said work plane 2; and a second set of light sources (identified for simplicity by the reference numeral 15 "and also referred to as" glancing lamps 15 ") arranged and configured to emit glancing light, i.e. with glancing incidence, to the work plane 2.
As for the upper lamps 15', as will also be shown below, they are arranged on a support above the work plane 2 (e.g. so as to be on a plane above and possibly parallel to said work plane 2) and are therefore configured to illuminate the work plane 2 from a raised position with respect to the work plane 2 according to a first angle of incidence with said work plane 2, preferably but not limited to 90 ° (e.g. an angle ranging between 70 ° and 110 °) so as to ensure uniform illumination of the work plane from above.
Furthermore, as is known in the art, the term "glancing lamp 15" is used herein to indicate a set of light sources that emit an incident light beam having a small angle with respect to the work plane 2, which is much smaller with respect to the angle of incidence of the upper lamp 15', for example an angle ranging between 0 ° (parallel light) and 30 °, but is not limited to a specific angle value. Negative angle values, for example ranging between-30 ° and 0 °, also fall within the definition of a glancing lamp according to the invention; it is important that the angle of incidence ensures the desired glancing. The glancing lamps 15 "are arranged at a reduced height from the plane, for example 2 cm from the working plane, while the upper lamps 15' are arranged at a greater height, even more than one meter.
According to the invention, the glancing lamps 15 "are a set of lamps comprising a plurality of first light sources (denoted by the reference numeral 15" a) arranged at one of two opposite sides 2a of larger extension, in particular at the side opposite to the side where the operator works, said lamps also being denoted as horizontal lamps or headlights. Suitably, there are also a plurality of second light sources (denoted by reference numeral 15 "b), also denoted as side lamps, arranged at least one of the two opposite sides 2b of smaller extension, preferably (but not necessarily) at both said secondary sides.
All this is very advantageous, since some types of defects can only be detected by means of lamps arranged sideways, i.e. on the minor side of the work plane, while other types of defects (i.e. defects of different orientations) can only be detected by means of lamps arranged on a more extensive side, i.e. typically on the side opposite to the side on which the operator is located. It is therefore very advantageous to have two different kinds of glancing lamps in addition to the upper lamp and to help detect all kinds of defects.
In the case of a quadrangular plane, a plurality of first light sources 15"a are arranged on the side opposite to the side on which the operator is present, and a second group of light sources 15" b are arranged on at least one side (side light) adjacent to the side opposite to the operator.
The plurality of second light sources 15"b are focused to illuminate a distance, for example up to 1.5m, and may comprise light sources arranged in various substantially parallel rows, and thus at different heights, to illuminate a distance while maintaining a suitable glancing angle. In an embodiment, the light sources arranged on one row are configured to produce a light beam having an angle of incidence with the work plane 2 that is different from the angle of incidence of the light sources arranged on the other row.
In general, each light source may be set to have its own specific intensity and may be oriented to have its own specific angle of incidence. It is clear that the invention is not limited to a specific arrangement and combination of glancing angles and that many other configurations are possible.
According to an embodiment, the relative intensities (and/or possibly color temperatures) between the first plurality of glancing light sources 15"a and the second plurality of glancing light sources 15" b may be adjusted: for example, in order to identify a "vertical" defect (reference plane 2), it may be appropriate to set the intensity of the plurality of second light sources 15"b (i.e. side lights) to be greater than the intensity of the plurality of first light sources 15" a (i.e. front lights), while a "horizontal" defect, applicable to the opposite case, counteracts each other at equal intensities considering the effects of the different light sources. Obviously, other parameters of the light source, such as the color temperature, may also be adjusted.
Thus, not only the glancing lamps 15 "can be dimmed relative to the upper lamps 15' according to different values, but also the different glancing lamps can be dimmed relative to each other, as described above, with the great advantage of easy detection of any type of defect. Obviously, it is also possible to envisage a situation in which some light sources are completely switched off and other light sources are switched on.
In other words, the device may be configured to allow adjustment (automatically based on the selected mode or even manually by an operator) of at least the relative intensities and/or the relative color temperatures between the plurality of glancing lamps, more generally between the plurality of first light sources and the plurality of second light sources. Thus, this relative adjustment of the glancing lamp may be performed by adjusting different parameters, such as intensity and/or color temperature, but the invention is not limited to such parameters.
Alternatively or additionally, the device is configured to allow relative adjustment of the first set of light sources and the second set of light sources. For example, the control unit may be configured to allow selective activation of one of the first or second set of light sources (the adjustment may also be performed manually). Furthermore, for example, the control unit may be configured to adjust the relative intensities between the first and second groups of light sources and thus dim the groups of light sources according to different values (the adjustment may also be performed manually).
All this results in a very versatile device, improving the detection of defects.
The above-described relative adjustments may be performed automatically or manually, and they may be performed under the control of the control unit C.
In an embodiment of the invention, the skimming lamp 15 "is covered by a cover element and a heat sink is present to prevent the skimming lamp 15" from overheating.
In a preferred embodiment, the illumination system 15 comprises a plurality of LEDs, the emission characteristics of which are controllable, even though the lamp of the device 1 is not limited to a specific type.
The memory unit MEM comprises a plurality of operation instructions, each operation instruction corresponding to a lighting pattern of the lighting system 15. For example, the various operating instructions may relate to a specific intensity and/or color temperature of the light source of the illumination system 15, and also provide a relative different intensity between the upper lamp 15' and the glancing lamp 15", e.g. selectable based on characteristics of the material to be inspected, as will be detailed below.
According to the invention, the device 1 comprises suitable means configured to allow selection of a lighting pattern based on the need of the above-mentioned stored lighting patterns, such that the control unit C is able to automatically control the lighting system 15 based on said selection.
In this way, the operator can select the preferred lighting mode by simply selecting among the various stored modes, for example by means of a panel of the device 1 or any other selection means (which may be considered as part of the control unit C).
Obviously, in an embodiment, it is also possible that the operator manually selects the lighting mode, in addition to what has been seen above, the operator may switch on/off/dim the lights of the lighting system 15 at will.
In an exemplary embodiment, the memory unit MEM comprises a plurality of previously stored instructions for a corresponding plurality of leather articles (e.g. for different colors or generally different types of leather articles), each instruction corresponding to a specific lighting pattern of the lighting system 15, which lighting pattern is adapted to the relevant leather and can be selected by the control unit C, so that for each leather arranged on the work plane the most suitable lamp configuration can be selected, the control unit C automatically sets all parameters.
For example, in a first illumination mode the control unit C is configured to set a first intensity and/or color temperature of the illumination system 15, and in at least one second illumination mode the control unit C is configured to set a second intensity and/or color temperature of the illumination system 15 different from the first intensity and/or color temperature.
In another example, additionally or alternatively, the control unit C is configured to allow selective activation of one of the first set of light sources 15 '(i.e. upper lamps) and the second set of light sources 15 "(i.e. glancing lamps), and it may be configured to adjust the relative intensities of the first set of light sources 15' and the second set of light sources 15", which for example define a relative intensity percentage between the two different light sources. In practice, there may be situations where the glancing lamps 15 "are not necessary and therefore they may be disabled, or vice versa where the upper lamp 15' is not necessary. The possibility of adjusting the relative intensity between the upper lamp 15' and the glancing lamp 15 "is also very useful: for example, if it is desired to identify very small defects, the glancing light 15 "will predominate relative to the upper light 15', while in other cases the upper light 15' will predominate and the operator can easily select the most suitable illumination mode.
As shown, the lighting system 15 is arranged on a suitable support 9, in an example the support 9 having an open box shape on the side facing the operator, even if any suitable shape is comprised within the scope of the invention. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 5, the upper lamp 15' is arranged on the upper side of the support 9, while the glancing lamp 15 "is arranged on the side and central vertical portions of the support 9.
As previously seen, for the glancing lamps 15", they are arranged at least along the major side of the work plane 2 and/or along at least one of the two opposite minor sides.
In an embodiment of the invention, the glancing lamp 15 "comprises a plurality of light sources arranged side by side and a plurality of respective lenses configured to produce a light beam having a very reduced opening angle (in this example less than 45 °, preferably in the range between 5 ° and 25 °). Typically, light sources with very small beam apertures (less than 45 °) or possibly even with additional focusing lenses are used. This allows the emitted light beam to be very narrow, wherein the various light sources placed side by side ensure uniform illumination of the work plane 2 and also an optimal maximum illumination distance, so that the glancing lamps arranged side by side as a whole cover substantially the entire work plane 2. Typically, the illumination system 15 is configured such that the light is emitted uniformly over a distance in the range of 1 to 2 meters, preferably 1.5 meters. In other words, the emission shape of the lens associated with the glancing lamp 15 "is such that light is emitted at a reduced opening angle and up to a distance of about 1.5 meters, with the long side of the work plane 2 being about 3 meters and the short side being about 1.5 meters. As a result, the set of multiple side-by-side light sources (in particular LEDs) covers substantially the entire working plane 2 and allows excellent visibility.
As previously mentioned, in a preferred application illustrated in fig. 1 to 5, the device 1 is an inspection machine comprising at least one image detector (preferably a plurality of image detectors, indicated with 30 in fig. 4 and 5) adapted to acquire images of a fabric (in particular leather) on the work plane 2, wherein the control unit C is configured to process the images acquired by said image detectors 30 and to generate a digital copy of the fabric being inspected (and thus substantially digitize the leather to be analyzed).
In this embodiment, the device 1 may further comprise a signaling element 31 adapted to be used by an operator to indicate a defect on the leather surface. For example, the signalling element 31 may be in the shape of a pen and may be equipped with a lighting element, which may be detected by the image detector 30, the coordinates of the movement of which are calculated by the control unit C in order to accurately identify the location of the defect indicated by the operator and store said information. Furthermore, instead of lighting elements, there may be a radio system, bluetooth, wi-Fi, etc. capable of delivering information to the control unit C.
The control unit C is then configured to associate the defect on the fabric indicated by the signaling element 31 with the acquired leather image, possibly generating a report indicating at least the shape and the position of the defect on said fabric.
Furthermore, the control unit C may be configured to identify the location, shape and/or extent of the leather surface defect based on the coordinates of the movement of the lighting element.
The control unit C may be operatively connected to a memory unit (for example, but not necessarily, the above memory unit MEM) adapted to contain at least a digitized image of the leather being inspected and a report indicating the generation of a leather defect. For example, the memory unit may be a cloud unit that is remotely accessible to the user through a particular application and/or a particular address.
Additionally or alternatively, the signalling element 31 may be absent and the defect may be indicated directly on the material to be inspected with chalk (or any other suitable means), after which an image of the fabric is acquired, which image is processed by the control unit C.
Furthermore, in an alternative embodiment of the invention, the device 1 is able to acquire images of the fabric, and the control unit C is configured to automatically detect the presence and the position of possible defects based on the acquired images, for example by following certain procedures based on machine learning, for example with a neural network.
Furthermore, as known in the art, the control unit C is configured to define a plurality of cutting areas on the digitized image (also referred to as quality areas), wherein the type, number and position of said cutting areas are defined and optimized based on information acquired by the control unit C during the leather inspection. In other words, the quality area is automatically defined on the obtained image based on the defect identified by the operator.
It is also noted that in this embodiment the control unit C may also be subdivided into two separate processing units, one for managing the illumination and one for managing the defects, but it is clear that the invention is not limited thereto and that many other embodiments are possible, for example a single computerized unit may be provided.
In an embodiment, the work plane 2 may possibly be tilted by means of a suitable lifting device, if desired. Furthermore, it is noted that in this embodiment, in which the apparatus 1 is an inspection machine, the work plane 2 is not fixed, but is basically a conveyor belt moved by the rollers R, allowing to move the fabric arranged thereon (in particular in the Y direction), which is suitably digitized while sliding.
Furthermore, in an embodiment of the invention, the device 1 comprises at least one first projector 20 and one second projector 21 to project elements onto the work plane 2 (for example to project defects, or other useful information, identified by the operator and subsequently stored), wherein the control unit C is operatively connected to the first projector 20 and to the second projector 21 and comprises operating means configured to allow selective activation of one of the first projector 20 or the second projector 21. Suitably, in this embodiment, the control unit C is configured to control the lighting system 15 based on the activated projector, in particular, the control unit C is configured to automatically switch the lighting system 15 between a first projection mode when the first projector 20 is selected and a second projection mode when the second projector 21 is selected.
In particular, the first projector 20 comprises at least one laser source and the second projector 21 is a video projector. More particularly, the control unit C is configured to modify the intensity of the light emitted by the illumination system 15 when switching between the first projection mode and the second projection mode, and vice versa. In this way, the illumination system 15 may be adapted to the projector used, wherein in some applications it is more convenient to use the first laser projector 20, and in other applications it is more convenient to use the second video projector 21.
As described above, the first projector 20 and the second projector 21 are adapted to project the outline of the identified defect onto the leather, and then observe the defect directly on the material to be inspected, thereby facilitating the inspection task. The operator is thus given the opportunity to switch between the first laser projector 20 and the second video projector 21 as required and to adjust the illumination accordingly by the control unit C, so that an optimum picture of the defect projected onto the material is always ensured. Furthermore, once the above-mentioned different quality areas have been defined, one of the above-mentioned projectors, preferably the second video projector 21 (which is also capable of projecting color images and/or other information), may be adapted to project said quality areas onto leather so as to have its direct view on the material.
In an embodiment of the invention, the device 1 is configured by means of the image detector 30 (or less preferably by means of at least one suitable camera/video camera) to take a photograph (in some cases video) of the inspected material, thus realizing a digital image of the leather as described above, for example, to be stored in the memory of the machine. It is preferable that the parameters of the illumination system 15 and the image detector 30 are set correctly in the short time required to acquire the above-mentioned images, so as to allow correct acquisition, thereby ensuring correct operation of the detector itself.
Advantageously, the control unit C is configured to allow the illumination system 15 to switch at least between a first operating mode, which involves illumination adapted to allow an operator to perform an optimal fabric inspection (and wherein no photograph of the leather is taken), and a second operating mode, which involves illumination adapted to allow the acquisition of images and/or video by means of the above-mentioned image detector 30. In particular, by means of a suitable control, the user instructs the control unit C to take a photograph of the leather (more generally of the leather/video on the work plane 2) and the control unit C is configured to adjust the illumination system 15 accordingly (in a mode denoted "technical light" in the jargon) for example to reduce the light intensity to avoid saturation of the detector. The parameters of the detector, which are precisely applied to the image detector 30 and are no longer modified in the switching between the two different modes of operation, as it is the illumination system 15 that adapts automatically accordingly, are stored in the memory unit MEM of the control unit C and are optimized (and fixed) based on the illumination selected for the second mode of operation in which the picture is taken.
As previously mentioned, this similarly applies also when it is desired to make video, in particular using a moving conveyor belt, in order to scan the stadia belt on the edge of the conveyor belt, to determine the precise positioning of the belt during travel and possibly to apply correction factors. Even in this case, at the command of the operator, the correct parameters of the lighting system 15 are automatically set by the control unit C in the second operating mode, said parameters corresponding to the parameters set for taking the photograph (even if specific parameters for taking the video of the line of sight are conceivable).
In an embodiment of the invention, the second mode of operation is automatically activated when a suitable command (e.g. pedal) to move the work plane 2 is activated, capturing images and video as described above. Further, note that in one embodiment, the camera dedicated to capturing video is one of the image detectors 30, which is used simultaneously to make the video.
Furthermore, it is noted that in the case of a defect inspection machine, the work plane 2 may be tiltable or liftable based on the needs of the user.
The user's management of the device 1 may for example be performed by means of a control panel 12 provided with screens and buttons, the control panel 12 being operatively connected to the control unit C (possibly, as mentioned above, said panel may also be considered as part of the control unit C, for example its end elements, with which the user may enter some input). Possibly, the device 1 may also be provided with a control monitor 35 and a control camera, said components being supported by the support 9.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the control unit C is configured to subdivide the working plane (and more particularly the material to be inspected) into different working areas Wa, and it is envisaged that the operator will work from time to time in a single working area which is visualized by one of the projectors, in particular by the laser projector 21. Note that in this embodiment, it is not necessary to have two types of different projectors, but only one of them is sufficient, such as (but not limited to) one or more laser projectors.
In particular, the control unit C is suitably configured (by executing steps of a suitable algorithm) to define a plurality of working areas (identified by the same reference numeral Wa) on the basis of which the material M arranged on the working plane 2 is virtually subdivided. For example, once the material M has been placed on the work plane 2 and once an image has been acquired (for example by means of the image detector 30, or even less preferably by means of a dedicated detector), said material M is virtually and automatically subdivided into a plurality of working areas (for example three, even if any, falling within the scope of the invention), as shown in the schematic example of fig. 6A, which are then projected onto the material, in particular each of them individually, as shown in the example of fig. 6B. The zones may be equal to each other or even different, the separation being performed in the most appropriate way by the control unit C.
The projector 21 is thus configured to project, under command of the control unit C, onto the work plane 2 contours (denoted by the reference number Wap) corresponding to the above-mentioned work areas Wa, each contour Wap being adapted to allow identification of a single work area with respect to the other work areas.
As described above, in an embodiment, the projector 21 is configured to project the contours Wap corresponding to the individual work areas Wa separately from each other, i.e., they are not all projected together, but the contours to be projected may be selected; to this end, the device 1, in particular the control unit C, is adapted to allow switching the projection of the contour to a projection of a different contour (e.g. to a contour corresponding to an adjacent working area); this may occur automatically or even by manual selection of the user selecting which profile to project, or even based on movement of the material in the direction of travel. Thus, it is noted that it is preferable to project a single contour.
For example, each contour is projected at a certain working stage, for example based on the progress of the operator's examination. In an example, the operator selects a work area and projects a relative contour, and once the inspection is completed, the operation selects another work area, and the previously selected work area is indicated as having been inspected so as not to inspect the inspected area. Obviously, the selection of the working area may also occur automatically based on a preset working sequence.
In one embodiment, all contours may also be projected together if desired.
Suitably, in an embodiment, the control unit C is configured to control the illumination system 15 based on the Wap profile of the particular projection. For example, the control unit C may be programmed to control the illumination system 15 so as to switch off the light sources of the illumination system 15 corresponding to the non-projection working area (e.g. close to the non-selected working area by the correspondence defined by the control unit C), or to keep the light sources of the illumination system 15 at a reduced intensity, thus illuminating suitably only the working area Wa of interest.
In an embodiment of the invention, the projected profile Wap is square or rectangular, even if any suitable shape falls within the scope of the invention.
For example, as soon as an image of the material is taken by the image detector 30, the image is processed and the entire material M is inscribed in a rectangle (or any other suitable shape), and then the control unit C continues to subdivide into the individual working areas Wa.
Furthermore, in an embodiment, the work plane 2 is equipped with means (not shown, for example the aforementioned conveyor belt connected to technical lamps) adapted to allow movement of the material in the direction of travel (indicated by arrow Dir, for example parallel to the Y direction), said means being activated by an input of the operator (which may act on suitable means, for example a pedal).
Suitably, the central unit C is configured to previously define the dimensions of the bottom of the contour Wap based on the shape of the material (for example, inscribing the material in a single theoretical rectangle or square, and then dividing, as described above), in particular based on the extension of the material M in a direction substantially orthogonal to the direction of travel Dir (the extension of the sides of the rectangle inscribed in the material), and to adjust the dimensions of the height of the projected contour Wap according to the travel of the material M along the direction of travel Dir (in other words, also the sides corresponding to the contour, in particular the sides parallel to the direction of travel Dir, when the material travels).
Furthermore, there may be cases where there is no "vertical" subdivision into various work areas (i.e., along the secondary side of the table), but rather there may be only a "horizontal" subdivision (i.e., only a line parallel to the primary side of the table), which updates as the belt travels. In any case, the outline projected to delimit the working area may be a simple horizontal line placed at a distance from the operator, the position of which is defined based on the movement of the belt (two vertical lines are not necessary, as one works over the entire width of the working plane, and the lower line is not necessary, as the area is indeed delimited by the end of the working plane close to the operator (the long side close to the operator).
Thus, it is noted that the term "contour" does not necessarily mean a closed shape, and simple lines also fall within the meaning of the term.
In the case of a textile inspection device, projector 21 comprises at least one laser projector adapted to project, in addition to profile Wap, a defect (indicated by reference S) of the material identified by the operator in working area Wa through signaling element 31. In this way, only defects marked in a particular selected working area are projected, thereby avoiding confusion for the operator, who is no longer doubtful as to which area of material has been inspected and which area has not been inspected. Accordingly, the projector may be configured to project various elements, including contours and defects within contours.
Obviously, this solution does not depend on a specific lighting configuration and can be implemented in a common device comprising only any lighting system and any projector. The invention thus also relates to a device 1 provided with only the above-described projection function, irrespective of the configuration of the illumination system 15 and its control.
Furthermore, in an embodiment, the work plane 2 is configured to be lifted/lowered/tilted as necessary. The adjustment of the height/inclination may be stored and selected based on the operator/material.
In this embodiment, the device 1 may comprise a fixed lower part (e.g. comprising a base) and a movable upper part comprising at least the work plane 2, the illumination and image detection system, in particular said upper part being raisable/lowerable with respect to the base while keeping the distance between the lamp/camera and the work plane equal. The same applies to the inclination (tilt) of the working plane: the upper part is tiltable as a whole and is therefore not only the working plane but also the lamp and the camera. These movements may be controlled by a control unit C.
Finally, as previously mentioned, in an alternative and less preferred embodiment illustrated in fig. 7, the device 1 may be a cutting machine comprising at least one cutting unit or cutting head 3, the cutting unit or cutting head 3 being adapted to cut a material, in particular leather, arranged on the work plane 2. In this embodiment, the apparatus 1 may be a so-called cutting table and may comprise a work plane 2, the work plane 2 being adapted to provide a support plane or work surface for a sheet of material to be cut. The work plane 2 preferably has a quadrangular plane (still more preferably substantially rectangular) and a cutting unit 3 carried by at least one arm or beam 4 acts on the work plane 2. The working plane 2 is preferably a fixed plane on which the material to be cut is placed and along at least two parallel sides of larger extension without obstruction. In this case, the X direction is also referred to as the sliding direction of the arm 4, and therefore, in one embodiment, the arm 4 slides along the main edge of the work plane 2. However, for the purposes of the present invention, nothing prevents the arm 4 from sliding along the short side of the table 2 or in any suitable way and thus the sliding direction is the Y direction, the present invention is not limited to a particular sliding direction of the arm 4.
It is clear that all aspects discussed above in connection with the lighting system 15 and its control also apply to the above-mentioned cutting machine with the necessary precautions, which is why the same reference numerals are used.
In this embodiment, the support 9 may have a rim shape supported by the upright 9a, and the upper lamp 15' and the projectors 20 and 21 are placed thereon; while the glancing lamp 15 "is placed at the work plane 2. Suitably, the control of the illumination system 15 takes place as described above in relation to the inspection machine, i.e. the most suitable illumination mode is set according to the material and/or the operation to be performed.
Furthermore, it is noted that the teachings of the present specification are obviously also applicable to cutting machines having a conveyor belt and a closed cutting area.
It is clear that the invention also provides a generic system derived from a combination of, for example, the above-described cutting machine and fabric inspection machine arranged in sequence, with any suitable mechanical structure.
In summary, the present invention thus allows to overcome technical problems excellently by providing the above-mentioned device and solving all the drawbacks of the prior art.
It is advantageous to have an optimal control of the illumination without modifying the mechanical and electronic structure of the device in any way, since the components used are essentially unchanged and only simple commands are added to the control unit, which is thus able to automatically perform an automatic adjustment of the illumination system based on the needs indicated by the operator.
The possibility of adjusting the different glancing lamps to each other is very advantageous, as it allows to identify any defect in the plane with any orientation by adjusting only these glancing lamps as required.
Finally, the possibility of dividing the material into various working areas is very advantageous, as it avoids confusion by the operator as to which parts of the material have been inspected and which have not been inspected; it is therefore a simple but very effective solution to this problem and to facilitate inspection.
It is obvious that a person skilled in the art, in order to meet specific needs and specifications, can make numerous variations and modifications to the above-described device, all of which are included within the scope of protection of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (22)

1. Device (1) for inspecting and/or treating a material, in particular leather, comprising:
-a work plane (2) adapted to provide a support surface for the material, the work plane (2) having at least one first pair of opposite sides (2 a) and at least one second pair of opposite sides (2 b);
-a control unit (C) adapted to manage the device (1); and
-an illumination system (15) comprising at least:
-a first set of light sources (15') arranged and configured to illuminate the work plane (2) from a raised position relative to the work plane (2) according to a first angle of incidence with the work plane (2); and
A second set of light sources (15') arranged and configured to emit glancing light towards the work plane (2) according to a second angle of incidence with the work plane (2), the second angle of incidence being smaller than the first angle of incidence,
wherein the second set of light sources (15') comprises: a plurality of first light sources (15 "a) arranged at least one of two opposite sides (2 a) of the first pair of opposite sides; and a plurality of second light sources (15 "b) arranged at least one of two opposite sides (2 b) of the second pair of opposite sides.
2. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the device (1) is configured to allow a relative adjustment between the plurality of first light sources (15 "a) and the plurality of second light sources (15" b), for example by adjusting the relative intensity and/or color temperature between the light sources.
3. The device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the device (1) is configured to allow a relative adjustment of the first set of light sources (15') and the second set of light sources (15 ").
4. A device (1) according to claim 3, wherein the device (1) is configured to allow selective activation of one of the first set of light sources (15 ') or the second set of light sources (15 "), and/or to adjust the relative intensity between the first set of light sources (15') and the second set of light sources (15").
5. Device (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the control unit (C) comprises a memory unit (MEM) comprising a plurality of operation instructions, each operation instruction corresponding to one of the lighting modes of the lighting system (15), and wherein the device (1) further comprises means configured to allow selection of a lighting mode among the stored lighting modes, the control unit (C) being configured to control the lighting system (15) based on the selection.
6. Device (1) according to claim 5, wherein the memory unit (MEM) comprises a plurality of stored operating instructions for a respective plurality of materials, each instruction corresponding to a specific lighting pattern of the lighting system (15) adapted to the corresponding material and selectable by the control unit (C).
7. The device (1) according to claim 6, wherein in a first lighting mode the control unit (C) is configured to set a first intensity and/or color temperature of the lighting system (15), and wherein in at least one second lighting mode the control unit (C) is configured to set a second intensity and/or color temperature of the lighting system (15) different from the first intensity and/or color temperature.
8. The device (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the illumination system (15) comprises a plurality of LEDs.
9. The device (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the second set of light sources (15 ") comprises a plurality of light sources arranged side by side at respective edges of the working plane (2) and a plurality of respective lenses configured to generate a light beam having an opening angle ranging between 5 ° and 15 °.
10. The device (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the second set of light sources (15 ") comprises a plurality of light sources at respective sides of the working plane (2), the plurality of light sources being configured to generate light beams having an angle of incidence with the working plane (2) ranging between 0 ° and 30 °.
11. The device (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the second set of light sources (15 ") comprises a plurality of light sources arranged on at least two substantially parallel rows, and wherein, optionally, the light sources arranged on a row are configured to produce a light beam having an angle of incidence with the working plane (2) that is different from the angle of incidence of the light sources arranged on another row.
12. The device (1) according to any preceding claim, wherein the sides of the first pair of opposite sides (2 a) are larger extending sides and the sides of the second pair of opposite sides (2 b) are smaller extending sides, wherein the plurality of first light sources (15 "a) are arranged at least one of the two larger extending opposite sides (2 a), and wherein the plurality of second light sources (15" b) are arranged at least one of the two smaller extending opposite sides (2 b), the working plane (2) preferably having a rectangular shape.
13. The device (1) according to any preceding claim, comprising at least one image detector (30) adapted to acquire images and/or videos of a material on a work plane (2), wherein the control unit (C) is configured to allow the illumination system (15) to switch between at least a first operation mode adapted to allow an operator to inspect the material and a second operation mode adapted to allow images and/or videos to be acquired by the image detector (30) and corresponding to different settings of the illumination system (15), wherein optimal operating parameters of the at least one image detector (30) are optimized compared to the settings of the illumination system (15) in the second operation mode, and wherein the parameters of the image detector (30) are not modified when switching between the first and the second operation mode.
14. The device (1) according to any preceding claim, further comprising at least one projector (20, 21) adapted to project elements onto the working plane (2).
15. The device (1) according to claim 14, wherein the control unit (C) is configured to define a plurality of working areas (Wa), based on which the material (M) arranged on the working plane (2) is virtually subdivided, and wherein the projector (20, 21) is configured to project onto the working plane (2) contours (Wap) corresponding to the working areas (Wa), each of the contours (Wap) being adapted to identify a single working area with respect to the other working areas.
16. Device (1) according to claim 15, wherein the projectors (20, 21) are configured to project profiles (Wap) corresponding to the individual working areas (Wa) separately from each other, wherein the control unit (C) is adapted to allow selection of a specific profile and thus to allow switching from projection of a profile to projection of a different profile, and wherein the control unit (C) is further adapted to control the illumination system (15) based on the specific projection profile (Wap).
17. The device (1) according to claim 16, wherein the control unit (C) is further configured to control the illumination system (15) so as to switch off light sources of the illumination system (15) corresponding to non-projected working areas or to maintain light sources of the illumination system (15) corresponding to non-projected working areas at a reduced intensity.
18. The device (1) according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein:
said projection profile (Wap) having a square or rectangular shape,
said work plane (2) is equipped with movement means configured to allow movement of the material along a direction of travel (Dir),
-the apparatus (1) comprises means allowing actuation of the mobile device based on user input, and
-the control unit (C) is configured to define the dimensions of the sides of the square or rectangular shape of the projection profile (Wap) according to the extension of the material (M) in a direction (D) opposite to the travelling direction (Dir), said sides extending in said direction (D); and adjusting the dimensions of the sides of the square or rectangular shape of the projection profile (Wap) according to the travel of the material (M) along the travel direction (Dir), said sides extending along the travel direction (Dir).
19. The apparatus (1) according to any preceding claim, which is an inspection machine comprising a plurality of image detectors (30), the image detectors (30) being adapted to acquire images of material on the table (2), wherein the control unit (C) is configured to process the images acquired by the image detectors (30) and to generate a digital copy of the inspected material.
20. The device (1) according to claim 19, comprising a signaling element (31) adapted to indicate a defect on the surface of the material, wherein the control unit (C) is further configured to correlate the defect on the material indicated by the signaling element (31) with the acquired material image, possibly generating a report indicating at least the shape and the position of the defect on the material.
21. The device (1) according to any one of claims 15 to 18 and according to claim 20, wherein said projector (21) comprises at least one laser projector adapted to project, in addition to said profile (Wap), defects of material identified by an operator within a respective working area (Wa) through said signaling element (31).
22. The apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 18, being a cutting machine comprising at least one cutting unit (3), the cutting unit (3) being adapted to cut material arranged on the work plane (2).
CN202310894842.5A 2022-07-20 2023-07-20 Device with improved lighting management Pending CN117434063A (en)

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IT102022000015273 2022-07-20

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FR3138188A1 (en) 2024-01-26

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