EP0322436B1 - Semi-automatic device for continuous localization of xy co-ordinates of individual points in a moving surface - Google Patents

Abstract

The device, which comprises: a control plane (1), a means (6) for measuring the displacement of the surface (10) to be controlled, and a central input and recording unit (11), is characterized in that it also includes a means for localizing the second (Y) co-ordinate consisting of: a first means (15) for displacing a visible reference point along an axis transversal to the surface (10), a second means (12) for input and/or recording of the position of said reference point.

Description

The present invention relates to a semi-automatic device for continuously locating by an operator the X and Y coordinates of singular points within a surface such as for example a sheet, a film or fabric or a plate. rigid in motion, or their image on a screen.

By "singular points" is meant in particular local defects, especially within a fabric, such as for example defects in material, knitting or weaving or even color defects. The term "singular points" also denotes knots or other irregularities which may appear on a plate, in particular of wood, or even a local insert. In other words, we define by "singular points" any visible element which distinguishes itself in a uniform set.

Currently known in particular in the textile field a device commonly called "visitor", for viewing and accounting for defects in textile parts. These visitors are generally in the form of an inclined plane on which the fabric to be inspected is scrolled. The running speed is controlled by the operator who performs the control and this control is carried out by means of a pedal. This device also includes a metering wheel, measuring the running length of the piece of fabric. In addition, it also includes a keyboard on which the operator types the tissue code considered on the one hand, and on the other hand, assigns to each defect displayed a code characterizing said defect.

At the end of the inspection of each piece of fabric, this device delivers a label on which are written the fabric code and the number of defects as well as their distribution according to the length.

However, this device does not allow the location of faults to be listed exactly. As a result, not knowing the exact distribution of defects within a piece of fabric, that is to say an overall estimate of the quality of the fabric, has an impact on the rationalization of its use. Indeed, the cutting made within a piece of fabric is a function of the two-dimensional distribution of the defects within said piece.

The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks. In fact, its main goal is to allow location according to two coordinates, that is to say according to the coordinates of the plane observed.

It relates more particularly to a device allowing the identification of faults on a piece of fabric and which, moreover, also allows the real localization of said faults after constitution of a mattress from this fabric to carry out manufacturing operations.

In the following description, the invention will be described for this particular application, but it is obvious that this is not limiting.

The automatic identification and marking of faults has been envisaged for a very long time and has been the subject of numerous publications such as in particular in British patent 1 077 561.

The solution described in this document generally consists of scrolling the material to be inspected (tissue) on a control plane and of detecting faults by means of a system using a light source which is captured. by a receiving element arranged on the other side of the face of the textile. Consequently, depending on the amount of light transmitted, it is therefore possible, starting from an average level, to detect either an excessive transmission corresponding to a lighter hole or zone in the tissue, or, conversely, a transmission insufficient corresponding to more opaque areas.

Such a system is relatively difficult to implement and lacks precision. Furthermore, if it makes it possible to mark the faults, the solution proposed in this document does not allow this marking to be used to carry out an actual localization after constitution of a mattress from the material thus checked.

Furthermore, the lack of precision also results from the fact that during the control operation and the subsequent use, the material is subjected to different tensions, therefore to variations in length which introduce errors in the marking.

However, we have found, and this is what is the subject of the present invention, an improvement made to such a control and marking method which makes it possible to overcome these drawbacks.

• un plan de contrôle sur lequel défile ladite surface à contrôler (ou son image);*
• un moyen de mesure de la longueur de défilement de la surface à contrôler (ou de son image), définissant une première coordonnée (X);
• une unité centrale de saisie et d'enregistrement.

In general, the invention therefore relates to a semi-automatic device for continuously locating the X and Y coordinates of the singular points within a moving surface, of the type comprising:

• a control plane on which the said surface to be controlled (or its image) scrolls; *
• means for measuring the running length of the surface to be checked (or of its image), defining a first coordinate (X);
• a central recording and recording unit.

• un moyen de mesure de la largeur de la matière en cours de contrôle permettant également de définir l'origine de la deuxième coordonnée Y;
• un moyen de repérage de la seconde coordonnée Y constituée:
  • · d'une part, d'un premier moyen de positionnement d'un repère visible selon un axe transversal par rapport au déplacement de la surface, et constituant l'axe de repérage de la seconde coordonnée (Y), dont le déplacement est commandé par un opérateur afin de faire concorder ledit repère visible avec le point singulier détecté;
  • · d'autre part, un second moyen, également commandé par un opérateur, permettant de réaliser la saisie et/ou l'enregistrement de la position dudit repère par rapport à l'une des lisières longitudinales de ladite surface.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that it further comprises:

• means for measuring the width of the material being checked, also making it possible to define the origin of the second Y coordinate;
• a means of locating the second Y coordinate constituted:
  • · On the one hand, a first means of positioning a visible mark along a transverse axis relative to the displacement of the surface, and constituting the locating axis of the second coordinate (Y), the displacement of which is controlled by an operator in order to bring said visible reference point into line with the singular point detected;
  • · On the other hand, a second means, also controlled by an operator, making it possible to carry out the recording and / or recording of the position of said reference point with respect to one of the longitudinal edges of said surface.

In other words, the invention proposes a device making it possible to locate the two coordinates of one of the singular points likely to appear on a surface and to record them in order to deliver an accurate statement of the two-dimensional distribution of said singular points.

• lesdits premier et second moyens sont commandés par l'opérateur à partir d'un même organe, tel que par exemple un manipulateur, un clavier, voire même le doigt de l'opérateur agissant directement sur ledit premier moyen qui peut être constitué, par exemple, d'une règle avec des cellules réceptrices, un clavier avec des touches sensibles, un détecteur de positions du genre tablette à digitaliseur permettant d'effectuer un pointage directement sur le défaut;
• ledit organe de commande desdits premier et second moyens est constitué d'un manipulateur susceptible de se déplacer suivant deux degrés de liberté, le déplacement suivant l'un desdits degrés de liberté commandant le déplacement du repère visible du premier moyen et le déplacement suivant, ledit second degré de liberté commandant le défilement dans un sens ou dans l'autre au sein de l'unité centrale de saisie et d'enregistrement d'un code répertoriant les différentes catégories de points singuliers;
• ledit premier moyen de positionnement du repère visible est choisi dans le groupe comprenant une rampe de photodiodes, un curseur mécanique, un spot lumineux, voire même, à la limite, directement par action de l'opérateur qui réalise un pointage manuel, par exemple au moyen d'un stylo;
• le premier moyen de déplacement du repère visible étant intégré à une règle dite "règle de saisie" est situé au niveau du plan de contrôle;
• la règle de saisie comporte des glissières permettant la fixation et le règlage en position de capteurs mesurant la dimension perpendiculaire au déplacement de la surface à contrôler;
• par ailleurs, selon une forme préférentielle conforme à l'invention, selon laquelle le repérage des défauts est utilisé pour permettre la localisation réelle desdits défauts après constitution de matelas, simultanément à l'opération de contrôle, on met en place sur la lisière du tissu des jalons détectables (par exemple des étiquettes métalliques) disposés à intervalles réguliers (de l'ordre de un jalon/mètre) et on repère la coordonnée X des défauts à partir de ces jalons; un tel système permet de réaliser à partir de la détection des jalons une localisation très précise et ce, quels que soient les efforts de traction auxquels est soumis le textile et qui entraînent des modifications de longueur.

Advantageously, in practice:

• said first and second means are controlled by the operator from the same member, such as for example a manipulator, a keyboard, or even the operator's finger acting directly on said first means which can be constituted, for example , a ruler with receiving cells, a keyboard with sensitive keys, a position detector of the digitizing tablet type making it possible to point directly at the fault;
• said control member of said first and second means consists of a manipulator capable of moving according to two degrees of freedom, the displacement according to one of said degrees of freedom controlling the displacement of the visible reference mark of the first means and the following displacement, said second degree of freedom controlling scrolling in one direction or the other within the central unit for entering and recording a code listing the different categories of singular points;
• said first means of positioning the visible mark is chosen from the group comprising a photodiodes ramp, a mechanical cursor, a light spot, or even, at the limit, directly by the action of the operator who performs manual pointing, for example at using a pen;
• the first means of moving the visible marker being integrated into a rule known as the "entry rule" is located at the level of the control plane;
• the entry rule comprises slides allowing the fixing and the adjustment in position of sensors measuring the dimension perpendicular to the movement of the surface to be checked;
• moreover, according to a preferred form in accordance with the invention, according to which the identification of the defects is used to allow the real localization of said defects after constitution of mattress, simultaneously during the control operation, detectable milestones (for example metal tags) placed at regular intervals (of the order of one milestone / meter) are placed on the edge of the fabric and the X coordinate of the defects to be identified from these milestones; such a system makes it possible to achieve, from the detection of the milestones, a very precise location, regardless of the tensile forces to which the textile is subjected and which cause modifications in length.

• · un plan de contrôle sur lequel défile ladite étoffe ou tissu à contrôler, ce plan de contrôle étant muni d'un organe d'éclairage dudit plan;
• · une paire de rouleaux d'appel situés de part et d'autre dudit plan de contrôle;
• · un moyen de mesure de la longueur de défilement de l'étoffe ou tissu à contrôler, définissant une première coordonnée;
• · une règle de saisie transversale par rapport au défilement comportant des glissières permettant la fixation et le règlage en position de capteurs de laize;
• · une unité centrale de saisie et d'enregistrement,
  caractérisé en ce qu'il comprend en outre:
  • un moyen de mesure de la largeur de la matière en cours de contrôle;
  • un moyen de repérage de la seconde coordonnée (Y) constitué:
• · d'une part, d'un premier moyen de positionnement d'un repère visible selon un axe transversal par rapport au déplacement de la surface, et constituant l'axe de repérage de la seconde coordonnée (Y), dont le déplacement est commandé par un opérateur afin de faire concorder ledit repère visible avec le point singulier détecté:
• · d'autre part, d'un second moyen, également commandé par un opérateur, permettant de réaliser la saisie et/ou l'enregistrement de la position dudit repère:
  • en ce que ledit premier moyen de déplacement est constitué par une rampe de photodiodes intégrée au sein de ladite règle saisie transversale;
  • en ce que lesdits premier et second moyens sont commandés par l'opérateur par l'intermédiaire d'un manipulateur;
  • en ce que le manipulateur peut être déplacé par l'opérateur suivant deux degrés de liberté, le déplacement sur le premier degré de liberté commandant le déplacement du repère visible sur la barrette de photodiodes, et le déplacement du manipulateur suivant le second degré de liberté commandant le défilement dans un sens ou dans l'autre d'un code sur un afficheur au sein de l'unité centrale répertoriant les différentes catégories de défauts observés au sein de l'étoffe.

The present invention also relates to a semi-automatic device for continuously locating the X and Y coordinates of local faults within a fabric or fabric in motion, of the type comprising:

• · A control plane on which said fabric or fabric to be inspected runs, this control plane being provided with a lighting member of said plane;
• · A pair of rollers located on either side of said control plane;
• · A means of measuring the running length of the fabric or fabric to be checked, defining a first coordinate;
• · A transverse entry rule with respect to the scrolling comprising slides allowing the fixing and adjustment in position of width sensors;
• · A central data entry and recording unit,
  characterized in that it further comprises:
  • means for measuring the width of the material being checked;
  • a means of locating the second coordinate (Y) consisting of:
• · On the one hand, a first means of positioning a visible marker along a transverse axis relative to the displacement of the surface, and constituting the axis for locating the second coordinate (Y), the movement of which is controlled by an operator in order to bring said visible reference point into line with the singular point detected:
• · On the other hand, a second means, also controlled by an operator, making it possible to enter and / or record the position of said marker:
  • in that said first displacement means is constituted by a ramp of photodiodes integrated within said transverse capture rule;
  • in that said first and second means are controlled by the operator via a manipulator;
  • in that the manipulator can be moved by the operator according to two degrees of freedom, the displacement on the first degree of freedom controlling the displacement of the visible mark on the array of photodiodes, and the displacement of the manipulator according to the second degree of freedom controlling scrolling in one direction or the other of a code on a display within the central unit listing the different categories of faults observed within the fabric.

• La figure 1 représente une vue schématique en perspective d'un dispositif de repérage en coordonnées X et Y d'une surface en accord avec la présente invention.
• La figure 2 est une vue schématique illustrant la manière dont sont mis en place sur la lisière du tissu des jalons détectables et comment sont réalisés le positionnement et la mémorisation par l'opérateur des positions (X) et (Y) des défauts.

The manner in which the invention can be implemented and the advantages which result therefrom will emerge more clearly from the example of embodiment which follows, given by way of indication but not limitation, in support of the appended figures.

• FIG. 1 represents a schematic perspective view of a device for locating in X and Y coordinates of a surface in accordance with the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating the manner in which detectable milestones are placed on the edge of the fabric and how the positioning and memorization by the operator of the positions (X) and (Y) of the defects are carried out.

The following description relates to a device for locating local faults within a fabric or a fabric. However, it goes without saying that the invention cannot be limited to this embodiment, and that any surface having singular points as defined in the preamble of this description, can be analyzed by a device of the same type, conforming to the invention, with a few structural adjustments.

As can be seen in Figure 1, the locating device according to the invention basically comprises a reading plane (1), slightly inclined, having an opening closed by a frosted glass (2). Behind this frosted glass is located a light source emitting through said frosted glass.

Said inclined plane (1) comprises along two of its opposite edges two rollers (3,4) intended to allow the movement of the piece of fabric (10) controlled. These rollers (3) and (4) are conventionally driven by a motor, not shown;

At the lower base of the control plane (1), an input rule (5) is fixed (a rule consisting for example of 192 indicator lights located every centimeter), located transversely to the direction of travel of the piece of fabric to be checked. This seizure rule also comprises slides, not shown, allowing the attachment and adjustment in position of width sensors (8) and (9) serving as elements for controlling the width of the fabric. In the textile industry, "width" means the width of the piece of fabric. In known manner, these sensors consist of a plurality of photoelectric cells having an average center distance of the order of five millimeters. The variations in width are recorded within the central unit (11) and, conventionally, only the minimum width, the maximum as well as the average width of said piece of fabric finally emerge.

The gripping rule (5) further comprises at its forehead, that is to say at the level of the meeting of the piece of fabric which passes with said rule, a ramp of photodiodes (15), the lighting is controlled by a manipulator (12) located at a central input and recording unit (11), the latter being electrically connected to the input rule (5).

A measuring wheel (6), intended to measure the length of the movement of the piece of fabric (10), is fixed by means of a support (7) to the grip rule (5). This metering wheel allows in particular to measure the length of each piece of fabric.

The central input and recording unit (11) comprises a keyboard (13) making it possible to record the code or the reference of the controlled piece of fabric. It also includes a display (14) for viewing the reference of the piece of fabric as well as the code listing the identified fault. The selection of one or other of the indices of the code likely to be displayed on the member (14) is performed by the manipulator (12) by actuating it on one of its two degrees of freedom.

In addition, the central recording and recording unit (11) comprises a printer which delivers, after checking each piece of fabric, a label intended to be affixed to said piece of fabric (10), said label. comprising in addition to the reference of said piece of fabric, the extremes and the average of the width of said pieces, the type of defect identified and for each of the faults their X and Y coordinates.

These data can also be stored on a floppy disk capable of being read by a microcomputer, in particular during the phases of cutting clothes from said pieces of fabric. Equipped with appropriate software and knowing the distribution of the defects in each of the pieces of fabric, maximum rational use of each of the pieces of fabric is made possible.

The operation of the device according to the invention will now be described.

The piece of fabric (10) to be controlled being in place on the control plane (1), its advancement is controlled by means of a pedal (not shown) actuated by the operator. However and in an advantageous form, the control of the movement of the piece of fabric (10) can be ensured at the level of the manipulator (12) by simple rotation of said manipulator. In this case, the latter would then have three degrees of freedom.

When the operator sees a defect of any kind, it causes the positioning (displacement) of the visible mark constituted in the embodiment described by the illumination of one of the photodiodes constituting the ramp (15), and matches said visible reference with the observed defect. When the defect is located directly above the photodiode, namely on the one hand the vertical alignment along the Y coordinate, that is to say along the transverse axis with respect to the direction of travel of the piece of fabric (10), but also plumb with the photodiode considered on the X coordinate, the operator presses the end of the manipulator (12), causing the immediate entry of the X, Y coordinates of the identified fault. This entry must then be stored in the central entry and recording unit (11). Simultaneously, the operator actuates the manipulator (12) according to another degree of freedom in order to select the category of the identified fault. Once the category has been determined, the operator also enters it by simply pressing the end of the manipulator (12). The category of the fault identified is then also recorded in the central data entry and recording unit.

The operator then continues to check the pieces of fabric (10) by again scrolling said piece.

As is clear from the previous description, the identification of faults within the piece of fabric is effected by a simple back-and-forth movement of the visible mark in this case constituted by photodiodes, thus transforming an activity particularly tedious in an almost fun activity. In addition, the exact two-dimensional determination of the distribution of defects within a part of fabric but also within any surface, or its image on a screen, allows an optimization of their use where a significant saving.

Thus, the device according to the invention is applied to locating singular points of any type of flat surface, and in particular in the textile industry in locating local faults.

In addition, such a fault identification system can, as illustrated by FIG. 2, be used to allow the actual location of said faults after constitution of a mattress.

To do this, as is apparent from this FIG. 2, during the control operation, it is possible to place on the edge of the fabric detectable milestones (20) (constituted for example by metallic labels), arranged at regular intervals (of the order of one milestone / meter).

The pointing and memorization by the operator of the positions (X, Y) of the faults is carried out as described above, the automatic entry of the X coordinate of each milestone making it possible to store in memory for each fault its distance (along X) from to the previous milestone and relative to the next milestone. We thus obtain the indications:

a = Xd - Xn
and

b = Xn + 1 - Xd.

This storage of these two values a and b is redundant, but allows subsequent checks. It should be noted that it is not essential that the interval between the milestones is perfectly regular, since their actual position is detected by the system.

• de la position des jalons n et n+1 selon la longueur de la table de matelassage;
• de l'enregistrement de a, b et Yd.

Thanks to such a device, during the quilting operation, it is possible, thanks to an appropriate detector, to locate the actual position of the milestones according to the length of the quilting table. Knowledge of dimensions a and b then makes it possible to determine the actual position of the fault from:

• the position of the milestones n and n + 1 depending on the length of the quilting table;
• of the recording of a, b and Yd.

This actual position is recorded as well as the number of the sheet where the considered defect is located.

• a) utiliser des étiquettes comportant un code détectable;
• b) coder l'entraxe de dépose des jalons pour permettre leur identification par un décodage au moment de la constitution du matelas.

Certainly, in the basic principle described above, it is assumed that all the milestones are identical to each other. It follows that if, during quilting, a certain length of fabric has to be eliminated, a systematic error is introduced in all the longitudinal positions of the defects located after this cutting. To correct this error without possible ambiguity, it is essential to identify each milestone so as to find an origin of the correct length measurements. To solve this problem, there are several possibilities, for example:

• a) use labels with a detectable code;
• b) coding the center distance for depositing the milestones to allow their identification by decoding at the time of the constitution of the mattress.

The above description clearly shows the advantages provided by the invention. Of course, it is not limited to this exemplary embodiment but it covers all the variants produced in the same spirit.

Claims (8)

1. Semi-automatic device for the continuous location of the X and Y coordinates of singular points in a moving surface, of the type comprising:

· a checking plane (1) on which the said surface (10) to be checked (or its image) runs;

· a means (6) for measuring the length of run of the surface (10) to be checked (or of its image), defining a first coordinate (X);

· a central acquisition and recording unit (11), charaterised in that it furthermore comprises:
_ a means for measuring the width of the material being checked;
_ a means for locating the second coordinate (Y), consisting:

· on the one hand, of a first means (15) for positioning a visible reference along an axis transverse relative to the movement of the surface (10) and constituting the location axis of the second coordinate (Y), the movement of the said means being controlled by an operator in order to bring the said visible reference into coincidence with the singular point detected;

· on the other hand, of a second means (12), likewise controlled by an operator, making it possible to carry out the acquisition and/or recording of the position of the said reference.

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the said first (15) and second (12) means are controlled by the operator from the same member (12).

3. Device according to one of Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the said member for controlling the said first and second means consists of a controller (12) capable of being actuated according to two degrees of freedom, the movement according to one of the said degrees of freedom controlling the movement of the visible reference of the first means, and the movement according to the other degree of freedom controlling the run in one direction or the other on a display (14) within the central unit (11) listing the various categories of the singular points.

4. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the said first means for positioning the visible reference (15) is selected from the group comprising a bank of photodiodes, a mechanically actuated slide, a light spot, a rule for direct acquisition by touch contact.

5. Device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the first means for positioning the visible reference (15) is integrated in a rule called an "acquisition rule" (5) located in the region of the checking plane (1).

6. Device according to Claim 5, characterised in that the acquisition rule (5) comprises slideways making it possible to secure and set in position sensors (8, 9) measuring the dimension perpendicular to the movement of the surface (10) to be checked and making it possible to define the origin of the coordinates of the defects over the width.

7. Semi-automatic device for the continuous location of the X and Y coordinates of local defects in a moving cloth or fabric, of the type comprising:

· a checking plane (1) on which the said surface (10) to be checked runs;

· a pair of feed rollers (3, 4) arranged on either side of the said checking plane (1);

· a means (6) for measuring the length of run of the cloth or fabric (10) to be checked, defining a first coordinate;

· an acquisition rule (5) transverse relative to the run and comprising slideways making it possible to secure breath sensors (8, 9) and set them in position;

· a central acquisition and recording unit (11), characterised in that it comprises furthermore:
_ a means for measuring the width of the material being checked;
_ a means for locating the second coordinate (Y), consisting:

· on the one hand, of a first means (15) for the positioning (movement) of a visible reference along an axis transverse relative to the movement of the surface (10) and constituting the location axis of the second coordinate (Y), the movement of the said means being controlled by an operator in order to bring the said visible reference into coincidence with the singular point detected;

· on the other hand, of a second means (12), likewise controlled by an operator, making it possible to carry out the acquisition and/or recording of the position of the said reference;
_ in that the said positioning (movement) means consists of a bank of photodiodes (15) integrated in the said transverse acquisition rule (5);
_ in that the said first and second means are controlled by the operator by means of a controller (12);
_ in that the controller (12) can be moved by the operator according to two degrees of freedom, the movement according to the first degree of freedom controlling the movement of the visible reference on the bank of photodiodes (15), and the movement of the controller (12) according to the second degree of freedom controlling the run in one direction or the other of the code listing the various categories of defects observed within the cloth (10) on a display (14) within the central unit (11).

8. Device according to Claim 7, characterised in that, simultaneously with the checking operation, detectable markers (20) (for example, metal tags) arranged at regular intervals are put in place on the selvedge of the fabric, and the X coordinate of the defects is located from these markers, in order to make it possible to pinpoint the defects so located after the formation of a wad from the checked cloth.

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