FR3134327A1 - Device with improved lighting control - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention describes an apparatus (1, 1') for processing and/or inspecting material to be cut, comprising a work table (2) adapted to provide a support plane for the material to be cut, at least one first projector (20) adapted to project elements (S) onto the work table (2), at least one second projector (21) adapted to project said elements (S) onto the work table (2), said second projector (21) being of a different type compared to the first projector (15) and being adapted to project said elements (S) in a different projection mode, a control unit (C) for managing the device (1), said control unit (C) being operably connected to the first projector (20) and the second projector (21) and comprising functional means configured to allow the definition of the projected elements and the selective activation of one of the first projector (20) or the second projector (21), and a lighting system (15) adapted to illuminate the work table (2). The control unit (C) is configured to control the lighting system (15) based on the activated spotlight, wherein said control unit (C) is configured to automatically switch the lighting system (15) between a first lighting mode when the first projector (20) is chosen, and a second lighting mode when the second projector (21) is chosen. Figure 1

Description

Device with improved lighting control

DOMAIN D ' APPLICATION

The present invention refers to an apparatus for cutting material, such as for example an apparatus for cutting skins, leather, synthetic materials and the like, and the following description is made with reference to this field of application in the sole aim of simplifying its exhibition. The apparatus of the present invention may also be, in certain embodiments, an apparatus for inspecting fabrics or leathers.

As is well known in this specific technical field, there are various devices which are capable of carrying out the automated cutting of sheets of material according to a predefined cutting pattern; the material to be cut may for example be leather, fabric, non-woven fabric, synthetic material and the like. The clothing, accessories and footwear industries, for example, use various materials such as leather, non-woven fabrics, synthetic materials. Said materials, although presenting differences in manufacturing and consistency, have the common characteristic of appearing in the form of flat articles and of being subjected to cutting operations.

There are machines provided with a conveyor belt which is capable of moving the sheet to be cut into a cutting chamber which is generally closed at the top and on at least two sides thereof and is provided with at least one cutting unit. mobile cutter for cutting the sheet, while the cut parts are transported by the conveyor belt outside the cutting chamber to a collection area.

There are also simpler devices, the so-called cutting tables or benches, which do not have a closed cutting chamber (and generally do not have a conveyor belt) but only a work table (generally fixed) on which is arranged the material to be cut. In said devices, at least one track for sliding carriages is generally present, said carriages moving at least one transversely elongated spoke or arm, which supports a movable cutting unit for cutting the sheet arranged on the work table. Once the cut has been made, the arm is moved to free the work area and allow the operator to collect the cut parts, possibly while the cutting head cuts the sheet at another area of the work table .

The aforementioned machines are very flexible and easily allow the cutting of samples and small productions of skins, synthetic materials and all kinds of fabrics.

It is known to provide these devices with suitable projectors which are capable of projecting the profiles to be cut (also called “templates”) onto the work table, which are defined by means of the control system of the device. In particular, with the templates projected onto the material arranged on the work table, the operator can correctly define their placement and orientation, so as to optimize the cutting step. Furthermore, after cutting, thanks to the aforementioned projectors, the operator is assisted during the collection of the cut elements.

Furthermore, there are inspection devices on which fabrics or leathers to be inspected before being cut are placed. During inspection, the fabrics arranged on these devices are analyzed by the operator to detect and mark any defects, which are recorded and stored in a digital file. Also in this case, projectors to project marked defects on the material may be present.

A common problem with all these devices is related to the lighting of the work table, which is sometimes either too strong or too dim, or in any case it is not appropriate for the type of operation to be performed.

In particular, it is known to use two different types of projectors, that is to say a laser projector, for example during the step of setting up the templates preceding the cutting step, and a video projector, for example during the collection step following the cutting step. The laser projector allows you to project clearly visible templates, while the video projector has the advantage of being able to simultaneously project a large number of templates, as well as other visual information.

However, the optimal lighting required for the laser projector is different from the optimal lighting required for the video projector, and for this reason, when switching from one projector to another, there is a problem with the visibility of the projected templates , and the operator is not working in ideal conditions.

The technical problem of the present invention is to design an apparatus having structural and functional characteristics so as to make it possible to overcome the aforementioned limits and drawbacks which still affect known solutions, in particular an apparatus which has improved lighting control, making it possible to This allows the user who observes the projected templates to work optimally in all circumstances.

The solution idea underlying the present invention is to provide an apparatus provided with two different types of projectors, namely a laser projector and a video projector, in which the illumination of the work table is automatically adjusted by a control unit. control (which includes the operational settings of the machine) according to the chosen projector, in which the selection of the projector is carried out according to the operation to be carried out, for example manually by the user by means of selection means connected to the control unit and/or automatically. Therefore, if the first projector (i.e., the laser projector) is chosen, for example during the step of setting up the templates projected on the material, the control unit sets a first mode lighting, while if the second projector (i.e., the video projector) is chosen, for example during the step of collecting the cut elements, the control unit adjusts a second lighting mode, for example with a lower intensity (or even no lighting, with the lights off), so that the lighting of the work table is optimal in any projection mode, and therefore such that It is not difficult for the user to observe the projected templates.

Depending on said idea of solution, the aforementioned technical problem is solved by an apparatus for the treatment and/or inspection of material to be cut, comprising a work table adapted to provide a support plane for the material to be cut, at at least one first projector adapted to project elements onto the work table, at least one second projector adapted to project said elements onto the work table, said second projector being of a different type compared to the first projector and being adapted to project said elements in a different projection mode (in which the different projection mode includes for example a different aspect of the templates projected onto the material and may also include a different number of projected templates, for example a greater number), a control unit for managing said apparatus, said control unit being operably connected to the first projector and the second projector and comprising functional means configured to allow the definition of the projected elements and the selective activation of one of the first projector or the second spotlight, and a lighting system adapted to illuminate the work table, characterized in that the control unit is configured to control the lighting system depending on the activated spotlight, in which said control unit is configured to switch automatically the lighting system enters a first lighting mode when the first projector is chosen, and a second lighting mode when the second projector is chosen.

The first and second lighting modes are not limited to a specific intensity or color of light or other elements; for example, they may also include lights being turned off.

More particularly, the invention includes the following additional and optional features, taken alone or, if necessary, in combination.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the first projector may comprise at least one laser source and the second projector may be a (matrix) video projector.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the control unit can be configured to modify the intensity of the light emitted by the lighting system in switching between the first lighting mode and the second lighting mode, and Conversely.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the intensity of the light emitted by the lighting system in the first lighting mode can be greater than the intensity of the light emitted by said lighting system in the second lighting mode. 'lighting.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the lighting system may include LEDs which are controllable by the control unit.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the control unit can be configured to allow adjustment of the lighting modes of the lighting system, said adjustment being stored in the control unit.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the apparatus may comprise a support element adapted to support at least the first projector and the second projector.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the support element can be in the form of a support structure per crosspiece kept suspended above the work table by at least one support amount extending from said worktable.

The work table may be a fixed plane and may be free of clutter along at least two parallel sides of upper extension.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the apparatus may be a cutting machine comprising at least one cutting unit adapted to cut the material arranged on the work table.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the apparatus may comprise at least one arm which at least partially surmounts (i.e., is above) the work table and is adapted to support the cutting unit , in which said arm is supported by the support element.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the arm can be supported cantilevered on the work table by the aforementioned cross-member support structure.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the elements to be projected can be templates corresponding to the profile to be cut and/or to the cut profile, the position and orientation of which relative to the work table can be defined by the user by means of of the control unit.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the apparatus may be a fabric or leather inspection machine comprising a plurality of image detectors adapted to acquire images of a fabric or leather on the work table , in which the control unit is configured to process the images acquired by said image detectors and to generate a digital copy of the inspected fabric, and a signaling element adapted to indicate defects on the surface of the fabric, wherein the the control unit is further configured to correlate the defects on the fabric indicated by the signaling element with the acquired image of the fabric, optionally generating a report indicating at least the shape and position of the defects on the fabric .

According to one aspect of the present invention, the first projector and the second projector can be adapted to project the profile of the defect(s) through the signaling element onto the fabric. For example, when the first projector has reached a limit in terms of the number of defects that it is able to project, the second projector can be activated.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the control unit can be configured to define a plurality of cutting zones on the digitized image, in which the type, number and position of said cutting zones are defined and optimized according to information acquired by the control unit during inspection of the fabric, for example different qualities of the fabric, the second projector being adapted to project said defined cutting zones onto the fabric.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the signaling element can be provided with a lighting element which is detectable by image detectors, the coordinates of the movement of said lighting element being calculated by means of the unit control.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the control unit can be configured to recognize the position, shape and/or entity of the defect of the surface of the fabric based on the coordinates of the movement of the lighting element.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the control unit can be operably connected to a storage unit adapted to store at least the digitized image of the inspected fabric and the generated report indicating the defects of the fabric.

For example, the storage unit may be a cloud unit that a user can access remotely through a specific application and/or a specific address.

The characteristics and advantages of the device according to the invention emerge from the description given below, of an embodiment thereof given as an indicative and non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawings.

On said drawings:

- there shows a perspective view of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

- there shows a rear view of the device from the ;

- there shows another perspective view of the device of the ;

- there shows an example of templates projected by projectors of the apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention;

- there shows a sectional detail of the device of the ; And

- there shows an apparatus according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to said figures, the reference numbers 1 and 1' indicate generally and schematically an apparatus (or a machine) according to the present invention.

It should be noted that the figures represent schematic views and are not drawn to scale, but rather they are drawn in such a way as to highlight important features of the invention. Furthermore, in the figures, the different elements are represented schematically, and their shape can vary depending on the desired application. It should also be noted that in the figures, identical reference numerals refer to elements identical in form or function. Finally, particular characteristics described in relation to an embodiment illustrated in a figure are also applicable to the other embodiments illustrated in the other figures.

It should also be noted that, unless expressly stated, the process steps can also be reversed if necessary.

Furthermore, the position references used in the present description, including indications such as lower or upper, above or below, or similar phrases, always refer to the functional configuration shown in the figures, and should not not be attributed in any case a limiting meaning. In any case, said references, with reference to the components of the apparatus of the present invention, are used in practice by one skilled in the art.

To facilitate the following description of the device, as illustrated in the , two orthogonal directions corresponding to orthogonal movements of a cutting unit of said device are identified by way of example: a Y direction and an X direction. In particular, as will be illustrated in more detail later, the X direction is also indicated as the sliding direction of an arm of the device 1.

In one example, the device 1 is suitable for the treatment, and in particular the automatic cutting, of skins, leather, synthetic materials and the like. Even more particularly, the device 1 is adapted to automatically cut sheets of foldable or flexible material, for example fabrics for articles of clothing, skins, as well as fabrics for footwear, automobiles, furniture products. home, or even non-woven fabrics, leathers, synthetic materials and the like. In particular, the device is suitable for processing leather material (and the term fabric is sometimes used as a synonym for leather), although other materials are of course possible.

It should also be observed that the teachings of the present invention are not only limited to a cutting apparatus, but they are also applied to an apparatus for inspecting fabrics, in particular leather, as will be detailed later. . Thus, the apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus for processing and/or inspecting material to be cut.

In all cases, most of the description which follows illustrates, by way of non-limiting example, a cutting device (indicated by the reference 1), while, at the end of the description, we also provide an example of 'fabric or leather inspection device (which will be indicated by the reference 1'), in which the teachings of the invention are the same for said two devices.

In the context of the present invention, the term "sheet" means any element of any shape and material of substantially two-dimensional size, having a determined thickness (generally reduced) which must be processed through the device 1, also unrolled from a roll. In general, said material is also indicated as a planar material, obviously without limiting the shape or composition thereof.

In the non-limiting example in which the device 1 is a cutting machine, it is a numerically controlled machine comprising a control unit C, including an appropriate storage unit and suitably programmed and designated for management and its automatic control. The control unit C can for example be a computer unit integrated into or external to the device 1 and functionally connected to it. Furthermore, the control unit C may be a single control unit, or it may comprise a plurality of local and/or remote units. The control unit C is therefore able to control the device 1 in order to obtain the automated cutting of sheet material. In any case, the present invention is not limited by the architecture used for the control unit C, which can generally be any suitable computer unit, comprising one or more units according to needs and/or circumstances.

The apparatus 1 of the present invention is a so-called cutting bench and comprises a work table 2 adapted to provide a support plane or a working surface (indicated with the reference α) for a sheet of material to be cut (indicated with the reference M). The work table 2 preferably has a quadrangular plan (even more preferably substantially rectangular) and at least one cutting unit or cutting head 3 carried by at least one arm or radius 4 thereon. In one embodiment, the work table 2 is a fixed plane on which the material to be cut is placed and is free of clutter along at least two parallel sides of higher extension.

In the case of a work table 2 of rectangular shape, as shown in the figures, the Y direction (the transverse direction of the work table) is parallel to the shorter sides thereof, while the X direction is parallel to the longer sides of it. As indicated previously, the direction direction of the present invention, the arm 4 to slide along the shorter sides of the work table 2 and therefore the sliding direction to be the Y direction, since the present invention is not limited to a sliding direction particular of arm 4.

Generally speaking, the term work table 2 designates the structure which supports the sheet of material to be cut, said plane being provided with at least two opposite sides of upper extension and at least two opposite sides of lower extension ( preferably rectangular or at least defining a rectangular work surface), and having a certain thickness, the term side therefore meaning a part of the side edge of the work table 2.

The device 1 comprises base 5, for example in the form of a box, which is the support of the work table 2 and possibly encloses mechanical and electronic elements of the device 1.

More particularly, the apparatus 1 comprises at least one cutting unit 3 specifically designated for cutting the sheet arranged on the work table 2, the cutting unit 3 not being limited to a particular type. According to one embodiment, the device 1 comprises a single cutting unit 3, even if the present invention is not limited thereto, and the number of cutting units can vary depending on needs and/or circumstances.

As observed previously, the device 1 comprises at least one arm 4 which at least partially surmounts the work table 2 and is adapted to support the cutting unit 3, which is movable on said arm 4, in particular sliding along the longitudinal axis of said arm 4, said longitudinal axis being parallel to the Y axis. The arm 4 has a substantially parallelepiped size with a preponderant extension along the Y direction.

Furthermore, the apparatus 1 comprises a support element 9 adapted to support the arm 4 above the work table 2.

In one embodiment, through the aforementioned support element 9, the arm 4 is supported in a cantilever and slides along the direction X. However, said embodiment is only indicative and the teachings of the present invention are not limited to the particular support and sliding configuration of said arm 4.

In particular, in the example of non-limiting embodiment of Figures 1, 2 and 3, the arm 4 is cantilevered supported on the work table 2 by means of the support element 9 and is movable along the sliding direction 4 being supported by the support element 9.

As illustrated in the examples of Figures 1, 2 and 3, the support element 9 of the arm 4 is in the form of a support structure per crosspiece (or architrave), always indicated by the reference 9, kept suspended from the -top of the work table 2 by at least one support element or upright 9a. More particularly, in one embodiment, the support amount 9a extends vertically from the work table 2, in particular at the level of a peripheral edge portion of said work table 2. Even more particularly, the amount support 9a is arranged on one of the shorter sides of the work table 2. Thus, the arm 4 can be supported cantilevered on the work table 2 by the aforementioned support structure via crosspiece.

The management of the device 1 by the user can occur for example by a control panel 12, provided with a display and keys, arranged for example at the periphery of the work table 2 and connected so functional to the control unit C.

In one embodiment, the device 1, in particular the work table 2, is ideally divided into two work zones. In this way, while parts of sheet are cut in a first zone by the cutting unit 3, the operator can collect parts of material already cut in a second contiguous zone, said zones being alternated during the operation of the device 1. It is therefore possible to work in masked time, that is to say the cutting operation and the collection operation occur in masked time, with higher efficiency and productivity; machines of this type are also called “pendulums”. This operation can be performed by a single cutting unit which is suitably controlled by the control unit C and moved from one zone to the contiguous zone, as well as by two cutting units suitably controlled by the unit order C.

Furthermore, the apparatus 1 comprises a lighting system, schematically indicated in the figures with the reference 15, configured to illuminate the work table 2 in particular the material arranged thereon. For example, the lighting system 15 may comprise appropriate LEDs controllable by the control unit C, for example arranged on the support element 9 and oriented so as to illuminate the material in the most appropriate manner.

In the case of cutting machines, it is very practical to project the templates corresponding to the profile to be cut onto the material arranged on the work table 2 (as illustrated schematically on the ), so that the operator can proceed to their most appropriate placement and orientation on the material to be cut in order to optimize the cutting process as well as the following collection process.

For this purpose, the device 1 comprises various projectors, in particular it comprises at least a first projector 20 adapted to project the templates (indicated by the reference S) on the work table 2, as well as a second projector 21 adapted to project the aforementioned templates S onto the work table 2 according to a different projection mode, said second projector 21 being of a different type compared to the first projector 20 and therefore having different projection characteristics from the templates S.

In one embodiment, the first projector 20 comprises at least one laser source (possibly more than one) and the second projector 21 is a video projector (for example an LCD projector, and for example it can also be called a "matrix projector "). The different projection mode of the aforementioned projectors 20 and 21 implies for example a different appearance of the templates projected on the material M, as well as a different number of templates that can be projected, notably higher for the video projector compared to the laser projector.

The video projector allows the projection of a much higher number of templates compared to the laser projector (for example the video projector allows the projection of all the desired templates), whereas the laser allows a better definition of the projected profiles (the laser projection does not is not limited by the maximum number of pixels, as happens instead for the video projector) as well as a higher intensity of the projected profile, the laser therefore being particularly useful at the installation stage. The projector is mainly used in the post-cut collection stage, as will also be observed in the following. The video projector also makes it possible to project colors, as well as other types of information (also including writing, for example). In all cases, the particular uses of said projectors are only indicative and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

As mentioned above, in the case of a cutting machine of the type described above, the elements S to be projected are the templates corresponding to the profile to be cut and/or the cut profile, the position and orientation of which by relation to the work table 2 is definable by the user via the control unit C. For example, through the first projector 20 (laser projector), it is possible to project one or more templates S onto the material M to be cut, and the apparatus 1 comprises means functionally connected to the control unit C through which the operator is able to move and orient the template projected onto the material M in the manner more appropriate (such as a mouse or touchpad).

In other words, the control unit C is functionally connected to the first projector 20 and the second projector 21 and comprises functional means configured to allow the definition of the projected elements, which also includes (in addition to the automatic selection of the cutting profile, which can be automatically defined by the control unit based on process information or in any appropriate manner) the selection of its placement and orientation, as described previously. For example, the device 1 can be provided with a mouse or similar instrumentation connected to a computer used by the user while the template S is projected, for the positioning and orientation of said template S relative to the material M to cut. Buttons (e.g. buttons associated with the mouse) may also be present to fix the chosen position and orientation, which are fixed and stored for subsequent processing steps following the pressing of said buttons. The aforementioned means can be considered as part of the control unit C, or they can be considered as peripheral devices for executing particular instructions, without limiting the protective field of the present invention.

The control unit C further comprises means for allowing the selective activation of one of the first projector 20 or the second projector 21, such as for example the aforementioned buttons, or an appropriate instruction can be provided for this purpose . For example, the selection of a particular template S by the mouse button can cause the extinction of the first projector 20 and the activation of the second projector 21, or, at the end of the cutting step, the second projector 21 is automatically activated (and the first projector 20 is turned off) to help the operator in the collection step.

Advantageously according to the present invention, the control unit C is configured to control the lighting system 15 as a function of the activated spotlight, for example by varying the intensity of the light emitted in the most appropriate manner. In particular, the control unit C is configured to automatically switch the lighting system 15 between a first lighting mode when the first projector 20 is chosen, and a second lighting mode when the second projector 21 is chosen. The aforementioned lighting modes are not limited by a particular setting (for example, by intensity, color, color temperature, etc.), for example they (in particular the second lighting mode) can also provide lights off.

This is advantageous since the first projector 20 (i.e. the laser projector), which allows an optimal choice of the installation and orientation of the unique templates S for the operator, requires different lighting from the work table 2 compared to the second projector 21 (video projector), in particular the second projector 21 requires lower brightness (for example at the collection stage).

The control unit C is therefore configured to modify the intensity of the light emitted by the lighting system 15 in switching between the first projection mode with the first projector 20 and the second projection mode with the second projector 21 , and vice versa. In particular, the intensity of the light emitted in the first lighting mode (via the laser projector) is higher compared to the intensity of the light emitted in the second lighting mode (via the laser projector). video projector), which may also involve lights off (and therefore not a gradual adjustment).

In this way, advantageously, depending on the projector used, the operator always has an optimal view, the intensity of the light emitted being automatically adjusted by the control system of the device 1.

As discussed above, by way of example, in the pre-cut setting up step, the templates S are projected by the first (laser) projector 20, while in the post-cutting setting up step cutting, the second (video) projector 21 is preferably used, which requires, for an optimal view, a lower intensity, which is automatically adjusted as soon as said second projector 21 is chosen. Of course, switching between the two aforementioned lighting modes can also take place during the pre-cut installation step of the templates S, for example when the operator wants to have an overall view, through the second video projector 21, of all the templates chosen, which it is not possible to carry out using the laser projector which is not capable of simultaneously projecting a large number of templates.

The various lighting modes of the lighting system 15 can be previously adjusted by the user, said adjustment being stored in the control unit C.

In a preferred embodiment, the first and second projectors 20 and 21 are arranged on the support element 9. In other words, the support element 9 is adapted to support at least the first projector 20 and the second projector 21, as well as other components of the device 1. The device 1 can in fact possibly be equipped with a control monitor 35 and control cameras, said components being advantageously supported by the support 9 (which can have any appropriate shape) in conjunction with the aforementioned projectors, without requiring the use of other supports.

As mentioned previously, in the case of pendulum cutting machines, four projectors can be present, that is to say a first projector 20 and a second projector 21 for each working area, in which all the previous considerations are valid for said projectors. This embodiment is illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

Finally, as mentioned above, in a variant embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus of the present invention can be a machine for inspecting fabrics - in particular leather - (even if other materials are possible) , this machine now being identified with the reference 1' and represented schematically on the . In particular, in this case the term fabric preferably includes leather (although other materials may also be less often inspected). Of course, all aspects discussed above in relation to the projectors and their control in the cutting machine are also valid for the fabric inspection machine described below, therefore the same numerical references will be used.

In general, in this case, the device 1' always includes the work table 2, which can optionally be tilted if necessary, the projectors 20 and 21 described above, the control unit C and the lighting system 15, which may include lights of various types.

In this embodiment, the apparatus 1' further comprises a plurality of image detectors 30 adapted to acquire images of leather arranged on the work table 2, in which the control unit C is configured to process the images acquired by said image detectors 30 and to generate a digital copy of the inspected leather, which can be stored.

In this case, as shown in the , the support element 9 can be a box-shaped support in which only the side facing the user is open, and on which the projectors 20 and 21, the lighting system 15 as well as the light detectors image 30 are arranged (for example on the upper side facing the work table 2). Of course other shapes for the support 9 are also possible, the figures being provided only as an indicative and non-limiting example of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the apparatus 1 also includes a signaling element 31 adapted to be used by the operator to indicate defects on the surface of the leather. For example, the signaling element 31 can be provided with a lighting element which can be detected by the image detectors, the coordinates of the movement of said lighting element being calculated by the control unit C, from so as to precisely identify the position of the faults indicated by the operator.

The control unit C is then configured to correlate the defects on the leather indicated by means of the signaling element 31 with the acquired image of the leather, with the possibility of generating a report indicating at least the shape and position defects on said leather. Additionally, the control unit C can be configured to recognize the position, shape and/or entity of the defect of the leather surface based on the coordinates of the movement of the lighting element.

Suitably, the control unit C may be operably connected to a storage unit adapted to contain at least the scanned image of the inspected leather and the generated report indicating the defects of the leather. For example, the storage unit may be a cloud unit that a user can access remotely through a specific application and/or a specific address.

In this case, the first projector 20 and the second projector 21 are adapted to project, on the leather, the profile of the identified defect, which is then displayed on the material, thus facilitating the inspection work. The operator therefore has the possibility of switching between the first (laser) projector 20 and the second (video) projector 21 as required, and the lighting will be adjusted accordingly by the control unit C as described above , so as to always guarantee optimal vision of the defect projected on the material.

Furthermore, the control unit C is configured to define a plurality of cutting zones (also called quality zones) on the digitized image, the type, number and position of said cutting zone being defined and optimized in accordance with depending on the information acquired by the control unit C during the inspection of the leather; in this case, one of the aforementioned projectors, preferably the second (video) projector 21 (which is capable of projecting color images and/or other information), may be capable of projecting said cutting zones onto the leather, so as to have a direct view of the material of the different quality zones.

The aforementioned embodiment, in which the second (video) projector 21 projects the various quality zones on the fabric, can also be implemented for the cutting machine 1, for example to optimize the installation of the templates on the material to be cut that has already been previously inspected.

We also observe that in this embodiment, the control unit C can be divided into two separate processing units, one to manage the lighting and one to manage the faults, but of course the present invention is not there. limited, and many other embodiments are possible.

It is clear that the present invention also relates to a general system arising from the combination of the cutting machine and the fabric inspection machine described above, for example arranged sequentially, with any suitable mechanical structure .

In conclusion, the present invention brilliantly overcomes the technical problem, providing the above apparatus and solving all the disadvantages of the prior art.

Advantageously, it is possible to obtain optimized lighting control without modifying in any way the mechanical and electronic structure of the device, since the used components are substantially unchanged and only a simple control is added to the control unit , which is thus able to carry out the automatic adjustment of the lighting system according to the chosen projector.

In this way, the operator always has an optimal vision of the elements projected onto the material in each functional mode, both in cutting machines and in inspection machines, thus being able to switch from one mode to another in an extremely simple.

Of course, those skilled in the art, to satisfy occasional and specific needs, can make various modifications and variations to the apparatus described above, all included within the framework of the protection of the invention as defined by the claims following.

Claims (12)

1 Apparatus (1, 1') for processing and/or inspecting material to be cut, comprising:
- a work table (2) adapted to provide a support plane for the material to be cut;
- at least a first projector (20) adapted to project elements (S) onto the work table (2);
- at least one second projector (21) adapted to project said elements (S) onto the work table (2), said second projector (21) being of a different type compared to the first projector (21) and being adapted to project said elements (S) according to a different projection mode;
- a control unit (C) for managing the apparatus (1), said control unit (C) being functionally connected to the first projector (20) and the second projector (21) and comprising functional means configured to allow defining the projected elements and selectively activating one of the first projector (20) or the second projector (21); And
- a lighting system (15) adapted to illuminate the work table (2),
characterized in that the control unit (C) is configured to control the lighting system (15) as a function of the activated spotlight, wherein said control unit (C) is configured to automatically switch the lighting system ( 15) between a first lighting mode when the first projector (20) is chosen, and a second lighting mode when the second projector (21) is chosen. 2 Apparatus (1, 1') according to claim 1, wherein the first projector (20) comprises at least one laser source and the second projector (21) is a video projector. 3 Apparatus (1, 1') according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit (C) is configured to modify the intensity of the light emitted by the lighting system (15) in switching the first lighting mode and the second lighting mode, and vice versa. 4 Apparatus (1, 1') according to claim 3, wherein the intensity of the light emitted by the lighting system (15) in the first lighting mode is greater than the intensity of the light emitted by said lighting system (15) in the second lighting mode. 5 Apparatus (1, 1') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting system (15) comprises LEDs which are controllable by the control unit (C). 6 Apparatus (1, 1') according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (C) is configured to allow the adjustment of the lighting modes of the lighting system (15), said adjustment being stored in said control unit (C). 7 Apparatus (1, 1') according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a support element (9) adapted to support at least the first projector (20) and the second projector (21). 8 Apparatus (1, 1 ') according to claim 7, in which the support element (9) is in the form of a support structure by crosspiece kept suspended above the work table (2) by at least one support post (9a) extending from said work table (2), wherein the work table (2) is a fixed plane and is free of obstruction along at least two sides parallels of superior extension. 9 Apparatus (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is a cutting machine comprising at least one cutting unit (3) adapted to cut the material arranged on the work table (2). 10 Apparatus (1) according to claim 9, in which the elements (S) to be projected are templates corresponding to the profile to be cut and/or the cut profile, whose position and orientation relative to the work table (2 ) are definable by the user using the control unit (C). 11 Apparatus (1') according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it is a fabric or leather inspection machine comprising:
- a plurality of image detectors (30) adapted to acquire images of a fabric or leather on the work table (2), in which the control unit (C) is configured to process the images acquired by said image detectors (30) and to generate a digital copy of the inspected tissue; And
- a signaling element (31) adapted to indicate defects on the surface of the fabric,
wherein the control unit (C) is further configured to correlate the defects on the fabric indicated by said signaling element (31) with the acquired image of the fabric. 12 Apparatus (1 ') according to claim 11, in which:
the first projector (20) and the second projector (21) are adapted to project the profile of the defect(s) indicated through the signaling element (31) onto the fabric, and/or
the control unit (C) is configured to define a plurality of cutting areas on the scanned image, wherein the type, number and position of said cutting areas are defined and optimized based on the information acquired by said control unit (C) during inspection of the fabric, the second projector (21) being adapted to project said defined cutting areas onto the fabric.