Finishing line automatic inspection system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12313565-B2
Application number	US-202318391931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2023
Priority date	Dec 24, 2020
Publication date	May 27, 2025
Grant date	May 27, 2025

Abstract

Automatic detection of mechanical defects in piece parts, such as floor covering planks, enables removal of the defective parts off an inspection path. A bypass conveyor system enables defective parts to be transported beyond or around a manual inspection, enabling personnel performing the subsequent inspection to focus on appearance defects. Once the remaining parts have been inspected by a manual process, the parts transported by the bypass conveyor system are returned to the production line. Defective parts may be distinguished by a marking capability that provides the ability to mark according to a variety of classes of defects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for automatic inspection of piece parts in a production facility, the system comprising:
a production path for serially transporting individual units of the piece parts along a direction of travel;
an alternate conveyance path proximate the production path;
a first image capture system for detecting characteristics of the individual units as each progresses on the production path;
a database of standards for each of a plurality of characteristics of the piece parts;
a processor in communication with the first image capture system and the database of standards for analyzing the detected characteristics of each of the individual units using the standards for one or more of the plurality of characteristics from the database; and
a piece part diverter assembly intermediate the production path and the alternate conveyance path for selectively diverting ones of the individual units from the production path onto the alternate conveyance path in response to input from the processor having determined that at least one of the standards associated with a respective characteristic has not been met,
wherein the alternate conveyance path is in at least one of a different plane than the production path,
wherein the piece part diverter assembly comprises an elevator system comprising a pusher for selectively contacting an individual unit and diverting the ones of the individual units from the production path to the alternate conveyance path,
wherein the pusher comprises a marking system, and
wherein the alternate conveyance path comprises at least one diversion conveyor for returning the selectively diverted ones of the individual units back to the production path.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the production path is a conveyor.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the alternate conveyance path is a vacuum belt conveyor.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment module for orienting the individual units with respect to the production path.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the alignment module further comprises at least one mechanical barrier for selectively preventing ones of the individual units from proceeding along the production path.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the at least one mechanical barrier comprises two vertically actuatable rods, each having a respective actuator in communication with the processor, disposed adjacent to the production path and different to the direction of travel of the production path, the rods adapted to be selectively moved in a different direction to prevent one of the individual units from proceeding along a portion of the production path and to be selectively moved to allow the one of the individual units to proceed along the portion of the production path.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the alignment module further comprises at least one sensor, in communication with the processor, for detecting when one of the individual units is abutted against both of the vertically actuatable rods and for moving the vertically actuatable rods to allow the one of the individual units to proceed along the production path.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one sensor of the alignment module is capable of detecting when the one of the individual units has proceeded along the production path beyond the vertically actuatable rods prior to the processor causing the vertically actuatable rod actuators to move the vertically actuatable rods in the different direction.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured for allowing a time interval after the one of the individual units has proceeded along the production path beyond the rods prior to the processor causing the rod actuators to move the rods to ensure proper separation of individual units.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an encoder in association with the production path and in communication with the processor for enabling the processor to determine the rate at which the production path is driven.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an individual unit optical detector for detecting the relative or absolute location of each of the individual units on the production path.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the individual units comprise hardwood, engineered hardwood, laminates, composites, and combinations thereof and wherein the detected characteristics of the individual units comprise one or more of:
a presence and size of one or more veneer void areas;
a presence and size of one or more veneer splits;
a presence and size of one or more veneer cracks;
a length of an individual unit;
a degree of positive or negative bow of an individual unit;
a minimum depth of the veneer; and
a maximum depth of the veneer.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the individual units are wood veneer planks and wherein the database of standards defines, with respect to each individual unit, an acceptable limit or range of limits for one or more of:
a veneer void area;
a crack width and/or length;
a plank of proper length;
a degree of positive or negative bow; and
a veneer depth.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second image capture system for detecting characteristics of the individual units proximate the ends thereof as each progresses on the production path.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the individual units proximate the ends thereof comprise:
the depth and/or length of a respective tongue or groove;
the geometry of the corners of the ends;
a quality of the staining of the corners of the ends;
a quality of the veneer at the ends; and
a quality of the bevel at the ends.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the piece part diverter assembly further comprises at least one manipulator for selectively removing the ones of the individual units from the production path and depositing the ones of the individual units onto the alternate conveyance path.

17. A system for automatic inspection of piece parts in a production facility, the system comprising:
a driven production conveyor for serially transporting individual units of the piece parts;
an alignment module comprising two actuatable rods, each having a respective actuator in communication with a processor, disposed adjacent to the production conveyor and different to the direction of travel of the production conveyor, the rods adapted to be selectively moved to prevent one of the individual units from proceeding along the production conveyor and to be selectively moved to allow the one of the individual units to proceed along the production conveyor;
a movement dampening module for inhibiting movement of the individual units with respect to the production conveyor;
a diversion conveyor proximate to and in at least one of a different plane and height from a portion of the production conveyor;
a first scanner system for detecting characteristics of the individual units as each progresses on the production conveyor;
a second scanner system for detecting characteristics of the individual units proximate the ends thereof as each progresses on the production conveyor;
a database of standards for each of a plurality of characteristics of the piece parts;
the processor in communication with the first scanner system and the database of standards for analyzing the detected characteristics of each of the individual units using the standards for one or more of the plurality of characteristics from the database;
at least one manipulator intermediate the production conveyor and the diversion conveyor for selectively d

Assignees

• Columbia Insurance Co

Inventors

• Glassell Richard
• Christman Chad
• Epstein Alex

Classifications

• G01N21/95

  characterised by the material or shape of the object to be examined (G01N21/89 - G01N21/91, G01N21/94 take precedence) · CPC title

• B07C5/36

  Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution {(sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02)} · CPC title

• B07C5/342

  according to optical properties, e.g. colour {(according to radiation transmittivity B07C5/3416)} · CPC title

• G01N2201/06113

  Coherent sources; lasers · CPC title

• G01N35/0099

  comprising robots or similar manipulators (robots per se B25J) · CPC title