Patent Application
20060237349
The present invention relates generally to automated manufacturing systems and, more particularly, to defect segregation systems.
There are a number of techniques which are presently used for making optical discs, such as compact discs (CDs) and digital versatile discs (DVDs), which contain data. One technique commonly used for high volume production is optical disc molding. In optical disc molding, data to be imprinted on the optical discs is contained in a metal stamp, or master. To form each optical disc, molten polycarbonate is injected into a disc mold and compressed against the metal stamp to form the pit impressions which are readable as data by an optical disc player. Oftentimes disc identification information is embedded into each disc during the molding process. Such information can be in the form of a bar code and/or identifier code which indicates an order number or other desired identification information.
After the discs are molded, the discs are typically sent to a printing machine to receive screen printing and offset printing. The printing machine will typically include a bar code/identifier code reader to verify that the discs being printed are the correct discs. Additionally, the screen printing machine can inspect the printing quality and other disc parameters, for example physical parameters of discs. Discs which have the wrong bar codes, identifier codes, are not properly printed, or fail other parameters are rejected by the printing machine and placed on a reject spindle.
Discs placed on the reject spindle should be discarded. However, production personnel sometimes attempt to salvage rejected discs to minimize scrap and maximize production yields. Unfortunately, such salvaged discs oftentimes have defects which are unacceptable to a paying consumer. Moreover, discs having different identifier codes and containing different content sometimes are inadvertently mixed prior to being placed in the screen printer. In consequence, some of these discs are incorrectly screen printed and packaged. For instance, a particular DVD may be screen printed and packaged as a particular movie, but the DVD may actually contain a different movie. Not only will such a disc anger a paying customer who wishes to own the movie they believe they have purchased, the disc also may violate certain copyright laws.
The present invention relates to a system and method for segregating objects, including an inspection system that automatically inspects a plurality of objects to identify objects having at least one particular characteristic. The object selection apparatus automatically selects the identified object based on the characteristic and deposits the identified object into a limited access storage container. In particular, an object chute transfers the identified object from the object selection apparatus to the storage container. The limited access storage container can be a removable bin. The inspection system can include at least one sensor, such as an inspection camera, for inspecting the objects.
The invention can further include a disc screen printer with an inspection system that automatically inspects the discs to identify discs having at least one particular characteristic. The object selection apparatus then automatically selects the identified disc based on the characteristic and deposits the identified disc into a limited access storage container. An object chute transfers the disc from the object selection apparatus to the storage container. The limited access storage container can be a removable bin. The inspection system can include at least one sensor, such as an inspection camera, for inspecting the objects. The automatically inspecting step can include identifying a defect in the objects and, more particularly, can include visually inspecting the objects. The identified object can be automatically stored in a container to which access is limited to authorized personnel.
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in more detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
The present invention relates to a system for segregating objects, for example manufactured items. The invention includes an inspection system that automatically inspects each of a plurality of objects to identify objects having a particular characteristic, such as improper labeling or physical defects. The invention also includes an object selection apparatus that automatically selects the identified objects, and a limited access storage container into which the identified objects are deposited for storage. Advantageously, the limited access storage container prevents unauthorized access to rejected items that have been removed from a production or packaging process, thereby minimizing the risk of rejected items being salvaged and commercially distributed.
Referring to
The object segregation system 100 can include an inspection system 104. The inspection system 104 can include sensors which capture data pertaining to the objects and identify certain ones of the objects that have at least one particular characteristic. The characteristic can be a manufacturing, labeling or packaging defect, or any other characteristic which may be automatically inspected. For example, the inspection system 104 can comprise an identification inspection camera 106 to inspect bar coding and serial numbering applied to compact discs (CDs) or digital versatile discs (DVDs)—hereinafter collectively referred to as discs—, and a print inspection camera 108 to inspect screen printing applied to the discs. Such cameras are known to those skilled in the art. It should be noted that the invention is not limited in this regard, however, and the inspection system 104 can include sensors that measure other parameters as well. For instance, the inspection system can include x-ray scanners, thermal imagers, etc. One or more processors (not shown) and suitable software and/or firmware also can be provided to process data collected by the sensors.
In operation, the object segregation system 100 can transport the objects to be inspected past the inspection system 104. For instance, the discs can be loaded onto a carrousel 110 that not only transports the discs to print stations 112, but also transports the discs to the inspection cameras 106,108 and to an unloading station 114. The unloading station 114 can include an object selection apparatus 116 and a limited access storage container 118. The object selection apparatus 116 can automatically select objects identified by the inspection system 104 as having a particular characteristic, such as being damaged or incorrectly marked, and deposit the selected objects into the storage container 118. The unloading station 114 can forward the remaining objects on for further processing and/or packaging.
A perspective view of the unloading station 114, object selection apparatus 116 and storage container 118 is shown in
The object selection apparatus 116 also can include an object reject arm 226 that places objects that have the particular characteristic into the storage container 118. For example, the object reject arm 226 can remove the rejected discs from the unloading arm 220 and drop the rejected discs into the storage container 118 via chute 228. As shown, the chute 228 can be configured to receive rejected discs and transport the discs into the storage container 118 using gravity. However, the invention is not limited in this regard. For example, a mechanical and/or electrical transport mechanism can be integrated into chute 228.
The chute 228 can comprise one or more surfaces 230, 232, 234, 236 which define an opening 238 for receiving objects and define a path to guide the objects into the storage container 118. In particular, a width 240 and depth 242 of the chute 228 can be optimized to facilitate transport of the rejected objects. For instance, the width 240 can be greater than a diameter of the discs 222 and the depth 242 can be greater than a thickness of the discs 222. As shown, dimensions of the opening 238 are larger than the width 240 and depth 242 of a lower portion 244 of the chute 238, however, the invention is not limited in this regard.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the chute 228 can be oriented such that the chute is substantially vertical to facilitate movement of the objects through the chute 228. In another arrangement, such as that shown in
Referring both to
While the foregoing is directed to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.
