Technical Field

The present invention relates to a system for the identification of defects.

Background Art

Various systems are known for the identification of defects which are widely used at industrial level, e.g., along production lines, to identify any manufacturing defects of the products being made.

In particular, known systems are used to quickly and automatically identify defects, such as structural, aesthetic and similar defects, which make the products not in conformity with the quality standards required by the industry and the identification of which, to be detected, would require long inspection times by an operator.

Generally, known systems use artificial vision systems which scan finished or partially-finished products and identify the position and physical characteristics of any defects found.

Advantageously, the results obtained from the scan are displayed on a dedicated screen which shows all the information relating to the defective product and to the defects found on it, such as, e.g., the position and/or the extent of the defect. In this way, the data collected by the artificial vision system are accessible to a skilled operator who is able to remove the defective part from the production line and take the necessary steps to eliminate the defects.

The systems for the identification of defects of this type do however have some drawbacks related to the identification of defects.

In fact, it often happens that several products to be inspected pass along the production line at the same time and are correctly identified by the system, but are difficult for the operator to identify.

In other words, despite the fact that the defective products and/or defects are correctly displayed on the screen, there is no immediate visual correspondence between the defective product and/or the“virtual” defects, i.e. those displayed on the screen, and the defective product and/or the“real” defects, i.e. those actually arranged along the production line.

To overcome these problems, the systems for the identification of known defects use defect marking systems which use automatic ink markers or laser pointers to mark/highlight the position of the“real” defects.

In particular, the use of paint markers requires the use of at least one guide frame which must allow at least one print head to reach any point of the product to be inspected and any product to be inspected.

Nevertheless, a guide structure of this type has clear resolution limits associated with marking two or more closely spaced defects and is extremely complex and costly both in terms of installation and maintenance.

The use of laser markers, on the other hand, has clear limitations in the case of products to be inspected made of transparent materials such as glass, Plexiglas or the like, which are crossed by the laser’ s light beam.

Description of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to devise a system for the identification of defects which permits identifying the position of the defective product and/or the related defects with the utmost precision.

Another object of the present invention is to devise a system for the identification of defects which permits establishing a clear and unambiguous correspondence for the operator between the product/ virtual” defects and the product/‘real” defects.

A further object of the present invention is to devise a system for the identification of defects which allows the operator to display in real time the information relating to a specific product and/or to a specific defect during the inspection of the product/‘real” defect.

A further object of the present invention is to devise a system for the identification of defects that allows overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art within a simple, rational, easy, effective to use and low-cost solution.

The above mentioned objects are achieved by the present system for the identification of defects having the characteristics of claim 1.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more evident from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a system for the identification of defects, illustrated by way of an indicative, but non-limiting example, in the attached tables of drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an axonometric view of an embodiment of the system according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an axonometric view of an element of the system according to the invention in use by a user;

Figures 3 to 7 are schematic representations of the system in use according to the invention;

Figures 8 to 10 are axonometric views of a further embodiment of the system according to the invention;

Figure 11 is an axonometric view of an additional embodiment of the system according to the invention.

Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to these illustrations, reference numeral 1 globally indicates a system for the identification of defects.

The system 1 for the identification of defects comprises at least one pair of eyeglasses 2 for augmented reality which can be worn by an operator 3 and connected to at least one detection system 4 for detecting at least one defect 5 on a product 6.

According to the invention, as shown in the figures, the system 1 is of the type of a system for the identification of defects particularly indicated for the identification of defects on products 6 having sheet-like conformation.

In particular, the eyeglasses 2 comprise:

detection means 9, 10, 11, 17 for detecting the position and the orientation of the eyeglasses 2 with respect to the defect 5;

at least one display 8 arranged in use in front of at least one eye of the operator 3 and configured to display virtual information superimposed on what is seen by the operator 3.

In particular, in the following of the present treatise, the term detection system 4 means any detection system 4 of known type the purpose of which is to detect defects on the product 6, e.g., by means of artificial vision and image recognition means, and collect data relating to the identified defects 5, such as the extent of the defect, its position, its shape and size and other similar information.

Furthermore, the term“defect” means any type of structural or aesthetic feature which does not conform to the quality standards of the product 6.

According to a preferred embodiment, the detection means 9, 10, 11, 17 comprise at least one gyroscope sensor 9 and at least one accelerometer 10. Moreover, the detection means 9, 10, 11, 17 comprise at least one image acquisition device 11 which is arranged in front of the eyeglasses 2 so as to acquire with precision the images of what is seen by the operator 3 sees.

Preferably, the device 11 is a high resolution camera which, in collaboration with the gyroscope sensor 9 and the accelerometer 10, allows detecting the position and orientation of the eyeglasses 2 in real time.

In other words, the detection means 9, 10, 11, 17 permit precisely detecting the position of the operator 3, in what direction he/she is looking and what he/she is looking at.

Advantageously, the display 8 is of the type of a see-through display, i.e. a substantially transparent image display screen, with which the operator 3 sees the images shown on the screen, superimposed on what is in front of him/her. According to the invention, the display 8 is placed in front of an eye of the operator 3, however, alternative embodiments of the eyeglasses 2 cannot be ruled out, e.g., where the display 8 is a screen placed in front of both eyes of the operator 3.

Conveniently, the system 1 comprises guide means configured to process in real time at least one virtual guide indication 12, 13, 14 starting from the position and from the orientation of the eyeglasses 2 with respect to the defect 5 and configured to show in real time on the display 8 the virtual guide indication 12, 13, 14 that the operator 3 must follow to see the defect 5.

Specifically, the virtual guide indication 12, 13, 14 comprises at least one direction indicator 12 adapted to guide the operator 3 towards the defect 5.

Conveniently, the direction indicator 12 is an indicator of the graphic type having a substantially arrow shape, but alternative embodiments cannot be ruled out, e.g., where the direction indicator 12 is of the alphabetical type. In particular, the guide means are configured to process in real time the characteristics of the direction indicator 12 to be shown on the display 8 in accordance with the acquired images, the position and the orientation of the eyeglasses 2 detected by the detection means 9, 10, 11, 17.

More in detail, the term“characteristics” used with reference to the direction indicator 12 means, in the case of the direction indicator 12 being an arrow, the graphic characteristics, e.g., the shape, the dimension and the color, or, in the case of the direction indicator being of the alphabetical type, the type of alphabetical string to be displayed, e.g.,“right” or“left”.

Advantageously, with each movement of the operator 3, the guide means process the new characteristics of the direction indicator 12 to be displayed on the display 8 to guide the operator towards the defect 5.

In fact, each variation in the shape and/or size of the direction indicator 12 shown on the display 8 is interpreted by the operator 3 as a specific movement to be performed in the space to see the defect 5.

Advantageously, the direction indicator 12 is shown on the display 8 to indicate the defective product 6 out of a plurality of products observed by the operator 3. In fact, when the operator 3 inspects a plurality of products 6, the direction indicator 12 is shown on the display 8 to indicate a defective product 6, as shown in the Figures 3 and 4, in which the direction indicator 12 is an arrow pointing towards the defective product 6.

Furthermore, when the detection means 9, 10, 11, 17 detect that the operator 3 is placed in front of the defective product 6 at a predefined distance from the latter, the direction indicator 12 is shown on the display 8 to guide the operator 3 along the body of the product 6 so as to allow him/her to accurately see a specific defect 5.

Furthermore, the virtual guide indication 12, 13, 14 comprises at least one virtual position indicator 13 of the defect 5 shown on the display 8 at the position of the defect 5.

Conveniently, the direction indicator 12 is an indicator of the graphic type, but alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out, e.g., in which the position indicator 13 is of the alphanumeric type, or in which it is of both the graphic and alphanumeric type.

In particular, the guide means are configured to show the position indicator 13 on the display 8 when the operator 3 looks towards the defect 5, i.e., when the eyeglasses 2 are oriented towards the defect 5.

More in detail, the guide means display the position indicator 13 on the display 8 when the device 11 acquires the images of the defect 5.

In this way, the operator 3 looking at the defect 5 via the display 8, sees the position indicator 13 displayed on the latter which is arranged substantially at the position of the defect 5 on the product 6, as shown in Figure 5.

In fact, unlike the direction indicator 12, the position indicator 13 is a fixed indicator to identify the exact point at which the defect 5 is positioned.

Conveniently, the guide indication 12, 13, 14 comprises at least one position indicator 13 shown on the display 8 at each defect 5 framed by the device 11. Furthermore, the virtual guide indication 12, 13, 14 comprises at least one virtual relevance indicator 14 having a graphic representation of variable shape and/or chromatic intensity according to the extent of the defect 5 and shown on the display 8 at the position of the defect 5.

The term“extent” used with reference to the defects 5 means not only the severity of the damage that the defect 5 causes to the product 6, but also the type of defect present on the product 6 in order to distinguish, with graphic representations of variable shape and/or chromatic intensity, defects 5 of different type, e.g. distinguishing a scratch from a bubble or a crack.

Similarly to what has been described with reference to the position indicator 13, the guide means are configured to show the relevance indicator 14 on the display 8 when the operator 3 looks substantially towards the defect 5, i.e. when the eyeglasses 2 are oriented towards the defect 5.

Furthermore, the guide indication 12, 13, 14 comprises at least one relevance indicator 14 shown on the display 8 at each defect 5 framed by the device 11. Advantageously, the position indicator 13 coincides with the relevance indicator 14.

According to the invention, the guide means are configured to process at least one graphic representation 15 of the defect 5 on the product 6 and to show the graphic representation 15 on the display 8.

According to the invention, the graphic representation 15 is a scale diagram provided with Cartesian references of the product 6 and of the defects 5 present on it, as shown in Figure 7.

Alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out wherein the graphic representation 15 is of a different type, e.g. a real image of the product 6.

Furthermore, similarly to what has been described for the graphic representation 15, the guide means are configured to show on the display 8 at least one detailed image of the defect 5 detected by the detection system 4.

Advantageously, the guide means are configured to process additional data related to at least one of the defect 5 and the product 6 and configured to show the additional data processed on the display 8, the additional data being detected by the detection system 4.

Advantageously, the guide means are configured to display all the data obtained from the detection made by the detection system 4, such as, e.g., how many products and how many defects have been detected.

Furthermore, the guide means are configured to process such data in order to provide the operator 3 with additional information, such as, e.g., the average of the defects 5 per product 6 or the percentage of defective products 6.

Conveniently, the system 1 comprises direct control means of the guide means by the operator 3.

In particular, the direct control means comprise at least one keypad mounted on the eyeglasses 2 and provided with a plurality of keys, such as, e.g., keys of the directional type, confirmation keys and the like, adapted to control the guide means.

Advantageously, the keypad allows the operator 3 to decide which guide indications 12, 13, 14 are shown on the display 8 and how they are shown, e.g., according to the number of defects 5 detected on the product 6 or according to the distance between the defects 5.

In fact, in the event of two defects 5, particularly distant from one another, being detected on the product 6, the direct control means allow the operator 3 to choose to display, on the display 8, the direction indicator 12 towards the first defect 5 or towards the second defect 5 and, once the position of the selected defect 5 has been reached, to show, on the display 8, the direction indicator 12 towards the other.

Preferably, the direct control means also comprise a microphone mounted on the eyeglasses 2 and are configured to control the guide means through voice commands pronounced by the operator 3.

In this way, the operator 3 is free to carry out any operation of the manual type, while at the same time controlling the guide means vocally.

The system 1 comprises automatic control means of the guide means.

In particular, the automatic control means are connected to the guide means and to the detection system 4.

Advantageously, the automatic control means automatically control what is shown by the guide means on the display 8.

In this way, the automatic control means automatically show on the display 8 some additional data related to the defect 5 that the operator 3 is looking at.

For example, when the operator 3 is oriented towards the defect 5 and has moved within a predefined distance therefrom, the automatic control means automatically activate the display of the detailed image of the defect 5 on the display 8, as shown in Figure 6.

Alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out in which the automatic control means automatically display another type of information, for example, once all the defects 5 of the product 6 have been displayed, the automatic control means could activate in an automatic manner the display of the guide indication 12, 13, 14 to the defect of another product 6.

In an alternative embodiment of the system 1 shown in Figures 8 to 10, the system 1 comprises one of at least one signaler l6a, l6b and at least one reader element 17, and the detection means 9, 10, 11, 17 comprise the other of at least one signaler l6a, l6b and at least one reader element 17 mounted along a production line 7 at which the product 6 is arranged.

In particular, the signaler l6a, l6b and the reader element 17 are configured to operate in conjunction with each other to identify the mutual position between the operator 3 and the product 6. Alternative embodiments of the system 1 cannot however be ruled out, in which the detection means 9, 10, 11, 17 comprise the gyroscope 9, the accelerometer 10, the device 11 and the reader element 17, and in which the same operate in conjunction with each other and with the signaler 16a, 16b to identify the mutual position between the product 6, any defects 5 and the operator 3.

Furthermore, with particular reference to this embodiment, the term“product” means a product 6 in the sheet form made of a substantially transparent material, for example glassy materials.

Advantageously, according to this embodiment, the signaler 16a, 16b is of the type of an active signaler configured to transmit at least one reference signal read by the reader element 17.

Preferably, the signaler 16a, 16b and the reader element 17 are of the type of an electronic transmitter and of an electronic receiver, respectively.

Moreover, the system 1 can comprise a plurality of fixed signalers 16a arranged in a regular manner along the production line 7 at predefined positions and arranged, in use, facing the product 6 so as to indicate a plurality of sectors of the product 6 to the reader element 17.

In this way, the analyzed product 6 is crossed by a plurality of reference signals which divide the surface of the product itself into various different sectors identified by the reader element 17.

Advantageously, such sectors allow the system 1 to precisely map each point of the surface of the product 6 and, consequently, they are used by the guide means to process particularly precise guide indications 12, 13, 14.

Conveniently, the system 1 can comprise:

a plurality of movable signalers 16b; and

movement means 18 of the movable signalers 16b configured to arrange the latter in the proximity of the perimeter edge of the product 6, so as to indicate to the reader element 17 the size of the product itself.

In particular, the movement means 18 can coincide with the support means of the product 6 of known type, e.g., of the type of support bars associated with the production line 7 movable close to/away from the perimeter portions of the product 6 and adapted to fix the position of the latter during the identification of the defects by the operator 3.

Alternative embodiments of the system 1 cannot however be ruled out wherein the movement means 18 are of the type of movable support bars adapted only to position the signalers l6a, l6b in the proximity of the perimeter portions of the product 6.

Advantageously, the movement means 18 allow positioning the movable signalers l6b at various different reference points arranged along the perimeter of the product 6, in order to substantially define the extension thereof.

In this way, the reference signal emitted by each signaler l6a, l6b indicates with the utmost precision to the reader element 17 the extension of the product 6 displayed by the operator 3 by means of the eyeglasses 2.

Consequently, the guide means process the guide indications 12, 13, 14 according to the extension of the product 6 indicated by the movable signalers l6b to the reader element 17, thus ensuring the utmost precision of the indication or of the guide indications 12, 13, 14 processed in this way.

According to the invention, various embodiments of the system 1 cannot however be ruled out, for example wherein the system 1 comprises only a plurality of fixed signalers l6a, or wherein the system 1 comprises only a plurality of movable signalers l6b, or wherein the system 1 comprises a plurality of fixed signalers l6a and a plurality of movable signalers l6b.

Advantageously, the signalers l6a, l6b can comprise a plurality of emitters configured to emit a plurality of reference signals along predefined emission directions different to each other and spaced apart from each other by a predefined angular distance.

In this way, in a possible embodiment of the system 1 shown in figure 11, the system 1 can comprise four movable signalers l6b arranged at the ends of a pair of support bars, which, in use, substantially arrange a movable signaler l6b in the proximity of each corner of the product 6, or in the present case, at each corner of a sheet.

In particular, each movable signaler l6b is provided with four emitters configured to emit four corresponding reference signals along four distinct predefined directions, each of which is spaced apart from the others by a predefined angular distance of 120°, and each of which is spaced apart from the plane defined by the product 6 by 60°.

In other words, the directions of emission substantially delimit a region of visibility of the reference signal which extends at least in part outside both faces of the product 6 and inside which the reader element 17 receives the reference signals.

Alternative embodiments of the system 1 cannot however be ruled out, wherein the system 1 comprises a different number of movable signalers l6b and/or of emitters, or wherein the predefined directions are spaced apart from each other by an angular distance of different value, e.g. 180°.

In particular, embodiments cannot however be ruled out wherein the signalers l6a, l6b are configured to emit a reference signal in an omnidirectional manner in the surrounding space.

These measures allow the reference signal emitted by each signaler l6a, l6b to reach the reader element 17 regardless of the position of the latter with respect to the product 6.

Advantageously, this characteristic enables the eyeglasses 2 to show the guide indications 12, 13, 14 to the operator 3 in a precise and consistent manner with respect to the mutual position between the same operator and the product 6 and with respect to the observation angle whereby the operator 3 observes the product 6.

In this way, for example, the eyeglasses 2 show the operator 3 the guide indications 12, 13, 14 towards a possible defect 5 regardless of whether the operator is observing the front or rear face of the product 6, as shown in Figure 11. In fact, with particular reference to sheet-shaped and transparent products 6, it often happens that the operator 3 is interested in observing both faces of the product 6.

Advantageously, according to the invention, the signalers l6a, l6b are operatively connected to the electric network to be supplied.

In other words, the signalers l6a, l6b are preferably of the type wired to the power supply, e.g. by means of the production line 7.

In particular, the signalers l6a, l6b are of the type selected from a signaler configured to transmit a reference signal of the infrared type and a signaler configured to transmit a reference signal of the laser type.

Furthermore, the signalers l6a and l6b configured to transmit a reference signal of the infrared type are preferably used for the signalers l6a, l6b adapted to transmit a signal intended to cross the product 6. On the other hand, the signalers l6a, l6b configured to transmit a reference signal of the laser type are preferably used for signalers l6a, l6b adapted to transmit a signal intended not to cross the product 6.

According to the invention, in one version of the embodiment of the system 1 shown in figures 8, 9 and 10, the signalers l6a, l6b are of the type of passive signalers, in which the reader element 17 is configured to read the signaler l6a, l6b.

In particular, in this version, the signalers l6a, l6b are of the type of graphic signalers, such as, e.g., barcodes, QR codes, Aruco markers and the like.

In this way, the signalers l6a, l6b do not require any power supply and their installation, especially on existing systems, is particularly simple and fast.

The operation of the system 1, according to the invention, is described by the following method for the identification of defects comprising at least the steps of:

detection of defects 5 carried out by means of a detection system 4 of at least one defect 5 of a product 6;

supply of at least one pair of eyeglasses 2 for augmented reality that can be worn by an operator 3 and connected to the detection system 4;

detection of the position and the orientation of the eyeglasses 2 with respect to the defect 5 by means of detection means 9, 10, 11, 17 for detecting the position and the orientation which are mounted on the eyeglasses 2;

display of virtual information superimposed on what is seen by the operator 3 by means of at least one display 8 mounted on the eyeglasses 2 and arranged in use in front of at least one eye of the operator 3.

Furthermore, the method for the identification of defects comprises at least one guide step for guiding the operator 3 towards the defect 5 comprising at least the phases of: real time processing of at least one virtual guide indication 12, 13, 14 starting from the position and the orientation of the eyeglasses 2 with respect to the defect 5 obtained from the detection of the defect 5;

real time display of the virtual guide indication 12, 13, 14 on the display 8, the virtual guide indication 12, 13, 14 being followed by the operator 3 to see the defect 5.

In particular, the processing involves processing in real time at least one direction indicator 12 and the display involves displaying the latter, again in real time, on the display 8.

In this way, the operator 3 performs the movements suggested by the direction indicator 12 through the display 8 until the defect 5 is seen.

Furthermore, the processing also involves processing at least one position indicator and the display provides for displaying the latter on the display 8 at the point where the defect 5 is located on the product 6.

In this way, when the eyeglasses 2 are turned towards the product 6 substantially in front of the defect 5, the operator 3 is able to clearly and univocally identify the position of the defect 5 on the product 6 by means of the position indicator 13 displayed on the display 8.

It has in practice been ascertained that the described invention achieves the intended objects.

In particular, the guide means allow the operator quickly and precisely identifying all the defects present on a product.

More in detail, the virtual guide indications shown on the display allow the operator to be guided towards the defects by means of particularly simple and intuitive direction indicators to be followed.

Furthermore, the virtual guide indications allow precisely identifying the defects directly on the defective product by means of the position indicators which are able to establish a univocal and clear correspondence for the operator between the“virtual” defects and the“real” defects.

What is more, the direct control means in conjunction with the automatic control means allow the operator to interface in a practical and fast manner with the guide means.