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(11) | EP 2 931 015 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Device and method for the inspection of elements inside a fuse box Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Inspektion von Elementen in einem Sicherungskasten Dispositif et procédé pour l'inspection d'éléments à l'intérieur d'une boîte de fusibles |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention discloses a device for the inspection of elements inside a fuse box. In particular, the present invention aims to verify the proper arrangement of the fuses inside the box and, consequently, their proper electrical connection.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In known devices, the fuses can be inserted into the boxes automatically or manually but, in both cases, errors in the insertion of components may occur, which would affect the operation of the boxes. Generally, the electrical components of a fuse box comprise at least one pair of metal tabs which are inserted into corresponding electrified slots, whereby said connection serves as a mechanical fastening of the component to the fuse box, while allowing the electrical continuity for the proper operation of the electronic / electrical components (fuses and relays, among others). The correct insertion of such components determines the proper operation of the fuse box, for example, in the electrical system of a vehicle.
[0003] During insertion of the components, errors such as any of the following may occur: the component is not fully inserted, the component is inserted sideways, the metal pins of the component have not been inserted between the metal tracks of the slot but laterally along only one, or the components are not inserted in the preset position, or that the components which have been inserted do not correspond to the position wherein they have been inserted.
[0004] Various techniques are known in the market for the inspection of the correct connection of elements comprising pins, such as fuses, to a baseplate or, in particular, to a fuse box.
[0005] One of the most used techniques is based on the use of stereoscopic vision to detect such faulty connections.
[0006] This technique involves the provision of at least two cameras at a given angle relative to each other. Subsequently, the data obtained by these cameras is processed to generate a three-dimensional model which, once received the images, requires the processing of the data obtained which are compared with a master model for faults.
[0007] This technique requires processing a lot of data and also requires very high definition cameras when the elements detected are small. Therefore, the computational cost to perform this technique is very high.
[0008] Another known technique is the use of a visible light beam that travels longitudinally or transversely along the fuse box at a given angle of incidence. Additionally, a camera for the reading of said beam is arranged and element layout errors are detected.
[0009] The main drawback of this technique is that some objects may not be detected by the device since the beam is incident from a certain angle, so there may be a shadow effect that prevents the light beam from reaching certain elements.
[0010] Another drawback of this technique is that some of the elements arranged in the fuse boxes produce a dispersion effect which at minimum reduces the accuracy of measurement when using this technique.
[0011] US patent documents US6577757B1 and US5408537A relate to the fields of image processing, pattern recognition, and machine vision. The documents describe a capture of images and a later process of said images such as scaling, color treatment, detecting defects in the image, taking account of polarity features, performing gamma correction or grayscale reduction.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0012] In order to solve the problems presented by devices of the prior art, the present invention discloses a device for the inspection of elements inside a fuse box comprising the features of claim 1.
[0013] In particular embodiments of the present invention, the guide matrix comprises at least one row in a longitudinal direction of said tray. In addition, preferably, the guide matrix comprises at least one column in a transverse direction to said tray. Ultimately, the guide matrix can be a row matrix, a column matrix or it may comprise several rows and / or columns.
[0014] Preferably, the connection between the guide matrix and the wave generator comprises bearings and / or belts to facilitate movement of the wave generator between different points in the guide matrix. Said bearing and / or belt system can be replaced by magnetic means or may comprise a worm - spindle mechanism or any other means for moving a piece on a guide among those known in the prior art. Additionally, the wave reader may comprise coupling means to attach the wave reader to the wave generator, thus forming a single piece in which movement of the wave generator involves movement of the wave reader.
[0015] In one embodiment, the device of the invention comprises control means for controlling the displacement of the wave generator, said control means comprising, for example, a motor and a processor.
[0016] Regarding the wave generator, said wave generator can be a sound wave generator, electromagnetic generator, etc. Additionally, it may be an infrared laser or a laser of visible light. Said laser may also be a line laser so that with a single laser a larger area may be measured using a single laser and multiple light sensors.
[0017] Moreover, the present invention discloses a method for the inspection of elements in fuse boxes using the device described above, wherein the method comprises the steps of claim 12.
- a) provision of a fuse box in the tray;
- b) moving the wave generator along at least one of the rows or columns of the guide matrix;
- c) performing simultaneously to the movement at least one reading of the
[0018] Another form of inspection may be performed using the present invention, wherein the user pre-set distance is a threshold distance, i.e., the allowed tolerance of differences between distances is below this threshold distance. In this regard, step c) of the method would involve the measurement of at least two distances corresponding to two points of the matrix guide and, step d) entails comparing the subtraction between these two distances with the pre-set distance or threshold distance.
[0019] To complement the analysis, each of the elements arranged in the fuse box may be checked as to verify suitability using an artificial vision system comprising a camera and digital image processing means.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] These and other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, provided only by way of illustration and not in any way limiting the scope of the invention, with reference to the attached figures.
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a device according to the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a front view of the device of Figure 1.
Figure 3 shows a fuse box verifiable using the device of Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4 shows an example of a signal obtained after inspection of a first fuse box.
Figure 5 shows a second example of a signal obtained after inspection of a second fuse box.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0021] Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a device (1) according to the present invention. For the sake of a better understanding of the present invention, Figure 1 discloses a device (1) comprising a single row guide matrix, however, the same concept can be extrapolated to embodiments with multiple rows and columns.
[0022] Specifically, Figure 1 shows a device (1) for the inspection of the elements disposed within a fuse box (2). This inspection is based primarily on the measurement of distances between elements and a reference point, so it can be determined, for example, if a fuse is properly connected to the junction box, if disconnected and even if there is no fuse in a given position.
[0023] To perform this inspection, the present invention has a generating and reading mechanism (10) for the generation and reading of waves, wherein said generating and reading mechanism (10) comprises a laser type wave generator, and a laser type wave reader (or a light sensor) which is arranged on a guide (100) so as to allow movement which, in this case, is a longitudinal movement along the fuse box (2). However, particular embodiments of the invention comprise several guides (100) which may be arranged so that the beam moves in both a longitudinal and transverse direction relative to the fuse box (2).
[0024] The method for determining the distance between the wave generator and the fuse box (2) is a widely known process in the prior art and is based on determining the time between signal generation and reception of the signal which bounces off the fuse and is read by the wave reader. By knowing the wave displacement time and speed data, the space covered by said wave is obtained.
[0025] Additionally, the input of the fuse boxes (2) to the device (1) is performed by a fuse box (2) conveyor (12) which may be, for example, a conveyor belt system.
[0026] Moreover, the device (1) object of the present invention has a display screen (11) which allows viewing the data corresponding to the measurements made.
[0027] Figure 2 shows a front view of the device (1) of Figure 1 further representing the capacity of the laser generation and reading mechanism (10) to move in a transverse direction relative to the fuse box (2).
[0028] Figure 3 schematically shows a form of operation of the device (1) object of the present invention.
[0029] This figure shows the fuse box (2) with multiple elements connected to it. Additionally shown is the laser generation and reading mechanism (10) which moves along the fuse box (2). In this embodiment, the laser generator may be a line laser to perform a measurement of all the elements through a single sweep.
[0030] Figure 4 shows an example of an inspection conducted using the device (1) of the present invention.
[0031] In particular, a first step (201) is observed corresponding to the inspection of a first element (21), and a second step (203) corresponding to the inspection of a second element (23), and through the inspection of these two first and second elements (21, 22) details that cannot be observed by known inspection techniques are obtained, such as, for example, the presence of a small projection in a space (22) existing between these two first and second elements. Said projection is determined by the presence of the peak (202) in the measurement.
[0032] Another reading example is shown in Figure 5. In particular, this figure depicts the presence of a third element (24), a fourth element (25) and a fifth element (26). As can be seen from inspection of these third (24), fourth (25) and fifth (26) elements, the third (24) element corresponds to a third step (204) wherein there is a distance between the generation and reading mechanism (10) and the third element (24) of less than 66.5 mm, the fourth element (25) corresponds to a fourth step (205) wherein there is a distance between the generation and reading mechanism (10) and the fourth element (25) of approximately 67 mm, and the fifth element (26) corresponds to a fifth step (206) wherein there is a distance between the generation and reading mechanism (10) and the fifth element (26) of approximately 68 mm. With these measurements if, for example, the user knows that with a distance under 70mm the fuse would not be properly connected to the fuse box (2), the inspection would imply that the third (24), fourth (25) and fifth (26) elements are not properly connected to the fuse box (2).
[0033] Therefore, the device (1) could generate an alarm, or show on a display screen the elements that are not properly connected and thus the user would conduct an inspection and manual repair.
[0034] Furthermore, in particular embodiments of the present invention, the graph resulting from the inspection procedure (for example, a graph like that shown in Figures 4 and 5) may be compared with a master graph showing how the elements should be arranged in the device (1). Thus it would be possible to determine, for example, if a given space should be free for a fuse and has been occupied.
• a guide matrix (100) arranged parallel on the fuse box (2) received by the tray;
• a wave generator for generating a wave and directing the generated wave towards the fuse box (2); and
• a wave reader for receiving the wave generated by the wave generator, once the wave has bounced off the fuse box (2);
wherein both the wave generator and the wave reader are connected to the guide matrix (100), as well as are movable between at least two points in the guide matrix (100), for determining the distance between the wave generator and the fuse box (2) as the space covered by the wave between wave generation and wave reception, characterized by considering the speed of the wave and the time that the wave has been displacing from the wave generator to the wave reader;the device (1) being further characterized in that the generating and reading mechanism is configured to read elements in the fuse box (2) as well as a reference point in the fuse box (2), so as to indirectly determine the distance between the reference point and the element in the fuse box (2).
a.- arranging a fuse box (2) in the tray;
b.- moving the wave generator along at least one of the rows or columns of the guide matrix (100), while the wave generator generates a wave and directs the generated wave towards the fuse box (2);
c.- simultaneously with the movement of step b), conducting at least one reading of the distance between the wave generator and the fuse box (2) by means of the wave reader, which receives the wave generated by the wave generator after the wave has bounced off the fuse box (2), characterized by determining the time that the wave has been displacing from the wave generator to the wave reader, wherein the distance is determined as the space covered by the wave between wave generation and wave reception by considering the speed of the wave and the time that the wave has been displacing from the wave generator to the wave reader; and reading the distance for elements in the fuse box (2) as well as for a reference point in the fuse box (2), so as to indirectly determine the distance between the reference point and the element in the fuse box (2);
d.- comparing at least one of the distances obtained with a pre-set distance.
• eine Führungsmatrix (100), die parallel auf dem Sicherungskasten (2) angeordnet ist, der von dem Träger empfangen wird;
• einen Wellengenerator zum Erzeugen einer Welle und Lenken der erzeugten Welle in Richtung des Sicherungskastens (2); und
• einen Wellenleser zum Empfangen der Welle, die durch den Wellengenerator erzeugt wurde, sobald die Welle aus dem Sicherungskasten (2) geprellt ist;
wobei sowohl der Wellengenerator als auch der Wellenleser mit der Führungsmatrix (100) verbunden sind, und auch zwischen mindestens zwei Punkten in der Führungsmatrix (100) beweglich sind, zum Bestimmen des Abstands zwischen dem Wellengenerator und dem Sicherungskasten (2) als auch des Raums, der durch die Wellen zwischen der Wellenerzeugung und dem Wellenempfang abgedeckt wird, gekennzeichnet durch Betrachten der Geschwindigkeit der Welle und der Zeit, während der sich die Welle von dem Wellengenerator zu dem Wellenleser bewegt hat;wobei die Vorrichtung (1) ferner dadurch gekennzeichnet ist, dass der Erzeugungs- und Lesemechanismus gestaltet ist, um die Elemente in dem Sicherungskasten (2) zu lesen sowie als ein Bezugspunkt in dem Sicherungskasten (2), um indirekt den Abstand zwischen dem Bezugspunkt und dem Element in dem Sicherungskasten (2) zu bestimmen.
a. Anordnen eines Sicherungskastens (2) in dem Träger;
b. Bewegen des Wellengenerators entlang mindestens einer der Zeilen oder Spalten der Führungsmatrix (100), während der Wellengenerator eine Welle erzeugt und die erzeugte Welle in Richtung des Schaltkastens (2) leitet;
c. gleichzeitig mit der Bewegung aus Schritt b), Durchführen mindestens eines Lesens des Abstands zwischen dem Wellengenerator und dem Schaltkasten (2) durch den Wellenleser, der die durch den Wellengenerator erzeugte Welle empfängt, nachdem die Welle aus dem Schaltkasten (2) geprellt ist, durch das Bestimmen der Zeit gekennzeichnet, während der die Welle sich von dem Wellengenerator zu dem Wellenleser bewegt, wobei der Abstand als der Raum bestimmt wird, der durch die Welle zwischen der Wellenerzeugung und dem Wellenempfang abgedeckt wird, durch Betrachten der Geschwindigkeit der Welle und der Zeit, währen der sich die Welle von dem Wellengenerator zu dem Wellenleser bewegt; und Lesen des Abstands für Elemente in dem Sicherungskasten (2) sowie für den Bezugspunkt in dem Sicherungskasten (2), um indirekt den Abstand zwischen dem Bezugspunkt und dem Element in dem Sicherungskasten (2) zu bestimmen;
d. Vergleichen von mindestens einem der Abstände, die mit einem voreingestellten Abstand erhalten wurden.
• une matrice de guidage (100) disposée parallèle à la boîte à fusibles (2) reçue par le plateau ;
• un générateur d'ondes pour générer une onde et diriger l'onde générée vers la boîte à fusibles (2) ; et
• un lecteur d'ondes pour recevoir l'onde générée par le générateur d'ondes, une fois que l'onde a rebondi sur la boîte à fusibles (2) ;
dans lequel le générateur d'ondes et le lecteur d'ondes sont connectés à la matrice de guidage (100), et sont mobiles entre au moins deux points dans la matrice de guidage (100), pour la détermination de la distance entre le générateur d'ondes et la boîte à fusibles (2) comme l'espace occupé par l'onde entre la génération de l'onde et la réception de l'onde, caractérisé par la prise en compte de la vitesse de l'onde et de la durée à laquelle l'onde s'est déplacée du générateur d'ondes au lecteur d'ondes ;le dispositif (1) étant caractérisé en outre en ce que le mécanisme de génération et de lecture est configuré pour lire des éléments dans la boîte à fusibles (2) ainsi qu'un point de référence dans la boîte à fusibles (2), de sorte à déterminer indirectement la distance entre le point de référence et l'élément dans la boîte à fusibles (2).
a.- disposer une boîte à fusibles (2) dans le plateau ;
b. - déplacer le générateur d'ondes le long d'au moins l'une des rangées ou colonnes de la matrice de guidage (100), tandis qu'un générateur d'ondes génère une onde et dirige l'onde générée vers la boîte à fusibles (2) ;
c.- simultanément avec le mouvement de l'étape b), effectuer au moins une lecture de la distance entre le générateur d'ondes et la boîte à fusibles (2) au moyen du lecteur d'ondes, qui reçoit l'onde générée par le générateur d'ondes après que l'onde a rebondi sur la boîte à fusibles (2), caractérisé par la détermination de la durée à laquelle l'onde s'est déplacée du générateur d'ondes au lecteur d'ondes, dans lequel la distance est déterminée comme l'espace occupé par l'onde entre la génération de l'onde et la réception de l'onde en prenant en compte la vitesse de l'onde et la durée à laquelle l'onde s'est déplacée du générateur d'ondes au lecteur d'ondes ; et lire la distance pour des éléments dans la boîte à fusibles (2) ainsi que pour un point de référence dans la boîte à fusibles (2), de sorte à déterminer indirectement la distance entre le point de référence et l'élément dans la boîte à fusibles (2) ;
d.- comparer au moins l'une des distances obtenues avec une distance préétablie.
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description