U.S. patent application number 15/337370 was filed with the patent office on 2017-06-29 for ammunition inspecting system.
The applicant listed for this patent is POONGSAN CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Dong Hee LEE.
Application Number | 20170184383 15/337370 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56499621 |
Filed Date | 2017-06-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170184383 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LEE; Dong Hee |
June 29, 2017 |
AMMUNITION INSPECTING SYSTEM
Abstract
An ammunition inspecting system comprises a tray wheel, a
plurality of tray units on the tray wheel, a tray inserting pusher
seating ammunition cartridges on the tray units, an ammunition side
image capturing module facing an upper portion of the tray wheel,
an ammunition actuating roller approaching a tray unit, rotating a
particular ammunition cartridge on the tray unit, and then escaping
off, an ammunition discharging module adjacent to a start point of
the tray wheel to receive and convey the ammunition cartridges from
the tray units, an ammunition bottom image capturing module at a
side of the upper portion and including one or more cameras
vertically image-capturing bottom surfaces of the ammunition
cartridges, and an ammunition recovering module at a side of the
upper portion and pushing the ammunition cartridges out of the tray
units.
Inventors: |
LEE; Dong Hee; (Busan,
KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
POONGSAN CORPORATION |
Pyeongtaek-si |
|
KR |
|
|
Family ID: |
56499621 |
Appl. No.: |
15/337370 |
Filed: |
October 28, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 5/2256 20130101;
F42B 35/00 20130101; H04N 5/247 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F42B 35/00 20060101
F42B035/00; H04N 5/225 20060101 H04N005/225; H04N 5/247 20060101
H04N005/247 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 28, 2015 |
KR |
10-2015-0187040 |
Claims
1. An ammunition inspecting system, comprising: a disk-shaped tray
wheel having an outer circumferential surface rotated in a vertical
direction by a horizontal rotation shaft; a plurality of tray units
provided on the outer circumferential surface of the tray wheel; a
tray inserting pusher seating ammunition cartridges on the tray
units; an ammunition side image capturing module disposed to face
the outer circumferential surface of an upper portion of the tray
wheel; an ammunition actuating roller approaching a tray unit
loading a particular ammunition cartridge image-captured by the
ammunition side image capturing module, rotating the particular
ammunition cartridge, and then escaping off; an ammunition
discharging module disposed adjacent to a start point of the outer
circumferential surface of a lower portion of the tray wheel to
receive and convey the ammunition cartridges dropping from the tray
units; an ammunition bottom image capturing module provided at a
side of the upper portion of the tray wheel and including one or
more can vertically image-capturing bottom surfaces of the
ammunition cartridges seated on the tray units; and an ammunition
recovering module provided at a side of the upper portion of the
tray wheel and pushing the ammunition cartridges out of the tray
units in a direction perpendicular to a revolving direction thereof
and perpendicular to an image capturing direction of the ammunition
side image capturing module, wherein the ammunition side image
capturing module includes at least one first camera image-capturing
the particular ammunition cartridge rotated as the ammunition
actuating roller approaches, a first ammunition side light
assisting in the image-capturing of the first camera, at least one
second camera image-capturing the particular ammunition cartridge
after the ammunition actuating roller escapes off and the
particular ammunition cartridge undergoes a predetermined
revolution, and a second ammunition side light assisting in the
image capturing of the second camera.
2. The ammunition inspecting system of claim 1, wherein the tray
inserting pusher is provided adjacent to the start point of the
outer circumferential surface of the upper portion of the tray
wheel, wherein the ammunition bottom image capturing module
includes a primer camera and a primer edge camera arranged to
image-capture, at different focal lengths, bottom surfaces of
ammunition cartridges seated on different tray units, and wherein
the ammunition side image capturing module includes a line scan
camera, a bullet camera, a casing camera, a discoloring camera, and
an annealing camera image-capturing an overall outer
circumferential surface of the particular ammunition cartridge
while the particular ammunition cartridge rotates, and the
ammunition side image capturing module further includes a
heterogeneous ammunition camera image-capturing a portion of the
outer circumferential surface after the particular ammunition
cartridge stops rotating and then undergoes the predetermined
revolution.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2015-0187040, filed
on Dec. 28, 2015, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the
disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure concerns inspection of ammunition,
and more specifically, to an ammunition inspecting system
inspecting ammunition cartridges based on images captured for the
overall surface of the ammunition cartridges by rotating and
revolving the ammunition cartridges.
DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART
[0003] Machine vision (MV) is the technology and methods used to
provide imaging-based automatic inspection and analysis for such
applications as automatic inspection, process control, and robot
guidance in industry. A similar concept to MV is computer vision
(CV) that deals with acquiring, processing, analyzing and
understanding digital images from products.
[0004] Such MV or CV has various applications, including automatic
product inspection, packaging inspection, surface inspection, and
detecting defects or blemishes on products, etc.
[0005] Meanwhile, it might be tricky to detect and inspect a good
deal of ammunition and screen out defective or different types of
ammunition. MV, CV, or its similar image processing apparatuses may
be adopted to conduct such tasks.
SUMMARY
[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an
ammunition inspecting system comprises a disk-shaped tray wheel
having an outer circumferential surface rotated in a vertical
direction by a horizontal rotation shaft, a plurality of tray units
provided on the outer circumferential surface of the tray wheel, a
tray inserting pusher seating ammunition cartridges on the tray
units, an ammunition side image capturing module disposed to face
the outer circumferential surface of an upper portion of the tray
wheel, an ammunition actuating roller approaching a tray unit
loading a particular ammunition cartridge image-captured by the
ammunition side image capturing module, rotating the particular
ammunition cartridge, and then escaping off, an ammunition
discharging module disposed adjacent to a start point of the outer
circumferential surface of a lower portion of the tray wheel to
receive and convey the ammunition cartridges dropping from the tray
units, an ammunition bottom image capturing module provided at a
side of the upper portion of the tray wheel and including one or
more cameras vertically image-capturing bottom surfaces of the
ammunition cartridges seated on the tray units, and an ammunition
recovering module provided at a side of the upper portion of the
tray wheel and pushing the ammunition cartridges out of the tray
units in a direction perpendicular to a revolving direction thereof
and perpendicular to an image capturing direction of the ammunition
side image capturing module.
[0007] The ammunition side image capturing module may include at
least one first camera image-capturing the particular ammunition
cartridge rotated as the ammunition actuating roller approaches, a
first ammunition side light assisting in the image-capturing of the
first camera, at least one second camera image-capturing the
particular ammunition cartridge after the ammunition actuating
roller escapes off and the particular ammunition cartridge
undergoes a predetermined revolution, and a second ammunition side
light assisting in the image capturing of the second camera.
[0008] The tray inserting pusher may be provided adjacent to the
start point of the outer circumferential surface of the upper
portion of the tray wheel. The ammunition bottom image capturing
module may include a primer camera and a primer edge camera
arranged to image-capture, at different focal lengths, bottom
surfaces of ammunition cartridges seated on different tray units.
The ammunition side image capturing module may include a line scan
camera, a bullet camera, a casing camera, a discoloring camera, and
an annealing camera image-capturing an overall outer
circumferential surface of the particular ammunition cartridge
while the particular ammunition cartridge rotates. The ammunition
side image capturing module may further include a heterogeneous
ammunition camera image-capturing a portion of the outer
circumferential surface after the particular ammunition cartridge
stops rotating and then undergoes the predetermined revolution.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The patent application file contains at least one or more
drawings executed in color. Copies of this patent application
publication with color drawings will be provided by the Office upon
request and payment of the necessary fee.
[0010] A more complete appreciation of the present disclosure and
many of the attendant aspects thereof will be readily obtained as
the same becomes better understood by reference to the following
detailed description when considered in connection with the
accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view illustrating an
ammunition inspecting system according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a side perspective view illustrating an ammunition
inspecting system according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates an ammunition inspecting system as viewed
from above, front, and side according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure;
[0014] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate some elements of an ammunition
inspecting system according to at embodiment of the present
disclosure;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a configuration of cameras and
lights around a tray wheel of an ammunition inspecting system
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0016] FIG. 7 illustrates some elements of a tray wheel of an
ammunition inspecting system according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure;
[0017] FIG. 8 illustrates a structure in which an ammunition
cartridge rotates on a tray unit at an apex of a tray wheel of an
ammunition inspecting system according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure;
[0018] FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a captured image for
inspecting a bullet and casing in an ammunition inspecting system
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0019] FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a captured image for
inspecting discoloring and annealing in an ammunition inspecting
system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
[0020] FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a captured image for
inspecting a primer and edge of the primer in an ammunition
inspecting system according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure; and
[0021] FIG. 12 illustrates a plurality of samples of captured
images inspected by an ammunition inspecting system according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0022] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure
will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings. The present disclosure, however, may be modified in
various different ways, and should not be construed as limited to
the embodiments set forth herein. The same reference denotations
may be used to refer to the same or substantially the same elements
throughout the specification and the drawings. As used herein, the
singular forms "a," "an," and "the" are intended to include the
plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates
otherwise. It will be understood that when an element or layer is
referred to as being "on," "connected to," "coupled to," or
"adjacent to" another element or layer, it can be directly on,
connected, coupled, or adjacent to the other element or layer, or
intervening elements or layers may be present.
[0023] As used herein, the term "X axis," "X-axis direction," or "X
direction" may refer to a left-right direction of the ammunition
inspecting system, the term "Y axis," "Y-axis direction," or "Y
direction" may refer to a front-rear direction of the ammunition
inspecting system, which is substantially perpendicular to the X
direction, and the term "Z axis," "Z-axis direction," or "Z
direction" may refer to a bottom-top direction of the ammunition
inspecting system, which is substantially perpendicular to the X or
Y direction, as indicated in FIG. 1, for example.
[0024] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view illustrating an
ammunition inspecting system according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a side perspective view illustrating
an ammunition inspecting system according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure. FIG. 3 illustrates an ammunition inspecting
system as viewed from above, from, and side according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the ammunition inspecting system
may include a plurality of working modules. The working modules may
include an ammunition feeder 10, a tray module 20, an ammunition
bottom image capturing module 30, an ammunition side image
capturing module 40, an ammunition recovering module 50, and an
ammunition discharging module 60.
[0026] A task or process may be performed in order of the
ammunition feeder 10, the tray module 20, and the ammunition
discharging module 60. The ammunition bottom image capturing module
30, the ammunition side image capturing module 40, and the
ammunition recovering module 50 may perform their respective tasks
or processes in the tray module 20.
[0027] The working modules may operate according to common
references for operational directions. For example, ammunition
cartridges (or rounds of ammunition) may be conveyed from left to
right as viewed from the drawings, e.g., in the X direction. The
ammunition cartridges may be carried on an upper semi-circular
track of a tray wheel 22 included in the tray module 20 which
rotates clockwise.
[0028] The tray wheel 22 may be disk-shaped or a disk. The tray
wheel 22 may include a rigid both formed of, e.g., iron. An
ammunition cartridge seated on a tray unit 21 may revolve along an
orbit. The orbit at a position of a revolving ammunition cartridge
may be tangential to the outer circumference of the disk. A
direction of image-capturing a side surface of the ammunition
cartridge may be a direction of the radius of the disk, and a
direction of image-capturing a bottom surface of the ammunition
cartridge and a direction of recovering the ammunition cartridge
may be perpendicular to a surface of the disk. The working modules
may follow the above directional references.
[0029] The tray wheel 22 may rotate stepwise, e.g., in
predetermined incremental steps.
[0030] The ammunition feeder 10 may include a feeding shuttle 11, a
horizontal rotating plate 12, a feeding pusher 13, a feeding
magazine 14, and a tray inserting pusher 15.
[0031] The tray module 20 may include a tray unit 21, an idle
roller 21-1, an actuating roller inducing surface 21-2, a bullet
seating depression 21-3, a casing seating depression 21-4, a tray
wheel 22, a tray wheel actuating motor 23, an ammunition actuating
roller 24, and an ammunition supporting roller 25.
[0032] The ammunition bottom image capturing module 30 may include
a primer camera 31, a first ammunition bottom light 31-1, a primer
edge camera 32, and a second ammunition bottom camera 32-1
[0033] The ammunition side image capturing module 40 may include a
line scan camera 41, a first ammunition side light 41-1, a
bullet-casing camera 42, a discoloring-extraction groove camera 43,
an annealing camera 44, a heterogeneous ammunition camera 45, and
second ammunition side light 45-1.
[0034] The ammunition recovering module 50 may include a bottom
defective ammunition collector 51, a first side defective
ammunition collector 52, and a second side defective ammunition
collector 53.
[0035] The ammunition discharging module 60 may include an
ammunition discharging conveyor 61 and a normal ammunition basket
62.
[0036] Ammunition cartridges may be sorted and fed to the tray
module 20 one by one through the ammunition feeder 10 including the
horizontal rotating plate 12. The tray wheel 22 of the tray module
20 may rotate to carry the ammunition cartridges along an orbit.
The ammunition cartridges are illuminated by an ammunition bottom
light and ammunition side light, and image capturing their primers
and side surfaces is performed while being carried by the tray
wheel 22. An ammunition cartridge is rotated and positioned at a
particular point of the tray wheel 22.
[0037] A plurality of tray units 21 may be arranged on the tray
wheel 22. An ammunition cartridge may be rotated and positioned at
a predetermined point on an orbit where the tray units 21 pass or
revolve, and an overall outer circumferential surface of the
ammunition cartridge is image-captured. The predetermined point on
the orbit may be, e.g., a top dead center of the rotating track or
the orbit of the tray wheel 22 or an apex of the disk.
[0038] Since each inspecting stage may be performed at a different
image-capturing position and image-capturing angle, ammunition
cartridges may be individually screened or recovered in an easier
manner depending on inspection items.
[0039] Cameras for inspecting images, e.g., the line scan camera
41, the bullet-casing camera 42, the discoloring-extraction groove
camera 43, the annealing camera 44, the primer camera 31, the
primer edge camera 32, and the heterogeneous ammunition camera 45,
may individually or distinctly capture images for their respective
inspection items. The inspection items may include line scan,
bullet, casing, discoloring, annealing, primer, waterproof, and
heterogeneous ammunition. The captured images may be stored in a
database (not shown) of a control system (not shown). The database
or the control system may be included in the ammunition inspecting
system or provided separately from the ammunition inspecting
system. The control system may further include an image recognition
processor (not shown). The control system may include, but is not
limited to, a controller, a control computer, or a processor
controlling at least one operation of at least one component of the
ammunition inspecting system or enabling comparison, contrast, or
recognition, or any other processing in association or separately
from the database or the image recognition processor. The captured
images may be recognized, compared, or contrasted electronically by
the image recognition processor or manually at raw eyes to
automatically screen normal ammunition cartridges and defective
ammunition cartridges.
[0040] When an ammunition cartridge having passed through a
predetermined point on the orbit is determined to be nonconforming
(e.g., failing to meet a predetermined standard or reference that
may be stored in the database and may be processed by the
processor) based on a result of inspection of images obtained at a
prior image-capturing point, the ammunition recovering module 50 is
operated to screen out the nonconforming ammunition cartridge.
[0041] Ammunition cartridges passing the image inspection are
discharged by the ammunition discharging module 60. For example,
ammunition cartridges meeting the predetermined standard or
reference may be discharged or gathered by the ammunition
discharging module 60. The ammunition discharging module 60 may be
positioned adjacent to a start point of an outer circumferential
surface of a lower portion of the tray wheel 22. The ammunition
discharging module 60 may gather ammunition cartridges dropping or
escaping off. For example, ammunition cartridges naturally dropping
off a rightmost end of the tray wheel 22 may be received and
carried by the ammunition discharging conveyor 61 to the normal
ammunition basket 62.
[0042] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate some elements of an ammunition
inspecting system according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure. FIG. 6 is a view illustrating a configuration of
cameras and lights around a tray wheel of an ammunition inspecting
system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7
illustrates some elements of a tray wheel of an ammunition
inspecting system according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure. FIG. 8 illustrates a structure in which an ammunition
cartridge rotates on a tray unit at an apex of a tray wheel of an
ammunition inspecting system according to an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0043] Conveyance of an ammunition cartridge may include feeding
the ammunition cartridge by two horizontal rotations, placing the
ammunition cartridge onto a leftmost tray unit 21 on the tray wheel
22 by vertically descending and horizontally moving, clockwise
upper semi-circular rotation (e.g., 180-degree rotation) by the
rotation of the tray wheel 22, recovering the ammunition cartridge
escaping from the tray unit 21 and dropping by gravity at a
rightmost end of the tray wheel 22, and discharging the ammunition
cartridge by carrying the ammunition cartridge in an inclined and
horizontal direction. While the tray wheel 22 rotates, i.e., the
ammunition cartridge revolves, collectors, e.g., the bottom
defective ammunition collector 51, the first side defective
ammunition collector 52, and the second side defective ammunition
collector 53, are operated in the Y-axis direction, which is
perpendicular to an orbit plane (e.g., a XZ plane) of the
ammunition cartridge, to recover defective, nonconforming, or
heterogeneous ammunition cartridges, as Shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.
[0044] FIG. 4 illustrates the ammunition feeder 10 as viewed from
inside or outside a harness of the ammunition inspecting system.
The tray inserting pusher 15 of the ammunition feeder 10 is
provided adjacent to a start point of an outer circumferential
surface of an upper portion of the tray wheel 22. Unlike the
feeding pusher 13, the tray inserting pusher 15 does not hit away
ammunition cartridges but rather gently presses an ammunition
cartridge on a tray unit 21 to be firmly fitted into the bullet
seating depression 21-3 and casing seating depression 21-4 of the
tray unit 21.
[0045] Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, tray units 21 are fitted and
coupled at even intervals to an outer circumferential edge of the
tray wheel 22. Each tray unit 21 may include an idle roller 21-1,
an actuating roller inducing surface 21-2, a bullet seating
depression 21-3, and a casing seating depression 21-4. The idle
roller 21-1 may function to support the rotation of an ammunition
cartridge on the tray unit 21 that is caused by the ammunition
actuating roller 24. The actuating roller inducing surface 21-2
guides the ammunition actuating roller 24 to inclinedly come in the
tray unit 21. The bullet seating depression 21-3 and the casing
seating depression 21-4 may be formed with a predetermined width
and depth to firmly hold the bullet and casing, respectively, of
the ammunition cartridge that are different in diameter from each
other.
[0046] The tray wheel 22 may be a disk-shaped member whose outer
circumferential surface is rotated clockwise with respect to a
horizontal rotation shaft. The outer circumferential surface of the
tray wheel 22 may orbit the horizontal rotation shaft. The tray
wheel 22 may be actuated by the tray wheel actuating motor 23. For
example, the tray wheel 22 may rotate clockwise with respect to the
Y axis which is a rotation axis, and thus, ammunition cartridges
may revolve with respect to a center of the tray Wheel 22. In other
words, the ammunition cartridges may orbit the center of the tray
wheel 22.
[0047] The ammunition actuating roller 24 may be separately
positioned away from the tray wheel 22. The ammunition supporting
roller 25 may also be separately positioned away from the tray
wheel 22. The ammunition actuating roller 24 may approach a
predetermined point for image-capturing an ammunition cartridge and
gives the ammunition cartridge exactly one turn and then moves back
to allow for approach of a next tray unit 21. The predetermined
point for image-capturing an ammunition cartridge may be, e.g., a
tray unit 21 carrying a particular ammunition cartridge focused by
the ammunition side image capturing module 40.
[0048] The ammunition side image capturing module 40 enables
360-degree image-capturing of an outer circumferential surface of
an ammunition cartridge. In other words, the ammunition side image
capturing module 40 may image-capture the overall outer
circumferential surface of the ammunition cartridge.
[0049] The ammunition actuating roller 24 may approach the tray
unit 21 at an apex of the revolution orbit of the tray wheel 22 and
contact an outer circumferential surface of the casing of the
ammunition cartridge to rotate the ammunition cartridge.
[0050] As the ammunition cartridge is rotated in a middle area of
three points where the ammunition cartridge is supported by the
idle roller 21-1, the ammunition actuating roller 24, and the
ammunition supporting roller 25, the overall 360-degree outer
circumferential surface of the ammunition cartridge may be exposed
and image-captured by some cameras of the ammunition side image
capturing module 40. For example, the ammunition cartridge may be
rollably or rotatably supported by the rollers 21-1, 24, and the 25
at the three points thereof and may be rotated by at least one of
the rollers 21-1, 24, and 25. For example, the ammunition
supporting roller 25 may slightly descend and then ascend whenever
the tray wheel 22 rotates stepwise, e.g., in a predetermined
incremental steps to, together with the idle roller 21-1 and the
ammunition actuating roller 24, support the ammunition cartridge
fitted into the bullet seating depression 21-3 and the casing
seating depression 21-4 at three points. Thus, the ammunition
cartridge may be subjected to the rollable support at the apex of
the orbit by the rollers 21-1, 24, and 25 and is prevented from
escaping or dropping off the seating depressions 21-3 and 21-4 on
the orbit except for the apex of the orbit. Further, the ammunition
cartridge may be easily and quickly image-captured by the cameras
provided over the tray wheel 22 at exact positions and angles while
a wide view is secured.
[0051] As such, the rotation of the ammunition cartridge enables
image capture of the whole outer circumferential surface of the
ammunition cartridge.
[0052] Each image capturing module is described below in greater
detail.
[0053] The ammunition bottom image capturing module 30 may be
provided at a side of an upper portion of the tray wheel 22 and
includes one or more cameras for vertically image-capturing the
bottom surface of the ammunition cartridge seated on the tray unit
21.
[0054] For example, the ammunition bottom image capturing module 30
may include a primer camera 31 and a primer edge camera 32 having
different focal lengths and arranged to image-capture the bottom
surface of ammunition cartridges seated on different tray units 21.
The primer camera 31 and the primer edge camera 32 each may include
a light. For example, the primer camera 31 and the primer edge
camera 32, respectively, may include a first ammunition bottom
light 31-1 and a second ammunition bottom camera 32-1. The primer
camera 31 and the primer edge camera 32 may form a coaxial light
path without interrupting the ammunition side image capturing
module 40 or lights thereof.
[0055] The ammunition side image capturing module 40 is disposed to
face the outer circumferential surface of the upper portion of the
tray wheel 22.
[0056] The ammunition side image capturing module 40 may include at
least one first camera image-capturing a particular ammunition
cartridge rotated as the ammunition actuating roller 24 approaches
the ammunition cartridge, a first ammunition side light 41-1
assisting the first camera in image capturing, at least one second
camera image-capturing the particular ammunition cartridge before
and/or after a predetermined revolution of the particular
ammunition cartridge before and/or after the ammunition actuating
roller 24 escapes, and a second ammunition side light 45-1
assisting the second camera in image-capturing.
[0057] The ammunition recovering module 50 may be similar in
structure to the ammunition bottom image capturing module 30. The
ammunition recovering module 50 may be provided at a side of the
upper portion of the tray wheel 22 and push an ammunition cartridge
out of a tray unit 21 in a direction substantially perpendicular to
a revolution direction of the ammunition recovering module 50 or
substantially perpendicular to an image-capturing direction of the
ammunition side image capturing module 40.
[0058] The collectors, e.g., the bottom defective ammunition
collector 51, the first side defective ammunition collector 52, and
the second side detective ammunition collector 53, as shown in FIG.
7, may include a hydraulic/pneumatic actuator disposed behind the
tray wheel 22, a drop guiding plate disposed before the tray wheel
22, and a recovery basket disposed thereunder.
[0059] The ammunition side image capturing module 40 may include a
line scan camera 41, a bullet-casing camera 42, a
discoloring-extraction groove camera 43, and an annealing camera 44
that may image-capture an overall outer circumferential surface of
a particular ammunition cartridge while the ammunition cartridge
rotates. The ammunition side image capturing module 40 may further
include a heterogeneous ammunition camera 45 that may image-capture
a side portion of the ammunition cartridge after the ammunition
cartridge stops rotating and then undergoes a predetermined
revolution.
[0060] The present disclosure is not limited to the type or
position of each of the above-described cameras or lights. Whether
to share the lights or the point where an ammunition cartridge
rotates may be determined depending on whether the whole of an
outer circumferential surface of the ammunition cartridge needs to
be image-captured or image-capturing a portion of the outer
circumferential surface suffices.
[0061] While going through the conveyance on tray units,
image-capturing, and recovery, an ammunition cartridge may be
exposed to remaining cameras of the ammunition bottom image
capturing module 30 and/or the ammunition side image capturing
module 40 at points before and behind the apex of the tray wheel
22.
[0062] At each exposed point, each camera and lights provided for
the camera may be moved in a predetermined view, slightly, e.g., in
such a degree as to capture an exactly focused image of an
ammunition cartridge without interrupting the conveyance of the
ammunition cartridge.
[0063] During the process, information on the captured images may
be stored in the database (not shown) as digital information. The
database may previously store reference information for comparison
or contrast with the captured images. The reference information may
include at least one reference image. The processor (not shown) may
compare or contrast the reference information with the captured
images or information On the captured images to produce a reference
for automatic or intelligent inspection or determination or enable
the focus of the cameras or the angle or brightness of the lights
to be modified or changed. The captured images, together with a
menu, may be steadily displayed on a monitor, allowing a worker
easier management.
[0064] FIG. 9 is a view illustrating a captured image for
inspecting a bullet and casing in an ammunition inspecting system
according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0065] Referring to FIG. 9, bullet images and casing images are
displayed on a left and right side, respectively, of a monitor
screen.
[0066] FIG. 10 is a view illustrating a captured images for
inspecting discoloring and annealing in an ammunition inspecting
system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0067] Referring to FIG. 10, a left side of FIG. 10 illustrates
captured images showing the discoloring of an overall ammunition
cartridge and the shape of the extraction groove of the ammunition
cartridge, and a right side of FIG. 10 illustrates captured images
showing a thermally treated (e.g., annealed) state of an overall
ammunition cartridge. Such captured images or information thereon
may or need to be gathered for an overall outer circumferential
surface of an ammunition cartridge as the ammunition cartridge
rotates.
[0068] FIG. 11 is a view illustrating a captured image for
inspecting a primer and edge of the primer in an ammunition
inspecting system according to an embodiment of the present
disclosure.
[0069] A left side of FIG. 11 illustrates captured images of the
bottom surfaces of ammunition cartridges and shows a waterproof or
rustproof state of the edge of the primer, and a right side of FIG.
11 illustrates a coupled state of the primer. For obtaining exact
images, a difference in depth between the primer itself and the
edge of the primer may cause separate cameras to have different
focuses.
[0070] FIG. 12 illustrates a plurality of samples of captured
images inspected by an ammunition inspecting system according to an
embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0071] Referring to FIG. 12, image samples captured by the
above-described eight cameras and their assisting lights are
illustrated in a table.
[0072] Since an ammunition cartridge may be curved except for a
surrounding surface of the primer which is flat, an overall contour
of the ammunition cartridge may be difficult to obtain under
intense illumination.
[0073] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the
ammunition inspecting system adopts the rotation and revolution of
an ammunition cartridge in combination or harmonization. The
rotation of the ammunition cartridge enables narrow linear contours
of an ammunition cartridge to be continuously captured with the
assistance of the lights. The ammunition cartridge may be revolved
stepwise, e.g., in predetermined incremental steps, rather than a
continuous movement. Thus, the ammunition inspecting system allows
for more reliable and efficient ammunition inspection.
[0074] According to embodiments of the present disclosure,
ammunition cartridges may be inspected for scratches, cuts, dents,
discoloring, contamination, or other various defects, and defective
or nonconforming, ammunition cartridges may be screened out or
gathered separately in an easier, quicker, and automated
manner.
[0075] Embodiments of the present disclosure may be applicable to
various types of ammunition regardless of the size or purposes.
[0076] While the present disclosure has been shown and described
with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be
apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes
in form and detail may be made thereto without departing from the
spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the
following claims.
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