SCALE TRAY

Abstract

A picking system, a camera system, and a scale tray for a precision scale, wherein the base of the scale tray has a bright material so that the base forms a bright background for parts placed in the scale tray and wherein the base of the scale tray forms a reflector, with the reflector rotating reflected polarized light in the polarization direction with respect to incident polarized light.

Claims

1. A scale tray for a precision scale, wherein a base of the scale tray has a bright material so that the base forms a bright background for parts placed in the scale tray, with the base of the scale tray forming a reflector, with the reflector rotating reflected polarized light in the polarization direction with respect to incident polarized light.

2. The scale tray in accordance with claim 1, wherein the base of the scale tray has a multilayer structure that comprises at least three layers.

3. The scale tray in accordance with claim 1, wherein the scale tray has a weight of less than 500 g.

4. The scale tray in accordance with claim 3, wherein the scale tray has a weight of less than 400 g.

5. The scale tray in accordance with claim 1, wherein the precision scale has a weighing range of 0.001 to 6000 g.

6. A camera system for a precision scale having a camera with a field of view, having a scale tray, wherein a base of the scale tray has a bright material so that the base forms a bright background for parts placed in the scale tray, with the base of the scale tray forming a reflector, with the reflector rotating reflected polarized light in the polarization direction with respect to incident polarized light, wherein a field of view of the camera is directed to the scale tray; wherein the camera has a first polarization filter; the camera further comprising an illumination unit; wherein the illumination unit is directed to the scale tray; wherein the illumination unit has a second polarization filter; wherein the first polarization filter has a first polarization direction and the second polarization filter has a second polarization direction; and wherein the polarization direction of the first polarization filter and the polarization direction of the second polarization filter are rotated with respect to one another.

7. The camera system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the polarization filters are linear polarization filters.

8. The camera system in accordance with claim 6, wherein the illumination unit is a ring illumination unit that is arranged around the camera.

9. A picking system using a camera system for a precision scale and using a picking scale for weighing a plurality of parts, wherein the camera system has a camera with a field of view, having a scale tray, wherein a base of the scale tray has a bright material so that the base forms a bright background for parts placed in the scale tray, with the base of the scale tray forming a reflector, with the reflector rotating reflected polarized light in the polarization direction with respect to incident polarized light, wherein a field of view of the camera is directed to the scale tray; wherein the camera has a first polarization filter; the camera further comprising an illumination unit; wherein the illumination unit is directed to the scale tray; wherein the illumination unit has a second polarization filter; wherein the first polarization filter has a first polarization direction and the second polarization filter has a second polarization direction; and wherein the polarization direction of the first polarization filter and the polarization direction of the second polarization filter are rotated with respect to one another, and wherein the weighing process of the picking scale is based on a detected weight of at least one part of the precision scale.

Description

[0027] The invention will also be explained in the following with respect to further advantages and features with reference to the enclosed drawing and to embodiments. The Figures of the drawing show in:

[0028] FIG. 1 a scale tray on a precision scale;

[0029] FIG. 2 a camera system having a scale tray on a precision scale;

[0030] FIG. 3 a picking system having a camera system; and

[0031] FIGS. 4 and 5 in each case parts on a scale tray.

[0032] In the following Figures, identical parts are provided with identical reference numerals.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a scale tray 1 for a precision scale 2, wherein the base 3 of the scale tray 1 has a bright material so that the base 3 forms a bright background for parts placed in the scale tray, with the base 3 of the scale tray 1 forming a reflector 5, and with the reflector 5 rotating reflected polarized light in the polarization direction with respect to incident polarized light.

[0034] For example, reflected polarized light is rotated by 90 in the polarization direction or in the polarization oscillation direction with respect to incident polarized light.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows the precision scale 2 having a camera 9 with a field of view 10, having a scale tray 1, wherein the field of view 10 of the camera 9 is directed to the scale tray 1, wherein the camera 9 has a first polarization filter 12, wherein an illumination unit 11 is arranged, wherein the illumination unit 11 is directed to the scale tray 1, wherein the illumination unit 11 has a second polarization filter 14, wherein the first polarization filter 12 has a first polarization direction and the second polarization filter 14 has a second polarization direction, and wherein the polarization direction of the first polarization filter 12 and the polarization direction of the second polarization filter 14 are offset or rotated with respect to one another.

[0036] For example, the polarization direction of the first polarization filter 12 and the polarization direction of the second polarization filter 14 are offset by 90 with respect to one another.

[0037] If, in accordance with FIG. 2, the polarized light of the illumination unit 11 is incident on a reflective surface of the parts 4 in the scale tray 1 to be determined, the oscillation direction of the light is not changed. The reflected light cannot pass through the first polarization filter 12 in front of the camera 9. The reflective surface of the parts 4 to be detected appears as dark in the camera image, as shown by way of example in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

[0038] The polarized light that is, however, reflected from the base 3 of the scale tray 1 is rotated, for example by 90, in the polarization direction with respect to the incident light so that this light can pass through the first polarization filter 12 in front of the camera 9. The base 3 of the scale tray 1 thereby appears as bright in the camera image, as shown by way of example in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5.

[0039] The illumination unit 11 can be formed and arranged differently. The illumination unit 11 is, however, preferably arranged very close to the objective 19.

[0040] The base 3 of the scale tray 1 has a multilayer structure that comprises at least three layers.

[0041] A first, bottommost layer 21 of the base forms a support material 20. The support material 20 can be formed of acrylic glass, for example. The support material 20 forms the mechanically stable layer for the scale tray 1.

[0042] A second layer 22 that is arranged on the first layer 21, the support material 20, is a layer having a reflective film 24 or a reflector 5. This second layer 22 has the optical result that the illumination light is reflected back with an efficiency that is as high as possible at the points at which no parts 4 to be weighed are located.

[0043] A third layer 23, that is arranged on the second layer 22, is a transparent film 25, for example a polypropylene film. The third layer 23 can also comprise a plurality of transparent films 25

[0044] For example, the scale tray 1 has a weight of less than 500 g, in particular less than 400 g. The scale tray 1 can thereby be placed on precision scales 2 without restricting the effective weighing range.

[0045] The polarization filters 12 and 14 are linear polarization filters, for example. However, circular polarization filters can also be used.

[0046] In accordance with FIG. 2, the illumination unit 11 is a ring illumination unit 16 that is arranged around the camera 9. Shadow formation is thereby prevented since the illumination is arranged around the camera 9 and results in uniform illumination.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a picking system 17 using a camera system 8 and using a picking scale 18 for weighing a plurality of parts, wherein the weighing process of the picking scale 18 is based on a detected weight of at least one weighing part of the precision scale 2. The camera system 8 having the illumination unit 11, the precision scale 2, and the picking scale 18 are here connected to a control and evaluation unit 26.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0048] 1 scale tray

[0049] 2 precision scale

[0050] 3 base of the precision scale

[0051] 4 part, parts

[0052] 5 reflector

[0053] 8 camera system

[0054] 9 camera

[0055] 10 field of view

[0056] 11 illumination unit

[0057] 12 first polarization filter

[0058] 14 second polarization filter

[0059] 16 ring illumination unit

[0060] 17 picking system

[0061] 18 picking scale

[0062] 19 objective

[0063] 20 support material

[0064] 21 first layer

[0065] 22 second layer

[0066] 23 third layer

[0067] 24 reflective film

[0068] 25 transparent film

[0069] 26 control and evaluation unit