Patent Description:
Document <CIT> discloses a machine for dyeing textile materials, comprising a structure with a plurality of containers or vessels, a plurality of dyeing tanks, a plurality of material holding baskets, a motor driven carriage and supporting means.

<CIT> discloses a machine for dyeing materials. <CIT> discloses an apparatus for preparing coloring substances for the textile industry.

The general dyeing and finishing plant laboratory color test process has the following common problems:.

The above-mentioned problem in the dyeing and finishing plant laboratory color test process really need to be overcome.

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an intelligent composite system of laboratory dropper and color test machine that integrates the automatic control of the dyeing process of a dropper, a robotic arm and a color test machine.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, an intelligent composite system of laboratory dropper and color test machine comprises at least one control unit, at least one dropper used to drip out a required dye solution to a plurality of staining cups, at least one dye preparation area adjacent to the at least one dropper, each dye preparation area comprising a plurality of sample cloths to be dyed and defining a cup cap placing area and a staining cup combination temporary storage area, at least one robotic arm adjacent to the at least one dye preparation area, and at least one color test machine adjacent to the at least one robotic arm. Each color test machine comprises a plurality of color test machine staining cup positions. The at least one control unit is electrically connected to the at least one dropper, the at least one robotic arm and the at least one color test machine. The robotic arm picks up each staining cup that has completed the dripping operation and places the saining cup in the staining cup combination temporary storage area according to the process step instructions set by the control unit, and then picks up one sample cloth and puts the sample cloth into the staining cup, and then the robotic arm takes out one cup cap from the cup cap placing area and locks the cup cap to the staining cup, and then the robotic arm puts the staining cup into one designated color test machine staining cup position of the color test machine.

The beneficial effects of the present invention are: With the connection of the control unit and the robotic arm, the automatic dripper and color test machine of the dyeing and finishing plant laboratory are integrated into intelligent modular and unmanned operations.

The comparative advantages of the present invention and the prior art are as follows:.

Below only by specific embodiments, and accompanied by drawings for detailed description, so that the review committee can have a further understanding of the various functions and features of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, an intelligent composite system of laboratory dropper and color test machine in accordance with the present invention comprises a control unit <NUM>, a dropper <NUM>, a dye preparation area <NUM>, a robotic arm <NUM>, and a color test machine <NUM>.

The dropper <NUM> is used to drop the required dye solution into several staining cups <NUM>.

The dye preparation area <NUM> is adjacent to the dropper <NUM>. The dye preparation area <NUM> comprises a number of sample cloths <NUM> to be dyed, a cup cap placing area <NUM> and a staining cup combination temporary storage area <NUM>.

The robotic arm <NUM> is adjacent to the dye preparation area <NUM>.

The color test machine <NUM> is adjacent to the robotic arm <NUM>. The color test machine <NUM> comprises a plurality of color test machine staining cup position <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> is electrically connected to the dropper <NUM>, the robotic arm <NUM> and the color test machine <NUM>.

According to the process step instructions set by the control unit <NUM>, the robotic arm <NUM> picks up the staining cup <NUM> that has been dripped and places it in the staining cup combination temporary storage area <NUM>, and then picks up the sample cloth <NUM> and places it into the staining cup <NUM>. Then, the robotic arm <NUM> picks up a cup cap <NUM> from the cup cap placing area <NUM> and locks the cup cap <NUM> to the staining cup <NUM>. Then, the robotic arm <NUM> puts the staining cup <NUM> into the color test machine <NUM> in the designated position of the color test machine staining cup positions <NUM>.

In one embodiment, the dropper <NUM> comprises a conveying device <NUM> for conveying the staining cup <NUM> that has completed the dripping operation and receives the dye solution to a dripping completion color test cup area <NUM> on one side of the dropper <NUM>.

Accordingly, the staining cup <NUM> including the dye solution is made closer to the robotic arm <NUM> and the dye preparation area <NUM> to facilitate subsequent dye preparation operations.

In one embodiment, the dye preparation area <NUM> defines a dye-finished area <NUM>. With the robotic arm <NUM>, the staining cup <NUM> that has completed the staining operation in the color test machine staining cup position <NUM> is taken out and placed and collected in the dye-finished area <NUM>.

The above is an introduction to the composition of each part of the present invention, and then various embodiments, features, and benefits of the present invention are introduced as follows:.

Referring to <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the gripper of the robotic arm <NUM> can sequentially take out the staining cups <NUM> from the dripping completion color test cup area <NUM> at one side of the dropper <NUM> and put the staining cups <NUM> into the staining cup combination temporary storage area <NUM> of the dye preparation area <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the gripper of the robotic arm <NUM> picks up the sample cloths <NUM> to be dyed from the dye preparation area <NUM> and puts them into the respective staining cups <NUM> in the staining cup combination temporary storage area <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, then, the gripper of the robotic arm <NUM> picks up the corresponding cup caps <NUM> from the cup cap placing area <NUM> and locks them to the respective staining cups <NUM> in the staining cup combination temporary storage area <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, then, the gripper of the robotic arm <NUM> sequentially picks up the staining cup <NUM> from the staining cup combination temporary storage area <NUM> and places them in the respective designated color test machine staining cup positions <NUM> in the color test machine <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, in one embodiment, the dye preparation area <NUM> defines a dripping completion color test cup area <NUM> for the placement of the staining cups <NUM> that has completed the dripping operation and receives the dye solution.

The conveying device <NUM> of the dropper <NUM> can extend to the dripping completion color test cup area <NUM> to directly deliver the staining cups <NUM> that has completed the dripping operation and receives the dye solution to the dripping completion color test cup area <NUM>.

In one embodiment, the robotic arm <NUM> is installed on two robotic arm moving rails <NUM> and can be moved through the robotic arm moving rails <NUM>, which is conducive to putting the staining cups <NUM> in the dye preparation area <NUM> into the designated color test machine staining cup positions <NUM> in the color test machine <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, in one embodiment, the dye preparation area <NUM> and the robotic arm <NUM> are set on a robotic arm mobile AGV (Auto Guided Vehicle) <NUM>. With the mobility of the robotic arm mobile AGV <NUM>, it is conducive to putting the staining cups <NUM> in the dye preparation area <NUM> into the designated color test machine staining cup positions <NUM> in the color test machine <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, in one embodiment, the control unit <NUM> comprises a sequential arranging operation control module to control the sequential arranging operation of dyeing. Please refer to the function screen displayed on the human-machine interface of the control unit <NUM> shown in <FIG>:
Background: The sequential arranging operation control module responds to customer needs such as fast, small quantity, diversification, fast response, and B2C. It needs to be flexible and reasonably planned according to the production capacity and process flow of the production machine.

Example: Taking time as the main axis, according to different order requirements, such as material, sample cylinder size, capacity load and other conditions, select a suitable color test machine <NUM> for proper cylinder work.

For example, H11 and H12 in <FIG> are staining cups <NUM> stained with 500cc; H23 and H25 are staining cups <NUM> stained with <NUM> cc. The order staff arranges different orders on their respective machines according to the cloths to be proofed and the total bath volume. After the dye solution dripping operation of the dropper <NUM>, the robotic arm <NUM> will put the staining cups <NUM> of different sizes into different color test machines <NUM>, and the color test machines <NUM> will perform temperature control according to the coloring process required for the temperature rise and fall on the order.

Efficacy: Deploying and improving the overall dyeing time, energy and other benefits, and improving the accuracy of color matching.

Referring to <FIG>, in one embodiment, the control unit <NUM> comprises a drop sequence and recipe control module to control the drop sequence and recipe arrangement of the dropper <NUM>.

Please refer to the function screen displayed on the human-machine interface of the control unit <NUM> shown in <FIG>:
Background: Select the suitable staining cups <NUM> according to the different dyeing volume requirements and place the staining cups <NUM> on the dropper <NUM> for dripping according to the color order requirements of the current order.

Example: The dropper <NUM> drops the required dyes and additives into each staining cup <NUM> according to the formula, as shown in <FIG>:.

When the dripping is completed and the staining cup <NUM> is delivered to the dripping completion color test cup area <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> will notify the robotic arm <NUM> to move the staining cup <NUM> to the staining cup combination temporary storage area <NUM> and put the sample cloth <NUM> into the staining cup <NUM>, and take a cup cap <NUM> from the cup cap placing area <NUM> and lock the cup cap <NUM> to the staining cup <NUM>, and then the robotic arm <NUM> will take the staining cup <NUM> to the designated color test machine <NUM> according to the instruction of the control unit <NUM>.

Efficacy: Effectively and accurately arrange the reagents required for rapid drip metering, reducing errors and improving dyeing reproducibility.

Referring to <FIG>, in one embodiment, the control unit <NUM> comprises a dyeing temperature rise and fall control module, used to control and set the dyeing temperature rise and fall curve of the color test machine <NUM>.

Please refer to the function screen displayed on the human-machine interface of the control unit <NUM> shown in <FIG>:
Background: Because different materials (such as cotton, polyester fibers) correspond to dyes correspond to different dyes (such as acid dyes, disperse dyes) and different colors (such as light colors, dark colors), they must be controlled according to the specific temperature rise and fall to achieve correct dyeing.

Example: According to the control unit <NUM> list setting, load the set different temperature rising and falling dyeing process to control the dyeing to avoid human setting errors. When the dyeing process is completed, the control unit <NUM> is notified, and the control unit <NUM> calls the robotic arm <NUM> to take out the staining cup <NUM> to the dye-finished area <NUM>.

Efficacy: Improve the accuracy of dyeing, and change the formula conditions to the benefit of more accurate color matching when mass production.

The invention can include more than one dropper <NUM>, and the data and control between various droppers <NUM> can communicate with one another or with the control unit <NUM>.

The invention can include more than one robotic arm <NUM>.

The data and control between various robotic arms <NUM> can communicate with one another or with the control unit <NUM>.

Claim 1:
An intelligent composite system provided with a laboratory dropper (<NUM>) and at least one color test machine (<NUM>),
wherein the at least one dropper (<NUM>) is used to drip out a required dye solution to a plurality of staining cups (<NUM>); wherein the intelligent composite system comprises: at least one control unit (<NUM>);
at least one dye preparation area (<NUM>) adjacent to said at least one dropper (<NUM>), each said dye preparation area (<NUM>) comprising a plurality of sample cloths (<NUM>) to be dyed and defining a cup cap placing area (<NUM>) and a staining cup combination temporary storage area (<NUM>);
at least one robotic arm (<NUM>) adjacent to said at least one dye preparation area (<NUM>); wherein the
at least one color test machine (<NUM>) is adjacent to said at least one robotic arm (<NUM>), each said color test machine (<NUM>) comprising a plurality of color test machine staining cup positions (<NUM>);
wherein said at least one control unit (<NUM>) is electrically connected to said at least one dropper (<NUM>), said at least one robotic arm (<NUM>) and said at least one color test machine (<NUM>); and wherein, according to the process step instructions set by said at least one control unit (<NUM>), said at least one robotic arm (<NUM>) picks up each said staining cup (<NUM>) that has completed the dripping operation and places the said staining cup (<NUM>) in said staining cup combination temporary storage area (<NUM>), picks up one said sample cloth (<NUM>) and puts the said sample cloth (<NUM>) into the said staining cup (<NUM>), takes out one cup cap (<NUM>) from said cup cap placing area (<NUM>) and locks said cup cap (<NUM>) to the said staining cup (<NUM>), and then puts the said staining cup (<NUM>) into one designated color test machine staining cup position (<NUM>) of said color test machine (<NUM>).