JP2001041719A - Inspection device and method of transparent material and storage medium - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect an irregular defect on the surface of a transparent material stably and surely, and to determine whether the material is a good article or not. SOLUTION: In this device for inspecting the surface state of a transparent material, a parallel luminous flux 3a having a roughly uniform intensity and a prescribed area is irradiated onto the surface of a test object 4 from the tilted direction at a prescribed angle, and a transmitted light figure and a reflected light figure of the test object 4 produced by the irradiated parallel luminous flux 3a are projected respectively to prescribed imaging elements 7A, 7B by respective independent optical systems, and the surface state of the test object 4 is inspected based on photoelectric conversion signals of the transmitted light figure and the reflected light figure obtained by executing photoelectric conversion. By imaging light intensity distributions of the transmitted light figure and the reflected light figure, an irregular defect on the surface of the transparent material can be detected stably and surely, to enable to determine whether the material is a good article or not.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for inspecting a transparent material, and a storage medium, and more particularly to an inspection of a transparent sheet material such as a cleaning blade used in a copying machine or the like, or a transparent film or a transparent glass plate. It is suitable for application to inspections such as.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of inspecting an irregular defect on the surface of a transparent material, for example, a slit-shaped light beam is applied to a surface of an object to be inspected, and an inspection is performed by a light cutting method for obtaining a surface shape from a change in linearity of the light beam. Methods are known. Further, as an inspection device, an inspection device including a light source that emits a slit-like light beam and a light receiving system that detects the light beam linearity of a surface irradiated with the slit-like light beam, for example, an area sensor camera is known.

[0003]

However, the cleaning blade for cleaning the surface of the photosensitive drum of the copying machine without unevenness is required to have a uniform surface. However, it is difficult to detect a gradual change in the light intensity, and it is necessary to increase the light receiving magnification for unevenness having a small change amount.

[0004] As a result, fluctuations in the position of the surface due to the movement and rotation of the object to be inspected disturb the focusing of the light receiving system and also disturb the straight line and the inclination of the light beam. It has been difficult to detect a change in linearity due to a change in shape.

Further, in order to minimize the positional fluctuation of the object to be inspected, it is necessary to match the relative positions of the light source, the light receiving system, and the surface of the object to be inspected, so that the inspection apparatus is complicated.

Further, since it is necessary to increase the light receiving magnification for unevenness having a small variation, there has been a problem that the inspection field of view is narrowed and the time required for inspection of the entire inspection object is increased.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and it is possible to stably and surely detect unevenness defects on the surface of a transparent material and to judge whether or not the product is good. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transparent material inspection device, an inspection device thereof, and a storage medium.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An apparatus for inspecting a transparent material according to the present invention is an apparatus for inspecting a surface condition of a transparent material, and a parallel light beam having a predetermined area having substantially uniform intensity on a surface of an object to be inspected. Irradiating, projecting a transmitted light image and a reflected light image of the object to be inspected by the irradiated parallel light beam onto respective predetermined image sensors by independent optical systems, and transmitting the transmission light photoelectrically converted by the image sensors. The surface condition of the inspection object is inspected based on the photoelectric conversion signals of the light image and the reflected light image.

In one embodiment of the transparent material inspection apparatus according to the present invention, the parallel light beam passes through the mask having the predetermined area to irradiate the inspection object.

In one embodiment of the transparent material inspection apparatus of the present invention, the parallel light beam is irradiated from a direction inclined at a predetermined angle to the surface of the inspection object, and the parallel light beam is irradiated through the inspection object. The transmitted light image of the object to be inspected is projected onto the image sensor at a position facing the irradiation source.

In one embodiment of the transparent material inspection apparatus according to the present invention, the reflected light image is projected onto the image pickup device at a position along a regular reflection optical axis with respect to the optical axis of the parallel light flux.

In one embodiment of the transparent material inspection apparatus of the present invention, photoelectric conversion signals of the transmitted light image and the reflected light image of a reference product having no change in surface shape are stored in advance, and the photoelectric conversion signals of the reference product are stored. The signal is compared with the photoelectric conversion signal of the object to be inspected, and if the comparison result deviates from a predetermined standard value, it is determined that the surface state of the object to be inspected is abnormal.

[0013] The transparent material inspection apparatus of the present invention is an apparatus for inspecting the surface condition of a transparent material, and irradiating means for irradiating the surface of the inspection object with a parallel light beam of a predetermined area having substantially uniform intensity. Projection means for independently projecting a transmitted light image and a reflected light image of the inspection object of the parallel light beam through a mask, and an imaging means for photoelectrically converting a projection image projected by the projection means. The inspection of the inspection object is performed based on the photoelectric conversion signal in each imaging unit.

The method for inspecting a transparent material according to the present invention is a method for inspecting the surface condition of a transparent material, wherein the surface of an object to be inspected is irradiated with a parallel light beam of a predetermined area having substantially uniform intensity. The transmitted light image and the reflected light image of the object to be inspected by the parallel light beam are respectively projected onto predetermined image sensors by independent optical systems, and the transmitted light image and the reflected light image photoelectrically converted by the image sensors. The surface condition of the inspection object is inspected based on the photoelectric conversion signal.

In one embodiment of the method for inspecting a transparent material according to the present invention, the parallel light beam is passed through the mask having the predetermined area to irradiate the inspection object.

In one embodiment of the method for inspecting a transparent material according to the present invention, the parallel light beam is irradiated from a direction inclined at a predetermined angle to the surface of the object to be inspected, and the parallel light beam is passed through the object to be inspected. The transmitted light image of the object to be inspected is projected onto the image sensor at a position facing the irradiation source.

In one embodiment of the method for inspecting a transparent material according to the present invention, the reflected light image is projected onto the image pickup device at a position along a regular reflection optical axis with respect to the optical axis of the parallel light flux.

In one embodiment of the method for inspecting a transparent material according to the present invention, photoelectric conversion signals of the transmitted light image and the reflected light image of a reference product having no change in surface shape are stored in advance, and the photoelectric conversion signal of the reference product is stored. The signal is compared with the photoelectric conversion signal of the object to be inspected, and if the comparison result deviates from a predetermined standard value, it is determined that the surface state of the object to be inspected is abnormal.

The storage medium of the present invention is a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each unit of the transparent material inspection apparatus.

The storage medium of the present invention is a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the procedure of the above-described transparent material inspection method.

[0021]

Since the present invention comprises the above-mentioned technical means, the parallel light beam is applied to the surface of the object to be inspected, so that the exit angle of the transmitted light passing through the object depends on the shape of the front and back surfaces and the state of the material inside. Defined and appear as a difference in the light intensity distribution of the transmitted light image,
Defects can be detected from the photoelectric conversion signal level difference. Also, the specularly reflected light applied to the surface of the inspection object has a reflection angle due to the surface shape, appears as a difference in the light intensity distribution of the specularly reflected light image, and a defect can be detected from the difference in the photoelectric conversion signal level. it can.

Further, by irradiating the parallel light beam with respect to the surface of the object to be inspected from a direction inclined by a predetermined angle excluding the critical angle, and more preferably by making the predetermined angle a sharp angle with respect to the surface of the object to be inspected, The difference in the light intensity distribution of the transmitted light image clearly appears between the non-defective surface and the non-defective surface, and it is possible to detect a shape change with a small unevenness change.

Further, by irradiating the parallel light beam with respect to the surface of the inspection object from a direction inclined by a predetermined angle excluding the critical angle by the irradiation means, more desirably, the predetermined angle is made an acute angle with respect to the surface of the inspection object. A difference clearly appears in the light intensity distribution of the regular reflection light image between the gentle shape change surface and the non-defective surface, and a shape change with a small unevenness change can be detected.

In addition, beforehand, the image pickup video signal of each non-defective product having the same kind of inspected object and having no surface shape change is stored in the processing device,
By comparing the stored video signal with the video signal detected from the inspection object by inspection, the signal difference between the gently changing surface and the non-defective surface can be detected. Judgment of surface shape defect can be reliably performed. In addition, since each of the image signals obtained by capturing the transmitted light image and the reflected light image is compared with a standard value, it is possible to reliably determine a gradual surface shape change defect and an internal defect.

[0025]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of a transparent material inspection apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a He-Ne laser as a light source,
Reference numeral 2 denotes a beam expander for expanding the output light of the laser 1 and forming a parallel light beam. Reference numeral 3 denotes a mask plate for determining the original shape of the parallel light beam to be irradiated as inspection light on the surface of the inspection object. Reference numeral 4 denotes an inspection target. This is a cleaning blade for a copying machine which is made of a transparent sheet material.

Reference numeral 5A denotes a plano-convex cylindrical projection lens for projecting a transmitted light image transmitted through the inspection object by irradiation of the test light from the He-Ne laser 1, and 6A denotes the reception of a projected image by the plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5A. A light-receiving mask plate 7A that defines the range is a CCD line sensor that receives a projected image of the surface that has been defined and passed by the light-receiving mask plate 6A, and converts the image into an electric signal.

Reference numeral 5B denotes a plano-convex cylindrical projection lens for projecting a reflected light image of the surface of the inspection object by irradiating the test light from the He-Ne laser 1, and 6B denotes a light receiving range of the projected image by the plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5B. 7B is a CCD line sensor that receives the reflected light image of the surface that has passed and is determined by the light receiving mask plate 6B, and converts the image into an electric signal. 8 is an image captured by the CCD line sensor 7A. This is a processing device for processing an output signal and a video output signal captured by the CCD line sensor 7B.

In the inspection apparatus having the above configuration, He
-Ne laser 1, beam expander 2, mask plate 3, cleaning blade 4, plano-convex cylindrical projection lenses 5A and 5B, light receiving mask plates 6A and 6B and CC
The D-line sensors 7A and 7B are covered by a light-shielding plate (not shown) that blocks external light, and are arranged in a dark place.

In this inspection apparatus, an output beam 1a of a He-Ne (wavelength 632.8 nm) laser 1 as an inspection light source is a beam expander 2 arranged on the same optical axis.
Is incident on. Incident beam diameter (output beam 1
a) is sufficiently larger than the size of the original shape of the mask plate 3, the light intensity distribution is expanded to a uniform beam light diameter, and the light is converted into parallel light and converted into the outgoing light flux 2a.

The output light beam 2a thus converted irradiates the mask plate 3 which determines the original shape to be irradiated as the inspection light beam. The mask plate 3 has a structure in which only the original shape portion of the inspection light beam irradiating the inspection object 4 is formed as a through hole, and the other region is shielded from light by a light shielding plate.

The mask plate 3 is arranged perpendicular to the optical axis of the emitted light beam 2a, and the center of the original shape portion of the inspection light beam, which is a through hole, is arranged so as to coincide with the optical axis of the emitted light beam 2a. I have. The original shape of the inspection light beam of the mask plate 3 is, for example, short side 3x = 5 mm and long side 3y = 14 mm shown in FIG. When the emitted light beam 2a is irradiated on the mask plate 3, the light beam 3a that has passed through the original shape portion, which is a penetrating portion, forms a parallel inspection light beam having a rectangular surface and is irradiated on the surface of the inspection object 4. . Here, a short side (3x = 5 mm), which is one side of a light beam having a rectangular surface of the inspection light beam 3a, is, for example, a length corresponding to a longitudinal direction of a cleaning blade of a transparent sheet material as the inspection object 4, and is long. Side (3y = 14mm)
Is the length corresponding to the width direction. The surface of the inspection object 4 is irradiated with the inspection light beam 3a obliquely at an incident angle θ (about 60 to 87 °) formed by the optical axis and the normal to the inspection object surface.

Thus, the irradiation length 4x of the inspection light in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning blade, which is the inspection object 4, is
n (90-θ) = 3x (short side) / 4x (irradiation length). For example, 3x, which is one side of a light beam having a rectangular surface of the inspection light beam 3a, is 5 mm and the incident angle is 5 mm. If θ is 80 degrees, the light beam of the inspection light 3a is a parallel light, so that the irradiation length 4x is about 29 mm from the above equation, and the inspection light 3 having a rectangular surface after passing through the mask plate 3
A longer range will be irradiated than the short side of a (3x = 5 mm).

Incidentally, a rectangular feature of the inspection light 3a (3y =
14 mm) is irradiated with a width wider than the width of the inspection object 4. The inspection light beam 3a radiated to the surface of the inspection object 4 at the incident angle θ in this manner is disposed on the optical axis facing the inspection object 4 via the inspection object 4 as a transmitted light image by the inspection object 4. The light is incident on the plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5A.

In response to the incidence of the transmitted light image 4a, the plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5A has no lens effect on the transmitted light image 4a in the short side (3x = 5 mm) direction of the inspection light beam 3a. Are configured and arranged to have a lens effect on the transmitted light image 4a in the long side (3y = 14 mm) direction.

The distance between the irradiation position of the surface of the object 4 to be inspected by the inspection light beam 3a and the plano-convex cylindrical lens 5A is longer than the focal length of the plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5A. The projection lens 5A is arranged.

The reflected light image 4b of the cleaning blade surface caused by irradiating the surface of the inspection object 4 with the inspection light beam 3a at an incident angle θ is a plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5B disposed on the regular reflection optical axis. Is incident on.

In response to the incidence of such a reflected light image 4b, the plano-convex cylindrical lens 5B has no lens action on the reflected light image in the short side (3x = 5 mm) direction of the inspection light beam 3a, but has a long lens function. The arrangement has a lens function for the reflected light image in the side (3y = 14 mm) direction.

The distance between the irradiation position of the inspection light beam 3a on the surface of the inspection object 4 and the plano-convex cylindrical lens 5B is
The plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5B is set so as to have an interval longer than the focal length of the plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5B.
Is arranged.

As a result, the transmitted light image 4a and the reflected light image 4b incident on each of the plano-convex cylindrical projection lenses 5A and 5B are projected out of the lens 3a with respect to the long side (3y = 14 mm). An image is formed at the position of the focal length of the convex cylindrical projection lenses 5A and 5B. When the image is separated therefrom, the image is inverted by 180 degrees and becomes an inverted image that expands depending on the distance and the lens magnification.

Further, an image of the light beam 3a emitted from the lens in the 3x direction is emitted with the width of the incident light beam without lens action.

Each plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5A,
5B, the transmitted light image 5a and the reflected light image 5 of the inspection object 4 that has passed
The range in which the projected light image b is received by the light receiving mask slits arranged on each optical axis is determined.

As described above, the light receiving mask slits of the light receiving mask plates 6A and 6B determine the light receiving range of the projected light image, and the projected light images 6a and 6b passing through the slits are CCD lines arranged on each optical axis. The light is projected onto the light receiving element surfaces of the sensors 7A and 7B and received by the CCD line sensors 7A and 7B.

Each CCD line sensor 7A, 7B
Has no imaging lens, and the transmitted light image 5a and the reflected light image 5b of the test object 4 that have passed through the plano-convex cylindrical projection lenses 5A and 5B pass through the slits of the light receiving mask plates 6A and 6B. , Only the obtained projected light images 6a and 6b
The light is directly received by the CD line sensors 7A and 7B.

Each of the CCD line sensors 7A, 7B
Are arranged in the width direction of the inspection object 4 (the direction of the long side 3y of the inspection light 3a) in the direction perpendicular to the respective optical axes similarly to the slits of the respective light receiving mask plates 6A and 6B. .

The distance between each of the plano-convex cylindrical projection lenses 5A and 5B and each of the CCD line sensors 7A and 7B is such that the plane-convex cylindrical projection lenses 5A and 5B are provided over the entire light receiving element array of each of the CCD line sensors 7A and 7B. Transmitted light image 5a and reflected light image 5b of inspection object 4 enlarged by
Are set at positions where the respective vertical image ranges are illuminated.

A plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5
A and a light receiving mask plate 6A disposed between the CCD line sensor 7A and a slit provided therein
The light receiving element array of the line sensor 7A is provided so that only the entire surface of the light receiving element array is irradiated with the vertical image range of the transmitted light image 5a of the inspection object.

Similarly, with respect to the reflected light image, the light receiving mask plate 6B disposed between the plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5B and the CCD line sensor 7B, and the slit provided therein are provided with the light receiving element array of the CCD line sensor 7B. The entire surface is provided so as to irradiate the range of the image in the vertical direction of the reflected light image 5b of the inspection object.

The transmitted light image 6a and the reflected light image 6b received by the CCD line sensors 7A and 7B are converted into electric signals, respectively, output as video signals 7a and 7b, input to the processing device 8, and input to the processing device 8. Thus, the quality of the inspection object 4 is determined.

It is to be noted that, with respect to the input video signals 7a and 7b, only the video signal portions corresponding to the transmitted light image 6a and the reflected light image 6b are targeted, and the video signal levels are stored in the inspection object in advance. It is compared with a non-defective detected video signal having no change in surface shape. That is, the result is compared with the upper and lower limits of the respective standard levels of the transmitted light image and the reflected light image which are set in advance, and if the standard values are not met, it is determined that a surface shape defect exists at that location. If the value is within the standard value, the surface at that location is determined to be good.

FIG. 2 shows that the parallel inspection light beam 3a is
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a transmitted light depending on the presence or absence of a gradual surface shape change by irradiating a certain range 4x of the surface with an incident angle θ to the surface.

In FIG. 2, on the surface (range 4 × 1, 4 × 3) in which the front and back surfaces do not have a gradual change in uneven shape, the front and back surfaces are kept parallel to the reference axis 10 in the longitudinal direction of the inspection object. The inspection light beam 3a applied to the surface of the object 4 enters the inspection object 4 due to the refractive index of the inspection object 4, and the transmitted light beam is emitted from the inspection object and transmitted light image (range 4a1,
4a3).

The surface reflected light is reflected at a reflection angle θB equal to the incident angle θ, and the reflected light image (4b1, 4b3)
Make

Next, a gentle convex surface (range 4 × 2)
Then, since the surface is not parallel to the reference axis 10, the inclination xn is generated with respect to the reference axis 10. Therefore, the incident angle θn of each irradiation point with respect to the surface is θ-xn degrees (= θn).
The inspection light beam is emitted at an incident angle different from the incident angle θ on the surface when there is no change in the surface shape.

The convex surface (range 4 × 2) is irradiated at an incident angle θn, and the surface is refracted by the refractive index of the object 4 to be incident on the object 4 and transmitted therethrough. Transmitted light image emitted from inspection object 4 (range 4a2)
Make

As described above, in the transmitted light range 4ax of the incident angle θ and the transmitted and emitted angle θA with respect to the range 4x of the surface of the inspection object 4 irradiated with the inspection light beam 3a, the transmitted light forms a right angle with the transmitted light at a certain position. The transmitted light intensity distribution on the straight line 4ac is shown as a characteristic curve 4ad shown in FIG. 2, and the change in light intensity due to the convex shape of the surface of the inspection object 4 is a change portion 4a.
2 ′, a difference between the surface having no surface shape change and the transmitted light intensity is obtained.

In the surface reflected light, the convex surface (range 4 × 2) eliminates the parallelism between the surface and the reference axis 10, and the incident angle of the inspection light beam on the convex surface becomes θn, and the change in the surface shape changes. The inspection light beam is irradiated at an incident angle different from the incident angle θ to the surface when there is no inspection light beam.

The reflection angle θnB of the reflected light with respect to the irradiation incident angle θn is reflected at the same angle as the incident angle θn to form a reflected light image (range 4b2). Further, in the reflected light, in the reflected light range 4bx of the incident angle θ and the reflection angle θB with respect to the range 4x of the surface of the inspection object 4 irradiated with the inspection light beam 3a,
The reflected light intensity distribution on a straight line 4bc that is perpendicular to the reflected light at a certain position of the reflected light is shown as a characteristic curve 4bd, and the change in light intensity due to the convex shape of the surface appears as a changing part 4b2 ′, The difference between the surface having no change in the surface shape and the reflected light intensity is obtained.

The transmitted light image thus obtained passes through a plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5A and a light receiving mask plate 6A, and is received by a CCD line sensor 7A. Is converted to Further, the converted electric signal 7a is input to the processing device 8.

The reflected light image passes through a plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 5B and a light receiving mask plate 6B and is received by a CCD line sensor 7B, whereby a change in light intensity is converted into a voltage level change of an electric signal. . Further, the converted electric signal 7b is input to the processing device 8.

After the converted electric signals 7a and 7b for the transmitted light image and the reflected light image are input to the processor 8,
Video signal and conversion signal 7 of a transmitted light image of a good product stored in advance
a is also compared with the video signal of the reflected light image of the non-defective product and the converted signal 7b, and then compared with the upper and lower limit values of the standard levels of the transmitted light image and the reflected light image stored in advance to change the shape on the surface. It is determined whether a defect exists.

The transmitted light intensity due to the surface convex shape (range 4 × 2) shown in FIG. 2 is converted as a change in the voltage level indicated by the characteristic curve 4ad, and is out of the upper and lower limits of the standard level. .

Similarly, the intensity of the reflected light is represented by the characteristic curve 4bd.
Is converted as a change in the voltage level shown in FIG. 5, and similarly falls outside the lower limit of the standard level, so that it is determined that a shape change exists. In addition, the inspection device of the present embodiment includes the inspection object 4
In order to similarly inspect the entire surface of the transparent sheet, a feed mechanism for the inspection object 4 in the direction of the reference axis 10 is provided (not shown).
For example, the inspection object 4 is moved in the reference axis direction 11 at a certain constant speed by the feed function, and the inspection light beam 3a
Are sequentially irradiated, and the transmitted light image and the reflected light image of the inspection object 4 at that time are passed through the plano-convex cylindrical lenses 5A and 5B and the light receiving mask plates 6A and 6B, and the CCD line sensor 7
By receiving light at A and 7B, a change in light intensity is converted into a change in voltage level of an electric signal, and the converted signal is input to the processing device 8 and an entire inspection can be performed. If at least one surface shape change defect exists, the inspection object is determined to be defective.

As described above, according to this embodiment, both sides can be inspected at high speed while moving the transparent sheet-like cleaning blade, which is the inspection object 4, and the inside of the inspection object 4 can be inspected. Can be inspected.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the object 4 is imaged obliquely with respect to the parallel irradiation light beam, the uneven surface defect including a defect of a certain thickness change on the surface of the object 4 and the object to be inspected are oblique. An image of the refraction deformation can be largely taken for the abnormality inside the inspection object 4, and the defect can be reliably determined by the signal processing of the photoelectric conversion signal.

Further, the CCD line sensors 7A and 7B, which are one-dimensional sensors, are used as imaging means for each of the transmitted light image and the reflected light image, and the width direction of the inspection object 4 is imaged one-dimensionally and photoelectrically converted. Thus, the inspection can be performed while continuously sending the inspection object 4, and the inspection can be speeded up.

Therefore, with the inspection apparatus and the inspection method according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a cleaning blade in which the occurrence of cleaning unevenness due to the contact pressure change due to the deformation and internal defects of the cleaning blade is suppressed.

Further, in order to realize the functions of the above-described embodiment, a device connected to the above-mentioned various devices or a computer in a system is operated so that various devices are operated so as to realize the functions of the above-described embodiment. The present invention also includes programs implemented by supplying the program code of the software described above and operating the various devices according to programs stored in a computer (CPU or MPU) of the system or apparatus.

In this case, the program code of the software implements the functions of the above-described embodiment, and the program code itself and means for supplying the program code to a computer are provided.
For example, a storage medium storing such a program code constitutes the present invention. As a storage medium for storing such a program code, for example, a floppy disk, hard disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM,
A magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

When the computer executes the supplied program code, not only the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized, but also the OS (Operating System) or other operating system running on the computer. Needless to say, even when the functions of the above-described embodiments are realized in cooperation with application software or the like, such program codes are included in the embodiments of the present invention.

Further, after the supplied program code is stored in a memory provided in a function expansion board of a computer or a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the function expansion board or the function expansion unit is specified based on the instruction of the program code. It is needless to say that the present invention also includes a case where the CPU or the like provided in the first embodiment performs part or all of the actual processing, and the processing realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments.

[0071]

According to the present invention, by detecting the light intensity distributions of the transmitted light image and the reflected light image, irregular defects on the surface of the transparent material can be detected stably and reliably, and it is determined whether or not the product is good. Can be performed. In addition, both sides and the inside of the transparent material can be inspected at the same time, and the inspection efficiency can be improved and the inspection can be performed in a short time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of a transparent material inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a transmitted light image and a reflected light image according to the presence or absence of a gradual surface shape change in the transparent material inspection apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 1 light source 1a output beam light 2 beam expander 3 irradiation light mask plate 3a inspection light flux 3x short side 3y long side 4 inspection object (cleaning blade) 4a, 5a, 6a transmitted light image 4b, 5b, 6b reflected light image 5A, 5B Plano-convex cylindrical projection lens 6A, 6B Light receiving mask plate 7A, 7B CCD line sensor 7a, 7b Video signal 8 Processing device

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page F term (reference) 2F065 AA49 BB22 CC00 DD03 DD06 FF01 FF04 FF41 FF61 GG05 GG12 HH03 HH12 JJ02 JJ25 LL08 LL10 LL30 MM03 PP01 PP22 QQ25 SS04 2G051 AA41 AA42 CA14 CB01 BA02 CB01 EB02 ED01

Claims (13)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for inspecting the surface condition of a transparent material, comprising: irradiating a parallel light beam of a predetermined area having substantially uniform intensity onto a surface of an inspected object; The transmitted light image and the reflected light image are each projected on a predetermined image sensor by an independent optical system, based on the photoelectric conversion signals of the transmitted light image and the reflected light image photoelectrically converted by the image sensor, An inspection apparatus for a transparent material, wherein an inspection is performed on a surface state of the inspection object. 2. The transparent material inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parallel light beam passes through the mask having the predetermined area and irradiates the inspection object. 3. A method of irradiating the parallel light beam from a direction inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the surface of the inspection object, and applying the parallel light beam to the surface of the inspection object at a position facing the irradiation source of the parallel light beam via the inspection object. The transparent material inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted light image is projected onto the image sensor. 4. The inspection of a transparent material according to claim 3, wherein the reflected light image is projected onto the image pickup device at a position along a regular reflection optical axis with respect to an optical axis of the parallel light flux. apparatus. 5. A photoelectric conversion signal of the transmitted light image and the reflected light image of a reference product having no change in surface shape is stored in advance, and the photoelectric conversion signal of the reference product and the photoelectric conversion signal of the inspection object are stored. The transparent material according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the transparent material is determined to have an abnormality in a surface state of the inspection object when the comparison result deviates from a predetermined standard value. Inspection equipment. 6. An apparatus for inspecting the surface condition of a transparent material, comprising: an irradiating means for irradiating a parallel light beam of a predetermined area having substantially uniform intensity onto a surface of an object to be inspected; A projection unit that independently projects a transmitted light image and a reflected light image of the inspection object via a mask; and an imaging unit that photoelectrically converts a projection image projected by the projection unit. An inspection apparatus for a transparent material, wherein the inspection object is inspected based on a signal. 7. A method for inspecting a surface state of a transparent material, comprising: irradiating a surface of an object with a parallel light beam having a predetermined area having substantially uniform intensity; The transmitted light image and the reflected light image are each projected on a predetermined image sensor by an independent optical system, based on the photoelectric conversion signals of the transmitted light image and the reflected light image photoelectrically converted by the image sensor, A method for inspecting a transparent material, comprising inspecting a surface state of the inspection object. 8. The method for inspecting a transparent material according to claim 7, wherein the parallel light beam passes through the mask having the predetermined area to irradiate the inspection object. 9. A method of irradiating the parallel light beam with respect to the surface of the inspection object from a direction inclined at a predetermined angle to the surface of the inspection object, and applying the parallel light beam to the inspection object at a position facing the irradiation source of the parallel light beam through the inspection object. 9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the transmitted light image is projected onto the image sensor. 10. The inspection of a transparent material according to claim 9, wherein the reflected light image is projected onto the image pickup device at a position along a regular reflection optical axis with respect to an optical axis of the parallel light flux. Method. 11. A photoelectric conversion signal of the transmitted light image and the reflected light image of a reference product having no change in surface shape is stored in advance, and the photoelectric conversion signal of the reference product and the photoelectric conversion signal of the inspection object are stored. The transparent material according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein when the comparison result is out of a predetermined standard value, it is determined that there is an abnormality in the surface condition of the inspection object. Inspection method. 12. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as each unit of the transparent material inspection apparatus according to claim 6. 13. A computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the procedure of the method for inspecting a transparent material according to claim 7. Description: