JP6224339B2 - Inspection device for inspecting printed parts - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus that inspects a printing unit printed by a printer.

  Conventionally, a sheet-shaped empty bag (hereinafter referred to as “empty bag”) (printed material) has been supplied as a packaging machine for packing an object in a bag, and the supplied empty bag is filled with a filling material. A bag-wrapping machine is known. In the bag supply and packaging machine, for example, a printing process for printing a printing unit on an empty bag or an empty bag printed on an empty bag that is intermittently transferred to a plurality of stations by repeatedly transferring and stopping. After passing through each process such as an inspection process for inspecting the printing unit and a filling process for filling the empty bag with the filler, the empty bag is filled with the filler and packaged.

As an inspection device used in an inspection process in a bag-feeding packaging machine or the like, a printing unit is printed on an empty bag by a printer, and the printing unit printed on the empty bag is imaged by a camera (imaging unit). An inspection apparatus for inspecting a printing unit is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). In the inspection apparatus described in Patent Document 1, an empty bag on which a printing unit is printed by a printer at a printing station is transferred from the printing station to the inspection station, and the printing unit printed on the empty bag is transferred to the camera at the inspection station. Are imaged and inspected.
There is also known an inspection apparatus that does not provide an inspection station and inspects a printed portion of a printed empty bag by imaging it with a camera during the transfer of the empty bag.

JP 2000-109033 A

However, in the inspection apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the empty bag on which the printing unit is printed is transferred from the printing station on which the printing unit is printed to the inspection station on which the empty bag is inspected. For this reason, since the sheet-like empty bag may fluctuate or the like, the empty bag may be transported in an unstable state. Imaging may not be possible. Similarly, in an inspection apparatus that images and inspects a printed portion of a printed blank bag while the blank bag is being transferred, the blank bag is transferred in an unstable state due to fluctuation of the sheet-like blank bag. Therefore, when a printed image of the printed portion of the blank bag is captured by the camera during the transfer of the blank bag, the printed portion printed on the blank bag may not be accurately imaged.
Therefore, an inspection apparatus that inspects a printing unit that can accurately inspect a printing unit printed by a printer is desired.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus that inspects a printing unit that can accurately inspect a printing unit printed by a printer.

  The present invention relates to a printer that prints a printing unit on the printing material that is stopped at the printing stop position when the printing material that is intermittently transferred by repeatedly transferring and stopping is stopped at the printing stop position, and the printing An inspection device that inspects the printing unit imaged by the imaging unit, the imaging unit comprising: an imaging unit configured to image the printing unit printed on the printing material that is stopped at a stop position. It is possible to move to a printing position facing the substrate that is stopped at the printing stop position, and a print standby position that is separated from the printing position, and the substrate that is stopped at the printing stop position at the printing position. The printing unit is printed, and the imaging unit is movable to an imaging position facing the substrate to be printed that is stopped at the printing stop position, and an imaging standby position that is separated from the imaging position. The printer starts moving from the print position to the print standby position and then moves to the image pickup position to pick up an image of the printing unit printed on the printing material stopped at the print stop position at the image pickup position. The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus for inspecting a printing unit.

  Further, the printer and the imaging unit are moved together so that the movement from the printing position to the printing standby position in the printer and the movement from the imaging standby position to the imaging position in the imaging unit are simultaneously performed. It is preferable to further include a moving part to be moved.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the inspection apparatus which test | inspects the printing part which can test | inspect the printing part printed by the printer accurately can be provided.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a case where a thermal printer 2 is located at a printing position A1 in the inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting a printing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view which shows the case where the camera 5 is located in imaging position B1 in the test | inspection apparatus 1 which test | inspects the printing part which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 5 is a side view showing a case where the print receiving unit 4 is located at a retracted position in the inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting a printing unit according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state in which the print receiving portion 4 is moved to a pressing position from the state shown in FIG. 3 in the inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting a printing portion according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which a thermal head 32 is moved from the upper side to the lower side from the state shown in FIG. 4 in the inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting a printing unit according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state in which the print receiving unit 4 is moved to the retracted position from the state shown in FIG. 5 in the inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting the printing unit according to the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a case where a thermal printer 2 is located at a printing position A1 in an inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting a printing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a case where the camera 5 is located at the imaging position B1 in the inspection apparatus 1 that inspects the printing unit according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a side view showing the case where the print receiving portion 4 is located at the retracted position in the inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting the printing portion according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a side view showing a state where the print receiving portion 4 is moved to the pressing position from the state shown in FIG. 3 in the inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting the printing portion according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a side view showing a state in which the thermal head 32 is moved from the upper side to the lower side from the state shown in FIG. 4 in the inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting the printing unit according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a side view showing a state in which the print receiving unit 4 is moved to the retracted position from the state shown in FIG. 5 in the inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting the printing unit according to the present invention.

  In the following description and drawings, the direction in which the empty bag E is transferred is referred to as a transfer direction P in this embodiment. The direction in which the print receiver 4 moves in the direction orthogonal to the transfer direction P is referred to as the forward / backward direction X, and the direction in which the print receiver 4 approaches the thermal printer 2 is referred to as the forward direction X1. A direction away from the thermal printer 2 is referred to as a backward direction X2. Further, the direction perpendicular to the advancing / retreating direction X and in which the thermal printer 2 and the camera 5 move integrally is referred to as a linear movement direction Y, and the direction in which the camera 5 is directed from the imaging standby position B2 to the imaging position B1 is the first. The direction in which the camera 5 moves from the imaging position B1 to the imaging standby position B2 is referred to as a second linear movement direction Y2. The up-down direction is referred to as the up-down direction Z.

  The inspection apparatus 1 that inspects the printing unit according to the present embodiment is used in an inspection process in a bag-feeding packaging machine 10 or the like, for example. The bag supply and packaging machine 10 is a pre-formed bag that supplies an empty bag (hereinafter referred to as “empty bag”) (printed material) that is not filled with an object, and fills the empty bag E. Is a device that packs things and wraps things in bags. In the present embodiment, the empty bag E is formed in a sheet shape as a whole while a film-like sheet is formed in a bag shape, and one side is open.

  In the bag supply and packaging machine 10, the empty bag E is filled with a filling material and packaged through each process. As each process in the bag supply and packaging machine 10, for example, a printing process for printing a printing part on an empty bag E by a thermal printer 2 as a printer, an inspection process for inspecting a printing part printed by the thermal printer 2, There is a filling step of filling the bag E with a filling material.

  In each process in the bag supply and packaging machine 10, the empty bag E is intermittently sequentially transferred by repeating the transfer and stop along the transfer direction P shown in FIG. Is done. The empty bag E is positioned along the transfer direction P with the opening of the empty bag E facing upward and the surface of the sheet-like empty bag E extending substantially parallel to the transfer direction P. Transported. In the present embodiment, the pair of nail claws 12 of the transport mechanism 11 are configured to be moved in the transfer direction P with the upper side of the empty bag E sandwiched between the front end and the rear end in the transfer direction P. The empty bag E is transferred in the transfer direction P.

  In the present embodiment, the inspection apparatus 1 that inspects the printing unit uses, for example, the empty bag E that is stopped at the print stop position by the thermal printer 2 (described later) in the printing process and the inspection process in the above-described bag feeding and packaging machine 10. While the printing unit is printed, the printing unit printed on the empty bag E stopped at the printing stop position is imaged by the camera 5 (described later). 1 to 6 in the present embodiment, the empty bag E is stopped at the printing stop position.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, an inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting a printing unit according to this embodiment includes a thermal printer 2 as a printer, a print receiving unit 4, a camera 5 as an imaging unit, and a moving unit. The linear movement part 6 and the mounting board 7 are provided.

The thermal printer 2 prints a printing unit (not shown) on the stopped empty bag E at the print stop position while the empty bag E that is intermittently transferred by repeatedly transferring and stopping is stopped at the print stop position. .
Moreover, the thermal printer 2 is attached to the linear moving part 6 mentioned later, as shown in FIG.1 and FIG.3. Although details will be described later, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the thermal printer 2 is moved to a print position A1 shown in FIG. 1 and a print standby position A2 shown in FIG. It is configured to be movable.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the thermal printer 2 includes a ribbon transport mechanism 31, a thermal head 32, and a holding frame 33. The holding frame 33 holds the ribbon transport mechanism 31 and the thermal head 32.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the thermal head 32 is disposed so as to face the empty bag E positioned at the printing stop position when the thermal printer 2 is positioned at the printing position A1. The thermal head 32 is arranged so that the tip side protrudes toward the empty bag E side. The thermal head 32 is configured to be movable in the vertical direction Z.

  The thermal head 32 includes a plurality of heating elements at the tip thereof. In the thermal head 32, a desired heating element generates heat when the thermal printer 2 energizes the thermal head 32.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the ribbon transport mechanism 31 includes a raw fabric side ribbon holder 311 that rotatably holds a wound unused ink ribbon R, a winding side ribbon holder 316 that winds up the ink ribbon R, A plurality of guide rollers 312, 313, 314, 315 and a peel roller 317 are provided. The ribbon transport mechanism 31 transports the unused ink ribbon R wound around the raw fabric side ribbon holder 311 toward the thermal head 32 and also transports the ink ribbon R used in the thermal head 32 to the winding side ribbon holder. Transport toward 316.

  The plurality of guide rollers 312, 313, 314, and 315 are rollers that guide the ink ribbon R that is conveyed from the original fabric ribbon holder 311 toward the take-up ribbon holder 316.

  The peel roller 317 is provided downstream of the thermal head 32 in the transport direction of the ink ribbon R. The peel roller 317 is rotatably attached. The peel roller 317 moves in the vertical direction Z integrally with the thermal head 32. The peel roller 317 feeds the used ink ribbon R after printing by the thermal head 32 toward the winding side ribbon holder 316 side.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the print receiving unit 4 is arranged so that the thermal printer 2 is located with respect to the empty bag E located at the print stop position when the thermal printer 2 is located at the print position A1 (see FIG. 1). And placed on the opposite side. The print receiving portion 4 is placed and fixed on the upper surface of the placement plate 7 via the support portion 8.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the print receiver 4 includes a print receiver drive unit 41, a holding plate 43, and a platen plate 44. The print receiver drive unit 41 includes a drive unit body 411 and a rod unit 412. The drive part main body 411 holds the rod part 412 so as to be able to advance and retreat, and moves the rod part 412 in the advancing / retreating direction X (traveling direction X1, retreating direction X2).

  A holding plate 43 is attached to the tip of the rod portion 412. A platen plate 44 is attached to the holding plate 43.

  The platen plate 44 is formed in a plate shape in which the empty bag E side surface has a plane parallel to the empty bag E when the empty bag E is positioned at the printing stop position. The platen plate 44 is formed of a member having predetermined elasticity such as silicon rubber, for example. The platen plate 44 moves in the advancing / retracting direction X, so that the empty bag E that stops at the print stop position moves in the advancing direction X1 that approaches the empty bag E or the retracted direction X2 that moves away from the empty bag E. Moved to.

  When the platen plate 44 is moved in the advance / retreat direction X by the drive of the print receiving drive unit 41, when the thermal printer 2 is positioned at the print position A1 (see FIG. 1), the empty bag E positioned at the print stop position is detected. The platen plate 44 presses the empty bag E toward the ink ribbon R and the thermal head 32 (see FIG. 4) and the retreat position (see FIG. 3) where the platen plate 44 separates from the empty bag E. It is movable. In the present embodiment, the print receiver driving unit 41 is configured by an actuator such as an air cylinder, for example.

  The thermal printer 2 configured as described above prints a printing unit (not shown) on the empty bag E that is stopped at the print stop position at the print position A1 (see FIG. 1). Specifically, when the empty bag E is stopped at the print stop position and the thermal printer 2 is positioned at the print position A1 (see FIG. 1), as shown in FIGS. The platen plate 44 of No. 4 is moved in the advancing direction X1 from the retracted position (see FIG. 3) toward the pressing position (see FIG. 4). Accordingly, the platen plate 44 of the print receiving portion 4 is moved from the retracted position (see FIG. 3) to the pressing position (see FIG. 4), and presses the empty bag E toward the ink ribbon R and the thermal head 32 side. 4 and FIG. 5, when the thermal head 32 is moved from the upper side to the lower side in the vertical direction Z, a desired heating element that generates heat on the surface of the platen plate 44 of the print receiving unit 4 is obtained. The ink ribbon R that has come into contact with the empty bag E. Thereby, the thermal printer 2 adheres the ink applied to the ink ribbon R to the empty bag E and prints a printing unit (not shown).

  The camera 5 captures an image of the printing unit printed on the empty bag E stopped at the print stop position at the image capture position B1 (see FIG. 2). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the camera 5 is attached to a side portion of the thermal printer 2 on the second linear movement direction Y2 side.

  The linear movement part 6 is mounted and fixed on the upper surface of the mounting plate 7, as shown in FIG.2 and FIG.3. The linear moving unit 6 includes a moving unit main body 61 and an upper moving member 62 provided on the upper side of the moving unit main body 61. The lower part of the thermal printer 2 is attached to the upper end of the upper moving member 62. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the moving unit main body 61 holds the upper moving member 62 so as to be movable in the linear motion direction Y, and holds the upper movable member 62 in the linear motion direction Y (first linear motion direction Y1, first motion direction). 2 Move in the linear motion direction Y2). The linear movement direction Y is a horizontal direction and is a direction orthogonal to the forward / backward direction X of the rod portion 412. The linear movement direction Y is also a direction substantially parallel to the transfer direction P of the empty bag E. In this embodiment, the linear movement part 6 is comprised by actuators, such as a rodless type air cylinder, for example.

  Thus, the moving unit main body 61 moves the upper moving member 62 in the linear movement direction Y, thereby linearly moving the thermal printer 2 attached to the upper moving member 62 and the camera 5 attached to the thermal printer 2. , And move integrally in the linear motion direction Y (first linear motion direction Y1, second linear motion direction Y2).

  The thermal printer 2 that is moved in the linear motion direction Y by the linear moving unit 6 can move to a printing position A1 (see FIG. 1) and a printing standby position A2 (see FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 1, the printing position A1 of the thermal printer 2 is a position facing the empty bag E that is stopped at the printing stop position. As shown in FIG. 2, the print standby position A2 of the thermal printer 2 is a position where the thermal printer 2 is separated from the print position A1 (see FIG. 1) in the first linear movement direction Y1.

  The camera 5 that is moved in the linear movement direction Y by the linear moving unit 6 can move to an imaging position B1 (see FIG. 2) and an imaging standby position B2 (see FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 2, the imaging position B1 of the camera 5 is a position facing the empty bag E that is stopped at the printing stop position. As shown in FIG. 1, the imaging standby position B2 of the camera 5 is a position that is separated from the imaging position B1 (see FIG. 2) of the camera 5 in the second linear movement direction Y2.

  The linear moving unit 6 configured as described above moves from the printing position A1 (see FIG. 1) in the thermal printer 2 to the printing standby position A2 (see FIG. 2) and the imaging standby position B2 in the camera 5 (see FIG. 1). ) To the imaging position B1 (see FIG. 2), the thermal printer 2 and the camera 5 are moved integrally and linearly in the linear movement direction Y. As a result, the camera 5 moves to the imaging position B1 (see FIG. 2) after the thermal printer 2 starts moving from the printing position A1 (see FIG. 1) to the printing standby position A2 (see FIG. 2). An image of the printing portion printed on the empty bag E that is stopped at the printing stop position at the position B1 (see FIG. 2) is taken.

Next, the operation of the inspection apparatus 1 that inspects the printing unit will be described.
First, the thermal printer 2 prints the printing unit on the empty bag E that is intermittently transferred. Specifically, the empty bag E is intermittently transferred by repeating transfer and stop, and is stopped at the print stop position as shown in FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the thermal printer 2 is located at a printing position A1. The printing position A1 (see FIG. 1) in the thermal printer 2 is a position facing the empty bag E that is stopped at the printing stop position.

  Next, the platen plate 44 of the print receiving unit 4 is moved by the driving unit main body 411 from the retracted position shown in FIG. 3 to the pressing position shown in FIG. Press to 32. Thereafter, the thermal head 32 is moved from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. Then, the platen plate 44 of the print receiving unit 4 is moved in the retraction direction X2 from the pressing position shown in FIG. 5 to the retracted position shown in FIG. Separate from E. In this way, a printing unit (not shown) is printed on the empty bag E.

  Next, the camera 5 captures an image of the printing portion printed on the empty bag E by the thermal printer 2 while the empty bag E is stopped at the print stop position. Specifically, the empty bag E maintains the print stop position without moving from the print stop position where the printing unit is printed by the thermal printer 2. The camera 5 is moved in the first linear movement direction Y1 from the imaging standby position B2 (see FIG. 1) to the imaging position B1 (see FIG. 2) while the empty bag E is stopped while maintaining the printing stop position. Specifically, the linear printer 6 moves the thermal printer 2 and the camera 5 integrally in the first linear movement direction Y1. As a result, the camera 5 is positioned at the imaging position B1 (see FIG. 2) after the thermal printer 2 starts moving from the printing position A1 (see FIG. 1) to the printing standby position A2 (see FIG. 2). Moved. The camera 5 captures an image of the printing unit printed on the empty bag E stopped at the print stop position at the image capture position B1 (see FIG. 2). Thereby, the empty bag E can be imaged by the camera 5 without moving the empty bag E from the printing stop position. Therefore, the printing unit printed on the empty bag E can be accurately imaged by the camera 5.

  Information on the image of the printing part of the empty bag E imaged by the camera 5 is transmitted to an inspection part (not shown) and inspected by processing such as pattern matching. Thereby, the printing part printed on the empty bag E can be inspected with high accuracy.

According to the inspection apparatus 1 that inspects the printing unit of the present embodiment, for example, the following effects are exhibited.
In the inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting the printing unit of the present embodiment, the empty bag E that is intermittently transferred by repeatedly transferring and stopping is stopped at the print stop position, and the empty bag E is stopped at the print stop position. A thermal printer 2 that prints the printing portion and a camera 5 that picks up an image of the printing portion printed on the empty bag E that is stopped at the print stop position. The thermal printer 2 is at the print stop position at the print position A1. The printing unit is printed on the stopped empty bag E, and the imaging unit 5 moves to the imaging position B1 after the thermal printer 2 starts moving from the printing position A1 to the printing standby position A2, and prints at the imaging position B1. The printing unit printed on the empty bag E that is stopped at the stop position is imaged.

Therefore, while the empty bag E is stopped at the print stop position, the printing of the printing unit onto the empty bag E by the thermal printer 2 and the imaging of the printing unit printed on the empty bag E by the camera 5 can be performed. Thereby, the printing part printed by the thermal printer 2 can be accurately imaged by the camera 5 in a state in which the empty bag E is prevented from being unstable due to fluctuation of the empty bag E. Therefore, it is possible to accurately inspect the printing portion printed by the thermal printer 2.
In particular, when the empty bag E is formed of a film-like sheet, the possibility that the empty bag E fluctuates and becomes unstable is increased. Even in such a case, the printing unit printed by the thermal printer 2 can be accurately imaged by the camera 5.

  In addition, while the empty bag E is stopped at the print stop position, both printing of the printing unit on the empty bag E and imaging of the printing unit printed on the empty bag E can be performed. Thereby, since it is not necessary to provide both a space for printing the printing part on the empty bag E and a space for imaging the printing part printed on the empty bag E, space saving can be realized. Can do.

  In the inspection apparatus 1 for inspecting the printing unit of the present embodiment, the movement from the printing position A1 to the printing standby position A2 in the thermal printer 2 and the movement from the imaging standby position B2 to the imaging position B1 in the camera 5 are simultaneously performed. As will be described, a linear moving unit 6 that moves the thermal printer 2 and the camera 5 integrally is further provided. Therefore, since it is not necessary to provide a moving unit that moves the thermal printer 2 and the camera 5 separately, a simple configuration can be achieved.

As mentioned above, although preferred embodiment was described, this invention can be implemented with a various form, without being limited to embodiment mentioned above.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, the thermal printer 2 and the camera 5 are configured to move integrally. However, the present invention is not limited to this. You may comprise so that the thermal printer 2 and the camera 5 may be moved separately, without moving integrally.

  In the embodiment, the printer is the thermal printer 2, but the printer is not limited to this. For example, an ink jet printer may be used.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the to-be-printed object was the empty bag E, it is not restrict | limited to this. The substrate may be, for example, a single film sheet that is not formed in a bag shape.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the inspection apparatus which test | inspects the printing part of this invention was provided in the bag supply packaging machine 10, it is not restrict | limited to this.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the transfer direction P of the empty bag E was made into linear form, it is not restrict | limited to this. For example, in the bag-feeding packaging machine, the stations of the respective processes may be arranged along an annular shape. In this case, the transfer direction P of the empty bag E may be an arc. In this case, the possibility that the empty bag E fluctuates and becomes unstable is increased. Even in such a case, the printing unit printed by the thermal printer 2 can be accurately imaged by the camera 5.

1 Inspection device for inspecting printed parts 2 Thermal printer (printer)
5 Camera (imaging part)
6 Linear moving part (moving part)
E Empty bag (printed material)
A1 Print position A2 Print standby position B1 Imaging position B2 Imaging standby position

Claims (1)

A printer that prints a printing unit on the printing material that is stopped at the printing stop position when the printing material that is intermittently transferred by repeatedly transferring and stopping is stopped at the printing stop position;
An inspection unit that inspects the printing unit imaged by the imaging unit, and an imaging unit that images the printing unit printed on the printing material that is stopped at the printing stop position,
The printer includes a print position opposite to the printing substrate in stopping the printing stop position, and printing standby position separated from the printing position, it is movable in the printing stopped in a state of stopping the printing position Printing the printing section on the substrate being stopped at a position;
The image pickup unit is movable to an image pickup position facing the printing material stopped at the print stop position and an image pickup standby position spaced apart from the image pickup position, and the printer is moved from the print position to the print standby position. Move to the imaging position after starting to move to the position, image the printing unit printed on the printing material stopped at the print stop position in a state stopped at the imaging position ,
The inspection apparatus for inspecting the printing unit simultaneously performs the movement from the printing position to the printing standby position in the printer and the movement from the imaging standby position to the imaging position in the imaging unit. A moving unit that moves the imaging unit integrally;
In the state where the imaging unit is located at the imaging standby position, the printer stops at the printing position and prints the printing unit.
The imaging unit stops at the imaging position and images the printing unit in a state where the printer is positioned at the print standby position;
Inspection device that inspects the printing section.

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