JPH11321989A - Cap inspecting equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To judge whether a cap is capped properly or not by providing an operating means for comparing the measured height of a detecting means and a predetermined reference value, and for correcting the height of a container detected basing on the difference, and by comparing the corrected container height and the predetermined value for judgement. SOLUTION: This equipment is provided with a detecting means 16 for detecting the height of a capped container 2 and judges whether a cap 12 is properly capped or not by comparing the height detected with a predetermined value for judgement. In this case, provided are a measuring means for measuring the height where the detecting means 16 is positioned and an operating means for comparing the measured height of the detective means 16 and the predetermined reference value and for correcting the height of the container 2 detected according to the difference. Whether the cap 12 is properly capped or not is judged by comparing the corrected height of the container 2 with the predetermined value for judgement.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cap inspection apparatus for judging whether a container capped by a capper such as a screw cap or a driving cap is in a closed state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional cap inspection apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 2 denotes a container, 1 denotes a conveyor for transporting the container 2, 12 denotes a cap capped on the container 2, and 16 denotes a laser sensor as detecting means for detecting the height of the capped container. It is.

The laser sensor 16 comprises an irradiating means 5 for irradiating a laser beam L having a certain width and a light receiving means 6 for receiving the irradiating laser light L. A container is provided between the irradiating means 5 and the light receiving means 6. When 2 passes, the laser beam L that passes above without being blocked by the cap 12 is received, the amount of light is calculated, the obtained amount of light is quantified, the value is recognized as the height of the container, and a predetermined determination value is determined. By comparing and judging the quality of the plugged state, for example, if the detection value <the judgment value, that is, if the height of the container is higher than the normally capped,
It is determined that capping is incomplete and the cap is floating, and if the detection value> the determination value, it is determined that there is no cap.

[0005]

As described above, the detecting means for determining the height of the container from the amount of light, as in the prior art, is used to compare the determined value of the container height with a predetermined judgment value to determine whether the cap is closed. If the height of the detection means is changed as shown by the dotted line in the figure (in this case, the height is low), the amount of light detected is the same even in the same container. When the height of the detecting means is changed once and the height is returned to the original height, for example, when inspecting a container having a different height for each rod, accurate restoring property is required.

However, in practice, it is difficult to return the height to the exact same height due to the accuracy error of the support member, and the value of the amount of light received is slightly changed. In order to set the judgment value again by detecting the amount of light at the height using a container to be inspected, it is troublesome, and it is necessary to prepare various types of containers for setting. .

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention comprises detecting means for detecting the height of a capped container, and compares the detected height with a predetermined judgment value. In a cap inspection device that determines whether the cap is closed or not, a measuring unit that measures a height at which the detecting unit is located, a measured height of the detecting unit is compared with a predetermined reference value, and based on a difference therebetween, An arithmetic means for correcting the detected height of the container is provided, and a technical means for comparing the corrected height of the container with a predetermined determination value to determine whether the cap is closed or not is adopted.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a cap inspection apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing control means in the first embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a cap inspection apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing an arrangement of the cap inspection apparatus in the embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5, in this embodiment, the containers are conveyed on the conveyor 1 from left to right in the figure, and the height of the containers before capping is set at a position A on the upstream side of the capper 4. And the detecting means is arranged to detect the height of the same capped container at the position B on the downstream side. The height of the container before capping is obtained for each container, and The height after capping is set as a judgment value based on the height, and the set judgment value is compared with the detection value detected at the position B.

By setting the judgment value for each container in this way, it is not necessary to set the judgment value in consideration of the manufacturing error of the container itself or the carrier accommodating the container, and a highly accurate judgment can be made. Is available.

Next, a cap inspection apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, a laser sensor 16 for detecting the height of a capped container is attached to a nut member 9 screwed to a screw shaft 8 via a stay 15, and the nut member 9 is connected to a conveyor. An elevating guide 13 attached to the frame 10 by a bracket 11 is supported so as to be able to move up and down via a key.

A motor 7 is provided above the elevating guide 13, and the nut member 9 can be moved up and down by rotating the screw shaft 8 by the motor 7. The laser sensor 16 can be positioned in accordance with the upper end portion of the cap 12 of the container 2 which is accommodated in the carrier 3 and transferred on the conveyor 1 by the elevating device 14 constituted by these components.

Further, a potentiometer 18 as a measuring means is provided above the elevating guide 13.
The lifting rod 17 is connected to the nut member 9 so that the height of the laser sensor 16 can be measured by detecting the displacement of the nut member 9.

Here, specific detection means will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The laser sensor 16 comprises an irradiating means 5 for irradiating a laser beam L having a certain width and a light receiving means 6 for receiving the irradiating laser light L.
The height of the laser sensor 16 is set so that the upper end portion of the cap 12 is included in the width of the laser beam L.

The laser beam L irradiated by the irradiating means 5 is incident on the light receiving means 6 only at a portion not blocked by the cap 12, and its light quantity is measured. In this embodiment, the light receiving means 6 has a width of 10 mm in the vertical direction, and outputs the amount of light received in this width as a voltage value of 0 to 5 V via the amplifier 21A. 0-4 by converter 20A
The value is converted into a numerical value of 000 and input to the control device 19.

On the other hand, a potentiometer 18 for measuring the height of the laser sensor 16 outputs a displacement of 100 mm in width from bottom to top at a voltage value of 0 to 10 V via an amplifier 21B.
This value is converted into a numerical value of 0 to 4000 by the A / D converter 20B and input to the control device 19.
That is, the laser sensor 16 is set to input a value of 400 per mm, and the potentiometer 18 is set to input a value of 40 per mm to the control device 19.

When the height of the container before capping is detected by the laser sensor 16 located at the position A shown in FIG. 5 and positioned in accordance with the upper end portion of the container before capping, the laser sensors 16 to 2600 and a potentiometer are used. Assuming that a value of 18 to 2400 is input to the control device 19, assuming that the difference in height before and after capping when capping is normal is set to be 2 mm higher after capping, 2600-2 mm ( 80
0) = 1800 is set and the storage means 22 is set together with the reference value of 2400 of the potentiometer 18.
Is stored.

Thereafter, when the height of the same container 2 after capping is detected at the position B, and values such as 2600 from the laser sensor 16 and 2480 from the potentiometer 18 are inputted to the control device 19, the reference of the potentiometer 18 is assumed. When the value 2400 is compared with the current measured value 2480, the difference is +80, that is, the laser sensor 16 at the position B is positioned 2 mm higher than that at the position A, and the laser sensor 16 at the position B is positioned at the position A. This means that the height of the container is detected to be 2 mm lower than that of the container. Therefore, the detection value of 2600 is corrected to be higher by 2 mm (to reduce the spectral amount by 2 mm) and 260
The value of 0-2 mm (800) = 1800 is calculated by the calculating means 2
The calculation is performed in step 3, and this value is compared with the determination value. In this case, since both values are equal, it can be determined that the capping has been performed normally.

In the case of this embodiment, A,
Even when the heights of the laser sensors 16 at both positions B are changed, it is not necessary to make the heights of both laser sensors 16 the same.

In the above embodiment, the case where the laser sensor 16 is provided at both the positions A and B has been described. However, the laser sensor 16 is provided only at the position B on the downstream side of the capper 4 as in the prior art. Even if there is, the same effect is achieved.

In this case, a container of the kind to be inspected (capped) before inspecting the cap
Is actually passed through the laser sensor 16 to detect its height, and based on this, a determination value is set including an error, and the height of the laser sensor 16 at this time is measured by a potentiometer 18 to determine this. They are set as reference values, and both are stored in the storage means.

In accordance with the change of the container type, the laser sensor 1
When the inspection is performed after the height of the laser sensor 16 has been changed and changed again according to the original container, the previously set reference value is called and compared with the height (measured value) of the laser sensor 16 at that time. Based on this, the height (detection value) of the container is corrected and compared with the above-mentioned determination value to determine whether the cap is in the closed state. Thus, once the setting is made, it is not necessary to set the judgment value each time.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment according to the present invention. The laser sensor 24 is different from the first embodiment.
Other parts are common.

Another type of laser sensor 2 in this embodiment
4 detects the height of the container by receiving the reflected light of the laser beam irradiated on the top surface of the container and measuring the distance based on the time from the irradiation until returning from the irradiation. It is possible to determine the quality of the plugged state. Also in this case, the same effect as in the first embodiment can be obtained by measuring the height of the laser sensor 24 of another type by the potentiometer 18.

[0028]

According to the present invention, as a result of employing the above configuration,
The following effects can be obtained. (1) When the laser sensors are arranged before and after the capper and the judgment value is set each time from the height of the container before capping, the height of the laser sensors does not need to be the same. Further, when the laser sensor is disposed after the capper and the determination value is set in advance, it is not necessary to return to the same position even if the height of the laser sensor is changed after the determination value is set. In any case, the positioning accuracy of the laser sensor is not required. (2) It is not necessary to reset the determination value every time the laser sensor is moved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing a cap inspection apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing control means according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view illustrating a conventional cap inspection apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view showing a cap inspection apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing an arrangement of a cap inspection device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Conveyor 2 ... Container 3 ... Carrier 4 ... Capper 5 Irradiation means 6 Light receiving means 7 Motor 8 Screw shaft 9 Nut member 10 {Conveyor frame 11} Bracket 12> Cap 13> Elevating guide 14> Elevating device 15> Stay 16> Laser sensor 17> Elevating rod 18> Potentiometer 19> Control device 20A, 2
0B {A / D converter 21A, 21B} Amplifier 22} Storage means 23 {Calculation means 24} Other types of laser sensor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cap inspection apparatus, comprising: detection means for detecting the height of a capped container; and comparing the detected height with a predetermined determination value to determine whether the cap is in a closed state. Measuring means for measuring the height at which the container is located, and calculating means for comparing the measured height of the detecting means with a predetermined reference value and correcting the detected height of the container based on the difference, A cap inspection apparatus for comparing the height of the container with a predetermined determination value to determine whether the cap is in a closed state.