JP2001133233A - Method and apparatus for detection of fracture in shape of object to be detected - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and an apparatus for the detection of a fracture, in which the fracture in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped object to be detected such as Tofu, Konnyaku or the like is detected mechanically before the object to be detected is housed in a package container. SOLUTION: An object T to be detected, which is conveyed to a detecting position by a conveyance means 11 and a conveyance means 12, is irradiated with light so as to obtain a luminous flux which aims the upper surface of the object T to be detected from the oblique upper part in a straight line to a direction at right angles to its conveyance direction. The line shape of the luminous flux is grasped two-dimentionally from the upper part of the detecting position. The shape is compared with the two-dimensional shape of a luminous flux obtained at a time when an object T to be detected in normal shape is irradiated,. As a result, a fracture in the shape of the object T to be detected is detected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting a defect in the shape of an object to be detected, and more particularly to a defect for detecting a defect in the shape of an object formed in a rectangular parallelepiped such as tofu or konjac. The present invention relates to a detection method and an apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various detection devices and detection methods have been researched and developed in order to detect defects generated in an object to be detected such as tofu stored in a container.

For example, as a conventional method for detecting a defect in tofu, a container that transmits irradiated light is transported along a transport path by a transport unit that transports the container along the transport path, and the container is transported along the transport path. Light is emitted from the light emitting means provided toward an end of one surface of the container, and reflected light accompanying loss of an object is received by light receiving means arranged toward a different surface of the container. Then, a method of detecting a loss of the gel-like object based on an increase in the light receiving level by the light receiving means is adopted.

[0004]

However, conventionally,
The method and apparatus for detecting defects of an object to be detected, which have been researched and developed, are provided with a plurality of light projecting means and light receiving means corresponding to each corner in order to detect a loss of a corner of the object to be detected. And there is a problem that the apparatus becomes complicated and large-scale.

Further, even if a defect is detected after the object to be detected is stored in the package container, the package container once storing the object to be detected must be disposed of sanitarily, resulting in waste of cost. In addition, there is a drawback that detection becomes difficult when the water enclosed in the container becomes cloudy or when the container is translucent or colored.

[0006] A detecting device and a detecting method for detecting a defect of an object to be detected before the individual object to be detected is stored in a package container have not been developed, and ultimately rely on direct visual recognition by an operator. There was only.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method and an apparatus for detecting a defect in a rectangular parallelepiped object to be detected, such as tofu or konjac, mechanically before storing the defect in a package container. It is the purpose.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a method for detecting a defect in the shape of an object according to claim 1 of the present invention provides a method for detecting a defect in an object conveyed to a detection position by a conveying means. On the other hand, light is radiated obliquely from above to the upper surface of the detection object so as to obtain a light beam that is aimed straight in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, and the line shape of the light beam is two-dimensionally viewed from above the detection position. It is characterized in that a defect in the shape of the object is detected by comparing it with a two-dimensional line shape of the light beam obtained when the object is irradiated with the object having a normal shape.

According to the present invention, the line shape of the light beam formed on the upper surface of the object is compared with the two-dimensional line shape of the light beam obtained when the object having the normal shape is irradiated. By doing so, the defect can be easily detected.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for detecting a defect in a shape of an object to be detected, the conveying means for conveying and supplying the object to a position where a defect in the shape is detected, and the object conveyed by the conveying means. A light projecting device arranged on the upper surface of the detection object so as to obtain a luminous flux that can be directly aligned in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the detection object, so as to be located upstream or downstream of the detection position in the conveyance direction. Means, and a two-dimensional sensor for grasping the irradiation result of the light beam in two dimensions, and comprising a discriminating means disposed above the detection position.

According to the present invention, the object to be detected conveyed to the detection position by the conveying means is aimed straight on the upper surface of the object by a light projecting means in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction from obliquely above. Irradiating light to obtain a light beam to be obtained, two-dimensionally grasping the line shape of the light beam from immediately above the detection position, and irradiating the object having a normal shape with the light beam. By comparing with a two-dimensional line shape, a defect in the shape of the detection object can be detected.

[0012]

1 and 3 show an embodiment of a device for detecting a loss in the shape of an object to be detected according to the present invention.

The device for detecting a shape loss of an object to be detected according to the present embodiment detects a loss in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped object, and transports and supplies a three-dimensional object to a detection position of the shape loss. And a discriminating means for detecting the loss of shape by grasping the irradiation result by the light projecting means in two dimensions. .

The conveying means comprises a total of four front, rear, left and right sprockets 12 and 12 in which an endless conveying belt 11 as shown in FIG. 1 is rotatably supported by a frame (not shown).
It is wound up and extended. The transport belt 11 stretched in this way is held so that its upper surface is positioned horizontally, and the upper surface serves as a transport path of the detection target T.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a substantially central portion of the transport path is set as a detection position for detecting a defect in the shape of the detection target T.

In the present embodiment, the light projecting means is disposed obliquely above the detection position on the upstream side of the transport path.

As shown in FIG. 2, the light projecting means includes a light source 13 composed of a point light source and a thin linear slit 1 for light transmission.
4, the shielding plate 15 is provided on a virtual line connecting the detection position and the light source 13 on the upper surface of the detection target T which is transported along the transport path from the light source 13. Among the emitted light rays, the projection slit 1
4 (hereinafter, referred to as a light beam) which is visually recognized by a two-dimensional sensor 16 of the discriminating means, which is described later, and is arranged so that the light can be aimed straight in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the object T. ing.

The light projecting means may be configured to form the light beam by using a light blocking plate having a pinhole 17 and a cylindrical lens 18 as shown in FIG. Further, in that case, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the light source is a laser and the pinhole 17 is omitted.

The discriminating means is disposed almost directly above the detection position.

The discriminating means is a sensor (hereinafter, referred to as a two-dimensional sensor) 16 for grasping the irradiation result of the light beam in two dimensions. The two-dimensional sensor 16 allows the worker to visually recognize the detection result. (Not shown) are connected.

The determination means may be a computer, and may be connected to the monitor to mechanically determine the loss of the shape from the detection result.

Next, a method of detecting the loss of the shape of the detection object T using the above-described device for detecting the loss of the detection object T having a rectangular parallelepiped shape will be described.

In the method of detecting a shape defect of a rectangular parallelepiped detection object T according to the present embodiment, first, the endless transport belt 11 constituting the transport means is rotated by rotating the sprocket 12 by a drive mechanism (not shown). , In the direction of the arrow in FIG.

As described above, the upper surface of the transport belt 11 is a transport path of the detected object T, and has a rectangular parallelepiped shape which is transported from the manufacturing apparatus side of the detected object T disposed upstream of the transport means. Of the detection objects T one by one
On the upper surface of the.

At this time, in the present embodiment, the object T is placed so as to be aligned so that one side constituting the upper surface of the object T is orthogonal to the transport direction. When placed in this manner, naturally, the other side of the rectangular parallelepiped detection target T that is orthogonal to the one side is positioned parallel to the transport direction.

Then, as the transport belt 11 advances,
The object T is transported to the above-described detection position.

At this time, at the detection position, the light is projected so as to obtain a linear luminous flux orthogonal to the transport direction which is aimed at the position of the upper surface of the object T to be transported to the detection position. Light is irradiated from the means. That is, the light emitted from the light source of the light projecting means is limited by the shielding plate 15 to a thin linear light beam having the shape of the slit 14, and the object T is irradiated obliquely from the upstream side in the transport direction. Will be.

Then, the shape of the light beam applied to the object T is detected by the two-dimensional sensor of the determination means.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show the field of view of the two-dimensional sensor which captures the shape of the light beam emitted from the light projecting means to the detection position.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the field of view of the two-dimensional sensor has a rectangular outer shape, and the object T is not located at the detection position in the rectangular field of view. In FIG. 4, a position where the light beam is moved in parallel to the downstream side in the transport direction of the detection target T from the aiming position of the light beam indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 4 (hereinafter, referred to as a light beam end position)
As a straight line L1 orthogonal to the transport direction. As described above, the difference between the aiming position of the light beam and the position of the light beam reflected on the conveyor belt 11 in the field of view of the two-dimensional sensor is caused by moving the light projecting unit upstream of the detection position in the conveyance direction. It depends on the arrangement.

When the object T having a rectangular parallelepiped shape is conveyed, as shown in FIG. 5, with respect to the portion where the object T is mounted, the object T is located at the aiming position. The line L2 corresponding to the dimension in the direction (width direction) orthogonal to the transport direction can be obtained. At this time, for a portion of the conveyor belt 11 where the object T is not placed in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, a line extending on the line L1 obtained when the object T is not detected. Can be obtained. The distance between the line L1 extending to the light beam end position and the line L2 extending to the aiming position is parallel to the height of the object T.

The line L1 and the line L2 thus obtained are sequentially connected in the width direction, and the hook shape is the reference line shape for judging the defect of the object T.

In the present embodiment, the defect in the outer shape of the object T to be sequentially conveyed, the line shape when the shape of the object T is obtained in the field of view of the two-dimensional sensor, and the reference Is determined by the fact that the line shape is different.

FIGS. 6 to 9 show a change in the line shape captured by the two-dimensional sensor when the light beam irradiated on the object T detects a defect on the outer shape of the object T. FIG. ing. As described above, it is assumed that the light projecting means is disposed above the object T on the upstream side in the transport direction (right side in the figure).

FIG. 6 shows a case in which there is a defect at the corner of the surface, and the defect of the object T whose upper surface is gently inclined toward the defect is detected.

In this case, the two-dimensional sensor includes a portion formed at the aiming position of the light flux indicating a normal portion of the detection target T, and connected to one end thereof to indicate the presence of the defective portion. And a portion obliquely moving toward the light beam end position side. Therefore, based on the fact that the line shape obtained from the detected object T is different from the reference line shape, it is possible to detect that the detected object T has a defect. Although the surface is apparently flat, the same result can be obtained even when there is a missing part at the back corner at the leading end in the transport direction and the upper surface is gently inclined toward the missing part. Can be.

FIG. 7 shows a case where the loss is detected when there is a hole-shaped defect in the center of the upper surface of the object T to be detected.

In this case, the two-dimensional sensor obtains a line shape including a curved portion curved in an arc at the center of a line formed on the upper surface of the detection target T. Therefore, based on the fact that the line shape obtained from the detected object T is different from the reference line shape, it is possible to detect that the detected object T has a defect.

FIG. 8 shows a case where the defect is detected when there is a defective portion penetrating from the top surface to the bottom surface of the detected object T in a side portion extending in the transport direction of the detected object T. .

In this case, the two-dimensional sensor obtains a line that is shorter than the length of the portion formed on the upper surface of the target T having the reference line shape. Therefore, based on the fact that the length of the line indicating the upper surface of the object T obtained from the object T is shorter than that of the reference line shape, it is determined that the object T has a defect. Can be detected. In other words, the line of the light beam formed on the upper surface of the detection target T indicates the width dimension in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the detection target T, but on the side portion extending in the conveyance direction of the detection target T. If there is a defect, the length of this line will be shorter than the standard.

FIG. 9 shows a defect that penetrates from the top surface to the bottom surface of the detection object T on the side portion (in the drawing, upstream side in the conveyance direction) extending in the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the detection object T. The case where the loss is detected when there is a portion is shown.

In this case, the two-dimensional sensor has a step having a side portion extending parallel to the light beam end position side from the aiming position at the center of a line formed on the upper surface of the detection object T. Obtain a line of shape. Therefore, the detected object T
Can be detected based on the fact that the line shape obtained from is different from the reference line shape.

In the present embodiment, an instantaneous change in the line shape as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 is visually recognized and detected by the operator on the monitor. This detection can be performed by controlling with a computer.

By removing the object T from which the defect in the shape has been detected in this manner from the production line, it is possible to prevent the subsequent production process such as packing from being performed.

As described above, in the present invention, it is possible to two-dimensionally and easily detect a defect in the shape of the three-dimensional object T to be detected.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made as necessary.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, the structure for detecting the loss is simple, and the loss of the object T is detected before being stored in the package container. It is economical because it can be prevented from being wasted, and it is possible to reliably detect defects without making it difficult to detect defects due to moisture sealed in the container or coloring of the container. It will be effective.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a loss detection device.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a light projecting unit of the defect detection device.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of another light emitting unit of the defect detection device.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a field of view of a two-dimensional sensor when an object to be detected is not transported to a detection position.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a field of view of a two-dimensional sensor when an object is conveyed to a detection position.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a line shape formed by a light beam when there is a defect at a surface corner of an object to be detected;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a line shape formed by a light beam when there is a defect in the central portion of the upper surface of an object to be detected;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a line shape formed by a light beam when there is a defect in a side portion extending in the transport direction of an object to be detected;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a line shape formed by a light beam when there is a defect in a side portion orthogonal to the transport direction of the detection object;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Conveyor belt 12 Sprocket 13 Light source 14 Slit for light transmission 15 Shielding plate 16 Two-dimensional sensor 17 Pinhole 18 Cylindrical lens

Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2F065 AA49 AA51 BB05 BB15 CC00 FF01 FF02 FF09 GG04 HH05 HH12 JJ03 JJ26 LL08 LL28 LL30 MM03 PP15 QQ21 RR05 SS11 TT01 TT03 2G051 AA01 AA10 BA20 DA02 AB20 DA02 AB20 DA02

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An object which is conveyed to a detection position by a conveying means is provided with light so as to obtain a light beam which is directed straight from the obliquely upper surface of the object in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction. Irradiation, the two-dimensional line shape of the light beam is grasped two-dimensionally from above the detection position, and compared with the two-dimensional line shape of the light beam obtained when the object is normally irradiated. A defect detection method in a shape of an object to be detected, wherein the method detects a defect in the shape of the object. 2. A transport means for transporting and supplying an object to a detection position of a shape defect, and a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the object on an upper surface of the object transported by the transport means. A light projecting means disposed above and upstream of the detection position in the transport direction so as to obtain a light beam which can be aligned in a straight line, and a two-dimensional sensor for grasping the irradiation result of the light beam in two dimensions And a discriminating means disposed above the detection position and comprising: a defect detecting device for detecting the shape of an object to be detected.