JP2002122908A - Elevation angle adjusting device for camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To adjust a elevation angle of a camera without changing the position of the viewing point of the camera. SOLUTION: When an operator manually exerts force going along in the longitudinal direction of a guide member 4 on a mount member 5, a roller 7 abutting on the inner peripheral surface of a guide groove 4b and a roller 8 abutting on the inner side surface of the member 4 are rotated, and the member 5 and the camera 2 are moved along a circumference with center at the viewing point P of the camera. Therefore, even when the elevation angle θof the camera is changed, the viewing point P of the camera is always fixed, so that the operator need not consider that the monitoring area of the camera 2 is deviated and also need not perform the adjusting operation of a focal distance.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera elevation angle adjusting device used for an inspection device or a measuring device using a camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a production line of a factory, it is necessary to inspect various objects to be monitored such as materials, intermediate products, and finished products for defects such as scratches. Such an inspection is performed by an inspection device or a measurement device using a camera. When the inspection is performed, the amount of reflected light on the imaging surface of the surface of the monitoring target is appropriately set in advance, and a clear monitor display screen is obtained. It is necessary to adjust the elevation angle of the camera appropriately.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a conventional camera elevation angle adjusting device for performing such camera elevation angle adjustment.
(A) is a front view, (b) is a side view. In these figures, a thin or sheet-like monitoring target 1 is placed at a predetermined position, and a camera 2 held by a tilt mechanism 3 is disposed above the monitoring target 1. The monitoring target 1 is placed at the predetermined position by a transport mechanism (not shown), and is transferred to another location by the transport mechanism after the inspection is completed. Then, the next new monitoring target 1 is placed at the predetermined position. In this specification, the point at which the central axis of the camera 2 intersects with the imaging surface of the surface of the monitoring target 1 is referred to as a camera viewpoint P. The tilt mechanism 3 has a portion that rotates in the direction of the arrow, such as a guide groove 4b shown in FIG. 3B, and is manually operated by an operator or by a drive device (not shown). Is operated, the angle of the camera 2 with respect to the monitoring target 1, that is, the camera elevation angle can be adjusted.

[0004]

However, when the camera elevation angle is adjusted as described above, as shown in FIG. 7B, the camera viewpoint initially set at the position P becomes P1.
And moved to the position of P2.
Since the monitoring area moves as well, there is a possibility that a part that is not inspected may occur. Therefore, the worker has to check whether or not the monitoring area is appropriate. If the monitoring area is not appropriate, the operator has to adjust the camera elevation angle again while balancing with the monitoring area. Further, when the camera viewpoint P moves, the focal length also naturally moves, so that the operator must also perform the work of adjusting the focus of the camera 2.

In the above example, a case has been described in which the display screen in a state where the monitoring target 1 is once stopped at a predetermined position is inspected. In the case of inspection, there is a case where the monitoring area does not interfere even if the camera viewpoint moves by adjusting the camera elevation angle. For example, FIG.
In the case where the monitoring target 1 is a long material to be rolled and flows from the near side to the other side of the paper (from the left side to the right side in FIG. 7B), the camera 2 functions as a line sensor. However, in this case, even if the camera 2 changes the position of the camera viewpoint along the flow direction of the monitoring target 1 as shown in FIG. Eventually, it will be projected on the display screen. Therefore, when the monitoring target 1 moves as described above, there is no problem regarding the problem of the monitoring area. However, even in such a case, the change of the focal length due to the change of the position of the camera viewpoint does not change that the adjustment work of the operator is indispensable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a camera elevation angle adjustment device capable of adjusting a camera elevation angle without changing the position of the camera viewpoint.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for adjusting a camera elevation angle of a camera which captures an object to be monitored. The camera is arranged at a position separated by a predetermined distance from the imaging surface, and on a circle centered on a preset camera viewpoint and having a radius of the predetermined distance, the camera is kept fixed at the camera viewpoint. Camera holding means arranged so as to be movable is provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the camera holding means is provided with a guide member provided with a guide groove forming a part of the circumference, and is mounted on the guide groove. And a mounting member to which the camera is mounted.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the camera holding means comprises: a rotating frame member having a base end rotatably supported on the axis; And a mounting member to which the camera is mounted, the mounting member being fixed to a member.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of the cameras are arranged in a direction parallel to the axis.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided driving means for driving the camera holding means so that the camera can move on the circumference. It is characterized by the following.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, when the camera moves on the circumference, the camera center axis and the illumination center axis always have a fixed angle. An illumination device is provided so as to be rotatable about an axis passing through the camera viewpoint.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the driving means for driving the camera holding means so that the camera can move on the circumference, and the camera When moving on the circumference, the illumination device arranged rotatably around an axis passing through the camera viewpoint so that the camera center axis and the illumination center axis always have a constant angle, and the imaging surface A light quantity sensor for measuring the above light quantity, and an elevation angle control circuit for controlling a driving amount of the driving means based on a measurement value from the light quantity sensor are provided.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a structural view of a first embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view,
(C) is a partially enlarged perspective view. A pair of guide members 4 and 4 are disposed above the monitoring target 1. The guide member 4 is formed with a mounting seat 4a, and the mounting seat 4a is mounted on a fixed mounting surface (not shown). The guide member 4 has a guide groove 4b. The guide groove 4b is formed along a part of an arc of a circle having a radius of a predetermined distance around the camera viewpoint P on the surface of the monitoring target 1.

An attachment member 5 is disposed between the pair of guide members 4 and 4. The mounting member 5 is a bridge 5
a, and a pair of roller mounting portions 5b, 5b formed on both sides of the bridge portion 5a. A holding plate 6 is fixed to a side surface of the bridge portion 5a, and the camera 2 is held by the holding plate 6. Four rollers 7 are mounted on the outer side surface of the roller mounting portion 5b,
Further, two rollers 8 are attached to the upper end surface. The four rollers 7 contact the inner peripheral surface of the guide groove 4b,
The two rollers 8 are in contact with the inner side surface of the guide member 4.

When the operator applies a force along the longitudinal direction of the guide member 4 to the mounting member 5 manually (or by operating a drive device not shown), the guide groove 4b Roller 7 in contact with the peripheral surface,
Then, the roller 8 abutting on the inner side surface of the guide member 4 rotates, and the mounting member 5 and the camera 2 move along a circumference centered on the camera viewpoint P. Therefore, FIG.
As shown in (b), even if the camera elevation angle θ changes, the camera viewpoint P is always fixed, and the worker does not need to consider that the monitoring area of the camera 2 is shifted, and There is no need to adjust the focal length.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are configuration diagrams of a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a partial plan view, FIG. 2B is a front view, and FIG.
FIG. 2B is a view taken along the line AA in FIG. 2B, and FIG. A pair of fixed bosses 9, 9 are fixed on the floor surface at positions on both sides of the monitoring target 1, and the fixed bosses 9, 9
The fixed shafts 10 and 10 are fixed to. Fixed shaft 10,
Rotating bosses 11, 11 are rotatably mounted on 10, and the rotating frame members 12,
Twelve mounting seats 12a, 12a are fixed. A mounting plate 13 is fixed to an intermediate portion between the rotating frame members 12, 12, and the holding plate 6 is fixed to the mounting plate 13.
The camera 2 is held by the holding plate 6.

The above-mentioned fixed bosses 9, 9 and fixed shafts 10, 1
0 and a straight line connecting the axes of the rotating bosses 11 and 11 pass through the camera viewpoint P. Therefore, the rotating frame members 12, 12 are disposed so as to be rotatable around the camera viewpoint P. Then, the operator holds the upper part of the rotating frame member 12 by hand, and the direction perpendicular to a straight line connecting the fixed bosses 9, 9, the fixed shafts 10, and the axis of the rotating bosses 11, 11 When the force is applied to the camera, the rotating frame members 12 and 12 rotate around the camera viewpoint P, and accordingly, the camera 2 also rotates around the camera viewpoint P. Therefore, as in the first embodiment, The camera viewpoint P of the camera 2 is always fixed even if the camera elevation angle θ changes. When the worker turns the turning frame member 12 in this manner and finds an appropriate value of the camera elevation angle θ, the worker uses the lock pins 14 and 14 as shown in FIG. The angle of the camera elevation angle θ can be fixed.

In the second embodiment, the camera 2 is mounted on the rotating frame members 12, 12 having the axis passing through the viewpoint P of the camera as a fulcrum.
The camera viewpoint P can be fixed more reliably than in the embodiment. However, when an obstacle exists around the monitoring target 1, it is difficult to adopt the configuration of the second embodiment. Therefore, in such a case, the first
This will be dealt with by adopting the configuration of the embodiment.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are configuration diagrams of a third embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 3A is a front view and FIG. 3B is a side view. FIG.
As apparent from a comparison between FIG. 1A and FIG. 1A, this embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that two cameras 2 are provided between a pair of guide members 4. , 2 are arranged. Therefore, the monitoring area can be extended correspondingly, and it is possible to cope with the case where the width of the monitoring target 1 is wide. In this embodiment, the camera 2
Although the example in which two are arranged is shown, it is of course possible to adopt a configuration in which three or more are arranged.

FIGS. 4A and 4B are configuration diagrams of a fourth embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 4A is a front view and FIG. 4B is a side view. This embodiment has a configuration in which a driving device is added to the configuration of the third embodiment. That is, the fixed seat 15 is mounted on the same fixed mounting surface on which the mounting seat 4 a of the guide member 4 is mounted, and the rotating seat 16 is rotatably mounted on the fixed seat 15. A driving section 18 having a driving rod 19 is attached to the rotating seat 16. At the tip of the drive rod 19, a fixing bracket 1 is provided.
The fixing member 17 is fixed to the rear side of the mounting member 5. The drive unit 18 is not particularly limited, and may be an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, an electric motor, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 4B, the driving section 18
The drive rod 19 is reciprocated linearly in the direction of the arrow. The roller 7 attached to the roller attachment portion 5b moves in the guide groove 4b by the reciprocating motion of the drive rod 19. Therefore, as described above, the camera 2 moves along the circumference around the camera viewpoint P, and the camera viewpoint P of the camera 2 is always fixed regardless of the change in the camera elevation angle θ. While the reciprocating motion of the drive rod 19 by the drive unit 18 is linear, the movement of the roller mounting unit 5b in the guide groove 4b is curved, but the rotation seat 16 is fixed to the fixed seat 15 The drive section 18 can freely follow the inclination angle according to the moving position of the roller mounting section 5b. Therefore, the drive rod 19 can drive the attachment member 5 smoothly.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are configuration diagrams of a fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 5A is a front view, and FIG. 5B is a view taken along the line BB of FIG. This embodiment has a configuration in which a lighting device is added to the configuration of the second embodiment. That is, the fixed shafts 10, 10 fixed to the fixed bosses 9, 9 also protrude inwardly.
20 are attached. And this rotating boss 2
The cover members 22, 2 are provided on support members 0, 20 via support members 21.
2 are attached, and the lamps 23 are accommodated inside the cover members 22. Further, the cover member 22,
One fluorescent lamp 24 is stretched between 22. The rotating bosses 20, 20 are fixed to the fixed shafts 10, 10 by lock pins (not shown), and an operator removes the lock pins to attach the rotating bosses 20, 20 to the fixed shafts 10, 10. Can be rotated. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5B, the worker can appropriately set the angle θL between the center axis of the camera 2 and the lamps 23, 23 and the fluorescent lamp 24 in advance.

As described above, since the surface of the monitoring target 1 is illuminated by the lamps 23 and 23 and the fluorescent lamp 24 in addition to the indoor illumination, a brighter and clearer monitor display screen is obtained in this embodiment. Can be. Even if the operator rotates the rotating frame member 12 to adjust the camera elevation angle θ, the angle θL is always maintained at the originally set appropriate value, so that the operator turns on the lighting again. There is no need to change the angle of the device.

FIGS. 6A and 6B are configuration diagrams of a sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6A is a front view, and FIG. 6B is a view taken along the line CC of FIG. This embodiment is different from the fifth embodiment in that
In this configuration, means for automatically adjusting the camera elevation angle θ to an appropriate value is added. That is, a pair of fixed shafts 1
Either one of 0 and 10 is extended outward, and the extended portion is rotated by the driving device 25. A light amount sensor 26 is mounted on the mounting plate 13 at a position slightly below the lens portion of the camera 2. The detected value of the light amount sensor 26 and the feedback drive amount of the drive device 25 are input to an elevation control circuit 27. The elevation control circuit 27 controls the drive amount of the drive device 25 based on these inputs. The camera elevation angle θ is adjusted to an appropriate value.

According to this embodiment, the elevation angle control circuit 27 automatically adjusts the camera elevation angle θ to an appropriate value based on the detection value of the light amount sensor 26 without requiring manual operation by an operator, etc. Can be further promoted.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the camera is arranged at a position separated by a predetermined distance from the imaging surface of the object to be monitored, and the predetermined distance from the camera viewpoint is set at the center of the predetermined camera viewpoint. The camera is equipped with camera holding means arranged so that the camera can move on the circumference while keeping the camera viewpoint fixed, so that the camera elevation angle can be adjusted without changing the position of the camera viewpoint Can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention,
(A) is a front view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a partially enlarged perspective view.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention;
(A) is a partial plan view, (b) is a front view, (c) is (b)
(D) is a partially enlarged view of (c).

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a third embodiment of the present invention;
(A) is a front view, (b) is a side view.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a fourth embodiment of the present invention;
(A) is a front view, (b) is a side view.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
(A) is a front view, (b) is a BB arrow view of (a).

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a sixth embodiment of the present invention,
(A) is a front view, (b) is a CC arrow view of (a).

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a conventional device, (a) is a front view,
(B) is a side view.

[Explanation of symbols]

 P Camera viewpoint θ Camera elevation angle 1 Object to be monitored 2 Camera 3 Tilt mechanism 4 Guide member 4a Mounting seat 4b Guide groove 5 Mounting member 5a Bridge portion 5b Roller mounting portion 6 Holding plate 7 Roller 8 Roller 9 Fixed boss 10 Fixed shaft 11 Rotation Boss 12 Rotating frame member 12a Mounting seat 13 Mounting plate 14 Lock pin 15 Fixed seat 16 Rotating seat 17 Fixture 18 Drive unit 19 Drive rod 20 Rotating boss 21 Support member 22 Cover member 23 Lamp 24 Fluorescent lamp 25 Drive device 26 Light sensor 27 Elevation angle control circuit

Claims (7)

[Claims] An apparatus for adjusting a camera elevation angle of a camera that images a monitoring target, wherein the camera is arranged at a position separated by a predetermined distance from an imaging surface of the monitoring target, and a camera viewpoint set in advance is set. A camera holding means arranged so that the camera can move on a circle centered at a predetermined distance and having a radius equal to the predetermined distance while the camera viewpoint is fixed. Adjustment device. 2. The camera holding means includes: a guide member provided with a guide groove forming a part of the circumference; and a mounting member having a portion mounted in the guide groove, to which the camera is mounted. The camera elevation angle adjusting device according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The camera holding means includes: a rotating frame member having a base end rotatably supported on the axis; a mounting member fixed to the rotating frame member, to which the camera is mounted; The camera elevation angle adjusting device according to claim 1, further comprising: 4. The camera elevation adjustment device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said cameras are arranged in a direction parallel to said axis. 5. The camera elevation angle adjusting device according to claim 1, further comprising a driving unit that drives the camera holding unit so that the camera can move on the circumference. . 6. When the camera moves on the circumference,
The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: an illuminating device disposed so as to be rotatable around an axis passing through the camera viewpoint so that the camera center axis and the illumination center axis always have a fixed angle. A camera elevation angle adjustment device according to any of the claims. 7. A driving means for driving the camera holding means so that the camera can move on the circumference, and when the camera moves on the circumference, a camera center axis and an illumination center axis are aligned with each other. An illuminating device arranged rotatably around an axis passing through the camera viewpoint so as to be always at a constant angle, a light amount sensor for measuring the light amount on the imaging surface, and the light amount sensor based on a measurement value from the light amount sensor. The camera elevation angle adjustment device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: an elevation angle control circuit that controls a driving amount of the driving unit.