JP2004233272A - Egg shell inspection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an egg shell inspection device capable of improving inspection speed. <P>SOLUTION: This egg shell inspection device is equipped with a light irradiation means 12 for irradiating face-shaped excitation light 30 having a specific wavelength emitting fluorescence 44 from only an egg shell 42 without emitting fluorescence from an egg content relative to an egg 18 whose shell is supposed to be skinned and having a spot size 28 for covering the outer shape of at least one egg 18, a wavelength selection means 34 for allowing only the fluorescence 44 emitted substantially from the egg shell 42 to pass among light 40 from the egg 18 acquired by irradiating the excitation light 30, a two-dimensional light detection means 38 for imaging the egg 18 through the wavelength selection means 34, and an imaging means 36 for imaging the egg 18 image on the two-dimensional light detection means 38. The device is characterized by determining that an egg shell piece 42 remains on the egg 18 when a bright part is detected from the egg 18 image acquired by the two-dimensional light detection means 38. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an eggshell inspection device, and more particularly to an improvement in its detection mechanism.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, for example, as the external sales of sandwiches, lunch boxes and the like have become popular, industrial production of shelled eggs such as shelled boiled eggs is required.
At the production site of such shelled eggs, for example, boiled eggs are transported on a belt conveyor (line) after the shell is automatically peeled by a shelling device.
Here, even after shelling, there is a possibility that the shell remains on the eggs, and in such a production site, it is very difficult to reliably remove the eggs with the remaining eggshell pieces from the line. is important.
[0003]
For this reason, conventionally, the presence or absence of eggs remaining in the eggshell was visually inspected, but recently, an eggshell inspection that can detect the presence or absence of the shell by using the difference in the fluorescence of the white of the eggs and the fluorescence of the shell. There is a device (for example, see Patent Document 1).
The eggshell inspection device irradiates the boiled eggs, which would have been peeled, with excitation light having a specific wavelength that causes only the shell to emit light without causing white protein to emit, and a specific wavelength of light from the eggs. Was selected to be received by the photodetector.
When the photodetector detected a fluorescence intensity higher than the threshold value, it was determined that a shell remained in the egg.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-10-293097
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, even with the eggshell inspection apparatus, there is room for further improvement in terms of inspection speed and reduction of false recognition as described below for practical use.
That is, in the actual eggshell inspection, it is necessary to inspect a large number of eggs, but the eggshell inspection apparatus could only observe a part of one egg at a time. For this reason, it is necessary to sequentially scan and observe the entire surface of the egg in order to confirm that no eggshell pieces remain in one egg, which takes a considerable amount of time. Examining a large number of eggs has never been practical.
[0006]
Further, even in the eggshell inspection apparatus, since the presence or absence of the remaining eggshell pieces was determined only by the fluorescence intensity, there is a possibility that a false recognition may occur due to sudden noise inevitable in the detection, and improvement in the accuracy of the inspection is not possible. Further improvement was desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the related art, and a first object of the present invention is to provide an eggshell inspection apparatus capable of improving the inspection speed. A second object of the present invention is to provide an eggshell inspection device that can further improve the accuracy of the inspection.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the first object, an eggshell inspection apparatus according to the present invention includes a light irradiation unit, a wavelength selection unit, a two-dimensional light detection unit, and an imaging unit, and the two-dimensional light detection unit From the image of the egg obtained by the above, if a bright part is detected, it is determined that eggshell fragments remain in the egg, and if no bright part is detected, eggshell fragments remain in the egg. It is characterized by judging that it has not been done.
Here, the light irradiating means has a specific wavelength that emits fluorescence only from the eggshell without emitting fluorescence from the inside of the egg, and covers at least one outer shape of the egg whose shell has been peeled. Irradiation with planar excitation light having a spot size of
[0008]
Further, the wavelength selecting means substantially transmits only the fluorescence emitted from the eggshell out of the light from the eggs obtained by irradiating the planar excitation light.
The two-dimensional light detection unit captures an image of the egg via the wavelength selection unit.
The imaging unit forms an image of the egg on the two-dimensional light detection unit.
Examples of the bright portion include a bright spot, a bright line, and the like.
[0009]
The image of the egg and the image of the egg referred to here do not mean that the outer shape of the egg itself is observed on the two-dimensional light detection means. Means that only the outer shape is observed as a bright portion, and if no eggshell fragments remain in the egg, substantially nothing is observed.
The images of the present invention include, for example, still images and moving images.
[0010]
An example of the two-dimensional light detecting means of the present invention is a two-dimensional image sensor such as a CCD camera.
As an example of the imaging unit of the present invention, an optical component such as an imaging lens having a large depth of focus can be given.
In the present invention, the light irradiating unit irradiates the egg with planar excitation light of 410 nm, and the wavelength selecting unit transmits light of 630 nm to 750 nm out of light from the egg, or 630 nm It is preferable to shield light having a shorter wavelength than that.
[0011]
In the present invention, the light irradiation means irradiates the egg with planar excitation light of 410 nm. It is also preferable that the wavelength selecting means shields, of the light from the eggs, light having a wavelength of 410 nm, which is the same as the wavelength of the planar excitation light.
Further, in the present invention, it is preferable to include an image processing unit.
Here, the image processing means detects the presence or absence of a bright part from the image of the egg obtained by the two-dimensional light detection means. If a bright part is detected from the image of the egg, it is determined that eggshell pieces remain in the egg.If no bright part is detected from the image of the egg, it is determined that no eggshell pieces remain in the egg. to decide.
[0012]
Further, in the present invention, the planar excitation light from the light irradiating means is irradiated such that the spot size covers an inspection area where the egg is inspected. The field of view of the two-dimensional light detection means is positioned so as to cover the inspection area. In addition, a transporting unit and an excluding unit are provided. The image processing means, when a luminescent part is detected from the egg image obtained by the two-dimensional light detection means, at least the position coordinates in the flow direction on the line obtained in advance and the image on the image From the relationship with the position coordinates, the position coordinates on the line corresponding to the position coordinates on the image of the bright portion are specified. It is preferable that the exclusion unit excludes eggs from which the remaining eggshell pieces have been detected by the image processing unit based on the position coordinates specified by the image processing unit.
[0013]
Here, the transporting means sequentially transports the different eggs in a predetermined flow direction on a line passing through the inspection area.
Further, the elimination unit eliminates, from the line, the eggs for which the remaining eggshell pieces have been detected by the image processing unit.
In the present invention, it is preferable that a rotation unit is provided, and the two-dimensional light detection unit obtains the image of the egg from the entire surface of the egg.
Here, the rotation unit is configured to move the egg so that the entire surface of the same egg enters the field of view of the two-dimensional light detection unit at least once in an inspection area set in advance on the line. Rotate.
[0014]
Further, in order to achieve the second object, the eggshell inspection device according to the present invention, the two-dimensional light detection means, the image of the eggs in the inspection area previously set on the line twice or more, I'm getting it continuously. The image processing means, when the luminescent portion is detected as a trajectory of the same part of the same egg based on the transport direction or the rotation direction of the egg from the image obtained by the two-dimensional light detection means, the egg has an egg shell. It is determined that a piece remains. When the bright portion is suddenly detected, it is preferable to determine that no eggshell pieces remain in the egg.
[0015]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an eggshell inspection apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a diagram of a main part of the eggshell inspection device viewed from an oblique direction, and FIG. 2B is a diagram of a main portion of the eggshell inspection device viewed from the side of an observation unit.
The egg shell inspection apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1 includes a light irradiation unit 12 and an observation unit 14 and a computer (image processing unit) 16 which are examples of a detection mechanism.
[0016]
A boiled egg (egg) 18 whose shell has been peeled, which is to be inspected, is placed on a belt conveyer (line) 20 that conveys the shell in the direction indicated by the arrow X in the direction indicated by the arrow X in the drawing. An extended inspection area 22 is set. The light irradiating means 12 is disposed obliquely above one of the inspection areas 22 and the observation means 14 is disposed obliquely above the other, and the optical axis of the irradiating means 12 is orthogonal to the optical axis of the observing means 14.
The light irradiating means 12 includes, for example, a light source 24, an incident-side filter 26 for obtaining a light component of a specific wavelength that emits light only from the eggshell without emitting fluorescence from the egg white (the contents of the egg), A beam expander 32 for obtaining planar light 30 having a beam spot size 28 corresponding to the size is provided.
[0017]
Then, by passing the light from the light source 24 through the incident-side filter 26, 410-nm excitation light that can emit fluorescence only from the shell without emitting light from the egg white is obtained. The beam diameter of the light from the incident side filter 26 is sufficiently widened by the beam expander 32 so that the spot size 28 of the excitation light on the inspection area 22 covers the entire inspection area 22. This is irradiated as a planar excitation light 30 on the boiled egg 18 on the inspection area 22.
The observation unit 14 includes an observation-side filter (wavelength selection unit) 34, an imaging lens (imaging unit) 36, and a CCD camera (two-dimensional light detection unit) 38.
[0018]
The observation-side filter 34 allows only the fluorescent light 44 emitted from the shell 42 of the boiled egg 18 of the light 40 from the inspection area 22 to pass. In the present embodiment, only light of 630 nm to 750 nm is transmitted.
The imaging lens 36 has a deep depth of focus and forms an image of the boiled egg 18 of the inspection area 22 that has passed through the observation-side filter 34 on the CCD camera 38.
The CCD camera 38 captures an image of the boiled egg 18 in the inspection area 22 formed by the imaging lens 36.
[0019]
The computer 16 includes an AD converter 46, a CPU 48, a memory 50, and a display unit 52. Then, the computer 16 performs image processing of the image of the egg obtained by the CCD camera 38, detects the presence or absence of a bright point (bright portion) from the image of the egg, and adds the eggshell to the boiled egg based on the presence or absence of the bright point. It is determined whether any pieces remain.
In the present embodiment, the boiled eggs 18 whose shells would have been peeled off by a shell peeling device (not shown) are sequentially transported by the transporting means 54. The conveying means 54 includes the belt conveyor 20, a driving unit 56 for conveying, and the like, and moves the belt conveyor 20 in the direction of the arrow X in the figure by the driving unit 56 for conveying the boiled egg 18 in the direction of the arrow X in the figure. Transported to
[0020]
Further, in the present embodiment, an elimination unit 58 is provided downstream of the inspection area 22 on the belt conveyor 20. The exclusion unit 58 is connected to the computer 16. When the computer 20 detects the remaining eggshell pieces 42, the computer 20 issues an exclusion instruction to the exclusion means 58 and controls the operation of the exclusion means 58 to remove the shelled boiled eggs 60 in which the remaining eggshell pieces 42 are detected from the belt conveyor 20. Has been eliminated. The shell-free boiled eggs 62 in which the remaining eggshell pieces 42 are not detected are transported further downstream by the belt conveyor 20.
The eggshell inspection device 10 according to the present embodiment is configured as described above, and its operation will be described below.
[0021]
Eggs are proteins containing albumin, lysozyme, etc., but the shell is an inorganic substance containing calcium carbonate as the main component. Fluorescence in a specific wavelength range is emitted.
That is, the egg white emits strong fluorescence of about 350 nm by the excitation light of about 290 nm, but does not emit light when the wavelength range of the excitation light exceeds 290 nm. On the other hand, the shell emits strong fluorescence of about 430 nm by excitation light of about 310 nm due to a small amount of specific protein contained therein. Further, weak light emission is also observed at 675 nm.
[0022]
Then, when excitation light of 410 nm is irradiated, strong fluorescence of 630 nm and 675 nm is observed from the shell, but no fluorescence is observed from white body in this wavelength range. This is thought to be due to differences in the types of proteins and inorganic substances contained in both.
Therefore, when the boiled egg, which would have been peeled, is irradiated with light in the wavelength range of 410 nm, if the shell remains, fluorescence in the wavelength range of 630 to 750 nm is observed. If no shell remains, no fluorescence is observed in this wavelength range. Thereby, it can be determined whether the shell remains in the boiled egg.
[0023]
Here, conventionally, it is conceivable to observe the fluorescence intensity of a specific wavelength from the boiled egg with a light intensity detector and determine whether or not there is a remaining eggshell piece by determining whether or not the fluorescence intensity is not less than a threshold value. However, it was not at a practical level in terms of inspection speed and misidentification of the presence or absence of remaining eggshell fragments.
In other words, conventionally, it was assumed that each boiled egg was inspected one by one. However, in order to improve the inspection speed by the eggshell inspection device, a plurality of different boiled eggs were inspected while sequentially flowing on a belt conveyor. It is very important to do it fast.
[0024]
Therefore, in the present invention, the entire excitation area is irradiated with the planar excitation light by the light irradiation means, and the image of the boiled egg in the inspection area is obtained by the CCD camera. Then, image processing of the egg image is performed, the presence or absence of a bright spot (bright portion) is detected from the egg image, and it is determined whether or not the eggshell piece remains in the boiled egg based on the presence or absence of the bright point. ing.
For this reason, in the present embodiment, as for the light from the light source 24, after the light of 410 nm is selected by the incident side filter 26, the beam diameter is expanded by the beam expander 32, and the entire inspection area 22 on the belt conveyor 20 is Is irradiated as planar excitation light 30.
[0025]
Then, the image of the boiled egg is formed on the imaging surface of the CCD camera 38 by the imaging lens 36 via the observation side filter 34. The CCD camera 38 captures an image of a boiled egg of 630 nm to 750 nm that has passed through the observation side filter 34. The image signal from the CCD camera 38 is digitally converted by the AD converter 46 and recorded in the memory 50 via the CPU 48. The CPU 48 performs image processing on the image data recorded in the memory 50 or the image data from the AD converter 46, and detects the presence or absence of a bright spot from the image data of the egg. The CPU 48 displays an image of the egg monitored by the CCD camera 38 on the display unit 52.
Then, as a result of the image processing by the computer, if a bright spot 72 is detected from the egg image 70 as shown in FIG. 2A, for example, the computer determines that the bright spot 72 is due to the remaining eggshell pieces, It is determined that eggshell pieces remain in the boiled egg.
[0026]
On the other hand, when no bright spot is detected from the egg image 70, for example, as shown in FIG. 7B, the computer determines that there is no remaining eggshell piece and the eggshell piece remains in the boiled egg. Judge that you have not.
As described above, in the present embodiment, the whole surface of the inspection area 22 extending in the X direction in FIG. 1 which is the conveying direction of the boiled egg 18 by the belt conveyor 20 is irradiated with the planar excitation light 30, and the boiled egg on the inspection area 22 is irradiated. 18 is imaged by the CCD camera 38. The image of the egg is image-processed by the computer 16 and the presence or absence of a luminescent spot is detected from the image of the egg.
[0027]
For example, the computer 16 separates the image data of the egg into a bright point and a dark point by a binarization process, extracts a bright point from the image, and detects the coordinates of the position of the center of gravity. In this way, the computer 16 detects the remaining eggshell pieces as bright spots in the egg image.
Then, since it is determined whether or not eggshell pieces remain in the boiled egg based on whether or not a bright spot is detected from the image data of the egg, it is possible to speed up the inspection.
[0028]
Coordinate identification mechanism
Here, when the inspection is performed while sequentially feeding different boiled eggs on the belt conveyor, it is also very important to surely remove the boiled eggs from which the remaining eggshell pieces have been detected from the belt conveyor. For this purpose, when a bright spot is detected from the image of the egg, the position coordinates on the line of the eggshell piece corresponding to the bright spot are specified, and the boiled egg is eliminated from the belt conveyor by the eliminating means. Until you need to track.
For this purpose, in the present embodiment, the image processing means has a coordinate specifying mechanism.
[0029]
That is, as shown in FIG. 3A, the position coordinates (X ′) are related to at least the direction of arrow X in the drawing, which is the flow direction on the line of the inspection area 22.₀~ X '₁₀) Is set in advance. Then, the position coordinates (X ′) of the inspection area 22₀~ X '₁₀The position coordinates on the image of the egg obtained by the CCD camera corresponding to ()) are also set.
For example, as shown in FIG. 3A, the position coordinates (X ') of the inspection area 22 in the X direction which are set in advance.₀~ X '₁₀) Is, for example, a position coordinate (X in the X direction) of a pixel on an egg image 70 obtained by a CCD camera as shown in FIG.₀~ X₁₀). Such position coordinates (X 'on the inspection area 22)₀~ X '₁₀) And the position coordinates (X on the image 70 of the egg obtained by the CCD camera)₀~ X₁₀) And get a relationship.
[0030]
Then, the computer uses the image data obtained by the CCD camera to monitor the boiled eggs passing over the inspection area 22 and, when detecting a bright spot due to the remaining eggshell pieces from the image data, determine the bright spot. Detect position coordinates on the image. Then, using the relationship obtained in advance as described above, from the position coordinates of the bright spot on the image of the egg, the position coordinates of the boiled egg in which the corresponding eggshell piece remains on the inspection area are obtained. Figure out.
[0031]
For example, as shown in FIG.₇When the bright spot 72 is detected, the position coordinates of the remaining boiled egg 60 of the eggshell piece 42 on the inspection area 22 as shown in FIG.₇Can be specified.
Then, the computer instructs the elimination means to instruct the elimination means so that the boiled eggs 60 in which the eggshell pieces 42 remain are conveyed further downstream and are eliminated from the belt conveyor 20 by the elimination means when located in the elimination means. Is output.
[0032]
For example, the computer traces the bright spot 72 on the image 70 until the bright spot 72 disappears from the image 70 at the position of the elimination means, so that the bright spot 72 remains on the line of the remaining boiled egg 60 of the eggshell piece 42. Since the position coordinates in the flow direction can be reliably tracked, the boiled egg 60 can be reliably removed by the removing means.
As a method of setting the position coordinates, for example, the following method is considered as an example.
[0033]
That is, while the belt conveyor is stationary, marks are set at least at two points, a start and a goal, in the flow direction of the line in the inspection area, and position coordinates are allocated between the start and the goal of the inspection area.
On the other hand, the CCD camera captures an image of the mark on the start and goal of the inspection area. The computer detects the positions of the start and goal marks from the image data.
The computer assigns position coordinates between the start mark and the goal mark in the image obtained in this manner in accordance with the position coordinates of the inspection area, so that the image data on the image data obtained by the CCD camera can be obtained. The position coordinates can be associated with the position coordinates on the line.
[0034]
Rotation mechanism
It is necessary to inspect the entire surface of the boiled egg to ensure that no eggshell fragments remain.However, by illuminating the spot or linear light with a small spot size, the entire surface of the boiled egg can be inspected. Practical speed cannot be obtained if the scanning is performed sequentially one by one.
In this embodiment, in order to inspect the whole surface of the boiled egg at high speed and surely, when the boiled egg 18 to be inspected is conveyed by the belt conveyor 20, the rotating means 74a and 74b as shown in FIG. ing.
The rotating means 74a and 74b are arranged so that the entire surface of the same boiled egg faces the observation direction of the observation means 14 at least once in the inspection area 22 preset on the belt conveyor 20, that is, the CCD camera. The boiled egg 18 is rotated so as to be within the visual field of 38.
[0035]
In other words, the rotating means 74a and 74b are provided with an observation-side rotating belt 76 that sandwiches the boiled egg 18 from both sides with a force capable of rotating the boiled egg 18 without damaging the boiled egg 18 and the incident light. A side rotation belt 78 is provided. The rotation means 74a and 74b include observation-side rotation drive units 80a and 80b connected to the computer 16, and incident-side rotation drive units 82a and 82b.
The observation side rotation belt 76 is controlled by the operation of the observation side rotation drive units 80a and 80b by the computer 16 to have a predetermined high speed V in the direction of arrow X in the figure.₁Move with.
[0036]
The incident-side rotating belt 78 is controlled by the computer 16 to control the incident-side rotating belts 82a and 82b while the observation-side rotating belt 76 is in operation, stationary or in the direction of the arrow -X in the drawing. Predetermined slow speed V₂Move with.
As a result, the boiled egg 18 moves in the arrow X direction in the figure by the transport means while passing clockwise in the figure by the rotating means 74a and 74b on the belt conveyor 20, and passes through the inspection area 22. .
[0037]
Here, since the specific portion 18a of the boiled egg 18 has been rotated by one or more rotations within a predetermined inspection time until the boiled egg 18 passes through the inspection area 22, the entire surface of the boiled egg 18 is observed by the observation unit 14. Observed by That is, an image of the entire surface of the boiled egg 18 is obtained by the CCD camera 38. Thus, the entire surface of the boiled egg 18 can be inspected reliably and at high speed before passing through the inspection area 22.
[0038]
Here, based on information such as the distance of the inspection area 22 in the X direction, the transport speed of the belt conveyor 20, and the sampling interval of the CCD camera 38, the computer 16 sets the inspection area 22 set on the belt conveyor 20 in advance. The rotation belt of the observation-side rotation drive units 80a and 80b, the incidence-side rotation drive units 82a and 82b, etc., so that the whole surface of the same boiled egg is within the field of view of the CCD camera 38 at least once. Drive speed of 76, 78 (V₁, V₂).
As a result, an image of the entire surface of the boiled egg 18 can be obtained more reliably and at high speed by the CCD camera 38.
[0039]
<Reduction of false recognition>
In the eggshell inspection apparatus, there has been a demand for not only an improvement in the inspection speed but also a reduction in false recognition, but no countermeasure against this point has been taken in the past.
In the present invention, compared to Patent Document 1 and the like, there is a possibility that noise is mixed in as much as the inspection speed is improved, and it is more important to reduce false recognition.
Therefore, in the present invention, the two-dimensional light detecting means continuously obtains the image of the egg in the inspection area set in advance on the line twice or more.
[0040]
Further, the image processing means detects the presence or absence of a shining part from the egg images continuously obtained by the two-dimensional light detecting means. If this bright part is detected as the trajectory of the same part of the same egg based on the transport direction or the rotation direction of the egg to be inspected, that is, as the relatively same position with the movement of the egg to be inspected, The recognized bright spot is determined to be due to the remaining eggshell fragments. Then, it is determined that eggshell pieces remain in the egg. On the other hand, the image processing means, when a bright spot is suddenly detected from the image of the egg continuously obtained by the two-dimensional light detecting means, the bright spot is not due to the remaining eggshell pieces, but is a noise. It is determined to be due to. Then, it is determined that no eggshell pieces remain in the egg.
[0041]
For this purpose, in the present embodiment, the CCD camera continuously captures at least two or more images of the inspection area on the belt conveyor set in advance. For example, time t₁At time t₂To obtain a still image at.
The computer operates at time t shown in FIG.₁The still image 70 of the boiled egg obtained at the time t shown in FIG.₁Than a predetermined time, for example, the time t when the sampling interval by the CCD camera has elapsed₂The still image 70 'of the boiled egg obtained in the above is compared by image processing.
When the computer detects that the bright spot 72 ′ is a locus of the bright spot 72, the computer determines that the bright spot 72 is due to the remaining eggshell piece.
[0042]
On the other hand, the computer operates at time t shown in FIG.₁And the still image 70 of the boiled egg obtained at the time t shown in FIG.₁Time t after a predetermined time has elapsed₂The still image 70 'of the boiled egg obtained in the above is compared.
Then, the computer operates at time t shown in FIG.₁The bright spot 84 detected from the still image 70 of the boiled egg obtained at the time t shown in FIG.₂If it is detected in the still image 70 ′ of the boiled egg obtained immediately that the bright spot disappears, it is determined that the bright spot 84 is not caused by the remaining eggshell pieces but is caused by noise.
[0043]
As a result, in the present embodiment, even if noise is mixed in with the improvement of the inspection speed, whether the detected bright spot is due to the remaining eggshell piece by the image processing of the egg images 70 and 72 by the computer, Alternatively, it is possible to properly determine whether the noise is caused by noise. As a result, false recognition can be reduced, and the accuracy of inspection can be improved.
In the above-described configuration, the presence or absence of a luminescent spot due to the remaining eggshell pieces is confirmed by a plurality of still images. However, the present invention can be applied to, for example, one moving image displayed in real time on a display unit of a computer.
[0044]
That is, the computer monitors the image of the boiled egg in the inspection area obtained by the CCD camera by using a moving image 90 as shown in FIG.
Here, if the bright spot is caused by noise instead of the remaining eggshell piece, the bright spot disappears immediately from the screen of the display unit with the passage of time. On the other hand, if it is a bright spot due to a remaining eggshell piece, it can be detected as a bright line (trajectory) 92 as shown in FIG. This allows the computer to more accurately detect only the remaining eggshell pieces without misidentifying the remaining eggshell pieces and noise.
[0045]
In the method for detecting the remaining eggshell pieces shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the boiled egg being conveyed by the conveying means, the boiled egg being rotated by the rotating means, and the boiled egg being rotated by the rotating means in the inspection area. However, it can be applied favorably to any of the boiled eggs transported by the transporting means.
As described above, according to the eggshell inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment, the planar excitation light is irradiated to the entire inspection area by the light irradiation means, and the boiled eggs in the inspection area are imaged by the CCD camera. The image of the boiled egg obtained in this way is processed by a computer to detect the presence or absence of a bright spot or a bright line. Then, since the computer determines the presence or absence of the remaining eggshell pieces based on the presence or absence of the bright spots or bright lines thus obtained, the inspection can be speeded up.
[0046]
In the present embodiment, when a bright spot is detected as a trajectory from images of boiled eggs continuously obtained by the CCD camera, it is determined that the bright spot is due to the remaining eggshell pieces. On the other hand, when a bright spot is suddenly detected from the egg image, it is determined that the bright spot is caused by noise. For this reason, misidentification can be further reduced, and the accuracy of inspection can be improved.
In addition, in the said structure, although the example which used the boiled egg as the egg used as a test object was demonstrated, this invention is not limited to this, It applies similarly to the test of the remaining eggshell piece in a raw egg. can do.
[0047]
In the above-described configuration, the example in which the boiled eggs to be inspected are arranged in a row in a direction orthogonal to the X direction on the belt conveyor has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The present invention can also be applied to a case where boiled eggs to be inspected are arranged in a plurality of rows in a direction orthogonal to each other, and the same effect as the above configuration can be obtained.
In the above-described configuration, an example in which the observation-side optical components are arranged in the order of the observation-side filter, the imaging lens, and the CCD camera from the egg side has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. , An imaging lens and a CCD camera in this order.
[0048]
Wavelength selection means
<Selected wavelength>
In the above-described configuration, an example is described in which an observation-side filter that transmits substantially only light of 630 nm to 750 nm among light from eggs is used as the wavelength selection means, but the present invention is not limited to this. Any material can be used as long as light emission from the eggshell can be observed. For example, it is also preferable to use light that absorbs light having a wavelength shorter than 630 nm among the light from eggs.
[0049]
It is also preferable to use, as the wavelength selection means, one that absorbs light having the same wavelength as the excitation light from the light irradiation means, that is, light having a wavelength of 410 nm, out of the light from the eggs. In other words, by cutting the light having the same wavelength as the excitation light out of the light from the eggs by the wavelength selection means, even if the excitation light from the light irradiation means is scattered by the eggs and becomes stray light, the light is captured by the CCD camera. Can be prevented more reliably. Then, by using the eggshell inspection device in a dark place, it can be more accurately determined whether or not the eggshell remains.
[0050]
<Type>
As the observation-side filter which is an example of the wavelength selection means, a colored filter made of colored glass or plastic, an interference filter formed by depositing a multilayer thin film on glass, a filter filled with liquid or gas, or the like can be used.
[0051]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the eggshell inspection apparatus of the present invention, the light irradiation unit irradiates the planar excitation light capable of covering the outer shape of at least one egg, and images the egg via the wavelength selection unit. Since the two-dimensional light detecting means is provided, the speed of the inspection can be increased.
Further, in the present invention, by the image processing means, the presence or absence of a bright part is detected from the image of the egg obtained by the two-dimensional light detection means, based on the image processing result whether or not eggshell pieces remain in the egg In this case, the speed of the inspection can be further increased.
Further, in the present invention, while different eggs are successively flown on the line by the conveying means, the presence or absence of a bright part is detected from the image of the egg. The position coordinates on the line corresponding to the part are specified, and the elimination unit eliminates the eggs with the eggshell pieces remaining from the line, thereby speeding up the examination.
In the present invention, the speed of the test can be further increased by rotating the egg by the rotating means and obtaining an image of the entire surface of the egg by the two-dimensional light detecting means.
Furthermore, in the present invention, the egg is imaged twice or more consecutively by the two-dimensional light detection means, and when the bright part is detected as a trajectory from the image of the egg by the image processing means, the egg is attached to the egg shell. When it is determined that a piece remains, and when a bright portion is suddenly detected, it is determined that the bright portion is caused by noise, so that the accuracy of the inspection can be further improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a schematic configuration of an eggshell inspection apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an egg image obtained by the apparatus according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a coordinate specifying method by an image processing unit of the device according to the embodiment;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a rotating unit of the apparatus according to the embodiment.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a method for detecting eggshell pieces by the image processing means of the apparatus according to the embodiment.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a method for detecting eggshell pieces by the image processing means of the apparatus according to the present embodiment.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Eggshell inspection device
12 Light irradiation means
16 Computer (image processing means)
18 boiled eggs (eggs)
34 Observation side filter (wavelength selection means)
36 Imaging lens (imaging means)
38 CCD camera (two-dimensional light detection means)

Claims (7)

Planar excitation light having a specific wavelength that causes the eggs that would have been peeled to fluoresce only from the eggshell without fluorescing from the contents of the eggs, and that has a spot size that covers at least one outer shape of the eggs Light irradiation means for irradiating
Of the light from the eggs obtained by irradiating the planar excitation light, a wavelength selection unit that substantially transmits only the fluorescence emitted from the eggshell,
Two-dimensional light detection means for imaging the egg via the wavelength selection means,
Imaging means for imaging the egg image on the two-dimensional light detection means,
From the image of the egg obtained by the two-dimensional light detection means, if a bright portion is detected, it is determined that eggshell pieces remain in the egg, if no bright portion is detected An eggshell inspection device for determining that no eggshell pieces remain in the egg. The eggshell inspection device according to claim 1,
The light irradiation means irradiates the egg with planar excitation light of 410 nm,
The eggshell inspection device, wherein the wavelength selecting means transmits light having a wavelength of 630 nm to 750 nm or blocks light having a wavelength shorter than 630 nm among the light from the eggs. The eggshell inspection device according to claim 1 or 2,
The light irradiation means irradiates the egg with planar excitation light of 410 nm,
The eggshell inspection device, wherein the wavelength selecting means blocks light having a wavelength of 410 nm, which is the same as the wavelength of the planar excitation light, out of the light from the eggs. The eggshell inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The presence or absence of a bright portion is detected from the image of the egg obtained by the two-dimensional light detection means, and if a bright portion is detected from the image of the egg, it is determined that eggshell pieces remain in the egg. An egg shell inspection device, comprising: an image processing means for determining that no eggshell pieces remain in the egg when no bright part is detected from the image of the egg. The eggshell inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The planar excitation light by the light irradiating unit is irradiated so that the spot size covers an inspection area where the egg is inspected,
The field of view of the two-dimensional light detection means is positioned so as to cover the inspection area,
Further, conveying means for sequentially conveying the different eggs in a predetermined flow direction on a line passing through the inspection area,
Elimination means for excluding the eggs from which the remaining eggshell pieces have been detected by the image processing means, from the line,
The image processing means, when a bright part is detected from the image of the egg obtained by the two-dimensional light detection means, at least the position coordinates in the flow direction on the line previously obtained and the image From the relationship with the position coordinates on the above, to specify the position coordinates on the line corresponding to the position coordinates on the image of the bright part,
The eggshell inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exclusion unit excludes, from the line, an egg in which a residual eggshell piece is detected by the image processing unit, based on the position coordinates specified by the image processing unit. The eggshell inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
In the inspection area set in advance on the line, the entire surface of the same egg once or more, so as to be within the field of view of the two-dimensional light detection means, comprising a rotating means for rotating the egg,
The two-dimensional light detection means obtains an image of the egg from the entire surface of the egg, and the eggshell inspection apparatus. The eggshell inspection device according to claim 5 or 6,
The two-dimensional light detection means, the image of the egg in the test area set in advance on the line twice or more, continuously obtained,
The image processing means, from the image obtained by the two-dimensional light detection means, if the luminescent portion is detected as a trajectory of the same part of the same egg based on the transport direction or rotation direction of the egg, eggshell to the egg An eggshell inspection device, wherein it is determined that a piece remains, and when the bright portion is suddenly detected, it is determined that no eggshell piece remains in the egg.

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