JP2005164488A - Tester and inspection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a tester and an inspection device equipped with the tester capable of executing both internal inspection and external inspection of agricultural produce, and suppressing device cost increase to the utmost. <P>SOLUTION: In the body 30, a region on an insertion passage 29 is divided into two front-and-back parts by a shielding partition wall 35, and an external inspection part 41 is arranged on the inlet side of the body 30, and an internal inspection part 42 is arranged on the outlet side of the body 30. Light does not interfere by the partition wall 35 between the external inspection part 41 and the internal inspection part 42. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an inspection device that inspects agricultural products such as strawberries or tomatoes, and an inspection device that includes the inspection device and a transporter that transports agricultural products to the inspection device.

  An inspection device has been developed that inspects the quality of sugar or acidity of agricultural products such as strawberries or tomatoes nondestructively using light.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of the inspection apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 to be described later by the applicant of the present invention, in which 50 is a transporter for transporting agricultural products such as strawberries or tomatoes. Two conveyor belts 51, 51 are arranged in parallel to each other at a predetermined distance in the conveyor 50, and the conveyor 50 is located between the conveyor belts 51, 51. .., And a plurality of breads 70, 70,... Mounted in order in the transport direction, and the agricultural products H, H,. It is transported by driving.

  At appropriate positions on the conveying path by both conveying belts 51, 51, a projector 60 that emits light of a required wavelength to each agricultural product H, H,..., And transmitted light that has been transmitted from the projector 60 and transmitted through the agricultural product H A detector 61 for detecting the light absorbance of the transmitted light incident on the light receiver 61, and the detection Based on the detection result of the vessel, it is guided to a main body 63 containing an arithmetic unit for calculating sugar content or acidity. And the main body 63 calculates the sugar content or acidity etc. of each agricultural product H, H, ... using the transmitted light given from the light receiver 61, respectively.

Japanese Patent Application No. 2003-162675 (FIG. 1)

  In such an inspection apparatus, in addition to the internal inspection for inspecting the sugar or acidity of agricultural products, it is required to carry out an external inspection of agricultural products. However, in conventional inspection apparatuses, When an inspection device for performing an external inspection is disposed separately from the light projector 60 and the light receiver 61 on a conveyance path in which the light projector 60 and the light receiver 61 for performing an internal inspection are disposed, there is a problem that the apparatus cost is high.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and can both carry out an internal inspection and an external inspection of agricultural products, while suppressing an increase in apparatus cost as much as possible, and the An inspection device including an inspection device is provided.

  The present invention according to claim 1 is a light-shielding housing in which an inlet for carrying in agricultural products and an outlet for carrying out the agricultural products are arranged opposite to each other, and an inspection for inspecting agricultural products carried into the housing using light. The inspection means comprises an imager that images the agricultural product and a first light projector that projects the agricultural product, and based on an image of the agricultural product obtained by the imaging device An external inspection unit that inspects the outside of the agricultural product, a second projector that projects light onto the agricultural product, and a transmitted light that is transmitted from the second projector to the agricultural product and transmitted through the agricultural product, and receives an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the transmitted light. And an internal inspection unit that inspects the inside of the produce based on an electrical signal output from the light receiver, and the imaging device and the first projector of the external inspection unit are provided in the housing. Arranged on the entrance or exit side Yes and light receiver of the internal inspection unit is characterized in that are disposed on the outlet side or the inlet side of the housing.

  The present invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that a light-shielding partition wall for partitioning the external inspection section and the internal inspection section is provided in the housing.

  The present invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that a light-shielding tunnel portion is connected around the entrance and / or exit of the housing.

  The present invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that an appropriate region of the opening of the tunnel portion is covered with a light shielding member.

  The present invention according to claim 5 is a light-shielding housing in which an inlet for carrying in agricultural products and an outlet for carrying out the agricultural products are arranged opposite to each other, and an inspection for inspecting agricultural products carried into the housing using light. 5. An inspection apparatus comprising: an inspection device comprising: means; and a transporter that carries agricultural products into the housing from the entrance and carries out the agricultural products inspected by the inspection means from the exit. The inspection device according to claim 1 is provided.

  In the present invention according to claim 1, the inspection means for inspecting the agricultural products carried into the light-shielding casing using light includes an imager that images the agricultural products and a first projector that projects the agricultural products, An external inspection unit that inspects the outside of the agricultural product based on the image of the agricultural product obtained by the imaging device, a second floodlight that projects the agricultural product, and the second floodlight that is projected to the agricultural product and transmits the agricultural product. A light receiver that receives the transmitted light and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity thereof, and an internal inspection unit that inspects the inside of the produce based on the electrical signal output by the light receiver, and an external inspection unit The image pickup device and the first projector are arranged on the entrance side or the exit side in the housing, and the light receiver of the internal inspection unit is arranged on the exit side or the entrance side in the housing. Both inspection and inspection of agricultural products in one inspection device Subjecting resulting, in addition to being able to suppressed as much as possible an increase in apparatus cost can be miniaturized inspection apparatus, it is possible to reduce the installation space.

  In the second aspect of the present invention, since a light-shielding partition wall for partitioning the external inspection unit and the internal inspection unit is provided in the housing, light does not interfere between the external inspection unit and the internal inspection unit. Even if two agricultural products adjacent to each other in the transport direction are transported at the same timing to the position below the imager of the external inspection unit and the position on the second projector of the internal inspection unit, external inspection and internal inspection Therefore, the number of inspections per unit time can be increased.

  In the present invention described in claim 3, since the light-shielding tunnel portion is connected around the entrance and / or exit of the housing, the amount of disturbance light entering the inside of the housing can be reduced. The inspection accuracy of agricultural products is high.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since an appropriate region of the opening of the tunnel portion is covered with a light-shielding member, the amount of disturbance light entering the tunnel portion from the opening of the tunnel portion is reduced and enters the housing. The amount of disturbance light is further reduced.

  The present invention according to claim 5 is a light-shielding housing in which an inlet for carrying in agricultural products and an outlet for carrying out the agricultural products are arranged opposite to each other, and an inspection for inspecting agricultural products carried into the housing using light. 5. An inspection apparatus comprising: an inspection device comprising: means; and a transporter that carries agricultural products from the entrance into the housing and carries out the agricultural products inspected by the inspection means from the exit. Since the inspection device according to any one of the above is provided, the same effect as before is obtained.

  The inspection device according to the present invention includes a light-shielding housing in which an inlet for carrying in agricultural products and an outlet for carrying out the agricultural products are arranged opposite to each other, and an inspection means for inspecting agricultural products carried into the housing using light. With. This inspection means includes an external inspection unit that inspects the outside of the agricultural product such as the size, scratches, and color of the agricultural product, and an internal inspection unit that inspects the inside of the agricultural product such as the acidity and sugar content of the agricultural product.

  Specifically, the external inspection unit includes an imaging device that images agricultural products and a first projector that projects the agricultural products, and inspects the outside of the agricultural products based on the images of the agricultural products obtained by the imaging device. . On the other hand, the internal inspection unit includes a second light projector that projects light onto the agricultural product, and a light receiver that receives the transmitted light transmitted from the second light projector to the agricultural product and transmitted through the agricultural product, and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity. And the inside of the agricultural product is inspected based on the electrical signal output by the light receiver.

  The imaging device and the first projector of the external inspection unit are arranged on the entrance side or the exit side in the housing, and the light receiver of the internal inspection unit is when the imaging device and the first projector are on the entrance side. When the image pickup device and the first projector are on the exit side in the housing, they are arranged on the entrance side in the housing. As a result, the agricultural products carried into the housing from the entrance are externally and internally inspected by the aforementioned external inspection unit and internal inspection unit while being carried out from the exit.

  In addition, a light-shielding partition wall that partitions the external inspection unit and the internal inspection unit is provided in the above-described housing so that light interference does not occur between the external inspection unit and the internal inspection unit. It is.

  On the other hand, a light-shielding tunnel portion may be connected around the entrance and / or exit of the housing described above.

  Furthermore, an appropriate region of the opening of the tunnel portion may be covered with a light shielding member.

  On the other hand, the inspection apparatus according to the present invention includes a transporter that carries agricultural products into the housing from the entrance, and transports the agricultural products inspected by the inspection means from the exit, and any of the inspection devices described above.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings illustrating an embodiment thereof.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic external perspective view showing an inspection apparatus according to the present invention, in which 1 is a conveyor. Two conveyor belts 11 are arranged in parallel with each other at a predetermined distance on the conveyor 1. A plurality of pans 2, 2,... Having a through hole in the center are mounted in order in the transport direction of the transport machine 1 between the transport belts 11 and 11. ... in which agricultural products such as strawberries or tomatoes are mounted. And the conveyor 1 rotates the conveyor belts 11 and 11 with the drive machine which is not shown in figure, and the agricultural products H, H, ... mounted in each bread 2, 2, ... and bread 2,2, ... Is conveyed in the direction of the arrow.

  An inspection device 3 for inspecting each agricultural product H, H,... By using light is disposed at an appropriate position on the conveying path by both the conveying belts 11, 11. The conveying belts 11, 11, and the agricultural product H are inspected. , H,... On which the pans 2, 2,. Then, the agricultural products H, H,... In the breads 2, 2,.

  2 and 3 are a front view and a side view of the inspection device 3 shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the inspector 3 is provided with a main body 30 having a rectangular parallelepiped casing 31 made of a light-shielding material. Is inserted from the front side to the back side, and an insertion passage through which the transfer machine 1 is inserted is opened.

  Tunnel portions 32 and 32 each having a passage communicating with the insertion passage are fixed on the front and rear surfaces of the main body 30 in a light-tight manner around the entrance and the exit of the insertion passage. The tunnel portions 32, 32 are made of a light shielding material, and the portion above the passage region of the pans 2, 2,... 34). Thus, since the light-shielding tunnel portions 32 and 32 are respectively provided at the entrance and the exit of the insertion path of the main body 30, the amount of disturbance light entering the inside of the main body 30 can be reduced, and the agricultural products can be reduced. Inspection accuracy is high. Moreover, since the opening 33 (33) of both the tunnel parts 32 and 32 is blocked as much as possible by the light shielding curtain 34 (34), the tunnel part 32, The amount of disturbance light that enters the main body 32 is reduced, and the amount of disturbance light that enters the main body 30 is further reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the case where the light shielding curtain 34 (34) is provided in the opening 33 (33) of the tunnel portions 32, 32 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a light shielding plate material or the like is provided inside. Any light shielding member that blocks incident light may be used.

  FIG. 4 is a side sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the main part of the inspection apparatus shown in FIG. In the figure, parts corresponding to those shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. As shown in FIG. 4, the area inside the main body 30 is divided into two front and rear regions by a light-shielding partition wall 35, and an external inspection unit 41 is provided on the inlet side of the main body 30. An internal inspection unit 42 is disposed on the outlet side. The partition wall 35 described above prevents light from interfering between the external inspection unit 41 and the internal inspection unit 42.

  In the inspection apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the external inspection unit 41 is arranged on the inlet side of the main body 30 and the internal inspection unit 42 is arranged on the outlet side of the main body 30. Good.

  The external inspection unit 41 is disposed on the insertion path 29 in the main body 30 and includes an imager 37 such as a line sensor that images the agricultural product H in the bread 2 conveyed by the conveyance belt 11 (11). In order to irradiate the agricultural products H in the bread 2 with light before and after the image pickup device in the main body 30, the first projectors 36 and 36 are arranged so as to project light directly below the image pickup device 37. . When the bread 2 and the agricultural product H mounted in the bread 2 are carried into the external inspection unit 41 by the transport belt 11 (11), light is irradiated from the first projectors 36 and 36 to the agricultural product H in the bread 2. Then, the reflected light enters the image pickup device 37, and the produce H is picked up by the image pickup device 37. The main body 30 is provided with a detection unit (not shown) that detects internal and external features of the produce H, and the imager 37 provides image data obtained by imaging the produce H to the detection unit. And a detection part produces | generates the image of the agricultural product H based on the image data given from the image pick-up device 37, the outline size of the agricultural product H from the produced | generated agricultural product H image, a coloring degree, the presence or absence of a damage | wound, a damage | wound degree, etc. Are detected, and the obtained detection results are output to a host computer or the like.

  On the other hand, a second projector 38 for irradiating the produce H with light is disposed below the conveyance belt 11 (11) facing the portion in the vicinity of the exit of the main body 30, and on the insertion path 29 in the main body 30. A light receiver 39 that receives the light projected from the second light projector 38 and transmitted through the agricultural product H is disposed opposite to the second light projector 38. The agricultural products H externally inspected by the external inspection unit 41 are carried into the internal inspection unit 42 from the external inspection unit 41 by the transport belt 11 (11). While the pan 2 carrying the agricultural product H passes over the second projector 38, light is irradiated from the second projector 38 to the agricultural product H in the pan 2, and the transmitted light is incident on the light receiver 39. A filter that transmits only light having a required wavelength, such as a near-infrared wavelength region, is disposed at the light entrance of the light receiver 39, and the light receiver 39 receives a signal obtained by photoelectrically converting the light transmitted through the filter. It gives to the said detection part. Then, the detection unit calculates internal characteristics such as sugar content and / or acidity of the produce H based on the signal given from the light receiver 39, and outputs the result to a host computer or the like.

  As described above, in the inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment, the inside of the main body 30 of the inspection device 3 is divided into the two front and rear regions by the light-shielding partition wall 35, and the external inspection unit 41 is provided on one side and the internal inspection is provided on the other side. Since the unit 42 is disposed, both the internal inspection and the external inspection of the produce H can be carried out in one inspection device 3 and the increase in the apparatus cost can be suppressed as much as possible. The size can be reduced, and the installation space can be reduced. Further, since the partition wall 35 prevents light from interfering between the external inspection unit 41 and the internal inspection unit 42, the two pans 2 and 2 adjacent to each other in the transport direction are positioned under the imager 37. Even if it is transported to the position on the second projector 38 at the same timing, it is possible to prevent the inspection accuracy of the external inspection and the internal inspection from being lowered, and to increase the number of agricultural products inspected per unit time.

  FIG. 5 is a side sectional view schematically showing the configuration of the main part of the inspection apparatus according to Embodiment 2, so that external inspection and internal inspection can be performed without providing the partition wall shown in FIG. is there. In the figure, the same reference numerals are given to the portions shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the inside of the main body 30 of the inspection device 3 is a single inspection chamber, and an external inspection unit 41 is provided upstream of the main body 30 in the conveyance direction, and an internal inspection unit 42 is provided downstream of the conveyance direction. is there. The arrangement of the inspection units 41 and 42 may be opposite to that of the present embodiment, that is, the internal inspection unit 42 may be disposed on the upstream side in the transport direction and the external inspection unit 41 may be disposed on the downstream side in the transport direction. In the external inspection unit 41, the first light projectors 36 and 36 and the image pickup device 37 described above are arranged in the same manner as before, and in the internal inspection unit 42, the second light projector 38 and the light receiver 39 described above are provided in the same manner as before. It is arranged.

  In such an inspection apparatus, a plurality of pans 2, 2,... Mounted with agricultural products H, H,... On a transport belt 11 (11) are arranged in a row and two pans 2 adjacent to each other in the transport direction. , 2 are placed so as to be conveyed at different timings to a position below the imager 37 and a position above the second projector 38. When the pan 2 is transported into the main body 30 of the inspection device 3 by the transport belt 11 (11), the inspection device 3 includes the first projectors 36 and 36 disposed in the external inspection unit 41 and imaging at an appropriate timing. The container 37 is operated to take an image of the agricultural product H mounted in the bread 2, and the external inspection of the agricultural product H is performed as before. At this time, the inspection device 3 does not operate the second projector 38 and the light receiver 39 disposed in the internal inspection unit 42. Therefore, during the external inspection of the produce H by the first projectors 36 and 36 and the image pickup device 37, it is possible to avoid the light interference to the image pickup device 37 by the second light projector 38 and prevent the accuracy of the external inspection from being lowered.

  When the bread 2 loaded with the agricultural products H externally inspected in this way is transported to the internal inspection unit 42 by the transport belt 11 (11), the inspector 3 is arranged at the appropriate timing to the internal inspection unit 42. The second light projector 38 and the light receiver 39 provided are actuated to perform the internal inspection of the produce H as before. At this time, the inspection device 3 does not operate the first light projectors 36 and 36 and the imaging device 37 disposed in the external inspection unit 41. Therefore, during the internal inspection of the produce H by the second light projector 38 and the light receiver 39, it is possible to avoid the light interference to the light receiver 39 by the first light projectors 36 and 36 and to prevent the accuracy of the internal inspection from being lowered.

Thus, in the inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment, the external inspection unit 41 is provided in the main body 30 for external inspection of the produce H, and the internal inspection unit 42 is used for internal inspection of the produce. As before, both the internal inspection and the external inspection of the produce H can be carried out in one inspection device 3, and the increase in the apparatus cost can be suppressed as much as possible, and the inspection apparatus can be downsized. And the installation space can be reduced.

  On the other hand, since the light-shielding tunnel portions 32 and 32 are respectively provided at the entrance and the exit of the insertion passage 29 of the main body 30, the amount of disturbance light entering the main body 30 can be reduced. Inspection accuracy is high. Further, since the openings 33 and 33 of the tunnel portions 32 and 32 are blocked as much as possible by the light shielding curtains 34 and 34, the openings 33 and 33 of the tunnel portions 32 and 32 enter the tunnel portions 32 and 32. The amount of disturbing light that enters is reduced, and the amount of disturbing light that enters the main body 30 is further reduced.

It is a typical appearance perspective view showing an inspection device concerning the present invention. It is a front view of the inspection device shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a side view of the inspection device shown in FIG. 1. It is a sectional side view which shows typically the principal part structure of the inspection apparatus shown in FIG. It is a sectional side view which shows typically the principal part structure of the inspection apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2. FIG. It is a typical perspective view which shows the structure of the conventional test | inspection apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Conveyance machine 3 Inspection device 29 Insertion path 30 Main body 31 Case 32 Tunnel part 33 Opening 34 Shading curtain 35 Partition wall 36 1st light projector 37 Image pick-up device 38 2nd light projector 39 Light receiver 41 External inspection part 42 Internal inspection part H Agricultural produce

Claims (5)

In an inspection device comprising a light-shielding casing in which an entrance for carrying in agricultural products and an outlet for carrying out the agricultural products are arranged opposite to each other, and an inspection means for inspecting agricultural products carried into the housing using light,
The inspection means includes
An external inspection unit that includes an imager that images the agricultural product and a first projector that projects the agricultural product, and inspects the outside of the agricultural product based on an image of the agricultural product obtained by the imaging device;
A second light projector that projects light onto the agricultural product; and a light receiver that receives the transmitted light that has been transmitted from the second light projector to the agricultural product and transmitted through the agricultural product, and outputs an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the light. An internal inspection unit that inspects the inside of the agricultural product based on the electrical signal output by
The imager and the first projector of the external inspection unit are disposed on the entrance side or the exit side in the housing, and the light receiver of the internal inspection unit is disposed on the exit side or the entrance side in the housing. An inspection device characterized by being. The inspection device according to claim 1, wherein a light-shielding partition wall that partitions the external inspection unit and the internal inspection unit is provided in the housing. The inspector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a light-shielding tunnel portion is connected around an entrance and / or an exit of the housing. The inspection device according to claim 3, wherein an appropriate region of the opening of the tunnel portion is covered with a light shielding member. An inspection device comprising a light-shielding housing in which an entrance for carrying in agricultural products and an outlet for carrying out the agricultural products are arranged opposite to each other, and an inspection means for inspecting the agricultural products carried into the housing using light; In an inspection apparatus comprising a transporter that carries agricultural products into the housing from the entrance and carries out the agricultural products inspected by the inspection means from the exit,
An inspection apparatus comprising the inspection device according to claim 1.

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