JP2006337064A - Pinhole inspection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pinhole inspection device for inspecting pinholes, defective sealing, etc. on sealed packing containers of various forms formed of insulative materials such as resin with their interior filled with foods, medicines, cosmetics, etc. <P>SOLUTION: In this pinhole inspection device 1, a resinous container filled with a conductive liquid is conveyed as an object 101 under inspection to impress a voltage on a part 102 under inspection by a voltage impression means during the conveyance of the object 101, and it is detected by a discharge detection means whether electricity is discharged from the object 101. This inspection device is characterized in that a conductive endless belt conveyor 2 is used as a conveyance means for the object 101 to dispose a conveyance surface 25 of the belt conveyor 2 as the detection means and that the impression means is disposed at a prescribed position confronting the conveyance surface 25. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a pinhole inspection apparatus for inspecting pinholes and seal defects of various forms of sealed packaging containers formed of an insulating material such as a resin filled with foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. .

  In a product in which food or medicine is enclosed in a container, if there is a pinhole in the container, bacteria or the like may enter from the pinhole portion and change the quality of the contents. Therefore, in the case of a product in which food or the like is enclosed in a container having electrical insulation, pinhole inspection is performed in the manufacturing process. The pinhole inspection is performed by a pinhole inspection apparatus in which a high voltage application electrode and a discharge detection electrode are arranged. When there is a pinhole in the container, a voltage is applied to the contents from the high voltage application electrode through the pinhole portion. The presence or absence of a pinhole in the container is determined by detecting the occurrence of discharge by the discharge detection electrode detecting the current flowing at that time.

  Conventionally, there are various devices for inspecting pinholes existing in an electrically insulating container as described above. For example, a container having electrical insulation is placed on a support electrode with the side surface of the object to be in contact, and a voltage is applied to the object to be inspected from a high-voltage power source with one end of the support electrode grounded. Patent Document 1 discloses a pinhole inspection device that detects whether or not a current change has occurred by moving a discharge detection electrode whose one end is grounded to the upper surface of an object while moving it horizontally.

  However, although this device can detect the presence or absence of pinholes in an electrically insulating container and the position where pinholes exist, it does not inspect while transporting the inspection object, but stops the inspection object. Therefore, since the pinhole inspection is performed by moving the discharge detection electrode in the horizontal direction, a lot of time is spent on the pinhole inspection, and it is extremely difficult to perform the production efficiently.

Therefore, in order to perform production efficiently, it is necessary not to stop the inspection object and perform the pinhole inspection, but continuously perform the pinhole inspection while conveying the inspection object itself.
In order to cope with this situation, the following pinhole inspection apparatus has been proposed and present as an apparatus for performing a pinhole inspection while conveying an object to be inspected.

For example, Patent Document 2 describes an apparatus capable of applying a high voltage while first transporting an object to be inspected, which is an electrically insulating container, by two front and rear conveyors and detecting a pinhole by a discharge detection means. Yes.
In addition, a circulating means that passes through the pinhole inspection area is provided, a high voltage is applied while conveying an object to be inspected by a plurality of rollers arranged in a direction intersecting the rotating direction of the rotating means, and the discharge detecting means An apparatus capable of inspecting holes is described in Patent Document 3.
JP 2003-307509 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-16312 JP 2002-333433 A

However, regarding the pinhole inspection apparatus described in Patent Document 2, a plurality of conveyors must be installed in the pinhole inspection area, and the apparatus is very complicated.
In addition, regarding the pinhole inspection apparatus described in Patent Document 3, not only each pinhole inspection apparatus itself becomes an extremely large and complicated apparatus, but also the object to be inspected cannot be smoothly conveyed. The pinhole inspection cannot be performed sufficiently, and the container cannot be transported smoothly. Furthermore, in order to inspect pinholes for various shapes and sizes of inspection objects, it is necessary to carry them with rollers that match the shape and size of the inspection objects, so large-scale remodeling is required. There is a problem. Therefore, it has been difficult to adopt a pinhole inspection apparatus that can efficiently produce and easily change molds.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has a very high production efficiency, and does not require a large-scale apparatus even when inspecting pinholes for objects having various shapes and sizes. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pinhole inspection device that can be easily remodeled.

In order to achieve the above object, the pinhole inspection apparatus of the present invention comprises:
(1) A resin container filled with a conductive liquid is transported as an object to be inspected, and a voltage is applied to the inspected part of the object to be inspected by voltage applying means during the transportation of the object to be inspected. In a pinhole inspection apparatus in which the presence or absence of discharge from an object is detected by a discharge detection means, the conveyance means for the inspection object is a conductive endless belt conveyor, and the conveyance surface of the endless belt conveyor is the discharge detection. The voltage application means is provided at a predetermined position facing the transport surface while being provided as a means.
With such a configuration, the production efficiency is extremely high, and it is easy to change the mold without requiring a large-scale device, so that even a specimen having various shapes can be inspected for pinholes. it can. In addition, since the object to be inspected can be smoothly conveyed, the pinhole inspection can be performed accurately and sufficiently, and further, since the object can be smoothly conveyed, the container is not damaged.

  In this case, (2) the belt conveyor can be tilted in the width direction, and the object to be inspected is narrowed in cooperation with the belt conveyor at a predetermined position facing the conveying surface of the belt conveyor. Narrow pressure driving means for driving in the same direction in synchronism with the belt conveyor is provided. Accordingly, when the belt conveyor is inclined in the width direction, the vicinity of the inspected portion is filled with the conductive liquid, and the pinhole can be inspected by applying a relatively low voltage. Further, when the belt conveyor is inclined in the width direction by providing the narrow pressure driving means, the inspection object can be pinhole-inspected at a predetermined position without the inspection object sliding off the belt conveyor.

  And (3) a voltage application electrode for applying a voltage by bringing the voltage application means into contact with the front and back surfaces of the inspected portion of the container, and the voltage application electrode is substantially in the direction of conveyance of the inspection object. It is a brush-like electrode bent in a letter shape, and one end of the electrode is pivotally supported. As a result, it is possible to increase the contact time and the contact area between the portion to be inspected and the voltage application electrode where pinholes of the object to be inspected easily occur, and the pinhole inspection can be performed more accurately and sufficiently.

  Note that (4) the endless belt conveyor side may be a voltage applying unit, and the predetermined position facing the transport surface may be a discharge detecting unit.

  The pinhole inspection apparatus of the present invention is extremely high in production efficiency and can be easily changed without requiring a large-scale apparatus. it can. Further, since the object to be inspected can be smoothly conveyed, the pinhole inspection can be performed accurately and sufficiently, and further, since the object can be smoothly conveyed, the container is not damaged. Therefore, the operating cost is reduced as energy consumption can be saved due to extremely high production efficiency. In addition, since there is no need to prepare a mold changing part by inspecting the inspected objects of various shapes and sizes, it has various effects that it can greatly help to reduce the cost of the part. .

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. In addition, what is described below is only one aspect | mode of embodiment of this invention, and this invention is not limited to these.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pinhole inspection region using a plurality of pinhole inspection apparatuses according to the present invention in combination and the preceding and following processes. 2 is a plan view of the pinhole inspection apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a side view of the pinhole inspection apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a schematic explanatory view showing an inspection state in which an object to be inspected is transported in an inspection area of the pinhole inspection apparatus of the present invention, a positional relationship between application electrodes, a power supply for operation, detection means, and the like.

  The pinhole inspection apparatus 1 of the present invention conveys a resin container as an inspection object 101, and applies a voltage to the inspection portion 102 of the inspection object 101 by voltage application means during the transfer of the inspection object 101. In the pinhole inspection apparatus 1 in which the presence or absence of discharge from the inspected portion 102 is detected by the discharge detecting means, the conveying means for the inspected object 101 is the conductive endless belt conveyor 2, and the endless belt The conveyance surface 25 of the conveyor 2 is disposed as the discharge detection unit, and the voltage application unit is disposed at a predetermined position facing the conveyance surface 25.

  First, the endless belt conveyor 2 according to the pinhole inspection apparatus according to this embodiment will be described.

In the pinhole inspection apparatus according to this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the steel belt conveyor 2 having a steel steel material thickness of 0.2 mm passing through the pinhole inspection area B is installed as an endless belt conveyor. To do. In addition, the said belt conveyor 2 may form the conveyance surface side of the belt conveyor formed with the material which has electroconductivity other than steel steel material property, the resin material, etc. with electroconductive materials, such as a metal.
The belt conveyor 2 is installed so as to be driven in one direction by a pulley 8 connected to the rotation driving means of the electric motor 7 and a driving belt 10 passed between the plurality of pulleys.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the belt conveyor 2 is placed on a support 16 and this support 16 is supported on one side in the width direction by a rotatable support shaft 17. By rotating 17, the other side can be lifted and tilted to an angle α.

  Further, a narrow pressure belt 5 for narrowing the object 101 in cooperation with the belt conveyor 2 is disposed at a position facing the conveying surface 25 of the belt conveyor 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the narrow pressure belt includes a pulley 9 connected to the rotation driving means of the belt conveyor 2, and a driving belt passed between the plurality of pulleys, and the conveying direction of the belt conveyor 2. It is equipped to drive in synchronization with

  Next, the high voltage application electrode 3 that applies a voltage to the inspection object 101 and the discharge detection means that detects a pinhole will be described.

The high voltage application electrode 3 is connected to a high voltage power source 18. A general flat plate electrode or the like can be used as the high voltage application electrode. However, in order to make sure that the surface of the inspected portion 102 of the inspected object 101 comes into contact with the high voltage applying electrode, it is omitted in the conveying direction of the inspected object 101. A brush-like electrode (see FIG. 3) that is bent into a letter shape is preferable, and an electrode in which one end of this electrode is pivotally supported is preferable. The electrode material is not particularly limited as long as it has conductivity, but if it is a metal material such as amorphous or phosphor bronze, the shape change is small even if it is used for a long period of time, so that detection omission can be prevented. .
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the high voltage applying electrode 3 can freely be positioned so as to be in contact with the inspected portion 102 of the inspection object 101 and in contact with or close to both the front and back surfaces of the inspected portion 102. It is arranged so that it can be adjusted.

  On the other hand, the discharge detection means comprises a steel belt conveyor 2 and a discharge detection electrode 21, and the discharge detection electrode 21 is disposed at a position where the tip of the discharge detection electrode 21 can come into contact with the transport surface 25 of the steel belt conveyor 2. . In addition, since there will be no restriction | limiting in particular if the shape and material of the said discharge detection electrode 21 have electroconductivity, description is abbreviate | omitted.

A plurality of inspection areas may be set along the conveyance direction of the inspection object 101, and the high voltage application electrode 3 and the discharge detection means may be installed for each inspection area. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, pinhole inspection devices are arranged in series. First, in the first inspection region, the high voltage application electrode 3 is arranged at the bottom of the inspection object 101, and in the second inspection region, the inspection object 101 is provided. By disposing the high voltage applying electrode 3 at the mouth portion, it is possible to inspect the inspected portion 102 of the inspected object 101 where pinholes are likely to occur without leakage.
Further, for example, by arranging the high voltage application electrode 3 at the mouth of the inspection object 101 in both the first inspection region and the second inspection region, even if a failure occurs in the electrode in one inspection region, the other inspection is performed. Since the electrodes in the region are normal, it is possible to avoid pinhole detection leakage of the inspection object 101.

  The operation of the pinhole inspection apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described.

  First, as shown in FIG. 1, the alignment device 100 sequentially supplies the inspection objects 101 aligned with the mouth portions of the inspection objects 101 aligned in the width direction from one side of the steel belt conveyor 2 in operation. Thus, the inspection object 101 is conveyed onto the steel belt conveyor 2 in a state where the mouth portions are aligned and aligned in the width direction.

  The object to be inspected 101 conveyed to the steel belt conveyor 2 is pressed from above by a narrow pressure belt 5 disposed at a position facing the conveying surface 25 of the belt conveyor 2 and synchronized with the belt conveyor 2. Drive in the same direction. Further, since the narrow pressure driving means is provided, the inspection object 101 does not slide down from the belt conveyor 2 even if the belt conveyor 2 is tilted in the width direction, and the inspection of the inspection object 101 at a predetermined position is performed. It can be carried out.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in the pinhole inspection area B in FIG. 1, the conveyed inspection object 101 is directly in contact with the high voltage application electrode 3, and when contacted, the mouth of the inspection object 101 is contacted. A voltage of 400 KHz and 15 KV is applied from the high voltage application electrode 3. In addition, in order to inspect the inspected part 102 that is likely to generate pinholes without omission, a voltage is applied to the mouth of the inspected part 102 by the high voltage application electrode 3 in the first inspection area, and the inspected part 102 in the second inspection area. A voltage is applied to the bottom of the inspection object 101 by the high voltage application electrode 3.

  The inspected object 101 to which the voltage is applied is detected by the discharge detection means, specifically, the discharge detection electrode 21 via the steel belt conveyor 2, and then the discharge current is measured by the sensor 19.

  Since the object to be inspected is made of an electrically insulating material, the current between the discharge current generated in the object to be inspected without pinholes and the discharge current generated in the inspected object with pinholes. The value is different. Therefore, the presence / absence of a pinhole is determined from the difference between the current values of the two discharge currents by a control circuit discrimination process. If a pinhole is present, an alarm and a signal for rejecting a defective product in a subsequent process are transmitted, and a post process (not shown) is performed. In this case, only the inspection object having a pinhole can be excluded.

  Further, when a gas such as air or inert gas is present in the container of the object to be inspected as in this embodiment, the belt conveyor is inclined at the angle α shown in FIG. 4 in the width direction. For this reason, the vicinity of the part to be inspected is filled with the conductive liquid, and even when a relatively low voltage is applied, the inspection hindrance due to insulation due to the presence gas is prevented. On the other hand, in the case of an object to be inspected filled with a conductive liquid without any gap, it is needless to say that pinhole detection accuracy is increased because there is no inspection hindrance for insulation by the presence gas.

  Note that the positional relationship between the high-voltage application electrode 3 and the discharge detection electrode 21 shown in FIG. For example, a voltage application means is used for the endless belt conveyor side, and a high voltage power supply or current measuring means such as a discharge detection means for the position side facing the conveying surface of the endless belt conveyor, specifically, the brush-like electrode side is used. The positional relationship may be changed.

Plan view of a pinhole inspection area using the pinhole inspection apparatus of the present invention and its front and back processes Plan view of the pinhole inspection apparatus of the present invention Side view of the pinhole inspection apparatus of the present invention It is the schematic explanatory drawing which showed the test | inspection state in which the to-be-inspected object is conveyed in the test | inspection area | region of the pinhole test | inspection apparatus of this invention, the positional relationship of the electrode for an application, the power supply for operation, a control circuit, etc.

Explanation of symbols

A Pre-process B Pinhole inspection area C Post-process 1 Pinhole inspection device 2 Steel belt conveyor (endless belt conveyor)
3 High voltage application electrode 4 Narrow pressure advance means 5 Narrow pressure belt 7 Electric motor 8 9, Pulley 18 High voltage power supply 19 Sensor 21 Discharge detection electrode 30 Transport surface 100 Alignment device 101 Resin container (inspection object)
102 Inspection target α angle

Claims (4)

A resin container filled with a conductive liquid is transported as an object to be inspected, and a voltage is applied to the inspected portion of the object to be inspected by voltage application means during the transportation of the object to be inspected. In the pinhole inspection device that is designed to detect the presence or absence of discharge with the discharge detection means
The conveying means for the inspection object is a conductive endless belt conveyor,
A pinhole inspection apparatus characterized in that a transport surface of the endless belt conveyor is disposed as the discharge detection means, and the voltage application means is disposed at a predetermined position facing the transport surface. The belt conveyor is tiltable in the width direction,
In addition, narrow pressure driving means for narrowing the object to be inspected in cooperation with the belt conveyor and driving in the same direction in synchronization with the belt conveyor is disposed at a predetermined position facing the conveying surface of the belt conveyor. The pinhole inspection apparatus according to claim 1 The voltage application electrode is a voltage application electrode for applying a voltage by bringing the voltage application means into contact with both front and back surfaces of the inspected portion of the container, and the voltage application electrode is bent in a substantially U shape in the conveyance direction of the inspection object 3. A pinhole inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pinhole inspection apparatus is a brush-like electrode and has one end thereof pivotally supported. 4. A pinhole inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the endless belt conveyor side is a voltage application means, and a predetermined position opposite to the conveying surface is a discharge detection means.

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