JP2010008236A - Cap seamed state inspecting method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cap seamed state inspecting method which enables detection of the mark provided on the side of a container, even when a slight flaw is shown on a neck ring, at feeding or at mounting of a cap. <P>SOLUTION: The optical lens of a camera 74 is arranged immediately above an inspection position 71 so that the vertical center axis 41 of the container body 2, arranged at the inspection position 71, coincides with the optical axis 73 of the optical lens above the vertical center axis 41 of the container body for keeping the camera body 75 arranged above the optical axis 73 of the optical lens. A lower illuminator 92 is arranged in the groove part 91 of a feed passage 61, to irradiate the filling liquid 11 inside the container body 2 with light from the region immediately under the filling liquid to diffuse the light, and the neck ring 22 is illuminated by the diffused light from the undersurface 51 of the neck ring. The mark 32 on the side of the container and the mark 34 on the side of the cap 3 are acquired, at the same time, and the seaming angle α of the cap 3 is detected from both the positions and the mounting state of the cap is inspected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cap winding state inspection method for inspecting a mounting state of a cap mounted on a container body.

  Conventionally, a cap winding state inspection method is known as a method for inspecting the mounting state of a cap mounted on a plastic bottle as a container body (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  That is, a plate-shaped neck ring extends from the mouth portion of the plastic bottle toward the side, and a container side mark is provided on the neck ring. Further, a cap side mark is provided on the upper surface of the cap that is screwed into the mouth part, and the cap side mark and the container side mark can be used to inspect the tightening amount of the cap. Yes.

  In this cap tightening state inspection method, light from the ring illumination is applied from the upper part of the PET bottle to be inspected, and a planar image is acquired by a camera disposed directly above the PET bottle.

Then, by analyzing the planar image acquired by this camera, the cap tightening angle from the cap side mark provided on the cap and the container side mark provided on the neck ring of the PET bottle Is detected, and whether the tightening state of the cap is good or not can be inspected based on whether or not the winding angle is within a predetermined range.
JP 2003-237890 A

  However, in such a conventional cap tightening state inspection method, when the neck ring is damaged when the bottle is transported or when the cap is attached, the scratch and the container side mark are not detected in the planar image acquired by the camera. May not be able to be determined.

  In this case, there is a problem that it is impossible to inspect the mounting state of the cap.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and can detect a mark provided on the container side even when a slight scratch is attached to the neck ring during transportation or cap mounting. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cap winding state inspection method that can be made possible.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in the method for inspecting the tightened state of the cap according to the present invention, the container of the neck ring provided on the base end side of the mouth part in a state where the cap is screwed to the mouth part of the container In a cap winding state inspection method for detecting a mounting state of the cap based on a relationship between a side mark and a cap side mark provided on the cap, the vertical central axis is located above the vertical central axis of the container body. The optical system lens is arranged so that the optical axes coincide with each other, and the camera is arranged above the optical axis of the optical system lens. On the other hand, the light from the illumination is applied to the filling liquid in the container to diffuse the diffused light. While simultaneously acquiring images of the container side mark and the cap side mark with the camera in a state illuminated from the back side of the neck ring, from the position of the container side mark and the position of the cap side mark By detecting the turning angle to inspect the attached state of the cap.

  That is, when inspecting the mounting state of the cap screwed into the mouth portion of the container body, the light from the illumination is applied to the filling liquid in the container body and diffused, and the diffused light is diffused to the base of the mouth portion. Illuminate from the back side of the neck ring provided on the end side.

  In this state, the image of the container side mark provided on the neck ring and the image of the cap side mark provided on the cap are simultaneously acquired by a camera, and the position of the container side mark and the position of the cap side mark are obtained. From this, the tightening angle is detected, and the mounting state of the cap is inspected.

  At this time, the neck ring provided with the container side mark may be damaged when the container body is transported or when the cap is attached.

  However, the diffused light diffused by the filling liquid of the container body is illuminated on the back surface side of the neck ring, and this diffused light passes through the scratches attached to the neck ring.

  For this reason, the image of the damage | wound attached to the said neck ring becomes weaker than the image of the said container side mark provided in the said neck ring. Thereby, the image of the flaw acquired by the camera and the image of the container side mark can be easily distinguished.

  As described above, in the cap tightening state inspection method of the present invention, even when the neck ring provided with the container side mark is damaged, the diffused light diffused by the filling liquid of the container body, By illuminating from the back side of the neck ring and transmitting the scratch provided on the neck ring, the image of the scratch acquired by the camera can be made weaker than the image of the container side mark. Thereby, the image of the flaw and the image of the container side mark can be easily distinguished.

  Therefore, even if the neck ring is slightly scratched during transportation or cap mounting, the container side mark can be detected, and the cap based on the relationship between the container side mark and the cap side mark can be detected. It is possible to carry out an inspection of the wearing state.

  At this time, the vicinity of the outer periphery of the neck ring has a high frequency of scratches. In the conventional illumination method in which illumination is applied from the upper part of the container body, the neck is formed by the cap screwed above the neck ring. Only the outer periphery of the ring can shine light. For this reason, in such a prior art, the said container side mark had to be recognized in the outer periphery vicinity of the neck ring illuminated by illumination.

  However, in this invention, it becomes possible to detect the said container side mark using the light irradiated from the back surface side of the said neck ring. For this reason, since the container-side mark can be recognized even on the inner peripheral side of the neck ring in which the disappearance of the mark due to scratches is small, it is possible to contribute to the improvement of the detection accuracy of the container-side mark.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a cap tightening state inspection apparatus 1 that performs a cap tightening state inspection method according to the present embodiment. The cap tightening state inspection apparatus 1 is attached to a container body 2 such as a plastic bottle. It is an apparatus for inspecting the mounting state of the screwed cap 3.

  That is, the said container body 2 is comprised by the container main body 12 with which filling liquid 11, such as drinking water, is filled, and the cylindrical opening | mouth part 13 extended upwards from this container main body 12, As the raw material, In addition to the synthetic resin having transparency, glass and the like can be mentioned.

  Examples of the filling liquid 11 include cloudy sports drinks, transparent tea and tea, and colorless and transparent water.

  A male threaded portion 21 is formed on the peripheral surface of the mouth portion 13, and a plate-like neck ring 22 extending laterally over the entire circumference is formed integrally with the base end side of the male threaded portion 21. Has been. The male screw portion 21 is configured so that a female screw portion 23 formed on the cap 3 is screwed, and the cap 3 is screwed to the mouth portion 13, thereby opening the mouth portion 13. It is comprised so that 24 can be closed.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a concave groove is formed on the upper surface 31 of the neck ring 22, and a container side mark 32 is formed by the concave groove. The top surface 33 of the cap 3 is printed with a product name and the like, and a circular cap-side mark 34 is printed on the peripheral edge thereof.

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, the winding angle α formed by the container side mark 32 and the cap side mark 34 around the vertical center axis 41 of the container body 2 is within a predetermined range. By confirming that it exists, it is comprised so that it can confirm that the tightening amount of the said cap 3 is appropriate.

  When the cap 3 is screwed into the mouth portion 13, as shown in FIG. 1, a fixing claw is inserted into the lower portion of the neck ring 22 (not shown), and the container body 2 is fixed by the fixing claw. It is comprised so that rotation may be prevented, and the crack 52 may be formed in the lower surface 51 of the said neck ring 22 by the said fixed nail | claw at this time. Further, the scratch 52 may be caused by contact with another during bottle conveyance.

  On the other hand, the cap tightening state inspection device 1 is configured in a transport path 61 configured by a belt conveyor or the like that transports the container body 2, and when the container body 2 is transported along the transport path 61. In addition, it is configured to inspect the mounting state of the cap 3.

  That is, an optical system lens is disposed immediately above the inspection position 71 through which the container body 2 passes, and the optical system lens is the vertical center of the container body 2 disposed at the inspection position 71. Above the shaft 41, the vertical center axis 41 and the optical axis 73 are arranged to coincide. This optical system lens includes an optical body 70 disposed above a ring illumination 81 described later, and a camera main body 75 is disposed above the optical axis 73 of the optical system lens.

  Thereby, the light from the container body 2 is bent by the optical body 70 to the lens 72 of the camera 74 so that a planar image from directly above the container body 2 can be taken by the camera body 75 through the lens 72. It is configured.

  A circular ring-shaped ring illumination 81 is disposed below the camera 74, and the ring illumination 81 is constituted by a plurality of LEDs 82,... Arranged in a ring shape. The ring illumination 81 is configured to illuminate the container body 2 passing through the inspection position 71 with weak light from above, and weak light is applied to the top surface 33 of the cap 3. The cap-side mark 34 can be illuminated by the ring illumination 81.

  Further, a groove 91 is formed at the inspection position 71 in the conveyance path 61, and a lower illumination 92 is disposed in the groove 91. The lower illumination 92 is composed of a plurality of LEDs 93,... Arranged in a straight line, and is formed in a straight line that crosses the transport path 61. Thereby, when the container body 2 passes through the inspection position 71, the filling liquid 11 filled in the container body 2 is irradiated with light from directly below to diffuse, and the diffused light 95 is diffused into the neck ring. 22 is configured to be illuminated from the lower surface 51 side.

  The light diffusing effect by the lower illumination 92 is configured to function effectively when the filling liquid 11 is a transparent tea or black tea or colorless and transparent water. What is necessary is just to comprise so that it may light at the time of the test | inspection of the container body 2 filled with.

  Further, a side illumination 101 is provided at a side of the inspection position 71 in the transport path 61, and the side illumination 101 is constituted by a plurality of LEDs 102,. Accordingly, when the container body 2 passes through the inspection position 71, the filling liquid 11 filled in the container body 2 is irradiated with light from the lower side to diffuse, and the diffused light 95 is diffused into the neck. It is comprised so that it can illuminate from the lower surface 51 side of the ring 22.

  The light diffusing effect by the side illumination 101 is configured so as to function effectively when the filling liquid 11 is a cloudy sports drink or the like, and the container body 2 filled with these filling liquids 11 is used. What is necessary is just to comprise so that it may light up in the case of a test | inspection.

  Thus, the container body 2 is imaged from directly above in the state where the diffused light 95 by the lower illumination 92 or the side illumination 101 is illuminated on the lower surface 51 side of the neck ring 22, and the container side mark 32 is captured. And the image of the cap side mark 34 can be simultaneously acquired by the camera 74.

  The camera 74 is connected to the image processing device 111, and the cap 3 with respect to the container body 2 is determined from the position of the container side mark 32 and the position of the cap side mark 34 acquired by the camera 74. It is configured to inspect the mounting state of the cap 3 by detecting the winding angle α.

  In the present embodiment according to the above configuration, when the container body 2 with the cap 3 screwed to the mouth portion 13 is transported along the transport path 61 and passes the inspection position 71 set in the transport path 61, Light from the lower illumination 92 provided in the groove portion 91 of the conveyance path 61 or light from the side illumination 101 provided on the side portion of the conveyance path 61 is applied to the filling liquid 11 in the container body 2. Then, it diffuses in the filling liquid 11.

  Then, the diffused light 95 is provided on the proximal end side of the mouth portion 13 and between the cap 3 attached to the mouth portion 13 and the container body 12 in which the filling liquid 11 is accommodated. The neck ring 22 is illuminated from the lower surface 51 side.

  Moreover, the container main body 12 can be made to shine from the inside by irregularly reflecting the light from each said illumination 92,101 with the filling liquid 11 with which the said container main body 12 was filled.

  Here, (a) in FIG. 2 is a view showing an acquired image 151 acquired by the camera 74 of the cap tightening state inspection apparatus 1, and (b) in FIG. 2 is illuminated from only the upper part of the container body 2. It is a figure which shows the conventional image 161 acquired with the camera 74 in the state which carried out.

  Thus, in this conventional image 161, the container body 12 does not emit light and does not appear in the conventional image 161. The image of the scratch 52 provided on the neck ring 22 appears on the upper surface 31 side of the neck ring 22 having transparency, and the image of the scratch 52 is reflected in the conventional image 161.

  On the other hand, in the acquired image 151, the container main body 12 emits light and appears clearly in the acquired image 151. Further, the image of the scratch 52 provided on the neck ring 22 can be exposed to the upper surface 31 side of the neck ring 22 having transparency when the diffused light 95 from the filling liquid 11 passes through the scratch 52. It can also be seen that the image of the scratch 52 is not reflected in the acquired image 151.

  In this state, the image of the container side mark 32 provided on the upper surface 31 of the neck ring 22 and the image of the cap side mark 34 provided on the top surface 33 of the cap 3 are simultaneously acquired by the camera 74, The winding angle α is detected from the position of the container side mark 32 and the position of the cap side mark 34, and the mounting state of the cap 3 is inspected.

  The acquired image 151 acquired by the camera 74 is captured by the image processing apparatus 111 and subjected to image processing. The operation of the image processing apparatus 111 at that time will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

  That is, when the container body 2 transported through the transport path 61 passes the inspection position 71, the mounting inspection process is called from the main routine based on this.

  Then, the image processing apparatus 111 acquires an image obtained by imaging the container body 2 passing through the inspection position 71 from directly above from the camera 74 (S1), and from the acquired image 151 as shown in FIG. The vertical center axis 41 of the container body 2 is obtained (S2).

  Then, a winding angle α formed by the position of the container side mark 32 and the position of the cap side mark 34 around the vertical center axis 41 is detected (S3), and the winding angle α is determined in advance. It is determined whether it is within the predetermined range (S4).

  At this time, when the winding angle α is within the predetermined range, it is determined as normal and, for example, an OK lamp (not shown) provided in the cap winding state inspection device 1 is turned on ( S5) While returning to the main routine, if the winding angle α is out of the predetermined range, it is determined that the winding is abnormal, and for example, an unillustrated portion provided in the cap winding state inspection apparatus 1 is not shown. By turning on the NG lamp (S6), the process returns to the main routine.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, the neck ring 22 provided with the container side mark 32 may be damaged 52 when the container body is transported or when the cap is attached.

  However, the diffused light 95 diffused by the filling liquid 11 in the container body 2 is illuminated on the lower surface 51 side of the neck ring 22, and the diffused light 95 is applied to the scratches attached to the neck ring 22. 52 is transmitted.

  For this reason, the image of the scratch 52 attached to the lower surface 51 of the neck ring 22 is weaker than the image of the container side mark 32 provided on the upper surface 31 of the neck ring 22. Thereby, the image of the scratch 52 acquired by the camera 74 and the image of the container-side mark 32 are easily distinguished.

  Thus, even when the neck ring 22 provided with the container side mark 32 is damaged, the diffused light 95 diffused by the filling liquid 11 of the container body 2 is diffused into the lower surface 51 side of the neck ring 22. The image of the scratch 52 acquired by the camera 74 can be made weaker than the image of the container side mark 32 by transmitting the scratch 52 provided on the neck ring 22. Thereby, the image of the scratch 52 and the image of the container side mark 32 can be easily distinguished.

  Therefore, even when the neck ring 22 is slightly scratched during transport or cap mounting, the container side mark 32 can be detected, and the relationship between the container side mark 32 and the cap side mark 34 is achieved. The cap 3 can be inspected based on the above.

  At this time, in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the neck ring 22, the occurrence frequency of the scratches 52 is high, and in the conventional illumination method that relies only on the illumination from the upper part of the container body 2, the screw threaded above the neck ring 22 Due to the shadow of the cap 3, only the outer periphery of the neck ring 22 can shine light. For this reason, in such a prior art, the said container side mark 32 had to be recognized only in the outer periphery vicinity of the neck ring illuminated.

  However, in the present embodiment, it is possible to detect the container side mark 32 using the diffused light 95 illuminated from the lower surface 51 side of the neck ring 22. Therefore, the container-side mark 32 can be recognized even on the inner peripheral side of the neck ring 22 in which the container-side mark 32 is less lost by the scratch 52, and the detection accuracy of the container-side mark 32 is improved. Can contribute.

  In the present embodiment, the case where both the lower illumination 92 and the side illumination 101 are provided has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

  For example, when inspecting the container body 2 filled with the filling liquid 11 such as transparent tea or black tea or colorless and transparent water, only the lower illumination 92 may be provided.

  Moreover, when inspecting the container body 2 filled with the cloudy colored filling liquid 11 such as a sports drink, only the side illumination 101 may be provided. In this case, the processing of the transport path 61 is unnecessary. Thus, cost reduction can be achieved.

It is explanatory drawing which shows one embodiment of this invention. (A) is a figure which shows the acquired image obtained by the same embodiment, (b) is a figure which shows the conventional image obtained with the conventional apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the operation | movement of the embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cap winding state inspection apparatus 2 Container body 3 Cap 11 Filling liquid 13 Mouth part 22 Neck ring 32 Container side mark 34 Cap side mark 41 Vertical center axis 70 Optical body 72 Lens 73 Optical axis 74 Camera 92 Lower illumination 95 Diffuse light 101 Side illumination 151 Acquired image α Winding angle

Claims (1)

Based on the relationship between the container side mark of the neck ring provided on the proximal end side of the mouth part and the cap side mark provided on the cap, with the cap screwed to the mouth part of the container body. In the cap winding state inspection method for detecting the mounting state,
An optical system lens is arranged above the vertical central axis of the container body so that the optical axis coincides with the vertical central axis, and a camera is arranged above the optical axis of the optical system lens,
Light from the illumination is applied to the filling liquid in the container and diffused, and images of the container side mark and the cap side mark are simultaneously acquired by the camera in a state where the diffused light is illuminated from the back side of the neck ring. In addition, a cap tightening state inspection method characterized by detecting a tightening angle from the position of the container side mark and the position of the cap side mark to inspect the mounting state of the cap.

Images