JP2020030058A - Article inspection device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an article inspection device which can quantitatively grasp an adverse effect on precision of measurement of a following article by operation of sorting of a preceding article to accurately set a sorting timing without carrying a plurality of articles.SOLUTION: An article inspection device comprises: an article detection sensor 14 which detects a carried article W and outputs a signal; a measuring device 10 which measures an article weight at a predetermined measurement timing and determines a quality state; a sorting device 20 which sorts the article W at a predetermined sorting timing according to a determination result; and a control device 30 which controls the measuring device 10 and the sorting device 20 at the measurement and sorting timing based on an article detection signal and stores a measurement value. The control device 30 sets the plurality of sorting timings in a predetermined timing range, operates the sorting device 20 at each of the sorting timings a predetermined number of times, when the control device causes the measuring device 10 to measure the article weight at the measurement timing corresponding to each of the sorting timings, and calculates a variation in the measurement value for each of the sorting timings.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an article inspection apparatus, and more particularly to an article inspection apparatus suitable for inspecting an attribute, quality, and the like of an article in a predetermined inspection area on a transport path and performing a sorting operation downstream of the inspection area.

  In an article inspection system that inspects the attributes, quality, etc. of various articles, it operates in response to a command signal from an upstream inspection device and changes the discharge direction of inspected articles to a direction corresponding to the inspection results of the articles. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a sorting device for sorting by using a filter.

  Examples of this type of sorting device include a conveyor that transports inspected articles, and an extrusion-type or sorting-type sorting mechanism that is displaced in the width direction of the downstream conveyor transport path in accordance with the inspection results of the articles, or an inspection result. An air jet-type sorting mechanism that selectively blows articles out of the transport path according to the conditions, and operates the conveyor in response to an operation start command from an inspection device that requests the start of transport, and from an inspection device that matches the inspection result (See, for example, Patent Documents 1-3) that controls the operation of the sorting mechanism in accordance with the sorting command signal.

  Further, in order to solve the problem that the sorting device adjacent to the downstream side of the inspection area is operated for the sorting operation of the preceding article, which affects the inspection of the succeeding article, for example, the conveying speed of the weighing conveyor is removed. Is controlled to change the weighing conditions at the time of setting the operation conditions, and to grasp the influence of the vibration at the time of transfer (loading) to the weighing conveyor, thereby setting the signal processing conditions for suppressing the weighing error due to the influence of the vibration. Such a configuration is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2006-205846 JP 05-322634 A JP 2007-136249 A

  In the conventional article inspection apparatus as described above, when it is desired to adjust the transport interval (product interval) according to the size, weight, etc. of the inspected article, a plurality of different transport intervals can be inspected at each transport interval. Since it is necessary to evaluate the dispersion of measured values such as weighing values, it is necessary to repeat the operation of weighing a plurality of preceding and following articles while carrying them on a conveyor at a set transport interval for a plurality of different transport intervals. Could not be set easily.

  In addition, when it is desired to increase the production efficiency by narrowing the conveyance interval of the inspection target article by a weight sorter or the like, for example, when blowing off the preceding article by an air jet type sorting mechanism, the air that has blown off the preceding article turns around in the inspection area. And the subsequent products and the weighing conveyor may have a pressure effect, or the sorting type sorting mechanism may start to operate, which may cause a vibration effect on the weighing conveyor of the following products, and the subsequent products may be placed on the weighing conveyor. During weighing, the inspection accuracy may be reduced. Such a vibration effect may be a metal detector that detects a metal object due to a magnetic field fluctuation, and a vibration or the like may be generated in a metal component attached to the housing and may be a disturbance component to the magnetic field detection sensor. . When a heavy object is selected, the vibration generated when the inspection target is actually selected has a greater vibration effect than the vibration generated only from the selection mechanism.

  In addition, air-jet type sorting machines are often used for relatively light-weight inspection objects, and when air circulating into the inspection area upon hitting a preceding article or a conveyance conveyor hits a subsequent article, it is conveyed on the conveyor. The position is shifted or the direction is changed. For example, in an X-ray inspection machine or the like, there is a possibility that the transmitted image of an article passing through the X-ray detection sensor is blurred. The influence of such air wraparound may not be comprehensible unless air is actually blown to the inspection object, and it is not simply that the sorter etc. should be idled or blown out, and conversely, In some cases, it may be desirable to evaluate the effect by focusing only on the wraparound of air when the inspection target article is not on the conveyor.

  Therefore, in order to reduce the article conveyance interval within a range in which the external force and disturbance due to the sorting operation are less likely to be reduced due to the transmission of the external force and disturbance to the inspection area, such external force and disturbance are required to be inspected. In the case of affecting the inspection by acting on the product or affecting the sensors that make up the inspection unit, accurately consider the effects of lowering the inspection accuracy by considering the characteristics of the inspected product and the required inspection accuracy in a complex manner. Since it is necessary to grasp the effects, it is necessary to grasp the influence on the inspection accuracy by carrying out multiple times while changing the transport interval of the inspected articles and the presence or absence of the sorting operation, and it is possible to accurately narrow the transport interval of the articles. Did not.

  The present invention is to solve such a conventional unsolved problem, and accurately sets a transport interval so as to improve production efficiency without having to transport many times while changing the transport condition of the inspected article in various ways. The object of the present invention is to provide an article inspection apparatus capable of controlling the selection timing of the selection unit and calculating the variation of the measured value for each selection timing to quantitatively grasp the adverse effect on the inspection accuracy. I do.

  In order to achieve the above object, an article inspection apparatus according to the present invention measures a physical quantity of the article at a predetermined measurement timing, and a detection unit that detects an article conveyed by a conveyance unit and outputs a detection signal. An inspection unit that determines the quality state of the article based on the value, a selection unit that sorts the article in a predetermined direction at a predetermined selection timing according to the determination result of the inspection unit, and the measurement timing based on the detection signal and A control unit that controls the inspection unit and the selection unit at the selection timing and stores the measurement value, respectively, wherein the control unit sets the selection timing in a predetermined timing range. When a plurality of settings are made, and the screening unit is operated a predetermined number of times at each screening timing, the inspection unit performs the measurement at the measurement timing corresponding to the screening timing. Was measured physical quantity, the variation in the measured value, and calculates for each 該選 by timing.

  With this configuration, the influence on the inspection unit due to the operation of the sorting machine can be easily grasped from the dispersion of the measured values, and the adverse effect on the inspection accuracy can be quantitatively grasped by calculating the dispersion of the measured values at each sorting timing. Thus, the transport interval of the articles can be shortened within a range where the influence on the inspection unit is allowed, and the efficiency of the production line can be improved.

  In the article inspection device according to the aspect of the invention, after receiving the detection signal, the control unit may perform the virtual object conveyed ahead of the article corresponding to the detection signal at a predetermined time interval at the sorting timing. The structure which operates a selection part can be set.

  In this case, when one certain article is detected, the sorting operation of the preceding article can be executed based on the detection timing of the virtual preceding article calculated from a predetermined time interval (time interval of article detection), The influence of the inspection unit at that time can be grasped as a variation in the measured value of the actual article.

  In the article inspection apparatus of the present invention, when the control unit receives the detection signal, the control unit performs the selection at the selection timing for a virtual article that is subsequently conveyed at a predetermined time interval to the article corresponding to the detection signal. It is also possible to adopt a configuration for operating the unit.

  In this case, when a certain article is detected, the subsequent article sorting operation can be executed based on the detection timing of the virtual succeeding article calculated from the predetermined time interval, and one inspected article can be inspected. By simply flowing the sample as a sample onto the transport path, it is possible to accurately grasp the adverse effect on the measurement accuracy of the succeeding article due to the actual article sorting operation at the set sorting timing.

  In the article inspection device of the present invention, the control unit may further include a display unit that displays the variation in association with the sorting timing corresponding to the variation.

  When such a configuration is adopted, the influence of the decrease in the accuracy of the article inspection due to the sorting operation can be quantitatively grasped based on the relationship between the sorting timing displayed by the display means and the variation in the measured value, and the short conveyance interval can be reduced. Even if it is set, it is possible to accurately grasp the influence of the setting on the deterioration of the article inspection accuracy.

  In addition, when a display image indicating the relationship between the magnitude of the variation and the magnitude of the transport interval is generated for a plurality of different transport intervals, the optimal transport interval is presented to the user in a manner that allows the user to easily understand the optimal transport interval. You can do it. In addition. The display image referred to here can be, for example, a graph display in which the variance of the measured values is the vertical axis and the transport interval is the horizontal axis.

  According to the present invention, an article inspection apparatus capable of quantitatively grasping an adverse effect of a sorting operation on inspection accuracy by calculating a variation in a measured value at each sorting timing according to a conveyance interval of an inspected article. Can be provided.

It is a schematic structure figure of an article inspection device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. 5 is a timing chart illustrating a product interval search process executed by the article inspection apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention and a sorting operation during the process. It is a flow chart which shows the outline procedure of the product interval search processing performed by the article inspection device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is an explanatory view of a display screen which displays a result of a product interval search processing in an article inspection device concerning one embodiment of the present invention in comparison with a case without a sorting operation, and displays a graph.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIGS. 1 to 4 show an embodiment of an article inspection apparatus according to the present invention, and illustrate a case where the present invention is applied to a weight sorting apparatus.

  First, the configuration will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the weight sorter according to the present embodiment includes an upstream conveyor 1 and a downstream conveyor 2, a weighing device 10 (inspection unit) disposed between the two conveyors 1 and 2, The sorting device 20 (sorting unit) attached to the conveyor 2 on the side, a control device 30 (control unit) that controls the operations of the weighing device 10 and the sorting device 20 according to a predetermined weight sorting control program, and various setting information Ri. A setting operation unit 40 capable of inputting operations and a display unit 50 for displaying presentation information Jo such as an inspection result by the weighing device 10 on a screen are provided.

  The upstream conveyor 1 and the downstream conveyor 2 are publicly known, and articles W, which are works (inspected objects), are sequentially put into the upstream conveyor 1 from, for example, a packaging machine (not shown). It has become. When the conveyor 2 on the downstream side is transported and driven by a transport motor (not shown), the inspected articles W subjected to the weight inspection (predetermined article inspection) by the weighing device 10 are transferred to the downstream side (the right side in FIG. 1). ) Can be discharged at a predetermined speed.

  The weighing device 10 includes a running conveyor 11 adjacent to the upstream conveyor 1, a weighing conveyor 12 (transporting means) located downstream of the running conveyor 11, and a load sensor such as a known load cell or an electromagnetic balance. And a weighing unit 13 configured to measure the weight of the article W using the weighing conveyor 12 as a tare.

  The weighing conveyor 12 has a conveyor section 12a and a weighing platform 12b, so that the weight of the article W on the conveyor section 12a can be applied as a load to the weighing section 13 via the weighing platform 12b.

  The weighing unit 13 weighs the articles W passing on the weighing conveyor 12, and the quality state of the articles W passing through a transport section (hereinafter simply referred to as an inspection area) Lcw corresponding to an inspection area on the weighing conveyor 12. Is measured by its weight, which is a predetermined physical quantity, and a load signal Sw, which is a measured value according to its quality state, is output.

  The weighing device 10 also carries in the article W by transferring the article W from the run-up conveyor 11 to the inspection area Lcw on the weighing conveyor 12 (or may carry the article W onto the run-up conveyor 11), that is, the inspection area Lcw. An article detection sensor 14 (detection unit) that detects an article W conveyed through the apparatus when it enters the inspection area Lcw and outputs a detection signal Dw is provided. Then, the weighing unit 13 measures the weight of the article W in the inspection area Lcw at a predetermined measurement timing based on the detection signal Dw from the article detection sensor 14.

  Based on the load signal Sw from the weighing unit 13 and the detection signal Dw from the article detection sensor 14, the weighing device 10 further includes a weighing value corresponding to the weight of the article W (including other measured values such as the content, the number, and the like). Good) is set as a judgment target value, and a judgment unit 15 is provided for judging an article W having a normal weight within a permissible range, for example, as a good product and an article W having an excess or deficiency in weight as a defective product. The determination unit 15 outputs the determination result to the control device 30 as the inspection result of the inspection unit.

  The run-up conveyer 11 and the weighing conveyer 12 are conveyed and driven synchronously by a convey driving motor 16. The transport drive motor 16 can stop the article W on the run-up conveyor 11 or the weighing conveyor 12 during operation of the weighing device 10 or change the transport speed of the run-up conveyor 11 and the weighing conveyor 12. It is.

  The sorting device 20 includes, for example, a sorting mechanism 21 which is a flipper type or an air jet type discharging direction sorting means provided in a predetermined sorting / conveying section of the downstream conveyor 2 and a sorting mechanism for controlling the operation of the sorting mechanism 21. The driving unit 22 is included.

  The sorting device 20 performs a sorting operation for sorting non-defective products and non-defective products according to a sorting command signal Rj from the control device 30, and changes the discharge direction of the articles W downstream from the inspection area Lcw, The respective discharge paths can be sorted such that the good or defective article W whose inspection result of the quality state becomes a specific inspection result is separated from the article W which becomes another inspection result.

  In FIG. 1, the sorting device 20 is configured integrally with the downstream conveyor 2, but, of course, a sorting device having a pusher and other movable members independently configured from the downstream conveyor 2, Alternatively, a sorting device using a fixed guide may be used.

  The control device 30 sorts the articles W put into the weighing device 10 from the upstream conveyor 1 into the weighing device 10 at predetermined sorting timing by the sorting device 20 in accordance with the weight, so that the inspection result in the weighing device 10 is obtained. Weight selection control is performed so that only good articles W are carried out from the downstream conveyor 2 to the downstream side (the right side in FIG. 1).

  Based on the determination result from the weighing device 10, the control device 30 performs a plurality of sorts for sorting non-defective products W having normal weight and defective products W having excess or deficiency in weight to different transport destinations. Command signals Rj0 and Rj1 (three or more types of sorting command signals for ranking) may be generated.

  The control device 30 includes, for example, a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, an input / output interface circuit, and the like, although a specific hardware configuration is not illustrated, and the control device 30 has a predetermined weight stored in the ROM or another memory device. The operations of the weighing device 10 and the sorting device 20 are controlled according to a sorting control program and other control programs.

  The control device 30 includes the above-described weight selection control program and a plurality of other control programs to set a plurality of selection timings within a predetermined timing range, and to operate the selection device 20 a predetermined number of times at each selection timing. At a measurement timing corresponding to the timing, the weighing device 10 measures the weight, which is a predetermined physical quantity of the article W, and calculates a variation in the measured value for each corresponding sorting timing. Therefore, the control device 30 of the present embodiment has a plurality of functions as follows.

  That is, the control device 30 controls the transport interval between the preceding article Wa and the succeeding article Wb that enter the inspection area Lcw before and after, for example, a time interval Lite (see FIG. 2), the function of the timing setting means 31 for variably setting a plurality of different sorting timings and the judgment result Vm of a certain article W from the judging section 15 are set by the timing setting means 31. A function of the storage means 32 for storing in association with the corresponding sorting timing, a function of the timing changing means 33 for changing the timing of the sorting operation of the sorting device 20 based on the detection timing of the article W by the article detecting sensor 14, and The influence on the weighing unit 13 due to the operation mode and the sorting operation of the sorting device 20 is confirmed as the above-described dispersion of the measured values. And a selection configurable features of the mode setting means 34 of any mode among a plurality of operation modes including a fit sorting effect confirmation mode.

  Here, the control device 30 cooperates with the setting operation unit 40 capable of inputting various setting information to manually change the conveyance interval of the article W manually or automatically according to a manual input condition (upper / lower limit, variable amount, etc.). Can be set.

  Further, the control device 30 can read out the calculation results of the measurement accuracy corresponding to a plurality of different selection timings and the variation data thereof into the storage means 32 constituted by a storage device for recording the measurement results (such as a non-volatile memory device). , Can function as a variation calculating means.

  Further, the control device 30 sets the virtual or real article W detected by the article detection sensor 14 as a subsequent article (Wb in FIG. 1), as shown in FIG. Based on the virtual detection timing t0 of the preceding article (Wa in FIG. 1) calculated from the transport interval Lite set in 31, the timing setting unit 31 sets the virtual detection timing t0 as a starting point. At the timing t1 of one sorting operation, the sorting operation corresponding to the preceding article Wa is started and executed, and the load signal Sw or the determination result Vm from the determining unit 15 for the succeeding article Wb is obtained from the weighing unit 13; It has a screening influence measurement function for measuring inspection accuracy including the influence of the screening operation based on the acquired information.

  Inspection accuracy (measurement accuracy) including the influence of the sorting operation here is controlled, for example, in the above-described sorting influence confirmation mode, by controlling the sorting operation of the sorting device 20 to a plurality of different sorting timings and by a predetermined number of times for each sorting timing. Can be grasped as the degree of stability of the determination result Vm from the determination unit 15 with respect to the sample transport. Alternatively, the process of calculating the weighing value for determining the quality state of each article W based on the load signal Sw from the weighing unit 13 is repeated a predetermined number of times (for example, 20 times or more) to measure the variation in the weighing value. By doing so, it is also possible to grasp the variation width of the weighing value of the same article W.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when the process of calculating the weighing value in the sorting influence confirmation mode is repeated a predetermined number of times, the control device 30 detects the article W, which is an actual product sample, by the article detection sensor 14, With the article W as the succeeding article Wb, a virtual detection timing t0 is set for the preceding article Wa preceding by the transport interval Lite, and the sorting operation corresponding to the preceding article Wa is performed at the sorting operation timing t1 starting from the detection timing t0. Let it run. Further, while performing the sorting operation corresponding to the preceding article Wa, the control device 30 acquires the load signal Sw from the weighing unit 13 for the succeeding article Wb immediately after the sorting operation timing t1, and the sorting device 20 sorts. It is determined whether or not there is an increase in the variation width due to the operation, and the presence or absence of a decrease in inspection accuracy is estimated.

  Alternatively, when the process of calculating the weighing value in the sorting influence confirmation mode is repeated a predetermined number of times, the control device 30 detects the article W, which is an actual product sample, by the article detection sensor 14 and then follows the virtual W The article Wb is detected, and at the time of the detection, the sorting operation corresponding to the preceding article Wa can be executed at the sorting operation timing t1, starting from the detection timing t0 of the actual preceding article Wa preceding by the transport interval Lite.

  In this case, the control device 30 causes the sorting operation corresponding to the actual preceding article Wa to be executed, and the load signal Sw from the weighing unit 13 corresponding to the zero point for the virtual succeeding article Wb immediately after the sorting operation timing t1. It is possible to determine whether or not there is an increase in the variation width due to the sorting operation of the sorting device 20 and to estimate whether or not the inspection accuracy has decreased. Here, the zero point is an instruction value of the load signal Sw corresponding to the weighed value without the loaded weight in which only the weight of the weighing conveyor 12 is weighed by the weighing unit 13.

  Further, the control device 30 sets a weighing value as a determination target value for a plurality of different transport intervals Lite set by the timing setting means 31, for example, the product intervals d0, d1, d2, d3, d4, and d5 in FIG. A variation σ such as the standard deviation of the (measured value) (σ1-σ4 in the figure) is calculated, and a display image showing the relationship between the magnitude of the variation σ and the magnitude of the transport interval Lite is generated. The display unit 50 outputs a screen display.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in addition to the above-described sorting effect measuring function, the control device 30 sets the preceding article Wa at the timing t1 of the sorting operation starting from the virtual detection timing t0 of the preceding article Wa. Without performing the sorting operation corresponding to the following, the load signal Sw for the succeeding article Wb from the weighing unit 13 is acquired, and based on the acquired load signal Sw, the sorting operation of the sorting device 20 is not executed. It also has a reference accuracy measurement function for estimating the reference inspection accuracy corresponding to a certain variation σa.

  The control device 30 controls the operation of the weighing device 10 in accordance with the preset setting parameters for each type and the specifications of the own device, and calculates the weighing value by the weighing unit 13 of the weighing device 10 and calculates the weight. Information Jo such as a pass / fail judgment result obtained in the pass / fail judgment processing of the value is displayed on the display unit 50.

  Further, the control device 30 outputs a speed command signal Bs corresponding to the required value of the belt speed of the run-up conveyor 11 and the weighing conveyor 12 to the transport drive motor 16, and outputs the speed command signal Bs to the weighing unit 13 of the weighing device 10. The measurement conditions Rn such as the range of the weight to be weighed and the sensitivity are output via the.

  The control device 30 also generates a distribution drive signal Rj corresponding to a transport drive request signal for the downstream conveyor 2 cooperating with the sorting device 20 and an inspection result for each article W, and performs an inspection corresponding to the signal. At the timing when the finished article W reaches the predetermined distribution area, the distribution control signal Rj is output to the sorting drive unit 22 and the article W is carried into the predetermined distribution area and then passed or discharged. During the period, the operation of the selection mechanism 21 can be controlled by the selection drive unit 22 in accordance with the distribution control signal Rj.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the article detection sensor 14 is illustrated as an example in which the article W is transferred from the run-up conveyor 11 to the weighing conveyor 12 and is installed at a position where the article W is inserted. For example, a preceding article detection sensor may be added to the upstream end position of the run-up conveyor 11.

  The sorting device 20 is not limited to a device that moves a plurality of sorting arms and other movable members in the width direction of the transport path (a direction orthogonal to the transport direction) or an air jet type, and swings the conveyor in the height direction. It is also possible to use an arbitrary system such as a device or a device that opens and closes a transport path in a predetermined section in the transport direction. Further, as the selection driving unit 22 for driving the movable member of the selection device 20, a device using an air cylinder or the like as an actuator can be adopted, but it is needless to say that the device is not limited to such a fluid pressure operated type. A drive cylinder or solenoid may be used. Further, instead of a linear actuator such as a drive cylinder, a motor or other actuator that uses a gear, a link, or another transmission mechanism may be used.

  Next, the operation will be described.

  In the article inspection apparatus of the present embodiment configured as described above, the mode switching unit 34 checks the normal operation mode and the sorting influence check for checking the influence of the sorting operation of the sorting device 20 on the weighing unit 13. Any one of a plurality of operation modes including the mode is selected.

  Now, assuming that there is no mode change request by the mode switching unit 34 and the normal operation mode is selected, first, the articles W are sequentially put into the weighing device 10 from the upstream conveyor 1 at predetermined intervals, and the The weighing conveyor 12 and the weighing unit 13 measure the weight of each article W by weight measurement, and the inspected article W is conveyed from the weighing device 10 to the sorting device 20.

  At this time, the sorting device 20 allows the article W to pass to the downstream side in response to the sorting command signal Rj0 from the control device 30, while the sorting device 20 transfers the article W to the downstream side in accordance with the sorting command signal Rj1 from the control device 30. Is discharged in the other discharge direction that deviates from the normal conveyance path on the conveyor 2 of FIG.

  On the other hand, if a mode change request is generated by the mode switching unit 34 and the mode is switched from the normal operation mode to another mode, for example, the above-described sorting influence confirmation mode, the control device 30 sets the product interval as shown in FIG. Is executed.

  In this case, first, when the setting of the product interval is input by the timing setting unit 31 or the currently set transport interval is read and stored in the storage unit 32 (step S11), the set product interval Lite is set. After the delay time td2 (see FIG. 2) of the sorting operation starting from the detection timing of each article W is calculated based on the above (Step S12), one sample of the article W which is the inspection object is placed on the upstream conveyor. 1 (step S13). The required waiting time td1 from the article detection timing t3 shown in FIG. 2 to the sorting operation immediately thereafter can be set in advance.

  Next, when the tip of the article W is detected by the article detection sensor 14 (step S14; time t3 in FIG. 2), the article W is set as a subsequent article (Wb in FIG. 1), Based on the virtual detection timing t0 for the preceding article (Wa in FIG. 1) calculated from the transport interval Lite set by the timing setting means 31, the sorting operation set from the virtual detection timing t0 as a starting point. At timing t1, the sorting operation corresponding to the preceding article Wa is started and executed (step S15).

  Next, the control device 30 obtains the load signal Sw from the weighing unit 13 for the subsequent article Wb, and exhibits a sorting influence measuring function of measuring the inspection accuracy including the effect of the sorting operation based on the obtained load signal Sw. Then, the measurement result is stored in the storage means 32 (step S16). At this time, the standby time after the sorting operation according to the currently set product interval is set.

  Alternatively, as described above, the control device 30 detects the article W, which is a real product sample, by the article detection sensor 14 and then detects a virtual article Wb following the article W. The selection operation corresponding to the preceding article Wa is executed at the selection operation timing t1, starting from the detection timing t0 of the preceding actual preceding article Wa, and then the load corresponding to the zero point from the weighing unit 13 for the virtual succeeding article Wb. The signal Sw is acquired, a sorting influence measuring function for measuring the inspection accuracy including the influence of the sorting operation based on the acquired load signal Sw is exhibited, and the measurement result is stored in the storage means 32 (step S16).

  Next, the control device 30 checks whether or not a predetermined number of measurements, for example, 20 measurements, have been completed (step S17), and a series of steps from step S13 to step S17 is performed until the predetermined number of measurements is completed. It is executed repeatedly.

  When the measurement is completed a predetermined number of times, the variation σ of the weighed value measured a predetermined number of times for the set product interval Lite is calculated as a value representing the measurement accuracy (step S18).

  Next, whether the variation σ is equal to or less than a predetermined value, or whether the product interval search processing for calculating the variation σ is completed for the product interval Lite for each predetermined variation between the upper and lower limits set and input as a predetermined measurement condition is completed. Is checked (step S19), and if not completed (No in step S19), a series of processes from the first step S11 to the measurement accuracy calculation step S18 is repeated.

  When the variation σ reaches a sufficiently small value equal to or less than a predetermined value, or when the product interval search process for the product interval Lite for every predetermined change amount between the upper and lower limits set and input as a predetermined measurement condition is completed (step S19). Then, a process of creating a graph to be displayed on the display unit 50 as illustrated in FIG. 4 is executed (Step S20), and the created graph is displayed on the display unit 50 (Step S21). .

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the inspection accuracy (measurement accuracy) including the influence of the sorting operation is controlled by the control device 30 to control the sorting operation of the sorting device 20 and the inspection operation from the inspection device 10 in the above-described sorting influence confirmation mode. By repeating the measurement value calculation for each article W and for each sorting timing based on the acquired information a predetermined number of times, the variation width of the measurement value of the same article W is measured.

  Further, in the present embodiment, when the control device 30 receives the article detection signal and then operates the sorting device 20 at a predetermined sorting timing for the virtual article Wa conveyed in advance with respect to the article Wb corresponding to the signal, there are some cases. When the two articles Wb are detected, the sorting operation of the preceding article Wa can be executed based on the detection timing of the virtual preceding article Wa calculated from the article detection time interval. Can be obtained as the dispersion of the measured values of the actual article W.

  Alternatively, when the control device 30 receives the article detection signal and operates the sorting apparatus 20 at a predetermined sorting timing with respect to the virtual article Wb subsequently conveyed at a predetermined time interval to the article Wa corresponding to the detection signal, When one certain article Wa is detected, the selection operation of the subsequent article Wb can be executed based on the detection timing of the virtual succeeding article Wb calculated from the predetermined time interval, and the one article W to be inspected can be detected. Simply by flowing the work sample to the transport path, it is possible to accurately grasp the adverse effect on the measurement accuracy of the succeeding article due to the actual sorting operation of the article W at the set sorting timing.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the product interval Lite is increased or decreased by adjusting the timing at which the article W is carried into the inspection area Lcw on the weighing conveyor 12 from the tip detection position of the article detection sensor 14, As shown by a solid line, a dotted line, and a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2, the time from the empty sorting operation of the sorting device 20 to the weighing of the article W by the weighing conveyor 12 depends on the difference in the set value of the product interval Lite. Rise and fall timings change.

  Alternatively, the dummy signal of the tip detection signal by the article detection sensor 14 is generated without using the article W, and the time from the empty sorting operation of the sorting device 20 to the weighing for the zero point correction by the weighing conveyor 12 is the product. It may be changed according to the set value of the interval Lite.

  As described above, in the article inspection apparatus according to the present embodiment, the virtual detection of the preceding article Wa calculated from the transport interval Lite set by the timing setting unit 31 only by detecting the article of one virtual or real product. Starting from the timing t0, the sorting operation of the preceding article Wa can be executed at the sorting operation timing t1 set by the timing setting means 31, and the acquisition of the succeeding article Wb from the inspection device 10 at the same or close timing t2. Based on the information, it is possible to accurately evaluate the influence of the sorting operation on the determination target value (weighing value) of the article inspection. That is, the influence of the operation of the selection device 20 on the inspection device 10 can be easily grasped from the variation of the weighing value Sw, and by calculating such a variation of the measurement value at each selection timing, the selection operation can be performed at the inspection accuracy. The adverse effect on the inspection device 10 can be quantitatively grasped, the transport interval of the articles W can be shortened within a range where the influence on the inspection device 10 is allowed, and the efficiency of the production line can be improved.

  Therefore, it is possible to quickly and accurately set an optimal transport interval of the plurality of articles W without performing a complicated inspection such as transporting the plurality of inspected articles W a plurality of times at a set interval, and generating vibration caused by the sorting operation. It is possible to provide an article inspection apparatus capable of reliably preventing a measurement accuracy of a subsequent article from being adversely affected by disturbance or disturbance.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the influence of a decrease in the accuracy of the article inspection due to the sorting operation can be quantitatively grasped from the variation σ of the measured value to be determined. It is possible to accurately grasp the influence of a decrease in inspection accuracy. Accordingly, there is provided an article inspection apparatus capable of accurately setting the transport interval and sorting timing of the articles W so as to improve production efficiency without having to transport the inspected article many times while changing the transport conditions variously. be able to.

  In addition, in the present embodiment, the actual article W is flown as a work sample on the conveyance path of the weighing device 10, and the adverse effect on the measurement accuracy of the subsequent article by the sorting operation of the sorting device 20 can be grasped more accurately.

  In addition, the subsequent article W is further sorted by the sorting apparatus 20, and a weighing value measurement corresponding to the zero point correction is performed on the subsequent virtual article W to grasp the sorting effect in the presence of the article W. It is also possible.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the control device 30 measures the variation σ1−σ4 of the measurement value for a plurality of different transport intervals set by the timing setting unit 31, for example, the product intervals d1 to d4 in FIG. A display image indicating the relationship between the magnitude of the variations σ1-σ4 and the magnitude of the transport intervals d1-d4 is generated in a graph format as shown in FIG. 4 and output as an image, so that the optimal transport interval d4 is displayed. Thus, it can be presented to the user or the maintenance worker so as to be easily grasped.

  Further, in the present embodiment, since the variation σa of the inspection accuracy in the case where the sorting operation in the sorting device 20 is not executed is used together with the comparison display, the measurement accuracy of the determination target value in the case where the sorting operation is performed is different from the measurement accuracy. It is possible to understand how the difference between the measurement accuracy of the determination target value and the measurement accuracy in the case where there is no sorting operation changes depending on the size of the transport interval Lite, and to set the transport interval Lite more effectively.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, by calculating the variation of the measured value for each sorting timing according to the transport interval of the inspected article, to quantitatively grasp the adverse effect of the sorting operation on the inspection accuracy, Without simultaneously transporting a plurality of articles W at a set interval, the optimal transport interval Lite between the preceding article Wa and the succeeding article Wb, which are transported back and forth, can be quickly and accurately set, and the subsequent article is sorted by the preceding article Wa. It is possible to provide an article inspection apparatus capable of narrowing the conveyance interval while effectively suppressing an adverse effect on the measurement accuracy of the article Wb.

  Note that, in the above-described embodiment, the article inspection apparatus employs a device configuration in which the weighing device 10 and the sorting device 20 are used as an inspection unit and a sorting unit. Not limited to this, it goes without saying that another type of article inspection apparatus having an X-ray inspection unit and a metal detection unit as an inspection unit together with the sorting unit can be used. In this case, the determination target value may be a determination value indicating a steep density change that contributes to determination of the product thickness or the presence or absence of a foreign substance based on the X-ray transmission image instead of the measurement value, or And the like can be the amplitude level of a specific signal or the like for determining the like.

  As described above, the article inspection apparatus of the present invention sets the transport interval accurately without the trouble of testing and transporting a plurality of inspected articles, and adversely affects the measurement accuracy of the succeeding article due to the sorting operation of the preceding article. It is possible to provide an article inspection apparatus capable of effectively suppressing the quality of articles in a predetermined inspection area on a transport path, and a sorting operation on a downstream side of the inspection area. The present invention is useful for general article inspection devices suitable for performing

1 upstream conveyor 2 downstream conveyor 10 weighing device (inspection unit)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Start-up conveyor 12 Weighing conveyor 12a Conveyor part 12b Weighing stand 13 Weighing part (measuring means)
14 Article detection sensor (detection unit)
15 Judgment unit (judgment means)
16 Transport drive motor 20 Sorting device (sorting section)
21 sorting mechanism 22 sorting drive unit 30 control device (control unit)
31 timing change means 32 storage means (variation calculation means)
33 timing changing means 34 mode setting means 40 setting operation part (article interval setting means)
45 Load signal 50 Display unit d1, d2, d3, d4, Lit transport interval Rj, Rj0, Rj1 Sorting command signal t0 Detection timing of preceding article t1 Sorting operation timing (selection timing, sorting operation start timing of preceding article)
t2 timing (timing for starting transfer of subsequent articles to the weighing conveyor)

Claims (4)

A detection unit that detects an article conveyed by the conveyance unit and outputs a detection signal,
An inspection unit that measures a physical quantity of the article at a predetermined measurement timing and determines a quality state of the article based on the measurement value;
A sorting unit that sorts the articles in a predetermined direction at a predetermined sorting timing according to the determination result of the inspection unit,
A control unit that controls the inspection unit and the selection unit at the measurement timing and the selection timing based on the detection signal and stores the measurement value, respectively,
The control unit includes:
A plurality of the selection timings are set in a predetermined timing range, and when the selection unit is operated a predetermined number of times at each selection timing, the inspection unit measures the physical quantity at the measurement timing corresponding to the selection timing, and the measurement value An article inspection apparatus characterized in that a variation in the calculation is calculated for each sorting timing.   The control unit, after receiving the detection signal, operates the selection unit at the selection timing for a virtual item that is transported at a predetermined time interval with respect to the item corresponding to the detection signal. The article inspection device according to claim 1, wherein   The control unit, upon receiving the detection signal, operates the selection unit at the selection timing for a virtual article that is subsequently conveyed to the article corresponding to the detection signal at a predetermined time interval. The article inspection device according to claim 1.   The article inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit further includes a display unit configured to display the variation and the sorting timing corresponding to the variation in association with each other. .

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