JP2527028B2 - Thickness gauge - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a thickness meter for measuring the thickness of an object to be measured, such as paper, film, aluminum, copper plate, iron plate, etc., using light or radiation. In particular, the present invention relates to a thickness gauge capable of detecting an end portion and a width of an object to be measured based on an output of a detector of light or radiation.

(Prior Art) FIG. 4 shows a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional thickness gauge. In the figure, a thickness gauge 20 includes a radiation source container 2 provided on a frame 5,
The detector 3 comprises a detector 3A provided so as to face the radiation source container 2. The thickness of the DUT 1 is measured based on the output of the detector 3A by causing the detection unit 3 to scan the frame 5 in the width direction of the DUT 1 that is conveyed in a substantially right angle direction. At this time, the scanning width of the detection unit 3 is selected, and the detection unit 3 scans in the width direction between the scanning widths. Further, an A point end detection sensor 4A and a B point end detection sensor 4B such as an ultrasonic sensor, an optical sensor or a proximity switch.
Is provided separately from the detector 3A to detect the measurement points A and B to determine the scanning range. In addition,
In order to measure the width of the DUT 1, it is necessary to equip a width measuring means that is calculated from the A point / B point end detection sensors 4A, 4B, etc., which are separate from the detector 3A.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, according to such a technical means, an operator intervenes every time the object to be measured changes, and the scanning width of the detection unit 3 must be set. Takes effort and time. Further, according to the DUT 1, since the end portion thereof is not always conveyed to the same position, the validity of the scanning range set at the start of the measurement can be maintained until the end of the measurement. There was a problem that it was not limited. In addition, it is necessary to equip a signal processing means and the like for processing the output signal of the end detector provided separately from the detector 3A, which not only increases the equipment cost but also complicates the processing means. , Its maintenance and maintenance becomes complicated. This point has been a problem similarly pointed out when measuring the width of the DUT 1 as well as the thickness thereof.

In view of the above points, the present invention effectively solves the problems of the prior art, based on the detection output of the detector, the thickness range in which the scanning range can be set or changed in real time, and the thickness based on the detection output. An object of the present invention is to provide a thickness gauge capable of measuring the width of an object to be measured at the same time as measuring the thickness.

(Means for Solving the Problem) In order to achieve such an object, in the present invention, a thickness gauge is provided in a detection portion including a radiation source and a detector to detect a measurement position of an object to be measured. A measuring position detector, an end calculating means for calculating an end of the object to be measured based on the output of the detector, and the detection based on the output of the end calculating means and the output of the measuring position detector. Scanning range computing means for computing the scanning range of the scanning section, and the scanning range computing means includes a deceleration amount setting device for setting the deceleration amount of the scanning speed of the detection section, the output of the edge computing device, and the measurement. The measured position signal output from the position detector is input, the deceleration position is calculated based on the output from the end calculator of the previous scan, and the detection unit drive signal based on this deceleration position and the deceleration amount is used to drive the detection unit. And a scanning range calculator for outputting to the means .

(Operation) The edge calculation means calculates the edge of the DUT based on the output of the detector, and the scanning range calculation means calculates the calculation result of the edge calculation means and the measurement position output by the measurement position detector. The scanning range of the detection unit is calculated based on the signal. More specifically, the end computing means sets a reference value for end detection based on the detection output of the detector in the reference value setting device, and the end computing device detects the detection output of the detector and the reference value setting device. Based on the reference value of the edge detection output by, the scanning range setting means, the scanning range setting means, in the scanning range calculator, the output of the edge calculator and the measurement output by the measurement position detector. A detection unit drive signal is created based on the position signal and the deceleration amount of the detection unit input from the deceleration amount setting device, and this drive signal is output to drive means for causing the detection unit to scan the object to be measured. .

In the width calculator, the width of the object to be measured is calculated based on the measurement position signal output by the measurement position detector and the output of the end calculator, and the width of the object to be measured is calculated based on the calculation result. Measure width as well as thickness.

Therefore, the output signal of the detector, which is used only for calculating the thickness of the object to be measured, is applied to detect the edge of the object to be measured. Can be set online, and the width of the object to be measured can be measured simultaneously with the thickness measurement, the performance of the thickness gauge is improved, and its handling operation is easy.

(Example) Next, the Example of this invention is described in detail based on drawing.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram of FIG. In the figure, the thickness gauge 30 is mainly composed of a detection unit 14, an end calculation unit 15, and a scanning range calculation unit.
It consists of 16. The detection unit 14 includes a radiation source container 2 provided on the frame 5, and a detector 3A and a measurement position detector 6 provided facing the radiation source container 2, while measuring the DUT 1. It is possible to scan in the direction A or the direction B. For example, when the point A is reached, the dose incident on the detector 3A changes to a value when there is no DUT 1. This point A is judged to be the end of the DUT 1, and the measurement position detector 6
Position data is read, and the detection unit 14 is scanned in the direction of point B. When the point B is reached, the same judgment and processing as at the point A are performed, and the scanning in the A direction is repeated again. In addition, C, D
The points are points of the output value of the detector 3A as shown in FIG.

The radiation emitted from the radiation source container 2 is absorbed according to the thickness of the DUT 1 and is incident on the detector 3A. The detector 3A converts the incident dose into an electric signal and outputs it to the thickness calculator 7. The thickness calculator 7 performs arithmetic processing on the electric signal and outputs it as a thickness detection value to a thickness display (not shown).

The edge calculation means 15 includes the edge calculation section 8 and the reference value setting device.
11, the edge calculator 8 compares the reference value signal for detecting the edge set by the reference value setter 11 with the detection signal of the detector 3A, and when it determines that it is the measurement end, The measurement end signal is output to the scanning range calculator 9 and the width calculator 10. In addition,
The method of setting the reference value signal will be described later.

The scanning range calculator 16 comprises a scanning range calculator 9 and a deceleration amount setter 12. When the scanning range calculator 9 receives the measurement end signal, the scanning range calculator 9 temporarily stops the detection unit 14 and outputs a command to scan in the reverse direction to the drive unit 13, and improves the end detection accuracy and the stop accuracy of the detection unit 14. In order to do so, the position data of the measurement position detector 6 is constantly monitored, and the deceleration position is obtained from the measurement position at which the previous end was detected,
The scanning speed is decelerated by the deceleration amount of the scanning speed of the detection unit 14 which is preset to 12. The measured position at which the end is detected and the deceleration position obtained from the deceleration amount are stored as the next deceleration position.

When the width calculator 10 receives the signal at the measurement end, the width calculator 10 reads out the position data of the measurement position detector 6 and calculates and displays it on a width display unit (not shown).

Next, FIG. 3 shows a relationship diagram between the measured thickness for detecting the edge and the detector output. In the figure, a curve E is an electric signal output from the detector 3A according to the thickness of the DUT 1. The reference value signal set in the reference value setting device 11 for detecting the end portion is 100% at the output value C point of the detector 3A in the state where the DUT 1 is not present, and 95% of this 100% setting value or
It is obtained by calculating a predetermined value within the range of 99%, and corresponds to the electric signal value D point at the time of edge detection.

In the present embodiment, the case where the radiation source is used as the radiation source and the radiation detector is used as the detector has been described.
It goes without saying that the radiation source may be an infrared light source and the detector may be a photodetector.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the measurement position detector provided in the detection unit for detecting the measurement position of the measured object, and the edge of the measured object based on the output of the detector. By providing an edge calculating means for detecting a portion and a scanning range calculating means for calculating the scanning range of the detecting portion based on the output of the edge calculating means and the output of the measurement position detector, the conventional technique is provided. The problem of is effectively solved and the output signal of the detector only for calculating the thickness of the DUT is applied for detecting the edge of the DUT, which causes an excessive increase in equipment. Without, it is possible to set the search range of the detection section online, and at the same time, the width of the measured object can be measured at the same time as the thickness measurement.
Its performance is improved, and its handling operation is easy.

Further, according to the present invention, the deceleration position is obtained from the measurement position where the previous end is detected, and the scanning speed is decelerated by the preset deceleration amount. Even if the detection unit is moved at high speed to detect the thickness of the device, it cannot be stopped at an accurate position due to the response delay of the detection unit or the inertia of the traveling device. It is possible to solve a problem that occurs when the device is stopped at a high speed, such as deterioration of the device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the figure, FIG. 3 is a relational diagram of the measured thickness for detecting the end portion and the output of the detector, and FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional thickness gauge. 1 ... Object to be measured, 3A ... Detector, 6 ... Measuring position detector, 7 ... Thickness calculator, 8 ... Edge calculator, 9 ... Scanning range calculator, 10 ... Width calculator Device, 11 ... Reference value setting device, 12 ... Deceleration amount setting device, 14 ... Detection unit, 15 ... Edge calculation means, 16 ... Scanning range calculation means, 30 ... Thickness gauge.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An object to be measured, which has a detection section composed of a radiation source provided on a frame and a detector provided so as to face the radiation source, and which is conveyed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the frame. In the thickness gauge that scans the detection unit in the width direction of and measures the thickness of the measurement object based on the output of the detection unit, the measurement unit is provided in the detection unit and detects the measurement position of the measurement object. A measuring position detector, an end calculating means for calculating an end of the object to be measured based on the output of the detector, and the detection based on an output of the end calculating means and an output of the measuring position detector. Scanning range calculation means for calculating the scanning range of the scanning section, and the scanning range calculation means includes a deceleration amount setting device for setting a deceleration amount of the scanning speed of the detection part, an output of the end computing device, and The measurement position signal output from the measurement position detector is input. And a scanning range calculator that calculates a deceleration position based on the output of the edge calculator of the previous scan and outputs a detection unit drive signal based on the deceleration position and the deceleration amount to the detection unit drive means. And a thickness gauge.