JP2686242B2 - Tablet visual inspection device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tablet visual inspection apparatus which is used for an inspection operation in which a large number of tablets are continuously visually inspected and defective tablets are manually sorted.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the process of inspecting the quality of tablets, there is an operation of visually observing tablets and manually sorting defective tablets having scratches or the like. In such inspection work,
Conventionally, a tablet visual inspection device has been used to improve work efficiency. The tablet visual inspection apparatus includes a belt conveyor that conveys a large number of tablets in a visible state. Then, in the inspection work, the inspector looks at the tablets conveyed by the belt conveyor from above, and picks out defective tablets with scratches from among a large number of tablets that move in front of the eyes with tweezers or the like. It is done to pick and sort.

By the way, since the tablet has a substantially disc shape, it has front and back surfaces. On the other hand, the tablets on the belt of the belt conveyor can be seen only on one side. For this reason,
The conventional tablet visual inspection device is equipped with a belt conveyor that conveys tablets with one surface visible and a belt conveyor that conveys tablets with the other surface visible, and inspects each belt conveyor. A staff member was waiting and performing inspection work. Therefore, at least two inspectors are required, and the size of the inspection device must be increased.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a tablet visual inspection apparatus which can be inspected by one inspector and can be miniaturized.

[0005]

The tablet visual inspection apparatus according to the present invention is capable of visually observing a large number of tablets continuously and visually sorting the defective tablets by visually checking the tablets. A main belt conveyor that conveys the tablets in a state, a first supply unit that continuously supplies the tablets in the supply hopper in an aligned state to the main belt conveyor, and a sub-belt conveyor that conveys the tablets in a direction opposite to the main belt conveyor. A second supply means for continuously supplying the sub-belt conveyor with the tablets conveyed by the main belt conveyor inside out.
It is equipped with a good product tablet ejection port and a defective product tablet ejection port provided at the transportation front end portion of the main belt conveyor, and the secondary belt conveyor is juxtaposed to the main belt conveyor, and at the transportation front end portion,
A third feeding means for continuously feeding the tablets to the main belt conveyor, the third feeding means comprising a scraper for scooping the tablets from the slave belt conveyor and a trough extending from the scraper to the main belt conveyor; The trough extends in the carrying direction of the slave belt conveyor and is inclined toward the main belt conveyor with respect to the carrying direction, and the belt of the main belt conveyor has at least the first, second, and third widthwise directions.
It is divided into sections, the first supply means is adapted to supply the first section, the second supply means is connected to the first section, and the third supply means is adapted to supply the second section. The non-defective tablet outlet is connected to the second section, and the defective tablet outlet is connected to the third section on which the sorted defective tablets are placed. .

[0006]

The tablet conveyed by the first section of the belt of the main belt conveyor is turned over by the second supply means, is supplied to the second section of the belt of the main belt conveyor via the sub belt conveyor, and is conveyed. It Therefore, by visually observing the belt of the main belt conveyor from above, both sides of the transported tablet can be visually observed at the same time.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view of the tablet visual inspection apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view taken in the direction of arrow II of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the main part of the apparatus.
Reference numeral 1 is a supply hopper for storing tablets to be inspected, 2 is a first supply means including a trough 21 and a vibrator 22, 3 is a main belt conveyor including an endless annular belt 31, pulleys 321, 322, and a motor 33, 4 Is the inversion guide 41
And a second feeding means 5 composed of a pressing guide 42, a secondary belt conveyor 5 composed of an endless annular belt 51, pulleys 521 and 522, and a motor 53, 6 a scraper 61,
Third supply means 7 including trough 62 and vibrator 63
1 is an outlet for non-defective tablets, 72 is an outlet for defective tablets, 7
3 is a defective tablet box, 81 is a main body cover, 82 is a leg,
Reference numeral 83 is a caster, 84 is a fluorescent lamp, and 9 is a control panel equipped with a fluorescent lamp switch 91, an emergency stop button 92 and the like.

The discharge port 11 of the supply hopper 1 is located on the end of the trough 21. The trough 21 is vibrated by a vibrator 22 to gradually cut out the tablets in the supply hopper 1. On the tip side of the trough 21, a large number of grooves 211 extending in the traveling direction are formed in parallel and over the entire width direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the groove 211 is composed of a groove portion 211a formed of a shallow concave portion and a groove portion 211c partitioned by a guide 211b, and a step 211d is formed between them. The tip portion of the trough 21 is located on the transporting end portion of the belt 31.

In the main belt conveyor 3, the belt 31
As shown in FIG. 2, approximately half of the width direction is the main body cover 8
It is exposed from No. 1 and visible from above. The belt 31 is stretched between the pulleys 321 and 322,
It operates by rotating the pulley 321 by the motor 33. 323 is a pulley for adjusting the tension of the belt 31.

Guides 101 and 102 are provided on the belt 31 close to the surface of the belt 31. FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view including the guides 101 and 102. Belt 3
The exposed portion of No. 1 has three sections in the width direction (first section 11
1, the second section 112, the third section 113), the guide 101 separates the first section 111 and the third section 113, and the guide 102 is divided into the first section 111 and the second section.
The section 112 is separated from the section 112 by a small distance. The width W ₁ of the first segment 111 has a width W ₂ of the second section 112 is configured substantially the same, and is set so that generally three to four tablets are aligned. The guides 101 and 102 extend from both sides of the trough 21 in the width direction and are gradually narrowed.

The reversing guide 41 of the second supply means 4 is composed of an arc plate portion 411 covering substantially half of the pulley 322 and an inclined plate portion 412 following the arc plate portion 411. The holding guide 42 covers the inclined plate portion 412. There is. The distance between the belt 31 and the circular arc plate portion 411, and the holding guide 42 and the inclined plate portion 41.
The distance from 2 is set to be slightly larger than the thickness of the tablet. As shown in FIG. 2, the presser guide 42 and the inclined plate portion 412 extend obliquely from the circular arc plate portion 411 and reach the transporting end of the belt 51 of the slave belt conveyor 5.

In the secondary belt conveyor 5, the belt 51
Is stretched between the pulleys 521 and 522 and is operated by rotating the pulley 521 by the motor 53. A third supply means 6 is provided at the transporting leading end of the slave belt conveyor 5.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged front view of the third supply means 6, FIG.
FIG. 7 is a view on arrow VII of FIG. In the third supply means 6,
The scraper 61 has one end 611 as close as possible to the surface of the belt 51 hung on the pulley 522, and the other end 612 located on the trough 62. The trough 62 has both side walls 621, extends toward the carrying direction of the sub belt conveyor 5, and is inclined toward the main belt conveyor 3 side with respect to the carrying direction. The leading edge 622 of the trough 62 is located on the transporting end which is connected to the second section 112 of the belt 31 of the main belt conveyor 3, and the trough 6
The tablets that have moved above 2 are inclined with respect to the traveling direction of the trough 62 so that the tablets that have spread in the width direction of the belt 31 are placed on the belt 31.

The non-defective tablet taking-out port 71 is the second part of the belt 31.
The tablets on the section 112 are scooped and supplied to the next stage, and the defective tablet outlet 72 picks up the tablets on the third section 113 of the belt 31 and supplies them to the receiving box 73. Has become.

The device body covered with the body cover 81 has four
It is supported by book legs 82 and can be moved by casters 83. The fluorescent lamp 84 is the first of the belt 31.
It is set to uniformly illuminate the second sections 111 and 112.

Next, the operation will be described. The tablets stored in the supply hopper 1 are gradually cut out from the discharge port 11 by the trough 21 which is vibrated by the vibrating machine 22, move on the trough 21 toward the tip, and the belt 3
1 is supplied. At this time, the tablets are brought into an aligned state by passing through a portion where a large number of grooves 211 are formed.

The tablets supplied onto the belt 31 are collected by the guides 101 and 102 as the belt 31 is operated, and are brought into an aligned state of 3 to 4 tablets and enter the first section 111. Go and be transported in the first section 111 as indicated by arrow A.

The tablets transported to the transportation leading end in the first section 111 are the belt 31 and the arc plate portion 4 of the reversing guide 41.
11 is turned upside down while passing through between 11, and passes between the holding guide 42 and the inclined plate portion 412,
The secondary belt conveyor 5 is supplied onto the transporting end of the belt 51. The tablet supplied on the belt 51 is conveyed as shown by an arrow B as the belt 51 is operated while being turned upside down.

The tablet conveyed by the belt 51 is picked up by the scraper 61 at the conveying tip end and placed on the trough 62, moves on the trough 62 as shown by an arrow C, and is turned over. Is supplied onto the belt 31. At this time, since the trough 62 is vibrated by the vibrator 63, the tablet moves smoothly on the trough 62.
Further, since the tip edge 622 of the trough 62 is inclined with respect to the traveling direction of the trough 62, the tablets moving on the trough 62 are placed on the belt 31 in a state of being spread in the width direction of the belt 31.

The tablets placed on the belt 31 are collected by the guide 102 along with the operation of the belt 31, and in an aligned state of 3-4 pieces, enter the second section 112, It is transported in the second section 112 as indicated by arrow D.

When an inspector is positioned beside the belt 31 and visually inspects the tablets conveyed by the first and second sections 111 and 112 of the belt 31 from above, he or she finds a defective product having a scratch or the like. Removes the defective tablet with tweezers and places it on the third section 113. At this time, the tablet carried in the second section 112 is the tablet carried in the first section 111 turned upside down. It will be visible. That is, the inspector can visually check both sides of the tablet at a fixed position and complete the inspection work.

The tablets transported to the transportation leading end in the second section 112 are taken out at the good tablet ejection port 71 and supplied to the next stage. On the other hand, the defective tablet placed on the third section 113 is transported as shown by an arrow E, and is ejected at the defective tablet ejection port 72 at the transportation leading end and supplied to the receiving box 73.

As described above, by using the tablet visual inspection apparatus having the above structure, one inspector can visually check both sides of the tablet,
The inspection work can be completed. Moreover, in the device having the above configuration,
Since the main belt conveyor 3 and the sub-belt conveyor 5 are arranged side by side, the size can be reduced.

[0024]

According to the tablet visual inspection apparatus of the first aspect, the tablets conveyed in the first section 111 of the belt 31 can be conveyed in the second section 112 in an inverted state. Therefore, one inspector can visually check both sides of the tablet,
The inspection work can be completed.

Moreover, since the main belt conveyor 3 and the sub-belt conveyor 5 are arranged in parallel, the size of the apparatus can be reduced.

According to the tablet visual inspection apparatus of the second aspect, it is possible to smoothly supply the inverted tablet to the belt 31. Therefore, the inspection work can be performed at an appropriate speed, and the inspection efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a tablet visual inspection apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow II in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a main part of the tablet visual inspection device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a trough groove.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view including a guide.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged front view of a third supply means.

FIG. 7 is a view taken in the direction of the arrow VII in FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Supply Hopper 2 First Supply Means 3 Main Belt Conveyor 4 Second Supply Means 5 Secondary Belt Conveyor 6 Third Supply Means 61 Scraper 62 Trough 63 Vibrator 71 Good Tablet Outlet 72 Bad Product Tablet Outlet 111 First Division 112 Second Division 113 Third Division

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A main belt conveyor that conveys tablets in a visible state, and a main belt conveyor for visually observing a large number of tablets and visually sorting defective tablets by hand. , A first feeding means for continuously feeding the tablets in the feeding hopper in an aligned state, a sub-belt conveyor for conveying the tablets in a direction opposite to the main belt conveyor, and the tablets conveyed by the main belt conveyor turned over A second supply means for continuously supplying the secondary belt conveyor to the secondary belt conveyor in a state of being in a state, and a non-defective tablet ejection port and a defective tablet ejection port provided at the transporting front end portion of the main belt conveyor. The main belt conveyor is provided side by side, and at the leading end thereof, a third supply means for continuously supplying tablets to the main belt conveyor is provided. And a trough extending from the scraper to the main belt conveyor. The trough extends in the carrying direction of the slave belt conveyor and is inclined toward the main belt conveyor with respect to the carrying direction. The conveyor belt is divided into at least first, second and third sections in the width direction, the first supply means is adapted to supply the first section, and the second supply means is provided to the first section. The third supply means is connected to the second section, the good tablet ejection port is connected to the second section, and the defective tablet ejection port is the sorted defective product. A tablet visual inspection apparatus, which is connected to a third section on which tablets are placed. 2. The tablet visual inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the trough of the third supply means is adapted to be vibrated by a vibrator.