JP3977365B2 - Foreign object detection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a foreign matter detection device that detects foreign matter in an object to be inspected that is continuously conveyed along a conveyance path, and relates to, for example, a fluidity inspected material that includes food or food with fluidity (including plasticity and rose shape). The present invention relates to a foreign object detection device suitable for detecting shells, bone pieces, metal pieces and other foreign substances in an object.

  In the foreign object detection device, an object to be inspected such as fluid food, or other inspected object to be inspected (for example, peeled shell) together with a transport fluid such as water, Some of them are transported along a predetermined transport route by a pipe line. For example, X-rays are irradiated on an object in the transport route to grasp the distribution of transmitted X-ray dose, and foreign matter is determined from the transmitted X-ray dose distribution state. What detects the presence of is known. In addition, a plastic object such as minced meat or miso, or an object to be inspected that is a rose-like collection of fine objects such as grains is conveyed by a conveyor, etc., and performs metal detection or X-ray foreign object detection, etc. There is also.

As a conventional foreign object detection device of this type, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, a one-dimensional multi-channel X-ray sensor composed of a plurality of X-ray detection elements is arranged so as to be substantially orthogonal to the conveyance path, In some cases, the detection signal of each channel of the X-ray sensor during the continuous conveyance of the inspection object is compared with a threshold value for detecting the foreign object to detect the presence of the foreign object with a required resolution. Further, in this apparatus, when a foreign matter detection signal is output, a discharge valve which is a sorting and distributing means is operated, and an inspection object containing foreign matter is discharged to the outside through the discharge valve.
Japanese Patent No. 2591171

  However, in the foreign matter detection device as described above, when the inspection object containing foreign matter is discharged from the conveyance path to the outside through the discharge valve, if the foreign matter is frequently detected, a plurality of foreign matters are included in one discharge amount. It may or may not be included, and the foreign matter detector did not reliably know how much of the inspection object (product) was actually discharged as an NG product containing foreign matter. .

  For this reason, in order to accurately grasp the production volume in food processing lines that use products to be inspected, it is necessary to put the inspected products in a container etc. and measure the amount. It was.

  In addition, an X-ray foreign object detection device detects foreign matter in the inspection object while conveying the inspection object (for example, ground meat, miso, etc.) continuously and uniformly on a conveyor-type conveyance path whose both sides are regulated by the guide means. As in the case described above, when the NG product is discharged from the transport path to the outside, how much of the inspection object (product) is actually discharged as a NG product containing foreign matter. However, the X-ray foreign object detection device side could not be surely grasped.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems of the prior art, and reliably grasps the amount of the inspection object discharged from the transport system due to foreign matter contamination and presents the information to the user. An object of the present invention is to provide a foreign object detection device.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention (1) determines whether or not an object to be inspected that is continuously conveyed with a predetermined cross-sectional area along a conveying path includes foreign matter, and the object to be inspected contains foreign matter. When judged, the foreign matter detecting apparatus capable of discharging the defective product from the predetermined discharge position of the transport path to the outside of the transport path as a defective product is transported in the transport path. A conveyance amount setting means for setting the conveyance speed and the cross-sectional area corresponding to the conveyance amount of the inspection object, a discharge time for discharging the defective product out of the conveyance path from the predetermined discharge position, and the conveyance amount setting means. It has a defective discharge amount calculation unit that calculates the discharge amount of the defective product based on the set conveyance speed and cross-sectional area , and outputs information indicating the discharge amount of the defective product calculated by the defective discharge amount calculation unit Emission information output means It is an.

With this configuration, the discharge amount of the inspection object discharged out of the conveyance path is expressed by the output of the discharge amount information output means, and the discharge amount of the defective inspection object discharged outside from the conveyance system due to foreign matter mixing Will be presented to the user. In addition, the discharge amount of the defective product can be accurately calculated based on the discharge time of the defective product and the transport speed and cross-sectional area set by the transport amount setting means, and the user can be notified of the accurate discharge amount. Become.

The output of the discharge amount information here includes a display of the discharge amount, a direct output by printing or the like, or a data output to another display or recording output device. The method for detecting the foreign matter is, for example, an X-ray foreign matter detection method or a metal detection method, but is not particularly limited. Further, here, the transport amount is a value obtained as the product of the cross-sectional area and the transport speed when the transport form of the inspection object has a constant cross-sectional area. What is necessary is just to set.

The present invention also provides (2) X-ray irradiation means for irradiating an inspection object continuously conveyed through a conveyance path having a predetermined cross-sectional area, and irradiation of the inspection object from the X-ray irradiation means. And X-ray detection means for detecting X-rays transmitted through the inspection object, and determination for determining whether the inspection object contains a foreign substance based on the transmitted X-ray dose detected by the X-ray detection means And the determination means determine that the object to be inspected contains a foreign object, and based on the determination result, discharge the object as a defective product from the predetermined discharge position of the transfer path to the outside of the transfer path. A foreign matter detection apparatus including a discharge means capable of discharging defective products, and a transfer amount setting means for setting a transfer speed and a cross-sectional area corresponding to a transfer amount of an inspection object transferred in the transfer path; The defective product is discharged out of the conveyance path from the predetermined discharge position. Discharge time and have a bad emission calculating unit that calculates the emissions of the defective products based on the conveying speed and the cross-sectional area set by the conveyance amount setting means for, calculated in the defective emission calculating unit the Discharge amount information output means for outputting information indicating the discharge amount of defective products is provided.

With this configuration, when it is determined that the inspection object contains foreign matter based on the transmitted X-ray dose, the discharging unit discharges the defective inspection object containing foreign matter to the outside of the conveyance path and the discharge amount of the defective product. Is output by the discharge amount information output means. Therefore, the discharge amount of the inspection object discharged to the outside from the transport system due to foreign matter mixing is presented to the user. In addition, the discharge amount of the defective product can be accurately calculated based on the discharge time of the defective product and the transport speed and cross-sectional area set by the transport amount setting means, and the user can be notified of the accurate discharge amount. Become.

The present invention includes: (3) X-ray irradiation means for irradiating an inspection object continuously conveyed through a tubular conveyance path with X-rays; and the inspection object is irradiated from the X-ray irradiation means to the inspection object. X-ray detection means for detecting X-rays transmitted through the object, determination means for determining whether or not the inspection object contains a foreign substance based on the transmitted X-ray dose detected by the X-ray detection means, and the determination When the means determines that the object to be inspected contains foreign matter, based on the result of the determination, the defective product discharge operation for discharging the object as a defective product from the predetermined discharge position of the transport path to the outside of the transport path In the foreign matter detection apparatus provided with a discharge means capable of measuring the flow rate, the flow rate measurement means for measuring the flow rate of the object to be inspected conveyed in the conveyance path, the discharge time of the defective product, and the flow rate measurement means defective discharge of calculating the emissions before Symbol defective on the basis of the flow rate Has a volume calculation unit may be characterized in that a discharge amount information output means for outputting information representing the emissions of the defective products calculated in the defective emission calculating unit.
With this configuration, it is possible to accurately calculate the discharge amount of the inspected object including foreign matter based on the discharge time of the inspected object specified by the discharge command signal and the flow rate measured by the flow rate measuring means. It is possible to inform the user of the defective discharge amount.

In the foreign matter detection apparatus having any one of the above configurations (1) to (3), (4) the discharge amount information output means outputs information representing a cumulative discharge amount obtained by accumulating the discharge amount of the defective product. In that case, it is possible to inform the user of the accurate cumulative emission amount.

The foreign object detection device of the present invention is also characterized in that: (5) the object to be inspected is composed of a mixture of a fluid for conveyance and an object to be inspected, and the discharge amount information output means is configured for the preset fluid for conveyance. Based on the mixing ratio of the inspection object, the discharge amount of the inspection object discharged out of the conveyance path by the discharge unit may be output.

  With this configuration, when a foreign object is mixed in an inspection object composed of the inspection object and the transport fluid when the inspection object is transported using a transportation fluid for handling, the inspection object is inspected by the discharging means. While the object is discharged out of the conveyance path, the discharge amount of the inspection object excluding the transfer fluid in the inspection object is output as discharge amount information. Therefore, it is possible to present the actual discharge amount of the original inspection object desired by the user.

  The mixing ratio referred to here is a value that can specify the amount of only the inspection object excluding the transportation fluid in the inspection object from the amount of the inspection object or the amount of the transportation fluid. And volume ratio of test object (volume ratio), mass ratio, or corresponding dilution rate (mass of only test object in unit quantity of test object / mass of unit quantity of test object), Any of density (mass of only the inspection object in the inspection object per unit volume) or the like may be used.

In the present invention, (6) the information indicating the discharge amount of the defective product output by the discharge amount information output means may be information indicating the discharge amount of the defective product by volume, or (7 The information indicating the discharge amount of the defective product output by the discharge amount information output means may be information indicating the discharge amount of the defective product by mass.

  In this case, by using a volume (for example, liter) or a mass (for example, kilogram) suitable for displaying the amount of the inspection object as a unit, it becomes easy to grasp the output discharge amount. In addition, for example, a unit can be selected according to a user's production management system, and information suitable for production management can be output.

According to the present invention, when a defective product containing foreign matter is discharged out of the conveyance path, information indicating the discharge amount of the defective product is output by the discharge amount information output means. This makes it possible for the user to easily grasp the discharge amount of the inspection object discharged to the outside from the transport system, and to reduce the trouble of measuring the discharge amount. Moreover, the discharge amount of the defective product can be accurately calculated based on the discharge time of the defective product and the transport amount set by the transport amount setting means or the flow rate measured by the flow rate measuring means, Users can be notified of accurate emissions.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First embodiment]
1-4 is a figure which shows schematic structure of the foreign material detection apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention, and shows the example which applied this invention to the X-ray foreign material detection apparatus which has a tubular conveyance path Yes.

  First, the configuration will be described.

  In FIG. 1, a pipe 11 that forms a tubular conveyance path inside has a predetermined flow rate and conveyance direction (indicated by an arrow Q in the drawing) of an inspection object (not shown) that can flow from the left side in the drawing. For example, food such as ingredients such as retort foods, fluid or extensible foods such as fish surimi, or shelled shells as water to be inspected. What is contained in the transport fluid at a predetermined dilution rate (mixing ratio) is transported through the pipe 11.

  In the vicinity of the pipe 11, an X-ray irradiation unit 12 (X-ray irradiation means) for irradiating the inspection object passing through the pipe 11 and the inspection object irradiated from the X-ray irradiation unit 12 to the inspection object. And an X-ray detection unit 13 that detects X-rays transmitted through the pipe 11 are opposed to each other with the pipe 11 sandwiched from above and below.

  The X-ray irradiation unit 12 and the X-ray detection unit 13 are well-known, but the X-ray irradiation unit 12 causes, for example, the thermal electrons from the cathode filament to collide with the anode target by a high voltage between the cathode and the anode. An X-ray tube that generates X-rays, the longitudinal direction of which is the transport width direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and the X-rays are directed toward the lower X-ray detection unit 13 by a slit (not shown). Irradiation is performed in the form of a substantially triangular screen. The X-ray detection unit 13 is an X-ray line sensor camera that performs X-ray detection at a predetermined resolution by arranging a plurality of X-ray detection elements in parallel in the radial direction of the pipe 11, for example. A detection signal is output.

  In the conveyance path formed by the pipe 11, an object to be inspected is conveyed from a predetermined discharge position of the pipe 11 to the X-ray irradiation area by the X-ray irradiation unit 12 and the X-ray detection unit 13, that is, downstream in the conveyance direction from the inspection area. There is provided a valve type sorter 14 (discharge means) that can perform an operation of discharging out of the road (hereinafter, this operation is referred to as a discharge operation).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the valve type sorter 14 is composed of, for example, a pneumatic rotation actuator 14a and a three-way ball valve 14b driven by the actuator, and the inside is not shown in detail. A pair of communication ports that communicate the conveyance path on the inspection region side in the pipe 11 with the conveyance path in the non-defective product discharge pipe portion 11c downstream from the valve type sorter 14 when the valve body having the position is in the normal operation position. And a discharge port for discharging / releasing the conveyance path on the inspection area side in the pipe 11 to the outside through the NG discharge pipe portion 11d when the valve body is switched to rotate from the normal operation position to the discharge operation position. is doing.

  When the inspection object mixed with the foreign substance passes through the inspection area, the valve type sorter 14 takes time Tf (=) required to transport the inspection object (foreign substance) from the position of the foreign object in the inspection area to the discharge position. Based on the elapsed time of the transport distance L / flow velocity V), the discharge operation position is switched from that time to a predetermined time before the error time is taken into account, and after the discharge time (T1) has elapsed, the normal operation position is returned again. . On the other hand, when a non-defective inspection object that does not contain foreign matter passes through the inspection region, the valve type sorter 14 is switched to the normal operation position unless foreign matter is mixed in the subsequent inspection object.

  Such switching control of the valve type sorter 14 is executed by the discharge control unit 31 of the control circuit 30.

  The discharge control unit 31 of the control circuit 30 determines whether or not the inspection object contains a foreign substance based on a detection signal from the X-ray detection unit 13 (transmitted X-ray dose from the inspection object in each area of the inspection region). And the time Tf required for transporting the inspection object (foreign matter) from the foreign object position to the discharge position in the inspection area and the discharge time of the inspection object by the valve type sorter 14 (indicated by T1 in FIG. 1) And a time setting unit 31b for setting the discharge type of the valve type sorter 14 based on the determination result (when the determination unit 31a determines that the object to be inspected contains foreign matter) The discharge control means outputs a discharge command signal for instructing (holding).

  Specifically, the discharge control unit 31 takes in the detection signal of the X-ray detection unit 13 and performs image processing for drawing a predetermined transmitted X-ray dose distribution, and transmitted X-ray dose from the inspection object in each area of the inspection region. In accordance with the processing result, the pneumatic rotation actuator 14a of the valve type sorter 14 is driven to move the three-way ball valve 14b of the valve type sorter 14 to the normal operation position and Either one of the discharge operation positions is switched or the position is held.

  Although a specific hardware configuration is not illustrated in the control circuit 30, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), an input / output interface circuit (hereinafter referred to as I / F). And a driver circuit for actuator driving, display / recording output, an image processing circuit, and the like.

  Further, when the valve type sorter 14 discharges an NG inspection object containing foreign matter to the outside of the pipe 11, the control circuit 30 discharges the inspection subject containing foreign matter (flow rate Q × discharge time T1). An NG emission amount calculation unit 32 for calculating NG emission amount (hereinafter also referred to as NG emission amount). The calculation information of the emission amount by the NG emission amount calculation unit 32 includes screen display of a predetermined display format, print output, and the like. Directly output or input to the display / recording output unit 16 for outputting (indirect output) discharge information to an external display or printer so that the user can be presented with information indicating the discharge amount of the object to be inspected. Yes.

  The information output from the display / recording output unit 16 is, for example, screen display information as shown in FIG. 4. In this case, the display screen 61 of the display / recording output unit 16 includes a date / time display unit 62, a determination result. (In the figure, NG when foreign matter is detected) Display unit 63, NG discharge amount display unit 64, product type display unit 65, inspection time (current time from inspection start time or duration of X-ray irradiation) display unit 66 In addition, the display unit 67 of the total passage amount of the inspection object during the current inspection time (for example, the passage amount obtained every predetermined time = the inspection time × the flow rate Q × the sum of the dilution rate p) is accumulated during the current inspection time. The display unit 68 includes a discharge amount (or non-defective product production amount) display unit 68 and a distribution image display unit 69. Depending on the product type, the total passing amount and NG discharge amount may display the volume of the discharged fluid in liters, or display the mass of the actual product discharge amount, production amount, etc. considering the product dilution rate. it can.

  Between the inspection area in the conveyance path in the pipe 11, that is, between the X-ray irradiation section and the predetermined discharge position, the flow rate Q of the inspection object conveyed in the pipe 11 (the conveyance path cross-sectional area S × at the measurement position) The flow rate measuring unit 21 (flow rate measuring means) for measuring the flow velocity V) is provided, and the NG discharge amount calculating unit 32 is provided with a discharge time T1 of the inspection object defined by the discharge command signal from the discharge control unit 31. Based on the flow rate Q measured by the flow rate measurement unit 21, an NG emission amount (= Q × T1) is calculated. More specifically, the NG discharge amount calculation unit 32 holds the first switching time ta when the valve type sorter 14 switches from the normal operation position to the discharge operation position, and the valve type sorter 14 is held at the discharge operation position. For example, each of the first switching time ta and the second switching time tc is considered in consideration of the discharge holding time tb and the second switching time tc so that the valve type sorter 14 returns from the discharging operation position to the normal operation position. A time (ta / 2 + tc / 2 + tb) obtained by adding the / 2 time and the discharge holding time tb is set as the discharge time (T1) of the inspection object. Here, the first and second switching times ta and tc are each halved is a process for calculating a substantial NG emission amount at the time of opening and closing the valve. Needless to say, the calculation conditions can be appropriately set according to the above. Further, such setting, and further setting of the dilution rate, conveyance speed (flow velocity), and the like can be manually input from the input unit 15.

The flow rate measurement unit 21 has, for example, a non-contact type current meter such as an ultrasonic type or an optical type installed in the outer periphery of the pipe 11 or in the vicinity thereof without having a detection unit inside the pipe 11, and uses the Doppler method. In the case of the known ultrasonic velocimeter used, if the pipe 11 is made of metal, it is attached to a position (side) of 90 degrees from the top surface of the outer peripheral surface. In this case, the flow rate, the inner diameter D or the conveyance path cross-sectional area S of the pipe ^{11 (= πD 2/4)} , and the flow rate from a predetermined conversion factor F (l / min) can be calculated.

  2 and 3, the object to be inspected is pumped out of the product receiving box 41 by the pump 42 driven by the motor 42a and discharged into the pipe 11, so that the cross-sectional area of the conveying path is larger than that of the front and rear. The flow rate is averaged by the X-ray inspection unit 11a of the narrowed pipe 11 and further conveyed to the downstream side, and depending on whether foreign matter is mixed in, either the non-defective discharge pipe part 11c or the NG discharge pipe part 11d of the pipe 11 Distributed and discharged.

  Here, the X-ray inspection unit 11a of the pipe 11 that substantially coincides with the inspection region of the inspection object by the X-ray irradiation unit 12 and the X-ray detection unit 13 sandwiches the pipe 11 made of plastic, for example, from above and below within its elastic range. Thus, the cross-sectional area is gradually changed within a predetermined conveyance section before and after the X-ray inspection unit 11a, and the flow velocity is stabilized and the inspection area height is flattened so as to become a substantially oval cross section having the minimum cross-sectional area in the inspection area. Q = channel cross-sectional area × flow velocity is substantially constant at each transport position in accordance with the change in the cross-sectional area of the transport path in the pipe 11 (the density change varies). The flow velocity is increased in the vicinity of the X-ray inspection unit 11a so as to be smaller, but then gradually decreases to a stable velocity. In addition, the X-ray inspection part 11a of the pipe 11 can change the pressure height from the upper and lower sides so as to change the flatness, and can variably set the conveyance path cross-sectional area inside thereof.

  The flow rate measuring unit 21 is a section where the speed of the object to be inspected is substantially stabilized (on the downstream side of the X-ray inspection unit 11a which is not easily affected by the pressure fluctuation on the pump 42 side, etc., and from the valve type sorter 14). Only the fixed amount is installed on the upstream side (upstream side from the range susceptible to the influence of the flow velocity due to the bending of the valve type selector 14 or the pipe 11 in the opened state).

  Next, the operation will be described.

  In the foreign substance detection apparatus of the present embodiment configured as described above, the inspection object is pumped out of the product receiving box 41 by the pump 42 and discharged into the pipe 11, and the flow velocity is detected by the X-ray inspection unit 11 a of the pipe 11. The flow rate is measured by the flow rate measuring unit 21 when it is transported further downstream and becomes a stable speed.

  Further, the X-ray irradiation unit 12 uniformly irradiates the inspection object in the inspection region with X-rays, and the transmitted X-ray dose from the inspection object is a line sensor in each area in the width direction of the inspection region. 13, predetermined image processing is executed by the image processing circuit unit in the control circuit 30 based on the detection signal of the predetermined number of bits, and the determination unit 31 a of the discharge control unit 31 determines the presence or absence of contamination. .

  Then, according to the determination result, the pneumatic actuator of the valve type sorter 14 is driven, and the inspection object free from foreign matter is carried out from the non-defective product discharge pipe portion 11c of the pipe 11 to the non-defective product receiving box 43 and mixed with foreign matter. The inspected object is distributed and discharged from the NG discharge pipe portion 11d to the outside of the transport system.

  In this way, when the valve type sorter 14 discharges the inspection object containing foreign matter to the outside of the conveyance path, the discharge amount of the inspection object containing foreign matter, that is, the NG discharge amount is transferred from the discharge control unit 31 to the valve. Calculated based on the discharge time T1 of the object to be inspected specified by the discharge command signal to the mold sorter 14 and the flow rate Q measured by the flow rate measurement unit 21, and the discharge amount (Q by the NG discharge amount calculation unit 32) × T1) or other information such as the accumulated discharge amount is displayed or recorded by the display / recording output unit 16 (for example, the display units 62 to 69) at the time when the foreign substance discharge is completed or for a certain period of time from immediately before. It is presented to the user in a predetermined display format or recording format as accurate information indicating the discharge amount of the inspection object.

  In addition, depending on the product type, the volume of discharged fluid can be displayed in liters, or by displaying the actual product discharge amount, production volume, etc. considering the product dilution rate, effective information can be presented to the user. As a result, feedback to other processes is facilitated.

  In addition, by performing accurate flow rate measurement by the flow rate measuring unit 21, from the foreign matter detection position to the vicinity of the discharge position by the discharge means (the position of the foreign matter when the valve type sorter 14 starts to be switched to the discharge operation position side). It is possible to more accurately grasp the movement state and transport time of the inspection object (foreign matter), and it is possible to reliably discharge the foreign matter while suppressing the discharge amount per time to a small amount.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, since the non-contact type flow rate measurement unit 21 is employed, there is no possibility of adversely affecting an object to be inspected such as food, and the maintainability of the foreign object detection device is improved.

  In the above description, the discharge amount control is performed based on the flow rate measured by the flow rate measurement unit 21. However, the conveyance amount (flow rate value or conveyance amount) set and input to the discharge control unit 31 from the input unit 15 is used. It is also possible to control the discharge amount by using the information of the velocity and the cross-sectional area of the flow path) as flow rate information. In this case, the discharge control unit 31 serves as a conveyance amount setting unit that sets the conveyance amount of the inspection object, and the discharge amount calculation unit 32 calculates the NG discharge amount based on the set flow rate.

[Second Embodiment]
5 and 6 are diagrams showing a schematic configuration of the foreign object detection device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and an example in which the present invention is applied to an X-ray foreign object detection device having a conveyor type conveyance path. Show. Since this embodiment has a configuration similar to that of the above-described embodiment, the same or similar configuration as that of the above-described embodiment is denoted by the same reference numerals as those shown in FIGS. And explain briefly.

  5 and 6, the conveyor 51 is a guide means (not shown) so as to form a ship-bottom-shaped conveyance path at least before and after the X-ray inspection unit 51 a located between the X-ray irradiation unit 12 and the X-ray detection unit 13. The conveyor 51 is guided to both sides, and a to-be-inspected object W which is a rose-like aggregate of minute objects (minute particles and sections) is supplied to the conveyor 51 from the left side in FIG. . The inspected object W is, for example, dried vegetables, minced meat, miso, other foods having similar properties, or non-food items that are ingredients of instant foods.

  Of the transport path formed by the conveyor 51, the inspection object W is placed on the downstream side in the transport direction from the X-ray inspection unit 51 a (inspection region) by the X-ray irradiation unit 12 and the X-ray detection unit 13. A dropper type sorter 54 is provided as a discharge means capable of discharging from the transport path to the outside of the transport path (hereinafter, this operation is referred to as a discharge operation).

  The sorter 54 spans the loop belt 54a between the pair of rollers 54b and 54c, and moves one of the rollers 54b and 54c up and down, so that, for example, the upstream roller 54b rises and the loop belt 54a 5 tilts as shown virtually in FIG. 5, the subsequent inspection object W positioned immediately before the sorter 54 is dropped downward, or, as shown in FIG. 6A, the downstream roller 54 c Is lowered and the loop belt 54a is inclined as shown by the phantom line in FIG. 6A, the downstream end side of the inspection object W positioned on the sorter 54 is placed on the non-defective conveyor 55 on the downstream side. It is made to separate from the to-be-inspected object W, and it falls below with the conveyance of the to-be-inspected object W by the conveyor 11, and is discharged | emitted outside from a conveyance system. Here, when the upstream roller 54b moves up and down, the predetermined discharge position becomes the position of the rotation center axis of the upstream roller 54b in the transport direction, and when the downstream roller 54c moves up and down, the predetermined discharge position Is the position of the rotation center axis of the roller 54c on the downstream side in the transport direction.

  When the inspection object mixed with foreign matter passes through the inspection area, the sorter 54 takes time Tf (= conveyance) required to convey the inspection object (foreign substance) from the position of the foreign object in the inspection area to the predetermined discharge position. With the elapsed time of the distance L / flow velocity V) as a reference, the discharge operation position (conveyance path position shown in phantom lines in FIGS. 5 and 6) is switched from that time to a predetermined time before considering the error time, and the discharge time ( After the elapse of T1), it is returned again to the normal operation position (conveyance path position indicated by a solid line in FIGS. 5 and 6). On the other hand, when a non-defective inspection object that does not contain foreign matter passes through the inspection region, the sorter 54 is switched to the normal operation position unless foreign matter is mixed in the subsequent inspection object.

  Such a sorter 54 is switched and controlled by a control circuit 70, which includes a discharge control unit 71 and an NG discharge amount calculation unit 72. Although a specific hardware configuration is not illustrated in the control circuit 70, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), an input / output interface circuit (hereinafter referred to as I / F). And a drive circuit for actuator driving and display / recording output.

  The discharge control unit 71 determines whether or not the inspection object contains a foreign substance based on a detection signal from the X-ray detection unit 13 (transmitted X-ray dose from the inspection object in each area of the inspection region). And a condition setting unit 71b for setting a time Tf required for transporting an inspection object (foreign matter) from a foreign object position to a discharge position in the inspection area, a discharge time of the inspection object by the sorter 54, and the like. When the determination unit 31a determines that the object to be inspected contains a foreign substance, the discharge control means outputs a discharge command signal that instructs the discharge operation (timing and holding) of the sorter 54 based on the determination result. ing.

  Specifically, the discharge control unit 71 takes in the detection signal of the X-ray detection unit 13 and performs image processing for drawing a predetermined transmitted X-ray dose distribution, and transmitted X-ray dose from the inspection object in each area of the inspection region. The threshold value determination process is executed, and an actuator (not shown) of the sorter 54 is driven in accordance with the processing result, so that the sorter 54 is selected from the solid line position and the virtual line position shown in FIG. 5 (or FIG. 6). Either one of the operation positions is switched or the position is held.

  Further, the condition setting unit 71b of the discharge control unit 71 receives the supply amount of the inspection object W supplied from the supply device 80 shown in FIG. Conveyance that grasps the mass or volume of the object W and sets the conveyance amount of the inspection object W by the conveyor 11 (conveyance amount (conveyance speed) of the inspection object W that passes the X-ray inspection unit 51a per unit time) It is also a quantity setting means. A mechanism that defines the supply amount of the inspection object W corresponding to the set value will be described later.

  The NG discharge amount calculation unit 72 of the control circuit 70, when the sorter 54 discharges the NG product inspection object W including foreign matter to the outside of the conveyor 51, the discharge amount (conveyance amount) of the inspection object W including the foreign material. Q × discharge time T1 (hereinafter also referred to as NG discharge amount) is calculated, and the discharge amount calculation information by the NG discharge amount calculation unit 32 is directly displayed on a screen display or print output in a predetermined display format. Output or output (indirect output) as discharge information to an external display or printer, for example, input to the display / recording output unit 16 so that the user can be presented with information indicating the discharge amount of the inspection object It has become.

  The supply device 80 is configured to send the inspection object W from the supply tank 81 provided with a well-known vibration feeder (not shown) to the central portion of the lower shaping tray 82 with a supply amount corresponding to the vibration frequency, The conveyed object W is shaped into a predetermined square cross-sectional shape by the shaping tray 82 and the shaping blade 83 and supplied in the conveying direction. The shaping tray 82 is in the shape of a saucer located below the supply tank 81, and is a pair of C-shaped side blade portions that approach the outlet 82a near the X-ray inspection unit 51a of the conveyor 51 as it approaches the conveyance direction. 82b, and the tip 82d is U-shaped corresponding to the outlet width A of the side blade portion 82b so that the inspection object W is placed on the conveyor 51 from the front side in the transport direction by a predetermined distance from the outlet 82a. And a bottom plate portion 82c cut out in a shape. Then, by the cooperation of the pair of side blade portions 82b, the bottom plate portion 82c, and the shaping blade 83, the supply width A is slightly narrower than the detection width of the X-ray detection portion 13 (see FIG. 6B). And a belt-like continuous object having a square cross-sectional shape regulated to a height on a predetermined conveying surface. When the object W is in the shape of a rose or a bundle of a plurality of solid objects to be inspected, the band-like continuous object having the rectangular cross-sectional shape is formed by arranging a plurality of objects to be inspected in a band shape. Thus, the shaping tray 82 and the shaping blade 83 function as alignment means for the inspection object W in the front stage of the foreign substance inspection apparatus.

  Here, the front end portion 82d of the bottom plate portion 82c is inclined so that the upper surface thereof approaches the transport surface of the conveyor 51 toward the downstream side in the transport direction. Although not shown in detail, the shaping blade is adjusted so that the height of the shaping blade 83 from the inner surface of the bottom plate portion 82c of the shaping tray 82 or the distance between the tip portions of the pair of side blade portions 82b can be adjusted with a screw or the like. 83, a screw adjusting means is employed for the attachment mechanism of the pair of side blade portions 82b, and adjustment of the conveyance amount of the inspection object W (the product of the area of the rectangular cross section and the conveyance speed of the conveyor 51); Alternatively, the height of the upper surface of the inspection object W on the transport surface or the supply width A of the inspection object W can be adjusted. Although the shaping blade 83 is a single flat plate standing in the vertical direction in the drawing, it may be a plurality of plates separated in the transport direction, or may be inclined or extend in the transport direction.

  In the foreign object detection device of the present embodiment, the inspection object W is sent out from the supply tank 81 by the vibration feeder and discharged to the shaping tray 82, and is shaped into a predetermined square cross-sectional shape by the shaping tray 82 and the shaping blade 83. It is placed on the conveyor 51 and conveyed to the X-ray inspection unit 51a.

  Further, the X-ray irradiation unit 12 uniformly irradiates the inspection object W in the inspection region with X-rays, and the X-ray detection unit 13 in which the transmitted X-ray dose from the inspection object W is a line sensor in each minute width area. The image processing circuit unit in the control circuit 70 executes predetermined image processing based on the detection signal of the predetermined number of bits, and the determination unit 71a of the discharge control unit 71 determines whether or not foreign matter is mixed.

  Then, according to the determination result, the actuator of the sorter 54 is driven, and the inspection object W free from foreign matter is carried out of the non-defective conveyor 55 to the downstream side. Is dropped to the lower side and distributed to the outside of the transport system.

  In this way, when the sorter 54 discharges the inspection object containing foreign matter to the outside of the conveyance path, the discharge amount of the inspection object containing foreign matter, that is, the NG discharge amount is sent from the discharge control unit 71 to the sorter 54. Calculated based on the discharge time T1 of the inspected object W defined by the discharge command signal and the transport amount Q set by the condition setting unit 71b, and the discharge amount (Q × T1) by the NG discharge amount calculation unit 72 ), Or further information such as cumulative discharge amount (cumulative amount of NG discharged inspection object) is displayed / recorded by the display / recording output unit 16 at the time when foreign matter discharge is completed or for a certain time from immediately before. Then, it is presented to the user in a predetermined display format or recording format as accurate information representing the NG emission amount of the inspection object W. Furthermore, if the accumulated discharge amount reaches a preset amount, an alarm or the like is displayed or a notification is sent to the outside, so that the container for storing the NG discharged inspection object becomes full. It is also possible to inform the user of the replacement time before becoming.

  Therefore, also in the present embodiment, according to the product type, the NG discharge amount is displayed in liters, or the substantial product discharge amount, the production amount, etc. in consideration of the mixing ratio of the inspection object and the transport fluid are displayed. By doing so, more effective information can be presented to the user, and feedback to other processes is facilitated. In addition, by setting the conveyance amount by the condition setting unit 71b, it is possible to more accurately grasp the moving state and the conveyance time of the inspection object W and the foreign matter from the foreign matter detection position to the vicinity of the discharge position by the discharge means, Foreign matter can be reliably discharged while suppressing the amount discharged once.

  In the present embodiment as well, when the inspection object W is plastic and viscous, the density ρ of the inspection object W is made substantially uniform by the shaping tray 82 and the shaping blade 83, and the inspection object is obtained. The height h of the W upper surface from the conveying surface is detected at predetermined intervals by a laser-type reflective displacement sensor, etc., and a more accurate conveying amount (supply width A × height h × conveyor conveying speed × density ρ) is calculated. You can also

  In the above-described embodiments, the foreign object detection device has been described as an X-ray foreign object detection device. However, the foreign object detection device of the present invention is not limited to the X-ray foreign object detection device, and other detection methods are adopted. For example, it may be a metal detection device that detects the disturbance of the magnetic field when the metal passes through the magnetic field. As such a metal detection device, for example, an alternating magnetic field is generated in the inspection region of the workpiece by the transmission coil so that the workpiece (inspected object) conveyed on the conveyance path in the form of a conveyor passes through the alternating magnetic field of a predetermined frequency. The magnetic field fluctuation caused by the movement of the workpiece in the magnetic field is detected as the fluctuation of the induced voltage to the receiving coil, and the detection signal is subjected to detection processing synchronized with the excitation driving signal of the transmission coil, and the detection output For example, it is possible to adopt a method for detecting the contamination of the metal foreign object by determining the output level of the first threshold value.

As described above, according to the present invention, when the inspection object including foreign matter is discharged out of the conveyance path, the information indicating the discharge amount of the defective inspection object including the foreign matter is output by the discharge amount information output unit. As a result, it is possible for the user to easily grasp the discharge amount of the inspection object discharged to the outside from the transport system due to foreign matter contamination without measuring the discharge amount by an external measuring means, The trouble of measurement can be reduced , and the discharge amount of the defective product can be accurately calculated based on the discharge time of the defective product and the set transport amount or the measured flow rate. is intended to achieve the effect of Ru can inform the emissions to the user, the foreign substance of the object in which is continuously conveyed along the conveying path is detected by the transport path, contamination of the specimen during the foreign object detection Partial transport system Useful in the foreign matter detecting device which discharges into.

It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the foreign material detection apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a front view showing an overall schematic configuration of a foreign matter inspection system including a foreign matter detection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view which shows the whole schematic structure of the foreign material inspection system containing the foreign material detection apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is screen explanatory drawing which shows the one aspect | mode of the discharge information output of the foreign material detection apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of the foreign material detection apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a front view which shows the whole schematic structure of the foreign material inspection system containing the foreign material detection apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, (b) is a top view which shows the whole general structure of the foreign material inspection system. .

Explanation of symbols

11 Pipe (conveyance path)
11a X-ray inspection section 11c Non-defective discharge pipe section 11d NG discharge pipe section 12 X-ray irradiation section (X-ray irradiation means)
13 X-ray detector (X-ray detector)
14 Valve type sorter (discharge means)
14a Pneumatic rotation actuator 14b Three-way ball valve 15 Input unit 16 Display / recording output unit (discharge amount information output means)
21 Flow rate measuring unit (flow rate measuring means)
30, 70 Control circuit 31 Discharge control unit (discharge control means, (conveyance amount setting means))
31a, 71a Determination unit (determination means)
31b Time setting unit 32, 72 NG emission calculation unit (emission information output means)
51 Conveying path 54 Sorting machine (discharge means)
55 Good Conveyor 61 Display Screen (Discharge Information Output Unit)
62 to 69 Display unit 71 Discharge control circuit unit (discharge control means)
71b Condition setting unit (conveyance amount setting unit)

Claims (7)

When it is determined whether or not the inspection object (W) continuously conveyed with a predetermined cross-sectional area along the conveyance path (11; 51) contains foreign matter, and it is determined that the inspection object contains foreign matter, In the foreign matter detection device capable of discharging a defective product that discharges the inspection object including the foreign material as a defective product from a predetermined discharge position of the transport path to the outside of the transport path,
A transport amount setting means (31; 71) for setting the transport speed and the cross-sectional area corresponding to the transport amount of the inspection object transported in the transport path;
A defective discharge amount calculation unit that calculates a discharge amount of the defective product based on a discharge time for discharging the defective product out of the transport path from the predetermined discharge position, a transport speed and a cross-sectional area set by the transport amount setting means. And a discharge amount information output means (16, 32; 16, 72) for outputting information indicating the discharge amount of the defective product calculated by the defective discharge amount calculation section. Foreign matter detection device. X-ray irradiation means (12) for irradiating the inspection object continuously conveyed through the conveyance path (11; 51) having a predetermined cross-sectional area with X-rays;
X-ray detection means (13) for detecting X-rays which are irradiated from the X-ray irradiation means onto the inspection object and transmitted through the inspection object;
Determination means (31a; 71a) for determining whether or not the inspection object contains a foreign substance based on the transmitted X-ray dose detected by the X-ray detection means;
When the determination means determines that the object to be inspected contains a foreign substance, based on the determination result, the defective object is discharged out of the conveyance path from the predetermined discharge position of the conveyance path as a defective product. In the foreign object detection device comprising the discharge means (14; 54) capable of discharge operation,
A transport amount setting means (31; 71) for setting the transport speed and the cross-sectional area corresponding to the transport amount of the inspection object transported in the transport path;
A defective discharge amount calculation unit that calculates a discharge amount of the defective product based on a discharge time for discharging the defective product out of the transport path from the predetermined discharge position, a transport speed and a cross-sectional area set by the transport amount setting means. And a discharge amount information output means (16, 32; 16, 72) for outputting information indicating the discharge amount of the defective product calculated by the defective discharge amount calculation unit. Detection device. X-ray irradiation means (12) for irradiating the inspection object continuously conveyed through the tubular conveyance path (11) with X-rays;
X-ray detection means (13) for detecting X-rays which are irradiated from the X-ray irradiation means onto the inspection object and transmitted through the inspection object;
A determination means (31a) for determining whether or not the object to be inspected contains a foreign substance based on a transmitted X-ray dose detected by the X-ray detection means;
When the determination means determines that the object to be inspected contains a foreign substance, based on the determination result, the defective object is discharged out of the conveyance path from the predetermined discharge position of the conveyance path as a defective product. In the foreign object detection device provided with the discharge means (14) capable of discharge operation,
A flow rate measuring means (21) for measuring a flow rate (Q) of the inspection object conveyed in the conveyance path;
Have a bad emission calculating unit that calculates the emissions before Symbol defective on the basis of the measured by the flow rate measuring means and the discharge time of the defective rate, calculated by the defective emission calculating unit the A foreign matter detection apparatus comprising discharge amount information output means (32) for outputting information representing the discharge amount of defective products . The foreign matter detection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the discharge amount information output unit outputs information representing a cumulative discharge amount obtained by accumulating the discharge amount of the defective product . The inspection object is composed of a mixture of a transport fluid and an inspection object,
The discharge amount information output means outputs a discharge amount of the inspection object discharged out of the conveyance path by the discharge means based on a preset mixing ratio of the inspection object to the transport fluid. The foreign object detection device according to claim 1, wherein   6. The information representing the discharge amount of the defective product output by the discharge amount information output means is information representing the discharge amount of the defective product by volume. Foreign object detection device.   6. The information representing the discharge amount of the defective product output by the discharge amount information output means is information representing the discharge amount of the defective product by mass. Foreign object detection device.

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