JP4428569B2 - Rotary filling device, liquid level detection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a rotary filling device that fills a container such as a PET bottle, a glass bottle, or a can with a liquid such as drinking water.

  A rotary filling device is used as a device for filling a container such as a PET bottle, a glass bottle, or a bottle can with a liquid such as drinking water. This rotary filling device is provided with a plurality of filling valves on the outer peripheral portion of a rotating disk, and fills the container from the filling valve while the disk rotates almost once.

  Various techniques for detecting the amount of liquid filled in a container have been proposed in order to manage the amount of liquid filled in the container. For example, there is one that detects whether or not a predetermined amount of liquid is filled in a container by inserting a sensor electrode into the container and detecting that the liquid has contacted the sensor electrode (for example, Patent Document 1). reference.).

However, in recent years, there has been a tendency to strongly demand the adoption of a technique that ensures the safety, quality, and the like of products by filling a container with a liquid in a clean environment. Needless to say, it is obviously not welcomed to contact the sensor electrode with the liquid while various devices for improving the sanitary property of each part of the beverage filling machine have been made in response to such a demand.
Therefore, it is required to detect the filling amount of the liquid into the container in a non-contact manner.

  On the other hand, it is also possible to detect the filling amount in a non-contact manner by using the attenuation of the transmitted light amount by the liquid filled in the container using visible light or near infrared light. When visible light or near-infrared light is used, the detection sensitivity may be lowered depending on the container to be filled, the color of the liquid, and the like. In particular, when the container is opaque, the liquid itself may not be detected.

  In view of this, a method has been proposed in which the filling amount of the liquid is detected by photographing the infrared radiant energy with an infrared camera using the fact that the temperature of the container surface is changed by the liquid (see, for example, Patent Document 2). .)

JP 2003-130714 A JP 2001-116611 A

However, when infrared radiant energy is imaged with an infrared camera, image processing is performed, so that there is a problem that it is susceptible to various instability factors.
First, even if it is attempted to capture the temperature change of the liquid filled in the container with an infrared camera, there is a problem that it is easily affected by various surrounding heat sources. This is because, for example, when a high-temperature liquid is filled, the infrared camera captures the heat, etc., which is located around the container during or after liquid filling, or the heat generated by the operating parts of various devices. In addition, such a filling device is often made of stainless steel and has a mirror-finished surface, and the above-described heat may be irregularly reflected in the surroundings.

In addition, when imaging a wide range with an infrared camera, not only the vicinity of the liquid level of the liquid filled in the container, but also various other surrounding objects are imaged, and it takes an extra load to process the image. In addition, noise is detected in detecting a temperature change in the vicinity of the liquid level that is originally desired, which can be an obstacle to stable detection.
For this reason, as shown in FIG. 9, a mask plate 4 having a slit 3 is set between the container 1 and the infrared camera, and the vicinity of a predetermined liquid level of the liquid filled in the container 1 through the slit 3 portion. It is possible to shoot only with an infrared camera.
However, if the type of the container 1 changes, the position of the liquid level to be detected may change. In such a case, it is necessary to replace the mask plate 4. For this reason, it is necessary to prepare a plurality of mask plates 4 according to the type of the container 1, which is costly and takes time to replace the mask plates 4.

  Further, when photographing with an infrared camera, illumination is applied from the back side of the container 1 or the like in order to obtain a clear image. However, the lighting efficiency of this illumination varies depending on the elapsed time after starting lighting, the ambient temperature, etc., which affects the processing of images taken with an infrared camera, which also contributes to the obstacle to stable detection. obtain.

  The present invention has been made based on such a technical problem, and provides a rotary filling device and a liquid level detection device capable of detecting the liquid level of a liquid filled in a container stably and with high accuracy. The purpose is to provide.

For this purpose, the rotary filling device of the present invention comprises a plurality of filling valves on the outer periphery of the disk, and the filling valve is inserted into a container in which an opening is assigned to the filling valve during the rotation of the disk. Inject liquid. In such a rotary filling device, a camera that captures infrared radiant energy radiated from the container into which the liquid is injected, and an image captured by the camera are subjected to image processing, and the liquid level of the liquid filled in the container an image processing unit for detecting the level, on the basis of the detection result in the image processing unit, and a controller for stopping the injection of the liquid into the container by controlling the fill valve, and further, from the surroundings when shooting with a camera It is characterized by comprising a thermal effect reducing member made of a plate that reduces the external thermal effect by shielding the heat of the material or preventing the radiation of heat from the surroundings . With such a thermal effect reducing member, it is possible to stably detect the liquid level of the liquid by image processing in the image processing unit by reducing the external thermal effect when photographing with the camera.
Such a thermal effect reducing member may be of any configuration as long as it can perform a required function. For example, the first member disposed on the opposite side of the container with respect to the camera is used. And a second panel disposed so as to surround the rear of the camera in the shooting direction.

Between the camera and the container to be photographed, light is transmitted only in the area to be photographed by the camera, and other areas are made non-transmissive, so that surrounding disturbance is avoided and only the desired area is photographed. Further provided is a mask member for stabilizing the liquid level detection. Thereby, the image processing of the area | region image | photographed with a camera can be performed stably by making the light from areas other than the area | region which should be image | photographed with a camera impervious. In this case, it is preferable to employ a mask member that can change the position of the light transmitting region. This is because even when the type of container changes and the area to be photographed by the camera, that is, the position where the liquid level is detected changes, the area that transmits light can be easily changed correspondingly. Thereby, a mold change can be performed easily.
As described above, as the mask member capable of changing the position of the light transmitting region, it is preferable to use a liquid crystal panel in which liquid crystal is filled between a pair of two substrates and the liquid crystal is electrically driven. At this time, the driving of the liquid crystal panel is controlled by the drive control unit.

The rotary filling device may further include a light source that is provided on the opposite side of the camera with respect to the camera and that emits light toward the container. In order to improve the uniformity of the amount of light, it is preferable to use a light source composed of a planar light source that emits planar light or a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged point light sources.
When the light source is composed of a plurality of point light sources, it is possible to turn on only the point light sources located at a portion corresponding to the imaging range of the container in the camera.
In addition, when a light source that irradiates light toward the container is provided on the opposite side of the container with respect to the camera, a light source sensor that detects the amount of light emitted from the light source and a light source that is detected by the light amount sensor It is preferable to further include a light amount control unit that controls the amount of light emitted. By performing feedback control of the light amount in this way, the light amount can be stabilized.
Furthermore, in order to make the light uniform, a light diffusing plate can be provided between the light emitting portion at the tip of the optical fiber that guides the light emitted from the light source and the container.
In addition, the camera can be provided at a plurality of locations on the outer periphery of the disk and the plurality of filling valves. In this case, the controller can adjust the liquid level in the process of filling the liquid while the container rotates with the disk. By detecting the rise at a plurality of timings, it is possible to predict the timing at which the liquid level reaches a predetermined liquid level in each container, and to control the liquid filling end time for each container based on the prediction. .
It is also preferable to provide an optical path device for obtaining an optical path length from the container to the camera between the camera and the container.

Such a rotary filling device can be applied to a so-called aseptic filling device in which a liquid having a temperature of room temperature or lower is injected from a filling valve in an environment having a cleanness of a predetermined level or more. Of course, it is possible to apply the present invention to a so-called hot filling type rotary filling apparatus that fills a liquid at a high temperature. In that case, it is preferable to apply the following configuration.
That is, in the case of the hot filling type rotary filling device, the image processing unit detects the temperature of the liquid in the container based on the infrared radiant energy radiated from the container. It is determined whether the temperature of the liquid is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature.
In the case of the hot filling method, the rotary filling device further includes an overturn sterilizer that inverts the container in which the liquid has been injected upside down and sterilizes the inner surface of the cap of the container with the liquid in the container. Therefore, the controller can sterilize the detected liquid in the container that has been determined to be equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature with the overturning sterilizer. Thus, not only the filling amount control but also the determination / control of whether or not to allow overturning sterilization can be performed by the infrared camera.

The present invention can also be a liquid level detecting device that detects the liquid level of a liquid filled in a container. This liquid level detector detects the infrared level of the radiant energy emitted from the container into which the liquid is injected, and processes the image captured by the camera to detect the liquid level of the liquid filled in the container. An image processing unit, a thermal effect reducing member made of a plate that reduces external thermal effects by shielding heat from surroundings or preventing radiation of heat from the surroundings when shooting with a camera, It is provided between the container and transmits light only in the area that should be photographed by the camera, while other areas do not transmit light, avoiding external disturbances and photographing only the desired area to detect the liquid level. And a mask member for stabilizing the above, wherein the mask member is capable of changing the position of a region through which light is transmitted. Such a liquid level detection device can be used not only for filling amount control in a rotary filling device but also for checking the filling amount.
Further, a light source that is provided on the opposite side of the container with respect to the camera and that emits light toward the container can be provided. As such a light source, a planar light source that emits planar light, or a two-dimensional light source can be used. It is preferable to use a light source composed of a plurality of point light sources arranged in a line.

The present invention relates to an image processing unit for detecting a camera for capturing infrared radiation energy emitted from the container in which the liquid is injected, the image photographed by the camera and image processing, the liquid level of the liquid filled in the container And a region that transmits light toward the camera and does not transmit light by electrically driving a liquid crystal provided between the camera and the container to be photographed and filled between a pair of substrates. And a mask member that stabilizes the liquid level detection by photographing only the desired region by avoiding the surrounding disturbance , and the mask member changes the position of the light transmitting region. It can also be characterized as being possible . In such a mask member, the position, number, size, and the like of a region that transmits light can be easily changed by electrically driving the liquid crystal.

According to the present invention, it is possible to detect the filling level of a liquid in a non-contact manner regardless of the color of the container and the liquid, bubbles generated during filling, and the like. At this time, the stability of the liquid surface level detection using the infrared radiation energy by the camera can be enhanced by using the heat effect reducing member, the planar light, or the many point light.
Further, by using a liquid crystal panel type mask member between the camera and the container, the mask position can be easily changed, and the efficiency of the mold changing operation can be improved.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the overall configuration of a beverage filling machine 10 according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the beverage filling machine 10 mainly includes a rinser 20 for rinsing a container, a filler (rotary filling device) 30 for filling the container with a liquid, and a capper 40 for attaching a cap to the container filled with the liquid. In preparation.
A transport star wheel 45 or the like is provided between the rinse rinser 20, the filler 30, and the capper 40, so that containers are delivered and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the filler 30 includes a rotary table (disk) 31 that is driven to rotate in one direction by a drive motor (not shown). The rotary table 31 is provided with a large number of filling valves 32 on the outer periphery thereof along the circumferential direction. Each filling valve 32 can fill the container 100 with a liquid while the container 100 is held. Liquid is supplied to the filling valve 32 from a tank 33 disposed above the rotary table 31 through a liquid supply pipe 34. The operation of each filling valve 32 is controlled by a controller 35 so that supply of liquid is started and stopped.

  In such a filler 30, the rotary table 31 rotates, and at a predetermined position, the container 100 supplied from the rinse rinser 20 side is held by the filling valve 32, and the opening of the container 100 serves as the nozzle of the filling valve 32. Assigned. The filling valve 32 that holds the container 100 fills the container 100 with the liquid supplied from the tank 33 while the rotary table 31 rotates almost once, and releases the container 100 filled with the liquid at a predetermined position. To do. The container 100 released from the filling valve 32 is sent to the capper 40 side in the subsequent process, and a cap is attached.

Now, the filler 30 includes a liquid level detection unit (liquid level detection device) 50 for detecting the amount (level) of the liquid filled in the container 100.
The liquid level detection unit 50 mainly includes an infrared camera (camera) 51 that captures an image of the container 100 filled with a liquid and an image processing control unit (image processing unit) 52 thereof. The infrared camera 51 captures infrared radiant energy radiated from the container 100 filled with the liquid, and sends the image data to the image processing control unit 52.

The image processing control unit 52 specifies the position of the liquid level in the container 100 by image processing based on the image data obtained from the infrared camera 51. When the container 100 is filled with a liquid, the surface of the container 100 also changes depending on the temperature of the liquid. Generally, at the time of liquid filling, the liquid is 5 ° C. or less in the case of the aseptic filling method, and is generally 80 ° C. or more in the case of the hot filling method, and there is a difference of 15 ° C. or more from the normal temperature (about 20 ° C. or so). Therefore, the infrared radiation energy is imaged by the infrared camera 51 at a predetermined position of the container 100, and the image processing is performed by the image processing control unit 52, whereby the liquid level position of the liquid can be specified.
The image processing control unit 52 sends the specified liquid level data to the controller 35 of the beverage filling machine 10. In response to this, the controller 35 controls the operation of the filling valve 32 based on the obtained liquid level level position data, and controls the timing for stopping the filling of the liquid.

Here, as shown in FIG. 1, the infrared camera 51 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the rotary table 31 at a position separated from the container 100 held by each filling valve 32 by a predetermined dimension.
As shown in FIG. 2, ambient heat is generated on the opposite side of the container 100 held by the filling valve 32 from the infrared camera 51, that is, on the background side when the infrared camera 51 images the container 100. A back plate (heat effect reducing member, first panel) 53 for preventing radiation to the 100 side is provided. The back plate 53 preferably has a low surface reflectance. For example, the back plate 53 can be formed of a resin plate, a metal plate coated with matte black, or the like. The back plate 53 may be provided in a fixed state (that is, does not rotate integrally with the rotary table 31) only at a position facing the infrared camera 51, or is formed in a ring shape continuous in the circumferential direction of the rotary table 31. It may be attached to the lower surface of the turntable 31 so as to rotate integrally with the turntable 31.

  Further, behind the infrared camera 51, a shielding plate (heat effect reducing member, second panel) 54 that shields heat from around the beverage filling machine 10 is provided. For this purpose, the shielding plate 54 is preferably provided so as to surround the rear, upper, and side of the infrared camera 51. The shielding plate 54 can be formed of a resin plate, a metal plate, or the like, and may have a heat insulating effect with a heat insulating material or the like. The shielding plate 54 is also preferably coated with matte black or the like on the side facing the infrared camera 51 so that the surface reflectance is low.

Moreover, it is preferable to provide a mask member 60 for photographing only the vicinity of the position where the liquid level is photographed with the infrared camera 51 between the infrared camera 51 and the container 100 photographed by the infrared camera 51.
As the mask member 60, a mask plate in which slits 60a are formed at positions to be photographed can be used as in the conventional case. Since it takes time and effort, it is preferable to use the one having the following configuration.
That is, as shown in FIG. 3, it is preferable to use a liquid crystal panel 61 as the mask member 60. The liquid crystal panel 61 is driven by applying a voltage to the drive circuit and a drive circuit in which data lines and scanning lines are provided in a matrix between a pair of glass substrates. Liquid crystal is filled. By controlling this drive circuit with a drive control unit 62 provided outside, the direction of the liquid crystal can be changed and light can be switched between transmission and non-transmission.

  As shown in FIG. 4, using such a liquid crystal panel 61, a region corresponding to a predetermined range in the vicinity of a position to be photographed by the infrared camera 51, that is, a position near the position where the liquid level of the liquid filled in the container 100 is photographed. Hereinafter, the drive control unit 62 controls the drive circuit of the liquid crystal panel 61 so that the light is transmitted through the transmissive region At and the light is not transmitted through the other region (hereinafter, non-transmissive region) Am.

  In such a mask member 60 using the liquid crystal panel 61, the position of the transmission region At corresponding to the type of the container 100 is programmed in advance, and the drive control unit 62 determines the drive circuit of the liquid crystal panel 61 based on this program. By controlling, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the position of the transmission region At can be automatically changed according to the type of the container 100 filled with the liquid in the beverage filling machine 10. This eliminates the need for replacement work as in the case of using the mask member 60 in which a conventional slit is physically formed at the time of mold change, and can greatly improve work efficiency.

When the mask member 60 is used, a light source device 70 that emits light is disposed on the back side of the container 100. In the liquid crystal panel 61, the light emitted from the light source device 70 passes through the container 100, passes through the transmission region At of the liquid crystal panel 61, and reaches the infrared camera 51.
Thereby, in the infrared camera 51, the liquid level in the container 100 is detected in an area corresponding to the transmission area At.

  By the way, as the light source device 70 as described above, one that guides light emitted from the light source 71 through the optical fiber 72 and irradiates from the back side of the container 100 can be used. In this case, a light diffusing plate 73 is preferably provided between the light emitting portion at the tip of the optical fiber 72 and the container 100 in order to make the light uniform.

  In order to improve the uniformity of light, instead of such a configuration, the light source device 70 is arranged with a planar light source that emits planar light and a large number of point light sources in the same manner as a backlight used in a liquid crystal display device. It is preferable that

As shown in FIG. 5, the light source device 70 is a two-dimensional array of point light sources 74 such as LEDs (light-emitting diodes), and each point light source 74 is a light source. The controller 75 can be switched on / off.
As shown in FIG. 6, in the light source device 70 using such a point light source 74, the position to be photographed by the infrared camera 51, that is, the liquid level of the liquid filled in the container 100 is set according to the type of the container 100. The point light source 74 can be turned on only in the area corresponding to the shooting position (in FIG. 6, the solid line indicates lighting and the dotted line indicates non-lighting). In addition, the point light source 74 is turned on when the liquid level is detected, that is, when the container 100 held by the filling valve 32 is positioned at a predetermined position with respect to the infrared camera 51. You can also.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the light source device 70 includes a light amount sensor 76 that detects the light amount of the irradiated light. Based on the light amount detected by the light amount sensor 76, the light source control unit 75 performs light source 71 and The amount of light emitted from the point light source 74 may be feedback controlled. Thereby, stabilization of the light quantity can be achieved.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, such infrared cameras 51 are provided at, for example, two places on the outer peripheral side of the beverage filling machine 10. And in each infrared camera 51, as shown in FIG. 4, it is preferable to image | photograph the some container 100 hold | maintained at the some filling valve 32 within the same viewing angle.
Then, the image taken in this way is controlled by the image processing control unit 52 at predetermined intervals, so that the liquid surface is filled in the process of filling the liquid while one container 100 rotates with the rotary table 31. Level rise is detected at multiple timings. Accordingly, the image processing control unit 52 can predict the rising speed of the liquid level in each container 100 and the timing of reaching the predetermined liquid level. Based on the prediction, the controller 35 of the beverage filling machine 10 determines the liquid filling end time for each container 100 and controls the operation of the filling valve 32 holding each container 100.

At this time, the infrared camera 51 captures a plurality of, for example, four containers 100 within the same viewing angle and obtains a sufficient depth of field for ensuring the accuracy of image processing. It is necessary to secure a sufficient distance, for example, 1.5 to 2 m. However, when the infrared camera 51 and the container 100 are separated from each other in this manner, even if the above-described measures are adopted, the infrared camera 51 and the container 100 are easily affected by the surrounding heat. There is also a possibility that shooting may be interrupted, and there is also a problem that a large space is required for installing the infrared camera 51 around the beverage filling machine 10 and the effective use of the space is hindered.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, it is preferable to provide an optical path device 80 that increases the optical path length from the container 100 to the infrared camera 51 between the infrared camera 51 and the container 100. In the optical path device 80, a plurality of reflecting mirrors 82 and the like are arranged in a case 81, and the optical path is bent in the case 81 to increase the optical path length. In such an optical path device 80, the opening 81a formed in the case 81 is opposed to the container 100, and the infrared camera 51 is disposed in the case 81 or at a position facing the other opening 81b formed in the case 81. And use.
As a result, an optical distance greater than the actual distance can be secured between the infrared camera 51 and the container 100 by the optical path device 80, and a predetermined number of containers 100 can be photographed within the same viewing angle. It is possible to obtain a sufficient depth of field for ensuring processing accuracy.

As described above, in the beverage filling machine 10, the liquid level detection unit 50 using the infrared camera 51 allows the liquid to be supplied to the container 100 in a non-contact manner regardless of the color of the container 100, the liquid, bubbles generated at the time of filling, and the like. The filling level can be detected, and the liquid filling environment can be made clean. At that time, the back plate 53 and the shielding plate 54 can prevent the influence of ambient heat, and the liquid level detection in the infrared camera 51 can be performed stably.
In addition, by using the mask member 60, it is possible to stabilize the liquid level detection by photographing only a desired region with the infrared camera 51 without being affected by surrounding disturbance. In addition, by using the liquid crystal panel 61 as the mask member 60, it is only necessary to change the transmission region At even when the type of the container 100 changes, and no actual replacement work or the like is required, thereby improving the efficiency of the mold change work. Can be planned.
Furthermore, the light source device 70 can be configured to have a planar light source that emits planar light and a large number of point light sources 74 arranged, so that the illumination light can be made uniform. It can contribute to the stabilization of the liquid level detection.
Thus, by improving the stability of the liquid level detection in the infrared camera 51, the liquid level can be reliably and stably performed.

  By the way, the beverage filling machine 10 having the above-described configuration is an aseptic filling method in which a container 100 is filled with a liquid at room temperature or lower in an environment having a cleanness of a predetermined level or higher. It can be applied to either of the hot filling methods of filling in.

When the above configuration is applied to the hot filling method, the following configuration can also be provided.
In the case of the hot filling method, after filling the container 100 with a liquid of a predetermined temperature or higher with the filler 30, the inner surface of the cap attached to the container 100 is heated at a high temperature with the overturning sterilizer 90 as shown in FIG. The process of sterilizing with the liquid is added. The overturning sterilizer 90 receives the container 100 filled with the liquid with the filler 30 and attached with the cap with the capper 40, and inverts the container 100 upside down in the process of transporting it. Thereby, the liquid in the container 100 contacts the back side of the cap, and sterilization is performed.

In this case, in the liquid level detection unit 50, the infrared radiation energy radiated from the container 100 is photographed by the infrared camera 51, and the image is processed by the image processing control unit 52, whereby the liquid in the container 100 is processed. The temperature can also be detected. The detection timing is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a timing when it is determined that the liquid is filled to a predetermined level in the container 100.
The controller 35 of the beverage filling machine 10 determines whether or not the temperature of the liquid in the container 100 is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. The container 100 is conveyed toward the process capper 40. On the other hand, when the temperature of the liquid in the container 100 is not higher than a predetermined temperature, the container 100 is controlled to be discharged as a defective product at an appropriate timing. If the temperature in the container 100 is lower than the specified value, the predetermined sterilization effect can be obtained even if the container 100 is inverted by the overturning sterilizer 90 in the subsequent process and the liquid in the container 100 is brought into contact with the inner surface of the cap. This is because the quality cannot be guaranteed.

  In this way, by detecting the temperature of the liquid in the container 100 with the liquid level detection unit 50, it is also possible to determine whether or not predetermined sterilization can be performed with the overturning sterilizer 90. In this case, since the liquid level detection unit 50 has two functions of the liquid amount detection and the liquid temperature detection, an effect of reducing cost can be obtained.

In addition, in the said embodiment, although the drink filling machine 10 was demonstrated, about the detailed structure of each part of an apparatus, it is not restricted to what was shown in the said embodiment, It is possible to employ | adopt another structure suitably.
In addition to this, as long as it does not depart from the gist of the present invention, the configuration described in the above embodiment can be selected or changed to another configuration as appropriate.

It is a top view which shows the whole structure of the filling apparatus in this embodiment. It is sectional drawing of a filling apparatus. It is sectional drawing which shows the other example of a filling apparatus. It is a figure which shows the example of the picked-up image using the mask member which consists of a liquid crystal panel. It is a figure which shows the light source using a point light source. It is a figure which shows the state which turned on the point light source only in the part corresponding to the area | region which detects a liquid level with the light source using a point light source. It is a figure which shows the example provided with the optical path apparatus which earns optical path length. It is a figure which shows the structure of a fall sterilizer. It is a figure which shows the mask member used conventionally.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Beverage filling machine, 30 ... Filler (rotary filling apparatus), 31 ... Rotary table (disk), 32 ... Filling valve, 35 ... Controller, 50 ... Liquid level detection part (liquid level detection apparatus), 51 ... Infrared camera (camera), 52 ... image processing control unit (image processing unit), 53 ... back plate (heat effect reducing member, first panel), 54 ... shielding plate (heat effect reducing member, second panel), DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 60 ... Mask member, 61 ... Liquid crystal panel, 62 ... Drive control part, 70 ... Light source device, 71 ... Light source, 74 ... Point light source, 75 ... Light source control part, 76 ... Light quantity sensor, 80 ... Optical path apparatus, 82 ... Reflection Mirror, 90 ... Fall sterilizer, 100 ... Container

Claims (14)

A rotary filling device comprising a plurality of filling valves on the outer periphery of a disc, and injecting liquid from the filling valve into a container in which an opening is assigned to the filling valve during rotation of the disc,
A camera that images infrared radiant energy emitted from the container into which liquid is injected;
An image processing unit that performs image processing on an image captured by the camera and detects a liquid level of the liquid filled in the container;
A controller that controls the filling valve based on the detection result in the image processing unit to stop the injection of the liquid into the container;
A thermal effect reducing member made of a plate that reduces external thermal effects by shielding heat from surroundings or preventing radiation of heat from the surroundings when shooting with the camera;
Provided between the camera and the container to be imaged, and transmits light only in an area to be imaged by the camera, and other areas do not transmit light. A mask member that aims to stabilize liquid level detection by photographing only,
The rotary filling apparatus, wherein the mask member is capable of changing a position of the region that transmits light.   The thermal effect reducing member is configured with a first panel disposed on the opposite side of the container with respect to the camera, and a second panel disposed so as to surround the rear of the camera in the photographing direction. The rotary filling device according to claim 1.   The mask member includes a liquid crystal panel in which liquid crystal is filled between a pair of substrates and the liquid crystal is electrically driven, and a drive control unit that controls driving of the liquid crystal panel. The rotary filling device according to claim 2. The camera is further provided with a light source that is provided on the opposite side of the container and that emits light toward the container.
The rotary filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the light source includes a planar light source that emits planar light or a plurality of point light sources arranged two-dimensionally.   5. The rotary filling according to claim 4, wherein the light source includes a plurality of the point light sources, and turns on only the point light source located in a portion corresponding to the imaging range of the container in the camera. apparatus. A light source that is provided on the opposite side of the camera with respect to the camera and that emits light toward the container;
A light amount sensor for detecting the amount of light emitted from the light source;
A light source controller that controls the amount of light emitted by the light source based on the amount of light detected by the light amount sensor;
The rotary filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising: The image processing unit detects the temperature of the liquid filled in the container by performing image processing on an image captured by the camera,
The rotary filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the controller determines whether or not the detected temperature of the liquid in the container is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. The container that has been injected with the liquid is turned upside down, and further equipped with a tipping sterilizer that sterilizes the inner surface of the cap of the container with the liquid in the container.
The rotary filling device according to claim 7, wherein the controller sterilizes a liquid whose temperature in the container is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature by the overturning sterilizer.   9. A light diffusing plate is provided between the container and the light emitting portion at the tip of an optical fiber that guides light emitted from the light source in order to make light uniform. A rotary filling device according to claim 1. The camera is provided at a plurality of locations on the outer peripheral side of the disk and the plurality of filling valves,
The controller detects a rise in the liquid level at a plurality of timings while the container is filled with the liquid while rotating with the disk, so that the liquid level in each of the containers is a predetermined liquid level. 10. The rotary filling device according to claim 1, wherein a timing at which the level is reached is predicted, and a liquid filling end time for each of the containers is controlled based on the prediction.   The rotary filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein an optical path device that increases an optical path length from the container to the camera is provided between the camera and the container. A camera for imaging infrared radiant energy emitted from a container into which liquid is injected;
An image processing unit that performs image processing on an image captured by the camera and detects a liquid level of the liquid filled in the container;
A thermal effect reducing member made of a plate that reduces external thermal effects by shielding heat from surroundings or preventing radiation of heat from the surroundings when shooting with the camera;
Provided between the camera and the container to be imaged, and transmits light only in an area to be imaged by the camera, and other areas do not transmit light. A mask member that aims to stabilize liquid level detection by photographing only,
The liquid level detector according to claim 1, wherein the mask member is capable of changing a position of the region that transmits light. The camera is further provided with a light source that is provided on the opposite side of the container and that emits light toward the container.
The liquid level detecting device according to claim 12, wherein the light source comprises a planar light source that emits planar light or a plurality of point light sources arranged two-dimensionally. A camera for imaging infrared radiant energy emitted from a container into which liquid is injected;
An image processing unit that performs image processing on an image captured by the camera and detects a liquid level of the liquid filled in the container;
A region that transmits light toward the camera, and transmits light by electrically driving a liquid crystal provided between the camera and the container to be imaged and filled between a pair of substrates. And a mask member that avoids ambient disturbances and captures only the desired area to stabilize the liquid level detection,
The liquid level detector according to claim 1, wherein the mask member is capable of changing a position of the region that transmits light.

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