JP4440444B2 - Product inspection system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a product inspection system that performs inspection while transporting products on a conveyor.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, a product such as a beverage in a paper pack performs printing, printing check, and quality inspection in one inspection system. In addition, the interval between the product discharged from the filling machine is relatively clogged, so the minimum interval required for quality inspection is often not secured, and the product is separated using a sandwiching conveyor. There is such a system.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In such a system, when printing and printing check are performed,
(1) A portion without an interval (2) It is conceivable to perform printing and a print check at one of two locations with a large interval after separation.
However, at the point (1), since there is no interval between the products, it is difficult to determine the positions (edges) of the front and rear ends of the product itself, so it is difficult to perform printing and print check with high accuracy. On the other hand, since the speed is too high at the position {circle around (2)}, printing cannot be performed.
[0004]
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a system capable of performing the processing with high accuracy in a product inspection system including a processing machine and an inspection machine for performing predetermined processing on a product.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the product inspection system of the present invention is provided with a plurality of transport conveyors having a transport surface on the upper surface side, and a plurality of sandwiching conveyors for transporting products while sandwiching products from the side by a pair of belts, In a product inspection system comprising: a processing machine that performs a predetermined process on a product that is sandwiched by the sandwiching conveyor; and an inspection machine that performs a predetermined inspection of the product downstream of the most downstream sandwiching conveyor. First, second and third sandwiching conveyors are provided in order from the downstream to the downstream, and the conveying speed is set to a large value in the order of the first, second and third sandwiching conveyors, and the second The processing machine performs the predetermined processing on the product when the product is held by the holding conveyor.
[0006]
In this system, while the product is transported from the first sandwiching conveyor to the third sandwiching conveyor, the transportation speed of the product is increased stepwise. That is, the interval between the products is reduced and clogged in the low-speed first sandwiching conveyor, the interval between the products is substantially constant in the medium-speed second sandwiching conveyor, and the interval between the products is increased in the third high-speed conveyor. . Predetermined processing such as printing is performed in the medium-speed second sandwiching conveyor, while various inspections are performed downstream of the high-speed third sandwiching conveyor.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
Schematic configuration of the entire system:
The product inspection system shown in FIG. 1 is a system that performs processing and inspection on a product while conveying a product such as a beverage filled in a paper pack. 1, an imaging camera 2, a metal detection device 3, a weighing conveyor device 4, and a sorting device 5, and a control unit 40 that controls each device. On the other hand, this product inspection system has a transport conveyor having a transport surface on the upper surface side, and the transport conveyor is, in order from the upstream, the pre-stage conveyor 11, the introduction conveyor 12, the intake conveyor 13, the weighing conveyor 14, and the sorting conveyor. 15.
[0008]
The commodity M is conveyed from the upstream upstream conveyor 11 to the introduction conveyor 12 of the present system. The product M conveyed to the introduction conveyor 12 is printed with a predetermined printing content by the printing machine 1 including, for example, an ink jet printer, and is imaged by the imaging camera 2. After the imaging, the product M is sent to the downstream intake conveyor 13, and the metal detection device 3 detects a metal piece or a metal member that has entered the product M. After the detection, the product M is sent to the weighing conveyor 14, and the weight is measured by the weighing conveyor device 4. Thereafter, as described later, the rejected products are sorted out of the line by the sorting conveyor 15, and only the accepted products are conveyed onto the downstream downstream conveyor 16.
[0009]
Configuration of main parts:
Elevating frame As shown in FIG. 2, the printing machine 1 and the imaging camera 2 are attached to one and the same elevating frame 30.
The elevating frame 30 is provided so as to be movable up and down along the elevating guides 33, 33, and is lifted and lowered by a first actuator 35 (FIG. 4) not shown in this figure and stopped at a predetermined height position. It is set to be possible. Therefore, the height positions of the printing machine 1 and the imaging camera 2 can be changed simultaneously according to the height of the product.
On the other hand, the elevating frame 30 shown in FIG. 3 is set so as to be movable in the width direction X orthogonal to the conveying direction of the product M by a second actuator 36 (FIG. 4) not shown in this figure. Therefore, the position of the printing machine 1 and the imaging camera 2 in the width direction X on the lifting frame 30 can be changed simultaneously by moving the lifting frame 30 in the width direction X according to the width of the product.
An article detector made of, for example, an optical sensor is provided upstream of the printer 1.
[0010]
As shown in FIG. 2, the first, second and third sandwiching conveyors 21 to 23 are arranged on the preceding conveyor 11, the introduction conveyor 12 and the take-in conveyor 13 in order from the product introduction portion to the downstream. (Hereinafter referred to as first, second and third conveyors). As shown in FIG. 3, each of the sandwiching conveyors 21 to 23 is provided with a pair of endless belts, and each pair of belts conveys the product M while sandwiching the side surfaces of the products M, as will be described later. The pitch between them is set to a substantially constant pitch.
[0011]
The belt is driven by a separate driving source (for example, a servo motor) (not shown) for each belt. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower ends of the belts of the respective sandwiching conveyors 21 to 23 are provided close to the surface of the belts of the front conveyor 11, the introduction conveyor 12 and the intake conveyor 13. The first conveyor 21 is provided across the upstream conveyor 11 and the introduction conveyor 12. The third conveyor 23 is provided across the introduction conveyor 12 and the intake conveyor 13. The sandwiching width W defined by the spacing between the belts in the sandwiching conveyors 21 to 23 shown in FIG. 3 is set to be changeable according to the product by the sandwiching width driving unit 24 (FIG. 4) composed of an actuator.
In addition, the urethane coating without an unevenness | corrugation is given to the surface of the cushion material of the belt of each said clamping conveyor 21-23. Therefore, even if moisture adheres, the belt can be prevented from contracting, and since the surface is smooth, cleaning is easy and propagation of germs and the like can be suppressed.
[0012]
Control configuration:
As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 40 includes the article detector 6, the printing machine 1, the imaging camera 2, the first actuator 35, the second actuator 36, the sandwiching conveyors 21 to 23, and the sandwiching width driving unit 24. The metal detection device 3, the weighing conveyor device 4, the sorting device 5, the transport conveyors 12 to 15, the display 8 and the operation keys 9 are connected via an interface (not shown).
When the article detector 6 detects a product, it transmits a product detection signal to the control unit 40. The imaging camera 2 transmits an imaging signal to the control unit 40.
[0013]
The control unit 40 has a microcomputer 41. The microcomputer 41 includes a CPU 42, a memory 43, and a timer 44 that measures time. The CPU 42 has an image processing means 42a for processing the image pickup signal. The memory 43 has a product information storage unit 43a.
[0014]
As shown in FIG. 5, in the product information storage unit 43a, the product number, product name, set weight, printing content, the height position of the lifting frame 30, the width direction position, and the conveyors of the sandwiching conveyors 21 to 23 are shown. Along with the speeds V1, V2 and V3 and the clamping width W, setting values such as the conveyor speeds of the respective conveyors 12 to 15 are stored in association with each other in advance and set to be changeable / addable. .
[0015]
In the set weight column, the weight of the product including the tare is stored. In the print content column, for example, a print layout such as a character size and a character interval is stored together with a product quality retention period, a manufacturing factory abbreviation, and the like.
[0016]
Each speed is stored in the conveyor speed column based on the following criteria.
That is, the conveyor speeds V1, V2, and V3 of the sandwiching conveyors 21 to 23 in FIG. 2 are set to large values in the order of the first conveyor 21, the second conveyor 22, and the third conveyor 23 (V1 <V2 <V3). ). The first conveyor 21 is set to a conveyance speed smaller than that of the preceding conveyor 11. On the other hand, the second conveyor 22 and the introduction conveyor 12 are set to substantially the same transport speed, and the third conveyor 23 and the intake conveyor 13 are set to approximately the same transport speed.
[0017]
Operation of the sandwiching conveyor:
Next, prior to the description of the operation of the product inspection system, the operation of the sandwiching conveyor will be described.
As shown in FIG. 6A, the product M <b> 1 conveyed by the front conveyor 11 is nipped and conveyed by the first conveyor 21. As described above, since the first conveyor 21 is set to a conveyance speed lower than that of the preceding conveyor 11, the conveyance speed of the product M1 is reduced by the first conveyor 21. Here, if the transport speed of the first conveyor 21 is sufficiently low, as shown in FIG. 6B, the first conveyor 21 has no gap between the previous product M1 and the next product M2, or The interval is clogged.
[0018]
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6C, the previous product M <b> 1 is sandwiched and conveyed by the second conveyor 22. Since the 2nd conveyor 22 is set to the conveyance speed larger than the 1st conveyor 21, as shown in FIG.6 (d), the space | interval of the previous goods M1 and the following goods M2 becomes large. By the way, in the first conveyor 21, there is almost no gap between the previous product M1 and the next product M2, so the pitch of the products M1 and M2 on the second conveyor 22 is substantially constant. On the other hand, the second conveyor 22 and the introduction conveyor 12 are set at substantially the same speed, and the lower part of the product is sandwiched between the sandwiching conveyors 21 to 23, so that the product is conveyed in an inclined state. Can be prevented.
[0019]
Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 6E, the previous product M <b> 1 is sandwiched by the third conveyor 23 and is transported at a transport speed greater than that of the second conveyor 22. The commodity M <b> 1 is transferred to the intake conveyor 13 while being sandwiched between the third conveyors 23, and then conveyed downstream by the intake conveyor 13. Here, since the conveyance speed of the 3rd conveyor 23 and the intake conveyor 13 is set to the substantially same speed, even if it is a bulky product, the 3rd conveyor 23 and the intake conveyor 13 are smoothly moved without falling down. You can change.
[0020]
Product inspection system operation:
Next, the operation of the product inspection system will be described.
When the operator performs a predetermined operation and designates a product to start the system, the control unit 40 shown in FIG. 4 reads the setting values corresponding to the product from the product information storage unit 43a.
[0021]
The CPU 42 performs the following control based on the set value. The first and second actuators 35 and 36 are driven based on the height position and the width direction position of the elevating frame 30, and the printing machine 1 and the imaging camera 2 are moved to a predetermined height position and width direction position according to the product. Let On the other hand, the CPU 42 drives the clamping width driving unit 24 based on the clamping width, and moves the clamping conveyors 21 to 23 to positions corresponding to the clamping width. The CPU 42 starts driving the sandwiching conveyors 21 to 23 and the conveying conveyors 12 to 15 based on the respective conveyor speeds.
[0022]
When the product M is transported by the front conveyor 11 shown in FIG. 2, the product M is sandwiched by the first conveyor 21, and then sandwiched by the second conveyor 22 and transported onto the introduction conveyor 12. When the control unit 40 shown in FIG. 4 receives the product detection signal from the article detector 6, the control unit 40 causes the printing machine 1 to perform printing after a predetermined time has elapsed based on the time measurement signal from the timer 44. The printing machine 1 performs printing on the product M based on the printing content. Thereafter, the image processing unit 42a performs image processing based on the imaging signal of the product M from the imaging camera 2, and the CPU 42 determines the print content based on the image. If the printed content is unclear, not printed at a predetermined position, or not printed at all, the CPU 42 determines that the product is unacceptable.
[0023]
By the way, as mentioned above, since the conveyor speed of the 2nd conveyor 22 is set larger than the 1st conveyor 21, it can print and image with respect to the goods cut | disconnected reliably. On the other hand, by setting the conveyor speed of the second conveyor 22 to be smaller than that of the third conveyor 23, the goods can be conveyed at an optimum speed for printing and imaging.
[0024]
In addition, as described in the section of the operation of the sandwiching conveyor described above, even a bulky product is not inclined and conveyed, so there is no fear that the printing is inclined. In addition, since there is no possibility that the imaging camera 2 captures a tilted product, the determination accuracy of the above-described print content is also increased.
[0025]
Thereafter, the product M is sandwiched by the third conveyor 23 and conveyed onto the intake conveyor 13 shown in FIG. 1 and then sent to the weighing conveyor 14, where the metal detection device 3 and the weighing conveyor device 4 respectively detect the metal. Weighing is performed. When metal is detected or when it is outside the allowable range of the set weight, the CPU 42 determines that the product is unacceptable.
[0026]
Thereafter, the product M is transported onto the sorting conveyor 15, and when it is determined that the product is unacceptable, it is discharged out of the line, and only the passed product is transported onto the downstream subsequent conveyor 16.
[0027]
Fine adjustment during operation:
If a defect such as printing failure occurs during the operation of transporting, printing, or inspecting the product, the operator performs a predetermined operation during the operation, and makes fine adjustments by changing the set values related to timing and position. Do. The microcomputer 41 has a multitasking function, and when the set value is changed, the CPU 42 deletes the set value of the product stored in the product information storage unit 43a and the changed new setting. The value is stored (overwritten and saved) in the product information storage unit 43a as the set value of the product. Therefore, when the set value is read after the next time, the system is operated according to the overwritten new set value.
In this way, each set value can be changed during operation, and the new set value after the change can be overwritten and saved in the product information storage unit 43a, so that the product can be stored without stopping the production line. It is possible to operate with the most suitable set value.
[0028]
Stop the system:
When stopping each inspection machine etc., only the 1st clamping conveyor 21 is stopped, the conveyance to the downstream of goods is stopped, and the goods on the conveyance conveyors 12-15 are conveyed downstream as it is. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the product from falling over when the conveyors 12 to 15 are stopped.
[0029]
A product information storage unit 43a that stores at least one of the height position or the width direction position of the printing machine 1 or the imaging camera 2, or the speed or the sandwiching width of the sandwiching conveyors 21 to 23; A controller 40 that reads out the stored content of the product information storage unit 43a and drives the actuators 24, 35, and 36 in accordance with the position, speed, or clamping width; You may enable it to change during the driving | running | working which carries out conveyance / printing / inspection.
That is, in the embodiment, when fine adjustment during driving is performed, a new set value is stored in the product information storage unit 43a. However, it is not always necessary to store the new set value in the temporary storage unit. The system may be operated based on a temporary set value.
[0030]
As described above, the preferred embodiments have been described with reference to the drawings. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand various changes and modifications within the obvious scope by looking at the present specification.
For example, the captured image of the imaging camera 2 is set to be focused (focused) at a predetermined distance, and the elevating frame is automatically moved to the position in the width direction where the captured image is focused. You may make it match.
Further, the positions of the printing machine and the imaging camera may be changed and set separately.
Accordingly, such changes and modifications are to be construed as within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, when a medium-speed second sandwiching conveyor is provided between a low-speed and a high-speed sandwiching conveyor, and the product is sandwiched by the medium-speed second sandwiching conveyor, Since the predetermined processing is performed, the speed suitable for the processing can be set. Therefore, merchandise processing can be performed with high accuracy.
[0032]
Further, if a printing machine as a product processing machine and a camera for checking printing are installed on one lifting platform, a simple structure can be obtained and a change in printing position can be easily dealt with.
[0033]
Further, if each clamping conveyor is driven by a separate driving source, speed setting and control are facilitated.
[0034]
Further, if the clamping width of each clamping conveyor can be automatically changed, the product can be securely clamped even if the width differs for each product.
[0035]
Further, if the height of the printing machine or the camera is stored for each product and can be automatically changed for each product, it is possible to respond immediately to specifications that differ for each product.
Furthermore, if the change of the stored contents can be performed during operation, it is not necessary to stop the inspection system, and it is not necessary to stop the production line such as the upstream filler.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a product inspection system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view showing a main part of the system.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a main part of the system.
FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a control configuration of the system.
FIG. 5 is a chart showing storage contents of a product information storage unit.
FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view showing the operation of the sandwiching conveyor.
[Explanation of symbols]
1: Printing machine (processing machine)
2: Imaging camera 3: Metal detection device (inspection machine)
4: Weighing conveyor device (inspection machine)
11-15: Conveying conveyors 21-23: Holding conveyor 35: First actuator 36: Second actuator 30: Lifting frame 40: Control unit 43a: Product information storage unit M: Product W: Holding width

Claims (14)

A process of providing a plurality of conveying conveyors having a conveying surface on the upper surface side, and a plurality of clamping conveyors for conveying the products while holding the products from the side by a pair of belts, and performing a predetermined process on the products sandwiched by the sandwiching conveyor Product inspection system comprising a machine and an inspection machine that performs a predetermined inspection on the product downstream of the most downstream sandwiching conveyor,
In order from the product introduction part to the downstream, first, second and third clamping conveyors are provided,
The conveyance speed is set to a large value in the order of the first, second and third sandwiching conveyors,
The product inspection system, wherein the processing unit performs the predetermined processing on the product when the product is held by the second holding conveyor. In claim 1,
The product inspection system in which at least one clamping conveyor among the clamping conveyors is provided across the conveying conveyors. In claim 1 or 2,
The product processor is a product inspection system which is a printer for printing on products. In claim 3,
A product inspection system provided with an imaging camera for imaging the printed content printed by the printing machine, and configured to image the printed content of the product when the product is sandwiched by the second sandwiching conveyor. In claim 3,
A product inspection system in which at least one of the printing machine or the camera is provided so that a height position can be changed, and the height position can be changed by an operation of an actuator. In claim 4,
A product inspection system in which the printing machine and the camera are attached to one same lifting frame, and the lifting frame moves up and down by the operation of an actuator so as to be stopped at a predetermined height position. In any one of Claims 4 thru | or 6,
A product inspection system in which at least one of the printing machine and the camera can be driven and moved in the width direction orthogonal to the product conveyance direction, and the position in the width direction can be changed. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 7,
A product inspection system in which each of the sandwiching conveyors is driven by a separate driving source. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 8,
A product inspection system in which a clamping width defined by an interval between belts in each clamping conveyor can be changed by driving an actuator. In any one of Claims 3 thru | or 7,
A storage unit that stores at least one piece of information on a height position or a width direction of the printing machine or a camera, or a speed of a sandwiching conveyor or a sandwiching width for each product;
A product inspection system comprising: a control unit that reads out the storage content of the storage unit according to a product and drives an actuator according to the position, speed, or clamping width. In claim 10,
A product inspection system in which the storage contents of the storage unit can be changed during an operation of transporting, printing, or inspecting a product. In any one of Claims 3 thru | or 7,
A storage unit that stores at least one information of a height position or a width direction of the printing machine or a camera, or a speed of a sandwiching conveyor or a sandwiching width;
A controller that reads out the storage content of the storage unit and drives an actuator according to the position, speed, or clamping width;
A product inspection system in which the read-out stored contents can be changed during an operation of transporting, printing, or inspecting a product. In claim 11 or 12,
A product inspection system in which an actuator is driven in accordance with the changed stored contents of the product during operation of conveying, printing, and inspecting the product. In any one of Claims 1 thru | or 13,
A product inspection system in which the lower end of the belt of each sandwiching conveyor is close to the surface of the belt of the conveyor.

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