JP5154479B2 - Method for inspecting foreign matter in liquid - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a foreign matter inspection method for inspecting foreign matter in a liquid filled in a transparent container such as an ampoule or a vial using an automatic foreign matter inspection device.

  Conventionally, when inspecting a foreign substance in a liquid filled in a transparent container, a transparent container filled with a liquid on a mounting table provided on the circumference of an inspection rotor is used by using an inspection apparatus as shown in Patent Document 1. After placing and holding and rotating the mounting table and the transparent container to make the transparent container stationary, a foreign substance floating in the inertially rotating liquid in the transparent container was detected by a camera, a sensor, or the like. Further, as shown in Patent Document 2, black foreign matters are detected using transmitted light with respect to the liquid in the transparent container, and white foreign matters are detected using reflected light. In the above detection method, only a foreign substance moving in the liquid is detected, so that it is determined as a scratch or a stain on the transparent container.

JP 2003-107011 A JP 2003-107010 JP

  However, if a foreign object adheres to the inner wall of the transparent container, or a foreign object that moves slowly in the liquid, the foreign object also stops at the same time as the transparent container stops. In other cases, it is impossible to detect and detect foreign matter. An object of this invention is to provide the novel foreign material inspection method which can detect reliably the foreign material in a liquid, when a liquid is filled in a transparent container.

  The present invention includes a transparent container filled with a liquid, a mounting table that rotatably supports the transparent container, an inspection rotor that transports a plurality of the mounting tables on a concentric circle, and illumination means that illuminates the transparent container And a foreign substance inspection apparatus equipped with a camera for imaging the transparent container, and the mounting table is rotated or stationary for imaging, and the transparent container is imaged by the camera to automatically detect foreign substances in the liquid of the transparent container. In a method for inspecting foreign matter in a liquid to be detected, the rotation of an arbitrary rotation pattern is applied to the mounting table and the transparent container for an arbitrary period of time during imaging, and the foreign matter in the transparent container is moved to a different position before and after the rotation between imaging. In this case, the transparent container is imaged by the camera before and after the rotation during imaging, and foreign matter in the liquid is detected.

  The foreign matter in the transparent container is a foreign matter that is in or outside the liquid and adheres to the inner wall of the transparent container.

  The foreign matter in the transparent container is a foreign matter contained in the liquid in the transparent container.

  Further, during imaging rotation before and after the imaging rotation, the camera shutter is opened and the foreign object in the liquid in the transparent container is detected by opening the camera shutter and capturing a line image of the foreign object. It is characterized by doing.

  The present invention relates to a foreign container in a transparent container using a foreign object inspection apparatus including a transparent container filled with a liquid, a mounting table that rotatably supports the transparent container, an illumination unit that illuminates the transparent container, and a camera. In the foreign matter inspection method for automatic detection, even if foreign matter in the transparent container adheres to the inner wall of the transparent container or the liquid contains slow-moving foreign matter, the foreign matter is detected by rotation of the mounting table and the transparent container. By moving and detecting, the foreign object can be reliably detected in the transparent container filled with the liquid.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the basic composition of a foreign material automatic inspection apparatus. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the mounting base which has the reflective optical system of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the structure of the mounting base which has the transmission optical system of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the basic composition of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the foreign material inspection method of Example 1 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the foreign material inspection image of Example 1 of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the foreign material inspection method of Example 2 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the foreign material inspection image of Example 2 of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a basic configuration of a foreign matter automatic inspection apparatus according to the present invention. A plurality of mounting tables 2 are provided on the circumference of the inspection rotor 1, and a plurality of transparent containers 5 carried in from the loading line 3 via the loading rotor 4 are mounted and held on the mounting table 2 in a rotatable manner. The transparent container 5 filled with a predetermined translucent liquid is inspected for foreign matter by the camera 6 and the illumination means 7 and then carried out to the carry-out line 9 by the carry-out rotor 8. Further, the transparent container 5 in which the foreign matter is detected is discharged to the disposal line 10.

  An image including a foreign object image captured by the camera 6 is processed by the image processing unit 11 and used for the selection process of the transparent container 5. The inspection mode setting unit 12 that sets the rotation pattern for the drive motor of the mounting table 2 sends the necessary rotation pattern pattern information to the motor control unit 13. The motor control unit 13 controls the drive motor provided on the mounting table 2 via the slip ring 15 based on the angle information and the rotation pattern information of the angle detector 14 provided on the rotation shaft of the inspection rotor 1.

  FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a foreign matter automatic inspection apparatus using a reflective optical system. The mounting table 2 has a holding unit 20 in the upper part and a drive motor 21 in the lower part, and rotatably holds the transparent container 5 filled with the translucent liquid L. Reference numeral 22 denotes an angle detector of the drive motor 21. Reference numeral 23 denotes a pair of illumination means for irradiating the transparent container 5, and reference numeral 24 denotes a camera for imaging the transparent container 5 using reflected light. The motor control unit 13 sends a drive signal corresponding to pattern information corresponding to various rotation patterns to the drive motor 21 of the mounting table 2 to drive the drive motor 21 with a predetermined pattern. Next, illumination is given by the illumination means 23 in the imaging station, and the transparent container 5 is imaged by the camera 24.

  When imaging using a transmission optical system, the camera 24 is installed on the opposite side of the illumination unit with the transparent container 5 interposed therebetween. For example, in FIG. 3, the illumination means 23A can be installed behind the transparent container 5, and a foreign object can be imaged by transmitted light.

  The image processing unit 11, the inspection mode setting unit 12, and the motor control unit 13 described above can be configured as a single control device such as software that operates on a microcomputer.

  FIG. 4 shows the basic configuration of the foreign matter automatic inspection apparatus of the present invention. In the first imaging rotation, the foreign matter contained in the liquid in the transparent container 5 is imaged by the transmitted light using the camera 6A and the illumination means 7A. Here, the first imaging rotation may be a low-speed rotation and may include a stationary state. Next, in the rotation between imaging, the liquid is driven with a rotation pattern different from the imaging rotation, and the foreign matter is moved to a position different from the initial position. Further, in the second imaging rotation, the foreign matter contained in the liquid in the transparent container 5 is imaged using the camera 6B and the illumination means 7B.

  In the case of detecting a foreign object, if a foreign object adheres to the inner wall of the transparent container 5 or if the moving speed of the foreign object in the liquid is extremely slow, it is difficult to distinguish the scratch on the transparent container 5 from the foreign object on the image. . Therefore, it is necessary to separate the image resulting from the scratch on the transparent container itself and the foreign object image from the captured image by some method. While the scratches on the transparent container 5 do not move from the predetermined location of the transparent container in any case, the foreign matter that adheres to the inner wall of the transparent container 5 or moves slowly in the liquid drops off as the liquid rotates, The position changes gradually and the adhesion situation changes.

  FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the state of the liquid in the transparent container corresponding to the rotation pattern and the imaging timing. In the rotation pattern shown in FIG. 5B, when the imaging table and the transparent container 5 placed on the mounting table 2 are driven by imaging rotation and rotation during imaging of an arbitrary pattern different from imaging rotation for an arbitrary time, The movement of the liquid is as shown in FIG. When the images are taken at the timings (a) and (e) before and after the rotation between the imaging, the appearance position of the foreign matter is changed by the imaging before and after the rotation between the imaging as shown in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). A foreign object image moved from a predetermined position in the inside or a foreign object image slightly moving in the liquid can be recognized as the foreign object F. That is, it is possible to detect a foreign object by rotating a foreign object attached to the inner wall of the transparent container 5 due to a stirring action during imaging rotation or a slow moving foreign object floating in the liquid. Therefore, external factors such as a scratch on the container can be canceled. In the first embodiment, since a plurality of images are picked up from different positions, image pickup timing control according to the rotation angle is necessary. Each imaging of the transparent container 5 may be performed with separate cameras or with the same camera.

  The foreign object detection is not only when the position of the foreign object is different for each imaging as shown in FIG. 6, but also when the foreign object image disappears or appears in the images before and after the rotation between imaging operations. Can be detected.

  Although the above has described the translucent liquid, even in the case of the non-translucent liquid, the foreign matter attached to the inner wall of the container can be imaged with reflected light and detected by the same process.

  FIG. 7 shows an imaging method according to the second embodiment of foreign object detection using a reflective optical system. As shown in FIG. 7, the rotation pattern of the mounting table 2 and the transparent container 5 mounted on the mounting table 2 is the first imaging rotation → the rotation between imagings in an arbitrary rotation pattern different from the imaging rotation as in the first embodiment → the second time. Let it be imaging rotation. Here, the camera shutter time for imaging the transparent container 5 during imaging rotation is set to a time of 360 ° or more for one rotation of the transparent container 5. Then, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, the picked-up images are picked up by the reflected light from the foreign matter as white lines W before and after the rotation between the picked-up images. By determining the movement of the position of the white line W, it is possible to reliably detect foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the transparent container 5.

  According to this method, unlike the method of the first embodiment, it is not necessary to control the drive motor of the mounting table 2 with an accurate rotation angle, and since the confirmation is made with a line image, the visibility of the foreign object inspection is further ensured. Even when separate cameras are used for imaging, camera adjustments such as optical magnification and field of view can be set roughly, improving operability.

  Although the present invention has been specifically described above based on the embodiments, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1: inspection rotor, 2: mounting table, 5: transparent container, 11: image processing unit, 12: inspection mode setting unit, 13: motor control unit, 21: drive motor, 7A, 7B, 23, 23A: illumination means 6A, 6B, 24: camera, L: liquid, F: foreign matter, W: white line

Claims (6)

A transparent container filled with liquid, the mounting table for rotatably supporting the transparent container, an inspection rotor for conveying the table plurality disposed concentrically, illuminating means for illuminating the transparent container, wherein using particle inspection apparatus that includes a camera for imaging a transparent container, automatically foreign matter of the transparent container in a liquid by imaging by the camera the transparent container rotated or held stationary with the mounting table to image In the foreign matter inspection method in the liquid to be detected in the
Rotate the mounting table and the transparent container to perform the first imaging, rotate the transparent container in a rotation pattern different from that during imaging, rotate the mounting table and the transparent container to perform the second imaging,
During the first and second imaging rotation, a plurality of images are captured according to the rotation angle of the transparent container over the entire circumference of the transparent container,
So as to move the foreign matter of the transparent container in different positions before and after the rotation, from the difference between the plurality of the images captured in a plurality of said image and second captured for the first time, to detect the foreign matter in the liquid A method for inspecting foreign matter in a liquid. In foreign substances inspection method in a liquid according to claim 1, the foreign matter of the transparent vessel, in the extracellular or liquid fluid in the liquid, which is a foreign matter adhered to the inner wall of the transparent container Foreign substance inspection method. In particle inspection method in a liquid according to claim 1, the foreign substance in the transparent vessel, particle inspection method in a liquid which is a foreign matter contained in the liquid in the transparent container. A transparent container filled with liquid, the mounting table for rotatably supporting the transparent container, an inspection rotor for conveying the table plurality disposed concentrically, illuminating means for illuminating the transparent container, wherein using particle inspection apparatus that includes a camera for imaging a transparent container, automatically foreign matter of the transparent container in a liquid by imaging by the camera the transparent container rotated or held stationary with the mounting table to image giving rotation of any rotating pattern during any time detected, the mounting table and the transparent container, so as to move the foreign matter of the transparent container in different positions before and after the rotation, the transparent container before and after the rotation In the foreign matter inspection method in the liquid in which the camera is used to detect the foreign matter in the liquid by imaging with the camera,
During imaging the rotation before and after rotation between said imaging, for more than one rotation of the transparent container, by capturing the linear image of the foreign matter by opening a shutter of said camera, detecting the foreign substance of the transparent vessel A method for inspecting foreign matter in a liquid characterized by the above. In foreign substances inspection method in a liquid according to claim 4, foreign material of the transparent vessel, in the extracellular or liquid fluid in the liquid, which is a foreign matter adhered to the inner wall of the transparent container Foreign substance inspection method. In particle inspection method in a liquid according to claim 4, wherein the foreign material of the transparent vessel, particle inspection method in a liquid which is a foreign matter contained in the liquid in the transparent container.

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