JP6936466B2 - Goods inspection system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an article inspection system.

Based on the inspection results of the transport unit that transports the articles, the inspection unit that inspects the articles transported by the transport unit, the distribution unit that distributes the articles transported by the transport unit on the downstream side of the inspection unit, and the inspection unit. An article inspection system including a control unit for controlling the distribution operation of the distribution unit is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-302361

In the article inspection system as described above, the time estimated by the operator (for example, the time from when the article transported by the transport section passes through the predetermined position to when it is sorted by the sorting section) is input. , The timing of sorting operation may be set. However, in that case, the operator must estimate and input the time every time the transfer speed of the transfer unit is changed, and there is a possibility that trial and error may be required until the timing of the distribution operation is appropriately set. ..

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an article inspection system capable of appropriately and easily setting the timing of the distribution operation when the transport speed of the transport unit is changed.

The article inspection system of the present invention is provided on the downstream side of the transport unit that transports the article along the transport direction, the inspection unit that inspects the article transported by the transport unit, and the inspection unit in the transport direction, and is provided by the transport unit. It is provided with a distribution unit that distributes the articles to be transported, a control unit that controls the distribution operation of the distribution unit based on the inspection result of the inspection unit, and an input unit that receives an input of the transfer speed of the transfer unit. The unit controls the timing of the distribution operation based on the distance from the predetermined position to the distribution unit and the transport speed.

In this article inspection system, when the transport speed of the transport unit is input by the operator, the timing of the distribution operation is controlled based on the distance from the predetermined position to the distribution unit and the transport speed. Therefore, for example, it is not necessary for the operator to estimate and input the time from when the article transported by the transport unit passes through the predetermined position until it is sorted by the distribution unit. Therefore, according to this article inspection system, the timing of the distribution operation can be appropriately and easily set when the transport speed of the transport unit is changed.

In the article inspection system of the present invention, the input unit may further accept the input of the distance. Thereby, for example, even when the distance from the predetermined position to the distribution unit is changed, the timing of the distribution operation can be appropriately and easily set based on the input distance and the transport speed.

In the article inspection system of the present invention, the control unit may store the distance. Thereby, for example, when the distance from the predetermined position to the distribution unit is constant, the timing of the distribution operation can be appropriately and easily set based on the stored distance and the transport speed.

The article inspection system of the present invention is provided on the upstream side of the inspection unit in the transport direction, further includes a detection unit for detecting the article transported by the transport unit, and the distance is the distance from the detection unit to the distribution unit. You may. Thereby, the timing of the distribution operation can be set more appropriately and easily by using the detection of the article by the detection unit as a trigger.

In the article inspection system of the present invention, the transport section has a first transport conveyor provided with an inspection section and a second transport conveyor provided with a distribution section, and the distance is from the downstream end of the first transport conveyor. It may be the distance to the distribution part. Thereby, the timing of the distribution operation can be set more appropriately and easily with reference to the downstream end of the first conveyor.

In the article inspection system of the present invention, the input unit further accepts the input of the length of the article in the transport direction, and the control unit controls the timing of the sorting operation based on the distance, the transport speed, and the length. May be good. Thereby, the timing of the distribution operation can be set more appropriately and easily according to the length of the article in the transport direction.

In the article inspection system of the present invention, the input unit further accepts the input of the position where the distribution unit acts the distribution force among the positions of the articles in the transport direction, and the control unit is based on the distance, the transport speed, and the position. Therefore, the timing of the distribution operation may be controlled. Thereby, the timing of the distribution operation can be set more appropriately and easily so that the distribution force acts on the appropriate position on the article.

The article inspection system of the present invention further includes a display unit for displaying a setting screen, and the display unit includes a transport speed, a distance from a predetermined position to a distribution section, a length of an article in a transport direction, and a display unit on the setting screen. At least two of the times from when the article transported by the transport unit passes through the predetermined position to when the article is sorted by the distribution unit may be displayed. As a result, the operator can be made to grasp the information regarding the timing of the distribution operation.

In the article inspection system of the present invention, the input unit further accepts the input of the distance from the predetermined position to the distribution unit, and the control unit further receives the input of the distance from the predetermined position to the distribution unit. The time from passing through to the distribution by the distribution unit may be calculated, and the calculated time may be displayed on the setting screen on the display unit. This makes it possible for the operator to grasp the time from when the article passes through the predetermined position until it is sorted by the sorting unit.

In the article inspection system of the present invention, the input unit further accepts the input of the time from when the article transported by the transport unit passes the predetermined position until it is sorted by the distribution unit, and the control unit further receives the input of the transport speed and the transport speed. The distance from the predetermined position to the distribution unit may be calculated based on the time, and the calculated distance may be displayed on the setting screen on the display unit. This makes it possible for the operator to grasp the distance from the predetermined position to the distribution unit.

The inspection unit may perform mass inspection, X-ray inspection, optical inspection, or metal inspection. Thereby, in various inspection devices, the timing of the distribution operation can be appropriately and easily set when the transfer speed of the transfer unit is changed.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an article inspection system capable of appropriately and easily setting the timing of the distribution operation when the transport speed of the transport unit is changed.

It is a front view of the article inspection system of one Embodiment. It is a figure which shows the setting screen displayed in the article inspection system shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and overlapping parts are omitted.
[Structure of article inspection system]

As shown in FIG. 1, the article inspection system 1 includes a transport unit 2, a detection unit 3, an inspection unit 4, a distribution unit 5, a control unit 6, an input unit 7, and a display unit 8. It has. The article inspection system 1 is installed in, for example, a production line for article G such as food. The article inspection system 1 measures the mass of the article G while transporting the article G along the transport direction A, and distributes the article G according to the measurement result of the article G.

The transport unit 2 transports the article G along the transport direction A. The conveyor 2 has conveyors 21, 22, and 23 arranged side by side along the conveyor direction A. The detection unit 3 is, for example, a photoelectric sensor, and is provided at the upstream end of the central transfer conveyor (first transfer conveyor) 22. The detection unit 3 detects the article G transported by the transport unit 2.

The inspection unit 4 is provided on the central conveyor 22. The inspection unit 4 measures the mass of the article G conveyed by the transfer conveyor 22 (that is, performs a mass inspection). The inspection unit 4 can carry out dynamic weighing for measuring the mass of the article G without stopping the transportation of the article G, and static weighing for measuring the mass of the article G by stopping the transportation of the article G. As an example, the inspection unit 4 has a gantry 41, a weighing cell 42, and an AFV (Anti Floor Vibration) cell 43.

The measuring cell 42 measures the mass of the article G located on the conveyor 22. The measuring cell 42 is composed of a strain-causing body 42a, a movable rigid body portion 42b, and a fixed rigid body portion 42c. The strain-causing body 42a is connected to each of the movable rigid body portion 42b and the fixed rigid body portion 42c. The movable rigid body portion 42b supports the conveyor 22. The fixed rigid body portion 42c is fixed to the gantry 41. The weighing cell 42 outputs a weighing signal corresponding to the mass of the article G to the first filter unit (not shown) and the control unit 6. The first filter unit removes noise from the measurement signal by performing a filtering process on the measurement signal output from the measurement cell 42, and outputs the measurement signal after the filtering process to the control unit 6.

The AFV cell 43 detects the disturbance vibration of the inspection unit 4 including the measuring cell 42 (vibration transmitted from the floor F to the inspection unit 4, vibration of the conveyor 22 and the like). The AFV cell 43 is connected to the fixed rigid body portion 42c. The AFV cell 43 outputs a vibration signal corresponding to the disturbance vibration to the second filter unit (not shown). The second filter unit removes noise from the vibration signal by performing filtering processing on the vibration signal output from the AFV cell 43, and outputs the vibration signal after the filtering processing to the control unit 6. In the control unit 6, based on the measurement signal output from the measurement cell 42, the measurement signal output from the first filter unit, and the vibration signal output from the second filter unit, the influence of disturbance vibration and the like are measured from the measurement signal. It will be canceled.

The distribution unit 5 is, for example, an air jet type distribution device, and is provided on a transfer conveyor (second transfer conveyor) 23 on the most downstream side in the transfer direction A. The distribution unit 5 distributes the article G to be conveyed by the transfer conveyor 23 according to the measurement result of the article G by the inspection unit 4. As an example, when the mass of the article G measured by the inspection unit 4 is out of the predetermined range, the distribution unit 5 injects air at a predetermined position of the article G in the transport direction A. As a result, the article G is discharged from the conveyor 23. On the other hand, when the mass of the article G measured by the inspection unit 4 is within a predetermined range, the distribution unit 5 does not inject air. As a result, the article G is conveyed by the transfer conveyor 23.

The control unit 6 controls the operation of each unit in the article inspection system 1. The control unit 6 is based on the inspection result of the inspection unit 4 while controlling the timing of the mass inspection of the inspection unit 4 and the timing of the distribution operation of the distribution unit 5 by using the detection of the article G by the detection unit 3 as a trigger. Controls the distribution operation of the distribution unit 5. The control unit 6 is configured as a computer device including a processor, a memory, a storage, a communication device, and the like. In the control unit 6, the processor executes predetermined software (program) read into the memory or the like, and controls the reading and writing of data in the memory and the storage, and the communication by the communication device. The function is realized.

The input unit 7 receives various inputs by the operator, such as input of operating conditions by the operator. The display unit 8 displays various information such as the mass of the article G measured by the inspection unit 4. The display unit 8 may have a function as an input unit by being configured as a touch panel, for example.
[Control of distribution operation timing]

The control unit 6 stores the distance (distance along the transport direction A) from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5. As an example, the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5 is from the position where the detection unit 3 detects the article G on the conveyor 22 to the position where the distribution unit 5 injects air on the conveyor 23. The distance.

When the input unit 7 receives the input of the transfer speed of the transfer unit 2, the control unit 6 distributes the distribution unit 5 based on the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5 and the input transfer speed. Control the timing of operation. More specifically, the control unit 6 divides the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5 by the input transfer speed, so that the delay time (the detection unit 3 detects the article G and then distributes). The time until the unit 5 operates) is calculated, the delay time is set as the timing of the distribution operation of the distribution unit 5, and the delay time is stored in association with the transfer speed of the transfer unit 2.

When the position of the distribution unit 5 can be changed, such as the position where the distribution unit 5 injects air on the transfer conveyor 23, the input unit 7 uses the detection unit in addition to the transfer speed of the transfer unit 2. Accepts the input of the distance from 3 to the distribution unit 5. In that case, the control unit 6 controls the timing of the distribution operation of the distribution unit 5 based on the input transfer speed and the distance.

Further, the input unit 7 receives an input of the length of the article G in the transport direction A in addition to the transport speed of the transport unit 2. In that case, the control unit 6 controls the timing of the distribution operation of the distribution unit 5 based on the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5, the input transfer speed, and the length thereof.

Further, when the position where the distribution unit 5 acts on the distribution force (air force) among the positions of the article G in the transfer direction A is determined, the input unit 7 adds to the transfer speed of the transfer unit 2. , Accepts the input of the position. In that case, the control unit 6 controls the timing of the distribution operation of the distribution unit 5 based on the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5, the input transfer speed, and the position.

In that case, for example, from the "position 3 cm from the head position" to the "position 6 cm from the head position" and from the "head position" to the "position where 5 seconds elapse" with reference to the head position of the article G in the transport direction A. , From the "position 3 cm from the head position" to the "position where 5 seconds elapse", or from the "head position" to the "tail position of the article G in the transport direction A", the input unit 7 is transported. The input of the position of the article G in the direction A may be accepted as a range. Further, the input unit 7 may accept the input of the position of the article G in the transport direction A as a ratio, such as a position of 30% of the length of the article G in the transport direction A from the head position.

The display unit 8 displays the setting screen when setting the timing of the distribution operation. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the display unit 8 displays the transfer speed of the transfer unit 2, the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5, and the article G in the transfer direction A on the setting screen. At least two of the length and the time from when the article G transported by the transport unit 2 passes through the detection unit 3 to when the article G is distributed by the distribution unit 5 (that is, the delay time) are displayed.

When the input unit 7 receives the input of the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5, the control unit 6 receives the article G to be conveyed by the transfer unit 2 based on the input transfer speed and the distance. It is also possible to calculate the time from passing through the detection unit 3 to being distributed by the distribution unit 5, and having the display unit 8 display the calculated time on the setting screen.

Further, when the input unit 7 receives the input of the time from when the article G transported by the transport unit 2 passes through the detection unit 3 to when the article G is distributed by the distribution unit 5, the control unit 6 receives the input transfer. It is also possible to calculate the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5 based on the speed and the time, and have the display unit 8 display the calculated distance on the setting screen.
[Action and effect]

In the article inspection system 1, when the transport speed of the transport unit 2 is input by the operator, the distribution unit 5 is distributed based on the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5 and the transport speed of the transport unit 2. The timing of operation is controlled. Therefore, for example, it is not necessary for the operator to estimate and input the time from when the article G transported by the transport unit 2 passes through the detection unit 3 to when the article G is distributed by the distribution unit 5. Therefore, according to the article inspection system 1, the timing of the distribution operation can be appropriately and easily set when the transport speed of the transport unit 2 is changed.

Further, in the article inspection system 1, for example, when the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5 can be changed, the input unit 7 adds the transfer speed of the transfer unit 2 to the distribution unit 3 to the distribution unit 3. Accepts input for distances up to 5. As a result, even when the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5 is changed, the timing of the distribution operation can be appropriately and easily set based on the input transfer speed and the distance.

Further, in the article inspection system 1, for example, when the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5 is constant, the control unit 6 stores the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5. As a result, when the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5 is constant, the timing of the distribution operation can be appropriately and easily set based on the stored distance and the input transfer speed. Can be done.

Further, the article inspection system 1 is provided with a detection unit 3 on the upstream side of the inspection unit 4 in the transport direction A. Thereby, the timing of the distribution operation can be set more appropriately and easily by using the detection of the article G by the detection unit 3 as a trigger.

Further, in the article inspection system 1, the input unit 7 receives the input of the length of the article G in the transfer direction A in addition to the transfer speed of the transfer unit 2, and the control unit 6 receives the input from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5. The timing of the distribution operation of the distribution unit 5 is controlled based on the distance, the input transfer speed, and the length. Thereby, the timing of the distribution operation can be set more appropriately and easily according to the length of the article G in the transport direction A.

Further, in the article inspection system 1, when the position where the distribution unit 5 exerts the distribution force among the positions of the article G in the transfer direction A is determined, the input unit 7 adds to the transfer speed of the transfer unit 2. , The control unit 6 receives the input of the position, and the control unit 6 determines the timing of the distribution operation of the distribution unit 5 based on the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5, the input transfer speed, and the position. Control. Thereby, the timing of the distribution operation can be set more appropriately and easily so that the distribution force acts on the appropriate position on the article G.

In that case, the input unit 7 may accept the input of the position of the article G in the transport direction A as a range or a ratio. Thereby, the distribution force can be applied to the predetermined range of the article G in the transport direction A.

Further, in the article inspection system 1, the display unit 8 displays the transfer speed of the transfer unit 2, the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5, the length of the article G in the transfer direction A, and the transfer unit on the setting screen. At least two of the times from when the article G transported by 2 passes through the detection unit 3 to when the article G is distributed by the distribution unit 5 are displayed. As a result, the operator can be made to grasp the information regarding the timing of the distribution operation.

Further, in the article inspection system 1, when the input unit 7 receives the input of the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5, the control unit 6 controls the transfer unit 2 based on the input transfer speed and the distance. The time from when the article G transported by the above passes through the detection unit 3 to when the article G is distributed by the distribution unit 5 is calculated, and the calculated time is displayed on the setting screen by the display unit 8. As a result, the operator can be made to grasp the time from the passage of the article G to the distribution by the distribution unit 5.

Further, in the article inspection system 1, when the input unit 7 receives an input of the time from when the article G transported by the transport unit 2 passes through the detection unit 3 to when the article G is distributed by the distribution unit 5, the control unit 6 Calculates the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5 based on the input transfer speed and the time, and causes the display unit 8 to display the calculated distance on the setting screen. As a result, the operator can be made to grasp the distance from the detection unit 3 to the distribution unit 5.
[Modification example]

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the control unit 6 uses the detection of the article G by the detection unit provided at the upstream end of the conveyor 23 as a trigger to control the timing of the distribution operation of the distribution unit 5 and obtains the inspection result of the inspection unit 4. Based on this, the distribution operation of the distribution unit 5 may be controlled. Alternatively, the control unit 6 uses the detection of the article G by the inspection unit 4 (change in the measurement signal) as a trigger to control the timing of the distribution operation of the distribution unit 5 and shakes based on the inspection result of the inspection unit 4. The distribution operation of the division 5 may be controlled. In these cases, the control unit 6 controls the timing of the distribution operation of the distribution unit 5 based on, for example, the distance from the downstream end of the transfer conveyor 22 to the distribution unit 5 and the transfer speed of the transfer unit 2. Can be done. That is, the control unit 6 distributes the article 5 based on the distance from the predetermined position where the article G transported by the transport unit 2 can be detected to the distribution unit 5 and the transfer speed of the transfer unit 2. Timing can be controlled.

Further, the distribution unit 5 is not limited to the air jet type distribution device, and various distribution devices such as an arm type distribution device, a drop belt type distribution device, and a pusher type distribution device can be applied. can. Further, the inspection unit 4 is not limited to the mass inspection device that performs mass inspection, but is an X-ray inspection device that performs X-ray inspection (for example, inspection of foreign matter using the transparency of X-rays), and an optical inspection (for example, an optical inspection). Various inspection devices such as an optical inspection device that performs bite inspection using light transmission) or a metal inspection device that performs metal inspection (for example, inspection of metallic foreign matter using the interaction between a magnetic field and metal). Can be applied. In either case, the timing of the distribution operation can be appropriately and easily set when the transport speed of the transport unit 2 is changed.

1 ... Article inspection system, 2 ... Conveyor unit, 3 ... Detection unit, 4 ... Inspection unit, 5 ... Distribution unit, 6 ... Control unit, 7 ... Input unit, 8 ... Display unit, 22 ... Conveyor conveyor (first conveyor) Conveyor), 23 ... Conveyor conveyor (second conveyor), A ... Conveyor direction, G ... Article.

Claims (8)

A transport unit that transports articles along the transport direction,
An inspection unit that inspects the article transported by the transport unit, and an inspection unit that inspects the article.
A distribution unit provided on the downstream side of the inspection unit in the transportation direction and distributing the articles transported by the transportation unit, and a distribution unit.
A control unit that controls the distribution operation of the distribution unit based on the inspection result of the inspection unit,
The distance from the predetermined position to the distribution unit and the input unit for receiving the input of the transfer speed of the transfer unit are provided.
The control unit is an article inspection system that changes the timing of the distribution operation based on the distance and the transport speed when the input unit receives the input of the distance and the transport speed. A detection unit provided on the upstream side of the inspection unit in the transport direction and detecting the article transported by the transport unit is further provided.
The article inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the distance is a distance from the detection unit to the distribution unit. The transport unit includes a first conveyor belt provided with the inspection unit and a second conveyor belt provided with the distribution unit.
The article inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the distance is a distance from the downstream end of the first conveyor to the distribution portion. The input unit further accepts an input of the length of the article in the transport direction.
The article inspection system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the control unit controls the timing of the distribution operation based on the distance, the transport speed, and the length. The input unit further receives an input of a position of the position of the article in the transport direction in which the distribution unit acts on the distribution force.
The article inspection system according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the control unit controls the timing of the distribution operation based on the distance, the transport speed, and the position. It also has a display unit that displays the setting screen.
In the setting screen, the display unit includes the transport speed, the distance from the predetermined position to the distribution portion, the length of the article in the transport direction, and the article transported by the transport unit. The article inspection system according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , which displays at least two of the times from passing through a predetermined position to being sorted by the sorting unit. Before SL control unit, the distance, and on the basis of the conveying speed to calculate the time from the article being transported by the transport unit passes a predetermined position until the sorting by said sorting unit, The article inspection system according to claim 6 , wherein the displayed unit displays the calculated time on the setting screen. The article inspection system according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the inspection unit performs mass inspection, X-ray inspection, optical inspection, or metal inspection.

Images