JPH01145555A - Apparatus for optical inspection - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable the analysis and checking of an object of inspection on the basis of image information in a window set in a visual field, by making the window track the object of inspection while the object of inspection moves in a prescribed range of distance. CONSTITUTION:A glass bottle B conveyed by a conveyor 11 is brought into slidable contact with a rotary plate member 17 and moves while rotating in the direction beta. The visual field of a camera 12 covers the range of a distance which the bottle B moves while it rotates at an angle of 360 deg.. On the other side, a control device 13 sets a prescribed window in a position corresponding to a part of inspection within the visual field of the camera 12 by means of a microcomputer, and analyzes the brightness of an image element in the window while making the window move horizontally for tracking in accordance with the speed of movement of the bottle B. If there is any flaw in the bottle B, the brightness changes while the bottle B rotates at 360 deg.. Therefore the device 13 delivers a discharge signal and a discharge solenoid 18 projects a plunger to discharge the bottle B having the flaw. According to this constitution, the bottle B is inspected while it is conveyed by the conveyor 11, and thus an inspecting apparatus is simplified.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an optical inspection device, and more particularly to a device for optically inspecting the appearance of an object flowing along a line, such as scratches, deformation, dirt, etc.

(Prior Art) As an example of this type of device, a conventional technology for inspecting glass bottles will be described.
In conventional bottle testing devices, such as the devices described in the publications No. 2206 and No. 62-81049, the testing bottles moving on a conveyor are moved at a predetermined position by means such as a star wheel or a robot arm. The sample is transferred from the conveyor to an inspection stay line, and rotated 360 degrees on a rotation stage provided at this inspection station.

Camera means is provided adjacent to the rotating stage to monitor and check the entire circumference of the rotating test bottle. In this conventional device, the glass bottle to be inspected is rotated 360 degrees on a rotary stage, and the entire circumference of the bottle is inspected by camera means during this time, and the glass bottle is moved within the field of view of the camera means. Therefore, the window is fixedly set in a predetermined area within the field of view.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the conventional apparatus described above, there is no mechanism for transferring the glass bottles to be inspected from the conveyor to the rotating stage of the inspection station for inspection, or returning them to the conveyor again. However, there is a problem in that the configuration of the inspection line becomes complicated. Further, time is required for these transfers and rotational inspection.

On the other hand, in order to avoid the above problems, if the inspection object is inspected while it is on the conveyor, the camera means will normally be moved along with the inspection object moving on the conveyor. However, there is a problem in that the configuration becomes even more complicated.

This invention was developed to solve all of these problems.

(Means for Solving the Problems) That is, the optical inspection apparatus according to the present invention includes a camera means having a field of view that includes an inspection object moving within a certain range, and an initial camera within the field of view. window initialization means for setting a window in a predetermined area; synchronization detection means for detecting that an inspection object has come to a predetermined position within a field of view corresponding to the initial setting area of the window and outputting a synchronization signal; The apparatus is characterized by comprising a tracking means that moves the window in accordance with the movement of the inspection object within the field of view when a signal is output, and an analysis means that performs analysis based on image information within the window.

(Function) □ According to the optical device of the present invention, the camera means has a field of view such that the inspection object moving within a certain range is included in the field of view. This constant movement range is usually
This is the distance # range that the inspection object moves on the conveyor while rotating 360 degrees.

Then, a predetermined window is set in the initial predetermined area within this field of view at a position corresponding to the inspection part of the inspection object.

This window moves following the movement of the inspection target.

That is, when the synchronization detection means detects that the inspection target has come to a predetermined position within the field of view corresponding to the initial setting area of the window and outputs a synchronization signal, the tracking means moves the window within the field of view of the camera means. It is moved to follow the movement of the inspection target.

Then, the analysis means analyzes and checks the inspection object based on the image information within the window.

(Example) Embodiments will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the entire optical glass bottle inspection device showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2(a), (b)', and (c)
) is a front view illustratively showing the state in which a glass bottle moves in the field of view of the camera, and FIG. 3 is a front view illustratively showing the field of view of the camera of another embodiment.

The optical glass bottle inspection device 1O shown in FIG.
2, control device 13, synchronization sensor 14, encoder 15.
It includes a light source panel 16, a rotating plate member 17, and a discharge solenoid 18.

As shown in the figure, the glass bottle B to be inspected, which is transported by the conveyor 11, slides against the rotary plate member 7 and moves while rotating as shown by the arrow β in the figure.

The camera 12 has a field of view that can cover the distance range that the glass bottle B moves during 3600 rotations.

2(a), (b), and (C) show the state in which the glass bottle B moves within the field of view of the camera 12. FIG.

Between these (a), (b), and (c), glass bottle B is 36
Rotate 0 degrees.

The control device 13 is centered on a microcomputer, and controls the initial predetermined area within the field of view of the camera 12, for example, the second
Windows 21 and 22 are initially set in the area shown in Figure (a). It goes without saying that the number of windows to be set may be one or more depending on the object to be inspected and the performance of the camera means.

The synchronization sensor 14 is set to output a synchronization signal when the glass bottle B comes to a position corresponding to an initial predetermined area within the field of view of the camera 12, for example, the position shown in FIG. 2(a).

The x7 coder 15 detects the speed of the conveyor C, that is, the moving speed of the glass bottle B, and inputs it to the control device 13.

When a synchronization signal is input by the periodic sensor 14,
The control device 13 moves the windows 21 and 22 horizontally in accordance with the conveyor speed detected by the encoder 15, that is, the moving speed of the glass bottle B. At the same time, the control device 13 analyzes the brightness of the pixel elements within the window 21.22.

As can be easily understood from Fig. 2, window 2
Since the movement of 1.22 and the movement of the glass bottle B are synchronized, the camera 12 can detect the screw part B1 and the body part B of the glass bottle B.
This makes it possible to check the entire circumference of 2.

If there is a scratch on the threaded part B1 or the body part B2, the brightness will change while the glass bottle B rotates 360 degrees. give. The discharge solenoid 18 pushes out a plunger and discharges the damaged glass bottle B from the collector C to the outside.

On the other hand, if no change in brightness is detected while glass bottle B rotates 360 degrees, it is determined that the entire circumference is intact;
It is sent to the next process on conveyor C.

In this way, the vials B can be inspected while they are being transported on the conveyor C, ie without being transferred from the conveyor to an inspection station or back onto the conveyor. Of course, there is no need to move the camera to track the movement of the glass bottle.

As another example, as shown in FIG. 3, a liquid filled tube T is moved by a cylinder S to stir the liquid, and the window 23 is moved to follow the movement of the liquid filled tube T, so that the liquid is stirred during stirring. An example of this is a device that tests for foreign matter based on changes in brightness.

In addition to this, the device of the present invention can be usefully applied to external appearance inspections such as pinholes, dirt, sunspots, yellow spots, uneven coating, and uneven spots.

(Effects) According to the optical inspection device of the invention, the inspection can be performed without moving the moving inspection object to another location or stopping it, and without having to move the camera means itself to track the inspection object. This makes it possible to continue tracking and analyzing objects as they move over a certain distance range.

Furthermore, since the inspection target is tracked by moving a window set within the field of view, the relative relationship between the window and the inspection target is always constant, and it is sufficient to perform analysis processing only on the area within the window. That is, conventional techniques can be used for analysis processing.

Note that since the movement of the window can be realized using an electric circuit or software, the burden on the configuration is extremely small.

As described above, the present invention not only simplifies the device itself and shortens the inspection time in this type of optical inspection apparatus, but also makes it easier to specify and change the inspection range, and improves inspection accuracy. It is highly practical and has enormous effects.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the entire optical glass bottle inspection device showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2(a), (b), (c)
) is a front view illustratively showing the state in which a glass bottle moves in the field of view of the camera, and FIG. 3 is a front view illustratively showing the field of view of the camera of another embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Optical glass bottle inspection device, 11... Conveyor, 12... Camera, 13... Control device, 14...
... Periodic sensor, 15... Encoder, 16... Light source panel, 17... Rotating plate member, 18... Discharge solenoid, 21, 22. 23... Window, B...
Glass bottle, T...liquid tube, S...cylinder. Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Camera means having a field of view that includes an inspection object moving in a certain range; window initial setting means for setting a window in an initially predetermined area within the field of view; synchronization detection means for detecting that the inspection object has come to a predetermined position within the field of view corresponding to the initial setting area of the window and outputting a synchronization signal; and when the synchronization signal is output, the inspection object moves within the field of view. An optical inspection device comprising: tracking means for following and moving the window; and analysis means for performing analysis based on image information within the window. 2. The optical inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the range of distance that the inspection object moves while rotating through 360 degrees is the field of view of the camera means.