JPH0413184Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea]

[Technical field to which the invention pertains] The present invention relates to a printing quality inspection device for inspecting the printing quality of characters, symbols, etc. printed by a printer. [Prior Art and its Problems] Conventionally, the shapes of characters, figures, etc. printed by a printer have been visually inspected using a microscope or a projector to check the quality of the print.
This method requires a lot of manpower and effort;
There were problems such as a decrease in worker efficiency and eye fatigue, and the inspection results lacked accuracy, and there was a risk that defective products would be overlooked when sampling all products. In addition, it was difficult to quantify as it was often based on visual and intuitive judgments. [Purpose of the invention] In view of the above-mentioned points, the present invention effectively solves the problems of the conventional technology.The purpose of the invention is to quickly calculate characteristic values of characters or figures printed by a printer, thereby saving labor for inspection. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing quality inspection device that can perform reliable inspection as well as printing quality. [Main points of the invention] In order to achieve such a purpose, the invention has the following points:
An imaging camera connected to a microscope that magnifies the print of the printer composed of dots; an image memory that converts the video signal from the imaging camera into a digital signal and stores it as image data having gradations;
In the print quality inspection device, the arithmetic processing device reads out the contents of the image memory, binarizes the image data, and calculates the image data, the arithmetic processing device measures the position of a specific point on the print, and uses this measurement value to determine the print quality. It is characterized by calculating numerical values to characterize the shape of. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the processing unit measures the area of each dot. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the arithmetic processing unit measures the gradation of each dot for each pixel. According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the arithmetic processing device places a plurality of prints in the same field of view of the imaging camera, measures the distance to a specific point of the prints, and inspects the arrangement of the prints. According to still another embodiment of the present invention, the arithmetic processing unit measures specific points of a plurality of prints in the horizontal or vertical direction by moving the microscope in the horizontal or vertical direction, and uses the measured values to measure the same horizontal or vertical marks. Check the alignment of the print in the vertical direction. [Embodiment of the invention] Next, an embodiment of the invention will be described in detail based on the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, the printing quality inspection device 1 mainly includes an imaging camera (CCD camera) 2, an image memory 3,
video distributor 4, image monitor 6, image processing device 7,
CRT display 8, floating desk (FDD)
9 and a printer 10. Also, 1
1 is a printed character. A microscope (not shown) is provided on the printed characters 11 so as to be movable in the X-Y directions, and an enlarged image of the characters 11 is converted into a video signal by the CCD camera 2 and output. The image memory 3 converts the analog signal of the video signal input via the video distributor 4 into a digital signal and stores it as image data having gradation. This image data is displayed on the image monitor 6. Further, the image processing device 7 includes a character shape measurement processing means for reading out the contents of the image memory 6, measuring the coordinate values of a specific point of the printed character 11, and calculating a numerical value characterizing the character 11, and a CCD camera. Character array measurement processing means for measuring and processing the array of a plurality of characters 11, for example, four characters, placed in the same field of view in 2, and by moving a microscope (not shown) in the vertical or horizontal direction. multiple characters 11
It has a vertical or horizontal deviation measurement processing means of a specific point, and in this embodiment, a dot area measurement function and a dot density measurement function included in the character shape measurement processing means, and determines whether the printed character 11 is good or bad. . At this time, the measurement data and measurement results are
It is displayed on the CRT display 8, stored on the floppy disk 9, and recorded on the printer 10. Therefore, the print quality inspection device 1 is the printer 10.
The purpose of this method is to evaluate print quality, and it does not simply compare the shape or size of images. It does not simply determine whether or not the shapes are similar based on the number of pixels that have been binarized by setting a density standard, but rather reads the number of pixels and the positional configuration of the entire pixel and calculates a specific point (for example, the center of gravity) of the pattern. , various data are calculated from this center of gravity, and it is determined whether the printer result is within the quality of the specified standard. For this purpose, the distance of the print in both the X and Y directions from a reference line (not shown) is measured, the center of gravity of the print is calculated, and each data is calculated. Next, FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the coordinate display of a printed character composed of dots, and FIG. 3 shows an explanatory diagram of character shape measurement. In FIGS. 2 and 3, A is a single character figure composed of dots in an H-shape.
Prior to this measurement, the pixel scale (actual size of one pixel) is measured using a reference scale. This pixel scale is used to represent character shape data, array data, etc. in actual size, and is stored in the floppy disk 9. The coordinate values of each point in Table 1 are measured as a specific point of character figure A shown in FIG.

[Effect of idea]

As described above, according to the present invention, an image processing device is provided in the same field of view as a character shape measurement processing means that measures the coordinate values of a specific point of a character and calculates a numerical value that characterizes the character. A character array measurement processing means for measuring and processing a plurality of character arrays to be inserted, and a vertical for measuring and processing vertical or horizontal deviations of specific points of a plurality of said characters in the horizontal or vertical direction by moving a microscope in the horizontal or vertical direction. Or by providing a horizontal deviation measurement processing means,
This effectively solves the problems of the conventional technology due to visual inspection by workers, and the characteristic values of printed characters or figures can be processed at high speed, and their quality can be easily determined.
The measurement data and measurement results are printed out or stored as necessary, and the automation of quality inspection of printed characters, figures, etc. is promoted.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention;
The figure is an enlarged view of the coordinate display of printed characters made up of dots, Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of character shape measurement, Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram of character arrangement measurement, and Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram of vertical deviation measurement.
Figure 6 is an operational block diagram of this printing quality inspection device.
FIG. 7 is an operational block diagram of the character shape measurement processing means, FIG. 8 is an operational block diagram of the character arrangement measurement processing means, and FIG. 9 is an operational block diagram of the vertical deviation measurement processing means. 1...Print quality inspection device, 3...Image memory,
6...Image monitor, 7...Image processing device, 11...
...Printed characters, A, A1, B, C, D...Character figures.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] 1. An imaging camera connected to a microscope that magnifies the printout of a printer composed of dots, and a video signal from this imaging camera that is converted into a digital signal and stored as image data with gradations. In a print quality inspection device, the arithmetic processing device measures the position of a specific point of the printing, and the arithmetic processing device reads the contents of the image memory, binarizes the image data, and performs calculations. A print quality inspection device characterized by calculating and processing numerical values for characterizing the shape of the print based on measured values. 2. The printing quality inspection device as set forth in claim 1 of the utility model registration claim, wherein the arithmetic processing device calculates the area of each dot. 3. In the statement of either paragraph 1 or 2 of the claims for utility model registration, the arithmetic processing device is
A print quality inspection device characterized by calculating the gradation of each dot for each pixel. 4 In the statement of any one of claims 1 to 3 of the claims for utility model registration, the arithmetic processing device is
A print quality inspection device characterized by placing a plurality of prints in the same field of view of an imaging camera, measuring the distance to a specific point of the prints, and inspecting the arrangement of the prints. 5. In any one of claims 1 to 4 of the claims for utility model registration, the arithmetic processing device is
It is characterized by measuring specific points of a plurality of prints in the horizontal or vertical direction by moving a microscope in the horizontal or vertical direction, and inspecting the arrangement of the prints in the same horizontal or vertical direction based on the measured values. Print quality inspection device.