JPH04204203A - Apparatus for discriminating shape - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately discriminate the shape of an article by measuring the lengths at two places of the article in the feed direction thereof by the first and second projection means and discriminating the shape of the article on the basis of the measured lengths. CONSTITUTION:A photoelectric switch measuring the length of the center of an article 3 to be inspected is provided and a separate photoelectric switch is provided so as to be laterally separated by about 30mm from said photoelectric switch. These photoelectric switches are constituted of infrared projectors 6a, 7a and infrared photodetectors 6b, 7b arranged in opposed relation to the projectors. The light shielding signal S1 of a center scanning line 9a outputted from the infrared photodetector 6b is same in both cases of bottled beer and canned beer but the light shielding signal S2 of the scanning line separated by about 30 mm from the center becomes slow in rising at the mouth part of a bottle. By this method, the shape of the article can be accurately discriminated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Objective of the Invention] (The present invention has an industrial application field, for example, when manufacturing an article and managing inventory of the article, the length 41 of the article and the length/fv of the γF stock article
It relates to a length and 111 constant device used for type determination etc. by + constant.

(Conventional technology) Manufacturers who manufacture bottle containers need to count the number of bottles for each size when manufacturing and inventory management. Since different products are sometimes stored in a mixed manner, it takes a lot of effort to tally up the quantity of stored products by type, so inventory management that can be done without manual effort is a good idea. / Stem development is progressing.

However, since it takes a lot of effort to tally up the quantities of stored products by type, efforts are being made to develop inventory management systems that can do it without having to do it manually.

By the way, such an inventory management system suspends a plurality of storage shelves containing a plurality of items on a pair of endless chains, and drives the endless chains to transport the storage shelves along a predetermined transport route. is configured to be During the conveyance route, a photoelectric switch detects the items stored in the storage shelves, and a computer determines the shape of the item and tallies the quantity for each type, such as canned beer and bottled beer.

The photoelectric switch used in such a system consists of a combination of an infrared emitter and an infrared receiver, and the infrared rays passing between them pass through an object such as canned beer or bottled beer, and determine the quality of the object depending on the time that the infrared rays are blocked. The length in the transport direction was measured and the quantity was calculated for each type.

However, if the lengths of the center positions in the conveyance direction are almost the same, there is a problem in that even if the articles to be inspected are of different types, they are determined to be of the same type.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) As mentioned above, with conventional shape identification devices, there is a problem in that when the lengths at the center positions are equal, even objects to be inspected of different types are determined to be of the same type. .

The present invention was devised to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a shape identification device that can accurately identify the shape of an article.

(Structure of the Invention) (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the shape identification device of the present invention includes a conveyance means for conveying an article at a predetermined speed while staying on a conveyance path;
a first light projecting means for projecting light toward a first predetermined position of the article being conveyed along the conveyance path; and a second predetermined position of the article being conveyed across the conveyance path. a second light projecting means for projecting light toward the first light projecting means; a first light receiving means for receiving the light projected from the first light projecting means; a second light-receiving means that receives light from the first light projecting means of the article being transported by the transporting means; a first time during which the light projected from the first light projecting means of the article being transported by the transporting means is blocked; and the article being transported by the transporting means. and a second time during which the light projected from the second light projecting means is blocked.

(Function) In the shape identification device of the present invention, the first light projecting means and the second light projecting means
[The length of the article in the transport direction at two locations]
determined. The shape of the article is then identified based on these lengths.

Therefore, the shape of the article can be accurately identified.

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of an embodiment in which the length measuring device of the present invention is applied to an inventory control device for checking the temporal quality of beer.

As shown in the figure, a storage hook 2 is suspended between a pair of endless chains 1a and lb. The storage hook 2 is rotatably fixed to the pair of endless chains 1a and 'lb so as to maintain substantially the same posture at any position on the conveyance path.

The storage hook 2 is provided with a plurality of storage pockets for storing inspection objects 3 such as canned beer and bottled beer. Furthermore, the endless chains 1a, 1b are circulated at a constant speed by a drive device 5 using a motor.

Additionally, a photoelectric switch 6 measures the center length of the inspected article 3 stored in the storage box 2 transported to a predetermined position.
Or is provided. Also, about 30m of this photoelectric switch 6
Another charging switch 7 is provided in mFJf. These photoelectric switches 6.7 include infrared projectors 6a and 7a,
It is composed of infrared receivers 6b and 7b arranged opposite to these infrared projectors 6a and 7a. When the infrared beam is blocked by the object to be inspected 3, the infrared receivers 6b and 7b output blocking signals S1 and S2.

Furthermore, the storage box 2 is provided with an opening 8 so as not to block the infrared beam when the inspected article 3 is not stored therein. In this figure, only one stage of the storage pocket 4 and the opening 8 are shown, and the illustration of the other parts is omitted.

Next, a description will be given of the operation when the inspection target items such as beer stored in the inventory management device are totaled by type.

Masu, photoelectric switch 6.7 infrared projector 6 a z7
A is in a state where infrared rays are being emitted.

The storage box 2 contains the endless chain pair 1a.

1b, and successively pass through the infrared beam of a photoelectric switch 6.7 as shown in FIG. Arrow A in the figure indicates the conveyance direction of the inspection article. At this time, the infrared beams of the infrared projectors 6a and 7a are blocked by the object to be inspected, such as beer, stored in the storage box 2 and the storage pocket 4 of the storage box 2, and the infrared receiver 6
b, 7b apply light shielding signals S1, S2.

3(a) and 3(b) respectively show a scanning line 9a for scanning a bottle-heel canned beer by a photoelectric switch 6.7.
, 9b are shown.

As shown in the figure, the photoelectric switch 6.7 scans along the transport direction at the center of the bottle or can of beer and at a distance of about 30+ am from the center.

FIG. 4(a) shows the light blocking signals S1 and S2 of the photoelectric switch 6.7 when the bottled beer 3a shown in FIG. 3(a) is transported.
FIG. 4(b) is a diagram showing the light blocking signals S1 and S2 of the photoelectric switch 6.7 when the canned beer 3b shown in FIG. 3(b) is conveyed.

As shown in these figures, the light blocking signal S of the central scanning line 9a output from the infrared receiver 6b of the photoelectric switch 6
1 is the same for beer in pillars ((a) in the same figure) and beer in cans ((b) in the same figure), or about 30 m from the center [
As shown in the figure, the light-shielding signal S2 of the scanning line separated by I is delayed by B in rising time at the mouth of the bottle. These signals S1 and S2 are sent to a microcomputer (not shown) to determine the type of shape, and to tally the types.

Therefore, in the inventory control device of this embodiment, the shape is determined based on the length of the center of the article in the conveyance direction as well as the length of the position extending about 30 mm from the center of the article in the conveyance direction. It becomes possible.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the shape identification device of the present invention,
The first light projecting means and the second light projecting means measure the lengths of the article in the transport direction at two locations, and the shape is identified based on these lengths, so the shape of the article can be accurately determined. be identified.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of an embodiment in which the length measuring device of the present invention is applied to an inventory control device for checking the quality of beer over time, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the scanning line scanned by the photoelectric switch, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the light blocking signal output from the photoelectric switch. 1a, 1b endless chain, 2 storage hook, 5 drive device, 6.7 charging switch, 6a, 7a infrared emitter, 6b, 7b infrared receiver. Applicant Toshiba Koki Co., Ltd., 7 Near Link is Shiba Koki Co., Ltd. Representative Patent Attorney 5 Teiyama Satsuma - (1 idiot)

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A conveyance means for conveying an article at a predetermined speed along a conveyance path; and a first light projection for projecting light toward a first predetermined passing position of the article conveyed along the conveyance path. a second light projecting device that projects light toward a second predetermined passing position of the article being transported along the transport path; and a second light projecting device that projects light from the first light projecting device. a first light receiving means for receiving light projected from the second light projecting means; a second light receiving means for receiving light projected from the second light projecting means; and a first light receiving means for receiving light projected from the first light projecting means of the article transported by the transporting means. of the article based on a first time when the light projected from the second light projecting means of the article conveyed by the conveying means is blocked. A shape identification device comprising: shape identification means for identifying a shape.