JPH0469333B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a container inspection mechanism suitable for inspecting containers, for example, bottles, for the presence or absence of cracks, particularly for scratches and cracks on the top surface of the bottle mouth. .

Conventional Technology and Problems Generally, when filling a container, for example, a bottle, the bottles are first washed, and a large number of washed bottles are conveyed to a filling position by a belt conveyor, and the contents are poured into each bottle. I'm trying to fill it up. However, cleaning errors can leave deposits on the inside of the bottle. It is not desirable to fill bottles with such deposits and sell them as products. Furthermore, it is not preferable to fill bottles with scratches, cracks, etc. and sell them as products.

Therefore, attempts have been made to inspect the bottles for cracks or the like before filling the bottles with contents.

Conventionally, this type of inspection mechanism rotates the bottle while illuminating the bottle with light from a light source placed on one side of the bottle that has been moving in a straight line, and the light transmitted through the bottle is transferred to the other side of the bottle. received by a photoelectric converter placed at
The intensity of light transmitted through the bottle was used to inspect whether there were any cracks or deposits all over the outer periphery of the bottle.

However, in such an inspection mechanism, a light source and a photoelectric converter are installed at the inspection position, and a plurality of bottles to be inspected are arranged at regular intervals on a belt conveyor, so it is difficult to inspect one bottle before inspecting it. The inspection had to be carried out until the next bottle came to the inspection position. For this reason, the entire inspection time was not utilized effectively.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a container inspection mechanism, particularly a mechanism for inspecting the top surface of a container, which improves the drawbacks of the prior art as described above.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention provides a conveying means for supporting and rotationally moving containers arranged at a predetermined pitch, and a means for moving the containers by following the movement of the containers. In a mechanism for inspecting the top surface of a container, the mechanism includes a mirror means for inspecting and an inspection means comprising an imaging means for receiving light reflected from the mirror,
The inspection means is divided into a first inspection section and a second inspection section depending on the container.
The inspection means is movable between the first inspection section and the inspection range between the first inspection section and the second inspection section is variable; After inspecting the top surface of the container passing through the inspection section, moving the inspection range to the second inspection section,
By re-inspecting the top of the same container as the one that passed through the first inspection section in the second inspection section, the same container can be inspected until the next container reaches the first inspection section. The device is equipped with a control means that allows the top surface of the device to be inspected multiple times.

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Referring to FIG. 1, a container inspection mechanism according to the present invention is shown. The inspection mechanism comprises a transport device 20 for moving the container, for example a bottle 10, to be inspected. In the illustrated embodiment, this conveying device consists of linear movement means 21 for linearly moving the bottles and rotating means 22 for rotating the bottles.

The linear movement means 21 in the illustrated case consist of a conventional belt conveyor 23 supporting a number of bottles spaced apart in the longitudinal direction.

In the illustrated case, the rotating means 22 consists of a plurality of rotating rollers 24 arranged on a belt conveyor so as to surround the bottom of the bottle, and a drive body (not shown) for rotating these rotating rollers. Rotating means 22
In another embodiment, the bottle comprises a pair of conveyor belts (not shown) that contact both sides of the bottle. Thus, each bottle 10 is linearly moved by the belt conveyor 23 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1, and rotated by the rotating roller 24 in the direction of the arrow in FIG.

An inspection device 30 is provided for inspecting the bottle 10, which in the illustrated embodiment is shown inspecting the mouth 10a of the bottle for cracks, flaws, etc. In FIG. 1, this inspection device includes a light source 31 placed on one side of a bottle 10, a mirror 32 placed above the mouth 10a of the bottle, and a camera 33.

The mirror 32 has a reflective surface 32a that reflects the mouth of the bottle. A lens 33a of the camera 33 is arranged to face this reflective surface 32a. Therefore,
The mouth portion 10a of the bottle is reflected by a reflective surface 32a of a mirror, and an image of this reflective surface can be photographed with a camera through a lens 33a.

A shaft 34 is provided to protrude from one side of the mirror 32, and this shaft is rotatably supported by a frame 35. This shaft is motor 36
is connected to a drive shaft (not shown). This motor is, for example, a stepping motor, and is connected to a motor driver 37, which is connected to a controller to be described later. When the motor is activated, the mirror rotates and thus the inspection area of the bottle mouth can be changed.

The controller 40 is a computer (not shown)
has. This computer is connected to a motor driver 37 and a camera 33. The controller also has means for detecting the movement, in particular the linear movement speed, of the bottles, which in the illustrated case consist of a rotary encoder 41 for detecting the distance traveled by the belt conveyor 23. This rotary encoder is connected to a belt conveyor drive (not shown). This rotary encoder generates pulses proportional to the distance traveled by the belt conveyor. This pulse is input to a computer. In this way, the mirror can be moved depending on the position of the bottle to suit the inspection.

Next, the usage status of the inspection mechanism of the present invention will be described as follows.

As shown in FIG.
During the movement from A' to A', the mirror 32 is stopped at the inspection section 1, so that the mouth of the bottle passes through the reflective surface of the mirror from one end to the other, and the camera 33
It will be photographed in At this time, the next bottle to be inspected is
B', so move the mirror to inspection section 2 and check the bottle.
Inspect the same bottle again while moving from A′ to A″.

When the bottle advances to position A'', the next bottle moves to A'' position.
Since it is at position (B''), the mirror is returned to inspection section 1 and inspection of the next bottle begins.Such inspection is repeated.

Depending on the length of the maximum inspection time allowed, the mirror may not necessarily need to stop while inspecting the bottle mouth end to end.

As described above, according to the present invention, the non-inspection time period between bottles can be used for inspection time, which has the practical advantage of allowing extremely precise inspection.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a container inspection apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an inspection method. 10... Bottle, 10a... Bottle mouth, 20...
...transport device, 30...inspection device, 40...controller.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A transport means for supporting and rotating containers arranged at a predetermined pitch, a mirror means for inspecting the containers by following the movement of the containers, and a means for receiving light reflected from the mirror. In a mechanism for inspecting the top surface of a container, the inspection means is configured to be movable between a first inspection section and a second inspection section depending on the container, and the inspection means is configured to be movable between a first inspection section and a second inspection section according to the container. The setting of the inspection range between the inspection section and the second inspection section is made variable, and further, after the inspection means inspects the top surface of the container passing through the first inspection section at the first inspection section, The inspection range is moved to the second inspection section, and the second inspection section re-inspects the top surface of the same container as the one that passed through the first inspection section. A mechanism for inspecting the top surface of a container, characterized by comprising a control means that allows the top surface of the same container to be inspected multiple times until reaching the first inspection section. 2. Claim 1, wherein the control means includes a controller having a built-in computer connected to the mirror means and the imaging means, and a rotary encoder connected to the computer and detecting the moving distance of the container of the conveying means. Mechanism for inspecting the top surface of the container described in 2.