JPH0512641B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] This invention is applicable to pharmaceuticals (vials, ampoules),
This invention relates to an inspection device that inspects the appearance, dimensions, presence of defects, etc. of mainly bottle-shaped products and cylindrical products such as food (drinking water).

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, various inspection devices have been proposed for inspecting the presence or absence of foreign matter in ampoules or vials. For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 57-11416,
A transparent container filled with liquid is rotated at high speed, then suddenly stopped, a light beam is irradiated onto the transparent container, the light is received by a photodetector from the opposite side, and the amount of light received indicates a foreign object that continues to float and rotate with the liquid inside. An inspection device is disclosed for detecting the presence of. Also, JP-A-59-
Publication No. 183351 discloses that while the ampoule is held by a pair of upper and lower holders on the inspection drum, the ampoule is rotated at high speed around its axis, then abruptly stopped, and the ampoule is irradiated with transmitted light from a predetermined direction to be displayed on a television. An ampoule inspection device is disclosed that inspects non-defective products and defective products while taking images with a digital camera.

In order to inspect the vial, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the vial 40 is held in an oblique position by a pair of bars 41, 41, and a rotating roll 42 is brought into contact with the side surface of the vial 40 from below. There is an inspection device on the market that carries out a visual inspection by arranging a large number of vials 40 in a line while rotating the vials 40 and continuously transporting them to an inspection section.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

The above-mentioned JP-A-57-11416 and JP-A-59-
In the inspection device disclosed in Publication No. 183351, in order to rotate and transport transparent containers and ampoules, it is necessary to grip them with holders from above and below. For this reason, the ampoule could not be inspected from above or below, and therefore the entire surface could not be visually inspected. In addition, the holders and the like get in the way, making it impossible to bring the illumination device close to the objects to be inspected and provide high-intensity, uniform illumination over the entire surface, making it difficult to perform highly accurate inspections.

In addition, in the conveyance mode shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, since the vial 40 is held on the side, it is not possible to inspect the vial 40 at that holding part, and the vial 40
0 was insufficiently gripped, there was a risk that the vial 40 would shake during the inspection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus that can stably grip and transport an object to be inspected and can perform highly accurate full-surface inspection under homogeneous lighting conditions.

[Means for solving problems]

The inspection conveyance device of the present invention includes an index turntable that performs intermittent rotation in one direction and has a plurality of test object mounting bases arranged at regular intervals over the entire outer periphery; a disk turntable arranged concentrically on the upper part of the mount and rotates, and whose outer circumferential surface contacts the circumferential surface near the bottom of the object placed on the pedestal to rotate the object to be inspected; They are provided outside the disk turntable and on both sides of the pedestal so as to be able to approach and separate from each other with the object to be inspected placed on the pedestal of the Dexion turntable sandwiching the object to be inspected. a pair of rollers that contact a peripheral surface near the bottom; and a pair of rollers that partially overlap the index turntable and interlock with the intermittent rotation of the index turntable, and a first intersection with the index turntable. a star foil that supplies the object to be inspected to the index turntable at a second intersection point and retrieves the object to be inspected from the index turntable at a second intersection; a plurality of lighting devices arranged at each stop position of the pedestal due to intermittent rotation of the Dexion turntable and illuminating the inspection target surface of the object to be inspected placed on the pedestal; a plurality of imaging devices each capturing an image of the surface to be inspected of the object to be inspected and outputting an image signal; and an image processing device processing the image signal output from the imaging device to generate a defect signal of the object to be inspected. and a sorting device that is provided near the star foil and selects defective products from the inspected objects collected by the star foil in response to the defect signal.

[Effect]

According to this invention, the objects to be inspected are placed on the pedestals arranged over the entire outer periphery of the index turntable that rotates intermittently. The pedestal serves as an inspection station, and as the index turntable rotates intermittently, the pedestal stops sequentially at each location where the illumination device and imaging device are installed, and during the stop, the illumination device illuminates the object to be inspected. illuminate the surface,
Capture an image using an imaging device. At this time, the object to be inspected placed on the pedestal is held by a pair of rollers and a disk turntable on its circumferential surface near the bottom, and is rotated by rotation of the disk turntable.

The object to be inspected is supplied to and recovered from the index turntable using a star wheel. That is, the star foil is provided so as to partially overlap the index turntable, and the test object is supplied and retrieved at the first and second intersections thereof, respectively.

The inspected objects collected by the star foil are sorted into defective items and non-defective items by a sorting device that responds to a defective signal from an image processing device that has processed the image signal from the imaging device.

〔Example〕

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the overall configuration of the inspection device in this embodiment, Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the transport mechanism of the object to be inspected in this inspection device, and Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the holding mechanism of the object to be inspected. FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view.

The inspection apparatus of this embodiment uses a vial as the object to be inspected, and as shown in FIG. A screw feeder 4 is connected via a rectifying table 3. The rectifying table 3 aligns the objects 1 to be inspected in a line and transfers the objects 1 to the screw feeder 4. The screw feeder 4 transfers the inspection object 1 to the star wheel 5 at a predetermined interval.

The star foil 5 rotates intermittently in one direction, and as shown in FIG. 2, transport pockets 5a are provided around it at predetermined intervals, and the object 1 to be inspected is held in the transport pockets 5a. This star wheel 5 partially overlaps the index turntable 6 and rotates intermittently in conjunction with the index turntable 6.

The index turntable 6 has, over its entire circumference, a plurality of pedestals 7 for placing objects to be inspected, which protrude in the radial direction from the outer periphery, as shown in FIG. This pedestal 7 is made of a material with low frictional resistance, such as ceramics, in consideration of the slipperiness of the rotating object 1 to be inspected. A pair of arms 8, 8 are arranged on both sides of the pedestal 7, and these arms 8,
The outer circumferential surface of each of the top surfaces of the tips of 8 is the object to be inspected 1.
Rollers 9, 9 are attached to contact the peripheral surface of.
The arms 8, 8 are attached so as to be able to approach and separate from each other from their tips, and a spring 16 is stretched between the tips of the arms 8, urging the rollers 9, 9 toward each other.

Further, above the index turntable 6, there is a disk turntable 1 which is concentric with the index turntable 6, has a larger radius than the index turntable 6, and whose outer peripheral surface is in contact with the object to be inspected 1.
0 is set. Therefore, the object 1 to be inspected is held by the rollers 9, 9 and the disk turntable 10 on its circumferential surface near the bottom, and is rotated by the rotation of the disk turntable 10.

The object to be inspected 1 is supplied from the star foil 5 to the pedestal 7, as shown in FIG. 1, the object 1 to be inspected is placed on the pedestal 7 by pushing it apart between the pair of rollers 9, 9, and then placed on the index turntable 6.
starts intermittent rotation to detach the object 1 from the star foil 5.

The index turntable 6 has a disc shape that rotates intermittently in one direction, and repeats stopping and rotating at regular intervals. As shown in FIG. 1, illumination devices 11a to 11g and imaging devices 12a to 12g (line sensor cameras, etc.) are arranged at the stopping positions of each pedestal 7 serving as an inspection station. Each of the illumination devices 11a to 11g uniformly illuminates different surfaces to be inspected of the object 1 to be inspected, and images of each surface to be inspected are captured by the imaging devices 12a to 12g. When the object to be inspected 1 is a vial, the top surface of the cap, the side surface of the head, the side surface of the shoulder of the container, the side surface, the surface of the contents, the bottom surface, etc. can be inspected from these surfaces. It can be selected as appropriate depending on the purpose.

FIG. 4A shows the position of the imaging device 12a for inspecting the side surface of the object to be inspected 1.
The image is captured through a mirror 14a provided in front of the camera. In addition, in FIG. 4B, the arrow 30 is
This is an inspection line by the imaging device 12a. Fifth
Figure A shows the position of the imaging device 12b for inspecting the bottom surface of the object 1 to be inspected. Images are taken through the In addition, in FIG. 5B, the arrow 31 is
This is an inspection line by the imaging device 12b.

In this way, the object to be inspected 1 is gripped by pinching the peripheral surface of the object to be inspected near the bottom between the pair of rollers 9, 9 and the disk turntable 10, and by the rotation of the disk turntable 10. Since the object to be inspected 1 is rotated, the grip of the object to be inspected is stable, and any surface of the object to be inspected can be uniformly illuminated with high brightness from the required direction, making it possible to inspect the entire surface of the object to be inspected. becomes.

The inspected object 1 that has been inspected at each inspection station is moved to the second intersection 18 as shown in FIG.
Then, the star foil 5 rotates intermittently in the direction in which the object to be inspected 1 is taken out, and the object to be inspected 1 is removed from the pedestal 5. The inspection object 1 collected in the transport pocket 5a is sorted into good items 20 and defective items 21 by the sorting device 19. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, when the image signals output from the imaging devices 12a to 12g are processed by the image processing device 22 and the inspected object 1 is determined to be a good product, the sorting device 19
Open the gate 23 provided in (see Figure 2),
The non-defective product 20 is discharged from the star foil 5 by a non-defective product discharge belt 24 and conveyed to the next process by a non-defective product discharge conveyor 25.

On the other hand, if it is determined to be defective, the gate 23 is closed in response to the defective signal and the defective product is allowed to pass through.
The defective products are discharged by the defective product discharge conveyor 26.

In this way, the screw feeder 4 passes through the star foil 5 to the index turntable 6.
The object to be inspected 1 is placed on the pedestal 7, and after inspection, the object to be inspected 1 is collected by the same start wheel 5 and sorted by the sorting device 19, so that the device can be made more compact. Moreover, the object to be inspected 1 can be transported stably.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, the objects to be inspected are intermittently transferred to the pedestal of the indexing turntable via the star foil, and after being inspected, the objects to be inspected are collected by the same star foil and sorted. Since the sorting is done by the device, the entire device can be made compact and the objects to be inspected can be transported stably.

In addition, since a pair of rollers and a disk turntable grip the peripheral surface near the bottom of the object to be inspected, and the disk turntable rotates the object to be inspected, the object to be inspected can be held stably and the object to be inspected can be rotated. Since any surface of the object to be inspected can be illuminated uniformly with high brightness from the necessary direction, highly accurate full-surface inspection is possible.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing its conveyance mechanism, FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a gripping mechanism for an object to be inspected, and FIG. 4A and B are schematic side views and front views showing the imaging mechanism on the side surface of the object to be inspected, FIGS. 5A and B are schematic side views and bottom views showing the imaging mechanism on the bottom surface of the object to be inspected, and FIGS. 6 and 7 The figures are a side view and a front view showing a holding device for an object to be inspected in a conventional visual appearance inspection mechanism. 1...Object to be inspected, 4...Screw feeder,
5... Star foil, 6... Index turntable, 7... Pedestal, 9... Roller, 10...
...Disc turntable, 11a to 11g...
Illumination device, 12a to 12g... Imaging device, 19...
... Sorting device, 22... Image processing device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An index turntable that rotates intermittently in one direction and has a plurality of pedestals for placing objects to be inspected arranged at regular intervals over the entire outer periphery; a disc turntable that is arranged concentrically on the top of the table and rotates, and whose outer circumferential surface contacts the circumferential surface near the bottom of the object placed on the pedestal to rotate the object to be inspected; and the indexer. They are provided outside the disk turntable and on both sides of the pedestal so as to be able to approach and separate from each other, with the object to be inspected placed on the pedestal of the turntable sandwiched therebetween, and the outer peripheral surface is near the bottom of the object to be inspected. a pair of rollers that are in contact with the peripheral surface of the index turntable; a star foil for supplying an object to be inspected to an indexing table and collecting the object to be inspected from the indexing turntable at a second intersection; and an indexing turn along the circumferential direction of the indexing turntable. A plurality of lighting devices are arranged at each stop position of the pedestal due to intermittent rotation of the table and illuminate the inspection target surface of the object to be inspected placed on the pedestal, and the object illuminated by each of these lighting devices. a plurality of imaging devices that respectively image the inspection target surface of the inspection object and output image signals; an image processing device that processes the image signals output from the imaging devices and generates a defect signal of the inspection object; An inspection device comprising: a sorting device that is provided near a star foil and selects defective products from among the inspected objects collected by the star foil in response to the defect signal.