JPH0521411B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Technical Field] The present invention relates to an X-ray inspection device for the internal capacity of a sealed container, and in particular, to an X-ray inspection device for inspecting the internal capacity of a sealed container, and in particular, an X-ray inspection device that periodically generates a defective liquid level signal using a continuous defective product detection circuit. The present invention relates to technology that enables early detection of filling machine defects.

[Background technology]

Beer, youth, milk, soft drinks, lubricating oil,
Weighing or percussion methods are generally used to test the liquid volume of cosmetics, synthetic detergents, and other products that are packaged at high speed. However, this has a low processing efficiency, which has a major impact on the mass production line system itself. Therefore, in order to solve this problem, an X-ray inspection device for inspecting the internal capacity of a sealed container using X-rays was developed.

This X-ray inspection device for checking the contents of sealed containers uses a conveyor to transport the sealed container and when it reaches the inspection position,
Pulsed X-rays are generated and irradiated onto the sealed container. The X-rays that have passed through the sealed container are detected by an X-ray detector and converted into an electric current depending on the height of the liquid level.
Depending on the magnitude of this current, it is determined whether the liquid level in the sealed container under inspection is appropriate or not, and defective products are blown off the conveyor with compressed air.

However, with such conventional X-ray inspection equipment for checking the contents of sealed containers, for example, even if the filling machine becomes defective and a series of sealed containers with incomplete filling occur, the filling machine will not be able to check the contents of the sealed containers. There was a problem with keeping things filled.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and its purpose is to solve the problem of failure of a specific filling head of a filling device having a plurality of filling heads for filling liquid into a sealed container. To minimize the number of defective products (sealed containers where the level of the filled liquid is not appropriate) when each sealed container is transported at high speed. An object of the present invention is to provide an X-ray inspection device for the internal capacity of a sealed container.

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve such an objective, the present invention
Basically, each sealed container that is transported in sequence is irradiated with X-rays, and based on the transmitted X-rays, a defect signal is generated if the liquid level in each sealed container is not appropriate. In an X-ray inspection apparatus for the internal capacity of sealed containers, means for generating a container detection "start" signal corresponding to the start of irradiation of the X-rays irradiated to each sealed container, and a predetermined count corresponding to the number of filling heads are provided. a counter having a preset value, which is reset by the generation of the defective signal, and sequentially counts the container detection "start" signal generated thereafter; and the count value of this counter is a preset count value. The present invention is characterized by comprising means for generating an interlock signal or an alarm signal upon detection of a defective signal again after the defective signal has been detected.

The X-ray inspection device for the internal capacity of a sealed container configured as described above can preset a predetermined count value in advance, and the counter is reset by a fault signal generated when the level of the filled liquid in the sealed container is not appropriate. We are prepared.

This counter continues to sequentially count the container detection "start" signal that occurs thereafter, that is, the signal corresponding to the start of X-ray irradiation for each sealed container that is sequentially transported, and this count is preset in advance. It is possible to continue until the count value is reached.

If the occurrence of a defective signal is detected again after that, an interlock signal or an alarm signal is generated.

In other words, if an interlock signal or alarm signal is generated, sealed containers with an incorrect filling liquid level will be successively {(first detected as incorrect) + (preset on the counter). It is determined that the number of pieces corresponding to the counted number) + (one piece that was again detected as inappropriate) has been detected.

Therefore, it can be determined very easily and quickly that the filling device that fills liquid into sealed containers is defective, and if each sealed container is being transported at high speed, defective products (filling liquid This makes it possible to minimize the number of cases in which a sealed container with an inappropriate liquid level occurs.

〔Example〕

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The structure of the present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment and drawings.

In addition, in all the figures for explaining the examples,
Components having the same function are given the same reference numerals, and repeated explanations thereof will be omitted.

1 to 4 are diagrams for explaining an X-ray inspection apparatus for the internal capacity of a sealed container according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a circuit for detecting continuous occurrence of defective products in the X-ray inspection device. FIG. FIG. 4, which is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the X-ray inspection apparatus for the internal capacity of a sealed container according to this embodiment, is a time chart for explaining the operation of the continuous defective product detection circuit shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the mass production line system for sealed containers, containers 3 are sequentially supplied from the position of a filling head 4 to a filling machine 2 having a plurality of rotating filling heads 4. After filling the container 3 with the contents while rotating the filling head 4 from this position,
The container 3 is sealed by a sealing device 5. The X-ray inspection apparatus 1 for the internal capacity of a sealed container according to this embodiment is installed at a location where the sealed container 3A flows in the direction of the arrow by the conveyor 6.

The X-ray inspection device 1 for the internal capacity of the sealed container includes a third
As shown in the figure, the sealed container 3A is placed on the conveyor 6.
When it reaches the inspection position, it blocks the light beam from a position detector 7, such as a photo sensor, and sends an inspection start signal to a computing unit 8.
In response to the inspection start signal, pulsed X-rays are generated from the X-ray generator 10 via the X-ray controller 9, and are irradiated onto the sealed container 3A. The X-rays that have passed through the sealed container 3A can be converted into an electric current according to the height of the liquid level by an X-ray detector 11 such as a differential ion tank. Based on the magnitude of this current, the computing unit 8 determines whether the liquid level of the sealed container 3A under inspection is appropriate.

When the sealed container 3A leaves the inspection position, a light beam enters the light receiving section of the position detector 7, and an inspection end signal is sent to the arithmetic unit 8, and this inspection end signal causes the generation of X-rays to be stopped. It's getting old. On the other hand, at the same time, if the liquid level in the sealed container 3A is determined to be "defective" by the computing unit 8 during the inspection period, a signal is sent from the computing unit 8 to the high-speed solenoid valve 12, and the defective sealed container 3A is , the compressed air from the compressed air reservoir 13 is blown off the conveyor 6. Reference numeral 14 designates a power supply circuit, and 15 designates a continuous occurrence detection circuit for defective products, which detects whether or not the pass/fail judgment signal output from the arithmetic unit 8 is generated periodically, and detects whether or not the quality determination signal output from the arithmetic unit 8 is generated periodically. generates an interlock signal or alarm signal.

A specific circuit configuration of this continuous defective product detection circuit 15 is shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 21 is a timing setting circuit, which is a circuit for determining the timing for reliably performing the reset operation of the counter circuit. This timing setting circuit 21 uses, for example, a monostable multi-circuit. 22 is a flip-flop circuit, 23 is an AND gate circuit for resetting the counter circuit, 24 is an AND gate circuit for counting, and 25 is a counter circuit, which may be an up-count type or a down-count type counter circuit. good. 26 is a count preset circuit for making the counter circuit 25 correspond to an arbitrary filling head number, 27 is an interlock AND gate circuit, and 28 is an interlock circuit.
For example, a relay circuit, an open collector driven inverter circuit, a transistor circuit, etc. are used.

In FIG. 4, s is a container detection signal, a is a container detection "start" signal, b is a defective signal from the calculator 8,
C is a timing signal, and d is an output signal of the flip-flop circuit 22, which becomes high level H when a defective signal occurs. e is an inverted signal of the output signal d of the flip-flop circuit 22. f is a reset signal of the counter circuit 25, g is a count signal of the counter circuit 25, and h is a preset signal of the counter circuit 25. For example, in this embodiment, the count value is set to "100". i is the counter circuit 25
j is the output signal (interlock signal) of the gate circuit 27, and k is the output signal of the interlock circuit 28.

Next, the operation of the continuous defective product detection circuit 15 will be explained.

The X-ray inspection apparatus 1 for measuring the internal capacity of a sealed container detects that when the sealed container 3A flows on the transport conveyor 6,
The position detector 7 detects that the sealed container 3A has come to the inspection position for each sealed container 3A, and outputs a container detection "start" signal a, as shown in FIG.
The signal is input to the AND gate circuit 24. Further, when the liquid volume judgment result of the arithmetic unit 8 is found to be defective, a defective signal b is generated at the timing of the container detection "start" signal, and the timing setting circuit 21 of the continuous defective product detection circuit 15 and the AND gate are generated. The signal is input to the circuit 23 and the AND gate circuit 27 .

As a result, the timing setting circuit 21 generates a timing signal c (usually a period of about 1 to 2 msec), and the flip-flop circuit 22 is set by this timing signal c. The AND gate circuit 23 is momentarily opened by the output signal e of the flip-flop circuit 22, and the counter circuit 25 is opened.
A reset signal f is output and the circuit is closed. As a result, subsequent defective signals will not be accepted until a series of signal processing is completed. At the same time as the counter circuit 25 is reset by the reset signal f, the preset signal h set by the preset circuit 26 is read. This preset signal h is preset to "100" in this embodiment, but this value can be set to any value corresponding to the number of filling heads of the filling machine. At the same time, the AND gate circuit 24 is opened by the signal d, and the signal g is generated and input to the counter circuit 25 to start counting.

When the count reaches the preset value “100”,
A count-up signal i is generated and the AND gate circuit 27 is opened until the next container arrives, and at the same time the flip-flop circuit 22 is reset. If counting starts in this state and a defective signal occurs again at the 100th container (container filled by the filling head that issued the defective signal: container detection signal "1" in the time chart in Figure 4), the A lock signal j is generated.

Interlock signal j is interlock circuit 2
8 to the user as interlock output k.

If the defective signal b is not generated at the set value after the count is started, a series of signal processing is started from the next generated defective signal b. If a defective signal does not occur at equal intervals (that is, every set value), an interlock signal will not be generated.

Although the present invention has been specifically explained above based on examples, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned examples and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof. .

〔effect〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, by providing a circuit for detecting continuous occurrence of defective products, when a container with a defective liquid quantity is inspected, the defective liquid quantity is detected in a limited filling head part of a filling machine, etc. Since it is possible to detect whether or not this has occurred, it is possible to detect malfunctions in the filling machine or the like at an early stage and improve production efficiency.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 4 are diagrams for explaining an X-ray inspection apparatus for the contents of a sealed container according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a circuit for detecting continuous occurrence of defective products in the X-ray inspection device. FIG. FIG. 4, which is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the X-ray inspection apparatus for the internal capacity of a sealed container according to this embodiment, is a time chart for explaining the operation of the continuous defective product detection circuit shown in FIG. 1. In the figure, 15...Continuous defective product detection circuit, 21
...Timing setting circuit, 22...Flip-flop circuit, 23...AND gate circuit, 24...
AND gate circuit, 25...Counter circuit, 26
. . . count preset circuit, 27 . . . AND gate circuit, 28 . . . interlock circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. X-rays are irradiated to each sealed container that is sequentially transported, and based on the transmitted X-rays, a defect signal is generated if the liquid level in each sealed container is not appropriate. In an X-ray inspection system for the internal capacity of a sealed container that generates a a counter that is reset by the generation of the defective signal and sequentially counts the container detection "start" signal that is generated thereafter; and a counter that has a preset count value. 1. An X-ray inspection device for the internal capacity of a sealed container, comprising means for generating an interlock signal or an alarm signal upon detection of a defective signal again after the count value has been reached.