JPH06323828A - Component discriminating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a component discriminating apparatus which can pick up the image of a transparent or translucent component. CONSTITUTION:A slit 6 is made in the inner peripheral wall 2a of a bowl 2 while opposing the imaging position of a track 3. The optical axis B of a light source 7 penetrates through the slit 6 and intersects the optical axis A of a CCD camera 9 perpendicularly. The incident light to a transparent component (m) is retracted depending on the variation of thickness thereof or the like and a part thereof impinges on the CCD camera 9.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a parts discriminating device,
In particular, the present invention relates to a component discriminating apparatus that captures an image of a component and discriminates the posture, shape, and size of the component based on the captured output.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Vibratory bowl feeders have been used in the process of assembling parts. In this vibrating bowl feeder, parts are conveyed while being vibrated on a truck. The image pickup position of the track is composed of a transparent plate (or a semi-transparent plate), and a CCD camera and a light source are provided above and below the transparent plate so as to face each other.
The light from the light source is applied to the component through the transparent plate, and the image of the shadow is picked up by the CCD camera. And CC
The posture of the component is determined from the output of the D camera, the defective component is eliminated, and only the desired component is supplied.

[0003]

However, the conventional vibrating bowl feeder with a visual discriminating device cannot handle transparent parts (or translucent parts). This is because the light emitted from the light source passes through the transparent component, so that a shadow image cannot be captured, and the posture of the transparent component cannot be determined.

In order to solve this problem, a method of selecting a component by providing a mechanical sorting mechanism on the truck is conceivable, but there are drawbacks such that the device configuration becomes complicated and the sorting ability decreases.

Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a component discriminating apparatus capable of capturing an image of a transparent or translucent component.

[0006]

According to the present invention, it is possible to discriminate transparent or semi-transparent components in a system for illuminating a component with illumination light and discriminating the posture, shape and size of the component by a visual discrimination device. The component discriminating apparatus is configured such that the optical axis of the illumination light and the optical axis of the visual discriminating apparatus are provided substantially orthogonal to each other.

[0007]

In the component discriminating apparatus according to the present invention, since the optical axis of the illumination light and the optical axis of the visual discriminating apparatus are provided substantially orthogonal to each other, the strong light transmitted through the transparent or translucent component is visually recognized. It does not enter the discriminator. Further, the light incident on the transparent or semi-transparent component is refracted according to the change of the wall thickness and the like, and a part of the refracted light is incident on the visual discrimination device. Therefore, it is possible to capture an image of a transparent or translucent part.

[0008]

1 is a partially broken perspective view showing a vibrating bowl feeder 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially broken perspective view including a cross section taken along line XX of FIG. 1 and 2, a vibrating bowl feeder 1 is provided with a bowl 2, and a bottom wall of the bowl 2 is provided with a movable core, an electromagnet, etc., which are not shown. Due to these actions, the bowl 2 is vibrated. Bowl 2
The inner peripheral wall 2a is formed with a spiral track 3 for conveying parts, and its discharge end is a linear track 4 from which the part m is supplied to the next step. A CCD camera 9 is provided above a predetermined position (imaging position) of the track 3, and its optical axis A is hung on the track 3. Further, a slit 6 parallel to the surface of the track 3 is opened in the inner peripheral wall 2a of the bowl 2 facing the imaging position. A light source 7 is provided on the side of the imaging position (outside the bowl 2) across the slit 6, and the optical axis B of the light source 7 penetrates the slit 6 and is orthogonal to the optical axis A of the CCD camera 9. There is. Therefore, the planar illumination light parallel to the surface of the track 3 is emitted from the slit 6 to the imaging position. Further, an air jetting device 8 is fixed to the bowl 2 in the vicinity of the downstream side of the slit 6, and a nozzle portion 8 a thereof is provided facing the track 3.

When a large number of transparent parts (or semi-transparent parts) m are put into the bottom of the bowl 2 and the bowl 2 is rotated and vibrated in the vertical direction, the transparent part m moves up the track 3. When reaching the imaging position, the light incident on the transparent component m from the slit 6 is refracted according to the change in the thickness of the transparent component m, and a part of the refracted light is incident on the CCD camera 9. Therefore, the CCD camera 9 can capture an image according to a change in the thickness of the transparent component m.

A computer (not shown) determines the posture, shape and size of the transparent component m based on the image output of the CCD camera 9, and when it determines that the transparent component m is not in a desired posture, the air ejecting device 8 is turned on. It is driven to eject compressed air to blow out the transparent component m into the bowl 2. Therefore, only the desired transparent component m is supplied to the component supply unit 5.

In this embodiment, the slit 6 is provided on the inner peripheral wall 2a of the bowl 2 and the CCD camera 9 is provided so as to face the track 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the slit 6 is provided on the track 3. The CCD camera 9 may be provided so as to face the inner peripheral wall 2 a of the bowl 2.

Further, it is not always necessary to provide the slit 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the light source 10 may directly illuminate the transparent component m with illumination light. However, in this case as well, the light source 1
It is necessary to arrange the optical axis C of 0 and the optical axis A of the CCD camera 9 substantially orthogonal to each other so that strong transmitted light or reflected light does not enter the CCD camera 9.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the optical axis of the illumination light and the optical axis of the visual discrimination device are arranged orthogonal to each other, the light transmitted through the transparent or semitransparent component is incident on the visual discrimination device. This can be prevented, and refracted light refracted according to a change in the thickness of the transparent or translucent component can be made incident on the visual discrimination device. Therefore, it is possible to capture an image of a transparent or translucent part.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a vibrating bowl feeder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view including a cross section taken along line XX of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing another configuration of the component imaging unit shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vibrating Bowl Feeder 2 Bowl 2a Inner Wall 3 Track 6 Slit 7, 10 Light Source 9 CCD Camera

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A component discriminating device capable of discriminating transparent or translucent components in which a component is irradiated with illumination light and the posture, shape and dimensions of the component are discriminated by a visual discriminating device. A component discriminating apparatus, wherein an optical axis of illumination light and an optical axis of the visual discriminating apparatus are provided substantially orthogonal to each other.