JPH0634326A - Ball's seam inspecting method and apparatus thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a seam inspecting method and its apparatus by which seam line inspection precision is improved. CONSTITUTION:A seam inspecting apparatus is provided with a rotary driving means 3 and a detecting apparatus 4 wherein the driving means 3 rotates a ball 2 reciprocally on a first axis X and a second axis Y which cross at right angles while supporting the ball 2 which has dumbbell-type seam line 1 on the surface and the detecting apparatus 4 detects the condition of the seam line 1 while being placed on an axial center K which is a line between a middle point T of an arc and the crossing point of the first and the second axes X, Y, wherein the arc is formed between neightboring two points among four at which the surface of the ball 2 and the first and the second axes X, Y intersect.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a ball seam inspection method and apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Tennis balls, baseball balls, and the like are examples of balls having a loop-shaped single line called a dumbbell type seam line on the surface. The state of this seam line,
For example, in the case of a tennis ball, in order to inspect whether the width dimension of the seam line is within the tolerance and whether the seam line is cracked, a solid-state image sensor (CC) has been conventionally used.
D) An image processing device equipped with a camera or the like was used.

In the inspection by this image processing apparatus, the seam line of the ball in a stationary state is divided and photographed by a CCD camera, and the image of the seam line is checked based on a certain inspection standard to judge whether the ball is good or bad. .

[0004]

However, when the entire half surface of the ball is placed on the screen in the above-mentioned shooting, the area of the seam line is very small with respect to the area of the entire screen.
It was not possible to obtain good inspection accuracy.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a seam inspection method and its apparatus that can solve the above problems.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the seam inspection method of the present invention is such that the intersection of the first and second axes orthogonal to each other is the origin and the dumbbell type seam line is on the surface. While aligning the center points of the balls, the two arc center points that are opposite to each other among the arc center points of the arc-shaped portion of the seam line are located on the first axis, and the first and second axes Of the four points intersecting the ball surface, the midpoint of the arc connecting two adjacent points and the inflection point of the seam line are made to coincide with each other, and the ball is rotatably supported around the first axis. , The ball about the first axis in a direction in which the seam line passes near the midpoint.
Rotate 0 °, then support the ball rotatably around the second axis at that position, rotate 180 ° in the direction in which the seam line passes near the midpoint, and then rotate the ball at that position. Is rotatably supported about the first axis, and the seam line is placed in a direction passing through the vicinity of the intermediate point.
Then, the ball is rotatably supported around the second axis at that position, and the seam line is rotated by 180 ° in the direction passing through the vicinity of the intermediate point. The whole seam line on the ball surface is inspected by a seam line inspection detector provided on the axis connecting the two.

Further, the seam inspection apparatus of the present invention supports a ball having a dumbbell type seam line on its surface, and rotational drive means for alternately rotating the ball around a first axis and a second axis which are orthogonal to each other. The seam is disposed on the axis connecting the midpoint of the arc connecting two adjacent points among the four points where the first and second axes intersect with the ball surface and the intersection of the first and second axes. And a detector for detecting the state of the line.

[0008]

The ball is moved by the rotation driving means to the first shaft and the second shaft.
If the seam line is rotated 180 ° alternately around the axis in a predetermined direction, the seam line will be in the vicinity of the middle point (of the arc connecting two adjacent points among the four points where the first and second axes intersect the ball surface). Go around once.

Therefore, if the field of view of the detector is set so as to correspond to the vicinity of the intermediate point, the area ratio of the seam line to the field of view of the detector can be increased and the entire seam line on the ball surface can be inspected.

[0010]

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings showing the embodiments.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a ball seam inspection apparatus according to the present invention. This seam inspection apparatus supports a ball 2 having a dumbbell-shaped seam line 1 on its surface and makes the ball 2 orthogonal to each other. It is provided with a rotation driving means 3 for alternately rotating around the first axis X and the second axis Y, and a detector 4 for detecting the state of the seam line 1.

The rotation drive means 3 includes a pair of first drive mechanisms 5 and 5 located on the first axis X, a pair of second drive mechanisms 6 and 6 located on the second axis Y, and a first Second drive mechanism 5,
The control unit 7 controls 5, 6, and 6.

The first and second drive mechanisms 5 and 6 have a rotary shaft 9 having a holding portion 8 at the tip thereof and a drive unit having a built-in stepping motor for rotating the rotary shaft 9 in both forward and reverse directions.
10 and.

Each rotary shaft 9 is constructed so as to be movable back and forth in the first and second axes X and Y directions. For example, by using a stepping motor or the like, only the rotary shaft 9 is moved back and forth with respect to the drive unit 10, or each drive unit 10 is attached to a screw shaft, a link mechanism, or the like, and the first and second drive mechanisms 5, 5, 6 ， 6 Try to move back and forth.

The control unit 7 controls the rotating shafts 9 and 9 of the first driving mechanisms 5 and 5 and the rotating shafts 9 and 9 of the second driving mechanisms 6 and 6 by a command such as a program which is input and set in advance. Each of them can be rotated in a predetermined angle and direction and can be moved in the first and second axes X and Y directions.

The ball 2 is rotatably held by a positioning pin (not shown) or the like at a position where the intersection of the first and second axes X and Y is the origin O and the center of the ball 2 is aligned with the origin O. To be done. The ball 2 is automatically carried into and out of the holding position by a ball transfer device (not shown).

Then, the balls 2 are clamped by the clamping portions 8 and 8 when the rotating shafts 9 and 9 of the first drive mechanisms 5 and 5 (or the second drive mechanisms 6 and 6) are advanced, and the first axis X ( Or second
It becomes possible to rotate around the Y axis.

As the detector 4, a solid-state image sensor (CCD) camera, various sensors and the like are used, and the first and second axes X and Y are used.
On the axis K connecting the midpoint T (see FIG. 2) of the arc connecting the two adjacent points of the four points intersecting the surface of the ball 2 and the origin O of the first and second axes X and Y. It is arranged and the ball 2
On the surface, it is installed so as to have a predetermined visual field S area centered on the midpoint T.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a discriminating circuit, which checks the detection signal (image signal of the seam line 1) sent from the detector 4 on the basis of the inspection standard inputted in advance by the input means 12 to detect the seam line 1 Good or bad--for example, whether or not the width dimension of the seam line 1 is within the tolerance, whether the seam line 1 is not cracked, etc. are automatically determined.

When the seam line 1 is defective, the ball 2 is discharged to the defective product sorting path through the defective product discharge signal command circuit 19 by discharging means (not shown) or the like. In this way, the ball 2 having a defective seam line is automatically selected. Reference numeral 13 denotes a display, which displays the discrimination result of the discrimination circuit 11 and the image of the seam line 1 sent from the detector 4.

A ball 2 having a seam line 1 on its surface is, for example, a tennis ball. This tennis ball is shown in FIG. 3 on a core ball (not shown) whose surface is coated with rubber glue. 2 of the same shape
It is formed by sticking together a number of melton dumbbells 14, 14.

Such a process is called a laminating process (in the tennis ball manufacturing process). The tennis ball after the laminating process is completed after the vulcanization process and the like. In this way, when the melton dumbbells 14, 14 are pasted together, the seam line 1 (the seam line 1 ( Refer to Figure 1).

On the other hand, the melton dumbbell 14 has a circular arc shape.
The hip portions 15 and 15 and the waist portion 16 connecting the hip portions 15 and 15 are formed, and each hip portion 15 forms a part of a circle having a radius R centered on the center point A. .

When the two melton dumbbells 14 and 14 are bonded together, the center point A of the melton dumbbell 14 is the arc center point G of the arcuate portion 17 of the seam line 1, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Correspondingly, arcuate center points G, G corresponding to the pair of center points A, A of one sheet of melton dumbbell 14 are located at opposite poles of the surface of the ball 2.

According to the seam inspection method and the apparatus therefor of the present invention, for example, in the manufacturing process of a tennis ball or the like, the quality inspection of the seam line 1 after completion of the tennis ball and immediately after the laminating process are completed. It is possible to inspect the displacement of Melton dumbbells 14, 14.

Next, an inspection method using the seam inspection device will be described.

First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the center point of the ball 2 is set to the first and second positions (by a transport mechanism (not shown)).
The position of the ball 2 held in this state, which coincides with the origin O of the axes X and Y, is set as the inspection start position.

Specifically, the arc-shaped portion 17 of the seam line 1
Of the two arc center points G, G that are opposite to each other
Is located on the first axis X, and any inflection point H on the intermediate point T and the seam line 1 --- as shown in FIG. The inflection point H is defined as the intersection of the connected locus U and the seam line 1, and the ball 2 is rotated about the rotation axes 9, 9 of the first drive mechanisms 5, 5.
Support.

After positioning at the inspection start position in this way, the direction in which the seam line 1 passes in the vicinity of the intermediate point T around the ball 2 around the first axis X in the order of (A) (B) (C) in FIG. At 180 °
Rotation ─── Hereinafter, such rotation is called the first rotation operation─
──When done, the seam line 1 sequentially falls within the field of view S of the detector 4, and 1/4 of the seam line 1 (corresponding to the inflection points H1 to H2 in the development view of the seam line 1 shown in FIG. 7) Can be inspected.

After the first rotation operation, at the position where it is stopped, as shown in FIG. 1, the rotation shafts 9, 9 of the first drive mechanisms 5, 5 are retracted to be separated from the ball 2, and The rotating shafts 9 and 9 of the drive mechanisms 6 and 6 are advanced to move the ball 2
To pinch.

Thereafter, in order of (A), (B) and (C) of FIG. 6, the ball 2 is rotated about the second axis Y by 180 ° in the direction in which the seam line 1 passes near the intermediate point T. Second such rotation
When it is called a rotation operation, the seam line 1 is sequentially set within the visual field S of the detector 4, and 1 / th of the seam line 1 is obtained.
4 (the part corresponding to inflection points H2 to H3 in FIG. 7) can be inspected.

Next, after the ball 2 is supported by the first driving mechanism 5 and 5 to perform the first rotating operation, the second driving mechanism 6 and 6.
If the ball 2 is supported by 6 and the second rotation operation is performed, the remaining portion of the seam line 1 (the portion corresponding to the inflection points H3 to H4 and the portion corresponding to the inflection points H4 to H1 in FIG. 7). ) Sequentially falls within the field of view S of the detector 4 and the ball 2
The inspection of the entire seam line 1 is completed.

In the above method, the first rotation operation is performed first, but it is also possible to start from the second rotation operation.

Although the first axis X and the second axis Y are arranged in the horizontal plane in FIG. 1, instead of this, the first axis X and the second axis Y are arranged.
It may also be desirable to have either one of these vertically arranged and the other horizontally arranged. It is also possible that at least one of the axes has an inclined shape.

[0035]

Since the present invention is constructed as described above, it has the following great effects.

The ball 2 is moved by the rotation driving means 3 to the first axis X.
Alternately, the seam line 1 can be sequentially rotated around the second axis Y by 180 ° in a predetermined direction so that the seam line 1 sequentially passes through the vicinity of the intermediate point T to make one turn. In this way, the seam line can be followed by a simple mechanism, and the visual field of the detector 4 including an image processing device and various sensors can be effectively used.

Moreover, if the field of view S (area) of the detector 4 is set so as to correspond to the vicinity of the intermediate point T, the area ratio of the seam line 1 to the area of the field of view S of the detector 4 is increased, and the seam line 1 is increased. Good inspection accuracy can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural explanatory view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a main part.

FIG. 3 is a developed plan view of a melton dumbbell.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing corresponding positions of a melton dumbbell and a ball.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of an inspection method.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an inspection method.

FIG. 7 is a development view of a seam line.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 seam line 2 ball 3 rotation driving means 4 detector H inflection point G arc center point X first axis Y second axis O origin T intermediate point K axis center

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ───

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] May 18, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0030

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

After the first rotation operation, the rotary shafts of the second drive mechanisms 6 and 6 are kept in the stopped position as shown in FIG.
9 and 9 are advanced to hold the ball 2 and the first drive
The rotating shafts 9 and 9 of the moving mechanisms 5 and 5 are retracted from the ball 2.
Separate.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A center point of a ball 2 having a dumbbell-shaped seam line 1 on its surface is made coincident with an origin O of an intersection point of a first axis X and a second axis Y which are orthogonal to each other, and the seam line 1 The two arc center points G, G opposite to each other within the arc center point G of the arc-shaped portion 17 are located on the first axis X, and the first and second axes X, Y are the surface of the ball 2. Among the four points intersecting with, the midpoint T of the arc connecting the two adjacent points and the inflection point H of the seam line 1 are made to coincide with each other, and the ball 2
Is rotatably supported around the first axis X, and then
Align the ball 2 around the first axis X and the seam line 1
Rotates 180 ° in a direction passing through the vicinity of the intermediate point T, and then supports the ball 2 rotatably around the second axis Y at that position, and the seam line 1 passes through the vicinity of the intermediate point T. 180 ° in the direction, and thereafter, at that position, the ball 2 is rotatably supported about the first axis X,
18 in the direction in which the seam line 1 passes near the intermediate point T
Rotate it by 0 ° and then place the ball 2 in the second position
The seam line 1 is supported so as to be rotatable about the axis Y.
Is rotated 180 ° in the direction passing through the vicinity of the intermediate point T, and the seam line on the surface of the ball 2 is detected by the seam line inspection detector 4 provided on the axis K connecting the intermediate point T and the origin O. 1. A seam inspection method for a ball, characterized by inspecting the whole. 2. A ball which has a dumbbell-shaped seam line 1 on the surface thereof and which is orthogonal to the ball 2.
The rotation driving means 3 for alternately rotating around the axis X and the second axis Y, and the middle of an arc connecting two adjacent points among the four points where the first and second axes X and Y intersect the surface of the ball 2. A ball provided with a detector 4 arranged on an axis K connecting the point T and the intersection of the first and second axes X and Y to detect the state of the seam line 1. Seam inspection device.