JPH0792102A - Printed matter inspection system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To automatically and surely inspect and sort printed matters, e.g. labels. CONSTITUTION:Labels 1 are stacked on a slider 11 at a feeding section 10 and then the labels 1 are fed one by one to a reading section 20 while being pressed against a roller 15 by means of a presser 17. The label 1 is then stopped by means of a stopper 27 and the image of the printed surface of the label 1 is picked up by means of a video camera 29. Image information is fed to an image processing section 50 where the pass/fail of the label 1 is decided. Subsequently, the label 1 is fed to a sorting section 30 and a passed label is received by a passed label containing box 41 whereas a failed label is received by a failed label containing box 42.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for inspecting the quality of printing of printed matter such as a label.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Prior to attaching a label to a can container, it is necessary to inspect the quality of the label printing and remove the defective one. Conventionally, such inspection and sorting are done by an operator. Are being carried out one by one.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional method, it takes time for inspection and sorting, and
There is a defect that inspection and sorting errors occur. Therefore, the present invention provides an apparatus capable of automatically and reliably inspecting and sorting printed matters such as labels.

[0004]

According to the present invention, as a printed matter inspection apparatus, a sending section, a reading section, an image processing section and a sorting section are provided. The sending-out section is provided with means for aligning and stacking the printed materials, means for pressing the stacked printed materials, and means for sending the stacked printed materials one by one to the reading section. The reading unit is provided with a unit for positioning the printed matter sent from the sending unit, a video camera for capturing an image of the printed surface of the positioned printed matter, and a unit for delivering the imaged printed matter to the sorting unit. The image processing unit determines the quality of the printed material from the image information from the video camera, and outputs the determination result. The sorting unit is provided with a unit that sorts the printed matter into a good product and a defective product based on the determination result of the image processing unit.

[0005]

The printed matter inspection apparatus of the present invention determines the quality of the printed matter based on the image information from the video camera that picks up the printed matter, and classifies the printed matter into a good product and a defective product according to the determination result. Can be done accurately and in a short time.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a printed matter inspection apparatus of the present invention. The printed matter inspection apparatus includes a sending unit 10 and a reading unit 2.
0, a sorting unit 30, a storage unit 40, an image processing unit 50, and a control unit 60.

In the delivery section 10, a slide plate 11 on which the label 1 is placed, a guide 12 for aligning the label 1, a holding plate 17 driven by a cylinder 16, and a roller 15 for feeding the label 1 along the slide plate 11. A motor 13 for driving the roller 15 and a belt 14 are provided.

The reading unit 20 has a slide plate 21 on which the label 1 is placed, and a roller 2 which sends the label 1 along the slide plate 21.
5, motor 23 for driving roller 25, belt 24
And the stopper 27 driven by the cylinder 26 and the label 1
And a video camera 29 for picking up an image of the printing surface of. The image information from the video camera 29 is sent to the image processing unit 50.

In the sorting section 30, a slide plate 31 on which the label 1 is placed, and a roller 35 which sends the label 1 along the slide plate 31.
A motor 33 for driving the roller 35, a belt 34,
A guide 37 that is driven by a cylinder 36 and moves up and down is provided.

The storage section 40 is provided with a good product storage box 41 and a defective product storage box 42. Good storage box 41 and bad storage box 4
2 is provided with slopes 43 and 44 for guiding the label 1 that slides down along the guide 37, and storage tanks 45 and 46 for storing the label 1 are provided below the slopes 43 and 44.

The image processing unit 50 determines the quality of the label 1 from the image information from the video camera 29, and outputs the determination result to the control unit 60. The control unit 60 controls the cylinder 16 of the sending unit 10, the cylinder 26 of the reading unit 20, the cylinder 36 of the sorting unit 30, and the like.

In the above-mentioned apparatus, the label 1 to be inspected is stacked on the sliding plate 11 of the sending section 10 and compressed air is sent to the cylinder 16 by a command from the control section 60.
The label 1 is pressed down by the pressing plate 17, and the rollers 15 feed the labels 1 one by one to the reading unit 20 by driving the motor 13.

In the reading section 20, the roller 1 sends the label 1 by the drive of the motor 23. At this time, by sending compressed air to the cylinder 26 in response to a command from the control unit 60, the stopper 27 is moved to the upper position, and the label 1 is stopped by the stopper 27. In this state, the quality of the label 1 is determined by the image processing unit 50 based on the image information from the video camera 29. Thereafter, the compressed air is sent to the cylinder 26 in response to a command from the control unit 60, so that the stopper 27
Is set to the lower position, and the roller 25 is driven by the motor 23.
Then, the label 1 is sent to the sorting unit 30.

When the determination result of the image processing unit 50 is "good", the guide 37 is moved to the upper position by sending compressed air to the cylinder 36 in response to a command from the control unit 60, and the label 1 is stored as a good product. It is stored in the box 41. On the contrary, when the determination result of the image processing unit 50 is “defective”,
By sending compressed air to the cylinder 36 in response to a command from the control unit 60, the guide 37 is moved to the lower position, and the label 1 is stored in the defective product storage box 42. In this case, in the good product storage box 41 and the defective product storage box 42, the slope 4
The label 1 is guided to 3, 44 and sequentially stacked in the storage tanks 45, 46.

[0015]

According to the present invention, the quality of the printed matter is judged based on the image information from the video camera, and it is classified into the non-defective product and the defective product based on the result of the judgment. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a printed matter inspection apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Label 10 Feeding Part 11 Sliding Plate 12 Guide 15 Roller 17 Holding Plate 20 Reading Part 21 Sliding Plate 25 Roller 26 Cylinder 27 Stopper 29 Video Camera 30 Sorting Part 31 Sliding Plate 35 Roller 36 Cylinder 37 Guide 40 Storage Part 41 Goods Storage Box 42 Defective product storage box 50 Image processing unit

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A sending unit, a reading unit, an image processing unit, and a sorting unit, wherein the sending unit has means for aligning and stacking printed materials, means for pressing the stacked printed materials, and the stacked printed materials. The reading unit is provided with means for feeding the printed matter sent out from the feeding section, a video camera for picking up an image of the printed surface of the printed matter, and a printed matter after picking up the image. The image processing unit determines whether the printed matter is good or bad from the image information from the video camera and outputs the result, and the sorting unit is based on the determination result by the image processing unit. ,
A printed matter inspection device equipped with a means for sorting printed matter into good and defective ones.