JPH08247921A - Measuring equipment of image of particles scattered in liquid - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain equipment having devices for illumination and image pickup which are disposed suitably for picking up an image of a particle or a fiber being colorless or light-colored and held in a transparent liquid. CONSTITUTION: A transparent vessel 1 for measurement holding a transparent liquid wherein particles are scattered is supported at a prescribed position by a test stage and an image pickup device 3 is provided so that the optical axis thereof intersects perpendicularly the vertical center line of the vessel 1 for measurement supported as stated above. Diffused light being uniform substantially is cast obliquely from above the vessel 1 and the circumference thereof by an irradiating device 5, while black bodies 7 for preventing reflection are provided on the opposite sides holding the vessel 1 for measurement and the image pickup device 3 between them.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a liquid-dispersed particle image measuring device for measuring particles or fibrous substances suspended in a liquid.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to measure the particle size distribution, number of particles, degree of suspension, etc., use of light scattering, light refraction, light shielding amount, laser light diffraction, or sinking velocity, flow resistance It is used to obtain the size and estimated volume.

[0003]

None of the above methods measure individual particles. In addition, there are measuring instruments such as Coulter counter and Hiac for measuring individual particles, but these are fluids (liquid or gas) containing particles.
Is passed through a narrow transparent pipe to measure one by one, and there is no one for measuring particles, especially non-circular particles in a floating state. Further, it was difficult to measure colorless or light-colored particles or fibers in a transparent liquid.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and provides an apparatus in which an arrangement of illumination and an imaging device is set suitable for imaging colorless or light-colored particles or fibers in a transparent liquid. The purpose is to Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus in which a measuring container is installed at a predetermined position and the relative relationship with an irradiation device or an imaging device is kept constant.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the invention of claim 1, a test stage for supporting at a predetermined position a transparent measuring container containing a transparent liquid in which particles are dispersed, and the test stage. An image pickup device arranged with its optical axis substantially orthogonal to the vertical center line of the measuring container indicated at a predetermined position, and the vertical center line of the measuring container supported at the predetermined position of the test stage. With respect to both sides sandwiching the illumination device that illuminates substantially uniform diffused light from the surroundings in an obliquely upward or downward oblique direction and the measuring container and the imaging device supported at a predetermined position of the test stage. And a black body for antireflection provided.

In the invention of claim 2, the particles are colorless or light-colored.

In the third aspect of the present invention, the test stage is provided with a positioning device for setting the measuring container at a predetermined position, and the positioning device includes a receiving portion for defining a planar position of the measuring container, and a measuring unit. The container has a pushing portion for pushing the container into the receiving portion.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the image pickup device focuses on a position of about 10 mm inward from the inner surface of the side wall of the measuring container supported at a predetermined position of the test stage.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, the illuminating device irradiates the vertical center line of the measuring container supported at a predetermined position of the test stage from an oblique direction of about 45 ° ± 10 °.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, by setting the measuring container at a predetermined position of the test stage, the thickness of the solution up to the focal position becomes constant and the magnification becomes constant, so that the reproducibility of the measurement becomes high. . By arranging the optical axis of the imaging device so that it is substantially perpendicular to the vertical center line of the measuring container, and by irradiating diffused light that is almost uniform from the surroundings in the obliquely upward or downward oblique direction of the measuring container, Due to the relationship with the device, light scattering occurs on the particles, and the particles exhibit a contrast with respect to the background, so that they are easily recognized. When the light is radiated from the lateral direction, the light from the light source enters the image pickup device and cannot be distinguished from the reflected light due to the difference in refractive index of the glass, so that the sample becomes difficult to see.
Also, when illuminated from directly above or below the container, light floating in the lateral direction in the particles floating in the measuring container, and sometimes the reflected light due to the difference in refractive index does not appear in the lateral direction, These will not be imaged. By providing antireflection black bodies on both sides of the measurement container and the image pickup device, light from the front of the image pickup device or from the back of the image pickup device is reflected and travels forward, and this light is reflected and enters the image pickup device from the front. Can be prevented from coming.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the particles are colorless or light-colored, it is difficult to detect them in an image pickup device in a transparent liquid, but uniform illumination is performed obliquely and the vertical center line of the measuring container is measured. The image pickup device is arranged almost orthogonally to, and the incident light from unnecessary directions is eliminated by the antireflection black bodies provided in front of and behind the image pickup device, and the colorless particles are scattered by the difference in the refractive index with respect to the solution. Particles can be displayed on the screen by capturing only the emitted light with the imaging device.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the position on the plane of the measuring container is determined by pushing the measuring container into the receiving portion that defines the position on the plane of the measuring container. As a result, the measuring container can always be installed at the same position, and the focus can always be focused on a fixed distance from the surface of the container, improving the reproducibility of the measurement.

According to the invention of claim 4, the focus of the image pickup device is adjusted to a position of about 10 mm from the inner surface of the side wall of the measuring container to the inside. As a result, the position at a fixed distance from the surface of the measuring container is always measured. When the focus comes to the front and is close to the container surface, it is affected by the reflection of light on the inner and outer surfaces of the container and the dispersion of light, and when it is far, the attenuation due to the sample and liquid increases, and the particles near the focus are clearly imaged. Becomes difficult. The value obtained is about 10 mm as an appropriate value by the experiment. However, in the case of a cylindrical container, the inner diameter is 60 mm
That is all.

According to the invention of claim 5, a clear image can be obtained by irradiating the illuminating device from about 45 ° ± 10 ° with respect to the vertical center line of the measuring container.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the embodiment. The measuring container 1 is a cylindrical transparent glass and has a bottom plate but no top plate.
The glass container may have a flask shape, a cylindrical shape, or a rectangular shape, but the inner and outer surfaces of the glass in the measurement region are parallel or concentric. Sample 2 is particles suspended in a transparent liquid,
It is also a fibrous substance that is colorless or light-colored and difficult to see. The image pickup device 3 is a television camera having a CCD monochrome image sensor. The image pickup device 3 is installed with its optical axis aligned on the horizontal line orthogonal to the vertical center line 4 of the measuring container 1 placed at the set position, and the focus G The position is set to 10 mm from the inner surface of the side wall of the test container 1 to the inside. Focus adjustable,
The installation position can be adjusted in the height direction and the axial direction. The illuminating devices 5 are provided at substantially equal intervals on the circumference centered on the vertical center line 4 in the direction of 45 ° with respect to the center line 4, and an incandescent lamp is used as a light source. Although four incandescent lamps are provided in the embodiment, the number of lamps may be increased or decreased or ring illumination may be used. A diffusing plate 6 such as frosted glass or mesh is provided in front of the incandescent lamp. Thereby, uniform light can be emitted. The distance between the incandescent lamp and the focal point G is kept at an appropriate distance so that the imaged field of view has a uniform and sufficient illuminance without causing a difference in brightness and darkness depending on the distance from the light source. A black body 7 having a surface treatment for antireflection is provided in front of and behind the measuring container 1 and the image pickup device 3, and absorbs light reflected from the measuring container 1 and entering from an unnecessary direction. 3 is prevented.

The A / D converter 8 converts analog data from the image pickup device 3 into digital data. Image analysis device 9
Image-processes this digital data to measure the particle size distribution, the number of particles, the shape, the length, the thickness, the aspect ratio of the sample 2, and the distribution thereof, and displays the result on the CRT 10 for output by the output device 11.
Output to.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the embodiment. Imaging device 3
The test stage 16 on which the measuring container 1 and
It is surrounded by the rear surface 13 and the both side surfaces 14, and the inner surface including the bottom surface and the ceiling is made black to absorb the reflection so that the reflected light from each surface does not enter the imaging device 3. The test stage 16 can move laterally from the position indicated by the solid line to the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line. When the test stage 16 moves laterally, the test stage 16 projects outward from the side surface 14, facilitating the loading and unloading of the measuring container 1. For this reason, an opening is provided on the side surface 14,
The door 15 is configured to close in conjunction with the movement of the test stage 16. The test stage 16 is a table having a long and narrow shape in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis g of the image pickup device, and the receiving portion 1 reciprocating on a moving line h intersecting the optical axis g at 45 °.
7 and the push-in portion 18, the receiving portion 17 stops at the position shown by the diagonal lines to determine the set position of the measuring container 1. Push-in section 1
The surface 8 of the measuring container 1 against which the measuring container 1 is pressed is V-shaped, and the position of the measuring container 1 is determined by pressing the measuring container 1 and moving it to the position indicated by the diagonal lines. After the positioning, the receiving portion 17 and the pushing portion 18 retract on the moving line h to a position where they do not enter the visual field of the image pickup device 3. As a result, the measuring container 1 is installed at a fixed position on the test stage 16, and the imaging device 3
And the lighting device 5 are always in the same condition, the reproducibility of measurement is ensured.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the axis g of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the test stage 16 of FIG. The same reference numerals as those in FIGS. 1 and 2 represent the same items. A cap 19 is provided around the center line 4 of the measuring container 1 placed at the set position, and an illuminating device 5 is provided therein. The umbrella 19 has a cylindrical shape or a prismatic shape, is attached to a stand 20 together with the lighting device 5, and can be moved up and down by a vertically moving metal member 21. An opening 22 is formed in the center of the umbrella 19 to radiate the heat of the lighting device 5. See you again 19
The inner surface of is made white, and the illumination light is diffusely reflected. The test stage 16 includes a moving table 23 on which the measuring container 1 is placed and which moves in a lateral direction orthogonal to the optical axis g, and a driving section 24 which supports the moving table 23 and moves it in the lateral direction. Four
Then, it reciprocates between the position indicated by the alternate long and short dash line and the position indicated by the solid line.

[0019]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, an image pickup device is measured with respect to a measuring container containing particles floating in a transparent liquid, particularly colorless or light-colored particles which are difficult to be imaged. The measurement container is placed so that its optical axis is orthogonal to the center line of the measurement container, and a uniform diffused light is emitted from above and below the measurement container in an oblique direction and from the periphery to sandwich the measurement container and the imaging device. By disposing the antireflection black bodies on both sides, a clear image of particles or the like can be obtained by using the scattered light. Further, since the device for setting the measuring container at a fixed position is provided, the reproducibility of the measurement is improved. In addition, a clear image can be obtained by setting the focus position of the imaging device to a position of about 10 mm from the side surface of the measuring container.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an example.

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the axis g of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the test stage of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Measuring Container 2 Sample 3 Imager 4 Vertical Centerline of Container 5 Illuminator 6 Diffuser 7 Black Black Body for Antireflection 9 Image Analysis Device 12 Front Surface 13 Rear Surface 16 Test Stage 17 Receiving Portion 18 Pushing Portion 19 Cap 20 Stand 23 Moving Stand 24 Drive

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A test stage for supporting a transparent measuring container containing a transparent liquid in which particles are dispersed at a predetermined position,
An imaging device arranged with its optical axis substantially orthogonal to a vertical center line of the measurement container indicated at a predetermined position of the test stage; and the measurement container supported at the predetermined position of the test stage. An illuminating device that emits diffused light in a diagonal direction upward or downward with respect to the vertical center line and from the surroundings, and the measurement container and the imaging device supported at a predetermined position of the test stage are sandwiched. An image measuring apparatus for dispersed particles in liquid, comprising: antireflection black bodies provided on both sides. 2. The in-liquid dispersed particle image measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the particles are colorless or light-colored. 3. The test stage is provided with a positioning device for setting the measurement container at a predetermined position, and the positioning device defines a receiving portion for defining a plane position of the measurement container and the measurement container. The in-liquid dispersed particle image measuring device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a push-in portion that is pushed into the portion. 4. The image pickup device is adapted to focus on a position of about 10 mm inward from an inner surface of a side wall of the measuring container supported at a predetermined position of the test stage. 5. An in-liquid dispersed particle image measuring device according to any one of 1 to 3. 5. The illumination device irradiates the measuring container vertical center line supported at a predetermined position of the test stage from an oblique direction of about 45 ° ± 10 °. To 4. An in-liquid dispersed particle image measuring device according to any one of 4 to 4.