JPH09225412A - Defect detector and defective goods removing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately detect defective grains of rice and foreign matter based on light receiving information of high resolution for grains of rice and surely separate and remove defective rice and foreign matter from normal grains of rice. SOLUTION: An object to be inspected (grains of rice 'k') transferred along a prescribed route is illuminated by a lighting means 4, and a light receiving means 5 for receiving transmitted light which the illuminated light is passed through the grains of rice 'k' to form is constituted, provided with plural light receiving parts from which light receiving information is individually taken out over the whole presence range of the object to be inspected (the whole width of plural lines of the grains of rice 'k' in the row direction) taking a range of the same as or smaller size than that of the rice grain as each light receiving object range. Based on the light receiving information, the quality of the rice grain or the presence of foreign matter is judged, and moreover, according to the judgment results, defective goods are separated and removed from normal grains of rice.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a defect detection device for detecting the quality of rice grains or foreign substances mixed in the rice grain groups by using the rice grain groups as an inspection object, and the defects detected by the defect detection device. Device for removing defective rice grains or foreign substances.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the above defect detecting device, as shown in FIG. 6, a light receiving means such as a photosensor Ps is provided while illuminating a rice grain group k which is being transferred in the vertical direction on the paper by a transfer means (not shown) with a light source Lg. The transmitted light that has passed through the rice grain group k is detected at, and if the received light level of the photosensor Ps, that is, the output voltage is within the proper range Es, it is determined as normal rice grain while the output is output. Voltage is in the proper range E
If it falls below s and deviates from s, it is determined that there is a defect in rice grains or the inclusion of foreign matter.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, the light receiving target range of the light receiving means corresponding to the detection range of the photosensor Ps is larger than the size of the rice grain (in the illustrated example, about three rice grains are used). ), It is possible to detect rice grains that are entirely colored and foreign substances that do not transmit light, such as stones and plastics, that are large in size, but for example, only a part of the rice grains are colored. For small stones and foreign substances such as colored glass pieces having a transmittance similar to that of rice grains, the output voltage may stay within the proper range Es even if the light receiving level of the light receiving means is slightly lowered. (See FIG. 7) However, there is a problem that such partially colored rice and foreign substances cannot be accurately detected and separated from normal rice grain groups and removed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to reduce the light receiving target range of the light receiving means so as to eliminate the disadvantages of the above-mentioned prior art and to obtain high-resolution light receiving information for rice grains. To detect the defect of rice grain and the presence of foreign matter with high accuracy based on the received light information,
Based on the detection result, defective rice and foreign substances can be reliably separated and removed from normal rice grains.

[0005]

According to the structure of claim 1, the illumination light for the rice grain group as the inspection object is transmitted through the rice grain group so that the transmitted light has the same size as the rice grain size or the rice grain size. The light receiving information can be extracted individually for each small light receiving target range, and the light receiving information is received by the plurality of light receiving units provided over the entire range of the presence of the rice grain group, and the light receiving information of the plurality of light receiving units is received. Based on the information, the quality of the rice grain or the presence or absence of foreign matter mixed in the rice grain group is determined.

Therefore, the quality or foreign matter of the rice grain is detected based on the light receiving information of high resolution by the light receiving target range which is the same size as the rice grain or smaller than the rice grain size. As described above, since the light detection unit is larger than the size of the rice grain, defective rice (for example, partially colored rice) having a defect in a part of the rice grain and small foreign matter cannot be detected. It is possible to obtain a defect detection device capable of accurately detecting the presence of a defect.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, when the light receiving amounts of the plurality of light receiving portions are out of the proper setting ranges, it is determined that the rice grain is defective or the foreign matter is present.

Therefore, with respect to colored rice, defective rice such as barrel cracks, and foreign substances such as stones and plastics that do not transmit light, the amount of light transmitted is lower than that of normal rice grains (that is, below the proper setting range). It is possible to accurately detect the defect by deviating to the side), so that the suitable means of the defect detecting device according to claim 1 can be obtained.

According to the configuration of claim 3, claim 1 or 2
When the rice grain group transferred along the planned transfer route is transferred to the light receiving position of the light receiving means, it is illuminated from one side across the planned transfer route and also from the rice particle group provided with the defective detection device described. The transmitted light is received on the other side across the planned transfer route, and the defective rice grains and foreign matter determined based on the light receiving information at the light receiving position of the light receiving means are the normal rice grain paths in the rice grain group. Separately transferred to different routes.

Therefore, for example, in order to detect the defect and remove the defect without transferring the inspection object (rice grain group), it is necessary to make the device movable so that the inspection object can be moved. (Rice grain group) is sequentially transferred from the defect detection position to the defect removal position, and the defective rice grains and foreign substances are separated from the normal rice grains to be transferred, so that the device side is not moved and each device part is moved. It is possible to obtain a defective product removing device which can be reasonably arranged and realize a smooth operation.

According to the structure of claim 4, in the claim 3, the inspection object (rice grain group) being transferred in a single layer along the planned transfer path in a state of being aligned in a plurality of rows has a full width in the arranging direction. Is received by a plurality of light receiving portions arranged side by side along the entire width along the arrangement direction, and based on the light receiving information of the plurality of light receiving portions, a plurality of rows of inspection objects (rice grains The quality of rice grains or the presence or absence of mixed foreign matter is determined in the entire width of the (group) arrangement direction.

Therefore, as compared with the case where the inspection object (rice grain group) is transferred in a single row state rather than in a state where the rows are arranged in a plurality of rows, defects can be detected efficiently in parallel in the entire width in the arrangement direction. Therefore, the suitable means of the defective article removing apparatus according to the third aspect can be obtained.

According to the configuration of claim 5, claim 3 or 4
At, the air is blown to the defective rice grains or foreign substances in the inspection object (rice grain group) that is being dropped and transported by its own weight, and the defective rice grains or foreign substances are separated from the normal rice grain transportation route. It

Therefore, since the defective rice grains or foreign substances are separated from the normal rice grain transfer route by the air blowing action, for example, they are directly contacted by a mechanical means such as a plate that moves in and out. Compared to the case of separating, the separation can be performed favorably with a high response speed and without damaging the soft touch, so that the preferred means of the defective article removing device according to claim 3 or 4 can be obtained.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, an embodiment of a defect detecting device and a defect removing device according to the present invention will be described while detecting a defect while transferring a rice grain group such as brown rice or polished rice along a predetermined route as an inspection object. The case of removing objects will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plate-shaped first shooter 1A having a predetermined width is installed at a predetermined angle (for example, 45 degrees) with respect to a horizontal plane.
A rice grain group k supplied from an upper side of A by a hopper or the like 7 is slid and transferred in a state of being spread laterally in a single layer. Below the first shooter 1A, there is provided a second shooter 1B for transferring normal rice grains k of the rice grain group k that naturally falls from the lower end of the shooter at a predetermined speed to the good rice collecting box 2, and also the rice grain group. A defective product collection box 3 for collecting colored rice (burnt rice) separated from k, defective rice such as barrel cracks, and foreign substances such as stones and glass pieces is installed. From the above, both shooters 1A, 1B are in a single state and plural along the planned transfer route of the rice grain group k (that is, the flow route of the rice grain group k on each shooter 1A, 1B and the route connecting both shooters 1A, 1B). A transfer means H for transferring in a line is formed.

A fluorescent lamp serving as an illuminating means so as to illuminate the entire width of the rice grain groups k of a plurality of rows in one row on one side across the path through which the rice grain groups k jumping out from the lower end of the first shooter 1A are sandwiched. And the like linear light source 4 is provided, and on the other side,
A line sensor 5 is provided as a light receiving means for receiving the transmitted light in which the illumination light from the linear light source 4 is transmitted through the rice grain k. As described above, the transfer means H is configured to transfer the rice grain group k to the light receiving position of the line sensor 5.

As shown in FIG. 4, the line sensor 5
Is a range p smaller than the size of rice grain k (for example, rice grain k
(About 1/10 of the size of each) is set as each light receiving target range, and a plurality of light receiving portions 5a capable of taking out light receiving information separately
Is provided over the entire range of existence of the rice grain group k. Specifically, a monochrome type CCD in which light-receiving elements as a plurality of light-receiving units 5a are arranged in a straight line along the entire width of the rice grain group k in the plurality of rows.
It is composed of a sensor and an optical system for forming an image of the rice grain group k on each light receiving element of the CCD sensor.
Thereby, the transmission image information in the entire width of the rice grain group k in the flow direction is obtained.

From the light receiving position of the rice grain k by the line sensor 5 to the lower side in the flow direction of the rice grain k, air is blown to the defective rice grain k or foreign matter to deviate from the normal flow direction of the rice grain k. An air blowing device 6 is provided for allowing the defective item recovery box 3 to recover the defective item.
The air blowing device 6 includes a plurality of air guns 6a that individually perform blowing operations on each of the rice grain groups k divided into predetermined widths in the width direction with respect to the flow direction of the rice grains k.

The control configuration will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, a control device 10 using a microcomputer is provided, and an image signal from the line sensor 5 is input to the control device 10. In order to individually operate the air guns 6a of the air spraying device 6, a drive signal is output to a plurality of solenoid valves 11 for turning on / off the air flow of each air supply path from a compressor (not shown) to each air gun 6a. Has been done.

A discriminating means 100 for discriminating the quality of the rice grain or the presence of the foreign matter based on the received light information of the line sensor 5 is constructed by using the control device 10. That is, the determination unit 100 is configured to determine the quality of the rice grain or the presence of the foreign matter based on the light reception information of the plurality of light receiving units 5a of the line sensor 5, and specifically, in FIG. As shown in the output waveform of the line sensor 5, when the output voltage corresponding to the amount of light received by each light receiving unit 5a is out of the set proper range Δe, it is configured to determine the defect of the rice grain or the presence of the foreign matter. There is.

Here, at the position where the rice grain k does not exist, the output voltage of the line sensor 5 becomes larger than the output voltage level e0 when the standard transmitted light from the normal rice grain is received. Δe is the above voltage level e
It is set as a range equal to or higher than a set level ek that is a predetermined amount lower than 0, and in FIG. It illustrates the state of being detached from the bottom. It should be noted that with a foreign substance such as stone or plastic, the light transmittance is very small (or it does not allow light to be transmitted at all), so that the level reduction is even greater.

The transfer means H also uses the control device 10 and the air blowing device 6 to transfer the rice grain group transferred to the light receiving position of the line sensor 5 based on the determination information of the determination device 100. It is configured such that the normal rice grains of k, the defective rice grains, and the foreign matter are separated and transferred to different routes. That is, the rice grain group k is dropped and transferred by its own weight, and the defective rice grain or foreign matter is blown with air from each air gun 6a corresponding to the position to separate it from the normal rice grain path.

[Other Embodiments] In the above embodiment, the illumination means 4 is constituted by a linear fluorescent lamp so as to illuminate the whole width of the inspection object (rice grain group k) in a plurality of rows. The specific configuration of the illumination means can be appropriately changed according to the existence range of the product (rice grain group k) and other conditions.

In the above embodiment, the light receiving target range of the plurality of light receiving portions 5a provided in the light receiving means 5 is set to about 1/10 of the size of the rice grain in order to make the light receiving range smaller than the size of the rice grain. However, depending on the required detection resolution,
The size can be made smaller than one-tenth of the size of the rice grain, or conversely, can be increased within a range smaller than the size of the rice grain.

In the above embodiment, the plurality of light receiving portions 5a included in the light receiving means 5 are constructed by using monochrome type CCD sensors, but they may be constructed by using an image pickup tube type television camera. Also, instead of the monochrome type, a color type CCD sensor may be used to more accurately determine the presence or absence of defective rice or foreign matter based on the amount of light received for each color information R, G, B.

In the above embodiment, the transfer means H transfers the inspection object (rice grain group k) in a plurality of rows along the planned transfer path (that is, in a laterally spread state). Besides this, for example, they may be transferred in a single line (that is, linearly) along the planned transfer route.

In the above embodiment, the object to be inspected (rice grain group k)
In order to configure the transfer means H for transferring a plurality of sheets in a state of being lined up in a single line along the planned transfer path, inclined shooters 1A and 1B are provided and the inspection object (rice grain group k) is slid on the surface thereof. However, other than this, for example, a transportation device or the like that places and transports the inspection target (rice grain group k) in a single state may be used. Further, the transfer means H is configured so that air is blown toward the defective rice grains or the like in the rice grain group k that is falling by its own weight to separate and transfer the defective rice grains or foreign substances from the path of the normal rice grains. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, defective rice grains may be sucked by air.

In the claims, reference numerals are provided for convenience of comparison with the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the attached drawings.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a defect detection / removal device.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control configuration.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a light reception detection range.

FIG. 5 is an output waveform diagram of the light receiving means.

FIG. 6 is a schematic explanatory view of a conventional light receiving means.

FIG. 7 is an output waveform diagram of a conventional light receiving means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Illuminating means 5 Light receiving means 5a Light receiving part 100 Discriminating means H Transferring means

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Yuichi Yamazaki 64 Ishizukitamachi, Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture Kubota Sakai Plant Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shinichi Kitano 64 Ishizukitamachi, Sakai City, Osaka Plant Kubota Sakai Plant Co., Ltd. (72 ) Inventor Tomoko Nakao 64 Ishizukita-cho, Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture Kubota Sakai Factory

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A defect detection device for detecting the quality of rice grains or foreign substances mixed in the rice grain group by using the rice grain group as an inspection target, and illumination means (4) for illuminating the inspection target and its illumination. The light receiving means (5) for receiving the transmitted light in which the illumination light from the means (4) has passed through the inspection object, and the quality of the rice grain or the presence or absence of the foreign matter is determined based on the light receiving information of the light receiving means (5). And a light receiving means (5) for extracting light reception information separately for each light receiving target range having the same size as the rice grain size or a range smaller than the rice grain size. Individual light receiving parts (5
a) is provided over the entire existence range of the inspection object, and the determination means (100) includes the plurality of light receiving units (5).
A defect detection device configured to determine the quality of the rice grain or the presence or absence of the foreign matter based on the light reception information of a). 2. The determining means (100) is configured to determine the defect of the rice grain or the presence of the foreign matter when the amount of light received by each of the light receiving parts (5a) is out of an appropriate set range. The defect detection device according to claim 1. 3. A defective article removing apparatus comprising the defect detecting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transfer means (H) for transferring the inspection object along a planned transfer path, The illuminating means (4) is arranged on one side and the light receiving means (5) is arranged on the other side of the transfer path, and the transfer means (H) detects the inspection object by the light receiving means (5). ) To the light receiving position and the light receiving means (5) is based on the discrimination information of the discrimination means (100).
Of the inspection object transferred to the light receiving position, the defective rice particle, the defective rice particle, and the foreign matter are separated and transferred to different paths. 4. The transfer means (H) is configured to transfer the inspection object along the planned transfer path in a single layer and in a plurality of rows, and the illumination means (4) The light receiving means (5) is configured to illuminate the entire width of the inspection objects in a plurality of rows in the arrangement direction, and the light receiving means (5) includes the plurality of light receiving sections (5a) along the arrangement direction of the inspection objects in the plurality of rows. The defective object detection device according to claim 3, wherein the defective object detection devices are arranged side by side over the entire width. 5. The transfer means (H) drops the object to be inspected and transfers it by its own weight, and blows air onto the defective rice grain or the foreign matter to separate it from the normal rice grain path. 3. The structure according to claim 3,
Alternatively, the defective article removing device according to item 4.