JPH09318550A - Apparatus for inspecting appearance of pipe or rod - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a relatively small apparatus for inspecting the appearance of a pipe or a rod continuously and applicable to pipes of various outside diameters. SOLUTION: A rotary supporting table 3 oscillating around a pipe 35 is fixed with two sets of sensor cameras 5 and a light source 6. The pipe 35 is inserted into the through-hole 13 of the rotary supporting table 3 which is then oscillated by 180 deg. or more while moving the pipe 35 in the longitudinal direction. The pipe 35 is irradiated with light from the light source 6 and the reflected light is captured by the sensor cameras 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inspection device for continuously inspecting the external appearance of pipes or rod-shaped objects.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Tubular materials and rod-shaped materials are continuously molded by extrusion molding, pultrusion molding, etc., and cut into predetermined dimensions before shipment. Prior to shipping, a predetermined visual inspection is performed on these products. Items of the visual inspection include, for example, lines and scratches appearing on the surface, the flow pattern of the resin, and the presence or absence of foreign matter.

Conventionally, these visual inspections have been performed visually, but in recent years, attempts have been made to automatically and continuously perform the visual inspection by making them into devices. A conventional visual inspection apparatus for pipes or rods has a large number of sensors fixedly arranged around the pipe. In a conventional pipe or rod appearance inspection apparatus, the pipe or the like is moved in the longitudinal direction, and a fixed sensor detects a flaw or the like on the outer peripheral surface.

[0004]

The visual inspection apparatus for pipes or rods of the prior art is capable of automatically performing visual inspection of pipes, etc., but has a problem of lacking versatility. . That is, the conventional visual inspection device for a pipe or a rod-like object, by providing a large number of sensors around the pipe,
It can be said that the structure is such that the detection area of the sensor is enlarged in a circular shape and a pipe or the like is passed through the detection area of the sensor. Therefore, when the outer diameter of the pipe or the like to be inspected is different, the range to be inspected is changed, and accordingly, it is necessary to change the number of sensors arranged in the periphery. Therefore, in the visual inspection apparatus of the related art, it is necessary to redistribute the sensor each time the tube type is changed, and it takes time to prepare for the inspection.

Further, since the prior art visual inspection apparatus for pipes or rods has a large number of sensors arranged around the pipes and the like, the external shape is inevitably large and a large space is required for installation. There was dissatisfaction that I needed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a visual inspection device having a high versatility and a relatively small size for a pipe or a rod, focusing on the above problems of the prior art.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is, in an inspection apparatus for inspecting the appearance of a pipe or a rod-like object moving in the longitudinal direction, rotated or swung about an object to be inspected. And a non-contact sensor fixed to the support base, wherein the support base is rotated or swung while the inspection target is moved in the longitudinal direction to inspect the appearance of the inspection target. This is a visual inspection device for a pipe or rod.

A visual inspection apparatus for pipes or rods according to the present invention comprises:
It has a support base that rotates or swings around the object to be inspected, and a non-contact sensor is provided on this support base. According to the present invention, the rotation or swing of the support causes the detection area of the non-contact sensor to spread over the entire circumference of the pipe or the like, so that the entire appearance of the pipe or the like can be inspected. In the appearance inspection device of the present invention, since the non-contact sensor is moved to inspect the outer peripheral surface of the pipe or the like,
It is not necessary to change the number of sensors even if the outer diameter of the pipe to be inspected changes.

Another object of the present invention to achieve the same object is to provide an inspection device for inspecting the appearance of a pipe or a rod-like object that moves in the longitudinal direction, and a support base that swings around an object to be inspected. A pipe or rod-shaped object, comprising two or more non-contact sensors fixed to a support table, wherein the test object is inspected by oscillating the support table while moving the test object in the longitudinal direction. It is a visual inspection device.

In the appearance inspection apparatus of the present invention, the support base is provided with two or more non-contact sensors. Therefore, the inspection range that each non-contact sensor should cover is narrow. Therefore, in the appearance inspection apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the swing range of the support base and prevent twisting of the signal line of the sensor. Further, since the inspection range that each non-contact sensor should cover is narrow, the appearance inspection can be performed accurately or quickly.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the invention will be further described below. FIG. 1 is a front view of a visual inspection apparatus for pipes or rods according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the visual inspection apparatus for the pipe or rod of FIG. FIG. 3 (a)
[Fig. 2] is a front perspective view of a main part of the appearance inspection device for a pipe or a rod-shaped object of Fig. 1, and (b) is a front view of a mounting plate. FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of a main part of the appearance inspection apparatus for the pipe or rod-shaped object of FIG. FIG. 5 is a system configuration diagram of a visual inspection apparatus for pipes or rods according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
[Fig. 3] is a layout diagram of a pipe manufacturing line including a visual inspection device for pipes or rods according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In each of the drawings, reference numeral 1 shows a visual inspection apparatus for pipes or rods according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the appearance inspection apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, a rotary support 3 and a drive device for the rotary support 3 are arranged on a frame 2, and two sets of sensor cameras 5 and light sources 6 are fixed at diagonal positions on the rotary support 3. It is a thing.

The frame 2 is framed by structural steel or the like, and is composed of a lower table 8 and a drive device supporting portion 10. The lower table 8 serves as a table, and vibration-proof mounts 12 are provided at four corners of the lower surface via screws 11. Therefore screw 1
The height of the lower table 8 can be changed by rotating 1 and the centering work for installing the visual inspection apparatus 1 can be performed by adjusting the screw 11. The drive device support portion 10 is a frame body that is smaller than the lower table 8 and is mounted on the lower table 8. A DC motor 20 is provided on the frame 2, and a toothed pulley 22 is attached to the output shaft of the DC motor 20.

The rotary support base 3 is disk-shaped and has a through hole 13 through which the pipe 35 passes in the center. A mounting screw hole and a positioning screw hole (not shown) are provided on the surface side of the rotation support base 3. Further, a shaft portion 15 is provided on the back side of the rotation support base 3 as shown in FIG. The shaft portion 15 is divided into a large diameter portion 17 and a small diameter portion 18. A tooth profile (not shown) is engraved on the small diameter portion 18, and the portion functions as a toothed pulley. The large diameter portion 17 of the rotation support base 3 is supported by a bearing (not shown) provided in the drive device support portion 10 of the frame 2 with its axis lined in the horizontal direction. Therefore, the rotation support base 3 can rotate and swing with its surface kept vertical.

A toothed belt 23 is suspended between the tooth profile of the small diameter portion 18 and the toothed pulley 22 of the DC motor 20. Therefore, the rotation support base 3 includes the DC motor 2
0 allows rotation at a predetermined angular velocity. Further, by rotating the DC motor 20 in the reverse direction, the DC motor 20 can be rotated in the opposite direction, and the rotation support base 3 can swing.

The sensor camera 5 and the light source 6 are integrated by a mounting plate 25 and mounted on the rotary support 3. Here, the sensor camera 5 includes a light receiving element such as a phototransistor and an optical lens,
The light incident from the optical lens is converted into an electric signal. The light source 6 is specifically a high frequency fluorescent lamp.

The mounting plate 25 is a rectangular plate as shown in FIG. Six through holes 26 are linearly arranged in the center of the mounting plate 25. The through hole 26 is a hole for positioning. When attaching the mounting plate 25, one of the holes is selected according to the outer diameter of the pipe to be inspected, and the selected hole 26
The mounting plate 25 is positioned by inserting a screw into the positioning screw hole of the rotation support base 3. The nominal diameter of the pipe to be inspected is written near each screw in order to facilitate the positioning work. Further, elongated holes 27 are provided at two diagonally opposite corners of the mounting plate 25.
This long hole 27 attaches the mounting plate 25 to the rotary support base 3
It is for fixing to.

The sensor camera 5 is integrally fixed on the mounting plate 25 via a mounting bracket 28. The light source 6 is integrally fixed on the mounting plate 25 with a screw (not shown). Further, the two mounting plates 25 that integrate the sensor camera 5 and the light source 6 are fixed at diagonal positions of the rotary support 3. That is, for each mounting plate 25, the through hole 26 is selected according to the diameter of the pipe to be inspected as shown in FIG. 3, and a screw (not shown) is inserted into the through hole and the positioning hole of the rotary support base 3, Further fixing screw 3
By inserting 0 into the long hole 27, it is integrally fixed to the rotation support base 3.

Next, an outline of the control system of the visual inspection apparatus 1 for pipes or rods according to this embodiment will be described. The control device of the appearance inspection device 1 of the present embodiment is roughly divided into a main control unit 40, a data input unit 41, and a system control unit 42 as shown in FIG. Here, the main controller 40 controls the sensor camera 5 and the like.

Further, in the image processing and data input section 41, it is possible to input the data of the length of the pipe, the inspection range, the allowable amount of the scratch of the pipe, etc. by a keyboard or the like. Further, the main control unit 40 differentiates the electric signal of the sensor camera 5 and calculates the change. Then, this change amount is compared with a change amount corresponding to an allowable amount such as a scratch, and a predetermined signal is output. The system control unit 42 inputs and outputs a cooperation signal between the visual inspection device 1 and other auxiliary equipment described later.

Next, the operation of the visual inspection apparatus 1 of this embodiment will be described. In the visual inspection device 1 of the present embodiment,
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pipe 35 or the like as the inspection object is inserted into the through hole 13 provided in the center of the rotary support 3. Then, the pipe 35 is moved in the axial direction at a constant speed. At this time, the DC motor 20 is rotated in the forward and reverse directions, and the rotation support base 3
Is rocked at a rocking angle of 180 ° or more.

Further, the light source 6 is continuously turned on to turn on the tube 35.
The surface of the tube is irradiated with light, and the sensor camera 5 receives the reflected light from the surface of the tube 35. Tube 3 as described above
5 is moving in the axial direction at a constant speed, and the rotation support base 3 is provided with two sensor cameras 5 at diagonal positions, and the sensor camera 5 has a swing angle of 180 ° or more. Since it swings, the sensor camera 5 scans the entire surface of the tube 35 all over.

Further, since the light source 6 and the sensor camera 5 always swing integrally, and these swings are concentric with the pipe 35, and the cross section of the pipe 35 is circular, the surface of the pipe is If is smooth and homogeneous, the angle and intensity of light reflected from the surface of tube 35 should be constant. On the contrary, if the surface of the tube 35 has a flaw or the like, the light is diffusely reflected by the flaw or the like, the light incident on the sensor camera 5 changes, and the electric signal output from the sensor camera 5 also changes.

In the present embodiment, the main control unit 40 differentiates the electric signal of the sensor camera 5, and if the amount of change is greater than a preset value, it is determined that the appearance is defective and a predetermined signal is given. Emit. Then, according to this signal, a predetermined treatment is performed. For example, when it is determined that the appearance is defective, an alarm is issued to inspect the manufacturing line, or the defective product is automatically extracted.

When the outer diameter of the pipe to be inspected is changed by changing the mold of the manufacturing line or the like, the position of the mounting plate 25 on the rotary support 3 is changed. Moreover, the focus of the lens of the sensor camera 5 is adjusted as needed.

Next, the structure of the pipe manufacturing line including the visual inspection apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The pipe manufacturing line of the present embodiment consistently and continuously carries out processes from resin extrusion to pipe end processing.

In the pipe manufacturing line of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, an extruder 50, a mold 51, a vacuum water tank 52, a water sprinkling tank 53, an appearance inspection device 1, a printing machine 55, a take-off machine 56, and a cutting machine 57. And the socket processing machine 58 is linearly arranged. That is, in the pipe manufacturing line of the present embodiment, the resin extruded from the extruder 50 is molded into a pipe by the mold 51 and is sequentially taken by the take-out machine 56,
Meanwhile, the pipe 35 passes through the through hole 13 of the visual inspection apparatus 1. Therefore, the above-mentioned movement of the pipe 35 in the axial direction is performed by the take-up of the take-out machine 56. Further, when the appearance is defective, a predetermined signal is sent from the system control unit 42 of the appearance inspection apparatus 1 to the cutting machine 57, and the cutting machine 57
The operation signal of the cutting machine 57 itself is sent to the system control unit 42. If the appearance is poor, the tube is removed from the production line at the time when the site is cut.

In the visual inspection apparatus 1 for pipes or rods described above, the rotary support base 3 has a disc shape. The reason why the disk-shaped member is adopted in this way is that the moment distribution when the rotation support base 3 rotates is made as uniform as possible,
This is for the purpose of smooth rotation, and is the recommended configuration. However, the present invention is not limited to the shape of the rotary support base 3, and may be, for example, an arm-shaped one.
It may be divided into two or more and each may be provided with an independent drive source.

In this embodiment, the sensor camera 5 and the light source 6 are disclosed to have two sets, but the numbers are arbitrary, and it is possible to have only one. It is also possible to adopt a configuration having three or more.
The swinging angle of the rotary support base 3 is equal to or greater than 360 ° divided by the number of sensor cameras so that the sensor camera 5 can scan the entire circumference of the tube. In the case of the configuration including one sensor camera 5 and one light source 6, it is necessary to rotate the rotation support table by 360 ° or more, so that the signal line may be twisted or the rotation speed needs to be increased, resulting in deterioration of inspection accuracy or failure. Be careful because it may cause

Further, in the present embodiment, the sensor camera 5 is used as the inspection device, and the structure for optically inspecting the surface for scratches or the like of the pipe is adopted. However, instead of the sensor camera, another known non-contact type is used. It is also possible to apply a sensor.

[0031]

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The visual inspection apparatus for pipes or rods according to the present invention has an effect that the surface of a pipe or the like can be continuously inspected. Further, the visual inspection device for a pipe or a rod-shaped object of the present invention,
Since the non-contact sensor is moved in the circumferential direction of the pipe or the like to inspect the outer peripheral surface of the pipe or the like, it is not necessary to change the number of sensors even if the outer diameter of the pipe or the like as the non-inspection object changes. Therefore, the visual inspection apparatus for pipes or rods of the present invention is capable of performing visual inspections for pipes of various outer diameters, etc., and is highly versatile. Further, the pipe or rod appearance inspection device of the present invention has a smaller number of sensors as compared with the prior art, and therefore can be arranged in a small installation space.

Further, in particular, in the visual inspection device for pipes or rods according to the second aspect, since the signal line of the sensor is not twisted, there is an effect of less failure. Further, since each non-contact sensor has a small inspection range to be covered, there is an effect that the appearance inspection can be performed accurately or quickly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a pipe or rod-like appearance inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the appearance inspection apparatus for the pipe or rod-shaped object of FIG.

3 (a) is a front perspective view of a main part of the appearance inspection apparatus for a pipe or a rod-shaped object of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 (b) is a front view of a mounting plate.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of a main part of the visual inspection apparatus for the pipe or rod-shaped object of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a system configuration diagram of a visual inspection apparatus for pipes or rods according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a layout diagram of a pipe manufacturing line including a visual inspection device for pipes or rods according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Pipe or Rod Appearance Inspection Device 3 Rotation Support 5 Sensor Camera 6 Light Source 13 Through Hole 25 Mounting Plate 35 Pipe

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An inspection apparatus for inspecting the appearance of a pipe or a rod-like object that moves in the longitudinal direction, comprising a support base that rotates or swings around an inspection target, and a non-contact sensor fixed to the support base. An apparatus for inspecting the appearance of a pipe or a rod, which inspects the appearance of an object to be inspected by rotating or swinging the support while moving the object to be inspected in the longitudinal direction. 2. An inspection apparatus for inspecting the appearance of a pipe or a rod-like object that moves in the longitudinal direction, comprising a support base that swings around an object to be inspected, and two or more non-contact sensors fixed to the support base. An apparatus for inspecting the appearance of a pipe or a rod, comprising the step of swinging the support while moving the inspection object in the longitudinal direction to inspect the appearance of the inspection object.