JPH11108650A - Inspection instrument for pipe-like object - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inspection instrument which is capable of sampling inspection, improvement of line speed of a manufacturing line, and miniaturization of an instrument. SOLUTION: In this instrument, a weight measuring part 2, a dimension measuring part 3 and a pipe discharge part 4 are arranged parallel with the carrying-in direction of a pipe P. A transfer lifter 5 capable of moving between the weight measuring part 2, the dimension measuring part 3 and the pipe discharge part 4 is installed. Pipe retaining mechanism 25 of the dimension measuring part 3 consists of a pair of retaining rails 18 in which a plurality of rotatable rollers 19 for retaining a pipe are installed on the upper part side, a plurality of ball screw shafts 20 on which inverse screws are formed, and a servomotor 22. The inverse screws engage with the retaining rails 18, and make the rails 18 relatively approach and separate by rotation of the screws. The servomotor 22 rotates normally and inversely the ball screw shafts 20, via bevel gear mechanism 21 and a coupling shaft 23, by synchronizing in the same direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically inspecting the size of a tubular article such as a resin pipe or the like, which can be installed in a molding line and inspected in its entirety. However, especially when the line speed is high and it is difficult to secure the inspection time, and it is impossible to perform 100% inspection, it is possible to inspect the tubular objects in the molding line without being affected by the line speed. Related to the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A vinyl chloride pipe or the like is formed by an extruder or the like and cut to a predetermined length. After cutting, a length, an outer diameter, a thickness, etc. are inspected, and a dimensional defect is found. In addition to eliminating the poorly dimensioned pipe,
We are adjusting extruders and cutting machines. Conventionally, when inspecting the dimensions of such a polyvinyl chloride pipe, the pipe is extracted from the molding line, and an inspector performs measurement manually using a micrometer or a measure, and returns the pipe to the molding line after the measurement. I was doing the work.

[0003]

However, in the above-described conventional dimension inspection of pipes, an inspector manually measures dimensions such as thickness and length using a micrometer or a measure. There is a problem that a large number of man-hours are required for the inspection. Therefore, as a result of earnest research and experiments, the present applicant has previously proposed a tubular object inspection apparatus capable of automatically performing various inspections (Japanese Patent Application No. Hei 8-26111).
No. 85).

[0004] The inspection apparatus for tubular articles according to this proposal was extremely useful as an automatic inspection apparatus. However, due to its structure, it does not correspond to the inspection of the sampling type, and can perform only 100% inspection. Did not. For this reason, in the case of small-diameter pipes each having a short production time, the next pipe is sent before the inspection is completed, and the speed of the production line cannot be increased to a certain degree or more. was there. In addition, in the case of a tubular object inspection device according to the prior application,
The pipe support mechanism of the dimension measuring unit is rotatably mounted by cranks on left and right support rails, where rollers for mounting and supporting pipes are opposed to each other, and these motors are provided by two motors provided for each support rail. Since the separation distance of the rollers is adjusted to an optimum gap length for placing the pipe by rotating separately, there is a problem that the dimension measuring unit becomes large and the entire apparatus becomes large.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to perform a sampling inspection, to increase the speed of a production line, and to reduce the size of an apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide a possible tubular inspection apparatus.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an inspection apparatus for a tubular article according to the present invention comprises a weight measuring section, a dimension measuring section, and a tubular article discharging section arranged in parallel with a carrying direction of the tubular article. A weighing unit, a dimension measuring unit, and a tubular material transfer mechanism movably movable between the tubular material discharging unit. The dimension measuring unit has a rotating part for supporting the tubular material on its upper side. A pair of support members on which a plurality of free sliding members are fixed, and a reverse screw that is screwed with the support members, and that relatively closes and separates the pair of support members by rotation of the screws. It is constituted by providing a tubular object support mechanism constituted by a plurality of cut off rotation shafts and one drive source for synchronizing the rotation shafts in the same direction via a power transmission mechanism to rotate forward and backward. Things.

[0007] As the tubular object support mechanism, a rotatable roller is used as a sliding member, a rail member that is opposed to the pair of support members along the longitudinal direction of the tubular object is used, and the reverse screw is used. It is preferable that a ball screw shaft is used as the formed rotation shaft, a bevel gear mechanism and a connection shaft connecting these are used as the power transmission mechanism, and a motor is used as the drive source.

[0008]

According to the tubular article inspection apparatus of the present invention, a weight measuring section, a dimension measuring section, and a tubular article discharging section are arranged side by side in parallel with the loading direction of the tubular article. There is provided a transfer mechanism for transferring the tubular material movably between the tubular material discharge units. For this reason, the tubular object carried into the weight measuring unit of the inspection device is grabbed by the transfer mechanism and freely carried to either the dimension measuring unit or the tubular object discharging unit,
It can be freely transferred. Therefore, the tubular object to be inspected can be transferred from the weight measuring section to the dimension measuring section, subjected to various inspections by the dimension measuring section, and then transferred to the tubular article discharge section, and the sampling inspection method can be used. Inspection is possible. In addition, for tubular objects not subject to inspection,
It can be transferred directly from the weight measuring section to the tubular article discharge section. For this reason, even if the next tubular object is sent while the tubular object to be inspected is undergoing various inspections at the dimension measuring section, the tubular article is immediately transferred to the tubular article discharge section. By transporting the pipes out of the apparatus, the successively sent tubular objects do not stay in the inspection apparatus. As a result, the line speed of the production line can be increased.

The dimension measuring section is provided with a pair of support members having a plurality of rotatable sliding members for supporting a tubular object fixed on an upper side thereof, and is screwed with the support member. A plurality of reversely threaded rotation shafts for relatively moving the pair of support members toward and away from each other by rotating the screws, and the rotation shafts are synchronized in the same direction via a power transmission mechanism to rotate forward and reverse. Since only one drive source is used, only one drive source is required. As a result, the volume of the tubular object support mechanism of the dimension measuring section can be reduced, and the overall size of the apparatus can be reduced accordingly. Only smaller.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 6 show an embodiment of a tubular object inspection apparatus according to the present invention. 1 is an overall plan view omitting a transfer lifter on an apparatus ceiling surface, FIG. 2 is an overall front view, FIG. 3 is an overall side view, FIG. 4 is a front view of a pipe support mechanism of a dimension measuring unit, and FIG. FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a bevel gear mechanism and a servo motor portion of the mechanism, FIG.
8 is an enlarged view showing the structure of the pipe rotating unit, and FIG. 8 is an enlarged side view of the pipe discharging section.

Taking a polyvinyl chloride pipe (hereinafter abbreviated as a pipe) as an example of a tubular object to be inspected, an inspection apparatus (hereinafter abbreviated as an abbreviated name) of the illustrated tubular article is an inspection station of a pipe manufacturing line. Installed in Although not shown, the pipe production line in which the inspection device according to the present invention is installed is a molding station equipped with an extruder,
The molding station is followed by a cutting station equipped with a pipe cutting machine, and the cutting station is followed by an inspection station equipped with the inspection device of the present invention.

In the inspection apparatus, an apparatus frame 1 is constructed by assembling frame members such as angles, and a weight measuring section 2 is provided on the near side (in FIG. 1) of the apparatus frame 1 and a dimension measuring section is provided at the center. 3, and a pipe discharge section 4 is provided on the inner side of the apparatus frame 1. Further, on the ceiling surface of the apparatus frame 1, the pipe P is selectively transferred from the weight measuring section 2 to the dimension measuring section 3, from the dimension measuring section 3 to the pipe discharging section 4, or from the weight measuring section 2 to the pipe discharging section 4. Transfer lifter (transfer mechanism) 5 to transfer
(See FIG. 2). The weight measuring unit 2 is provided with a pair of right and left weighing scales 6 and 6 on the apparatus frame 1 at a predetermined distance along the pipe taking-in direction D.
On the pipe take-in side (cutting station side) of the weight measuring section 2, a take-up roller 7, a pair of take-in rollers 8,
8 and a photoelectric switch 9 are provided.

Each of the weighing scales 6 and 6 has a plurality of weighing rollers 10 on which the loaded pipes P are placed, and the pipes P are placed on the weighing rollers 10 to measure an actual weight value. Although not shown, the weight platform scale 6 is connected to a controller, and outputs a measurement signal representing the actual weight value of the pipe P to the controller. The take-off roller 7 is the device frame 1
It is rotatably attached to. The take-in rollers 8, 8
They are arranged to face each other in the horizontal direction, are connected to an interval adjusting cylinder to adjust the interval between them, and are connected to an actuator such as a motor controlled by a controller to be driven to rotate.

The photoelectric switch 9 detects the rear end of the pipe P guided to the weighing scale 6 and detects the pipe P to move the weighing roller 10.
If it is located at the upper weighing position, it outputs a detection signal. When the cutting completion signal is input to the controller from the cutting machine of the cutting station, the weight measuring unit 2 rotates the take-in rollers 8, sandwiching the pipe P, takes in the cut pipe P, and sets the weighing roller of the weighing scale 6. The rotation is stopped when the photoelectric switch 9 outputs the detection signal to the weight measurement position on the position 10.

The transfer lifter 5 is located above the apparatus frame 1 and supports the slider member 11 so as to be movable between the weight measuring unit 2, the dimension measuring unit 3, and the pipe discharging unit 4, and supports a traveling mechanism 15 And a plurality (four in the illustrated example) of elevating cylinders 12 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) separated from the slider member 11 at predetermined intervals toward the pipe taking-in direction D.
Is installed with the rod facing downward.
A plurality of vacuum suction pads 14 are attached to the two rods by brackets 13 respectively. The slider member 11 is driven by a driven sprocket 16 fixed to one end of the apparatus frame 1, an idle sprocket 17 provided on the other side of the apparatus frame 1, a traveling mechanism 15 including a motor (not shown), and the like. It can move forward and backward in a direction perpendicular to D.

The elevating cylinder 12 is connected to a pressurized air supply source via a control valve or the like connected to a controller. Similarly, the vacuum suction pad 14 is connected to a negative pressure source via a control valve connected to the controller. Connected. This transfer lifter 5
When the weight measurement in the weight measuring section 2 is completed, the lifting cylinder 12 lowers the vacuum suction pad 14 to suck the pipe P, and thereafter, the vacuum suction pad 14 is raised to move the slider member 11 to the traveling mechanism 15. Driven from the weight measuring unit 2 to the dimension measuring unit 3 or the weight measuring unit 2
The pipe P is moved from above to the pipe discharge unit 4, and the lifting cylinder 12 lowers the vacuum suction pad 14 to release the pipe P from the vacuum suction pad 14.
Place the pipe P on the top.

The dimension measuring section 3 includes two support rails (support members) 18, a plurality of rollers (sliding members) 19 for supporting a pipe mounted on the support rails 18, and a support having a reverse thread. Ball screw shaft (rotary shaft) 2 for rail advance / retreat
0, bevel gear mechanism 21, servo motor 22, connecting shaft 23,
A pipe (tubular object) support mechanism 25 including a coupling 24 and the like is provided.

That is, as shown in detail in FIGS. 4 to 6, the three ball screw shafts 20a, 20b, 20c are rotatable on the apparatus frame 1 via bearings 26a, 26b, 26c, etc. The ball screw shaft 20b at the center is connected to a rotary drive shaft of a servomotor 22 via a bevel gear mechanism 21 and a coupling 30. These three ball screw shafts 20a, 20b, 20c are respectively formed with opposite screws 27, 28 at the shaft base end and the shaft distal end, respectively. Two arms 1
8 are screwed respectively. On the two arms 18, support arms 29 which rotatably support rollers 19 at predetermined intervals are fixedly provided. The roller 19 is preferably made of a resin or a metal, preferably a resin having excellent lubricity such as a fluororesin or a polycarbonate resin.

One end of each of the left and right connecting shafts 23 is connected to a central bevel gear mechanism 21b which is rotationally driven by a servomotor 22.
And the other end is connected to the coupling 2
4 is connected to bevel gear mechanisms 21a and 21c (power transmission mechanisms) which are connected to the left and right ball screw shafts 20a and 20c. The three ball screw shafts 20a, 20b, 20c are rotated synchronously in the same direction, and the two support rails 18, 18 screwed to the reverse screws 27, 28 approach or separate from each other and face each other. The distance between the rollers 19 can be freely adjusted. Therefore, by setting the separation distance between the rollers 19, 19 to the optimum distance for the pipe P to be inspected, the pipe P to be inspected is optimally placed on the rollers 19, 19, as shown by the chain line in FIG. It is configured to be mounted in a state.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pressing plate (pressing member) 31 slides on a guide rod or the like on the left end side (in the figure) of the support rail 18 in the longitudinal direction, as shown in FIGS. A stopper cylinder 32 is provided on the right end side so as to be freely engaged and movable in a direction parallel to the support rail 18, and the push plate 31 and the stopper cylinder 32 constitute a length measuring device 33. You. Push plate 3
1 is connected to a rodless cylinder 34 extending in parallel with the support rail 18, and in a desirable mode,
Wire extending from the wire encoder 35 (not shown)
Is fixed. This push plate 31 is a rodless cylinder 3
4 reciprocates in a predetermined range parallel to the support rail 18, contacts the end face of the pipe P placed on the roller 19 by the transfer lifter 5, and presses the pipe P toward the stopper cylinder 32.

The wire encoder 35 is connected to a controller (not shown), detects the position of the push plate 31 based on the length of the wire drawn out, and outputs a detection signal to the controller. As will be described later, the controller determines the length of the pipe P from the relative position between the push plate 31 and the position defining plate when the pipe P contacts the position defining plate of the stopper cylinder 32 based on the detection output of the wire encoder 35 and the like. Is calculated. In addition,
The above-described wire encoder 35 can be replaced with a linear scale, an optical scale sensor, or the like.

As the stopper cylinder 32, an air cylinder or the like is used, and the rod at the tip is fixed to the apparatus frame 1 in a state of being directed to the wire encoder 35 side. Although not shown, a position defining plate (position defining member) is fixed to the tip of the rod of the stopper cylinder 32 so as to be able to abut on the end of the pipe P pressed by the push plate 31. Is provided with a microswitch for detecting the measurement position of the measurement. The stopper cylinder 32 is connected to and controlled by a controller. When the pipe P is pressed by the push plate 31, the rod is extended to advance the position defining plate in a direction facing the pipe P, and the pipe P is positioned. When it comes into contact with the plate, it functions as a shock absorber to reduce the impact acting on the pipe P. The microswitch is connected to the controller, and outputs a detection signal to the controller when the position defining plate contacts the pipe P and moves to the retreat limit position.
The stopper cylinder 32 can be omitted, and can be replaced with a shock absorber or a spring.

Further, in the dimension measuring section 3, a rotation drive mechanism 36 and an outer diameter measuring device 37 are disposed on the stopper cylinder 32 side, and a thickness measuring device 50 is disposed adjacent to the stopper cylinder 32. Is done. The rotation drive mechanism 36 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (B), a swingable cylinder 39 is pivotally supported on a bracket 38 fixed to the apparatus frame 1 by a support shaft 40, and the rod end of the cylinder 39 is connected to the crank 4.
1 and connected to the crankshaft 42.

A holder arm 43 is attached to the crankshaft 42 in parallel with the support rail 18. On the holder arm 43, a hollow contact roller 44 whose peripheral surface is rubber-lined is rotatable by brackets 45a and 45b. Installed. Furthermore, holder arm 4
A servomotor 46 having a built-in encoder for detecting a rotational position is mounted on the bracket 3 by a bracket 47.
Through the contact roller 44. The cylinder 39 and the servo motor 46 are connected to a controller (not shown), the movement of which is controlled by the controller, and a position signal indicating the rotational position of the contact roller 44 is sent from the encoder built in the servo motor 46 to the controller. Is output.

The contact roller 44 is rotated about the crankshaft 42 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 7B by extending the rod of the cylinder 39, and is rotated on the pipe support mechanism 25 in a state where the rotation is prohibited. The pipe P comes into contact with the peripheral surface of the pipe P and is constrained in the rotational direction, and is rotated by the servomotor 46 while being in contact with the peripheral surface of the pipe P to rotate the pipe P.

The outer diameter measuring device 37 has a pair of cylinder scales 49 opposed to each other at a distance in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the support rails 18 extend. Possible device frame 1
It is configured to be attached to. The cylinder scale 49 has a measurement plate fixed to the tip of a measurement rod projecting from the cylinder body, and a sensor for detecting the length of the measurement rod protruding inside the cylinder body. The outer diameter of the pipe P is measured by contacting the surface at a position diametrically opposed. In addition,
The outer diameter measuring device 37 can be replaced with a non-contact laser size measuring device or the like.

Although not shown, the thickness measuring device 50 is constituted by a non-contact type sensor such as a contact type displacement sensor or a laser type sensor. The thickness measuring device 50 has a sensor connected to the controller and outputs a detection signal of the thickness detected by the sensor to the controller. It is desirable that the thickness measuring device 70 use the thickness measuring device (Japanese Patent Application No. 8-221876) previously submitted by the present applicant.

The pipe discharge section 4 includes a transfer conveyor 51 for transferring the pipe P carried by the transfer lifter 5 to the next process, a pusher 52 for pushing out defective products, and a defective product for rolling out the pushed defective products out of the apparatus. And a disposal guide 53. That is, the transfer conveyor 51 is provided in parallel with the support rail 18 of the dimension measuring unit 3, and as shown in an enlarged view in FIG.
On one side, a predetermined number (three in the illustrated example) of pushers 52 are arranged at predetermined intervals. Further, on the other side of the transfer conveyor 51, a defective product elimination guide 53 which is the same height as the transfer conveyor 51 and is inclined downward at a predetermined inclination angle is provided.
The defective pipe pushed out by this guide 53
It is designed to roll down along a slope.

The transfer conveyor 51 and the pusher 52 are controlled by a controller (not shown).
In the case where the pipe P placed on 1 is a pipe determined to be defective, the pusher 52 is driven, and the pipe P is pushed out by the push plate 54 at the tip thereof to the defective product exclusion guide 53 side to be eliminated, and the non-defective product is removed. Is controlled to drive the transfer conveyor 51 to transfer the pipe P to the next step.

Although illustration and detailed explanation are omitted, the controller has an alarm device such as a monitor and a buzzer, etc., and controls the transfer lifter 5 and the like, as well as the weighing scale 6, the length measuring device 33, and the like.
The measurement data of the outer diameter measuring device 37 and the thickness measuring device 50 are totaled and whether or not the data is a normal value is determined. In particular, when the measured value is out of the specified range, the controller displays details of the measured dimensions on a display, sounds a buzzer, turns on a rotation warning lamp 55 (see FIG. 2), and the like. To alert workers.

In this embodiment, when the pipe P cut at the cutting station, which is the preceding step, is carried into the inspection station, the pipe P is subjected to the dimensional inspection by the sampling inspection at the inspection station equipped with the above-described inspection device. Is done. That is, the cut pipe P sent from the inspection station is first taken in by the take-up roller 7 and the take-up rollers 8, 8 of the weight measuring section 2, and the pipe P
Is placed on the weighing roller 10 of the weight platform weigher 6. When the pipe P is a sampling inspection target, the weighing scale 6 is operated to measure the actual weight of the pipe P. At this time, the transfer lifter 5 waits with the slider member 11 positioned on the weight measuring section 2.

Subsequently, when the weight measurement is completed, the transfer lifter 5 lowers the vacuum suction pad 14 of the elevating cylinder 12 to suction the pipe P, and thereafter raises the vacuum suction pad 14 to move the slider member 11 to the position. It moves on the dimension measurement unit 3. At this time, under the control of the controller, the dimension measuring section 3 rotationally drives the servo motor 22 of the pipe support mechanism 25 to rotate the three reversely threaded ball screw shafts 20.
Is set so that the rollers 19 opposed to each other on the two support rails 18 are separated by an interval corresponding to the outer diameter of the pipe P.

When the lifting cylinder 12 is moved onto the dimension measuring section 3, the vacuum suction pad 14 is lowered and the suction pipe P is placed on the roller 19 disposed on the support rail 18 so as to face the same. . When the pipe P is placed on the roller 19 by the transfer lifter 5, the push plate 31 of the length measuring device 33 is driven by the rodless cylinder 34 to move to the stopper cylinder 32 side, and hits the end face of the pipe P. Since the push plate 31 presses and moves the pipe P toward the position defining plate of the stopper cylinder 32 in contact therewith, the other end of the pipe P abuts on the position defining plate of the stopper cylinder 32.
At this time, since the pipe P moves on the roller 19, it is not damaged, and the stopper cylinder 32 functions as a shock absorber, so that the impact of the pipe P abutting on the position defining plate is reduced.

When the position defining plate is located at a predetermined position, the position of the push plate 31 at this time is detected by the wire encoder 35, and the wire encoder 33 outputs a detection signal to the controller. The controller measures the length of the pipe P based on the position data of the position defining plate and the like.

When the length measurement is completed, the outer diameter measuring device 3
7, the outer diameter in the diameter direction of the pipe P is measured, and the thickness is measured by the thickness measuring device 50. That is, the outer diameter measuring device 3
7, a measuring plate of the cylinder scale 49 is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the pipe P at a position diametrically opposed to measure the outer diameter, and the thickness measuring device 50 measures the thickness with a displacement sensor or the like.

In order to measure the outer diameter and the thickness of the other portions thereafter, the rotation drive mechanism 36 extends the cylinder 39, rotates the contact roll 44 about the crankshaft 42, and 44 is brought into contact with the peripheral surface of the pipe P.
Then, in this state, the servo motor 46 of the rotation drive mechanism 36 is rotationally driven to rotate the contact roller 44, and by rotating the contact roller 44, the pipe P is rotated by an angle corresponding to the measurement position. The roll 44 is separated from the peripheral surface of the pipe P, and at this angular position, the outer diameter and thickness at that position are measured in the same manner as described above.

When all the measurements are completed, the transfer lifter 5 lowers the vacuum suction pad 14 of the lifting cylinder 12 to suck the pipe P, and then raises the vacuum suction pad 14 to discharge the pipe. Move to part 4.
Then, when the lifting cylinder 12 reaches just above the pipe discharge section 4, the transfer lifter 5 lowers the vacuum suction pad 14 and transfers the suctioned pipe P onto the transfer conveyor 51. In this state, the transfer conveyor 51 is kept stopped.

In this state, the controller compares the measured weight, length, outer diameter, and wall thickness of the pipe P with a predetermined reference value to determine whether the pipe P is a non-defective product or a defective product. In the case of a failure, a buzzer sounds or the rotation warning lamp 55 is turned on to issue an alarm, etc., and a correction signal for correcting the occurrence of the failure is output to the molding machine or the cutting machine as necessary. Further, the pusher 52 or the transfer conveyor 51 is selectively driven according to the determination result.

That is, the pusher 52 is operated without moving the transfer conveyor 51 for the pipe P having a defective measurement result, and the defective pipe P is directed from the transfer conveyor 51 to the defective product removal guide 83. Push out. In addition, the transfer conveyor 51 is driven to transfer the pipe P having a good measurement result to the next process or the like.

On the other hand, the pipe P placed on the weight measuring unit 2
Is a pipe not subject to the sampling inspection, the above-described weight inspection and dimensional inspection are not performed, but the pipe is transferred from the weight measuring section 2 to the pipe discharging section 4 and immediately transferred to the next step by the transfer conveyor 51.

That is, when the pipe P placed on the weight measuring section 2 is a pipe not subject to the sampling inspection, the transfer lifter 5 moves the vacuum suction pad 14 of the lifting cylinder 12 under the control of the controller. The pipe P is sucked by moving down, and then the vacuum suction pad 14 is moved up to move the slider member 11 onto the pipe discharge section 4. Then, when the lifting cylinder 12 reaches just above the pipe discharge section 4, the transfer lifter 5 lowers the vacuum suction pad 14, and transfers the suctioned pipe P onto the transfer conveyor 51, and at the same time, The transfer conveyor 51 is driven, and the pipe P transferred on the transfer conveyor 51 is immediately transferred to the next process.

In the same manner, for the pipes P which are sequentially cut by the cutter and carried in, the weights and dimensions of the pipes to be inspected and inspected are measured. Immediately without measuring the weight and dimensions, the pipe outlet 3
And transfer it to the next process. For this reason, even while measuring the weight and dimensions of the pipes to be inspected, pipes that are not to be inspected can be sent to the next process one after another without being affected by the sampling inspection. It becomes possible. In addition, if the speed of the molding line is a speed at which the inspection time can be sufficiently taken, it is a matter of course that all the inspections can be performed.

Further, since the pipe support mechanism is constituted by one servomotor by using a ball screw shaft having a reverse screw, a conventional inspection apparatus using two motors for the pipe support mechanism can be used. In comparison, the thickness in the depth direction of the device can be reduced, and the size and cost of the device can be reduced.

The tubular object to be inspected by the above-mentioned inspection apparatus is represented by the above-mentioned vinyl chloride pipe, but various pipes such as a metal pipe and a ceramic pipe, and a long member such as a column (rod) are also applicable. It is possible. .

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, the tubular object to be inspected is transferred from the weight measuring section to the dimension measuring section and subjected to various inspections at the dimension measuring section. The tube can be transferred to the tube discharge section, and the tube outside the inspection target can be transferred directly from the weight measurement section to the tube discharge section, so that the tube to be inspected can be dimensionally measured. Even if the next tubular object is sent while various inspections are being performed in the section, if this tubular object is immediately transferred to the tubular object discharge section and transported out of the device, it will be sent one after another. The incoming tubular material can be prevented from staying in the inspection device. For this reason, the sampling inspection can be performed, and the line speed of the production line can be increased. When the speed of the production line is low, 100% inspection can be realized.

Further, according to the present invention, since the tubular object support mechanism of the dimension measuring section can be constituted by only one drive source, the volume of the dimension measuring section can be reduced, and the entire apparatus can be reduced. Since the dimensions can be reduced by that much and the number of parts used can be reduced,
The cost of the apparatus can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall plan view of a tubular object inspection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which a transfer lifter on an apparatus ceiling surface is omitted.

FIG. 2 is an overall front view of the inspection apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an overall side view of the inspection apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a pipe support mechanism of the dimension measuring unit.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a bevel gear mechanism and a servo motor portion of the pipe support mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a side view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a structure of a pipe rotation unit.
(A) is an enlarged front view, and (B) is an enlarged side view.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged side view of a pipe discharge section.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Device frame 2 Weight measuring part 3 Dimension measuring part 4 Pipe discharge part 5 Transfer lifter (transfer mechanism) 14 Vacuum suction pad 18 Support rail (support member) 19 Roller (sliding member) 20 Ball screw shaft (rotating shaft) 21 Bevel gear mechanism (power transmission mechanism) 22 Servo motor (drive source) 23 Connecting shaft (power transmission mechanism) 25 Pipe support mechanism (tubular object support mechanism) 27, 28 Reverse screw 29 Support arm 33 Length measuring device 37 Outside diameter measurement Instrument 50 Thickness measuring instrument 51 Transfer conveyor 52 Pusher 53 Defective product elimination guide P pipe (tubular object)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for inspecting a tubular object which holds a tubular object conveyed by a transfer mechanism at a predetermined position and measures a dimension of the tubular object, wherein the weight is measured in parallel with a direction in which the tubular object is carried in. Section, a dimension measuring section and a tubular article discharging section, and a weight transfer section, a tubular article transfer mechanism movable between the weight measuring section, the dimension measuring section and the tubular article discharging section, and the dimension measuring section. Is a pair of support members on the upper side of which are fixed a plurality of rotatable sliding members for supporting a tubular object,
A plurality of rotation shafts which are screwed with the support member, and are reversely threaded to relatively close and separate the pair of support members by rotation of the screw, and a power transmission mechanism for connecting the rotation shafts to each other; An inspection apparatus for a tubular object, comprising: a tubular object support mechanism constituted by a single drive source that rotates forward and backward in synchronization in the same direction via the same. 2. A rotatable roller is used as the sliding member, a rail member is disposed as the pair of support members facing each other along the longitudinal direction of the tubular object, and a ball is used as the rotation shaft having the reverse screw formed thereon. Using a screw shaft, using a bevel gear mechanism and a connecting shaft connecting these as the power transmission mechanism,
The inspection device for a tubular object according to claim 1, wherein a motor is used as the drive source.