JPH11242005A - Article appearance inspecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve workability and to expand inspection items while an article which is to be inspected is evenly irradiated with lighting light for no shade or bright spot, and imaging is performed with a camera at high inspection precision for efficient detection of a defective article. SOLUTION: A lighting mechanism 3 comprising a light source 1 such as a stroboscope and a camera 4 connected to an image processing system 5 are provided, and the picture of an article which is to be inspected is taken by the camera 4 for image processing. Here, an endless light-transmission transportation belt 9 on which the article A is transported, an upper part lighting mechanism 3 for projecting light, from above, onto the article A on the light- transmission transportation belt, and a lower part lighting mechanism 10 for projecting light, from below the light-transmission transportation belt 9, to the article A through the light-transmission transportation belt 9 are provided so that occurrence of shade or bright spot is prevented in the light, from both upper above and below, on the article, being transported for clear picture by the camera, resulting in efficient detection of a foreign object with high inspection precision.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a production line for articles such as pharmaceuticals, foods, chemicals, electronic parts and mechanical parts, and the like. Also, the present invention relates to a transport type article appearance inspection apparatus for performing an appearance inspection or a missing item inspection by taking an image of an inspection of a foreign substance such as dust attached or mixed by a camera.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, in a PTP packaging inspection line for tablet packaging, an image processing apparatus is used to automate the inspection of foreign substances adhering and foreign substances in packages packed by welding a PVC sheet onto an aluminum plate and packing. Is used. It is known that the image processing apparatus determines a clear image by using a camera and illumination. And the PTP sheet packaging is shaped according to the shape of the tablets etc. to enter, and even if it is directly irradiated with illumination such as fluorescent light, strobe, halogen etc., it is affected by the reflection of the PTP film surface, The reflection of the sheet is prevented by adding a filter to the lighting, but at present, the inspection is limited to the degree of chipping of the tablet and the degree of adhesion of foreign matter.

[0003]

In the image processing of a conventional PTP packaging inspection apparatus, an article to be inspected is placed on a plate-like body, and is inspected by irradiating a fluorescent light, a halogen lamp, or a strobe light directly from above on a stationary state. Since the batch method is used, the workability is poor, and the illumination light impinges on the article, causing unevenness in the unevenness of the PTP packaging, particularly, shading and contours around the article, which are problematic. Is good, but it is difficult to detect foreign substances and attached substances around the object. For example,
When the illuminating light is applied to the subject from above, depending on the shape of the subject A, as shown in FIG. Further, when light is applied from below, as shown in FIG. 4B, even if the gap C between the objects A is visible, the objects A themselves are shaded and darkened, so that the external surface of the object is not captured at all and foreign objects cannot be detected. If only black color can be detected, or if it is passed through a polarizing filter to prevent light spots, the detection items are limited, and depending on the material of the packaging sheet, especially the detection becomes impossible, or the inspection accuracy is extremely deteriorated There was also a drawback in handling work such as doing. The present invention is intended to eliminate these conventional drawbacks, and prevents the occurrence of shading and light spots on the inspected article while continuously moving the inspected article such as tablets and granules, thereby making the camera image clear. In addition to detecting foreign substances and defective products with high inspection accuracy, the inspection and handling can be performed with high efficiency in the flow operation, ensuring stable and reliable inspection even when inserted and installed on the production line, and not only the surface but also the sealing defect It is another object of the present invention to provide an article appearance inspection apparatus capable of detecting sheet foreign matter, expanding inspection items, and easily responding to diversification of packages.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises an illumination mechanism having a light source such as a strobe, and a camera connected to an image processing system. The object to be inspected is irradiated with illumination light from the light source of the illumination mechanism. In an article appearance inspection device that takes an image of the object with a camera and performs image processing, an endless translucent transport belt for placing and transporting the inspected object, and illuminating the inspected article on the translucent transport belt from above. An upper illuminating mechanism for irradiating light and a lower illuminating mechanism for irradiating illumination light to the article to be inspected from below the translucent transport belt via the translucent transport belt are provided.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In an embodiment of the present invention, an image processing system processes an image photographed by a camera by irradiating an upper portion of an article to be inspected on an article to be inspected with a strobe illumination light to prevent foreign matter from entering. Defective or defective products can be identified by detecting the adherence, and the illumination light from the light source is applied to the object to be inspected from both upper and lower sides without shadows or light spots. The gap also receives the light, and the foreign matter inspection becomes the optimal image, ensuring stable and reliable inspection with high accuracy.Also, it is easy to detect not only the surface of the article but also foreign matter in the surrounding area, and the inspection items are expanded, Inspections that can easily respond to diversification of inspected articles can be performed easily, and the efficiency of each inspection work can be improved.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. Illumination mechanism 3 including a light source 1 such as a strobe, a dome-shaped reflector 2, and a camera connected to an image processing system 5. 4. An article appearance inspection apparatus comprising a video camera or a CCD camera, for example, taking an image of an article A to be inspected by a camera 4 by irradiating illumination light from a light source 1 of the illumination mechanism, and performing image processing, It is deployed cylindrical reflector 2 on a concentric circle directly below the lens 4 ₁ of the camera 4 disposed on the article a. That is, an endless translucent transport belt 9 for placing and transporting the inspection object A, and the translucent transport belt 9
An upper illumination mechanism 3 that irradiates an upper inspection object A with illumination light from above and includes a dome-shaped reflector 2 on a concentric circle immediately below a camera 4 disposed on the inspection object; A lower illumination mechanism 10 for irradiating the inspection object A with illumination light from below the belt 9 via the translucent conveyor belt 9 is provided as an article appearance inspection apparatus.

[0007] As the upper lighting mechanism 3 may comprise the camera lens 4 50% translucent half mirror 7 to the opposite site ₁ of 4 at top center, there is no bright spot light condensing property as a good Consideration is given so that the entire subject of the inspected article A is evenly illuminated without darkening.
Is provided with a diffusion plate 6 having a central through hole 12 below.
Further, although the strobe lighting is used as the light source 1, a fluorescent lamp, a halogen lamp, or the like may be used. In any case, the direct light hitting the subject is set to about 40% or less of the entire light amount and includes the transmitted light. Considering the reflection surface so that the indirect light mainly hits the upper part of the inspection object A evenly as shown in FIG.
The arrangement of the top surface of the reflection plate 2 and the light source 1 is selected in relation to the through hole 12.

The translucent transport belt 9 is a translucent transport belt having a transmissivity of 30 to 60%, preferably 45 to 60%, which runs around the driving wheel 13 endlessly. Inspection can be performed during the transportation process of the assembly line by using the inspection device. The inspection object A carried in from the supply unit 14 is continuously inspected, transported to the unloading / receiving unit 15, and foreign substances are removed. Collected. Further, the upper and lower illumination mechanisms 3, 10
Are provided with dimmable light sources 1 and 11, and the illumination brightness of the upper illumination mechanism 3 and the lower illumination mechanism 10 is 50 to
The ratio is preferably 70: 100, preferably 60: 70/100, which is optimal for the inspection of foreign substances in tablets and granular objects. Further, when the inspection object is a sheet packaged product, 60 to 7
It is preferable to adjust the light to 0: 100, and to adjust the light according to the color of the article to be inspected, for example, yellow, pink, white, or sky blue.

Further, the upper illumination mechanism 3 has a light source of a ring-shaped fluorescent tube, is provided opposite to the lower illumination composed of the surface-emitting illumination light source 11, has a through hole at the center of the top surface, and has a through hole. The dome-shaped reflector 2 includes a dome-shaped reflector 2 in which reflected light refracted downward is generated, and a ring-shaped fluorescent tube 1 below the inner periphery of the reflector. The test object A is fixed to a stand or other fixed frame at intervals at an inspection position where the inspection object A travels on the belt 9 at high speed. Inspection of a granular surface or a lock surface or a defective seal around the surface or foreign matter of a sheet is performed.

[0010]

The present invention comprises an illumination mechanism having a light source such as a strobe, and a camera connected to an image processing system, and irradiates illumination light from the light source of the illumination mechanism to produce a video of an article to be inspected. In the article appearance inspection apparatus for performing image processing, an endless translucent transport belt for placing and transporting the inspection object, and irradiating the inspection object on the translucent transport belt with illumination light from above. By providing an upper illumination mechanism and a lower illumination mechanism that irradiates the inspection object with illumination light from below the translucent transport belt via the translucent transport belt, the inspected article is continuously moved. While illuminating light from a light source is applied from both the upper and lower sides of the article to be inspected via a translucent transport belt, shadows and light spots are prevented, the image from the camera is sharp, foreign objects are detected with high inspection accuracy, and endless Shaped light transmission Inspected articles conveyed by the conveyor belt can be detected on a continuous flow work line, and can be inserted and installed in a production line for stable and reliable inspection, handling can be performed with extremely high efficiency, and granular surfaces or tablets can be used. It can reliably detect not only a surface but also foreign substances around the surface with high accuracy, and can easily cope with an increase in inspection items and diversification of packaged products.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an image state in the example of FIG.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating an example of a use state used in the present invention, in which FIG. 3A is an explanatory diagram of the system, and FIG.

4A and 4B show an image state in a conventional example, where FIG. 4A is a plan view of an example in which illumination light is applied from above, and FIG. 4B is a plan view of an example in which illumination light is applied from below.

[Explanation of symbols]

A Inspection object 1 Light source 2 Domed reflector 3 Lighting mechanism 4 Camera 4 ₁ Lens 5 Image processing system 6 Diffusion plate 7 Half mirror 8 Mounting frame 9 Translucent transport belt 10 Lighting mechanism 11 Light source

Claims (3)

[Claims] An illumination mechanism having a light source such as a strobe and a camera connected to an image processing system,
An image of the article to be inspected is irradiated with illumination light from the light source of the illumination mechanism with a camera, and in an article appearance inspection apparatus for performing image processing, an endless translucent transport belt for placing and transporting the inspection object, An upper illumination mechanism for irradiating the inspected article on the translucent conveyor belt with illumination light from above, and irradiating the inspected article with illumination light from below the translucent conveyor belt via the translucent conveyor belt. An article appearance inspection device comprising a lower illumination mechanism. 2. The light-transmissive conveying belt has a light transmittance of 30 to 30.
2. The inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the inspection device is a 60% translucent belt, which runs while being endlessly mounted on a driving wheel. 3. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the upper and lower illumination mechanism includes a dimmable light source, and the illumination brightness of the upper illumination mechanism and the lower illumination mechanism is set to 60 to 70: 100.
Inspection device as described.