JPS61128144A - Apparatus for inspecting foreign matter of fuse-sealed container - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform the certain discrimination of quality, by arranging an inspection apparatus in close vicinity to the downstream side of a heat-sealing apparatus to make it possible to inspect the heat-sealed part of container immediately after the heat-sealing of said container by the heat-sealing apparatus. CONSTITUTION:A discrimination apparatus 14 comprising CPU outputs a synchronous signal to a stroboscopic power source 13 for inputting the detection signal from a container detector not shown in the drawing for detecting that a heat- sealed container was conveyed by a conveyor apparatus 2 to allow a strobscope 12 to emit light and allows a video camera 10 to pick up the image of the heat-sealed part of the fuse-sealed container 1. The heat-sealed container 1 is rotated by a rotary roller and a discrimination apparatus 14 allows the stroboscope 12 to emit light at least two times through the stroboscope power source 13. By allowing the video camera 10 to pick up the image of the heat sealed part shifted by 90 deg. to the rotary direction in its phase, the impossibility of image pick-up due to the adhesive of a carbonized substance is eliminated. By this method, the discrimination of quality can be certainly performed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention: "Industrial Application Field" The present invention is concerned with the problem that occurs when a container such as a glass ampoule is filled with a filler such as a drug solution or powder, and the mouth of the container is heated and melted shut. The present invention relates to a foreign matter inspection device for a fuselage-sealed container, which detects the presence or absence of carbide in the portion and discharges a container containing carbide from a conveyance device as a defective container.

``Prior Art'' Filling containers such as ampoules with fillers such as drug solutions and powders using a filling device has been widely practiced for a long time, but the filler sometimes adheres to the mouth of the container during filling. be. This may be due to minute contact between the filling needle and the container due to a slight discrepancy between the operation of the filling device and the behavior of the container transported by the transport device, or the chemical liquid itself being filled has foaming properties. Foaming is accelerated by the jetting force from the filling needle at the time of filling, and the filling liquid itself is guided and scattered by the droplets, and by the rising air current accompanying the discharge of air inside the container during filling.

The container filled with fillers such as chemical solutions and powders is then heated and melted at the mouth by gas roasting, and the container is closed.
If a filler is attached to the portion, the filler will be heated by the gas flame and will remain as a carbide.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, inspection devices that utilize video cameras, image sensors, etc. are known as inspection devices that detect and eliminate defective containers that have foreign objects or scratches in the filling liquid. This type of inspection device usually uses the video camera or the like to take a picture of the container, and then manually inputs the video signal from the video camera or the like to the discrimination device. Then, this discrimination device compares the video signal with a predetermined normal video signal to determine whether the container is acceptable or not, and if the container is defective, based on the signal from this discrimination device. Then, the defective container is removed from the conveyance device by a defective product discharge device.

``Problems to be Solved by the Invention'' Conventionally, in a fuselage-closed container whose mouth is sealed by heating, water droplets may adhere to the weld-closed part after the mouth is melt-closed.
Water droplets adhering to such a welding part can be mistakenly recognized as carbide by a foreign object detection device. This caused the container to be determined to be defective.

Possible causes of water droplets adhering after melt-sealing include the filling being particularly volatile, or the vibration of the container being transported by the transport device.In addition, heat during the above-mentioned melt-sealing may also be the cause. It turned out to be the cause.

It is currently not clear why the heat generated during melting and closing causes water droplets to form, but the first reason is that when heat is applied to the mouth of the container during melting and closing, water drops are filled inside. Since the filling is heated by conduction heat, etc., even if the filling is a chemical solution that does not have particularly high volatility,
Alternatively, even if it is a powder (particularly a freeze-dried powder), the evaporation of water is promoted, which may cause water droplets to adhere to the welded part. Secondly, water vapor in the atmosphere is considered to be a cause of water droplets depending on the ambient temperature and humidity conditions at the time of welding and closing.

In any case, if water droplets adhere to the welded part due to the influence of heat during welding, please check the type of chemical, powder, etc. to be filled,
Although there are slight variations depending on the melting temperature and other conditions such as ambient temperature and humidity, normally water droplets will start to adhere within about 10 seconds after the above melting and closing, and water droplets will start to adhere within about 20 seconds at the latest. do.

Once the water droplets adhere, it takes a long time to remove them, and it is unlikely that the water droplets will be removed before the containers are packed, that is, within the range where the foreign object inspection device can be installed.

However, conventional foreign object inspection equipment was carried out at a separate location from the series of filling and melting processes, so if water droplets were to adhere to the melting part due to the influence of heat, water droplets would always adhere to the melting part. The test was to be carried out after that.

"Device for Solving Problems" In view of such concerns, the present invention provides an inspection device for inspecting the presence of foreign matter, which is placed close to the downstream side of the fusing device, to ensure that the fusing device does not close the container. Immediately after the welding and closing, the welded and closed portion can be inspected using the above-mentioned inspection device.

More specifically, as mentioned above, there is some variation in the time it takes for water droplets to adhere, but the inspection device needs to be installed at a location where it can perform the inspection within 20 seconds at the latest after melting and sealing, and preferably Within 10 seconds after melting, more preferably 5
It is best to install it at a location where inspection can be performed within seconds.

``Function'' Such a quick inspection after melt-closing is performed before water droplets adhere to the weld-closed part due to the heat during melt-sealing, so it is possible to reliably determine pass/fail.

``Example'' The present invention will now be described with reference to an illustrated example. In FIG. 1, a glass container 1 such as an ampoule is continuously conveyed at a required interval by a conveying device 2, and is first carried into a filling device 3. Ru. When the container 1 is carried into the filling device 3, the filling device 3 fills the container 1 with a required amount of filler such as a drug solution or powder.

The container 1 filled with the filling material is then supplied to the fuser-closing device 4, where it is rotated by a container rotating device 5 of the fuser-closing device 4, and the container 1 is rotated by a heating device that prevents the container from slipping during the rotation of the container 1. The mouth portion of the tube is heated and melted, and is melted and closed using a jig (not shown). At this time, if the filler adheres to the mouth of the container 1 during filling by the filling device 3 or conveying the container by the conveying device 2, the filler becomes carbide during the melting and closing.

Further, the fuse-sealing container 1 whose mouth has been melt-sealed is carried into an inspection device 6 installed immediately after the melt-sealing device 4 to inspect the presence or absence of foreign matter, and is rotated by a rotating roller 7 of this inspection device 6. At the same time, the welded part is inspected during the rotation. When the inspection device 6 determines that there is carbide in the welded portion, the defective container is discharged to the outside of the conveyance device 2 by a defective product discharge device 8 provided on the downstream side.

However, in the present invention, the inspection device 6, more specifically, the video camera 10 constituting the inspection device 6, is disposed close to the downstream side of the fuser-sealing device, and the container l is inspected by the fuser-sealing device 4. Inspections can be performed in approximately 5 seconds after melting and closing. Note that, as described above, the video camera 10 needs to be installed at a position where the inspection can be performed within 20 seconds at the latest after the melting and closing.

As shown in FIG. 2, the inspection device 6 includes the video camera 10, which is disposed on one side of the container 1 transported by the transport device 2, and especially the video camera 10 equipped with a solid-state element with little image burn-in. , a video camera 1 is placed on the other side of the container.
0, and a strobe light 12 provided on the back side of the diffuser plate 11. The strobe light 12 is electrically connected to a discrimination device 14 via a strobe power source 13. .

The discriminating device 14 is substantially composed of a microcomputer, and the discriminating device 14 manually receives a detection signal from a blank container detector that detects that the fuselage container 1 has been transported by the transport device 2. , outputs a synchronization signal to the strobe power supply 13, causes the strobe 12 to emit light, and causes the video camera 10 to photograph the fusing portion of the fusing container 1.

At this time, the fuselage container 1 is being rotated by the rotating roller 7, and the discriminating device 14 causes the strobe 12 to emit light at least twice via the strobe power source 13, and the video camera IO detects a phase shift in the 80 degree rotation direction. By photographing the welded and closed parts, it is possible to avoid being unable to photograph due to the position of carbide adhesion.

The video signal from the video camera 10 is input to the discriminating device 14 and output to the monitor 15, and at the same time, the discriminating device 14 compares the video signal with a predetermined normal video signal to detect the fusing part. Determine the presence or absence of carbide. When the discriminating device 14 detects carbide, the discriminating device 14
outputs a rejection signal for rejecting the defective container having the carbide to the downstream defective product discharging device 8, and the defective product discharging device 8 removes the defective container from the conveying device 2 based on the signal.

Note that the inspection device for inspecting the presence or absence of foreign matter is not limited to that of the above-described embodiment, and of course may be an inspection device using an image sensor or the like.

"Effects of the Invention" As described above, in the present invention, since the inspection device for inspecting the presence of foreign matter is disposed close to the downstream side of the melt-sealing device,
After the container is melted and closed by the melt-closing device, it is now possible to inspect the melted part before water droplets adhere to it due to the heat generated by the melting. This has the effect of making it easier to do what you want to do.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the inspection apparatus 6 of FIG. 1.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A melt-sealing container equipped with a fusing device that heats the mouth of the container to melt-seal it, and an inspection device that inspects the fusing portion of the fusing container carried out from the fusing device for the presence of foreign matter. In the foreign object inspection device, the inspection device is arranged close to the downstream side of the fusing device, so that the fusing portion can be inspected by the inspection device immediately after the container is melted and closed by the fusing device. A foreign matter inspection device for a fuselage-closed container characterized by the following.