JP5057014B2 - Dirt detection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a dirt detection device for detecting whether or not liquid is attached to the surface of a container in a line for filling the container with liquid such as shampoo.

  With regard to a device that detects airtight leaks in containers that are under pressure inside, in order to eliminate the burden on the operator and eliminate the oversight of detection, a test solution that causes bubbles due to airtight leakage of the container is applied to the surface of the container. Then, it has been proposed to take a foamed state immediately after application and after a predetermined standing time has elapsed in an image, recognize a change in the foamed state by image processing, and detect an airtight leak (Patent Document 1).

  However, since this detection technique detects an airtight leak by a change in the foaming state of the test solution, it is assumed that there is a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the container. Therefore, when detecting leakage of a container whose inside is not pressurized, it is necessary to inject compressed air or the like into the container to pressurize the container.

  Also, in the production line, when liquid shampoo or the like is filled into the container with a filling nozzle in the production line and the liquid sag attached to the surface of the container is automatically detected using this image processing technique, the image before and after filling for each container. It is necessary to make a difference between the image after filling and the image before filling by image processing, and the image processing setting can be changed for each product so that the liquid adhering to the container can be discriminated. It is complicated because it is necessary. Further, when the liquid is transparent, detection becomes very difficult. Therefore, the image processing itself is complicated, and the calculation speed is a problem. Therefore, in practice, it is difficult to detect dripping on the surface of the container with this technique in a production line in which the container is filled with liquid.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-339682

  An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of detecting dirt such as liquid dripping adhering to a container with a simple configuration in a line for filling the container with a liquid such as shampoo.

  The present inventor makes a transfer material capable of adhering dirt on the surface of the inspection object contact the surface of the inspection object when a container on a line filled with contents such as liquid is used as the inspection object. By transferring the dirt from the surface to the transfer material and detecting the dirt transferred to the transfer material, it is possible to easily detect the dirt on the line. In particular, the transfer material transfers the dirt on the surface while rotating the inspection object. As a result, it was found that dirt could be detected without oversight, and the above problem was solved.

  That is, the present invention provides a stain detection device comprising a transfer material that transfers dirt from the surface by contacting the surface of the inspection object on the line, and a detection means that detects the stain transferred to the transfer material. In particular, there is provided a mode in which the transfer material contacts the inspection object from the side of the line and rotates the inspection object.

  According to the dirt inspection apparatus of the present invention, when a container on a line filled with liquid is used as an inspection object, the dirt on the surface of the inspection object is attached to the transfer material, so that the dirt is transferred from the surface to the transfer material. Since it is transferred and the dirt adhering to the transfer material is detected, it is not necessary to take an image for each inspection object before and after filling, and the dirt can be easily detected. In particular, when dirt on the surface of the inspection object is adhered while rotating the inspection object with a transfer material, it is possible to more reliably detect the dirt on the entire surface of the inspection object.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same numerals indicate the same or equivalent components.

  FIG. 1A is a schematic top view illustrating a soil inspection apparatus 10A according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a schematic side view thereof.

  This dirt inspection apparatus 1A automatically detects the dirt 3 on the surface of a container 2 on a transport line composed of a free belt conveyor 1 to which a drive source is not connected.

  The container 2 has a cylindrical shape, and shampoo, rinse, conditioner, body cleaner, dish detergent, clothing detergent, indoor / outdoor detergent, wax, bathing agent, fragrance, cosmetics, dressing, seasoning, Edible oil, soft drinks, foods containing a large amount of liquids, alcoholic beverages, paints, liquid abrasives, machine cleaners, solvents, lubricants, liquid fuels, fertilizers, insecticides, pharmaceuticals, other drugs or reagents, etc. The one filled with liquid can be given.

  This dirt inspection apparatus 1A includes a pair of belts (first belt 11a and second belt 11b) that simultaneously contact a plurality of containers 2 from both sides of the line as a transfer material for attaching dirt 3 on the surface of the container 2. ing. Further, as detection means 12 for detecting dirt transferred to the belts 11a and 11b, a first camera 13a for imaging the surface of the first belt 11a at a predetermined imaging position and a predetermined imaging for the surface of the second belt 11b. A second camera 13b that captures images at a position and a computer 14 that performs image processing on images captured by these cameras 13a and 13b and determines the presence or absence of dirt 3 on the surface of the container 2 are provided.

  Further, in this dirt detection device 10A, the first belt 11a and the second belt 11b pass through the imaging position, and then come into contact with the container 2, before the contact with the container 2, the washing means 15 for washing off the transferred dirt 3, and the belt after washing. Drying means 16 for removing the cleaning liquid and the like from 11a and 11b is provided. These specific configurations are appropriately selected according to the constituent materials of the belts 11a and 11b and the type of liquid filled in the container 2. For example, the cleaning means 15 includes a shower nozzle, a cleaning liquid dropping device, and a scraping blade. As the drying means 16, an air blow, a wiping roller, a wiping pad, or the like can be provided. Further, even if the cleaning means 15 and the drying means 16 are not provided, the operation may be stopped when the dirt is detected, and the operator may wipe off with a cloth or the like.

  The first belt 11a and the second belt 11b are preferably flat belts formed from a surface material that allows the liquid to be filled in the container 2 to adhere easily and allows the attached liquid to be easily washed and removed. Such a belt material can be appropriately selected according to the type of liquid filled in the container 2. For example, when the liquid is water-based, the belt surface material includes polyurethane and anti-mold measures. It is preferable to use polyvinyl chloride, thermoplastic polyolefin or the like. When the liquid is a surfactant, it is preferable to use non-slipable polyurethane, silicon, or the like as the belt surface material. When the liquid is oil-based, it is preferable to use oil-resistant vinyl chloride, oil-resistant NBR or the like as the belt surface material. Moreover, it is preferable that the width of these belts 11a and 11b is substantially equal to the total height of the container 2 so that dirt attached to any height on the side surface of the container can be detected.

  The first belt 11a and the second belt 11b are belts (drive belts) with driving that travel at different peripheral speeds V1 and V2 (V1 <V2) in the conveying direction of the container 2, respectively. As a result, the containers 2 on the free belt conveyor 1 are transported at an average speed (V1 + V2) / 2 of the peripheral speeds of both belts. Therefore, each point on the belts 11a and 11b is not in contact with two or more containers 2 between the point P1 where the container 2 starts to contact the belts 11a and 11b and the distance L1 between the points P2 away from the belts 11a and 11b. Therefore, the peripheral speeds V1 and V2 of the two belts, the distance L1 between the points P1 and P2, and the interval L2 between the containers 2 adjacent to each other on the line are appropriately set. The difference between the peripheral speeds V1 and V2 of the two belts is larger than the distance L1 between the points P1 and P2 and the distance L2 between the containers 2, and there are two or more points on the belts 11a and 11b at the distance L1. If the detection means 12 detects the dirt 3, it cannot be determined which container 2 on the line the dirt is.

  Further, the container 2 advances while rotating at a peripheral speed V2-V1 as indicated by an arrow. Therefore, the peripheral speeds V1 and V2 of the two belts and the points P1 and P2 according to the diameter 2R of the container 2 so that each container 2 rotates more than half a turn at the distance L1 between the points P1 and P2. It is preferable to set a distance L1 between Thereby, it becomes possible to detect the presence or absence of the dirt 3 for the entire circumference of each container 2. On the other hand, it is not necessary to rotate the container 2 twice or more at the distance L1 between the points P1 and P2. Even if the container 2 comes into contact with the belts 11a and 11b more than twice, the dirt 3 attached to the container 2 is transferred from the container 2 to the belts 11a and 11b by the previous contact, and newly starts from the surface of the container 2. In many cases, there is almost no dirt 3 transferred to the belts 11a and 11b, and in order to rotate the container 2 between the points P1 and P2, the difference between the peripheral speeds V1 and V2 of the two belts is increased. Accordingly, in order to prevent each point on the belts 11a and 11b from coming into contact with two or more continuous containers 2 between the points P1 and P2, the continuous containers 2 are connected to each other. This is because it is necessary to make the interval L2 large, and the number of possible inspections per hour is reduced.

  In order to make the distance L2 between the continuous containers 2 being transported by the belts 11a and 11b, the peripheral speed of the belt is set so that the container moving speed transported by the belts 11a and 11b is higher than the container moving speed in the previous process. V1 and V2 may be adjusted.

  Since the container rotates on the surface of the free belt conveyor 1, a surface material having a reasonably good sliding property is selected. For example, a surface material such as hard polyurethane or polyester is selected.

  As the cameras 13a and 13b, (1) having a detection capability capable of discriminating a difference in gloss, (2) performance such as detection sensitivity is not affected by color, and (3) having a detection time short. Is preferred. In addition, one camera 13a and 13b may be provided, but in order to further increase the detection sensitivity, a plurality of cameras 13a and 13b are arranged in the height direction of the container 2, and dirt transferred to any height of the belts 11a and 11b is high. It is preferable that sensitivity can be detected.

  The computer 14 specifies a container to be detected at the time of imaging at the imaging position based on the peripheral speeds V1 and V2 of the belts 11a and 11b, the conveyance speed of the container 2, and the distance L1 between the points P1 and P2. At the same time, in the images taken by the cameras 13a and 13b, when the pixel value corresponding to the intensity of the reflected light of the liquid exceeds a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that the container 2 corresponding to the imaging is dirty. Is preferred. In this case, it is preferable that the belts 11a and 11b are made of a material and a color that hardly reflect light.

  In order to increase the detection sensitivity, it is desirable that the photographing units of the cameras 13a and 13b take measures such as preventing outdoor light from entering, so as to avoid disturbance due to other changing light. .

  In this way, when the dirt is detected using the belts 11a and 11b, the pixel value indicates a substantially constant value unless the dirt is transferred to the belts 11a and 11b. The presence or absence of dirt can be easily determined from the change in

  As the detection means 12 including the cameras 13a and 13b and the computer 14, a commercially available industrial camera system with an image processing device can be used. The detection unit 12 may process a black and white image or a grayscale image, but if a device capable of processing a color grayscale image is used, detection with higher sensitivity is possible.

  In the present invention, the detection means 12 for detecting the dirt transferred to the belts 11 a and 11 b is not limited to the combination of the cameras 13 a and 13 and the computer 14. For example, instead of the first camera 13a and the second camera 13b, a contact type, a resistance type, a capacitance type, or a photorefractive type contact that contacts the surfaces of the first belt 11a and the second belt 11b at a predetermined position. A type sensor may be provided, and the computer 14 may determine the presence or absence of the dirt 3 on the surface of the container 2 from information obtained by these sensors. In this case, these sensors are appropriately selected depending on the liquid quality. Such a detection means 12 is particularly suitable when image processing is difficult, such as when the liquid is transparent. In many cases, it can be introduced at a lower cost than the image processing method.

  The container 2 determined to have the dirt 3 is removed from the line in a later process. As a result, the dirt detection apparatus 10A can be continuously operated on the line, and the production efficiency of the container filled with the liquid can be improved.

  FIG. 2A is a schematic top view of the above-described dirt detection apparatus 10A when the elliptical cylindrical container 2b is an inspection object, and FIG. 2B is a schematic side view thereof. By using belts 11a and 11b having appropriate elasticity, the elliptical cylindrical container 2b can be rotated as shown in the figure, and the dirt 3 can be detected over the entire circumference. Become. Similarly, according to this dirt detection apparatus 10A, a container of any shape including a polygonal columnar container can be used as an inspection object.

  FIG. 3A is a schematic top view for explaining the operation when the first belt 11a and the second belt 11b are driven at the same peripheral speed V1 = V2 in the above-described dirt detection apparatus 10A, and FIG. 3B is a schematic side view thereof. It is. When the peripheral speeds of the first belt 11a and the second belt 11b are equal, the container 2 does not rotate, so the dirt 3 cannot be detected over the entire circumference of the container 2, but a large amount of dirt 3 is present in the container 2. If they are attached, the contamination 3 of the container 2 can be detected even if the peripheral speeds V1 and V2 of the first belt 11a and the second belt 11b are equal.

  FIG. 4A is a schematic top view illustrating a dirt detection apparatus 10B according to the present invention having a different aspect from that described above, and FIG. 4B is a schematic side view thereof.

  This dirt detection device 10B is the same as the above-described dirt detection device 10A in that the container 2 to be inspected is on the line composed of the free belt conveyor 1, but the dirt 3 on the surface of the container 2 is attached. As a transfer material, one belt 11 that contacts the container 2 from one side of the line is provided, and a guide wall 17 is provided at a position facing the belt 11 so that the container 2 is sandwiched between the belt 11 and the guide wall 17. It is a thing.

  According to this dirt detection device 10B, the container 2 is conveyed at a speed that is 1/2 of the peripheral speed V of the belt 11 while rotating. Therefore, also in this apparatus 10B, each point on the belt 11 does not contact two or more containers 2 between a point P1 at which the container 2 starts to contact the belt 11 and a distance L1 between the points P2 away from the belt 11. Further, the peripheral speed V of the belt, the distance L1 between the points P1 and P2, and the distance L2 between the containers 2 are set as appropriate. Further, at a distance L1 between the point P1 and the point P2, the peripheral speed V of the belt and the points P1 and P2 are determined according to the diameter 2R of the container 2 so that the container 2 rotates at least one rotation and less than two rotations. It is preferable to set the distance L1.

  Also in this dirt detection apparatus 10B, the dirt 3 transferred from the container 2 to the belt 11 is imaged by the camera 13, the image is processed by the computer 14, and the dirt on the surface of the container 2 is automatically detected. It adheres to the guide wall 17 in addition to the belt 11. Therefore, when the dirt 3 is detected, it is necessary to immediately stop the line and remove the dirt adhering to the guide wall 15.

  5A and 5B uses a transparent belt 11 as the dirt detection device 10B of FIGS. 4A and 4B, and uses a lamp 18 and light detection instead of the cameras 13A and 13B as inspection means. When the transmittance of the belt 11 is measured and the transmittance decreases below a predetermined threshold, the computer 14 determines that the container 2 corresponding to the detection at the installation position of the photodetector 19 is dirty. Judgment is made. Here, it is preferable that the lamp 18 has a small change in light amount and color tone for long-term use.

  FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B are a schematic top view and a schematic side view illustrating a further different dirt detection device 10D of the present invention. In this dirt detection device 10D, the container 2 on the drive belt conveyor 1b connected to the drive source is the inspection target.

  As a transfer material for attaching the dirt 3 on the surface of the container 2, a pair of belts (a first belt 11a and a second belt 11b) that simultaneously contact the plurality of containers 2 from both sides of the line are provided. Although it is the same as the stain detection device 10A of 1B, in this stain detection device 10D, the peripheral speeds V1 and V2 (V1 <V2) of these belts are set to a lower speed and greatly contribute to the conveyance speed of the container 2. Without rotating the container 2. The point that the container 2 is preferably rotated half or more between the point P1 at which the container 2 begins to contact the belts 11a and 11b and the point P2 away from the belts 11a and 11b is the same as described above.

  The detection means 12 for detecting the dirt transferred to the belts 11a and 11b includes a lamp 20a for irradiating the surface of the first belt 11a at a predetermined position, a photodetector 21a for measuring the amount of reflected light, and a second belt. A lamp 20b that irradiates the surface of 11b at a predetermined position, a photodetector 21 that measures the amount of reflected light, and the amount of dirt 3 on the surface of the container 2 based on the amount of reflected light measured by the photodetectors 21a and 21b. A computer 14 for determining the presence or absence is provided. If the dirt 3 is transferred to the belts 11a and 11b, the light emitted from the lamps 20a and 20b is less likely to be reflected. Therefore, in the computer 14, the amount of reflected light measured by the photodetectors 19a and 19b is a predetermined amount. When the value is equal to or lower than the threshold value, it is determined that the container 2 is dirty.

  Here, as the lamps 20a and 20b, lamps that change little in the amount of light and hue are preferable for long-term use.

  Further, if the lamps 20a and 20b suitable for detecting a specific component of the liquid are selected, it is possible to detect a very small amount of dirt 3. For example, if the liquid in the container 2 contains a fluorescent component, a very small amount of dirt 3 can be detected by using lamps 20a and 20b as ultraviolet light (black light).

  In addition, in order to increase detection sensitivity, the imaging units of the cameras 13a and 13b have a case or partition (not shown) that blocks external light, or a case or partition (not shown) that reduces the amount of external light. It is desirable to provide

  In this dirt detection device 10D, when the computer 14 determines that there is dirt, the entire line is stopped without automatically identifying the dirty container, and the operator removes the dirty container from the line. At the same time, the filling device for filling the container 2 with the liquid is checked. As described above, when the container with dirt is not automatically specified, as shown in the dirt detection apparatus 10A in FIGS. 1A and 1B described above, the containers 2 may be spaced apart from each other. It is not necessary to confirm the diameter 2R.

  Even when the container 2 on the drive belt conveyor 1b is to be inspected as in the dirt detection device 10D, the computer 14 causes the peripheral speeds V1 and V2 of the belts 11a and 11b, the transport speed of the container 2, Based on the distance L1 between the point P1 and the point P2, it is possible to specify a container to be detected at the time of the imaging at the imaging position and automatically detect a dirty container.

  7A and 7B is the same as the dirt detection device 10D shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, in which one container 2 is sandwiched between two belts 11a and 11b, and the difference between the peripheral speeds V1 and V2 of the two belts. And the container 2 is rotated half a turn or more at a short distance L1. In this case, the circumferences V1 and V2 of the two belts may be opposite to each other, and | V1 | <| V2 |.

  Thus, in the present invention, it is not always necessary for the transfer material to contact a plurality of containers on the line at the same time, and the transfer material may contact one container. By bringing the transfer material into contact with one container, it is possible to easily specify the container corresponding to the detection of the dirt when the detecting means 12 detects the dirt.

  As a modification of the dirt detection device 10E shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B, a driving device is provided on the belts 11a and 11b so that the belts 11a and 11b approach or separate from each other, and the belts 11a and 11b are driven. There is a mode in which the drive belt conveyor 1b is operated intermittently (not shown). In this aspect, the drive belt conveyor 1b is intermittently operated, and a distance is provided between the two belts 11a and 11b so that the container 2 can pass while the drive belt conveyor 1b is operated. When the container 2 comes between the two belts 11a and 11b, the drive belt conveyor 1b stops, and then the belts 11a and 11b are brought close to each other to sandwich the container 2. The belts 11a and 11b rotate in the opposite directions at approximately the same speed, and the container 2 rotates at that position with little movement. The detection means when the container 2 is dirty is performed in the same manner as described above. When the detection is completed, the belts 11a and 11b are separated, the driving belt conveyor 1b starts to move, and the container 2 is sent out. In this embodiment, since the driving belt conveyor 1b is intermittently operated, the processing capacity may be slightly reduced. However, since the belts 11a and 11b only rotate the container 2 and do not serve for conveyance, the belts 11a and 11b. It is not necessary to perform the speed control in detail, and the operating conditions can be easily set.

  8A and 8B is the same as the dirt detection device 10E shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. As a transfer material, the stain detection device 10F uses two transfer rollers (first transfer roller 22a, second transfer roller) instead of the two belts 11a and 11b. A transfer roller 22b) is used, a container 2 is sandwiched between these two transfer rollers 22a and 22b), and a guide wall 23 is provided in the vicinity of the transfer rollers 22a and 22b.

  The surfaces of the transfer rollers 22a and 22b are formed of a material that allows the liquid filling the container 2 to easily adhere to the surface, and allows the attached liquid to be easily washed and removed. As an example, materials such as NBR, polyurethane, and silicon can be cited.

  The transfer rollers 22a and 22b rotate at peripheral speeds V1 and V2 (V1 <V2) as indicated by arrows, respectively, to increase the difference between the peripheral speeds V1 and V2. Therefore, also in this dirt detection device 10F, the container 2 rotates more than half a rotation while in contact with the transfer rollers 22a and 22b, and the dirt adhering to the side surface of the container 2 is reliably transferred to the transfer rollers 22a and 22b. It becomes possible to make it.

  Further, in this dirt detection apparatus 10F, as the detection means 12 for detecting the dirt transferred to the transfer rollers 22a and 22b, the cameras 13a and 13b and these cameras 13a and 13b are detected as in the dirt detection apparatus 10A of FIG. The computer 14 is provided with a computer 14 that performs image processing on the image taken in step 1 and determines the presence or absence of dirt 3 on the surface of the container 2.

  Also in this dirt detection apparatus 10F, the transfer rollers 22a and 22b do not contact two containers at the same time, so that when the detection means 12 detects dirt, the container corresponding to the detection of the dirt can be easily obtained. Can be identified.

  The dirt detection device 10G in FIGS. 9A and 9B is obtained by replacing one of the two transfer rollers sandwiching the container 2 with a guide wall 23a in the dirt detection device 10F in FIGS. 8A and 8B. Thus, even when the container 2 is sandwiched between the guide wall 23 a and the transfer roller 22 and the transfer roller 22 is rotated, the container 2 can be rotated more than half a rotation while being in contact with the transfer roller 22. It is possible to reliably transfer the dirt 3 adhering to the side surface of the toner to the transfer roller.

  In this dirt detection device 10G as well, since the guide wall 23a in contact with the container 2 is used, when the dirt 3 is detected by the detection means 12, the line is immediately stopped and attached to the guide wall 23. It is necessary to remove the dirt.

  The contamination detection apparatus of the present invention can take various other modes, and continuously inspects whether a line for conveying containers is a free conveyor such as a free conveyor belt or a free roller belt, or a drive belt. , Intermittent inspection, belt or roller as the transfer material, camera for detection means, light detector for detecting transmittance, reflected light quantity Whether to use a photodetector for detecting the light or to use other sensor detection means can be appropriately combined.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful for easily and automatically detecting on the line dirt such as liquid dripping on the surface of a container filled with liquid.

It is a schematic top view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1A. It is a schematic side view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1A. It is a schematic top view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1A. It is a schematic side view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1A. It is a schematic top view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1A. It is a schematic side view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1A. It is a schematic top view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1B. It is a schematic side view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1B. It is a schematic top view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1C. It is a schematic side view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1C. It is a schematic top view explaining dirt detection device 1D. It is a schematic side view explaining dirt detection device 1D. It is a schematic top view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1E. It is a schematic side view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1E. It is a schematic top view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1F. It is a schematic side view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1F. It is a schematic top view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1G. It is a schematic side view explaining the dirt detection apparatus 1G.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Free belt conveyor 1b Drive belt conveyor 2 Container 2b Elliptical column shaped container 3 Dirt 10A, 10B, 10C, 10D, 10E, 10F, 10G Dirt detector 11 Belt 11a 1st belt 11b 2nd belt 12 Detection means 13 Camera 13a 1st 1 camera 13b second camera 14 computer 15 cleaning means 16 drying means 17 guide wall 18 lamp 19 light detector 20a, 20b lamp 21a, 21b light detector 22a, 22b transfer roller 23, 23a, 23b guide wall L1 P1 and point P2 The distance between the adjacent containers on the L2 line P1 The point at which the container begins to contact the belts 11a and 11b P2 The point at which the container leaves the belts 11a and 11b R The radius of the container V The peripheral speed of the belt V1 V2 peripheral speed of the second belt

Claims (4)

The transfer material that transfers the dirt from the surface and rotates the inspection object by contacting the surface of the inspection object on the line from the side of the line, and the transfer material transferred from the surface to the transfer material. And a detecting means for detecting at a position closer to a point at which the transfer material separates from the inspection object than a point at which the ink begins to contact the inspection object. Contamination detection system of claim 1, wherein the transfer material Gabe belt or roller.   3. The dirt detection device according to claim 2, wherein the transfer material is composed of a pair of belts or rollers that come into contact with the object to be inspected from both sides of the line, and their peripheral speeds are different from each other.   The dirt detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transfer material is a drive belt that conveys the inspection object on the free conveyor while rotating it.

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