JPH0663928B2 - Vehicle parts specification inspection device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an apparatus for inspecting a pair of parts assembled on the left and right side portions of a vehicle to determine whether the left and right parts have different specifications. is there.

(Prior Art) As a pair of parts assembled on the left and right sides of a vehicle, for example, in the case of a 4-door vehicle 11 as shown in FIG. 5, front and rear door outside handles 1, 2 Door outside mall 3,4, front and rear roof drip mall 5,
6, front and rear door sash moldings 7, 8 and front and rear body side moldings 9, 10, etc., as well as those that are mounted on the outside of the vehicle, as well as door inside handles (not shown) that are mounted inside the vehicle interior, etc. In many cases, even if the vehicle model is the same, if the vehicle specifications are different, the component specifications are different.

For this reason, conventionally, an operator visually inspects on a vehicle inspection line whether or not the specifications of parts mounted on the vehicle correspond to the specifications of the vehicle.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, in the visual inspection by the operator as described above, regarding the parts on one side of the paired parts on the left and right sides of the vehicle, the check including the characteristic points is performed. Although strictly inspected with a sheet etc., for the parts on the other side,
Since the number of items to be inspected is extremely large and the time is limited, it can be inspected only by confirmation.Therefore, although the frequency of occurrence is extremely low, vehicles with different left and right parts specifications may be shipped, and new vehicle types This problem is likely to occur especially when the worker does not yet sufficiently remember the characteristic points of those parts, such as when assembling a vehicle of the specifications or the like.

The present invention provides a device that advantageously solves this problem.

(Means for Solving Problems) A vehicle parts specification inspection device according to the present invention is a camera that is assembled on the left and right side portions of a vehicle and that images a pair of parts and outputs an image signal, respectively. The specification determining means outputs the result of the determination by comparing the paired components in the signal by image processing to determine whether or not the specifications of the components are the same.

(Operation) In such an apparatus, the camera images each of the paired parts assembled on the left and right sides of the vehicle, outputs an image signal including an image of the parts, and the specification determination means The component images in the image signal are compared by image processing to determine whether or not the specifications of these components are the same, and the result of the determination is output.

Therefore, according to this device, it is possible to automatically inspect whether or not the pair of parts have the same specifications on the left and right, and
It is possible to effectively prevent the shipment of vehicles having different left and right component specifications.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 are a perspective view and a front view showing an embodiment of a vehicular part specification inspection device of the present invention.
Reference numeral 12 denotes a conveyor that moves a vehicle such as the four-door vehicle 11 shown in FIG. 5 at a constant speed.

Here, columns 13 are erected on both sides of this conveyor 12,
A two-dimensional camera 14 is provided on each of the columns 13 at three positions, that is, a position where the upper part of the vehicle 11 can be imaged, a position where the middle part can be imaged, and a position where the lower part can be imaged, with the conveyor 12 sandwiched therebetween. The light source 15 is attached to the column 13 at a position where the vehicle 11 can be directly irradiated with light and a position where the vehicle 11 can be indirectly irradiated with light.

Further, here, at a plurality of positions on both sides of the passage path of the wheels of the vehicle 11, an optical sensor 16 having a built-in light source and a reflecting mirror 17 are arranged to face each other. Here, the optical sensor 16 outputs the light emitted from the light source and reflected by the reflecting mirror 17 and entering the light receiving portion thereof so that the parts of the vehicle 11 corresponding to those optical sensors 16 are within the imaging range of the camera 14. It is arranged at a position where the rear wheels of the vehicle 11 sometimes block.

And here, the camera 14, the light source 15 and the optical sensor
16 is connected to a control panel 18 having a normal microcomputer and an image processing device as a specification determination means, and the control panel 18 is further connected to a determination display panel 19 arranged above the moving route of the vehicle 11. To do. Here, the judgment display board 19 selectively lights the lamp 19a displaying "ON" and the lamp 19b displaying "NG" based on the judgment result signal from the control board 18.

Further, here, the camera 14, the light source 15 and the optical sensor
A light-shielding tent 20 that covers the entire 16 is provided.
20 prevents ambient light from entering the camera 14 and the optical sensor 16.

FIG. 3 shows a processing program executed by the microcomputer of the control panel 18 of the inspection apparatus of this example. Here, first, in step 101, the same processing is performed before the optical sensor 16 in the moving direction of the vehicle 11. The passage of the front wheels of the vehicle 11 is detected by the optical sensor of: the light source 15 is turned on based on the detection and the camera 14 and the image processing device are operated to start the inspection.

In the following step 102, it is determined whether or not the wheel detection signal from the light sensor 16 indicating that the wheel has blocked the light has entered twice at a predetermined interval, and if it has entered twice, the front wheel of the vehicle 11 passes and the rear wheel. Is passing in front of the optical sensor 16, and therefore it is determined that the parts corresponding to the optical sensor 16 are within the imaging range of the camera 14 from the cameras 14 located on the left and right sides of the vehicle 11. An image signal including an image of a pair of parts corresponding to the optical sensor 16 is captured.

Then, here, the process proceeds to step 103, where the vehicle 11 is detected from the wheel detection signal interval corresponding to the wheel base of the vehicle 11.
The model of the vehicle is determined, the pattern of the shape of the component or the feature point corresponding to the vehicle type is retrieved from the memory, and the image of the component in the image signals from both cameras 14 is recognized using the pattern.

In the following step 104, the parts images are compared to determine whether the left and right parts have the same specifications, and the determination result is stored in the memory. The comparison here may be performed by, for example, binarizing both component images with a predetermined threshold value and comparing the areas of the bright portion or the dark portion in those images, or one of the component images. May be reversed by comparing the brightness of each pixel of the reversed image and the other component image. Then, here, when the difference or the ratio of the compared area and brightness is within a predetermined range, it is determined that both parts have the same specifications.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the width of the conveyor 12 is set to be wider than the tire width due to the difference in tire size of the vehicle 11 to be inspected, the vehicle is placed at the center of the cameras 14 located on the left and right.
There may be cases where there is no 11, or where the vehicle 11 is not parallel to the conveyor 12, and in these cases the size and position of the component images within the imaging range of the left and right cameras 14 are different, making direct comparison impossible. However, in such a case, for example, image processing as shown in FIG. 4 is performed.

In this image processing, first, the first-order differential processing in the vertical direction is performed on all the pixels within the imaging range. By this processing, for example, an original image of the door handle 1 including the handle 1a and the retractable cover 1b covering the opening into which the hand is inserted is shown in FIG. 4 (b) as shown in FIG. 4 (b). Then, there are a vertical line of the outline of the handle 1a and a vertical line of the outline of the cover 1b. Then here
A histogram of the number N of pixels of vertical lines projected on the horizontal axis X of the imaging range is created. By this process, the handle 1a and the cover 1b
The portions corresponding to and become peaks having different peak heights, and therefore the position of the vertical line of the handle 1a on the horizontal axis X can be obtained. Similarly, here, the first-order differential processing in the horizontal direction is also performed for all the pixels within the imaging range, and as a result, as shown in FIG. 4D, the horizontal line of the outline of the handle 1a and the outline of the cover 1b are The horizontal line is extracted, and as shown in FIG. 4 (e), a histogram of the number of pixels N of the horizontal line projected on the vertical axis Y of the imaging range is created, and the horizontal line of the handle 1a on the vertical axis Y is extracted. Find the position of. By these processes, it is possible to recognize which part in the imaging range is the image of the part (door handle 1 in the figure), and thereafter, set a window corresponding to the size and position of the image of the part, and set the window. For example, the ratio of the areas of the bright part and the dark part is obtained.

By comparing the area ratios obtained by the above image processing with the images of the left and right cameras 14, it is possible to determine the difference between the left and right component specifications regardless of the size and position of the component images.

Further, the vehicle 11 has various body colors, and a specific portion of the component (for example, the handle of the door handle 1 shown in FIG. 4A)
1a or cover 1b) and the body color may have the same brightness, in which case the binarized image will be different from other body colors and the normal shape of the part image or The pattern of characteristic points does not apply, but in such a case, the number of pixels in the bright and dark areas within the imaging range is compared, and if there are many bright areas, the vehicle body color is assumed to be a bright color and the shape of the dark area is determined. On the other hand, when there are many dark areas, the shape of the bright area and the characteristic points are compared, assuming that the vehicle body color is also dark.

By doing so, even when the specific portion of the component and the vehicle body color have the same brightness, it is possible to determine the difference in specifications from the shape and the characteristic point of the other components.

In the next step 105, it is judged whether or not the inspection is completed for all the parts to be inspected, for example, all of the parts 1 to 10 in the vehicle 11 shown in FIG. 5, and if not, to step 102. Return, the next photosensor 16 is its photosensor 1
When the wheel detection signal indicating that the component corresponding to 6 has entered the imaging range of the camera 14 is output, the specification inspection is performed on the component by the above procedure.

If it is determined in step 105 that all inspections have been completed, the process proceeds to step 106 to make a comprehensive determination.
In this comprehensive judgment, steps for all parts
The determination result at 104 is retrieved from the memory and checked.

After that, as a result of the above comprehensive judgment, it is determined whether all the paired parts have the same specifications on the left and right, that is, whether or not they are OK.
If the determination is made in 107, if it is OK, the process proceeds to step 108 to output an OK signal, and if there is at least one component that does not have the same specifications on the left and right, the process proceeds to step 109 to output an NG signal to the determination display panel 19. As a result, here the judgment display panel 19
The judgment result is displayed by lighting 19a or 19b.

In the following step 110, the light source 15 is turned off, the operation of the camera 14 and the image processing apparatus is stopped, and the inspection is ended.

According to such a vehicle part specification inspection device, it is possible to automatically inspect whether or not the parts that are assembled on the outside of the left and right side portions of the vehicle 11 and have a pair of left and right parts have the same specifications, and, by extension, the left and right parts. It is possible to effectively prevent the shipment of vehicles having different parts specifications.

Further, according to this device, the operator only needs to inspect whether the part specification corresponds to the vehicle specification for only one of the left and right parts, so that the time required for visual inspection can be shortened, or It is possible to reduce the burden of.

Although the present invention has been described above based on the illustrated example, the present invention is not limited to the above example. For example, the number of cameras 14 can be appropriately changed according to the number and position of the parts to be inspected, and If the images of the left and right parts are collected in one place by using them, it is possible to make one unit.

Further, for example, if the glass window of the vehicle is opened so that the inside of the vehicle can be imaged by the camera, the door inside handle, the window regulator handle and other parts that are paired on the left and right can be inspected. It can be performed.

Further, if the features of the parts corresponding to the vehicle type and specifications of the vehicle to be inspected are input in more detail to the above-mentioned device, and the vehicle type and specifications of the vehicle are given to the above-mentioned device at the start of inspection of the vehicle. It is possible to inspect not only the disagreement between left and right part specifications but also the disagreement of part specifications with respect to vehicle specifications.

(Effects of the Invention) Thus, according to the device of the present invention, it is possible to automatically inspect whether or not the parts that are assembled on the left and right side portions of the vehicle and have a pair have the same specifications on the left and right sides. It is possible to effectively prevent shipping of vehicles having different specifications.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a vehicle part specification inspection device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view showing the device of the above example, and FIG. 3 is a microcomputer of a control panel of the device of the above example. 4 is a flow chart showing a processing program executed by the vehicle, FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing an image processing procedure in the apparatus of the above-mentioned example, and FIG. 5 is a vehicle showing an example of parts which are assembled on the left and right side portions of the vehicle to form a pair. It is a side view. 11 …… Vehicle, 14 …… Camera 18 …… Control panel, 19 …… Judgment display panel

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A camera (14) which is mounted on the left and right sides of a vehicle and which images a pair of components (1-10) respectively and outputs an image signal, and the pair of components in the image signal. Is compared with each other by image processing to determine whether or not the specifications of these parts are the same, and a specification determination means (18) for outputting the result of the determination, the parts specification inspection device for a vehicle.