JP2011167642A - Identification method of transparent container - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an identification method of transparent containers by which transparent containers and non-transparent containers can be surely identified. <P>SOLUTION: In the identification method of transparent containers, a slit plate that is illuminated from the back by an illumination means is imaged by an imaging means and, on the basis of the imaging data, transparency or non-transparency is identified for a container existing between the imaging means and the slit plate. The slit plate is imaged in a state where no obstacle exists between the imaging means and the slit plate, with the largest area specified of the parts corresponding to a plurality of openings of the slit plate on the basis of the imaging data. Also, the slit plate is imaged in a state where a container exists between the imaging means and the slit plate, with the largest area similarly specified of the parts corresponding to a plurality of openings of the slit plate on the basis of the imaging data. The method is characterized in that the two largest areas are compared to identify transparency or non-transparency of the container exiting between the imaging means and the slit plate. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for identifying a transparent container used when collecting containers such as glass bottles, PET bottles, cans, plastic containers, and paper packs, and sorting the collected containers.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a recognition device that determines that a transparent bottle is based on the amount of received light is known. (See Patent Document 1).

FIG. 6 shows an example of a transparent bottle recognizing device described in Patent Document 1.
The transparent bottle recognizing device 103 described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a light source 122 composed of a constant light quantity fluorescent lamp in proximity to one side of the belt conveyor 111 and an imaging device in close proximity to the other side. The color camera 113 is provided. The color camera 113 includes an area sensor having a rectangular window 113a. The area sensor formed by two-dimensionally arranging CCD (Charge Coupled Device) elements emits light L emitted from the light source 122 or transmitted light p thereof. Receive light. Then, the color component of the received light is decomposed into image signals of primary color components of R (red), B (blue), and G (green) by a color coder, and the image signal and the signal of the amount of light of the received light are imaged. It supplies to the processing apparatus 114. The image processing device 114 determines the color light received by the pixels in the window 113 a based on the image signal and the light amount signal, and the color bottle passes between the light source 122 and the color camera 113. Recognize what happened.

  When the colorless and transparent bottle passes between the light source 122 and the color camera 113, the color camera 113 receives the transmitted light p having the same color component as that of the light L emitted from the light source 122 and having a light amount reduced by a certain amount. Therefore, the image processing apparatus 114 allows the colorless and transparent bottle to pass between the light source 122 and the color camera 113 when there are a predetermined number or more of the pixels of the color camera 113 that have received the predetermined amount of light without changing the color component of the light. It is recognized that

By the way, in the recognition device 103, it is necessary for an operator to set in advance a light amount that is a reference for determining that the bottle B passing between the light source 122 and the color camera 113 is transparent from the light amount of the transmitted light p. is there.
However, transparent bottles have a variety of glass thicknesses such as thick or thin glass, square or round shapes, smooth surfaces, or rough ones. It is difficult to set a reference value for the amount of light so that the apparatus 103 can accurately recognize all the transparent bottles.

JP-A-9-117727

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a transparent container identification method that can reliably identify a transparent container and an opaque container without requiring a worker to set a reference value for the amount of light. .

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a slit plate illuminated by illumination means from behind is imaged by an imaging unit, and a container existing between the imaging unit and the slit plate is transparent or opaque based on the imaging data. In the method for identifying a transparent container, the slit plate is imaged in a state where there are no obstacles between the imaging unit and the portion corresponding to the plurality of openings of the slit plate specified based on the imaging data. The slit plate is imaged in a state where the container exists between the area of the largest portion and the imaging means, and the largest portion among the portions corresponding to the plurality of openings of the slit plate specified based on the imaging data Are compared with each other to identify whether the container existing between the imaging means and the slit plate is transparent or opaque.

  Further, in the present invention, when the area of the maximum portion in the state where the container exists between the imaging means and the area of the maximum portion in the state where no obstacle exists between the imaging means, The container is determined to be a transparent container.

  Further, according to the present invention, the area of the maximum portion in a state where a container exists between the imaging means and the area of the maximum portion in a state where no obstacle exists between the imaging means and the area is small or the same. In this case, the container is determined to be an opaque container.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the imaging means includes an area sensor, and the areas are compared based on the number of pixels of imaging data by the area sensor.

  According to the transparent container identifying method of the present invention, the slit plate is imaged in a state in which no obstacle exists between the imaging means and the slit plate, and the plurality of openings of the slit plate specified based on the imaging data are handled. A portion corresponding to a plurality of openings of the slit plate that is identified based on the area of the maximum portion and the slit plate in a state where the container exists between the imaging means and the slit plate In order to identify whether the container is transparent or opaque based on the comparison with the area of the largest part of the container, it is not necessary to set a reference value for the amount of light by the worker, A transparent container and an opaque container can be reliably identified regardless of the material, color, thickness, shape, surface processing state, and the like.

According to the present invention, when the container existing between the imaging unit and the slit plate is transparent, the light of the illumination unit that has passed through the opening of the slit plate is refracted when passing through the container.
Therefore, according to the transparent container identifying method of the present invention, the area of the maximum portion in the state where the container exists between the imaging unit and the slit plate is such that no obstacle exists between the imaging unit and the slit plate. When it is larger than the area of the maximum portion, the transparent container can be reliably identified by determining that the container is a transparent container.

Further, according to the present invention, when the container existing between the imaging unit and the slit plate is opaque, the light of the illumination unit that has passed through the opening of the slit plate is blocked by the container.
Therefore, according to the transparent container identifying method of the present invention, the area of the maximum portion in the state where the container exists between the imaging unit and the slit plate is such that no obstacle exists between the imaging unit and the slit plate. When the area is smaller or the same as the area of the maximum portion, the transparent container and the opaque container can be reliably identified by determining that the container is an opaque container.

  According to the transparent container identifying method of the present invention, if the imaging means includes an area sensor and the areas are compared based on the number of pixels of the image data captured by the area sensor, the transparent container is automatically and instantaneously used using a computer. This makes it possible to distinguish between transparent and opaque containers.

The schematic diagram of the apparatus used for the method of this invention. The schematic diagram of the apparatus used for the method of this invention. Explanatory drawing of the binarized image when an obstruction does not exist in the front surface of a slit board. Explanatory drawing of the binarized image in case a transparent container exists in the front surface of a slit board. Explanatory drawing of a binarized image when an opaque container exists in the front surface of a slit board. Explanatory drawing of the conventional transparent bottle recognition apparatus.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 are schematic views of an apparatus used in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a view as seen from the downstream side in the container transport direction, and FIG. 2 is a view as seen from the schematic view of FIG. Each figure is shown.
The identification device 1 used in the present embodiment includes a conveyor 3 for conveying containers 2, a fluorescent lamp 4 disposed on one side of the conveyor 3, and the fluorescent lamp 4 on the other side of the conveyor 3. And a slit plate located between the fluorescent lamp 4 and the camera 5 and closer to the fluorescent lamp 4 than the container 2 transported on the conveyor 3. 6.

  The identification device 1 includes a computer 7 connected to the camera 5 and a monitor 8 connected to the computer 7.

  The identification device 1 used in the present embodiment takes an image of the slit plate 6 by a camera 5 arranged at a position facing the conveyor 3 with the slit plate 6 illuminated from behind by the fluorescent lamp 4. The imaging data, that is, each pixel output of the CCD area sensor in the camera 5 is input to the computer 7 for image processing (binarization processing), and the result is output to the monitor 8 or the like.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view when there is no obstacle between the slit plate 6 and the camera 5, that is, when the container does not pass through the front surface of the slit plate 6, and (a) is a slit plate visible from the camera 5. 6B shows an image obtained by binarizing the data obtained by imaging the slit plate 6 with the camera 5 by the computer 7 and outputting it to the monitor 8.
As shown in FIG. 3A, the slit plate 6 has a lattice shape and has a plurality of openings 9 formed therein. In the binarized image, as shown in FIG. 3B, the portion 10 corresponding to the lattice of the slit plate 6 is displayed in black, and the portion 11 corresponding to the opening 9 is displayed in white. The binarized image may be one in which the portion 10 corresponding to the lattice of the slit plate 6 is displayed in white and the portion 11 corresponding to the opening 9 is displayed in black.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view when the transparent container 21 exists between the slit plate 6 and the camera 5, that is, when the transparent container 21 passes through the front surface of the slit plate 6. The positional relationship between the visible slit plate 6 and the transparent container 21 is shown in (b), which is a binarized image of data obtained by imaging the slit plate 6 with the camera 5 through the transparent container 21 therebetween. In addition, the white broken line shown in FIG.4 (b) shows the position of the transparent container 21 in an image, and is not actually displayed.
When the slit plate 6 is imaged with the transparent container 21 interposed therebetween as shown in FIG. 4A, the light of the fluorescent lamp 4 that has passed through the plurality of openings 9 of the slit plate 6 passes through the transparent container 21. Refract. Therefore, in the binarized image of the image data captured by the camera 5, as shown in FIG. 4B, the portion (black portion) 10 corresponding to the lattice of the slit plate 6 is distorted, and the portion corresponding to the plurality of openings 9 ( The area of the largest portion among the portions 11 corresponding to the plurality of openings 9 corresponds to the plurality of openings 9 of the slit plate 6 shown in FIG. It increases compared with the area of the largest part in the part 11.

On the other hand, FIG. 5 is an explanatory view when the opaque container 22 is present between the slit plate 6 and the camera 5, that is, when the opaque container 22 passes through the front surface of the slit plate 26. 5 shows a positional relationship between the slit plate 6 and the opaque container 22 seen from FIG. 5, and FIG. 5B shows a binarized image of data captured by the camera 5 with the slit plate 6 interposed therebetween. In addition, the white broken line shown in FIG.5 (b) shows the position of the opaque container 22 in an image, and is not actually displayed.
As shown in FIG. 5A, when the slit plate 6 is imaged through the opaque container 22, the light of the fluorescent lamp 4 that has passed through the plurality of openings 9 of the slit plate 6 is blocked by the opaque container 22. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5B, the binarized image of the image data captured by the camera 5 has a maximum area in the portion (white portion) 11 corresponding to the plurality of openings 9 of the slit plate 6. The area of the slit plate 6 shown in 3 (b) is smaller than the area of the maximum portion of the portion 11 corresponding to the plurality of openings 9.

The method according to the embodiment of the present invention can automatically distinguish between a transparent container and an opaque container.
First, as shown in FIG. 3, when there is no obstacle between the slit plate 6 and the camera 5, the slit plate 6 is imaged by the camera 5, and each pixel output of the CCD area sensor in the camera 5 is sent to the computer 7. Input to perform binarization. Then, the computer 7 uses the binarized data to search for a cluster of bright pixels (an area composed of bright pixels), that is, a portion 11 corresponding to the plurality of openings 9 of the slit plate 6. The maximum number of pixels of the block is stored as the area having the maximum area among the portions 11 corresponding to the plurality of openings 9.

  Next, when the slit plate 6 is imaged by the camera 5 with the container 2 interposed therebetween, the computer 7 uses the binarized data of each pixel output of the CCD area sensor in the camera 5 as described above. A cluster of bright pixels is searched, and the number of pixels of the largest cluster among them is compared with the number of pixels stored as the area having the largest area among the portions 11 corresponding to the plurality of openings 9 of the slit plate 6.

  As a result of the comparison, when the number of pixels is larger than the stored number of pixels, the computer 7 determines that the light of the fluorescent lamp 4 that has passed through the plurality of openings 9 of the slit plate 6 is the container 2 as described with reference to FIG. The container 2 is determined to be a transparent container 21 on the assumption that the area of the maximum portion among the portions 11 corresponding to the plurality of openings 9 has increased as a result of refraction when passing through the transparent container 21.

  On the other hand, when the number of pixels is less than or equal to the stored number of pixels, the computer 7 determines that the light of the fluorescent lamp 4 that has passed through the plurality of openings 9 of the slit plate 6 is described with reference to FIG. As a result of being blocked by the container 2, the container 2 is determined to be an opaque container 22 on the assumption that the area of the maximum portion among the portions 11 corresponding to the plurality of openings 9 does not decrease or change.

  According to the above identification method, even when an opaque label is pasted on the transparent container, the light of the fluorescent lamp 4 that has passed through the plurality of openings 9 of the slit plate 6 is refracted at portions other than the label, so that it is opaque. It is not mistaken for a container.

  In the above-described embodiment, each pixel output of the CCD area sensor is binarized, and the binarized data is used to calculate the maximum number of pixels in the bright pixel block. In the portion 11 corresponding to 9, it is determined that the area is the maximum portion, but the maximum portion of the area may be determined by other methods.

  The above embodiment uses a light refraction phenomenon to identify a transparent container, so it can be reliably identified as long as it is a transparent container regardless of the material such as bottles, plastic bottles, plastic containers, etc. It is.

  In the identification device used in the above embodiment, the camera 5 has a CCD area sensor. However, any other imaging means can be used as long as a binarized image can be obtained. Also good.

  Moreover, although the identification apparatus used in the said embodiment was equipped with the fluorescent lamp 4 as a light source, it is good also considering other illuminations, for example, LED, a halogen, etc. as a light source.

  Furthermore, in the identification device used in the above-described embodiment, the slit plate 6 has a lattice shape as shown in FIG. 3 (a), but is not limited to this, for example, those having a plurality of horizontally long openings, A plurality of vertically long openings may be provided on the left and right.

  It goes without saying that the configuration of the present invention can be changed as appropriate without departing from the scope of the invention.

  The method for identifying a transparent container according to the present invention is capable of reliably identifying a transparent container and an opaque container regardless of the material, and is very useful.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Identification apparatus 2 Container 3 Conveyor 4 Fluorescent lamp 5 Camera 6 Slit board 7 Computer 8 Monitor 9 Opening 10 Part corresponding to the grating | lattice of the slit board 6 11 Part corresponding to the opening of the slit board 6 Transparent container 22 Opaque container

Claims (4)

In the transparent container identifying method for imaging the slit plate illuminated by the illumination unit from behind by the imaging unit and identifying whether the container existing between the imaging unit and the slit plate is transparent or opaque based on the imaging data.
The slit plate is imaged in a state where there is no obstacle between the imaging unit, the area of the maximum portion among the portions corresponding to the plurality of openings of the slit plate specified based on the imaging data, the imaging unit, Imaging the slit plate in a state in which a container is present, and comparing the area of the largest portion among the portions corresponding to the plurality of openings of the slit plate specified based on the imaging data, A method of identifying a transparent container, wherein the container existing between the slit plate and the slit plate is identified as transparent or opaque.   When the area of the maximum portion in a state where a container exists between the imaging means and the area of the maximum portion in a state where no obstacle exists between the imaging means and the area, the container is transparent. The method for identifying a transparent container according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that the container is a container.   When the area of the maximum portion in a state where a container exists between the imaging means and the area of the maximum portion in a state where no obstacle exists between the imaging means and the area is narrow or the same, 3. The transparent container identification method according to claim 1, wherein the container is determined to be an opaque container.   4. The transparent container identification method according to claim 1, wherein the imaging unit includes an area sensor, and the areas are compared based on the number of pixels of image data captured by the area sensor. 5.

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