JP2020032634A - Image inspection device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily remove an inspected object clogged in an inspected object in an image inspection apparatus in which an inspected object is adsorbed on a conveyed surface and an image is inspected by an inspection unit. An image inspection device 200 includes suction transport units 1 and 2 for adsorbing and transporting an object to be inspected, and inspection units 11 and 12 provided in the vicinity of an upstream end portion of the suction transport unit. There is. Of the open transport surfaces of the suction transport section, the inspection section is located only at the upstream end, so even if the object to be inspected jams on the transport surface, most of the transport surface will be open. Therefore, the inspection unit located at the end thereof does not hinder the jam release, and the jam release work can be easily performed. [Selection diagram] Fig. 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an image inspection device that inspects an image formed on an inspection object while transporting a sheet-like inspection object, especially when the inspection object is clogged in the middle of a transport path, The present invention relates to an image inspection apparatus that can easily eliminate this.

  In an image forming apparatus having a function of forming images on both sides of a sheet, it may be necessary to inspect images on both sides of the sheet while conveying the sheet. In such a case, a single camera or sensor for capturing an image formed on the sheet is provided, and a reversing unit is provided in a path for transporting the sheet. And inspecting the back surface by passing through. However, the method of transporting and turning over the sheet at the reversing section has a problem that the mechanism becomes complicated and large.

  Patent Literature 1 discloses an invention of an image forming apparatus. This image forming apparatus includes a jam recovery device. When the leading jam sheet is located downstream of the sheet inspection device 150, the leading jam sheet is formed on the leading jam sheet on the condition of a print restart instruction from the user. The printing is restarted from the image that has been displayed.

  This image forming apparatus has a camera unit 230. The camera unit 230 is provided with a sheet conveyance path 223 that conveys the sheet in one direction from upstream to downstream, and two sheet conveyance paths 223 at the same position above and below the sheet conveyance path 223. Cameras 231 and 232 are arranged to face each other. That is, unlike the configuration in which one camera and the reverse part of the transport path inspect the front and back surfaces of the sheet, the camera unit 230 transports the sheet in one direction without reversing, while the two cameras 231, 232 reads the respective images on the upper surface and the lower surface of the conveyed sheet. The sheet inspection device 150 inspects an image printed on a sheet using the captured image of the sheet sent from the camera unit 230.

JP 2018-31963 A

  In the camera unit of the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1, two cameras are arranged opposite to each other at the same upper and lower positions with a sheet conveyance path interposed therebetween. An image is taken by a camera. For this reason, at the position where the camera of the sheet transport path is provided, both the front and back surfaces of the sheet are exposed with a sufficient area to the camera, but the sheet is located at the position where the two cameras of the sheet transport path are provided. When a jam occurs, the sheet itself is sufficiently exposed from the transport path, but the camera cannot access the sheet transport path from both the upper and lower sides of the sheet transport path, and the jammed sheet is removed. There has been a problem that it is difficult to perform an operation of removing from the transport path.

  After recognizing such a conventional technique and its problems, the inventors of the present application have come to have a specific idea for a novel image inspection apparatus which has been separately advanced from the study of such a conventional technique. . This new image inspection device uses an inspection unit located near the transport surface of the transport unit while stably transporting the inspected object in one direction without using a complicated mechanism. Is provided with an unprecedented configuration capable of inspecting with required accuracy. However, with this new image inspection apparatus, the problem of the camera unit in the invention of Patent Document 1 described above, that is, the problem of whether it is difficult to remove jammed paper from the sheet conveyance path when a jam occurs, is considered. Upon reconsideration, they came to the conclusion that similar problems may still exist in this new image inspection device. That is, according to the image inspection apparatus by the inventors of the present invention, the inspection unit is provided near the transport surface of the transport unit. Also, depending on the position where the jam occurs, there is a problem that it may be difficult to perform the operation of removing the clogged inspection object from the transport surface.

  The present invention is a further improvement of the image forming apparatus invented by the present inventors in order to solve the problem discovered by examining the problem of the conventional technology, and a sheet-like inspection object is provided. In an image inspection apparatus that can inspect an image formed on an inspection object with high accuracy while inspecting an image formed on the inspection object while transporting the conveyance unit in one direction, even if the inspection surface is clogged with the inspection surface, the inspection unit is It is an object of the present invention to be able to easily remove a clogged inspection object without causing an obstacle.

The image inspection device according to claim 1,
A transport unit that transports the sheet-like inspection object in the transport direction,
An inspection unit that is provided at at least one of the upstream end and the downstream end of the transport unit with respect to the transport direction, and that inspects the inspection object transported to the transport unit.
It is characterized by having.

  According to the image inspection apparatus described in claim 1, the side of the transport surface is open, and there is no component that constitutes an obstacle as a component of the transport unit. The inspection section is disposed on at least one of the upstream end and the downstream end of the opened transport surface. Therefore, the sheet-like inspection object is unlikely to cause a jam on the transport surface of the transport unit, but even if the jam occurs, most of the transport surface is open and disposed at an end thereof. The inspection section does not become an obstacle for removing the jammed inspection section from the transport surface, and the jam clearing operation can be easily performed.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming system including an image inspection device according to an embodiment. It is a schematic structure figure of an image inspection device of an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic structural diagram of the image inspection apparatus in which a support unit of an inspection unit is further added to the schematic image diagram of FIG. 2. It is a front view of the image inspection device of an embodiment. It is the perspective view which looked at the image inspection device of an embodiment from diagonally above. It is the perspective view which looked at the image inspection device of an embodiment from diagonally below. It is the perspective view which looked at the adsorption conveyance part and the inspection part etc. of the upstream of the image inspection device of an embodiment from diagonally above. It is the perspective view which looked at the adsorption conveyance part and the inspection part of the image inspection device of an embodiment from diagonally below. It is the perspective view which looked at the holding part and inspection part of the upstream of the image inspection device of an embodiment from diagonally below. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the upstream holding unit and the suction conveyance unit of the image inspection apparatus according to the embodiment as viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a conveyance direction adjusting unit that adjusts a conveyance direction of the inspection object to the inspection unit by the suction conveyance unit in the image inspection apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a conveyance direction adjusting unit that adjusts a conveyance direction of the inspection object to the inspection unit by the suction conveyance unit in the image inspection apparatus according to the embodiment. It is a typical front view showing the 1st modification of the image inspection device of an embodiment. It is a typical front view showing the 2nd modification of the image inspection device of an embodiment. It is a typical front view showing the 3rd modification of the image inspection device of an embodiment. It is a typical front view showing the 4th modification of the image inspection device of an embodiment. It is a typical front view showing the 5th modification of an image inspection device of an embodiment. It is a typical front view showing the 6th modification of the image inspection device of an embodiment.

《Basic structure of image forming system》
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
As schematically shown in FIG. 1 with a simplified structure, an embodiment of the present invention relates to an image forming system including a printing apparatus 100, an image inspection apparatus 200, and a post-processing apparatus 300. As described in detail, the structure of the image inspection apparatus 200 is characterized.

  The printing apparatus 100 includes a plurality of inkjet heads 101 having different ink colors, a transport path 102 for transporting a sheet-shaped medium (printing paper) as an inspection object of the image inspection apparatus 200, and a transport path immediately below the inkjet head 101. And a suction conveyance section 103 provided in connection with the suction section 102. Illustration of other components, such as a printing paper supply unit, is omitted. The post-processing device 300 is a device that prints an image on the printing device 100 and performs various post-processing on the printing paper on which the image has been inspected by the image inspection device 200 and discharges the paper. The contents of the post-processing include sorting work such as sorting / stacking, staples, insertion of slip sheets, folding of paper in various modes, insertion into envelopes, etc., and the post-processing apparatus 300 having necessary functions according to the purpose. Can be provided.

<< About the basic structure of the image inspection device >>
First, the basic configuration of the image inspection apparatus 200 will be described with reference to FIGS.
This image inspection apparatus has two suction conveyance units (a first suction conveyance unit 1 and a second suction conveyance unit 2) as conveyance means for a sheet-shaped inspection object (a sheet-shaped medium, that is, printing paper). ing. First, the first suction transport unit 1 will be briefly described in the range shown in FIG. The first suction conveyance unit 1 includes a downstream drive roller 3, an upstream driven roller 4, and a belt conveyor around which a conveyance belt 6 is wound around two other small driven rollers 5. As shown in another figure later (for example, see FIG. 5), a resin intermediate plate 7 is in contact with the lower surface of the transport belt 6 above the first suction transport unit 1, and the lower surface of the intermediate plate 7 The platen 8, which is a plate material, is in contact with the platen. Each of the transport belt 6, the intermediate plate 7, and the platen 8 has a large number of through holes. Further, a chamber (not shown) is attached to the lower surface of the platen 8, and the inside of the chamber is sucked by a fan (not shown) attached to the lower part of the chamber to maintain a negative pressure. Therefore, when the fan is driven, air is sucked into the chamber from above the conveyor belt 6 through the through holes of the conveyor belt 6, the intermediate plate 7, and the platen 8, so that the object to be inspected is on the conveyor surface of the conveyor belt 6. When the conveyor belt 6 is driven, the inspection object can be conveyed.
The above-mentioned upstream side and downstream side are used to mean the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction of the inspection object by the suction transport section, and the same applies to the following description.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the transport direction of the inspection object from left to right in the figure, the first suction transport unit 1 is on the upstream side, and the second suction transport unit 2 is on the downstream side. is there. Although the first suction conveyance section 1 and the second suction conveyance section 2 have the same functional structure, the first suction conveyance section 1 is configured so that the conveyance surface for sucking and conveying the inspection object is on the upper surface side. It is arranged horizontally. Therefore, the inspection object transported by the first suction transport unit 1 is transported with its surface facing upward. On the other hand, the second suction conveyance section 2 is arranged so that the top and bottom of the second suction conveyance section 1 are reversed. That is, the second suction conveyance unit 2 is horizontally arranged such that the conveyance surface for sucking and conveying the inspection object is on the lower surface side. Therefore, the inspection object transported by the second suction transport unit 2 is transported with the back surface facing downward. The first suction conveyance section 1 and the second suction conveyance section 2 are arranged adjacent to each other so that the respective conveyance surfaces are substantially coincident with each other, and continuously convey the inspection object along one horizontal conveyance path. be able to.

  As shown in FIG. 2, this image inspection apparatus has two inspection units (a first inspection unit 11 and a second inspection unit 12) as inspection means of an inspection object. The first inspection unit 11 is provided above an end on the upstream side of the first suction conveyance unit 1 so as to face the conveyance belt 6 and face downward. The second inspection unit 12 is provided below the upstream end of the second suction conveyance unit 2 so as to face the conveyance belt 6 and face upward. The first inspection unit 11 and the second inspection unit 12 are CISs (Contact Image Sensors) having the same specifications. However, as the inspection unit that reads an image formed on the inspection object for inspection, the CIS is used. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and a sensor having another principle or structure may be used, and a camera may be used as described later.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image inspection apparatus 200 includes an introduction guide plate 13 that guides the inspection object sent from the upstream printing apparatus 100 to the transport surface, next to the upstream side of the first suction transport unit 1. ing. A pressing roller 14 is provided above the driven roller 4 of the first suction / conveyance section 1 to hold the tip of the inspection object introduced via the introduction guide plate 13 from rising. The pressing roller 14 rotates following the conveyance belt 6.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image inspection apparatus 200 is configured such that an inspection object sent from the first suction conveyance unit 1 is moved between the first suction conveyance unit 1 and the second suction conveyance unit 2 by the second suction conveyance unit. And an intermediate guide plate 15 for guiding to the second transfer surface. Further, below the driven roller 4 of the second suction conveyance unit 2, as a sag preventing member for preventing the tip of the inspection object introduced through the intermediate guide plate 15 from sagging, as will be described later with reference to other drawings. (See, for example, FIGS. 6 and 8), a droop prevention roller 16 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the image inspection apparatus 200, a discharge guide plate 17 that discharges the inspection object transported by the second suction transport unit 2 is provided next to the downstream side of the second suction transport unit 2. ing.

  Next, a basic configuration of the image inspection apparatus 200 not shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. The first inspection unit 11 and the second inspection unit 12 described above are attached to the first support unit 21 and the second support unit 22 that are positioned with respect to the first suction conveyance unit 1 and the second suction conveyance unit 2, respectively. I have. Although the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22 have substantially the same structure in function, each transport of the first suction transport portion 1 and the second suction transport portion 2 arranged upside down with respect to each other. The first suction and conveyance unit 1 and the second suction and conveyance unit 2 are arranged so as to face each other with their sides upside down so as to face the surfaces. Further, as will be described later with reference to other drawings (for example, see FIG. 5 and the like), the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22 are supported by a frame (not shown) of the apparatus at both ends of the long support shaft 23, respectively. It is rotatably supported at points A and B. In FIG. 3, the center axis of the long support shaft 23 is perpendicular to the paper surface, and the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22 are supported by the frame so as to be rotatable in both left and right directions about this center axis. (It will be described later with reference to the arrow shown in FIG. 5). Further, the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22 are rotatably supported by a short support shaft 24 at a support point C on a frame (not shown) of the apparatus. In FIG. 3, the center axis of the short support shaft 24 is parallel and substantially horizontal to the paper surface, and the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22 are rotatable about this central axis in both the front and rear directions on the paper. (See below with reference to the arrow shown in FIG. 5). Although the details will be described later, the support state of the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22 at the support points A, B, and C is not fixed, and when the frame is deformed by an external force applied thereto, the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22 are deformed. Since the support portion 21 and the second support portion 22 are rotatable in the two directions described above, the first support portion 21 and the second support portion 22 are deformed, and a harmful change occurs in the positional relationship between the two. Not to be.

  According to the image inspection apparatus 200 of the embodiment having the basic structure described above, the inspection object is stably conveyed while being sucked and held on the conveyance surface on the upper surface side of the first suction conveyance unit 1. The sheet is transferred to the second suction conveyance section 2 and is stably conveyed while being suction-held on a conveyance surface on the lower surface side. In this way, the test object is sucked and conveyed, so that the position and posture do not become unstable during the conveyance, and the test object can be stabilized in one direction without using a complicated mechanism for reversing the test object. While being transported, both the front and back surfaces can be inspected by the two inspection units 11 and 12 with required accuracy.

  In addition, according to the image inspection apparatus 200, since the inspection units 11 and 12 are arranged near the upstream end of the suction conveyance units 1 and 2, the conveyance surfaces of the suction conveyance units 1 and 2 can be used. Most are open and free of obstructions. Therefore, a manager who manages the apparatus or a worker who performs maintenance of the apparatus can easily access the transport surfaces of the suction transport sections 1 and 2. Therefore, as described in the section of “Prior Art”, since the transport path 102 of the inspection object is not sandwiched by the inspection unit unlike the camera unit of the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, the transporting is performed. Even if a jam occurs in the object to be inspected, it is possible to easily insert the hand into the problem area and remove the jammed object.

  Further, according to the image inspection apparatus 200, since the inspection units 11 and 12 are arranged near the upstream end of the suction conveyance units 1 and 2, the detection results of the images by the inspection units 11 and 12 are obtained. When it is used on the downstream side, a time margin is obtained, which is convenient. For example, in the post-processing device 300 at the subsequent stage of the image inspection device 200, when an inspection object having an unfavorable inspection result is selected as an NG product, the inspection units 11 and 12 determine whether or not the inspection product is an NG product. I want to get the information as soon as possible. According to the present embodiment, since the inspection units 11 and 12 are on the upstream side of the suction and conveyance units 1 and 2, the control unit needs to acquire the inspection results more quickly than in the case where they are on the downstream side. Post-processing can be performed without delay.

<< About the details of the structure of the image inspection device >>
Next, a more specific configuration of the image inspection apparatus 200 having the above-described basic structure will be described with reference to FIGS. First, a first support unit 21 and a second support unit 22 to which the first inspection unit 11 and the second inspection unit 12 are respectively attached, a structure for positioning these support units 21 and 22 to the suction conveyance units 1 and 2, and the like. 4 to 9 will be described.

  In particular, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 9, the first support unit 21 is a frame having a substantially square outer shape that substantially matches the planar shape of the first suction / transport unit 1. Of the four wall portions of the first support portion 21, inside the upstream wall portion orthogonal to the transport direction, a first inspection whose longitudinal direction is a direction orthogonal to the transport direction (the width direction of the inspection object). The part 11 is attached. The inspection element of the first inspection unit 11 is directed in the direction of the conveyor belt 6.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 9, at four corners of the first support portion 21, support legs 25 each having a predetermined size are provided so as to protrude on the side opposed to the first suction conveyance portion 1. Have been. A groove 26 is formed in the support leg 25 in the vertical direction. In particular, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the four support legs 25 of the first support portion 21 are the upper surface of the platen 8 protruding from the intermediate plate 7 of the first suction conveyance portion 1 and It is in contact with each of the two locations (a total of four locations) that sandwich it. The first support unit 21 is connected to the first inspection unit 11 by pressing the first suction conveyance unit 1 against the support leg 25 and holding the first suction conveyance unit 1 as shown in a distance D in FIG. The distance from the transport surface of the first suction transport unit 1 is kept constant.

  In particular, as shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 7, first, the first support portion 21 is provided on one wall portion on the opposite side to the first suction transport portion 1 and parallel to the transport direction. A winding shaft 27 is provided in parallel. 5 and 7, two pulleys 28a and 28b are provided at both ends of the take-up shaft 27, respectively. Pulleys 29 and 29 are provided on the first support 21 at two corners of the other wall parallel to the transport direction on the opposite side of the first suction transport unit 1. A suspension line 30 is wound around pulleys 28a and 28b of the take-up shaft 27 with its base end connected. Of the two pulleys at both ends of the take-up shaft 27, the two suspension lines 30, 30 of the two outer pulleys 28a, 28a are drawn out in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction, and are opposite to the take-up shaft 27. Each of the pulleys 29 is wrapped around two pulleys 29, 29, and guided to the lower first suction / conveyance unit 1 along two grooves 26, 26 formed in the two support legs 25, 25. Are connected at two ends of the platen 8 with which the support legs 25, 25 are in contact. Further, of the two pulleys at both ends of the winding shaft 27, the two suspension lines 30, 30 of the two inner pulleys 28b, 28b are formed on the two support legs 25, 25 immediately below. It is guided downward along the two grooves 26, 26, and is connected to two places of the platen 8 where the two support legs 25, 25 are in contact with each other at the respective distal ends.

  The first support portion 21 is provided with a handle 31 that is rotatable 360 degrees on a wall portion opposite to the wall on which the winding shaft 27 is provided with the transport belt 6 interposed therebetween. Although not shown in detail, the rotating shaft of the handle 31 is operatively connected to the winding shaft 27 via a transmission mechanism such as a belt, a pulley, a worm, and a wheel. Therefore, if the take-up shaft 27 is rotated in a predetermined direction by operating the handle 31, the suspension line 30 is taken up by the pulleys 28a and 28b, the platen 8 is lifted, and the four support legs 25 of the first support portion 21 are lifted. It can be positioned by pressing it against the tip of the device with a required force. Here, since the suspension line 30 is arranged in the groove 26 of the support leg 25 and is connected to the platen 8, the pulling up of the platen 8 by the suspension line 30 directly acts on the position where the support leg 25 is in contact. . For this reason, the operation of fixing the platen 8 (that is, the first suction conveyance unit 1) to the support leg 25 is ensured. In addition, the lifting force of the first suction conveyance unit 1 by the suspension line 30 depends on the weight of each part and the like, but can be set to 7N for one suspension line 30 and a total of 28N for four suspension lines.

  As described above, the first support unit 21 on which the first inspection unit 11 is mounted positions the platen 8 so as to coincide with a virtual plane defined by the tips of the four support legs 25, and applies this to a required force. Is fixed at the position. For this reason, the first inspection unit 11 attached to a predetermined position of the first support unit 21 and the conveyance surface of the object to be inspected facing the first inspection unit 11 are parallel to each other, and the distance between them is a predetermined constant value. Become. Further, even if the platen 8 is not an original flat surface and there is a slight problem in flatness, the flatness of the platen 8 is reduced by the force of pulling the platen 8 with the hanging wire 30 and abutting the support leg 25. Correction is also possible.

  Although the inspection unit of the present embodiment is a CIS, the CIS generally has a shallow depth of field and requires high placement accuracy in order to obtain a desired reading accuracy. For example, the tolerance when setting the distance to 12 mm is about ± 0.2 mm. Therefore, high precision is required for positioning the CIS and the transport surface of the inspection object. However, according to the present embodiment, the first inspection unit 11 is set so as to be parallel to a virtual plane formed by the respective end surfaces of the four support legs 25 provided on the first support unit 21. If the platen 8 is attached to the first support portion 21 and the support legs 25 of the first support portion 21 abut against the platen 8 and are fixed in a virtual plane, the platen 8 and the first inspection portion 11 become parallel. The image inspection by the first inspection unit 11 of the object to be inspected conveyed by the first suction conveyance unit 1 can be appropriately performed with desired accuracy.

  The first support unit 21 and the first suction conveyance unit 1 have been described as a mechanism for positioning the suction conveyance units 1 and 2 by pulling the suspension line 30 with the support legs 25 of the support units 21 and 22. Since the support section 22 and the second suction conveyance section 2 are also substantially the same functionally, the description of the first support section 21 and the like is referred to, and the description is omitted. However, as shown on the right side of FIG. 5, in the second support portion 22, the upper second suction transporting portion 2 is pulled down by four suspension lines 30 and the four support leg portions 25 projecting upward. Is different from the first support portion 21 and the like in the direction of force. Although the support portions 21 and 22 of the embodiment position the platen 8 so as to coincide with an imaginary plane defined by the tips of the four support legs 25, the support portions 21 and 22 use a surface that passes through the tips of the support legs 25. Since it is sufficient that the virtual plane can be uniquely determined, three or more support legs 25 may be used. Further, the positioning accuracy of the platen 8 may be further increased by setting the number to five or more.

  In particular, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, in the first support portion 21, a long support shaft 23 orthogonal to the transport direction is provided upstream of a pair of wall portions parallel to the transport direction. Both ends of the long support shaft 23 project outward of the wall portion, and are rotatably connected to the frame (not shown) of the image inspection apparatus 200 around the long support shaft 23 in FIG. Have been. That is, the first support portion 21 is attached so as to be rotatable around the long support shaft 23 in such a direction that the downstream side or the upstream side of the transport belt 6 swings up and down. In the first support portion 21, a lower end of a connection plate 32 extending upward is fixed to a central portion on a downstream side of a pair of wall portions orthogonal to the transport direction. The upper end of the connection plate 32 is rotatably connected to a frame (not shown) of the image inspection apparatus 200 by a short support shaft 24 parallel to the transport direction. The center axis of the short support shaft 24 is orthogonal to the center axis of the long support shaft 23 and is substantially horizontal, and the first support shaft is surrounded by the double support arrow around the short support shaft 24 in FIG. The portion 21 is supported by the frame so as to be rotatable about the short support shaft 24 in both directions, that is, obliquely frontward and obliquely depthwise. Therefore, both ends of the long support shaft 23 are the support points A and B (see FIG. 3) that rotatably support the first support portion 21 with respect to the frame. The support point C (see FIG. 3) that rotatably supports the first support portion 21. Since the second support portion 22 is functionally attached to the frame with substantially the same structure as the first support portion 21, the description of the first support portion 21 and the like will be omitted, and the description thereof will be omitted. As described above, the support state at the support points A, B, and C of the first support portion 21 is not fixed. Therefore, when an external force is applied to the frame and the frame is deformed, the first supporting portion 21 is in a supporting state in which the first supporting portion 21 is rotatable in two orthogonal planes shown in FIG. The first support portion 21 is prevented from being deformed and a harmful change in the arrangement relationship with the second support portion 22 is prevented by releasing the force transmitted from the first support portion and maintaining the posture as much as possible.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the support portions 21 and 22 on which the inspection portions 11 and 12 are mounted are supported at three points in a non-fixed state rotatable with respect to the frame of the main body. According to this structure, the following effects can be obtained. That is, when the image inspection apparatus 200 is installed on the floor with low flatness, or when the image inspection apparatus 200 is installed on the floor with low flatness, the height adjustment is performed by the adjusters of the four support legs of the image inspection apparatus 200. However, if this is not complete and a difference occurs in the height of the support legs, the image inspection apparatus 200 is in a tilted posture that deviates from the required horizontal state in any case. For this reason, an external force is applied to the frame of the device, causing distortion. If the frame is distorted, if the support portions 21 and 22 are directly fixed to the frame, firstly, the support portions 21 and 22 are also distorted, and the inspection portions 11 and 12 attached to the support portions 21 and 22 are first. Then, the positional relationship between the inspection object and the transport surface changes. Second, the mutual positional relationship between the first inspection unit 11 and the second inspection unit 12 also changes. As a result, there arises a problem that the inspection units 11 and 12 erroneously detect the inspection target.

  However, according to the present embodiment, since the support portions 21 and 22 on which the inspection portions 11 and 12 are mounted are supported at three points in a non-fixed state with respect to the frame of the main body, it is temporarily unnecessary for the frame of the apparatus. Even if a distortion is generated due to an external force, the distortion is hardly transmitted to the support portions 21 and 22, and the normal positions of the inspection portions 11 and 12 attached to the support portions 21 and 22 and the suction conveyance portions 1 and 2 are determined. The relationship is maintained, and the mutual positional relationship between the first inspection unit 11 and the second inspection unit 12 that is properly set does not easily change. As a result, there is no problem that the inspection units 11 and 12 erroneously detect the inspection object.

  In particular, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the position corresponding to the position below the driven roller 4 of the second suction conveyance unit 2, that is, the position below the upstream end of the second suction conveyance unit 2, prevents drooping. A roller 16 is provided. The sagging prevention roller 16 is a sagging prevention member for preventing the tip end of the inspection object introduced via the intermediate guide plate 15 from sagging, as described above with reference to FIG. The sagging prevention roller 16 has a roller portion that is divided into comb teeth in an axial direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the inspection object. When the object to be inspected is sent from the upstream first suction and transport section 1 to the second suction and transport section 2, before the tip of the inspected object hangs down due to its own weight or downward curl, the tip is hanged by the anti-sag roller 16. , And rides on it, and is sandwiched between the conveyor belt 6 to start suction conveyance by the second suction conveyance unit 2. Alternatively, before the tip of the inspection object sags, the tip is sandwiched between the sagging prevention roller 16 and the conveyor belt 6 and the suction conveyance by the second suction conveyance unit 2 is started.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the sagging prevention roller 16 is provided at the delivery position of the inspection object between the first suction conveyance unit 1 and the second suction conveyance unit 2. The following effects can be obtained. That is, in the image inspection apparatus 200 according to the present embodiment, the first inspection unit 11 reads an image on the upper surface of the inspection object at the entrance of the first suction conveyance unit 1, and determines the second timing based on the read timing and the conveyance length thereafter. The timing at which the second inspection unit 12 starts reading the image on the lower surface is set. The images detected by the CISs, which are the inspection units 11 and 12, are compared with the original image data to determine the suitability. The image detected by the CIS has a high definition of 300 to 600 dpi. For this reason, when the object to be inspected sags at the end of the object to be inspected when the object to be inspected is transferred between the first and second suction and transport units 1 and 2, the object to be inspected is transferred to the second adsorption and carrier unit 2. A shift occurs in the timing of entry, and erroneous reading detection occurs in the second inspection unit 12. However, according to the present embodiment, since the drooping prevention roller 16 is provided at the entrance of the second suction conveyance unit 2, the problem that the tip of the inspection object hangs down by its own weight does not occur. There is no deviation in the read timing setting in the second inspection unit 12 based on the read timing and the like, and the problem of erroneous detection does not occur.

  Also, when the tip of the inspection object is viewed with a line of sight parallel to the transport direction, wavy deformation (cockling) may be observed. Such a deformation lowers the accuracy of the inspection by the inspection unit such as the CIS and induces erroneous detection. Therefore, it is preferable to correct the deformation as much as possible. In this embodiment, since the sagging prevention roller 16 sandwiches the object to be inspected between the conveyor belt 6 and the comb-shaped roller portion, the cockling of the object to be inspected has its peak crushed and the depth of the valley is reduced. The shape is corrected in the direction in which the cockling is reduced, and as a result, the deformation is changed into a wave shape with a smaller period. This results in the same result as the correction of cockling, and the effect of preventing erroneous detection by the inspection units 11 and 12 is obtained. Can be

  In particular, as shown in FIGS. 9 to 12, the first support unit 21 is provided with a first transport direction adjusting unit that adjusts the transport direction of the inspection object by the first suction transport unit 1. In the first support portion 21, a fixing pin 35 is provided to protrude downward on one side of a pair of wall portions parallel to the transport direction. The fixing pin 35 is inserted into a positioning hole 36 provided in the platen 8. On the other side of the pair of walls parallel to the transport direction, a movable pin 37 is provided to protrude downward. The movable pin 37 is eccentrically attached to the lower surface of a cylindrical operation member 38 rotatably attached to the first support portion 21, and is inserted into a long hole 39 provided in the platen 8. An operation handle 40 for rotating the operation member 38 is provided on a peripheral surface of the operation member 38. Around the operation member 38, a scale plate 41 indicating the angle at which the operation member 38 has rotated is attached.

  From the state shown in FIG. 10, when the first suction conveyance unit 1 is lifted by the hanging wire 30 (not shown in FIG. 10) and brought into contact with the four support legs 25 of the first support unit 21, the fixing pin 35 is The movable pin 37 is inserted into the positioning hole 36, and the movable pin 37 is inserted into the elongated hole 39, as shown in FIG. This is the state as a whole including the second suction conveyance unit 2 and the second inspection unit 12, as shown in FIG. 5, and shows a state of normal use. In the case of such normal use, if there is a problem in the inspection accuracy of the first inspection unit 11 due to insufficient parallelism between the first inspection unit 11 and the first suction conveyance unit 1 or the like, In addition, it is necessary to correct the transport direction of the inspection object by the first suction transport unit 1.

  When correcting the transport direction of the inspection object by the first suction transport unit 1 using the first transport direction adjusting means, first, the force by which the suspension wire 30 lifts the first suction transport unit 1 is appropriately reduced, and The platen 8 is slidable with respect to the leg 25. Then, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the operating member 38 is rotated by a required angle by the operating handle 40, and the movable pin 37 is turned by a required amount. The change in the angle according to the operation amount of the operation handle 40 can be read from the scale plate 41. By such an operation, the direction of the platen 8 of the first suction conveyance unit 1 can be adjusted by the maximum angle θ around the fixing pin 35. After the adjustment, the lifting force of the suspension line 30 is appropriately increased, and the platen 8 is fixed to the support leg 25.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, a mechanism is provided that adjusts the direction of the suction conveyance units 1 and 2 with respect to the support units 21 and 22 on which the inspection units 11 and 12 are mounted, and changes the conveyance direction of the inspection object. I have. For this reason, if a problem occurs in the positional relationship between the inspection units 11 and 12 and the transport direction for some reason, the positional relationship between the inspection units 11 and 12 and the transport direction is corrected by operating the operation handle 40 to prevent the occurrence of erroneous detection. Can be prevented. Further, when the inspection object is skewed in the first suction conveyance unit 1, the tip of the inspection object reaches the sagging prevention roller 16 when the inspection object is transferred to the second suction conveyance unit 2. There is a possibility that the timing is delayed, and the effect of the above-described sagging prevention roller 16 for preventing sagging is reduced. However, by operating the operation handle 40, the transport direction of the first suction transport unit 1 on the upstream side is adjusted to correct the skew of the inspection object, and each of the first suction transport unit 1 and the second suction transport unit 2 is adjusted. If the transport directions are matched, the effect of the above-described droop preventing roller 16 to prevent droop can be ensured.

  The second support unit 22 is provided with a second transfer direction adjusting unit for adjusting the transfer direction of the inspection object by the second suction transfer unit 2, similarly to the first support unit 21. Since the configuration is the same as that of the direction adjusting means, the description of the first transport direction adjusting means is used to avoid repetitive description.

<< Modification of Image Inspection Apparatus of Embodiment >>
Modifications in the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 13 is a schematic front view showing a first modification. This image inspection apparatus 200a is the same as the embodiment in that the first suction conveyance unit 1 and the second suction conveyance unit 2 are arranged on the upstream side and the downstream side, respectively, along the conveyance direction of the inspection object. However, the transfer surface of the second suction transfer unit 2 has a downward inclination angle toward the downstream side with respect to the transfer surface of the first suction transfer unit 1.

  In the embodiment, the respective transport directions of the first suction transport unit 1 and the second suction transport unit 2 are assumed to be the same, but in such a configuration, the tip of the inspection object to be transferred is dropped and the second suction transport unit 2 is dropped. There is a case where the transfer is not performed properly because the transfer unit 2 is not properly sucked. In such a case, as in the first modification, the downstream end of the second suction / conveyance unit 2 is slightly lowered to provide the inclination angle. In order to set the tilt angle, the tilt angle can be adjusted by weakening the tension of the suspension line 30 that suspends the second suction conveyance unit 2 on the downstream side as compared with the upstream side.

A specific example of the inclination angle will be described. For example, thick paper having a basis weight of 200 g / cm ² or more has a strong stiffness, and therefore does not easily sag during delivery. For this reason, the angle between the transfer surface of the first suction transfer unit 1 and the transfer surface of the second suction transfer unit 2 is set to about 177 degrees, which is 180 degrees or less, as measured at the lower part of both suction transfer units. Is preferred. That is, in this case, the angle of lowering the downstream end of the second suction conveyance unit 2 is about 3 degrees. For example, in the case of thin paper having a basis weight of about 40 g / cm ² , it has a weak stiffness and easily hangs down at the time of delivery. For this reason, it is preferable that the angle between the transfer surface of the first suction transfer unit 1 and the transfer surface of the second suction transfer unit 2 be approximately 170 degrees as an angle measured below both suction transfer units. That is, the angle at which the downstream end of the second suction conveyance unit 2 is lowered is about 10 degrees. As described above, according to the knowledge based on the two examples obtained by the inventor of the present application, the inclination angle of the transport surface of the suction transport unit 2 measured below both the suction transport units is in the range of 180 degrees to about 170 degrees. However, under conditions different from those of the above two examples, the preferable angle range may be expanded from 170 degrees to several degrees.

  According to the image inspection apparatus 200a, the leading end of the inspection object transported from the first suction transport unit 1 to the second suction transport unit 2 is supposed to have the transport surface of the first suction transport unit 1 temporarily because of paper quality or the like. Even if it hangs downward from, it is pressed against the transfer surface of the second suction transfer section 2 inclined downward and downward, so that it is securely sucked and held, and is stably transferred downstream.

  Further, in the image inspection apparatus 200a, a downward inclination angle toward the downstream side of the transport surface of the second suction transport unit 2 is set according to an image forming condition when an image is formed on the inspection object. It may be. Here, the image forming conditions include, in addition to the type of the inspected object represented by the basis weight described above, the orientation of the inspected object, the printing amount, the arrangement balance of the printing range on the image forming surface of the inspected object, and the like. Can be illustrated. The inclination angle may be manually or automatically set to an appropriate value according to these image forming conditions.

FIG. 14 is a schematic front view showing a second modification.
In the image inspection device 200b, the transport surface at the downstream end of the first suction transport unit 1 and the transport surface at the upstream end of the second suction transport unit 2 overlap each other. Other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment. In a portion where the two conveying surfaces overlap, the two conveying belts 6 and 6 face each other at an interval of 0.5 mm or less in the vertical direction. To give an example, the thickness of the sheet on which an image is formed by the image forming apparatus is often about 0.2 mm for a thick sheet. Is 0.5 mm or less, there is no problem in delivery of the inspection object. According to the second modified example, a mechanism (for example, the intermediate guide plate 15 shown in FIG. 2) for delivery between the first suction conveyance unit 1 on the upstream side and the second suction conveyance unit 2 on the downstream side is provided. There is an effect that it is unnecessary and the delivery becomes smooth.

FIG. 15 is a schematic front view showing a third modification.
In this image inspection apparatus 200c, cameras 11a and 12a and CISs 11b and 12b are provided as inspection units in the first suction conveyance unit 1 and the second suction conveyance unit 2, respectively. In this case, the required CISs 11b and 12b having relatively high placement accuracy (shallow depth of field) are disposed relatively downstream with respect to the transport direction of the inspection object, and the required placement accuracy is relatively low ( Cameras 11a and 12a (with a large depth of field) are arranged on the upstream side. Other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment. In the suction conveyance units 1 and 2, the suction force of the test object during conveyance is smaller than that in a state in which the test object is suctioned only on the upstream side of the conveyance belt 6 and most holes are not blocked. Also, the inspection object is adsorbed to the downstream side of the transport belt 6 and most holes are closed and transported. In other words, when the paper has cockling or curl, the former is less likely to adhere to the transport belt and the latter is more likely to adhere to the transport belt. For this reason, in each of the suction conveyance units 1 and 2, the cameras 11a and 12a with relatively low accuracy (deep depth of field) and the CISs 11b and 12b with relatively high accuracy (shallow depth of field) are used. By arranging as described above, it is possible to arrange inspection units of different types with the arrangement accuracy required to function with each inspection accuracy, and to ensure the level of inspection accuracy of each inspection unit.

FIG. 16 is a schematic front view showing a fourth modification.
The image inspection apparatus 200d moves the lower plate 42 under the intermediate guide plate 15 between the first suction conveyance unit 1 and the second suction conveyance unit 2 to a position below the upstream end of the second suction conveyance unit 2. It has an extended hanging prevention member 42. Other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment. According to the sagging prevention member 42, like the sagging prevention roller 16 (see FIGS. 2 and 6 and the like), the tip end of the inspection object transferred from the first suction conveyance unit 1 to the second suction conveyance unit 2. Can be prevented from sagging due to gravity or curl.

FIG. 17 is a schematic front view showing a fifth modification.
In the image inspection apparatus 200e, a skew correction roller 43 that corrects the skew of the inspection object sent from the upstream is provided in the upstream adjacent part of the first suction conveyance unit 1. The skew correction roller 43 is in a standby state in a stopped state, and starts rotating in the transport direction when the inspection object (printing paper) collides. A top edge sensor 44 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) for detecting the tip of the test object is provided immediately upstream of the skew correction roller 43, and when the top edge sensor 44 detects the tip of the test object, The control unit that has received the detection signal from the top edge sensor 44 drives the skew feeding correction roller 43. Other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment. According to the skew feeding correction roller 43, even if the printing paper (inspection object) sent from the upstream printing apparatus 100 is skewed, the skew feeding roller 43 corrects the skew and corrects the skewed printing paper with respect to the first inspection unit 11. Can be sent in posture.

FIG. 18 is a schematic front view showing a sixth modification.
According to the image inspection apparatus 200f, the first suction conveyance section 1 and the second suction conveyance section 2 are provided with the CISs 11b and 12b as inspection sections, respectively. The CISs 11b and 12b as the inspection units are disposed near the downstream end. Other configurations are the same as those of the embodiment. In the suction conveyance units 1 and 2, the suction force of the inspected object to be transported is larger than that in the state where the inspected object is attracted only to the upstream side of the transport belt 6 and most of the holes are not closed. The inspection object is adsorbed to the downstream side of the sample and most holes are closed. In other words, in the suction conveyance units 1 and 2, the more the conveyance proceeds toward the downstream side, the higher the force of holding the conveyed inspection object on the conveyance belt, and the more stable the conveyance is. For this reason, the CISs 11b and 12b as the inspection units should be arranged downstream of each of the suction conveyance units 1 and 2 as described above, in view of the high arrangement accuracy required to function with the expected inspection accuracy. And As a result, the inspection object transported to the downstream side by the suction transport units 1 and 2 is stably held on the transport belt 6 with a sufficient suction force, and the CISs 11b and 12b detect an image with a desired high accuracy. Can be.
When the tip of the inspection object is on the upstream side of the conveyor belt 6 and suction of negative pressure or the like is low, the rear end of the inspection object does not enter the suction conveyance unit 1 and thus no suction bonding is performed. The conveyance of the inspection object is in an unstable state. However, by the time the front end of the inspection object reaches the rear end of the suction conveyance section 1, the entire inspection object is suction-adhered, the conveyance is stabilized, and the possibility of the inspection object fluttering in the height direction is reduced. When the rear end of the inspection object arrives at the first inspection unit 11 downstream of the first suction conveyance unit, for example, the negative pressure acting on the rear end of the inspection object decreases, but the front end of the inspection object It is sucked by the second suction transfer section 2 on the downstream side, and is supported by the inertia of the state in which the sheet is stably transferred at a high negative pressure just before reaching the second suction transfer section. Even if the pressure is reduced, a stable state can be maintained for the conveyance. However, it is possible to maintain a stable state only with the help of the inertia described above.

In the present embodiment and the modification thereof, the belt suction conveyance by the fan has been described as the conveyance means of the inspection object, but the suction conveyance by the electrostatic, the adhesion conveyance by the adhesion using the roller conveyance, and any other adhesion means. It is also possible to use an adhesive transfer using the method. As the adhesive conveyance using the roller conveyance which is an example of the adhesion conveyance, for example, the paper is adhered to the roller by a roller conveyance means in which an adhesive having an adhesive force not falling by its own weight is applied to the roller surface, and the conveyance is performed. This can be replaced with the suction conveyance unit of the present embodiment. Further, as the adhesive transfer using another bonding means, an adhesive transfer using a belt transfer in which the adhesive is applied to a transfer belt and then transferred may be used. In the case of the adhesive conveyance, a peeling unit for peeling the paper from the adhesive of the conveyor belt or the roller may be provided. As described above, the conveyance means of the inspection object is not limited to the belt suction conveyance by the fan as in the present embodiment. In addition, in the transport units 1 and 2, an inspection unit may be arranged on the downstream side even in the case of electrostatic suction transport or adhesive transport. This is because, for example, even in the case of electrostatic suction conveyance, the downstream area has a larger electrostatic suction area and the suction is stable. Further, in the transport units 1 and 2, even when the adhesive is transported by a plurality of rollers, the state in which the transport is performed by bonding two or more rollers on the downstream side is compared to the state in which the transport is performed by one roller on the upstream side. As a result, the suction is more stable and the conveyance is more reliable.
In addition, the drawings attached to this specification may be schematically represented by appropriately changing the scale, the vertical / horizontal dimensional ratio, the shape, and the like, for convenience, in consideration of ease of illustration and understanding. However, this is merely an example and does not limit the interpretation of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited by the embodiment and the modified example described with reference to the attached drawings, and other forms that can be considered by those skilled in the art based on the embodiment and the modified example. , Embodiments and operational techniques are all included in the scope of the present invention.

<< About the paper feeder of each aspect in the embodiment and its modification and its effect >>
The image inspection apparatuses 200 and 200a to 200f according to the first embodiment include:
Suction conveyance units 1 and 2 for sucking a sheet-like inspection object and conveying the object in the conveyance direction;
Inspection unit 11 provided at at least one of the upstream end and the downstream end of suction conveyance units 1 and 2 in the conveyance direction, and inspecting an inspection object conveyed to suction conveyance units 1 and 2. , 12,
It is characterized by having.

According to the image inspection apparatuses 200, 200a to 200f of the first embodiment,
Since the suction conveyance units 1 and 2 are mechanisms for sucking and conveying the sheet-like inspection object to the conveyance surface, the conveyance surface side is open, and the suction conveyance units 1 and 2 are configured as obstacles. There is no such thing. The inspection sections 11 and 12 are arranged on at least one of the upstream end and the downstream end of the opened transport surface. Therefore, although the sheet-like inspection object is unlikely to cause a jam on the transport surfaces of the suction transport units 1 and 2, even if the jam occurs, most of the transport surface is open. The jammed parts can be easily removed without obstructing removal of the part to be inspected, which is clogged with the inspection parts 11 and 12 arranged on the conveying surface.

The image inspection apparatuses 200c and 200f according to the second aspect are the same as the image inspection apparatuses according to the first aspect,
The inspection units 11b and 12b are provided at downstream ends of the suction conveyance units 1 and 2 in the conveyance direction.

According to the image inspection apparatuses 200c and 200f of the second embodiment,
In the suction conveyance units 1 and 2, the inspection object is sucked only on the upstream side of the conveyance surface, and the inspection object moves to the downstream side of the conveyance surface as compared with a state where the suction effect is not working on most of the conveyance surface. In a state in which the suction effect is applied to a large part of the transfer surface and the suction effect is acting on most of the transfer surface, the stability due to the suction of the inspection object during transfer is higher. Therefore, by providing the inspection units 11b and 12b at the downstream ends of the suction conveyance units 1 and 2 in the conveyance direction, the inspection object can be reliably held and the inspection can be performed in a stable position and posture, and the inspection accuracy can be improved. Is obtained.

The image inspection apparatuses 200, 200a to 200e according to the third aspect are the same as the image inspection apparatus according to the first aspect,
The inspection units 11, 11a, 12, 12a are provided at upstream end portions of the suction conveyance units 1, 2 in the conveyance direction.

According to the image inspection apparatuses 200, 200a to 200e of the third embodiment,
Since the inspection units 11, 11a, 12, 12a are arranged near the upstream ends of the suction conveyance units 1 , 2 , the detection results of the images by the inspection units 11, 11a, 12, 12a are used on the downstream side. In such a case, it is convenient that a time margin is obtained for the use. For example, in a post-processing device at the subsequent stage of the image inspection devices 200, 200a to 200e, when the inspection object is post-processed based on the inspection result, the inspection units 11, 11a, 12, 12a Since it is on the upstream side, the post-processing device can acquire the inspection result earlier and execute necessary post-processing without delay compared to when it is on the downstream side.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... 1st suction conveyance part as a conveyance part 2 ... 2nd suction conveyance part as a conveyance part 11 ... 1st inspection part 12 ... 2nd inspection part 11a, 12a ... It is relatively low among the inspection parts of a suction conveyance part. One of the inspection units 11b, 12b, for which placement accuracy is required, one of the inspection units of the suction / conveyance unit, for which a relatively high placement accuracy is required, 21: first support unit 22, second support unit 35, suction / conveyance Fixed pin 36 which constitutes the conveyance direction adjusting means of the section 36 ... Positioning hole which constitutes the conveyance direction adjusting means of the suction conveyance section 37 ... Movable pin which constitutes the conveyance direction adjustment means of the suction conveyance section 38 ... Transport direction adjustment of the suction conveyance section Operation member 39 which constitutes the means 39 Long hole which constitutes the conveyance direction adjustment means of the suction conveyance section 40 ... Operation handle which constitutes the conveyance direction adjustment means of the suction conveyance section 42 ... Hanging prevention member 43 ... Skew correction roller 2 00, 200a to 200f: Image inspection apparatus A, B, C: A fulcrum that rotatably supports the supporting portion on the frame of the image inspection apparatus.

Claims (3)

A transport unit that transports the sheet-like inspection object in the transport direction,
An inspection unit that is provided at at least one of the upstream end and the downstream end of the transport unit with respect to the transport direction, and that inspects the inspection object transported to the transport unit.
An image inspection apparatus, comprising:   The image inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inspection unit is provided at a downstream end of the transport unit in the transport direction.   The image inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inspection unit is provided at an upstream end of the transport unit in the transport direction.

Images