JP4048848B2 - Foreign object detection device in container and foreign object detection method in container - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an in-container foreign matter detection device and a foreign matter detection method for detecting foreign matter mixed in a container from an image of the container obtained by imaging means by illuminating a transparent container in which a liquid is enclosed. It is.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The main foreign substances mixed in a container sealed with drinking water or the like are a part of a container material or a part of a part filled with a liquid of contents at the stage of forming and manufacturing the container. Although almost no foreign matter is mixed in the container, there is a possibility of adverse effects on the human body. Therefore, it is required to remove it reliably regardless of the frequency of occurrence.
[0003]
The conventional 100% inspection relies on human visual inspection. At this time, it is particularly difficult to detect and the foreign substances that are present in the most state are precipitated foreign matters. This is because the container bottom itself is like a lens having a complicated shape because the thickness changes and has a step at the bottom for convenience of container molding.
[0004]
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 7-181145 is a conventional technique for irradiating a transparent container filled with liquid with illumination light instead of human observation and detecting foreign matter mixed in the container from an image of the container obtained by the imaging means. Some are described in the publication.
[0005]
This conventional technology obtains an image from a transparent container by the light transmission method, eliminates the brightness and darkness due to the uneven distribution of the amount of light generated by the refraction and reflection of light caused by the container shape, and extracts internal foreign matter by image processing An optical correction element is incorporated in the light irradiation system so as to be able to.
[0006]
As the optical correction element, the light irradiation system in which the imaging camera 2a is disposed on the lid side of the container 3 and the illumination light source 1a is disposed on the bottom side is larger than the gas and similar to the container material as shown in FIG. An optical correction element 7a made of a light transmissive object having a high optical density is attached to the bottom of the container 3, or an optical correction liquid 7b is interposed at the bottom of the container 3 as shown in FIG.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the example shown in FIG. 17, the adhesion between the container 3 and the female optical correction element 7a becomes a problem. If the gap is 1 (μm), light refraction occurs in the gas layer in the gap, and the expected effect is reduced. There are many protrusions with different shapes generated by cutting in the container manufacturing process, surface scratches during printing, printed characters, etc. on the container surface, and the number of microsurfaces that vary from container to container (μm) to several tens (μm) Concavities and convexities are present, causing gaps. The female optical correction element 7a cannot be individually prepared for the irregular surface irregularities, and since there are at most several types, it is difficult to achieve complete contact with zero gap for each container.
[0008]
Even if the container and the optical correction element are mechanically compressed to eliminate the gap, the container is molded and manufactured to reduce the thickness as much as possible from the viewpoint of weight reduction and material usage reduction. Due to the limitation of the compression force, complete adhesion by compression is difficult.
[0009]
In the example shown in FIG. 18, there are cases where minute bubbles are formed in the optical correction liquid or on the outer surface of the container, resulting in an optical disturbance, and the inspection time increases due to the addition of a new disturbance processing method. The stability of accuracy will be reduced. For containers used in the food and medical fields, sanitary management of the optical correction liquid 7b is necessary, and the operation cost of the apparatus increases.
[0010]
Further, in the example of the X-ray system having high energy and extremely short wavelength and high linearity at the time of transmission, it is difficult to extract foreign matters other than metal because the foreign matter and the X-ray transmittance of the container are approximately the same.
[0011]
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to suppress a difference in light and darkness in an image due to a non-uniform distribution of the amount of light generated by refraction or reflection of light coming from the shape of the container, and stably and correctly detect foreign matters mixed inside the container. An object of the present invention is to provide a container foreign matter detection device and a container foreign matter detection method.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
A feature of the method of the present invention that achieves the above object is that the container transported to the foreign object detection position by the transport conveyor and irradiated with illumination light to a transparent container filled with liquid was obtained by the imaging means. In a container foreign matter detection device that detects a foreign matter in a container from an image of the container, an illumination light irradiating means for irradiating illumination light with a variable amount of light is arranged on the lid side of the container, and the imaging means is arranged on the bottom side of the container. With Lighting light Multiple images of light irradiation with varying light intensity The same threshold is used for the entire area in the screen. A control unit for determining foreign matter in the container based on the area reduction rate of the black object is provided.
[0013]
In addition, the method of the present invention that achieves the above object is characterized in that a transparent container filled with a liquid is transported to a foreign object detection position by a transport conveyor, and the container is irradiated with illumination light from illumination light irradiation means. In the container foreign matter detection method for detecting the foreign matter in the container from the image obtained by the imaging means picking up the container when the illumination light is irradiated, the illumination light irradiation means irradiates a plurality of times by changing the light amount. The imaging means takes an image, and the image taken by the imaging means The same threshold is used for the entire area in the screen. The area reduction rate of the black object is calculated, and if the area reduction rate is smaller than a predetermined value, it is detected as a foreign substance in the container.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on the embodiments shown in the drawings.
[0015]
1 to 3 show a first embodiment, and transparent PET containers 3 are sequentially and continuously conveyed on a conveyor 11. The container mounting portion 33 of the transport conveyor 11 uses a transparent acrylic material. In addition, a transparent and chemically mechanically strong material such as vinyl chloride or glass may be used. The container 3 is already filled with a liquid content, which is mainly a medicine or beverage, and is further sealed with a container lid 4.
[0016]
Foreign matter detection is performed immediately after sealing with the container lid 4. Usually, in the process of detecting foreign matter, there is no printed matter that becomes an optical obstacle on the surface of the container, and the printed matter is often affixed only to a container that has become non-defective in foreign matter detection. In addition, the container and contents (liquid sealed in the container) targeted in the present embodiment are both transparent, but are not limited to colorless and transparent, and are colored and transparent, and are opaque in general ambient light. Even if it is a case, it can be set as the object of foreign object detection according to the degree of light transmission.
[0017]
The container 3 in which foreign matter is confirmed to be mixed is removed from the container transport conveyor 11 or a defect identification mark as a mark is added to a conspicuous position of the container 3 so as to be discharged in a subsequent process.
[0018]
At a foreign matter inspection position 12 on the transport conveyor 11, light from an illumination light source 6 having a halogen lamp is irradiated onto an upper portion of the container 3 from an illumination light irradiation unit (illumination light irradiation means) 1 through a light guide 5. The illumination light source 6 is selected from a fluorescent lamp, LED, EL, incandescent lamp, metal halide lamp, infrared lamp, ultraviolet lamp, etc. in addition to a halogen lamp.
[0019]
The inside of the light guide 5 is in a state where several hundred optical fibers are bundled, and the optical fibers are divided by the illumination light irradiation unit 1 and fixed in a ring shape with the tip of each optical fiber facing directly below. Since the light has a constant spread angle at the tip of the optical fiber, as the distance from the illumination light irradiation unit 1 increases as shown in FIG. At this time, since the tip of the optical fiber is arranged in a ring shape in the illumination light irradiation unit 1, the shadow of the container lid 4, which may be an opaque material, is not projected on the bottom side of the container, and obstacles in foreign object detection It will not be. In order to further avoid the influence of the shadow of the container lid 4 being projected on the bottom side of the container, the ring-shaped arrangement diameter in the illumination light irradiation unit 1 is preferably made larger than that of the container lid 4.
[0020]
An imaging camera (imaging means) 2 that images the container 3 through the container mounting portion 33 is disposed below the conveyor 11. In this embodiment, the bottom of the container 3 is in contact with the container mounting portion 33, and the illumination light irradiation unit 1 is disposed on the container lid 4 side.
[0021]
On the conveyor 11, the container presence / absence detection sensor 13 detects that the target container 3 has arrived at the foreign object detection position 12. As the type of the container presence / absence detection sensor 13, in addition to the reflected light type shown in the figure, a transmitted light type or an ultrasonic type may be used.
[0022]
The detection result in the container presence / absence detection sensor 13 is grasped by the main computing unit 19 via the I / O interface 23 shown in the detection device control unit 30 of FIG. This is reflected in the shutter signal. Based on the shutter signal, the imaging camera 2 captures an image of the container 3, temporarily stores it in the storage device of the image information processing unit 20 that performs image processing from the imaging camera controller 15 via the camera interface 17, and removes foreign matter on the program. Perform the extraction process. The captured image and the video that has already been processed are displayed on the image processing monitor 18. In addition, the start, stop, and error of the apparatus are managed by the operation switch 31 and the display lamp 32, and the operation status management of the entire apparatus including the management and image processing of the video is performed by the main arithmetic unit 19 and the main storage unit 21. ing. The operating status of the entire apparatus is displayed on the monitor 22.
[0023]
Returning to FIG. 1, the foreign matter inspection position 12 and its surroundings are surrounded by a light shielding cover 34 to block light from the surroundings, which is an optical disturbance to the container 3 and the imaging camera 2, so that stable foreign matter detection is performed. ing.
[0024]
FIG. 4 shows a state of the foreign matter 8 mixed in the container 3. As described above, foreign matter 8a precipitated on the bottom 3a is the largest, and foreign matter 8b floating on the liquid surface and foreign matter 8c floating on the liquid are the next most common.
[0025]
Hereinafter, detection of the precipitated foreign matter 8a will be described.
FIG. 5 shows an example of an image obtained by the imaging camera 2 with the precipitated foreign matter 8a.
In FIG. 5, the substantially circular white background indicates the outline of the container 3, and 9 surrounded by a solid circle in the outline is a shadow (image) of the precipitated foreign matter (object) 8 a, and the other thin ink spots are those of the container 3. This is a dark area (image) where the irradiation light is scattered due to the shape and the amount of light is reduced. However, there is no shadow of the container lid 4 and the precipitated foreign matter 8a can be clearly captured. The shadow 9 and the dark area of the foreign object can be distinguished by shape.
[0026]
Next, a second embodiment for more clearly grasping the shadow 9 of the precipitated foreign matter 8a by image processing will be described.
In this embodiment, the illumination light irradiation unit 1 changes the output to obtain an image at least twice. Specifically, the amount of light is increased, and for the imaging camera 2, a halation phenomenon in which the luminance is high and the image becomes white is actively generated.
[0027]
In the example of FIG. 5, the luminance distribution at the position where the foreign matter exists along the line II is shown in FIG.
The luminance distribution along the line I-I in FIG. 6A is as shown in FIG. 6A in normal illumination, and not only the luminance is reduced at the foreign material part, but also a dark portion generated due to the shape of the container bottom 3a. For this reason, the brightness is reduced even in places other than foreign matter. This is because a dark image other than the original foreign object image 9 is recognized as a foreign object in a binary image obtained by dividing the gray level of a video with a certain luminance threshold, or in a pattern matching process using a gray image, and an erroneous detection result turn into.
[0028]
Therefore, the image shown in FIG. 7 is obtained by increasing the output of the illumination light irradiation unit 1.
At this time, the output of the illumination light irradiation unit 1 is set to an output value of the illumination light source 1 such that the luminance at the container bottom 3a exceeds the sensitivity limit of the imaging camera 2. Then, the luminance distribution on the line I-I becomes a saturated state exceeding the sensitivity limit of the imaging camera 2 as shown in FIG.
[0029]
In FIG. 7, the brightness (image) of the foreign object remains small because the illumination light is blocked by the foreign object. However, the brightness of the dark area (shadow) derived from the shape of the container bottom 3a that appeared in FIG. 6A is improved in the present embodiment, exceeds the threshold value, and the dark area disappears. In this state, processing is performed with a binarized image in which the density of the image is divided by the threshold value of luminance.
[0030]
The brightness threshold at this time is derived in advance according to the container shape, liquid type, foreign material type, and the like. FIG. 8 shows a binarized image in which a portion having a luminance equal to or higher than the threshold is white and a portion having a luminance lower than the threshold is black. A black object 9b in FIG. 8 is a detected foreign matter.
Even if the brightness values other than the foreign matter are somewhat large and small, they are all equal to or greater than the threshold value and are irrelevant to the brightness value at the foreign matter location. Therefore, the influence of the dark part derived from the shape of the container bottom 3a is apparently eliminated. 8 can be reliably detected.
[0031]
Since the luminance finally recognized is via both the imaging camera 2 and the camera interface 17, it is only necessary to exceed the luminance sensitivity limit.
In the case of the imaging camera 2, the same effect is produced even if the setting of exceeding the luminance limit of the imaging data is made by adjustment on the camera interface 17 side within a range not exceeding the sensitivity limit. In particular, when the sensitivity limit of the imaging camera 2 is exceeded, it is necessary to consider the life of the imaging camera 2, and it is desirable that the lifetime be slightly exceeded, specifically about 5% to 10%.
[0032]
Third and fourth embodiments corresponding to differences in the outer diameter of the container 3 will be described.
FIG. 9 shows an illumination light irradiation unit (illumination light irradiation means) 1 according to the third embodiment.
In this embodiment, the tip of the optical fiber in the illumination light irradiation unit 1 is arranged concentrically from the center to the outside. The optical fiber bundles are grouped according to the distance from the center.
[0033]
In the example of FIG. 9, two rows are grouped as one group, and the light guide 5 is made into one set. The other end of the optical fiber bundle for each group is connected to a different illumination light source. FIG. 6 shows an example in which the halogen lamps in the illumination light source connected to the second group are turned on from the outside and turned on, and all the halogen lamps in the illumination light source connected to the remaining groups are turned off and all are turned off.
[0034]
When the outer diameter of the container 3 is large, the transmitted illumination light 10 is irradiated only from the outer optical fiber group, and when the outer diameter of the container 3 is small, the transmitted illumination light 10 is irradiated from the inner optical fiber group. It is possible to cope with the difference in the outer diameter of the containers 3 conveyed on the conveyor 11 without changing the light guide. If the number of times the illumination light source is turned on or off affects the life of the illumination light source, install a separate shutter between the illumination light source and the light guide while keeping the separately prepared illumination light source always on. The same function may be satisfied by cutting.
[0035]
FIG. 10 shows a fourth embodiment.
In this embodiment, two illumination light irradiation units (illumination light irradiation means) 1a and 1b having different diameters are provided.
Two sets of illumination light irradiation units 1a and 1b are installed on the container 3 through the light guides 5a and 5b from the illumination light sources 6a and 6b having halogen lamps at the foreign matter inspection position 12 on the transport conveyor 11, and transmitted. Illumination light 10 is irradiated from above the container 3. The inside of the light guides 5a and 5b is a state in which several hundred optical fibers are bundled in the same manner as the light guide 5, and the optical fibers are divided by the illumination light irradiation units 1a and 1b, and the configuration is the same as in FIG. Each transmitted illumination light 10 is arranged so as not to overlap the container lid 4 and the illumination light irradiation unit 1.
[0036]
Irradiation or non-irradiation of the transmitted illumination light 10 is performed by turning on / off each halogen lamp power source in the illumination light sources 6a, 6b, or by entering a shutter (not shown) provided between the illumination light irradiation units 1a, 1b and the light guides 5a, 5b. You can select by turning off. The light quantity of each transmitted illumination light 10 emitted from the illumination light irradiation units 1a and 1b is the same or different depending on the shape of the container.
[0037]
In these embodiments, not only the foreign matter is detected in response to the size of the container, but also the second embodiment in which the amount of light is increased can be used to detect the foreign matter.
[0038]
Next, a fifth embodiment in which foreign matter detection is performed by increasing the amount of light will be described.
When the container 3 arrives at the foreign object inspection position 12 by the container presence / absence detection sensor 13 on the transport conveyor 11, the first transmission illumination light irradiation is performed, and the dark area resulting from the foreign object and the container shape is included in the screen. For all, binarize below a certain threshold value as a black object, and temporarily store the area of each black object. The black object includes both a foreign object and a dark part resulting from the shape of the container 3, and the stored image is shown in FIG. 11A, and is an image composed of many black objects.
[0039]
Next, the second transmitted illumination light irradiation with an increased amount of light is performed, and similarly, the same threshold value is used for the entire area within the screen, and the area below each threshold is stored as a black object. As shown in FIG. 11B, in the second image, the black object is small and there are few images.
[0040]
The black object in each image has a large area because of the difference in the amount of transmitted illumination light, and the area of the black object in the first image is small and the number is small in the second illumination illumination light irradiation. In this case, the area reduction rate differs for each black object in the video screen. However, the area reduction rate increases or disappears completely in the dark part of the container shape at the container bottom 3a that transmits light. On the other hand, the area reduction rate is small at a foreign object portion that blocks light. Only an image of a black object having a small area reduction rate can be determined as a foreign object and detected as an original foreign object.
[0041]
In the example of FIG. 11, as a result of determining that the area reduction rate is 20% or less as a foreign object, the image is the same as the image of FIG. The area reduction rate may normally be 10% to 30%.
[0042]
In the above-described embodiment, when the shutter speed of the imaging camera 2 is increased in accordance with the increase in the conveyance speed of the conveyance conveyor 11, foreign object detection in a state where the amount of light to the imaging camera 2 exceeding the sensitivity limit cannot be obtained. This embodiment is effective for detecting a foreign substance having a smaller size and improving detection accuracy.
[0043]
The stepwise switching of the light quantity of the transmitted illumination light 10 may be any of the above-described addition method, switching method, and implementation at different foreign substance inspection positions 12 at the same position. In this embodiment, the difference in the amount of light is two-staged. However, when the dark portion coming from the container shape and the foreign object overlap each other and the same black object is obtained in the binarized image, the difference in the amount of light is three or more. The detection accuracy can be further improved by carrying out the process in multiple stages, comparing the area reduction rate with the average value, and further confirming the change in the number of black objects.
[0044]
Next, a method for detecting whether or not a foreign object is detected by image processing will be described.
The original video is the same as that shown in FIG. 5 and is actually processed over the same grayscale image. In FIG. 12, the luminance distribution in the vicinity of the position along the line II in FIG. 5 will be described.
[0045]
In this embodiment, three different luminance thresholds are set for the same black object (specific image), a portion having a luminance equal to or higher than the threshold is indicated in white, and a portion having a luminance lower than the threshold is indicated in black. It is possible to obtain three binarized images obtained by dividing. For the three luminance thresholds, appropriate values are derived in advance according to the container shape, the liquid type, and the foreign material type.
[0046]
The area is calculated for each black object in the image binarized by the first threshold value V1. The object (specific image) shown in the left enlarged view in FIG. 12 has an area A1, and the object (specific image) shown in the right enlarged view in FIG. 12 has an area B1. Similarly, the grayscale image is also binarized by the second and third threshold values V2 and V3, and the areas A2, B2, and A3, B3 are calculated. The average value A of the decrease ratio of A2 with respect to A1 and the decrease ratio of A3 with respect to A2, and the average value B of the decrease ratio of B2 with respect to B1 and the decrease ratio of B3 with respect to B2 are calculated. This is calculated for all black objects, and it is determined whether the average area reduction rate is a foreign object or not.
[0047]
In the example of FIG. 12, the average area reduction rate is A = 12% and B = 48%, and the area reduction rate of 25% or less is determined as foreign matter and extracted, and the black object corresponding to A can be judged as foreign matter. . What is necessary is just to judge whether an area reduction rate is a foreign material on the basis of 10%-30% normally.
[0048]
In this embodiment, since a plurality of binarized images are obtained for the same black object image and the illumination system is not switched, the processing time can be reduced and the detection accuracy can be improved.
[0049]
FIG. 13 shows a seventh embodiment of the present invention in which a lens is added to enable detection of a foreign substance having a smaller size.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13, a telecentric optical system 14 capable of capturing only light rays parallel to the lens optical axis with the imaging camera 2 is incorporated.
[0050]
As shown in FIG. 14, the telecentric optical system 14 has a diaphragm 26 at the focal position 25 of the lens 24, and the light beam 26 along the optical axis of the lens 24 and the light beam 27 parallel to the optical axis of the lens 24 are A light beam 28 passing through the focal position 25 but obliquely incident on the optical axis of the lens 24 is blocked by the diaphragm 26 without passing through the focal position 25.
[0051]
As a result, even if the amount of light is increased, the amount of incident light that enters the outer periphery of the foreign object in the transmitted illumination light 10 is reduced, and an increase in luminance near the outer contour of the foreign object is suppressed, so that the imaging camera 2 can capture an image with the same size (FIG. , L2 = L1), even a small foreign object size can be recognized.
[0052]
In FIG. 14, the lens 24a is installed not only on the object side but also on the image side, and the telecentric optical system 14 is used on both sides. The light beam after passing through the focal position 25 also becomes a light beam parallel to the optical axis of the lens 24a, so that even a smaller foreign object size can be recognized. However, depending on the required foreign material size, the incorporation of the lens 24a can be eliminated and only the lens 24 can be provided.
[0053]
The detection of precipitated foreign matter has been described above. Next, an eighth embodiment for detecting foreign matter floating on the liquid surface will be described with reference to FIG.
Of the foreign matter 8b floating on the liquid surface portion in the container 3 in FIG. 5, the foreign substance 8b existing in the vicinity of the container cover 4 made of an opaque material may be blocked by the container cover 4 and cannot be detected.
[0054]
In this embodiment, an opening 33 a is provided in the transparent acrylic container mounting portion 33, the container 3 is inverted, the illumination light irradiation unit 1 is disposed under the transport conveyor 11, and from the lower side of the inverted container 3. Irradiate. The imaging camera 2a is installed on the upper side of the inverted container 3, and irradiates the transmissive illumination light through the light guide 5 as in the first embodiment to capture an image.
[0055]
In this case, when the shape of the container bottom part of the container 3 becomes an obstacle in imaging, the container 3 is imaged in an obliquely inverted posture at an angle with respect to the vertical inversion with less obstacles.
Thereby, the foreign substance which floats on the liquid level of the container 3 filled with the liquid to the container lid 4 vicinity can be detected.
[0056]
Next, a ninth embodiment for detecting the foreign matter 8c floating in the liquid with the container 3 of FIG. 5 will be described with reference to FIG.
The foreign matter 8c floating in the middle is too far away from the imaging camera, and the foreign matter attached to the inner surface of the container side wall in the middle cannot be detected by the imaging camera in the configuration of FIG. It is difficult to capture images simultaneously with the imaging camera 2 shown in FIG.
[0057]
Therefore, in this embodiment, in addition to the illumination light irradiation unit and the imaging camera shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 15 (not shown), the light from the illumination light source is transmitted through the light guide 5 to the illumination light irradiation unit (illumination light irradiation). Means: The side surface of the container 3 is irradiated from 1b. At this time, one or more light guides 5 are installed according to the width value of the container 3. The imaging camera (imaging means) 2b is arranged on the side surface so as to sandwich the illumination light irradiation unit 1b and the container 3. Further, when the side surface shape of the container 3 is an optical disturbance in image processing, a diffusion plate (not shown) may be installed between the light guide 5 and the container 3 in order to increase scattered light. Thereby, the foreign substance which floats in the intermediate part in the container 3 is detectable.
[0058]
Further, although not shown in the drawings, it will be described that foreign matter detection, appearance inspection and liquid level inspection of the container 3 are simultaneously performed.
The simultaneous inspection may be arbitrarily combined from the three types of foreign matter inspection, appearance inspection, and liquid level inspection. The image pickup camera 2 is originally provided, and an appearance defect and liquid level abnormality can be inspected without adding special parts. Appearance defects include deformation of the container, abnormal thickness at the time of forming the container, abnormal shape due to protrusions, and leakage of contents.
The abnormality of the liquid level corresponds to fluctuations in the liquid level due to liquid capacity failure such as liquid filling failure, liquid leakage due to breakage of the container 3, and increase in apparent volume due to large foreign matter mixing into the container 3.
[0059]
When there is a defect in the appearance, the progress of the light of the transmitted illumination light 10 is changed, so that the dark part in the image changes compared to the normal case, and the inspection apparatus control unit also in all the above-described embodiments Even if no special internal processing is performed at 30, the inspection apparatus is discharged from the conveyor 11 as if foreign matter is mixed. Further, in order to determine the abnormality of the liquid level, the foreign matter inspection optical system in the ninth embodiment shown in FIG. 16 is used to handle the foreign matter extraction data accumulated in the image information storage unit 20 in the main computing unit 19. Run it programmatically. That is, this is determined by calculating the position where the luminance is converted into a linear shape relative to the container 3 because the light absorption amount in the liquid is larger than the light absorption amount in the gas.
[0060]
In the eighth and ninth embodiments, the image processing in the second and sixth embodiments can be used, and the illumination light irradiation unit 1 in the third and fourth embodiments is used in the eighth embodiment. be able to.
[0061]
The ring-shaped illumination light irradiation unit in FIGS. 2, 9, and 10 may be configured to directly irradiate illumination light from a ring-shaped fluorescent lamp.
[0062]
Although the foreign object detection device in the container has been described above, the present device can be implemented by being incorporated in the container inspection device, and the container in which the foreign material has been detected can be removed from the production line immediately or subjected to marking in a later process. You may make it remove.
[0063]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the contrast in the image due to the uneven distribution of the amount of light generated by the refraction or reflection of light coming from the shape of the container is suppressed, and the foreign matter mixed in the container is stably prevented. It can be detected correctly.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an in-container foreign object detection apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an irradiation state of transmitted illumination light in the embodiment of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a block configuration of a detection device control unit in the embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the presence of foreign matter in a container.
5 is a view showing an image of a container obtained by the imaging camera in the embodiment of FIG.
6 is a diagram showing the luminance of an image at a position along the line II in FIG. 5 according to the foreign substance detection method in a container according to the second embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a diagram showing the state of a foreign object by performing image processing on the video in FIG. 5;
8 is a diagram showing the state of a foreign object by performing image processing on an image obtained by irradiating illumination light having a light amount exceeding the sensitivity of an imaging camera with respect to the container that obtained the image of FIG.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of an illumination light irradiation unit in a container foreign matter detection device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an illumination light irradiation unit in a container foreign matter detection device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the state of foreign matter by performing image processing on an image obtained by an imaging camera according to the foreign matter detection method in a container according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.
12 is a diagram showing the luminance of an image at a position along the line II in FIG. 5 according to the foreign substance detection method in a container according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an illumination light irradiation unit in a container foreign matter detection device according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention.
14 is a diagram showing an illumination light irradiation state in the illumination light irradiation unit shown in FIG.
FIG. 15 is a diagram showing a configuration of an in-container foreign object detection device according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a configuration of a container foreign matter detecting device according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a conventional technique.
FIG. 18 is a diagram showing a conventional technique.
[Explanation of symbols]
1, 1a, 1b ... Illumination light irradiation unit
2, 2a, 2b ... Imaging camera
3 ... Container
3a ... Bottom of container
4 ... Container lid
5, 5a, 5b ... Light guide
6, 6a, 6b ... Illumination light source
8, 8a to 8c ... foreign matter
9, 9a ... Foreign object image
9b ... Foreign matter detected in the binarized image
10, 10a, 10b ... Transmitted illumination light
11 ... Conveyor
12 ... Foreign substance inspection position
13 ... Container presence / absence detection sensor
15 ... Imaging camera controller
16: Shutter signal control unit
17 ... Camera interface
18. Image processing monitor
19 ... Main arithmetic unit
20: Image information storage unit
21 ... Main memory
22 ... Monitor
23 ... I / O interface
30 ... Inspection device control unit
31 ... Operation switch
32 ... Indicator lamp
33 ... Container mounting part

Claims (5)

Intra-container foreign-matter detecting device for irradiating illumination light to a transparent container filled with liquid that has been transported to a foreign-matter detection position by a transport conveyor and detecting foreign matter in the container from the image of the container obtained by the imaging means The illumination light irradiating means for irradiating illumination light in a variable amount of light is disposed on the lid side of the container, the imaging means is disposed on the bottom side of the container, and the light irradiation is performed a plurality of times by changing the light amount of the illumination light. Oite the image, container foreign object detection apparatus, characterized in that the provided control unit for determining the foreign material in the vessel based on the area reduction ratio of the black object was determined using the same threshold against the whole area of the screen.   The in-container foreign matter detection device according to claim 1, wherein the illumination light irradiation means has a ring shape and is arranged so as to be able to irradiate illumination light from an outer peripheral side of a lid of the container.   The in-container foreign matter detection device according to claim 1, wherein the illumination light irradiation means includes a plurality of irradiation units concentrically arranged in a ring shape, and includes means for switching blinking of irradiation in each irradiation unit. .   The in-container foreign matter detection device according to claim 1, further comprising an optical unit that aligns light beams from the illumination light irradiation unit to the imaging unit in parallel. A transparent container filled with liquid was transported to a foreign object detection position by a transport conveyor, and the container was irradiated with illumination light from the illumination light irradiation means, and the imaging means captured the container when the illumination light was irradiated. In the container foreign matter detection method for detecting a foreign matter in a container from an image, the imaging means picks up images by changing the amount of illumination light from the illumination light irradiation means and irradiates a plurality of times. The area reduction rate of the black object determined using the same threshold value is calculated for the entire area in the screen, and if the area reduction rate is smaller than a predetermined value, it is detected as a foreign object in the container. A method for detecting foreign matter in a container.

Images