JPH0799548B2 - Parts counter - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial application] The present invention relates to small parts such as screws, washers, etc. which are randomly supplied from a supply chute of a component supply device or randomly by a supply belt made of a highly permeable material. The present invention relates to a component counting device that accurately measures the number of components.

[Prior Art] and [Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Conventionally, in the case of counting the number of small parts such as screws and washers, the small parts are individually separated and aligned and supplied, and these small parts are provided. A device in which a detection unit such as an optical sensor or an ultrasonic sensor is arranged close to a passage of a component is common. In this device, a detection pulse is output each time passage of a part is detected, and the number of small parts is counted. However, it is necessary to align and supply the parts in a line for one sensor. If the number of parts is large, it takes a long time to count the small parts, and if the shape of the small parts is complicated, a plurality of detection pulses are output each time the small parts pass through the detection unit. There are drawbacks such as not being able to accurately count various small parts. In addition, an apparatus has been developed which eliminates this defect and enables relatively accurate counting in a short time even when the shape of small parts is complicated. This device calculates the weight of each small item in advance,
Although it is configured to estimate the total number of small parts from the total weight of small parts, this device measures when the weight of each small part varies or when the weight of one small part is light. The error becomes large, and there are drawbacks such as not being able to count truly accurately.

Further, as an apparatus for removing the above-mentioned defects, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-2969
The counting device described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 74 has been developed. This device has a means for storing the presence / absence of a silhouette by the first scanning as binarized data for each visual sensor arranged in a row, and a visual sensor for detecting the presence / absence of a silhouette by the second scanning as binary data. For each of them, the presence / absence of silhouette detection of the visual sensor and the presence / absence of silhouette detection of the adjacent visual sensor are configured to be determined. In addition, this device, for each visual sensor that detects the presence or absence of the silhouette by the second scan as binary data,
The presence / absence of silhouette detection of the visual sensor stored in the storage unit and the presence / absence of silhouette detection stored in the storage unit of the visual sensor adjacent thereto are configured to be determined. Therefore, in this device, every time the visual sensor detects the presence or absence of a silhouette as binarized data, the presence or absence of the silhouette of the adjacent visual sensor on the one side, the presence or absence of the previous silhouette, and the previous silhouette of the adjacent visual sensor. The presence / absence of detection is output to a logic circuit, and the passage of parts is sequentially detected for each visual sensor.

However, in this device, the logic circuit is very complicated, which not only increases the cost of the device, but also when the part is a comb-shaped part and the comb part moves backward, one part is equal to the number of comb parts. However, there is a defect that the number is wrongly counted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, and provides a component counting device configured to count small components that fall randomly and in a line apart from adjacent ones in a short time and more accurately. It is what

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an image pickup having a light source that irradiates a moving path of a component and a plurality of imaging elements arranged in a line facing the moving path of the component Image storage that has a device and a silhouette hold unit that detects the presence / absence of a silhouette of a component from the analog change amount of each image sensor for each predetermined minute time, and holds this as binary data for each image sensor when detecting the silhouette of the component And the image sensor that continuously detects the silhouette of the component from the stored value of the silhouette hold unit each time the presence or absence of the silhouette of the component is detected as binary data from the analog change amount of each image sensor. When these image sensors do not detect the silhouette of the component by determining whether or not the silhouette of the component is detected, the detection pulse is detected as that the component has passed. In the counting device consisting of a component recognition unit that outputs the components, a component supply device that supplies the component to the tip of the supply hopper apart from the following component and in a single horizontal line is provided, while the silhouette hold unit outputs the component detection pulse. Until then, the detection of the silhouette of the part is stored for each image pickup device.

[Operation] In the above component counting device, the component is supplied from the supply hopper or the like of the component supply device between the light source and the plurality of image pickup elements arranged in a line apart from the subsequent component and in a horizontal direction in a line. Whenever the component passes in front of the image sensor, the analog output of the image sensor changes, and the silhouette of the component is detected based on the amount of change. Further, the analog output of the image pickup device through which the component does not pass does not change, and the silhouette of the component is not detected.

During this time, it is detected as binary data whether or not each image sensor has detected the silhouette of the component at every predetermined minute time,
Until the detection pulse of the component is output, a plurality of detection results of the silhouette of the component for each image sensor are sequentially stored in the silhouette hold unit. Further, every time the presence / absence of a silhouette of a component is detected corresponding to each image sensor, an image sensor that is continuously located among the image sensors that have detected the silhouette of the component from the stored value of the silhouette hold unit is detected. , It is determined whether or not these consecutively located image pickup devices detect the silhouette of the component, and when these image pickup devices do not detect the silhouette of the component, it is determined that one component has passed. The detection pulse of is output. Similarly, for other image sensors that are located in series and that detect the silhouette of a part, the passage of the part is detected and the number of randomly supplied parts is accurately and quickly counted regardless of the shape of the part. can do.

[Example] Hereinafter, an example will be described for a component counting device that counts plate-shaped components as an example of components. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a component counting device, which is a plate-shaped component 3 that separates from a supply hopper 2 forming a part of a component supply device (not shown) and separates from a succeeding one and randomly in a horizontal row. It is arranged so as to count the number of (hereinafter, referred to as parts). This component counting device 1 has a light source 4 for projecting light in a direction intersecting the movement path of the component 3, and a movement direction of the light source 4 for receiving light from the light source 4 and facing the movement path of the component 3. The imaging device 6 includes a plurality of imaging elements 5 arranged in a line in the intersecting direction. The image pickup device 5 is configured such that when the component 3 passes in front, the amount of received light changes, the analog output changes, and the silhouette of the component 3 is detected by detecting the amount of change. The analog output of the image pickup device 5 is the control device 7 described later.
It is configured so as to be output to the A-D conversion unit 9 therein.

The control device 7 includes a control unit 8, an A / D conversion unit 9 that converts the analog output of the image sensor 5 into binarized data, and an image storage unit 10 that stores the binarized data as the presence or absence of the silhouette of the component 3. A component recognition unit 11 that detects passage of the component 3 based on the value stored in the image storage unit 10 and outputs a detection pulse; a counter unit 12 that counts the detection pulse; an inspection start unit 13 that outputs an inspection start signal; Device drive unit 14
have. When the control unit 8 receives an inspection start signal after the power is turned on as shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 8 outputs an operation command signal to the component supply device drive unit 14, and
While outputting a conversion command signal to the A / D conversion unit 9 every predetermined minute time, when the count value of the counter unit 12 reaches a predetermined value, a component supply stop command signal is output to the component supply device drive unit 14 and reset. It is configured to wait for a signal to re-drive the component supply device driving unit 14. When the A / D converter 9 receives the conversion command signal, the A / D converter 9 determines whether or not the analog output of each image sensor 5 reaches a predetermined value or less, and outputs binary data "1" or "0" depending on the result. Is configured to. The image storage unit 10 is a temporary storage unit composed of a register provided to temporarily store the binarized data from the A / D conversion unit 9 corresponding to each image sensor 5.
10a and a silhouette hold unit 10b that is formed of another register provided corresponding to each image sensor 5. The temporary storage unit 10a is configured to replace the storage value in the register each time the binarized data is input from the AD conversion unit 9. Further, the silhouette hold unit 10b stores the binarized data from the AD converter 9 in the temporary storage unit 10a, and at the same time, stores the binary data in the register corresponding to the image sensor 5 which detects the silhouette of the component 3. Even if the binarized data “1” is stored and the binarized data “0” is input from the A / D converter 9 next time, the binarized data “1” when the silhouette of the component 3 was detected last time will be described later. It is configured to hold until a detection pulse that outputs is output. Further, the output signals of the temporary storage section 10a and the silhouette hold section 10b of the image storage section 10 are configured to be sent to the article recognition section 11, and the article recognition section 11 receives two signals from the A / D conversion section 9. Each time the digitized data is stored in the register of the temporary storage unit 10a, the image sensor 5 detecting the silhouette of the component 3 is detected from the stored value of the silhouette hold unit 10b. In addition, the component recognition unit 11
Among the image pickup devices 5 that detect the silhouette of the component 3, the image pickup devices 5 that are continuously positioned are detected, and the temporary storage unit 10a corresponding to these consecutively positioned image pickup devices 5 is stored. It is determined whether or not the image sensor 5 detects the silhouette of the component 3 from the stored value of the register, and the stored value in the register corresponding to the image sensor 5 is "0", and the silhouette of the component 3 is detected. When it is not present, one detection pulse is output as if the component 3 passed. The component recognition unit 11 is also configured to detect the passage of the component 3 in all of the image pickup devices 5 arranged in a line, and is capable of outputting two or more detection pulses at the same time. .

Further, the detection pulse of the component recognition unit 11 is the counter unit 12
The counter 12 stores the number of parts 3 stored therein.

In the above component counting device, when the power of the device is turned on, the image pickup device 5 receives light from the light source on its entire surface, and its analog output is sent to the A / D converter 9. In this state, when the components 3 are randomly supplied in a horizontal row from the supply hopper 2 of the component supply device due to a natural fall, the analog output of the image pickup device 5 where the components 3 pass and the light is blocked changes, The analog output of the image sensor 5 that does not pass through the light receiving unit 3 and continues to receive light does not change.

On the other hand, when the inspection start signal is output from the inspection start unit 13 and the conversion instruction signal is output from the control unit 8 to the A / D conversion unit 9 at a predetermined minute time interval, the silhouette of the component 3 is sequentially read, and each image pickup element is read. Binarized data "1" is output when the analog output of 5 has changed below a predetermined set value, and binary data "0" is output when it has not changed until it reaches a predetermined set value. Binarized data "0" or "1" for each image pickup device 5 from the A / D converter 9 is stored in an image as shown in a), b), c), d), e) of FIG. Silhouette hold unit corresponding to the image sensor 5 having the binary data "1" in the register in the temporary storage unit 10a of the unit 10.
It is stored in the register in 10b. Every time the binarized data of each image sensor 5 is output from the A / D converter 9 to the image storage unit 10, all the stored values in the register of the temporary storage unit 10a are replaced with new binarized data. On the other hand, once the stored value of the register provided corresponding to each image pickup element 5 of the silhouette hold unit 10b has the binary data "1", the passage of the component 3 is detected and the detection pulse is output. To be held.

In addition, the temporary storage unit 10a and the silhouette hold unit 1
The stored value of the register of 0b is sent to the component recognition unit 11,
The image sensor 5 having the binary data “1” and detecting the silhouette of the component 3 is detected from the value stored in the register of the silhouette hold unit 10b, and the image sensor 5 that is positioned continuously among these image sensors 5 is detected. It Further, it is determined whether the stored value of the register of the temporary storage unit 10a corresponding to the image pickup device 5 is "0" and the silhouette of the component 3 is not detected. Temporary storage unit 10 corresponding to these image pickup devices 5
When any of the registers of a detects the silhouette of the component 3 and stores the binarized data “1”, it is determined that the silhouette of the component 3 is continuous, and the next determination is awaited.

On the other hand, when the stored value of the register of the temporary storage unit 10a corresponding to the image pickup device 5 is "0", one detection pulse is output as if the component 3 passed. At the same time, among the stored values of the silhouette hold unit, the stored values corresponding to the image pickup elements positioned in succession are reset as shown in FIG. 3f, in preparation for reading the silhouette of the next component.

Among the image pickup devices 5 whose silhouettes of the component 3 are detected by the component recognition unit 11, when there are a plurality of image pickup devices 5 that are continuously positioned, the same determination is performed for each group, and sometimes a plurality of detection pulses are detected. It is output from the component recognition unit 11.

Further, the counter unit 12 counts each time the detection pulse is sent, and sends the count value to the control unit 8. When this count value reaches a predetermined set value, a stop command signal is output to the component supply device driving unit 14, the count of a predetermined number of components 3 is completed, and a reset signal is waited for the next work.

In the embodiment, each time the presence or absence of the silhouette of the component 3 is detected, it is stored in the temporary storage unit 10a and the passage of the component 3 is detected. With this configuration, the passage of the component 3 can be detected every time the presence or absence of the silhouette of the component 3 is detected. The component recognition unit 11 may be composed of a microcomputer capable of high speed processing. Furthermore, A-D
If the set value in the conversion unit 9 is switched by a signal from the control unit, it is possible to eliminate the influence of dust or the like attached to the outer periphery of the component.

[Effect of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, a component supply device that supplies the component to the tip of the supply hopper apart from the following component and in a single horizontal line is provided. The presence / absence of the silhouette of the component is detected from the amount of change and the presence / absence of the silhouette of the component is stored as binary data sequentially for each image sensor until the detection pulse of the component is output. Every time the presence / absence is detected as binary data, it is determined from the stored values of the silhouette hold unit whether or not the image pickup elements that are positioned consecutively among the image pickup elements that detect the silhouette of the component detect the silhouette of the component. When these image sensors do not detect the silhouette of the part, the detection pulse is output as if the part has passed, so the It is only necessary to detect whether or not all image pickup elements that detect et have detected silhouettes, and it is possible to detect passage of parts with an extremely simple logic configuration, and it is possible to provide an inexpensive device, Even if the part is a comb-shaped part and the comb part falls rearward, it can be counted as one piece with certainty.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a main part showing a configuration of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of a main part of a control unit according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a silhouette detection pattern according to the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Component counting device, 2 ... Supply hopper, 3 ... Plate-shaped component, 4 ... Light source, 5 ... Imaging element, 6 ... Imaging device, 7
...... Control device, 8 ...... Control unit, 9 ...... AD conversion unit, 10
...... Image storage unit, 10a …… Temporary storage unit, 10b …… Silhouette hold unit, 11 …… Part recognition unit, 12 …… Counter unit,
13 …… Inspection start section, 14 …… Parts supply device drive section,

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP-A-1-296974 (JP, A) JP-A-54-161246 (JP, A) JP-A-58-58399 (JP, A) JP-A-61- 60178 (JP, A) Actual development Sho 58-156381 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light source for irradiating a moving path of a component, and an image pickup device having a plurality of image pickup elements arranged in a line facing the moving path of the component, and each image pickup element for every predetermined minute time. From the analog change amount of each image sensor, there is an image storage section that has a silhouette hold section that detects the presence or absence of a part silhouette from the analog change amount and holds this as binary data for each image sensor. Each time the presence / absence of a silhouette of a component is detected as binary data, the silhouette of the component is detected from the stored value in the silhouette hold unit. When these image pickup elements do not detect the silhouette of the component, the component counting unit that outputs the detection pulse as if the component has passed and the component counting unit In the installation, a component supply device that supplies the components to the tip of the supply hopper away from the following components and in a horizontal row is provided, while the silhouette hold unit captures the detection of the silhouette of the component until the detection pulse of the component is output. A parts counting device characterized in that it stores each element.