JPH0929184A - Glass bottle color identification device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To have a sufficient light quantity received and to exactly identify the colors of bottles by allowing the light emitted from a light source to transmit the glass bottles and passing this light through the spacing in a glass bottle transporting means and having this light received by a photodetecting means. SOLUTION: The glass bottles G are aligned by the aligning means R of an identifying device 11 and are then transferred on a belt conveyor 12, by which the glass bottles are transported. In the meantime, the emitted light is transmitted through the glass bottles G at the time when the glass bottles G passes below the light source 13 and thereafter, the glass bottles are passed in the spacing of the conveyor 12. The transmitted light is reflected by a reflection mirror 14a and is photographed by a color camera 14b. Further, the photographed images are spectrally split to three primary colors which are outputted as RGB signals to an identifying means 15 and the colors of the glass bottles G are identified. A color-by-color discharging means H is actuated by a control means 16 to classify the glass bottles G by colors in accordance with the information on the identified colors. As a result, the transmitted light is gathered from the wide range of the surfaces of the glass bottles G and the sufficient light quantity reaches the photodetecting means 14 and, therefore, the exact color identification is made possible.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a glass bottle color identification device for identifying the color of a glass bottle in order to reuse a used glass bottle as a resource.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, from the viewpoint of resource saving and effective use, there has been an opportunity to collect used glass bottles and reuse them as resources. By the way, about half of the collected glass bottles are colorless and transparent, but there are many glass bottles colored blue, green, brown, black, or the like. In order to reuse the glass bottles, it is necessary to sort them by color, but the fact is that the sorting work is performed manually by relying on human hands.

However, the glass bottles to be sorted are not only clean ones because they are collected as wastes or wastes, but also many of them are dirty or damaged. It is not efficient and is not preferable from the viewpoint of working environment. Therefore, a color identification device for mechanically color-coding glass bottles has been devised.

In the color identification apparatus 1 shown in FIG. 4, a glass bottle G conveyed by the roller conveyor 2 is irradiated with light from a light source 3 arranged below the roller conveyor 2 and passes through a gap between the roller conveyors 2. The transmitted light of the glass bottle G transmitted through the glass bottle G is detected by the camera 4 arranged above the roller conveyor 2, and the color of the glass bottle G is identified from the detected transmitted light.

[0005]

However, the light source 3
The light emitted from is blocked by the roller conveyor 2 before reaching the glass bottle G, and only the light passing through the gap is irradiated onto the glass bottle G, so that the amount of light reaching the glass bottle G is small, and therefore the camera 4 may not be able to detect the transmitted light. was there.

Further, the glass bottles to be sorted are not only clean ones because they are collected as wastes or wastes, but many of them are dirty or damaged.
There is a risk that dirt, waste debris, or the like may drop from the glass bottle G during transportation onto the light source 3 through the gap of the roller conveyor 2 and the light source 3 may become dirty or damaged.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a glass bottle color identification device which realizes automation of the glass bottle color selection work and is excellent in maintainability.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a glass bottle color identification device which has a gap and which conveys a glass bottle placed in the gap, and conveys the glass bottle. A light source for irradiating the glass bottle with light from above the glass bottle, a light receiving means for receiving the transmitted light of the glass bottle passing through the gap below the conveying means, and an identification for identifying the color of the transmitted light received by the light receiving means And means. The light receiving means includes a reflecting mirror arranged immediately below the gap for reflecting the transmitted light of the glass bottle passing through the gap, and a camera arranged on the side of the reflecting mirror for detecting the transmitted light reflected by the reflecting mirror. It is characterized by being provided.

In the glass bottle color identification device according to the first aspect of the invention, the glass bottle is carried on the gap portion and conveyed, and passes under the light source. At this time, the light emitted from the light source is applied to the glass bottle, enters the glass bottle, passes through the glass material, and becomes transmitted light having the color of the glass bottle. This transmitted light is not only incident from directly above the glass bottle, but also when incident from the side, it is refracted when passing through the glass material and goes to the gap. It gathers from a wide area of the surface, passes through the gap, and reaches the light receiving means. The light receiving means receives the transmitted light of the glass bottle that has passed through the gap, and the identifying means identifies the color of the glass bottle based on the received transmitted light.

The light receiving means in the glass bottle color identification device according to claim 2 is provided with a reflecting mirror which is arranged immediately below the gap and reflects the transmitted light of the glass bottle passing through the gap, and a reflecting mirror which is arranged beside the reflecting mirror. And a camera for receiving the transmitted light reflected by the mirror.

In the glass bottle color identification device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the transmitted light of the glass bottle is reflected by the reflecting mirror arranged immediately below the gap, and is received by the camera arranged beside the reflecting mirror. At this time, since the camera is not arranged immediately below the conveying means, even if dirt or waste scraps adhering to the glass bottle falls from the gap, the camera is not dirty or damaged. If the reflecting mirror arranged directly below the conveying means is damaged, the camera is arranged on the side of the reflecting mirror and is not affected thereby.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION An embodiment of a glass bottle color identification apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. The glass bottle color identification device 11 shown in FIG. 1 is continuously arranged between an aligning means R for aligning the glass bottles G and a color-by-color discharging means H for sorting and discharging the glass bottles G having the identified colors. Belt conveyor (conveying means) 12
And a light source 13 provided above the belt conveyor 12.
And the light receiving means 1 arranged below the belt conveyor 12.
4 and identification means 15 connected to the light receiving means 14. The identification unit 15 is connected to the control unit 16 that controls the color-based discharge unit H.

The light receiving means 14 comprises a reflecting mirror 14a arranged directly below the belt conveyor 12 and a color camera (camera) 14b arranged at a side of the reflecting mirror 14a while avoiding directly below the belt conveyor 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the belt conveyor 12 has a gap S in the central portion of the conveyor belt 12a. The edges facing each other along the gap S are at the bottom and the outer edges are at the top. Are arranged so as to face each other in the width direction. The width of the gap S is set so narrow that the glass bottle G having a small diameter does not fall.

The light source 13 is arranged directly above the belt conveyor 12, and the glass bottle G conveyed by the belt conveyor 12 is irradiated with light not only from above but also from both sides thereof. Wide ones are used in the width direction of.

The reflecting mirror 14a is arranged immediately below the gap S and is arranged so as to be inclined toward the side of the belt conveyor 12. The reflecting mirror 14a is made of a high-strength material so as not to be damaged even by scraps of waste materials dropped from the gap S.

The color camera 14b is the belt conveyor 1
It is arranged on the side of the reflecting mirror 14a so as not to be located directly below 2 and is directed toward the reflecting mirror 14a.

In the glass bottle color identification device 11 configured as described above, the glass bottles G aligned by the aligning means R are transferred from the aligning means R to the belt conveyor 12, and the belt conveyor 12 moves in the vertical direction. It is placed on the gap S and conveyed in the direction.

When the glass bottle G to be conveyed passes under the light source, the light emitted from the light source 13 passes through the glass bottle G and travels through the gap S.

The transmitted light B of the glass bottle G passing through the gap S
Is reflected by the reflecting mirror 14a and is reflected by the color camera 14
Taken by b. The captured image of the transmitted light B is split into the three primary colors and output to the identification means 15 as RGB signals.

In the identifying means 15, the output RG
The color of the glass bottle G is identified based on the B signal.
Information regarding the color of the glass bottle G is transmitted from the identifying means 5 to the control means 16.

The glass bottle G whose color has been identified is transferred from the belt conveyor 12 to the discharge means H for each color. The control means 16 controls the glass bottle G transmitted from the identification means 15.
The discharge means H for each color is operated based on the information about the color of the glass bottle G, and the glass bottles G are separated for each color.

Here, the light emitted from the light source 13 is applied to the glass bottle G, enters the glass bottle G, passes through the glass material, and becomes transmitted light B having the color of the glass bottle G. As shown in FIG. 3, the transmitted light B is not only incident from directly above the glass bottle G, but is also refracted when transmitted from the glass material even when incident from the side and goes toward the gap S. Such transmitted light B gathers from a wide range of the surface of the glass bottle G, passes through the gap S, is reflected by the reflecting mirror 14a, and is captured by the color camera 14b.

Further, even if the light emitted from the light source 13 is blocked by a label attached to the glass bottle G or dirt adhering to the inside and outside of the bottle, the light is transmitted through the glass material from other portions, and the color of the glass bottle G is changed. The transmitted light B tinged with the light passes through the gap S and is photographed by the color camera 14b.

According to the glass bottle color identification device 11 described in the embodiment, the transmitted light B is collected from a wide range of the surface of the glass bottle G, and the transmitted light B having a sufficient light amount has the gap S.
The color of the glass bottle G can be accurately identified by photographing the transmitted light B, converting the image into a signal, outputting the image to the identifying means 15, and analyzing the image.

In addition, since the light is applied to a wide area on the surface of the glass bottle G, even if the transmitted light B is slightly obstructed by the label attached to the glass bottle G or the dirt of the bottle, it is transmitted through the other glass material portions. The color of the glass bottle G can be identified from the transmitted light B.

Since the color camera 14b is not arranged immediately below the belt conveyor 12 and the light source 13 is arranged above the belt conveyor 12, dirt attached to the glass bottle G, waste scraps, etc. Even if they fall from the gap S, they will not become dirty or damaged. Further, since the reflecting mirror 14a arranged directly below the belt conveyor 12 is made of a high-strength material, it is hard to be damaged even if waste waste falls, and even if it is damaged, the color camera 14b is used.
Is disposed on the side of the reflecting mirror 14a, so that it is unlikely to be affected by it. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the color camera 14b from being broken or damaged.

Moreover, since the reflecting mirror 14a is arranged so as to be slanted, it is difficult for the reflecting surface to be left with dirt, waste debris, etc., and it is usually only necessary to wipe the reflecting surface. Excellent workability during maintenance and cleaning.

[0029]

According to the color identification device for a glass bottle described in claim 1, since the transmitted light is collected from a wide range of the surface of the glass bottle and a sufficient amount of the transmitted light passes through the gap and reaches the light receiving means, The color of the glass bottle can be accurately identified by analyzing the transmitted light thus generated by the identifying means. In addition, since the light is applied to a wide area on the surface of the glass bottle, even if the transmitted light is somewhat blocked by the label or the stain on the bottle, the color of the glass bottle can be changed from the transmitted light that passes through other parts. Can be identified. Therefore, the color selection work of the glass bottles can be automated and the glass bottles can be efficiently color-coded.

According to the glass bottle color identification apparatus of the second aspect, since the camera is not arranged immediately below the conveying means and the light source is arranged above the conveying means, the camera is attached to the glass bottle. Even if dirt or waste debris falls from the gap, they are not contaminated or damaged due to the drop of waste debris, and the dirt or damage of the camera or the light source can be prevented. Moreover, since the reflecting mirror arranged immediately below the conveying means is arranged so as to be inclined, it is difficult for the reflecting surface to become dirty or to be left with waste debris left on it, so normally it is only necessary to wipe the reflecting surface. Good, excellent workability during maintenance and cleaning.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a glass bottle color identification device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line XX in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a transmission state of light emitted from a light source.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a glass bottle color identification device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Glass Bottle Color Identification Device 12 Belt Conveyor (Conveying Means) 13 Light Source 14 Light Receiving Means 14a Reflecting Mirror 14b Color Camera (Camera) 15 Identification Means 16 Control Means G Glass Bottles H Color Discharge Means R Alignment Means S Gap

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Hideo Shibata Inventor Hideo Shibata 3-2-16 Hoyoshu, Koto-ku, Tokyo Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A conveying means having a gap for conveying a glass bottle placed in the gap portion; a light source for irradiating the glass bottle conveyed by the conveying means with light from above the glass bottle; A color identification device for glass bottles, comprising: below the means, a light receiving means for receiving the transmitted light of the glass bottle passing through the gap, and an identifying means for identifying the color of the transmitted light received by the light receiving means. 2. The light receiving means is arranged immediately below the gap and reflects a transmitted light of a glass bottle passing through the gap, and a transmitted light reflected by the reflector arranged beside the reflector. The glass bottle color identification device according to claim 1, further comprising a camera for receiving light.