Article inspection device

Abstract

The invention provides an article inspection device with improved operability. An article inspection device (1) that captures an image of a conveyed article as an object (W) to be inspected, and performs image processing on an inspection image of the article obtained by the image capture to inspect the quality of the article, the article inspection device (1) being provided with: an image storage unit (4) that stores the inspection image of the article; a display unit (5a) that displays the inspection image of the article stored in the image storage unit (4); an instruction mechanism (5b) for instructing the expansion and contraction of the distance between any two points of the inspection image of the article displayed on the display unit (5a) by a multi-touch operation; and a display control unit (6B) that enlarges or reduces the inspection image of the article on the display unit (5a) in accordance with the amount of expansion and contraction indicated by the indication mechanism (5b).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to an article inspection apparatus that photographs an article of a conveyed inspection target and performs image processing on an inspection image of the article obtained by the photographing to inspect the quality of the article. BACKGROUND

[0002] Conventionally, as an article inspection apparatus that inspects the quality of an article, for example, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, an X-ray inspection apparatus that inspects an inspection target using X-rays is known. In the X-ray inspection apparatus disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 3, various information using an inspection image of the inspection target or a cross-sectional waveform image and the like is displayed by an operation of a touch panel.

[0003] If the specific display content based on the operation of the touch panel is described, in the X-ray inspection apparatus of Patent Document 1, inspection information indicating an inspection state of an inspection image using the inspection target is displayed in an inspection state display section, and at least one of the inspection information displayed in the inspection state display section is enlarged and displayed larger in an upper region of an inspection image display section.

[0004] Also, in the X-ray inspection apparatus of Patent Document 2, an inspection image of the inspection target is displayed, and a projection image based on a two-dimensional cross-sectional waveform image that is obtained by plotting each peak value of a gray scale in a direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the inspection image of the inspection target along the conveyance direction is displayed.

[0005] Further, in the X-ray inspection apparatus of Patent Document 3, based on the inspection image of the inspection target, it is discriminated whether a foreign object is mixed in the inspection target, and based on the discrimination result, an inspection result of the inspection target at the time of X-ray exposure, a two-dimensional planar image, a cross-sectional waveform image of one row in a direction substantially orthogonal to the conveyance direction of the inspection target, and a stereoscopic three-dimensional bird's-eye waveform image that views the entire inspection target from an oblique upper side are selectively displayed.

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-114415

[0007] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2016-180712

[0008] Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-028686

[0009] However, in the conventional article inspection apparatus, in a case where an inspection image of an inspected article is enlarged / reduced in size of a desired field of view, a plurality of stages of key operations such as display of an enlargement / reduction mode by operation of a function key and selection of enlargement or reduction, and setting of a desired enlargement / reduction ratio by operation of a plus / minus key are required to perform either enlargement or reduction of the inspection image of the inspected article. Also, in the enlargement / reduction mode, enlargement / reduction of the inspection image is performed with the upper left corner of a display screen as a reference, and thus the inspection image is not necessarily enlarged or reduced with a portion called a region of interest, which is a portion desired by a user, as a center. Further key operations are required to adjust a display position to a desired portion of the inspection image.

[0010] Also, in such an article inspection apparatus, with improvement in inspection accuracy based on recent technological progress, more detailed inspection can be performed, and operations related to setting are increased and become complicated, and thus further improvement in operability is desired. SUMMARY

[0011] Therefore, the present application is achieved in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide an article inspection apparatus capable of achieving improvement in operability.

[0012] To achieve the above-described object, an article inspection apparatus according to aspect 1 of the present application is an article inspection apparatus 1 that photographs an article conveyed as an inspected article W, and inspects quality of the article by performing image processing on an inspection image of the article obtained by the photographing, characterized by comprising:

[0013] an image storage section 4 that stores the inspection image of the article;

[0014] a display section 5a that displays the inspection image of the article stored in the image storage section;

[0015] an indication mechanism 5b that indicates expansion or contraction of a distance between any two points of the inspection image of the article displayed on the display section by a multi-point touch operation; and

[0016] a display control section 6B that enlarges or reduces the inspection image of the article in accordance with the amount of expansion or contraction indicated by the indication mechanism, and displays the inspection image on the display section.

[0017] An article inspection apparatus according to aspect 2 of the present application is the article inspection apparatus according to aspect 1, wherein the display control section 6B displays the entire inspection image of the article as a part of a thumbnail on the display section 5a.

[0018] An article inspection apparatus according to aspect 3 of the present application is the article inspection apparatus according to aspect 1, characterized by comprising:

[0019] The projective image generation unit 6Aa generates a projective image pi, which is a two-dimensional cross-sectional waveform image obtained by plotting the maximum density of one of the horizontal and vertical axes of the transport direction A of the inspection image of the item along the other axis.

[0020] The display control unit 6B configures and displays the projected image generated by the projected image generation unit with the horizontal axis of the conveying direction as another axis, corresponding to the inspection image of the item.

[0021] The article inspection device of embodiment 4 of the present invention is characterized in that, in the article inspection device of embodiment 3,

[0022] The projected image pi can switch between displaying the overall waveform of the inspection image of the item or displaying the waveform of a zoomed-in or zoomed-out section of the inspection image of the item.

[0023] The article inspection device of embodiment 5 of the present invention, in any one of embodiments 1 to 4, is characterized in that,

[0024] The indicator mechanism 5b is composed of a capacitive touch panel disposed on the display unit 5a.

[0025] The article inspection device of embodiment 6 of the present invention, in any one of embodiments 1 to 4, is characterized in that,

[0026] The display control unit 6B stores the magnification corresponding to the amount of stretching indicated by the indicator mechanism 5b, and displays the inspection image of the item on the display unit 5a according to the stored magnification.

[0027] Invention Effects

[0028] According to the present invention, by indicating the scaling of the distance between any two points in the inspection image of the inspected object, the zoom-in / zoom-out operation of the display of the inspection image of the inspected object becomes easy. Furthermore, by displaying a complete thumbnail, it is easy to determine which part of the overall inspection image has been zoomed in or out when a portion of the inspection image of the inspected object is zoomed in or out. Moreover, when a portion of the inspection image of the inspected object is zoomed in or out, a projective image linked to it can be displayed. Attached Figure Description

[0029] Figure 1 This is a block diagram illustrating the general structure of the article inspection device involved in the present invention.

[0030] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of an inspection screen during the inspection of an object by the article inspection device according to the present invention.

[0031] Figure 3 It means it has been enlarged. Figure 2 This is an example of a display when a portion of the inspection image of the object being inspected is shown in the inspection screen. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Hereinafter, the methods for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] like Figure 1 As shown, the article inspection device 1 of this embodiment takes pictures of the conveyed inspection object W (the object to be inspected), performs image processing on the inspection image of the inspection object W obtained by taking pictures to inspect the quality (foreign objects, defects, etc.) of the inspection object W, and is generally configured to include a conveying unit 2, a camera unit 3, an image storage unit 4, a display operation unit 5, and a control unit 6.

[0034] The conveying unit 2 sequentially conveys the inspected items W at predetermined intervals relative to the conveying direction A. For example, it is configured such that a circular conveyor belt 2a is wound around a plurality of conveyor rollers 2b, and the upward section 2c passing through the conveyor belt 2a can be conveyed along the conveying direction A. Figure 1 The conveyor (in the right direction) sequentially transports the inspected items W to a frame (not shown). The conveyor roller 2b is driven by a motor (not shown) and controlled by the control unit 6 to achieve a specified conveying speed.

[0035] The camera unit 3 acquires an inspection image of the object W being inspected, which is being transported by the transport unit 2, and includes an X-ray generator 3a disposed at a predetermined height above an inspection space (not shown) in the middle of the transport unit 2, and an X-ray detector 3b disposed opposite to the X-ray generator 3a within the transport unit 2.

[0036] The X-ray generator 3a generates X-rays with wavelengths and intensities corresponding to the tube current and tube voltage through a known X-ray tube, and can irradiate the inspected object W or sample (a qualified workpiece, foreign object, etc. of the inspected object W) on the conveyor belt 2a with fan-shaped X-rays orthogonal to the conveying direction A of the conveyor section 2 through the X-ray window of the peripheral device (not shown).

[0037] The tube current and tube voltage of the X-ray tube are preferably adjusted according to the material or size (especially the thickness, i.e. the size in the direction in which the X-rays are transmitted) of the object W being inspected. For new varieties, the setting values ​​are determined or selected in a way that appropriate contrast is obtained by using test imaging of the object W or sample.

[0038] X-ray detector 3b includes an X-ray linear array sensor comprising a scintillator (not shown) and a photodiode array. The scintillator converts X-rays into light, and the photodiode array converts the light into an electrical signal, outputting an X-ray image based on X-ray transmission data. Alternatively, X-ray detector 3b can use direct-conversion semiconductor elements to generate and output X-ray images.

[0039] The image storage unit 4 temporarily stores X-ray images based on X-ray transmission data received from the X-ray detector 3b of the imaging unit 3 as inspection images of the object W to be inspected.

[0040] The display operation unit 5 is operated when switching the power supply, the conveying unit 2, and the camera unit 3 on / off, and when checking the quality of the inspected object W, and includes a display unit 5a and an indicator mechanism 5b.

[0041] The display unit 5a displays the inspection image of the inspected object W stored in the image storage unit 4 or the inspection result of the inspected object W on the display screen, and displays the operation buttons that will be operated when making various settings or display instructions related to the quality inspection of the inspected object W on the display screen.

[0042] The indicating mechanism 5b is, for example, a multi-touch panel configured on the display screen of the display unit 5a, and more specifically, a capacitive touch panel. By adjusting the distance between two points on the touch panel, the indicating mechanism controls the adjustment of the distance between any two points P1 and P2 centered on the part of the inspected object W displayed on the display unit 5a that the user wants to view (described later in the inspection image WE).

[0043] Here, Figure 2 An example of the display of the inspection screen 11 during the inspection of the object W in the article inspection device 1 is shown. Furthermore, Figure 3 The image is enlarged. Figure 2 Example of displaying a portion of the inspection image WE of the object W to be inspected in inspection screen 11.

[0044] Figure 2 or Figure 3 The inspection screen 11 is divided into six rectangular areas consisting of an inspection status display area E1, a variety number display area E2, a common information display area E3, a camera image display area E4, a projected image display area E5, and an inspection information display area E6. An operation button 12 is located at the bottom.

[0045] If we describe the areas E1 to E6, then area E1, which displays the inspection status, shows whether the object W being inspected is under inspection after being irradiated by X-rays. For example... Figure 2 or Figure 3As shown, when "Running" is displayed in the inspection status display area E1, it indicates that the object W being inspected is under inspection based on X-ray irradiation. Conversely, when "Stopped" is displayed in the inspection status display area E1, it indicates that the object W is not under inspection because it has not been irradiated by X-rays.

[0046] The product type number display area E2 is assigned a number based on the product type (e.g., meat, fish, processed food, pharmaceuticals) of the inspected item W, and displays the number corresponding to the assigned product type (in...). Figure 2 or Figure 3 In the example, it is "1000".

[0047] The common information display area E3 displays the current date and time (in...) Figure 2 or Figure 3 In the example, the information of the item inspection device 1, such as "2024-xx-xx 13:50" and network connection status, is inherent and does not depend on common information about the type of the item W being inspected.

[0048] The camera image display area E4 displays information related to the grayscale image of the inspected object W, i.e., the inspection image (camera image) WE. Specifically, Figure 2 In the inspection image WE of the camera image display area E4, the three elliptical portions represent the contents image Wa of the inspected object W. The blackened portions within the contents image Wa of the left ellipse and the blackened portions within the contents image Wa of the central ellipse represent the foreign object image Wb. Furthermore, in Figure 2 In the camera image display area E4, a region e, surrounded by a dashed square based on the amount of scaling between two points P1 and P2 indicated by the indicator mechanism 5b, represents the magnified area of ​​the inspection image WE (the magnified area of ​​the inspection image WE centered on the part that the user wants to view).

[0049] Figure 3 The camera image display area E4 shows the inspection image WE. Figure 2 The camera image display area E4 is a magnified image of the inspection image WE (centered on the area the user wants to view). Furthermore, Figure 3 A portion of the camera image display area E4 ( Figure 3 The small square area in the lower left corner of the camera image display area E4 shows... Figure 2 The camera image display area E4 shows a thumbnail of the overall image WE.

[0050] Additionally, although not specifically illustrated, but... Figure 2In the camera image display area E4, a portion of the inspection image WE centered on the part of the inspected object W that the user wants to view can be zoomed out based on the amount of zooming in or out between two points P1 and P2 based on the indicator mechanism 5b. Furthermore, to easily identify the zoomed-in or zoomed-out portion, the area e enclosed by the dashed square based on the amount of zooming in or out between the two points P1 and P2 can be identified and displayed using a rectangular line of a pre-defined color (emphasis display).

[0051] The projective image display area E5 displays a projective image pi based on a two-dimensional cross-sectional waveform image. This two-dimensional cross-sectional waveform image is obtained by plotting the maximum value (peak value of gray level) of one axis (horizontal axis: the axis of transport direction A) and the other axis (vertical axis: the axis orthogonal to transport direction A) of the inspection image WE of the object being inspected W along the other axis. Figure 2 or Figure 3 The projective image display area E5 displays a projective image pi based on a two-dimensional cross-sectional waveform image, which is obtained by plotting the maximum value (peak value of gray level) of the vertical axis (vertical axis: the axis orthogonal to the transport direction A) of the inspection image WE of the object to be inspected along the horizontal axis (horizontal axis: the axis of the transport direction A).

[0052] In addition, Figure 2 or Figure 3 In the projective image display area E5, a projective image pi based on a two-dimensional cross-sectional waveform image can also be displayed. This two-dimensional cross-sectional waveform image is obtained by depicting the maximum value of the concentration (peak value of gray level) of the horizontal axis (horizontal axis: axis of conveying direction A) of the inspection image WE of the object to be inspected along the vertical axis (vertical axis: axis orthogonal to conveying direction A).

[0053] Furthermore, in the projected image display area E5, the projected image pi of the entire inspection image WE of the inspected object W, which represents the overall waveform display, and the projected image pi of the inspection image WE of the inspected object W, which represents the zoomed-in or zoomed-out range of the local waveform display, can be displayed in conjunction with the zoom-in / zoom-out operation of the inspection image WE of the inspected object W, or the display can be selectively switched by the operation of the display operation unit 5 after the zoom-in / zoom-out operation of the inspection image WE of the inspected object W.

[0054] Furthermore, when the inspection image WE of the inspected object W is magnified / reduced, the projective image pi, which reflects only the scaling along the horizontal axis (horizontal axis: the axis of the transport direction A) of the inspection image WE of the inspected object W, is displayed in the projective image display area E5 corresponding to the magnified / reduced inspection image WE of the inspected object W. At this time, it is also possible to selectively switch the display of the projective image pi, which reflects the scaling along the horizontal axis (horizontal axis: the axis of the transport direction A) or vertical axis (vertical axis: the axis perpendicular to the transport direction A), and the portion of the magnified / reduced inspection image WE of the inspected object W in the projective image display area E5 according to the operation of the display operation unit 5.

[0055] The inspection information display area E6 displays the latest inspection judgment result of the inspected item W and the overall inspection result for the specified variety, etc., as inspection information. Specifically, in Figure 2 or Figure 3 In the example, the production capacity: 60 units / minute, the total number of inspected items W: 300, the total number of OK items relative to the total number of inspections: 290 (96.6%), the total number of NG items: 10 (3.4%), and the total number of NG items with foreign objects: 10 (3.4%) are displayed as inspection information in the inspection information display area E6.

[0056] Furthermore, in Figure 2 In the inspection screen 11, the start button 12a, stop button 12b, menu button 12c, display button 12d, and setting / adjust button 12e are configured as operation buttons 12.

[0057] When inspecting the quality of the object W, the start button 12a is operated when it indicates that the item inspection device 1 is started (to start inspecting the object W).

[0058] When inspecting the quality of the inspected item W, the stop button 12b is operated when it indicates that the item inspection device 1 should be stopped (the inspection of the inspected item W should be stopped).

[0059] The menu button 12c is operated when a menu screen is displayed, which is used to transition to other screens such as a display of statistics or a list of varieties of the inspected item W.

[0060] The display button 12d is operated, for example, when switching between the overall projected image pi of the inspection image WE of the inspected object W, which represents the overall product impact display, and the projected image pi of the inspection image WE of the inspected object W, which represents the zoomed-in / zoomed display range of the inspection image WE, which represents the local product impact display, or when switching from the display image in the camera image display area E4 to the camera image (read image) or the inspection result image.

[0061] The setting / adjustment button 12e is operated when calling up the setting and adjustment screen to set the type of the inspected item W, adjust the inspection parameters such as the detection limit value which can be set to different values ​​(thresholds) according to the type of the inspected item W or the type of foreign object that is being detected, adjust the conveying speed / sorting (allocation) time, and set the priority order of the displayed content.

[0062] The control unit 6 is a device that has one or more processors and their peripheral circuits and centrally controls the operation of the article inspection device 1. It includes an inspection processing unit 6A and a display control unit 6B. Specifically, the control unit 6 may have a CPU (Central Processing Unit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), LSI (Large Scale Integration), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), etc. It controls the operation of each part of the article inspection device 1 (conveying unit 2, camera unit 3, image storage unit 4, display operation unit 5) according to the program stored in the storage unit (not shown), and performs various processes.

[0063] The inspection processing unit 6A processes the inspection image WE of the inspected object W, and includes a projective image generation unit 6Aa, an image processing unit 6Ab, and a determination unit 6Ac.

[0064] The projective image generation unit 6Aa generates a projective image pi based on a two-dimensional cross-sectional waveform image. This two-dimensional cross-sectional waveform image is obtained by depicting the maximum value (peak value of gray level) of one axis (horizontal axis: the axis of the transport direction A) and the other axis (vertical axis: the axis of the direction orthogonal to the transport direction A) of the inspection image WE of the object to be inspected W along the other axis.

[0065] The image processing unit 6Ab uses any one of multiple inspection algorithms to perform image processing such as feature extraction or filtering to emphasize foreign objects on the inspection image WE of the object W stored in the image storage unit 4, which is based on the X-ray image. Furthermore, the image processing unit 6Ab generates a processed image based on a two-dimensional image corresponding to a top-view view of the object W, using the processed inspection image WE (grayscale image) of the object W.

[0066] The determination unit 6Ac performs a quality status determination process (e.g., a determination process for the presence or absence of foreign matter) on the inspected object W based on the image data processed by the image processing unit 6Ab. The processed image from the image processing unit 6Ab is compared with a detection limit value preset according to each inspection algorithm, and based on the comparison result, it is determined whether the inspected object W has foreign matter inclusions or defects. Furthermore, if the processed image exceeds the detection limit value, the determination unit 6Ac determines that the inspected object W is a defective product in each inspection algorithm used for inspection.

[0067] The display control unit 6B, based on the transmission image of each inspected object W, the projection image pi generated by the projection image generation unit 6Aa, the processed image output from the image processing unit 6Ab, and the good / bad judgment result of the judgment unit 6Ac, determines the inspection result of the inspected object W, for example, using the transmission image of each inspected object W, the projection image pi generated by the projection image generation unit 6Aa, the processed image output by the image processing unit 6Ab, and the good / bad judgment result of the judgment unit 6Ac. Figure 2 or Figure 3 The display method shown is displayed on display unit 5a.

[0068] Next, the operation of inspecting the quality of the inspected item W using the item inspection device 1 configured as described above will be explained.

[0069] First, when the power supply of the item inspection device 1 is switched from OFF to ON via the operation of the display operation unit 5, the conveying unit 2 and the imaging unit 3 (X-ray generator 3a, X-ray detector 3b) are switched from OFF to ON. Then, if the button is pressed... Figure 2 The start button 12a of the operation button 12 on the inspection screen 11 then transports the objects to be inspected W sequentially along the transport direction A at predetermined intervals via the transport section 2. Furthermore, X-rays are irradiated onto the objects to be inspected W on the transport belt 2a by the X-ray generator 3a, and the X-ray detector 3b detects the X-rays that have transmitted through the objects to be inspected W, outputting an X-ray image based on X-ray transmission data corresponding to the amount of X-ray transmission.

[0070] Furthermore, the X-ray image based on the X-ray transmission data from the X-ray detector 3b is temporarily stored as the inspection image WE of the object under inspection W in the image storage unit 4. Then, the projective image generation unit 6Aa of the control unit 6 generates a projective image pi based on a two-dimensional cross-sectional waveform image, which is obtained by depicting the maximum value (peak value of gray level) of one axis (horizontal axis: the axis of the transport direction A) and the other axis (vertical axis: the axis in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction A) of the inspection image WE of the object under inspection W along the other axis.

[0071] Furthermore, the image processing unit 6Ab of the control unit 6 performs image processing on the inspection image WE of the inspected object W based on the X-ray image stored in the image storage unit 4, such as combining filtering processing for feature extraction or highlighting foreign objects, and generates a processed image based on the two-dimensional image of the inspected object W based on the image-processed inspection image WE (grayscale image) of the inspected object W.

[0072] Furthermore, the judgment unit 6Ac of the control unit 6 performs a quality status judgment process (e.g., a judgment process for the presence or absence of foreign objects) based on the image data processed by the image processing unit 6Ab.

[0073] Moreover, for example, such as Figure 2 As shown, the display control unit 6B of the control unit 6 displays the inspection image WE (including the content image Wa and the foreign object image Wb) of the object to be inspected W on the camera image display area E4 of the inspection screen 11 of the display unit 5a based on the processed image processed by the image processing unit 6Ab of the control unit 6.

[0074] And, for example, such as Figure 2 As shown, the display control unit 6B of the control unit 6 displays a projection image pi corresponding to the inspection image WE of the inspected object W generated by the projection image generation unit 6Aa of the control unit 6 on the projection image display area E5 of the inspection screen 11 of the display unit 5a.

[0075] Moreover, for example, such as Figure 2 As shown, the display control unit 6B of the control unit 6 displays the production capacity, the total number of inspections of the inspected item W, the total number of OKs relative to the total number of inspections, the total number of NGs, and the total number of foreign object NGs on the inspection screen 11 of the display unit 5a according to the determination result of the determination unit 6Ac of the control unit 6.

[0076] Here, in Figure 2 In the camera image display area E4 of the inspection screen 11, when a portion of the inspection image WE of the inspected object W is magnified, the distance between any two points of the part of the inspection image WE of the inspected object W that the user wants to view is indicated by the indicator mechanism 5b of the display operation unit 5. Figure 2 The expansion and contraction of P1 and P2). Therefore, as... Figure 3 As shown, in Figure 2 In the area e of the camera image display area E4, which is surrounded by a dashed square, a magnified image centered on the part of the image WE that the user wants to view is displayed in the camera image display area E4 of the inspection screen 11. Figure 2 The thumbnail of the entire inspection image WE in the camera image display area E4 is displayed in the lower left corner of the camera image display area E4. At this time, as Figure 3 As shown, withFigure 2 The magnification operation of the inspection image WE of the object W being inspected is linked to the projective image pi (with) Figure 2 The magnified image of region e, corresponding to the projective image pi, is displayed in the projective image display area E5.

[0077] Furthermore, the storage of the center position and magnification of the magnified image corresponding to the extension / retraction of the distance between two points indicated by the indicator mechanism 5b of the display operation unit 5 allows for the display of the magnified image center position and magnification rate corresponding to the extension / retraction of the distance between the two points indicated by the indicator mechanism 5b of the display operation unit 5. If the next object to be inspected W is to be inspected, a magnified image of its inspection image WE, magnified according to the stored magnification rate, is displayed in the camera image display area E4 of the inspection screen 11 for the object to be inspected at 300%, thereby enabling inspection to be performed while maintaining a magnified display.

[0078] However, in the above embodiment, the example described is that the camera unit 3 is equipped with an X-ray generator 3a and an X-ray detector 3b, and X-rays are irradiated from the X-ray generator 3a while the object to be inspected W is transported, and the X-ray image obtained by detecting the X-rays transmitted through the object to be inspected W by the X-ray detector 3b is used as an inspection image WE to inspect the quality of the object to be inspected. However, it is not limited to this, and the camera unit 3 can be any structure that can obtain the inspection image WE of the object to be inspected W.

[0079] Specifically, it can be applied to the following item inspection devices: the camera unit 3 is equipped with a projector and a light receiver. Light is irradiated onto the object to be inspected (W) using electromagnetic waves instead of X-rays, and the quality of the object is inspected by detecting the light transmitted through or projected onto the object W using the light receiver. Furthermore, it can also be applied to the following item inspection devices: the camera unit 3 is equipped with an illumination unit and a camera. The illumination unit and camera are positioned opposite each other across the gap S between the upstream and downstream conveyors, and the quality of the object W is inspected based on the image obtained by irradiating the object W with illumination light and capturing it with the camera.

[0080] Thus, according to this embodiment, the zoom-in / zoom-out operation of the display of the inspection image WE of the inspected object W becomes easy by employing a capacitive touch panel, which serves as the extension and retraction indicator mechanism 5b for indicating the distance between two points P1 and P2 of the inspection image WE of the inspected object W.

[0081] Furthermore, by displaying a thumbnail of the inspection image WE of the object being inspected W, it is easy to determine which part of the overall inspection image WE has been enlarged or reduced when a portion of the inspection image WE of the object being inspected W is enlarged or reduced.

[0082] Furthermore, when a portion of the inspection image WE of the object W to be inspected is enlarged or reduced, a projected image pi linked to it can be displayed.

[0083] The preferred mode of the article inspection device according to the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the description and drawings based on this mode. That is, it is obvious that other modes, embodiments, and techniques implemented by those skilled in the art according to this mode are included within the scope of the present invention.

[0084] Symbol Explanation

[0085] 1-Item inspection device, 2-Conveying unit, 2a-Conveyor belt, 2b-Conveying roller, 2c-Upward section, 3-Camera unit, 3a-X-ray generator, 3b-X-ray detector, 4-Image storage unit, 5-Display operation unit, 5a-Display unit, 5b-Indicating mechanism, 6-Control unit, 6A-Inspection processing unit, 6Aa-Projected image generation unit, 6Ab-Image processing unit, 6Ac-Judgment unit, 6B-Display control unit, 11-Inspection screen, 12-Operation buttons, 12a-Start button, 12b-Stop button, 12c- Menu button, 12d - Display button, 12e - Setting / Adjustment button, W - Item to be inspected, WE - Inspection image (camera image), Wa - Contents image, Wb - Foreign object, A - Conveying direction, E1 - Inspection status display area, E2 - Variety number display area, E3 - Common information display area, E4 - Camera image display area, E5 - Projected image display area, E6 - Inspection information display area, e - Area (zoomed-in or zoomed-out area), P1, P2 - The two points indicated, tv - Thumbnail display, pi - Projected image.

Claims

1. An article inspection device (1) that takes a transported article as an inspection object (W) and performs image processing on the inspection image of the article obtained by the taking of the image to inspect the quality of the article, the article inspection device (1) being characterized by comprising: Image storage unit (4) stores inspection images of the item; The display unit (5a) displays an inspection image of the item stored in the image storage unit; The indicating mechanism (5b) allows for multi-touch operation to indicate the extension or retraction of the distance between any two points on the inspection image of the item displayed on the display unit; and The display control unit (6B) enlarges or reduces the display of the inspection image of the item on the display unit according to the extension amount indicated by the indicator mechanism.

2. The article inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display control unit (6B) displays an overall inspection image of the item in a thumbnail format on a portion of the display unit (5a).

3. The article inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that, have: The projective image generation unit (6Aa) generates a projective image (pi), which is a two-dimensional cross-sectional waveform image obtained by plotting the maximum value of the density of one axis (horizontal or vertical) of the transport direction (A) of the inspection image of the item along the other axis. The display control unit (6B) configures and displays the projected image generated by the projected image generation unit with the horizontal axis of the conveying direction as another axis, corresponding to the inspection image of the item.

4. The article inspection device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The projected image (pi) can switch between displaying the overall waveform of the inspection image of the item or displaying the waveform of a zoomed-in or zoomed-out section of the inspection image of the item.

5. The article inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The indicator mechanism (5b) is composed of a capacitive touch panel disposed on the display unit (5a).

6. The article inspection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The display control unit (6B) stores the magnification corresponding to the amount of stretching indicated by the indicator mechanism (5b), and displays the inspection image of the item on the display unit (5a) according to the stored magnification.

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