Tool imaging device

Abstract

Provided is a tool imaging device (1) enabling stable and accurate imaging of the state of a cutting part of a cutting tool. The invention is provided with: a workpiece rotation unit (2) for causing a workpiece (W) to rotate sequentially at a predetermined rotation angle; a rotation angle management unit for detecting the rotation angle of the workpiece (W); a rotation angle control unit (5) for controlling the rotation angle of the workpiece (W); a workpiece sliding unit (4) for causing the workpiece (W) to slide; a site-of-interest detection unit (6) for detecting a portion of a cutting part of the workpiece (W) as being a site of interest (Wt); a site-of-interest imaging unit (7) for imaging the site of interest (Wt) of the workpiece (W); and an image processing unit (8) for performing image processing of imaging data (Im). With respect to each of a plurality of cutting parts in the workpiece (W), the site-of-interest detection unit (6) pre-specifies, as the site of interest (Wt), at least one site along a direction of extension of the cutting part. The site-of-interest imaging unit (7) sequentially and continuously images the sites of interest (Wt) of the sequentially rotating workpiece (W), each site of interest being imaged at the same imaging angle.

Description

Tool Imaging Device

[0001] The present invention relates to a tool imaging device, and more particularly to a tool imaging device for imaging the cutting edge of a round bar-shaped cutting tool such as a drill bit or an end mill having a cutting edge as a workpiece.

[0002] For example, rod-shaped cutting tools such as drill bits used in drill presses, lathes, hand drills, etc., and end mills used in milling machines, are actively using tools with multiple blades, such as two-edge or four-edge blades, which have excellent cutting efficiency. For such cutting tools, quality control of the blade portion is particularly important from the perspective of improving the processing accuracy of the workpiece.

[0003] As a device for managing the cutting edge of a round bar-shaped cutting tool as described above, for example, a device has been proposed that takes an image of the cutting edge or cutting edge and checks whether the cutting edge is good or bad based on the image (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0004] Furthermore, as a device for managing the cutting tool blade, for example, a cutting processing device has been proposed that is equipped with an on-machine means for capturing images of the cutting tool blade from the side of a rotating or moving cutting tool, selecting an image to be used from multiple captured images, and using the image to manage the cutting tool blade (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

[0005] Furthermore, as a method for managing the cutting edge of a cutting tool, for example, a method has been proposed in which a binary image is obtained from a captured image, which distinguishes between the cutting edge and other parts, and the arrangement angle of the cutting edge is determined based on this image (see, for example, Patent Document 4).

[0006] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-285910 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-129711 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-269844 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 09-192986

[0007] A rod-shaped cutting tool such as the drill bit described above has cutting edges formed on its circumferential surface, but also has areas scooped out by the cutting edges near the cutting edges. This makes it difficult to accurately focus on the cutting edges when capturing an image of a rod-shaped cutting tool, making it difficult to capture stable images.

[0008] Furthermore, since cutting tools such as those described above are generally made of steel, the surface gloss that is characteristic of steel is generated, making it difficult to accurately capture images of the state of the cutting edge.

[0009] Furthermore, conventional imaging devices generally capture images of a wide range that includes not only the cutting edge of the cutting tool but also the gouged portion, etc. However, when capturing images of such a wide range, the size of the captured image data becomes larger than necessary, and the size of the captured image data also includes images of portions that are not necessary for managing the cutting tool, which creates problems in terms of data manageability, etc.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a tool imaging device that can accurately image the state of the cutting edge of a cutting tool with stable focus, has excellent imaging quality, and is also easy to handle data and has excellent imaging efficiency.

[0011] In order to solve the above problems, the inventors of the present invention have conducted extensive research. As a result, they have discovered that by providing a portion of interest detection means for identifying a portion of a cutting tool's extended blade as a portion of interest in advance, and a portion of interest imaging means for imaging the portion of interest, and by imaging the portion of interest on the cutting tool at the same imaging angle, it is possible to accurately image the state of the cutting tool with stable focus, a small number of images, and a small amount of data, without being affected by the shine of the workpiece, etc. This has led to the realization of an apparatus that can obtain very high imaging quality, as well as excellent data handling and imaging efficiency, and has led to the completion of the present invention.

[0012] That is, the present invention is a tool imaging device for imaging a cutting tool having a round bar shape used for cutting a workpiece, the tool imaging device imaging a cutting edge portion provided in a spiral shape on a peripheral side surface of the cutting tool, the tool imaging device comprising: work rotation means for clamping the cutting tool and sequentially rotating the cutting tool at a predetermined rotation angle around the axis of the cutting tool as a rotation axis; rotation angle management means connected to the work rotation means or provided integrally with the work rotation means, for detecting the rotation angle of the cutting tool by the work rotation means; rotation angle control means for controlling the rotation angle of the cutting tool by the work rotation means; and by sliding the work rotation means in a direction along the axis of the cutting tool, the cutting tool clamped to the work rotation means is rotated along the axis. a workpiece slide moving means for sliding a workpiece in a direction perpendicular to the workpiece surface; a portion of interest detecting means for detecting in advance at least a part of the blade of the cutting tool as a portion of interest for managing the blade; a portion of interest imaging means for imaging the portion of interest on the blade from the circumferential side of the cutting tool; and an image processing means for processing image data imaged by the portion of interest imaging means, wherein the portion of interest detecting means identifies at least one portion along the extension direction of the blade as the portion of interest for each of the plurality of blades on the cutting tool, and the portion of interest imaging means sequentially and continuously images the portions of interest of the cutting tool, which rotate sequentially at the predetermined rotation angle, at the same imaging angle.

[0013] In the above-described aspect, the tool imaging device of the present invention can employ a configuration in which the target area detection means identifies, for each of the multiple cutting edges of the cutting tool, a location along the extension direction of the cutting edge as the target area, and the target area imaging means sequentially and continuously images the target area of ​​each of the multiple cutting edges at the same imaging angle as the cutting tool rotates through the specified rotation angle.

[0014] In the above-described aspect of the tool imaging device of the present invention, the target area detection means can further identify, as the target area, other areas along the extension direction of the blade portion for each of the multiple blade portions on the cutting tool as the cutting tool slides due to the work slide moving means, and the target area imaging means can successively image the other target areas for each of the multiple blade portions at the same imaging angle as the cutting tool rotates through the specified rotation angle.

[0015] In the above-described aspect, the tool imaging device of the present invention can employ a configuration in which the target area detection means repeats the operation of identifying, as the target area, further other areas along the extension direction of the blade portion for each of the multiple blade portions on the cutting tool as the cutting tool further slides due to the work slide moving means, and the target area imaging means repeats the operation of sequentially and continuously imaging the further other target areas for each of the multiple blade portions, each at the same imaging angle, as the cutting tool rotates through the specified rotation angle.

[0016] In the above-described aspect, the tool imaging device of the present invention may employ a configuration in which the target area detection means identifies the target areas at multiple locations along the extension direction of one of the same blade edges among the multiple blade edges of the cutting tool, and the target area imaging means sequentially and continuously images the target areas at the multiple locations identified for the one of the same blade edges at the same imaging angle as the cutting tool rotates through the predetermined rotation angle and as the cutting tool slides.

[0017] In the above-described aspect, the tool imaging device of the present invention may employ a configuration in which the target area detection means identifies the target areas at multiple locations along the extension direction of other identical blade portions among the multiple blade portions of the cutting tool, and the target area imaging means sequentially and continuously images the identified target areas for the other identical blade portions at the multiple locations at the same imaging angle as the cutting tool rotates through the predetermined rotation angle and as the cutting tool slides.

[0018] In the above-described aspect, the tool imaging device of the present invention may be configured so that the target area detection means repeatedly identifies multiple target areas in the extension direction of another identical blade portion among the multiple blade portions of the cutting tool, and the target area imaging means repeatedly images the multiple target areas identified for the other identical blade portion in succession at the same imaging angle as the cutting tool rotates through the predetermined rotation angle and as the cutting tool slides.

[0019] In the above-described aspect of the tool imaging device of the present invention, the target portion imaging means may be configured to include a shutter mechanism.

[0020] In the above-described aspect, the tool imaging device of the present invention can employ a configuration in which the target area imaging means includes a strobe light that illuminates at least the position of the target area among the plurality of cutting edges extending from the cutting tool.

[0021] In the above-described aspect, the tool imaging device of the present invention may adopt a configuration in which the imaging lens of the target area imaging means is tilted so as to correspond to the target area in the blade portion that extends spirally on the cutting tool.

[0022] In this specification, "...sequentially and consecutively capturing images at the same imaging angle" refers to the operation of capturing images of a portion of interest as follows. That is, for example, when a portion of interest (blade portion) of a cutting tool that rotates sequentially at a predetermined rotation angle or slides in the axial direction is captured by a portion of interest capturing means, the camera and lens constituting the portion of interest capturing means do not change their orientation (imaging angle) in any direction, and the focus position (focal position) on the cutting tool moves at a corresponding position on its circumferential side. This can be explained by, for example, the fact that in the tool imaging device 1 shown in FIG. 1 , the imaging area lens 71 and imaging area camera 72 constituting the portion of interest capturing unit 7 are focused so as to be able to capture the portion of interest Wt of the workpiece (cutting tool) W, and these imaging area lens 71 and imaging area camera 72 can capture images of other portions of interest Wt of the workpiece W without changing the imaging angle even when the workpiece W rotates or slides.

[0023] In this specification, the term "a cutting edge portion having a plurality of spirally extending edges on the circumferential surface of the cutting tool" refers to a cutting tool such as a drill or end mill having a plurality of edges, such as a two-edge cutting edge (two edges) or a four-edge cutting edge (four edges). The number of edges on the cutting tool may be greater than the number stated above.

[0024] As described above, the tool imaging device of the present invention includes a portion-of-interest detection means for pre-identifying a portion of the cutting tool blade extending from the circumferential side as a portion of interest, and a portion-of-interest imaging means for imaging the portion of interest, and employs a configuration in which the portion of interest on the cutting tool blade is imaged at the same imaging angle. This allows the state of the cutting tool blade to be accurately imaged with stable focus, a small number of images, and a small amount of data, without being affected by the shine of the cutting tool (the workpiece). Therefore, a tool imaging device with excellent imaging quality, ease of data handling, and imaging efficiency can be realized.

[0025] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a diagram for schematically explaining a tool imaging device according to the present invention, and is a schematic diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the tool imaging device. FIG. 2 is a diagram for schematically explaining a tool imaging device according to the present invention, and is a flowchart showing an example of operations when imaging a cutting tool, which is a workpiece, using the tool imaging device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram for schematically explaining a tool imaging device according to the present invention, and FIGS. 3(a) to 3(h) are schematic diagrams showing imaging positions of a portion of interest identified by the extension directions of different blade edges on a cutting tool with a four-edge configuration, and FIG. 3(i) is a schematic diagram showing an example of merging images obtained by imaging the portion of interest shown in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(h). FIG. 4 is a diagram for schematically explaining a tool imaging device according to the present invention, and is a flowchart showing another example of operations when imaging a cutting tool, which is a workpiece, using the tool imaging device shown in FIG. 1. Fig. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a tool imaging device according to the present invention, in which Figs. 5(a) to 5(c) are schematic diagrams showing imaging positions of a portion of interest identified in the extension direction of the cutting edge of the same groove in a cutting tool having a four-groove (four-edge) configuration, and Fig. 5(d) is a schematic diagram showing an example in which images obtained by imaging the portion of interest shown in Figs. 5(a) to 5(c) are merged. Fig. 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating a tool imaging device according to the present invention, in which Figs. 6(a) to 6(c) are schematic diagrams showing imaging positions of a portion of interest in each of grooves A to D. Fig. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating a tool imaging device according to the present invention, in which images of the portion of interest in each of grooves A to D shown in Figs. 6(a) to 6(c) are merged, in which Fig. 7(a) is a schematic diagram showing an example in which images of the portion of interest in grooves A to D shown in Figs. 7(b) is a schematic diagram showing an example in which images of the portion of interest in grooves A to D shown in Figs. 7(c) is a schematic diagram showing an example in which images of the portion of interest in grooves A to D shown in Figs. 7(a) is a schematic diagram showing an example in which images of the portion of interest in grooves A to D shown in Figs. 7(d) is a schematic diagram showing an example in which images of the portion of interest in grooves A to D shown in Figs. 7(a) is a schematic diagram showing an example in which images of the portion of interest in grooves B, C, and D are merged. Fig. 8 is a diagram for schematically explaining the tool imaging device according to the present invention, and is a schematic diagram showing another example of the overall configuration of the tool imaging device. Fig. 9 is a diagram for schematically explaining the tool imaging device according to the present invention, and is a schematic diagram showing an example of the operation of the tool imaging device, Fig. 9(a) is a plan view seen from above, and Fig. 9(b) is a diagram showing the main parts in Fig. 9(a) from the side.10A is a diagram for schematically explaining the tool imaging device according to the present invention, a schematic diagram showing an example of operation of the tool imaging device, and a plan view showing a state in which the target portion imaging means is set so as to image a target portion of a cutting tool, which is a workpiece, from a direction perpendicular to the axis of the cutting tool. FIG. 10B is a diagram for schematically explaining the tool imaging device according to the present invention, a schematic diagram showing an example of operation of the tool imaging device, and a plan view showing a state in which the target portion imaging means is set so as to image a target portion of a cutting tool, which is a workpiece, from a direction tilted at an elevation angle θ in a plan view with respect to the axis of the cutting tool.

[0027] Hereinafter, first and second embodiments of a tool imaging device according to the present invention will be described in detail with appropriate reference to the drawings. Note that, in the drawings used in the following description, characteristic portions may be slightly enlarged for the sake of convenience in order to make the features of the tool imaging device according to the present invention easier to understand, and the dimensional ratios of each component may differ from the actual ones. Furthermore, the materials, dimensions, etc. exemplified in the following description are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Appropriate modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.

[0028] In addition, in this specification, both the first and second embodiments will be described with reference to the tool imaging device 1 shown in Fig. 1. That is, the tool imaging devices 1 described in the following embodiments basically have the same configuration, but for convenience of explaining the imaging position and operation form relative to the cutting tool (workpiece W) that is the object to be imaged, the present specification will separately describe the first and second embodiments.

[0029] First Embodiment A tool imaging device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, 6 to 10A, and 10B. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of the tool imaging device 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of imaging a workpiece W using the tool imaging device 1 shown in FIG. 1. FIGS. 3(a) to 3(h) are schematic diagrams showing the imaging position of a portion of interest Wt identified in the extension direction of the blade portion Wh of different grooves A to D in a workpiece W made of a cutting tool with a four-groove (four-edge) configuration. FIG. 3(i) is a schematic diagram showing an example in which images obtained by imaging the portions of interest Wta, Wtb, Wtc, and Wtd shown in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(h) are merged. FIGS. 6(a) to 6(c) are schematic diagrams showing the imaging position of the portion of interest Wt for each of the grooves A to D. Fig. 7 is a diagram in which images of the target portions of each of the rows A to D shown in Figs. 6(a) to (c) are merged, with Fig. 7(a) being a schematic diagram showing an example in which images of the target portions of row A are merged, Fig. 7(b) being a schematic diagram showing an example in which images of the target portions of row B are merged, Fig. 7(c) being a schematic diagram showing an example in which images of the target portions of row C are merged, and Fig. 7(d) being a schematic diagram showing an example in which images of the target portions of row D are merged. Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a tool imaging device 1A of another example of this embodiment. Figs. 9(a) and 9(b) are schematic diagrams showing an example of operation of the tool imaging device 1. Figs. 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams showing an example of operation of the tool imaging device 1.

[0030] The tool imaging device 1 according to the present invention is configured to image a cutting tool W, which is a generally round bar-shaped cutting tool used for cutting a workpiece, such as a drill bit used in a drill press, lathe, or hand drill, or an end mill used in a milling machine, and to image a cutting edge Wh that has multiple spiral grooves extending from the circumferential side of the workpiece (cutting tool) W. As described above, examples of such a workpiece W include those having multiple grooves, such as a two-groove blade (two edges) or a four-groove blade (four edges). The tool imaging device 1 of this embodiment is configured to image the cutting edge of various cutting tools such as those described above, and to perform quality control by imaging the cutting edge, thereby ensuring good machining performance of the cutting tool.

[0031] [Overall Configuration of Tool Imaging Device] As shown in FIG. 1 (see also FIG. 3, etc.), the tool imaging device 1 of this embodiment is roughly configured to include a workpiece rotation unit (workpiece rotation means) 2 that sequentially rotates the workpiece W at a predetermined rotation angle around the axis of the workpiece W as the rotation axis, a rotation angle management unit (rotation angle management means) 3 that detects the angle of rotation of the workpiece W by the workpiece rotation unit 2, a rotation angle control unit (rotation angle control means) 5 that controls the angle of rotation of the workpiece W by the workpiece rotation unit 2, a workpiece slide movement unit (workpiece slide movement means) 4 that slides the workpiece W in a direction along the axis, a portion of interest detection unit (portion of interest detection means) 6 that detects in advance at least a part of the blade portion Wh of the workpiece W as a portion of interest Wt for quality control of the blade portion Wh, a portion of interest imaging unit (portion of interest imaging means) 7 that images the portion of interest Wt of the blade portion Wh of the workpiece W, and an image processing unit (image processing means) 8 that performs image processing on the imaging data Im in the portion of interest imaging unit 7.

[0032] Furthermore, in the tool imaging device 1 of this embodiment, the attention portion detection unit 6 preliminarily identifies at least one (one) portion along the extension direction of the blade portion Wh as the attention portion Wt (Wta, Wtb, Wtc, Wtd) for each of the multiple blade portions Wh (see rows A to D in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(h)) on the workpiece W. Then, the attention portion imaging unit 7 successively images the attention portions Wt of the workpiece W, which are sequentially rotated at a predetermined rotation angle, at the same imaging angle.

[0033] In the example tool imaging device 1 shown in Figure 1, the motor 21 that constitutes the work rotation unit 2 is a pulse motor (stepping motor), so that the work rotation unit 2 also has the function of a rotation angle management unit and is configured as an integrated unit.

[0034] The workpiece rotating unit 2 clamps the workpiece W, which is made of a cutting tool having a generally round bar shape, and sequentially rotates the workpiece W at a predetermined rotation angle with the axis of the workpiece W as the rotation axis. The workpiece rotating unit 2 in the illustrated example includes a motor 21 for rotating the workpiece W, and a clamping member 22 that clamps the workpiece W and transmits the rotation of the motor 21 to the workpiece W, and is configured so that the motor 21 is supported by a housing.

[0035] There are no particular limitations on the motor 21, and a servo motor, pulse motor, or the like that can control the rotation angle can be used without any restrictions. For example, if a pulse motor is used as the motor 21, it becomes possible to rotate the workpiece W at a desired rotation angle with high precision, and also has the function of a rotation angle management unit described below, so the entire device can be configured simply.

[0036] The clamp member 22 is not particularly limited either, and for example, a clamper that is generally used in lathes or the like can be used without any restrictions.

[0037] The rotation angle management unit 3 is connected to the work rotation unit 2, or is essentially formed integrally with the work rotation unit 2 by using a pulse motor such as the one described above in the work rotation unit 2, thereby detecting the rotation angle of the work W by the work rotation unit 2.

[0038] On the other hand, for example, as in the tool imaging device 1A shown in Fig. 8, it is also possible to provide a rotation angle management unit 3 outside the motor 21 so as to be connected to the motor 21. As such a rotation angle management unit 3, for example, a rotary encoder, a frequency dividing means, or any other conventionally known device can be used without any restrictions. When a configuration is adopted in which the rotation angle management unit 3 is connected from outside the motor 21 as described above, a servo motor can be used as the motor 21, and the rotation angle of the motor 21 can be detected by the rotation angle management unit 3.

[0039] As described above, the rotation angle control unit 5 controls the rotation angle of the workpiece W by the workpiece rotation unit 2, and in the example shown in FIG. 1, is composed of a motor control signal generator 51 and a motor driver 52.

[0040] The motor control signal generator 51 sends a control signal Dp to the motor driver 52 for rotating the motor 21 at a predetermined rotation angle, and may be, for example, a pulse generator or the like that is commonly used in this field. The motor driver 52 supplies the motor 21 with a drive current Rt for driving the motor 21 to rotate, and may be, for example, a general motor driver.

[0041] The workpiece slide moving unit 4 slides the workpiece rotating unit 2 in the direction along the axis of the workpiece W, i.e., in the X direction (X-axis direction) shown in Fig. 1, thereby sliding the workpiece W clamped to the workpiece rotating unit 2 in the X-axis direction. The workpiece slide moving unit 4 in the illustrated example is configured to include a slide motor 41, an X-axis stage 42, and a slide motor driver 43.

[0042] The slide motor 41 transmits a rotational force to an X-axis stage 42 (described later) to move the X-axis stage 42 in the X-axis direction, and a general motor can be used.

[0043] As described above, the X-axis stage 42 converts the rotational force transmitted from the slide motor 41 into movement energy in the X-axis direction by an internal gear mechanism (not shown) or the like. The above-mentioned workpiece rotation unit 2 is connected to the end of the X-axis stage 42 opposite the slide motor 41, and is configured to be able to slide this workpiece rotation unit 2, and ultimately the workpiece W clamped to the workpiece rotation unit 2, in the X-axis direction.

[0044] The slide motor driver 43 supplies a current to the slide motor 41 for driving the slide motor 41 to rotate, and similar to the motor driver 52 described above, for example, a general motor driver can be used.

[0045] The target part detection unit 6 detects in advance at least a part of the blade portion Wh of the workpiece W as a target part Wt for quality control or the like of the workpiece W. The target part detection unit 6 in the illustrated example is disposed at a position spaced from the open end side of the workpiece W opposite the workpiece rotation unit 2, and is configured to include a detection area lens 61, a detection area camera 62, a fixed plate 65, and a detection light 67.

[0046] The detection area lens 61 is arranged coaxially with the axis of the workpiece W, and is configured so that an image viewed from the open end side of the workpiece W is incident from the incident end. The detection area lens 61 magnifies or reduces the image of the incident workpiece W, and makes it incident on the detection area camera 62, which will be described later.

[0047] The detection area camera 62 is attached to the rear end side of the detection area lens 61, and is configured so that an image of the open end side of the workpiece W that is incident on the detection area lens 61 can be incident and detected. The detection area camera 62 is not particularly limited, and a camera used in inspection equipment or the like can be used without any restrictions.

[0048] The detection illuminator 67 is disposed between the incident end of the detection area lens 61 and the open end side of the workpiece W, and illuminates the open end side of the workpiece W. The detection illuminator 67 is not particularly limited, and any illumination that has been conventionally used in inspection devices or the like can be used without any restrictions.

[0049] With the above configuration, the attention area detection unit 6 identifies an attention area Wt for imaging on the blade portion Wh by observing the end face of the blade portion Wh, which is provided with multiple threads (threads A to D), from the open end side (see the left diagrams in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(h)) of the workpiece W. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), from the viewpoint of accurately determining the focus on the workpiece W, it is preferable to appropriately adjust the position of the attention area detection unit 6 in the Y-axis direction and / or Z-axis direction in the drawings.

[0050] In this embodiment, the attention portion detection unit 6 has been described mainly in terms of a method of observing the end face of the cutting portion Wh using the detection area camera 62, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, an optical sensor 68 as shown in Fig. 9(a) may also be used in combination. In this embodiment, it is preferable to identify the attention portion Wt of the cutting portion Wh while observing the peripheral side surface of the workpiece W using the attention portion imaging unit 7 described below in addition to the attention portion detection unit 6, from the viewpoint of being able to identify the attention portion Wt more accurately using multiple cameras.

[0051] The target site imaging unit 7 images the target site Wt of the blade portion Wh from the peripheral side of the workpiece W, i.e., from the side on which the blade portion Wh is formed. The target site imaging unit 7 in the illustrated example is generally configured to include an imaging area lens (imaging lens) 71, a rotating stage 73, an imaging area camera 72, a mounting plate 75, a linear guide 76, and an imaging light 77. The target site imaging unit 7 further includes a frequency divider 78 connected to the above-mentioned motor control signal generator 51, and a strobe driver 79 connected to the frequency divider 78.

[0052] The imaging area lens 71 is configured so that an image of the workpiece W viewed from the peripheral side in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the workpiece W, i.e., an image of the target area Wt, is incident from the incident end. The imaging area lens 71 magnifies or reduces the image of the target area Wt of the workpiece W that has entered, and makes it incident on the imaging area camera 72, which will be described later.

[0053] Although detailed illustration is omitted, it is preferable that the target site imaging unit 7 has an imaging area lens 71 tilted so as to correspond to each target site Wt in the blade portion Wh spirally extending on the workpiece W. By tilting the imaging area lens 71 in this way so as to match the target site Wt, i.e., the inclination angle of the blade portion Wh, accurate viewing and imaging by the imaging area camera 72, which will be described later, is achieved.

[0054] The imaging area camera 72 is attached to the rear end side of the imaging area lens 71, and is configured to be able to capture an image of the target area Wt of the workpiece W that is incident on the imaging area lens 71. The imaging area camera 72 sends imaging data Im of the target area Wt to ​​the image processing unit 8 described below. The imaging area camera 72 is not particularly limited, and a camera used in inspection equipment or the like can be used without any restrictions.

[0055] The rotating stage 73 has a central axis (not shown) attached to a mounting plate 75 (described later) and is configured to be rotatable around this central axis. An image pickup area lens 71 and an image pickup area camera 72 are attached to the upper surface of the rotating stage 73. This allows the angles of the image pickup area lens 71 and the image pickup area camera 72 relative to the workpiece W to be changed as the rotating stage 73 rotates.

[0056] As described above, the mounting plate 75 has the central axis of the rotation stage 73 attached thereto, and rotatably supports the rotation stage 73, as well as the imaging area lens 71 and the imaging area camera 72 attached to the upper surface of the rotation stage 73. Although not shown in detail, the mounting plate 75 is provided with a through-hole through which a linear guide 76 (described later) can be inserted in the planar direction of the mounting plate 75.

[0057] The linear guide 76 is a rod-shaped member made of a metal material such as stainless steel, etc. As described above, the linear guide 76 is inserted in a planar direction relative to the mounting plate 75, thereby supporting the mounting plate 75 and the rotating stage 73 supporting the imaging area lens 71 and the imaging area camera 72 so that the rotating stage 73 can slide in the longitudinal direction of the linear guide 76.

[0058] The imaging illumination 77 is disposed between the incident end of the imaging area lens 71 and the peripheral side surface of the workpiece W, and illuminates at least the target area Wt of the workpiece W. There are no particular limitations on the imaging illumination 77, and strobe illumination or the like conventionally used in inspection devices or the like can be used without any restrictions.

[0059] 9(a) and 9(b), it is preferable to adjust the positions of the mounting plate 75 and the elements mounted thereon in the target site imaging unit 7 as appropriate in the Y-axis direction and / or Z-axis direction in the drawings. Here, when moving the mounting plate 75 in the X-axis direction, it is moved by sliding it in the longitudinal direction of the linear guide 76. Furthermore, as will be described in detail later, by appropriately rotating the rotation stage 73, the imaging area lens 71 and the imaging area camera 72 are rotated and moved at an elevation angle θ in a plan view, and it is also possible to appropriately change the imaging angle with respect to the target site Wt of the workpiece W.

[0060] The frequency divider 78 receives the control signal Dp sent from the motor control signal generator 51 in parallel with the input to the motor driver 52. The frequency divider 78 also receives the imaging control signal Ip calculated and sent from the image processing unit 8 (described later) based on the imaging data in the target region imaging unit 7. ２ is entered.

[0061] The frequency divider 78 then sends a strobe drive signal Ls synchronized with the control signal Dp to a strobe driver 79, which will be described later. The frequency divider 78 also sends an imaging trigger signal Tr synchronized with the control signal Dp to the imaging area camera 72. As a result, for example, if a shutter mechanism (not shown) is installed in the imaging area lens 71 or its periphery in the target site imaging unit 7, the shutter operation by the imaging trigger signal Tr makes it possible to image the target site Wt of the workpiece W at optimal timing without blurring.

[0062] The frequency divider 78 is not particularly limited, but for example, one having a counter function can be used.

[0063] Based on the strobe drive signal Ls input from the frequency divider 78, the strobe driver 79 sends a strobe lighting signal St to the imaging illumination 77 in synchronization with the timing of imaging of the target area Wt of the workpiece W by the imaging area camera 72, thereby turning on the imaging illumination 77. This makes it possible to image the target area Wt of the workpiece W at the optimal timing without blurring, similar to the effect of the shutter mechanism described above.

[0064] The image processing unit 8 receives the image data Im of the target area Wt sent from the imaging area camera 72, processes the image, and outputs the image so that the quality of the cutting tool blade Wh, which is the workpiece W, can be visually confirmed on a display or the like. The image processing unit 8 also performs calculations based on the image processing, and outputs an image control signal Ip to the frequency divider 78 as a result of this calculation. ２ and sends a pulse control signal Ip to the motor control signal generator 51. １ is sent.

[0065] The image processing unit 8 is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of performing image processing to the extent that it is possible to determine whether the blade portion Wh of the workpiece W is good or bad, and commercially available personal computers, tablet terminals, etc. can be used without any restrictions.

[0066] As described above, in the tool imaging device 1, the attention area detection unit 6 identifies at least one area (one location) along the extension direction of the blade portion Wh on each of the multiple blade portions Wh on the workpiece W as the attention area Wt, and the attention area imaging unit 7 successively images the attention areas Wt of the workpiece W, which rotate sequentially at a predetermined rotation angle, each at the same imaging angle.

[0067] [Detailed Operation of Tool Imaging Device] Details of the imaging operation of the workpiece W by the tool imaging device 1 of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described with reference to the overall configuration diagram of Fig. 1, as well as the flowchart of Fig. 2 and the diagrams of Figs. 3(a) to 3(i) showing imaging positions of the target parts Wt (Wta, Wtb, Wtc, Wtd) of the workpiece W. According to the tool imaging device 1 of this embodiment, the target parts Wt identified for each of the multiple cutting edges Wh of the workpiece W can be efficiently imaged by the following operation.

[0068] First, the attention area detection unit 6 identifies one area (one location) along the extension direction of the blade portion Wh for each of the blade portions Wh of the plurality of threads A to D on the workpiece W as the attention area Wt (Wta) for quality control of the blade portion Wh. In the example shown in FIG. 3( a), one location on the blade portion Wh of thread A on the workpiece W is identified as the attention area Wta. At this time, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2, after the workpiece W is set on the workpiece rotation unit 2 (S1), the attention area detection unit 6 measures the angle of the workpiece W (S2), and the initial value of the frequency divider 78 is set according to the angle measured in S2 (S3).

[0069] In the above-described identifying operation, the region of interest Wt (Wta) is identified in a very small area along the blade Wh, as compared to the imaging range Ia of a general camera, as shown in Fig. 3(a). In this way, by limiting the size of the region of interest Wt to ​​match each part of the blade Wh as necessary, the size of the imaging data Im can be made compact, making it easier to handle.

[0070] The site-of-interest imaging unit 7 then sequentially and continuously images the one site of interest Wt on each of the blade portions Wh of the threads A to D at the same imaging angle as the workpiece W rotates at a predetermined rotation angle. In the example shown in Fig. 3(b), one site on the blade portion Wh of the thread B is identified as the site of interest Wtb, in the example shown in Fig. 3(c), one site on the blade portion Wh of the thread C is identified as the site of interest Wtc, and in the example shown in Fig. 3(d), one site on the blade portion Wh of the thread D is identified as the site of interest Wtc. At this time, the workpiece slide moving unit 4 is not operated, and the workpiece W rotates at a predetermined rotation angle while being fixed in the X-axis direction. At this time, as shown in the flowchart of Figure 2, first, the work rotation unit 2 starts rotating and rotates the work W at a predetermined rotation angle (S4), and the target area imaging unit 7 images and saves the target areas Wta, Wtb, Wtc, and Wtd of the work W in accordance with the imaging trigger signal Tr from the divider 78 (S5).

[0071] Furthermore, as the workpiece slide moving unit 4 slides the workpiece W a certain distance, the attention portion detection unit 6 identifies another portion (one location) along the extension direction of the blade portion Wh for each of the blade portions Wh of the plurality of threads A to D on the workpiece W as the attention portion Wt. In the example shown in FIG. 3( e), the attention portion Wtd is identified for the blade portion Wh of thread D. At this time, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2, the workpiece slide moving unit 4 moves the workpiece rotation unit 2 and the workpiece W a certain distance in the X-axis direction (S6), and then the attention portion Wtd is identified.

[0072] The site-of-interest imaging unit 7 then sequentially and continuously images the other site of interest Wt (one location) on each of the blade portions Wh of the threads A to D at the same imaging angle as the workpiece W rotates by a predetermined rotation angle. In the example shown in Fig. 3(f), a site of interest Wta on the blade portion Wh of the thread A is identified, in the example shown in Fig. 3(g), a site of interest Wtb on the blade portion Wh of the thread B is identified, and in the example shown in Fig. 3(h), a site of interest Wtc on the blade portion Wh of the thread C is identified.

[0073] Furthermore, as the workpiece W is further slid a certain distance by the workpiece slide moving unit 4, the attention area detection unit 6 repeats the operation of identifying another area (one location) along the extension direction of the blade portion Wh of each of the plurality of blade portions A to D on the workpiece W as the attention area Wt (see also Wta, Wtb, Wtc, and Wtd shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D) (see FIGS. 3A to 3H). At this time, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2, the workpiece W is moved a certain distance in the X-axis direction, the attention area Wt is identified, and then the operation of imaging and saving the attention area Wt of the workpiece W is repeated (repeated steps S5 and S6 shown in FIG. 2).

[0074] In addition to the above, the site-of-interest imaging unit 7 repeats the operation of sequentially and continuously imaging other sites of interest Wt (see also Wta, Wtb, Wtc, and Wtd shown in FIGS. 7(a) to (d)) in each of the blade portions Wh of the plurality of threads A to D, each at the same imaging angle, as the workpiece W rotates by a predetermined rotation angle. At this time, the workpiece slide moving unit 4 moves in a stepped manner, so that the workpiece W rotates by the predetermined rotation angle and moves in a stepped manner in the X-axis direction.

[0075] Thereafter, the workpiece rotating unit 2 stops rotating the workpiece W, thereby completing the image capturing operation of the workpiece W made up of a cutting tool (see S7 in FIG. 2).

[0076] Through the above operation, the imaging data Im acquired by the portion-of-interest imaging unit 7 is sent from the portion-of-interest imaging unit 7 to the image processing unit 8. At this time, as necessary, as shown in the examples of FIGS. 7( a) to 7(d), images of each portion of interest Wt can be collected by thread, sorted, and merged to make defects for each thread easier to see. Furthermore, as shown in the example of FIG. 3(i), by merging the imaging data Im of each portion of interest Wt, it is possible to merge the images of each thread according to the distance from the tip of the workpiece W without distinguishing between the threads, thereby merging them into a single connected image for easier confirmation. FIG. 3(i) shows an example of merging imaging data Im of the portion of interest Wt of the cutting edge Wh for each of the multiple threads A to D shown in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(h), respectively. Specifically, the left side in the width direction of Fig. 3(i) shows an example of merging each piece of imaging data Im obtained by imaging the target areas Wta, Wtb, Wtc, and Wtd, which are parts of the blade portion Wh in the multiple rows A to D shown in Figs. 3(a) to 3(d). Also, the right side in the width direction of Fig. 3(i) shows an example of merging each piece of imaging data Im obtained by imaging the target areas Wta, Wtb, Wtc, and Wtd, which are other parts of the blade portion Wh in the multiple rows A to D shown in Figs. 3(e) to 3(h).

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, for example, by using each of the focus areas Wt of the workpiece W as shown in Figures 6(a) to (c), and merging the image data of the focus areas Wta, Wtb, Wtc, and Wtd in each of the threads A to D as shown in Figures 7(a) to (d), it is possible to manage the condition of the cutting edge Wh more accurately.

[0078] 1, the tool imaging device 1 of the present embodiment is not limited to an operation in which the imaging of the target portion Wt of the workpiece W by the target portion imaging unit 7 is performed only in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the workpiece W. For example, as shown in the examples of FIGS. 10A and 10B, it is also possible to appropriately change the imaging angle of the target portion Wt of the workpiece W by the imaging area lens 71 and the imaging area camera 72.

[0079] In this case, the orientation of the imaging area lens 71 and the imaging area camera 72 is changed by an elevation angle θ as shown in Fig. 10B from a direction perpendicular to the axis of the workpiece W as shown in Fig. 10A. That is, by appropriately rotating the rotating stage 73, the orientation of the imaging area lens 71 and the imaging area camera 72 is changed by an elevation angle θ from a direction perpendicular to the axis of the workpiece W. At this time, in order to maintain the focus on the target portion Wt of the workpiece W in accordance with the above change, the mounting plate 75 can be moved in the X-axis direction as shown in the illustrated example.

[0080] [Functions (Effects) of Tool Imaging Device] The tool imaging device 1 having the above configuration can accurately capture images of the state of the cutting edge Wh with stable focus, a small number of images, and a small amount of data, without being affected by the shine of the cutting tool, which is the workpiece W. This results in excellent imaging quality, as well as excellent data handling and imaging efficiency.

[0081] That is, by using the target portion imaging unit 7 to image the target portion Wt at the same imaging angle, it becomes possible to image each target portion Wt with the same degree of shine and reflection on the surface of the workpiece W. Also, it becomes possible to image the target portion Wt of the workpiece W, which is made of a round bar-shaped cutting tool, in the same way all around the peripheral side surface.

[0082] Furthermore, since the site-of-interest imaging unit 7 can image the site of interest Wt at high magnification and with stable focus, it is possible to image with high resolution even if the workpiece W has a small chip or the like, which makes it possible to provide accurate quality control. Therefore, it is possible to ensure excellent machining accuracy of the workpiece W, which is the cutting tool. Furthermore, by limiting the imaging range (image field of view) of the site-of-interest imaging unit 7 to only the main range of the blade portion Wh, i.e., the site of interest Wt along the blade portion Wh, it becomes easier to focus the image, and as with the above, it becomes possible to image with high resolution.

[0083] Furthermore, since the number of images taken and the data size can be significantly reduced, quality control and inspection can be performed using compact image data compared to, for example, unconditionally capturing images of the entire circumference of a rod-shaped workpiece at high magnification. This enables the inspection process to be performed at high speed, and inexpensive commercially available personal computers, tablet terminals, etc. can be used as image processing means, leading to lower costs for the device and, ultimately, reduced inspection and production costs.

[0084] Second Embodiment A second embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 in addition to Fig. 1 referred to in the first embodiment. Note that the tool imaging device described in this embodiment has the same configuration as the tool imaging device described in the first embodiment, so Fig. 1 will be referenced as well, the same reference numerals will be used, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0085] The operation of the tool imaging device 1 described in this embodiment differs from the operation of the tool imaging device 1 described in the first embodiment in terms of identifying the target area Wt for quality control of the blade portion Wh of the workpiece W and the imaging operation thereof.

[0086] Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of operation in this embodiment when imaging a cutting tool, which is a workpiece W, using the tool imaging device 1 shown in Fig. 1. Also, Figs. 5(a) to (c) are schematic diagrams showing imaging positions of Wt specified in the extension direction of the blade portion Wh of the same groove (groove A) in the workpiece W made up of a cutting tool with a four-groove (four edges), and Fig. 5(d) is a schematic diagram showing an example in which images obtained by imaging the attention portion Wta shown in Fig. 5(a) are merged.

[0087] The details of the imaging operation of the workpiece W by the tool imaging device 1 in this embodiment will be described with reference to the above-mentioned drawings.

[0088] First, the attention portion detection unit 6 identifies attention portions Wt (Wta) at multiple locations along the extension direction of the blade portion Wh of one of the same grooves, groove A in the illustrated example, among the blade portions Wh of multiple grooves A to D on the workpiece W (see FIG. 5(a)). At this time, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, after the workpiece W is set on the workpiece rotation unit 2 (S11), the attention portion detection unit 6 measures the angle of the workpiece W (S12), and sets the initial value of the frequency divider 78 in accordance with the angle measured in S12 (S13).

[0089] The target site imaging unit 7 then sequentially and continuously images the target sites Wta at multiple locations identified for the same thread A blade Wh, each at the same imaging angle, as the workpiece W rotates by a predetermined rotation angle and the workpiece W slides and moves by the workpiece slide moving unit 4. At this time, the workpiece slide moving unit 4 continuously moves the workpiece rotation unit 2 and the workpiece W in steps in the X-axis direction. As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4 , the workpiece rotation unit 2 first starts rotating, rotating the workpiece W by a predetermined rotation angle, and the workpiece slide moving unit 4 starts moving the workpiece W in the X-axis direction (S14). The target site imaging unit 7 also images and saves the target sites Wta of the workpiece W in accordance with the imaging trigger signal Tr from the frequency divider 78 (S15).

[0090] Furthermore, the target portion detection unit 6 identifies target portions Wtd at multiple locations along the extension direction of the blade portion Wh on another identical row, in the example shown in Figures 5(b) and (c) on row D, among the blade portions Wh of multiple rows A to D on the workpiece W. At this time, as shown in the flowchart of Figure 4, the workpiece slide moving unit 4 returns to the standby position (origin), and the initial value of the divider 78 is set to match the next row D (S16).

[0091] Then, the target area imaging unit 7 sequentially and continuously images the target areas Wtd at multiple locations identified for the blade portion Wh of the thread D, each at the same imaging angle, as the workpiece W rotates by a predetermined rotation angle and as the workpiece W slides (S15 shown in Figure 4).

[0092] Furthermore, the attention portion detection unit 6 repeats the operation of identifying attention portions (see Wtc shown in FIG. 7) in the extending direction of the blade portion of still other identical threads, for example, thread C (detailed illustration is omitted), among the blade portions Wh of the multiple threads A to D on the workpiece W. At this time, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 4, the workpiece slide moving unit 4 returns to the standby position (origin), and the initial value of the divider 78 is set to match the next thread C (S16). Therefore, in this embodiment, the above operation is repeated the number of times equal to the number of threads provided on the workpiece W.

[0093] In addition to the above, the site-of-interest imaging unit 7 repeats the operation of sequentially and continuously imaging the sites of interest Wtc at multiple locations identified on the cutting edge Wh of the thread C, for example, at the same imaging angle as the workpiece W rotates by a predetermined rotation angle and slides the workpiece W. At this time, the workpiece slide moving unit 4 continuously operates, causing the workpiece W to rotate by the predetermined rotation angle and move continuously in the X-axis direction. As a result, after the site of interest Wt is identified, the operation of imaging and saving the site of interest Wt of the workpiece W is repeated (repeated steps S15 and S16 shown in FIG. 4 ).

[0094] Thereafter, the workpiece rotation unit 2 finishes rotating the workpiece W, and the workpiece slide movement unit 4 finishes moving in the X-axis direction, thereby completing the imaging operation of the workpiece W, which is made up of a cutting tool (see S17 in Figure 4).

[0095] As a result of the above operation, the imaging data Im acquired by the target site imaging unit 7 is sent from the target site imaging unit 7 to the image processing unit 8, as in the first embodiment. At this time, as needed, by merging the imaging data Im obtained by imaging each target site Wt, as in the example shown in Fig. 5(d), it becomes possible to more accurately manage the condition of the blade portion Wh.

[0096] Furthermore, in this embodiment, for example, by using each of the focus areas Wt of the workpiece W as shown in Figures 6(a) to (c), and merging the image data of the focus areas Wta, Wtb, Wtc, and Wtd in each of the threads A to D as shown in Figures 7(a) to (d), it is possible to manage the condition of the cutting edge Wh more accurately.

[0097] In the operation of the tool imaging device 1 of this embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the target portion Wt identified in each of the plurality of threads A to D of the workpiece W can be efficiently imaged.

[0098] Furthermore, when the tool imaging device 1 is used in the manner described in this embodiment, the workpiece W is continuously moved in the X-axis direction while being continuously imaged, which is very suitable for imaging and inspecting a workpiece W with a relatively small number of threads (for example, about four threads).

[0099] <Operation and Effect> As described above, the tool imaging device 1 (1A) of this embodiment is configured to include the portion of interest detection unit 6 that pre-identifies a portion of the blade portion Wh extending along the circumferential side surface of the workpiece W as the portion of interest Wt, and the portion of interest imaging unit 7 that images the portion of interest Wt, and to image the portion of interest Wt of the blade portion Wh at the same imaging angle. This makes it possible to accurately image the state of the blade portion Wh with stable focus, a small number of images, and a small amount of data, without being affected by shine or the like on the cutting tool, which is the workpiece W. Therefore, it is possible to provide a tool imaging device 1 (1A) that is excellent in imaging quality, data handling ease, and imaging efficiency.

[0100] <Variations of the present invention> Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the tool imaging device of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the present invention and the scope of the appended claims.

[0101] The tool imaging device of the present invention can accurately image the state of the cutting edge of a cutting tool with stable focus, and is excellent in imaging quality, data handling, and imaging efficiency. Therefore, the tool imaging device of the present invention is extremely suitable for applications such as optimal quality control of rod-shaped cutting tools such as drill bits used in drill presses, lathes, and hand drills, and end mills used in milling machines.

[0102] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 1A Tool imaging device 2 Workpiece rotation section (workpiece rotation means) 21 Motor 22 Clamping member 3 Rotation angle management section (rotation angle management means) 4 Workpiece slide moving section (workpiece slide moving means) 41 Slide motor 42 X-axis stage 43 Slide motor driver 5 Rotation angle control section (rotation angle control means) 51 Motor control signal generator 52 Motor driver 6 Target portion detection section (target portion detection means) 61 Detection area lens 62 Detection area camera 65 Fixing plate 67 Detection illumination 7 Target portion imaging section (target portion imaging means) 71 Imaging area lens (imaging lens) 72 Imaging area camera 73 Rotating stage 75 Mounting plate 76 Linear guide 77 Imaging illumination 78 Frequency divider 79 Strobe driver 8 Image processing section (image processing means) Im Imaging data Dp Control signal Rt Drive current St Strobe lighting signal Tr Imaging trigger signal Ls Strobe drive signal Ip １ Pulse control signal Ip ２ Imaging control signal W Workpiece (cutting tool) A to D Lines (multiple lines) Wh Cutting edge Wt, Wta, Wtb, Wtc, Wtd Part of interest

Claims

1. A tool imaging device that uses a round bar-shaped cutting tool used for cutting a workpiece as a workpiece, and images a blade portion spirally extending in a plurality of strips on the circumferential side surface of the cutting tool, the tool imaging device comprising: a workpiece rotating means for clamping the cutting tool and sequentially rotating the cutting tool at a predetermined rotation angle about the axis of the cutting tool as a rotation axis; a rotation angle management means connected to the workpiece rotating means or provided integrally with the workpiece rotating means for detecting the rotation angle of the cutting tool by the workpiece rotating means; a rotation angle control means for controlling the rotation angle of the cutting tool by the workpiece rotating means; a workpiece sliding means for sliding the cutting tool clamped by the workpiece rotating means in a direction along the axis of the cutting tool by sliding the workpiece rotating means in a direction along the axis of the cutting tool; a target site detecting means for detecting at least a part of the blade portion of the cutting tool in advance as a target site for management of the blade portion; a target site imaging means for imaging the target site in the blade portion from the circumferential side surface side of the cutting tool; and an image processing means for image processing the imaging data in the target site imaging means, wherein the target site detecting means specifies, for each of the plurality of blade portions in the cutting tool, at least one site along the extending direction of the blade portion as the target site, and the target site imaging means sequentially and continuously images the target sites of the cutting tool sequentially rotating at the predetermined rotation angle at the same imaging angle respectively.

2. The tool imaging device according to claim 1, wherein the target site detecting means specifies, for each of the plurality of blade portions in the cutting tool, one site along the extending direction of the blade portion as the target site, and the target site imaging means sequentially and continuously images the one target site in each of the plurality of blade portions at the same imaging angle as the cutting tool rotates by the predetermined rotation angle.

3. The target part detection means, along with the sliding movement of the cutting tool by the workpiece slide movement means, specifies, for each of the plurality of blade parts in the cutting tool, another part along the extending direction of the blade part as the target part. The target part imaging means sequentially and continuously images, at the same imaging angle, the other target parts in each of the plurality of blade parts as the cutting tool rotates by the predetermined rotation angle. The tool imaging device according to claim 2, characterized in that.

4. The target part detection means repeats the operation of specifying, for each of the plurality of blade parts in the cutting tool, a further other part along the extending direction of the blade part as the target part, along with further sliding movement of the cutting tool by the workpiece slide movement means. The target part imaging means repeats the operation of sequentially and continuously imaging, at the same imaging angle, the further other target parts in each of the plurality of blade parts as the cutting tool rotates by the predetermined rotation angle. The tool imaging device according to claim 3, characterized in that.

5. The target part detection means specifies a plurality of target parts at a plurality of locations along the extending direction of one of the same blade parts among the plurality of blade parts in the cutting tool. The target part imaging means sequentially and continuously images, at the same imaging angle, the plurality of target parts specified for the one same blade part as the cutting tool rotates by the predetermined rotation angle and as the cutting tool slides. The tool imaging device according to claim 1, characterized in that.

6. The target part detection means specifies a plurality of target parts at a plurality of locations along the extending direction of another of the same blade parts among the plurality of blade parts in the cutting tool. The target part imaging means sequentially and continuously images, at the same imaging angle, the plurality of target parts specified for the other same blade part as the cutting tool rotates by the predetermined rotation angle and as the cutting tool slides. The tool imaging device according to claim 5, characterized in that.

7. The noted part detection means repeatedly performs an operation of specifying a plurality of noted parts at a plurality of positions in the extending direction of still another same blade part among the plurality of blade parts of the cutting tool, and the noted part imaging means repeatedly performs an operation of sequentially and continuously imaging the plurality of noted parts specified for the still another same blade part at the same imaging angle as the cutting tool rotates by the predetermined rotation angle and as the cutting tool moves in a sliding manner. The tool imaging apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that.

8. The tool imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the noted part imaging means includes a shutter mechanism.

9. The tool imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the noted part imaging means includes a strobe illumination that irradiates at least the position of the noted part among the plurality of blade parts extending on the cutting tool.

10. The tool imaging apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the noted part imaging means is provided with an imaging lens inclined so as to correspond to the noted part in the blade part spirally extending on the cutting tool.

Images