Packaging body inspection method and inspection device

Abstract

To provide an inspection method and an inspection device with which it is possible to inspect a packaging body with high accuracy.SOLUTION: There is provided an inspection method including: a step for preparing a packaging body 20 comprising a first sheet part 21, a second sheet part facing the first sheet part 21, a seal part 23 where the first sheet part 21 and the second sheet part are fixed to each other, and a non-fixed part 24 where the first sheet part 21 and the second sheet part are not fixed to each other, with a content 25 sealed in a portion of the non-fixed part 24; a step for placing the packaging body 20 on a placement table 30; a step for placing a transparent member 50 on top of the packaging body 20 so as to overlap at least a portion of the seal part 23 and at least a portion of the non-fixed part 24; and a step for capturing images of the seal part 23 and the non-fixed part 24 with a camera that are held between the placement table 30 and the transparent member 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for inspecting packages. [Background technology]

[0002] Various products need to be inspected for defects in order to ensure that they perform as intended and to ensure their safety, and inspection methods are proposed depending on the target product.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a defect inspection device that inspects sheets such as woven or nonwoven fabric for defects caused by fuzz remaining during the spinning or twisting process or by contact with parts such as rolls as the sheet is transported in contact with a rotating body. The device is characterized in that it is equipped with an imaging means having a light-receiving surface at a position facing the sheet transport direction at the center point P of the surface formed by contact between the sheet and the rotating body, and the angle between the light-receiving surface and the surface formed by the center point P and the rotation axis of the rotating body is within 10 degrees.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a defect inspection device that is primarily used for inspecting sewn products and detects defects present in an inspection object having partially loosened portions, the device comprising a work holder that holds the inspection object, an imaging unit that acquires image data of the inspection object held in the work holder, and a defect detection unit that detects defects based on the image data or processed image data generated by applying image processing to the image data, the work holder having an inspection table with a mounting surface on which the inspection object is placed, a pedestal provided on the mounting surface of the inspection table, and a pressure plate, the pedestal being positioned behind the slack portion when the inspection object is placed in a predetermined position on the mounting surface.

[0005] Patent Document 3 discloses a method in which an object of the invention is to provide an inspection method and apparatus capable of improving inspection accuracy even when the sheet-like workpiece is deformed or warped, in which a sheet-like workpiece is placed on an inspection stage and sandwiched between the stage and a glass plate placed on top of it, and an imaging means arranged above the stage is used to image the sheet-like workpiece while moving the imaging means along the stage, and a roller in contact with the surface of the glass plate is rotated and moved together with the imaging means, so that the roller presses the surface of the glass plate located near the field of view of the imaging means with substantially the same pressing force. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-156343 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2015-190899 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2002-5638 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] When packaging items that must be kept in a highly hygienic condition, such as food, medicine, and medical equipment, the opening of the package is sealed after the contents are placed in the package to prevent bacteria from entering the package or the contents from coming into contact with the outside air, resulting in an unhygienic condition. At this time, it is necessary to check the airtightness of the package by inspecting the seal for defects such as pinholes and foreign matter contamination.

[0008] In the above Patent Documents 2 and 3, defects present in an object to be inspected are detected by pressing the object to be inspected with a pressing plate or a glass plate and capturing an image of the object to be inspected, but there is room for improvement in terms of inspection accuracy. In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide an inspection method and an inspection device capable of inspecting packages with high accuracy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A method for inspecting a package according to an embodiment of the present invention that can solve the above problems is as follows. [1] An inspection method for a packaging body having a first sheet portion, a second sheet portion opposite the first sheet portion, a sealed portion where the first sheet portion and the second sheet portion are fixed to each other, and a non-fixed portion where the first sheet portion and the second sheet portion are not fixed to each other, the inspection method comprising the steps of: preparing a packaging body in which contents are sealed in a portion of the non-fixed portion; placing the packaging body on a placing table; placing a transparent member on the packaging body so as to overlap at least a portion of the sealed portion and at least a portion of the non-fixed portion; and capturing an image of the sealed portion and the non-fixed portion sandwiched between the placing table and the transparent member with a camera.

[0010] According to the above inspection method, a transparent member is placed on the package placed on the mounting table, and the inspection target part sandwiched between the mounting table and the transparent member is imaged by a camera, so that the inspection can be performed with high accuracy without being out of focus. At this time, the transparent member is placed on the package so as to overlap at least a part of the sealed part and at least a part of the non-fixed part, so that the airtight state of the sealed part can be inspected with high accuracy by comparing and contrasting the non-fixed part.

[0011] The method for inspecting a package according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably any one of the following [2] to [9]. [2] The inspection method described in [1], in which the transparent member is placed on the packaging body so as not to overlap the contents. [3] The inspection method described in [1] or [2], wherein the package has a central non-fixed portion in which the contents are sealed on one side of the sealed portion, and an end non-fixed portion in which the contents are not sealed on the other side of the sealed portion. [4] The inspection method described in [3], wherein the transparent member is placed on the packaging body so as to overlap at least a portion of the sealed portion and at least a portion of the central non-fixed portion, and the camera images the sealed portion and the central non-fixed portion sandwiched between the mounting base and the transparent member. [5] The inspection method described in [3], wherein the transparent member is placed on the packaging body so as to overlap at least a portion of the sealed portion and at least a portion of the non-fixed end portion, and the camera images the sealed portion and the non-fixed end portion sandwiched between the mounting base and the transparent member. [6] The inspection method described in [3], wherein the transparent member is placed on the packaging body so as to overlap at least a portion of the sealed portion, at least a portion of the central non-fixed portion, and at least a portion of the end non-fixed portion, and the camera images the sealed portion and the central non-fixed portion and / or the end non-fixed portion sandwiched between the mounting base and the transparent member. [7] The inspection method according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the transparent member is placed on the packaging body so as to overlap the entire seal portion. [8] The inspection method described in [7], wherein the length of the transparent member is longer than the length of the sealing portion in the extension direction of the sealing portion. [9] The inspection method according to any one of [1] to [8], wherein the camera is a line scan camera.

[0012] The present invention also provides an inspection device for a package. The inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention is as follows.

[10] An inspection device for a packaging body having a first sheet portion, a second sheet portion opposite the first sheet portion, a sealed portion where the first sheet portion and the second sheet portion are fixed to each other, and a non-fixed portion where the first sheet portion and the second sheet portion are not fixed to each other, wherein contents are sealed in a portion of the non-fixed portion, the inspection device having a placing table on which the packaging body is placed, a supply unit that places a transparent member on the packaging body so that at least a portion of the sealed portion and the non-fixed portion overlap, and a camera that images the sealed portion and the non-fixed portion sandwiched between the placing table and the transparent member.

[0013] The package inspection device according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably any one of the following items

[11] to

[13] .

[11] The inspection device described in

[10] , wherein the packaging body has a central non-fixed portion in which the contents are sealed on one side of the sealed portion, and an end non-fixed portion in which the contents are not sealed on the other side of the sealed portion.

[12] An inspection device as described in

[10] or

[11] , wherein the length of the transparent member is longer than the length of the sealing portion in the extension direction of the sealing portion.

[13] The inspection device according to any one of

[10] to

[12] , wherein the camera is a line scan camera. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the above inspection method and inspection device, a transparent member is placed on a package placed on a mounting table, and an inspection is performed by capturing an image of an inspection target portion sandwiched between the mounting table and the transparent member with a camera, so that it is possible to perform an inspection with high accuracy while preventing deviation from focus. At this time, since the transparent member is placed on the package so as to overlap at least a part of the sealed portion and at least a part of the non-fixed portion, it is possible to detect the airtight state of the sealed portion with high accuracy by comparing and contrasting the non-fixed portion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a package according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the packaging body shown in FIG. 1 along line II-II. [Diagram 3] 3 is a side view of the packaging body shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the direction of arrow A. [Figure 4] 1 is a plan view showing a state in which a transparent member is placed on a package placed on a placement table in an inspection method according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Diagram 5] 5 is a side view of the mounting table, the packaging body, and the transparent member shown in FIG. 4, as viewed from the direction of arrow B. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a plan view of a transparent member according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a plan view of a package according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 8 is a cross-sectional view of the packaging body shown in FIG. 7 along line VIII-VIII. [Figure 9] 13 is a plan view showing a state in which a transparent member is placed on a packaging body placed on a placement table in an inspection method according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 10] 13 is a plan view showing a state in which a transparent member is placed on a packaging body placed on a placement table in an inspection method according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 11] 13 is a plan view showing a state in which a transparent member is placed on a packaging body placed on a placement table in an inspection method according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] 13 is a plan view showing a state in which a transparent member is placed on a packaging body placed on a placement table in an inspection method according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 13] 1 is a side view of a package inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The present invention will be described below based on the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the above and below, and all of these are included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, hatching and component symbols may be omitted in each drawing for convenience, but in such cases, the specification and other drawings should be referred to. Furthermore, the dimensions of various components in the drawings may differ from the actual dimensions, since priority is given to helping understand the features of the present invention.

[0017] An inspection method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 13. Fig. 1 is a plan view of a package according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the package shown in Fig. 1 taken along line II-II. Fig. 3 is a side view of the package shown in Fig. 2 as viewed from the direction of arrow A. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a package placed on a table and a transparent member placed thereon in an inspection method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a side view of the table, package, and transparent member shown in Fig. 4 as viewed from the direction of arrow B. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a transparent member according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 7 is a plan view of a package according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the package shown in Fig. 7 taken along line VIII-VIII. Figs. 9 to 12 are plan views of a package placed on a table and a transparent member placed thereon in inspection methods according to different embodiments of the present invention. Fig. 13 is a side view of an inspection device for a package according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an inspection method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a step of preparing a packaging body 20 having a first sheet portion 21, a second sheet portion 22 opposite the first sheet portion 21, a sealed portion 23 where the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 are fixed to each other, and a non-fixed portion 24 where the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 are not fixed to each other, and in which contents 25 are sealed in a portion of the non-fixed portion 24.

[0019] 1, the planar shape of the packaging body 20 may be rectangular, or, although not shown, the planar shape of the packaging body 20 may be polygonal, circular, elliptical, a combination thereof, irregular, etc. It is preferable that the packaging body 20 is formed into a bag shape by a first sheet portion 21 and a second sheet portion 22, and after inserting the contents 25 into the bag, a seal portion 23 is formed to close the opening of the bag, thereby forming the packaging body 20 in which the contents 25 are sealed.

[0020] The contents 25 enclosed in the package 20 are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include medical tools such as catheters, syringes, puncture devices, and sterile gauze, medicines, and food.

[0021] The first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 can be made of, for example, a nonwoven fabric or a resin film. The first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 may be made of the same material or different materials. Examples of materials that can be used to make the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 include polyolefin resins such as polyethylene and polypropylene, polyester resins such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide resins such as nylon, and vinyl resins such as polyvinyl chloride. If the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 are made of such materials, the seal portion 23 can be formed by heat welding the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 together.

[0022] 3, the sealed portion 23 may not be able to maintain a flat state, and may become wavy or warped, due to the difference in the thermal shrinkage rate between the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22, the conditions of the thermal welding, etc. When the sealed portion 23 is deformed in this way, the maximum length L of the sealed portion 23 in the thickness direction of the package 20 becomes longer. When inspecting the sealed portion 23, the inspection accuracy can be improved by reducing the maximum length L of the sealed portion 23 to prevent the camera from going out of focus.

[0023] The width of the sealed portion 23 in the direction perpendicular to the extending direction is preferably 3 mm or more, more preferably 5 mm or more, even more preferably 8 mm or more, and particularly preferably 10 mm or more. When the lower limit of the width of the sealed portion 23 is within the above range, it becomes easy to maintain the airtightness of the package 20. The width of the sealed portion 23 is preferably 30 mm or less, more preferably 25 mm or less, and even more preferably 20 mm or less. When the upper limit of the width of the sealed portion 23 is within the above range, it is possible to ensure a wide non-fixed portion 24 while suppressing the size of the package 20.

[0024] When the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 are formed into a bag shape, the boundary between the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 may be formed by folding a single sheet. Alternatively, the boundary between the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 may be formed by a fixing portion 20b to which the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22, which is a separate member from the first sheet portion 21, are fixed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The fixing portion 20b can be formed by thermal welding, similarly to the sealing portion 23. The inspection method according to the embodiment of the present invention can inspect the sealing portion 23, and can also inspect the fixing portion 20b for forming the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 into a bag shape.

[0025] The width of the fixing portion 20b in the direction perpendicular to the extending direction is preferably 3 mm or more, more preferably 5 mm or more, even more preferably 8 mm or more, and particularly preferably 10 mm or more. When the lower limit of the width of the fixing portion 20b is in the above range, it becomes easy to maintain the airtightness of the packaging body 20. The width of the fixing portion 20b is preferably 30 mm or less, more preferably 25 mm or less, and even more preferably 20 mm or less. When the upper limit of the width of the fixing portion 20b is in the above range, it is possible to ensure a wide non-fixed portion 24 while suppressing the size of the packaging body 20.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 4, the inspection method according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a step of placing the package 20 on the placement table 30, and a step of placing the transparent member 50 on the package 20 so as to overlap at least a part of the sealed portion 23 and at least a part of the non-fixed portion 24. As described above, the sealed portion 23 may be deformed as shown in Fig. 3, and the maximum length L of the sealed portion 23 in the thickness direction of the package 20 may become longer. However, by placing the transparent member 50 on the package 20 so as to overlap at least a part of the sealed portion 23 and at least a part of the non-fixed portion 24 of the package 20 placed on the placement table 30, the sealed portion 23 can be made closer to a flat state as shown in Fig. 5, and the maximum length L of the sealed portion 23 in the thickness direction can be reduced. This makes it possible to prevent the sealed portion 23 from being out of focus when the camera 70 captures an image of the sealed portion 23 as described later, and to detect defects from the captured image with high accuracy.

[0027] The transparent member 50 is preferably a plate-like member having a uniform thickness. The material constituting the transparent member 50 is not particularly limited as long as it is a material that transmits visible light, and is preferably composed of, for example, synthetic resin such as acrylic resin, polycarbonate resin, polystyrene resin, polyamide resin, polyolefin resin, or glass.

[0028] In the inspection method according to the embodiment of the present invention, the camera 70 captures an image of the inspection target portion. At this time, the camera 70 captures both the sealed portion 23 and the non-fixed portion 24 sandwiched between the mounting table 30 and the transparent member 50. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the camera 70 captures the portion of the line C and the area D, thereby capturing images of both the sealed portion 23 and the non-fixed portion 24. The non-fixed portion 24 is a portion where the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 are not fixed, that is, a portion where there is a gap between the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22. Therefore, it is possible to inspect whether or not a gap is generated in the sealed portion 23 due to a foreign object being caught, folding, wrinkles, etc., by comparing the non-fixed portion 24 with the gap. This makes it possible to improve the inspection accuracy of the sealed portion 23.

[0029] If the mounting table 30 and / or the camera 70 are moved in the extension direction of the sealed portion 23, the imaging portion of the camera 70, i.e., the line C, the area D, etc., are scanned in the extension direction, and the entire sealed portion 23 can be inspected. It is preferable to transport the package 20 placed on the mounting table 30 in the extension direction of the sealed portion 23 by moving the mounting table 30. This allows the imaging portion to be scanned without moving the camera 70, preventing adverse effects on the image due to vibrations caused when the camera 70 moves, and enabling stable capture of captured images.

[0030] Similarly, the airtight state of the fixed portion 20b can also be confirmed by capturing images of both the fixed portion 20b and the non-fixed portion 24 sandwiched between the mounting table 30 and the transparent member 50 with the camera 70. To inspect the fixed portion 20b, the position at which the transparent member 50 is placed and the imaging position of the camera 70 may be adjusted.

[0031] The mounting table 30 preferably has a horizontal mounting surface so as to stably mount the package 20. The mounting table 30 may be, for example, a plate-shaped member, or may be part of a moving mechanism such as a belt conveyor so as to transport the package 20 mounted on the mounting table 30.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 4, it is preferable that the transparent member 50 is placed on the packaging body 20 so as not to overlap the contents 25. This prevents the transparent member 50 from being tilted due to the thickness of the contents 25, making it easier to make the seal portion 23 horizontal as shown in Fig. 5. In this case, the planar shape of the transparent member 50 may be, for example, a rectangle as shown in Fig. 4. If the planar shape of the transparent member 50 is a rectangle, it becomes easy to overlap the seal portion 23 so as not to overlap the contents 25 by placing the transparent member 50 on the packaging body 20 so that the long side is along the extension direction of the seal portion 23.

[0033] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 6, the planar shape of the transparent member 50 may have an opening 50a in the center, and the outer edge of the planar shape of the transparent member 50 may be a rectangle, circle, or other shape larger than the outer shape of the packaging body 20. The shape of the opening 50a in the plan view shown in FIG. 6 is not limited to a rectangle, and may be a circle, an ellipse, or any other shape. If the planar shape of the transparent member 50 has an opening 50a in the center, the transparent member 50 can be easily placed on the seal part 23 without overlapping the contents 25 by placing the part of the packaging body 20 that has become thicker by sealing the contents 25 in the opening 50a. In addition, if the planar shape of the transparent member 50 has an opening 50a in the center, the transparent member 50 can be placed on the packaging body 20 so as to overlap not only the seal part 23 but also the fixing part 20b, so that the fixing part 20b can be inspected at the same time.

[0034] 1 and 2, the contents 25 are enclosed in a central non-fixed portion 24a formed on one side of the sealed portion 23, the sealed portion 23 is formed at an end of the package 20, and the package 20 does not need to have a non-fixed portion 24 on the other side of the sealed portion 23. With this configuration, the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 are less likely to peel off from each other, and the package 20 can be easily kept sealed.

[0035] 7 and 8, the package 20 may have a central non-fixed portion 24a in which the contents 25 are enclosed on one side of the sealed portion 23, and an end non-fixed portion 24b in which the contents 25 are not enclosed on the other side of the sealed portion 23. In this case, it is preferable that the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 have open ends in the end non-fixed portion 24b of the sealed portion 23. With this configuration, the package 20 can be easily opened by pulling the open ends of the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 away from each other and peeling them off.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 9, the transparent member 50 is placed on the package 20 so as to overlap at least a part of the sealed portion 23 and at least a part of the central non-fixed portion 24a, and the camera 70 preferably captures an image of the sealed portion 23 and the central non-fixed portion 24a sandwiched between the mounting base 30 and the transparent member 50. For example, the camera 70 captures an image of the line E or area F in Fig. 9, thereby making it possible to capture an image of both the sealed portion 23 and the central non-fixed portion 24a sandwiched between the mounting base 30 and the transparent member 50. The central non-fixed portion 24a is a portion in which a large gap exists between the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 due to the content 25 being enclosed therein. Therefore, by comparing and contrasting the central non-fixed portion 24a with the large gap, it becomes easier to inspect whether or not a gap exists in the sealed portion 23 due to the inclusion of a foreign object, folding, wrinkles, or the like.

[0037] As shown in Fig. 10, the transparent member 50 is placed on the package 20 so as to overlap at least a part of the sealed portion 23 and at least a part of the end non-fixed portion 24b, and the camera 70 preferably captures an image of the sealed portion 23 and the end non-fixed portion 24b sandwiched between the mounting base 30 and the transparent member 50. For example, by the camera 70 capturing an image of the line G or area H in Fig. 10, it is possible to capture an image of both the sealed portion 23 and the end non-fixed portion 24b sandwiched between the mounting base 30 and the transparent member 50. Since the contents 25 are not enclosed in the end non-fixed portion 24b, by comparing and contrasting the end non-fixed portion 24b that is not influenced by the contents 25 and in which a gap is formed between the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22, it becomes easier to inspect whether a gap is generated in the sealed portion 23 due to a foreign object being caught, folding, wrinkles, or the like.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 11, the transparent member 50 is placed on the package 20 so as to overlap at least a part of the sealed portion 23, at least a part of the central non-fixed portion 24a, and at least a part of the end non-fixed portion 24b, and the camera 70 preferably captures an image of the sealed portion 23, the central non-fixed portion 24a, and / or the end non-fixed portion 24b sandwiched between the mounting base 30 and the transparent member 50. For example, the camera 70 captures an image of the line J or area K in Fig. 11, so that the sealed portion 23, the central non-fixed portion 24a, and / or the end non-fixed portion 24b sandwiched between the mounting base 30 and the transparent member 50 can be captured. More preferably, the camera 70 captures an image of the sealed portion 23, the central non-fixed portion 24a, and the end non-fixed portion 24b sandwiched between the mounting base 30 and the transparent member 50. Since the central non-fixed portion 24a is a portion in which the gap between the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22 is large due to the contents 25 being enclosed therein, and the end non-fixed portion 24b is a portion in which the contents 25 is not enclosed therein, it becomes easier to inspect whether or not gaps have occurred in the sealed portion 23 due to foreign matter being caught, folding, wrinkles, etc., by comparing and contrasting the central non-fixed portion 24a with the large gap and the end non-fixed portion 24b which is not affected by the contents 25 and in which a gap has been formed between the first sheet portion 21 and the second sheet portion 22. In FIG. 11, the transparent member 50 is placed at an angle to the extending direction of the sealed portion 23, but the direction in which the transparent member 50 is placed is not particularly limited, and the transparent member 50 may be placed on the package 20 so that the longitudinal direction of the transparent member 50 is parallel to the extending direction of the sealed portion 23 and overlaps at least a part of the sealed portion 23, at least a part of the central non-fixed portion 24a, and at least a part of the end non-fixed portion 24b.

[0039] 4, the transparent member 50 is preferably placed on the package 20 so as to overlap the entire seal portion 23. This allows the entire seal portion 23 to be inspected at once without moving the transparent member 50.

[0040] Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 12, the transparent member 50 may be placed on the packaging body 20 so as to overlap a portion of the sealed portion 23. In the example of Fig. 12, the transparent member 50 is not disposed in the portion where the sealed portion 23 and the fixing portion 20b overlap. This example is not limited to this, and the transparent member 50 may be placed on the packaging body 20 so as to overlap a portion of the sealed portion 23 at any position. Even if the transparent member 50 overlaps only a portion of the sealed portion 23, the entire sealed portion 23 can be inspected by moving the packaging body 20 and / or the transparent member 50 in the extension direction of the sealed portion 23.

[0041] 4, in the extension direction of the sealing portion 23, the length of the transparent member 50 is preferably longer than the length of the sealing portion 23. This makes it easier to inspect the entire sealing portion 23, and even the end portion of the sealing portion 23, such as the portion where the sealing portion 23 and the fixing portion 20b overlap, can be inspected.

[0042] The camera 70 preferably has an imaging element that detects visible light. The configuration of the camera 70 is not particularly limited, and may be either an area scan camera or a line scan camera. The camera 70 is preferably a line scan camera.

[0043] When the camera 70 is a line scan camera, it is possible to obtain image data of the entire seal part 23 by scanning a line perpendicular to the extension direction of the seal part 23, for example, line C in FIG. 4, line E in FIG. 9, line G in FIG. 10, and line J in FIG. 11, in the extension direction. In the case of an area scan camera, the amount of image data increases because parts other than the inspection target are also imaged. However, in the case of a line scan camera, it is possible to easily obtain image data limited to the inspection target by scanning the image data of the line. This makes it easy to obtain information on the entire seal part 23 to be inspected without increasing the amount of image data too much. The number of pixels per line can be 500 pixels or more, 1000 pixels or more, 2000 pixels or more, 4000 pixels or more, and 16000 pixels or less, 10000 pixels or less, 8000 pixels or less, etc.

[0044] The present invention also provides an inspection device 10 for the package 20. The inspection device 10 will be described below, but parts that overlap with the description of the above-mentioned inspection method will be omitted.

[0045] As shown in Figure 13, the inspection device 10 is an apparatus for inspecting a packaging body 20, and includes a mounting table 30 on which the packaging body 20 is placed, a supply section 51 for placing a transparent member 50 on the packaging body 20 so as to overlap at least a portion of the sealed portion 23 and the non-fixed portion 24, and a camera 70 for capturing an image of the sealed portion 23 and the non-fixed portion 24 sandwiched between the mounting table 30 and the transparent member 50.

[0046] The supply unit 51 preferably has an arm 51a that holds the transparent member 50. This allows the arm 51a to hold and move the transparent member 50, making it easier for the supply unit 51 to place the transparent member 50 on the packaging body 20.

[0047] Although not shown, the inspection device 10 may have a movement mechanism for moving the mounting table 30. The movement mechanism preferably moves the mounting table 30 so as to transport the package 20 placed on the mounting table 30 in the extending direction of the seal portion 23. This allows the imaging position to be scanned while the camera 70 is fixed, making it easy to inspect the entire seal portion 23 with stable imaging by the camera 70.

[0048] The inspection device 10 may further include a lighting device, which makes the image captured by the camera 70 clearer, making it easier to check the airtight state of the package 20.

[0049] The inspection device 10 preferably further includes a processing unit including a computer that processes image data obtained by imaging with the camera 70. The processing unit makes it easier to determine whether or not there is a defect. 2Defective products can be detected by storing in the processing unit as failures cases where there are any of the above foreign objects, pinholes with a diameter of 0.1 mm or more, wrinkles or gaps with a width of 0.1 mm or more, pinching or folding that accounts for 50% or more of the width of the seal portion 23, or where the width of the seal portion 23 is less than 10 mm, for example. [Explanation of symbols]

[0050] 10: Inspection equipment 20: Packaging 20b: Fixed part 21: First seat section 22: Second sheet section 23: Seal part 24: Non-fixed part 24a: Central unfixed part 24b: End non-fixed part 25:Contents 30:Placement table 50: Transparent material 50a: Opening in transparent member 51: Supply section 51a: Arm 70: Camera

Claims

1. A step of preparing a package having a first sheet portion, a second sheet portion facing the first sheet portion, a sealed portion where the first sheet portion and the second sheet portion are fixed to each other, and a non-fixed portion where the first sheet portion and the second sheet portion are not fixed to each other, the package having contents sealed in a part of the non-fixed portion; placing the package on a placement table; placing a transparent member on the packaging body so as to overlap at least a portion of the sealed portion and at least a portion of the non-fixed portion; and capturing an image of the seal portion and the non-fixed portion sandwiched between the mounting base and the transparent member with a camera.

2. The inspection method according to claim 1 , wherein the transparent member is placed on the package so as not to overlap the contents.

3. The inspection method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the package has a central non-fixed portion in which the contents are sealed on one side of the sealed portion, and an end non-fixed portion in which the contents are not sealed on the other side of the sealed portion.

4. The inspection method according to claim 3, wherein the transparent member is placed on the packaging body so as to overlap at least a portion of the sealed portion and at least a portion of the central non-fixed portion, and the camera images the sealed portion and the central non-fixed portion sandwiched between the placement stand and the transparent member.

5. The inspection method according to claim 3, wherein the transparent member is placed on the packaging body so as to overlap at least a portion of the sealed portion and at least a portion of the non-fixed end portion, and the camera images the sealed portion and the non-fixed end portion sandwiched between the placement stand and the transparent member.

6. The inspection method according to claim 3, wherein the transparent member is placed on the packaging body so as to overlap at least a portion of the sealed portion, at least a portion of the central non-fixed portion, and at least a portion of the end non-fixed portion, and the camera images the sealed portion and the central non-fixed portion and / or the end non-fixed portion sandwiched between the placement table and the transparent member.

7. The inspection method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the transparent member is placed on the package so as to overlap the entire seal portion.

8. The inspection method according to claim 7 , wherein the length of the transparent member in the extending direction of the seal portion is longer than the length of the seal portion.

9. The inspection method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the camera is a line scan camera.

10. An inspection device for a package having a first sheet portion, a second sheet portion opposite the first sheet portion, a sealed portion where the first sheet portion and the second sheet portion are fixed to each other, and a non-fixed portion where the first sheet portion and the second sheet portion are not fixed to each other, the package having contents sealed in a portion of the non-fixed portion, A placement table on which the package is placed; a supply unit that places a transparent member on the packaging body so that the sealed portion and the non-fixed portion at least partially overlap each other; An inspection device having the mounting table and a camera that images the seal portion and the non-fixed portion sandwiched between the transparent member.

11. The inspection device according to claim 10, wherein the package has a central non-fixed portion in which the contents are sealed on one side of the sealed portion, and an end non-fixed portion in which the contents are not sealed on the other side of the sealed portion.

12. The inspection device according to claim 10 or 11, wherein a length of the transparent member in an extending direction of the seal portion is longer than a length of the seal portion.

13. 12. The inspection apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the camera is a line scan camera.

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