Inspection device and inspection method

Abstract

To provide an inspection device with which it is possible to easily correct the attitude of an analyte.SOLUTION: An inspection device 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure inspects an analyte P for defects that can be bent in the thickness direction while conveying the analyte P in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction. The inspection device 10 comprises an inspection unit 20 for inspecting the analyte P, and a guide unit 30 for guiding the analyte P to the inspection unit 20 in a passage A in which the analyte P is conveyed. The inspection unit 20 includes a first wall 21 and a second wall 22 facing each other across an inspection space S where the analyte P is inspected, and the guide unit 30 includes an attitude correction structure 1 for narrowing the width of the passage A toward the inspection space S and placing the analyte P into a flat state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an inspection apparatus and an inspection method. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art There is known an inspection device in which an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver are arranged opposite each other across an inspection space, and which inspects for defects in an object transported to the inspection space (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2023-15965 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes a configuration in which the ultrasonic transmission unit and the ultrasonic reception unit each have a contact unit formed in a quadrangular pyramid-shaped cylinder on the surface facing the examination space. Patent Document 1 describes that when the subject contacts the contact unit, the ultrasonic transmission unit and the ultrasonic reception unit slide together in a direction perpendicular to the subject's transport direction, thereby maintaining the relative positional relationship between the ultrasonic transmission unit and the ultrasonic reception unit and the subject.

[0005] When a test object such as a pouch is transported in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, it is desired that the test object be held in the testing space without being bent or warped. However, according to the configuration described in Patent Document 1, if the test object is deformed, such as bent or warped, before being introduced into the contact section, it may be difficult to correct the deformation.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in light of the above circumstances, and an object of one aspect of the present disclosure is to provide an examination device that can easily correct the posture of a subject. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) An inspection apparatus according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is an inspection apparatus that inspects an object, which may be bent in its thickness direction, for defects while transporting the object in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, the inspection apparatus including an inspection section that inspects the object and a guide section that guides the object to the inspection section in a passage through which the object is transported, the inspection section having a first wall and a second wall that face each other across an inspection space in which the object is inspected, and the guide section having a posture correction structure that narrows the width of the passage toward the inspection space and flattens the object.

[0008] (2) An inspection apparatus according to another aspect of the present disclosure is an inspection apparatus that inspects an inspection object, which may be bent in the thickness direction, while transporting the inspection object in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, and includes an inspection unit that inspects the inspection object and a guide unit that guides the inspection object to the inspection unit in a passage through which the inspection object is transported, wherein the inspection unit has a first wall and a second wall that face each other across an inspection space in which the inspection object is inspected, and the guide unit has a first inclined surface that gradually reduces the width of the passage toward the inspection space and a second inclined surface that gradually increases in height toward the inspection space.

[0009] (3) In (2) above, the guide portion may have a first member and a second member opposing each other across the passage, and the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface may be provided on at least one of the first member and the second member, respectively.

[0010] (4) In the configuration (3) above, the first member and the second member may have the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface, respectively.

[0011] (5) In the above (3) or (4), the first member may be connected to the first wall, and the second member may be connected to the second wall.

[0012] (6) In any one of (2) to (5) above, the angle at which the width of the passage is gradually reduced by the first inclined surface may be 70° or less.

[0013] (7) In any one of (2) to (6) above, the second inclined surface may have an increasing angle of height of 70° or less.

[0014] (8) In any of (2) to (7), a transport mechanism is provided for transporting the specimen to the examination space, the transport mechanism having a holding section for holding the specimen, and the holding section may hold the specimen outside the second inclined surface in the height direction of the passage.

[0015] (9) In any one of (2) to (8) above, the inspection unit may be configured to inspect a portion of the subject that has passed through the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface.

[0016] (10) In any one of (1) to (9) above, the inspection unit may have an ultrasonic transmission unit disposed on the first wall and an ultrasonic reception unit disposed on the second wall.

[0017] (11) An inspection method according to another aspect of the present disclosure includes transporting an object, which may bend in its thickness direction, in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, narrowing the width of the object's passage while flattening the object, and inspecting the object for defects.

[0018] In this disclosure, the "width" of the passage means the length in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the specimen is transported and parallel to the thickness direction of the specimen. The "height direction of the passage" means a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the passage and perpendicular to the width. The "thickness direction" means the thickness direction when it is assumed that the specimen does not have any bends or warping. The term "height" simply means the height along the height direction of the passage. "Transporting the specimen in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction" is not limited to a configuration in which the specimen is moved straight in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, and includes, for example, a configuration in which the transport path is curved in the thickness direction of the specimen with respect to the straight direction. "Gradual decrease" includes a configuration in which the decrease rate is not constant or a configuration in which the decrease occurs in stages. "Gradual increase" includes a configuration in which the increase rate is not constant or a configuration in which the increase rate increases in stages. The "inclined surface" may be inclined in one direction as a whole, and includes a configuration in which a part of it is not inclined and a configuration in which the inclination rate changes. The "gradual decrease angle" means an angle based on an approximate plane of the first inclined surface when the first inclined surface is not a flat surface. Moreover, the "gradually increasing angle" means an angle based on an approximate plane of the second inclined surface when the second inclined surface is other than a plane. These approximate planes can be specified, for example, by the least squares method. The "outside of the second inclined surface in the height direction of the passage" means the outside when the member (e.g., the first member and the second member) having the second inclined surface is used as a reference, and the side on which the second inclined surface is located in the height direction of the passage is defined as the inside, and the opposite side is defined as the outside. The "inspecting the portion that has passed through the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface" means inspecting the portion that may come into contact with the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface when the subject passes through the guide section. Effect of the Invention

[0019] An inspection device according to one aspect of the present disclosure can easily and appropriately inspect the inspection object for defects by correcting the posture of the inspection object. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an inspection device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the inspection device of FIG. 1 excluding the top plate. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the inspection device of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view of a guide portion in the inspection device of FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing a procedure for correcting the posture of a subject by the guide unit of the inspection apparatus of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic front view showing a procedure for correcting the posture of a subject by the guide unit of the inspection apparatus of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic side view for explaining the procedure for inspecting a subject in the inspection apparatus of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a transport path for a test object in the inspection apparatus of FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating an inspection method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a guide portion according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing a guide portion different from that in FIG. 10 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. It is possible to adopt only one of the upper limit value and the lower limit value described in the present specification, or to arbitrarily combine the upper limit value and the lower limit value. In this specification, it is assumed that all combinable numerical ranges are described as suitable ranges. In addition, each figure is a schematic diagram and may not match the actual dimensions, ratios, etc. In this disclosure, the descriptions "first" and "second" are intended to distinguish the components to which they are attached, and do not limit the number, order, priority, etc.

[0022] [First embodiment] <Inspection equipment> 1 to 3 inspects the inspected object P for defects while transporting the inspected object P, which may be bent in the thickness direction, in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction. The inspection device 10 includes an inspection section 20 that inspects the inspected object P, and a guide section 30 that guides the inspected object P to the inspection section 20 in an aisle A through which the inspected object P is transported. The inspection section 20 has a first wall 21 and a second wall 22 that face each other across an inspection space S in which the inspected object P is inspected. That is, the inspection section 20 includes the first wall 21, the second wall 22, and the inspection space S. The guide section 30 has a posture correction structure 1 that narrows the width of the aisle A (the length in the Y direction in FIGS. 1 to 3) toward the inspection space S and puts the inspected object P in a flat state.

[0023] In the inspection device 10, the specimen P is transported to the inspection space S so that the first wall 21 and the second wall 22 are located on both outer sides in the thickness direction. The inspection device 10 inspects the specimen P that has reached the inspection space S for defects using the inspection unit 20. The inspection device 10 has a posture correction structure 1 that narrows the width of the passage A toward the inspection space S and flattens the specimen P, so that the first correction that guides the specimen P to the inspection space S in the width direction of the passage A and the second correction that improves bending or warping of the specimen P in the height direction of the passage A (Z direction in Figs. 1 to 3) can be performed simultaneously or in conjunction with each other as a series of operations. The inspection device 10 can correct the posture of the specimen P using the posture correction structure 1 and transport the specimen P to the inspection space S in the corrected posture, so that the specimen P can be easily and appropriately inspected for defects.

[0024] In the inspection device 10, the guide portion 30 has a first inclined surface 31 that gradually reduces the width of the passage A toward the inspection space S, and a second inclined surface 32 that gradually increases in height toward the inspection space S.

[0025] The guide unit 30 has a first inclined surface 31, and thus can guide the specimen P to the inspection space S in the width direction of the passage A. The guide unit 30 has a second inclined surface 32, and thus can make the specimen P stand up in the height direction of the passage A. Therefore, the inspection device 10 can perform a first correction for guiding the specimen P to the inspection space S in the width direction of the passage A and a second correction for improving the bending or warping of the specimen P in the height direction of the passage A, simultaneously or in conjunction with each other, as a series of operations. The inspection device 10 can correct the posture of the specimen P by the guide unit 30 and transport the specimen P to the inspection space S in the corrected posture, and therefore can easily and appropriately inspect the specimen P for defects.

[0026] The guide unit 30 is provided so as to be able to raise the subject P in the height direction of the passage A. In other words, the guide unit 30 is provided so as to be able to bring the subject P into a state of extending in the height direction of the passage A.

[0027] [Subject] The specimen P is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a bag having a sealed portion. The bag may be, for example, a pouch having a heat-sealed portion. When the specimen P is a pouch, the inspection device 10 may be used as a device for inspecting defects such as defective seals in the heat-sealed portion. Note that the inspection target by the inspection device 10 is not limited to defective seals. The inspection device 10 may be, for example, a device for inspecting the presence or absence of air bubbles in the specimen P, or may be a device for inspecting both defective seals and the presence or absence of air bubbles.

[0028] (Inspection Department) The inspection unit 20 is configured to be able to inspect defects in the subject P by, for example, sound waves such as ultrasound, electromagnetic waves such as X-rays, infrared rays, and near-infrared rays, image acquisition, magnetic resonance, and the like. In particular, the inspection unit 20 is preferably configured to inspect by ultrasound from the viewpoint of easily suppressing erroneous inspections caused by inspection conditions such as the outside air, and the appearance and material of the subject P. Furthermore, when the inspection unit 20 is configured to inspect by ultrasound, it is desirable that the width of the inspection space S is small from the viewpoint of increasing the inspection accuracy. With this configuration, the guide unit 30 has a remarkable effect of correcting the posture of the subject P. Note that, hereinafter, a case where the inspection unit 20 inspects by ultrasound will be described as an example.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the inspection section 20 has an ultrasonic transmission section 23 arranged on the first wall 21 and an ultrasonic reception section 24 arranged on the second wall 22. The ultrasonic transmission section 23 and the ultrasonic reception section 24 face each other across the inspection space S. The ultrasonic transmission section 23 may be arranged on the outer surface of the first wall 21 (the surface facing the second wall 22), or on the inner surface of the first wall 21 (the surface opposite to the side facing the second wall 22), or may be embedded in the first wall 21. When the ultrasonic transmission device 23 is arranged on the inner surface of the first wall 21 or embedded in the first wall 21, an opening for exposing the ultrasonic transmission section 23 toward the inspection space S may be provided in the first wall 21. The ultrasonic receiving unit 24 may be disposed on an outer surface of the second wall 22 (a surface facing the first wall 21), or on an inner surface of the second wall 22 (a surface opposite to the side facing the first wall 21), or may be embedded in the second wall 22. When the ultrasonic receiving unit 24 is disposed on the inner surface of the second wall 22 or embedded in the second wall 22, the second wall 22 may be provided with an opening for exposing the ultrasonic receiving unit 24 toward the examination space S. Note that "disposed on the first wall 21 (or the second wall 22)" includes a configuration in which the ultrasonic receiving unit 24 is directly disposed on the first wall 21 (or the second wall 22) as well as a configuration in which the ultrasonic receiving unit 24 is indirectly disposed via another member.

[0030] In the inspection device 10, the ultrasonic transmission unit 23 is disposed on the first wall 21, and the ultrasonic reception unit 24 is disposed on the second wall 22, so that it is easy to reduce the distance between the ultrasonic transmission unit 23 and the ultrasonic reception unit 24. Furthermore, since the inspection device 10 can correct the posture of the subject P by the guide unit 30, it is possible to reduce the distance D between the first wall 21 and the second wall 22 (i.e., the width of the inspection space S). Therefore, the inspection device 10 can easily improve the inspection accuracy by the inspection unit 20.

[0031] The ultrasonic transmission unit 23 includes, for example, a plurality of piezoelectric elements aligned in the height direction (Z direction in Figs. 1 to 3) of the first wall 21. The ultrasonic transmission unit 23 is configured to be able to transmit ultrasonic waves based on the vibration of these piezoelectric elements. The ultrasonic reception unit 24 includes, for example, a plurality of piezoelectric elements aligned in the height direction (Z direction in Figs. 1 to 3) of the second wall 22. The ultrasonic reception unit 24 is configured to be able to detect reception of ultrasonic waves based on the vibration of these piezoelectric elements.

[0032] The first wall 21 and the second wall 22 extend in the up-down direction, preferably in the vertical direction. The first wall 21 and the second wall 22 face each other in the left-right direction, preferably in the horizontal direction. That is, in the inspection device 10, it is preferable that the subject P is transported to the inspection space S in a state where it is extended in the vertical direction. With this configuration, the guide unit 30 in the inspection device 10 significantly corrects the posture of the subject P. Note that the surface of one or both of the first wall 21 and the second wall 22 facing the inspection space S may be a flat surface or a curved surface that curves along the transport path of the subject P.

[0033] The inspection device 10 may be configured to be able to adjust the distance D between the first wall 21 and the second wall 22. For example, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the inspection device 10 may include a top plate 11 disposed above the first wall 21 and the second wall 22, and a support plate 12 fixed to the top plate 11 and supporting the first wall 21 from the opposite side of the second wall 22 so that the first wall 21 can be advanced and retreated. The inspection device 10 may also include a mechanism for adjusting the second wall 22 so that the second wall 22 can be advanced and retreated in a direction facing the first wall 21. With this configuration, the distance D between the first wall 21 and the second wall 22 can be adjusted according to the thickness of the specimen P.

[0034] As described above, the distance D between the first wall 21 and the second wall 22 can be set according to the thickness of the subject P, and the lower limit thereof may be 0.5 mm, 1.0 mm, or 1.5 mm from the viewpoint of allowing the subject P to easily pass through the examination space S. On the other hand, the upper limit of the distance D may be 15 mm, 10 mm, 5 mm, or 3 mm from the viewpoint of improving the accuracy of the examination using ultrasonic waves.

[0035] (Guide section) The guide unit 30 has a first member 30a and a second member 30b facing each other across the passage A. In the inspection device 10, the subject P passes between the first member 30a and the second member 30b so that the thickness direction is parallel to the facing direction of the first member 30a and the second member 30b. The guide unit 30 may have a member other than the first member 30a and the second member 30b, but may be composed of the first member 30a and the second member 30b. The first member 30a and the second member 30b correct the posture of the subject P by contacting the subject P passing between them. In other words, the first member 30a and the second member 30b do not move by themselves by contacting the subject P, but are fixed on both sides of the passage A so as to correct the posture of the subject P. The first member 30a and the second member 30b are arranged at a predetermined interval so as to come into contact with a deformed portion such as a bent portion or a bent portion of the subject P passing between them, and to guide the subject P into the examination space S. The deformed portion of the subject P advances through the passage A while coming into contact with both or either of the first member 30a and the second member 30b. In the process, the subject P rises in the height direction of the passage A based on the surface shapes of the first member 30a and the second member 30b (specifically, the first inclined surface 31 and the second inclined surface 32), and is guided into the examination space S in an upright state with any bending or bending corrected.

[0036] The guide unit 30 functions as a posture correction structure 1 that narrows the width of the passage A and straightens the bends or warping of the subject P to make the subject P flat. That is, in the present disclosure, the "posture correction structure" is a structure for guiding the subject P to the examination space S in a state in which the subject P extends in the height direction of the passage A so that the subject P can be easily examined by the examination unit 20, in other words, a structure for straightening out the bent or warped parts of the subject P and the parts connected to these parts. The "posture correction structure" only needs to be provided so as to act on the subject P that needs to be corrected. Hereinafter, a specific configuration of the guide unit 30 will be described with reference to Figs. 4 to 7.

[0037] 4, in this embodiment, the first member 30a and the second member 30b respectively have a first inclined surface 31 and a second inclined surface 32. Since the guide unit 30 is configured in this manner, it is easy to adapt to irregular bending or bending of the subject P.

[0038] The first inclined surface 31 and the second inclined surface 32 are provided continuously in the width direction of the passage A. The first inclined surface 31 and the second inclined surface 32 preferably have a common side edge extending along the transport direction of the specimen P. This configuration makes it easy to simultaneously perform the first correction of guiding the specimen P to the examination space S in the width direction of the passage A and the second correction of improving bending or warping of the specimen P in the height direction of the passage A.

[0039] The first inclined surface 31 is, for example, triangular. The first inclined surface 31 widens toward the downstream side in the transport direction of the subject P (positive direction of the X direction in FIG. 4). The first inclined surface 31 may have a flat portion parallel to the height direction of the passage A (Z direction in FIG. 4). This flat portion narrows the width of the passage A, which is constant in the height direction, on the downstream side in the transport direction of the subject P. This flat portion is preferably formed over the entire length of the first inclined surface 31 in the transport direction of the subject P. In addition, the first inclined surface 31 may be entirely flat, and in this case, as shown in FIG. 5, the entire first inclined surface 31 may be configured as the flat portion.

[0040] 5, the first inclined surface 31 guides the specimen P to the examination space S in the width direction of the passage A. The first inclined surface 31 makes contact with, for example, a portion of the specimen P that is conveyed displaced in the width direction of the passage A with respect to the examination space S, thereby sliding this portion toward the examination space S. For this reason, it is preferable that the rear end edge of the first inclined surface 31 in the conveying direction of the specimen P is connected to the inner surface of the first wall 21 or the second wall 22.

[0041] The first inclined surface 31 provided on the first member 30a and the first inclined surface 31 provided on the second member 30b may be configured symmetrically with respect to an imaginary plane that passes through the center of the passage A and is perpendicular to the width direction of the passage A. On the other hand, these first inclined surfaces 31 may be configured asymmetrically with respect to the imaginary plane.

[0042] The lower limit of the tapered angle α (see FIG. 5) of the width of the passage A by the first inclined surface 31 is preferably 5° from the viewpoint of smoothly guiding the specimen P to the examination space S. The lower limit of the tapered angle α may be 10°, 20°, or 30° from the viewpoint of preventing the guide section 30 from becoming too long in the transport direction of the specimen P and from the viewpoint of sufficiently allowing the positional deviation of the specimen P in the width direction of the passage A. On the other hand, the upper limit of the tapered angle α is preferably 70°, and more preferably 60° from the viewpoint of allowing the specimen P to slide easily. When the first inclined surface 31 provided on the first member 30a and the first inclined surface 31 provided on the second member 30b are asymmetric with respect to the virtual plane, the tapered angle α of only one of the first inclined surfaces 31 may be within the range, but it is preferable that the tapered angles α of both first inclined surfaces 31 are within the range.

[0043] The second inclined surface 32 has an inner edge (side edge adjacent to the passage A) approaching the widthwise center of the passage A in the transport direction of the subject P, and the height gradually increases toward the examination space S. The second inclined surface 32 is, for example, triangular. The second inclined surface 32 widens toward the downstream side in the transport direction of the subject P. The second inclined surface 32 may have a flat portion that is not inclined with respect to the width direction (Y direction in FIG. 4) of the passage A. This flat portion determines the height of the passage A above the guide unit 30. This flat portion makes the height of the passage A constant in the width direction and higher toward the downstream side in the transport direction of the subject P. This flat portion is preferably formed over the entire length of the second inclined surface 32 in the transport direction of the subject P. The second inclined surface 32 may be entirely flat, and in this case, the entire second inclined surface 32 may be configured as the flat portion.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 6, the second inclined surface 32 cooperates with the first inclined surface 31 to improve the folding or bending of the specimen P in the height direction of the passage A. Since the specimen P can bend in the thickness direction, folding or bending may occur when the specimen P reaches the guide section 30. For example, when the specimen P is a pouch having a heat-sealed portion, the heat-sealed portion may be distorted by heat. This distortion may appear as a V-shaped folded portion B (including a shape in which the folded portion is curved) as shown in FIG. 6. Even when the specimen P has such a folded portion B, the second inclined surface 32 can guide the specimen P to the examination space S after correcting its posture. Specifically, when the folded portion B reaches the guide section 30, the mountain side portion (the portion that protrudes convexly) first comes into contact with the first inclined surface 31 and is pressed. Furthermore, by pressing the bent portion B from the mountain side, the end E of the specimen P located above the bent portion B rides up onto the second inclined surface 32 and rises up along the second inclined surface 32 by sliding against the second inclined surface 32. As a result, the specimen P is guided to the examination space S in a state of being stretched in the height direction of the passage A. In addition, in the examination device 10, it is preferable that the specimen P is held outside the second inclined surface 32 in the height direction of the passage A so that the specimen P can easily rise up in the height direction of the passage A. Furthermore, it is preferable that the specimen P is not held anywhere other than the outside of the second inclined surface 32 in the height direction of the passage A. In other words, it is preferable that the end E of the specimen P is a free end.

[0045] The second inclined surface 32 provided on the first member 30a and the second inclined surface 32 provided on the second member 30b may be configured symmetrically with respect to an imaginary plane that passes through the center of the passage A and is perpendicular to the width direction of the passage A. On the other hand, these second inclined surfaces 32 may be configured asymmetrically with respect to the imaginary plane.

[0046] The second inclined surface 32 is inclined from the bottom to the top along the transport direction of the subject P. The lower limit of the gradual increase angle β (see FIG. 7) of the height of the second inclined surface 32 is preferably 5° from the viewpoint of smoothly guiding the subject P to the examination space S. The lower limit of the gradual increase angle β may be 10°, 20°, or 30° from the viewpoint of preventing the guide unit 30 from becoming too long in the transport direction of the subject P and from the viewpoint of sufficiently allowing the positional deviation of the subject P in the height direction of the passage A. On the other hand, the upper limit of the gradual increase angle β is preferably 70°, and more preferably 60° from the viewpoint of easily sliding the subject P. When the second inclined surface 32 provided on the first member 30a and the second inclined surface 32 provided on the second member 30b are asymmetric with respect to the virtual plane, the gradual increase angle β of only one of the second inclined surfaces 32 may be within the range, but it is preferable that the gradual increase angles β of both of the second inclined surfaces 32 are within the range.

[0047] The first inclined surface 31 and the second inclined surface 32 also have a function of aligning the inspection target portion of the specimen P with respect to the inspection section 20 in the height direction of the passage A. That is, the specimen P is flattened by the first inclined surface 31 and the second inclined surface 32, so that the specimen P approaches the specified dimensions. As a result, the inspection target portion can be automatically aligned with the inspection section 20.

[0048] 4 to 7, the first member 30a is connected to the first wall 21, and the second member 30b is connected to the second wall 22. The inspection device 10 is provided such that the first member 30a and the first wall 21 are continuous in this order, and the second member 30b and the second wall 22 are continuous in this order, in the transport direction of the subject P. With this configuration, the subject P can be easily and reliably inspected by the inspection section 20 while maintaining the posture corrected by the guide section 30.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 7, the inspection section 20 is provided to inspect the portion of the specimen P that has passed through the first inclined surface 31 and the second inclined surface 32. In FIG. 7, the specimen P is a pouch, and the heat-sealed portion 100 is the portion to be inspected. The inspection device 10 is configured to correct the posture of the heat-sealed portion 100 using the first inclined surface 31 and the second inclined surface 32, and then inspect the heat-sealed portion 100 for defects using the inspection section 20. With this configuration, it is possible to easily correct any folds or warping, etc., that may have occurred during the manufacturing process of the specimen P, and then easily and reliably inspect the specimen P using the inspection section 20.

[0050] (Transport mechanism) As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the inspection device 10 includes a transport mechanism 40 that transports the specimen P to the inspection space S. The transport mechanism 40 includes a holder 41 that holds the specimen P. The holder 41 moves along the passage A while keeping its position in the height direction of the passage A constant. The holder 41 transports the specimen P so that it passes through the passage A and the inspection space S. The holder 41 transports the specimen P so that a bendable portion of the specimen P is at a height at which it can be pressed against the first inclined surface 31. The holder 41 transports the specimen P so that a portion of the specimen P on the free end side of the bendable portion is at a height at which it can be lifted up onto the second inclined surface 32. The holder 41 holds the specimen P outside the second inclined surface 32 in the height direction of the passage A. It is preferable that the holder 41 holds the specimen P at a position away from the guide unit 30 in the height direction of the passage A. With this configuration, the subject P is easily stretched to the side opposite to the side held by the holding part 41 by sliding on the first inclined surface 31 and the second inclined surface 32. As a result, the posture of the subject P can be corrected more easily and reliably.

[0051] The transport path of the specimen P by the transport mechanism 40 is not particularly limited. For example, the transport mechanism 40 may transport the specimen P in a straight line. Alternatively, the transport mechanism 40 may transport the specimen P in an arc, as shown in FIG. 8. When the transport mechanism 40 transports the specimen P in an arc, the holder 41 may hold each specimen P in a straight line, or may hold each specimen P in an arc in accordance with the transport path.

[0052] <Testing method> An inspection method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 9. In the inspection method, an inspection object that may be bent in the thickness direction is transported in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction (transportation step S1), the width of the passage of the inspection object is narrowed while the inspection object is made flat (posture correction step S2), and the inspection object is inspected for defects (inspection step S3).

[0053] Since this inspection method narrows the width of the passage and flattens the specimen, a first correction for guiding the specimen in the width direction of the passage to an inspection space where an inspection step S3 is performed and a second correction for improving bending or warping of the specimen in the height direction of the passage can be performed simultaneously or in conjunction with each other as a series of operations. This inspection method corrects the posture of the specimen in the posture correction step S2 and inspects the specimen in the corrected posture in the inspection step S3, thereby making it possible to easily and appropriately inspect the specimen for defects.

[0054] This inspection method can be performed using the inspection device 10 of Fig. 1. Below, each step of the inspection method will be described using the inspection device 10 of Fig. 1 as an example.

[0055] (Transportation process S1) In the transport step S1, the subject P is transported by the transport mechanism 40. In the transport step S1, the subject P is transported through the passage A and the inspection space S while being held by the holder 41. The holder 41 transports the subject P while keeping its position constant in the height direction of the passage A. The holder 41 holds the subject P at a position outside the second inclined surface 32, preferably away from the guide unit 30, in the height direction of the passage A so that the posture of the free end side of the subject P can be corrected in the posture correction step S2.

[0056] (Posture correction process S2) In the posture correction step S2, the posture of the subject P is corrected by the guide unit 30. In the posture correction step S2, the subject P is guided to the examination space S in the width direction of the passage A by the first inclined surface 31. More specifically, a portion of the subject P that is conveyed in a displaced manner in the width direction of the passage A relative to the examination space S is brought into contact with the first inclined surface 31, so that this portion slides toward the examination space S. In addition, in the posture correction step S2, the second inclined surface 32 and the first inclined surface 31 are linked to each other to improve folding and bending of the subject P in the height direction of the passage A. More specifically, first, the bent portion of the subject P is pressed by contact with the first inclined surface 31. Then, a portion of the subject P that is on the free end side of the contact portion with the first inclined surface 31 is made to ride up onto the second inclined surface 32, and is made to stand up along the second inclined surface 32 by sliding against the second inclined surface 32.

[0057] The subject P, whose posture has been corrected in the posture correction step S2, is transported to the examination space S by the transport mechanism 40 while maintaining the posture corrected.

[0058] (Inspection process S3) In the inspection process S3, the inspection unit 20 inspects the inspection object P for defects. In the inspection process S3, the inspection object P is inspected after being transported to the inspection space S in a state of extending in the height direction of the passage A. In the inspection process S3, the inspection object P can be inspected for defects by, for example, sound waves such as ultrasound, electromagnetic waves such as X-rays, infrared rays, and near-infrared rays, image acquisition, magnetic resonance, etc. Among them, it is preferable to inspect by ultrasound from the viewpoint of easily suppressing erroneous inspections due to inspection conditions such as the outside air, and the appearance and material of the inspection object P.

[0059] [Other embodiments] The above-described embodiments do not limit the configuration of the present invention. Therefore, the above-described embodiments may include omissions, substitutions, or additions of components of each part of the embodiments based on the description in this specification and common technical knowledge, and all of these should be interpreted as falling within the scope of the present invention.

[0060] In the inspection device, the configuration of the guide unit is not limited to the configuration described in the embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, when the guide unit 50 has a first member 50a and a second member 50b facing each other across a passage A, the first inclined surface 51 and the second inclined surface 52 may be provided on at least one of the first member 50a and the second member 50b. In FIG. 10, the first inclined surface 51 is provided on both the first member 50a and the second member 50b, and the second inclined surface 52 is provided only on the first member 50a. Even with such a configuration, the inspection device can correct the posture of the subject. For example, in a case where the bending direction of the subject can be predicted, it is also possible to provide either or both of the first inclined surface 51 and the second inclined surface 52 on only one of the first member 50a and the second member 50b.

[0061] The guide section may have a surface other than the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface. The first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are not limited to a flat surface, and may be a curved surface, or may include both a flat surface and a curved surface. FIG. 11 illustrates a configuration in which the first inclined surface 61 and the second inclined surface 62 are curved surfaces. The inspection device can correct the posture of the subject even with such a configuration. In FIG. 11, the first inclined surface 61 and the second inclined surface 62 are continuously arranged so as to have a common side edge. The guide section may be configured such that the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are integrated using a part of a spherical surface, and the present invention does not intend to exclude this configuration. However, from the viewpoint of effectively achieving the functions of the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface, it is preferable that a ridge is provided at the boundary between the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface.

[0062] As described above, in the inspection device, it is preferable that the first member is connected to the first wall, and the second member is connected to the second wall. However, the inspection device does not exclude a configuration in which another member is disposed between the first member and the first wall or between the second member and the second wall, as long as the subject can be guided into the inspection space in a posture corrected by a guide unit.

[0063] The specific configuration of the transport mechanism is not limited to the configuration described in the above embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, a configuration in which the test object is transported so that the upper end of the test object is the free end has been described. On the other hand, in the inspection device, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the test object is transported so that the lower end of the test object is the free end. In this case, the second inclined surface inclines from above to below along the test object transport direction. The inspection device can correct the posture of the test object even with such a configuration.

[0064] Since the inspection device can transport the inspection object to the inspection space while being extended in the height direction of the passage, the inspection unit can appropriately inspect any part of the inspection object for defects. Therefore, the inspection target part inspected by the inspection unit may be a part other than the part that passes through the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 1 Posture correction structure 10 Inspection equipment 11 Tabletop 12 Support plate 20 Inspection Department 21 1st wall 22 Second wall 23 Ultrasonic transmitter 24 Ultrasonic receiver 30, 50 Guide section 30a, 50a First member 30b, 50b Second member 31, 51, 61 1st slope 32, 52, 62 2nd slope 40 Conveyor mechanism 41 Holding part 100 Heat seal section A aisle B Bending part E end P Subject S Inspection Space D Distance between the first and second walls α The angle of decrease in width of the passage due to the first inclined surface β Angle of increase in height due to the second inclined surface

Claims

1. 1. An inspection apparatus for inspecting a test object for defects while transporting the test object, which may be bent in a thickness direction, in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, comprising: An inspection unit that inspects the subject; a guide unit for guiding the test subject to the inspection unit in a passage through which the test subject is transported; Equipped with the inspection unit has a first wall and a second wall opposed to each other across an inspection space in which the subject is inspected, The guide section has a posture correction structure that narrows the width of the passage toward the examination space and puts the subject in a flat position.

2. 1. An inspection apparatus for inspecting a test object for defects while transporting the test object, which may be bent in a thickness direction, in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, comprising: An inspection unit that inspects the subject; a guide unit for guiding the test subject to the inspection unit in a passage through which the test subject is transported; Equipped with the inspection unit has a first wall and a second wall opposed to each other across an inspection space in which the subject is inspected, The guide portion has a first inclined surface that gradually reduces the width of the passage toward the inspection space, and a second inclined surface that gradually increases in height toward the inspection space.

3. The guide portion has a first member and a second member opposed to each other across the passage, The inspection device according to claim 2 , wherein the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface are provided on at least one of the first member and the second member, respectively.

4. The inspection apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the first member and the second member have the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface, respectively.

5. 5. The inspection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first member is connected to the first wall, and the second member is connected to the second wall.

6. 5. The inspection device according to claim 2, wherein an angle at which the width of the passage is gradually reduced by the first inclined surface is 70[deg.] or less.

7. 5. The inspection device according to claim 2, wherein an angle of increase in height caused by the second inclined surface is 70[deg.] or less.

8. A transport mechanism for transporting the subject to the inspection space, the transport mechanism has a holder that holds the subject, The inspection device according to claim 2 , wherein the holding section holds the specimen on an outer side of the second inclined surface in a height direction of the passage.

9. The inspection device according to claim 2 , wherein the inspection section is configured to inspect a portion of the subject that has passed through the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface.

10. The inspection device according to claim 1 , wherein the inspection unit has an ultrasonic transmission unit disposed on the first wall and an ultrasonic reception unit disposed on the second wall.

11. Transporting the subject, which may bend in the thickness direction, in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction; Narrowing the width of the passageway of the subject while flattening the subject; Inspecting the specimen for defects Testing method.

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