Packaging inspection device

Abstract

To provide a packaging inspection device that can accurately detect leakage of contents while reducing cost, and can prevent formation of a new hole in an object to be inspected.SOLUTION: A packaging inspection device comprises: a contact device 10 that has a contact surface brought into contact with a packaging bag P filled with contents C containing fluorescent material; and a fluorescence detection device 20 that detects fluorescence from the fluorescent material contained in the contents C attached to the contact surface.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a packaging inspection device. [Background technology]

[0002] Packaging inspection equipment is sometimes used to check that the surface of the sealed food packaging bag has not been damaged by pinholes that could compromise the airtightness of the bag. Patent document 1 discloses a technology in which a soft object is pressed against a packaging bag, causing contents that have leaked from a punctured packaging bag to adhere to the soft object, and the contents adhered to the soft object are detected by an image detection sensor. Patent document 2 discloses a technology in which a packaging bag sealed with helium gas is transported into an inspection device, pressure is applied to the packaging bag within the inspection device, and a helium detector is used to confirm that this pressure does not cause the helium gas to leak from the packaging bag. Patent Document 3 discloses a technology that utilizes the fact that the impedance of the capacitance between the electrode and the contents becomes a small value when there is a hole (pinhole) in the packaging material, and that the output voltage of the piezoelectric transformer decreases due to its output characteristics when the impedance becomes a small value, and that the presence or absence of a hole (pinhole) is determined by comparing the output voltage with a reference voltage. Patent Document 4 discloses a method for inspecting holes (pinholes) by applying a voltage to a container to be inspected that is placed in a reduced pressure environment or to a site to be inspected in the container to be inspected. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019 / 176372 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5571038 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-300727 [Patent Document 4] JP 2020-134287 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1, the color of the soft body needs to be changed according to the color of the contents, and there is a problem that the accuracy of the contents detection by the image detection sensor is low, especially when the contents are transparent or light-colored. In the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2, helium is filled in the packaging stage to detect leaks, so for foods and the like that do not have a gas filling process, the installation and maintenance of gas filling equipment is newly required, and there is also a problem that helium gas and gas detection devices are expensive. In the inventions of Patent Documents 3 and 4, a voltage is applied to the packaging bag to be inspected. At this time, depending on the voltage applied, there is a problem that a spark discharge may occur and a new hole (pinhole) may be formed in the packaging bag.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and has an object to provide a packaging inspection device that can detect leakage of contents with high accuracy while keeping costs down, and that prevents new holes from being formed in the object to be inspected. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] <1> A packaging inspection device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a contact device having a contact surface that comes into contact with a packaging bag filled with contents containing a fluorescent substance, and a fluorescence detection device that detects the fluorescence of the fluorescent substance contained in the contents that adheres to the contact surface.

[0007] According to this invention, the contact device has a contact surface that contacts the packaging bag. As a result, for example, when the contents leaking from the packaging bag are attached to the outer surface of the packaging bag and / or when the contents leak from the packaging bag due to the pressure of the contact device, the contents leaking from the packaging bag can be attached to the contact surface. The fluorescence detection device detects the fluorescence of the fluorescent material contained in the contents attached to the contact surface. As a result, it is possible to detect with high accuracy that the contents have been attached to the contact surface of the contact device. As a result, for example, it is possible to detect with high accuracy that the contents have leaked from the packaging bag by detecting a specific fluorescent color, regardless of the color of the contents or the contact surface. In addition, since expensive equipment is not required, costs can be reduced. Furthermore, by not applying a voltage to the packaging bag, it is possible to prevent new holes (pinholes) from being formed in the packaging bag due to spark discharge.

[0008] <2> A packaging inspection device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the packaging inspection device according to the first aspect, wherein the fluorescence detection device includes a light source that emits excitation light to be irradiated toward the contact surface, and a light receiving element that receives the excitation light reflected by the contact surface.

[0009] According to this invention, the fluorescence detection device includes a light source that emits excitation light to be irradiated toward the contact surface, and a light receiving element that receives the excitation light reflected by the contact surface. This allows the fluorescence detection device to have a simple and reliable configuration. Therefore, it is possible to reliably detect the fluorescence of the fluorescent material while suppressing an increase in cost. In addition, it is possible to detect leakage from the packaging bag with high accuracy regardless of the color of the contents or the contact surface.

[0010] <3> A packaging inspection device according to aspect 3 of the present invention is a packaging inspection device according to aspect 1 or aspect 2, wherein the contact device has a first contact body having a first contact surface and a second contact body having a second contact surface opposite the first contact surface, and the first contact body and the second contact body are positioned at positions where the packaging bag can be clamped between the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

[0011] According to this invention, the first contact body and the second contact body are disposed at positions that allow the packaging bag to be sandwiched between the first contact surface and the second contact surface. This allows the packaging bag to be sandwiched between the first contact body and the second contact body. Therefore, even if the contents are attached to any part of the packaging bag, the contents can be reliably attached to the first contact surface or the second contact surface.

[0012] <4> A packaging inspection device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the packaging inspection device according to any one of the first to third aspects, in which the first contact body and the second contact body convey the packaging bag by sandwiching the packaging bag therebetween.

[0013] According to this invention, the first contact body and the second contact body sandwich the packaging bag and transport the packaging bag, so that the contact device, which is intended to cause the contents leaking from the packaging bag to adhere to the first contact body and the second contact body, can also transport the packaging bag.

[0014] <5> A packaging inspection apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the packaging inspection apparatus according to the third or fourth aspect, further comprising a conveying device that passes the packaging bag between the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

[0015] According to this invention, a conveying device is provided that passes the packaging bag between the first contact surface and the second contact surface. This allows the packaging bag to be conveyed by the conveying device. In addition, by utilizing an existing conveying device, a packaging inspection device can be easily attached to the middle of the conveying path. Furthermore, since the contact device does not have a function of conveying the packaging bag, the position of the contact device can be appropriately set without any restriction on the length of the belt conveyor of the first contact body and the second contact body.

[0016] <6> A packaging inspection device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is a packaging inspection device according to any one of the third to fifth aspects, which includes, as the fluorescence detection device, a first fluorescence detection device that detects fluorescence from the first contact surface, and a second fluorescence detection device that detects fluorescence from the second contact surface.

[0017] According to this invention, the fluorescence detection device includes a first fluorescence detection device that detects fluorescence from the first contact surface and a second fluorescence detection device that detects fluorescence from the second contact surface, thereby improving the detection accuracy of contents attached to each of the first and second contact surfaces.

[0018] <7> A packaging inspection device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is the packaging inspection device according to any one of aspects 3 to 5, wherein the fluorescence detection device simultaneously detects fluorescence from the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

[0019] According to this invention, the fluorescence detection device detects the fluorescence from the first contact surface and the second contact surface simultaneously. This makes it possible to detect the contents attached to both the first contact surface and the second contact surface by using a single fluorescence detection device. This makes it possible to simplify the configuration of the fluorescence detection device.

[0020] <8> A packaging inspection device according to aspect 8 of the present invention is a packaging inspection device according to any one of aspects 3 to 7, wherein the first contact body and the second contact body inspect the sealing strength of the packaging bag when clamping the packaging bag between the first contact surface and the second contact surface.

[0021] According to this invention, the first contact body and the second contact body inspect the sealing strength of the packaging bag when the packaging bag is sandwiched between the first contact surface and the second contact surface. This allows the contact device, which is intended to attach the contents leaked from a punctured packaging bag to the first contact body and the second contact body, to simultaneously inspect other packaging bags without holes to confirm whether they are securely sealed. Effect of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a packaging inspection device that can detect leakage of contents with high accuracy while keeping costs down and that prevents new holes from being formed in the object to be inspected. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a front view of the first embodiment of the first packaging inspection device. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a front view of the second configuration of the first packaging inspection device. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is a front view of the first packaging inspection device in the third configuration, showing a state at a first point in time. [Figure 3B] FIG. 11 is a front view of the first packaging inspection device in the third configuration, showing a state at a second point in time. [Figure 3C] FIG. 11 is a front view of the third configuration of the first packaging inspection device, showing a state at a third point in time. [Figure 3D] FIG. 13 is a front view of the first packaging inspection device in the third configuration, showing a state at a fourth point in time. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front view of a second packaging inspection device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a front view of a third packaging inspection device. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a front view of the first embodiment of the fourth packaging inspection device. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a front view of a second embodiment of the fourth packaging inspection device. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a front view of the first embodiment of the fifth packaging inspection device. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a front view of a second embodiment of the fifth packaging inspection device. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a front view of the first embodiment of the sixth packaging inspection device. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a front view of a second embodiment of the sixth packaging inspection device. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a front view of the seventh packaging inspection device. [Figure 13] FIG. 23 is a front view of an eighth packaging inspection device. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a front view of the ninth packaging inspection device. [Figure 15] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an image captured in a fluorescence detection device, and sub-figures (a) to (d) are diagrams for explaining different embodiments. [Figure 16] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a packaging inspection device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] Hereinafter, packaging inspection apparatuses 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900 according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0025] The packaging inspection devices 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900 detect leakage of contents C from a packaging bag P with a hole in it, for example, on a manufacturing line for packaging bags P. The packaging bag P is a package containing a material having electrical conductivity, for example, a retort pouch containing an aluminum component. In another example, it is a pouch package of various shapes formed of a translucent resin film. In this embodiment, the packaging bag P is filled with a content C containing a fluorescent substance. The content C containing a fluorescent substance is, for example, a liquid or gel food containing vitamin B2. Note that the content C may contain a part of a solid matter as long as it is mainly liquid or gel. Specific examples of the content C include curry, stew, side dish, liquid milk, liquid food, nursing food, and baby food. The packaging inspection device 100 according to this embodiment inspects the packaging quality, i.e., airtightness, of the packaging bag P by the following configuration.

[0026] First, the first to third embodiments of the first packaging inspection apparatus 100 will be described.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 16, the first packaging inspection apparatus 100 includes a contact device 10, a fluorescence detection device 20, and a control unit 50 and a display operation unit 60 that control these devices.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 1, the contact device 10 of the first packaging inspection apparatus 100 is, for example, a belt conveyor. The contact device 10 comes into contact with the packaging bag P. The contact device 10 has a contact surface that comes into contact with the packaging bag P. In this embodiment, the contact surface includes a first contact surface 11s and a second contact surface 12s (described later). Hereinafter, when there is no need to distinguish between the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s, they will be referred to as the contact surface.

[0029] In this embodiment, the contact device 10 includes a first contact body 11, a second contact body 12, and a cleaning means 13, as shown in FIG. The first contact body 11 has a first contact surface 11s. The first contact body 11 is the upper belt conveyor shown in FIG. The second contact body 12 has a second contact surface 12s. The second contact body 12 is the lower belt conveyor shown in FIG. 1. The second contact surface 12s faces the first contact surface 11s at a predetermined distance. The upper belt conveyor and the lower belt conveyor each have two to four rollers and are driven to rotate by a motor (not shown).

[0030] The belt conveyor of the first contact body 11 and the belt conveyor of the second contact body 12 are both driven in a circular motion at the same conveying speed, which is preferably approximately the same as the conveying speed of the first conveying means T1 on the upstream side and the second conveying means T2 on the downstream side.

[0031] In this embodiment, the belt conveyors constituting the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 each have, for example, four rollers, an endless belt is wound around the belt, and a trapezoid shape is formed by the paths on the sending side and the returning side of the belt, as shown in Fig. 1. This makes it preferable to increase, for example, the area and angle at which a fluorescence detection device 20, which will be described later, can be installed on the returning side of the belt. Note that the sending side of the belt refers to the range in which each of the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s can directly contact the packaging bag P, and the returning side of the belt refers to the other range.

[0032] However, the belt conveyor constituting the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 may have roller positions appropriately set so that the belt travels along any desired path.

[0033] The first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 are disposed at positions where the packaging bag P can be sandwiched between the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s. That is, in this embodiment, the contact device 10 sandwiches the packaging bag P with the belts of the belt conveyors that respectively constitute the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12. In this way, the contact device 10 brings the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s into contact with the packaging bag P. Also, the gap between the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 may be set smaller than the size, i.e., thickness, of the packaging bag P, and the packaging bag P sandwiched between the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s may be pressed by the belts.

[0034] Here, for example, if a hole (pinhole) is opened in the packaging bag P, the contents C may leak from the hole and become attached to the outer surface of the packaging bag P. For example, if the packaging bag P is not sealed sufficiently, the contents C may leak and become attached to the outer surface of the packaging bag P.

[0035] When the packaging bag P with the contents C attached to its outer surface is conveyed to the contact device 10, the contents C adhere to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s. In this embodiment, the packaging inspection device 100 detects that the contents C have leaked from the packaging bag P by detecting the contents C attached to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s using a fluorescence detection device 20 described later.

[0036] Furthermore, even if a hole (pinhole) opened in the packaging bag P is small and the contents C do not leak out under atmospheric pressure and do not adhere to the outer surface of the packaging bag P, the contents C may be made to leak out from the small hole (pinhole) by pressing between the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s. Since the contents C leak out even by pressing in this way, the dimensions of the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s are preferably set to a dimension sufficient to sufficiently cover the packaging bag P, thereby making it possible to reliably adhere the contents C that have leaked out of the packaging bag P.

[0037] The cleaning means 13 removes the contents C adhering to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s from each contact surface after it is detected by the fluorescence detection device 20 described later and before it contacts the packaging bag P again. As described above, the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 are belt conveyors. In addition, a plurality of packaging bags P are continuously transported to the contact device 10. For this reason, if the contents C adhering to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s is not removed, the contents C will rotate with the rotational drive of the belt and be detected again for the packaging bag P that does not actually have a hole, which will cause an erroneous determination that the following packaging bag P has a hole. The contents C adhering to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s are automatically or manually removed by the cleaning means 13 as appropriate, thereby suppressing the above-mentioned erroneous determination.

[0038] The cleaning means 13 is, for example, a wiping member made of cloth or chemical fiber that wipes off and removes the contents C attached to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s. Alternatively, the cleaning means 13 is, for example, a device that sucks and removes the contents C attached to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s. Furthermore, the cleaning means 13 is, for example, a device that removes the contents C attached to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s by wind pressure or water pressure. Also, a device that combines the above examples may be used, and may be appropriately selected depending on the adhesion state that changes depending on the components, viscosity, etc. of the contents C.

[0039] The cleaning means 13 can also be provided on the first conveying means T1. That is, the cleaning means 13 prevents the contents C leaking from the packaging bag P under atmospheric pressure from remaining on the first conveying means T1, and prevents the contents C from re-adhering to other following packaging bags P.

[0040] Furthermore, if the contents C adhering to the contact surfaces 11s, 12s cannot be sufficiently removed even by the above-mentioned cleaning means 13, fluorescence will be detected frequently or will be detected regardless of whether a packaging bag P has been brought in or not, and the fluorescence detection device 20 will output an error signal to the control unit 50.

[0041] As described above, the contact device 10 has the function of adhering the contents C to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s by clamping the packaging bag P between the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 as described above. In addition, the contact device 10 has the following functions. For example, the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 have a function of sandwiching the packaging bag P and transporting the packaging bag P. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, the packaging bag P is transported from a first transport means T1, which is a belt conveyor located on the upstream side of the transport of the packaging bag P, to a contact device 10 of the packaging inspection apparatus 100. The contact device 10 transports the packaging bag P to a second transport means T2, which is a belt conveyor located on the downstream side of the transport of the packaging bag P.

[0042] For example, the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 have a function of inspecting the sealing strength of the packaging bag P when the packaging bag P is sandwiched between the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s. Specifically, the distance between the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s is set so that a predetermined pressure is applied to the packaging bag P by sandwiching the packaging bag P between them. At this time, it is confirmed that the pressure applied to the packaging bag P causes the contents C to leak from a hole (pinhole) opened in the packaging bag P and / or the packaging bag P is not damaged.

[0043] The pressure applied to the packaging bag P can be set based on the viscosity of the contents C and the sealing strength required for the packaging bag P. That is, when it is confirmed that the packaging bag P is not broken, for example, the compression load (200N to 800N) of the compression resistance strength of heat-sealed soft packaging bags defined in industrial standards such as JISZ0238 can be referred to and this standard value can be used. Also, when the contents C are to leak from a small hole (pinhole) in the packaging bag P, it is preferable to apply a pressure that allows the contents C to leak from the packaging bag P depending on the viscosity of the contents C. For example, it is preferable to appropriately set the compression load to about 1 / 200 to 1 / 20 of the compression load of the compression resistance strength described above. More preferably, it is preferable to set the compression load to about 1 / 100 to 1 / 50, so that the contents C leak from the small hole while not deforming the packaging bag P more than necessary. At least one of the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 may be supported by an elastic body having a predetermined elastic modulus, so that the packaging bag P is stably sandwiched and pressed.

[0044] The fluorescence detection device 20 detects fluorescence from a fluorescent substance contained in the content C attached to the contact surface. The fluorescence detection device 20 includes a light source 21 and a light receiving element 22. The light source 21 emits excitation light to be irradiated toward the contact surface. The light source 21 is, for example, an ultraviolet lamp. Specifically, a black light having a peak wavelength of 365 nm to 375 nm as near ultraviolet light classified as UVA waves can be used. The light receiving element 22 receives the excitation light reflected by the contact surface. The light receiving element 22 is, for example, an imaging camera. In other words, the fluorescence detection device 20 is, for example, a set of an ultraviolet lamp and an imaging camera.

[0045] In addition, the light receiving element 22 may be a line sensor type having a field of view covering a long and thin linear area, or an area sensor type having a field of view covering a predetermined rectangular area, and the irradiation field of the light source 21 may be set according to each light receiving field of view.

[0046] The fluorescence detection device 20 receives received light data output from the light receiving element 22 at a predetermined cycle, calculates fluorescence data representing the intensity of the fluorescence, and detects the presence or absence of fluorescence by comparing it with a preset threshold value.

[0047] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIGS. 15(a) to (d), image data obtained by converting the received light data into an image may be output to the control unit 50 of the packaging inspection device 100. In this case, it is preferable to provide the fluorescence detection device 20 and / or the control unit 50 with an image processing unit that realizes an image processing function for processing the image data with predetermined processing contents.

[0048] In addition, vitamin B2 in food was given as an example of a fluorescent substance contained in the contents C, but in this case, it is known that the contents C that leak from the packaging bag P and adhere to the contact surface emits fluorescence with a wavelength peaking at 530 nm when exposed to the above-mentioned black light. Therefore, it is advisable to provide an optical filter corresponding to this wavelength range in the imaging camera serving as the light receiving element 22 and adjust the angle of view to suppress unwanted background from being captured, or to suppress erroneous detection due to disturbance light other than the fluorescence of the detection target.

[0049] The control unit 50 is configured by a computer unit that performs overall control of the operations of the contact device 10 and the fluorescence detection device 20 described above and operates based on a control program.

[0050] The display operation unit 60 outputs operation input by the operator to the control unit 50, and also displays and outputs various data output from the control unit 50 in a predetermined format.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 1, the first packaging inspection apparatus 100 of the first embodiment includes, as the fluorescence detection apparatus 20, a first fluorescence detection apparatus 20a that detects fluorescence on the return side of the belt on the first contact surface 11s, and a second fluorescence detection apparatus 20b that detects fluorescence on the return side of the belt on the second contact surface 12s.

[0052] According to this configuration, it is certain that the contents C detected by the first fluorescence detection device 20a were attached to the first contact surface 11s, and similarly, the contents C detected by the second fluorescence detection device 20b were attached to the second contact surface 12s, and furthermore, the excitation light emitted by the light source 21 is not directed toward the packaging bag P, so that even if the packaging bag P is made of a light-transmitting material, fluorescence from the contents C that have not leaked out of the packaging bag P is not mistakenly detected. Moreover, since each light-receiving element 22 only needs to receive fluorescence from the contents C attached to each contact surface, it is easy to optimally set, for example, the irradiation intensity of the ultraviolet lamp and the position adjustment of the imaging camera.

[0053] 15(a) is a schematic example of image data obtained by imaging the received light data obtained by the light receiving element 22 in the above-mentioned embodiment, and in this image data, the fluorescent portion corresponding to the fluorescence from the contents C is indicated by CP. Note that the hatched portion Z is an exclusion area that is not a target for detecting fluorescence, and indicates that it has been masked. By setting such an exclusion area, it is possible to prevent the fluorescence adhering to the leaked contents C from being missed from being detected, and it is possible to avoid detecting the same fluorescent portion more than necessary, thereby making it possible to record the image data efficiently.

[0054] 2, the first packaging inspection apparatus 100 may simultaneously detect the fluorescence of the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s by one fluorescence detection device 20. In this case, the fluorescence detection device 20 may be appropriately arranged with one ultraviolet lamp as the light source 21 and one imaging camera as the light receiving element 22 at a position where the fluorescence of the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s can be simultaneously detected, that is, at a position where both contact surfaces 11s, 12s are viewed from the side of the second conveying means T2. Note that "simultaneous detection" here refers to a state where the contents C attached to both contact surfaces 11s, 12s are made to fluoresce by excitation light from one ultraviolet lamp, and the fluorescence can be imaged by one imaging camera.

[0055] In addition, as shown in Figure 2, excitation light from an ultraviolet lamp is irradiated to both contact surfaces 11s, 12s at a position immediately after the belt moves from the forward side to the return side, and fluorescence from the attached contents C can be detected with an extremely short time difference, making it easy to identify the packaging bag P from which the contents C have leaked.

[0056] In order to increase the area and angle at which the fluorescence detection device 20 can be installed, it is preferable that the belts constituting the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 form a trapezoidal shape due to the path of the belts, for example, as described above.

[0057] FIG. 15(b) is an example of a schematic diagram of image data obtained by imaging the light receiving data obtained by the light receiving element 22 in the above-mentioned embodiment, and in this image data, the fluorescent portion corresponding to the fluorescence from the contents C is indicated by CP. The hatched portion Z is an excluded region that is not a target for detecting fluorescence, and indicates that it has been masked. This masking process prevents not only erroneous detection due to the surrounding images being captured, but also erroneous detection of the fluorescence from the contents C that have not leaked out of the packaging bag P even when the packaging bag P is made of a light-transmitting material and is irradiated with the excitation light of the light source 21. On the other hand, when the packaging bag P is made of a light-shielding material, the fluorescence from the contents C that have not leaked out of the packaging bag P will not be erroneously detected even when the packaging bag P is irradiated with the excitation light of the light source 21, so the masking process for the packaging bag P may be omitted.

[0058] 3A to 3D, the first packaging inspection device 100 may have a third embodiment in which the belt conveyors of the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 have different lengths and the rollers of both belt conveyors are disposed at positions that are relatively moved along the traveling direction of the packaging bag P. For ease of explanation, the cleaning means 13 in this embodiment is shown divided into cleaning means 13a for the first contact surface 11s and cleaning means 13b for the second contact surface 12s.

[0059] In this embodiment, the belt conveyor as the first contact body 11 arranged on the upper side is shorter than the belt conveyor as the second contact body 12 arranged on the lower side, so the light source 21 and the light receiving element 22 are arranged at an upper position overlooking both the return side of the belt of the first contact surface 11s and the forward side of the belt of the second contact surface 12s. That is, an ultraviolet lamp as the light source 21 irradiates excitation light toward both contact surfaces 11s, 12s, and an imaging camera as the light receiving element 22 is arranged in parallel so as to be able to image both contact surfaces 11s, 12s.

[0060] Figures 3A to 3D are diagrams for explaining the operation of the first packaging inspection apparatus 100 in chronological order, focusing on a certain packaging bag P, where Figure 3A shows a state in which a certain packaging bag P is being transported by the first conveying means T1, Figure 3B shows a state in which the packaging bag P is clamped from above and below by the contact device 10 of the packaging inspection apparatus 100, Figure 3C shows a state in which the packaging bag P is transferred to the second conveying means T2, and Figure 3D shows a state in which the packaging bag P is being transported by the second conveying means T2 while the next packaging bag P is being transported by the first conveying means T1.

[0061] In Fig. 3A, a packaging bag P from which the contents C (C1) have leaked to the upper side under atmospheric pressure is being transported by a first transport means T1. Also, a preceding packaging bag P is being transported by a second transport means T2. It is assumed that the contents C have not leaked from this preceding packaging bag P.

[0062] At this time, since there is no leakage of contents C into the preceding packaging bag P and no adhesion of contents C to either the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s, the two cleaning means 13a, 13b are held in a standby position spaced apart from the belts of both contact surfaces 11s, 12s and are out of the field of view of the light receiving element 22.

[0063] 3B, the packaging bag P is conveyed while being pressed by the belt conveyors of the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12. At this time, the contents C (C1) adhering to the upper surface side of the packaging bag P adheres to the belt of the first contact surface 11s, and in addition, the contents C (C2) leaking due to the pressure adheres to the belt of the second contact surface 12s on the lower surface side.

[0064] 3C shows a state in which the packaging bag P is separated from the first contact body 11 and transferred from the second contact body 12 to the second conveying means T2. At this time, the contents C (C1) attached to the first contact surface 11s fluoresce when they enter the irradiation area of ​​the light source 21 as the belt rotates, and the fluorescence from the contents C (C1) is detected when they enter the field of view of the light receiving element 22. Then, the cleaning means 13 (13a) is extended from the standby position to remove the contents C (C1) attached to the first contact surface 11s, and is returned to the standby position again after a time set according to, for example, the rotation time of the belt has elapsed. On the other hand, the contents C (C2) attached to the second contact surface 12s does not enter the irradiation area of ​​the light source 21 or the field of view of the light receiving element 22, and is not detected.

[0065] In Fig. 3D, the contents C (C2) adhering to the second contact surface 12s fluoresce when they enter the irradiation area of ​​the light source 21 as the belt rotates, and the fluorescence of the contents C (C2) is detected when they enter the field of view of the light receiving element 22. Then, the cleaning means 13 (13b) is extended from the standby position to remove the contents C (C2) adhering to the second contact surface 12s, and is returned to the standby position after a time set according to the rotation time of the belt has elapsed. In this state, the next packaging bag P is conveyed by the first conveying means T1.

[0066] Figures 15(c) and (d) are schematic examples of image data obtained by imaging the received light data obtained by the light receiving element 22 in states corresponding to Figures 3C and 3D, respectively, of the above-mentioned form, and in this image data, the fluorescent portion corresponding to the fluorescence from the contents C (C1, C2) is indicated by CP.

[0067] In Figures 15(a) and (b), an exclusion area is provided in which fluorescence is not detected, but in Figures 15(c) and (d), since the packaging bag P passes through the area in which fluorescence should be detected, it is preferable to apply this when the packaging bag P is made of a light-blocking material.

[0068] (Inspection of packaging bag P by first packaging inspection device 100) Next, the inspection of the packaging bag P by the first packaging inspection apparatus 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0069] First, when the display operation unit 60 is operated to input an operation start command, the control unit 50 of the first packaging inspection apparatus 100 outputs an operation start signal to the fluorescence detection device 20, turns on the light source 21, and causes the light receiving element 22 to start outputting received light data. Next, it outputs an operation start signal to the contact device 10, drives the belt conveyors of the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12, and further starts the operation of the cleaning means 13. The control unit 50 normally continues the above-mentioned operations until the display operation unit 60 is operated to input an operation stop signal.

[0070] Next, as shown in Fig. 1, the packaging bags P to be inspected are sequentially transported from the first transport means T1 to the contact device 10 of the packaging inspection apparatus 100. The packaging bags P transported to the contact device 10 pass through the contact device 10 and are transported to the second transport means T2. The second transport means T2 transports the packaging bags P to the next process.

[0071] At this time, if the contents C are attached to the outer surface of the packaging bag P due to a hole in the packaging bag P or other reasons, the contents C will adhere to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s. The contents C attached to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s will be detected by the fluorescence detection device 20.

[0072] The fluorescence detection device 20 outputs a detection signal indicating that fluorescence has been detected to the control unit 50. This detection signal may be one that outputs a pulse signal of a predetermined width only when fluorescence is detected, or one that outputs a level signal that is at a high level when fluorescence is not detected and at a low level when fluorescence is detected, or any other output form.

[0073] The control unit 50 receives a detection signal indicating that fluorescence has been detected from the fluorescence detection device 20, and causes the display operation unit 60 to output the detection information in a predetermined manner. The manner in which the detection information is output may be, for example, a screen display, sounding a buzzer, lighting or blinking a lamp, or a combination thereof.

[0074] In addition, the control unit 50 stops the second conveying means T2 or operates a sorting device provided at a predetermined position on the second conveying means T2 to prevent the packaging bag P from which the contents C have leaked from from flowing out to a subsequent process.

[0075] On the other hand, the contents C detected by the fluorescence detection device 20 are removed by the cleaning means 13 after detection.

[0076] The packaging bag P from which the contents C have leaked is identified as follows: That is, for example, the packaging bag P from which the contents C have leaked is identified by comparing the amount by which the belt of the first contact body 11 or the second contact body 12 has moved from when the contents C adheres to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s until the contents C is detected by the fluorescence detection device 20 with the amount by which the packaging bag P from which the contents C have leaked has moved.

[0077] Specifically, it is assumed that the contents C leak from any position of the packaging bag P and adhere to the belt of the contact surface 11s or 12s, and that the conveying speed of the belt conveyors of the contact bodies 11 and 12 and the second conveying means T2 are the same. At this time, the adhered contents C moves together with the packaging bag P on the feed side of the belt, so the information essential for identifying the packaging bag P described above is nothing but the movement distance D of the belt to a position where the fluorescence detection device 20 can detect the fluorescence of the contents C, based on a certain position of the contact device 10 (typically the roller shaft at the feed side end of the belt), as shown in Fig. 1. Therefore, for example, it is preferable to provide an alarm lamp at the corresponding specific position G of the second conveying means T2 to identify the packaging bag P, or to operate a sorting device to automatically sort it in a predetermined direction.

[0078] In addition, the first form of packaging inspection device 100 and the second form of packaging inspection device 100 can pass through the fluorescence detection device 20 and the cleaning means 13 within the rotation period of the belt of the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s, so that the packaging quality of the packaging bag P can be inspected regardless of the conveying interval of the packaging bags P that are conveyed sequentially.

[0079] Next, the packaging bags P are sequentially conveyed to the contact device 10, and the above-mentioned packaging inspection is repeated.

[0080] When the control unit 50 receives a detection signal from the fluorescence detection device 20 a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time, it interrupts the packaging inspection. Then, it outputs an operation stop signal to the contact device 10 and the fluorescence detection device 20, causes the display operation unit 60 to display an error message, and outputs a stop request to the first conveying means T1.

[0081] Furthermore, the control unit 50 may be configured to execute a cleaning mode in which the contact device 10 is operated for a predetermined period of time by operating the display operation unit 60. In the cleaning mode, light reception data obtained by operating the fluorescence detection device 20 can also be recorded as cleaning data.

[0082] When the packaging inspection of the packaging bag P to be inspected is completed, the display operation unit 60 is operated to input an operation stop command to the control unit 50, and the control unit 50 outputs an operation stop signal to the contact device 10 and the fluorescence detection device 20, causing each to stop operating.

[0083] In the manner described above, the first packaging inspection apparatus 100 inspects the packaging bag P.

[0084] As described above, according to the first packaging inspection device 100 of this embodiment, the contact device 10 has a contact surface that contacts the packaging bag P. As a result, for example, when the contents C leaking from the packaging bag P are attached to the outer surface of the packaging bag P and / or when the contents C leak from the packaging bag P due to the pressure of the contact device 10, the contents C leaking from the packaging bag can be attached to the contact surface. The fluorescence detection device 20 detects the fluorescence of the fluorescent material contained in the contents C attached to the contact surface. As a result, it is possible to detect with high accuracy that the contents C have been attached to the contact surface of the contact device 10. As a result, for example, it is possible to detect with high accuracy that the contents C have leaked from the packaging bag P by detecting a specific fluorescent color, regardless of the color of the contents or the contact surface. In addition, since expensive equipment is not required, costs can be reduced. Furthermore, by not applying a voltage to the packaging bag P, it is possible to suppress the formation of new holes (pinholes) in the packaging bag P due to spark discharge.

[0085] Furthermore, the fluorescence detection device 20 includes a light source 21 that emits excitation light to be irradiated toward the contact surface, and a light receiving element 22 that receives the excitation light reflected by the contact surface. This allows the fluorescence detection device 20 to have a simple and reliable configuration. Therefore, it is possible to reliably detect the fluorescence of the fluorescent material while suppressing an increase in cost. Furthermore, it is possible to detect leakage from the packaging bag P with high accuracy regardless of the color of the contents C or the contact surface.

[0086] Moreover, the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 are disposed at positions where the packaging bag P can be sandwiched between the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s. This allows the packaging bag P to be sandwiched between the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12. Therefore, even if the contents C are attached to any part of the packaging bag P, the contents C can be reliably attached to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s.

[0087] The first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 sandwich the packaging bag P and transport the packaging bag P. This allows the contact device 10, which aims to cause the contents C leaking from the packaging bag P to adhere to the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12, to also transport the packaging bag P.

[0088] 1, the fluorescence detection device 20 includes a first fluorescence detection device 20a that detects the fluorescence on the first contact surface 11s and a second fluorescence detection device 20b that detects the fluorescence on the second contact surface 12s. This can improve the detection accuracy of the contents C attached to each of the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s.

[0089] 2 or 3A to 3D, the fluorescence detection device 20 simultaneously detects the fluorescence from the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s. This makes it possible to detect the contents C attached to each of the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s by using a single fluorescence detection device 20. This makes it possible to simplify the configuration of the fluorescence detection device 20.

[0090] Furthermore, the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 inspect the sealing strength of the packaging bag P when the packaging bag P is sandwiched between the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s. This allows the contact device 10, which is intended to cause the contents C leaking from the packaging bag P with a hole to adhere to the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12, to simultaneously inspect whether other packaging bags P without a hole are securely sealed.

[0091] Second embodiment Next, a second packaging inspection apparatus 200 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 4. In the following embodiments, the same components as those in the first packaging inspection apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment described above will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted, with only the differences being described.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 4, the second packaging inspection apparatus 200 differs from the packaging inspection apparatus 100 in that the second packaging inspection apparatus 200 includes a conveying device 210 that suspends and conveys the packaging bag P. 4, the conveying device 210 conveys the packaging bag P in a state in which one end of the packaging bag P is gripped and suspended. In the second packaging inspection device 200, the contact device 10 is provided midway along the path along which the packaging bag P is moved by the conveying device 210. In this way, the conveying device 210 passes the packaging bag P between the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s. Therefore, the contact device 10 of the second embodiment has the function of adhering the contents C to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s by clamping the packaging bag P between the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12, and the function of inspecting the sealing strength of the packaging bag P.

[0093] In the second packaging inspection apparatus 200, the fluorescence detection apparatus 20 is arranged, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, with a first fluorescence detection apparatus 20a for detecting fluorescence from the first contact surface 11s and a second fluorescence detection apparatus 20b for detecting fluorescence from the second contact surface 12s.

[0094] According to this configuration, the excitation light emitted by the light source 21 is not directed toward the packaging bag P, and the light receiving element 22 only needs to receive the fluorescence from the contents C attached to the contact surface, so that, for example, even if the packaging bag P is made of a light-transmitting material, the fluorescence of the contents C that have not leaked out of the packaging bag P will not be mistakenly detected. In addition, since each light receiving element 22 only needs to receive the fluorescence from the contents C attached to each contact surface, it is easy to optimally set, for example, the irradiation intensity of the ultraviolet lamp and the position adjustment of the imaging camera. In addition, since the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s can pass through the fluorescence detection device 20 and the cleaning means 13 within the period in which the belt rotates, the packaging quality of the packaging bag P can be inspected regardless of the conveying interval of the packaging bags P that are conveyed sequentially. In addition, image data obtained by imaging the light receiving data obtained by the light receiving element 22 is as shown in FIG. 15(a).

[0095] Without being limited thereto, for example, the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 may be positioned at positions where they are relatively moved from each other along the traveling direction of the packaging bag P, or the configuration of the belts of the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s may be appropriately changed so that the contact surfaces 11s and 12s face both from below the packaging bag P that is suspended and transported by the transport device 210 so that the fluorescence of the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s is detected simultaneously by one fluorescence detection device 20. In this case, as shown in Fig. 15(b), the packaging bag P and the surrounding images are captured as background together with both contact surfaces 11s and 12s, so that an exclusion area may be provided and masked as necessary.

[0096] As described above, the second packaging inspection device 200 according to the second embodiment includes the conveying device 210 that passes the packaging bag P between the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s. This allows the packaging bag P to be conveyed by the conveying device 210. In addition, by utilizing an existing conveying device 210, the second packaging inspection device 200 can be easily attached later to the middle of the conveying path. Furthermore, since the contact device 10 does not have a function of conveying the packaging bag P, the position of the contact device 10 can be appropriately set without any restriction on the length of the belt conveyors of the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12.

[0097] Third embodiment Next, a third packaging inspection apparatus 300 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 5. The third packaging inspection apparatus 300 differs from the packaging inspection apparatus 100 in that the first contact body 11 and the second contact body 12 constituting the contact device 10 are roller bodies. The contact device 10 of the third packaging inspection apparatus 300 is common to the contact device 10 of the packaging inspection apparatus 100 in that it adheres the contents C to the first contact surface 11s or the second contact surface 12s, has a function of transporting the packaging bag P from the first conveying means T1 to the second conveying means T2, and has a function of inspecting the sealing strength of the packaging bag P when the packaging bag P is sandwiched between the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s.

[0098] According to this configuration, the contact device 10 can be realized with two roller bodies, and a complex configuration is not required, and the position can be easily adjusted according to the size of the packaging bag P by only adjusting the position of one of the roller bodies. In addition, the belts of the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s may be cylindrical bodies with high adhesion surrounding the periphery of each roller body, and tension adjustment is not required when wrapping the belts around multiple rollers, making cleaning and maintenance easy. Furthermore, the time difference between when the contents C leaked from the packaging bag P adheres to each contact surface 11s, 12s and when the leaked contents C is detected by the fluorescence detection device 20, i.e., the moving distance D of the packaging bag P from the contact device 10, is extremely short, at most about 1 / 4 of the outer circumferential length of the roller bodies, and the specific position G of the packaging bag P from which the contents C leaked becomes clear.

[0099] It is possible to modify the configuration so that only the first contact body 11 is a roller body and the second contact body 12 is a belt conveyor. In this case, the belt conveyor of the second contact body 12 can be an existing belt conveyor.

[0100] (Fourth embodiment) Next, a fourth packaging inspection apparatus 400 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 6 and 7. The fourth packaging inspection apparatus 400 differs from the packaging inspection apparatus 100 in that it includes a push-out means as the contact device 10. The push-out means is a component for causing the contents C to leak out of the packaging bag P with a hole. The fourth packaging inspection apparatus 400 also differs from the packaging inspection apparatus 100 in that the contents C attached to the packaging bag P are directly detected by the fluorescence detection device 20, and the first conveying means T1 functions as the contact device 10 for the contents C leaking out from the lower surface side of the packaging bag P.

[0101] The fourth packaging inspection device 400 uses a pressure device 410 as a pushing means. The pressure device 410 forms a sealed space with the packaging bag P placed inside. The pressure device 410 applies pressure to the packaging bag P in the sealed space. Specifically, the pressure device 410 pressurizes or depressurizes the sealed space. As a result, the pressure device 410 causes the contents C to leak out of the punctured packaging bag P. Any known device such as an air cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder can be used as the pressure device 410.

[0102] The pressure device 410 is disposed on the first conveying means T1, for example, as shown in Fig. 6. This applies pressure to the packaging bag P located on the first conveying means T1. As a result, if a hole is formed in the packaging bag P, the contents C leak out of the packaging bag P and the contents C adhere to the outer surface of the packaging bag P. Thereafter, the fluorescence detection device 20 determines whether the contents C are adhered to the outer surface of the packaging bag P and / or the belt of the first conveying means T1. At this time, the outer surface of the packaging bag P and the belt of the first conveying means T1 correspond to the contact surfaces 11s, 12s.

[0103] Depending on the fluorescence detection device 20, it may be necessary to detect fluorescence from both sides of the packaging bag P transported on the first transport means T1. For example, the fluorescence can be detected from the upward-facing side of the packaging bag P placed on the first transport means T1 by disposing the fluorescence detection device 20 at any location downstream of the position of the first transport means T1 where the pressure device 410 is provided, in the movement direction of the packaging bag P. In contrast, the downward-facing side of the packaging bag P placed on the first transport means T1 is in contact with the first transport means T1. For this reason, in order to detect the fluorescence from the downward-facing side by the fluorescence detection device 20, it is preferable to do the following.

[0104] 6, for example, a gap CL is provided between the first conveying means T1 and the second conveying means T2. As a result, when the packaging bag P is located between the first conveying means T1 and the second conveying means T2, the downward surface of the packaging bag P is exposed downward through the gap CL, enabling the fluorescence to be detected by the fluorescence detection device 20. In this case, as the fluorescence detection device 20, a first fluorescence detection device 20a for detecting fluorescence from the upward surface of the packaging bag P is disposed above the packaging bag P, and a second fluorescence detection device 20b for detecting fluorescence from the downward surface of the packaging bag P is disposed below the packaging bag P. In particular, the second fluorescence detection device 20b is disposed in accordance with the position of the gap CL provided between the first conveying means T1 and the second conveying means T2 so as to include both the belt of the roller unit located downstream of the first conveying means T1 and the lower surface of the packaging bag P, so that fluorescence from the contents C leaking from the lower surface of the packaging bag P can be detected even if the contents C adhere to the belt of the first conveying means T1 or even if the packaging bag P remains attached to the outer surface of the light-shielding material.

[0105] For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the belt of the first conveying means T1 and the belt of the second conveying means T2 can be the contact surfaces 11s and 12s, respectively. However, it may be difficult to use a suitable material for the belts of the first conveying means T1 and the second conveying means T2 as the contact surfaces 11s and 12s. That is, there are times when it is not possible to reliably attach the contents C leaking from the lower surface of the packaging bag P to the belt. To overcome this, a step S is provided between the first conveying means T1 and the second conveying means T2. As a result, the packaging bag P is dropped from the first conveying means T1 toward the second conveying means T2, thereby reversing the orientation of the packaging bag P. This allows both sides of the packaging bag P to face upward. In this case, when the packaging bag P is made of a light-shielding material, the fluorescence detection device 20 is a first fluorescence detection device 20a for detecting fluorescence from one side of the packaging bag P, i.e., the light source 21a and the light receiving element 22a shown in Figure 7, which are arranged above the first conveying means T1, and a second fluorescence detection device 20b for detecting fluorescence from the other side of the packaging bag P, i.e., the light source 21b and the light receiving element 22b shown in Figure 7, which are arranged above the second conveying means T2.

[0106] In addition, the step S may be utilized to detect fluorescence from the contents C adhering to the lower outer surface of the packaging bag P from below the first conveying means T1, similar to the second fluorescence detection device 20b shown in Figure 6.

[0107] (Fifth to Ninth Embodiments) The configuration of the contact bodies 11 and 12 of the contact device 10 and the arrangement of the light source 21 and the light receiving element 22 of the fluorescence detection device 20 in each of the above-mentioned forms of packaging inspection apparatus 100, 200, 300, 400 may be modified and combined in various ways as shown below to form packaging inspection apparatuses 500, 600, 700, 800, 900.

[0108] That is, the contact device 10 can configure the contact section 10 by the first conveying means T1 and the conveying device 210 having the function of conveying the packaging bag P.

[0109] Furthermore, the fluorescence detection device 20 irradiates excitation light from the light source 21 and detects fluorescence from the contents C leaked from the packaging bag P. The fluorescence is detected by moving the contents C leaked from the packaging bag P to the detection area of ​​the fluorescence detection device 20 via the contact device 10, or by moving the packaging bag P with the leaked contents C attached to its outer surface to the detection area of ​​the fluorescence detection device 20. The detection area of ​​the fluorescence detection device 20 is determined by the irradiation area of ​​the light source 21 and the light receiving area of ​​the light receiving element 22.

[0110] Furthermore, the light source 21 and the light receiving element 22 of the fluorescence detection device 20 can be disposed appropriately depending on the configuration of the contact device 10 (contact portion 10).

[0111] The case where the packaging bag P passes through the irradiation area of ​​the light source 21 will now be described. If the packaging bag P is made of a light-transmitting material, an exclusion area is set in the image data obtained by imaging the light reception data of the light receiving element 22, and a mask process is used to distinguish between areas where fluorescence is detected and areas where fluorescence is not detected. This prevents erroneous detection of fluorescence from contents C inside the packaging bag P that have not leaked. If the packaging bag P is made of a light-blocking material, mask process is not required, and fluorescence from contents C that have leaked from the packaging bag P and adhered to the outer surface can be detected. An image processing unit that performs mask process is provided in the fluorescence detection device 20 and / or the control unit 50.

[0112] When fluorescence is detected by the fluorescence detection device 20, it is possible to identify which packaging bag P the fluorescent contents C have leaked from by the travel distance D that the contents C move to a position where the fluorescence can be detected by the light receiving element 22, and an alarm lamp or sorting device can be activated.

[0113] Fifth embodiment Next, a fifth packaging inspection apparatus 500 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 8 and Fig. 9. The fifth packaging inspection apparatus 500 differs from the packaging inspection apparatus 100 in that it includes a push-out means as the contact device 10, but is common to the fourth packaging inspection apparatus 400. The fifth packaging inspection apparatus 500 differs from the fourth packaging inspection apparatus 400 in that a pressing device 510 is used as a pushing means. The pressing device 510 is, for example, a rod-shaped member. The pressing device 510 increases the pressure inside the packaging bag P by pressing against the outer surface of the packaging bag P. As a result, the pressing device 510 causes the contents C to leak out of the packaging bag P with a hole. Any known device can be used as the pressing device 510.

[0114] The pressing device 510 is disposed on the first conveying means T1, for example, as shown in Fig. 8. This applies pressure to the packaging bag P located on the first conveying means T1. As a result, if a hole is formed in the packaging bag P, the contents C will leak out of the packaging bag P and become attached to the outer surface of the packaging bag P. Thereafter, the fluorescence detection device 20 determines whether the contents C are attached to the outer surface of the packaging bag P.

[0115] In the fifth packaging inspection apparatus 500, the arrangement of the fluorescence detection device 20 for detecting fluorescence on both sides of the packaging bag P, the first conveying means T1 and the second conveying means T2 is the same as that of the fourth packaging inspection apparatus 400. 8, for example, a gap CL is provided between the first conveying means T1 and the second conveying means T2. As the fluorescence detection device 20, a first fluorescence detection device 20a for detecting fluorescence from the upward surface of the packaging bag P is disposed above the packaging bag P, and a second fluorescence detection device 20b for detecting fluorescence from the downward surface of the packaging bag P is disposed below the packaging bag P. In particular, the second fluorescence detection device 20b is disposed in accordance with the position of the gap CL provided between the first conveying means T1 and the second conveying means T2.

[0116] 9, a step S is provided between the first conveying means T1 and the second conveying means T2. As the fluorescence detection device 20, a first fluorescence detection device 20a for detecting fluorescence from one surface of the packaging bag P is disposed above the first conveying means T1, and a second fluorescence detection device 20b for detecting fluorescence from the other surface of the packaging bag P is disposed above the second conveying means T2.

[0117] Sixth embodiment Next, a sixth packaging inspection apparatus 600 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 10 and 11. The sixth packaging inspection apparatus 600 differs from the packaging inspection apparatus 100 in that it does not include a contact device 10. Furthermore, it differs from the fourth packaging inspection apparatus 400 and the fifth packaging inspection apparatus 500 in that it does not include a pushing means. The sixth packaging inspection apparatus 600 detects contents C that have leaked out of a punctured packaging bag P due to the weight of the contents C under atmospheric pressure. The arrangement of the fluorescence detection device 20, the first conveying means T1 and the second conveying means T2 in the sixth packaging inspection apparatus 600 for detecting fluorescence on both sides of the packaging bag P is the same as that in the fourth packaging inspection apparatus 400 and the fifth packaging inspection apparatus 500, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0118] Seventh embodiment Next, a seventh packaging inspection apparatus 700 according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 12. The seventh packaging inspection apparatus 700 differs from the second packaging inspection apparatus 200 in that it does not include a contact device 10 but includes a push-out means. The seventh packaging inspection apparatus 700 also differs from the second packaging inspection apparatus 200 in that it directly detects the contents C attached to the packaging bag P by the fluorescence detection device 20. The seventh packaging inspection apparatus 700 uses a pressure device 410 as a pushing means.

[0119] 12, the seventh packaging inspection apparatus 700 includes a first fluorescence detection device 20a for detecting fluorescence on one surface of the packaging bag P and a second fluorescence detection device 20b for detecting fluorescence on the other surface of the packaging bag P. The fluorescence detection device 20 is provided downstream of the pressure device 410 in the direction of movement of the packaging bag P by the conveying device 210.

[0120] Eighth embodiment Next, an eighth packaging inspection apparatus 800 according to an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 13. The eighth packaging inspection apparatus 800 differs from the seventh packaging inspection apparatus 700 only in that the eighth packaging inspection apparatus 800 includes a pressing device 510 as a pushing means. The other points are common to the seventh packaging inspection apparatus 700.

[0121] Ninth embodiment Next, a ninth packaging inspection apparatus 900 according to a ninth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 14. The ninth packaging inspection apparatus 900 differs from the seventh packaging inspection apparatus 700 and the eighth packaging inspection apparatus 800 in that it does not include a pushing means. The ninth packaging inspection apparatus 900 detects contents C that have leaked out of a punctured packaging bag P due to the weight of the contents C under atmospheric pressure. Other points are common to the seventh packaging inspection apparatus 700 and the eighth packaging inspection apparatus 800.

[0122] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the above description concerns an embodiment in which the fluorescence detection device 20 detects the contents C attached to the first contact surface 11s and the second contact surface 12s of the contact device 10, or directly detects the contents C attached to the outer surface of the packaging bag P. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and one fluorescence detection device 20 may be configured to detect the contents C attached to all of the first contact surface 11s, the second contact surface 12s, and the outer circumferential surface of the packaging bag P. Further, a sensor for checking the sealing strength of the packaging bag P by the contact device 10 may be provided separately.

[0123] In addition, within the scope of the invention, the components in the above-described embodiments may be replaced with well-known components, and the above-described modified examples may be combined as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]

[0124] 10 Contact device (contact part) 11 First Contact 11s 1st contact surface 12 Second Contact 12s 2nd contact surface 13 Cleaning methods 20 Fluorescence detection device 20a First fluorescence detection device 20b Second fluorescence detection device 21(21a, 21b) Light source 22 (22a, 22b) Light receiving element 100 First packaging inspection device 200 Second packaging inspection device 210 Conveyor 300 3rd packaging inspection device 400 4th packaging inspection device 410 Pressure Equipment 500 5th packaging inspection device 510 Pressing device 600 6th Packaging Inspection Equipment 700 7th Packaging Inspection Equipment 800 8th Packaging Inspection Equipment 900 9th Packaging Inspection Equipment C(C1, C2) Contents CL Gap CP fluorescent part D Travel distance G Specific position P packaging bag S Step T1 First conveying means T2 Second conveying means

Claims

1. A contact device having a contact surface that contacts a packaging bag filled with a content containing a fluorescent material; and a fluorescence detection device for detecting the fluorescence of the fluorescent substance contained in the content attached to the contact surface. Packaging inspection equipment.

2. The fluorescence detection device includes a light source that emits excitation light to be irradiated toward the contact surface, and a light receiving element that receives the excitation light reflected by the contact surface. The packaging inspection device according to claim 1 .

3. the contact device includes a first contact body having a first contact surface and a second contact body having a second contact surface opposite the first contact surface; The first contact body and the second contact body are disposed at positions where the packaging bag can be sandwiched between the first contact surface and the second contact surface. The packaging inspection device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The first contact body and the second contact body convey the packaging bag by sandwiching the packaging bag therebetween. The packaging inspection device according to claim 3.

5. a conveying device for passing the packaging bag between the first contact surface and the second contact surface; The packaging inspection device according to claim 3.

6. The fluorescence detection device includes a first fluorescence detection device that detects fluorescence from the first contact surface, and a second fluorescence detection device that detects fluorescence from the second contact surface. The packaging inspection device according to claim 3.

7. The fluorescence detection device detects fluorescence from the first contact surface and the second contact surface simultaneously. The packaging inspection device according to claim 3.

8. The first contact body and the second contact body inspect the sealing strength of the packaging bag when the packaging bag is sandwiched between the first contact surface and the second contact surface. The packaging inspection device according to claim 3.

Images