Egg pack inspection device

Abstract

To provide a compact egg pack inspection device by eliminating waste in layout.SOLUTION: An egg pack inspection device includes: a conveying section 2 that conveys egg packs P storing eggs E with seals S and labels L with lids open; a first seal inspection section 3 that is provided on the upstream of the conveying section 2 and inspects the seals S; a second seal inspection section 4 that is provided on the downstream of the conveying section 2 and inspects the seals S; and a label inspection section 5 that is provided between the first seal inspection section 3 and the second seal inspection section 4 in the conveying section 2 and inspects the labels L.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an egg pack inspection device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in the production line of egg packs, as shown in Patent Document 1, a plurality of inspection devices are provided. Examples of these inspection devices include an inspection device for the seal attached to the egg and an inspection device for the label housed in the egg pack. And these plurality of inspection devices are arranged separately for each conveyor because the inspection objects are different.

[0003] However, in the inspection device of the production line, when a defective product is detected, the entire production line has to be stopped. Also, in order not to stop the production line, it is conceivable to provide a discharge mechanism for discharging defective products for each inspection device, but providing a discharge mechanism for each inspection device will result in waste in the layout.

[0004] Furthermore, in order to eliminate waste in the layout, it is also conceivable to make the discharge mechanism common to a plurality of inspection devices. However, since the conveyors are separated for each inspection device, a deviation occurs when crossing a plurality of conveyors, and there is a problem that defective products cannot be accurately traced.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to eliminate waste in the layout of the egg pack inspection device and make it compact.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] That is, the egg pack inspection device according to the present invention includes a transport unit that transports an egg pack with a sealed egg and a label in a state where the lid is open, a first seal inspection unit provided on the upstream side of the transport unit for inspecting the seal, a second seal inspection unit provided on the downstream side of the transport unit for inspecting the seal, and a label inspection unit provided between the first seal inspection unit and the second seal inspection unit in the transport unit for inspecting the label.

[0008] In the case of this egg pack inspection device, since the first seal inspection unit, the label inspection unit, and the second seal inspection unit are provided in this order in one transport unit, compared with the case where a discharge line is provided for each inspection unit, the layout waste of the egg pack inspection device can be eliminated and it can be made compact. Further, by configuring one transport unit with one conveyor, it is possible to accurately track the egg packs determined to be NG (defective products) as a result of the inspection, and accurately discharge the egg packs determined to be NG. Furthermore, since the label inspection unit, which has a relatively long inspection processing (image processing) time, is arranged between the first seal inspection unit and the second seal inspection unit, the label inspection process can be performed during the inspection of the second seal inspection unit, and the distance between the second seal inspection unit and the discharge line can be shortened.

[0009] Also, the first seal inspection unit inspects the seal of one row of the egg packs transported by the transport unit, the second seal inspection unit inspects the seal of the other row of the egg packs transported by the transport unit, a first air blower for tilting the label toward the other row is provided on the upstream side of the first seal inspection unit, and a second air blower for tilting the label toward the one row is preferably provided between the first seal inspection unit and the second seal inspection unit. With this configuration, the label does not interfere during the seal inspection of one row by the first seal inspection unit, and the label does not interfere during the seal inspection of the other row by the second seal inspection unit.

[0010] Furthermore, it is desirable that the label inspection unit inspects the label tilted toward the other row by the first blower fan or the label tilted toward the one row by the second blower fan. With this configuration, the position or orientation of the label is determined by the first blower fan or the second blower fan, and the label can be inspected in this state, enabling accurate inspection of the label.

[0011] Also, it is desirable that the egg pack inspection device of the present invention further includes a code inspection unit that inspects the identification code attached to the egg pack between the first seal inspection unit and the second seal inspection unit. With this configuration, by providing a code inspection unit for inspecting the identification code of the egg pack between the first seal inspection unit and the second seal inspection unit, it is possible to add an identification code inspection function to the egg pack inspection device while eliminating waste in its layout.

Advantages of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention configured as described above, it is possible to eliminate waste in the layout of the egg pack inspection device and make it compact.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the egg pack inspection apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, all the figures shown below are schematically drawn with appropriate omissions or exaggerations. The same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0015] <Configuration of Egg Pack Inspection Apparatus 100> The egg pack inspection apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is incorporated into a production line (not shown) of the egg pack P and inspects the egg pack P in which the egg E with the seal S and the label L are accommodated.

[0016] Note that, upstream of the egg pack inspection apparatus 100 in the production line, there are provided an egg accommodation apparatus for accommodating the egg E in the egg pack P, a seal attaching apparatus for attaching the seal S to the egg E accommodated in the egg pack P, and a label accommodation apparatus for accommodating the label L in the egg pack P in which the egg E is accommodated. Here, the seal attaching apparatus attaches the seal S (also called a bean seal) to the upper end portion of the egg E. Further, the label accommodation apparatus accommodates the label L between one row and the other row in the egg pack P.

[0017] Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the egg pack inspection apparatus 100 includes a transport unit 2 that transports the egg pack P in which the egg E with the seal S and the label L are accommodated with the lid open, a first seal inspection unit 3 provided upstream of the transport unit 2 for inspecting the seal S, a second seal inspection unit 4 provided downstream of the transport unit 2 for inspecting the seal S, and a label inspection unit 5 provided between the first seal inspection unit 3 and the second seal inspection unit 4 in the transport unit 2 for inspecting the label L. Note that each of the inspection units 3 to 5 and the blowers 6 and 7 described later are fixed by fixing members and the like provided in parallel with the transport unit 2.

[0018] The conveying unit 2 is composed of, for example, a conveyor, and in this embodiment, it is composed of a single linear conveyor. The conveyor constituting the conveying unit 2 is, for example, 800 to 1500 mm. Here, at the upstream end of the conveying unit 2, an egg pack P containing eggs E with a seal S and a label L is carried in from another conveying unit 20 of the production line. Also, the inspected egg pack P is carried out from the downstream end of the conveying unit 2 to another conveying unit 21 of the production line. Further, the conveying unit 2 of this embodiment conveys the egg pack P with the lid of the egg pack P positioned on the right side in the conveying direction. A holding member (not shown) that contacts the lid and holds the lid of the egg pack P in an open state is provided along the conveying direction in this conveying unit 2.

[0019] The first seal inspection unit 3 inspects the seals S in one row of the egg pack P conveyed by the conveying unit 2. The first seal inspection unit 3 of this embodiment inspects the seals S in the row along the conveying direction on the side opposite to the hinge portion to which the lid of the egg pack P is connected. Specifically, the first seal inspection unit 3 is an imaging camera that images the seal S attached to the egg E from above. The captured image captured by this imaging camera is transmitted to the information processing device 10.

[0020] Here, in the conveying unit 2, a first blower fan 6 that tilts the label L toward the other row is provided on the upstream side of the first seal inspection unit 3. This first blower fan 6 is provided on the side of the conveying unit 2 (here, the left side in the conveying direction), and by blowing air from the side or obliquely above on the one-row side to the egg pack P conveyed by the conveying unit 2, the label L is tilted toward the other row (see FIGS. 1 and 2(a)). The first blower fan 6 may be configured to start blowing air when the egg pack P passes in front of the first blower fan 6, or may be configured to blow air constantly regardless of the passage of the egg pack P.

[0021] The second seal inspection unit 4 inspects the seals S of the other row of the egg pack P conveyed by the conveying unit 2. The second seal inspection unit 4 of the present embodiment inspects the seals S of the row along the conveying direction on the hinge portion side to which the lid of the egg pack P is connected. Specifically, the second seal inspection unit 4 is an imaging camera that images the seal S attached to the egg E from above. The captured image captured by this imaging camera is transmitted to the information processing device 10.

[0022] Here, in the conveying unit 2, a second blower fan 7 that tilts the label L toward one row is provided upstream of the second seal inspection unit 4 (specifically, between the first seal inspection unit 3 and the second seal inspection unit 4). This second blower fan 7 is provided on the side of the conveying unit 2 (here, the right side toward the conveying direction), and blows air from the side or obliquely above the other row side to the egg pack P conveyed by the conveying unit 2, thereby tilting the label L toward one row (see FIGS. 1 and 2(b)). Note that the second blower fan 7 may be configured to start blowing air when the egg pack P passes in front of the second blower fan 7, or may be configured to blow air constantly regardless of the passage of the egg pack P.

[0023] The label inspection unit 5 inspects the label L housed between the one row and the other row in the egg pack P. This label inspection unit 5 inspects the label L tilted toward the other row by the first blower fan 6 or the label L tilted toward one row by the second blower fan 7.

[0024] The label inspection unit 5 of the present embodiment is provided in the conveyance unit 2 between the second blower fan 7 and the second seal inspection unit 4. As a result, the label inspection unit 5 is provided on the side of the conveyance unit 2 (here, the right side in the conveyance direction), and inspects the label L inclined toward one row by the second blower fan 7 (see FIGS. 1 and 2(b)). Specifically, the label inspection unit 5 is an imaging camera that images the label L housed in the egg pack P from the side or obliquely above on the other row side. The captured image captured by this imaging camera is transmitted to the information processing device 10. Here, as shown in FIG. 2(b), in the present embodiment, the imaging of the label L by the label inspection unit 5 is performed while the imaging of the seals on the other row by the second seal inspection unit 4 is being performed.

[0025] Alternatively, the label inspection unit 5 may be provided in the conveyance unit 2 between the first seal inspection unit 3 and the second blower fan 7. In this case, the label inspection unit 5 is provided on the side of the conveyance unit 2 (here, the left side in the conveyance direction), and inspects the label L inclined toward the other row by the first blower fan 6. Specifically, the label inspection unit 5 is an imaging camera that images the label L housed in the egg pack P from the side or obliquely above on the one row side. When the label inspection unit 5 is provided on the left side in the conveyance direction, the conveyance unit 2 conveys the egg pack P in a state where the lid of the egg pack P is located on the left side in the conveyance direction. That is, the label inspection unit 5 is provided on the same side as the side where the lid of the egg pack P being conveyed by the conveyance unit 2 is located. This is because the label is inserted so that the display surface of the label faces the lid side so that the display surface of the label faces upward when the lid is closed.

[0026] And the information processing device 10 that has acquired the captured images from each of the inspection units 3 to 5 determines good products and defective products based on the captured images from each of the inspection units 3 to 5. Note that the information processing device 10 is constituted by a computer having a CPU, a memory, an input / output interface, an AD converter, a display device such as a display, an input device, a communication device, and the like. And the information processing device 10 controls each part of the egg pack inspection device 100 based on the program stored in the memory, and causes the CPU and peripheral devices to cooperate to perform inspection operations and the like of the egg pack P in the egg pack inspection device 100. Note that the information processing device 10 does not control the entire egg pack inspection device 100, but may be provided corresponding to each part of the egg pack inspection device 100, control each part, and perform inspections in each of the inspection units 3 to 5.

[0027] Specifically, the information processing device 10 determines the presence or absence of the seal S on each egg E based on the captured images from the seal inspection units 3 and 4. And the information processing device 10 determines an egg pack P that contains eggs E without the seal S as a defective product. In addition, the information processing device 10 may determine the presence or absence of errors such as an error in the date printed on the seal S on each egg E or an error in the design of the seal S based on the captured images from the seal inspection units 3 and 4.

[0028] In addition, the information processing device 10 determines the presence or absence of errors such as an error in the character information of the label L, a displacement, non-insertion, or an error in the variety based on the captured image from the label inspection unit 5. And when there is an error in the label L, the information processing device 10 determines the egg pack P that contains the label L as a defective product.

[0029] The egg packs determined to be defective by the information processing device 10 are discharged by a common discharge mechanism 11 provided on the downstream side of the second seal inspection unit 4. Here, the discharge mechanism 11 may be configured to discharge the defective products carried out from the transport unit 2 by moving them laterally and then discharging them by a conveyor 12 for discharge. The defective egg pack P discharged by this discharge mechanism 11 is discharged by the conveyor 12 for discharge. Also, the information processing device 10 tracks defective products on one transport unit 2 and causes the defective egg pack P that has reached the discharge mechanism 11 to be discharged by the discharge mechanism 11 onto the conveyor 12 for discharge. On the other hand, the egg packs P determined to be non-defective are transported to the next process by another transport unit 21 on the production line.

[0030] <Effects of the present embodiment> According to the egg pack inspection device 100 of the present embodiment, since the first seal inspection unit 3, the label inspection unit 5, and the second seal inspection unit 4 are provided in this order on one transport unit 2, compared with the case where a discharge mechanism is provided for each of the inspection units 3 to 5, it is possible to eliminate waste in the layout of the egg pack inspection device 100 and make it compact.

[0031] Also, by configuring one transport unit 2 with one conveyor, it is possible to accurately track the egg packs P determined to be NG (defective products) as a result of the inspection, and accurately discharge the egg packs P determined to be NG.

[0032] Furthermore, since the label inspection unit 5, which has a relatively long inspection processing (image processing) time, is arranged between the first seal inspection unit 3 and the second seal inspection unit 4, it is possible to perform the label inspection processing during the inspection by the second seal inspection unit 4, and shorten the distance between the second seal inspection unit 4 and the discharge mechanism.

[0033] <Modified embodiment of the present invention> Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[0034] For example, in addition to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a code inspection unit 8 for inspecting an identification code (not shown) attached to the egg pack P may be provided between the first seal inspection unit 3 and the second seal inspection unit 4. Note that the identification code is attached to the side surface (the side surface of the short side portion) of the egg pack P.

[0035] When the identification code is attached to the front surface in the conveyance direction of the egg pack P, the code inspection unit 8 is an imaging camera that images the egg pack P from the front. When the identification code is attached to the rear surface in the conveyance direction of the egg pack P, the code inspection unit 8 is an imaging camera that images the egg pack P from the rear. Then, based on the captured image from the code inspection unit 8, the information processing device 10 determines whether the information printed on the identification code is correct.

[0036] Needless to say, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0037] 100 ··· Egg pack inspection device S ··· Seal E ··· Egg L ··· Label P ··· Egg pack 2 ··· Conveying unit 3 ··· First seal inspection unit 4 ··· Second seal inspection unit 5 ··· Label inspection unit 6 ··· First blower fan 7 ··· Second blower fan 8 ··· Code inspection unit

Claims

1. A conveying unit that conveys, with the lid open, eggs with seals and egg packs containing labels; A first seal inspection unit provided upstream of the conveying unit for inspecting the seal; A second seal inspection unit provided downstream of the conveying unit for inspecting the seal; An egg pack inspection apparatus comprising a label inspection unit provided between the first seal inspection unit and the second seal inspection unit in the conveying unit for inspecting the label.

2. The first seal inspection unit inspects the seal of one row of the egg packs conveyed by the conveying unit; The second seal inspection unit inspects the seal of the other row of the egg packs conveyed by the conveying unit; A first blower fan for tilting the label toward the other row is provided upstream of the first seal inspection unit; An egg pack inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a second blower fan for tilting the label toward the one row is provided between the first seal inspection unit and the second seal inspection unit.

3. The label inspection unit inspects the label tilted toward the other row by the first blower fan or the label tilted toward the one row by the second blower fan. The egg pack inspection apparatus according to claim 2.

4. The egg pack inspection apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a code inspection unit for inspecting an identification code attached to the egg pack between the first seal inspection unit and the second seal inspection unit.

Images