Vehicle body inspection device, vehicle body inspection system, and vehicle body inspection method

Abstract

To provide a highly accurate vehicle body inspection device, vehicle body inspection system, and vehicle body inspection method.SOLUTION: A vehicle body inspection device according to one aspect of the present invention is the vehicle body inspection device for inspecting a vehicle body, and comprises: an illumination unit that illuminates the vehicle body; a light receiving unit that receives regular reflection light from the vehicle body illuminated by the illumination unit; and a control unit that controls the vehicle body inspection device to inspect a first inspection region where the light receiving unit has received the regular reflection light. The control unit further controls output of information on a second inspection region, the second inspection region including at least a region where the light receiving unit does not receive the regular reflection light, based on a position of an inspector and a distance between the inspector and the vehicle body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle body inspection device, a vehicle body inspection system, and a vehicle body inspection method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an illumination method for a vehicle body paint inspection device, in which a unit comprising a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) camera installed at the center of a substrate and a group of high-brightness LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) attached to the substrate so that the distance from the center of the camera's field of view to the painted surface is equidistant is moved by a robot device so that the painted curved surface and the CCD camera are at right angles. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] Depending on the surface shape of the vehicle body, the position of lighting units such as LEDs, the position of light receiving units such as cameras, etc., there may be areas that are difficult to inspect using a single inspection device. Areas that are difficult to inspect using a single inspection device require inspection based on the inspector's visual inspection, etc., and there is a demand for highly accurate inspection.

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a highly accurate vehicle body inspection device, a vehicle body inspection system, and a vehicle body inspection method. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A vehicle body inspection device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a vehicle body inspection device that inspects a vehicle body, and comprises an illumination unit that illuminates the vehicle body, a light receiving unit that receives specularly reflected light from the vehicle body illuminated by the illumination unit, and a control unit that controls the vehicle body inspection device to inspect a first inspection area in which the light receiving unit receives the specularly reflected light, and the control unit further controls the vehicle body inspection device to output information about a second inspection area, the second inspection area including at least an area in which the light receiving unit does not receive the specularly reflected light, and is based on the position of an inspector and the distance between the inspector and the vehicle body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the present invention, a highly accurate vehicle body inspection device, a vehicle body inspection system, and a vehicle body inspection method can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a system block diagram of a vehicle body inspection system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a diagram illustrating an inspectable area and an uninspectable area of ​​a vehicle body inspection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a diagram showing an example of an inspection unavailable area of ​​the vehicle body inspection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is a front view of a vehicle body inspection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a control unit provided in the vehicle body inspection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control unit provided in the vehicle body inspection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a basic region of a second inspection region according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing an example of the principle of a basic area of ​​a second inspection area according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams showing an example of the principle of a basic area of ​​a second inspection area according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a first continuous region in a second inspection region according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 11] 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of a second continuous region and a separate region in a second inspection region according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of an auxiliary inspection device of a vehicle body inspection system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13]1 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an auxiliary inspection device of a vehicle body inspection system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a functional configuration of a display device of a vehicle body inspection system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 3 is a flowchart for explaining a vehicle body inspection method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control unit provided in a vehicle body inspection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a second inspection area extracted by an output unit in a control unit of a vehicle body inspection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description may be omitted. In the drawings, directions are expressed using a Cartesian coordinate system having an X-axis, a Y-axis, and a Z-axis. The X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis are perpendicular to one another. The direction along the X-axis is referred to as the X-axis direction. The direction along the Y-axis is referred to as the Y-axis direction. The direction along the Z-axis is referred to as the Z-axis direction. In addition, in the X-axis direction, the direction in which an arrow points is referred to as the +X direction or +X side, and the direction opposite to the +X direction is referred to as the -X direction or -X side. In the Y-axis direction, the direction in which an arrow points is referred to as the +Y direction or +Y side, and the direction opposite to the +Y direction is referred to as the -Y direction or -Y side. In the Z-axis direction, the direction in which an arrow points is referred to as the +Z direction or +Z side, and the direction opposite to the +Z direction is referred to as the -Z direction or -Z side. In this specification, the X-axis direction corresponds to the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body, i.e., the direction connecting the front and rear of the vehicle body. The X-axis direction corresponds to the conveyance direction of the vehicle body. The X-axis direction is sometimes referred to as the "conveyance direction." The Y-axis direction corresponds to the width direction of the vehicle body. The Z-axis direction corresponds to the height direction of the vehicle body. The vehicle body is, for example, the surface of the vehicle body. The surface of the vehicle body may be painted. The surface of the vehicle body includes at least a first inspection area and a second inspection area.

[0009] [First embodiment] A vehicle body inspection system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a system block diagram of the vehicle body inspection system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle body inspection system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a vehicle body inspection device 100. The vehicle body inspection system 1 may further include an auxiliary inspection device 200 and a display device 300.

[0010] The vehicle body inspection device 100 inspects a first inspection area of ​​the vehicle body. The auxiliary inspection device 200 inspects a second inspection area of ​​the vehicle body. Note that the second inspection area of ​​the vehicle body may be inspected by an inspector. An example of an inspection by an inspector is a visual inspection by the inspector. The display device 300 displays information about the second inspection area. The information about the second inspection area includes, for example, the position of the second inspection area on the vehicle body, the diameter of the second inspection area, the position of the inspector, and the distance between the inspector and the surface of the vehicle body. While FIG. 1 shows both the auxiliary inspection device 200 and the display device 300, the vehicle body inspection system 1 may include only one of the auxiliary inspection device 200 and the display device 300. The vehicle body inspection device 100, the auxiliary inspection device 200, and the display device 300 may be interconnected. Note that the vehicle body inspection device 100, the auxiliary inspection device 200, and the display device 300 are preferably connected to each other so as to be able to communicate via wired or wireless communication.

[0011] The vehicle body inspection system 1 is a system for inspecting vehicle bodies. The vehicle body may be, for example, a painted automobile, such as a large, standard, or compact automobile. For example, the vehicle body inspection system 1 inspects defects on the surfaces of the doors, hood, roof, trunk lid, rear bumper, and other parts of the vehicle body. Defects formed on the surface of the vehicle body are called "surface defects." Here, "surface defects" refer to scratches, cracks, irregularities, stains, discoloration, and the like formed on the surface of the vehicle body.

[0012] The vehicle body inspection system 1 inspects each of a plurality of vehicle bodies transported on an inspection line. For example, the vehicle body inspection system 1 inspects the surface of each of a plurality of vehicle bodies transported on an inspection line. Generally, a plurality of vehicle bodies with different appearances such as shapes and colors are transported on an inspection line in random order.

[0013] <Inspectable and uninspectable areas> The inspectable area and uninspectable area of ​​the vehicle body inspection device 100 will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the inspectable area and uninspectable area of ​​the vehicle body inspection device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows a vehicle body 2 and a vehicle body inspection device 100 that inspects the vehicle body 2. For example, the vehicle body inspection device 100 shown in Figure 2 includes one illumination unit 120 and two light receiving units 130, each of which is disposed relative to the surface 2P of the vehicle body 2. However, the number of illumination units 120 is not limited to one. The number of light receiving units 130 is not limited to two.

[0014] The surface 2P of the vehicle body 2 includes areas A, B, and C. The inspectable area is an example of an area where the light receiving unit 130 receives specularly reflected light, and corresponds to the first inspection area. The uninspectable area is an example of an area where the light receiving unit 130 does not receive specularly reflected light. The second inspection area includes at least a portion of the uninspectable area. The first inspection area and the second inspection area may partially overlap.

[0015] The illumination unit 120 illuminates the surface of the vehicle body. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the illumination unit 120 illuminates the surface 2P of the vehicle body. The illumination unit 120 preferably includes a plurality of light sources. Examples of the light source include semiconductor light-emitting elements such as LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes), fluorescent lamps, and halogen lamps. The light source preferably emits visible light, but may also emit light in other wavelength bands such as infrared light. The illumination unit 120 may also be a liquid crystal display, a projector, or the like.

[0016] The illumination unit 120 may further include various optical members such as a diffuser, a reflector, a lens element, etc. The illumination unit 120 in the first embodiment diffuses light emitted from the LEDs using a diffuser, and illuminates the surface 2P with even, parallel illumination light.

[0017] The light receiving unit 130 receives specularly reflected light from the surface 2P illuminated by the illumination unit 120. In FIG. 2, the light receiving unit 130 receives specularly reflected light from areas A and B of the surface 2P illuminated by the illumination unit 120. The area of ​​the surface 2P from which the light receiving unit 130 receives specularly reflected light is the first inspection area. The area including at least a portion of the area of ​​the surface 2P from which the light receiving unit 130 does not receive specularly reflected light is the second inspection area.

[0018] The light receiving unit 130 receives specularly reflected light from the surface 2P illuminated by the illumination unit 120. An example of the light receiving unit 130 is an imaging device such as a camera equipped with an imaging element such as a CCD or a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor). When the light receiving unit 130 is an imaging device, it acquires image information of the surface to be inspected. If the imaging device is a visible light camera, it acquires color image information. Other imaging devices such as an infrared camera may also be used. The imaging device may also acquire monochrome image information.

[0019] Surface 2P of vehicle body 2 is a glossy, smooth surface. Therefore, light incident on surface 2P from lighting unit 120 has an incident angle equal to the reflection angle, and is specularly reflected. On the other hand, surface 2P is a collection of multiple curved surface areas with different normal directions and curvatures.

[0020] On surface 2P, for example, it is assumed that specularly reflected light (light indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 2) from area A, which is flat and approximately parallel to the light irradiation surface of the illumination unit 120, is received by the first light receiving unit 130. Also, it is assumed that specularly reflected light (light indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 2) from area B, which has the same orientation and surface shape as area A relative to the light irradiation surface of the illumination unit 120, is received by the second light receiving unit 130. In this case, areas A and B are inspectable areas.

[0021] In contrast, it is assumed that specularly reflected light (light indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 2) from area C, which is inclined with respect to areas A and B and non-parallel to the light irradiation surface of the illumination unit 120, is not received by either of the two light receiving units 130. That is, in both images captured by the two light receiving units 130, the area corresponding to area C becomes a dark area. In this case, area C becomes an area that cannot be inspected.

[0022] The first light receiving unit 130 (the light receiving unit on the left side in FIG. 2) receives specularly reflected light that is emitted from the illumination unit 120 and specularly reflected from region A. The first light receiving unit 130 also receives specularly reflected light that is specularly reflected from region B (light shown by the dashed-dotted line in FIG. 2). In contrast, the light from region C (light shown by the dashed-two-dot line in FIG. 2) that is captured by the first light receiving unit 130 (the light receiving unit on the left side in FIG. 2) is not due to illumination light from the illumination unit 120. The same is true for the second light receiving unit 130 (the light receiving unit on the right side in FIG. 2). In other words, each light receiving unit 130 also has an inspectable region and an uninspectable region.

[0023] As such, the position, size, and range of the inspectable area or uninspectable area differ depending on various conditions such as the position of the illumination unit 120, the orientation of the light irradiation surface, the illumination range, the position of the light receiving unit 130, the angle of view, and the surface shape of the surface 2P. On the surface 2P of the vehicle body 2, for example, an area where the curvature changes significantly compared to the surrounding area, such as a recessed portion of a door handle, or a physically discontinuous area, such as the boundary between adjacent doors, becomes an uninspectable area.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing examples of uninspectable areas of the vehicle body inspection apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3(a) shows uninspectable areas 2F1, 2F2, 2F3, 2F4, 2F5, and 2F6 of a vehicle body 2. FIG. 3(b) shows uninspectable areas 2F7, 2F8, 2F9, and 2F10 of another vehicle body 2. For example, the uninspectable areas 2F1 to 2F10 are uninspectable areas with different sizes, shapes, and positions, and are located at multiple positions on the surface 2P. Furthermore, since the vehicle bodies are transported sequentially by a transport unit such as a conveyor during vehicle inspection, variations in the shape, etc. of the surface 2P of the vehicle bodies 2 occur even between vehicle bodies 2 of the same vehicle type.

[0025] <Vehicle body inspection device> A vehicle body inspection device 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. An example of the configuration of the vehicle body inspection device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 4 to 6. Fig. 4 is a front view of the vehicle body inspection device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a control unit provided in the vehicle body inspection device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the control unit provided in the vehicle body inspection device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] 4, the vehicle body inspection device 100 includes a main body unit 110, an illumination unit 120, a light receiving unit 130, and a control unit 140. The vehicle body inspection device 100 may further include other components such as a transport unit 3. The transport unit 3 transports the vehicle body 2.

[0027] The main body 110 is a housing for the vehicle body inspection device 100. For example, the main body 110 has a gate-type structure that covers the periphery of the transport unit 3 that transports the vehicle body 2. Specifically, the main body 110 includes side walls 111, 112 located near both sides of the transport unit 3, and an upper wall 113 that extends across the upper ends of the side walls 111, 112. The vehicle body passing area 114 is an area inside the main body 110 where the vehicle body 2 is transported and where the vehicle body 2 is inspected. The vehicle body inspection device 100 of the first embodiment will be described as a fixed-type vehicle body inspection device in which the illumination unit 120 and the light receiving unit 130 are each fixed to the main body 110. Note that there may be multiple vehicle body inspection devices 100.

[0028] The lighting unit 120 is disposed on the inner surfaces of the side walls 111, 112 and the inner surface of the top wall 113 of the main body 110 so as to face the vehicle body 2 being transported by the transport unit 3. The lighting unit 120 illuminates the entire surface 2P when the vehicle body 2 is transported to the vehicle body passing area 114. The entire surface 2P may be illuminated simultaneously, or the passing areas of the vehicle body passing area 114 on the surface 2P may be illuminated sequentially.

[0029] The multiple light receiving units 130 are respectively arranged on the inner surfaces of the side walls 111, 112 and the inner surface of the top wall 113 of the main body 110. The multiple light receiving units 130 each capture an image of a different area of ​​the surface 2P. Some of the areas may overlap. When the vehicle body inspection device 100 is fixed, it is preferable that the illumination unit and light receiving unit of the auxiliary inspection device 200, which will be described separately, are not fixed but are operable. In contrast, the illumination unit 120 and light receiving unit 130 of the vehicle body inspection device 100 may be operable, and the illumination unit and light receiving unit of the auxiliary inspection device 200 may be fixed. Alternatively, the illumination unit and light receiving unit of the vehicle body inspection device 100 and the auxiliary inspection device 200 may each be operable. The auxiliary inspection device 200 itself may be operable.

[0030] The control unit 140 controls the vehicle body inspection device 100 to inspect a first inspection area corresponding to an area where the light receiving unit 130 receives specularly reflected light. The control unit 140 also controls the vehicle body inspection device 100 to output information about a second inspection area that includes at least a portion of an uninspectable area where the light receiving unit 130 does not receive specularly reflected light and is extracted based on the position of the inspector and the distance between the inspector and the surface 2P. The control unit 140 may be electrically connected to at least one of the auxiliary inspection device 200 and the display device 300. The control unit 140 may control the output of information about the second inspection area to at least one of the auxiliary inspection device 200 and the display device 300. The control unit 140 may also control the auxiliary inspection device 200 to inspect the second inspection area. The control unit 140 may be an information processing device such as a PC (Personal Computer). FIG. 5 shows an example of a hardware configuration of the control unit 140.

[0031] The control unit 140 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 401, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 402, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 403, a HDD (Hard Disk Drive) 404, and an input / output I / F (Interface) 405. These are electrically connected to one another via a bus 409.

[0032] The CPU 401 controls the operation of the control unit 140. The ROM 402 stores programs and the like executed by the CPU 401. The RAM 403 is used as a work area for the CPU 401. The HDD 404 stores various data such as programs. The input / output I / F 405 is an interface for inputting and outputting various signals and data to and from external devices.

[0033] Some or all of the functions of the CPU 401 may be realized by an electronic circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array).

[0034] Next, an example of the functional configuration of the control unit 140 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. The control unit 140 includes an acquisition unit 141, a determination unit 142, a defect detection unit 143, and an output unit 144. The control unit 140 may also control the operation of the illumination unit 120 and the light receiving unit 130 based on a detection signal from a sensor such as a vehicle body detection sensor arranged near the transport unit 3. The control unit 140 may further include other functional configuration units.

[0035] The acquiring unit 141 acquires image information output from each of the plurality of light receiving units 130. The acquiring unit 141 outputs the acquired image information to the determining unit 142. Note that the acquiring unit 141 is realized by, for example, the input / output I / F 405.

[0036] For example, the determination unit 142 analyzes each piece of image information and determines whether the image information includes an area in which the light receiving unit 130 does not receive specularly reflected light. In this case, the determination unit 142 may use a numerical value related to brightness, such as luminance or brightness, included in the image information as a determination index. In other words, the determination unit 142 may determine whether the light receiving unit 130 has received specularly reflected light from the surface 2P of the vehicle body 2 based on the brightness index included in the image information.

[0037] The determining unit 142 may set a predetermined threshold value for brightness, and determine that specularly reflected light has been received for image information whose brightness value is equal to or less than the predetermined threshold value.

[0038] The determination unit 142 may refer to, for example, measurement data obtained using a three-dimensional measurement method such as a phase shift method, a light section method, or a ToF (Time of Flight) method, which is stored in advance in the ROM 402, the HDD 404, etc. The determination unit 142 may further refer to shape information of the vehicle body 2 obtained from design data such as three-dimensional CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data, which is stored in advance in the ROM 402, the HDD 404, etc., information on the positional relationship between the illumination unit 120 and the light receiving unit 130, etc.

[0039] The determination unit 142 may have previously generated provisional information that identifies the first inspection area on the surface 2P of the vehicle body 2 and candidates for areas where the light receiving unit 130 does not receive specularly reflected light. Alternatively, the determination unit 142 may compare actually acquired image information with the provisional information to determine whether specularly reflected light has been received in the image information. By determining whether specularly reflected light has been received, the determination unit 142 determines whether the image information includes the first inspection area or an area where the light receiving unit 130 does not receive specularly reflected light.

[0040] When the three-dimensional measurement method is used, the determination unit 142 may calculate three-dimensional information such as the attitude and position of the vehicle body 2. Specifically, the three-dimensional information such as the attitude and position of the vehicle body 2 may be calculated by combining point cloud data constructed from measurement data of multiple locations within the surface 2P with shape information of the vehicle body 2. For example, the control unit 140 stores three-dimensional information of the vehicle body 2, and the determination unit 142 can calculate the attitude and position of the vehicle body 2 by matching the three-dimensional information obtained by the three-dimensional measurement method.

[0041] The coordinate data that constructs the three-dimensional information may be converted through an integer filter, etc. Also, the posture, position, etc. of the vehicle body 2 may be calculated directly from the point cloud data.

[0042] The determination unit 142 outputs image information of an area where the determination unit 142 has determined that specularly reflected light has been received to the defect detection unit 143. On the other hand, the determination unit 142 outputs image information of an area where the determination unit 142 has determined that specularly reflected light has not been received to the output unit 144. The determination unit 142 is realized by, for example, the CPU 401 and the input / output I / F 405.

[0043] The defect detection unit 143 analyzes image information including the first inspection area and detects surface defects included in the first inspection area. The process for detecting surface defects includes, for example, extracting feature quantities such as defect size in the first inspection area and determining the presence or absence of surface defects based on the extracted feature quantities. Furthermore, the defect detection unit 143 may also perform preprocessing such as noise removal processing on the image information. The defect detection unit 143 is realized by, for example, the CPU 401.

[0044] The output unit 144 outputs a second inspection area including at least a portion of an area where the light receiving unit 130 does not receive specularly reflected light. The output unit 144 outputs information about the second inspection area based on the position of the inspector and the distance between the inspector and the vehicle body 2. The second inspection area may be extracted by the output unit 144 or an external device. The "position of the inspector" may be identified by the coordinates of a predetermined part of the inspector in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. For example, if the predetermined part of the inspector is the "eyes of the inspector," the position of the inspector's eyes may be identified by the coordinates of the inspector's eyes in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. An example of the "distance between the inspector and the vehicle body 2" is the shortest distance between a predetermined part of the inspector and the surface 2P. If the predetermined part of the inspector is the "eyes of the inspector," the "distance between the inspector and the vehicle body 2" may be the shortest distance between the inspector's eyes and the surface 2P.

[0045] First, an example of the basic region of the second inspection region will be described with reference to Fig. 7 to Fig. 9. Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the basic region of the second inspection region according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 8 and 9 are schematic diagrams showing an example of the principle of the basic region of the second inspection region according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] FIG. 7 shows the basic region 71R of the second inspection area. FIG. 8 shows the surface 2P, the inspector 5, the inspector's eye 5EY, the distance L, and the effective field of view θ. FIG. 9 shows the inspector 5, the inspector's eye 5EY, the effective field of view 81, and the central vision 82. The inspector 5 shown in FIG. 9 is, for example, positioned to the side of the transport section 3 and facing the vehicle body 2. FIG. 9(a) shows an example of the effective field of view θ when the inspector 5 is viewed from the +Z side. FIG. 9(b) shows an example of the effective field of view θ when the inspector 5 is viewed from the +X side.

[0047] The basic region 71R has, for example, a circular shape. The diameter D of the circular shape of the basic region 71R is determined, for example, using equation (1). D = 2L × tan(θ / 2) (1)

[0048] "L" in equation (1) is the distance between the inspector 5 and the vehicle body 2. In the example shown in FIG. 8, the distance "L" corresponds to the distance between the eye 5EY of the inspector 5 and the surface 2P. However, the distance "L" may also be the distance between another part of the inspector 5 and the vehicle body 2. Furthermore, "θ" in equation (1) is the effective field of view of the inspector 5. The output unit 144 may extract, as the basic region 71R, an area defined by a diameter D calculated using equation (1) including the distance L and the effective field of view θ. Note that the diameter D may be calculated by the output unit 144 or by an external device. Note that the basic region 71R may be a part of the second inspection region.

[0049] An example of the effective viewing angle θ of the inspector 5 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 9( a) and 9(b), the effective viewing field 81 is the range of the visual field of the inspector 5 that is outside the central vision 82 and allows the inspector 5 to clearly recognize the shape and color of an object without moving his / her viewpoint. For example, in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), the effective viewing field 81 may be a range that extends 35 degrees to the +X side, -X side, +Z side, and -Z side of the Y axis direction when the Y axis direction is 0 degrees. In this case, the maximum value of the effective viewing angle θ is 70 degrees. However, the maximum value of the effective viewing angle θ is not limited to this. In the example shown in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b), the viewing field of 0 degrees parallel to the Y axis direction corresponds to the "viewpoint."

[0050] The position of the inspector 5 may be the actual position of the inspector 5 identified by, for example, an optical sensor or a camera that captures an image of the inspector 5 when inspecting the vehicle body 2. The position of the inspector 5 may also be estimated based on the placement information of the inspector 5 that is stored in advance in the ROM 402, the HDD 404, or the like. The position of the eyes 5EY of the inspector 5 may also be identified by further considering other information such as the height of the inspector 5.

[0051] By extracting the basic region 71R, the output unit 144 can output an inspection region that can be clearly recognized by the inspector 5 without significantly moving the viewpoint of the inspector 5. For example, the inspector 5 can reduce missed detections of surface defects formed on the surface 2P by inspecting the second inspection region including the basic region 71R as the center. In other words, high-precision inspection is possible.

[0052] Next, an example of a first continuous region in the second inspection region will be described with reference to FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a first continuous region in the second inspection region according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 shows a first continuous region 72R together with a basic region 71R. As shown in FIG. 10, the first continuous region 72R includes a plurality of basic regions 71R. The plurality of basic regions 71R partially overlap each other. The first continuous region 72R extends parallel to the transport direction. Note that "parallel" includes a range of directions tilted by ±5 degrees from the direction along the transport direction.

[0053] Because the first continuous region 72R extends parallel to the conveying direction, the inspector 5 can recognize the basic region 71R and the first continuous region 72R without significantly moving his / her viewpoint while the vehicle body 2 is being conveyed by the conveying unit 3. Furthermore, by extracting the first continuous region 72R, the information on the second inspection region output from the output unit 144 can include an area on the surface 2P that is larger than the basic region 71R. This allows for highly accurate inspection. Furthermore, it also increases inspection efficiency.

[0054] Next, an example of the second continuous region and the isolated region in the second inspection region will be described with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the second continuous region and the isolated region in the second inspection region according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 shows a base region 71R and a first continuous region 72R, as well as a second continuous region 73R and an isolated region 78R. FIG. 11 shows a plurality of second continuous regions 73R1, 73R2, 73R3, and 73R4 as the second continuous region 73R. However, the number of the second continuous region 73R is not limited. FIG. 11 also shows a plurality of isolated regions 78R1 and 78R2 as the isolated region 78R. However, the number of the isolated regions 78R is not limited. Although FIG. 11 shows a first continuous region 72R, the second inspection region does not necessarily include the first continuous region 72R.

[0055] The second continuous region 73R is extracted based on the transport speed at which the vehicle body 2 is transported by the transport unit 3. The second continuous region 73R includes a region extending in a direction different from the transport direction. The second continuous region 73R may be connected to at least one of the basic region 71R and the first continuous region 72R, or may be separated from both the basic region 71R and the first continuous region 72R. The second continuous region 73R may be a region within a range where the viewpoint of the inspector 5 moves significantly relative to the basic region 71R. In other words, the second continuous region 73R may include a region outside the effective viewing angle θ of the inspector 5 relative to the basic region 71R and the first continuous region 72R.

[0056] For example, the output unit 144 may extract the second continuous region 73R as follows. For example, when the transport speed of the vehicle body 2 is relatively slow, the output unit 144 extracts a second continuous region 73R of a relatively wide range. In contrast, when the transport speed of the vehicle body 2 is relatively fast, the output unit 144 extracts a second continuous region 73R of a relatively narrow range. As a result, an area that can be relatively clearly recognized by the inspector 5 within the range in which the inspector's 5 viewpoint moves significantly relative to the basic region 71R is appropriately extracted as the second continuous region 73R. Furthermore, the second continuous region 73R can be distributed over a wider range on the surface 2P than the first continuous region 72R. As a result, inspection can be performed with high accuracy. Furthermore, inspection efficiency can be further improved. The conveying speed of the car body 2 referenced when extracting the second continuous region 73R may be pre-stored in ROM 402, HDD 404, etc., or may be the actual speed of the car body 2 detected by a speed sensor attached to the car body 2 or the conveying section 3, etc.

[0057] The output unit 144 may further extract a distant region 78R. The distant region 78R is separated from the second continuous region 73R by a distance calculated based on the transport speed. The distant region 78R may be a region within a range in which the viewpoint of the inspector 5 moves significantly relative to the second continuous region 73R. In other words, the distant region 78R may include a region outside the effective viewing angle θ of the inspector 5 relative to the second continuous region 73R.

[0058] For example, when the conveyance speed of the vehicle body 2 is relatively slow, the distance between the separated region 78R and the second continuous region 73R is relatively large. In contrast, when the conveyance speed of the vehicle body 2 is relatively fast, the distance between the separated region 78R and the second continuous region 73R is relatively small. The distance between the separated region 78R and the second continuous region 73R may be calculated by the output unit 144 or by an external device. Note that one example of the distance between the separated region 78R and the second continuous region 73R is the length of a straight line that starts at the separated region 78R, extends parallel to the Z-axis direction, and terminates at the intersection with the second continuous region 73R.

[0059] As a result, within the range in which the viewpoint of the inspector 5 moves significantly relative to the second continuous region 73R, a region that the inspector 5 can recognize relatively clearly is appropriately extracted as the isolated region 78R. Furthermore, by extracting the isolated region 78R, a second inspection region that is distributed over an even wider area on the surface 2P than the second continuous region 73R is extracted. As a result, inspection can be performed with high accuracy. In addition, inspection efficiency can be further improved.

[0060] Furthermore, the output unit 144 may extract the second inspection area based on at least one of the number of the plurality of illumination units 120, the respective positions of the plurality of illumination units 120, the number of the plurality of light receiving units 130, and the respective positions of the plurality of light receiving units 130.

[0061] The output unit 144 outputs the information on the second inspection area. For example, the output unit 144 outputs the information on the second inspection area to at least one of the auxiliary inspection device 200 and the display device 300.

[0062] <Auxiliary inspection equipment> Next, the auxiliary inspection device 200 of the vehicle body inspection system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 12 and Fig. 13. Fig. 12 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the auxiliary inspection device 200 of the vehicle body inspection system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 13 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the auxiliary inspection device 200 of the vehicle body inspection system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. An example of the auxiliary inspection device 200 is a device carried by an inspector 5 when inspecting a vehicle body 2.

[0063] 12, the auxiliary inspection device 200 includes hardware such as a CPU 701, a ROM 702, a RAM 703, a HDD 704, an input / output I / F 705, and a display 706. These components are electrically connected to one another via a bus 709.

[0064] As shown in FIG. 13, the auxiliary inspection device 200 includes, for example, a display unit 210, an illumination unit 220, a light receiving unit 230, and a defect detection unit 240. The display unit 210 displays information about the second inspection area from the vehicle body inspection device 100. The display unit 210 can be realized, for example, by a display 706. The illumination unit 220 illuminates the second inspection area. The light receiving unit 230 receives specularly reflected light from the second inspection area. The defect detection unit 240 analyzes the image information of the second inspection area captured by the light receiving unit 230 and detects defects in the second inspection area. The defect detection unit 240 can be realized, for example, by a CPU 701.

[0065] <Display device> Next, the display device 300 of the vehicle body inspection system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the display device 300 of the vehicle body inspection system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The display device 300 is placed, for example, in a position where it can be viewed by the inspector 5. The display device 300 may be equipped with hardware similar to that equipped in the auxiliary inspection device 200. Therefore, an example of the hardware configuration of the display device 300 will not be illustrated.

[0066] As shown in FIG. 14, the display device 300 includes, for example, a processing unit 310 and a display unit 320. The processing unit 310 processes information on the second inspection area from the vehicle body inspection device 100. For example, the processing unit 310 processes the information on the second inspection area to obtain image information indicating the position of the second inspection area. The processing unit 310 outputs the image information indicating the position of the second inspection area to the display unit 320. The processing unit 310 can be realized, for example, by a CPU. The display unit 320 displays the image information indicating the position of the second inspection area. The display unit 320 can be realized, for example, by a display.

[0067] <Vehicle inspection method> Next, a vehicle body inspection method according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 15. Fig. 15 is a flowchart for explaining the vehicle body inspection method according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0068] First, in step S11, the lighting unit 120 of the vehicle body inspection device 100 illuminates the surface 2P of the vehicle body 2.

[0069] Next, in step S12, the light receiving unit 130 of the vehicle body inspection device 100 receives specularly reflected light from the vehicle body 2 illuminated by the illumination unit 120. This acquires image information of, for example, the surface 2P of the vehicle body 2. If there are multiple light receiving units 130, image information of multiple regions of the surface 2P of the vehicle body 2 is acquired. In addition, the light receiving units 130 output the image information to the control unit 140.

[0070] Next, in step S13, the determination unit 142 of the control unit 140 analyzes the image information of the light receiving unit 130 and determines a first inspection area and an uninspectable area on the surface 2P of the vehicle body 2. The determination unit 142 may determine whether the light receiving unit 130 has received specularly reflected light based on at least one of the positions of the illumination unit 120 and the light receiving unit 130 and the shape of the surface 2P. Furthermore, when determining the first inspection area and the uninspectable area, the determination unit 142 may utilize the inspection results of another vehicle body of the same model as the vehicle body 2 that was inspected prior to this inspection. A storage medium such as an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tag or a two-dimensional barcode may be attached to the transport unit 3 that transports the vehicle body 2, and the determination unit 142 may read information such as the model of the vehicle body 2 from the attached storage medium to identify the information such as the model of the vehicle body 2. The inspection results of the other vehicle bodies may be stored, for example, in the ROM 402 or HDD 404 of the control unit 140.

[0071] Subsequently, in step S14, the determination unit 142 outputs the image information of the first inspection area to the defect detection unit 143 of the vehicle body inspection device 100. The defect detection unit 143 analyzes the image information of the first inspection area and detects surface defects in the first inspection area.

[0072] Next, in step S15, the judgment unit 142 outputs image information including the uninspectable area to the output unit 144. The output unit 144 extracts a second inspection area based on, for example, the position of the inspector 5 and the distance between the inspector 5 and the vehicle body 2.

[0073] Subsequently, in step S16, the output unit 144 outputs the information of the second inspection area to, for example, at least one of the auxiliary inspection device 200 and the display device 300. In other words, the control unit 140 controls to output the information of the second inspection area.

[0074] These steps constitute a vehicle body inspection method according to one embodiment of the present invention. However, the vehicle body inspection method according to one embodiment of the present invention may include other steps as appropriate, depending on the inspection conditions, the inspection environment, and the like. For example, when inspecting vehicle bodies 2 of the same vehicle model, the first inspection area and the second inspection area may be equivalent. In this case, before consecutively inspecting multiple vehicle bodies 2, the inspection areas may be determined and extracted to define the areas in advance, and then the vehicle bodies 2 may be inspected collectively. By defining the areas in advance in this manner, it is possible to omit, for example, step S14 of the vehicle body inspection method described using FIG. 15.

[0075] [Second embodiment] Next, a vehicle body inspection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 16 and 17. Figure 16 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a control unit provided in the vehicle body inspection device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 17 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a second inspection area extracted by an output unit in the control unit of the vehicle body inspection device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The control unit provided in the vehicle body inspection device according to the second embodiment is mainly different from that of the first embodiment. Note that the vehicle body inspection device according to the second embodiment may be the same device as the vehicle body inspection device 100 according to the first embodiment, except for differences related to the control unit. In the second embodiment, components similar to those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 16, a control unit 140A provided in the vehicle body inspection device of the second embodiment includes an acquisition unit 141, a determination unit 142, a defect detection unit 143, and an output unit 144A.

[0077] As shown in Fig. 17, the output unit 144A may extract a plurality of second inspection areas 700. Two second inspection areas 700A and 700B are shown in Fig. 17. However, the number of second inspection areas 700 extracted by the output unit 144A may be three or more. The extraction of the plurality of second inspection areas 700 may be performed by an external device.

[0078] The output unit 144A may extract the multiple second inspection areas 700 based on the positions of the multiple inspectors 5 and the distance L between each of the multiple inspectors 5 and the vehicle body 2. An example of the distance L is the distance between the inspector 5 and the surface 2P of the vehicle body 2. For example, the output unit 144A extracts the second inspection area 700A based on the distance L between the eye 5EY of a first inspector 5 inspecting the +Z side of the vehicle body 2 and the surface 2P. The output unit 144A also extracts the second inspection area 700B based on the distance L between the eye 5EY of a second inspector 5 inspecting an area on the -Z side of the vehicle body 2 closer to the first inspector 5 and the surface 2P. The output unit 144A outputs information about the multiple second inspection areas 700 to, for example, at least one of the auxiliary inspection device 200 and the display device 300.

[0079] The shapes of the second inspection regions 700A, 700B are not limited to those shown in Fig. 17. That is, each of the second inspection regions 700A, 700B may include the basic region 71R and at least one of the first continuous region 72R, the second continuous region 73R, and the isolated region 78R. The same applies to the case where the output section 144A extracts another second inspection region 700.

[0080] This extracts a plurality of second inspection areas 700 that can be clearly recognized by each of the plurality of inspectors 5. As a result, inspection can be performed with high accuracy, and inspection efficiency can be further improved.

[0081] Although the embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the present invention.

[0082] For example, aspects of the present invention are as follows. <1> A vehicle body inspection device for inspecting a vehicle body, a lighting unit that illuminates the vehicle body; a light receiving unit that receives specularly reflected light from the vehicle body illuminated by the lighting unit; a control unit that controls the vehicle body inspection device to inspect a first inspection area in which the light receiving unit receives the specularly reflected light; Equipped with The control unit further controls to output information about the second inspection area, The second inspection area is the light receiving unit includes at least an area that does not receive the specularly reflected light, Based on the position of the inspector and the distance between the inspector and the vehicle body, Vehicle body inspection equipment. <2> The distance between the inspector and the vehicle body is L, When the effective visual field angle of the inspector is θ, The second inspection area includes a fundamental area defined by a diameter D calculated using equation (1). The aforementioned <1> The vehicle body inspection device described in D = 2L × tan(θ / 2) (1) <3> Further, a conveying unit that conveys the vehicle body is provided, The second inspection area is The basic domain; a first continuous region extending parallel to the conveying direction in which the vehicle body is conveyed by the conveying unit and connected to the basic region; Including, The aforementioned <2> The vehicle body inspection device described in <4> Further, a conveying unit that conveys the vehicle body is provided, The second inspection area is The basic domain; a second continuous region that is extracted based on the transport speed at which the vehicle body is transported by the transport unit, the second continuous region including a region that extends in a direction different from the transport direction in which the vehicle body is transported by the transport unit; Contains The aforementioned <2> or the above <3> The vehicle body inspection device described in <5> the second inspection area further includes a separation area that is separated from the second continuous area by a distance calculated based on the transport speed; The aforementioned <4> The vehicle body inspection device described in <6> a plurality of the illumination units and a plurality of the light receiving units; The second inspection area is an area based on at least one of the number of the illumination units, the positions of each of the plurality of illumination units, the number of the light receiving units, and the positions of each of the plurality of light receiving units. The aforementioned <1> From the above <5> 10. A vehicle body inspection device according to claim 9. <7> the control unit controls to output information of the plurality of second inspection areas based on positions of the plurality of inspectors and distances between each of the plurality of inspectors and the vehicle body. The aforementioned <1> From the above <6> 10. A vehicle body inspection device according to claim 9. <8> The second inspection area includes at least an area inspected by the inspector. The aforementioned <1> From the above <7> 10. A vehicle body inspection device according to claim 9. <9> A vehicle body inspection system including a vehicle body inspection device and an auxiliary inspection device, The vehicle body inspection device a lighting unit that illuminates the vehicle body; a light receiving unit that receives specularly reflected light from the vehicle body illuminated by the lighting unit; a control unit that controls the vehicle body inspection device to inspect a first inspection area in which the light receiving unit receives the specularly reflected light; Equipped with The control unit further controls to output information about the second inspection area, The second inspection area is the light receiving unit includes at least an area that does not receive the specularly reflected light, Based on the position of the inspector and the distance between the inspector and the vehicle body, The auxiliary testing device inspecting the second inspection area based on the information of the second inspection area; Vehicle body inspection system. <10> A vehicle body inspection system including a vehicle body inspection device and a display device, The vehicle body inspection device a lighting unit that illuminates the vehicle body; a light receiving unit that receives specularly reflected light from the vehicle body illuminated by the lighting unit; a control unit that controls the vehicle body inspection device to inspect a first inspection area in which the light receiving unit receives the specularly reflected light; Equipped with The control unit further controls to output information about the second inspection area, The second inspection area is the light receiving unit includes at least an area that does not receive the specularly reflected light, Based on the position of the inspector and the distance between the inspector and the vehicle body, The display device includes: Displaying information about the second inspection area. Vehicle body inspection system. <11> A vehicle body inspection method for inspecting a vehicle body using a vehicle body inspection device, comprising: Illuminating the vehicle body using a lighting unit provided in the vehicle body inspection device; using a light receiving unit included in the vehicle body inspection device, to receive specularly reflected light from any area of ​​the vehicle body illuminated by the lighting unit; Using a control unit provided in the vehicle body inspection device, control is performed so that the vehicle body inspection device inspects a first inspection area where the light receiving unit receives the specular reflected light, and further control is performed so that information on a second inspection area is output, the second inspection area including at least an area where the light receiving unit does not receive the specular reflected light, and based on the position of an inspector and the distance between the inspector and the vehicle body, Vehicle inspection method. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 1. Vehicle body inspection system 2. Body 2P surface 3. Conveyor 5. Inspector 5EY Inspector's Eyes 71R Basic area 72R First continuous area 73R Second continuous area 78R isolated area 100 Vehicle body inspection equipment 110 Main body 120 Lighting Department 130 Light receiving part 140 Control Unit 144,144A output section 200 Auxiliary Inspection Equipment 300 display device 700, 700A, 700B Second inspection area [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0084] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-278713

Claims

1. A vehicle body inspection device for inspecting a vehicle body, a lighting unit that illuminates the vehicle body; a light receiving unit that receives specularly reflected light from the vehicle body illuminated by the lighting unit; a control unit that controls the vehicle body inspection device to inspect a first inspection area in which the light receiving unit receives the specularly reflected light; Equipped with The control unit further controls to output information about the second inspection area, The second inspection area is the light receiving unit includes at least an area that does not receive the specularly reflected light, Based on the position of the inspector and the distance between the inspector and the vehicle body, Vehicle body inspection equipment.

2. The distance between the inspector and the vehicle body is L, When the effective visual field angle of the inspector is θ, The second inspection area includes a basic area defined by a diameter D calculated using equation (1). The vehicle body inspection device according to claim 1. D=2L×tan(θ / 2)...(1)

3. Further, a conveying unit that conveys the vehicle body is provided, The second inspection area is The basic domain; a first continuous region extending parallel to a conveying direction in which the vehicle body is conveyed by the conveying unit and connected to the basic region; Including, The vehicle body inspection device according to claim 2.

4. Further, a conveying unit that conveys the vehicle body is provided, The second inspection area is The basic domain; a second continuous region that is extracted based on a conveying speed at which the vehicle body is conveyed by the conveying unit, the second continuous region including a region that extends in a direction different from the conveying direction in which the vehicle body is conveyed by the conveying unit; Contains 4. A vehicle body inspection device according to claim 2 or 3.

5. the second inspection area further includes a separation area that is separated from the second continuous area by a distance calculated based on the transport speed.

5. The vehicle body inspection device according to claim 4.

6. a plurality of the illumination units and a plurality of the light receiving units; the second inspection area is an area based on at least one of the number of the illumination units, the positions of each of the plurality of illumination units, the number of the light receiving units, and the positions of each of the plurality of light receiving units.

3. A vehicle body inspection device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. the control unit controls to output information of the plurality of second inspection areas based on positions of the plurality of inspectors and distances between each of the plurality of inspectors and the vehicle body.

3. A vehicle body inspection device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. the second inspection area includes at least an area inspected by the inspector; The vehicle body inspection device according to claim 1.

9. A vehicle body inspection system including a vehicle body inspection device and an auxiliary inspection device, The vehicle body inspection device includes: a lighting unit that illuminates the vehicle body; a light receiving unit that receives specularly reflected light from the vehicle body illuminated by the lighting unit; a control unit that controls the vehicle body inspection device to inspect a first inspection area in which the light receiving unit receives the specularly reflected light; Equipped with The control unit further controls to output information about the second inspection area, The second inspection area is the light receiving unit includes at least an area that does not receive the specularly reflected light, Based on the position of the inspector and the distance between the inspector and the vehicle body, The auxiliary testing device inspecting the second inspection area based on information about the second inspection area; Vehicle body inspection system.

10. A vehicle body inspection system including a vehicle body inspection device and a display device, The vehicle body inspection device includes: a lighting unit that illuminates the vehicle body; a light receiving unit that receives specularly reflected light from the vehicle body illuminated by the lighting unit; a control unit that controls the vehicle body inspection device to inspect a first inspection area in which the light receiving unit receives the specularly reflected light; Equipped with The control unit further controls to output information about the second inspection area, The second inspection area is the light receiving unit includes at least an area that does not receive the specularly reflected light, The display device displays a position of the inspector based on the position of the inspector and the distance between the inspector and the vehicle body. Displaying information about the second inspection area; Vehicle body inspection system.

11. A vehicle body inspection method for inspecting a vehicle body using a vehicle body inspection device, comprising: Illuminating the vehicle body using a lighting unit provided in the vehicle body inspection device; using a light receiving unit included in the vehicle body inspection device, to receive specularly reflected light from any area of ​​the vehicle body illuminated by the lighting unit; Using a control unit provided in the vehicle body inspection device, control is performed so that the vehicle body inspection device inspects a first inspection area where the light receiving unit receives the specular reflected light, and further control is performed so that information on a second inspection area is output, the second inspection area including at least an area where the light receiving unit does not receive the specular reflected light, and based on the position of an inspector and the distance between the inspector and the vehicle body, Vehicle inspection method.

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