Rejection box and item inspection system

Abstract

To provide a removed article storage box which properly monitors a stored numerical quantity of removed articles from an article inspection line in a manner that allows information output, and to provide an article inspection system including the removed article storage box.SOLUTION: A removed article storage box 41 or 42 has a box-shaped body 43A, 43B into which an article W to be removed to an outside of a transport path due to a specific inspection result is placed and includes: weight measuring means 45A, 45B for measuring a weight value of the article W placed into the box-shaped body 43A, 43B and for measuring at least a first measurement value of the first measurement value measured at a fixed cycle and a second measurement value measured at a time at which a predetermined time elapses after the removal; placement determination means 46a for determining, based on the first and second measurement values, whether or not the article W with the specific inspection result is placed into the box-shaped body 43A, 43B within a predetermined time after the removal; and notification output means 46c for performing a notification output of a storage state of the article W in the box-shaped body 43A, 43B according to a determination result of the placement determination means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a rejected item storage box and an item inspection system, and more particularly to a rejected item storage box into which items to be rejected are placed when inspected items whose item inspection results have been determined to be specific are removed from the item conveying path, and an item inspection system equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] An item inspection system has been widely used for some time. It inspects items such as food and medicines in a predetermined direction while transporting them in that direction, and then sorts out any items that have been judged to be defective using a sorting machine. The system then removes the items from the transport path of other items, such as items that have been judged to be good.

[0003] In such an item inspection system, a reliable rejection operation by the sorter is required to prevent items to be rejected (NG items) from entering the conveyance path of other items (OK items).

[0004] Therefore, conventionally, there has been a system in which rejected products rejected from the conveying path by the sorting machine are placed inside a rejected product storage box outside the conveying path.

[0005] Known examples of this type of rejected item storage box and item inspection system include one in which priorities for sorting rejected items are set in advance based on the inspection results of multiple inspection items, and the rejected items are rejected in a sorting direction for the rejected items determined based on the priorities and the inspection results of the multiple inspection items, and the rejected items are stored in an NG box for each sorting direction located downstream, while displaying the number of pass / fail judgments for the multiple inspection items and the accumulated number of rejects for each determined sorting direction.

[0006] This item inspection system updates the aforementioned accumulated number of times based on the timing at which defective items are sorted into the determined sorting direction, which has the advantage that the number of items sorted and rejected based on the inspection results can be determined from the display content on the display unit (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5877628 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] However, even in conventional item inspection systems such as those described above, the number of items actually rejected when the item inspection machine gave an NG judgment (predetermined judgment result) was not counted, so there were cases where the quantity display of items that were given an NG judgment by the item inspection machine (NG item count display) did not match the quantity (number of items) of rejected items placed in the rejected item storage box (NG box) due to the NG judgment inspection result.

[0009] Specifically, for example, if an abnormality in the transport occurs during an item inspection, such as an item before or after the item in the inspection area being brought in early or there being a delay in its removal from the inspection area, causing so-called double items to be placed on the weighing platform of the item inspection machine that weighs the transported items, the number of items placed in the NG box may be greater than the number of NG items for each inspection item on the display screen of the item inspection machine, and the number of rejected items displayed may not match the number of items contained.

[0010] In such cases, in order to confirm the accuracy of the number of items in the NG box (whether they were definitely removed), the manager would need to interview the on-site workers to confirm the occurrence of NG items and the storage status of the removed items in the NG box, or check the situation when the NG items were removed from video footage taken with a camera, which meant that time and effort were spent on the task of confirming the situation when a NG item occurred.

[0011] Furthermore, if the sorting machine malfunctions due to incorrect settings or a breakdown, or if an on-site worker makes an operational error such as accidentally returning a rejected product that has been removed from the storage box to the side where good products are allowed to pass, there will be a discrepancy between the number of rejected products mentioned above and the number in the rejected box, which raises concerns that it will no longer be possible to guarantee that rejected products will be removed from the system.

[0012] Furthermore, it is conceivable to consider a system that uses sensors such as projectors and receivers or cameras to detect non-conforming products that have been designated as rejectable products based on the inspection results, and a sorting confirmation function that prevents them from flowing to the side where non-defective products can pass. However, there are concerns that the sensor may not be able to detect non-conforming products depending on the flow of products and the system settings, and cameras cannot be used to immediately respond to non-conforming products because they must be checked on video after the fact.

[0013] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a rejected item storage box that stores items that have been removed from the item inspection line and that constantly monitors the number of items stored so that information can be accurately output, and also to provide an item inspection system that is equipped with an item inspection machine and the rejected item storage box, and that can constantly and accurately grasp the number of items stored in the rejected item box and any changes in that number. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the rejected item storage box of the present invention is characterized in that (1) it has a box-shaped body with a bottom, and when an item on a conveying path whose inspection result has resulted in a specific inspection result is removed from the conveying path, the item to be removed is placed inside the box-shaped body, and it is equipped with a weight measuring means for measuring the weight value of the item stored inside the box-shaped body, the weight measuring means measuring at least the first measurement value out of a first measurement value measured at a predetermined regular period and a second measurement value measured a predetermined time after the item which has resulted in the specific inspection result is removed from the conveying path, an input determination means for determining whether the item which has resulted in the specific inspection result has been inserted into the box-shaped body from the conveying path within a predetermined time after the removal based on at least the first measurement value out of the first measurement value and the second measurement value, and an alarm output means for outputting an alarm of the storage status of the items in the box-shaped body depending on the determination result of the input determination means.

[0015] In the rejected product storage box of the present invention, the weight values ​​of the products stored in the box-shaped body are measured at regular intervals as a first measurement value, thereby substantially constantly monitoring the products. Furthermore, when an item inspection result indicates a specific inspection result and requires rejection, whether or not the product with the specific inspection result has been stored in the box-shaped body within a predetermined time from the sorting and rejection operation based on the rejection request can be determined by comparing the second measurement value measured a predetermined time after sorting and rejection with the first measurement value measured before the rejection request is issued. Therefore, based on the first and second measurement values, it is accurately determined whether or not the product with the specific inspection result has been introduced into the box-shaped body from the conveying path within a predetermined time from sorting and rejection. As a result, the rejected product storage box of the present invention can store products rejected from the inspection line and monitor changes in the number of products stored therein, allowing for accurate notification output.

[0016] The reason why the input determination means makes a determination based on at least the first measurement value of the first and second measurement values ​​is that the predetermined time elapsed when the second measurement value is measured may coincide with the periodic measurement time when the first measurement value is measured, and furthermore, the periodic first measurement value measured immediately after an item with a specific inspection result is removed from the conveyance path may be used as the second measurement value (in this case, the predetermined time referred to in the present invention is a time equal to or shorter than a certain period corresponding to the periodic measurement time). Of course, the predetermined time elapsed when the second measurement value is measured can be set early so as to be between the periodic measurement time when the first measurement value is measured immediately before an item with the specific inspection result is removed from the conveyance path and the next measurement time. In this case, the input determination means can make a prompt determination based on the first and second measurement values.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the rejected item storage box of the present invention, (2) the box may further include a quantity calculation means (46b) for calculating the number of items in the box-shaped body based on at least the first measurement value of the first measurement value and the second measurement value.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, (3) the alarm output means can be configured to output to an external device or external system capable of outputting alarms alarm information indicating the occurrence of an abnormality in which an item that has achieved the specific inspection result has not been placed into the box-shaped body within the specified time, alarm information indicating the occurrence of an abnormality in which an item that has not achieved the specific inspection result has been placed into the box-shaped body, and / or alarm information corresponding to the number of items placed.

[0019] Preferably, for example, when a rejection error occurs in which the weight value of the contained items in the corresponding rejected item storage box does not increase despite control to reject items that have been inspected as "NG" (hereinafter referred to as "NG items") off the conveyance path, or when an abnormality error occurs in which the weight value of the contained items in the rejected item storage box increases despite control to not reject items that have been inspected as "OK" (hereinafter referred to as "OK items") off the conveyance path, an abnormality determination notice can be issued from the notification output means of the rejected item storage box. Furthermore, regardless of whether an abnormality determination notice is issued, notification information corresponding to the number of items inserted and stored in the box-shaped body can be output at any timing or period. Note that rejection errors and other abnormalities can also occur when rejected items are manually removed from the rejected item storage box by an operator for some reason, and in such cases, an abnormality determination notice can also be issued from the notification output means. In addition, if a lockable door (which may be a lid located above the conveying path) is provided that can be opened when removing rejected items accumulated in the rejected item storage box, a change (decrease) in the weight value due to the removal of rejected items when the door is unlocked and open is not abnormal, so it is possible to prevent the alarm output means from issuing an abnormality determination notification under this condition.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, (4) the specific inspection result is an inspection result that is determined to be defective for a predetermined inspection item, and the item that has received the specific inspection result is excluded from the conveying path as a defective item to be rejected and placed in the conveying path.

[0021] The item inspection system of the present invention comprises (5) an item inspection machine that inspects items on a conveying path for specified inspection items, an exclusion device that excludes inspected items from the conveying path as items to be excluded when the inspection result of the item inspection machine is a specific inspection result, and a rejected item storage box having any of the configurations of (1) to (4) above that stores items excluded from the conveying path by the exclusion device.

[0022] Therefore, in the article inspection system of the present invention, articles rejected from the article inspection line are stored inside the rejected article storage box, and changes in the number of articles stored therein can be monitored so that the information output from the article inspection machine can be reliably matched with changes in the number of rejected articles stored in the rejected article storage box.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment of the item inspection system of the present invention, (6) the weight measuring means of the rejected item storage box can be configured to measure the second measurement value when a predetermined time has elapsed since the item was rejected from the conveying path by the rejection device and by the time the timing for measuring the first measurement value at the fixed period has arrived. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a rejected item storage box that stores items that have been removed from the item inspection line and that monitors the number of items stored and any changes in that number so that information can be accurately output.It is also possible to provide an item inspection system that is equipped with an item inspection machine and the rejected item storage box, and that can accurately grasp the number of rejected items stored in the rejected item box and any changes in that number. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic network configuration diagram of an embodiment of an article inspection system that includes a rejected article storage box as a NG box according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an article inspection machine and a sorting machine in an article inspection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1A is a schematic plan view of a main part showing a schematic line configuration of an article inspection system according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a schematic front view of a main part of the same article inspection system. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing an outline of a processing procedure when initializing a management PC and an article inspection machine in an article inspection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing an outline of a processing procedure for pre-production processing of an article inspection machine and a rejected article receiving box in an article inspection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing an outline of a processing procedure during production that is repeatedly executed at regular intervals to monitor the storage state in a rejected item storage box in an item inspection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing an outline of a procedure for NG judgment processing executed when the inspection result is an NG judgment for product quality in an article inspection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing an outline of a processing procedure for post-production processing for report creation in an article inspection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 4 is a time chart showing the operation timing of each part in an article inspection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0027] 1 to 8 show an article inspection system equipped with a rejected article receiving box according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] First, the configuration will be described.

[0029] 1 to 3, an article inspection system 1 of this embodiment comprises a plurality of conveyor paths 2, 3, 4, and 5 arranged in order in the direction of arrow D0 in FIG. 3(a), which is the article conveying direction (hereinafter also referred to as the article conveying direction D0), to convey predetermined articles W in a manner that allows them to be transferred sequentially, and to perform a predetermined article inspection on each conveyed article W by an article inspection machine 10 (article inspection machine), and a sorting / rejection operation by a sorting machine 20 in accordance with the inspection results. The predetermined article W referred to here does not necessarily have to be of a fixed shape, but could be food or medicine that is weighed to have a substantially constant mass and packaged or contained in a container so that the number can be counted, such as packaged rice balls.

[0030] Conveyor path 3 corresponding to the inspection section of article inspection machine 10 and conveyor path 4 corresponding to the sorting / rejection section of sorter 20 are each comprised of a belt conveyor that can rotate an endless conveyor belt in the conveying direction by being driven by a plurality of conveyor drive motors 7 and 8 shown in Fig. 2, and each conveyor drive motor 7 and 8 is equipped with a rotary encoder for detecting speed. The front-stage conveyor path 2 and the rear-stage conveyor path 5 are driven at the same conveying speed as conveyor paths 3 and 4, but may be accelerated or decelerated between adjacent conveyors, and corresponding conveyor drive motors are provided for each.

[0031] An article detection sensor 6 such as a photoelectric sensor is provided between the upstream conveyor path 2 and the conveyor path 3 on the article inspection machine 10 side, and when an article W is transported into the inspection section Z1 corresponding to the conveyor path 3 and the article detection sensor 6 is shielded from light, an article detection signal is output.

[0032] The item inspection machine 10 has an inspection unit 11 that performs item inspection using a predetermined method for multiple inspection items, a judgment unit 13 that judges the results of the item inspection of each item W based on the output signal of the inspection unit 11, and an operation display unit 14 that outputs the judgment results of the judgment unit 13 on a screen.

[0033] The inspection unit 11 is equipped with, for example, a metal inspection means 12a, a shape inspection means 12b, and a weighing inspection means 12c, each of which has an inspection mechanism and an inspection control circuit corresponding to the inspection item, and predetermined item inspections for multiple inspection items are performed while the item W passes through the item inspection section corresponding to the length of the conveyor transport path 3.

[0034] Specifically, for example, the metal inspection means 12a detects fluctuations in the magnetic field when an item W passes through the inspection space of an inspection mechanism that generates a magnetic field, and processes the detection signal in an inspection control circuit to inspect for the presence or absence of metal contamination.

[0035] The shape inspection means 12b inputs an X-ray image from an inspection mechanism that captures an X-ray transmission image of the transported item W into an inspection control circuit, and generates a gradated image, for example a binary image, based on the X-ray transmission density, thereby inspecting the shape of the item W for cracks, chips, etc.

[0036] The weighing inspection means 12c sequentially takes in output signals from an inspection mechanism having a weighing sensor into an inspection control circuit, generates a weighing signal waveform for the item W, applies a known low-pass filter to the generated waveform, and calculates a weighing value by removing noise components from the weighing signal, and inspects whether or not at least the weight of the item W is within the allowable range.

[0037] For ease of illustration, in Figure 3(a), the metal inspection means 12a, shape inspection means 12b, and weighing inspection means 12c are shown adjacent to each other in the direction D0, which is the direction of conveyance of the goods. However, the arrangement of multiple inspection means in the inspection section 11 is arbitrary, and it goes without saying that multiple inspection means may be arranged side by side in the same section of the conveyance direction.

[0038] The judgment unit 13 has a memory for storing the inspection outputs from the metal inspection means 12a, shape inspection means 12b, and weighing inspection means 12c, a processor for executing an inspection program for judging the inspection results according to the judgment criteria for each inspection item, and is configured to make a pass / fail judgment for each item W based on the inspection results of the required number of inspection items, based on a preset priority of the inspection results, etc. The judgment unit 13 also outputs inspection result information to the operation display unit 14, and changes the lighting state of the signal tower 30 mounted on the item inspection machine 10 according to the pass / fail judgment result.

[0039] The operation display unit 14 is composed of, for example, a touch panel, and has a display unit 14a that displays and outputs an inspection result screen based on the judgment result information from the judgment unit 13, and an operation unit 14b that allows the user to input settings, etc. while referring to the screen.

[0040] Although the specific hardware configuration of the item inspection machine 10 is not shown, the inspection control circuits and judgment unit 13 of the metal inspection means 12a, shape inspection means 12b and weighing inspection means 12c of the inspection unit 11 are each composed of a controller 15 including, for example, a PLC (programmable logic controller).

[0041] Specifically, the controller 15 has various memories for storing programs and information such as a predetermined transport control program, an inspection and judgment program, and a sorting control program, an arithmetic control unit for executing the programs, an input unit for information from the outside, an output unit for outputting the calculation results to the outside, a power supply unit, and a communication port.

[0042] In addition to performing the functions of the judgment unit 13, this controller 15 is also capable of performing the functions of a sorting control unit 16 which generates and outputs a sorting command signal RJ1 or RJ2 based on the time when the item detection sensor 6 detects entry, to selectively swing one of the pair of flipper arms 21, 22 of the sorting machine 20 onto the conveyor conveying path 4 depending on the quality judgment result (OK / NG) of each item W by the judgment unit 13; a transport control unit 17 which controls at least the transport drive motors 7, 8 of the conveyor conveying paths 3, 4; and a lighting control function for the signal tower 30.

[0043] 3(a) to divert the path of the item W to be sorted from the direction of arrow D0 in FIG. 3(a) to the direction of arrow D1 (hereinafter also referred to as the diversion direction D1) deviating upward (to one side) in the figure, and store the item in a first NG box (one of the rejected item storage boxes) 41 of the rejected item storage section 40 attached to the sorter 20. Further, the sorting command signal RJ2 is a command to divert the path of the item W to be sorted from the direction of arrow D0 in FIG. 3(a) to the direction of arrow D2 (hereinafter also referred to as the diversion direction D2) deviating downward (to the other side) in the figure, and store the item in a second NG box (the other of the rejected item storage boxes) 42 of the rejected item storage section 40.

[0044] The controller 15 is connected to the management PC 50 via a LAN using a predetermined communication method, allowing mutual transmission and reception of test-related information and various control signals to and from the management PC 50. The LAN here is configured, for example, with an Ethernet-based field bus, allowing digital communication between controllers (exchange of control information at lower layers, communication by upper layers for monitoring the operating status of lower layers and events in each device, etc.). The controller 15 may also include a tablet-type information terminal that functions as a programming tool or setting input switch in cooperation with the management PC 50.

[0045] When neither sorting command signal RJ1 nor RJ2 is output from the sorting control unit 16, the sorting machine 20 causes the items W on the conveyor conveying path 4 to move straight in the item conveying direction D0 in Figure 3(a). On the other hand, when the sorting control unit 16 selectively outputs a sorting command signal RJ1 or RJ2, the sorting machine 20 selectively swings one of the pair of flipper arms 21, 22 on the conveyor conveying path 4 in accordance with the sorting command signal RJ1 or RJ2, thereby directing the sorting direction of the items W in the sorting direction D1 or D2, which is the direction of the arrow D1 or D2 in Figure 3(a).

[0046] This sorting machine 20 is configured to include a sorting mechanism 23 in which a pair of flipper arms 21, 22 extending in the article conveying direction on both sides of the conveyor conveying path 4 are swingably supported at one end on the downstream side, a drive mechanism 27 consisting of levers 24a, 24b that drive this sorting mechanism 23, air cylinders CYL1, CYL2 (fluid pressure actuators), and cylinder control valves V1, V2 (fluid supply / discharge and directional control valves), etc., and a sorting drive circuit 28 that operates the drive mechanism 27 in response to input of either sorting command signal RJ1 or RJ2. Note that in Figure 2, circles indicate air supply pressure ports of cylinder control valves V1, V2, and crosses indicate atmosphere release ports.

[0047] The signal tower 30 has, for example, an LED unit, a flashing unit, a buzzer unit, etc., and is controlled by the controller 15 to output a light display and an alarm sound or ringing sound corresponding to the results of the inspection by the item inspection machine 10 of the items to be inspected and the success or failure of the sorting and removal operation by the sorting machine 20.

[0048] The first NG box 41 and the second NG box 42 of the rejected item storage section 40 each have a bottomed box-shaped body 43A, 43B, and when an item W on the conveyor transport path 4 whose item inspection result by the item inspection machine 10 has resulted in a specific inspection result, for example, an item Wng that has been judged NG, is rejected from the conveyor transport path 4, the item Wng to be rejected (see Figure 3(a)) is placed inside one of the box-shaped bodies 43A, 43B.

[0049] The first NG box 41 and the second NG box 42 are also provided with weight measuring devices 45A and 45B located below the box-shaped bodies 43A and 43B, and with an alarm output unit 46 that operates based on the measurement output from the weight measuring devices 45A and 45B. The first and second NG boxes 41 and 42 further have respective opening / closing doors 41a and 42a that are normally in a closed state covering the respective box-shaped bodies 43A and 43B and weight measuring devices 45A and 45B from the outside, and that are opened outward by the user when removing rejected items from the box-shaped bodies 43A and 43B, and opening / closing detection sensors 41b and 42b that detect the opening and closing of the respective opening / closing doors 41a and 42a.

[0050] Each weight measuring device 45A, 45B is a weight measuring means that incorporates a load sensor that receives the weight (downward load) from the corresponding box-shaped body 43A or 43B, and a measurement circuit that calculates the weight value of the item W stored inside each box-shaped body 43A or 43B by subtracting the weight of the corresponding box-shaped body 43A or 43B as a tare load from the output of each load sensor.

[0051] Each weight measuring device 45A, 45B measures the weight value of the item W placed inside each box-shaped body 43A or 43B and stored therein as a first measurement value at a predetermined regular interval (a fixed time shorter than the item conveying interval, for example, several hundred milliseconds to several hundred seconds), and also measures as a second measurement value after the item Wng has a specific inspection result (for example, an NG judgment) or after a predetermined time has passed since the sorting operation of the sorter 20 began until sorting and removal is completed, for example, immediately after the flipper arm 21 or 22 has completed the sorting operation in the direction of arrow D1 or arrow D2 in a sorting inclined position in which it has swung a predetermined angle on the conveyor conveying path 4, or immediately after it has started to return from that sorting inclined position to its home position on the side edge of the conveyor conveying path 4 (a normal waiting position that allows good items to pass) (for example, when several tens to several hundred milliseconds have passed from the estimated time of completion of the sorting operation or the start of the return operation).

[0052] The alarm output unit 46 includes an input determination means 46a that determines whether an item W that has resulted in a specific inspection result has been input from the conveyor transport path 4 into the box-shaped body 43A or 43B of the weight measuring device 45A or 45B within the aforementioned specified time based on at least the first measurement value of the first and second measurement values ​​from the weight measuring devices 45A, 45B, and an alarm output means 46c that outputs an alarm regarding the storage status of the item W in the box-shaped body 43A or 43B of each NG box 41 or 42 based on the determination result of the input determination means 46a.

[0053] The storage status of the articles W in the box-shaped body 43A or 43B referred to here includes not only a specific inspection result, for example, a case where an article Wng that has been judged NG has been placed into the corresponding box-shaped body 43A or 43B within a predetermined time from the sorting / removal operation, and an alarm output is generated by a change in the amount of storage in the box-shaped body 43A or 43B (an increase in weight), but also a case where an alarm output is generated by a lack of change in the amount of storage in the box-shaped body 43A or 43B, and an alarm output is generated by an external display device, audio output device, alarm device, sound device, etc.

[0054] The fact that the judgment of the input judgment means 46a of the alarm output unit 46 is based on at least the first measurement value of the first and second measurement values ​​means that the aforementioned predetermined time elapsed when the second measurement value is measured may coincide with the periodic measurement time when the first measurement value is measured. In this embodiment, the second measurement value is measured at a time different from the periodic measurement time when the first measurement value is measured. However, this also means that, among the periodic first measurement values, the measurement value measured immediately after an item W with a specific inspection result is removed from the conveyor conveying path 4 can be used as the second measurement value. In the latter case, the predetermined time is equal to or shorter than a certain time corresponding to the periodic period and may vary within the range from the time when an item W with a specific inspection result is removed from the conveyor conveying path 4 to the measurement value of the next first measurement value. In this embodiment, the predetermined time elapsed when the second measurement value is measured is between the measurement immediately before the item W that has obtained a specific inspection result is removed from the conveyor conveying path 4 during the periodic measurement during which the first measurement value is measured and the next measurement, so the measurement timing is earlier than in the latter case described above, except in cases where the predetermined time elapsed when the second measurement value is measured happens to coincide with the periodic measurement during which the first measurement value is measured.

[0055] The notification output unit 46 further includes a number calculation means 46b that calculates the number of articles W that have been introduced into the box-shaped body 43A or 43B within a predetermined time from the sorting / removal operation and the total number of articles W contained in the box-shaped body 43A or 43B based on at least the first measurement value of the first and second measurement values ​​from the weight measuring devices 45A, 45B. The notification output means 46c of the notification output unit 46 is configured to output notification information to the article inspection machine 10 or the management PC 50, which is an external device or external system capable of outputting a notification, indicating the occurrence of an abnormality in which an article W that has been introduced into the box-shaped body 43A or 43B within a predetermined time from the sorting / removal operation, and / or notification information corresponding to the number of articles W that have been introduced.

[0056] Furthermore, the aforementioned specific inspection results are set as inspection results that are determined to be defective for predetermined inspection items, and items W that result in specific inspection results are removed from the conveyor transport path 4 as defective items Wng to be rejected, and are placed into the box-shaped bodies 43A or 43B.

[0057] The management PC 50 has, for example, a CPU which is a processor with built-in cache, RAM, ROM, an input / output interface circuit, a storage device such as an SSD or HDD, and multiple control programs and various setting information (including control parameters) stored in the ROM and storage device, and is configured to perform the specified functions required for production management by having the CPU execute the specified control program based on various sensor information and setting information.

[0058] For example, the management PC 50 executes a program for monitoring inspection results that can sequentially receive inspection-related information representing the inspection results of multiple types of item inspection means 12a to 12c, and functions as a data recording unit that stores the received inspection data in a storage medium.It also executes an analysis program that performs various analyses in combination with various information output from the controller 15, and a program that creates a report based on the analysis results.

[0059] As such, the item inspection system 1 of this embodiment comprises an item inspection machine 10 that inspects items W on the conveyor conveying path 3 in the inspection section Z1 for a number of specified inspection items, a sorting machine 20 as an exclusion device that excludes inspected items W from the conveyor conveying path 4 as items to be excluded when the inspection result of the item inspection machine 10 is a specific inspection result, and a rejected item storage section 40 that stores items Wng excluded from the conveyor conveying path 4 by the sorting machine 20.

[0060] In addition, when a specific inspection result is judged to be defective for a pre-set inspection item, the item W judged to be defective is removed from the conveyor conveying path 4 (outside the system) by the flipper arm 21 or 22 of the sorting machine 20 as an item to be rejected Wng, and is placed into the first or second NG box 41 or 42 in the rejected item storage section 40.

[0061] Then, in the case of such a defective judgment, when the item Wng to be rejected is removed from the conveyor conveying path 4, in the rejected item storage section 40, the weight measuring device 45A or 45B of either the NG box 41 or 42 located in the sorting / removal direction measures the second measurement value when a predetermined time has elapsed since the item Wng was sorted and removed by the sorting machine 20, or between that time and the timing for measuring the first measurement value at the next regular interval.

[0062] In addition, the number calculation means 46b of the alarm output unit 46 stores the measured second measurement value in memory as the latest second measurement value, calculates the increase in weight value (= second measurement value - first measurement value) from the first measurement value (hereinafter referred to as the previous first measurement value) measured during the periodic measurement immediately before the measurement of the latest second measurement value and stored in memory to the latest second measurement value, and calculates the number of items newly inserted into the box-shaped body 43A or 43B (= increase amount / item mass set value) based on the calculated increase amount.

[0063] Furthermore, the input determination means 46a of the alarm output unit 46 determines whether the item Wng to be rejected has been input into the box-shaped body 43A or 43B at the time a predetermined time has elapsed since sorting and rejection by the sorting machine 20, by comparing the latest second measurement value with the first measurement value (hereinafter referred to as the most recent first measurement value) measured during the immediately preceding regular periodic measurement and stored in memory, or by comparing the increase in weight value from the latest second measurement value with the weight value set for the item W.

[0064] Then, when the input determination means 46a of the alarm output unit 46 determines that an item Wng to be removed has been inserted into the box-shaped body 43A or 43B at a predetermined time after sorting and removal by the sorting machine 20, the alarm output means 46c of the alarm output unit 46 outputs the increase in weight value from the latest second measurement value and the number of newly inserted items W to the controller 15 and the management PC 50.

[0065] On the other hand, if the input determination means 46a of the alarm output unit 46 determines that the item Wng to be removed has not been inserted into the box-shaped body 43A or 43B after a predetermined time has elapsed since sorting and removal by the sorting machine 20, the alarm output means 46c of the alarm output unit 46 outputs a notification to the controller 15 and the management PC 50 indicating that a sorting abnormality has occurred.

[0066] Next, the operation will be described.

[0067] Figures 4 to 8 show several processes performed in the item inspection system 1 of this embodiment to enable the quantity of items W that have been removed from the item inspection line to be grasped as the quantity contained in the NG boxes 41, 42 for each sorting / rejection direction according to the inspection results.

[0068] Specifically, the controller 15 of the item inspection machine 10 and the management PC 50 work together to perform an initial setting process (see Figure 4) prior to operation of the item inspection system 1, a mass setting process (see Figure 5) before operation of the production system including the item inspection system 1, a process for monitoring the storage status in the rejected item storage box at regular intervals during production (see Figure 6), a process for detecting the input amount when an NG judgment is made (see Figure 7), and a report creation process after production (see Figure 8).

[0069] 4, first, the user performs an input operation to register the mass values ​​(reference values ​​and tolerances, or upper and lower limits) of individual items for each type in an external system, such as the management PC 50 (step S11). This input operation may involve manual input for each type, or may involve inputting mass value data prepared in advance for multiple types.

[0070] Next, the management PC 50 operates to transmit the mass values ​​of each type of item to the item inspection machine 10 (referred to as "inspection machine" in Figures 4 to 8) (step S12), and the success or failure of the transmission is checked by digital communication between the management PC 50 and the item inspection machine 10 (step S13).

[0071] If the distribution is successful (YES in step S13), then the mass value of the item for each type is read by the operation of the item inspection machine 10 (step S14), and the read mass value is written to a memory, such as a flash memory, that forms a storage area for the set value (step S15).

[0072] On the other hand, if the mass value is not successfully delivered to the article inspection machine 10 within the predetermined time (NO in step S13), the current processing is terminated.

[0073] In the pre-production mass setting process (before the production system is put into operation) shown in Figure 5, first, the item inspection machine 10 operates to switch the set item type of item W to another item type setting in accordance with the user's item type selection input (step S21).

[0074] Next, the controller 15 of the item inspection machine 10 transmits the mass value of the type to be produced to the rejected item storage section 40, and the notification output units 46 of each NG box 41, 42 are linked to operate with the type after the setting change (step S22).

[0075] Next, in the alarm output unit 46 of each NG box 41, 42, the mass value per item W of the type after the setting change is set and stored (step S23), and the weight of the items W contained in each NG box 41, 42 becomes measurable by the weight measuring devices 45A, 45B (step S24).

[0076] In the in-production process shown in Figure 6 (storage status monitoring process executed at regular intervals during production), first, as the operation of each NG box 41, 42, the weight value of the item W stored inside each box-shaped body 43A or 43B is measured as a first measurement value at a predetermined regular interval by the weight measuring device 45A, 45B (step S31).

[0077] Next, the input determining means 46a of the notification output unit 46 determines whether or not the immediately preceding first measurement value and the latest second measurement value for each of the NG boxes 41 and 42 match (step S32).

[0078] Then, if the immediately preceding first measurement value and the latest second measurement value do not match (NO in step S32), depending on the judgment result, it is determined based on the sensor information of the open / close detection sensors 41b, 42b whether the opening / closing doors 41a, 42a of each NG box 41, 42 are open or are currently open (step S33).

[0079] If the immediately preceding first measurement value and the latest second measurement value match (YES in step S32), or if the opening and closing doors 41a, 42a of each NG box 41, 42 are open or are currently open, the current process ends.

[0080] On the other hand, if the immediately preceding first measurement value and the latest second measurement value do not match, and the opening / closing doors 41a, 42a of each NG box 41, 42 are not open or in the process of being opened (if both steps S32 and S33 result in NO), the notification output means 46c of the notification output unit 46 issues a notification to the controller 15 of the item inspection machine 10 indicating that a sorting abnormality has occurred (step S34).

[0081] Next, upon receiving the notification of the sorting abnormality, the controller 15 of the item inspection machine 10 generates sorting error information (step S35), and outputs a control signal including the sorting error information to the signal tower 30, which controls the signal tower 30 to light up and sound an alarm to indicate that the sorting / removal operation by the sorter 20 has failed (step S37).

[0082] Furthermore, the management PC 50, which has received the sorting error information from the controller 15, stores the error information and the amount of change in weight or number of the stored articles W in each NG box 41, 42 in the inspection data database (step S38).

[0083] 7, the process at the time of NG judgment (the input amount detection process at the time of NG judgment) first operates the article inspection machine 10 to inspect the article W, which is a commodity (step S41), and then check whether the judgment result is OK or NG (step S42). If the judgment result is OK, the current process ends.

[0084] On the other hand, if the judgment result is an NG judgment (a specific judgment result), then, when a predetermined time has elapsed from the time when the item Wng is judged NG until the completion of sorting and removal, the weight value of the item W contained inside each box-shaped body 43A, 43B is measured as the latest second measurement value by the weight measuring devices 45A, 45B (step S43).

[0085] Next, the input determining means 46a of the notification output unit 46 determines whether or not the immediately preceding first measurement value and the latest second measurement value for each of the NG boxes 41 and 42 match (step S44).

[0086] At this time, if the immediately preceding first measurement value and the latest second measurement value do not match for the first or second NG box 41 or 42 whose weight should increase due to the sorting and removal of the items to be removed (NO in step S44), the insertion determination means 46a determines that the removal is successful, and the number calculation means 46b of the alarm output unit 46 calculates the increase in weight value from the immediately preceding first measurement value to the latest second measurement value (= second measurement value - first measurement value), and calculates the number of items newly inserted into the box-shaped body 43A or 43B from the calculated increase (step S45).

[0087] Next, information on the change in the number of items contained in the first or second NG box 41, 42 whose mass has increased is sent to the management PC 50, and the number of items contained in each NG box 41, 42 monitored by the management PC 50 is updated, so that the information on the number of items contained in each box-shaped body 43A, 43B on the management PC 50 and each NG box 41, 42 is linked (step S46).

[0088] Next, as an operation of the management PC 50, the number of items W that were actually sorted and rejected in response to the NG judgment of the item inspection device 10 (denoted as "number of items" in Figure 7) is stored in the inspection data database (step S47).

[0089] On the other hand, for the first or second NG box 41 or 42 whose weight should increase due to the sorting and rejection of the items to be rejected, if the immediately preceding first measurement value and the latest second measurement value match (YES in step S44), the input determination means 46a determines that the rejection has failed, and the notification output means 46c of the notification output unit 46 issues a notification to the controller 15 of the item inspection machine 10 indicating that a sorting abnormality has occurred, resulting in a rejection failure of the NG-determined item (a state in which the rejection failure may result in the NG-determined item flowing to the side through which good items pass) (step S48).

[0090] Next, upon receiving the notification of the sorting abnormality, the controller 15 of the item inspection machine 10 generates sorting error information (step S49), and outputs a control signal including the sorting error information to the signal tower 30 (step S50), causing the signal tower 30 to be controlled to light up and sound an alarm indicating that the sorting / removal operation by the sorter 20 has failed (step S51).

[0091] In the post-production processing (post-production report creation processing) shown in FIG. 8, the management PC 50 operates to obtain information on NG judgments linked to the type of item W and the number of rejected items based on that information from the database (step S61), and then creates a report of the inspection results based on the data obtained during a preset monitoring period (for example, a monitoring period at regular intervals during production) (step S62).

[0092] By executing the above-described processing, in the item inspection system 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 9(a) and 9(b), when the inspection result by the item inspection machine 10 is an NG judgment, the weight value of the stored items W in the first or second NG box 41 or 42 corresponding to the sorting / rejection direction is measured soon after the sorting machine 20 sorts and rejects the NG items and is used as the latest second measurement value, and while the inspection result by the item inspection machine 10 is an OK judgment, the weight value of the stored items W in each NG box 41, 42 is measured at regular intervals and stored in memory as the first measurement value.

[0093] Furthermore, if the inspection result by the item inspection machine 10 is an NG judgment and the sorting machine 20 sorts and removes the NG items, but a sorting abnormality occurs in which the weight value of the stored items W in the first or second NG box 41, 42 corresponding to the sorting and removal direction does not increase, a sorting abnormality judgment notification is issued from the alarm output unit 46 of that NG box 41 or 42.

[0094] On the other hand, if an unintended weight fluctuation occurs that changes the weight value of the stored items W in the first or second NG box 41, 42, even though the inspection result by the item inspection machine 10 is judged as OK and the sorting machine 20 does not perform the sorting or removal operation of NG items, the alarm output unit 46 of that NG box 41 or 42 will issue an abnormality judgment notification, which may indicate fraudulent extraction, etc.

[0095] In addition, from the time when the opening / closing door 41a or 42a of the first or second NG box 41, 42 is opened (in the illustrated example, the lock is released) until it is closed (in the illustrated example, the lock is released), this is treated as a normal operation such as the removal of rejected items, rather than an unintended change in weight value, and no abnormality determination notification is issued from the alarm output unit 46.

[0096] In this embodiment, which operates as described above, articles W rejected from the article inspection line are stored inside either of the rejected article storage boxes 41 or 42 corresponding to the sorting / rejection direction, and the presence or absence of changes in the stored quantity and the amount of change can be monitored so that information can be accurately output in the rejected article storage section 40. As a result, the output information of the inspection results from the article inspection machine 10 can be reliably matched with changes in the storage status of rejected articles in each of the NG boxes 41, 42, and the number of defects, etc. can be quickly and easily confirmed in both the article inspection machine 10 and the management PC 50.

[0097] In other words, in each NG box 41, 42, which is a rejected item storage box in this embodiment, the weight value of the item W stored in the box-shaped body 43A, 43B is measured at regular intervals as a first measurement value, thereby essentially being monitored constantly, and when the inspection result in the item inspection machine 10 is an NG judgment (specific inspection result) and removal is necessary, it is possible to determine whether the item Wng that has been judged as NG has been stored in the box-shaped body 43A or 43B within a predetermined time from the sorting and removal operation based on the removal request by comparing the second measurement value when the predetermined time has elapsed from sorting and removal with the first measurement value before the removal request was issued.

[0098] Therefore, based on the first and second measurement values, it is possible to accurately determine whether or not an item Wng that has been judged as NG has been placed from the conveyor transport path 4 into the box-shaped body 43A or 43B within a predetermined time from the aforementioned sorting and rejection. As a result, each NG box 41, 42 serves as a rejected item storage box that stores therein items W that have been rejected from the inspection line and can accurately monitor changes in the stored quantity and other conditions so that an alarm can be output. Furthermore, the output information of the inspection results from the item inspection device 10 can be reliably matched with changes in the stored quantity of rejected items in each NG box 41, 42, making it possible to quickly and easily check the number of defects, etc.

[0099] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the throw-in determination means 46a determines that an item Wng that has been judged NG has been thrown into the box-shaped body from the conveyor transport path 4 within a predetermined time after its sorting and removal, the number calculation means 46b can calculate the number of items thrown into the box-shaped body 43A or 43B based on the increase in weight value from the first measurement value to the second measurement value.

[0100] In addition, it is preferable that the weight measuring devices 45A, 45B of each NG box 41, 42 measure the second measurement value by the time a predetermined time has elapsed since the item W was judged NG and sorted out and removed, but it is also possible to measure the second measurement value when the timing for measuring the first measurement value at a fixed interval is reached.

[0101] In this embodiment, the specific inspection result is an NG judgment result in which the item is judged to be defective for a preset inspection item, but it goes without saying that the specific inspection result is not limited to a defective judgment result as long as it is a judgment result that is assigned to a specific destination among multiple sorting destinations. Furthermore, the term "rejection" as used in the present invention means that the item is discharged from the system by being sorted by the sorter 20 out of the conveyance route for items that are not to be rejected, and the rejected item W may be classified into a different rank from the others in terms of weight, size, etc. within an acceptable range.

[0102] More specifically, for example, if a transport abnormality occurs during item inspection, such as an item before or after item W in the inspection section Z1 being brought into the inspection section Z1 too early or being delayed in being taken out of the inspection section Z1, a so-called double item may be placed on the weighing platform of the weighing inspection means 12c of the item inspection machine 10, which weighs the item W being transported.

[0103] In this case, the preceding item W cannot be weighed correctly and an NG judgment is made due to two items being on the same lot, but the pass / fail judgment result for the following item can also depend on the transport interval between the preceding item W and the following item, and it is possible that the preceding and following items W will be sorted and rejected as a single mass without any judgment being made on the following item at all.

[0104] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the total weight or number of articles W in each NG box 41, 42 is always checked during the sorting / rejection operation by the sorter 20, so the storage status of rejected articles can be confirmed quickly and accurately, and the occurrence of a sorting abnormality and the presence or absence, and the amount of change, of a change in the weight or number of articles W in the NG box 41 or 42 corresponding to the sorting / rejection direction at that time can be fed back to the controller 15 of the article inspection machine 10 and the management PC 50. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the number of NG articles for each inspection item on the display screen of the operation display unit 14 from becoming inconsistent with the number of articles W that have been input and stored in each NG box 41, 42.

[0105] As a result, unlike the conventional system, managers no longer need to interview on-site workers or check the situation when a defective product is removed from video footage of the defective product captured on camera, thereby reducing the time and effort required to check the situation when a defective product occurs.

[0106] Furthermore, even if the sorting machine malfunctions due to a setting adjustment error or breakdown, or if an on-site worker makes an operational error such as mistakenly returning a rejected product that has been removed from the storage box to the side where good products pass, there will be no discrepancy between the number of NG products mentioned above and the number in the NG boxes 41 and 42, and it is possible to ensure that NG products are reliably removed from the system.

[0107] Furthermore, the rejected item storage section 40 is stationary and is less susceptible to the influence of the flow of items W on the conveyor transport path 4 or the sorting and rejection operation of the sorter 20, making it possible to measure the storage capacity stably. Moreover, it is not necessary to provide a mechanism for a sorting confirmation function that detects non-compliant items that have been determined to be rejected based on the inspection results using sensors such as light projectors and receivers or cameras, and prevents them from flowing to the side where non-defective items pass, and this confirmation function can be easily realized.

[0108] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to provide rejected item storage boxes such as NG boxes 41, 42 that store items W that have been removed from the item inspection line and that monitor the number of items stored and changes in the number so that information can be accurately output.In addition, it is possible to provide an item inspection system 1 that is equipped with the rejected item storage box together with the item inspection machine 10 and can accurately grasp the number of rejected items stored in the rejected item box and changes in that number.

[0109] In the article inspection machine 10, the multiple inspection means are not limited to the inspection methods exemplified above, and may be, for example, a device that irradiates X-rays onto the articles W being transported by the transport conveyor 4 and, based on the obtained X-ray transmission images, judges the pass / fail of inspection items such as the shape and size of the articles W, the number of contents, the packaging condition, and the presence or absence of foreign matter in accordance with preset inspection conditions. In one embodiment, the sorter 20 employs a sorting and rejection method using a flipper arm, but it goes without saying that other sorting and rejection methods, such as an up-and-out discharge method, a drop-down method, a shuttle method, a chute method, etc., may also be used. Furthermore, in the article inspection system 1 of one embodiment, the controller 15 including a PLC is provided within the article inspection machine 10, but the PLC may also be provided external to the article inspection machine 10. In addition, in one embodiment, an example is given of a sorting machine 20 having a pair of left and right flipper arms 21, 22 installed downstream of the item inspection machine 10, but it is also possible to adopt a system configuration that includes a sorting mechanism having multiple pairs of flipper arms 21, 22, etc., where each pair of flipper arms 21, 22 is spaced apart in the item conveying direction, and multiple pairs of rejected item storage boxes corresponding to these.

[0110] As described above, the rejected item storage box and item inspection system of the present invention can provide a rejected item storage box that stores items that have been removed from the item inspection line and that monitors changes in the status of the items, such as the number of items stored, so that the information can be accurately output, and can also provide an item inspection system that is equipped with the rejected item storage box together with an item inspection machine and can accurately grasp the number of rejected items stored in the rejected item box and changes therein.The present invention is useful for rejected item storage boxes into which items to be removed are placed when inspected items that have received a specific inspection result are removed from the item conveyance path, and for item inspection systems in general that are equipped with such boxes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0111] 1. Product Inspection System 2, 3, 4, 5 conveyor paths 6. Item detection sensor 7, 8 Conveyor drive motor 10. Article inspection machine (article inspection device) 11 Inspection Department 12a Metal inspection means (article inspection means) 12b Shape inspection means (article inspection means) 12c. Measurement inspection means (item inspection means) 13 Judgment section 14 Operation display section 14a Display section 14b Operation section 15 Controller 16 Sorting control section 17 Transport control section 20 Sorting machine (rejection device, sorting device) 21, 22 Flipper Arm 23 Sorting mechanism 24a, 24b levers 27 Drive mechanism 28 Selection drive circuit 30 Signal Tower 40 Rejected Goods Storage Section 41 NG Box (rejected item storage box, first NG box) 41a, 42a Opening and closing doors 41b, 42b Open / close detection sensor 42 NG Box (rejected item storage box, second NG box) 43A, 43B Box-shaped body 45A, 45B Weight measuring device (weight measuring means, weighing means) 46 Notification output unit 46a Injection judgment means 46b Number calculation means 46c Notification output means 50 Management PC CYL1, CYL2 Air cylinders (fluid pressure actuators) D0 Item conveying direction D1, D2 Sorting / excluding direction RJ1, RJ2 sorting command signal V1, V2 cylinder control valve Z1 Inspection section Z2 Sorting Section

Claims

1. A rejected article storage box (41, 42) has a box-shaped body (43A, 43B) with a bottom, and when an article (W) on a conveying path (4) whose article inspection result has become a specific inspection result is rejected outside the conveying path, the rejected article is thrown into the box-shaped body, a weight measuring means (45A, 45B) for measuring the weight of the items stored inside the box-shaped body, the weight measuring means (45A, 45B) measuring a first measurement value at a predetermined fixed cycle and a second measurement value when a predetermined time has elapsed since the item that has obtained the specific inspection result is removed from the conveying path; an input determination means (46a) for determining, based on at least the first measurement value of the first and second measurement values, whether or not an item that has received the specific inspection result has been input from the conveying path into the box-shaped body within a predetermined time from the removal, and for determining whether or not an item that has not received the specific inspection result has been input from the conveying path into the box-shaped body; A rejected item storage box characterized by comprising: a notification output means (46c) for outputting a notification of the storage status of items in the box-shaped body depending on the judgment result of the insertion judgment means.

2. The rejected item storage box of claim 1, further comprising a quantity calculation means (46b) for calculating the number of items in the box-shaped body based on at least the first measurement value of the first measurement value and the second measurement value.

3. The rejected item storage box of claim 1, characterized in that the alarm output means outputs to an external device or external system (50) capable of outputting alarms alarm information indicating the occurrence of an abnormality in which an item that resulted in the specific inspection result was not placed into the box-shaped body within the specified time, alarm information indicating the occurrence of an abnormality in which an item that did not result in the specific inspection result was placed into the box-shaped body, and / or alarm information corresponding to the number of items placed.

4. A rejected product storage box as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the specific inspection result is an inspection result that is determined to be defective for a predetermined inspection item, and the item that has the specific inspection result is rejected and placed outside the conveying path as a defective product to be rejected.

5. An item inspection system comprising: an item inspection machine (10) that inspects items on a conveying path for specified inspection items; an exclusion device (20) that excludes inspected items from the conveying path as items to be excluded when the inspection result of the item inspection machine results in a specific inspection result; and a rejected item storage box (41, 42) described in any one of claims 1 to 3 that stores items excluded from the conveying path by the exclusion device.

6. The item inspection system described in claim 5, characterized in that the weight measuring means of the rejected item storage box measures the second measurement value when a predetermined time has elapsed since the item was rejected outside the conveying path by the rejection device and by the time the timing for measuring the first measurement value at the fixed period has arrived.

Images