Analytical device and analytical method

Abstract

To provide an analyzer with which it is possible to preliminarily grasp the presence of a workpiece on conveyance means, determine a light irradiation position on the basis of this grasped information, and precisely irradiate a position where the workpiece exits with light.SOLUTION: Provided is an analyzer that analyzes a workpiece by irradiation with light, comprising conveyance means for conveying the workpiece, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a light irradiation unit. The first sensor is provided upward of the conveyance means so that the upper face of the workpiece is irradiated with a first sensing wave, the second sensor is provided at a position where the side face of the workpiece is irradiated with a second sensing wave, and the light irradiation unit is provided downstream from the first and second sensors in the traveling direction of the conveyance means, with the irradiation position of the sensing wave with which the workpiece is irradiated from the first sensor and the irradiation position of the light with which the workpiece is irradiated from the light irradiation unit being arranged on the same axis that is parallel to the traveling direction of the conveyance means.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an analytical device and an analytical method, and more particularly to an analytical device that irradiates light onto a workpiece being conveyed, and an analytical method using the analytical device. [Background technology]

[0002] Non-contact analytical devices that irradiate workpieces (objects to be analyzed) with light such as lasers or X-rays have traditionally been widely used as a means of analyzing workpieces. To analyze a large number of workpieces in a short period of time, analytical devices are installed on a transport means such as a conveyor, and the workpieces are analyzed sequentially as they are transported. To accurately analyze workpieces using such analytical devices with transport means, it is necessary to irradiate light onto objects that pass the light irradiation position from the analytical device. However, due to factors such as uneven workpiece shapes, different orientations or inclinations of the workpieces, or uneven spacing between workpieces, the timing of the sensing wave irradiation onto the workpieces can be off, making it difficult to accurately analyze the workpieces. Therefore, as a means for grasping the shape of a workpiece, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 propose a technique for capturing an image of the upper surface of the workpiece using a camera or the like to obtain image data. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-58134 [Patent Document 2] Republished Publication No. 2018-12345 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When using a camera to acquire image data of a workpiece as described above, there are cases where accurate data cannot be acquired, for example with small workpieces, because the camera lens cannot focus on the workpiece due to the workpiece's size and shape, lighting reflection, etc. Furthermore, because it is necessary to process the huge amount of acquired data to image the workpieces, not only is a high-performance computer (computing device) required to process the image data of the workpieces being transported one after another without delay, but storage of the huge amount of data is also required, resulting in high operating costs.

[0005] The present invention has been made with attention to the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to provide an analytical device and analytical method that can determine in advance not only the presence or absence of a workpiece on a conveying means, specifically the position where the workpiece is present on the conveying means, but also the position where the workpiece is not present when viewed from above due to a gap such as a hole in the workpiece, determine a position where light can be irradiated based on the determined information, and accurately irradiate light onto the position where the workpiece is present. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention, which has solved the above problems, has the following configuration. [1] An analytical device that analyzes a workpiece by irradiating it with light, a conveying means for conveying the workpiece; A first sensor; A second sensor; A light irradiation unit is provided. the first sensor is provided above the conveying means so as to irradiate a first sensing wave onto an upper surface of the workpiece being conveyed on the conveying means; the second sensor is provided at a position where it irradiates a second sensing wave onto a side surface of the workpiece from a width direction intersecting with the traveling direction of the conveying means, the light irradiation unit is provided downstream of the first sensor and the second sensor in the direction of travel of the conveying means, An analytical device in which the irradiation position of the sensing wave irradiated from the first sensor onto the workpiece and the irradiation position of the light irradiated from the light irradiation unit onto the workpiece are arranged on the same axis parallel to the direction of travel of the conveying means.

[0007] [2] A first calculation means for determining a light irradiation range for the workpiece in the light irradiation unit based on the top surface information of the workpiece obtained from the first sensor and the side surface information of the workpiece obtained from the second sensor; a second calculation means for determining the number of times and duration of irradiation of light by the light irradiation unit based on the light irradiation possible range; a means for controlling the irradiation of light onto the workpiece in the light irradiation unit based on the number of irradiations and the irradiation time; The analytical device according to [1],

[0008] [3] The analytical device according to [1] or [2], wherein the first sensor has a transmitter that transmits a sensing wave and a receiver that receives a reflected wave of the sensing wave.

[0009] [4] The second sensor has a second sensor receiver that receives the irradiated sensing wave, The analyzer according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the second sensor receiver is provided so as to face the second sensor in the width direction of the conveying means, with the conveyed workpiece sandwiched between them.

[0010] [5] An analytical device according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein a conveying position adjustment means is provided upstream of the first sensor and the second sensor to adjust the position of the work in the width direction of the conveying means so that the work passes through the irradiation position of the first sensor.

[0011] [6] The analyzer according to any one of [1] to [5], which analyzes the elemental composition of the workpiece based on the light irradiated from the light irradiation unit.

[0012] [7] The analyzer according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the light emitted from the light irradiation unit is an X-ray or a laser.

[0013] [8] A method for analyzing a workpiece using the analysis device according to any one of [1] to [7], the light irradiation unit is a means for irradiating X-rays or laser; An analytical method in which X-rays or a laser are irradiated two or more times at different positions on the top surface of the workpiece being transported on the transport means.

[0014] [9] The analysis method according to [8], wherein the X-ray or laser is irradiated onto the workpiece during transportation.

[0015]

[10] An analysis method according to [8] or [9], in which the information of the workpiece obtained by irradiating the X-ray or the laser two or more times is analyzed for each irradiation, and the workpiece is analyzed based on the analysis result with the highest specific value, or the average value calculated from the analysis results of all irradiations. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the analysis device of the present invention, the irradiation position of light for analyzing a transported workpiece can be determined in advance, and light can be irradiated onto the workpiece based on this determination, thereby enabling highly accurate analysis of the workpiece. Furthermore, according to the analysis method of the present invention, light can be irradiated onto an appropriate position on the workpiece from the light irradiation unit. For example, it is possible to determine not only the position where the workpiece is present on the transport means, but also the position where no workpiece is present when viewed from above due to a void such as a hole in the workpiece. In particular, according to the present invention, even if the shape of the transported workpiece is uneven or the orientation or inclination of the workpiece is different, the light irradiation range for the workpiece from the light irradiation unit can be determined based on information obtained in advance. Therefore, light can be irradiated onto the appropriate position on the workpiece, improving analysis accuracy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of the first sensor of the present invention, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a top view. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of the second sensor of the present invention, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a top view. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows another example of the configuration of the second sensor of the present invention, where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a top view. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the present invention equipped with a conveying position adjusting means. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing an example of the configuration of the present invention equipped with a light irradiation means. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of the ON / OFF states of the first sensor and the second sensor. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of each process in the first calculation means, the second calculation means, and the control means. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The analysis device of the present invention uses a first sensor and a second sensor provided upstream of the light irradiation unit to obtain workpiece information necessary for light irradiation in the light irradiation unit. In this invention, by combining a second sensor that obtains side information of the workpiece and a first sensor that obtains top information of the workpiece, measurement errors that occur when measuring with only one sensor can be eliminated. For example, when a first sensor irradiates a sensing wave onto the top surface of a workpiece with an opening, such as a nut, the presence of the workpiece before and after the opening can be detected. However, since there is no workpiece in the opening, there is a possibility that the system may erroneously detect the presence of two separate workpieces before and after the opening, even though it is a single workpiece. However, by providing a second sensor and irradiating a sensing wave from the side of the workpiece, it is possible to determine that the workpiece is the same workpiece even if it has an opening. In this way, by irradiating a single workpiece with a sensing wave from different directions and combining the information obtained from the first sensor and the second sensor, the light irradiation range for the workpiece can be accurately determined.

[0019] Furthermore, by arranging the irradiation position of the sensing wave irradiated from the first sensor onto the workpiece and the irradiation position of the light irradiated from the light irradiation unit onto the workpiece so that they are on the same axis parallel to the direction of travel of the conveying means, the information on the workpiece top surface obtained by the first sensor can be used to determine the light irradiation position in the light irradiation unit.

[0020] The analytical device of the present invention and the analytical method using the analytical device will be described below with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, an analysis device 3 of the present invention includes a first sensor 1, a second sensor 2, a transport means 4, and a light irradiation unit .

[0021] The conveying means 4 is a means for conveying the workpiece 5 supplied on the upstream side to the downstream side via the first sensor 1, the second sensor 2 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "sensor unit"), and the light irradiation unit 7.

[0022] The transport means 4 transports the workpiece 5 in one direction x. Various known conveyors can be used for the transport means 4, and examples include a roller conveyor that transports the workpiece 5 by rotating rollers installed at regular intervals, and a belt conveyor that transports the workpiece 5 by driving a looped belt connected at its start and end points, and can be selected appropriately depending on the size of the workpiece 5, etc. In the present invention, a belt conveyor that can transport even relatively small workpieces 5 is preferred. The transport means 4 can be of either a continuous operation type, which transports the workpiece 5 at a constant speed, or a STOP / GO type, which can temporarily stop the workpiece 5. In the analysis device 3 of the present invention, the workpiece 5 can be analyzed by irradiating it with light 7c in the light irradiation unit 7 without the workpiece 5 being stopped, so the continuous operation type of the transport means 4 is preferable, but the STOP / GO type, which stops the workpiece 5 in time with the irradiation of light 7c onto the workpiece 5, may also be used.

[0023] The means for supplying the workpieces 5 to the conveying means 4 is not particularly limited, and any supplying means can be used, such as manual operation, a conveyor, a vibrating feeder, a chute, or a robot arm feed. Each workpiece 5 on the conveying means 4 only needs to be spaced apart from other workpieces being conveyed before and after it in the direction of travel. The spacing between the workpieces may be either equal or uneven. Furthermore, it is preferable that the workpieces 5 on the conveying means 4 are supplied onto the conveying means 4 so that multiple workpieces 5 are not placed side by side in the width direction y, which intersects with the direction of travel.

[0024] The first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2 are sensors having an irradiation unit that irradiates the workpiece 5 with a first sensing wave 1c and a second sensing wave 2c, respectively. By using the first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2 together, it is possible to obtain information necessary for determining the light irradiation range of the light irradiation unit 7 even if the shape of the workpiece 5 on the conveying means 4 is uneven or the orientation, inclination, size, etc. of the workpiece 5 are different. The first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2 irradiate the workpiece 5 with sensing waves 1c and 2c, respectively, to obtain information regarding the presence or absence of the workpiece 5. Various sensor media capable of measuring the presence or absence of the workpiece 5 can be used as the sensing waves 1c and 2c, such as light and ultrasonic waves. The first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2 can use the same or different sensor media. The first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2 are preferably displacement sensors. The displacement sensor is preferably an optical displacement sensor or an ultrasonic displacement sensor, and more preferably an optical displacement sensor. As the optical displacement sensor, various known measurement methods such as a triangular distance method, a PSD method, a regular reflection method, and a diffuse reflection method can be used.

[0025] A spot beam method is preferable as the irradiation method for the first sensor 1. Because the light 7c irradiated from the light irradiation unit 7 is spot light, the necessary information can be obtained even if the sensing wave 1c irradiated from the first sensor 1 is a spot beam method. In addition, the spot beam method requires less information to be processed than the line beam method, so the irradiable range of the light 7c can be determined in a short time.

[0026] The first sensor 1 may be a reflective sensor having an emitter 1a and receiver 1b for a sensing wave 1c, or a transmission sensor having separate emitter 1a and receiver 1b, and is preferably a reflective sensor. When a transmission type sensor is used, a receiver for the sensing wave 1c is provided below the gap between the rollers of a conveyor having a gap between the rollers, such as a roller conveyor. When a reflective sensor is used, a first sensor 1 is used that has, in the same device, an emitter 1a that emits a sensing wave 1c and a receiver 1b that receives a reflected wave 1d that hits an object (workpiece 5 or conveying means 4), as shown in Figure 2.

[0027] The first sensor 1 is provided above the conveying means 4 so as to irradiate the upper surface 5a of the workpiece 5 being conveyed on the conveying means 4 with a sensing wave 1c. During operation, the first sensor 1 is fixedly installed so as to irradiate the sensing wave 1c at a fixed angle 1e. The angle 1e of the sensing wave 1c from the transmitting unit 1a may be, for example, approximately perpendicular to the surface of the conveying means 4, but is not limited to this, and may be set appropriately to avoid omission of irradiation on the upper surface 5a of the workpiece 5 or problems in receiving the sensing wave 1c, taking into consideration the height and shape of the workpiece 5, particularly the unevenness of the upper surface 5a of the workpiece 5, and the reception status of the receiving unit 1b.

[0028] In addition, it is also a preferred embodiment that the irradiation angle 1e of the sensing wave 1c from the transmitter 1a is the same as the irradiation angle of the light 7c of the light irradiation unit 7. By making the irradiation angle 1e of the sensing wave 1c the same as the irradiation angle of the light 7c of the light irradiation unit 7, it is possible to irradiate the light 7c at a more appropriate position on the top surface 5a of the workpiece based on the information obtained by the first sensor 1.

[0029] The installation position of the first sensor 1 in the width direction of the conveying means 4 is not particularly limited, and it may be set appropriately so that the sensing wave 1c can be irradiated onto the upper surface 5a of each workpiece 5 being conveyed. However, the first sensor 1 is installed so that the irradiation position 1g of the sensing wave 1c irradiated from the first sensor 1 onto the workpiece 5 and the irradiation position 7g of the light 7c irradiated from the light irradiation unit 7 onto the workpiece 5 when the workpiece 5 irradiated with the sensing wave 1c is transported are on the same axis 4e parallel to the traveling direction x of the transport means 4. The first sensor 1 and the light irradiation unit 7 are arranged so that the irradiation position 1g of the first sensor 1 and the irradiation position 7g of the light irradiation unit 7 are on the same axis, that is, so that positions 1f and 7f from the end of the transport means 4 in the width direction y are the same distance. Because the workpiece 5 moves in a straight line by the transport means 4, the light 7c can be irradiated from the light irradiation unit 7 to the irradiation range of the sensing wave 1c on the top surface of the workpiece 5. On the other hand, because the light irradiation range of the light irradiation unit 7 onto the workpiece 5 is determined based on information obtained by the first sensor 1, if the irradiation positions of both units are not on the same axis 4e, the light 7c cannot be irradiated to the appropriate position.

[0030] The second sensor 2 is a sensor that determines whether or not the workpiece 5 is present on the conveying means 4, and the presence or absence of the workpiece 5 being conveyed can be determined by the sensing wave 2c of the second sensor 2. The second sensor 2 can use either a line beam or a spot beam as its irradiation method, but a line beam is preferred as it can measure a wider area in the height direction. In particular, since the second sensor 2 is intended to acquire information about the presence or absence of a workpiece 5, a line beam method can determine that a workpiece 5 is present even if there is a gap on the side of the workpiece 5. If the second sensor 2 uses a spot beam method, the accuracy of determining the identity of the workpiece 5 before and after the gap may decrease if there is a gap in the spot irradiation area.

[0031] The second sensor 2 is positioned so that it irradiates the side surface 5b of the workpiece with a sensing wave from the width direction y, which intersects with the traveling direction x of the conveying means 4. During operation, the second sensor 2 is fixedly installed so that it irradiates the sensing wave 2c at a fixed angle 2e. The irradiation angle 2e of the sensing wave 2c from the transmitter 2a when viewed from above may be, for example, approximately perpendicular to the center line 4g of the traveling direction of the conveying means 4, but is not limited to this. The angle may be set appropriately to avoid omission of the sensing wave on the side surface 5b of the workpiece 5 or problems with reception of the sensing wave, taking into consideration the height and shape of the workpiece 5a, particularly the unevenness of the side surface 5b of the workpiece 5, and the reception status of the receiver 2b.

[0032] The second sensor 2 has at least a transmitter 2a that emits a sensing wave 2c. The second sensor 2 may be provided with a receiver 2b that receives the sensing wave 2c emitted from the transmitter 2a, making it a reflective sensor, or it may be provided with a second sensor receiver 2g separate from the second sensor 2, making it a transmission sensor. The second sensor 2 is preferably a transmission sensor because its purpose is to determine whether or not a workpiece 5 is present.

[0033] 3, the second sensor 2 is preferably a displacement sensor, as with the first sensor 1. When a reflective sensor is used, the second sensor 2 is preferably provided at a position where it irradiates a sensing wave 2c in a width direction y that intersects with the traveling direction x of the conveying means 4, and it is also preferable to provide a reflector 2f, such as a reflector, that reflects the sensing wave 2c at a position facing the second sensor 2 in the width direction y of the conveying means 4 across the conveyed workpiece 5, so that the reflected sensing wave (reflected wave) 2d can be received by the receiving unit 2b. Furthermore, in the case of a reflective sensor, the height from the surface of the conveying means 4 to the sensing wave 2c of the second sensor 2 can be adjusted appropriately according to the height of the workpiece 5 so that the passing workpiece 5 blocks the sensing wave 2c, but if workpieces 5 of different heights are mixed, it is preferable to make the height as low as possible and close to the surface of the conveying means 4. When using a reflective sensor, in order to detect the workpiece 5 more reliably, it is also preferable to use a line beam type sensor that provides multiple transmitters 2a and receivers 2b in the second sensor 2 and emits and receives the sensing wave 2c at different height positions.

[0034] 4, the second sensor 2 is preferably disposed opposite the second sensor 2 with the workpiece 5 sandwiched therebetween. For example, the second sensor 2 is preferably provided at a position where it irradiates the sensing wave 2c in the width direction y that intersects with the traveling direction x of the conveying means 4, and the second sensor receiving unit 2b is preferably disposed opposite the second sensor 2 with the conveyed workpiece 5 sandwiched between them in the width direction y of the conveying means 4. In the case of a transmission type sensor, as with a reflective type sensor, the height from the surface of the conveying means 4 to the sensing wave 2c of the second sensor 2 can be adjusted appropriately according to the height of the workpiece 5 so that the passing workpiece 5 blocks the sensing wave 2c, but if workpieces 5 of different heights are mixed, it is preferable to be as close as possible to the surface of the conveying means 4. In the case of a transmission type sensor, a line beam type sensor is preferred, which has multiple emitters 2a and emits sensing waves 2c at different heights in order to more reliably detect the workpiece 5. Using a line beam type sensor as a transmission type sensor is preferable because it can detect the workpiece 5 more reliably than a spot beam type sensor.

[0035] The installation position of the second sensor 2 relative to the first sensor 1 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable to arrange the first sensor 1 so that when a sensing wave 1c emitted from above the conveying means 4 is irradiated onto the top surface 5a of the workpiece 5, a sensing wave 2c emitted from the second sensor 2 is also irradiated onto the side surface 5b of the workpiece 5. More preferably, the first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2 are preferably arranged so that the sensing wave 1c from the first sensor 1 and the sensing wave 2c from the second sensor 2 intersect at the same point, as shown in FIG. Furthermore, in the present invention, the first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2 may be provided on the upstream side of the conveying means 4 so that their sensing waves do not cross each other. In this case, it is preferable to input the information obtained by each sensor and the conveying speed into a computer, and link the irradiation time of the sensing wave of the first sensor 1 irradiated onto the workpiece with the irradiation time of the sensing wave of the second sensor 2 so as to process the information so as to be able to grasp the presence or absence of the workpiece on the conveying means 4.

[0036] In the present invention, as shown in Figure 5, a means for adjusting the position of the workpiece 5 in the width direction y of the conveying means 4 may be provided upstream of the first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2 so that the workpiece 5 passes through the irradiation position 1g of the first sensor 1, such as a conveying position adjustment means 6, or a means for aligning the workpiece 5 and supplying it to the conveying means 4, such as a linear feeder, may be used. When the workpiece 5 being transported collides with the transport position adjustment means 6, its trajectory changes and it moves onto the line 4g of the irradiation position 1g, so that the sensing wave 1c from the first sensor 1 can be more reliably irradiated onto the workpiece 5. The transport position adjustment means 6 is particularly effective when the workpieces 5 are irregular and have different shapes, or when combined with a supply means such as a hopper that does not allow the workpiece 5 to be placed in a fixed position on the transport means 4.

[0037] As the conveying position adjusting means 6, flow straightening means of various shapes such as plate-like and rod-like shapes can be used, and a plate-like shape (flow straightening plate) is preferable. The transport position adjusting means 6 may be installed as needed, and the number of the installed means may be 1 or 2 or more. When a plurality of transport position adjusting means 6 are used, they may be installed so as to face each other in the width direction y of the transport means 4. It is preferable that the installation angle and position of the transfer position adjusting means 6 are appropriately adjusted so that the workpiece 5 is located above the irradiation position 1 g of the first sensor 1 .

[0038] The analysis device 3 of the present invention has a light irradiation unit 7 that irradiates the workpiece 5 with light 7c downstream of the sensor unit. The light irradiation unit 7 is a means for irradiating the workpiece 5 with light 7c, preferably with X-rays or a laser. The elemental composition and contained substances of the workpiece 5 can be analyzed based on the light irradiated from the light irradiation unit 7. Various known analytical instruments can be used to analyze the irradiated light 7c. It is also a preferred embodiment to provide a means for sorting the workpiece 5 downstream of the light irradiation unit 7 based on the analysis results.

[0039] Examples of analytical instruments having the light irradiation unit 7 include analytical instruments that irradiate an analysis target with a laser, such as those used in Raman spectroscopy and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, analytical instruments that irradiate light for various ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectroscopic analysis methods, and analytical instruments that irradiate X-rays, such as those used in X-ray fluorescence analysis. The light 7c irradiated from the light irradiation unit 7 is, for example, X-rays, ultraviolet rays, visible light, or infrared rays.

[0040] By adjusting the irradiation range of light 7c, specifically the emission timing, based on the position of the workpiece 5 on the conveying means 4 obtained by the first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2, and the position information of the opening 5c ​​on the top surface of the workpiece 5, even if multiple workpieces 5 that are irregular in shape and have openings 5c are being conveyed, it is possible to distinguish each of the multiple workpieces 5 individually and to reliably irradiate light 7c onto the workpiece 5 while avoiding the openings 5c in the workpiece 5.

[0041] In the present invention, it is also preferable to provide a roller encoder 8 to set the number of sensing wave emissions per movement distance of the conveyor and to obtain distance information after the workpiece 5 is detected by the first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2. Information from the roller encoder 8, the first sensor 1, and the second sensor 2 is input into a calculation means such as a computer to integrate information on the presence or absence of a workpiece 5, the distance between adjacent workpieces 5, and the top surface 5a of the workpieces 5, and based on the obtained information, the irradiation range of the light 7c that can be irradiated onto each workpiece 5 and the number of irradiations can be determined. According to the above-described configuration of the present invention, even if the workpiece 5 being transported has gaps, it can be determined as one workpiece, and information on the top surface 5a of each workpiece can be grasped, so that the irradiation position and number of irradiations of the light 7c can be easily grasped, and analysis can be performed with high precision.

[0042] The analysis device 3 of the present invention includes a first calculation means for determining a light irradiation range for the workpiece 5 in the light irradiation unit 7 based on top surface information of the workpiece 5 obtained from the first sensor 1 and side surface information of the workpiece 5 obtained from the second sensor 2; a second calculation means for determining the number of times and the duration of irradiation of the light 7c in the light irradiation unit 7 based on the light irradiation possible range determined by the first calculation means; It is also a preferred embodiment that the apparatus further comprises a means for controlling the irradiation of the light 7c onto the workpiece 5 in the light irradiation unit 7 based on the number of irradiations and the irradiation time determined by the second calculation means.

[0043] The first calculation means and the second calculation means are calculation devices such as computers that process input data, and the means for controlling the irradiation of light 7c is a means for controlling the timing, number of times, etc. of light irradiation in the light irradiation unit 7 based on the calculation results received from the calculation device.

[0044] Furthermore, for example, the length of the workpiece in the traveling direction and the light irradiation position detected by the first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2 may be recorded inside a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), and the light irradiation operation may be controlled based on the record. The light irradiation operation may also be controlled by a high-speed timer inside the PLC.

[0045] In the analysis method of the analysis device 3 of the present invention, when the workpiece 5 reaches the irradiation position 1g of the sensing wave 1c of the first sensor 1, information about the top surface 5a of the workpiece 5 passing through the sensing wave 1c, such as the presence or absence of an opening 5c ​​in the workpiece 5 and the state of its irregularities, can be obtained by, for example, comparing the irradiated sensing wave 1c with the received sensing wave 1d and analyzing the attenuation, intensity change, change in the spacing of interference fringes, scattering, or the presence or absence of reception of the sensing wave using a known method. This information is obtained from data input to the first calculation means. Similarly, when the workpiece 5 reaches the irradiation position of the second sensor 2, information about the side surface 5b of the workpiece 5 passing through the sensing wave 2c, such as the presence or absence of the workpiece 5, is obtained from data input to the first calculation means. Preferably, information about the travel distance from the roller encoder 8 is also input to the first calculation means. The travel distance may be calculated based on the number of pulses per roller rotation output from the roller encoder 8, but to improve the accuracy of the light irradiation position, it is preferable to use a roller encoder with high resolution. The first calculation means determines the light irradiation range of the light irradiation unit 7 for the target workpiece 5 for which data has been input, based on these input data.

[0046] For example, Fig. 7 is an explanatory diagram of ON / OFF information obtained when a sensing wave 1c (not shown) from the first sensor 1 and a sensing wave 2c (not shown) from the second sensor 2 are irradiated onto the workpiece 5 in the configuration shown in Fig. 1, with OFF indicating that the sensing wave is not blocked and ON indicating that the sensing wave is blocked. In Fig. 7, the sensing wave is not blocked by either the first sensor 1 or the second sensor 2 at the interval 5d between each workpiece 5-1 and 5-2, so data indicating an OFF state is input from each sensor to the first calculation means. At this time, the data input from the first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2 both indicate OFF (C), so the first calculation means determines that the workpiece 5 is not present.

[0047] When the leading edge of the workpiece 5-2 in the moving direction passes the irradiation position 1g of the first sensor 1, the sensing wave 1c is interrupted and data indicating an ON state is input to the first calculation means. This causes the first calculation means to determine that the workpiece 5-2 is present. At this time, the data input from the second sensor 2 may be either ON or OFF. In other words, the first calculation means determines that the workpiece 5-2 is present (B) when the input data from the first sensor 1 is ON and the input data from the second sensor 2 is ON or OFF, or when the input data from the first sensor is OFF and the input data from the second sensor 2 is ON. Furthermore, if the input data from the first sensor 1 is OFF and the input data from the second sensor 2 is ON, it is determined that there is an opening 5c ​​on the top surface of the workpiece 5 in this section (B2) and the workpiece 5-2 is not present. Then, when the rear end portion of the workpiece 5-2 in the movement direction passes the irradiation position 1g of the first sensor 1, the sensing wave 1c of the first sensor 1 is no longer blocked, and data indicating an OFF state is input to the first calculation means. Similarly, when the workpiece 5-2 passes the second sensor 2, the sensing wave 2c of the second sensor 2 is no longer blocked, and data indicating an OFF state is input to the first calculation means. At this time, the data input from the first sensor 1 and the second sensor 2 both indicate OFF (A), so the first calculation means determines that the workpiece 5-2 is not present.

[0048] Based on the above input information, the first calculation means determines that section B is one work 5-2, and that the work 5-2 in section B has section B2 where no work 5-2 is present and section B1 (B1-1 to B1-3) where the work 5-2 is present, and therefore the light irradiation range for the same work 5-2 is each section B1 (B1-1 to B1-3).

[0049] The second calculation means determines the number of times and the irradiation time of the light 7c to be irradiated by the light irradiation unit 7 for each of the sections B1-1 to B1-3 that are the light irradiation possible range of the section B determined by the first calculation means. For example, if the analysis device having the light irradiation unit 7 is an X-ray irradiating analysis device such as an X-ray fluorescence analysis device, X-rays are irradiated in at least one of the irradiation-enabled sections B1 to B3 in the upper surface section B of the workpiece 5-2. Since the longer the X-ray irradiation time for the same workpiece 5-2, the higher the analytical accuracy, it is preferable to irradiate X-rays at least twice in all irradiable sections, and to set each irradiation time as long as possible. The number of irradiations and irradiation time are determined by the second calculation means based on data regarding the length of each section B1-1 to B1-3 input from the first calculation means, as well as data regarding the movement speed of the workpiece 5-2 and data regarding the irradiation interval of the light irradiation unit 7. For example, in the case of Figure 7, irradiation is possible in sections B1-1, B1-2, and B1-3, so the number of irradiations is determined to be three. The irradiation time is calculated based on the length of the workpiece 5-2 in the x-axis direction in sections B1-1, B1-2, and B1-3 and the movement speed of the conveyor. Specifically, if the length of section B1-1 of work 5-2 is 1 cm, the length of section B1-2 is 3 cm, and the length of section B1-3 is 2 cm, and the conveyor movement speed is 1 cm / sec, the irradiation time is determined to be 1 second for section B1-1, 3 seconds for section B1-2, and 2 seconds for section B1-3, resulting in a total irradiation time of 6 seconds.

[0050] Similarly, when the analytical device having the light irradiation unit 7 is an analytical device that irradiates a laser such as laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, the more times X-rays are irradiated onto the same work 5-2, the more the analytical accuracy improves, so the laser is irradiated onto at least one, preferably at least two, of sections B1-1 to B1-3 in section B. The number of irradiations and irradiation time are determined by the second calculation means based on data regarding the lengths of each of sections B1-1 to B1-3 input from the first calculation means, as well as data regarding the movement speed of the workpiece 5-2, the laser pulse width and laser irradiation interval of the light irradiation unit 7, and the like. In the case of Figure 7, these are calculated based on the laser pulse width, laser irradiation interval, the length of the workpiece 5-2 in the x-axis direction in sections B1-1, B1-2, and B1-3, and the conveyor movement speed. Specifically, if the length of section B-1 of the workpiece 5-2 is 0.2 cm, the length of section B-2 is 0.6 cm, the length of section B-3 is 0.4 cm, the conveyor movement speed is 1 cm / sec, the laser pulse width is 5 ms, and the laser irradiation interval is 50 ms, the number of irradiations is determined to be 3 for section B-1, 10 for section B-2, and 7 for section B-3. The irradiation time is determined to be 15 ms for section B-1, 50 ms for section B-2, and 35 ms for section B-3, for a total irradiation time of 100 ms.

[0051] The number of irradiations and irradiation time determined by the second calculation means are sent to a device (not shown) that controls the light irradiation of the light irradiation unit 7. For example, when the workpiece 5-2 reaches the light irradiation position, an emission signal is transmitted from the second calculation means to the light irradiation control means, and light is then irradiated from the light irradiation unit 7 toward the predetermined irradiation position of the workpiece 5. By repeating this irradiation for the determined number of irradiations and irradiation time, the light irradiation unit 7 can obtain information necessary for analyzing the workpiece 5-2, such as the spectrum of the light emitted or absorbed by the workpiece and the energy of the fluorescent X-rays emitted by the workpiece, for each irradiation. The obtained information can then be processed to analyze the workpiece. It is also preferable to analyze the obtained workpiece information for each irradiation and analyze the workpiece based on the analysis result with the highest specific value, or the average value calculated from the analysis results of all irradiations. For example, in the elemental analysis of the alloys that make up the workpiece 5, averaging multiple obtained analysis data or selecting the data with the highest detected intensity from multiple information can improve analytical accuracy compared to an analysis using only one irradiation.

[0052] In the present invention, analytical accuracy can be improved by irradiating X-rays or laser two or more times at different positions on the top surface 5a of the workpiece 5 being transported on the transport means 4. In particular, when the device of the present invention is used, light can be irradiated onto the workpiece 5 being transported in a continuous operation system, i.e., the workpiece 5 can be irradiated without stopping during light irradiation, which increases the efficiency of analytical processing of the workpiece 5.

[0053] An example of each process in the first calculation means, the second calculation means, and the control means, as well as an analysis method, will be described with reference to FIG. Based on the data acquired from the second sensor 2 (referred to as the second sensor in the figure) input to the first calculation means, the section in which the second sensor 2 continues to respond (ON state) is assigned a unique identification number as a single workpiece, and the length of the workpiece in the direction of travel is measured based on the length of the ON state section. Furthermore, based on the data acquired from the first sensor 1 (referred to as the first sensor in the figure), the section in which the first sensor 1 continues to respond (ON state) is determined as the light irradiable range for the workpiece. In this case, the minimum section of the first sensor 1 (referred to as the detection size setting value in the figure, T1) for the section in which the first sensor is in the ON state for the workpiece, i.e., the minimum length of the light irradiable range, may be determined in advance, and ON states shorter than T1 may be excluded from the light irradiable range. This makes it possible to eliminate light irradiation of dust, impurities, etc. other than the workpiece, and erroneous irradiation of areas where the light irradiable range is insufficient. The second calculation means determines the number of laser irradiations (illumination count in the figure) and irradiation time based on the shortest laser irradiation interval (T2 in the figure), which is the laser standby time required when irradiating the same workpiece with a laser multiple times, and the light irradiation possible range (first sensor ON section). Although the irradiation time is not shown in the illustrated example, the irradiation time is adjusted appropriately within the light irradiation possible range. Taking into account the shortest laser irradiation interval from the light irradiation unit 7 (for example, 50 ms), the laser irradiation positions (irradiation positions 1 to 4 in the figure) are determined from the light irradiation possible range that has been turned ON for a predetermined time by the first sensor 1, and the number of laser irradiations on the same workpiece is counted (illumination count in the figure).

[0054] Next, based on the results of the second calculation means, a laser emission signal is sent to the laser irradiation control means (light irradiation process in the figure). Based on the acquired data regarding the sensing wave irradiation by the first sensor 1, a laser emission signal is sent to a means for controlling laser irradiation, such as an analytical device having the light irradiation unit 7, at a timing when a predetermined time has elapsed since the sensing wave irradiation, for example, when the workpiece 5 moves to the light irradiation position 7g of the light irradiation unit 7. The laser irradiation control means receives this signal and irradiates the laser 1 toward a predetermined position on the workpiece 5. Information necessary for workpiece analysis is then collected through this laser irradiation, for example, via a spectrometer light receiving means. In the illustrated example, the same workpiece is irradiated with a laser four times. The number of laser irradiations can be set as appropriate, but it is preferable to irradiate the laser at least twice to improve analytical accuracy. The analytical equipment analyzes the workpiece based on the acquired information necessary for workpiece analysis. Note that the method of analyzing the workpiece is not particularly limited, and for example, each piece of information may be analyzed after the information is acquired and before the next laser irradiation, or the information may be analyzed collectively for each workpiece. Furthermore, the analysis of the workpiece may be determined by averaging the analysis results for each irradiation of the same workpiece, or may be determined based on only the analysis results that detect the highest value by focusing on a specific value.

[0055] As described above, the analysis device of the present invention and the analysis method using the analysis device can analyze a workpiece with higher accuracy than conventional methods.

[0056] The workpieces to be analyzed in the present invention are not limited to parts used in the manufacturing process of various industrial products, but can also include various types of waste. Examples of parts include fasteners such as screws, bolts, and nuts; electronic parts such as capacitors, coils, and resistors; other various product manufacturing parts; and intermediate manufacturing products. Examples of waste include valuable metallic materials such as precious metals, iron, and non-ferrous metals; organic materials such as rubber, plastic, and wood; and inorganic non-metallic materials such as glass, silicon, and ceramics. The waste may also be pretreated by melting, burning, or physical sorting. Specific examples of waste include, in addition to the above-mentioned parts, jewelry such as rings, dental waste, and discarded electronic circuit boards. [Explanation of symbols]

[0057] 1 First sensor 1a Transmission Section 1b Receiver 1c Sensing wave from the first sensor 1d reflected wave 1e Angle of the sensing wave emitted from the first sensor 1f: Position of the sensing wave emitted from the first sensor from the end of the conveying means 1g Sensing wave irradiation position 2 Second sensor 2a Transmission Department 2b Receiver 2c Sensing wave from the second sensor 2d reflected wave 2g Second sensor receiver 2e Angle of the sensing wave emitted from the second sensor 2f reflector 3 Analyzer 4. Means of transportation 4e Coaxial parallel to the direction of travel 4g Center line of the conveyance 5 Work 5a Top surface of workpiece 5b Side of the workpiece 5c Work opening 5d Spacing between workpieces 6. Conveying position adjusting means 7 Light irradiation unit 7a Transmission Section 7b Receiving section 7c Light emitted from the light irradiation unit 7d reflected wave 7f Position of the sensing wave irradiated from the sensing wave irradiating means from the end of the conveying means 7g Light irradiation position 8 Roller Encoder x Direction of movement / travel of the transport means (direction of work transport) y Width direction of conveying means z Height direction Sections where B and D work exists A, C, E Sections where no work exists B2 void section B1 (B1-1~B1-3) Workpiece presence section T1 detection size setting value T2 shortest irradiation interval T3 travel time

Claims

1. An analysis device that analyzes a workpiece by irradiating it with light, a conveying means for conveying the workpiece; A first sensor; A second sensor; a light irradiation unit; a control means for determining a light irradiation position on the workpiece based on the detection of the presence or absence of the upper surface of the workpiece by the first sensor and the detection of the continuity of the presence of the workpiece in the conveying direction by the second sensor, and for controlling the irradiation of light by the light irradiation unit to the determined irradiation position; the first sensor is provided above the conveying means so as to irradiate a first sensing wave onto an upper surface of the workpiece conveyed on the conveying means at an irradiation position coaxial with an irradiation position of light irradiated from the light irradiation unit, for detecting the presence or absence of the upper surface; the second sensor is provided at a position where it irradiates a second sensing wave onto a side surface of the workpiece from a width direction intersecting with the traveling direction of the conveying means, and is capable of detecting the continuity of the presence of the workpiece in the conveying direction based on whether or not the second sensing wave is blocked by the side surface; the light irradiation unit is provided downstream of the first sensor and the second sensor in a direction of travel of the conveying means, An analytical device in which the irradiation position of the sensing wave irradiated from the first sensor onto the workpiece and the irradiation position of the light irradiated from the light irradiation unit onto the workpiece are arranged on the same axis parallel to the direction of travel of the conveying means.

2. an irradiation position of a sensing wave irradiated from the first sensor onto the workpiece; an irradiation position of light irradiated from the light irradiation unit onto the workpiece; 2. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the analyzer is disposed on a single axis that is fixed in the width direction of the transport means and that is parallel to the direction of travel of the transport means.

3. a first calculation means for determining a light irradiation range for the workpiece in the light irradiation unit based on the top surface information of the workpiece obtained from the first sensor and the side surface information of the workpiece obtained from the second sensor; a second calculation means for determining the number of times and duration of irradiation of light by the light irradiation unit based on the light irradiation possible range; a means for controlling the irradiation of light onto the workpiece in the light irradiation unit based on the number of irradiations and the irradiation time; The analysis device according to claim 1 or 2, comprising:

4. 4. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor has a transmitter that transmits a sensing wave and a receiver that receives a reflected wave of the sensing wave.

5. the second sensor includes a second transmitter that transmits a sensing wave and a second receiver that receives the sensing wave, The analyzer according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second transmitter and the second receiver are arranged to face each other in the width direction of the transport means, with the transported workpiece sandwiched between them.

6. An analytical apparatus as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a conveying position adjustment means is provided upstream of the first sensor and the second sensor to adjust the position of the work in the width direction of the conveying means so that the work passes through the irradiation position of the first sensor.

7. 7. The analytical device according to claim 1, wherein the elemental composition of the workpiece is analyzed based on the light irradiated from the light irradiation unit.

8. 8. The analyzer according to claim 1, wherein the second sensor uses a line beam irradiation method.

9. A method for analyzing a workpiece using the analysis device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, the light irradiation unit is a means for irradiating X-rays or laser; An analytical method in which the X-rays or the laser are irradiated two or more times at different positions on the top surface of the workpiece being transported on the transport means.

10. The analysis method according to claim 9, wherein the information of the workpiece obtained by irradiating the X-rays or the laser two or more times is analyzed for each irradiation, and the workpiece is analyzed based on the analysis result with the highest specific value, or the average value calculated from the analysis results of all irradiations.

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