Inspection device and inspection method

Abstract

To provide an inspection apparatus and an inspection method that can handle a wide variety of products in small quantities.SOLUTION: An inspection apparatus 100 includes: an imaging device 220; a lighting device 210; an arm driving device 200 that holds the imaging device 220 and the lighting device 210 with an arm 205; a holding device 300 that holds an object to be inspected so as to be movable along and rotationally around a vertical axis; a casing 500 that can accommodate the arm driving device 200 and the holding device 300; a moving device 600 that can move while supporting the casing 500; and a single power supply 400 that supplies power to the imaging device 220, the lighting device 210, the arm driving device 200, and the holding device 300.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus and an inspection method for smoothly performing inspection of a subject to be inspected.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-67592) discloses an inspection system that can inspect an object to be inspected without leakage in consideration of spatial constraints. The inspection system described in Patent Document 1 is an inspection system for inspecting an object to be inspected, and includes an imaging device and a rotating table, the imaging device includes a camera and a drive mechanism, the camera is provided in the drive mechanism, and is configured to be movable by the drive mechanism so as to photograph the object to be inspected from different viewpoints and lines of sight, and the rotating table is configured to be rotatable with the object to be inspected placed thereon.

[0003] Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-82333) discloses an inspection apparatus with improved abnormality discrimination accuracy. [[ID=2C]]The inspection apparatus described in Patent Document 2 includes an illumination unit that illuminates an object to be inspected with illumination light having a predetermined pattern, and an imaging unit that images a mirror image of the pattern formed by specular reflection of the illumination light on the surface of the object to be inspected illuminated by the illumination unit. The imaging unit focuses on the surface of the object to be inspected and images the mirror image of the pattern.

[0004] Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-158553) discloses a technique that enables imaging in a state where the position of an inspection object with respect to an imaging device is changed while keeping the positional relationship between the inspection object and the imaging device and changing only other imaging conditions in an image inspection where a plurality of images of the inspection object need to be acquired. The image inspection apparatus described in Patent Document 3 is an image inspection apparatus for inspecting an object to be inspected using images, comprising: an imaging means for imaging the object to be inspected; a changing means for periodically changing the relative position of the object to be inspected with respect to the imaging means; and a control means for causing the imaging means to image the object to be inspected so that multiple images with different imaging conditions are acquired at multiple timings, which are periodically repeated by the relative change, when the object to be inspected is in a predetermined position with respect to the imaging means.

[0005] Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-38204) discloses a sensor unit and an internal shape inspection device for inspecting internal shapes that reduce measurement blind spots. The sensor unit described in Patent Document 4 is a sensor unit for inspecting the inner shape of a hole formed in an object to be inspected, and comprises a parallel ring laser light generation unit that emits parallel ring laser light, a half mirror unit that reflects the parallel ring laser light, a light guiding unit that receives the parallel ring laser light from the half mirror unit from one end and guides it toward the other end, captures the reflected light from the inner surface of the hole from the other end and emits it toward the half mirror unit, and an imaging unit that receives the reflected light that has passed through the half mirror unit.

[0006] Patent Document 5 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-003415) discloses an inspection device, inspection method, and inspection program that can detect surface defects of a subject with greater accuracy compared to the case in which the surface of a subject is inspected using a light section method with a single light source. The inspection apparatus described in Patent Document 5 comprises two light sources arranged adjacent to each other in the same direction, each light source extending in a strip shape in a cross direction within the surface of the object being moved in one direction, and irradiating light individually onto two irradiation regions aligned in that direction; an imaging unit that images the area between the two irradiation regions or the area where the two irradiation regions overlap; and a generation unit that, while the surface is moving, alternately lights up the two light sources and generates a difference image of the images obtained by the imaging unit when one or the other light source is lit.

[0007] Patent document 6 (Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-160531) discloses an inspection device for highly accurate inspection of defects in the external shape of an object to be inspected. The inspection apparatus described in Patent Document 6 comprises: an imaging unit that images an object to be inspected and generates image data that includes an inspection area, which is an image region corresponding to the inspection area of ​​the object to be inspected; a smoothing unit that smooths the pixel values ​​of each pixel included in the image data to generate smoothed image data; a difference unit that calculates the difference between the pixel values ​​of a pixel in the image data and the corresponding pixel in the smoothed image data for each pixel to generate difference image data; and a determination unit that determines whether the object to be inspected is a good product or not based on the similarity between reference image data, which is an inspection standard for the inspection area, and the difference image data. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-67592 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-82333 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-158553 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2016-38204 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2017-003415 [Patent Document 6] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-160531 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] Various research and development efforts are underway in inspection equipment, and large-scale inspection devices are often permanently installed as part of inspection systems. However, in factories that handle small-batch, high-mix production, the cost of introducing inspection systems is substantial, so manual inspection is still used. There is a growing demand for automation even in these production sites handling small-batch, high-mix production. Furthermore, the need for automation has increased even more due to labor shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

[0010] The main objective of the present invention is to provide an inspection device and inspection method that can handle small-batch, high-mix production. Another object of the present invention is to provide an inspection device and inspection method that is portable and can handle small quantities of a wide variety of products. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] (1) The inspection apparatus conforming to a single plane includes an imaging device, an illumination device, an arm drive device that holds the imaging device and the illumination device with an arm, a holding device that holds the object to be inspected so that it can rotate along a vertical axis, a housing capable of housing the arm drive device and the holding device, a moving device that can move while supporting the housing, and a single power supply unit that supplies power to the imaging device, illumination device, arm drive device, and holding device.

[0012] In this case, the imaging device, lighting device, arm drive device, and holding device inside the housing can be easily moved by the moving device. As a result, the inspection device can be easily moved when performing inspections of small quantities of many different products. Furthermore, the object to be inspected can be rotated around a vertical axis while being imaged by the imaging device attached to the arm drive device, and inspection can be performed. As a result, inspections from all directions can be reliably performed on small quantities of many different products. In particular, the length of the arm can be extended by making the arm drive device larger, but in that case, the size of the inspection device itself will increase, making it difficult to move. In this invention, by providing an arm drive device and a holding device, the arm drive device can be miniaturized, and as a result, the size of the inspection device can be miniaturized and its mobility is increased. Furthermore, since all devices can be powered by a single power source, securing power is easy even when the device is in transit.

[0013] (2) The inspection apparatus according to the second invention is an inspection apparatus according to one aspect, further including a holding part, wherein the arm drive device supports the central part of the holding part, an imaging device is provided on one end of the holding part, and an illumination device is provided on the other end, and the holding device may be able to move up and down in the vertical direction while holding the object to be inspected.

[0014] In this case, the holding device is vertically movable, the arm drive device supports the central part of the holding section, the imaging device is provided on one end of the holding section, and the illumination device is provided on the other end, so that the weight of the illumination device and the weight of the imaging device are well balanced. As a result, a counterweight effect is generated, which reduces the moment applied to the arm when the arm of the arm drive device is moved. As a result, the arm drive device can be made smaller.

[0015] (3) The inspection apparatus according to the third invention is the same as the inspection apparatus according to the second invention, wherein the holding part is made of resin, the imaging device has a focal length of 20 mm or less, and the illumination device may have an illumination system that allows for full illumination or illumination at a predetermined percentage.

[0016] In this case, since the holding part is made of resin, the arm drive device can be miniaturized. The resin may be UV-curable resin, thermoplastic resin, shape-retaining resin, resin produced by additive manufacturing using a 3D printer, or any other resin. Furthermore, the holding part may be a combination of simple plate shapes, or it may be a shape created by topology optimization techniques. In addition, since the imaging device has a focal length of 20 mm or less, a small imaging device can be used, reducing the weight and enabling miniaturization of the inspection device. That is, by using a lens with a short focal length, the distance to the object can be set short. As a result, the distance between the robot and the work can be shortened, and as a result, the housing size of the inspection device can be made smaller both horizontally and vertically. Furthermore, by shortening the focal length, the distance of the arm of the arm driving device can also be set short, and as a result, the arm driving device itself can be miniaturized, enabling further miniaturization and weight reduction of the inspection device itself. Furthermore, since the lighting device can be fully lit or lit at a predetermined ratio, by emitting light a plurality of times at different predetermined ratios and changing the light irradiation direction for imaging, defects of the inspected object can be surely detected.

[0017] (4) The inspection device according to the fourth invention, in one aspect, in the inspection device according to the third invention, the housing has a frame structure, and the single power supply unit may be single-phase 100 volts or single-phase 200 volts.

[0018] In this case, since the housing has a frame structure, miniaturization of the moving device can be achieved. Also, since the single power supply unit consists of either single-phase 100 volts or single-phase 200 volts, it is easy to secure power. Also, in the case of a single-phase 100-volt specification, miniaturization of all the devices provided in the housing can be achieved.

[0019] (5) The inspection device according to the fifth invention, in one aspect, in the inspection device according to the fourth invention, the moving device is arranged at the lower part of the housing and may include at least one of an unmanned conveyance function, an automatic traveling function, a braking function for not moving at a predetermined position, and a moving function for moving to a predetermined position.

[0020] In this case, since the mobile device is located at the bottom of the housing, the entire housing can be easily moved. In particular, if it has an automatic driving function or an unmanned transport function, it can automatically move to the inspection location according to the schedule. However, it is not limited to these, and it may also be movable with casters or a trolley operated by hand, and may also be equipped with collision avoidance devices, etc. Furthermore, it is more preferable that the mobile device has a braking function to prevent unintended movement when an inspection is being performed.

[0021] (6) The inspection apparatus according to the sixth invention, in one aspect, is an inspection apparatus according to the fifth invention, wherein the housing further includes a spring balancer, and the spring balancer may hold the wiring of the imaging device and the illumination device.

[0022] In this case, by providing a spring balancer, the weight of the cables extending from the imaging device and illumination device can be borne by the spring balancer instead of the arm drive device. As a result, the inspection device can be made smaller.

[0023] (7) The inspection apparatus according to the seventh invention, in one aspect, is an inspection apparatus according to the sixth invention, further including an object receiving device, the object receiving device may move the object to be inspected to a holding device before inspection and remove the object to be inspected after inspection.

[0024] In this case, by placing the object receiving device at each inspection location for small quantities of diverse products, the inspection equipment can be moved to perform the inspection. Furthermore, since the object receiving device can automatically remove the objects before and after inspection, the amount of manpower required can be reduced.

[0025] (8) An inspection method according to other aspects comprises an imaging device for imaging an object to be inspected, an illumination device for illuminating an object to be inspected, an arm drive device for moving the imaging device and illumination device while holding them, a holding device for holding the object to be inspected, and a single power supply unit for supplying power to each device, and is an inspection method for inspecting an object to be inspected, comprising a moving step of moving the housing with the moving device, an emission imaging step of emitting light and imaging the object to be inspected from all directions while holding the imaging device and illumination device with the arm drive device, and a rotational moving step of rotating the object to be inspected around a vertical axis while holding it with the holding device.

[0026] In this case, the imaging device, lighting device, arm drive device, and holding device inside the housing can be easily moved by the moving device. As a result, the inspection device can be easily moved when performing inspections of small quantities of many different products. Furthermore, the object to be inspected can be rotated around a vertical axis while being imaged by the imaging device attached to the arm drive device, and inspection can be performed. As a result, inspections from all directions can be reliably performed on small quantities of many different products. In particular, the length of the arm can be extended by making the arm drive device larger, but in that case, the size of the inspection device itself will increase, making it difficult to move. In this invention, by providing an arm drive device and a holding device, the arm drive device can be miniaturized, and as a result, the size of the inspection device can be miniaturized and its mobility is increased. Furthermore, since all devices can be powered by a single power source, securing power is easy even when moving them. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0027] [Figure 1] This is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the inspection device according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the tip of the arm of an arm drive device. [Figure 3] This is a schematic side view showing an example of the tip of the arm of an arm drive device. [Figure 4] This is a side view of the internal structure of an example of an inspection device. [Figure 5]This is an internal perspective view showing an example of an inspection device. [Figure 6] This flowchart shows an example of the control of the inspection device in this embodiment. [Figure 7] This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an inspection device where the mobile device is an autonomous collaborative robot (AMR). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0028] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, in the case of the same reference numerals, their names and functions are also the same. Therefore, detailed descriptions of them will not be repeated.

[0029] [Embodiment] Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the inspection device 100 according to this embodiment, Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of the tip 206 of the arm 205 of the arm drive device 200, and Figure 3 is a schematic side view showing an example of the tip 206 of the arm 205 of the arm drive device 200.

[0030] (Inspection device 100) As shown in Figure 1, the inspection device 100 mainly includes an arm drive device 200, a holding device 300, a single power supply unit 400, a housing 500, and a moving device 600.

[0031] (Arm drive device 200) In this embodiment, the arm drive device 200 uses a 6-axis collaborative robot (Universal Robot) with an arm 205 length of 350 mm or less. Furthermore, the tip 206 of the arm 205 of the arm drive device 200 is provided with a lighting device 210, an imaging device 220, and a holding unit 250, which will be described later. The arm drive device 200, through the functions of a 6-axis collaborative robot, can perform inspections of the object to be inspected held by the holding device 300 using the lighting device 210 and the imaging device 220. In this embodiment, a collaborative robot CVR038A1 manufactured by Denso Wave was used as the arm drive unit 200. The payload capacity of the arm drive unit 200 in this embodiment is 500 grams, and in this embodiment, it was designed to be less than that.

[0032] (Lighting device 210) As shown in Figure 2, the lighting device 210 according to this embodiment has multiple LEDs arranged in a ring shape inside. Furthermore, a predetermined number of the multiple LEDs can be individually lit. This allows the circumference of the ring to be divided into eight sections, and each section can be lit by one-eighth. As a result, light can be irradiated onto the object under inspection from different directions. The weight of the lighting device 210 in this embodiment is 305 grams. In this embodiment, an Imac Corporation IMDR-130DWHV-8ch ring light was used as the lighting device 210.

[0033] (Imaging device 220) Next, the imaging device 220 uses a 5-megapixel camera. Furthermore, the lens of the imaging device 220 preferably has a focal length of 20 mm or less. In this embodiment, a lens with a focal length of 8 mm was used. The imaging device 220 performs imaging of the object under inspection in synchronization with the light emission of the illumination device 210. The weight of the imaging device 220 in this embodiment is 120 grams. In this embodiment, the illumination device 210 and the imaging device 220 were used as separate components, but the system is not limited to this configuration, and an imaging device 220 integrated with the illumination device 210 may also be used. In this embodiment, an Omron STC-MCS500POE was used as the imaging device 220.

[0034] (Holding device 300) Furthermore, the holding device 300 is designed to rotate the object under inspection around a vertical axis and to have the ability to be driven vertically up and down. That is, while the object under inspection is held by the holding device 300 and rotated, it is inspected from above by the imaging device 220, etc., which is moved by the arm drive device 200. When the holding device 300 is driven vertically upward, the object under inspection is lifted, and the imaging device 220, etc., can also inspect the lower part of the object (back surface, etc.). Furthermore, the holding device 300 can automatically receive objects to be inspected before inspection and discharge objects after inspection using the object receiving devices 910, 920, 930, etc., which will be described later. Note that the holding device 300 is not limited to the object receiving devices 910, 920, 930, and objects to be inspected may be received manually. In this embodiment, the main components of the holding device 300 are an electric actuator that can rotate vertically up and down and around the vertical axis, and a controller for operating the electric actuator.

[0035] (Single power supply unit 400) Next, as shown in Figure 1, the single power supply unit 400 is a device that receives single-phase 100-volt power and converts it to one of the following: DC 24-volt, DC 12-volt, or DC 5-volt. It may also be a device that converts to multiple voltages. The single power supply unit 400 supplies the converted DC voltage to all of the following: the arm drive device 200, the lighting device 210, the imaging device 220, and the holding device 300. The single power supply unit 400 may also be a device that receives single-phase 200-volt power used in factories, etc., and converts it to either DC 24-volt, DC 12-volt, or DC 5-volt. Since the inspection device 100 according to this embodiment is portable, power can be easily obtained after moving by making one of the single power supply units 400 the device that receives power. In other words, it has the advantage of being able to replenish power to the inspection device 100 with a single touch. Furthermore, if the single power supply unit 400 is compatible with single-phase 100 volts, the arm drive unit 200, lighting device 210, imaging device 220, and holding device 300 can all be made smaller compared to the case where they are compatible with single-phase 200 volts. On the other hand, if the single power supply unit 400 is compatible with single-phase 200 volts, the arm drive unit 200 and the holding device 300 can be made larger compared to the case where they are compatible with single-phase 100 volts, and can also accommodate larger objects under inspection. Although not shown in the diagram, the single power supply unit 400 may also have an outlet cable on the lower side of the housing 500 that can be connected to a single-phase 100-volt power supply within the facility.

[0036] (500 units) The external dimensions of the housing 500 in this embodiment are a height of 1600 mm or less, a width of 750 mm or less, and a depth of 900 mm or less. Furthermore, the housing 500 is mainly composed of a frame to reduce weight. In this embodiment, resin panels may be attached to the frame other than the receiving or discharge section of the object to be inspected. In this embodiment, the exterior of the housing 500 is provided with a LAN connector that can be connected to a personal computer or the like for collecting inspection results, and an emergency stop button that stops all functions of each device in the event of an emergency.

[0037] (Mobile device 600) Next, to reduce costs, the mobile device 600 was designed by placing casters on the bottom of the housing 500. Furthermore, the mobile device 600 according to this embodiment has a horizontal adjustment function. That is, it has a function that allows the inspection device 100 to maintain a horizontal state. An example in which an automated guided vehicle (AGV) or an autonomous collaborative robot (AMR) is used instead of casters as the mobile device 600 will be described later.

[0038] (Tip 206 of arm 205) Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the arm drive device 200 has an illumination device 210, an imaging device 220, and a holding part 250 at the tip 206 of the arm 205. As shown in Figure 3, the holding part 250 is made of a resin member in a substantially T shape. The illumination device 210 is provided on one end of the holding part 250, and the imaging device 220 is provided on the other end. The holding part 250 is made lighter by providing multiple holes. In particular, the holding part 250 weighs 23 grams when using a generative design, and in the T-shape of this embodiment, the weight is suppressed to 49 grams. It is also preferable that the total weight, including fasteners such as screws, be within 500 grams.

[0039] (Relationship between the lighting device 210, the imaging device 220, and the holding unit 250) Furthermore, the tip 206 of the arm 205 of the arm drive unit 200 is fixed between the lighting device 210 and the imaging device 220. As shown in Figure 3, with respect to the tip 206 of the arm 205, the center of gravity of the lighting device 210 is at a distance L1, and the center of gravity of the imaging device 220 is at a distance L2. Furthermore, a force F21 from the center of gravity of the lighting device 210 is applied downwards, and a force F22 from the center of gravity of the imaging device 220 is applied downwards. On the other hand, a support force F206 from the tip 206 of the arm 205 is applied upwards. As a result, forces F21 and F22 have a counterweight relationship. In this embodiment, the distance L1 is 27 mm and the distance L2 is 36 mm. Furthermore, as will be described later, in this embodiment, although both the illumination device 210 and the imaging device 220 are lightweight, they are driven by an arm drive device 200 that can operate in response to power from single-phase 100 volts, so it is necessary to have a structure that can withstand the rotational moment during driving.

[0040] In this embodiment, in order to create a structure that can withstand the rotational moment during driving, the center of gravity of the illumination device 210 is positioned on one end of the holding part 250 relative to the support position of the tip 206 of the arm 205, and the center of gravity of the imaging device 220 is positioned on the other end. As a result, the rotational moment was reduced by approximately 53% compared to the case where the illumination device 210 and imaging device 220 are positioned at the tip 206 of the arm 205. It is preferable to reduce the rotational moment by 40% or more, preferably by 50% or more. In this embodiment, the holding portion 250 is exemplified as a T-shaped member as shown in Figures 3 and 4, but it is not limited to this, and may be shaped by a topology optimization method. That is, the holding portion 250 may be formed by a three-dimensional printer.

[0041] (Internal structure of inspection device 100) Next, Figure 4 is a side view of the internal structure of an example of the inspection device 100, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the internal structure of an example of the inspection device 100.

[0042] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the housing 500 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, with a frame formed by a rectangular framework. A spring balancer 550 is also provided in the upper frame of the housing 500. The spring balancer 550 is provided to hold the wiring of the imaging device 220, the lighting device 210, and the arm drive device 200. The spring balancer 550 is a mechanism that holds the weight of each suspended wiring by changing the torque of the spring into a tapered drum, and is a device that prevents the weight of the wiring of the lighting device 210 and the imaging device 220 from being added to the arm 205 of the arm drive device 200 when the arm 205 is driven.

[0043] As a result, the arm drive unit 200 can move the lighting device 210 and imaging device 220, which are installed at the tip 206 of the arm 205, without any extra force (weight and moment of the wiring) being applied to the arm 205. Furthermore, since the holding device 300 can move the object to be inspected vertically up and down and rotate it around the vertical axis simultaneously with this movement, imaging of the object to be inspected by the imaging device 220 can be easily performed. Specifically, the imaging device 220 captures several images in one direction, and by changing the direction (applying method) of light from the illumination device 210 during each of these captures, the object to be inspected can be inspected.

[0044] Next, Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the control of the inspection device 100 in this embodiment.

[0045] As shown in Figure 6, the inspection device 100 is first powered on by turning the power ON / OFF (step S1). Next, the inspection device 100 checks whether any abnormalities have occurred (step S2). If no abnormalities have occurred, the process proceeds to step S4. On the other hand, if an abnormality has occurred, it is determined whether or not the abnormality has been reset (step S3), and the process from step S1 to step S3 is repeated before the reset. If the abnormality is not reset after a predetermined number of repetitions, the power may be turned off.

[0046] Next, as shown in Figure 6, if a request to return to the home position is received (step S4), the inspection device 100 starts the home position return process (step S5). If there is no request to return to the home position, the process proceeds to step S7.

[0047] After initiating the return to the home position, the system determines whether the return to the home position is complete (step S6). If it determines that the return to the home position has not been completed or is not possible, the inspection device 100 returns to the process in step S2, indicating that an abnormality has occurred, and repeats the process.

[0048] On the other hand, if it is determined that the system has returned to its home position, the inspection device 100 determines whether the holding device 300 and the arm drive device 200 for inspection are operational (step S7). If it determines that they are operational, it starts operation (step S8). That is, it performs the inspection process described later. On the other hand, if it is determined that the holding device 300 and the arm drive device 200 for inspection are inoperable, an abnormality is detected, and the process returns to step S2, and the process is repeated.

[0049] Finally, when the inspection process is complete, the inspection device 100 completes its operation (step S9). Then, the inspection device 100 returns to the process in step S3 and repeats the process. On the other hand, if the inspection process does not complete or cannot be completed, the operation is considered incomplete and an abnormality has occurred, so the process returns to step S2 and the process is repeated.

[0050] Next, an example of the inspection method in this embodiment will be described. First, the object to be inspected is imaged by changing the illumination of the light from the illumination device 210 from above four times, and then rotated by the holding device 300 in 90-degree increments around the vertical axis. The imaging results are transmitted to a personal computer (not shown) to check for scratches or defects. Note that the above angles and number of rotations may be arbitrarily changed depending on the number of pixels, shooting range and focal length of the imaging device 220.

[0051] Next, the holding device 300 raises the object to be inspected vertically upward. Then, the illumination device 210 changes the direction of light irradiation onto the object to be inspected from below four times to take images, and the holding device 300 rotates the object around the vertical axis by 90 degrees at a time. The imaging results are transmitted to a personal computer (not shown) where they are checked for scratches or defects. Based on these results, a determination is made as to whether the object being inspected is good or defective. Through the process described above, inspections can be performed based on the imaging results from the imaging device 220.

[0052] Next, Figure 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the inspection device 100 when the mobile device 600 is an autonomous collaborative robot (AMR).

[0053] As shown in Figure 7, the case in which the inspection device 100 is used within a designated factory will be described. In this embodiment, the mobile device 600 is an autonomous collaborative robot and is equipped with either a battery, a storage battery, or a generator, and is capable of supplying power to each device.

[0054] First, the inspection device 100 moves to the inspection location of the object to be inspected A by an autonomous collaborative robot (AMR). Then, the object to be inspected A is handed over to the holding device 300 by the object to be inspected receiving device 910. The inspection device 100 then performs the inspection of the object to be inspected A. Next, when the inspection of object A is completed, object A is removed from the holding device 300 by the object receiving device 910. If there are multiple objects A awaiting inspection, this process is repeated. Naturally, the object receiving device 910 removes good objects A and defective objects A, and then stores them in different locations.

[0055] Next, the inspection device 100 automatically moves from the inspection location of object A to the inspection location of object B using an autonomous collaborative robot (AMR). Then, the object to be inspected B is transferred to the holding device 300 by the object receiving device 920. The inspection device 100 performs the inspection of the object to be inspected B. Next, when the inspection of the object B is completed, the object receiving device 920 removes the object B from the holding device 300. If there are multiple objects B to be inspected, this process is repeated. Naturally, the object receiving device 920 removes the good objects B and the defective objects B, and then stores them in different locations.

[0056] Next, the inspection device 100 automatically moves from the inspection location of object B to the inspection location of object C using an autonomous collaborative robot (AMR). Then, the object to be inspected C is transferred to the holding device 300 by the object receiving device 930. The inspection device 100 performs the inspection of the object to be inspected C. Next, when the inspection of the object C is completed, the object receiving device 930 removes the object C from the holding device 300. If there are multiple objects C awaiting inspection, this process is repeated. Similarly, the object receiving device 930 removes good objects C and defective objects C, and stores them in different locations.

[0057] Thus, if the mobile device 600 is composed of an automated guided vehicle (AGV) or an autonomous collaborative robot (AMR), a program may be programmed into the mobile device 600 to move to the inspection location of the next object to be inspected when it receives the number of inspected objects A, B, and C or predetermined inspection data. In this embodiment, objects A, B, and C may be transported by a belt conveyor, and the objects to be inspected may be received by the holding device 300 of the inspection device 100.

[0058] As described above, the inspection device 100 according to the present invention can handle small-volume, high-mix production. Furthermore, the mobile inspection device 100 can be easily moved by a mobile device 600 such as casters when operated manually, and inspections can be easily performed by a single power supply unit 400. Moreover, when the mobile inspection device 100 is operated by an autonomous collaborative robot (AMR) or an automated guided vehicle (AGV), manual labor is not required, and human resources can be used effectively.

[0059] Furthermore, the inspection device 100 according to the present invention can inspect any defects of the object to be inspected, such as dirt, scratches, foreign matter, defects, mounting position of parts or tilt or orientation of parts, dents, nameplates, chips, uneven paint, etc. In particular, the inspection device 100 can easily handle the case of objects to be inspected that are produced in small quantities, with a wide variety of products and complex shapes.

[0060] In the present invention, the inspection device 100 corresponds to the "inspection device", the imaging device 220 corresponds to the "imaging device", the illumination device 210 corresponds to the "illumination device", the arm 205 corresponds to the "arm", the arm drive device 200 corresponds to the "arm drive device", the objects to be inspected A, B, and C correspond to the "objects to be inspected", the holding device 300 corresponds to the "holding device", the housing 500 corresponds to the "housing", the moving device 600 corresponds to the "moving device", the single power supply unit 400 corresponds to the "single power supply unit", and the holding unit 25 0 corresponds to the "holding unit," the spring balancer 550 corresponds to the "spring balancer," the object receiving devices 910, 920, and 930 correspond to the "object receiving devices," the method of using the inspection device 100 corresponds to the "inspection method," the process of the moving device 600 moving corresponds to the "movement process," the method of using the illumination device 210 and the imaging device 220 corresponds to the "light emission imaging process," and the process of the holding device 300 holding the object to be inspected and rotating it around the vertical axis corresponds to the "rotational movement process."

[0061] While the above describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the invention is not limited thereto. It will be understood that various other embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, although the operation and effects of the configuration of the present invention are described in this embodiment, these operations and effects are examples and do not limit the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0062] 100 Inspection device 200 Arm drive unit 205 Arm 210 Lighting device 220 Imaging device 250 Holding part 300 Holding device 400 Single Power Supply Unit 500 cabinets 600 Mobile device 550 Spring Balancer 910, 920, 930 Inspection object receiving device A, B, C Test object

Claims

1. Imaging device and Lighting equipment, A collaborative robot-type arm drive device that holds the imaging device and the illumination device with an arm, A holding device that holds the object to be inspected so that it can rotate along the vertical axis, A housing capable of housing the arm drive device and the holding device, A movable device that supports the housing and is movable, A single power supply unit that supplies power to the imaging device, the illumination device, the arm drive device, and the holding device, Includes a holding part, The arm drive device supports the central part of the holding portion, In order to make the imaging device and the illumination device act as counterweights, the imaging device is provided on one end of the holding portion, and the illumination device is provided on the other end. The holding device is capable of moving vertically up and down while holding the object to be inspected. The holding portion consists of a substantially T-shaped resin member with multiple holes, and the imaging device is an inspection device having a focal length of 20 mm or less.

2. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rotational moment during operation is reduced by 40% or more compared to the case in which both the imaging device and the illumination device are installed on one end of the holding part.

3. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device has a lighting system capable of lighting all lights or a predetermined percentage of lights.

4. The inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the housing consists of a frame structure, and the single power supply unit is single-phase 100 volts or single-phase 200 volts.

5. The inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the moving device is located at the bottom of the housing and includes at least one of an unmanned transport function, an automatic driving function, a braking function to prevent movement in a predetermined position, and a moving function to move to a predetermined position.

6. The housing further includes a spring balancer, The inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the spring balancer holds the wiring of the imaging device and the illumination device.

7. Furthermore, it includes a device for receiving the object to be inspected, The inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the object receiving device moves the object to be inspected to the holding device before inspection and removes the object to be inspected after inspection.

8. An inspection method for inspecting an object to be inspected, comprising: an imaging device with a focal length of 20 mm or less for imaging an object to be inspected, an illumination device for illuminating the object to be inspected, a collaborative robot-type arm drive device that moves a substantially T-shaped resin member holding part with multiple holes to make the imaging device and the illumination device counterweight, holding device for holding the object to be inspected, and a single power supply unit for supplying power to each device, wherein the object to be inspected is inspected, A moving step in which the housing is moved by the moving device, The imaging device and the lighting device are held by the arm drive device, and the process involves emitting light and imaging the object to be inspected from all directions, An inspection method comprising a rotational movement step of rotating the object to be inspected around a vertical axis while holding it with the holding device.

Images