Inspection device and inspection method

Abstract

To reduce cost by labor-saving of inspection of a rod-like bound body in which rod-like bodies are bound together.SOLUTION: Inspection equipment is provided, inspecting whether a rod-like body including a bent portion is included in a rod-like bound body in which rod-like bodies are bound together. The inspection equipment comprises: a supply unit supplying the rod-like bound body in which a predetermined amount of the rod-like bodies are bound; a photographing unit which photographs the image of an edge of the rod-like bound body supplied by the supply unit; and an inspection unit that determines that the rod-like body having a bent portion is included in the rod-like bound body when there is included among the images photographed by the photographing unit one whose edge area of the rod-like body is larger than a predetermined area.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus and an inspection method for inspecting a bundled body of rod-shaped bodies.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in the manufacturing process of long pasta, linear pasta extruded and molded from a die having a plurality of holes is dried with the central portion in the length direction hung on a rod-shaped member. Then, the dried U-shaped pasta is cut off at the U-shaped portion (curved portion) and the hem portion, cut to a predetermined length, and bundled in a predetermined amount and packaged in a state of being a bundled body of long pasta.

[0003] Here, in the bundled body of long pasta, there may be混入long pasta in a state where a part of the curved portion that should have been separated from the linear pasta remains when cutting off the curved portion of the U-shaped pasta. The bundled body of long pasta containing long pasta in a state where a part of the curved portion remains has no problem with food safety, but needs to be removed as a defective product as an appearance problem.

[0004] In Patent Document 1, there is disclosed an apparatus for detecting defective products by inspecting the ends of rod-shaped articles, particularly cigarettes, and removing the detected defective products.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, conventionally, when removing defective long pasta bundles, inspectors would visually inspect the bundles from the side as they were being transported on a conveyor belt before packaging. This resulted in problems such as inspection results being affected by the inspector's fatigue level and skill, as well as increased costs.

[0007] The objective of this invention is to reduce costs by streamlining the inspection of bundles of rod-shaped objects. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The inspection device of the present invention is an inspection device for inspecting whether a bundle of rod-shaped bodies contains a rod-shaped body with a curved portion, comprising: a supply unit that supplies a predetermined amount of the bundle of rod-shaped bodies; an imaging unit that photographs the ends of the bundle of rod-shaped bodies supplied by the supply unit; and an inspection unit that determines that the bundle of rod-shaped bodies contains a rod-shaped body with a curved portion when the area of ​​each end of the rod-shaped body in the image captured by the imaging unit is larger than a predetermined area.

[0009] Furthermore, the inspection apparatus of the present invention further includes a detection unit that detects the position of the rod-shaped bundle conveyed by the supply unit, and based on the detection result by the detection unit, the end of the rod-shaped bundle is photographed by the imaging unit.

[0010] Furthermore, the inspection apparatus of the present invention further includes a discharge unit that discharges the rod-shaped bundle from the transport path by the supply unit when the inspection unit determines that the rod-shaped bundle includes a rod having a curved portion.

[0011] Furthermore, in the inspection device of the present invention, the rod-shaped object is food. Furthermore, in the inspection device of the present invention, the food is dried noodles. Furthermore, in the inspection device of the present invention, the dried noodles are long pasta.

[0012] The present invention provides an inspection method for determining whether a bundle of rod-shaped bodies contains a rod-shaped body with a curved portion, comprising: a supply step of supplying a predetermined amount of the bundle of rod-shaped bodies; an imaging step of imaging the ends of the bundle of rod-shaped bodies supplied in the supply step using an imaging unit; and an inspection step of determining that the bundle of rod-shaped bodies contains a rod-shaped body with a curved portion when the area of ​​the ends of each rod-shaped body in the image captured in the imaging step is larger than a predetermined area.

[0013] Furthermore, the inspection method of the present invention further includes a detection step for detecting the position of the rod-shaped bundle conveyed by the supply step, and based on the detection result from the detection step, the end of the rod-shaped bundle is photographed by the photography step.

[0014] Furthermore, the inspection method of the present invention further includes a discharge step of discharging the rod-shaped bundle from the transport path of the supply step if the inspection step determines that the rod-shaped bundle includes a rod having a curved portion.

[0015] Furthermore, in the inspection method of the present invention, the rod-shaped object is a food product. Furthermore, in the inspection method of the present invention, the food product is dried noodles. Furthermore, in the inspection method of the present invention, the dried noodles are long pasta. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce costs by reducing the manpower required for inspecting bundles of rod-shaped objects. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] This is a side view of the inspection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of the inspection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] This figure shows the system configuration of the inspection device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4]It is an image of the end of the long pasta bundle photographed by the camera according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] It is an image of the normal noodles and U-shaped noodles according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing a state in which the discharge mechanism of the inspection device according to the embodiment is driven.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, an inspection device for inspecting a bundled rod-shaped body of rod-shaped bodies according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view of the inspection device according to the embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inspection device according to the embodiment.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inspection device 2 includes a first conveyor 10, a second conveyor 12 disposed on the downstream side of the first conveyor 10, and a third conveyor 14 disposed on the downstream side of the second conveyor 12. The first conveyor 10, the second conveyor 12, and the third conveyor 14 convey a long pasta bundle (rod-shaped body bundle) 16 in which a predetermined amount of long pasta is bundled in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure. Here, the predetermined amount may be any of weight, number, and cross-sectional area.

[0020] Near the downstream end of the first conveyor 10, a camera (imaging unit) 18 for imaging the end of the long pasta bundle 16 is arranged, and at a position slightly upstream of the position of the camera 18 above the first conveyor 10, a position sensor 20 for detecting the position of the long pasta bundle 16 is arranged. Here, a ring light (not shown) for illuminating the end of the long pasta bundle 16 is provided around the camera 18. The first conveyor 10 functions as a supply unit that supplies the long pasta bundle 16 to the imaging position by the camera 18.

[0021] Furthermore, a discharge mechanism 22 for discharging the defective long pasta bundle 16 from the conveyance path by the first conveyor 10, the second conveyor 12, and the third conveyor 14 is arranged on the side portion of the upstream end of the second conveyor 12.

[0022] Figure 3 shows the system configuration of the inspection device 2. The inspection device 2 is equipped with a control unit 30 that comprehensively controls the entire device. The control unit 30 is connected to a first conveyor drive unit 32 that drives the first conveyor 10, a second conveyor drive unit 34 that drives the second conveyor 12, a third conveyor drive unit 36 ​​that drives the third conveyor 14, a discharge mechanism drive unit 38 that drives the discharge mechanism 22, a position sensor 20, a camera 18, and an image storage unit 40 that stores images captured by the camera 18.

[0023] Next, a method for inspecting a rod-shaped bundle according to an embodiment will be described. First, the control unit 30 controls the first conveyor drive unit 32, the second conveyor drive unit 34, and the third conveyor drive unit 36 ​​to drive the first conveyor 10, the second conveyor 12, and the third conveyor 14. The long pasta bundle 16 placed on the first conveyor 10 is transported in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure (supply process), and when the position sensor 20 detects that the long pasta bundle 16 has been transported to the position where it will be photographed by the camera 18 (detection process), a detection signal is transmitted to the control unit 30.

[0024] When the control unit 30 receives a detection signal from the position sensor 20, it uses the camera 18 to photograph the end of the long pasta bundle 16 (photography step) and stores the captured image in the image storage unit 40.

[0025] The control unit 30 determines that the long pasta bundle 16 contains long pasta with curved portions when the area of ​​each long pasta end in the image of the end of the long pasta bundle 16 stored in the image storage unit 40 is larger than a predetermined area (inspection step).

[0026] In the inspection process, the control unit 30 reads the images of the ends of the long pasta bundles 16 stored in the image storage unit 40 (see Figure 4). Among the areas of the ends of each long pasta in the image, those with a predetermined area, i.e., those with an area approximately the same as that of a normal noodle as shown in Figure 5, are determined to be normal noodles. Those with an area larger than the predetermined area, such as the U-shaped noodle shown in Figure 5, which has a larger area than a normal noodle, are determined to be defective noodles. If defective noodles are included, it is determined that the long pasta bundles 16 include long pasta with curved portions.

[0027] If the control unit 30 determines through the inspection process that the long pasta bundle 16 contains long pasta with a curved portion, it controls the discharge mechanism drive unit 38 to rotate the downstream side of the second conveyor 12 downwards around the roller on the upstream side of the second conveyor 12, as shown in Figure 6, thereby discharging the long pasta bundle 16 from the transport path (discharge process).

[0028] According to the inspection device of this embodiment, it is possible to reduce costs by reducing the number of people required to inspect the long pasta bundles 16, which are bundles of long pasta.

[0029] In the above-described embodiment, long pasta is used as an example of a rod-shaped body, and the end of the long pasta bundle 16 is inspected. However, the end of rod-shaped dried noodles such as somen, reimen, and udon, or rod-shaped foods of other foods may also be inspected. Furthermore, the term "long pasta" in this application includes not only those that are generally sold in a length of about 25 cm, but also those that are sold in lengths of about half that length or other lengths, and the form of sale includes those that are bundled. The same applies to dried noodles other than long pasta and other foods.

[0030] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the camera 18 photographs one end of the long pasta bundle 16. However, cameras 18 may be provided on both sides of the first conveyor 10 to photograph both ends of the long pasta bundle 16 and to inspect whether or not the long pasta bundle 16 contains long pasta with curved portions. Here, the photography of both ends of the long pasta bundle 16 by the cameras 18 provided on both sides of the first conveyor 10 may be done simultaneously or one end at a time with a time delay.

[0031] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the camera 18 captures the end of one long pasta bundle 16 at a time. However, the camera may capture the ends of multiple long pasta bundles 16 at once to check whether or not multiple long pasta bundles 16 contain long pasta with curved portions.

[0032] In the above-described embodiment, the position of the long pasta bundle 16 is detected by the position sensor 20. However, the position of the long pasta bundle may also be detected by image recognition when the end of the long pasta bundle 16 is included within the field of view of the camera 18.

[0033] In the above-described embodiment, the long pasta bundles 16 are supplied to the camera 18's shooting position by the first conveyor 10, but the long pasta bundles 16 may also be supplied to the camera 18's shooting position by a robot. Furthermore, the camera 18 may be moved to the shooting position by a robot to photograph the long pasta bundles 16. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 2…Inspection device, 10…First conveyor, 12…Second conveyor, 14…Third conveyor, 16…Long pasta bundle, 18…Camera, 20…Position sensor, 22…Discharge mechanism, 30…Control unit, 32…First conveyor drive unit, 34…Second conveyor drive unit, 36…Third conveyor drive unit, 38…Discharge mechanism drive unit, 40…Image storage unit

Claims

1. An inspection device for checking whether a bundle of rod-shaped objects contains a rod-shaped object with a curved portion, A supply unit that supplies the bundled rod-shaped bodies in predetermined quantities, A camera unit for photographing the end of the rod-shaped bundle supplied by the supply unit, An inspection unit determines that the bundle of rod-shaped bodies contains a rod-shaped body having a curved portion when the area of ​​the end of each rod-shaped body in the image captured by the imaging unit is larger than a predetermined area. An inspection device equipped with the following features.

2. The system further includes a detection unit for detecting the position of the rod-shaped bundle being transported by the supply unit, The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the end of the rod-shaped bundle is photographed by the imaging unit based on the detection result by the detection unit.

3. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a discharge unit for discharging the rod-shaped bundle from the transport path by the supply unit when the inspection unit determines that the rod-shaped bundle includes a rod having a curved portion.

4. The inspection apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the rod-shaped body is a food product.

5. The inspection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the food is dried noodles.

6. The inspection apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the dried noodles are long pasta.

7. A method for inspecting whether a bundle of rod-shaped objects contains a rod-shaped object with a curved portion, A supply process for supplying the bundled rod-shaped bodies in predetermined quantities, A photographing step is performed in which the end of the rod-shaped bundle supplied in the supply step is photographed by the photographing unit, An inspection step in which it is determined that the bundle of rod-shaped bodies contains a rod-shaped body having a curved portion when the area of ​​the end of each rod-shaped body in the image captured by the above-mentioned imaging step contains one that is larger than a predetermined area. A testing method that includes [unclear].

8. The process further includes a detection step for detecting the position of the rod-shaped bundle being transported by the supply step, The inspection method according to claim 7, wherein the end of the rod-shaped bundle is photographed by the photographing step based on the detection result from the detection step.

9. The inspection method according to claim 7, further comprising a discharge step of discharging the rod-shaped bundle from the transport path of the supply step if the inspection step determines that the rod-shaped bundle includes a rod having a curved portion.

10. The inspection method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the rod-shaped body is a food product.

11. The inspection method according to claim 10, wherein the food is dried noodles.

12. The inspection method according to claim 11, wherein the dried noodles are long pasta.

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