Inspection system

Abstract

Provided is a system which inspects a container filled with liquid, the system comprising a rotation unit which executes a first rotation step of rotating the container about a center axis of the container while the container is in a horizontally-laid posture and an acquisition unit which acquires an image before the rotation and an image after the rotation obtained by a camera imaging the same predetermined region of the container before and after the execution of the first rotation step by the rotation unit, respectively.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inspection system, an inspection method, and a recording medium.

Background Art

[0002] Various devices for inspecting a container filled with a liquid have been proposed or put into practical use.

[0003] For example, in Patent Document 1, after vibrating the container and then allowing it to stand still, the moving trajectory of floating matter is calculated from a plurality of images continuously taken by a camera of the liquid in the container, and based on the characteristics of the moving trajectory, it is determined whether the floating matter is a bubble or a foreign object.

[0004] Also, in Patent Document 2, there is disclosed an inspection device having a gripping portion for gripping a container filled with a liquid, an inclination portion for inclining the container about a first axis while the gripping portion grips the container, and a changing portion for changing the shooting location of the container by the imaging device by changing the relative orientation between the container and the imaging device about a second axis different from the first axis.

[0005] Also, in Patent Document 3, after photographing the bottom of a container in a upright state, the container is rotated to move a heavy foreign object deposited on the bottom, and then the bottom of the container is photographed again, and a foreign object is detected based on the difference image between the first photographed image and the second photographed image.

[0006] Also, in Patent Document 4, there is disclosed an inspection device that illuminates the inside of a container from the bottom surface side of the container by illumination disposed below the container in a upright state, and photographs the liquid surface illuminated by direct light from the illumination and reflected light from the back surface of the cap by a camera disposed below the container.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0007]

Patent Document 1

[0008] Incidentally, foreign matter can sometimes adhere to the inner wall of a container filled with liquid. It has been difficult to change the position of such foreign matter, making it challenging to distinguish it from scratches or dirt on the container.

[0009] The object of the present invention is to provide an inspection system that can change the position of foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of a container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] An inspection system according to one embodiment of the present invention is: A device for inspecting containers filled with liquid, A rotating unit that performs a first rotation step of rotating the container around its central axis while the container is in a lying position, An acquisition unit that acquires images before and after rotation by taking pictures of the same predetermined area of ​​the container with a camera before and after the first rotation process is performed by the rotating unit, It is configured to include the following:

[0011] Furthermore, inspection methods according to other embodiments of the present invention are: A method for inspecting a container filled with liquid, A first rotation step is performed in which the container is placed on its side and rotated around its central axis. Obtaining pre-rotation images and post-rotation images respectively captured by a camera of the same predetermined region of the container before and after the first rotation process is performed. It is configured as follows.

[0012] Also, a computer-readable recording medium according to another aspect of the present invention On a computer for inspecting a container filled with a liquid, A process for controlling a first rotation process of rotating the container about the central axis of the container with the container in a lying-down posture, A process for obtaining pre-rotation images and post-rotation images respectively captured by a camera of the same predetermined region of the container before and after the first rotation process is performed, It is configured to record a program for causing the above to be performed.

Advantages of the Invention

[0013] By having the configuration as described above, the present invention can change the position of a foreign object adhering to the inner wall of the container.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014] [Figure 1] It is a configuration diagram of an inspection system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a block diagram showing an example of an information processing apparatus in an inspection system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing an example of image information in an inspection system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing an example of inspection result information in an inspection system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart showing an example of the processing of an inspection system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a diagram showing an example of a rotation angle timeline in an inspection system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7]It is a schematic diagram showing the state of photographing a vial in a standing posture by a camera device. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram showing the state of photographing a vial in a lying - down posture by a camera device. [Figure 9] It is a flowchart showing an example of a process in which a detection unit in the first embodiment of the present invention detects a foreign object fixed to the bottle body and a bottle body injury. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart showing an example of a process in which a detection unit in the first embodiment of the present invention detects an attachment on the back of the lid. [Figure 11] It is a flowchart showing an example of a process in which a detection unit in the first embodiment of the present invention detects a bottom surface injury and a bottom surface foreign object. [Figure 12] It is a diagram showing another example of a rotation angle timeline in an inspection system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] It is a block diagram of an inspection system according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0015] Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, when there are a plurality of elements having the same function as an element denoted by the reference numeral "XXX", the reference numeral "XXX" will be distinguished by attaching a branch number. [First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an inspection system 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, the inspection system 100 is a system for inspecting filled vials 110. The inspection system 100 mainly includes a gripping and rotating device 200, a lighting device 300, a camera device 400, an information processing device 500, and a display device 600.

[0016] A pre-filled vial (hereinafter simply referred to as "vial") 110 is, for example, a bottle in which a drug solution is filled to store the drug solution in a sterile state, the opening is sealed with a rubber stopper, and then an aluminum cap is placed over the rubber stopper. In the final process before product shipment, a plastic cap is placed over the aluminum cap. The lid of vial 110 is composed of the rubber stopper and the aluminum and plastic caps. In this example, the amount of liquid filled in vial 110 is approximately half of the vial's capacity. That is, the liquid level R of vial 110 in this example is approximately in the middle of the bottle body. However, the vials to which the present invention can be applied are not limited to those described above. Also, the amount of liquid filled in vial 110 does not have to be approximately half of the vial's capacity; it may be more than half or less than half. However, vials that are completely filled with liquid or vials that are not filled with liquid at all are not suitable for inspection of foreign matter adhering to the bottle body. Furthermore, vials that are completely filled with liquid are not suitable for inspection of deposits on the underside of the lid. Vials 110 can have various defects. For example, foreign matter may be mixed inside vial 110. Examples of foreign matter include glass fragments, metal fragments, rubber fragments, hair, fiber fragments, soot, etc. Vials 110 may also have cracks, scratches, dirt, poor sealing, or insufficient drug. The inspection system 100 is a system that inspects vial 110 for the presence or absence of various defects that may occur. The inspection system 100 according to this embodiment mainly inspects the following items.

[0017] (1) Foreign matter stuck to the bottle body (2) Scratches on bottle body (3) Deposits on the inside of the lid (4) Bottom scratch However, the items inspected by the inspection system 100 are not limited to those listed above. Other items may be inspected, such as foreign matter floating in the filled liquid, foreign matter settling at the bottom, insufficient amount of drug (insufficient filling), foreign matter floating on the liquid surface, poor sealing, and scratches on the bottle top.

[0018] Vial 110, when viewed upright, consists of, from top to bottom, the crimped section, the bottle head (container head), the frustoconical bottle shoulder (container shoulder), the cylindrical bottle body (container body), and the bottle bottom that closes the bottle body. Bottle body adhering foreign matter refers to foreign matter that adheres to the inner wall surface of the bottle body of Vial 110. The main bottle body adhering foreign matter is fibrous material. The size of the fibrous material is about several tens of micrometers in diameter and several hundred micrometers to several millimeters in length. Bottle body damage refers to cracks, scratches, and dirt on the bottle body of Vial 110. Adhesion on the underside of the cap refers to foreign matter that adheres to the underside of the cap (underside of the rubber stopper) of Vial 110. Bottom damage refers to cracks, scratches, and dirt on the bottom of the bottle of Vial 110. The detection target size for bottle body damage and bottom damage is on the order of millimeters. This is because minute scratches are generally not considered a problem.

[0019] The gripping and rotating device 200 is a device that can rotate a vial 110 while gripping it. The gripping and rotating device 200 has two rotation axes (rotation axis A and rotation axis B) that are orthogonal to each other, and is capable of rotating the gripped vial 110 around rotation axis A and around rotation axis B. The gripping and rotating device 200 comprises a flat plate-shaped member 201, an upper arm portion 202 connected to the upper end of the flat plate-shaped member 201, and a lower arm portion 203 connected to the lower end of the flat plate-shaped member 201. The lower arm portion 203 has a lower gripping portion 204 connected to the end opposite to the end to which the flat plate-shaped member 201 is connected.

[0020] The lower gripping section 204 has two functions: it serves as a base for placing the vial 110, and it also serves as a base for fixing the illumination device 300-2 and camera device 400-2 for illuminating and photographing the vial 110 from the bottom. A rotatable transparent plate 205 is mounted on the upper surface of the lower gripping section 204, and the illumination device 300-2 is mounted on the underside of this transparent plate 205. The transparent plate 205 may have a hole slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the vial 110, or it may not have such a hole. The illumination device 300-2 is a ring illumination device that illuminates the vial 110 placed on the transparent plate 205 from the bottom of the bottle. The camera device 400-2 is built into the lower gripping section 204 and is mounted in a position and orientation that allows the vial 110 to be photographed from the bottom of the bottle.

[0021] The end of the upper arm portion 202 opposite to the end to which the flat plate-shaped member 201 is connected is provided with a chuck mechanism 206 having a chuck finger 211 for chucking the vial 110. For example, the chuck mechanism 206 can be configured as a parallel opening and closing type air chuck, but is not limited thereto. The chuck finger 211 is rotatable about the rotation axis A and is also able to move up and down along the rotation axis A. The chuck mechanism 206 closes, opens, rotates, and moves up and down the chuck finger 211 according to commands sent from the information processing device 500. When the vial 110 is placed on the transparent plate 205 in an upright position and the chuck finger 211 is lowered to chuck the top of the vial 110, the vial 110 is gripped by the gripping and rotating device 200 so that its central axis (the axis passing through the center of the top and bottom; also called the upright central axis) coincides with the rotation axis A. In this state, when the chuck finger 211 is rotated, the vial 110 rotates around the rotation axis A. The rotation angle detector 209, such as an encoder, provided on the upper arm portion 202, is configured to detect the rotation angle of the chuck finger 211, and therefore the rotation angle of the vial 110 chucked by the chuck finger 211 around the rotation axis A, and output it to the information processing device 500.

[0022] The lighting device 300-1 is a surface light source that illuminates the bottle body of the vial 110, which is chucked by the chuck mechanism 206 of the gripping and rotating device 200, from a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis A, and is attached to the flat plate member 201. The lighting device 300-1 is installed on the opposite side of the vial 110 from the camera device 400-1.

[0023] The flat plate-shaped member 201 is pivotally supported on a rotating shaft 208, which is rotated by a motor 207. The motor 207 is fixed by a support member (not shown). When the rotating shaft 208 is rotated by the motor 207, the flat plate-shaped member 201 rotates. Accordingly, all elements directly or indirectly connected to or attached to the flat plate-shaped member 201, namely the upper arm 202, lower arm 203, lower gripping part 204, chuck finger 211, chuck mechanism 206, transparent plate 205, lighting device 300-2, camera device 400-2, and lighting device 300-1, rotate. Therefore, the vial 110, which is placed on the transparent plate 205 and chucked by the chuck mechanism 206, also rotates around the rotation axis B. At this time, the dimensions and mounting positions of each part of the gripping and rotating device 200 are specified so that the vial 110 rotates around an axis perpendicular to the rotation axis A and passing through the center of the vial 110. A rotation angle detector 210, such as an encoder, provided on the flat plate-shaped member 201 is configured to detect the rotation angle of the rotating shaft 208, and therefore the rotation angle of the vial 110 chucked by the chuck fingers 211 around the rotation axis B, and output it to the information processing device 500.

[0024] The camera device 400-1 is a high-speed imaging device equipped with a wide-angle lens that continuously photographs the vial body of the vial 110 at a predetermined frame rate (100 fps or more) from a predetermined position opposite to the side where the illumination device 300-1 is installed, as viewed from the vial 110. The camera device 400-1 may have a telecentric lens instead of a wide-angle lens. The optical axis of the camera device 400-1 is parallel to the rotation axis B. The focus value of the camera device 400-1 is adjusted so that scratches on the outer wall of the vial body or foreign objects attached to the inner wall, at least close to the camera device 400-1, can be clearly photographed. The camera device 400-1 may include, for example, a color camera or a monochrome camera equipped with a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) image sensor or a CMOS (Complementary MOS) image sensor with a pixel capacity of several million pixels. The camera device 400-1 is connected to the information processing device 500 by wire or wireless. The camera device 400-1 is configured to transmit the time-series images obtained through capture, along with information indicating the time of capture, to the information processing device 500.

[0025] The camera device 400-2 is a high-speed imaging device equipped with a telecentric lens that continuously photographs the vial 110, which is chucked by the chuck mechanism 206, from the bottom side of the vial at a predetermined frame rate (100 fps). The camera device 400-2 may have a wide-angle lens instead of a telecentric lens. The optical axis of the camera device 400-2 is parallel to the rotation axis A. The focus value of the camera device 400-2 is adjusted so that, for example, foreign matter attached to the underside of the lid of the vial 110 can be clearly photographed. With the camera device 400-2 adjusted in this way, scratches on the bottom surface of the vial 110 and foreign matter settled or stuck to the bottom surface are photographed as somewhat blurry dark areas. The camera device 400-2 may be configured to include, for example, a color camera or a monochrome camera equipped with a CCD image sensor or CMOS image sensor having a pixel capacity of several million pixels. The camera device 400-2 is connected to the information processing device 500 by wire or wireless. The camera device 400-2 is configured to transmit the time-series images obtained through capture, along with information indicating the time of capture, to the information processing device 500.

[0026] The display device 600 is a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The display device 600 is connected to the information processing device 500 by wire or wireless connection. The display device 600 is configured to display the results of the inspection of vial 110 performed by the information processing device 500.

[0027] The information processing device 500 is a device that performs image processing on time-series images obtained by the camera device 400 to inspect for defects in the vial 110. The information processing device 500 is connected to the gripping and rotating device 200, the camera device 400, and the display device 600 by wired or wireless means.

[0028] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of an information processing device 500. Referring to Figure 2, the information processing device 500 includes a communication I / F unit 510, an operation input unit 520, a storage unit 530, and an arithmetic processing unit 540.

[0029] The communication interface unit 510 consists of a data communication circuit and is configured to communicate data with the gripping and rotating device 200, the lighting device 300, the camera device 400, the display device 600, and other external devices (not shown) via wired or wireless means. The operation input unit 520 consists of an operation input device such as a keyboard or mouse and is configured to detect operator operations and output them to the calculation processing unit 540.

[0030] The storage unit 530 consists of one or more storage devices of one or more types, such as a hard disk or memory, and is configured to store processing information and programs 531 necessary for various processes in the arithmetic processing unit 540. The programs 531 are programs that realize various processing processes when read and executed by the arithmetic processing unit 540, and are pre-read from external devices or recording media (not shown) via data input / output functions such as the communication I / F unit 510 and stored in the storage unit 530. The main processing information stored in the storage unit 530 includes image information 532 and inspection result information 533.

[0031] Image information 532 includes a time-series of images obtained by continuously photographing the vial 110 with camera device 400-1. Image information 532 also includes a time-series of images obtained by continuously photographing the vial 110 with camera device 400-2.

[0032] Figure 3 shows an example of the configuration of image information 532. In this example, image information 532 consists of entries comprising container ID 5321, camera ID 5322, shooting time 5323, rotation angle 5324, rotation angle 5325, and frame image 5326. The container ID 5321 field is set with an ID that uniquely identifies the vial 110 held by the gripping and rotating device 200. Possible container IDs for 5321 include the serial number assigned to the vial 110, the barcode attached to the vial 110, and object fingerprint information taken from the cap of the vial 110. The camera ID 5322 field is set with an ID that uniquely identifies the camera device 400 that captured the frame image. The shooting time 2323 field is set with a shooting time that is accurate enough to distinguish it from other adjacent frame images (e.g., in milliseconds). The "Rotation Angle 5324" field contains the rotation angle of vial 110 around rotation axis A when the frame image was captured. The "Rotation Angle 5325" field contains the rotation angle of vial 110 around rotation axis B when the frame image was captured. The "Frame Image 5326" field contains the acquired frame image. The entries in image information 532 are sorted by camera ID 5322. Multiple entries with the same camera ID 5322 are sorted by capture time 5323. In the example in Figure 3, a container ID and camera ID pair is associated for each frame image 2326, but it is also possible to associate a container ID and camera ID pair for each group of multiple frame images 2326.

[0033] The inspection result information 533 contains information corresponding to the inspection results of the vial 110. Figure 4 shows an example of the configuration of the inspection result information 533. In this example, the inspection result information 533 consists of the following entries: container ID 5331, inspection result of foreign matter adhering to the vial body 5332, inspection result of scratches on the vial body 5333, inspection result of substances adhering to the underside of the lid 5334, inspection result of scratches on the bottom surface 5335, other inspection results 5336, and final inspection result 5337. The container ID 5331 entry is set with an ID that uniquely identifies the vial 110 being inspected. The inspection results for foreign matter adhering to the vial body 5332, scratches on the vial body 5333, substances adhering to the underside of the lid 5334, and scratches on the bottom surface 5335 are set with either an OK (inspection passed) or NG (inspection failed) result. In the "Other Inspection Results 5336" entry, if the inspection system 100 has performed inspections on the vial 110 to be inspected for items other than the four items of foreign matter adhering to the vial body, scratches on the vial body, deposits on the underside of the lid, and scratches on the bottom, the "OK" (inspection passed) or "NG" (inspection failed) result will be set for each inspection item performed. If inspections for items other than the four items mentioned above have not been performed, the "Other Inspection Results 5336" entry will be set to indicate that no inspection was performed. In the "Final Inspection Results 5337" entry, "OK" (inspection passed) will be set if all entries for the inspection results of foreign matter adhering to the vial body 5332, scratches on the vial body 5333, deposits on the underside of the lid 5334, and scratches on the bottom 5335 are set to "OK" (inspection passed), AND all inspection items performed in the "Other Inspection Results 5336" entry are set to "OK" (inspection passed), OR if "Other Inspection Results 5336" is set to indicate that no inspection was performed. Otherwise, if at least one of the following inspection results is set to NG (inspection failure): inspection result 5332 for foreign matter adhering to the bottle body, inspection result 5333 for scratches on the bottle body, inspection result 5334 for matter adhering to the underside of the lid, inspection result 5335 for scratches on the bottom surface, and other inspection results 5336, then NG (inspection failure) is set.

[0034] The arithmetic processing unit 540 has a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and its peripheral circuits, and is configured to realize various processing functions by having the above hardware and program 531 cooperate by reading and executing the program 531 from the storage unit 530. The main processing functions realized by the arithmetic processing unit 540 are the gripping and rotation control unit 541, the acquisition unit 542, the detection unit 543, and the display control unit 544.

[0035] The gripping and rotation control unit 541 is configured to control the gripping and rotation device 200. The gripping and rotation control unit 541 controls the operation of the chuck fingers 211, such as lowering, closing, rotating, opening, and raising, by sending and receiving signals with the chuck mechanism 206 of the gripping and rotation device 200 via the communication interface unit 510. The gripping and rotation control unit 541 also controls the rotation of the vial 110 gripped by the gripping and rotation device 200 around the rotation axis B by sending and receiving signals with the motor 207 via the communication interface unit 510. In addition, the gripping and rotation control unit 541 monitors the rotation angles of the vial 110 gripped by the gripping and rotation control unit 541 around the rotation axes A and B by sending and receiving signals with the rotation angle detectors 209 and 210 via the communication interface unit 510.

[0036] The acquisition unit 542 is configured to control the illumination device 300 and the camera device 400. The acquisition unit 542 controls the illumination device 300 by sending and receiving signals with the illumination device 300 via the communication I / F unit 510, thereby controlling the on / off state of the illumination device 300. The acquisition unit 542 also controls the shooting of the vial 110 held by the gripping and rotating device 200 by sending and receiving signals with the camera device 400 via the communication I / F unit 510, and acquires a time-series image obtained from the shooting. Furthermore, the acquisition unit 542 creates image information 532 based on the image acquired from the camera device 400 and the rotation angle information of the vial 110 around rotation axis A and rotation axis B, which are monitored by the rotation angle detectors 209 and 210, and stores it in the storage unit 530.

[0037] The detection unit 543 is configured to inspect the vial 110 for defects based on the image information 532 acquired by the acquisition unit 542. The detection unit 543 is also configured to create inspection result information 533 based on the inspection result and store it in the storage unit 530.

[0038] The display control unit 544 is configured to output the inspection result information 533 created by the detection unit 543 to the display device 600.

[0039] Next, the operation of the inspection system 100 according to this embodiment will be described. Figure 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing performed by the inspection system 100. The inspection system 100 performs the processing shown in Figure 5 for each vial 110 to be inspected. Dust and other debris that may adhere to the outside of the vial 110 to be inspected are blown away with air immediately before inspection.

[0040] At the start of the process shown in Figure 5, the gripping and rotating device 200 is in its initial state. In the initial state, the chuck fingers 211 of the gripping and rotating device 200 are open and raised, and rotation has stopped. At this time, the rotation angle around the rotation axis A detected by the rotation angle detector 209 is set to 0°. Also, the motor 207 of the gripping and rotating device 200 has stopped rotating the flat plate-shaped member 201 around the rotation axis B at an angle where the rotation axis A coincides vertically. At this time, the rotation angle around the rotation axis B detected by the rotation angle detector 210 is set to 0°. In this initial state, the gripping and rotating device 200 of the inspection system 100 loads the vial 110 to be inspected (step S1). At this time, the gripping and rotating control unit 541 places the vial 110 in an upright position on the transparent plate 205 of the gripping and rotating device 200 in a predetermined position, for example, using a robot arm (not shown) or human hands. Next, the gripping and rotation control unit 541 controls the chuck mechanism 206 to lower the chuck fingers 211 and chuck the head of the vial 110. As a result, the vial 110 to be inspected is gripped by the gripping and rotation device 200 in an upright position. At this time, the central axis of the vial 110 is approximately aligned with the rotation axis A and becomes vertical.

[0041] Next, the inspection system 100 rotates and photographs the vial 110 (step S2). In step S2, the gripping and rotation control unit 541 controls the chuck mechanism 206 and motor 207 to rotate the vial 110 around rotation axis A and rotation axis B according to a pre-set rotation angle timeline. When the gripping and rotation control unit 541 starts rotating the vial 110 around rotation axis A, it gives a rotation start command to the chuck mechanism 206 specifying the direction of rotation, and when it stops the rotation, it gives a rotation end command to the chuck mechanism 206. Also, when the gripping and rotation control unit 541 rotates the vial 110 around rotation axis B, it gives a rotation start command to the motor 207 specifying the direction of rotation, and when it stops the rotation, it gives a rotation end command to the motor 207. Furthermore, the gripping and rotation control unit 541 monitors the rotation angles around rotation axis A and rotation axis B detected by the rotation angle detector 209 and rotation angle detector 210 during rotation.

[0042] On the other hand, in step S2, when the acquisition unit 542 starts photographing the vial 110 with the camera device 400-1, it gives a command to turn on the illumination device 300-1 and a command to start shooting with the camera device 400-1. When the shooting is finished, it gives a command to turn off the illumination device 300-1 and a command to end the shooting with the camera device 400-1. Also, when the acquisition unit 542 starts photographing the vial 110 with the camera device 400-2, it gives a command to turn on the illumination device 300-2 and a command to start shooting with the camera device 400-2. When the shooting is finished, it gives a command to turn off the illumination device 300-2 and a command to end the shooting with the camera device 400-2. However, the illumination devices 300-1 and 300-2 may be kept lit at all times. Furthermore, the acquisition unit 542 may give commands to the camera device 400 to control zoom and / or focus, so that the zoom amount and / or focus value of the camera device 400 can be changed during shooting. Furthermore, when rotation and imaging are started simultaneously in step S2, the gripping / rotation control unit 541 and the acquisition unit 542 are configured to operate synchronously. For example, when the vial 110 is rotated around the rotation axis A and imaging is started by the camera device 400-1 at the same time, the gripping / rotation control unit 541 issues a rotation start command to the chuck mechanism 206, and the acquisition unit 542 issues an imaging start command to the camera device 400-1 in synchronization with the rotation start command.

[0043] In step S2, the acquisition unit 542 receives a time-series of images sent from the camera device 400 while the camera device 400 is taking pictures, along with information indicating the time of capture. The acquisition unit 542 also receives information on the rotation angles around the monitored rotation axis A and rotation axis B from the rotation angle detectors 209 and 210 via the gripping and rotation control unit 541. The acquisition unit 542 then associates the time-series images received from the camera device 400 with the time of capture and the rotation angles of rotation axis A and rotation axis B, and stores this as image information 532 in the storage unit 530. In the above, the acquisition unit 542 used the information on the rotation angles around the monitored rotation axis A and rotation axis B. However, since the rotation angle timeline is set in advance and is known, the processing may be carried out assuming that the rotation always starts and ends at a fixed time. In other words, if the gripping and rotating mechanism 200 is configured to perform programmed operations in milliseconds in response to an operation start instruction from the information processing device 500, the acquisition unit 542 automatically determines the programmed rotation angles of rotation axis A and rotation axis B from the time information of the operation start instruction from the information processing device 500, associates them with a time-series image, and stores them in the storage unit 530 as image information 532.

[0044] Next, the detection unit 543 of the inspection system 100 inspects the vial 110 for defects based on the acquired image information 532, and creates inspection result information 533 based on the inspection result and stores it in the storage unit 530 (step S3). Next, the display control unit 544 of the inspection system 100 displays the inspection result information 533 on the display device 600 and / or transmits it to an external device (not shown) via the communication I / F unit 510 (step S4). Next, the inspection system 100 removes the inspected vial 110 (step S5). At this time, the gripping and rotation control unit 541 controls the chuck mechanism 206 to release the chuck fingers 211 and raise them, and moves the vial 110 on the transparent plate 205 of the gripping and rotation device 200 to a storage location according to the inspection result using a robot arm (not shown) or human hands. In the above, the rotation and imaging of the vial 110 (step S2) were completed, and then defect detection by image analysis (step S3) was performed. However, the rotation and imaging of vial 110 (step S2) and defect detection by image analysis (step S3) may be performed simultaneously (sequential processing).

[0045] Next, we will explain a specific example of a rotation angle timeline.

[0046] Figure 6 shows an example of a rotation angle timeline. In this example, vial 110 is rotated as follows. Section 1 (time t0-t1): Stationary in an upright position Section 2 (time t1-t2): Rotate 360° around axis A. Section 3 (times t2-t3): Rotate 95° around axis B. Section 4 (times t3-t4): Stationary in the same position as in Section 3. Section 5 (times t4-t5): Rotate -5° around axis B. Section 6 (times t5-t6): Rotation of -180° around axis A while in the position of section 5, i.e., lying on its side. Section 7 (times t6-t7): Rotates 180° around axis A while in a sideways position. Section 8 (times t7-t9): Rotates -170° around axis B, then immediately rotates 80°. Section 9 (times t9-t10): Stationary in the same position as in Section 1. Section 10 (time t10-t11): Rotates -360° around axis A. Section 11 (times t11-t12): Stationary in the same position as in Section 1. The rotation angle of axis A in section 2 does not necessarily need to be rotated 360°, depending on the vial diameter and the thickness of the glass on the side of the vial; it may be a smaller value than 360°, for example, 355°. In this case, the rotation angle in section 10 will be the angle that returns by the same amount as the rotation in section 2. Also, the rotation angle of axis B in section 8 may be varied depending on the vial diameter and the volume of liquid content filled.

[0047] When the vial 110 is rotated along the rotation angle timeline shown in Figure 6, the acquisition unit 542, for example, sends a lighting command to the illumination devices 300-1 and 300-2 and a shooting start command to the camera devices 400-1 and 400-2 at time t0, and sends a lighting command to the illumination devices 300-1 and 300-2 and a shooting end command to the camera devices 400-1 and 400-2 at time t12. As a result, the vial 110 is photographed by the camera devices 400-1 and 400-2 over the entire rotation angle timeline in Figure 6. However, the photography by the camera devices 400-1 and 400-2 may be limited to only a portion of the timeline.

[0048] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing how camera devices 400-1 and 400-2 photograph the upright vial 110 in sections 2 and 10. In section 2, the vial 110 rotates 360° around axis A in an upright position, and in section 10, the vial 110 rotates -360° around axis A in an upright position. Camera device 400-1 photographs the bottle body of the rotating vial 110 from a direction perpendicular to axis A, and camera device 400-2 photographs the rotating vial 110 from the bottle bottom side from a direction parallel to axis A.

[0049] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing how camera devices 400-1 and 400-2 photograph the vial 110 in a lateral position in sections 6 and 7. In sections 6 and 7, the vial 110 rotates -180° and 180° around the rotation axis A in a lateral position. Camera device 400-1 photographs the bottle body of the rotating vial 110 from a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis A. On the other hand, camera device 400-2 photographs the rotating vial 110 from a direction parallel to the rotation axis A and from the bottle bottom side.

[0050] Next, we will describe an example of a method for inspecting foreign matter adhering to the vial body, scratches on the vial body, deposits on the underside of the lid, scratches on the bottom surface, etc., based on images obtained by the camera device 400 while the vial 110 is rotating along the rotation angle timeline shown in Figure 6.

[0051] <Inspection of foreign objects adhering to the bottle body and scratches on the bottle body> In the process of exploring a method for inspecting foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of a vial, the inventors discovered the following phenomenon. Specifically, when a vial is rotated around its central axis in a horizontal position so that the foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the vial body passes through the boundary between the liquid and the liquid, it was observed that the position of the foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the vial body changes slightly. Furthermore, although the foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the vial body is mainly fibrous material, it was observed that the shape of the adhering fibrous material changes when rotated as described above. The reason for this phenomenon is thought to be that, due to the rotation, the foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the vial body is pulled by the surface tension of the liquid surface as it passes through the boundary between the liquid and the liquid. As mentioned above, the amount of liquid filled in the vial is approximately half of the vial's capacity, so as shown in Figure 8, the liquid level R of the horizontally positioned vial 110 is approximately in the center of the vial body, with the lower half of the inner wall of the vial body submerged in liquid and the upper half submerged in liquid. If vial 110 is rotated by -180° or more around rotation axis A in this state, foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the vial body will pass through the boundary between the liquid and the outside of the liquid as it rotates, and will be affected by the surface tension of the liquid surface at that time. Also, by rotating vial 110 on rotation axis A in a horizontal position, foreign matter adhering to the underside of the lid and the bottom of vial 110 will also pass through the boundary between the liquid and the outside of the liquid as it rotates. Therefore, it is expected that not only the foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the vial body, but also the position and shape of foreign matter adhering to the underside of the lid and the bottom will change. Furthermore, if vial 110 is rotated around its central axis in a horizontal position, foreign matter adhering to the inner wall may completely detach, or foreign matter that was floating in the liquid may newly adhere to the inner wall. In this case, both the foreign matter before detachment and the newly attached foreign matter will be detected as differences in images before and after rotation, just like the foreign matter that remained attached before and after rotation.

[0052] Therefore, in this embodiment, the same area of ​​the vial body of the vial 110 is photographed by the camera device 400-1 before and after sections 6 and 7 in which the vial 110 is rotated on its side by the rotation axis A, and the images obtained before and after rotation are compared to distinguish between foreign objects adhering to the vial body, scratches on the vial body, etc.

[0053] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process by which the detection unit 543 detects foreign objects adhering to the bottle body and scratches on the bottle body. Referring to Figure 9, the detection unit 543 acquires all entries from the image information 532 shown in Figure 3, including the camera ID 5322 of the camera device 400-1 and the shooting time 5323 included in section 2, as first entries (step S11). The frame images included in these first entries correspond to the images before rotation as described above. The detection unit 543 also acquires all entries from the image information 532 shown in Figure 3, including the camera ID 5322 of the camera device 400-1 and the shooting time 5323 included in section 10, as second entries (step S12). The frame images included in these second entries correspond to the images after rotation as described above.

[0054] Next, the detection unit 543 generates all pairs of first and second entries where the rotation angle 5324 of the rotation axis A is the same (step S13). Next, the detection unit 543 focuses on one of the pairs (step S14), compares the frame image 5326 of the first entry and the frame image 5326 of the second entry of the pair under consideration (step S15), and determines whether the images of the bottle body are the same or different in both frame images (step S16). In steps S15 and S16, the detection unit 543 may, for example, take the difference between the image of the bottle body in the frame image 5326 of the first entry and the image of the bottle body in the frame image 5326 of the second entry, and if there is a difference, it may determine that they are different, and if there is no difference, it may determine that they are the same. However, the method for determining whether the images of the bottle body in both frame images are the same or different is not limited to the difference method, and any other method may be used. Next, if there is a difference between the two frame images, the detection unit 543 determines that it is caused by foreign matter adhering to the bottle body and increments the foreign matter adhering to the bottle body counter (initial value is 0) (step S17). In this example, if there is a difference between the two frame images, it is immediately determined to be foreign matter adhering to the bottle body. However, when there is a difference between the two frame images, it may be possible to identify whether the dark area in the frame image that caused the difference is foreign matter such as a fiber fragment or a droplet other than foreign matter, based on visual information such as the shape and color of the dark area.

[0055] On the other hand, if there is no difference between the two frame images, the detection unit 543 determines whether there is a dark area of ​​a size greater than the threshold size in the image of the bottle body of the first or second entry frame image of the pair under consideration (step S18). Note that the bottle body image shows the bottle wall and its vicinity as dark areas, so it may be possible to determine whether there is a dark area of ​​a size greater than the threshold size in other areas (such as the central part of the bottle body). If there is a dark area of ​​a size greater than the threshold size, the detection unit 543 determines that the dark area is a scratch on the bottle body of an unacceptable size and increments the bottle body scratch counter (initial value is 0) (step S19). The threshold size is on the order of millimeters. This is because scratches smaller than the order of millimeters are not considered problematic.

[0056] Next, the detection unit 543 shifts its attention to the next set (steps S20, S21), returns to step S15, and repeats the same process as described above. Then, when the detection unit 543 has finished paying attention to all the necessary sets (YES in step S21), it updates the inspection result information 533 (step S22). The "necessary set" in step S21 may be, for example, the minimum number of sets in which the entire area is visible on the front side. In step S22, the detection unit 543 updates the inspection result 5332 for foreign matter adhering to the vial body and the inspection result 5333 for scratches on the vial body, for which the container ID 5331 of the vial 110 to be inspected has been set. When updating the inspection result 5332 for foreign matter adhering to the vial body, the detection unit 543 sets NG (inspection failed) if the value of the foreign matter adhering to the vial body counter is 1 or more, and sets OK (inspection passed) if it is less than 1. Furthermore, when updating the inspection result 5333 for scratches on the bottle body, the detection unit 543 sets the bottle body scratch counter value to NG (inspection failed) if it is 1 or greater, and to OK (inspection passed) if it is less than 1. Alternatively, the value of the bottle body foreign matter counter, which serves as an indicator of the number of foreign matter adhering to the bottle body, may be saved in the bottle body foreign matter inspection result 5332. Similarly, the value of the bottle body scratch counter, which serves as an indicator of the number of scratches on the bottle body, may be saved in the bottle body scratch inspection result 5333.

[0057] In the example shown in Figure 9, the process is repeated for all necessary sets. However, when the bottle body foreign matter adhering counter and / or bottle body scratch counter reach a value of 1 or more, step S22 may be executed immediately, and then the process in Figure 9 may be terminated.

[0058] <Debris adhering to the inside of the lid> As described above, the amount of liquid filled into vial 110 is approximately half the volume of vial 110. Therefore, as shown in Figure 8, when vial 110 is in a horizontal position, the liquid level is approximately in the center of the vial body, and at least the upper half of the vial body is empty of liquid. Camera device 400-2 photographs vial 110 in this state from the bottom of the vial, parallel to the axis of rotation A. Thus, camera device 400-2 can photograph a portion of the underside of the lid of vial 110 without passing through the liquid (and therefore without being affected by air bubbles present in the liquid). In other words, the image captured by camera device 400-2 shows a portion of the underside of the lid of vial 110 that was photographed without passing through the liquid. When vial 110 is stationary, the area of ​​the underside of the lid that can be photographed without passing through the liquid is limited to a portion. However, in sections 6 and 7, the vial 110 is rotated -180° around rotation axis A, and then rotated 180°, with the camera device 400-2 taking images during this rotation. Therefore, by collecting multiple frame images taken by the camera device 400-2 in section 6 and / or section 7, the entire underside of the lid can be observed without passing it through the liquid. The detection unit 543 detects deposits on the underside of the lid based on the images of the underside of the lid of the vial 110, which were taken without passing them through the liquid as described above.

[0059] Figure 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process by which the detection unit 543 detects deposits on the underside of the lid. Referring to Figure 10, the detection unit 543 acquires all entries from the image information 532 shown in Figure 3, including the camera ID 5322 of the camera device 400-2 and the shooting time 5323 included in section 6 or / and section 7 (step S31). Next, the detection unit 543 focuses on one entry (step S32). Next, the detection unit 543 compares the frame image 5326 of the entry under consideration with a reference image (not shown) stored in the storage unit 530 (step S33) to determine whether the two images are identical or different (step S34). The shape and color of the underside of the lid of the vial 110 are determined for each type of vial. The reference image is a photograph of the underside of the lid of a vial of the same type as the vial 110 to be inspected, which is free of deposits on the underside of the lid, taken in advance by the camera device 400-2 and stored in the storage unit 530. In step S33, the detection unit 543 may, for example, take the difference between the frame image 5326 and the reference image, and if there is a difference, it may determine that they are different, and if there is no difference, it may determine that they are the same. The range of the frame image 5326 from which the difference is taken with the reference image may be the entire frame image 5326, the entire range of the underside of the lid in the frame image 5326, or it may be limited to the range of the underside of the lid that was photographed without the liquid in between. Furthermore, the method for determining whether the frame image 5326 and the reference image are the same or different is not limited to the difference method, and any other method may be used.

[0060] Next, if there is a difference between the frame image 5326 and the reference image, the detection unit 543 determines that it is due to deposits on the underside of the lid and increments the underside deposit counter (initial value is 0) (step S35). In this example, if there is a difference between the frame image 5326 and the reference image, it is immediately determined to be deposits on the underside of the lid. However, when there is a difference between the frame image 5326 and the reference image, it may be possible to identify whether there is actually a foreign object at the difference location (difference location) or whether it is a droplet other than a foreign object, based on visual information such as the shape and color of the area near the difference location.

[0061] On the other hand, if there is no difference between the frame image 5326 and the reference image, the detection unit 543 skips step S35. Next, the detection unit 543 shifts its attention to the next entry (steps S36, S37), returns to step S33, and repeats the same process as described above. Then, when the detection unit 543 has finished paying attention to all entries (YES in step S37), it updates the inspection result information 533 (step S38). In step S38, the detection unit 543 updates the inspection result 5334 of the deposits on the underside of the lid for the inspection result information 533 where the container ID 5331 of the vial 110 to be inspected is set. When updating the inspection result 5334 of the deposits on the underside of the lid, the detection unit 543 sets NG (inspection failed) if the value of the deposits on the underside of the lid counter is 1 or more, and sets OK (inspection passed) if it is less than 1. The value of the deposits on the underside of the lid counter, which serves as an estimate of the number of deposits on the underside of the lid, may be saved in the inspection result 5334 of the deposits on the underside of the lid.

[0062] In the example shown in Figure 10, the process is repeated for all entries, but it is also possible to execute step S38 immediately when the lid deposit counter reaches a value of 1 or more, and then terminate the process shown in Figure 10.

[0063] <Inspection for scratches and foreign objects on the bottom surface> Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the process by which the detection unit 543 detects scratches and foreign objects on the bottom surface. Referring to Figure 11, the detection unit 543 acquires all entries from the image information 532 shown in Figure 3, including the camera ID 5322 of the camera device 400-2 and the shooting time 5323 included in section 2, as first entries (step S41). The frame image included in this first entry corresponds to the image obtained by the camera device 400-2 capturing the vial 110 from the bottom side of the bottle before rotating the vial 110 around the rotation axis A in a sideways position. The detection unit 543 also acquires all entries from the image information 532 shown in Figure 3, including the camera ID 5322 of the camera device 400-2 and the shooting time 5323 included in section 10, as second entries (step S42). The frame image included in this second entry corresponds to an image obtained by rotating the vial 110 on axis A in a sideways position, and then photographing the vial 110 from the bottom side of the vial using the camera device 400-2.

[0064] Next, the detection unit 543 generates a pair of first and second entries whose rotation angles 5324 of the rotation axis A are the same (step S43). Next, the detection unit 543 focuses on one of the pairs (step S44), compares the frame image 5326 of the first entry and the frame image 5326 of the second entry of the pair under consideration (step S45), and determines whether the two frame images are the same or different (step S46). In step S45, the detection unit 543 may, for example, take the difference between the image of the bottle bottom in the frame image 5326 of the first entry and the image of the bottle bottom in the frame image 5326 of the second entry, and if there is a difference, it may determine that they are different, and if there is no difference, it may determine that they are the same. However, the method for determining whether the images of the bottle bottom in both frame images are the same or different is not limited to the difference method, and any other method may be used. Next, if there is a difference between the two frame images, the detection unit 543 determines that it is due to foreign matter that has settled or adhered to the bottom surface of the vial 110, and increments the bottom surface foreign matter counter (initial value is 0) (step S47). In this example, if there is a difference between the two frame images, it is immediately determined to be a foreign matter on the bottom surface. However, when there is a difference between the two frame images, it may be possible to identify whether the dark area is a foreign matter such as a metal fragment or fiber fragment, or a large bubble other than a foreign matter, based on visual information such as the shape and color of the dark area in the frame image that caused the difference.

[0065] On the other hand, if there is no difference between the two frame images, the detection unit 543 determines whether or not there is a dark area of ​​a size greater than the threshold size in the frame image of the first or second entry of the pair under consideration (step S48). Note that in the image of the bottom of the bottle, the bottle wall and its vicinity are captured as dark areas, so it may be possible to determine whether or not there is a dark area of ​​a size greater than the threshold size in other areas (such as the central part of the bottom of the bottle). If the detection unit 543 finds a dark area of ​​a size greater than the threshold size, it determines that the dark area is a bottom surface scratch of an unacceptable size and increments the bottom surface scratch counter (initial value is 0) (step S49). The threshold size is on the order of millimeters. This is because scratches smaller than the order of millimeters are not considered problematic.

[0066] Next, the detection unit 543 shifts its attention to the next set (steps S50, S51), returns to step S45, and repeats the same process as described above. Then, when the detection unit 543 has finished paying attention to all sets (YES in step S51), it updates the inspection result information 533 (step S52). In step S52, the detection unit 543 updates the bottom surface scratch inspection result 5335 and other inspection results 5336 of the inspection result information 533 for which the container ID 5331 of the vial 110 to be inspected has been set. When updating the bottom surface scratch inspection result 5335, the detection unit 543 sets NG (inspection failed) if the value of the bottom surface scratch counter is 1 or greater, and sets OK (inspection passed) if it is less than 1. Furthermore, when updating the other inspection results 5336, the detection unit 543 adds the bottom foreign object inspection item to the other inspection results 5336 and sets it to NG (inspection failed) if the value of the bottom foreign object counter is 1 or greater, and sets it to OK (inspection passed) if it is less than 1. Alternatively, the values ​​of the bottom scratch counter and bottom foreign object count, which serve as an indicator of the number of bottom scratches and bottom foreign objects, may be saved in the bottom scratch inspection result 5335 and the bottom foreign object inspection item of the other inspection results 5336.

[0067] In the example shown in Figure 11, the process is repeated for all pairs, but it is also possible to execute step S52 immediately when the bottom surface scratch counter and / or bottom surface foreign object counter reaches a value of 1 or more, and then terminate the process shown in Figure 11.

[0068] As described above, the inspection system 100 according to this embodiment performs a step of rotating the vial 110 around its central axis (rotation axis A) while the vial 110 is in a horizontal position (section 6 or section 7 in Figure 6). This induces a phenomenon in which foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the vial 110 changes in position and shape as it is pulled by the surface tension of the liquid surface when it passes the boundary between the liquid and the outside of the liquid. In other words, the position of foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the vial 110 can be changed. The inspection system 100 then acquires an image before rotation (image in section 2 in Figure 6) and an image after rotation (image in section 10 in Figure 6) obtained by photographing the same predetermined area such as the bottle body of the vial 110 with the camera device 400 before and after the above step is performed. Therefore, by providing a detection unit 543 that detects foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the container by comparing the image before rotation and the image after rotation, it is possible to detect foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the vial 110 in distinction from scratches whose position and shape do not change even after the above step is performed.

[0069] Furthermore, in the inspection system 100 according to this embodiment, the vial 110 is placed on its side and rotated around its central axis (rotation axis A). A camera device 400-2 having an optical axis parallel to the central axis (rotation axis A) captures an image (image of section 6 or section 7 in Figure 6) of the underside of the lid from the bottom side of the rotating vial 110 through the area outside the liquid. Therefore, the camera device 400-2 can capture a part of the underside of the lid of the vial 110 without passing through the liquid. That is, the image captured by the camera device 400-2 shows a part of the underside of the lid of the vial 110 that was captured without passing through the liquid. As a result, foreign matter adhering to the underside of the lid can be detected with high accuracy. In addition, because the camera device 400-2 with a telecentric lens is used, the liquid surface can be avoided as much as possible (so that the thickness of the liquid surface contour in the image is thin), and the underside of the lid, which is the furthest point from the camera, can be captured in large detail.

[0070] This embodiment allows for various additional modifications as follows:

[0071] While vials were the target of the inspection, other bottles and containers that are transparent or translucent and filled with liquids such as drinking water can also be inspected.

[0072] In the above explanation, the inspection system 100 rotates the vial 110 -180° (half rotation) around the rotation axis A, followed by a 180° (half rotation) rotation, in sections 6 and 7 of the rotation angle timeline in Figure 6. However, this is merely one example. If the liquid volume is approximately half the vial capacity, the vial 110 only needs to be rotated at least 180° (half rotation) in either the positive or negative direction around the rotation axis A. This is because the entire area of ​​the inner wall of the vial body will pass through the boundary between the liquid and the outside of the liquid by at least 1 degree. Alternatively, the inspection system 100 may detect the amount of liquid filled and determine the amount of rotation in sections 6 and 7 according to the detected liquid volume. For example, the inspection system 100 may detect the liquid level of the vial 110, which is lying on its side, by image analysis or the like, and calculate the minimum rotation angle around the rotation axis A required for all areas of the inner wall of the vial body to pass the boundary between the liquid and the outside of the liquid at least once, and rotate the vial 110 around the rotation axis A by at least this calculated minimum rotation angle. Alternatively, if the vial is filled with liquid, rotating the vial 110 at least 360° (1 rotation) in the positive or negative direction around the rotation axis A will ensure that all areas of the inner wall of the vial body pass the boundary between the liquid and the outside of the liquid at least once. Therefore, the vial 110 may be rotated at least 360° (1 rotation) in the positive or negative direction around the rotation axis A. Furthermore, in sections 2 and 10 of the rotation angle timeline in Figure 6, the inspection system 100 rotates the vial 110 once around the rotation axis A, but it may rotate it one or more times (for example, two or more times) in each section. Also, in section 8 of the rotation angle timeline in Figure 6, the inspection system 100 rotates the vial 110 -170° around the rotation axis B, and then immediately rotates it 80°. This is mainly to suspend foreign matter in the vial 110 in the liquid to improve the detection efficiency of suspended foreign matter, so if detection of suspended foreign matter is not required, the inspection system 100 may simply rotate the vial 110 -90° around the rotation axis B. In other words, in section 8, the inspection system 100 may simply return the vial 110, which is in a sideways position, to an upright position.

[0073] Furthermore, the inspection system 100 may use the section in which the vial 110 is placed on its side and rotated around its central axis (rotation axis A) (section 6 or section 7 in Figure 6) as a section in which the camera device 400 photographs the same predetermined area of ​​the vial 110, such as the vial body, before and after this section. A detailed explanation follows with reference to Figure 12.

[0074] Figure 12 shows another example of a rotation angle timeline. In this example, vial 110 is rotated as follows: Section 1 (time t0-t1): Stationary in an upright position Section 2 (time t1-t2): Rotate 90° around axis B. Section 3 (times t2-t3): Rotates 360° around axis A while in a sideways position. Section 4 (times t3-t4): Rotates -360° around axis A while in a sideways position. Section 5 (times t4-t5): Rotates 360° around axis A while lying on its side. Section 6 (times t5-t6): Rotate -90° around axis B. Section 7 (time t6-t7): Stationary in the same position as in Section 1.

[0075] Section 4 in Figure 12 is the process of placing the vial 110 on its side and rotating it at least once around its central axis (rotation axis A), while sections 3 and 5 are the processes of using the camera device 400 to photograph the same predetermined area of ​​the vial 110, such as the bottle body, before and after the above process.

[0076] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 13. Figure 13 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the inspection system 1 in this embodiment. Referring to Figure 13, the inspection system 1 is a device for inspecting containers filled with liquid, and comprises a rotating unit 2 and an acquisition unit 3.

[0077] The rotating unit 2 is configured to perform a first rotation step, in which the container is placed on its side and rotated around its central axis. The rotating unit 2 can be configured in the same way as, for example, the gripping and rotating device 200 in Figure 1, but is not limited thereto.

[0078] The acquisition unit 3 is configured to acquire images before and after rotation, obtained by photographing the same predetermined area of ​​the container with a camera before and after the first rotation process performed by the rotating unit 2. The acquisition unit 3 can be configured in the same way as, for example, the acquisition unit 542 in Figure 2, but is not limited thereto.

[0079] The inspection system 1 configured in this way operates as follows: The rotating unit 2 performs a first rotation step, in which the container is placed on its side and rotated around its central axis. The acquisition unit 3 acquires images before and after rotation, obtained by photographing the same predetermined area of ​​the container with a camera before and after the first rotation step performed by the rotating unit 2.

[0080] According to the inspection system 1 configured and operating as described above, the first rotation process induces a phenomenon in which the position of foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the container changes as it passes through the boundary between the liquid and the outside of the liquid, due to being pulled by the surface tension of the liquid surface. In other words, the position of foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the container can be changed. The inspection device 1 then acquires images before and after the first rotation process by photographing the same predetermined area of ​​the container with a camera. Therefore, for example, if a detection unit is provided that compares the image before and after rotation to detect foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the container, it is possible to detect foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the container in distinction from scratches whose position and shape do not change even after the first rotation process.

[0081] Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments described above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Various modifications to the configuration and details of the present invention can be made that will be understood by those skilled in the art within the scope of the present invention. For example, the information processing device may use a GPU (Graphic Processing Unit), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), MPU (Micro Processing Unit), FPU (Floating Number Processing Unit), PPU (Physics Processing Unit), TPU (Tensor Processing Unit), quantum processor, microcontroller, or a combination thereof instead of the CPU described above. [Industrial applicability]

[0082] This invention can be used in the field of inspecting containers such as vials filled with liquid.

[0083] Some or all of the above embodiments may also be described as follows, but are not limited to the following: [Note 1] A system for inspecting containers filled with liquid, A rotating unit that performs a first rotation step of rotating the container around its central axis while the container is in a lying position, An acquisition unit that acquires images before and after rotation by taking pictures of the same predetermined area of ​​the container with a camera before and after the first rotation process is performed by the rotating unit, An inspection system equipped with the following features. [Note 2] The rotating part performs a second rotation step in which the container is placed in an upright position and rotated around the central axis before the first rotation step, and performs a third rotation step in which the container is placed in an upright position and rotated around the central axis after the first rotation step. The acquisition unit acquires the image before rotation from the image captured by the camera during the second rotation process, and acquires the image after rotation from the image captured by the camera during the third rotation process. The inspection system described in Appendix 1. [Note 3] The rotating part performs a second rotation step in which the container is placed on its side and rotated around its central axis before the first rotation step, and performs a third rotation step in which the container is placed on its side and rotated around its central axis after the first rotation step. The acquisition unit acquires the image before rotation from the image captured by the camera during the second rotation process, and acquires the image after rotation from the image captured by the camera during the third rotation process. The inspection system described in Appendix 1 or 2. [Note 4] The system further includes a detection unit that compares the image before rotation with the image after rotation to detect foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the container. The inspection system described in any of the appendices 1 to 3. [Note 5] The detection unit further compares the image before rotation with the image after rotation to detect damage to the container. The inspection system described in Appendix 4. [Note 6] The camera has an optical axis perpendicular to the central axis. The inspection system described in any of the appendices 1 to 5. [Note 7] The predetermined region includes the body of the container, The inspection system described in Appendix 6. [Note 8] The camera has an optical axis parallel to the central axis. The inspection system described in any of the appendices 1 to 5. [Note 9] The predetermined region includes the bottom surface region of the container. The inspection system described in Appendix 8. [Note 10] The predetermined area includes the area on the underside of the lid of the container. The inspection system described in Appendix 8. [Note 11] The camera has a wide-angle lens, The inspection system described in any of the appendices 1 through 10. [Note 12] The camera has a telecentric lens, The inspection system described in any of the appendices 1 through 10. [Note 13] In the first rotation step, the rotating part rotates the container such that substantially the entire area of ​​the inner wall of the container passes through the boundary between the liquid and the outside of the liquid at least once. The inspection system described in any of the appendices 1 through 12. [Note 14] In the first rotation step, the rotating part rotates the container at least half a turn around the central axis of the container. The inspection system described in any of the appendices 1 through 13. [Note 15] In the first rotation step, the rotating part rotates the container at least once around the central axis of the container. The inspection system described in any of the appendices 1 through 13. [Note 16] In the first rotation step, the rotating part rotates the container at least half a turn around the central axis of the container, and then rotates it half a turn in the opposite direction. The inspection system described in any of the appendices 1 through 13. [Note 17] A method for inspecting a container filled with liquid, A first rotation step is performed in which the container is placed on its side and rotated at least once around its central axis. Before and after the first rotation step, the same predetermined area of ​​the container is photographed with a camera, and images before and after rotation are obtained. Testing method. [Note 18] Before the first rotation step, a second rotation step is performed in which the container is placed in an upright position and rotated around the central axis. After the first rotation step, a third rotation step is performed to rotate the container around its central axis in an upright position. In the acquisition described above, the image before rotation is acquired from the image captured by the camera during the second rotation step, and the image after rotation is acquired from the image captured by the camera during the third rotation step. The inspection method described in Appendix 17. [Note 19] Prior to the first rotation step, a second rotation step is performed in which the container is placed on its side and rotated at least once around its central axis. After the first rotation step, a third rotation step is performed in which the container is placed on its side and rotated at least once around its central axis. In the acquisition described above, the image before rotation is acquired from the image captured by the camera during the second rotation step, and the image after rotation is acquired from the image captured by the camera during the third rotation step. The inspection method described in Appendix 17 or 18. [Note 20] Furthermore, by comparing the image before rotation with the image after rotation, foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the container is detected. The inspection method described in any of the appendices 17 to 19. [Note 21] The detection further involves comparing the image before rotation with the image after rotation to detect damage to the container. The inspection method described in Appendix 20. [Note 22] The camera has an optical axis perpendicular to the central axis. The inspection method described in any of the appendices 17 to 21. [Note 23] The predetermined region includes the body of the container, The inspection method described in Appendix 22. [Note 24] The camera has an optical axis parallel to the central axis. The inspection method described in any of the appendices 17 to 21. [Note 25] The predetermined region includes the bottom surface region of the container. The inspection method described in Appendix 24. [Note 26] The predetermined area includes the area on the underside of the lid of the container. The inspection method described in Appendix 20. [Note 27] The camera has a wide-angle lens, The inspection method described in any of the appendices 13 to 22. [Note 28] The camera has a telecentric lens, The inspection method described in any of the appendices 13 to 22. [Note 29] In the first rotation step, the container is rotated such that substantially all of the inner wall of the container passes through the boundary between the liquid and the outside of the liquid at least once. The inspection method described in any of the appendices 13 to 22. [Note 30] In the first rotation step, the container is rotated at least half a turn around its central axis. The inspection method described in any of the appendices 13 to 25. [Note 31] In the first rotation step, the container is rotated at least once around its central axis. The inspection method described in any of the appendices 13 to 25. [Note 32] In the first rotation step, the rotating part rotates the container at least half a turn around the central axis of the container, and then rotates it half a turn in the opposite direction. The inspection method described in any of the appendices 13 to 25. [Note 33] A computer that inspects containers filled with liquid, A process for controlling a first rotation step in which the container is placed on its side and rotated at least once around its central axis, A process to acquire images before and after rotation by photographing the same predetermined area of ​​the container with a camera before and after the first rotation process, A computer-readable recording medium containing a program for performing a certain action. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1. Inspection System 2. Rotating part 3 Acquisition part 100 Inspection Systems 110 vials 200 Gripping and Rotating Devices 201 Flat plate-shaped member 202 Upper arm 203 Lower arm 204 Lower grip part 205 Transparent plate 206 Chuck mechanism 207 Motor 208 Rotating Shaft 209, 210 rotation angle detector 211 Chuck Finger 300-1, 300-2 Lighting device 400-1, 400-2 Camera Equipment 500 Information Processing Devices 510 Communication I / F section 520 Operation Input Section 530 Storage section 531 Programs 532 Image Information 533 Test Result Information 540 Arithmetic Processing Unit 541 Gripping and Rotation Control Unit 542 Acquisition Department 543 Detection unit 544 Display Control Unit 600 display device

Claims

1. A system for inspecting containers filled with liquid, A rotating unit that performs a first rotation step of rotating the container around its central axis while the container is in a lying position, An acquisition unit that acquires images before and after rotation by taking pictures of the same predetermined area of ​​the container with a camera before and after the first rotation process is performed by the rotating unit, Equipped with, The rotating part performs a second rotation step in which the container is placed in an upright position and rotated around the central axis before the first rotation step, and performs a third rotation step in which the container is placed in an upright position and rotated around the central axis after the first rotation step. The acquisition unit acquires the image before rotation from the image captured by the camera during the second rotation process, and acquires the image after rotation from the image captured by the camera during the third rotation process. Inspection system.

2. A system for inspecting a container filled with liquid, A rotating unit that performs a first rotation step of rotating the container around its central axis while the container is in a lying position, An acquisition unit that acquires images before and after rotation by taking pictures of the same predetermined area of ​​the container with a camera before and after the first rotation process is performed by the rotating unit, Equipped with, The rotating part performs a second rotation step in which the container is placed on its side and rotated around its central axis before the first rotation step, and performs a third rotation step in which the container is placed on its side and rotated around its central axis after the first rotation step. The acquisition unit acquires the image before rotation from the image captured by the camera during the second rotation process, and acquires the image after rotation from the image captured by the camera during the third rotation process. Inspection system.

3. A system for inspecting a container filled with liquid, A rotating unit that performs a first rotation step of rotating the container around its central axis while the container is in a lying position, An acquisition unit that acquires images before and after rotation by taking pictures of the same predetermined area of ​​the container with a camera before and after the first rotation process is performed by the rotating unit, A detection unit that compares the image before rotation with the image after rotation to detect foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the container, An inspection system equipped with the following features.

4. The detection unit further compares the image before rotation with the image after rotation to detect damage to the container. The inspection system according to claim 3.

5. The camera has an optical axis perpendicular to the central axis. The inspection system according to claim 1.

6. The predetermined region includes the body of the container, The inspection system according to claim 5.

7. A system for inspecting a container filled with liquid, A rotating unit that performs a first rotation step of rotating the container around its central axis while the container is in a lying position, An acquisition unit that acquires images before and after rotation by taking pictures of the same predetermined area of ​​the container with a camera before and after the first rotation process is performed by the rotating unit, Equipped with, The camera has an optical axis parallel to the central axis. Inspection system.

8. A method for inspecting a container filled with liquid, Computers A first rotation step is performed in which the container is placed on its side and rotated around its central axis. Before and after the first rotation process, the same predetermined area of ​​the container is photographed with a camera, and images before and after rotation are obtained. The image before rotation and the image after rotation are compared to detect foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the container. Testing method.

9. A computer that inspects containers filled with liquid, A process for controlling a first rotation step in which the container is placed on its side and rotated around its central axis, A process to acquire images before and after rotation by photographing the same predetermined area of ​​the container with a camera before and after the first rotation process, A process to detect foreign matter adhering to the inner wall of the container by comparing the image before rotation with the image after rotation, A program to perform that action.

Images