Inspection and sorting device

Abstract

Provided is an inspection and sorting device with which it is possible for an operator to set a range in which wind pressure is applied to an inspection object to be sorted.　The present invention comprises: a conveyance unit that conveys, in a conveyance direction, an inspection object placed on a placement surface having a width in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction; an electromagnetic wave irradiation unit that irradiates the inspection object with electromagnetic waves; an electromagnetic wave detection unit that detects electromagnetic waves which have passed through the inspection object; a sorting unit that is provided downstream of the electromagnetic wave detection unit in the conveyance direction and is provided with a plurality of sorting mechanisms arranged in the width direction of the conveyance unit; an inspection unit that specifies, in an image generated on the basis of detection data pertaining to the electromagnetic waves detected by the electromagnetic wave detection unit, an existing portion of an inspection object to be sorted; a setting unit that receives input of information used for determining a range in which the sorting mechanisms are to be operated, and sets said information; a range determination unit that, on the basis of the set information, determines the range in which the sorting mechanisms are to be operated with respect to the existing portion of the inspection object to be sorted; and a sorting control unit that operates each of the sorting mechanisms in the determined operation range.

Description

Inspection and sorting device

[0001] The present invention relates to an inspection and sorting device that inspects an inspection object based on electromagnetic waves irradiated on the inspection object and detected after passing through the inspection object, and executes a sorting process based on the inspection result.

[0002] A sorting mechanism is provided for each of a plurality of placement areas separated at equal intervals in the width direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and X-ray transmission images obtained by irradiating granular bodies of various sizes moving in each placement area with X-rays are used to identify the placement area of foreign matter that needs to be removed. A sorting device is known that operates the sorting mechanism by estimating the timing when the foreign matter reaches the sorting mechanism corresponding to the placement area and injects gas toward the foreign matter to sort the foreign matter by wind pressure (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-164723 Utility Model Registration No. 3198202

[0004] Currently, when applying wind pressure to an inspection object for sorting, the range to which the wind pressure is applied is fixed and cannot be flexibly set according to the properties of the inspection object.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection and sorting device in which an operator can set the range to which wind pressure is applied to an inspection object to be sorted in view of the above problems.

[0006] The inspection and sorting device of the present invention includes a conveyance unit that continuously conveys an inspection object placed on a placement surface having a width in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance direction in the conveyance direction, an electromagnetic wave irradiation unit that irradiates the inspection object with electromagnetic waves, an electromagnetic wave detection unit that detects electromagnetic waves that have passed through the inspection object during conveyance, a sorting unit provided downstream of the electromagnetic wave detection unit in the conveyance direction and including a plurality of sorting mechanisms arranged in the width direction, an inspection unit that identifies the presence portion of the inspection object to be sorted in an image generated based on the detection data of the electromagnetic waves detected by the electromagnetic wave detection unit, a setting unit that receives and sets input of information used to determine the range in which the sorting mechanism operates, a range determination unit that determines the range in which the sorting mechanism operates with respect to the presence portion of the inspection object to be sorted based on the set information, and a sorting control unit that operates each sorting mechanism within the operation range determined by the range determination unit.

[0007] The information set in the setting unit may be used as a threshold for the pixel value, and the range determination unit may apply the threshold to pixels inside and outside the pixel area corresponding to the part of the object to be inspected that is to be sorted, expand or contract the pixel area to the pixel area defined based on the threshold, and determine the expanded or contracted pixel area as the range in which the sorting mechanism will operate.

[0008] The information set in the setting unit may be used as a pixel value threshold, and the range determination unit may apply the threshold to the pixels outside the pixel region corresponding to the portion of the object to be inspected that is to be sorted, and expand the pixel region to the pixel region obtained by applying an expansion and contraction process to the pixel region defined based on the threshold, and determine that the expanded pixel region is the range in which the sorting mechanism will operate.

[0009] The information set in the setting unit may be the number of pixels to be expanded or contracted, and the range determination unit may expand or contract the pixel area corresponding to the area where the object to be inspected is located by the set number of pixels, and determine the expanded or contracted pixel area as the range in which the sorting mechanism will operate.

[0010] The system may include a display control unit that displays on the display unit the range in which the sorting mechanism operates, determined for the portion of the object to be inspected that is being sorted.

[0011] The display control unit may display an interface screen on the display unit for inputting information into the setting unit.

[0012] Based on the input information, it may be possible to switch between displaying or not displaying the range in which the sorting mechanism operates on the display unit.

[0013] According to the inspection and sorting device of the present invention, the operator can set the range over which air pressure is applied to the objects to be inspected.

[0014] This is a front view showing an example of the configuration of the inspection and sorting device 100. This diagram specifically shows the configuration related to the transport and sorting of objects to be inspected in the inspection and sorting device 100. This diagram explains the process of identifying an object W that has an abnormality. This diagram explains a method for changing the operating range of the sorting mechanism. This diagram explains another method for changing the operating range of the sorting mechanism. This diagram explains yet another method for changing the operating range of the sorting mechanism. This diagram shows an example of displaying the operating range of the sorting mechanism on the display unit 190.

[0015] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same functional parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and functional parts that have already been described will be omitted from the description as appropriate. Furthermore, the pixel values ​​of each pixel constituting the image will be such that a smaller value indicates a brighter image, and a larger value indicates a darker image.

[0016] Figure 1 shows a functional block diagram of the inspection and sorting device 100 of the present invention, and Figure 2 shows a diagram specifically illustrating the configuration related to the transport and sorting of objects to be inspected in the inspection and sorting device 100. Regarding the transport section 110, Figure 1 shows a front view, and Figure 2 shows a plan view.

[0017] The inspection and sorting device 100 includes a transport unit 110, an electromagnetic wave irradiation unit 120, an electromagnetic wave detection unit 130, a sorting unit 140, an inspection unit 150, a setting unit 155, a range determination unit 160, a sorting control unit 170, a display control unit 180, and a display unit 190.

[0018] The transport unit 110 is a conveyor of any type that continuously transports the objects to be inspected W, which are placed on it sequentially, in a predetermined one direction (the positive Y-axis direction in Figure 1) at a predetermined speed. The objects to be inspected W are any objects, such as food products or food packaging. The objects to be inspected W placed on the transport unit 110 are transported into the housing of the inspection and sorting device 100 (not shown) from the entrance (left side of the inspection and sorting device 100 in Figure 1), undergo electromagnetic wave inspection, and are then transported out from the exit (right side of the inspection and sorting device 100 in Figure 1).

[0019] As shown in Figure 2, the transport unit 110 has a width in the X-axis direction perpendicular to the Y-axis direction in Figure 1, and moves the placed inspection object W in the positive Y-axis direction by moving the mounting surface, which is an XY plane, in the positive Y-axis direction. The mounting surface may be a physical surface that moves along with the placed inspection object W by moving itself as a surface, like a belt conveyor, or it may be a virtual surface in the sense that the inspection object W is moved as a surface by being powered, like a driven roller conveyor. The transport speed depends on the detection period of the detection element, etc., but in foreign object inspection of articles, for example, it is generally around a few m / min to a hundred or so m / min.

[0020] The electromagnetic wave irradiation unit 120 irradiates the object W being transported by the transport unit 110 with a predetermined electromagnetic wave. The type of electromagnetic wave to be irradiated may be appropriately selected depending on the content of the inspection, for example, X-rays, visible light, infrared rays, etc.

[0021] The electromagnetic wave detection unit 130 is positioned to detect electromagnetic waves irradiated from the electromagnetic wave irradiation unit 120 and that have passed through the object to be inspected W. Electromagnetic waves that have passed through the object to be inspected W are electromagnetic waves that have been transmitted through or reflected from the object to be inspected W. Figure 1 shows an example where the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130 is positioned opposite the electromagnetic wave irradiation unit 120 to enable detection of electromagnetic waves that have passed through the object to be inspected W. In this case, the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130 may be installed inside the conveying unit 110 as shown in Figure 1 to detect electromagnetic waves that have passed through the conveyor belt, etc., or the conveying unit 110 may be divided into two parts and electromagnetic waves may be detected from the gap between them. When the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130 is installed inside the conveying unit 110, it is advisable to use a conveyor belt, etc., made of a material with high permeability to electromagnetic waves irradiated from the electromagnetic wave irradiation unit 120.

[0022] The electromagnetic wave detection unit 130 is a line sensor in which multiple detection elements for detecting electromagnetic waves irradiated from the electromagnetic wave irradiation unit 120 are arranged without gaps in the width direction (X-axis direction) of the transport unit 110. Each detection element of the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130 detects electromagnetic waves that have arrived after passing through the object to be inspected W transported by the transport unit 110 and outputs detection data at predetermined intervals. The number of detection elements arranged in the line sensor is set to at least cover the width direction range in which the object to be inspected W is placed on the transport unit 110. Furthermore, the period in which each detection element detects electromagnetic waves, accumulates detection data, and outputs it is set to, for example, the time required for the width in the transport direction of the detection elements to pass through at the transport speed of the object to be inspected W by the transport unit 110. By setting the number of elements and the detection period in this way, it is possible to inspect all objects to be inspected W as they pass through the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130 one after another without any omissions.

[0023] The electromagnetic wave irradiation unit 120 and the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130 are fixedly positioned on either side of the transport unit 110. Therefore, as the object to be inspected W is transported in the positive Y-axis direction, the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130 moves relative to the object to be inspected W in the negative Y-axis direction, and the object to be inspected W is scanned by the strip-shaped detection area. During this scanning, each detection element of the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130 repeatedly detects the electromagnetic waves that have passed through the object to be inspected W at a detection cycle corresponding to the transport speed of the object to be inspected W. For example, a group of detection data can be obtained in which the detection data is arranged in a two-dimensional array of the number of detection elements × the number of detection cycles. The number of cycles in which the group of detection data is obtained can be arbitrarily determined according to the size of the object to be inspected W, the size of the image to be generated, etc.

[0024] The sorting unit 140 is equipped with multiple sorting mechanisms. The sorting mechanisms can be implemented in any form as long as they can sort the objects W to be inspected. When sorting is performed using the air pressure of a gas, the sorting unit 140 may consist of, for example, a gas supply unit 141, a gas distribution unit 142, multiple gas ejection units which are multiple sorting mechanisms, and an ejection control unit for each gas ejection unit. For example, if there are eight sorting mechanisms, the sorting unit 140 is equipped with ejection control units 143a to 143h and gas ejection units 144a to 144h.

[0025] The gas supply unit 141 is a gas supply source that supplies gas ejected from the gas ejection units 144a to 144h. The gas can be any type as long as it does not cause problems for the object to be inspected W or the installation environment.

[0026] The gas distribution unit 142 is a manifold that distributes the gas supplied from the gas supply unit 141 to the number of outlets corresponding to the number of sorting mechanisms. If there are eight sorting mechanisms, the gas is distributed to the outlets 142a to 142h.

[0027] The ejection control unit is a valve provided in the path to each discharge port after gas distribution in the gas distribution unit 142, and controls the discharge of gas from the discharge port. When there are eight sorting mechanisms, ejection control units 143a to 143h are provided in each path from which the gas is distributed in the gas distribution unit 142 to the discharge ports 142a to 142h. The operation of the ejection control units 143a to 143h is controlled by the sorting control unit 170 based on the inspection results from the inspection unit 150.

[0028] Multiple gas ejection units, which are sorting mechanisms, are provided downstream of the conveying electromagnetic wave detection unit 130. Specifically, the number of gas ejection units is such that it covers the area in which the detection elements of the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130 are arranged in the width direction (X-axis direction) of the conveying unit 110. More specifically, the gas is ejected at a predetermined position as the object to be inspected W, which has been placed on and conveyed by the conveying unit 110, passes through as it falls after being released from the end of the conveying unit 110.

[0029] The inspection results of the detection data detected by the detection elements of the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130, performed by the inspection unit 150, are reflected in the operation of the ejection control unit, which controls the ejection of gas from a gas ejection unit located downstream of the transport unit 110 at the widthwise position of the transport unit 110 where the detection elements are located. The number of detection elements in the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130 and the number of gas ejection units in the sorting unit 140 do not have to be the same, as long as there is a corresponding relationship. For example, the operation of one gas ejection unit located downstream of the transport of two or more detection elements may be determined based on the inspection results of the detection data detected by two or more detection elements.

[0030] Each gas ejection unit is connected directly or via a pipeline to each discharge port of the gas distribution unit 142, and ejects the gas discharged from each discharge port. When there are eight gas ejection units, each gas ejection unit 144a to 144h is connected to the discharge ports 142a to 142h of the gas distribution unit 142, and ejects the gas discharged from the discharge ports 142a to 142h. Note that in Figures 1 and 2, the gas ejection units 144a to 144h are shown not only at the locations of the discharge ports 142a to 142h of the gas distribution unit 142, but also at the transport end of the transport unit 110, but both are the same.

[0031] First, the inspection unit 150 generates an image based on the detection data group obtained from the output of the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130. The position of each detection data in the two-dimensional array is used as the pixel position, and the value of the detection data for each pixel is expressed as a pixel value. Then, by comparing the pixel value of each pixel with a predetermined threshold, the inspection unit identifies the pixel region corresponding to the part where the object to be inspected W is located.

[0032] In images generated based on electromagnetic wave irradiation, areas where no object exists are brighter, while areas where an object exists are darker. Furthermore, if there are abnormalities such as foreign objects within an object, the abnormal areas will appear darker than the areas without abnormalities. Therefore, by appropriately setting thresholds for pixel values, each area can be distinguished.

[0033] For example, an object detection threshold is set to distinguish between areas where the object W is not present and areas where it is present, and an anomaly detection threshold is set to distinguish between areas without anomalies and areas with anomalies. Then, for example, by applying the object detection threshold to each pixel of the generated image, the pixel region corresponding to the area where the object W is present is identified, and further by applying the anomaly detection threshold to each pixel in the pixel region corresponding to the area where the object W is present, it is possible to identify which object W has an anomaly. As a result, the pixel region corresponding to the area where the anomaly-affected object W, which is the target for sorting, is present can be identified.

[0034] Figure 3(a) shows an example of the distribution of pixel values ​​in an image generated by the inspection unit 150. By applying, for example, 80 as the object detection threshold to each pixel of this generated image, the shaded area enclosed by the thick line in Figure 3(b) can be identified as the area where the object W exists. Furthermore, by applying, for example, 150 as the anomaly detection threshold to each pixel in the area where the object W exists, an anomaly can be identified as shown in the blacked-out area of ​​Figure 3(c), thereby identifying that the object W has an anomaly.

[0035] The setting unit 155 receives input from the operator of information used to determine the range in which the sorting mechanism operates, and sets that information.

[0036] Based on the information set in the setting unit 155, the range determination unit 160 determines the range in which the sorting mechanism of the sorting unit 140 will operate, with respect to the portion of the object W to be inspected that is identified in the image generated by the inspection unit 150.

[0037] The information used to determine the range in which the sorting mechanism operates, which is received as input by the setting unit 155, may, for example, be information indicating that the pixel area corresponding to the portion of the object W to be inspected is to be used as the range in which the sorting mechanism operates. In this case, the range determination unit 160 determines the pixel area corresponding to the portion of the object W to be inspected is to be used as the range in which the sorting mechanism operates.

[0038] When determining the pixel area as the range in which the sorting mechanism operates, the pixel range in the width direction (X-axis direction) is specified as the positional range in which the sorting mechanism will operate when sorting the object W to be inspected, and the pixel range in the transport direction (Y-axis direction) is specified as the temporal range in which the sorting mechanism will operate when sorting the object W to be inspected.

[0039] The information used to determine the operating range of the sorting mechanism, which is set in the setting unit 155, may be, for example, a threshold value for pixel values ​​that expands or contracts the pixel area corresponding to the portion of the object W to be inspected that is being sorted. In this case, the range determination unit 160 applies the threshold value set in the setting unit 155 to the pixels inside and outside the pixel area corresponding to the portion of the object W to be inspected that is being sorted. Then, it expands or contracts the pixel area to the pixel area defined based on the applied threshold value, and determines the expanded or contracted pixel area as the operating range of the sorting mechanism.

[0040] For example, as shown in Figure 4(a), when the pixel region corresponding to the presence of an abnormal object W is a darkly shaded area (object detection threshold 80), setting the threshold to 40, which is smaller than the object detection threshold, and applying it to the pixels outside the pixel region corresponding to the presence of the abnormal object W, the range in which the sorting mechanism operates can be expanded to include pixel regions with pixel values ​​of 40 or more (lightly shaded area), as shown in Figure 4(b) (thickly framed area). Conversely, setting the threshold to a value greater than the object detection threshold and applying it to the pixels inside the pixel region corresponding to the presence of the abnormal object W, the range in which the sorting mechanism operates can be narrowed to include pixel regions with pixel values ​​equal to or greater than that threshold.

[0041] The information used to determine the range in which the sorting mechanism operates, set in the setting unit 155, may be, for example, a certain threshold for pixel values, which expands the range in which the sorting mechanism operates to include pixel regions obtained by expanding and contracting the pixel regions with pixel values ​​greater than or equal to a certain threshold, when there are scattered pixel regions outside the pixel region corresponding to the portion of the object to be inspected W that is to be sorted, with pixel regions smaller than the object detection threshold but greater than or equal to a certain threshold. In this case, the range determination unit 160 applies the threshold set in the setting unit 155 to the pixels outside the pixel region corresponding to the portion of the object to be inspected that is to be sorted. Then, it expands the pixel region to include pixel regions obtained by expanding and contracting the pixel region defined based on the applied threshold, and determines that expanded pixel region to be the range in which the sorting mechanism operates. The number of expansion and contraction operations and the shape of the kernel may be set fixedly, or they may be set based on the input information.

[0042] For example, as shown in Fig. 5(a), the pixel region corresponding to the existence part of the inspection object W with an abnormality is a thick shaded part (object detection threshold 80). When the threshold is set to 40 which is smaller than the object detection threshold, for the pixel regions with pixel values of 40 or more (thin shaded parts) scattered outside the thick shaded part, a binary image is generated as shown in Fig. 5(b) with the pixel regions around them having pixel values less than 40, and then dilation and contraction processing is performed. Then, by matching the pixel region shown in the shaded part of Fig. 5(c) obtained by the dilation and contraction processing with the pixel region corresponding to the existence part of the inspection object W with an abnormality as shown in Fig. 5(d), the range for operating the sorting mechanism can be expanded (thick frame part).

[0043] The information used for determining the range for operating the sorting mechanism and set in the setting unit 155 may be, for example, the number of pixels for expanding or contracting the pixel region corresponding to the existence part of the inspection object W to be sorted. In this case, the range determination unit 160 expands or contracts the pixel region corresponding to the existence part of the inspection object to be sorted by the number of pixels set in the setting unit 155, and determines the expanded or contracted pixel region as the range for operating the sorting mechanism. The setting of the number of pixels for expansion and contraction may be such that after setting expansion or contraction, the number of pixels is further set, or either expansion or contraction may be set as a positive number of pixels, and the other of contraction or expansion may be set as a negative number of pixels respectively.

[0044] For example, as shown in Fig. 6(a), the pixel region corresponding to the existence part of the inspection object W with an abnormality is a thick shaded part. When an expansion of 2 pixels is set, the range for operating the sorting mechanism can be expanded by 2 pixels as shown in Fig. 6(b).

[0045] The sorting control unit 170 operates each sorting mechanism of the sorting unit 140 within the range for operating the sorting mechanism determined by the range determination unit 160. After passing through the electromagnetic wave detection unit 130, the inspection object W reaches the sorting unit 140 after the elapse of time based on the distance to the sorting unit 140 and the conveyance speed by the conveyance unit 110. Therefore, by operating each sorting mechanism within the operation range determined by the range determination unit 160 after the elapse of this time, specifically, within the positional and temporal operation ranges, the inspection object W to be sorted can be sorted.

[0046] In addition, depending on the shape, mass, etc. of the inspection object W, there may be cases where sorting can be performed without operating the sorting mechanism without limitation within the operating range determined by the range determination unit 160. In such cases, the sorting mechanism may be configured to be operable by appropriately thinning out in terms of position and time within the operating range.

[0047] A display control unit 180 may be further provided to display the range in which the sorting mechanism operates on the display unit 190, which is an arbitrary image display means, so that the range in which the sorting mechanism operates can be visually recognized. FIG. 7 shows an example of the display on the display unit 190. In this example, among the images WP of the three inspection objects W reflected in the image, an image CP indicating an abnormality is included in one of them. And since the image WP of the inspection object W including the image CP indicating the abnormality indicates the range in which the sorting mechanism operates, an image DA indicating the range in which the sorting mechanism operates is, for example, superimposed and displayed on the image WP of the inspection object W including the image CP indicating the abnormality.

[0048] Based on the input information, the presence or absence of the display on the display unit 190 of the range in which the sorting mechanism operates may be configured to be switchable.

[0049] For the input of information necessary for various processes, such as the threshold value, the number of pixels, and the presence or absence of the display on the display unit 190 of the range in which the sorting mechanism operates, which are set in the setting unit 155 when determining the range in which the sorting mechanism operates, to the inspection and sorting device 100, for example, the display control unit 180 may be configured to display an input screen on the display unit 190 and enable input from an arbitrary input means, or may be configured to enable input by other methods.

[0050] According to the inspection and sorting device 100 of the present invention described above, an operator can set the range in which the sorting mechanism operates, that is, the operator can flexibly set the range in which wind pressure is applied to the inspection object to be sorted according to the properties of the inspection object. Thereby, the certainty of sorting can be enhanced. Further, when the range in which the sorting mechanism operates for the inspection object in which an abnormality is detected can be visually recognized on the display unit, the adjustment of the operating range of the sorting mechanism when a problem occurs in sorting can be performed easily and efficiently.

[0051] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. The embodiments described above are illustrative, and any configuration that has substantially the same technical idea as described in the claims of the present invention and produces similar effects is included within the technical scope of the present invention. In other words, modifications can be made as appropriate within the scope of the technical idea expressed in the present invention, and such modified or improved forms are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0052] 100 Inspection and sorting device 110 Conveying unit 120 Electromagnetic wave irradiation unit 130 Electromagnetic wave detection unit 140 Sorting unit 141 Gas supply unit 142 Gas distribution unit 142a-h Discharge port 143a-h Discharge control unit 144a-h Gas discharge unit 150 Inspection unit 155 Setting unit 160 Range determination unit 170 Sorting control unit 180 Display control unit 190 Display unit CP Image indicating an abnormality DA Image indicating the range in which the sorting mechanism operates WP Image of the object to be inspected W W Object to be inspected

Claims

1. An inspection and sorting apparatus comprising: a transport unit that continuously transports an object to be inspected, which is placed on a mounting surface having a width in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction, in the transport direction; an electromagnetic wave irradiation unit that irradiates the object to be inspected with electromagnetic waves; an electromagnetic wave detection unit that detects the electromagnetic waves that have passed through the object to be inspected during transport; a sorting unit provided downstream of the transport from the electromagnetic wave detection unit and equipped with a plurality of sorting mechanisms arranged in the direction of the width; an inspection unit that identifies the portion of the object to be inspected that is to be sorted in an image generated based on the detection data of the electromagnetic waves detected by the electromagnetic wave detection unit; a setting unit that receives and sets information used to determine the range in which the sorting mechanisms are operated; a range determination unit that determines the range in which the sorting mechanisms are operated with respect to the portion of the object to be inspected that is to be sorted, based on the set information; and a sorting control unit that operates each of the sorting mechanisms within the operating range determined by the range determination unit.

2. The inspection and sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information is a threshold value for a pixel, and the range determination unit applies the threshold to pixels inside and outside the pixel region corresponding to the portion of the object to be inspected that is subject to sorting, expands or contracts the pixel region to the pixel region defined based on the threshold, and determines the expanded or contracted pixel region as the range in which the sorting mechanism operates.

3. The inspection and sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information is a pixel value threshold, and the range determination unit applies the threshold to the pixels outside the pixel region corresponding to the portion of the object to be inspected that is subject to sorting, expands the pixel region to the pixel region obtained by applying an expansion and contraction process to the pixel region defined based on the threshold, and determines the expanded pixel region as the range in which the sorting mechanism is operated.

4. The inspection and sorting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information is the number of pixels to be expanded or contracted, and the range determination unit expands or contracts the pixel region corresponding to the portion of the object to be inspected that is to be sorted by the number of pixels, and determines the expanded or contracted pixel region as the range in which the sorting mechanism is operated.

5. An inspection and sorting apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a display control unit that displays on a display unit the range in which the sorting mechanism is operated, which has been determined with respect to the portion of the object to be inspected that is subject to sorting.

6. The inspection and sorting apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display an interface screen for inputting the information to the setting unit.

7. The inspection and sorting device according to claim 5, which is capable of switching whether or not to display the range for operating the sorting mechanism on the display unit based on the input information.

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