Patent ID: 9710731
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: G01N,G06K

Claim:
1. A foreign matter inspection device, comprising: container holders that hold cylindrical containers filled with liquid; rotators that rotate the containers; beam irradiators that irradiate a beam to the containers; cameras that photograph foreign matter mixed in liquid in the containers; a rotation controller; and a foreign matter detector that detects the foreign matter from photographed images, wherein, when the foreign matter inspection device inspects the liquid in a selected one of the containers, one of the holders holds the selected container so that a rotational axis, about which the selected container rotates, extends horizontally or at a constant acute angle of up to 15° depending on liquid properties and a shape of the selected container relative to a horizontal plane, the rotation controller rotates the selected container through a selected rotational angle or speed to move the foreign matter upward in the vertical direction along with an inner wall of the container, after each rotation through said selected rotational angle or speed, thereby moving the foreign matter upward of said inner wall of the selected container, and stops rotation of the selected container, the cameras continuously photograph contents of the container for a predetermined time period each time the selected container is stopped from rotating, and the foreign matter detector acquires any existing foreign matter movement locus from images produced as the contents of the container are continuously photographed for the predetermined time period, and detects presence of the foreign matter in the liquid when the foreign matter movement locus exists.