A METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING THE EDGE OF A LID

Abstract: The invention has for its purpose to provide a method and an apparatus for inspecting the bent edge of a disc-shaped object, e.g. the annular edge of a metal lid bounding a gutter for sealing compound. In order to realize such an inspection with great reliability according to the invention the resolution is made as great as possible by means of the following steps: (2) directing a light beam onto the edge zone of the object under an angle of incidents, such that the bent edge gives a shadow in said edge zone; (3) previously determining the shape of the reflection picture also determined by said shadow of said illuminated edge zone in case of an object satisfying a predetermined standard; (4) determining the reflection picture of the edge zone of an object to be inspected; and (5) comparing the results of steps (4) and (3) and generating a rejection signal in case of a detected deviation lying outside a previously chosen tolerance range.

Description: The invention has for its purpose to provide a method and an apparatus for inspecting the bent edge of a disc-shaped object, e.g. the annular edge of a metal lid bounding a gutter for sealing compound. In order to realize such an inspection with great reliability according to the invention the resolution is made as great as possible by means of the following steps: (1) providing an object to be inspected; (2) directing a light beam onto the edge zone of the object under an angle of incidence, such that the bent edge forms a shadow on said edge zone; (3) previously determining the shape of the reflection picture also determined by such a shadow of an illuminated edge zone in case of an object satisfying a predetermined standard; (4) determining the reflection picture of the edge zone of said object to be inspected; and (5) comparing the results of steps (4) and (3) and generating a rejection signal in case of a detected deviation lying outside a previously chosen tolerance range. From GB-A-2 204 125 a surface inspection apparatus is known using light sources directing light rays onto an object to be inspected, using a lamp, a beam splitter and two mirrors positioned such that the axes of the rays reflected by said mirrors are incident onto the object in planes having only axial and radial components, i.e. the rays being incident at an angle of inclination. Relative to this prior art the arrangement of the invention is such that the incident light illuminates substantially only the edge zone of the objects such, that this edge zone is in every point illuminated under the same angle of inclination. The above-mentioned prior art specification discloses an apparatus for carrying out the method according to anyone of the preceding claims said apparatus comprising: a light source for illuminating said object; sensing means for determining the reflection picture of said object; memory means for storing the shape of the reflecting picture in case of an object satisfying a previously determined standard; comparing means for comparing the output signals of the sensing means and the memory means and for generating a rejection signal in case of a detected deviation lying outside a chosen tolerance range. The apparatus according to the invention is characterized by an annular first conical mirror forming part of said source; positioning means for arranging the illuminated object on the axis of said annular first conical mirror, such that viewed in the plane normal to the axis, the rays reflected by said annular first conical mirror are incident onto the object in planes having only axial and radial components; the arrangement being such that the light rays are incident on the edge zone of said object such that the bent edge forms a shadow on that edge zone. From the PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 6, no. 66, page 8 P 112 a method and apparatus for inspection of edge boundary part of circular member is known. Relative to this prior art specification the method according to the invention is residing in this specific manner in which the light rays are directed onto the edge to be inspected. The angle of incidence of the light on the object is chosen in such a way, that the bent edge throws a shadow over the edge zone. The prior art mentioned in this Japanese specification requires a rotational driving of a circular member to be inspected. The invention allows inspection of an object stationary relative to the light source. The invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2 is the detail II of figure 1; and Figure 3 is a detail of an alternative embodiment. Figure 1 shows a light source 1 comprising a stroboscope lamp 2 and a conical light conductor 3 connected thereto. The light emitting end surface 4 of this conical light conductor 3 is matt and forms a strong annular light source. Inside the annular light emitting end edge a black screen 5 is arranged. For the construction of this light source reference is made to Dutch patent application 8800866 not published before, which patent application is hereby enclosed by way of reference. The light emitted by the annular light source 4 is projected on a lid 6 to be inspected, and specifically on the annular gutter 7 thereof. Thereto use is made of a projection lense 28 and a mirror 29 having an elliptical hole 20 having a horizontal projection with the shape of a circle, and a first conical mirror 11. As a result of the gutter 7 specifically shown in figure 2 and having an upstanding outer edge 8, on the bottom thereof a shadow is formed. The shadow-zone is in figure 2 indicated with 9. If a part of the standing edge 8 of gutter 7 is lacking, the shadow zone 9 will be smaller. A video camera 7 senses the gutter 7 via the elliptical hole 20 in mirror 9. An observer viewing the picture picked up by camera 10 will hardly or not be able to see the annular gutter, unless the standing edge 8 of gutter 7 exhibits locally deviations, as a result of which the gutter will show illuminated parts. By means of a second conical mirror 12 the illuminated area is observed with an appreciably enhanced brilliance, contributing to the detection-reliability. Both mirrors 11, 12 are frosto-conical, the mirror 11 being internally reflecting and mirror 12 being externally reflecting. For safeguarding the optical parts 1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 use is made of a closed enclosure 13 having a glass plate 14 serving as an inspection window. The mirrors 11 and 12 are aranged on this glass plate 14. Through glass plate 14 illumination and observation of the gutter 7 takes place. The drawing do not show that transport or conveying means can be used for conveying successively under glass plate 4 a series of lids 6 to be inspected. The presence of a lid on the correct inspection position shown in figure 1 can trigger flash lamp 2, e.g. by means of an approach switch or the like, so that on the correct moment the video-camera 10 can sense the desired image. Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment. Here use is made of a third conical mirror 15 causing a bundling of the annular picture of the gutter via a conical mirror 16 functionally corresponding with mirror 12 according to figure 1. By this arrangement as it were an optical magnification is achieved, as a result of which the resolution of the observation can substantially increase and the detection-accuracy can be enhanced. The video signals coming from video-camera 10 are supplied to a signal processing unit 17 that can, if desired, control rejection means through an output 18. This signal processing unit 17 also comprises memory means for storing the shape of the reflection picture, also determined by the shadow according to figure 2, of the illuminated edge zone of the lid in case of a lid satisfying a predetermined standard. By means of comparing means also forming part of the signal processing unit 17 a comparison is made of the output signal of the video-camera 10 and the contents of the memory means. In case of a detected deviation outside a chosen tolerance range, an ejection signal is supplied via output 18. The related lid can in that case e.g. be ejected from the flow of conveyed objects by means of the above-mentioned, not-shown ejection means. It should be noted that also use may be made of a continuous illumination, in which case a triggering of the video-camera takes place on the moment on which an object is located on the correct sensing position. Furthermore it will be obvious that the shape of the light emitting edge 4 of light source 1 does not necessarily always has to be round, but can generally be adapted to any desired shape of the edge zone of an object to be inspected.

Claims: A method for inspecting the bent edge of a disc-shaped object, e.g. the annular edge of a metal lid, said edge bounding a gutter for sealing compound, said method comprising the steps of: (1) providing an object to be inspected; (2) directing a light beam onto the edge zone of the object under an angle of incidence, such that the bent edge forms a shadow on said edge zone; (3) previously determining the shape of the reflection picture also determined by such a shadow of an illuminated edge zone in case of an object satisfying a predetermined standard; (4) determining the reflection picture of the edge zone of said object to be inspected; and (5) comparing the results of steps (4) and (3) and generating a rejection signal in case of a detected deviation lying outside a previously chosen tolerance range. method according to claim 1, characterized by (6) carrying out step (4) by means of a video-camera. An apparatus for carrying out the method according to anyone of the preceding claims for inspecting the bent edge of a disc-shaped object, e.g. the annular edge of a metal lid bounding a gutter for sealing compound, said apparatus comprising: a light source for illuminating said object; sensing means for determining the reflection picture of said object; memory means for storing the shape of the reflecting picture in case of an object satisfying a previously determined standard; comparing means for comparing the output signals of the sensing means and the memory means and for generating a rejection signal in case of a detected deviation lying outside a chosen tolerance range; characterized by an annular first conical mirror forming part of said source; positioning means for arranging the illuminated object on the axis of said annular first conical mirror, such that viewed in the plane normal to the axis, the rays reflected by said annular first conical mirror are incident onto the object in planes having only axial and radial components; the arrangement being such that the light rays are incident on the edge zone of said object such that the bent edge forms a shadow on that edge zone. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized by a second conical mirror positioned over the object and directing the reflection picture on a sensing device. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized by an annular third conical mirror directing the reflection picture on said second conical mirror.

Inventors: SWART, NICOLAAS CORNELIS
Applicants: HEUFT-QUALIPLUS B.V.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: G01N21
IPC codes: G01N21, G01B11