Abstract:
A continuous inspection apparatus comprising a control axis placed in a vertical direction, the central axis penetrating a disc-like conveying table which conveys a subject to be inspected, a driving means for driving the conveying table, and a pair of inspection instruments for inspecting the subject to be inspected, one of the inspection instruments being placed at an inside of a circle where a plurality of the subjects are aligned in a circle and another one of the inspection instruments being placed at an outside of tho circle, wherein an opening is provided at a place between the central axis and an inner peripheral portion of the conveying table, and a cable extending from one of the inspection instruments is run downward through the opening. According to the apparatus mentioned above, there is no difficulty in movement of the subject to be inspected when the conveying table rotates continuously in a prescribed direction during its operation for inspection and during its operation for verification of accuracy of the apparatus as well.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a continuous inspection apparatus for inspecting a subject to be inspected in a continuous production line without stopping the flow of the subject to be inspected, for example, relates to a continuous inspection apparatus for automatically examining to see whether the subject to be inspected, such as an ample, a vial or the like which contains liquid, is acceptable or not.  
           [0003]    2. Prior Art of the Invention  
           [0004]    Conventionally, as a continuous apparatus of this kinds, there is known an inspection apparatus for examining if liquid charged into a transparent container contain foreign materials or not, by taking a photograph of the subject by making the subject to be inspected pass in front of a camera to allow the camera to take a photograph of the subject with making light pass through the transparent container as the subject, and then processing the photograph by using an image, processing device.  
           [0005]    In order to meet a requirement to increase inspecting speed of the subject, such an inspection system where both a floodlight and a camera follow the subject so as to realize a condition that the floodlight, the camera and the subject are aligned in a straight line for a while, to thereby be able to take a picture of the subject to be inspected without disturbing the production line, such as stopping the flow of the subject in the production line.  
           [0006]    As shown in FIG. 3, one of the actual examples of such a conventional continuous inspection apparatus has a pair of inspection instruments. Inner supporting portion  51  and outer supporting portion  52  are disposed to be turntable around a rotation center of conveying table  50  and also arc disposed in such a way as to sandwich ring-like conveying table  50  which turns in one direction. Camera  53  is mounted on inner supporting portion  51 , and floodlight  54  is mounted on outer supporting portion  52 .  
           [0007]    Subject to be inspected  57 , which is taken onto conveying table  50  from supplying line  56 , passes through a place between floodlight  54  and camera  53  when conveying table  50  turns, and then subject to be inspected  57  is discharged into a carrying out line. During a time when subject to be inspected  57  is placed on conveying table  50 , moving speed of floodlight  54  and camera  53  is adjusted to a speed corresponding to the moving speed of subject  57  in a prescribed (certain) period of time. With taking a photograph being completed during the prescribed period of time, inspection for detecting foreign materials in the liquid is enabled to be finished during the time subject to be inspected  57  is conveyed.  
           [0008]    Next, as is shown in FIG. 4, an upper portion of subject  57  is supported by building cap  59  so as for subject  57  to be conveyed in a stable position or attitude thereof. Holding cap  59  is mounted on subject  57  during all the time from an in-taking stage where subject  57  is taken onto conveying table  50  to a discharging stage where subject  57  is discharged from conveying table  50 . And there is a necessity of providing mechanical operation portion  60  for attaching holding cap  59  to subject  57  when subject  57  is taken onto conveying table  50 , and for detaching holding cap  59  from the subject  57  when the subject  57  is moved out from conveying table  50 . There is also a need to provide upper table  61  in order to support mechanical operation portion  60 .  
           [0009]    And upper table  61  is required to be positioned at a prescribed height and to be rotated together with subject  57 . Considering convenience of taking photograph, it is undesirable to provide a pole or a wall for supporting upper table  61  between floodlight  54  and camera  53 . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, ceiling  62  is provided over upper table  61  in order to suspend upper table  61  from ceiling  62 .  
           [0010]    Furthermore, ceiling  62  is supported, by gate-like frame  65  having enough rigidity and extending from body portion  64  of continuous inspection apparatus  63 .  
           [0011]    From the condition mentioned above, conventional continuous inspection apparatus  63 , which has a structure to suspend upper table  61  from ceiling  62 , is required to provide gate-like frame  65  having high rigidity rigid enough for supporting upper table  61  and a driving portion (not shown) for driving upper table  61  in order to secure a precise location of upper table  61 , so that the apparatus tends to become large in size, and processing of parts of the apparatus and assembling of the apparatus take a lot of time and the production cost of the apparatus also becomes high.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    An object of the present invention is to eliminate these shortages residing in the conventional continuous inspection apparatus. More precisely, an object of the present invention is to provide a continuous inspection apparatus having a cable attached to a camera, which runs through an opening (aperture or hole or clearance) in a center portion of a conveying table so as to eliminate inconvenience that hampers movements of the subject to be inspected in continuous rotation of the conveying table at a time of verification of the continuous inspection apparatus. Another object of the present invention is to provide a low manufacturing-cost continuous inspection apparatus with an upper table having accuracy in its rotational movement without adopting gate-like frame structure having high rigidity.  
           [0013]    A feature of the continuous inspection apparatus of the present invention is that the apparatus comprises a central axis placed in a vertical direction, the central axis penetrating a disc-like conveying table which conveys a subject to be inspected, a driving means for driving the conveying table, and a pair of inspection instruments for inspecting the subject to be inspected, one of the inspection instruments being placed at an inside of a circle where a plurality of the subjects are aligned in a circle and another one of the inspection instruments being placed at an outside of the circle, wherein an opening is provided at a place between the central axis and an inner peripheral portion of the conveying table, and a cable extending from one of the inspection instruments is running downward through the opening.  
           [0014]    According to the feature of the apparatus mentioned above, there is no difficulty in movement of the subject to be inspected when the conveying table rotates continuously in a prescribed direction during its operation for inspection and during its operation for verification of accuracy of the apparatus as well.  
           [0015]    Another feature of the continuous inspection apparatus of the present invention is that the driving means in the apparatus mentioned above has a gear mechanism for transmitting a rotational driving force of the central axis to the conveying table.  
           [0016]    According to the feature of the apparatus mentioned above all mechanism in the driving system driven by both the conveying table and the central axis is driven synchronizedly. Thereby stable operation of the continuous inspection apparatus can be ensured.  
           [0017]    Still another feature of the continuous inspection apparatus of the present invention is that the apparatus further comprises, in addition to the features of the apparatus mentioned above, an upper table fixed to the central axis, and a holding cap for holding an upper portion of the subject to be inspected being attached to be vertically movable to the upper table, and the upper table being driven to rotate synchronizedly with the conveying table.  
           [0018]    According to the feature of the apparatus mentioned above, without adopting a gate-like frame having high rigidity, the upper table can exert rotational movement with high precision, and inspection can be carried out with high accuracy, to thereby be able to provide a low manufacturing cost continuous inspection apparatus. 
       
    
    
       [0019]    The nature and further characteristic features of the present invention will be made more clear from the following descriptions made with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    In the accompanying drawings;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an essential portion of a continuous inspection apparatus of the present intention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is a plan view of an essential portion of the continuous inspection apparatus of the present invention, an upper portion over the upper table being omitted;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an essential portion of a conventional continuous inspection, and  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the conventional continuous inspection. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0025]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0026]    Further, it is first to be noted that the terms showing directions or positions such as “upper”, “lower”, “right”, “left” or the like used herein are represented in an installed state for use or illustrated state in Figs.  
         [0027]    The embodiment of the present invention will be described hereunder with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an essential portion of a continuous inspection apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view of an essential portion of the continuous inspection apparatus of the present invention and an upper portion above the upper table is omitted.  
         [0029]    Central axis  3 , which can rotate around a shaft center of the central axis  3 , is provided at an approximately central portion in plan view of body portion  2  of the continuous inspection apparatus  1 , and set to stand with a vertical position or attitude. More specifically, vertical type main bearing  5  is fixed to an upper surface of upper base plate  4  of body portion  2  of continuous inspection apparatus  1 . Lower portion  3   a  of central axis  3  is supported by vertical-type main bearing  5 . Larger radius bearings  6 ,  6  are provided respectively on a radially-inner and longitudinally-upper portion and a radially-inner and longitudinally-lower portion of vertical-type main bearing  5 . Lower portion  3   a  of central axis is supported to be rotatable by larger radius bearings  6 ,  6 .  
         [0030]    Collar portion  7  having an outer diameter larger than that of lower portion  3   a  of central axis  3  is positioned on an upper end of vertical main bearing  5 . Vertical main bearing  5  bears up weight applied on central axis  3 . Middle portion  3   b  having an outer diameter slightly smaller than that of lower portion  3   a  of central axis  3  is formed on an upper end of collar portion  7 .  
         [0031]    A pair of middle radius bearings  8 ,  8  disposed at a prescribed distance from each other are provided on middle portion  3   b  of central axis  3 . Swing-table rotating axis  10  is positioned around a rotating center of central axis  3  to be rotatable through middle radius bearings  8 ,  8 . Swing table  9  having fan-shape in plan view is fixed to swing-table rotating axis  10 .  
         [0032]    Mounting seat  11  having an outer diameter larger than that of a body portion of rotating axis  10  is formed on a lower surface of swing-table rotating axis  10 . Swing-table  9  having fan shape in plan view and swing-table driving gear  12  are fixed to mounting seat  11 . And swing table  9  and swing-table driving gear  12  are disposed symmetrically in relation to a rotation center of swing-table rotating axis  10  (as shown in FIG. 2).  
         [0033]    On the other hand, inspection instrument mounting member  13  having approximately disk-like is fixed on the top surface of swing-table rotating axis  10 ,. Camera fixing bracket  15  for fixing camera  53  is fixed on an outer peripheral portion of inspection instrument mounting member  13 . Opening (aperture)  17  for making cable  66  of camera  53  get through is provided in an inner peripheral portion of inspection instrument mounting member  13 . Penetrating opening (aperture)  18  penetrating vertically is formed, in swing-table rotating axis  10 , at a position corresponding to the position of opening  17  which is provided in inspection instrument mounting member  13 .  
         [0034]    Although, the number of penetrating opening  18  must be at least the same number of opening  17  of inspection instrument mounting member  13 , the number of penetrating opening  18  and opening  17  is determined arbitrarily in line with the number of camera  53  or diameter (thickness) of cable  66 .  
         [0035]    In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and  2 ,  4  sets of camera  53  are attached to inspection instrument mounting member  13  which is fixed to an upper portion of swing-table rotating axis  10 . Therefore,  4  sets of floodlight  54  are attached on an outer peripheral portion of swing table  9  in such a fashion that each floodlight  54  is opposed to each camera  53  respectively.  
         [0036]    Cable  66  extending from camera  53  is further extending through both opening  17  of inspection instrument mounting member  13  and penetrating opening  18  of swing table rotating axis  10 , as mentioned above, and cable  66  is once gotten out of penetrating opening  18  and then connected to image processing device  14  which is accommodated in body portion  2  of continuous inspection instrument  1 .  
         [0037]    Conveying table rotating axis  20 , which is fixed to disk-like shape conveying table  19  for conveying subject to be inspected  57 , is attached to an outer peripheral portion of the body portion of swing-table rotating axis  10 , to be rotatable around a rotation center of central axis  3  and swing-table rotation axis  10 .  
         [0038]    Mounting collar portion  21  having an outer diameter smaller than the, diameter of a root circle of swing-table driving gear  12  is formed in a central portion of a longitudinal direction of conveying-table rotating axis  20 ,. Conveying-table driving gear  22  having the same pitch diameter as a pitch diameter of swing-table driving gear  12  is fixed to a bottom source of mounting collar portion  21 . And conveying table  19  is fixed to an upper surface of mounting collar portion  21  of conveying-table rotating axis  20 .  
         [0039]    A plurality of holders  24 ,  24 ,  24  ... ... ... arc, provided on an outer peripheral portion of an upper surface of conveying table  19 , in an equal pitched fashion with each other for housing rotating plate  23  which is freely rotatable itself. Rotating plate  23  supports a bottom surface of subject to be inspected  57 .  
         [0040]    Upper small gear  25  engages with conveying-table driving gear  22 . Transfer shaft  26  fixed to upper small gear  25  is supported to be rotatable, through small bearings  28 ,  28 , by vertical trailing bearing  27  which is fixed to and set to stand to upper base plate  4  of body portion  2  of continuous inspection apparatus  1 . A bottom end portion of transfer shaft  26  protrudes downwardly from a bottom surface of vertical type trailing gear  27 , the bottom surface of which is positioned in an inner portion of body portion  2  of continuous inspection apparatus  1 , and joins up with lower small gear  29 . And the pitch diameter of lower small gear  29  is set to be equal to that of upper small gear  25 .  
         [0041]    Lower small gear  29  engages with central axis rotating gear  30  which is fixed to a lower end potion of central axis  3 . The pitch diameter of central axis rotating gear  30  is set to be equal to that of conveying-table driving gear  22 .  
         [0042]    Upper portion  3   c  of central axis  3  is formed on an upper portion of middle portion  3   b  of central axis  3 . The outer diameter of the upper portion is slightly smaller than that of middle portion  3   b . Stop portion  31 , which is positioned between middle portion  3   b  and upper portion  3   c , is abutted against a lower surface of boss portion  39  of upper table  32 , to thereby define a vertical position of upper table  32 . Central axis  3  and upper table  32  are fixed to each other so that both central axis  3  and upper table  32  can make the same rotational movement.  
         [0043]    Holding-cap put-on and put-off mechanism portion  34 , which vertically moves holding cap  33  for holding an upper portion of subject to be inspected  57 , is attached to a lower surface of an outer peripheral portion of upper table  32 , in such a manner that holding-cap put-on and put-off mechanism portion  34  is positioned at a place opposite to rotating plate  23  in holder  24  which is provided on conveying table  19 .  
         [0044]    Holding-cap put-on and put-off mechanism portion  34  is made to operate in such a manner that at a time when subject to be inspected  57  is supplied to conveying table  19  from supplying line  56 , holding cap  33  comes down to the upper portion of subject  57  and tightly grips the upper portion of the subject  57 , and at a time when subject  57  is discharged from conveying table  19  to conveying line  58 , holding cap  33  unfastens its grip and goes upward, thereby making subject  57  free from the grip  
         [0045]    As shown in FIG. 2 which is a plan view of the essential portion of the continuous inspection apparatus of the present invention, rotary index  36  is connected to motor with a reduction gear  35 . Thereby, rotational movement of motor  35  is converted into swing-type rotational movement by vertical output axis  37  of rotary index  36 . In the present invention, the word of swing-type rotational movement is used as a repetitive movement repeating a right-hand and left-hand rotational movement within a prescribed range of rotational angle, and more specifically, a repetitive movement in such a way that after one way rotation with a prescribed speed from an original position to a prescribed position, another way rotation opposite to the one way rotation occurs, with more faster speed than that of the one way rotation, to the original position from the prescribed position.  
         [0046]    Swing gear  38  is fixed to vertical output axis  37  of rotary index  36  and engages with swing-table driving gear  12 . Therefore, swing table  9  makes a swing-type rotational movement within a swinging range that is enlarged in compliance with a gear ratio of both gears  12  and  38 .  
         [0047]    Next, operations of the continuous inspection apparatus of the present invention will be described hereinafter.  
         [0048]    When subject to be inspected  57  is supplied from supplying line  56  to conveying table  20 , a lower portion of subject  57  is supported by rotating plate  23  which can rotate itself freely in holder  24 . At the same time, holding-cap put-on and put-off mechanism portion  34  begins to operate and holding cap  33  comes down to the upper portion of subject  57  and then tightly grips the upper portion of subject  57 . Thereafter, subject  57  is conveyed along with the rotational movement of conveying table  19  under a condition that subject  57  can freely rotate on its own axis, until it reaches to carrying out line  58 .  
         [0049]    In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and  2 , 4 pairs of inspection instruments  55  comprising cameras  53  and floodlights  54  are installed. These 4 pairs of inspection instruments  55  swing rotationally within a prescribed range of rotation angle in line with a swing type rotational movement of swing-table rotating axis  10 .  
         [0050]    As shown in FIG. 2 which is a plan view of an essential portion of the apparatus of the present invention, when conveying table  19  rotates in an anti-clockwise direction (direction of arrow A), swing-table rotating axis  10  rotates in accordance with the movement of conveying table  19  in a direction (direction of arrow B) within a prescribed range of rotation angle under the control of rotary index  36 . And after rotating to the prescribed angle, swing-table rotating axis  10  swings back swiftly (in a direction of arrow C) to the initial position.  
         [0051]    During the time the swing-table rotating axis  10  rotates side by side with conveying table  19 , subject to be inspected  57  such as an ample or a vial of a transparent container containing liquid is rotated around its axis at a high speed, with the subject  57  being held between rotating plate  23  and holding cap  33 , and then putting a brake on rotation to bring subject  57  to a stop quickly, and then detecting images of foreign material, which is floating and rotating together with the liquid, with camera  53  under the condition that the subject  57  is radiated by light from floodlight  54 .  
         [0052]    When subject  57  is moved out of conveying table  19  toward carrying out line  58  after completion of inspection on conveying table  19 , subject to be inspected  57  begins to depart from rotating plate  23  and then moves toward carrying out line  58 . At the same time holding cap put on and put-off mechanism portion  34  begins to operate to make holding cap  33  put off from the subject  57  and goes upward, thereby making subject  57  free from holding cap  33 .  
         [0053]    Cable  66  extending from camera  53  is further extended through both opening  17  of inspection instrument mounting member  13  and penetrating opening  18  of swing-table rotating axis  10 , and cable  66  is once gotten out of penetrating opening  18  and then connected to image processing device  14  which is accommodated in body portion  2  of inspection instrument  1 . Therefore when the same subject  57  held between conveying table  19  and holding cap  33  is rotated continuously around central axis  3  at a time of verification to confirm accuracy of continuous inspection apparatus  1 . Cable  66  of camera  53  does not prevent the movement of subject  57  because cable  66  is housed in penetrating opening (aperture)  18  in swing-table rotating axis  10 .  
         [0054]    Furthermore, although in the embodiment shown in Figs, camera  53  is placed at an inside of the circle where a plurality of subjects to be inspected  57  is aligned in a circle, and floodlight  54  is placed at an outside of the circle. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. Camera  53  can be placed at an outside of the circle, and the floodlight  54  can be placed at an inside of the circle. In this case a cable of floodlight  54  can be housed in penetrating opening (aperture)  18  in swing-table rotating axis  10 , so that the cable does not become a hindrance at the time of accuracy verification of the continuous inspection apparatus  1 .