Patent Description:
An ordinary product-inspection apparatus is configured to determine whether or not an object to be inspected, which is an object in which an object to be contained is contained in a container, is a quality product by determining whether or not a foreign substance is contained in the object to be inspected. For example, a product-inspection apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature <NUM> is configured to, while applying vertical and horizontal vibrations to an object to be inspected, which is an object in which a powder is contained in a transparent container, and thereby making the powder circulate and flow therein, take an image of the circulating and flowing powder through a wall surface of the transparent container in which the powder is in contact with the inner surface thereof, and thereby to determine whether or not a foreign substance is contained in the object to be inspected based on the taken image information.

Document <CIT> discloses a foreign matter inspection apparatus for inspecting bags containing a powder. The bags are vibrated by a vibration excitation apparatus and imaged in the vertical direction by a camera. The vibration excitation apparatus is configured to apply vibrations in the horizontal XY direction and vibrations of <NUM> - <NUM> in the vertical Z direction.

The document <CIT> discloses an automatic inspection apparatuses for a sealed transparent container of powder, whereby the container is horizontally laid and rotated by rotating rollers. First and second vibrators are used to impart vibrations on the bottom part and on the side part of the container. The document <CIT> discloses a foreign matter inspecting device for powder in transparent container whereby said container is horizontally held while being rotated and while vibrations are applied thereto.

Regarding the ordinary product-inspection apparatus, there are cases in which foreign substances having different volumes may not be satisfactorily detected, thus causing a problem that the accuracy of the product-inspection of an object to be inspected is poor.

One of the objects that example embodiments disclosed in this specification are intended to achieve is to provide a product-inspection apparatus, a product-inspection method, and a non-transitory computer readable medium capable of contributing to solving the above-described problem. Note that the aforementioned object is merely one of a plurality of objects that a plurality of example embodiments disclosed in this specification are intended to achieve. Other objects or problems and novel features will be made apparent from the following description in this specification and the accompanying drawings.

A product-inspection as defined in claim <NUM> according to a first aspect.

A product-inspection method as defined in claim <NUM> according to a second aspect.

A non-transitory computer readable medium as defined in claim <NUM> according to a third aspect.

According to the above-described aspects, it is possible to provide a product-inspection apparatus, a product-inspection method, and a non-transitory computer readable medium capable of contributing to the improvement of the accuracy of detection in an object to be inspected.

A best mode for carrying out the present disclosure will be described hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the below-shown example embodiments. Further, to clarify the explanation, the following description and drawings are simplified as appropriate.

In a product-inspection apparatus and a product-inspection method according to this example embodiment, a foreign substance contained in an object to be inspected, which is an object in which a powder is hermetically contained in a container, is made to float in the powder by vibrating the object to be inspected, so that the foreign substance is exposed from the upper surface of the powder. By doing so, the foreign substance contained in the object to be inspected is detected.

Powder medicines such as oral medicines or injection medicines are suitable as the powder. However, the powder may be any substance in a powdery form, and may be a foodstuff or the like. The container is an opticallytransparent vial, an optically transparent ampule, or an optically transparent test tube. The foreign substance is a substance different from the powder. Examples of the foreign substance include a piece of a fiber such as a cloth, a piece of hair falling from a human body, a piece of metal such as a piece of a component in a production line for the object to be inspected or the like, and a piece of resin and a piece of glass such as a piece of a container.

Firstly, a minimum configuration of a product-inspection apparatus according to this example embodiment will be described. <FIG> is a block diagram showing a minimum configuration of a product-inspection apparatus according to this example embodiment. As shown in <FIG>, the product-inspection apparatus <NUM> includes a vibration unit <NUM>, a light source <NUM>, an imaging unit <NUM>, and a determination unit <NUM>. The vibration unit <NUM> vibrates an object to be inspected, which is an object in which a powder is contained in a container, at different vibration frequencies in a stepwise manner.

Note that the vibration frequency at which a foreign substance floats changes depending on, for example, the relation (e.g., the ratio or the like) between the average product size of the powder and the volume of the foreign substance that it is presumed may possibly enter the object to be inspected. Therefore, a plurality of vibration frequencies are set in advance based on the average product size of the powder and the volume of foreign substances that it is presumed may possibly enter the object to be inspected.

The light source <NUM> applies light onto the upper surface of the powder. The imaging unit <NUM> takes an image of the upper surface of the powder at a frame rate equal to or higher than the maximum vibration frequency of the vibration unit <NUM>. The determination unit <NUM> determines whether or not the object to be inspected is a quality product based on the image information taken by the imaging unit <NUM>.

Next, an inspection method using a product-inspection apparatus according to this example embodiment will be described. <FIG> is a flowchart showing an inspection method according to this example embodiment. Firstly, the vibrations of the object to be inspected by the vibration unit <NUM> are started (S1). In this process, one of a plurality of vibration frequencies that are set in advance is selected, and the object to be inspected is vibrated at the selected vibration frequency.

Then, image information is acquired by photographing the upper surface of the powder of the vibrating object to be inspected (S2). More specifically, the upper surface of the powder of the vibrating object to be inspected is photographed by the imaging unit <NUM> while applying light onto the upper surface of the powder by the light source <NUM>.

Next, the determination unit <NUM> determines whether or not the object to be inspected is a quality product based on the acquired image information (S3). Note that when a foreign substance that has a sufficient volume to make that foreign substance float as the object to be inspected is vibrated at the vibration frequency is contained in the powder, the foreign substance floats in the powder and is exposed from the upper surface of the powder.

Therefore, when a foreign substance is detected on the upper surface of the powder based on the acquired image information, the determination unit <NUM> determines that the foreign substance is contained in the object to be inspected, and determines that the object to be inspected is a defective product (No in S3). On the other hand, when no foreign substance is detected on the upper surface of the powder based on the acquired image information, the determination unit <NUM> determines that no foreign substance is contained in the object to be inspected, and determines that the object to be inspected is a quality product (Yes in S3).

After that, when the above-described steps S1 to S3 are repeated at different vibration frequencies in a stepwise manner, i.e., repeated for all of the plurality of pre-set vibration frequencies, the operation for inspecting the object to be inspected is finished. As described above, in the product-inspection apparatus <NUM> and the inspection method according to this example embodiment, it is possible to detect foreign substances having different volumes contained in the object to be inspected by vibrating the object to be inspected at different vibration frequencies in a stepwise manner. Therefore, the product-inspection apparatus <NUM> and the product-inspection method according to this example embodiment can improve the accuracy of the product-inspection of an object to be inspected.

Next, a specific configuration of the product-inspection apparatus <NUM> according to this example embodiment will be described. <FIG> shows a specific configuration of a product-inspection apparatus according to this example embodiment. Note that, as shown in <FIG>, for example, the object to be inspected <NUM> is sealed by a plug 6c in a state in which a powder 6b is contained in a transparent container 6a. However, the object to be inspected <NUM> may have an arbitrary configuration as long as the powder 6b is hermetically contained in the container 6a and the container 6a is optically transparent.

When the direction of the gravity is defined as a downward direction, the vibration unit <NUM> vibrates the object to be inspected <NUM> in the vertical direction. The vibration unit <NUM> includes, for example, a stage 2a on which the object to be inspected <NUM> is placed, and is configured to vibrate the stage 2a in the vertical direction. Note that although details of its function will be described later, the stage 2a is according to the claimed invention configured so as to rotate around a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction.

The light source <NUM> applies light having a wavelength range that passes through the container 6a to substantially the entire area on the upper surface of the powder 6b. Note that one light source <NUM> may irradiate substantially the entire area on the upper surface of the powder 6b from one direction, or a plurality of light sources <NUM> may irradiate substantially the entire area on the upper surface of the powder 6b from a plurality of directions. Alternatively, substantially the entire area on the upper surface of the powder 6b may be irradiated with light by using a ring light or the like as the light source <NUM>.

The imaging unit <NUM> includes an image sensor such as a CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) or a CCD (Charge Coupled Device), and takes an image of substantially the entire area on the upper surface of the powder 6b. Then, the imaging unit <NUM> outputs the acquired image information to the determination unit <NUM>.

The determination unit <NUM> determines whether or not the object to be inspected <NUM> is a quality product based on the image information acquired as described above, and is disposed, for example, in a processing apparatus <NUM>. The processing apparatus <NUM> includes a control unit <NUM> in addition to the determination unit <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> controls the vibration unit <NUM>, the light source <NUM>, and the imaging unit <NUM> (which will be described later in detail).

Note that when a display unit <NUM> is electrically connected to the processing apparatus <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> may control the display unit <NUM> so that the acquired image information is displayed in the display unit <NUM>. The display unit <NUM> includes a display device such as an ordinary liquid-crystal display panel or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) panel.

Note that when the display unit <NUM> is equipped with a touch panel disposed on the display device, an inspector can make various settings (e.g., the setting of a plurality of vibration frequencies, the setting of the amplitude of vibrations of the object to be inspected <NUM>, and the like) through the display unit <NUM>. However, the product-inspection apparatus <NUM> may need to be equipped with an input unit by which an inspector makes various settings.

Next, a specific flow of a product-inspection method according to this example embodiment will be described. <FIG> is a flowchart showing a specific flow of a product-inspection method according to this example embodiment. Firstly, an inspector sets a plurality of vibration frequencies and the amplitude of vibrations of an object to be inspected <NUM> through the display unit <NUM> (S11).

More specifically, the vibration frequency at which a foreign substance floats changes depending on the relation between the average product size of the powder 6b and the volume of the foreign substance that it is presumed may possibly enter the object to be inspected <NUM>. Therefore, a plurality of vibration frequencies are set based on the average product size of the powder 6b and the volume of foreign substances that it is presumed may possibly enter the object to be inspected <NUM>.

For example, the vibration frequency is set to a frequency no lower than <NUM> and no higher than <NUM>. Further, the amplitude of vibrations of the object to be inspected <NUM> is set to an amplitude at least <NUM> times the average product size of the powder 6b. However, the amplitude of vibrations of the object to be inspected <NUM> may be any amplitude at which the foreign substance floats.

Note that the average product size can be calculated beforehand by an image analysis method, a light shielding method, a Coulter method, a precipitation method, a laser analysis, a scattering method, or the like. That is, it is possible to calculate the average product size by using an ordinary method for calculating a product diameter.

Next, when a plurality of vibration frequencies and the amplitude of vibrations of the object to be inspected <NUM> are set, the control unit <NUM> sets a frame rate of the imaging unit <NUM> based on the set vibration frequency (S12). If the frame rate is small relative to the vibration frequency, there is a possibility that an image is taken at the moment at which a foreign substance that has been exposed from the upper surface of the powder 6b by vibrating the object to be inspected <NUM> goes down (i.e., is submerged) into the powder 6b again. Therefore, the control unit <NUM> sets the frame rate to a value equal to or higher than the maximum vibration frequency of the set vibration frequency range. For example, the control unit <NUM> sets the frame rate of the imaging unit <NUM> to <NUM> fps.

Next, the control unit <NUM> sets the rotation speed of the stage 2a of the vibration unit <NUM> based on the set frame rate (S13). For example, when the thickness of a long and thin foreign substance such as hair is smaller than one pixel of the imaging unit <NUM>, the imaging unit <NUM> may not be able to take an image of that foreign substance in a satisfactory manner even when it photographs the foreign substance from the longitudinal direction of the foreign substance.

Therefore, the control unit <NUM> makes a setting based on the set frame rate so that the imaging unit <NUM> can photograph the object to be inspected <NUM> at least three times while the stage 2a of the vibration unit <NUM> makes one rotation. However, the stage 2a of the vibration unit <NUM> may have any rotation speed as long as it does not have such a rotation speed that only parts of the object to be inspected <NUM> opposite to each other are photographed due to the rotation of the stage 2a.

Next, by controlling the vibration unit <NUM>, the stage 2a is rotated while being vibrated in a state where the object to be inspected <NUM> is placed on the stage 2a so that the center of the object to be inspected <NUM> is roughly positioned on the rotation axis of the vibration unit <NUM> as viewed in the vertical direction (S14).

In this process, the control unit <NUM> selects one of a plurality of vibration frequencies that are set in advance, and rotates the stage 2a at the set rotation speed of the stage 2a while vibrating the stage 2a at the selected vibration frequency and at the set amplitude. In this way, it is possible rotate the object to be inspected <NUM> around the rotation axis of the vibration unit <NUM> (i.e., rotate the object to be inspected <NUM> on its own axis) while vibrating it.

Then, the control unit <NUM> controls the light source <NUM> so as to apply light onto substantially the entire area on the upper surface of the powder 6b of the object to be inspected <NUM>, which is rotating while vibrating, and controls the imaging unit <NUM> so as to take an image of substantially the entire area on the upper surface of the powder 6b (S15). In this way, the imaging unit <NUM> acquires image information including at least three images at roughly equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the object to be inspected <NUM>, and outputs the acquired image information to the determination unit <NUM>. Note that <FIG> shows image information that is obtained by photographing the upper surface of the powder.

It should be noted that the speed at which a foreign substance 6d, which it is presumed may possibly enter the object to be inspected <NUM>, floats up inside the powder 6b is changed depending on the specific gravity of the foreign substance 6d. Therefore, it is preferred to acquire a plurality of periods over each of which a foreign substance 6d, which it is presumed may possibly enter the object to be inspected <NUM>, moves from the bottom surface of the container 6a to the upper surface of the powder 6b in advance by performing simulations or experiments, and then to rotate the object to be inspected <NUM> while vibrating it over a period longer than the longest one of the acquired periods. As a result, as shown in <FIG>, the foreign substance 6d is exposed on the upper surface of the powder 6b. The above-described period over which the object to be inspected <NUM> is rotated while being vibrated may be set in advance, or may be set by an inspector through the display unit <NUM>.

Next, the determination unit <NUM> determines whether or not a foreign substance 6d is detected based on the image information (S16). More specifically, the determination unit <NUM> calculates a difference between the pixel values of pixels that correspond to each other (i.e., equivalent pixels) in pieces of image information that are adjacent to each other in a chronological order (i.e., calculates an inter-frame difference), and determines whether or not there is an inter-frame difference larger than a predetermined threshold. Note that the inter-frame difference and the threshold have absolute values.

When there is an inter-frame difference equal to or larger than the predetermined threshold, the determination unit <NUM> determines that a foreign substance 6d is detected (Yes in S16), and outputs a result of determination that the object to be inspected <NUM> is a defective product to the control unit <NUM> (S17). When the control unit <NUM> receives the result of determination that the object to be inspected <NUM> is a defective product, it moves out the object to be inspected <NUM> into a defective-product lane by controlling, for example, a robot arm (not shown), and finishes the product-inspection operation.

On the other hand, when there is no inter-frame difference equal to or greater than the predetermined threshold, the determination unit <NUM> determines that no foreign substance 6d is detected (No in S16), and outputs a result of determination that the object to be inspected <NUM> is a quality product to the control unit <NUM> (S18).

Next, when the control unit <NUM> receives the result of determination that the object to be inspected <NUM> is a quality product, it determines whether or not the object to be inspected <NUM> has been vibrated at all the set vibration frequencies (S19). When the control unit <NUM> determines that the object to be inspected <NUM> has been vibrated at all the set vibration frequencies (Yes in S19), it moves out the object to be inspected <NUM> into a quality-product lane by controlling, for example, a robot arm (not shown), and finishes the product-inspection operation.

On the other hand, when the control unit <NUM> determines that the object to be inspected <NUM> has not been vibrated at all the set vibration frequencies (No in S19), it performs the steps S14 to S19 at a different vibration frequency. Note that the control unit <NUM> may calculate an average value of inter-frame differences at all the pixels in the previous vibration operation for the object to be inspected <NUM> (S20), and may subtract the calculated average value of inter-frame differences at the pixels in the previous vibration operation from the calculated inter-frame differences at the pixels in the current vibration operation. In this way, even if the upper surface of the powder 6b has been deformed due to the vibrations when the object to be inspected <NUM> is making one rotation and this deformation has affected the inter-frame differences, it is possible prevent the deformation from being mistakenly detected as a foreign substance 6d.

As described above, in the product-inspection apparatus <NUM> and the product-inspection method according to this example embodiment, it is possible to detect foreign substances 6d having different volumes contained in the object to be inspected by vibrating the object to be inspected <NUM> at different vibration frequencies in a stepwise manner. Therefore, the product-inspection apparatus <NUM> and the product-inspection method according to this example embodiment can improve the accuracy of the product-inspection of an object to be inspected <NUM>.

In addition, a plurality of parts of the object to be inspected <NUM> in the circumferential direction thereof are photographed (i.e., the object to be inspected <NUM> is photographed from different directions) while the object to be inspected <NUM> is rotated so that the object to be inspected <NUM> makes one rotation. Therefore, even if the foreign substance 6d is a long and thin product such as hair and the foreign substance 6d cannot be photographed in one piece of image information, the foreign substance 6d can be photographed in other pieces of image information. Therefore, it is possible to improve the accuracy of the product-inspection of an object to be inspected <NUM>.

Further, since the upper surface of the powder 6b is photographed at a frame rate equal to or higher than the maximum vibration frequency, the possibility that the foreign substance 6d can be photographed at the moment at which the foreign substance 6d is exposed on the upper surface of the powder 6b is high.

When light is applied onto the upper surface of the powder 6b by the light source <NUM>, there is a possibility that a shadow of the container 6a appears on the upper surface of the powder 6b. Further, in the configuration of the product-inspection apparatus <NUM> according to the first example embodiment, the shadow of the container 6a appears in a fixed place on the upper surface of the powder 6b.

Note that in a group of pixels corresponding to the part on the upper surface of the powder 6b where the shadow appears, inter-frame differences between pixels corresponding to each other in pieces of image information adjacent to each other in a chronological order are smaller than those in a group of pixels corresponding to a part on the upper surface of the powder 6b where no shadow appears.

Therefore, the steps of S11 to S15 are performed in advance by using the object to be inspected <NUM> as a sample. Then, based on the acquired image information, the pixels are divided into a first group of pixels corresponding to a part on the upper surface of the powder 6b where a shadow appears and a second group of pixels corresponding to a part where no shadow appears.

Then, inter-frame differences between pixels corresponding to each other in pieces of image information adjacent to each other in a chronological order are calculated, and an average value of inter-frame differences in the first group of pixels and an average value of inter-frame differences in the second group of pixels are calculated.

Further, for example, a ratio of the average value of inter-frame differences in the second group of pixels to the average value of inter-frame differences in the first group of pixels may be calculated. Then, when the object to be inspected <NUM> is inspected, the pixel values of pixels in the first group of pixels may be corrected by multiplexing them by the calculated ratio.

In this way, it is possible to cancel out the shadow that appears on the upper surface of the powder 6b can, and thereby to prevent a foreign substance 6d from being un-detected due to the shadow. Note that a value that is obtained by dividing the threshold used for detecting a foreign substance 6d in the second group of pixels by the calculated ratio may be used as the threshold used for detecting a foreign substance 6d in the first group of pixels. That is, the threshold used for detecting a foreign substance 6d in the first group of pixels may be made smaller than the threshold used for detecting a foreign substance 6d in the second group of pixels by a factor of the calculated ratio.

Note that although the present invention is described as a hardware configuration in the above-described first and second example embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the hardware configurations. In the present invention, the processes in each of the components can also be implemented by having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) execute a computer program.

For example, the processing apparatus <NUM> according to any of the above-described example embodiments can have the below-shown hardware configuration. <FIG> shows an example of a hardware configuration included in the processing apparatus <NUM>.

An apparatus <NUM> shown in <FIG> includes a processor <NUM> and a memory <NUM> as well as an interface <NUM>. The processing apparatus <NUM> described in the above example embodiments is implemented as the processor <NUM> loads and executes a program stored in the memory <NUM>. That is, this program is a program for causing the processor <NUM> to function as the processing apparatus <NUM> shown in <FIG>.

The above-described program may be stored by using various types of non-transitory computer readable media and supplied to a computer (computers including information notification apparatuses). Non-transitory computer readable media include various types of tangible storage media. Examples of the non-transitory computer readable media include magnetic recording media (e.g., a flexible disk, a magnetic tape, and a hard disk drive), and magneto-optical recording media (e.g., a magneto-optical disk). Further, the example includes a CD-ROM (Read Only Memory), a CD-R, and a CD-R/W. Further, the example includes a semiconductor memory (e.g., a mask ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, a flash ROM, and a RAM). Further, the program may be supplied to a computer by various types of transitory computer readable media). Examples of the transitory computer readable media include an electrical signal, an optical signal, and electromagnetic waves. Transitory computer readable media can provide the program to a computer via a wired communication line (e.g., electric wires, and optical fibers) or a wireless communication line.

The present disclosure may be implemented by combining the above-described example embodiments with one another as desired.

In the above-described example embodiments, a plurality of different parts of the object to be inspected <NUM> in the circumferential direction thereof are photographed by rotating the object to be inspected <NUM>. However, according to an example outside the claimed invention, a plurality of different parts of the object to be inspected <NUM> in the circumferential direction thereof may be photographed by arranging a plurality of imaging units <NUM> around the object to be inspected <NUM> without rotating the object to be inspected <NUM>. Further, the object to be inspected <NUM> is rotated on its own axis which coincides with the rotation axis of the vibration unit <NUM>. However, the object to be inspected <NUM> may be poisoned so that the object to be inspected <NUM> revolves around the rotation axis of the vibration unit <NUM>. To put it briefly, according to examples outside the claimed invention, any configuration may be used as long as different parts of the object to be inspected <NUM> in the circumferential direction thereof can be photographed.

In the above-described example embodiments, the vibration frequency is set according to the average product size of the powder 6b and the volume of foreign substances 6d that it is presumed may possibly enter the object to be inspected <NUM>. However, the vibration frequency may be set according to the distribution of product sizes of the powder 6b and the volume of foreign substances 6d that it is presumed may possibly enter the object to be inspected <NUM>. Further, the vibration frequency may be set according to the surface area or the volume of the powder 6b and the volume of foreign substances 6d that it is presumed may possibly enter the object to be inspected <NUM>. Further, the vibration frequency may be set according to the friction between the powder 6b and the object to be inspected <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A product-inspection apparatus (<NUM>) comprising:
a vibration unit (<NUM>) configured to vibrate an object to be inspected (<NUM>), which is an object in which a powder (6b) is contained in a container (6a);
a light source (<NUM>) configured to apply light onto an upper surface of the powder (6b);
an imaging unit (<NUM>) configured to take an image of the upper surface of the powder (6b) at a frame rate equal to or higher than a maximum vibration frequency of the vibration unit (<NUM>); and
a determination unit (<NUM>) configured to determine whether or not the object to be inspected (<NUM>) is a quality product based on image information taken by the imaging unit (<NUM>), wherein
when the direction of gravity is defined as a downward direction, the vibration unit (<NUM>) is configured to vibrate a stage (2a) on which the object to be inspected (<NUM>) is placed in the vertical direction by changing the vibration frequency stepwise, and is further configured to rotate the stage (2a) about a rotation axis extending in the vertical direction at least once at each vibration frequency; and
the imaging unit (<NUM>) is configured to take a plurality of images of the upper surface of the powder (6b) while the stage (2a) rotates once around the rotation axis.