Inspection apparatus

{
  "publication_number": "US12256158B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Inspection apparatus",
  "abstract": "To provide an inspection apparatus capable of simultaneously picking up images of one side and the other side of an inspection item with an image pickup device. An inspection apparatus 1 includes a first conveyance unit 31 and a second conveyance unit 32 arranged with a predetermined gap G and inspects a workpiece W when the workpiece W passes over the predetermined gap G. The inspection apparatus 1 includes a first image pickup device 11 provided on one side with the predetermined gap G in a direction intersecting with a conveyance direction of the workpiece W, a second image pickup device 12 provided on the other side, a first light emission device 21 disposed at a position facing the first image pickup device 11, and a second light emission device 22 disposed at a position facing the second image pickup device 12.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An inspection apparatus that includes a first conveyance unit and a second conveyance unit arranged with a predetermined gap in a conveyance direction of an inspection item and inspects the inspection item when the inspection item passes over the predetermined gap, the inspection apparatus comprising: a first image pickup device that is provided on one side with the predetermined gap in an intersection direction that intersects with the conveyance direction of the inspection item and picks up an image of the inspection item from the one side; a second image pickup device that is provided on the other side with the predetermined gap in the intersection direction and picks up an image of the inspection item from the other side; a first light emission device that is disposed at a position facing the first image pickup device with the predetermined gap in the intersection direction and emits light to the inspection item from the other side; and a second light emission device that is disposed at a position facing the second image pickup device with the predetermined gap in the intersection direction and emits light to the inspection item from the one side, wherein when the first image pickup device is at an image pickup position at which the first light emission device is included in an image pickup range, the second image pickup device is at an image pickup position at which the second light emission device is included in an image pickup range, and each of the image pickup positions is set as a first image pickup position, and when the first image pickup device is at an image pickup position at which the first light emission device is not included in the image pickup range, the second image pickup device is at an image pickup position at which the second light emission device is not included in the image pickup range, and each of the image pickup positions is set as a second image pickup position, at least one of the first image pickup device and the second image pickup device is configured switch the image pickup position between the first image pickup position and the second image pickup position.",
    "2. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first image pickup device and the second image pickup device switches the image pickup position by changing an inclination of an image pickup axis.",
    "3. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of at least one of the first image pickup device and the second image pickup device includes an image pickup element in which pixels are arranged in a plurality of rows in the conveyance direction, and switches the image pickup position by changing the row of pixels enabled in the conveyance direction in the image pickup element.",
    "4. The inspection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of the first image pickup device and the second image pickup device includes an area camera using a two-dimensional element in which pixels are arranged two-dimensionally on a light receiving surface of the image pickup element.",
    "5. An inspection apparatus that includes a first conveyance unit and a second conveyance unit arranged with a predetermined gap in a conveyance direction of an inspection item and inspects the inspection item when the inspection item passes over the predetermined gap, the inspection apparatus comprising: a first image pickup device that is provided on one side with the predetermined gap in an intersection direction that intersects with the conveyance direction of the inspection item and picks up an image of the inspection item from the one side; a second image pickup device that is provided on the other side with the predetermined gap in the intersection direction and picks up an image of the inspection item from the other side; a first light emission device that is disposed at a position facing the first image pickup device with the predetermined gap in the intersection direction and emits light to the inspection item from the other side; and a second light emission device that is disposed at a position facing the second image pickup device with the predetermined gap in the intersection direction and emits light to the inspection item from the one side, wherein the first light emission device includes at least two light emission devices disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the conveyance direction with an image pickup axis of the second image pickup device interposed between the light emission devices, and the second light emission device includes at least two light emission devices disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the conveyance direction with an image pickup axis of the first image pickup device interposed between the light emission devices.",
    "6. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first light emission device includes at least two light emission devices disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the conveyance direction with an image pickup axis of the second image pickup device interposed between the light emission devices, and the second light emission device includes at least two light emission devices disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the conveyance direction with an image pickup axis of the first image pickup device interposed between the light emission devices.",
    "7. The inspection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first light emission device includes at least two light emission devices disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the conveyance direction with an image pickup axis of the second image pickup device interposed between the light emission devices, and the second light emission device includes at least two light emission devices disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the conveyance direction with an image pickup axis of the first image pickup device interposed between the light emission devices.",
    "8. The inspection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the first light emission device includes at least two light emission devices disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the conveyance direction with an image pickup axis of the second image pickup device interposed between the light emission devices, and the second light emission device includes at least two light emission devices disposed to be spaced apart from each other in the conveyance direction with an image pickup axis of the first image pickup device interposed between the light emission devices.",
    "9. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the first image pickup device and the second image pickup device includes a line camera using a one-dimensional element in which pixels are arranged one-dimensionally on a light receiving surface of the image pickup element."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to an inspection apparatus.\n\nIn the related art, as an inspection apparatus that inspects a workpiece by using an image pickup device, an inspection apparatus disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1 is known. The inspection apparatus disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1 picks up an image of a workpiece being conveyed by a camera provided above a conveyor that conveys the workpiece in an appearance inspection process, and performs determination of a defective product based on the picked-up image.\n\nIn addition, the inspection apparatus disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1 is provided with a reversing mechanism for turning over the workpiece after the appearance inspection.\n\nHowever, in the inspection apparatus disclosed in Non-Patent Document 1, the camera only picks up an image of the front side of the workpiece, and no consideration is given to pickup of an image of the back side of the workpiece. When the camera also picks up the image of the back side of the workpiece, the reversing mechanism for turning over the workpiece is essential.\n\nAs described above, when the reversing mechanism is provided, an installation space for the reversing mechanism is required, and the cost increases by providing the reversing mechanism.\n\nThe present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus capable of picking up images of one side and the other side of an inspection item with an image pickup device without providing a reversing mechanism.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04N 23/90",
    "B65G 15/24",
    "G01N 2021/845",
    "G01N 21/8806",
    "G01N 21/8851",
    "H04N 23/56"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 15/24",
    "H04N 23/56",
    "H04N 23/90"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Anritsu Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Masaru Ishida",
    "Hiroki Nakajima",
    "Mikio SHIBUKAWA"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2023-01-17",
  "publication_date": "2025-03-18",
  "grant_date": "2025-03-18",
  "priority_date": "2022-01-31",
  "application_number": "US-202318155310-A",
  "family_id": "87432873",
  "cited_by_count": 0,
  "citations": [
    "US6373520B1",
    "US20070030669A1",
    "JP2008127029A",
    "US20120327227A1",
    "JP2013246106A",
    "US20150241341A1",
    "JP2016065782A",
    "JP2018004532A",
    "US20180195974A1",
    "US20190283445A1",
    "US20210122131A1",
    "JP2019066274A",
    "US11614411B2",
    "US20200258246A1",
    "US20210372937A1",
    "US20230288349A1",
    "US20220327798A1",
    "US20240288378A1",
    "US20230071685A1"
  ]
}