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KR-20260063888-A - INSPECTION DEVICE

KR20260063888AKR 20260063888 AKR20260063888 AKR 20260063888AKR-20260063888-A

Abstract

According to exemplary embodiments, an inspection device is provided. The inspection device comprises: a support configured to support pellets; a light source configured to irradiate light onto the pellets; first and second image sensors configured to receive the light; a first polarizing element between the light source and the support; and a second polarizing element interposed between the first image sensor and the support.

Inventors

  • 송한성
  • 장준원
  • 배성학

Assignees

  • 주식회사 엘지화학

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20241031

Claims (14)

  1. A support configured to support pellets; A light source configured to irradiate light onto the above pellets; First and second image sensors configured to receive the above light; A first polarizing element between the light source and the support; and An inspection device comprising a second polarizing element interposed between the first image sensor and the support.
  2. In paragraph 1, An inspection device characterized by further including a controller configured to transmit a trigger signal to the first and second image sensors so that the first and second image sensors operate synchronously.
  3. In paragraph 1, The first image captured by the first image sensor is a cross-polarized image, and An inspection device characterized in that the second image captured by the second image sensor is a bright-field image.
  4. In paragraph 3, It further includes a processor configured to analyze the first and second images, and An inspection device characterized in that the above processor is configured to determine a common area of the first and second images.
  5. In paragraph 4, An inspection device characterized in that the processor is configured to determine the position and number of transparent first pellets among the pellets in the common area of the first image.
  6. In paragraph 5, An inspection device characterized by the above processor being configured to determine the location and number of defective items among the first pellets.
  7. In paragraph 6, An inspection device characterized in that the defective ones among the first pellets mentioned above contain voids.
  8. In paragraph 4, An inspection device characterized by the above processor being configured to determine the location and number of opaque second pellets among the pellets in the common area of the second image.
  9. In paragraph 1, An inspection device characterized in that the pellets on the above-mentioned support move in the direction of travel.
  10. A support configured to support pellets and comprising a first portion having a polarization axis; A light source configured to irradiate light onto the above pellets; First and second image sensors configured to receive the above light; and An inspection device comprising a polarizing element interposed between the first image sensor and the support.
  11. A support configured to support pellets; A light source configured to irradiate light onto the above pellets; A first polarizing element between the light source and the support; and It includes an image sensor configured to receive the above light, and An inspection device characterized in that the above image sensor is a polarizing camera.
  12. In Paragraph 11, An inspection device characterized by comprising: a plurality of first pixels having a first polarization axis forming an angle of -45° with the polarization direction of the light source; a plurality of second pixels having a second polarization axis forming an angle of 0° with the polarization direction of the light source; a plurality of third pixels having a third polarization axis forming an angle of 45° with the polarization direction of the light source; and a plurality of fourth pixels having a second polarization axis forming an angle of 90° with the polarization direction of the light source.
  13. In Paragraph 11, The image sensor is configured to generate a first image captured based on a first electrical signal collected from a plurality of first pixels, a second image captured based on a second electrical signal collected from a plurality of second pixels, a third image captured based on a third electrical signal collected from a plurality of third pixels, and a fourth image captured based on an electrical signal collected from a plurality of fourth pixels.
  14. In Paragraph 11, An inspection device further comprising a processor configured to determine foreign matter, voids, and opacity of the pellet by combining the contrast ratios of the first to fourth images.

Description

Inspection Device The present invention relates to an inspection device. Transparent pellet inspection technology is primarily used in the manufacturing processes of plastics, polymers, or synthetic materials and is a critical step for ensuring the quality of produced transparent pellets. Pellet is used as a raw material in the production of thermoplastic products, and quality control is essential when transparency is critical. Since the transparency of pellets affects the appearance and physical properties of the product, it is necessary to identify and remove defective products early. The inspection of transparent pellets is primarily based on optical-based inspection. The purpose of transparent pellet inspection may include determining the physical properties of the pellets, such as their transparency, impurities, and mechanical defects. FIG. 1 is a drawing showing an inspection device according to exemplary embodiments. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the FOVs of image sensors of an inspection device according to exemplary embodiments. FIG. 3 is an image taken by an inspection device according to exemplary embodiments. FIG. 4 is an image taken by an inspection device according to exemplary embodiments. FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an inspection method according to exemplary embodiments. FIG. 6 is a drawing showing an inspection device according to exemplary embodiments. FIG. 7 is a drawing showing an inspection device according to exemplary embodiments. FIG. 8 is a drawing showing an inspection device according to exemplary embodiments. FIG. 9 is a plan view showing an image sensor according to exemplary embodiments. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the cutting line 9A-9A' of FIG. 9. FIGS. 11 to 14 are images taken by an inspection device according to exemplary embodiments. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Prior to this, terms and words used in this specification and claims should not be interpreted as being limited to their ordinary or dictionary meanings. Instead, based on the principle that the inventor can appropriately define the concepts of terms to best describe his invention, they should be interpreted in a meaning and concept consistent with the technical spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention; thus, it should be understood that various equivalents and modifications that can replace them may exist at the time of filing this application. In addition, in describing the present invention, if it is determined that a detailed description of related known components or functions may obscure the essence of the invention, such detailed description is omitted. Since embodiments of the present invention are provided to more fully explain the invention to those skilled in the art, the shapes and sizes of the components in the drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or schematically depicted for clearer explanation. Accordingly, the size or proportion of each component does not entirely reflect the actual size or proportion. (1st embodiment) FIG. 1 is a drawing showing an inspection device (100) according to exemplary embodiments. Referring to FIG. 1, the inspection device (100) may include a light source (110), a first polarizing element (120), a support (130), a second polarizing element (140), image sensors (151, 152), a controller (160), and a processor (170). The inspection device (100) may be configured to inspect pellets (PLT1, PLT2). According to exemplary embodiments, the inspection device (100) may be an inline inspection device. The inspection device (100) may be included in a pellet manufacturing system configured to manufacture pellets (PLT1, PLT2) and may be configured to determine the quality of the pellets (PLT1, PLT2) by inspecting the pellets (PLT1, PLT2) in real time. According to exemplary embodiments, the inspection device (100) may be based on optics. According to exemplary embodiments, the inspection device (100) may be configured to inspect pellets (PLT1, PLT2) non-destructively. According to exemplary embodiments, the inspection device (100) may be configured to perform a full inspection. According to exemplary embodiments, the inspection device (100) may be configured to inspect all of the pellets (PLT1, PLT2) manufactured by the pellet manufacturing system. Through the full inspection, additional insights into pellet manufacturing can be provided in addition to quality control of the pellets (PLT1, PLT2). Additional insights may include trends in defect occurrence patterns according to process conditions, the relationship between defect types and process parameters, process optimization for yield improvement, tracking of defect-cau