Method and system for inspecting an assembly, and electrical inspection apparatus for a flash unit

• US 5,659,491 A
• Filed: 12/14/1994
• Issued: 08/19/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mori, Ryo, Ota, Hiroyuki, Ichikawa, Fusao
• Primary Examiner(s): Voeltz, Emanuel T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COLE, TONY MITCHELL
• Application Number:
  US08/355,975
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 364/551.01, 364/478, 364/507, 364/552, 364/222.6, 364/917.1, 364/917.2, 364/917.6, 364/917.7, 364/917.9, 364/468, 364/468.19, 364/468.2 , 364/468.21, 364/468.22, 364/468.23, 364/478.05, 364/478.07, 364/478.1, 364/478.13, 348/91, 348/92, 198/339.1, 198/340, 198/341, 209/936, 73/865.8
• US Class Current: 702/65
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/344 according to electric or electromagnetic properties sorting according to size measured electrically or electronically B07C5/08; material testing by magnetic means G01N24/00, G01N27/00, by electrical means G01N27/00; electrical measuring devices in general G01R; coin testing G07D5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/05 Combinations of cameras with electronic flash apparatus; Electronic flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/04 Roll-film cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2215/0503 Built-in units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2219/045 adapted for unloading the film in the processing laboratory, e.g. disposable, reusable or recyclable cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 43/00 Testing correct operation of photographic apparatus or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/325 by measuring the incident light

Abstract

An inspection system for assemblies, especially for flash units of used film packages as to if the flash units are reusable. The inspection system circulates pallets each holding a flash unit in a predetermined posture around a plurality of inspection stations for various inspection items. Inspection data detected in each inspection station is written in a memory of the pallet through a data communication system disposed in each pallet and each inspection station. A computer reads the memory for classifying the flash unit on the basis of the inspection data on all inspection items and writes classification data in the memory. A plurality of electrical inspection apparatuses are disposed in the inspection system for simultaneously inspecting electrical properties of a plurality of flash units. Each inspection apparatus has proving pins, an actuator and a photo-sensor which are moved into their operative positions when the pallet holding the flash unit is stopped at the inspection apparatus, wherein the inspection apparatus charges a main capacitor with a high D.C. voltage while measuring the voltage of the main capacitor.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting an assembly constituted of a plurality of parts, comprising the steps of:

holding said assembly by a pallet in a predetermined state;

circulating a plurality of said pallets around a plurality of inspection stations for sequentially inspecting said assemblies with respect to a plurality of inspection items;

providing each of said pallets with a data management device having a data memory and a data communication system for allowing to read and write said data memory through remote processing;

writing measurement data obtained in each inspection station in said data memory of said data management device;

judging said measurement data with reference to threshold values which are predetermined for each inspection item by calculating group values of said measurement data according to a predetermined grouping formula and comparing said group values with said threshold values of each inspection item;

classifying said assemblies according to said judgment data on all of said inspection items;

writing judgment data and classification data obtained in said judging step and said classification step in said data memory of a corresponding one of said pallets; and

discharging said assemblies from said pallets while being stored in a plurality of groups according to said classification data.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

collecting all data written in said data memory of said data management device of said pallets in a control device; and

making a data base from said data in said control device.

3. A method for inspecting an assembly constituted of a plurality of parts, comprising the steps of:

holding said assembly by a pallet in a predetermined state;

circulating a plurality of said pallets around a plurality of inspection stations for sequentially inspecting said assemblies with respect to a plurality of inspection items;

providing each of said pallets with a data management device having a data memory and a data communication system for allowing to read and write said data memory through remote processing;

writing measurement data obtained in each inspection station in said data memory of said data management device;

judging said measurement data with reference to threshold values which are predetermined for each inspection item;

classifying said assemblies according to said judgment data on all of said inspection items;

writing judgment data and classification data obtained in said judging step and said classification step in said data memory of a corresponding one of said pallets; and

discharging said assemblies from said pallets while being stored in a plurality of groups according to said classification data,

wherein said assemblies are recovered from used articles for recycling, and are classified into reusable, reparable and not-reusable ones.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

writing career data of said assembly in said data memory of said data management device before transporting said pallet to said inspection stations;

reading said career data from said data memory in each of said inspection stations; and

selecting appropriate inspection conditions based on said career data before executing each inspection.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, further comprising the step of sorting those assemblies which are classified reparable, according to which part needs repairs with reference to said judgment data written in said data memory.

6. A system for inspecting an assembly constituted of a plurality of parts, comprising:

pallets each holding said assembly in a predetermined state;

a circulating device for circulating said pallets around a plurality of inspection stations for sequentially inspecting said assembly with respect to a plurality of inspection items;

a data management device which is provided in each pallet and has a data memory which stores measurement data obtained in each of said plurality of inspection stations and a data communication system for allowing to read and write said data memory;

a judging device which makes a judgment on each inspection item by comparing said measurement data with threshold values which are predetermined for each inspection item, and writes judgment data in said data memory of said data management device, wherein said judging device is being disposed in each of said inspection stations, and said judgment data is written in said data memory in each inspection station;

a control device which collects said measurement data and said judgment data, classifies said assembly depending on said judgment data of all said inspection items, and writes classification data in said data memory of said data management device; and

a discharging device which reads said classification data from said data memory and discharges said assembly from said pallet into one of a plurality of assembly storage sections which is designated by said classification data written in said data memory.

7. A system as recited in claim 6, wherein said judging device is included in said control device, and said control device reads said measurement data from said data memory and then writes said judgment data in said data memory after said pallet goes through all of said inspection stations.

8. A system for inspecting an assembly constituted of a plurality of parts, comprising:

pallets each holding said assembly in a predetermined state;

a circulating device for circulating said pallets around a plurality of inspection stations for sequentially inspecting said assembly with respect to a plurality of inspection items;

a data management device which is provided in each pallet and has a data memory which stores measurement data obtained in each of said plurality of inspection stations and a data communication system for allowing to read and write said data memory;

a judging device which makes a judgment on each inspection item by comparing said measurement data with threshold values which are predetermined for each inspection item, and writes judgment data in said data memory of said data management device;

a control device which collects said measurement data and said judgment data, classifies said assembly depending on said judgment data of all said inspection items, and writes classification data in said data memory of said data management device; and

a discharging device which reads said classification data from said data memory and discharges said assembly from said pallet into one of a plurality of assembly storage sections which is designated by said classification data written in said data memory,

wherein said assembly has electric parts, and there are a plurality of electrical inspection stations for simultaneously inspecting a plurality of said assemblies about electrical properties thereof, said plurality of electrical inspection stations being disposed in each of a plurality of parallel branches which diverge from and converge into a circular path of said pallets.

9. An inspection apparatus for inspecting electrical properties of a flash unit which has a charge switch, a main capacitor, power supply terminals, a synchronizing switch and a flash tube, wherein said main capacitor is charged through said power supply terminals while said charge switch is turned on, and said flash tube emits light when said synchronizing switch is turned on to discharge said main capacitor after being fully charged, said inspection apparatus comprising:

a base portion movable between a retracted position retracted from a path of said flash unit conveyed on a pallet conveyer in a predetermined posture, and an operative position near said flash unit fed to and stopped at said inspection apparatus;

proving pins mounted in said movable base portion to be brought into contact with said charge switch, said main capacitor, said synchronizing switch and said power supply terminals when said base portion is in said operative position;

an actuator mounted in the movable base portion, said actuator can actuate said synchronizing switch when said base portion is in said operative position;

a photo-sensor mounted in the movable base portion, said photo-sensor can detect light from said flash tube when said base portion is in said operative position;

a power supply device connectable to the power supply terminals through said proving pins; and

a controller which controls charging of the main capacitor through said proving pins while measuring the voltage of said main capacitor, and drives said actuator to turn said synchronizing switch on to measure light amount from said flash tube through said photo-sensor.

10. An inspection apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said power supply device includes a high D.C. voltage supply device which charges said main capacitor with a high D.C. voltage less than a withstand voltage of said main capacitor, and terminates charging when the voltage of the main capacitor reaches a given level.

11. An inspection apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said power supply device further includes a constant voltage source for supplying a constant voltage that corresponds to a battery voltage designated for said flash unit.

12. An inspection apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein said controller further measures contact resistance of said synchronizing switch, leak current of said power supply terminals, and charge times at many points according to a predetermined sequence.

13. An inspection apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein said flash unit further has a neon indicator for indicating that said main capacitor is fully charged, and said inspection apparatus further comprises a neon emission detector for inspecting the operation of said neon indicator.

14. An inspection apparatus as recited in claim 9, further comprising a data communication system for transferring inspection data from said controller to a data memory provided in said pallet and/or a central processing unit.

15. An inspection apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein said controller performs grouping of measurement data and compares group values with predetermined threshold values, so as to make a judgment on said measurement data.