Method and an apparatus for inspecting an external shape of an object having a symmetry

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1 including the step of generating a signal in response to the result from said comparing step.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1 including the steps of measuring a first distance between said standard center coordinate and the left coordinate position in each of said perpendicular lines; and measuring a second distance between said standard center coordinate point and the right coordinate position in each of said perpendicular lines; and thereafter comparing the respective first and second distances in each of said perpendicular lines.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 3 including the step of generating signal in response to the result from said comparing step.

Claim 6

Apparatus for inspecting the external shape of an object having an axis of symmetry comprising: first means having a photoelectric conversion screen expressed in an X and Y coordinate grid for sensing the shape of said object and displaying an image of said shape such that the symmetrical axis of said object is parallel to one axis of the X and Y coordinate and for producing a video signal thereof; second means, responsive to said video signal, for obtaining, in each of a plurality of straight lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis, a signal indicative of the right and left coordinate points at which the external contour of said object intersects each of said lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; third means for determining the signal of the midpoint between each of said right and left coordinate points in each of said lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; fourth means for determining the frequency of identical midpoints for all of said perpendicular lines and for creating a standard center coordinate having the maximum number of identical signals of the midpoint; fifth means for comparing the signal of said standard center coordinate with the signal of midpoint of each of said lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; and sixth means for obtaining a signal indicative of the symmetry of said object in response to the incidence of said midpoint and said standard center axis.

Claim 7

Apparatus for inspecting the external shape of an object having an axis of symmetry comprising: first means having a photoelectric conversion screen expressed in an X and Y coordinate grid for sensing the shape of said object and displaying an image of said shape such that the symmetrical axis of said object is parallel to one axis of the X and Y coordinate and for producing a video signal thereof; second means, responsive to said video signal, for obtaining, in each of a plurality of straight lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis, a signal indicative of the right and left coordinate points at which the external contour of said object intersects each of said lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; third means for determining the signal of the midpoint between each of said right and left coordinate points in each of said lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; fourth means for determining the frequency of identical midpoints for all of said perpendicular lines and for creating a standard center coordinate having the maximum number of identical signals of the midpoint; fifth means for comparing the signal of said standard center coordinate with the signal of midpoint of each of said lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; and sixth means for obtaining a signal indicative of the symmetry of said object in response to the incidence of said midpoint and said standard center axis.

Claim 8

The apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising a seventh means for generating a signal in response to said sixth means.

Claim 9

The according to claim 5 further comprising an eighth means for ascertaining whether or not said object is sensed by said first means at a correct position.

Claim 10

Apparatus for inspecting the external shape of an object having an axis of symmetry comprising: first means having a photoelectric conversion screen expressed in an XY coordinate grid for sensing the shape of said object and displaying said shape such that the symmetrical axis of said object is parallel to one axis of the XY coordinate and for producing a video signal thereof, second means responsive to said video signal for determining the coordinates of the grid at a plurality of right and left points with respect to the other axis of the XY coordinate at which an external contour of said object intersects each of a plurality of straight lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; third means for determining the midpoint between each of said right and left points in each of said lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; fourth means for determining the frequency of identical midpoints for all of said perpendicular lines and for creating a standard center coordinate having the maximum number of identical midpoint; fifth means for determining the midpoint first distance between said standard center coordinate and each of said left points in each of the lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; sixth means for determining the second distance between said standard center coordinate and the right point in each of the lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; and seventh for comparing said first and second distances and detecting the symmetry of said object in response to the incidence of said distance.

Claim 11

Apparatus for inspecting the external shape of an object having an axis of symmetry comprising: first means having a photoelectric conversion screen expressed in an XY coordinate grid for sensing the shape of said object and displaying said shape such that the symmetrical axis of said object is parallel to one axis of the XY coordinate and for producing a video signal thereof, second means responsive to said video signal for determining the coordinates of the grid at a plurality of right and left points with respect to the other axis of the XY coordinate at which an external contour of said object intersects each of a plurality of straight lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; third means for determining the midpoint between each of said right and left points in each of said lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; fourth means for determining the frequency of identical midpoints for all of said perpendicular lines and for creating a standard center coordinate having the maximum number of identical midpoint; fifth means for determining the midpoint first distance between said standard center coordinate and each of said left points in each of the lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; sixth means for determining the second distance between said standard center coordinate and the right point in each of the lines perpendicular to said symmetrical axis; and seventh for comparing said first and second distances and detecting the symmetry of said object in response to the incidence of said distance.

Claim 12

The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising an eighth means for generating a signal in response to said seventh means.

Claim 13

The apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising a ninth means for ascertaining whether or not said object is sensed by said first means at a correct position.