Abstract: The present invention is to realize supercooled freezing as a method of enhancing the quality of frozen food with a simple arrangement by a method other than quick freezing. Further, the present invention is to obtain a refrigerator and a frozen food preservation method capable of realizing high quality freezing by a simple arrangement. The refrigerator, which stores food making use of the cold air generated by a cooler 3, includes a supercooling case 81 for keeping the stored food in a supercooled state, in which the food is not frozen even at a temperature equal to or less than the freezing point of the food, for at least a predetermined period of time. The supercooling case 81 is composed of, for example, a lower case of two-stage type upper and lower cases disposed in a switching chamber 200 capable of being switched to a plurality of temperature zones.

Abstract: An inspecting apparatus for detecting a foreign matter in a container having a recessed and protruding shape includes: illumination units arranged annularly on inner and outer sides of an annular carrier line and casting parallel lights onto the inspection subject from the outside thereof; image pickup units arranged on the outside of the annular carrier line and receiving lights from the inspection subject, simultaneously from two directions around the inspection subject, and picking up images of the inspection subject; wherein the image pickup units pick up images of the inspection subject in a state where an angle ?1 formed by light-receiving axes of the image pickup units is 30 to 90 degrees and an angle ?2 formed by the light-receiving axis of the image pickup unit and the light of the illumination unit next to the image pickup unit is 30 to 60 degrees.

Abstract: An inspecting apparatus for detecting a foreign matter in a container having a recessed and protruding shape includes: illumination units arranged annularly on inner and outer sides of an annular carrier line and casting parallel lights onto the inspection subject from the outside thereof; image pickup units arranged on the outside of the annular carrier line and receiving lights from the inspection subject, simultaneously from two directions around the inspection subject, and picking up images of the inspection subject; wherein the image pickup units pick up images of the inspection subject in a state where an angle ?1 formed by light-receiving axes of the image pickup units is 30 to 90 degrees and an angle ?2 formed by the light-receiving axis of the image pickup unit and the light of the illumination unit next to the image pickup unit is 30 to 60 degrees.

Abstract: A turn controllable inspection table which have a step between a portion where mount sections on which respective objects being inspected are mounted are formed along a circumference and an inside portion thereof, so that light from a light source illuminating a side face portion of each object being inspected is allowed to be incident on at least a side face region including a bottom portion of a side face of each object being inspected in a direction perpendicular to the side face region is provided. Further, clamps for fixing the respective objects being inspected onto the mount sections by pressing a head portion of each object being inspected with a top board made of a transparent member, so that inspection is possible across an entire region from all directions including directions from above and sideways of each object being inspected are provided.

Abstract: An object being inspected that contains a liquid product is irradiated with light from a first side face thereof and with light given with a tilt from either side of a second side face opposite to the first side face with respect to the object being inspected, transmitted light and reflected light from the object being inspected are received by imaging means provided at the second side face, and an image signal from the imaging means is processed, whereby a foreign matter got entered the liquid product is detected based on the image processing. Consequently, it is possible to provide inspecting method and apparatus for a foreign matter for use in a production line for manufacturing liquid products, such as drinks and liquid drugs, which can detect, at a high speed in a reliable manner, whether a foreign matter has entered a liquid inside a container, such as a bottle or a PET bottle, and a foreign matter got entered a colored bottle or PET bottle or a colored liquid as well.

Abstract: In an inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter for detecting a foreign matter got entered an object being inspected that contains a liquid product by inspecting the object being inspected optically with imaging means, a conical prism is disposed between the object being inspected and the imaging means. Consequently, it is possible to provide an inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter for use in a production line for manufacturing liquid products, such as drinks and liquid drugs, which can detect in a reliable manner whether a foreign matter has entered a liquid inside a container, such as a bottle or a PET bottle, and a foreign matter in a colored bottle or PET bottle or in a colored liquid as well.

Abstract: In an inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter for detecting a foreign matter got entered an object being inspected that contains a liquid product by inspecting the object being inspected optically with imaging means, a conical prism is disposed between the object being inspected and the imaging means. Consequently, it is possible to provide an inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter for use in a production line for manufacturing liquid products, such as drinks and liquid drugs, which can detect in a reliable manner whether a foreign matter has entered a liquid inside a container, such as a bottle or a PET bottle, and a foreign matter in a colored bottle or PET bottle or in a colored liquid as well.

Abstract: A turn controllable inspection table which have a step between a portion where mount sections on which respective objects being inspected are mounted are formed along a circumference and an inside portion thereof, so that light from a light source illuminating a side face portion of each object being inspected is allowed to be incident on at least a side face region including a bottom portion of a side face of each object being inspected in a direction perpendicular to the side face region is provided. Further, clamps for fixing the respective objects being inspected onto the mount sections by pressing a head portion of each object being inspected with a top board made of a transparent member, so that inspection is possible across an entire region from all directions including directions from above and sideways of each object being inspected are provided.

Abstract: An object being inspected that contains a liquid product is irradiated with light from a first side face thereof and with light given with a tilt from either side of a second side face opposite to the first side face with respect to the object being inspected, transmitted light and reflected light from the object being inspected are received by imaging means provided at the second side face, and an image signal from the imaging means is processed, whereby a foreign matter got entered the liquid product is detected based on the image processing. Consequently, it is possible to provide inspecting method and apparatus for a foreign matter for use in a production line for manufacturing liquid products, such as drinks and liquid drugs, which can detect, at a high speed in a reliable manner, whether a foreign matter has entered a liquid inside a container, such as a bottle or a PET bottle, and a foreign matter got entered a colored bottle or PET bottle or a colored liquid as well.

Abstract: An integrated soft bag inspection system overcomes the difficulty of inspection associated with the unstable shape peculiar to soft bags (for example soft bags for intravenous feed use) and makes it possible to carry out inspection of soft bags automatically and with high precision. The system uses a robot having at least a robot hand and has image pickup means for picking up an image of a soft bag and grip position detecting means for detecting a position on a neck part of the soft bag to be gripped by the robot hand on the basis of image information from the image pickup means. A carrying system may be made using a plurality of such robots and carrying control means provided for controlling the robots so that the robot hand of each robot grips the neck part of the soft bag and carries the soft bag to a predetermined inspection position and soft bags arriving from a production line are continuously transferred between adjacent robots and various inspections are carried out on the soft bags successively.

Abstract: An impurities inspection system is for detecting impurities contained in a colored liquid that may have entered the liquid in a production line for producing colored liquid products such as drinks and liquid agents. This invention is fulfilled by irradiating infrared light no less than the first specified power and no more than the second specified power to the specimen and receiving transmitted light from the specimen by means of a CCD sensor.

Abstract: An integrated soft bag inspection system overcomes the difficulty of inspection associated with the unstable shape peculiar to soft bags (for example soft bags for intravenous feed use) and makes it possible to carry out inspection of soft bags automatically and with high precision. The system uses a robot having at least a robot hand and has image pickup means for picking up an image of a soft bag and grip position detecting means for detecting a position on a neck part of the soft bag to be gripped by the robot hand on the basis of image information from the image pickup means. A carrying system may be made using a plurality of such robots and carrying control means provided for controlling the robots so that the robot hand of each robot grips the neck part of the soft bag and carries the soft bag to a predetermined inspection position and soft bags arriving from a production line are continuously transferred between adjacent robots and various inspections are carried out on the soft bags successively.

Abstract: A code printing and recognition system for printing, reading, and decoding a code on an article while the article is rotated and conveyed along a predetermined path. The system includes a code printing unit for printing a code in a printing area of the article. The code printed on the article consists of a plurality of code signs, while the printing area is a portion of a circle having a predetermined radius and centered at the central point of the bottom surface portion or the top surface portion of the article. The printing area is divided into a plurality of concentric-circular portions, so that each code sign is encoded by placing a number of dots in a respective circular portion. The system also includes an image pickup unit for acquiring an image of the printing area of the article and a code recognition unit for detecting dots in each circular portion, counting the detected dots in each circular portion, and decoding each code sign on a basis of the dot count in a respective circular portion.

Abstract: For use in the production line for manufacturing a liquid product such as a beverage or a liquid drug, a system is provided for detecting foreign matter contained in the fluid which is being conveyed at high speed in a conduit and automatically removing the same. The system comprises an inspection station which is connected to the conduit and of which the inspection window for detecting foreign matter is made of at least a transparent material, an illuminating means for illuminating the subject to be inspected with light directed through the inspection station, an imaging means for picturing the subject to be inspected by directing an intensity of light to the inspection window and receiving transmission or reflection of the light, a detecting means for comparing the signal level where a part indicative in which the level of the video signal is sharply changing is emphasized and processed with a reference level for the subject to be inspected to detect the foreign matter contained in the fluid.