Patents by Inventor Toshio Akagi
Toshio Akagi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11428647Abstract: There is provided a tubular body inner surface inspection apparatus that detects a defect existing on an inner surface of a tubular body, the apparatus including: a tubular body imaging apparatus including N (N?2) imaging units each including a laser light source that applies laser light, an optical element that reflects laser light applied from the laser light source in a circumferential direction of the inner surface of the tubular body, as annular laser light, an area camera that images a region of the inner surface of the tubular body where the annular laser light is applied, and thereby generates an annular beam image, and a linking member that links together and fixes the laser light source and the area camera, in which the imaging units are linked in series along a tube axial direction of the tubular body in such a manner that positions of the linking members in a plane orthogonal to a tube axis are different from each other; a movement apparatus that moves the tubular body imaging apparatus along theType: GrantFiled: July 30, 2018Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Toshio Akagi, Hironao Yamaji, Takeo Nakata, Masaki Yamano
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Publication number: 20210208085Abstract: There is provided a tubular body inner surface inspection apparatus that detects a defect existing on an inner surface of a tubular body, the apparatus including: a tubular body imaging apparatus including N (N?2) imaging units each including a laser light source that applies laser light, an optical element that reflects laser light applied from the laser light source in a circumferential direction of the inner surface of the tubular body, as annular laser light, an area camera that images a region of the inner surface of the tubular body where the annular laser light is applied, and thereby generates an annular beam image, and a linking member that links together and fixes the laser light source and the area camera, in which the imaging units are linked in series along a tube axial direction of the tubular body in such a manner that positions of the linking members in a plane orthogonal to a tube axis are different from each other; a movement apparatus that moves the tubular body imaging apparatus along theType: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2018Publication date: July 8, 2021Applicant: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Toshio AKAGI, Hironao YAMAJI, Takeo NAKATA, Masaki YAMANO
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Publication number: 20210156681Abstract: [Object] To inspect the inner surface of a tubular body at higher speed, with higher resolving power, and in a simpler way regardless of the size of the tubular body. [Solution] A tubular body inner surface inspection method for detecting a defect existing on an inner surface of a tubular body includes: a tubular body imaging apparatus including an optical element that reflects laser light applied from a laser light source in a circumferential direction of the inner surface of the tubular body, as annular laser light, an area camera that images a region of the inner surface of the tubular body where the annular laser light is applied, and generates an annular beam image, and a linking member that links together and fixes the laser light source and the area camera; and an arithmetic processing apparatus performing image processing on a plurality of the generated annular beam images.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2018Publication date: May 27, 2021Applicant: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Toshio AKAGI, Hironao YAMAJI, Takeo NAKATA, Masaki YAMANO
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Patent number: 10605591Abstract: A shape measurement apparatus includes: a linear light source that includes a superluminescent diode and applies linear light spreading in a width direction of the strip-shaped body to a surface of the strip-shaped body; a screen on which reflected light of the linear light off the surface of the strip-shaped body is projected; an area camera that captures an image of the reflected light of the linear light projected on the screen; and an arithmetic processing apparatus that calculates the surface shape of the strip-shaped body using the captured image of the reflected light of the linear light captured by the area camera.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2017Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Yusuke Konno, Takamichi Kobayashi, Toshio Akagi, Atsuhiro Hibi, Nobuhiro Furuya, Akihito Nakazaki
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Patent number: 10527410Abstract: [Object] To provide a shape measurement apparatus that is capable of detecting minute roughness irregularity at high speed across the entire width on the entire surface of a measurement object. [Solution] Provided is a shape measurement apparatus including: a light source configured to irradiate a surface of a moving strip-shaped body with linear light diagonally from an upstream side in a movement direction of the strip-shaped body; a screen configured such that reflected light of the linear light on the surface of the strip-shaped body is projected on the screen; an imaging unit configured to image the reflected light of the linear light projected on the screen; and an arithmetic processing unit configured to acquire surface roughness distribution of the strip-shaped body on the basis of width distribution of a light strip of the reflected light of the linear light projected on the screen.Type: GrantFiled: January 19, 2017Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Toshio Akagi, Yusuke Konno, Atsuhiro Hibi, Nobuhiro Furuya, Takayuki Sonoda, Akihito Nakazaki
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Patent number: 10352867Abstract: A surface property indexing apparatus includes a measurement device that generates a plurality of captured images and an arithmetic processing apparatus that indexes a surface property of the measured object. The captured images are of the same wavelength of the reflected light that forms images in an image capturing device, and is of different reflection angles of the reflected light that forms images in the image capturing device in the direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the measured object in the captured image. The arithmetic processing apparatus reconstructs the generated captured images to generate processing target images having a common wavelength of the reflected light and a common reflection angle of the reflected light and composed of pixels corresponding to the different view field positions of the measured object, and indexes the surface property of the measured object on the basis of the generated processing target images.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2015Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATIONInventors: Jun Umemura, Toshio Akagi
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Patent number: 10290113Abstract: [Object] To monitor, on a metallic body surface, a region that has a specific hue and a region that does not have the specific hue and has a surface whose roughness varies. [Solution] Included are: a measurement apparatus which includes a line sensor camera which is provided such that an optical axis of the line sensor camera is substantially parallel to a normal direction of a metallic body surface, and first, second, and third illumination light sources each configured to irradiate the metallic body surface with first, second, and third illumination light beams each having a strip shape, the measurement apparatus being configured to measure separately respective reflected light beams of the three illumination light beams that have been emitted; and an arithmetic processing apparatus configured to calculate surface state monitoring information on the basis of luminance values of the reflected light beams.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2016Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Toshio Akagi, Yusuke Konno, Hironao Yamaji, Jun Umemura
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Patent number: 10281408Abstract: An inspection object imaging apparatus includes: a light source configured to produce a light beam belonging to an infrared wavelength band and having a predetermined spread half-angle on a surface of an inspection object; a projection optical system to project the light beam on the surface of the inspection object at a predetermined projection angle; and an imaging unit. The imaging unit includes an imaging optical system configured to condense reflected light and branch the reflected light to two different directions, and a first image sensor and a second image sensor, the first image sensor positioned on the inspection object side with respect to a position of the imaging optical system that is conjugate with the surface of the inspection object, along an optical axis of the reflected light, and the second image sensor positioned on the reflected-light travel direction side with respect to the conjugate position.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Yusuke Konno, Takamichi Kobayashi, Toshio Akagi, Atsuhiro Hibi, Nobuhiro Furuya, Akihito Nakazaki
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Patent number: 10247544Abstract: [Object] To provide a shape measurement apparatus that is capable of measuring the amount of warpage in the width direction of a strip-shaped body with higher sensitivity. [Solution] Provided is a shape measurement apparatus including: a light source configured to irradiate a surface of a moving strip-shaped body with linear light at a prescribed angle of incidence; a screen configured such that reflected light of the linear light on the surface of the strip-shaped body is projected on the screen; an imaging unit configured to image the reflected light of the linear light projected on the screen; and an arithmetic processing unit configured to acquire the amount of warpage in a width direction of the strip-shaped body on the basis of a line length of the reflected light of the linear light imaged by the imaging unit.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2016Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Atsuhiro Hibi, Yusuke Konno, Toshio Akagi, Nobuhiro Furuya, Tomohiro Kuroiwa, Akihito Nakazaki
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Publication number: 20180292203Abstract: [Object] To provide a shape measurement apparatus that is capable of detecting minute roughness irregularity at high speed across the entire width on the entire surface of a measurement object. [Solution] Provided is a shape measurement apparatus including: a light source configured to irradiate a surface of a moving strip-shaped body with linear light diagonally from an upstream side in a movement direction of the strip-shaped body; a screen configured such that reflected light of the linear light on the surface of the strip-shaped body is projected on the screen; an imaging unit configured to image the reflected light of the linear light projected on the screen; and an arithmetic processing unit configured to acquire surface roughness distribution of the strip-shaped body on the basis of width distribution of a light strip of the reflected light of the linear light projected on the screen.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 19, 2017Publication date: October 11, 2018Applicant: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Toshio AKAGI, Yusuke KONNO, Atsuhiro HIBI, Nobuhiro FURUYA, Takayuki SONODA, Akihito NAKAZAKI
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Publication number: 20180283850Abstract: [Object] To provide a shape measurement apparatus that is capable of measuring the amount of warpage in the width direction of a strip-shaped body with higher sensitivity. [Solution] Provided is a shape measurement apparatus including: a light source configured to irradiate a surface of a moving strip-shaped body with linear light at a prescribed angle of incidence; a screen configured such that reflected light of the linear light on the surface of the strip-shaped body is projected on the screen; an imaging unit configured to image the reflected light of the linear light projected on the screen; and an arithmetic processing unit configured to acquire the amount of warpage in a width direction of the strip-shaped body on the basis of a line length of the reflected light of the linear light imaged by the imaging unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2016Publication date: October 4, 2018Applicant: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Atsuhiro HIBI, Yusuke KONNO, Toshio AKAGI, Nobuhiro FURUYA, Tomohiro KUROIWA, Akihito NAKAZAKI
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Publication number: 20180202941Abstract: [Object] To find, with high sensitivity, an unevenness defect or the like that has occurred on the surface of an inspection object having a surface roughness comparable to wavelengths of visible light and is comparable to several times the surface roughness, and accurately distinguish between dirt and an unevenness flaw present on the surface of the inspection object, and also enable a reduction in the size of an apparatus. [Solution] An inspection object imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes: a light source configured to produce a light beam belonging to an infrared wavelength band and having a predetermined spread half-angle on a surface of an inspection object; a projection optical system configured to project the light beam on the surface of the inspection object at a predetermined projection angle; and an imaging unit configured to image reflected light from the surface of the inspection object.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2016Publication date: July 19, 2018Applicant: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Yusuke KONNO, Takamichi KOBAYASHI, Toshio AKAGI, Atsuhiro HIBI, Nobuhiro FURUYA, Akihito NAKAZAKI
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Publication number: 20180180405Abstract: [Object] To measure a surface shape of a strip-shaped body made of a metallic body at higher speed with higher precision while suppressing occurrence of speckle noise. [Solution] A shape measurement apparatus according to the present invention includes: a linear light source that includes a superluminescent diode and applies linear light spreading in a width direction of the strip-shaped body to a surface of the strip-shaped body; a screen on which reflected light of the linear light off the surface of the strip-shaped body is projected; an area camera that captures an image of the reflected light of the linear light projected on the screen; and an arithmetic processing apparatus that calculates the surface shape of the strip-shaped body using the captured image of the reflected light of the linear light captured by the area camera.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2017Publication date: June 28, 2018Applicant: Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal CorporationInventors: Yusuke KONNO, Takamichi KOBAYASHI, Toshio AKAGI, Atsuhiro HIBI, Nobuhiro FURUYA, Akihito NAKAZAKI
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Publication number: 20180174316Abstract: [Object] To monitor, on a metallic body surface, a region that has a specific hue and a region that does not have the specific hue and has a surface whose roughness varies. [Solution] Included are: a measurement apparatus which includes a line sensor camera which is provided such that an optical axis of the line sensor camera is substantially parallel to a normal direction of a metallic body surface, and first, second, and third illumination light sources each configured to irradiate the metallic body surface with first, second, and third illumination light beams each having a strip shape, the measurement apparatus being configured to measure separately respective reflected light beams of the three illumination light beams that have been emitted; and an arithmetic processing apparatus configured to calculate surface state monitoring information on the basis of luminance values of the reflected light beams.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2016Publication date: June 21, 2018Applicant: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Toshio AKAGI, Yusuke KONNO, Hironao YAMAJI, Jun UMEMURA
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Patent number: 9970750Abstract: [Object] To perform shape inspection of a metallic body in a simple way at higher speed with higher density. [Solution] An apparatus of the present invention includes: a measurement apparatus configured to irradiate a metallic body with at least two illumination light beams, and measure reflected light separately; and an arithmetic processing apparatus configured to calculate information used for shape inspection of the metallic body on the basis of measurement results. The measurement apparatus includes a plurality of illumination light sources configured to emit strip-shaped illumination light having different peak wavelengths, and a plurality of monochrome line sensor cameras that have band-pass filters and are aligned vertically above a surface of the metallic body and set to capture images of the same portion of the metallic body by their respective shift lenses, the number of the monochrome line sensor cameras being the same as the number of the peak wavelengths of the emitted illumination light.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2016Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Toshio Akagi, Yusuke Konno, Hironao Yamaji, Jun Umemura
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Publication number: 20180087898Abstract: [Object] To perform shape inspection of a metallic body in a simple way at higher speed with higher density. [Solution] An apparatus of the present invention includes: a measurement apparatus configured to irradiate a metallic body with at least two illumination light beams, and measure reflected light separately; and an arithmetic processing apparatus configured to calculate information used for shape inspection of the metallic body on the basis of measurement results. The measurement apparatus includes a plurality of illumination light sources configured to emit strip-shaped illumination light having different peak wavelengths, and a plurality of monochrome line sensor cameras that have band-pass filters and are aligned vertically above a surface of the metallic body and set to capture images of the same portion of the metallic body by their respective shift lenses, the number of the monochrome line sensor cameras being the same as the number of the peak wavelengths of the emitted illumination light.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2016Publication date: March 29, 2018Applicant: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Toshio AKAGI, Yusuke KONNO, Hironao YAMAJI, Jun UMEMURA
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Patent number: 9903710Abstract: To inspect the shape of a metallic body further accurately, regardless of surface roughness of the metallic body. A shape inspection apparatus for a metallic body according to the present invention includes: a measurement apparatus configured to irradiate a metallic body with at least two illumination light beams, and measure reflected light of the two illumination light beams from the metallic body separately; and an arithmetic processing apparatus configured to calculate information used for shape inspection of the metallic body on the basis of luminance values of the reflected light. The measurement apparatus includes a first illumination light source and a second illumination light source configured to irradiate the metallic body with strip-shaped illumination light having mutually different peak wavelengths, and a color line sensor camera configured to measure reflected light of first illumination light and reflected light of second illumination light, separately.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2016Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Yusuke Konno, Toshio Akagi, Hironao Yamaji, Jun Umemura
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Publication number: 20170276476Abstract: To inspect the shape of a metallic body further accurately, regardless of surface roughness of the metallic body. A shape inspection apparatus for a metallic body according to the present invention includes: a measurement apparatus configured to irradiate a metallic body with at least two illumination light beams, and measure reflected light of the two illumination light beams from the metallic body separately; and an arithmetic processing apparatus configured to calculate information used for shape inspection of the metallic body on the basis of luminance values of the reflected light. The measurement apparatus includes a first illumination light source and a second illumination light source configured to irradiate the metallic body with strip-shaped illumination light having mutually different peak wavelengths, and a color line sensor camera configured to measure reflected light of first illumination light and reflected light of second illumination light, separately.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 1, 2016Publication date: September 28, 2017Applicant: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Yusuke KONNO, Toshio AKAGI, Hironao YAMAJI, Jun UMEMURA
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Publication number: 20170016832Abstract: [Object] To integratively index a surface property of a measured object by utilizing a measurement result at a plurality of illumination wavelengths and measurement angles. [Solution] A surface property indexing apparatus according to the present invention includes a measurement device that generates a plurality of captured images by capturing images of reflected light of illumination light on a surface of the measured object while selecting its wavelength, and an arithmetic processing apparatus that indexes a surface property of the measured object on the basis of the obtained captured images. The captured images generated by the measurement device are of the same wavelength of the reflected light that forms images in an image capturing device, and is of different reflection angles of the reflected light that forms images in the image capturing device in the direction corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the measured object in the captured image.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2015Publication date: January 19, 2017Applicant: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATIONInventors: Jun UMEMURA, Toshio AKAGI
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Patent number: 5911327Abstract: Scrap containing copper is discriminated from iron scrap after being pulverized by imaging iron scrap using a color TV camera, treating RGB signals processed by each of the points in the image as a color vector, and discriminating scrap containing copper from iron scrap when the saturation value of the color vector is larger than a predetermined value and the hue angle of the color vector lies within a predetermined range.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 1996Date of Patent: June 15, 1999Assignee: Nippon Steel CorporationInventors: Fumio Tanaka, Toshio Akagi, Shuji Naito, Sumitada Kakimoto, Michiaki Sakakibara, Masahiro Ito, Akihiro Senda