EP0129940A1 — Counting apparatus for counting objects by means …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 231 words

A counting apparatus for counting objects passed in succession through a light beam present between a light source and a photodetector, in which the photodetector produces a detection signal upon each passage of an object through the light beam, the magnitude of which detection signal depends on the amount of light received by the photodetector and which detection signals are applied to an object counter for counting the number of objects so passed, characterized in that said counting apparatus includes a plurality of light collecting elements (12) for receiving the light beam (7,8), which elements (12) are mounted in superposition in a vertical plane, the changes in the intensity of the collected light being detected by said photodetector (14); a voltage-to-frequency converter (21) for converting the detection signals (D, Da) into a frequency (F) varying in accordance with the magnitudes of the detection signals; a pulse former (22) for converting the detection signals (D, Da) into count pulses (P) whose width is indicative of the period of time required for an object (15) to pass by; and a data counter (27) for counting the number of fluctuations (Fs) of said frequency (F) during the period of time that a count pulse (P) is present, an object pulse (Y) being applied to said object counter (28) in response to said data counter (27) having counted a given number of said fluctuations (Fs).

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 231 words

A counting apparatus for counting objects passed in succession through a light beam present between a light source and a photodetector, in which the photodetector produces a detection signal upon each passage of an object through the light beam, the magnitude of which detection signal depends on the amount of light received by the photodetector and which detection signals are applied to an object counter for counting the number of objects so passed, characterized in that said counting apparatus includes a plurality of light collecting elements (12) for receiving the light beam (7,8), which elements (12) are mounted in superposition in a vertical plane, the changes in the intensity of the collected light being detected by said photodetector (14); a voltage-to-frequency converter (21) for converting the detection signals (D, Da) into a frequency (F) varying in accordance with the magnitudes of the detection signals; a pulse former (22) for converting the detection signals (D, Da) into count pulses (P) whose width is indicative of the period of time required for an object (15) to pass by; and a data counter (27) for counting the number of fluctuations (Fs) of said frequency (F) during the period of time that a count pulse (P) is present, an object pulse (Y) being applied to said object counter (28) in response to said data counter (27) having counted a given number of said fluctuations (Fs).

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 108 words

A counting apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said data counter (27) includes a measuring counter (30) for establishing and storing therein the average number of fluctuations (Fs) per object (15) as determined on the basis of a number of objects passing by said photodetector (14), and a comparator (29) for comparing said stored average number of fluctuations (Fs) to the number of fluctuations (Fs) occurring in response to the passage of each object (15) to be counted, said comparator further being operative to produce at least one object pulse (Y) if the,latter number is at least equal to or higher than said stored average number.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 173 words

A counting apparatus according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said measuring counter (30) includes a monitoring circuit (32) for determining an average measuring value on the basis of a given number of objects, to which end said monitoring circuit (32) produces a release pulse (G1) upon the initiation of the determination procedure and produces an inhibit pulse (G2) after said given number of objects has passed by said photodetector (14); a gating circuit (33) for passing the fluctuations (Fs) to be counted as caused by said given number of objects, which gating circuit (33) is released and inhibited by said release pulse (G1) and said inhibit pulse (G2), respectively, produced by said monitoring circuit (32); an average value divider (34) responsive to said inhibit pulse (G2) for dividing the total number of fluctuations (Fs) passed by said gating circuit (33) by the total number of count pulses (P) as corresponding to said given number of objects; and an average value memory (35) in which the resultant quotient (Z) is stored.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 150 words

A counting apparatus according to claims 1-3, characterized in that said data counter (27) includes a circuit arrangement (31) composed of a value adjusting circuit (37) and a summing circuit (36), in which circuit arrangement (31) the value representing the average number (Z) of fluctuations (Fs) stored in said average value memory (35) can be changed by means of said value adjusting circuit (31) into at least one other value, which at least one other value is applied to said comparator (29), so that when the passage of an object causes the application to said comparator (29) of a number of fluctuaticns (Fs) differing from said average number stored in said average value memory (35), an object pulse (Y) is produced by said comparator (29) only if said number of fluctuations (Fs) is at least equal to said other value applied to said comparator (29) through said summing circuit (36).

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 98 words

A counting apparatus according to claims 1-4, characterized in that the fluctuations (Fs) are applied from said voltage -to-frequency converter (21) to said data counter (27) through one of the inputs of a gating circuit (26) having two inputs and one output, and the count pulses (P) are applied to the other of said inputs of said gating circuit (26), the leading edge and the trailing edge of each one of said count pulses (P) being operative to release and inhibit, respectively, said gating circuit (26), said circuit (26) having its output connected to said data counter (27).

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 93 words

A counting apparatus according to claims 1-5, characterized in that said voltage-to-frequency converter (21) produces output signals (F) in response to the detection signals transgressing a predetermined value in upward sense and said converter (21) inhibits output signals (F) in response to said detection signals transgressing said value in downward sense, and that the leading and trailing edges of the count pulses (P) produced by said pulse former (22) may likewise be defined as occurring in response to said detection signals transgressing said predetermined value in upward sense and in downward sense, respectively.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 42 words

A counting apparatus according to claims 1, 5 and 6, characterized in that the frequency produced by said voltage-to-frequency converter (21) is directly proportional to the height of the shadow area cast by an object (15) on said light collecting elements (12).

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 130 words

A counting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the provision of a voltage control device (23) for said light source (5), which device (23) includes a regulating circuit (24) for regulating the supply voltage (L) of said light source (5), said detection signals (Da) being applied to said regulating circuit (24) in order to so regulate said voltage (L) of said light source (5) that said photodetector (14) produces a predetermined quiescent detection signal when no object passes thereby; and a set-reset circuit (25) to which said count pulses (P) are applied, which circuit (25) is responsive to the leading edge and the trailing edge of a count pulse (P) to apply an inhibit signal and a release signal, respectively, to said regulating circuit (24).

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 51 words

A counting apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said voltage control device (23) produces an alarm pulse (A) in response to said supply voltage (L) being re-adjusted by said regulating circuit (24) so that it exceeds a maximum value, which alarm pulse is applied to an alarm indicator (32).

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 39 words

A counting apparatus according to claims 1-9, characterized by the provision of an information panel (30) for the visual reproduction of the information provided by said data counter (27), said object counter (28) and said voltage control device (23).

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 33 words

A counting apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said light beam (7,8) is directed in vertical sense through a vertical beam slot (9) onto said vertically superimposed light collecting elements (12).

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 22 words

A counting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said light collecting elements (12) are optical fibers.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 53 words

13, A counting apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after counting a predetermined number of object pulses (Y) produced by said comparator (29), said object counter (28) applies a control pulse (M) to a control mechanism for actuating an object packaging device connectable to the counting apparatus.

Counting apparatus for counting objects by means of a shadow measurement

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