Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for inspecting the sidewall of a bottle, comprising: illuminating means (10) for applying light to the sidewall of a bottle under rotating: photoelectric conversion means (16) for photoelectrically converting a light transmitted image of the sidewall applied with light by said illuminating means into electric signals; defect detecting means (24) for detecting a defect point within the light transmitted image which has been photoelectrically converted by said photoelectric conversion means, based on the brightness of at least two points on an inspection scan line; and judge means (28) for judging if said inspection scan line is a defective scan line based on the defect point detected by said defect detecting means, and judging if there is a defect on the sidewall of a bottle based on the state of continuation of defective scan lines.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for inspecting the sidewall of a bottle, comprising: illuminating means (10) for applying light to the sidewall of a bottle under rotating: photoelectric conversion means (16) for photoelectrically converting a light transmitted image of the sidewall applied with light by said illuminating means into electric signals; defect detecting means (24) for detecting a defect point within the light transmitted image which has been photoelectrically converted by said photoelectric conversion means, based on the brightness of at least two points on an inspection scan line; and judge means (28) for judging if said inspection scan line is a defective scan line based on the defect point detected by said defect detecting means, and judging if there is a defect on the sidewall of a bottle based on the state of continuation of defective scan lines.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising inspection area setting means (20) for setting a predetermined area within the light transmitted image for which said defect detecting means performs the defect detection.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said bottle moves while rotating, further comprising optical path change means (14, 21; 16c; 38) for changing an optical path from said bottle to said photoelectric conversion means so as to sequentially focus the light transmitted image of said moving and rotating bottle onto said photoelectric conversion means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said optical path change means includes vibratory means (21) for causing a lens (14; 16c) positioned in an optical path from said bottle to said photoelectric conversion means to vibrate so as to track the movement of said bottle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said optical path change means includes vibratory means for causing a mirror (38) positioned in an optical path from said bottle to said photoelectric conversion means to vibrate so as to track the movement of said bottle.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said defect detecting means (24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) detects a defective point by comparing the brightness at two adjacent points on a defective scan line.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
59 words
An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said defect detecting means (24e, 24f, 24g, 24h, 24i, 24j) detects a defective point based on the brightness at three adjacent points on a defective scan line by comparing the mean value of the brightness at opposite two points with the brightness at an intermediate point therebetween.