US4108762A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Transparent container inspection apparatus
Assignee: INEX Inc A DE CORP
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Filing: 1977-03-07
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Granted: 1978-08-22
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Expires: 1997-03-07
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for inspecting either empty or filled transparent containers for foreign matter in which the containers are moved through spaced apart inspection stations to present different sides thereof to high intensity pulsed light sources which casts the illuminated image beams along paths which intersect at a beam directing member operable to align and direct the respective beams into an electronic scanning device, and in which apparatus the containers at the respective inspection stations are not necessarily the same containers so that the inspection at the stations occurs in a predetermined sequence.
Inventors
- 👤 Momir Babunovic
- 👤 James R. Gender
- 👤 Siamac Faani
- 👤 Mihai A. Bulboaca
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:37
CPC Classifications
B; B07; B07C; B07C5/00; B07C5/04; B07C5/12; B07C5/122; G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/84; G01N21/88; G01N21/90; G01N21/9009; G01N33/00; G01N33/0078; G01N33/0081; G01N21/9018; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S209/00; Y10S209/914
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A method of inspecting transparent containers for foreign objects, said method comprising the steps of gripping and creating a flow of containers in predetermined spaced relation along a curved path having a predetermined radius of curvature, directing the container flow through inspection stations that are spaced apart, causing the motion of the containers through the inspection stations to initiate the inspection steps which at certain stations energizes a source of illumination for passing a beam of light through the containers, directing the emerging lighted container images in directions which are coincident with the predetermined radius of curvature and coinciding at a common place of intersection, directing photosensitive scanning means toward said place of intersection of the lighted images to receive and scan the successive illuminated images for changes in the intensity of the illumination, and turning the gripped containers between inspection stations to align a different side of the containers with the sources of illumination and thereby to present a different illuminated image to the photosensitive means, and controlling the time of energization of the source of illumination so that one lighted image of a container at a time is scanned.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
191 words
A method of inspecting transparent containers for foreign objects, said method comprising the steps of gripping and creating a flow of containers in predetermined spaced relation along a curved path having a predetermined radius of curvature, directing the container flow through inspection stations that are spaced apart, causing the motion of the containers through the inspection stations to initiate the inspection steps which at certain stations energizes a source of illumination for passing a beam of light through the containers, directing the emerging lighted container images in directions which are coincident with the predetermined radius of curvature and coinciding at a common place of intersection, directing photosensitive scanning means toward said place of intersection of the lighted images to receive and scan the successive illuminated images for changes in the intensity of the illumination, and turning the gripped containers between inspection stations to align a different side of the containers with the sources of illumination and thereby to present a different illuminated image to the photosensitive means, and controlling the time of energization of the source of illumination so that one lighted image of a container at a time is scanned.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of inspecting elongated containers for foreign matter and rejecting unacceptable containers, said method including: gripping the containers by the necks and causing the containers to rotate about the axis of elongation while moving them along a predetermined path with the bottoms of the containers suspended at a first elevation; inspecting the containers from the sides during movement along said path; releasing rejected containers from said path at a predetermined location beyond said inspection means to fall free onto a support surface at a second elevation below said first elevation of the container bottom to catch and support the containers by the bottoms; guiding the rejected containers out of said predetermined path, whereby the flow of acceptable containers is cleared of rejected containers, and stabilizing the positions thereof as the containers move clear of acceptable containers.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of inspecting elongated containers for foreign matter and rejecting unacceptable containers, said method including: gripping the containers by the necks and causing the containers to rotate about the axis of elongation while moving them along a predetermined path with the bottoms of the containers suspended at a first elevation; inspecting the containers from the sides during movement along said path; releasing rejected containers from said path at a predetermined location beyond said inspection means to fall free onto a support surface at a second elevation below said first elevation of the container bottom to catch and support the containers by the bottoms; guiding the rejected containers out of said predetermined path, whereby the flow of acceptable containers is cleared of rejected containers, and stabilizing the positions thereof as the containers move clear of acceptable containers.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
175 words
A method of inspecting and moving containers through a plurality of spaced apart inspection stations and rejecting unacceptable containers from those that are acceptable, said method comprising: defining a predetermined path of travel for the containers in spaced apart relation and from a container inlet into that path and through the inspection stations and a container reject zone to a container outlet; gripping the containers by the necks and suspending them in spaced relation with the bottoms at a first elevation and free of support; turning the gripped containers during movement between the spaced inspection stations; inspecting the containers at the spaced inspection stations where a different side of each container is non-rotatively presented for inspection; releasing the grip on a container found to be unacceptable; and releasing the unacceptable containers to drop to positions at a second elevation out of the path of travel for acceptable containers, to be captured and stabilized as they drop to the second elevation from the predetermined path and at a rate commensurate with the passage of acceptable containers.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
175 words
A method of inspecting and moving containers through a plurality of spaced apart inspection stations and rejecting unacceptable containers from those that are acceptable, said method comprising: defining a predetermined path of travel for the containers in spaced apart relation and from a container inlet into that path and through the inspection stations and a container reject zone to a container outlet; gripping the containers by the necks and suspending them in spaced relation with the bottoms at a first elevation and free of support; turning the gripped containers during movement between the spaced inspection stations; inspecting the containers at the spaced inspection stations where a different side of each container is non-rotatively presented for inspection; releasing the grip on a container found to be unacceptable; and releasing the unacceptable containers to drop to positions at a second elevation out of the path of travel for acceptable containers, to be captured and stabilized as they drop to the second elevation from the predetermined path and at a rate commensurate with the passage of acceptable containers.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
219 words
A method of inspecting open mouth frangible type containers for the presence of foreign matter and rejecting those containers carrying objectionable foreign matter, the steps of establishing a path of travel for all containers through at least two spaced apart inspection stations, feeding the containers into the path of travel at an inlet, gripping the containers at the inlet to the path of travel so as to suspend them by the neck adjacent the open mouth so as to leave the sides unobstructed during travel in said path, turning the containers during the travel along the path between the inspection stations to non-rotatively present a different side of each container for inspection at each inspection station, directing a light beam through the side of each container at each inspection station, sensing the level of illumination of the container images, continuing the travel of the containers to an outlet beyond the last of the two inspection stations, releasing the grip on containers carrying objectionable foreign matter which has altered the level of illumination during sensing of the light level in advance of the outlet, allowing the released containers to fall free of the path of travel of other containers traveling to the outlet, and guiding the released containers into a path of travel diverging from the established path of travel.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
219 words
A method of inspecting open mouth frangible type containers for the presence of foreign matter and rejecting those containers carrying objectionable foreign matter, the steps of establishing a path of travel for all containers through at least two spaced apart inspection stations, feeding the containers into the path of travel at an inlet, gripping the containers at the inlet to the path of travel so as to suspend them by the neck adjacent the open mouth so as to leave the sides unobstructed during travel in said path, turning the containers during the travel along the path between the inspection stations to non-rotatively present a different side of each container for inspection at each inspection station, directing a light beam through the side of each container at each inspection station, sensing the level of illumination of the container images, continuing the travel of the containers to an outlet beyond the last of the two inspection stations, releasing the grip on containers carrying objectionable foreign matter which has altered the level of illumination during sensing of the light level in advance of the outlet, allowing the released containers to fall free of the path of travel of other containers traveling to the outlet, and guiding the released containers into a path of travel diverging from the established path of travel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
186 words
Apparatus for inspection of transparent containers comprising a stationary cam means, a rotating head having circumferentially spaced pockets therein, means carried by said pockets and operated by moving relative to said cam means to grip and hold containers suspended from said pockets during rotation of said head, means to feed containers into said spaced pockets and to receive inspected containers from said spaced pockets, a plurality of inspection stations spaced apart along the circumference of said rotating head, each station having a light source directing a beam toward the center of rotation of said head, a light sensing device disposed adjacent said center of rotation, means responsive to rotation of said head and connected to the light sources in said stations to energize the light sources in said stations in sequence, and means carried by said container holding means to engage said cam means to rotationally orient the holding means relative to said head and thereby turn the containers in said pockets such that a different side of each container is presented to each of said stations for illumination and viewing by said light sensing device.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
186 words
Apparatus for inspection of transparent containers comprising a stationary cam means, a rotating head having circumferentially spaced pockets therein, means carried by said pockets and operated by moving relative to said cam means to grip and hold containers suspended from said pockets during rotation of said head, means to feed containers into said spaced pockets and to receive inspected containers from said spaced pockets, a plurality of inspection stations spaced apart along the circumference of said rotating head, each station having a light source directing a beam toward the center of rotation of said head, a light sensing device disposed adjacent said center of rotation, means responsive to rotation of said head and connected to the light sources in said stations to energize the light sources in said stations in sequence, and means carried by said container holding means to engage said cam means to rotationally orient the holding means relative to said head and thereby turn the containers in said pockets such that a different side of each container is presented to each of said stations for illumination and viewing by said light sensing device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said pockets in said head are spaced apart a distance such that said pockets align the containers with one inspection station at a time whereby the light sources are energized one at a time.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said stations are spaced apart along the arc of said rotating head, and beam directing means positioned between said stations and said light sensing device and to receive each light beam sequentially.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
223 words
Apparatus to inspect transparent containers for foreign matter comprising means defining a curved path having a predetermined radius of curvature and adapted to move the containers along a predetermined portion of said curved path in spaced relation and past inspection stations, container illumination means at each said inspection station in position to illuminate each container moved along said path and produce an image of the illuminated portion of the containers, said container images being directed along the radius of curvature and coinciding at a common place of intersection, scanner means common to said inspection stations and positioned adjacent said common place of intersection to receive in sequence each container illuminated image and sense significant changes in the intensity of the illumination, sensing means carried by said container moving means and spaced apart so as to be related one with each container moved along said path, electrical sensing devices connected to said illumination means to produce an illuminated image of the container related with each of said sensing means, means beyond said inspection stations to effect the rejection of a container determined by said scanner means to carry objectionable foreign matter, and other circuit means electrically relating said scanner means, electrical sensing devices and said container rejection means to operate said rejection means when a container to be rejected arrives at said rejection means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
223 words
Apparatus to inspect transparent containers for foreign matter comprising means defining a curved path having a predetermined radius of curvature and adapted to move the containers along a predetermined portion of said curved path in spaced relation and past inspection stations, container illumination means at each said inspection station in position to illuminate each container moved along said path and produce an image of the illuminated portion of the containers, said container images being directed along the radius of curvature and coinciding at a common place of intersection, scanner means common to said inspection stations and positioned adjacent said common place of intersection to receive in sequence each container illuminated image and sense significant changes in the intensity of the illumination, sensing means carried by said container moving means and spaced apart so as to be related one with each container moved along said path, electrical sensing devices connected to said illumination means to produce an illuminated image of the container related with each of said sensing means, means beyond said inspection stations to effect the rejection of a container determined by said scanner means to carry objectionable foreign matter, and other circuit means electrically relating said scanner means, electrical sensing devices and said container rejection means to operate said rejection means when a container to be rejected arrives at said rejection means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said container moving means is a rotating head having container holding means thereon to grip the container necks, there being as many holding means as sensing means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said electrical sensing devices are located such that the passage of a sensing means will generate a signal pulse to result in sequential illumination of the containers.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
80 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said container moving means is a rotating head, said inspection stations are spaced along the periphery of the rotary path of movement of said rotating head, said container illumination means at each station directs the illuminated image inwardly along the radius of curvature, means at said common place of intersection to direct the images toward a common path of travel, and said scanner means receives the illuminated images from said common path of travel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means at said common path of travel is beam splitter means, and said electrical sensing devices are located such that the passage of a sensing means will generate a signal pulse to result in sequential illumination of the containers so that the scanner means receives the container images one at a time.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
182 words
Apparatus for inspecting transparent containers comprising stationary cam means, a rotating head having circumferentially spaced pockets therein, means operated by said cam means to hold containers in said pockets during rotation of said head, said holding means carried by said head comprise grippers operated by said cam means to turn said container holding means, means to feed containers into said spaced pockets and to receive inspected containers from said spaced pockets, a plurality of inspection stations spaced apart along the circumference of said rotating head, each station having a light source directing a beam toward the center of rotation of said head, a light sensing device disposed adjacent said center of rotation, means responsive to rotation of said head and connected to the light sources in said stations to energize the light sources in said stations in sequence, and means carried by said head and said container holding means to rotationally orient the containers in said stations such that container images directed out of said stations are each different to present a different side of the container to said light sensing device.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
182 words
Apparatus for inspecting transparent containers comprising stationary cam means, a rotating head having circumferentially spaced pockets therein, means operated by said cam means to hold containers in said pockets during rotation of said head, said holding means carried by said head comprise grippers operated by said cam means to turn said container holding means, means to feed containers into said spaced pockets and to receive inspected containers from said spaced pockets, a plurality of inspection stations spaced apart along the circumference of said rotating head, each station having a light source directing a beam toward the center of rotation of said head, a light sensing device disposed adjacent said center of rotation, means responsive to rotation of said head and connected to the light sources in said stations to energize the light sources in said stations in sequence, and means carried by said head and said container holding means to rotationally orient the containers in said stations such that container images directed out of said stations are each different to present a different side of the container to said light sensing device.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-08-21 | 1982-02-20 | 1982-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-08-21 | 1986-02-20 | 1986-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-08-21 | 1990-02-20 | 1990-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |