Glassware inspection using optical streak detection

Claim 3

A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the article is illuminated upwardly through its base and a side of the article is optically scanned to sense defects in response to recognition of brighter-than-ambient image streaks.

Claim 4

A method as defined in claim 1, for sensing defects in response to the recognition of darker-than-ambient image streaks.

Claim 5

A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the relative motion between the article and the optical scanner occurs along a motion axis, and the video elements corresponding to the linear portions are oriented essentially parallel to the motion axis.

Claim 6

A method as defined in claim 4 wherein the relative motion is caused at least in part by rotating the article about its central axis.

Claim 7

A method as defined in claim 4 wherein said motion axis is parallel to said rows of video elements so that a streak extends longitudinally of at least one of said rows, and further comprising the step of predetermining a portion of the matrix of video elements for which the summing step is effected.

Claim 8

A method as defined in claim 6, further comprising the step of assigning a gain factor to each row of the optical signal frames, by which the sum of the output signals for that row is to be multiplied.

Claim 9

A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the sums of the output signals for each said linear portion of each frame provide an array of line sum signals and further comprising the step of generating differential signal arrays representing the absolute differences between line sum signal arrays of consecutive frames.

Claim 10

A method as defined in claim 8, further comprising the steps of: adding together the differential signal arrays representing an article to yield an aggregate signal array; and comparing a predetermined characteristic of the aggregate signal array with a defect standard to determine whether a defect is present.

Claim 11

A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the predetermined characteristic of the aggregate signal array comprises the ratio of its peak signal value to its average signal value.

Claim 12

A method as defined in claim 10 wherein the series of chronologically sequential optical signal frames are based upon at least one complete circumferential scanning of the article.

Claim 13

In a system for inspecting translucent articles for manufacturing defects, including movement means for transporting and rotating an article under inspection, the improvement comprising: optical scanning means for generating sequential frames of video signals representative of the optical image of at least a portion of the article, said video signal frames comprising rows and columns of video elements, the region of the article scanned by rows of video signal elements being oriented essentially parallel to the direction of the relative motion between the article and the optical scanning means; means for summing electrical output signals of a series of said video signal elements in each of a plurality of said rows to generate line sum signals arrays for each video signal frame; and electronic processing means responsive to the line sum signal arrays for identifying streaks in rows of video elements.

Claim 14

In a system for inspecting translucent articles for manufacturing defects, including movement means for transporting and rotating an article under inspection, the improvement comprising: optical scanning means for generating sequential frames of video signals representative of the optical image of at least a portion of the article, said video signal frames comprising rows and columns of video elements, the region of the article scanned by rows of video signal elements being oriented essentially parallel to the direction of the relative motion between the article and the optical scanning means; means for summing electrical output signals of a series of said video signal elements in each of a plurality of said rows to generate line sum signals arrays for each video signal frame; and electronic processing means responsive to the line sum signal arrays for identifying streaks in rows of video elements.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the processing means comprises means for producing differential signal arrays representative of absolute differences between line sum signal arrays of consecutive frames.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 13, further comprising: means for deriving an aggregate signal array from a sum of the differential signal arrays; and means for comparing a predetermined characteristic of the aggregate signal array with said defect indicators to determine whether a defect is present in said article.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein the predetermined characteristic of the aggregate signal arrays comprises the ratio of its peak signal value to its average signal value.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 13, further comprises timing signal generating means for coordinating the pace of the summing means with the speed of the transporting means.

Claim 19

Apparatus as defined in claim 13, further comprising window definition means for storing user-programmable row and column values specifying given video signal elements to be summing by said processing means.

Claim 20

Apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the window definition means further comprises means for storing row gain values corresponding to the relative weight to be given to given rows of line sum arrays.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined in claim 13 further comprising means for projecting light upwardly through the base of the article and wherein said optical scanning means is aimed at a side of said article to sense defects in response to the recognition of brighter-than ambient image streaks.

Claim 22

Apparatus as defined in claim 13, for sensing defects in response to the recognition of darker-than-ambient image streaks.

Claim 23

Apparatus for inspecting translucent articles for manufacturing defects, comprising: means for illuminating an article to be inspected; an optical scanner for scanning a portion of the article during an inspection interval in which the article and the optical scanner are moved relative to each other, said optical scanner comprising a matrix of video elements arranged in rows and columns, said rows of video elements being oriented essentially parallel to the direction of relative motion; means for deriving a series of chronologically sequential frames of optical signals from corresponding output signals of the matrix of video elements; means for summing the optical signals corresponding to rows of video elements in order to provide an array of line sum signals for at least a portion of each optical signal frame; and video processor means for analyzing the line sum arrays to discriminate maxima, and comparing these maxima with a predetermined defect standard to determine whether a defect is present, the video processor means including means for generating difference signal arrays representative of absolute differences between consecutive line sum signal arrays and producing an aggregate signal array from the sum of difference signal arrays.

Claim 24

Apparatus for inspecting translucent articles for manufacturing defects, comprising: means for illuminating an article to be inspected; an optical scanner for scanning a portion of the article during an inspection interval in which the article and the optical scanner are moved relative to each other, said optical scanner comprising a matrix of video elements arranged in rows and columns, said rows of video elements being oriented essentially parallel to the direction of relative motion; means for deriving a series of chronologically sequential frames of optical signals from corresponding output signals of the matrix of video elements; means for summing the optical signals corresponding to rows of video elements in order to provide an array of line sum signals for at least a portion of each optical signal frame; and video processor means for analyzing the line sum arrays to discriminate maxima, and comparing these maxima with a predetermined defect standard to determine whether a defect is present, the video processor means including means for generating difference signal arrays representative of absolute differences between consecutive line sum signal arrays and producing an aggregate signal array from the sum of difference signal arrays.

Claim 25

An apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein the predetermined defect standard array comprises the ratio of its peak signal value to its average signal value of the aggregate signal array.

Claim 26

An apparatus as defined in claim 21, further comprising means for rotating the article about a central axis and a means for conveying the article to provide relative motion between the article and the optical scanner.

Claim 27

An apparatus as defined in claim 23 wherein the rotating means operates fast enough in relation to the conveying means such that the series of chronologically sequential optical signal frames are based upon at least one complete circumferential scanning of the article.