Container inspection apparatus having each output demodulated at a specific source frequency

Claim 2

Apparatus for inspecting a glass container, said apparatus comprising: a first light emitting diode positioned to illuminate a first region of said container with visible light, first driver means for driving said first light emitting diode in a pulsed mode at a first fundamental frequency, first photodetector means positioned to receive light of said first light emitting diode which is reflected from a check in said first region, first receiver and demodulator means coupled to said first photodetector means and tuned to said first fundamental frequency for extracting inspection information from said first photodetector means, a second light emitting diode positioned to illuminate a second region of said container with visible light, second driver means for driving said second light emitting diode in a pulsed mode at a second fundamental frequency, second photodetector means positioned to receive light of said second light emitting diode which is reflected from a check in said second region, and second receiver and demodulator means coupled to said second photodetector means and tuned to said second fundamental frequency for extracting inspection information from said second photodetector means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a third light emitting diode positioned to illuminate a third region of said container with visible light, third means for driving said third light emitting diode in a pulsed mode at said first fundamental frequency, third photodetector means positioned to receive light of said third light emitting diode which is reflected from a check in said third region while avoiding light of said first light emitting diode, and third receiver and demodulator means coupled to said third photodetector means and tuned to said first fundamental frequency for extracting inspection information from said third photodetector means.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising means for causing the relative rotation of the container with respect to the first and second photodetector means and receiver and demodulator means.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first and second regions are at the finish of said container.

Claim 6

Apparatus for inspecting a glass container, said apparatus comprising: a first light emitting diode positioned to illuminate the first region of said container with visible light, first driver means for driving said first light emitting diode in a pulsed mode at a first fundamental frequency, first photodetector means positioned to receive light of said first light emitting diode which is reflected from a check receiver and demodulator means coupled to said first photodetector means and tuned to said first fundamental frequency for extracting inspection information from said first photodetector means, a second light emitting diode positioned to illuminate a second region of said container with visible light, second driver means for driving said second light emitting diode in a pulsed mode at a second fundamental frequency, second photodetector means positioned to receive light of said second light emitting diode which is reflected from a check in said second region, second receiver and demodulator means coupled to said second photodetector means and tuned to said second fundamental frequency for extracting inspection information from said second photodetector means, and means for causing the relative rotation of the container with respect to the first and second photodetector means and receiver and demodulator means.

Claim 7

Apparatus for inspecting a glass container, said apparatus comprising: a first light emitting diode positioned to illuminate the first region of said container with visible light, first driver means for driving said first light emitting diode in a pulsed mode at a first fundamental frequency, first photodetector means positioned to receive light of said first light emitting diode which is reflected from a check receiver and demodulator means coupled to said first photodetector means and tuned to said first fundamental frequency for extracting inspection information from said first photodetector means, a second light emitting diode positioned to illuminate a second region of said container with visible light, second driver means for driving said second light emitting diode in a pulsed mode at a second fundamental frequency, second photodetector means positioned to receive light of said second light emitting diode which is reflected from a check in said second region, second receiver and demodulator means coupled to said second photodetector means and tuned to said second fundamental frequency for extracting inspection information from said second photodetector means, and means for causing the relative rotation of the container with respect to the first and second photodetector means and receiver and demodulator means.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, further comprising: a third light emitting diode positioned to illuminate a third region of said container with visible light, third means for driving said third light emitting diode in a pulsed mode at said first fundamental frequency, third photodetector means positioned to receive light of said third light emitting diode which is reflected from a check in said third region while avoiding light of said first light emitting diode, and third receiver and demodulator means coupled to said third photodetector means and tuned to said first fundamental frequency for extracting inspection information from said third photodetector means.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said first and second regions are at the finish of said container.

Claim 10

Apparatus for inspecting a glass container, said apparatus comprising: a first light emitting diode positioned to illuminate the first region of said container with visible light, first driver means for driving said first light emitting diode in a pulsed mode at a first fundamental frequency, first photodetector means positioned to receive light of said first light emitting diode which is reflected from a check in said first region, first receiver and demodulator means coupled to said first photodetector means and tuned to said first fundamental frequency for extracting inspection information from said first photodetector means, said first receiver and demodulator means including a low pass filter, a second light emitting diode positioned to illuminate a second region of said container with visible light, second driver means for driving said second light emitting diode in a pulsed mode at a second fundamental frequency, second photodetector means positioned to receive light of said second light emitting diode which is reflected from a check in said second region, and second receiver and demodulator means coupled to said second photodetector means and tuned to said second fundamental frequency for extracting inspection information from said second photodetector means, said second receiver and demodulator means including a low pass filter.

Claim 11

Apparatus for inspecting a glass container, said apparatus comprising: a first light emitting diode positioned to illuminate the first region of said container with visible light, first driver means for driving said first light emitting diode in a pulsed mode at a first fundamental frequency, first photodetector means positioned to receive light of said first light emitting diode which is reflected from a check in said first region, first receiver and demodulator means coupled to said first photodetector means and tuned to said first fundamental frequency for extracting inspection information from said first photodetector means, said first receiver and demodulator means including a low pass filter, a second light emitting diode positioned to illuminate a second region of said container with visible light, second driver means for driving said second light emitting diode in a pulsed mode at a second fundamental frequency, second photodetector means positioned to receive light of said second light emitting diode which is reflected from a check in said second region, and second receiver and demodulator means coupled to said second photodetector means and tuned to said second fundamental frequency for extracting inspection information from said second photodetector means, said second receiver and demodulator means including a low pass filter.

Claim 12

Apparatus for inspecting a container, said apparatus comprising: light source means for illuminating said container; driver means for driving said light source at a predetermined frequency, photodetector means for receiving light from said light source means and providing a detector signal representative of said received light; demodulator means responsive to said detector signal for demodulating said detector signal and providing a demodulated signal including inspection information.

Claim 13

Apparatus for inspecting a container, said apparatus comprising: light source means for illuminating said container; driver means for driving said light source at a predetermined frequency, photodetector means for receiving light from said light source means and providing a detector signal representative of said received light; demodulator means responsive to said detector signal for demodulating said detector signal and providing a demodulated signal including inspection information.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said demodulator means comprises a synchronous demodulator.

Claim 15

Apparatus as in claim 10 wherein said demodulator means further comprises a low pass filter.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said predetermined frequency is greater than or equal to 14 kilohertz.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said photodetector means comprises a photodetector diode electrically connected to a receiver amplifier circuit.

Claim 18

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein: said light source means comprises a first source of light positioned to illuminate a first region of said container and a second source of light positioned to illuminate a second region of said container; said driver means comprises first driver means for driving said first source of light at a first frequency and second driver means for driving said second source of light at a second frequency different from said first frequency; said photodetector means comprises first photodetector means positioned for receiving light of said first source which illuminates said first region of said container and second photodetector means positioned for receiving light of said second source which illuminates said second region of said container; and said demodulator means comprises first receiver and demodulator means coupled to said first photodetector means and tuned to said first frequency for extracting inspection information form said first photodetector means and second receiver and demodulator means coupled to said second photodetector means and tuned to said second frequency for extracting inspection information from said second photodetector means.

Claim 19

Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said first source of light comprises a first light emitting diode and said second source of light comprises a second light emitting diode.

Claim 20

Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said first and second light emitting diodes emit visible light.

Claim 21

Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 further comprising: a third source of light positioned to illuminate a third region of said container; third means for driving said third source of light at said first frequency; third photodetector means positioned for receiving light of said third source which illuminates said third region of said container while avoiding light of said first source; and third receiver and demodulator means coupled to said third photodetector means and tuned to said first frequency for extracting inspection information from said third photodetector means.

Claim 22

Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein said first photodetector means is positioned to receive light reflected from a check in said first region of said container, and said second photodetector means is positioned to receive light reflected from a check in said second region of said container.

Claim 23

A process for inspecting a glass container for defects, said process comprising the steps of: illuminating a first region of said container with first modulated light, sensing said first modulated light which reflects from a first defect in said first region and generating corresponding first output signals, demodulating said first output signals to detect said first defect, illuminating a second region of said container with second modulated light, sensing said second modulated light which reflects from a second defect in said second region and generating corresponding second output signals, and demodulating said second output signals to detect said second defect in said second region.

Claim 24

A process for inspecting a glass container for defects, said process comprising the steps of: illuminating a first region of said container with first modulated light, sensing said first modulated light which reflects from a first defect in said first region and generating corresponding first output signals, demodulating said first output signals to detect said first defect, illuminating a second region of said container with second modulated light, sensing said second modulated light which reflects from a second defect in said second region and generating corresponding second output signals, and demodulating said second output signals to detect said second defect in said second region.