Method and apparatus for automatically detecting the presence of holes in filled and sealed packed plastic bags

Claim 1

An in line apparatus for detecting the presence or absence of holes in sealed plastic bags filled with product and gas, the apparatus comprising: (a) a sensing member carrier carrying one or more displaceable sensing members; (b) means for positioning a filled and sealed bag to be inspected accurately with respect to the sensing members; (c) fluffing means for contacting the bag and applying positive pressure to the bag; (d) means for moving the sensing member carrier towards a surface of the bag to a predetermined position to place the sensing members in contact with the bag under uniform pressure for a predetermined time; (e) means for detecting the amount of displacement of the sensing members upon movement of the carrier to said predetermined position so as to provide a test value for said amount of displacement, the detecting means further detecting change in displacement over time of the sensing members over a predetermined period of time while the sensing member carrier is at said predetermined position so as to provide a test value for said change of displacement over time; and (f) means for comparing the test value for the amount of displacement and the test value for the change in displacement over time of the sensing members to predetermined corresponding values obtained with control bags, the comparing means being programmed to reject bags with which the sensing members are displaced less than a predetermined amount, said comparing means further being programmed to reject bags with which the change in displacement over time of the sensing members exceeds a predetermined rate.