Inspection system
First Claim
1. An inspection system configured for use with a conveyer including a plurality of carrier bars, each carrier bar being structured to convey a plurality of pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path, the inspection system comprising:
- at least one camera configured to sense a predetermined characteristic of the plurality of pellet-shaped articles;
a removal unit structured to remove the plurality of pellet-shaped articles from the plurality of carrier bars; and
a controller in communication with the at least one camera and the removal unit, the controller providing a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the predetermined characteristic sensed by the at least one camera,wherein the removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having a plurality of vacuum nozzles along its length associated with the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar, the vacuum nozzles structured to remove all of the articles from the carrier bar by suction and selectively release suction applied to all of the articles to release the articles into one of an accept bin and a reject bin depending on the predetermined characteristic sensed by the at least one camera.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An inspection system is configured for use with a conveyer apparatus including carrier bars. Each carrier bar conveys pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path. The inspection system includes at least one camera unit for sensing a predetermined characteristic of the pellet-shaped articles, a removal unit, and a controller. The removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera unit, removes selected pellet-shaped article(s) from the carrier bar(s) depending on whether the characteristic is sensed by the at least one camera unit. The controller is in communication with the at least one camera unit and the removal unit. The controller provides a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the sensed characteristic. The removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having extended vacuum nozzles along its length, equal to the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar. Each vacuum nozzle selectively removes article(s) from the carrier bar(s) by suction.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An inspection system configured for use with a conveyer including a plurality of carrier bars, each carrier bar being structured to convey a plurality of pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path, the inspection system comprising:
-
at least one camera configured to sense a predetermined characteristic of the plurality of pellet-shaped articles; a removal unit structured to remove the plurality of pellet-shaped articles from the plurality of carrier bars; and a controller in communication with the at least one camera and the removal unit, the controller providing a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the predetermined characteristic sensed by the at least one camera, wherein the removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having a plurality of vacuum nozzles along its length associated with the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar, the vacuum nozzles structured to remove all of the articles from the carrier bar by suction and selectively release suction applied to all of the articles to release the articles into one of an accept bin and a reject bin depending on the predetermined characteristic sensed by the at least one camera. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of making a genuine batch of pellet-shaped articles, each of the pellet-shaped articles in the genuine batch being free from defects of a predefined magnitude, the method comprising:
-
providing a plurality of pellet-shaped articles to an inspection system configured for use with a conveyer including a plurality of carrier bars, each carrier bar being structured to convey a plurality of pellet-shaped articles along a predetermined path; sensing a predetermined characteristic of the plurality of pellet-shaped articles via at least one camera; providing a signal to a removal unit in accordance with the predetermined characteristic sensed by the at least one camera, the removal unit being structured to remove the plurality of pellet-shaped articles from the plurality of carrier bars, wherein the removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having a plurality of vacuum nozzles along its length associated with the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar, the vacuum nozzles structured to remove all of the articles from the carrier bar by suction and selectively release suction applied to all of the articles to release the articles into one of an accept bin and a reject bin depending on the predetermined characteristic sensed by the at least one camera; separating acceptable pellet-shaped articles to be included in the genuine batch, from unacceptable pellet-shaped articles to be excluded from the genuine batch, in connection with the inspection system; and packaging together the separated acceptable pellet-shaped articles in making the genuine batch. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification