Beverage container body decorator inspection apparatus
First Claim
1. A metallic beverage container body inspection apparatus comprising:
- an index path wherein a fraction of a plurality of metallic beverage container bodies in manufacturing queue is diverted from the manufacturing queue to the index path;
an indexer which sequentially transfers metallic beverage container bodies from the manufacturing queue of the metallic beverage container bodies, the indexer having a plurality of container body pockets which maintain the metallic beverage container bodies in a predetermined orientation;
a dwell position in operative alignment with the index path wherein the indexer delivers metallic beverage container bodies to the dwell position;
an inspection position vertically aligned with and horizontally offset from the dwell position and the index path;
an image recorder aimed the inspection position for capturing a plurality of images about a circumference of each of the fraction of metallic beverage containers as each of the fraction of metallic beverage containers completes at least one full rotation.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A metallic beverage container body inspection apparatus processes a plurality of metallic beverage container bodies along an index path. An indexer sequentially transfers metallic beverage container bodies from the manufacturing queue through the apparatus while maintaining an orientation of the container bodies. A dwell position is located on the index path wherein the indexer delivers metallic beverage container bodies to the dwell position. An inspection position is vertically aligned with and horizontally offset from the dwell position. An image recorder is aimed the inspection position and captures a plurality of images about a circumference of each metallic beverage containers.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A metallic beverage container body inspection apparatus comprising:
-
an index path wherein a fraction of a plurality of metallic beverage container bodies in manufacturing queue is diverted from the manufacturing queue to the index path; an indexer which sequentially transfers metallic beverage container bodies from the manufacturing queue of the metallic beverage container bodies, the indexer having a plurality of container body pockets which maintain the metallic beverage container bodies in a predetermined orientation; a dwell position in operative alignment with the index path wherein the indexer delivers metallic beverage container bodies to the dwell position; an inspection position vertically aligned with and horizontally offset from the dwell position and the index path; an image recorder aimed the inspection position for capturing a plurality of images about a circumference of each of the fraction of metallic beverage containers as each of the fraction of metallic beverage containers completes at least one full rotation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A metallic beverage container body inspection apparatus comprising:
-
an index path along which a plurality of metallic beverage container bodies are sequentially transferred; an indexer which sequentially transfers the metallic beverage container bodies along the index path in a predetermined orientation; a dwell position in operative alignment with the index path wherein the indexer delivers metallic beverage container bodies to the dwell position; an inspection position vertically aligned with and horizontally offset from the dwell position and the index path; a mandrel having a generally cylindrical side wall separating a distal end of the mandrel from a proximal end of the mandrel wherein the mandrel is insertable within the metallic beverage container bodies such that the distal end is positioned adjacent an enclosed bottom of the metallic beverage containers and the proximal end is positioned adjacent an open end of the metallic beverage container bodies; an inspection position coincident with the mandrel; an image recorder aimed the inspection position for capturing a plurality of images about a circumference of each of the plurality of metallic beverage containers as each of the plurality of metallic beverage containers completes at least one full rotation about a generally horizontal axis of the mandrel.
-
-
13. A method of inspecting a metallic beverage container body having decorations applied thereon by a dry offset rotary beverage container body decorator comprising the steps of:
-
providing an inspection station subsequent to a decorating operation and prior to a necking and flanging operation; processing a manufacturing queue comprising a plurality of metallic beverage container bodies through the decorating apparatus wherein decoration is applied to each metallic container body; diverting a fraction of the plurality of metallic beverage containers in the manufacturing queue to the inspection station subsequent to the processing step; sequentially feeding each of the fraction of the plurality of metallic beverage container bodies to an indexer on the inspection station; indexing each of the fraction of the plurality of metallic beverage containers along an index path to a dwell position; recording images of each of the fraction of the plurality of metallic beverage containers; and transferring each of the fraction of the plurality of metallic beverage containers from the dwell position to an inspection position vertically aligned with and horizontally offset from the dwell position and the index path wherein a rotational cylindrical mandrel is associated with the inspection position and each of the fraction of the plurality of metallic beverage containers is loaded one at a time onto the mandrel and rotated with the mandrel as the recording images step is performed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification