Inspecting apparatus for foreign matter

• US 20030214649A1
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scan Technology Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Scan Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Yagita, Kiyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,825,925 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/239.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9027 in containers after filling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9081 Inspection especially designed for plastic containers, e.g. preforms

Abstract

In an inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter for detecting a foreign matter got entered an object being inspected that contains a liquid product by inspecting the object being inspected optically with imaging means, a conical prism is disposed between the object being inspected and the imaging means. Consequently, it is possible to provide an inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter for use in a production line for manufacturing liquid products, such as drinks and liquid drugs, which can detect in a reliable manner whether a foreign matter has entered a liquid inside a container, such as a bottle or a PET bottle, and a foreign matter in a colored bottle or PET bottle or in a colored liquid as well.

Claims

1. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter for detecting a foreign matter got entered an object being inspected that contains a liquid product by inspecting said object being inspected optically with imaging means, wherein a conical prism is disposed between said object being inspected and said imaging means.

2. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter according to claim 1, wherein said conical prism is a single-side conical prism.

3. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter according to claim 1, wherein said conical prism is a double-side conical prism.

4. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter according to claim 2, wherein said imaging means is a CCD sensor.

5. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter according to claim 3, wherein said imaging means is a CCD sensor.

6. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter according to claim 1, wherein said liquid product and said object being inspected are transparent, and said foreign matter is one of a suspended foreign matter and a deposited foreign matter.

7. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter according to claim 6, wherein said object being inspected is one of a bottle and a PET bottle.

8. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter for detecting a foreign matter got entered an object being inspected that contains a liquid product by inspecting said object being inspected optically with imaging means, wherein:

light irradiated to said object being inspected is infrared light having a wavelength of 750 to 1000 nm; and

a conical prism is disposed between said object being inspected and said imaging means.

9. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter according to claim 8, wherein said infrared light is irradiated at power in a range from 0.7 mW to 100 W both inclusive.

10. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said conical prism is a single-side conical prism.

11. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter according to claim 8 or 9, wherein said conical prism is a double-side conical prism.

12. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter according to claim 8, wherein said imaging means is a CCD sensor.

13. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter according to claim 8, wherein one or both of said liquid product and said object being inspected are colored, opaque or translucent.

14. An inspecting apparatus for a foreign matter according to claim 8, wherein said object being inspected is one of a bottle and a PET bottle.