INSPECTION SYSTEM

• US 20110297590A1
• Filed: 05/31/2011
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ackley Machine Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ackley Machine Corporation
• Inventors: Ford, Mark, ACKLEY, E. Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,373,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 209/580
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/34 Sorting according to other particular properties material testing per se G01N; quality control G07C3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3412 according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3422 using video scanning devices, e.g. TV-cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/362 Separating or distributor mechanisms switches for postal sorting B07C3/065; particular discharging devices for B65G47/74
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/363 by means of air
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/845 Objects on a conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/8592 Grain or other flowing solid samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/85 Investigating moving fluids or granular solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8806 Specially adapted optical and illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8851 Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9508 Capsules; Tablets
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/02 Mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/062 LED's
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0621 Supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

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.

Claims

1. An inspection system configured for use with a conveyer apparatus 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 unit configured to sense a predetermined characteristic of the plurality of pellet-shaped articles;

a removal unit, downstream from the at least one camera unit, structured to remove at least a selected one of the plurality of pellet-shaped articles from at least a selected one of the plurality of carrier bars depending on whether the predetermined characteristic is sensed by the at least one camera unit; and

a controller in communication with the at least one camera unit 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 unit, wherein the removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having a plurality of extended vacuum nozzles along its length that is equal to the number of articles conveyed in each carrier bar, each vacuum nozzle structured to selectively remove the article from the carrier bar by suction.

2. An inspection system according to claim 1, wherein each camera unit is configured to sense a plurality articles simultaneously.

3. An inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined characteristic includes at least one of marking error, printing misregistration, particular indicia, color, gel coating, and/or laser drilled hole.

4. An inspection system according to claim 1, further comprising a light assembly provided to the camera units to illuminate the articles as they are being sensed.

5. An inspection system according to claim 4, wherein the light assembly includes a dome structure and one or more LED lights, the dome structure including a reflective interior surface adapted to reflect light from the LED lights onto the articles being sensed.

6. An inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the removal unit selectively removes articles from the carrier bar by suction which are acceptable and passively allows rejected ones of the articles to be removed from the carrier bar.

7. An inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the removal unit includes a plurality of controllable valves associated with respective vacuum nozzles, each of the valves being selectively controlled by the controller to control vacuum pressure to the associated nozzle.

8. An inspection system according to claim 1, wherein each vacuum nozzle includes a flexible tip portion adapted to engage the article.

9. An inspection system according to claim 1, wherein the ejection drum is releasably mounted to allow removal for servicing, cleaning, and/or replacement to a drum having a different number and/or arrangement of vacuum nozzles.

10. An inspection system configured for with a conveyer apparatus 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:

first and second camera units each 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 camera units and the removal unit, the controller providing a signal to the removal unit in accordance with the predetermined characteristic sensed by the camera units,

wherein the removal unit includes a rotatable ejection drum having a plurality of vacuum nozzles along its length that is equal to 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 either one of an accept bin or a reject bin depending on the predetermined characteristic sensed by the camera units.

11. An inspection system according to claim 10, wherein each camera unit is configured to sense a plurality articles simultaneously.

12. An inspection system according to claim 10, wherein the predetermined characteristic includes at least one of marking error, printing misregistration, particular indicia, color, gel coating, and/or laser drilled hole.

13. An inspection system according to claim 10, further comprising a light assembly provided to the camera units to illuminate the articles as they are being sensed.

14. An inspection system according to claim 13, wherein the light assembly includes a dome structure and one or more LED lights, the dome structure including a reflective interior surface adapted to reflect light from the LED lights onto the articles being sensed.

15. An inspection system according to claim 10, wherein the removal unit includes a plurality of controllable valves associated with respective vacuum nozzles, each of the valves being selectively controlled by the controller to control vacuum pressure to the associated nozzle.

16. An inspection system according to claim 10, wherein each vacuum nozzle includes a flexible tip portion adapted to engage the article.

17. An inspection system according to claim 10, wherein the ejection drum is releasably mounted to allow removal for servicing, cleaning, and/or replacement to a drum having a different number and/or arrangement of vacuum nozzles.

18. An inspection system according to claim 10, wherein the ejection drum holds articles for a longer distance and/or period of time depending on the predetermined characteristic sensed by the camera units.

19. An inspection system according to claim 18, wherein the ejection drum holds acceptable articles for a longer distance and/or period of time than rejected articles.

20. A method for inspecting a predetermined characteristic of a pellet shaped article, the method comprising:

conveying at least one row of articles along a predetermined path;

picking up all articles from the predetermined path by suction;

sensing all articles for the predetermined characteristic; and

selectively releasing suction applied to the articles to directly deposit the articles into either one of an accept bin or a reject bin depending on whether the predetermined characteristic is sensed.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein sensing all articles for the predetermined characteristic includes sensing both sides of each article for the predetermined characteristic.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein one side of each article is sensed before picking up and the other side of each article is sensed after picking up.

23. A method according to claim 20, wherein selectively releasing suction includes holding articles for a longer distance and/or period of time depending on whether the predetermined characteristic is sensed.

24. A method according to claim 20, wherein suction is released earlier for rejected articles than acceptable articles.

25. A method according to claim 20, wherein selectively releasing suction includes holding acceptable articles for a longer distance and/or period of time than rejected articles.

26. An inspection system configured for use with a conveyer apparatus 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:

a removal unit structured to remove all the articles from the plurality of carrier bars by suction, and the removal unit being configured to selectively release suction applied to the articles to directly deposit the articles into either one of an accept bin or a reject bin depending on whether either side of the article is defective.