CAPSULE OBJECT INSPECTION SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHOD

• US 20170059391A1
• Filed: 08/26/2015
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Original Assignee: R J Reynolds Tobacco Company (R. J. Reynolds Tobacco)
• Inventors: Ademe, Balager
• Granted Patent: US 9,766,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/16 Sorting according to weight sorting eggs A01K43/00; weighing apparatus per se G01G
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/342 according to optical properties, e.g. colour according to radiation transmittivity B07C5/3416
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 17/00 Apparatus for or methods of weighing material of special form or property determining weight by measuring volume G01F
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/00 Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups electric measuring arrangements involving comparison with a reference value G01R17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9508 Capsules; Tablets

Abstract

An inspection system configured to inspect a plurality of capsule objects is provided. The system includes an imaging device for capturing an image of the capsule object'"'"'s exterior and a weighing device for measuring the capsule object'"'"'s weight. The system also includes an analysis unit configured to analyze the captured images and the measured weights of the capsule objects. The analysis unit is configured to execute an edge detection tool that determines the capsule object'"'"'s dimensions and whether the capsule object is defective based at least in part on the measured dimensions. The analysis unit is also configured to execute a weight analysis tool configured to determine whether the capsule object is defective based on the capsule object'"'"'s weight. An associated method and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein that are executable by a processor are also provided.

Claims

1. An inspection system configured to inspect a plurality of capsule objects, each of the capsule objects comprising an outer shell and an inner payload, the inspection system comprising:

at least one imaging device configured to capture at least one image of the exterior of each of the capsule objects;

a weighing device configured to measure the weight of each of the capsule objects; and

an analysis unit configured to analyze the at least one image captured by the at least one imaging device and to analyze the weight measurement obtained by the weighing device for each of the capsule objects, the analysis unit being configured to execute;

an edge detection tool configured to determine a dimension of each of the capsule objects based on the at least one image and to determine whether any of the capsule objects are defective based on the dimension; and

a weight analysis tool configured to determine whether any of the capsule objects are defective based on the weight.

2. The inspection system of claim 1 further comprising a capsule dispensing device comprising a peripheral surface, the peripheral surface defining a plurality of cavities configured to receive the capsule objects therein, and the capsule dispensing device configured to sequentially introduce the capsule objects to a detection zone, the detection zone being defined by a field of view of the at least one imaging device.

3. The inspection system of claim 2 further comprising a capsule object repository operably engaged with the capsule dispensing device, the capsule object repository configured to retain a plurality of capsule objects therein.

4. The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the weighing device is configured to measure the weight of a series of the capsule objects after the at least one imaging device has captured the at least one image of the exterior of at least one of the capsule objects.

5. The inspection system of claim 4, wherein the weighing device is configured to recalibrate between measuring the weight of each of the capsule objects.

6. The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the edge detection tool is configured to determine a width of each of the capsule objects along a horizontal axis from the at least one image of the exterior of the capsule objects.

7. The inspection system of claim 6, wherein the edge detection tool is further configured to determine a height of the capsule objects along a vertical axis from the at least one image of the exterior of the capsule objects.

8. The inspection system of claim 1, wherein the weight analysis tool is configured to compare the weight of each of the capsule objects with a predetermined capsule object weight interval.

9. A method for inspecting a plurality of capsule objects comprising an outer shell and an inner payload, the method comprising:

capturing one or more images of the capsule objects with at least one imaging device;

determining a dimension of each of the capsule objects from the one or more images;

weighing the capsule objects with a weighing device after the one or more images of the capsule objects are captured to determine a weight of each of the capsule objects; and

determining whether the capsule objects are defective based on the weight and the dimension of the capsule objects.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining a dimension of each of the capsule objects comprises determining a width of the capsule objects along a horizontal axis of the capsule objects and a height of the capsule objects along a vertical axis of the capsule objects.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising dispensing the capsule objects to a detection zone defined by a field of view of the at least one imaging device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing the capsule objects to a plurality of cavities defined by a peripheral surface of a dispensing device, the dispensing device configured to sequentially dispense one of the capsule objects to the detection zone.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising dispensing the capsule objects to the weighing device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein dispensing the capsule objects to the detection zone and dispensing the capsule objects to the weighing device comprise dropping the capsule objects from a dispensing device sequentially.

15. The method of claim 9 further comprising recalibrating the weighing device between weighing each of the capsule objects.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether the capsule object is defective comprises:

comparing the weight of the capsule objects with a predetermined capsule object weight interval; and

comparing the dimension of capsule objects with a predetermined capsule object dimension interval.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising discarding the capsule objects that are determined to be defective.

18. A computer-readable storage medium that is non-transitory and has computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by a processor, cause a system to at least:

capture at least one image of each of a plurality of capsule objects;

determine a dimension of each of the capsule objects from the at least one image;

measure a weight of each of the capsule objects; and

determine whether each of the capsule objects is defective based on the at least one image and the weight.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the computer-readable program code portions that cause the system to determine the dimension of each of the capsule objects are configured to cause the system to determine a width of each of the capsule objects along a horizontal axis of the capsule objects and a height of each of the capsule objects along a vertical axis of the capsule objects.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 further computer-readable program code portions that cause the system to recalibrate a weighing device between measuring a weight of each of the capsule objects.