CONTAINER FILL LEVEL INSPECTION APPARATUS

• US 3,563,379 A
• Filed: 11/12/1968
• Issued: 02/16/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James R. Gender, Stapf Virgil Melvin
• Original Assignee: James R. Gender, Stapf Virgil Melvin
• Inventors: STAPF VIRGIL MELVIN, Gender, James R.
• Application Number:
  US04/774,689
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• US Class Current: 209/524
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3408 for bottles, jars or other glassware according to size B07C5/122
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/848 the article-engaging elements being suction or magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/2921 for discrete levels

Abstract

Apparatus for inspecting a moving series of containers to detect improperly filled and empty containers and reacting to reject the same from those properly filled, and including an inspecting head assembly containing the components which perform the inspecting as rapidly as containers are moved through an inspection station without necessitating stop and start sequencing.

Claims

1. Apparatus for inspecting transparent containers for fill level of the contents comprising:

a source of light energy projected along a predetermined path;

light energy sensitive means spaced from said source and disposed in the predetermined path, means forming a window opening in front of said sensitive means;

means to adjust the size of said window opening;

scanner means movable across said window opening and in front of said sensitive means, said scanner means having spaced recesses adapted selectively to successively and continuously pass the projected light energy in the predetermined path;

means to vary the size of said scanner recesses whereby the number of whole recesses passing said window opening is continuously limited to one whole recess;

containers movable across the predetermined path of light energy for inspection of a normal fill level of the contents, the contents when at a predetermined level in a container causing said light energy in the predetermined path to converge on a vertical axis substantially in the plane of movement of said scanner means and when at less than the predetermined level causes substantially no convergence of the light energy relative to said scanner means, said light sensitive means reacting to the convergent light energy and said scanner means to produce a modulated electrical signal indicative of the fill level and reacting to the nonconvergent light energy and said scanner means to produce an unmodulated electrical signal indicative of the less than normal fill level.

2. Apparatus for inspecting transparent containers for a predetermined normal level of fill comprising:

a housing having spaced sections formed with aligned openings;

a source of light in said housing;

means in one housing section projecting a beam from said light source through said aligned windows across the space between said sections;

light-responsive electrically sensitive receiver means in the other housing section adjacent said opening therein to receive the light beam;

light scanner means in the other housing section adjacent said receiver means, said scanner means having a series of spaced recesses sequentially movable in front of said receiver means at a substantially uniform rate to permit a substantially constant amount of light from the light beam to impinge thereon to produce an unmodulated electrical signal; and

filled containers movable through the space between said housing sections, the extent of fill being at an elevation within the containers such that the predetermined normal level of fill intercepts the light beam passing between said openings and refracts the light to concentrate the energy of the refracted light and cause it to impinge on said sensitive means to produce a modulated electrical signal, containers not fIlled to the predetermined level passing without refracting the substantially constant amount of light.

3. A container fill level inspecting apparatus to be used in connection with continuously moving transparent containers comprising in combination:

light sensitive photocell means positioned adjacent one side of a line of container movement;

light-beam projecting means positioned at the other side of the line of container movement and directing the light beam at said sensitive means;

an electrical detection circuit connected to said sensitive means and providing for a conductive circuit responsive to containers of a desired fill level and a nonconductive circuit response for containers of less than the desired fill level;

light scanning means operably mounted adjacent said sensitive means and permitting a substantially constant amount of light to reach said sensitive means for underfilled containers, said light scanning means comprises rotary means having peripheral recesses movable in front of said photocell means, and shutter means adjustable to limit the exposure of said light sensitive photocell means constantly to one whole recess, filled containers refracting the light beam to concentrate the light reaching said sensitive means to provide said conductive circuit response; and

container rejection means responsive to said nonconductive circuit response for rejecting containers having less than the desired fill level.

4. A radiant energy device adapted to straddle a traveling conveyor for continuously inspecting transparent containers for a desired fill level, comprising:

first means to generate and project a radiant energy beam across the line of travel through each of the containers and at the desired fill level elevation, properly filled containers acting as a convergent lens to concentrate the energy of the projected beam and improperly filled containers leaving the projected beam undisturbed;

second means to receive the projected beam and produce an electrical signal related to the amount of energy received;

third means adjacent said second means to scan the projected beam for the undisturbed and concentrated energy of the projected beam;

other means adjacent the path of the projected beam to select an effective dimension thereof, and said third means including movable means having a series of beam scanning surfaces spaced apart to a dimension substantially equal to the dimension selected for said other means.