Inspecting cans for openings with light
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for automatically inspecting open-ended containers for presence of openings in their structure comprising a rotatable shaft;
- plurality of photosensitive devices mounted for rotation with the shaft;
plurality of holders, corresponding in number to the number of the photosensitive devices, mounted for rotation with the shaft, with each holder disposed opposite a corresponding photosensitive device;
each holder includes means for yieldably maintaining a container between a holder and a photosensitive device whereby the device shuts off the open end of the container from exterior light;
means for feeding containers between cooperating holders and photosensitive devices;
stationary test station, including a light source for illuminating exterior of containers passing therethrough with the photosensitive devices sensing light passing through any opening that may be present in the containers; and
means for sorting good container from leakers in response to signals from the photosensitive devices.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Inspection is effected by clamping cans between a holder and a photosensitive device which holders and devices are disposed in opposed relationship in a plurality of sets, illuminating exterior of the cans to project light through any opening in the can to the photosensitive device, sensing such light and sending electrical signals to an electronic memory to sort good cans from leakers; the photosensitive device includes an array of directional photodarlingtons one group of which detects openings in can flanges and another group detects openings in can bodies.
26 Citations
40 Claims
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1. Apparatus for automatically inspecting open-ended containers for presence of openings in their structure comprising a rotatable shaft;
- plurality of photosensitive devices mounted for rotation with the shaft;
plurality of holders, corresponding in number to the number of the photosensitive devices, mounted for rotation with the shaft, with each holder disposed opposite a corresponding photosensitive device;
each holder includes means for yieldably maintaining a container between a holder and a photosensitive device whereby the device shuts off the open end of the container from exterior light;
means for feeding containers between cooperating holders and photosensitive devices;
stationary test station, including a light source for illuminating exterior of containers passing therethrough with the photosensitive devices sensing light passing through any opening that may be present in the containers; and
means for sorting good container from leakers in response to signals from the photosensitive devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- plurality of photosensitive devices mounted for rotation with the shaft;
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11. Apparatus for automatically inspecting open-ended containers with outwardly extending flange for presence of openings in their structure comprising a front and a rear plate both vertically disposed in spaced relationship;
- a feed shaft, test shaft and discharge shaft mounted perpendicularly between the front and rear plates, the test shaft being disposed between the other two shafts;
a feed wheel rotatable clockwise mounted on the feed shaft provided with cradles for supporting containers, a test wheel rotatable counterclockwise mounted on the test shaft and a discharge wheel rotatable clockwise mounted on the discharge shaft provided with cradles for supporting containers;
means for rotating the feed, test and discharge wheels in unison;
means for conveying containers to the feed wheel;
means for transferring containers from feed wheel to test wheel;
means for transferring containers from test wheel to discharge wheel;
a plurality of holders with yieldable means mounted on the test wheel and being rotatable therewith;
a plurality of photosensitive devices, corresponding in number to the number of holders, disposed in spaced opposed relationship to the holders on the test wheel which block the open end of containers and cooperate with the holders to clamp a container between each pair of opposed holders and devices, with any light entering interior of a container being detected by the photosensitive device;
stationary test station, including a light source provided in association with the test wheel for illuminating exterior of the containers; and
means for sorting good cans from leakers in response to the photosensitive devices. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
- a feed shaft, test shaft and discharge shaft mounted perpendicularly between the front and rear plates, the test shaft being disposed between the other two shafts;
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23. Apparatus for testing open-ended containers for openings therein comprising a rotatable feed carrier, a rotatable test carrier and a rotatable discharge carrier, the containers being moved from the feed to the test and finally to the discharge carrier;
- a plurality of holders mounted on the test carrier, each holder including yieldable means for clamping a container;
a plurality of photosensitive devices, corresponding in number to the number of the holders disposed on the test carrier in spaced, opposed relationship to the holder;
a stationery test station, including a light source for illuminating exterior of the containers, the containers being adapted to be clamped between pairs of holders and photosensitive devices and advanced through the test station where light passing through an opening in a container would be detected by the photosensitive devices; and
means for sorting good containers from leakers in response to the photosensitive devices. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
- a plurality of holders mounted on the test carrier, each holder including yieldable means for clamping a container;
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29. Apparatus for testing open-ended containers for openings therein comprising a rotatable feed wheel, a rotatable test wheel and a rotatable discharge wheel, the wheels being mounted on respective shafts and the containers being moved from the feed to the test and finally to the discharge wheel;
- cradles mounted on feed and discharge wheels;
a plurality of holders mounted on the test wheel;
a plurality of photosensitive devices, corresponding in number to the number of the holders, disposed on the test wheel in spaced, opposed relationship to the holders;
a stationery test station, including a light source for illuminating exterior of the containers, the containers being adapted to be clamped between pairs of holders and photosensitive devices and advanced through the test station where light passing through any opening in containers would be detected by the photosensitive devices;
means for sorting good containers from leakers in response to the photosensitive devices;
spool valves disposed through bores in the feed and discharge wheels, one spool valve associated with each cradle;
each of the spool valves having a pressure port and a vacuum port;
a pair of separate compartments in each of the feed and discharge shafts, one compartment being under pressure the other under vacuum;
a pressure aperture leading through each feed and discharge shaft and each feed and discharge wheel to connect the pressure compartment with the bore in which the spool valve is disposed and a vacuum aperture leading through each feed and discharge shaft and each feed and discharge wheel to connect the vacuum compartment with the same bore;
a cradle aperture leading from the bore through each feed and discharge wheel into and through each cradle;
means for shifting each spool valve to bring either the pressure or vacuum compartment in communication with the cradle aperture through the shafts, wheels and either pressure or vacuum ports to either expel from or retain containers in the cradles by means of pressurized air or vacuum. - View Dependent Claims (30)
- cradles mounted on feed and discharge wheels;
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31. Apparatus for testing open-ended containers for openings therein comprising a rotatable feed carrier, a rotatable test carrier and a rotatable discharge carrier, the containers being moved from the feed to the test and finally to the discharge carrier;
- a plurality of holders mounted on the test carrier;
a plurality of photosensitive devices corresponding in number to the number of the holders disposed on the test carrier in spaced, opposed relationship to the holders;
a stationery test station, including a light source for illuminating exterior of the containers, the containers being adapted to be clamped between pairs of holders and photosensitive devices and advanced through the test station where light passing through an opening in a container would be detected by the photosensitive devices;
means for sorting good containers from leakers in response to the photosensitive devices;
the photosensitive devices have optimum response in the infrared region and the light source has a high output of infrared light whereby reflectance of such light from interior of containers is minimized. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
- a plurality of holders mounted on the test carrier;
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34. Method of testing open-ended containers for presence of openings therein comprising clamping containers between pairs of holders and photosentitive devices mounted on a test carrier with the photosensitive devices blocking the open ends of the containers;
- illuminating exterior of the containers at a test station;
detecting light passing through any opening in containers by means of the photosensitive devices; and
sorting good containers from leakers. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
- illuminating exterior of the containers at a test station;
Specification