Article sizing apparatus and container filling system employing the same
First Claim
1. Article sizing apparatus comprising a housing, said housing defining an opening for affording transport of an article to be measured therethrough, a plurality of first light sources mounted in said housing in a first linear array at one boundary of said opening for producing a plurality of first discrete light beams traversing said opening, a first opaque wall mounted adjacent another boundary of said opening in confronting relation to said light beams from said first array, said first wall having a plurality of slits therein that are spaced apart in correspondence to the spacing between said light sources in said first array, a plurality of first photodetectors for receiving light from said first light sources in said first array, first means for supporting said first photodetectors in said housing on the side of said opening opposite from said first light sources, said first supporting means supporting individual first photodetectors in alignment with respective said slits in said first wall so that each said first photodetector responds to light from only one of said first light sources, a plurality of second light sources mounted in said housing in a second linear array that is substantially orthogonal to said first array for producing a plurality of second discrete light beams traversing said opening substantially normal to said first light beams, a second opaque wall mounted on a boundary of said opening opposite said second linear array, said second wall having a plurality of slits therein that are spaced apart in correspondence to the spacing between said second light sources in said second array, a plurality of second photoconductors for receiving light from said second light sources in said second array, second means for supporting individual second photodetectors in alignment with said slits in said second wall so that each said second photodetector responds to light from only one of said second light sources, sensing means coupled to said photodetectors for sensing the identity of photodetectors that are in a condition illuminated by said light sources and the identity of photodetectors that are in a condition obscured by an article at each of a plurality of locations along the article as it traverses said opening, storage means coupled to said sensing means for storing plural signals representative of the identity and condition of each said photocell at each of said locations, and analyzing means coupled to said storage means for analyzing the signals stored in said storage means to produce a resultant parameter representative of the volume of said article.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An article sensor which defines an opening through which articles to be measured are propelled in a non-supported condition. Bounding the opening are at least two mutually perpendicular arrays of light sources and of photodetectors. The photodetectors constitute the inputs to a microprocessor controlled circuit so that the number and identity of photodetectors that are obscured by a passing article can be determined rapidly thereby enabling plural measurements of articles dimensions to be made during traversal of a single article. The microprocessor can be programmed to compute the volume of an article, the weight of an article or virtually any other characteristic of an article.
A container filling machine which is controlled by the abovementioned microprocessor so that the aggregate weight applied to each container can be carefully measured and controlled, thereby assuring compliance with relevant fair packaging and labeling regulations without the waste attending overfilling of such containers.
A circuit for controlling and interrogating the photodetectors which permits interrogation of the photodetectors at a rate corresponding to that at which the microprocessor operates. The circuit in a first phase of operation senses the voltage drop across the phototransistor without significantly discharging current carriers from the base of the transistor and in a second phase totally discharges the base in preparation for a succeeding measurement so that determination of the condition of the photodetectors is achieved rapidly and accurately.
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Citations
7 Claims
- 1. Article sizing apparatus comprising a housing, said housing defining an opening for affording transport of an article to be measured therethrough, a plurality of first light sources mounted in said housing in a first linear array at one boundary of said opening for producing a plurality of first discrete light beams traversing said opening, a first opaque wall mounted adjacent another boundary of said opening in confronting relation to said light beams from said first array, said first wall having a plurality of slits therein that are spaced apart in correspondence to the spacing between said light sources in said first array, a plurality of first photodetectors for receiving light from said first light sources in said first array, first means for supporting said first photodetectors in said housing on the side of said opening opposite from said first light sources, said first supporting means supporting individual first photodetectors in alignment with respective said slits in said first wall so that each said first photodetector responds to light from only one of said first light sources, a plurality of second light sources mounted in said housing in a second linear array that is substantially orthogonal to said first array for producing a plurality of second discrete light beams traversing said opening substantially normal to said first light beams, a second opaque wall mounted on a boundary of said opening opposite said second linear array, said second wall having a plurality of slits therein that are spaced apart in correspondence to the spacing between said second light sources in said second array, a plurality of second photoconductors for receiving light from said second light sources in said second array, second means for supporting individual second photodetectors in alignment with said slits in said second wall so that each said second photodetector responds to light from only one of said second light sources, sensing means coupled to said photodetectors for sensing the identity of photodetectors that are in a condition illuminated by said light sources and the identity of photodetectors that are in a condition obscured by an article at each of a plurality of locations along the article as it traverses said opening, storage means coupled to said sensing means for storing plural signals representative of the identity and condition of each said photocell at each of said locations, and analyzing means coupled to said storage means for analyzing the signals stored in said storage means to produce a resultant parameter representative of the volume of said article.
Specification