Optical code reader sorting apparatus conditioned by trigger indicia
First Claim
1. An apparatus for distinguishing between generally identically shaped objects having a first end, a second end, a central longitudinal axis and a longitudinally extending sidewall based upon code indicia provided on a predetermined, relatively small surface area portion on the sidewall of each object, comprising:
- (a) transfer means for moving said objects in single file relationship along a transfer path extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the objects being moved therealong;
(b) spinning means for engaging an object in said transfer path and for spinning said engaged object about its longitudinal axis during a relatively short duration spinning period without removing said object from said transfer path;
(c) trigger means for sensing the passage of a trigger indicia, located at a predetermined circumferential position on the surface of said object relative to said code indicia, during the spinning of said object by said spinning means and for generating a trigger signal responsive thereto;
(d) code indicia reading means for reading said code indicia printed on said object and for generating an indicia reading signal indicative of indicia read thereby; and
(e) reading actuation means responsive to said trigger signal for actuating said code indicia reading means for a short duration period during the spinning of said object at a time when said code indicia on said object is positioned in readable relationship with said reading means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sorting apparatus for differentiating between generally identically shaped objects based upon code indicia provided on a predetermined, relatively small surface area portion on the sidewall of each object, including: a transfer assembly for moving the objects in single file relationship along a transfer path; a spinning assembly for engaging an object in the transfer path and for spinning the engaged object about its longitudinal axis during a relatively short duration spinning period without removing the object from the transfer path; a trigger assembly for sensing the passage of a trigger indicia, located at a predetermined circumferential position on the surface of the object relative to the code indicia; a code indicia reading assembly for reading the code indicia printed on the object; a reading actuation assembly responsive to the trigger signal for actuating the code indicia reading assembly at a time when the code indicia on the object is positioned in indexed, readable relationship with the reading assembly; and a comparator assembly for comparing the indicia reading signal to predetermined comparison criteria and for generating a criteria match signal indicative of a match between the indicia reading signal and the predetermined criteria.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An apparatus for distinguishing between generally identically shaped objects having a first end, a second end, a central longitudinal axis and a longitudinally extending sidewall based upon code indicia provided on a predetermined, relatively small surface area portion on the sidewall of each object, comprising:
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(a) transfer means for moving said objects in single file relationship along a transfer path extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the objects being moved therealong; (b) spinning means for engaging an object in said transfer path and for spinning said engaged object about its longitudinal axis during a relatively short duration spinning period without removing said object from said transfer path; (c) trigger means for sensing the passage of a trigger indicia, located at a predetermined circumferential position on the surface of said object relative to said code indicia, during the spinning of said object by said spinning means and for generating a trigger signal responsive thereto; (d) code indicia reading means for reading said code indicia printed on said object and for generating an indicia reading signal indicative of indicia read thereby; and (e) reading actuation means responsive to said trigger signal for actuating said code indicia reading means for a short duration period during the spinning of said object at a time when said code indicia on said object is positioned in readable relationship with said reading means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of distinguishing between generally identically shaped objects based upon code indicia provided on a predetermined, relatively small surface area portion of the sidewall of each object comprising:
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(a) moving the objects to be sorted in a single file relationship along a continuous object transfer path extending transversely of the longitudinal axes of the objects; (b) temporarily halting the movement of each object moving along the transfer path at a predetermined spinning station along the path; (c) spinning each object which is stopped at the spinning station about its longitudinal axis without removing the object from the transfer path (d) during the spinning of each object, monitoring a narrow circumferential band at a predetermined axial location on the surface of the object with a stationary sensor for detecting the passage of an axially extending trigger indicia provided on the surface of the object in predetermined circumferential relationship with the code indicia provided on the object and generating a trigger signal indicative thereof; and (e) in response to said trigger signal, actuating a stationary, imaging apparatus at a time, during spinning of the object, when the code indicia on the object is located in the field of view of the imaging apparatus so as to generate an image of the code indicia. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for sorting generally identically shaped elongate objects of the type having a first end, a second end, a central longitudinal axis extending between said first end and said second end, and a circumferentially and longitudinally extending sidewall, the sorting being based upon information contained in coded indicia provided in the same, relatively small area region on the sidewall surface of each object, said small area region lying within a circumferential band containing other, circumferentially obstructing indicia, each object also comprising a trigger indicia positioned in a predetermined, circumferentially fixed relationship with the code indicia, said trigger indicia being provided in a 360°
- circumferential band which is free of indicia other than said trigger indicia, said sorting apparatus comprising;
(a) starwheel means for moving said objects along an arcuate transfer path, said starwheel means having a first axial end, a second axial end, and a central axis of rotation; and
having a plurality of equally circumferentially spaced object receiving and holding pockets positioned at the periphery thereof, each of said pockets being adapted to hold one of said objects therein with said central longitudinal axis of said object positioned parallel to said central longitudinal axis of said starwheel and with said first end of said object positioned proximate said first axial end of said starwheel means and with said second end of said object positioned proximate said second axial end of said starwheel means;(b) guiding means operatively associated with said starwheel means for retaining said objects received in said pockets in radially, axially and circumferentially stationary relationship with respect to said starwheel means while said objects are transversing said arcuate transfer path; (c) a starwheel indexing drive means for rotating said starwheel means about said central axis of rotation in a series of equal incremental movements, the number of said equal incremental movements required to provide a complete revolution of said starwheel means being equal to an integer number multiple of the number of pockets provided on said starwheel means whereby each pocket is positioned in the same relatively rotated position as the immediately preceding pocket after a predetermined number of incremental movements; (d) starwheel position indicating means for sensing predetermined, relatively rotated positions of said starwheel means corresponding to the axial alignment of each pocket on said starwheel with a predetermined spinning station positioned at a fixed location along said arcuate transfer path and for providing an indexing signal in response thereto; (e) spinning means located at said spinning station and engageable and disengageable from an object in a pocket positioned in indexing relationship with said spinning station for spinning said object about its central longitudinal axis without removing the object from said pocket; (f) trigger indicia sensor means positioned at said spinning station at a fixed location radially adjacent to said transfer path, said trigger indicia sensor means having a scanning beam adapted to be directed upon the surface of an object being spun by said spinning means in the region of said circumferential band containing said trigger indicia for sensing the passage of said trigger indicia and generating a trigger signal in response thereto; (g) asynchronous strobe means positioned proximate said camera means for illuminating said object during spinning thereof at a time when the code indicia thereon is positioned in camera viewable relationship with a camera means; (h) camera means positioned at said spinning station at a location radially adjacent to an object in a pocket which is indexed to said spinning station and at an axial location corresponding to the axial location of said code indicia on the object for generating an electronic image of the code indicia; (i) object rejection means for removing an object from the normal flow of objects along said arcuate transfer path; and (j) data processing means for receiving said indexing signal and for generating a spinning means control signal in response thereto for actuating said spinning means to engage, spin, and disengage an object positioned in an oppositely aligned pocket in response thereto; and
for generating a trigger sensor control signal in response to said indexing signal for actuating said trigger indicia sensor means to sense the passage of trigger indicia passing through said trigger indicia sensor means scanning beam; and
for receiving said trigger signal and for generating a strobe control signal in response thereto for actuating said asynchronous strobe means at a time when said code indicia on an object being spun is positioned in camera-viewable relationship with said camera means; and
for generating a camera control signal in response to said trigger signal for actuating said camera for producing said electronic image of said code indicia during illumination thereof by said asynchronous strobe means; and
for processing said code indicia image for comparing said image to predetermined criteria and for generating an object reject control signal based upon said comparison for actuating said object reject means for removing objects conforming to said predetermined criteria. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
- circumferential band which is free of indicia other than said trigger indicia, said sorting apparatus comprising;
Specification