Method and arrangement for measuring a temperature state of open container bodies

• US 4,989,990 A
• Filed: 04/21/1989
• Issued: 02/05/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Martin Lehmann
• Original Assignee: Martin Lehmann
• Inventors: Lehmann, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., Wlliam A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WORTH, WILLIE M
• Application Number:
  US07/341,485
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 374/2, 374/4, 374/5, 374/32, 374/120, 374/121, 374/122, 374/126, 374/129, 250/338.3, 250/342, 73/49.3, 73/52, 340/584, 340/600, 340/674, 340/686
• US Class Current: 374/121
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/002 by using thermal means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/3236 by monitoring the interior space of the containers

Abstract

A method and arrangement for providing an indication of a temperature state of open container bodies during in-line handling. The container bodies are conveyed along a conveyance path, with the openings of the container bodies being freely accessible. A pyro-electric detector is positioned along the conveyance path of the openings facing the conveyance path of the openings. An opening of one of the containers is detected upon reaching a position opposite the pyro-electric detector, and the pyro-electric detector measures heat radiation from the opening detected as having reached the position opposite the pyro-electric detector. The heat radiation measured determines the overall thermal energy content of the open container body as the temperature state thereof.

Claims

1. A method of measuring heat radiation of open container bodies during in-line handling, the method comprising the steps of:

conveying said container bodies along a conveyance path with the openings of said containers being freely accessible so that said openings are conveyed along a conveyance path of said openings;

positioning a pyro-electric detector means along said conveyance path of said openings at a position spaced from said openings; and

detecting when an opening of one of said container bodies reaches a position opposite said pyro-electric detector means; and

measuring heat radiation from the opening by said pyro-electric detector means to determine a thermal energy content of the open container body opposite said pyro-electric detector means as a temperature state of said open container body.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of detecting includes monitoring an output signal of said pyro-electric detector means, comparing said output signal with a predetermined characteristic and generating, as a result of the comparing, an indication signal indicating that the opening of one container body has assumed a position opposite said pyro-electric detector means.

3. A method measuring heat radiation of an open container body, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a heat measuring sensor means at a position spaced from said open container body and opposite to the opening of said body by moving said open container body past said heat measuring sensor means; and

measuring heat radiation emanating from the opening by said heat measuring sensor means to determine a thermal energy content of the open container body regardless of whether the open container body is or is not thermally balanced by detecting when said open container body assumes the position spaced from the heat measuring sensor means with the opening of the open container being opposite the heat measuring sensor means by monitoring an output signal of said heat measuring sensor means, comparing said output signal with a predetermined characteristic, and generating, as a result of the comparison in the comparing step, an indication signal indicating that the open container body has assumed the position relative to said heat measuring sensor means to enable said heat measuring sensor means to measure heat radiation from said opening of said open container body.

4. A temperature detecting arrangement for detecting a temperature state of open container bodies, the temperature detecting arrangement being disposed along a conveyor means for conveying in a line the open container bodies disposed on said conveyor means so as to have freely accessible openings, the temperature detecting arrangement comprising a pyro-electric detector means mounted along a path of said conveyor means spaced from said open container bodies and facing said openings of said open container bodies as said open container bodies are conveyed by said conveyor means, position detection means for generating a detection signal when the opening of the respective open container bodies has reached a position opposite said pyro-electric detector means, and wherein an output signal of said pyro-electric detector means is enabled by said detection signal, and said enabled output signal indicates overall thermal energy of the respective open container bodies as the temperature state of said open container bodies.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said position detection means includes a comparator means connected to an output of said pyro-electric detector means, said comparator means detecting when an output signal at said output of said pyro-electric detector means reaches a predetermined value, and wherein means are provided for supplying an output signal of said comparator means to enabling means for enabling the output signal of said pyro-electric detector means as soon as said predetermined value is reached thereby indicating a disposition of an opening of the respective open container bodies disposed opposite said pyro-electric detector means.

6. A heat radiation measuring arrangement for determining heat content of an open container body regardless of whether the open container body is or is not thermally balanced, the heat radiation measuring arrangement comprising a pyro-electric detector means spaced from said open container body and opposite to the opening of the open container body, comprising means for moving the open container body along a predetermined moving path, means for mounting said pyro-electric detector means opposite said moving path so that said open container body moves along said moving path with the opening opposed to said pyro-electric detector means, means for supplying an output signal of said pyro-electric detector means to comparator means for enabling a detection of when an output signal of said pyro-electric detector means reaches a predetermined value, means for supplying an output signal of said comparator means to switching means for switching said output signal of said pyro-electric detector means to a measuring output of the heat radiation measuring arrangement as soon as said predetermined value is reached thereby indicating said pyro-electric detector means is disposed at a position spaced from and opposite to the opening of said open container body.