Method and apparatus for inspecting liquid-filled containers
First Claim
1. A method for inspecting an entity comprising a liquid-filled container for one or more test parameters of the liquid, the container, or both, wherein the entity is irradiated by irradiating means, rotated and axially line scanned along a line parallel with the axis of rotation by detecting means detecting radiation reflected, diffracted, or scattered from the entity, the inspection comprising at least one sequence of:
- a) rotating the entity according to a predetermined rate profile having one or more periods of constant angular velocities, line scanning the container axially during the periods of constant angular velocities, and comparing pixel values of said line scans with set references; and
b) rotating the entity according to a predetermined rate profile comprising rates of rotation causing the liquid to circulate and foreign bodies having densities higher than the liquid to accumulate at the container wall, bringing the container to a standstill with the liquid rotating, line scanning the entity axially before the rotation of the liquid is substantially reduced, digitally filtering the pixel values of said line scans, and comparing the filtered values with predetermined references.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for inspecting entities comprising liquid-filled containers for one or more test parameters of the liquid, the container, or both, by rotating and axially line scanning said entities and comparing said scans electronically, after which entities exhibiting one or more unacceptable test parameters are identified and separated from entities exhibiting acceptable test parameters.
127 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for inspecting an entity comprising a liquid-filled container for one or more test parameters of the liquid, the container, or both, wherein the entity is irradiated by irradiating means, rotated and axially line scanned along a line parallel with the axis of rotation by detecting means detecting radiation reflected, diffracted, or scattered from the entity, the inspection comprising at least one sequence of:
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a) rotating the entity according to a predetermined rate profile having one or more periods of constant angular velocities, line scanning the container axially during the periods of constant angular velocities, and comparing pixel values of said line scans with set references; and b) rotating the entity according to a predetermined rate profile comprising rates of rotation causing the liquid to circulate and foreign bodies having densities higher than the liquid to accumulate at the container wall, bringing the container to a standstill with the liquid rotating, line scanning the entity axially before the rotation of the liquid is substantially reduced, digitally filtering the pixel values of said line scans, and comparing the filtered values with predetermined references. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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- 16. An apparatus for inspecting an entity comprising liquid-filled container for one or more test parameters of the liquid, the container (10), or both, by rotating, irradiating, and axially line scanning said entity and comparing said scans electronically, comprising rotating means (705) for rotating the entity according to a predetermined rate profile having one or more periods of constant angular velocities, and for rotating the entity to another predetermined rate profile comprising rates of rotation causing the liquid to circulate and foreign bodies having densities deities higher than the liquid to accumulate at the container wall and of bringing the container to a standstill, irradiating means (611-614), detection means (631-632), and electronic digital filtering comparison means (708-726).
Specification