Method of and apparatus for checking the volume of containers

• US 5,760,294 A
• Filed: 02/22/1996
• Issued: 06/02/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Martin Lehmann
• Original Assignee: Martin Lehmann
• Inventors: Lehmann, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US08/605,646
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 403/51, 403/50, 73/37, 73/149, 73/290 B, 73/49.2 T, 73/49.2 R, 73/49.3, 220/720
• US Class Current: 73/49.2
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 17/00 Methods or apparatus for determining the capacity of containers or cavities, or the volume of solid bodies measuring linear dimensions to determine volume G01B
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/3209 Details, e.g. container closure devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/3281 removably mounted in a test cell
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/329 for verifying the internal pressure of closed containers

Abstract

A method of checking the volume of containers is disclosed according to which a gas is fed into a volume which is correlated to the volume of the respective container and a signal which depends from the fed amount of gas is evaluated as signal indicative of the volume of the container. In order to substantially reduce the time of the measuring cycle at such a method a gas is fed to the volume which is correlated to the volume of the container at a controlled flow, i.e. the mass flow of the gas per unit of time is pre-set in a controlled manner such that it is possible to drastically reduce the time spans during which it is necessary to wait due to transient processes and a chamber which must be loaded in advance will become superfluous.

Claims

1. A connector for sealingly gripping a wall section of a substantially cylindrical part of a container, defining a container opening, comprising a connector casing to be applied around said wall section of the container, and at least one pneumatically operated elastically flexible annular bellows arrangement mounted to said casing about a central axis of said annular bellows arrangement, said annular bellows arrangement being pneumatically inflatable in radial direction with respect to said axis so as to be brought into sealing contact with said wall section, independently within limits of the dimensioning and the shape of said wall section.

2. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said connector casing includes at least one connection for a gas line opening thereinto.

3. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said connector casing is ring-shaped with said at least one flexible annular bellows mounted thereto so as to be applied from the exterior of said wall section of said container.

4. A connector according to claim 1, wherein said connector casing includes a recess for receipt of said wall section of a substantially cylindrical part of the container defining the container opening, and wherein said at least one flexible annular bellows arrangement extends circumferentially about said recess.

5. A connector according to claim 4, wherein said recess is shaped to receive a bottle neck of a bottle as said container.

6. An apparatus for checking containers, the apparatus comprising a source of pressurized gas, a connecting line extending from said source of pressurized gas to a container to be checked, said connecting line comprising a connector for sealingly gripping a wall section of a substantially cylindrical part of said container, defining a container opening, said connector comprising a connector casing to be applied around said wall section of the container, and at least one pneumatically operated elastically flexible annular bellows arrangement mounted to said casing about a central axis of said annular bellows arrangement, said annular bellows arrangement being pneumatically inflatable in radial direction with respect to said axis so as to be brought into sealing contact with said wall section, independently within limits of the dimensioning and the shape of said wall section.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said connector casing includes at least one connection for a gas line opening thereinto.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said connector casing includes a recess for receipt of said wall section of a substantially cylindrical part of the container defining the container opening, and wherein at least one flexible annular bellows arrangement extends circumferentially about said recess.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said recess is shaped to receive a bottle neck of a bottle as said container.

12. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said connector casing is ring-shaped with said at least one flexible annular bellows mounted thereto so as to be applied from the exterior of said wall section of said container.

10. A connector for sealingly gripping a wall section of a container defining a container opening, comprising a connector casing to be applied around said wall section of the container, and at least one flexible sealing means mounted to said casing so as to extend about a central axis of said flexible sealing means, said flexible sealing means being extendable in radial direction with respect to said axis so as to be brought into sealing contact with said wall section, independently within limits of the dimensioning and the shape of said wall section.

11. An apparatus for checking containers, the apparatus comprising a source of pressurized gas, a connecting line extending from said source of pressurized gas to a container to be checked, said connecting line comprising a connector for sealingly gripping a wall section of a part of said container defining a container opening, said connector comprising a connector casing to be applied around said wall section of the container, and at least one flexible sealing means mounted to said casing about a central axis of said flexible being sealing means, said flexible sealing means extendable in radial direction with respect to said axis so as to be brought into sealing contact with said wall section, independently within limits of the dimensioning and the shape of said wall section.