Method of and apparatus for detecting defects in a process for making sealed sterile packages

• US 6,097,427 A
• Filed: 03/13/1998
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Szabo, David A., Dey, Clifford A., Ivanov, Konstantin K., Pompei, Donald, Nunez, Robert, Reyhan, Mehmet, Cerwin, Robert J., Reinhardt, William R., Findlay, J. Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): BRITTON, HOWARD W
• Application Number:
  US09/039,017
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 248/129, 248/86, 248/91, 248/92, 248/93, 248/130, 382/141, 382/143
• US Class Current: 348/92
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 23/0326 by moving the unwinding device
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 26/02 responsive to presence of irregularities in running webs
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 43/08 Photoelectric devices

Abstract

Automated packaging of surgical needle-suture assemblies includes a framing operation in which adjacent sheets of polymer coated aluminum foils are conveyed through a sequence of steps in an apparatus which produces frames containing plastic packets of needle-suture assemblies. A vision system having video cameras connected to a specially adapted computer enables monitoring the product traveling through the framing operation to detect various defects in the foil and in the product formation. Upon detection of a defect, the computer system can either identify and separate rejected product from good product or shut down the apparatus.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for making suture packages in which product at intermediate stages of manufacture is conveyed from station to station through the apparatus, a system for optically inspecting the product for defects comprising:

first and second inspection stations for inspecting product at different stages of manufacture, each station having one or more video cameras dedicated to detection of particular conditions;

each video camera directed to provide an image of a selected area of the product to be inspected, said camera generating a real time image of the area to be inspected;

processing means, connected to said video camera and containing stored parameters indicative of a defect free product, for comparing data representative of said real time image to said stored parameters and for generating a fault signal whenever said real time image data and said stored parameters differ to a predetermined extent indicating that a defective area of the product has been detected; and

control means, responsive to said fault signal, for causing product containing said defective area to be rejected.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said processing means is an optical processor.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said control means is a programmable logic controller.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for sensing the arrival of a cavity in a web of polymer coated metal foil being conveyed through the apparatus when it reaches a predetermined location;

means, responsive to said sensing means, for activating said video camera to generate a real time image of the area to be inspected whenever the arrival of a cavity is sensed.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said sensing means is an optical fiber sensor.

6. The system of claim 4 further comprising a light source disposed adjacent the web to illuminate the area to be inspected.

7. The system of claim 4 further comprising:

a frame unload station disposed at the trailing end of the machine and operable between accept and reject modes to unload frames of suture packages therefrom;

said station connected to said control means and adapted to reject selected frames in response to said fault signal indicating that a defective area of the web has been detected.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein said control means halts the operation of the machine in response to a fault signal.

9. The system of claim 4 further comprising display means, responsive to said control means and to said fault signal, for displaying an error message to the operator indicating the defect that has been detected.

10. The system of claim 4 wherein said fault signal indicates the absence of a tray in the cavity.

11. The system of claim 4 wherein said fault signal indicates the absence of a paper lid on the tray.

12. The system of claim 4 wherein said fault signal indicates the presence of foreign matter in the secondary seal area.

13. The system of claim 4 wherein said fault signal indicates the presence of foreign matter in the primary seal area.

14. The system of claim 4 wherein said fault signal indicates that the locator holes are improperly positioned.

15. The system of claim 4 wherein said fault signal indicates primary cavity crush.

16. The system of claim 4 wherein said fault signal indicates the absence of printing.

17. The system of claim 4 wherein said fault signal indicates the printing of the bar code outside the scrap area.

18. The system of claim 4 wherein said fault signal indicates the presence of bent corners on the package labels.

19. The system of claim 4 wherein said fault signal indicates that the web has traveled perpendicular to the centerline of the machine a predetermined extent.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising:

realignment means, responsive to said fault signal, for realigning the web perpendicular to the centerline of the machine.

21. An apparatus for optically inspecting a web of material for visual defects during processing, comprising:

first and second inspection stations for inspecting the web at different stages of manufacture, each station having one or more video cameras dedicated to detection of particular conditions;

each video camera directed at a selected area of the web to be inspected and generating a real time image thereof;

processing means, connected to said video camera and containing stored parameters representative of a defect free area to be inspected, for comparing data representative of said real time image to said stored parameters and for generating a fault signal whenever said real time image data and said stored parameters differ to a predetermined extent indicating that a defect has been detected; and

control means, responsive to said fault signal, for controlling the machine so as to reject the portion of the web containing the defect.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

means for sensing the arrival of the area of the web to be inspected and means, responsive to said sensing means, for actuating said video camera to generate a real time image of the area to be inspected.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said processing means is an optical processor.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said control means is a programmable logic controller.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said sensing means is an optical fiber sensor.

26. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

a light source disposed adjacent the web to illuminate the area to be inspected.

27. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

a frame unload station, responsive to said control means and disposed at the trailing end of the apparatus, said station being operable reject the processed web of material therefrom in response to a fault signal indicating a defect in the web.

28. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said control means halts the operation of the apparatus in response to a fault signal.

29. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising display means, responsive to said control means and to said fault signal, for displaying a message to the operator of the apparatus indicating that a defect has been detected.