Apparatus and method for inspecting non-round containers

• US 6,557,695 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2001
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Incorporated (O-I Glass, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Owens-Brockway Glass Container Incorporated (O-I Glass, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gerber, Stephen M., Wendt, Noel D., Nickey, George A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DOUGLAS A
• Application Number:
  US09/919,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20030034227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 198/473.1, 198/803.11, 198/867.08, 198/479.1, 198/867.05, 294/104, 294/106, 294/87.1
• US Class Current: 198/473.1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0244 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/847 the article-engaging elements being grippers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9054 Inspection of sealing surface and container finish

Abstract

An apparatus for inspecting non-round containers includes a pair of carriages coupled to associated motors for rotation independently of each other on a common axis. Each carriage carries a corresponding plurality of semi-circular gripping fingers, which may be moved toward and away from each other by controlled rotation of the carriages. The fingers are widely separated from each other to accept non-round containers at an in-feed station, and to permit removal of the containers at out-feed and reject stations. For transporting the containers between stations, the finger are brought closely together to grip the containers for indexing, and springs on one of the carriages resiliently urge the associated fingers toward the fingers on the opposing carriage for accommodating size variations among the containers. At inspection stations, the fingers are moved slightly away from each other, but remain together so as to define a circular perimeter for capturing the non-round body and confining the body of the container during rotation. The container may be rotated by a drive roller engaged with the cylindrical container finish. The container finish can be inspected, as can portions of the sidewall, base and heel.

Claims

1. Apparatus for inspecting containers, having a non-round body and a cylindrical finish, at a plurality of inspection stations, comprising:

first and second circumferential arrays of glassware gripping fingers, said fingers being disposed in pairs having opposed part-circular arms,

first and second carriers respectively mounting said first and second finger arrays for rotation about a common axis, and

first and second motors respectively coupled to said first and second carriers for rotating said carriers independently of each other about said common axis to close said part-circular arms about a container body, transport the container between inspection stations, partially open said arms to permit rotation of the container while confining the body of the container, and fully open the fingers with respect to each other to permit removal of a container from between said fingers.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 further comprising a drive roller to engage a container finish at at least one of said inspection stations and rotate the container about the axis of the finish.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 further comprising springs carried by one of said carriers and engaged with the fingers on that carrier for resiliently urging such fingers toward the fingers on the other carrier to accommodate variation in container size.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said part-circular arms comprise semicircular arms.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second motors comprise electric motors, and wherein said apparatus includes control electronics coupled to said electric motors for rotating said carriers about said common axis independently of each other.

6. A method of transporting non-round containers from a load station through at least one inspection station to an enclosed station, which comprises the steps of:

(a) providing first and second circumferential arrays of glassware gripping fingers on respective first and second independently movable carriers,

(b) positioning said fingers in pairs having opposed part-circular arms,

(c) moving at least one of said arrays toward the other at said load station to close said part-circular arms tightly around a container body,

(d) transporting the container to the inspection station by rotating said arm arrays simultaneously on a common axis,

(e) moving at least one of said arrays away from the other at said inspection stations partially to open said arms to permit rotation of the container while confining the container between said arms, and

(f) moving at least one of said arrays away from the other at said unload station fully to open said arms and permit removal of the container from between said fingers.

7. The method set forth in claim 6 wherein said step (c) comprises rotating both of said arrays simultaneously toward each other, wherein said step (e) comprises rotating both of said arrays simultaneously away from each other, and wherein said step (f) comprises moving both of said arrays simultaneously away from each other.

8. The method set forth in claim 6 wherein said step (a) includes providing semicircular arms on said fingers.