Method and system for checking the color quality of preforms
First Claim
1. A method of checking the color quality of manufactured bottle preforms, comprising:
- transporting the preforms by a transport device toward a collection vessel;
leading the preforms in an unsorted way into the collection vessel upon leaving the transport device such that the preforms are sliding on a slide or in free-fall;
forming an image of the preforms by an imaging device, wherein the image is made as the preforms are lead in the unsorted way upon leaving the transport device while sliding or in free-fall and before entering the collection vessel;
checking the images to evaluate color quality of the preforms, wherein said checking includes identifying at least one preform properly positioned such that most or all of the preform is visible along a length of the preform and then evaluating the color quality of the identified at least one preform; and
discovering defective preforms based on said evaluation of the color quality of the preforms.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a method and the corresponding system for checking the color quality of preforms (2) intended for the manufacture of containers, in particular beverage bottles, the preforms (2) being transported to a collection vessel (4) by a transport device (3), and an image of the preforms (2) being made by means of an imaging device (6) and being transmitted to a processing device for checking, in which the preforms (2) are led unsorted into the collection vessel (4) upon leaving the transport device (3), the image being made between the leaving of the transport device (3) and the collection vessel (4), and in which the image is processed by the processing device in such a way that the color quality of the preforms (2) and/or defective preforms (2) are discovered.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A method of checking the color quality of manufactured bottle preforms, comprising:
-
transporting the preforms by a transport device toward a collection vessel; leading the preforms in an unsorted way into the collection vessel upon leaving the transport device such that the preforms are sliding on a slide or in free-fall; forming an image of the preforms by an imaging device, wherein the image is made as the preforms are lead in the unsorted way upon leaving the transport device while sliding or in free-fall and before entering the collection vessel; checking the images to evaluate color quality of the preforms, wherein said checking includes identifying at least one preform properly positioned such that most or all of the preform is visible along a length of the preform and then evaluating the color quality of the identified at least one preform; and discovering defective preforms based on said evaluation of the color quality of the preforms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A system of checking the color quality of manufactured bottle preforms, comprising:
-
a transport device for transporting preforms into a collection vessel; an imaging device for making an image of the preforms; a computer to which this image is transmitted for checking; wherein the transport device is positioned and arranged relative to the collection vessel such that the preforms are able to be led into the collection vessel unsorted upon leaving the transport device such that the preforms are sliding on a slide or in free-fall; wherein the image is made as the preforms are lead unsorted upon leaving said transport device and before entering the collection vessel, while sliding or in free-fall; and wherein the image is processed by the computer in such a way that the color quality of the preforms is checked and defective preforms are discovered, wherein said checking is carried out by image processing software that identifies at least one preform properly positioned such that most or all of the preform is visible along a length of the preform and then evaluating the color quality of the identified at least one preform. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A method of checking the color quality of, manufactured bottle preforms, comprising:
-
transporting the preforms by a conveyor belt toward a collection vessel; leading the preforms in an unsorted way into the collection vessel upon leaving the conveyor belt such that the preforms are sliding on a slide or in free-fall; forming an image of the preforms with a camera, said method being without using moving illumination, wherein the image is made as the preforms are lead in the unsorted way upon leaving the conveyor belt and before entering the collection vessel, while sliding or in free-fall; transmitting the image to a computer; and processing the image by the computer in such a way that the color quality of the preforms is checked and defective preforms are discovered, wherein said checking is carried out by image processing software that identifies at least one preform properly positioned such that most or all of the preform is visible along a length of the preform and then evaluating the color quality of the identified at least one preform.
-
-
27. A system of checking the color quality of preforms intended for the manufacture of containers, consisting of:
-
a conveyor belt for transporting preforms toward a collection vessel; a camera for making an image of the preforms; a computer to which the image is transmitted; wherein the conveyor belt is positioned and arranged relative to the collection vessel such that the preforms are able to be led into the collection vessel unsorted upon leaving the conveyor belt such that the preforms are sliding on a slide or in free-fall; wherein the image is made as the preforms are lead unsorted upon leaving said conveyor belt and before entering the collection vessel, while sliding or in free-fall; and wherein the image is processed by the computer in such a way that the color quality of the preforms is checked and defective preforms are discovered.
-
Specification