Method of in-line testing devices and testing apparatus

• US 10,435,253 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilco AG
• Original Assignee: Wilco AG
• Inventors: Prinz, Heino
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad R
• Application Number:
  US14/905,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20160167899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,272 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/36 Sorting apparatus characterised by the means used for distribution sorting according to destination B07C3/003, B07C3/02
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 54/02 electrostatic, electric, or magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/845 Objects on a conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/02 using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations G01N35/0098 and G01N35/0099 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/04 Details of the conveyor system G01N35/021 - G01N35/028 take precedence

Abstract

Devices to be tested are conveyed towards, into and from a testing station and are tested there being kept stationary. Conveying into and from the testing station is performed by a mover of a linear motor, which is controllably operated in a stepped manner.

Claims

1. Method of in-line testing devices comprising:

in-line conveying devices towards, into and from a testing station on a mover of a linear motor that is controllably operated in a stepped manner,

performing, on a selected one of said in-line conveyed devices, a testing step in and by said testing station, thereby

keeping said selected device in said testing station stationary with respect to a translatory movement relative to said testing station by holding said device in said testing station during said testing step on the mover of the linear motor,

sensing an electromagnetic radiation from said device by said testing station wherein said device is a liquid filled container, a wall of the container and the liquid being transparent to said radiation, comprising performing said sensing by said testing station by single or multiple subsequent stand still picturing sensitive to said radiation.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising providing said linear motor with a closed loop stator.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising providing on said linear motor at least two of said movers both simultaneously carrying one of said selected device and controlling operation of said at least two movers individually.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising more than one of said testing stations along said linear motor.

5. The method of claim 3, comprising monitoring position of each of said movers along said stator of said linear motor.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising spinning said liquid on said mover about a central axis of said container during said sensing.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising picturing with a picturing device of said testing station having a picturing axis obliquely intersecting said central axis and a plane containing a bottom surface of said container.

8. The method of claim 1, said testing station performing multiple subsequent picturing in the visible spectrum of light, the result of said picturing being exploited as an indication of solid particles present in said liquid.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising selecting all devices of said in line conveyed devices.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mover moves linearly on a stator of the linear motor.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising providing on a conveyor at least two of said movers both simultaneously carrying one of said selected device and controlling operation of said at least two movers individually.

12. In line device testing apparatus comprising:

at least one testing station;

a conveyer constructed to convey at least one selected device towards, into and from said testing station and for holding said selected device in said testing station during a testing;

said conveyer being a linear motor with at least one mover constructed to hold said selected device;

wherein said at least one mover being adapted to hold a container with liquid content; and

said testing station comprising a stand still picturing arrangement for said container and said liquid contained therein and said testing station being adapted to perform said picturing of said container and liquid once or more than once subsequently.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, a stator of said linear motor being shaped in a closed loop.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, comprising two of said movers and a control unit adapted to individually control operation of said at least two movers.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, comprising more than one of said testing stations along said linear motor.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, comprising a mover-position sensor.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, said testing station comprising a radiation sensing arrangement.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a spinning drive for said container on said mover and about a central axis of said container on said mover.

19. The apparatus of claim 12, said picturing arrangement comprising a camera, said mover being adapted to hold said container bottom down, with the bottom of said container defining a plane perpendicular to a central axis of said container, a picturing axis of said camera intersecting said central axis and said plane.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, comprising an evaluation unit, an input thereof being operationally connected to a picture output of said camera and said evaluation unit generating a signal indicative of whether said container tested in said testing station has solid particles in the liquid content.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one mover is configured to move linearly on a stator of the linear motor.