CA1096959A - Apparatus for detecting foreign bodies in glass bottles - Google Patents
Apparatus for detecting foreign bodies in glass bottlesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1096959A CA1096959A CA289,844A CA289844A CA1096959A CA 1096959 A CA1096959 A CA 1096959A CA 289844 A CA289844 A CA 289844A CA 1096959 A CA1096959 A CA 1096959A
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- bottle
- image
- array
- elements
- photoresponsive
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- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 title description 9
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 5
- 230000003287 optical effect Effects 0.000 claims description 31
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000003213 activating effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000003491 array Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 abstract description 5
- 238000007689 inspection Methods 0.000 description 18
- 230000005855 radiation Effects 0.000 description 15
- 230000035945 sensitivity Effects 0.000 description 7
- 235000013361 beverage Nutrition 0.000 description 5
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 4
- 125000004122 cyclic group Chemical group 0.000 description 3
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000003990 capacitor Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000009467 reduction Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000009471 action Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002411 adverse Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012141 concentrate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000005286 illumination Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000006872 improvement Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000977 initiatory effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000011022 opal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000149 penetrating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005406 washing Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N21/00—Investigating or analysing materials by the use of optical means, i.e. using sub-millimetre waves, infrared, visible or ultraviolet light
- G01N21/84—Systems specially adapted for particular applications
- G01N21/88—Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
- G01N21/90—Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination in a container or its contents
- G01N21/9018—Dirt detection in containers
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
- G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
- G01N33/0078—Testing material properties on manufactured objects
- G01N33/0081—Containers; Packages; Bottles
Landscapes
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Immunology (AREA)
- Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
- Biochemistry (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Pathology (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
- Investigating Materials By The Use Of Optical Means Adapted For Particular Applications (AREA)
- Length Measuring Devices By Optical Means (AREA)
- Geophysics And Detection Of Objects (AREA)
Abstract
APPARATUS FOR DETECTING FOREIGN BODIES IN GLASS BOTTLES
Abstract of the Disclosure A light beam is projected through the bottom of a bottle to form an image of the bottom which falls on a beam splitter near the mouth of the bottle. The splitter directs one image toward a first light detector means which views the edge area of the bottom and directs another image toward second light detector means which views the overlapping central area of the bottom. Means are provided for simultaneous detection of output signal variations from the two detector means that are indicative of foreign matter in one or both areas and means are provided for producing a reject signal in response to signal variations being detected.
Abstract of the Disclosure A light beam is projected through the bottom of a bottle to form an image of the bottom which falls on a beam splitter near the mouth of the bottle. The splitter directs one image toward a first light detector means which views the edge area of the bottom and directs another image toward second light detector means which views the overlapping central area of the bottom. Means are provided for simultaneous detection of output signal variations from the two detector means that are indicative of foreign matter in one or both areas and means are provided for producing a reject signal in response to signal variations being detected.
Description
1~6959 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns apparatus for detecting foreign bodies in glass bottles, particularly in continuously moving beverage bottles, using a detection system in which light is projected through the bottom of the bottle, a first photoelectric scanning device scans at least the edge zone of the bottle bottom in sectors, an optical element conducts at least the rays originating from the central region of the bottle bottom to a second photoelectric scanning device, and 10 a separate gating device is used for each photoelectric scanning device.
The inspection apparatus is usually used in conjunction with automatic bottle filling machines, as they are employed mainly in plants of the beverage industry. The function of the bottle inspection machines is to sort out from the row of bottles moving from the washing machine to the fil:Ling machine those which contain impurities or foreign bodies. The in~
spection apparatus must be very reliable and sensitive.
A known type of inspection apparatus for glass 20 bottles uscs a sing]e scanning device to scan the bottle bottom in sectors. These inspection machines may use a rotating con-cave mirror segment as in U.S. Patent No. 3,415,370 issued December 10, 1968 to Robert G. Husome, or a rotating glass disk provided with opaque sectors as in U.S. Patent No.
3,133,640 issued May 19, 1964 to Frederick L. Calhoun, et al, or with a rotating slit diaphragm as in U.S. Patent No.
3,411,009 issued November 12, 1968 to Geoffrey E. Ford, et al.
In these kinds of known apparatus wherein optical scanning or rotating elements are used, when a clean bottle 30 bottom is scanned during one or several revolutions of the element, the intensity of the radiation sensed by the ~k ~69~g photoelectric element remains constant and so does its out-put signal. But if there is a foreign body on the bottom, a momentary reduction of radiation intensity occurs when the body is scanned by the rotating element thus causing a corresponding drop in the output voltage signal from the photoelectric elements. This voltage pulse is usually differentiated with a capacitor and resistor and the differ-entiated signal is fed to an a-c amplifier which is tuned to the rotation frequency of the scanning element. The amplified signal is used to actuate a reject mechanism.
Known apparatus is generally satisfactory. But if there is a foreign body on the bottom of the bottle whose image coincides with the axis of rotation of the rotating optical scanning element, there is no sharp reduction of the radiation intensity but only a slight linear level change. This causes a correspondingly small drop in the output voltage of the photoelectric element which is difficult to detect. In practice, the result is that relatively small foreign bodies, which can be readily detected in the edge zones or annular 20 margin of the bottom, remain undetected if they are exactly -in the center of the bottle bottom which is generally con-centric to the axis of rotation of the optical scanning element. Even if the bottle performs a slight translatory movement during the inspection period so a foreign body located in the center moves slightly relative to the axis of rotation, there is no substantial improvement.
In another known testing apparatus for glass bottles, scanning of the bottle bottom in sectors is effected with a rotating prism directing light to a stationary mosaic of sector shaped photoelements which are read out by a switching ~, . .
1~)9~959 device in cyclic order as in U.S. Patent No. 3,292,785. In order to be able to detect foregin bodies in the central region, the scanning device of this known apparatus uses the rotating prism to obtain a circular partial image of the bott]e bottom which is projected on the mosaic. This known apparatus is complex and greatly limited in its performance because the rotating prism must rotate at a substantially lower speed than corresponds to the scanning frequency of the photoelements to ensure complete examination of the bottle bottom. If a foreign body lies exactly on the circle de-scribed by the center of the mosaic relative to the bottle bottom, the same disadvantages regarding sensitivity appear as in the above described apparatus in the central region of the bottle bottom.
Finally an apparatus is also known where, in addition to a first scanning device with a rotating mirror segment, a second scanning device is provided, particularly for the central region of the bottle bottom as in U.S. Patent No. 4,083,637 issued April 11, 1978 to Bernd Ellinger, et al To this end, a light conductor such as a fiber optic bundle is inserted coaxially in the drilled shaft of the rotor which rotates the concave mirror segment. The fiber optic bundle conducts the radiation falling on the central region of the rotor to a photoelectric element. Detection of a foreign body in the center of the bottle bottom is improved this way.
But a disadvantage is the limitation of the second scanning device to a relative small field, since the diameter of the light conductor is limited by the shaft diameter of the rotor.
In addition, there is a relatively sharp separation of the inspection zones of the two scanning devices which jointly ~ ,~
69~9 scan the single image of the bottle bottom projected on the end face of the rotor. This has the effect that one half of a relatively small foreign body which lies exactly on the separating line falls into each scanning zone so that it can not be reliably detected by either of the scanning devices.
SUI~IMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an apparatus for detecting foregin bodies or particles in glass bottles, where the sensitivity is completely independent of the position of the foreign body.
This problem is solved according to the invention by apparatus for detecting foregin matter in bottles comprising:
means for illuminating the bottom of a bottle, lens means arranged for its optical axis to intersect the bottom of a bottle under examination and for projecting a beam containing an image of the illuminated bottom of said bottle, beam splitter means disposed on said optical axis on a side of said lens means opposite of the side on which said bottle is disposed, said beam splitter means being constructed and arranged for directing said image beam into two separate optical paths to provide corresponding images, first photoresponsive means including a first contiguous array of photoresponsive elements arranged in a first optical path for intercepting the image of the central area of said bottom of the bottle, said photoresponsive elements changing state in response to the image of foreign matter falling on them, respectively, from corresponding areas in said bottom, means for detecting any changes of state of said photo-responsive elements in said first array, second photoresponsive means including a second contiguous array of photoresponsive elements arranged in a second optical path for detecting 1( !~6~9 variations in light intensity due to the image of foreign matter in an area generally surrounding said central area, said second photoresponsive elements changing state in response to the image of foreign matter falling on them, the total areas of the first and second arrays of photo-sensitive elements being great enough for a part of the first array to overlap a substantial part of the second array so that the image of any dirt particle in the central area which divides between elements in one array has a high probability of being imaged and detected mostly by a single element in the other array, means for detecting any changes in state of said photoresponsive elements in said second array, and means responsive to said changes of state and said light variations being detected, respectively, by producing signals for activating a bottle rejector.
The invention is based on the idea of producing simultaneously two separate images or projections of the bottle bottom or parts of the bottom and of checking the two separate scanning devices separately and independently of each other. Due to the use of a beam splitter with a partly reflecting separating surface, either of the two scanning devices can receive the radiation of any part of the bottle bottom, without the formation of a separating line that would - 4a -_.i reduce sensitivity. In the extreme case, each scanning device can thus check the entire bottle bottom or its pro-jection completely in different ways. Each scanning device can be adapted without compromise to its special purpose, for example, detection of foreign bodies in the central region or in the edge zone of the bottle bottom and detection of foreign small bodies or larger impurities. In the simplest case, it suffices, for example, to use for the second scanning device a single photosensitive element with an effective area of a few square millimeters which receives exactly the radiation originating from the center of the bottle bottom.
It is more advantageous, however, if the second photoelectric scanning element has, according to another feature of the invention, a mosaic of photoelectric elements receiving continuously the radiation originating from the central region of the bottle bottom, preferably in the image plane of a projection lens. This way a substantially larger central region of the bottle bottom can be checked with greater sensitivity, so that the first scanning devicé
working in sectors can concentrate on the edge zone for which it is particularly suitable. "Sectorwise" in the sense of the invention does not mean that a complete sector of the bottle bottom must be scanned, but that the lateral separating lines of a single scanning field extend in a substantially radial direction and the totality of all scanning fields has a circular circumference corresponding to the bottle bottom.
The first scanning device can work with any scanning rotating optical element such as a concave mirror segment and any arrangement of photoelectric detectors which have been used for scanning of the edge zone of the bottle bottom.
lQq69S9 It is of particular advantage if, according to another feature of the invention, the first photoelectric scanning device has a mosaic of photoelectric elements receiving continuously at least the radiation originating from the edge zone of the bottle bottom, preferably in the image plane of a projection lens system. It was found that a rotating optical element can be completely eliminated in the scanning of several partial images of the bottle bottom of substantially equal light intensity and that the scanning Gf the edge zone can be effected exclusively by a stationary mosaic of photo-electric elements. The limitation of the performance by the rotation of the optical element and the expense for the support and drive are thus avoided.
It is of particular advantage if, according to another feature of the invention, the photoeiectric elements of one scanning device differ in their circumferential form and/or arrangement and/or position of the separating lines relative to the bottom from the photoelectric elements from the other scanning device. This way the position of a foreign body on the separating line of two adjacent photo-electric elements of one scanning device can not have an adverse effect since the foreign body then falls fully on a photoelectric element of the other scanning device. The new inspection apparatus thus permits inspecting glass bottles for foreign particles exclusively with stationary photoelectric elements and without rotating optical elements at no sacrifice of sensitivity.
The heam splitter can be formed, according to two other features of the invention, by a partly reflecting mirror inclined to the center axis of the cone rays originating from the bottle bottom or by two adjacent triangular prisms with a separating surface inclined to the center axis of the cone of rays originating from the bottle bottom. In both cases, two projections with the same light intensity can be produced with an appropriate design of the separating surfaces.
The beam splitter can cover a more or less large partial region of the cone of rays originating from the ' bottle bottom depending on the purpose of the two scanning devices. Preferably the beam splitter covers the entire cross section of the cone or rays originating from the bottle bottom, according to another feature of the invention.
In this case, two complete projections of the bottle bottom are produced and the scanning devices can be adjusted in any desired position.
The best mode of operation is obtained if, according to another feature of the invention, a projection lens system or a part of a projection lens system for projecting the image of the irradiated bottle bottom is arranged between the bottle bottom and the beam splitter. This way particularly sharp uniform projections of the bottle bottom can be obtained.
Another feature of the invention consists in having one of the two photoelectric scanning devices arranged in the field of the optical axis of the projection lens system in the radiation transmitted by the beam splitter and that the other scanning device is arranged laterally of the optical axis in the field of the radiation reflected by the splitter.
This results in a particularly clear and compact design of the apparatus.
How the above mentioned objects and other more specific objects of the invention are achieved will appear ~, ,,.~ .~
i959 in the more detailed description of embodiments of the invention which will now be set forth in reference to the drawings.
Description of the Drawings FIGURE 1 shows a schematic side elevation of an apparatus, partly in section, for checking beverage bottles;
FIGURE 2 shows a top view of the beam splitter and the projection lens system of the apparatus according to FIGURE l;
FIGURE 3 shows a top view of the lower end face of the rotor of the apparatus according to FIGURE l;
FIGURE 4 shows a side elevation of the second photoelectric scanning device of the apparatus according to FIGURE l;
FIGURE 5 shows the position of the inspection fields of the two photoelectric scanning devices relative to a bottle bottom;
FIGURE 6 shows a schematic side elevation of another embodiment of the new apparatus, partly in section, for checking beverage bottles;
Figure 7 shows a top view of the first photoelectric scanning device of the apparatus according to FIGURE 6.
FIGURE 8 shows a side elevation of the second photoelectric scanning device of the apparatus according to FIGURE 6.
Description of a Preferred Embodiment The apparatus according to FIGURES 1 to 4 is - desi.gned to detect foreign bodies and impurities in the bottom area of upright empty beverage bottles 1 of glass, and is part of an automatic bottle inspection machine not repre-sented here. The suspended bottles to be checked are moved 1~6~9 by a star wheel 2 rotating continuously about a verticalaxis of rotation in cooperation with stationary guides 3 over a stationary light source 4. The light source is covered at the top by an opal glass disk 5 so that the bottoms of the bottles 1 are illuminated diffusely from the bottom. The image of an illuminated bottle bottom is projected in a beam by a stationary pro~ection lens system, arranged above the path of motion of the bottles, which includes a collecting lens 6 and an aperture diaphragm 7.
1~ The light intensity over the image area is substantially uniform if the bottle is clean, but the intensity is modulated, usually reduced, in those areas which are occupied by foreign matter. A rotor 8 is fastened to the shaft of a motor 9 and is set in rapid rotation by the motor. On the bottom end face of rotor 8 is arranged a narrow radially extending concave mirror segment 10 which focuses the modulated or unmodulated radiation originating from the scanned portion of the bottle bottom on a single photoelectric cell 11. The axis of rotation of motor 9 is slightly inclined to the optical axis of the projection lens system 6, 7 so the concave mirror will focus on cell 11. The concave mirror segment 10 and the photoelectric cell 11 comprise a first scanning device that responds primarily to foreign bodies in the edge zone of the bottle 1 bottom.
If an area of the bottle bottom is scanned during the rotation of the concave mirror segment 10 in which a foreign body is located, the intensity of the radiation received by the photoelectric cell 11 diminishes monentarily and its output voltage drops correspondingly for an instant.
This signal is processed in a connected gating circuit 12 with an amplifier 13 and a discriminator 14 and effects the g _ ~Q~6~59 emission of a reject initiating signal over control lines 15 to the conventional reject device of the bottle inspection machine. Preferably, gating circuit 12 is capacitor coupled to filter out the d-c voltage components of the signals produced by cell 11, and amplifier 13 is preferably an a-c voltage amplifier. This permits a very high sensitivity.
A conventional trigger mechanism (not shown) ensures that a rejection signal can be produced only during an exactly defined inspection interval. It starts when the center axis of a bottle 1 is short of the optical axis of the projection lens system 6, 7, and ends when the bottle axis is directly behind the optical axis.
Behind diaphragm 7 of the optical projection system there is a beam sp~itter 16 which includes two identical abutting triangular prisms 16A and 16B which form a cube.
The interfacing surfaces 16' or hypotenuses of the two prisms are arranged in a plane inclined to the axis of the optical pro~ection lens system by 45 so the prism 16B
transmits one half of the impinging light rays through itself and prism 16A and deflects the other half by 90. Thus, the beam splitter 16 produces two identical images of the bottle bottom of equal brightness and directs the images in separate optical paths, one of which falls on the end face of rotor 8 and is gated in the above described manner. The other image falls on a stationary second photoelectric scanning device 17 arranged in a corresponding distance laterally of the beam splitter 16. This second scanning device 17 has, for example, a mosaic or an array of three times three photoelectric cells 18 arranged concentrically to the image of the bottle bottom as shown in FIGURE 4 in broken lines. The cells mosaic covers the entire field of the bottle bottom as it can be v~
10~695~
seen from FIGURE 4, not only the central region. The radi-ation originating from the edge zone is thus not considered.
The second scanning device 17 is connected to a second gating circuit 19 with amplifier 20 and a pulse discriminator 21. The gating circuit 19 can be provided, as in prior practice, with an OR-circuit (not shown). All photoelectric cells 18 are then simultaneously scanned and as a result of darkening of at least one cell by a foreign body in the area of the bottle bottom a rejection signal is generated by discriminator 21. The latter is applied to the control lines 15 over an OR-gate 22 to which is also connected the first gating circuit 12. Due to the use of correspondingly small photoelectric cells 18, even relatively small foreign bodies can be reliably detected in the central region of the bottle bottom which could not be detected by the first photoelectric scanning device 10, 11. If a semi-transparent, semi transmissive mirror is used as a beam splitter 16, it should be disposed diagonally of the optical axis at an angle of 45 to lie along the hypotenuse plane 16' and, of course, the prisms would not then be used with the mirror.
The second photoelectric scanning device 17 can be realized in various ways. It could have a circular mosaic of several annular or sector-shaped photocells and it can likewise scan the entire image of the bottle bottom. It is important that it scans at least the central region of the bottle bottom. The concave mirror segment 10 of the first scanning device, therefore, need not extend to the axis of rotation of rotor 8, as shown in FIGURE 3, that is, up to the center of the image of the bottle bottom, but it can be confined to the edge zone. Such a concave mirror segment 10a is shown in FIGURE 3 in broken lines. Care must be taken ~oc~959 that the square inspection field of second scanning device 17 and the circular inspection field of scanning device 10a, 11 sufficiently overlap on the bottle bottom. To illustrate, FIGURE 5 shows the position of two different hatched inspec-tion fields of scanning devices 17, or 10a, 11 on the bottle bottom. A foreign body 23 which lies on the inner boundary line of inspection field A of the first scanning device 10a, 11 is fully scanned by the second scanning device 17. Con-versly, a foreign body 24 lying on the boundary line of inspection field B of the second scanning device 17 is fully scanned by the first scanning device 10a, 11.
The embodiment according to FIGURES 6 to 8 is identical in design and arrangement of the illuminatins device 4, 5, of the star wheel 2 and of the guides 3, the projection lens system 6, 7 and the beam splitter 16 with the embodiment according to FIGURE 1.
In FIGURE 6, in the range of the field along the optical axis of the projection lens system 6, 7 is a first scanning device 25, which thus receives the part of the radiation penetrating the interfacing prism surfaces of beam splitter 16. The first scanning device 25 has a mosaic of closely arranged sector-shaped photocells consisting of two rings arranged concentrically to the center axis of the container image and the optical axis, respectively, of the projection lens system 6, 7. The cells 26 are connected individually to an electronic switching device 27 which feeds the output signals of the cells 26 in cyclic order successively into a a-c voltage amplifier 13. Connected to the latter is a discriminator 14 which feeds a bottle rejection signal over an OR-gate 22 to control lines 15 leading to the rejection device, not shown, of the inspection machine when ~096959 the signal voltage drops briefly due to foreign matterbeing scanned. The cells 18 each have the same effective surface so that they all have the same output voltage with the same illumination.
The effect of the first photoelectric scanning device 25 is similar to the action of the scanning device lOa, 11, that is, the outer o-r edge zone of the bottle bottom is scanned in sectors. But the scanning device 25 has no rotating elements at all. Due to the use of a plurality of correspondingly small photocells, in connection with an a-c voltage amplifier 13 that is tuned to the scanning frequency of the switching device 27, an extremely high sensitivity is achieved.
The mosaic of the scanning device 25 can naturally also be designed differently. For example, it can have only one ring or it can have more than two rings composed of different photocells of a different type. The cells can also extend all the way or at least very close to the center of the bottle bottom, that is, to the optical axis of the projection lens system, so that a larger area is scanned.
Furthermore, simultaneous scanning of all individual cells by a switching device with an OR function is possible.
Laterially of the beam splitter 16 or of the optical axis of the projection lens system 6, 7 is arranged a second photoelectric scanning device 29 in the image plane.
It consists of a square mosaic of a plurality of square, closely arranged cells 30. The mosaic is arranged concen-trically to the circumferential line of the image of the bottle bottom represented in broken lines and extends almost to the circumferential line. The scanning device 29 thereby detects in the field of the second laterally deflected ,...
6~315~
portion of the radiation originating from the bottle bottom.Its cells 30 are connected individually to a gating circuit 19 whose function has already been described. Instead a cyclic, line-by-line scan can also be used, as it was described on the basis of scanning device 25 and the respective gating circuit 28. In each case, the central range of the bottle bottom, which is not covered by the first scanning device 25, is checked by this second scanning device 29. The two scanning devices 25 and 29 thus make a complete check of the bottle bottom. Their inspection zones on the bottle bottom overlap in a similar manner as represented in FIGURE 5.
The square photocells of the second scanning device 29 can obviously also be arranged differently, for example, with a circumferentical line approaching substantially the circular form while maintaining the overlapping with the photoelements of the first scanning device 25.
The invention concerns apparatus for detecting foreign bodies in glass bottles, particularly in continuously moving beverage bottles, using a detection system in which light is projected through the bottom of the bottle, a first photoelectric scanning device scans at least the edge zone of the bottle bottom in sectors, an optical element conducts at least the rays originating from the central region of the bottle bottom to a second photoelectric scanning device, and 10 a separate gating device is used for each photoelectric scanning device.
The inspection apparatus is usually used in conjunction with automatic bottle filling machines, as they are employed mainly in plants of the beverage industry. The function of the bottle inspection machines is to sort out from the row of bottles moving from the washing machine to the fil:Ling machine those which contain impurities or foreign bodies. The in~
spection apparatus must be very reliable and sensitive.
A known type of inspection apparatus for glass 20 bottles uscs a sing]e scanning device to scan the bottle bottom in sectors. These inspection machines may use a rotating con-cave mirror segment as in U.S. Patent No. 3,415,370 issued December 10, 1968 to Robert G. Husome, or a rotating glass disk provided with opaque sectors as in U.S. Patent No.
3,133,640 issued May 19, 1964 to Frederick L. Calhoun, et al, or with a rotating slit diaphragm as in U.S. Patent No.
3,411,009 issued November 12, 1968 to Geoffrey E. Ford, et al.
In these kinds of known apparatus wherein optical scanning or rotating elements are used, when a clean bottle 30 bottom is scanned during one or several revolutions of the element, the intensity of the radiation sensed by the ~k ~69~g photoelectric element remains constant and so does its out-put signal. But if there is a foreign body on the bottom, a momentary reduction of radiation intensity occurs when the body is scanned by the rotating element thus causing a corresponding drop in the output voltage signal from the photoelectric elements. This voltage pulse is usually differentiated with a capacitor and resistor and the differ-entiated signal is fed to an a-c amplifier which is tuned to the rotation frequency of the scanning element. The amplified signal is used to actuate a reject mechanism.
Known apparatus is generally satisfactory. But if there is a foreign body on the bottom of the bottle whose image coincides with the axis of rotation of the rotating optical scanning element, there is no sharp reduction of the radiation intensity but only a slight linear level change. This causes a correspondingly small drop in the output voltage of the photoelectric element which is difficult to detect. In practice, the result is that relatively small foreign bodies, which can be readily detected in the edge zones or annular 20 margin of the bottom, remain undetected if they are exactly -in the center of the bottle bottom which is generally con-centric to the axis of rotation of the optical scanning element. Even if the bottle performs a slight translatory movement during the inspection period so a foreign body located in the center moves slightly relative to the axis of rotation, there is no substantial improvement.
In another known testing apparatus for glass bottles, scanning of the bottle bottom in sectors is effected with a rotating prism directing light to a stationary mosaic of sector shaped photoelements which are read out by a switching ~, . .
1~)9~959 device in cyclic order as in U.S. Patent No. 3,292,785. In order to be able to detect foregin bodies in the central region, the scanning device of this known apparatus uses the rotating prism to obtain a circular partial image of the bott]e bottom which is projected on the mosaic. This known apparatus is complex and greatly limited in its performance because the rotating prism must rotate at a substantially lower speed than corresponds to the scanning frequency of the photoelements to ensure complete examination of the bottle bottom. If a foreign body lies exactly on the circle de-scribed by the center of the mosaic relative to the bottle bottom, the same disadvantages regarding sensitivity appear as in the above described apparatus in the central region of the bottle bottom.
Finally an apparatus is also known where, in addition to a first scanning device with a rotating mirror segment, a second scanning device is provided, particularly for the central region of the bottle bottom as in U.S. Patent No. 4,083,637 issued April 11, 1978 to Bernd Ellinger, et al To this end, a light conductor such as a fiber optic bundle is inserted coaxially in the drilled shaft of the rotor which rotates the concave mirror segment. The fiber optic bundle conducts the radiation falling on the central region of the rotor to a photoelectric element. Detection of a foreign body in the center of the bottle bottom is improved this way.
But a disadvantage is the limitation of the second scanning device to a relative small field, since the diameter of the light conductor is limited by the shaft diameter of the rotor.
In addition, there is a relatively sharp separation of the inspection zones of the two scanning devices which jointly ~ ,~
69~9 scan the single image of the bottle bottom projected on the end face of the rotor. This has the effect that one half of a relatively small foreign body which lies exactly on the separating line falls into each scanning zone so that it can not be reliably detected by either of the scanning devices.
SUI~IMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main object of this invention is, therefore, to provide an apparatus for detecting foregin bodies or particles in glass bottles, where the sensitivity is completely independent of the position of the foreign body.
This problem is solved according to the invention by apparatus for detecting foregin matter in bottles comprising:
means for illuminating the bottom of a bottle, lens means arranged for its optical axis to intersect the bottom of a bottle under examination and for projecting a beam containing an image of the illuminated bottom of said bottle, beam splitter means disposed on said optical axis on a side of said lens means opposite of the side on which said bottle is disposed, said beam splitter means being constructed and arranged for directing said image beam into two separate optical paths to provide corresponding images, first photoresponsive means including a first contiguous array of photoresponsive elements arranged in a first optical path for intercepting the image of the central area of said bottom of the bottle, said photoresponsive elements changing state in response to the image of foreign matter falling on them, respectively, from corresponding areas in said bottom, means for detecting any changes of state of said photo-responsive elements in said first array, second photoresponsive means including a second contiguous array of photoresponsive elements arranged in a second optical path for detecting 1( !~6~9 variations in light intensity due to the image of foreign matter in an area generally surrounding said central area, said second photoresponsive elements changing state in response to the image of foreign matter falling on them, the total areas of the first and second arrays of photo-sensitive elements being great enough for a part of the first array to overlap a substantial part of the second array so that the image of any dirt particle in the central area which divides between elements in one array has a high probability of being imaged and detected mostly by a single element in the other array, means for detecting any changes in state of said photoresponsive elements in said second array, and means responsive to said changes of state and said light variations being detected, respectively, by producing signals for activating a bottle rejector.
The invention is based on the idea of producing simultaneously two separate images or projections of the bottle bottom or parts of the bottom and of checking the two separate scanning devices separately and independently of each other. Due to the use of a beam splitter with a partly reflecting separating surface, either of the two scanning devices can receive the radiation of any part of the bottle bottom, without the formation of a separating line that would - 4a -_.i reduce sensitivity. In the extreme case, each scanning device can thus check the entire bottle bottom or its pro-jection completely in different ways. Each scanning device can be adapted without compromise to its special purpose, for example, detection of foreign bodies in the central region or in the edge zone of the bottle bottom and detection of foreign small bodies or larger impurities. In the simplest case, it suffices, for example, to use for the second scanning device a single photosensitive element with an effective area of a few square millimeters which receives exactly the radiation originating from the center of the bottle bottom.
It is more advantageous, however, if the second photoelectric scanning element has, according to another feature of the invention, a mosaic of photoelectric elements receiving continuously the radiation originating from the central region of the bottle bottom, preferably in the image plane of a projection lens. This way a substantially larger central region of the bottle bottom can be checked with greater sensitivity, so that the first scanning devicé
working in sectors can concentrate on the edge zone for which it is particularly suitable. "Sectorwise" in the sense of the invention does not mean that a complete sector of the bottle bottom must be scanned, but that the lateral separating lines of a single scanning field extend in a substantially radial direction and the totality of all scanning fields has a circular circumference corresponding to the bottle bottom.
The first scanning device can work with any scanning rotating optical element such as a concave mirror segment and any arrangement of photoelectric detectors which have been used for scanning of the edge zone of the bottle bottom.
lQq69S9 It is of particular advantage if, according to another feature of the invention, the first photoelectric scanning device has a mosaic of photoelectric elements receiving continuously at least the radiation originating from the edge zone of the bottle bottom, preferably in the image plane of a projection lens system. It was found that a rotating optical element can be completely eliminated in the scanning of several partial images of the bottle bottom of substantially equal light intensity and that the scanning Gf the edge zone can be effected exclusively by a stationary mosaic of photo-electric elements. The limitation of the performance by the rotation of the optical element and the expense for the support and drive are thus avoided.
It is of particular advantage if, according to another feature of the invention, the photoeiectric elements of one scanning device differ in their circumferential form and/or arrangement and/or position of the separating lines relative to the bottom from the photoelectric elements from the other scanning device. This way the position of a foreign body on the separating line of two adjacent photo-electric elements of one scanning device can not have an adverse effect since the foreign body then falls fully on a photoelectric element of the other scanning device. The new inspection apparatus thus permits inspecting glass bottles for foreign particles exclusively with stationary photoelectric elements and without rotating optical elements at no sacrifice of sensitivity.
The heam splitter can be formed, according to two other features of the invention, by a partly reflecting mirror inclined to the center axis of the cone rays originating from the bottle bottom or by two adjacent triangular prisms with a separating surface inclined to the center axis of the cone of rays originating from the bottle bottom. In both cases, two projections with the same light intensity can be produced with an appropriate design of the separating surfaces.
The beam splitter can cover a more or less large partial region of the cone of rays originating from the ' bottle bottom depending on the purpose of the two scanning devices. Preferably the beam splitter covers the entire cross section of the cone or rays originating from the bottle bottom, according to another feature of the invention.
In this case, two complete projections of the bottle bottom are produced and the scanning devices can be adjusted in any desired position.
The best mode of operation is obtained if, according to another feature of the invention, a projection lens system or a part of a projection lens system for projecting the image of the irradiated bottle bottom is arranged between the bottle bottom and the beam splitter. This way particularly sharp uniform projections of the bottle bottom can be obtained.
Another feature of the invention consists in having one of the two photoelectric scanning devices arranged in the field of the optical axis of the projection lens system in the radiation transmitted by the beam splitter and that the other scanning device is arranged laterally of the optical axis in the field of the radiation reflected by the splitter.
This results in a particularly clear and compact design of the apparatus.
How the above mentioned objects and other more specific objects of the invention are achieved will appear ~, ,,.~ .~
i959 in the more detailed description of embodiments of the invention which will now be set forth in reference to the drawings.
Description of the Drawings FIGURE 1 shows a schematic side elevation of an apparatus, partly in section, for checking beverage bottles;
FIGURE 2 shows a top view of the beam splitter and the projection lens system of the apparatus according to FIGURE l;
FIGURE 3 shows a top view of the lower end face of the rotor of the apparatus according to FIGURE l;
FIGURE 4 shows a side elevation of the second photoelectric scanning device of the apparatus according to FIGURE l;
FIGURE 5 shows the position of the inspection fields of the two photoelectric scanning devices relative to a bottle bottom;
FIGURE 6 shows a schematic side elevation of another embodiment of the new apparatus, partly in section, for checking beverage bottles;
Figure 7 shows a top view of the first photoelectric scanning device of the apparatus according to FIGURE 6.
FIGURE 8 shows a side elevation of the second photoelectric scanning device of the apparatus according to FIGURE 6.
Description of a Preferred Embodiment The apparatus according to FIGURES 1 to 4 is - desi.gned to detect foreign bodies and impurities in the bottom area of upright empty beverage bottles 1 of glass, and is part of an automatic bottle inspection machine not repre-sented here. The suspended bottles to be checked are moved 1~6~9 by a star wheel 2 rotating continuously about a verticalaxis of rotation in cooperation with stationary guides 3 over a stationary light source 4. The light source is covered at the top by an opal glass disk 5 so that the bottoms of the bottles 1 are illuminated diffusely from the bottom. The image of an illuminated bottle bottom is projected in a beam by a stationary pro~ection lens system, arranged above the path of motion of the bottles, which includes a collecting lens 6 and an aperture diaphragm 7.
1~ The light intensity over the image area is substantially uniform if the bottle is clean, but the intensity is modulated, usually reduced, in those areas which are occupied by foreign matter. A rotor 8 is fastened to the shaft of a motor 9 and is set in rapid rotation by the motor. On the bottom end face of rotor 8 is arranged a narrow radially extending concave mirror segment 10 which focuses the modulated or unmodulated radiation originating from the scanned portion of the bottle bottom on a single photoelectric cell 11. The axis of rotation of motor 9 is slightly inclined to the optical axis of the projection lens system 6, 7 so the concave mirror will focus on cell 11. The concave mirror segment 10 and the photoelectric cell 11 comprise a first scanning device that responds primarily to foreign bodies in the edge zone of the bottle 1 bottom.
If an area of the bottle bottom is scanned during the rotation of the concave mirror segment 10 in which a foreign body is located, the intensity of the radiation received by the photoelectric cell 11 diminishes monentarily and its output voltage drops correspondingly for an instant.
This signal is processed in a connected gating circuit 12 with an amplifier 13 and a discriminator 14 and effects the g _ ~Q~6~59 emission of a reject initiating signal over control lines 15 to the conventional reject device of the bottle inspection machine. Preferably, gating circuit 12 is capacitor coupled to filter out the d-c voltage components of the signals produced by cell 11, and amplifier 13 is preferably an a-c voltage amplifier. This permits a very high sensitivity.
A conventional trigger mechanism (not shown) ensures that a rejection signal can be produced only during an exactly defined inspection interval. It starts when the center axis of a bottle 1 is short of the optical axis of the projection lens system 6, 7, and ends when the bottle axis is directly behind the optical axis.
Behind diaphragm 7 of the optical projection system there is a beam sp~itter 16 which includes two identical abutting triangular prisms 16A and 16B which form a cube.
The interfacing surfaces 16' or hypotenuses of the two prisms are arranged in a plane inclined to the axis of the optical pro~ection lens system by 45 so the prism 16B
transmits one half of the impinging light rays through itself and prism 16A and deflects the other half by 90. Thus, the beam splitter 16 produces two identical images of the bottle bottom of equal brightness and directs the images in separate optical paths, one of which falls on the end face of rotor 8 and is gated in the above described manner. The other image falls on a stationary second photoelectric scanning device 17 arranged in a corresponding distance laterally of the beam splitter 16. This second scanning device 17 has, for example, a mosaic or an array of three times three photoelectric cells 18 arranged concentrically to the image of the bottle bottom as shown in FIGURE 4 in broken lines. The cells mosaic covers the entire field of the bottle bottom as it can be v~
10~695~
seen from FIGURE 4, not only the central region. The radi-ation originating from the edge zone is thus not considered.
The second scanning device 17 is connected to a second gating circuit 19 with amplifier 20 and a pulse discriminator 21. The gating circuit 19 can be provided, as in prior practice, with an OR-circuit (not shown). All photoelectric cells 18 are then simultaneously scanned and as a result of darkening of at least one cell by a foreign body in the area of the bottle bottom a rejection signal is generated by discriminator 21. The latter is applied to the control lines 15 over an OR-gate 22 to which is also connected the first gating circuit 12. Due to the use of correspondingly small photoelectric cells 18, even relatively small foreign bodies can be reliably detected in the central region of the bottle bottom which could not be detected by the first photoelectric scanning device 10, 11. If a semi-transparent, semi transmissive mirror is used as a beam splitter 16, it should be disposed diagonally of the optical axis at an angle of 45 to lie along the hypotenuse plane 16' and, of course, the prisms would not then be used with the mirror.
The second photoelectric scanning device 17 can be realized in various ways. It could have a circular mosaic of several annular or sector-shaped photocells and it can likewise scan the entire image of the bottle bottom. It is important that it scans at least the central region of the bottle bottom. The concave mirror segment 10 of the first scanning device, therefore, need not extend to the axis of rotation of rotor 8, as shown in FIGURE 3, that is, up to the center of the image of the bottle bottom, but it can be confined to the edge zone. Such a concave mirror segment 10a is shown in FIGURE 3 in broken lines. Care must be taken ~oc~959 that the square inspection field of second scanning device 17 and the circular inspection field of scanning device 10a, 11 sufficiently overlap on the bottle bottom. To illustrate, FIGURE 5 shows the position of two different hatched inspec-tion fields of scanning devices 17, or 10a, 11 on the bottle bottom. A foreign body 23 which lies on the inner boundary line of inspection field A of the first scanning device 10a, 11 is fully scanned by the second scanning device 17. Con-versly, a foreign body 24 lying on the boundary line of inspection field B of the second scanning device 17 is fully scanned by the first scanning device 10a, 11.
The embodiment according to FIGURES 6 to 8 is identical in design and arrangement of the illuminatins device 4, 5, of the star wheel 2 and of the guides 3, the projection lens system 6, 7 and the beam splitter 16 with the embodiment according to FIGURE 1.
In FIGURE 6, in the range of the field along the optical axis of the projection lens system 6, 7 is a first scanning device 25, which thus receives the part of the radiation penetrating the interfacing prism surfaces of beam splitter 16. The first scanning device 25 has a mosaic of closely arranged sector-shaped photocells consisting of two rings arranged concentrically to the center axis of the container image and the optical axis, respectively, of the projection lens system 6, 7. The cells 26 are connected individually to an electronic switching device 27 which feeds the output signals of the cells 26 in cyclic order successively into a a-c voltage amplifier 13. Connected to the latter is a discriminator 14 which feeds a bottle rejection signal over an OR-gate 22 to control lines 15 leading to the rejection device, not shown, of the inspection machine when ~096959 the signal voltage drops briefly due to foreign matterbeing scanned. The cells 18 each have the same effective surface so that they all have the same output voltage with the same illumination.
The effect of the first photoelectric scanning device 25 is similar to the action of the scanning device lOa, 11, that is, the outer o-r edge zone of the bottle bottom is scanned in sectors. But the scanning device 25 has no rotating elements at all. Due to the use of a plurality of correspondingly small photocells, in connection with an a-c voltage amplifier 13 that is tuned to the scanning frequency of the switching device 27, an extremely high sensitivity is achieved.
The mosaic of the scanning device 25 can naturally also be designed differently. For example, it can have only one ring or it can have more than two rings composed of different photocells of a different type. The cells can also extend all the way or at least very close to the center of the bottle bottom, that is, to the optical axis of the projection lens system, so that a larger area is scanned.
Furthermore, simultaneous scanning of all individual cells by a switching device with an OR function is possible.
Laterially of the beam splitter 16 or of the optical axis of the projection lens system 6, 7 is arranged a second photoelectric scanning device 29 in the image plane.
It consists of a square mosaic of a plurality of square, closely arranged cells 30. The mosaic is arranged concen-trically to the circumferential line of the image of the bottle bottom represented in broken lines and extends almost to the circumferential line. The scanning device 29 thereby detects in the field of the second laterally deflected ,...
6~315~
portion of the radiation originating from the bottle bottom.Its cells 30 are connected individually to a gating circuit 19 whose function has already been described. Instead a cyclic, line-by-line scan can also be used, as it was described on the basis of scanning device 25 and the respective gating circuit 28. In each case, the central range of the bottle bottom, which is not covered by the first scanning device 25, is checked by this second scanning device 29. The two scanning devices 25 and 29 thus make a complete check of the bottle bottom. Their inspection zones on the bottle bottom overlap in a similar manner as represented in FIGURE 5.
The square photocells of the second scanning device 29 can obviously also be arranged differently, for example, with a circumferentical line approaching substantially the circular form while maintaining the overlapping with the photoelements of the first scanning device 25.
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed is defined as follows:
Apparatus for detecting foreign matter in bottles comprising:
means for illuminating the bottom of a bottle, lens means arranged for its optical axis to intersect the bottom of a bottle under examination and for projecting a beam containing an image of the illuminated bottom of said bottle, beam splitter means disposed on said optical axis on a side of said lens means opposite of the side on which said bottle is disposed, said beam splitter means being constructed and arranged for directing said image beam into two separate optical paths to provide corresponding images, first photoresponsive means including a first con-tiguous array of photoresponsive elements arranged in a first optical path for intercepting the image of the central area of said bottom of the bottle, said photoresponsive elements changing state in response to the image of foreign matter falling on them, respectively, from corresponding areas in said bottom, means for detecting any changes of state of said photoresponsive elements in said first array, second photoresponsive means including a second con-tiguous array of photoresponsive elements arranged in a second optical path for detecting variations in light intensity due to the image of foreign matter in an area generally surrounding said central area, said second photo-responsive elements changing state in response to the image of foreign matter falling on them, the total areas of the first and second arrays of photosensitive elements being great enough for a part of the first array to overlap a substantial part of the second array so that the image of any dirt particle in the central area which divides between elements in one array has a high probability of being imaged and detected mostly by a single element in the other array, means for detecting any changes in state of said photoresponsive elements in said second array, and means responsive to said changes of state and said light variations being detected, respectively, by producing signals for activating a bottle rejector.
Apparatus for detecting foreign matter in bottles comprising:
means for illuminating the bottom of a bottle, lens means arranged for its optical axis to intersect the bottom of a bottle under examination and for projecting a beam containing an image of the illuminated bottom of said bottle, beam splitter means disposed on said optical axis on a side of said lens means opposite of the side on which said bottle is disposed, said beam splitter means being constructed and arranged for directing said image beam into two separate optical paths to provide corresponding images, first photoresponsive means including a first con-tiguous array of photoresponsive elements arranged in a first optical path for intercepting the image of the central area of said bottom of the bottle, said photoresponsive elements changing state in response to the image of foreign matter falling on them, respectively, from corresponding areas in said bottom, means for detecting any changes of state of said photoresponsive elements in said first array, second photoresponsive means including a second con-tiguous array of photoresponsive elements arranged in a second optical path for detecting variations in light intensity due to the image of foreign matter in an area generally surrounding said central area, said second photo-responsive elements changing state in response to the image of foreign matter falling on them, the total areas of the first and second arrays of photosensitive elements being great enough for a part of the first array to overlap a substantial part of the second array so that the image of any dirt particle in the central area which divides between elements in one array has a high probability of being imaged and detected mostly by a single element in the other array, means for detecting any changes in state of said photoresponsive elements in said second array, and means responsive to said changes of state and said light variations being detected, respectively, by producing signals for activating a bottle rejector.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE2655704A DE2655704C3 (en) | 1976-12-09 | 1976-12-09 | Device for detecting foreign bodies in glass bottles |
| DEP2655704.0 | 1976-12-09 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1096959A true CA1096959A (en) | 1981-03-03 |
Family
ID=5995025
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA289,844A Expired CA1096959A (en) | 1976-12-09 | 1977-10-31 | Apparatus for detecting foreign bodies in glass bottles |
Country Status (11)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS5371896A (en) |
| AT (1) | AT358940B (en) |
| BE (1) | BE851289A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1096959A (en) |
| CH (1) | CH618144A5 (en) |
| DE (1) | DE2655704C3 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2373485A1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB1547508A (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1104804B (en) |
| NL (1) | NL171380C (en) |
| SE (1) | SE432236B (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS578438A (en) * | 1980-06-19 | 1982-01-16 | Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd | Bottle inspecting device |
| JPS58224879A (en) * | 1982-06-24 | 1983-12-27 | ブリヂストンサイクル株式会社 | Operating tool of multistage variable speed changeover device for bicycle |
| GB2135768A (en) * | 1983-02-22 | 1984-09-05 | Ti Fords Ltd | Bottle inspection method and apparatus |
| DE3501283A1 (en) * | 1984-01-17 | 1985-07-25 | Canon K.K., Tokio/Tokyo | PHOTOELECTRIC DETECTOR AND ALIGNMENT APPARATUSED WITH IT |
| JPH0261235U (en) * | 1988-10-31 | 1990-05-08 | ||
| JP3610234B2 (en) * | 1998-07-17 | 2005-01-12 | 株式会社メディア・テクノロジー | Iris information acquisition device and iris identification device |
Family Cites Families (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3191773A (en) * | 1960-04-11 | 1965-06-29 | Barry Wehmiller Machinery Co | Bottle-cleanliness inspection apparatus |
| US3292785A (en) * | 1964-08-27 | 1966-12-20 | Meyer Geo J Mfg Co | Bottle inspection system |
| US3415370A (en) | 1966-06-03 | 1968-12-10 | San Marino Electronic Corp | Empty bottle bottom and neck inspection machine using radiation sensitive means |
| FR1567014A (en) | 1966-07-21 | 1968-05-16 | ||
| US3739184A (en) | 1971-06-11 | 1973-06-12 | Mitsubishi Heavy Ind Ltd | Method and apparatus for inspecting a bottle |
| DE2329358C3 (en) * | 1973-06-08 | 1978-09-07 | Kronseder, Hermann, 8404 Woerth | Optical testing device for containers |
| DE2339314A1 (en) | 1973-08-03 | 1975-02-13 | Kronseder Hermann | Optical testing of glass bottles - involves illuminating inspection field and scanning with photo-electronic components |
| DE2545678C3 (en) | 1975-10-11 | 1979-08-09 | Kronseder, Hermann, 8404 Woerth | Test device for glass bottles |
-
1976
- 1976-12-09 DE DE2655704A patent/DE2655704C3/en not_active Expired
- 1976-12-29 AT AT977776A patent/AT358940B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
-
1977
- 1977-01-20 CH CH68977A patent/CH618144A5/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1977-01-24 NL NLAANVRAGE7700684,A patent/NL171380C/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1977-02-09 SE SE7701424A patent/SE432236B/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1977-02-10 BE BE174815A patent/BE851289A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1977-02-16 FR FR7704420A patent/FR2373485A1/en active Granted
- 1977-03-01 IT IT48250/77A patent/IT1104804B/en active
- 1977-05-19 GB GB21185/77A patent/GB1547508A/en not_active Expired
- 1977-05-26 JP JP6171877A patent/JPS5371896A/en active Granted
- 1977-10-31 CA CA289,844A patent/CA1096959A/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CH618144A5 (en) | 1980-07-15 |
| BE851289A (en) | 1977-05-31 |
| DE2655704B2 (en) | 1979-06-21 |
| NL171380B (en) | 1982-10-18 |
| NL171380C (en) | 1983-03-16 |
| NL7700684A (en) | 1978-06-13 |
| AT358940B (en) | 1980-10-10 |
| FR2373485A1 (en) | 1978-07-07 |
| JPS5371896A (en) | 1978-06-26 |
| DE2655704C3 (en) | 1980-04-03 |
| DE2655704A1 (en) | 1978-07-13 |
| ATA977776A (en) | 1980-02-15 |
| SE432236B (en) | 1984-03-26 |
| JPS5653693B2 (en) | 1981-12-21 |
| GB1547508A (en) | 1979-06-20 |
| IT1104804B (en) | 1985-10-28 |
| SE7701424L (en) | 1978-06-10 |
| FR2373485B1 (en) | 1980-01-18 |
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| MKEX | Expiry |