FI71892B - MOTTAGNINGSANORDNING FOER FLASKOR - Google Patents

Description

71892

BOTTLE RECEIVER - MOTTAGNINGSANORDNING FÖR FLASKOR

The invention relates to a bottle receiving device according to claim 1.

A bottle receiving device based on the use of a laser beam is already known, in which the shape of the bottle is examined by means of a laser beam reflected by means of a mirror rotating in 5 bottles. Information on the shape of the bottle is obtained by means of an optical fiber detector. The approved bottles are identified in the data processing unit to which the information about the bottle to be monitored is fed as electronic signals to compare the information of the shape of the bottle to be monitored with the corresponding information of the acceptable bottle shapes in the file. The information on the approved bottles is passed to the registration unit, which registers the number of approved bottles and e.g. the type and / or the amount of money that may be returned from the approved bottles, e.g. to a counter-receipt which can be credited by the cashier.

Bottle receiving devices are particularly useful in the bottle return departments of large grocery stores, department stores and beer shops.

2 71892 This known bottle receiving device is prone to interference when the laser is a sensitive component and the rotating mirror requires very precise orientation. In this case, the manufacture of the return device is cumbersome and its price is high. In addition, the wear and tear of the device 5 necessitates maintenance due to the proper operation of the high-precision parts of the device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel bottle receiving device which is substantially simpler than the prior art 10 and substantially cheaper in terms of manufacturing costs and operating costs.

For aspects of the invention, reference is made to the claims.

The idea of the invention is based on the fact that the received bottle is examined momentarily from a line point as the bottle moves in front of the detector. In this case, as the bottle moves, the line focus point moves over the entire bottle and a line image of the bottle is obtained over the entire bottle. A line camera, which is simple in construction and inexpensive, can advantageously be used for viewing. A line image, e.g. a sequence of signals generated by electrical impulses provided by a line camera, is ideally suited for processing the image and shape of a bottle to identify acceptable bottle shapes and to register accepted bottles.

If desired, e.g. in connection with said line camera, the bottle can be illuminated by any known lighting device or lamp. If desired, instead of a line camera, e.g. light-emitting diodes arranged in a row shape can be used, in which case the pul-30 is suitably illuminated on the opposite side, e.g. by means of light emitting diodes, such as infrared LEDs arranged in a row shape. The examination can then be staggered to take place, e.g. after certain intervals, when the bottle moves between the lighting device and the light emitting diodes in order to obtain a line image of the bottle in question.

The invention will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 3 71892 shows in principle a block diagram of the structure and operation of a bottle receiving device according to the invention; device as shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 shows a line view of the formation of the monitor to be monitored by the identification device according to Figs. 2-3, and Fig. 5 shows a side view of the identification device according to another embodiment of the invention.

An application of the bottle receiving device exemplified in Figure 1 according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a transfer device 1 for transferring bottles, an identification device 2 with data processing units 3 for identifying and accepting bottles of certain shapes and a perforation device 4 for registering approved bottles. The transfer device 1 may consist, for example, of one or more belt conveyors, a rotating plate conveyor, or generally any conveyor suitable for transferring bottles. The conveyor may be arranged to move the bottles horizontally and / or possibly vertically, however, horizontal movement is considered most suitable in connection with the bottle receiving device according to the invention. The transfer apparatus may further include a feeder for feeding the bottles to the transfer device and a removal device for removing the bottles from the top of the transfer device, e.g. to the floor of the storage space, the bottle basket, etc.

The identification device 2, to which the invention is particularly directed, preferably comprises a data processing unit 3 with possible memory units 8 and registration units 4. The data processing unit 3 is thus provided with a file of accepted bottle shapes, i. information about acceptable bottle shapes can be entered into a file to compare information from the shape of the bottle under consideration with the corresponding information about acceptable bottle shapes. The recording device registers the number of approved bottles, possible sizes and / or the amount to be credited or returned.

Figures 2-3 show in principle a diagram of an identification device 2 according to the invention, comprising mainly a stationary lighting device 5 for illuminating the bottle 10, a detector 6 for inspecting the bottle and a conveyor 7 for moving the bottle past the detector. According to the invention, said detector is arranged to examine the bottle momentarily, at intervals, from line-like points as the bottle moves by the conveyor 7 in front of the detector, so that the line-like wetting points provide information on at least the neck and top of the bottle, i.e. the detector is arranged to take a so-called line image.

When taking a line image, the detector 6 thus takes line images of the bottle as shown in Figure 4 at intervals as the conveyor 7 moves 15 bottles in front of the detector. Line art can be taken at desired intervals, i.e. the line density of the image can be adjusted as desired according to the accuracy of the desired information. The detector 6 converts the obtained line image information into electrical pulses, which are fed to the data processing unit according to Fig. 1 in a known manner.

It is not necessary to take a line view of the whole bottle, it is usually sufficient to describe the top 10 'of the bottle as shown in Figure 4, with the characteristics of the bottle types and designs generally being best seen from the top of the bottle. In this case, the lower part 10 '' of the bottle 25 is suitably omitted.

In Figures 2-3, a conventional line camera is used as the detector 6, which is arranged to image a bottle moving in front of the camera in a lateral direction perpendicular to the direction of the camera lens from the area of the upper part of this neck at 1 mm vertical lines. The detection device is programmed to measure the height of the bottle. If desired, the detector 6 can be arranged to take horizontal pictures of the bottle, whereby the conveyor 7 is suitably arranged to move the bottle vertically to image the bottle from the desired height.

When using a line camera as a detector 6, certain advantages are obtained compared to, for example, a laser-based detection device. First of all, a line camera is substantially cheaper than a laser in terms of purchase price. The line camera is generally maintenance-free to the same extent as laser equipment. The line camera is reliable in function and construction, withstanding vibration and other external mechanical stresses. A line camera can be formed e.g. From a CCD camera (Charge Coupled Diod) or e.g.

5 ns. from a photodiode camera (Self Scanning Array). Furthermore, the line camera can be easily connected to the data processing unit, and the information provided by the line camera, i. the electronic signal sequence is excellently suitable mainly for use as such in a data processing unit. Furthermore, the line camera 10 can be adjusted, the timing of the scanning speed, i.e. for the image capture interval.

Figure 5 shows another embodiment of the invention, in which the bottle to be monitored is led to pass by a conveyor from a port formed by a row of IR light emitting diodes 12 and a vertical row 13 of light receiving light emitting diodes 13. In this case, the IR light emitting diodes and the corresponding light measuring light emitting diodes form a detection device in which the diodes are arranged to measure the height of the bottle at time intervals, i. take vertical line art from the bottle. The timing of the LEDs adjusts the line density of the line image 20, i.e. image resolution.

In the illustrated embodiments of the invention, the bottle under consideration is arranged to be moved in an upright position. If desired, the transfer devices 1 and / or the conveyor 7 can be arranged to move the bottle past the detector also in a horizontal position, i.e.

Horizontal mouth of 25 bottles. In further embodiments, the detector 6, i. the line camera or the row of light emitting diodes 13, respectively, is arranged as stationary. Alternatively, line cameras or said light emitting diodes can also be arranged to sweep over the bottle to take a picture of the bottle 30, the latter structure, however, being more complicated and thus more expensive.

The embodiments are intended to illustrate the invention, and the invention is intended to be applied within the scope of the embodiments without limiting it in any way, as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

Claims (3)

71 892 A bottle receiving device comprising a slirt apparatus (1) for moving bottles, an identification device (2) with data processing units (3) for identifying and approving bottles of certain shapes, and a recording device (4) for registering approved bottles, the identification device (2) comprising mainly a statlonary lighting device. device (5) for illuminating the bottle, inspecting the bottle of the detector (6) and moving the bottle of the conveyor (7) past the detector, characterized in that the detector (6) is a line camera arranged to view the bottle momentarily mainly from line points as the bottle moves in front of the detector that the line-like viewing points provide information on at least the shape of the neck and top of the bottle. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the detector (6) consists essentially of light-emitting diodes arranged in a row. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the conveyor (7) is arranged to transport the bottle between the lighting device (5) and the detector (6) so that the detector looks at the bottle from behind the bottle and provides information about the shape of the bottle. .