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
  • G01N21/9027—Dirt detection in containers in containers after filling
• • 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
  • G01N21/9009—Non-optical constructional details affecting optical inspection, e.g. cleaning mechanisms for optical parts, vibration reduction
• • 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
• • 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
  • G01N21/8851—Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges
  • G01N2021/8887—Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges based on image processing techniques
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N2201/00—Features of devices classified in G01N21/00
  • G01N2201/10—Scanning
  • G01N2201/102—Video camera

Definitions

• the invention relates to a process for inspecting containers made in transparent materials and the liquid contained in them, in order to identify any defects in the containers or impurities in the liquid.
• the invention also relates to a plant for performing the said process.
• the containers are examined by inspection means, for example cameras, which identify in known ways any defects in the glass of the containers and relay the information to a central control switchboard.
• inspection means for example cameras
• the containers are then set in vortical rotation, held between the plates and an upper gripping head, so as to cause the liquid in them to swirl.
• the containers then exit from the rotating platform and move to a second platform where the liquid is inspected.
• the containers rest on transparent plates below which light emitters are positioned, which emitters have the task of illuminating the liquid so that it can be examined by one or more cameras (fewer than the number of plates) positioned by the side of the platform.
• the cameras can be fixed and aimed at examining the liquid during the brief container transit time, or they can be mobile and aimed at following the circular movement of a container for a certain angular tract of the platform (less than about 45 degrees) then to return to the initial position wherefrom another inspection cycle of a new container can begin.
• a further drawback is that the inspection means associated to the first rotating platform can examine the containers only when they are in a in a certain position, since when the containers are inspected the support plate is still.
• a principal aim of the present invention is to obviate the abovementioned drawbacks and to realise a process and a plant which permit high productivity rates associated with a greater accuracy and reliability in of inspection both of the containers and of the liquid in them.
• a further aim is to inspect all of the lateral surface of the containers.
• FIG. 3 shows a frontal elevation which is partially sectioned and shows a detail of the second station of the plant.
• 1 denotes a rotating circular platform which central shaft 3 is set in rotation by a motor 2.
• the platform 1 is part of a first station of the plant wherein the inspection of the containers 5 takes place, the containers 5 being preferably made of glass or other transparent or at least translucent material, and being filled with liquid.
• the platform is provided in its peripheral zone with a plurality of equidistanced container-support plates 4.
• a gripping head 8 is positioned above each plate 4 to grip the container 5 during its rotation.
• Each plate 4 is equipped with its own motorisation 9 which enables the plate 4 to rotate about its own axis.
• the entering containers 5 are set in slow rotation on the support plate so as to perform a complete rotation during the said angle alpha, and are inspected by special inspection means of known type constituted by, for example, a fixed camera 12 which relays information to a control and processing switchboard of known type and not illustrated.
• the containers 5 are set in vortical rotation so as to shake the liquid contained in them.
• the containers 5 are shaded in the rotation zone. Then the rotation speed of the plates 4 is lowered and the containers exit from the first station and enter a second station where the liquid present in them is inspected to show whether any impurities are present.
• the single motors 9 constitute means which permit of differntiated and contemporaneous rotation of the plates 4.
• the second station also equipped with inlet and outlet star transporters 6a and 7a, has a contraI rotation shaft 21.
• a plurality of light emitters 13 and corresponding container support means rotate solidly to the central shaft 21.
• the support means of the containers which suspend the containers from the neck, are constituted, for each emiter, by support elements realised by means of a fork 15 acting below an annular projection 16 present in proximity to the mouth of the container, and a shaped pad 17 which presses against the upper part of the container on the opposite side to the fork 15 in such a way as to keep the container 5 in a vertical position.
• a lateral support 18 keeps the container 5 vertical.
• Each pad 17 can oscillate about its own fulcrum 22 and exerts its pressing action due to the presence of a spring stretched between a support 24 and a lever 25 pivoted at 22.
• the lever 25 is superiorly equipped with a roller 26 running on a cam 27.
• the forks 15 and the pads 17 can translate vertically, and the lateral supports 18 can translate horizontally to adapt the inspection station to various container 5 shapes.
• All of the forks 15 are applied to a common plate or star which, in the case of a change in containers 5 shape, is removable from the station and subsequently reapplied with the interposition of special distancing elements which permit of varying the vertical position of the forks 15.
• the pads 17 and lateral supports 18 can be adjusted in a similar way.
• the forks 15 can also be mounted on a plane which can slight up and down along the central shaft, so as further to simplify the adaptation operation, making it possible with a single mechanical command.
• Each light emitter 13 is superiorly protected by a sheet 14 of transparent material, preferably tempered glass, and is associated to an inspection means, for example a camera 19 which identifies any impurities in the liquid contained in the container 5.
• a camera 19 which identifies any impurities in the liquid contained in the container 5.
• Each container 5 is suspended above a corresponding light emitter 13, the light from which crosses the container 5 longitudinally and if it meets an impurity or a solid particle in the liquid, is reflected by a mirror 20 arranged at about 45 degrees and solid to the central shaft 21, towards a camera 19, which sends the information to a rotating control and processing switchboard of known type.
• the impurities are read as luminous points, absent if the liquid is homogeneous and clean.
• the cameras 19, one for each light emitter 13, are solid to the central shaft and each of them effects an inspection while the central shaft describes an angle of about 180 degrees, or at most between 170 amd 200 degrees.
• the containers 5 in transit in the liquid inspection zone have been shaded.
• the mirror 20a indicates a fixed truncoconical mirror, solid to the non-rotating part of the second station, which mirror 20a reflects the light coming from an emitter 13. The reflected light crosses the container 5 laterally to be further reflected by the mirror 20 towards the camera 19. In this way, the presence of an impurity in the liquid is identified by the camera as a dark spot in the light beam.
• the mirror 20a is positioned in a terminal part 30 opf the liquid inspection zone and is of about 20-55 degrees.
• a deviator not illustrated since of known type, which deviates defective containers 5 or containers containing defective liquid, towards a waste collection zone. Both of the inspection stations, like the relative inlet and outlet star transporters, are motorised by a single motor 2.
• the plant which is the object of the invention permits continuous and not step-by-step movement of the containers 5 and thus reaches a higher level of productivity than is possible with conventional plants, succeeding at the same time in effecting a more accurate inspection since it performs for a longer period of time and over all of the surface of the containers.
• a further advantage with respect to traditional plants where the containers move step-by-step is that the present invention confers a greater stability on the liquid.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Immunology (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)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=11395753

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (9)

Citations (5)

• 1992
  • 1992-10-05 IT ITPR920042A patent/IT1260385B/it active IP Right Grant
• 1993
  • 1993-09-13 WO PCT/IT1993/000095 patent/WO1994008230A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (5)

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