Out of round detector

Abstract

An inspection machine for determining whether a bottle at an inspection station is “out of round”. A laser, spaced from the bottle to be inspected directs a laser beam towards the axis of the bottle to be inspected whereby a diffuse spot of energy will be defined on the surface of the bottle to be inspected. The bottle to be inspected is rotated about its axis and a CCD camera views the spot of energy on the surface of the bottle at a defined angle to the laser beam. A control determines the displacement of the spot of energy as the bottle to be inspected is rotated 360 degrees about its axis and issues a reject signal in the event the displacement exceeds a set limit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an out of round inspection machine made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic showing of the out of round inspection in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic showing of the out of round inspection with the camera viewing line and the laser beam defining a vertical angle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1, discloses an inspection machine having a support table 10 rotatable about a vertical axis A-A. The table is indexed from position to position and inspections can take place at any position (pockets 12 represent the discrete locations of bottles 14 on the table) and the illustrated bottle is shown located at the “out of round” inspection position. The bottle will be rotated about its axis B-B, by bottle rotators 15, while the bottle is located at the out of round inspection position. These rotors are a part of an overall rotator means or mechanism made up of the rotors and their drive.

At the inspection position a Laser 16 directs a beam at the wall of the bottle. As can be seen from FIG. 2, this laser beam is directed at the axis B-B of the bottle. The laser beam creates a small spot 18 of diffused light at the bottle surface and a Camera 20 is aimed at an angle Ø to the laser beam to see that spot. As the bottle rotates about its axis, the location of this spot on the CCD image field of the camera will vary as the spot moves between location 18A where the rotating bottle will have a minimum diameter and location 18B where the rotating bottle will have a maximum diameter. The displacement distance of the spot as the bottle rotates, which is computed by the Control 22, indicates how much the bottle is out of round and an Out Of Round Limit defining the maximum displacement can be input by the operator so that a reject signal will be generated for a bottle that is beyond the acceptable out of round limit. While the illustrated angle Ø is shown in a horizontal plane, it can also be in a vertical or other plane as shown in FIG. 3 where the surface of the glass bottle 14 being inspected is vertical.

Claims

1. An inspection machine for determining whether a bottle at an inspection station is “out of round” comprising a laser, spaced from the bottle to be inspected, for directing a laser beam towards the axis of the bottle to be inspected whereby a diffuse spot of energy will be defined on the surface of the bottle to be inspected,rotator means for rotating the bottle to be inspected about its axis,a CCD camera for viewing the spot of energy on the surface of the bottle at a defined angle to the laser beam, anda control for determining the displacement of the spot of energy as the bottle to be inspected is rotated 360 degrees about its axis and for issuing a reject signal in the event the displacement exceeds a set limit.

2. An inspection machine according to claim 1, wherein said defined angle lies within a horizontal plane.

3. An inspection machine according to claim 1, wherein said defined angle lies within a vertical plane.