Inspection machine for bottles

US4636635A · kind A · utility

Inventor

• Hermann Kronseder

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 15, 1985
• Grant date: Jan 13, 1987
• Expiry date: Feb 15, 2005

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N33/0081
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In a bottle inspection machine a cylindrical hollow shaft is driven rotationally about a vertical axis. Another shaft is splined in the tubular shaft for rotation therewith. Another rotor is mounted coaxially to the inner shaft and the two rotors constitute a means for transporting bottles in a circular path. A light source is mounted on the radially outer side of the circular path and projects beams generally radially inwardly through one or more bottles at a time. The bottles carried on the rotors do not fill a complete circle, thus leaving an open side on the rotor. A detector or scanning device is located on the side of the center shaft facing the area which is free of bottles. The scanning device has photodetectors or imaging elements that intercept the images of the bottles side walls which may be modulated by flaws or contaminants in the bottles. The scanning device receives two separate ray bundles or beams from the light source on opposite sides of the center shaft or column which supports the rotor elements. The arrangement provides for good accessibility to the light source and the scanning device.