Box inspection device and method
US5212656A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 26, 1991 |
| Grant date | May 18, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 26, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB31B2120/30
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A quality monitoring system employing vision processing equipment to photograph at least one of the edges of every folded-over box blank as it is conveyed through a box forming machine is used to determine in-line whether the blanks, when unfolded, will produce square boxes having essentially all 90.degree. angles between adjacent sides. The folded-over blanks have a manufacturer's gap between adjacent box side panels. The electronic images are electronically digitized and the resulting data processed by computer to calculate critical parameters of the folded-over blank, including gap width, longitudinal taper of the gap width, and alignment of the lateral edges of the panels surrounding the gap in relation to the lateral edge of the gap. Comparison of these measured critical parameters with corresponding parameters for an idealized box stored in the computer indicates the quality of the formed box and whether the quality falls within acceptable parameters. Provision is made in the system to photograph the blank upstream of or downstream of a squaring and stacking station of the folding machine, or in both positions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.