Heineken Technisch Beheer B.v.

Andre Deen

Johannes H De Hoog

Peter J Wever

A method of counting, in real time, articles supplied on a conveyor track in a random pattern is disclosed. The method comprises forming an image of the articles present in a counting zone by means of an image pick-up device, which counting zone corresponds to a periodic, elongated image of the image pick-up device, which image extends essentially transversely to the direction of movement of the conveyor track. The elongated image is converted into a binary image composed of a row of image elements, each with its own grey value, which binary image is obtained by assigning a first logic state to image elements having a grey value above a pre-determined threshold value and a second logic state to image elements below this threshold value. The invention is characterized by determining whether an article arrived in the counting zone, whether the article subsequently reaches a minimum width in the image, and whether the article leaves the counting zone again, whereby a count signal is produced when the article leaves the counting zone.

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The Hague, Netherlands

Andre Deen