Tomra Systems Asa

Lennart Flem

Andreas Nordbryhn

Tom Steidel

A method and a device for detecting containers, e.g. bottles of glass or plastics, or cans made of metal, wood, glass or plastics, which for recycling of materials thereof or reuse thereof are moved in a lying posture and with their axis parallel to direction of transport into or past a detection zone associated with a detector station containing a video camera, a video image analysis of the container being carried out by a video image analyser, and said detector station having an entrance and an exit. There is analysed a sequence of video images of the container whilst it is moved into or past the detection zone of the video camera, and it is determined position and movement of the container in a viewing region of the video camera on the basis of continuous detection of position and movement of the container in the video image. Further, there is determined direction of movement of the container relative to the detector station, thus either causing an alarm if the container is moved from a position downstream of the detector station exit to a position in the detector sector or zone, or causing no movement direction alarm if the container is moved from a position upstream of the detector station entrance and into the detection zone.

Method and device for detecting container movement

The method of handling an empty beverage container having a bottom end and a mouth region and includes moving the container, from a return vending machine inlet, in a direction towards an outlet thereof. Through use of the method there is detected by means of a video camera the container when moved in a lying posture into or past a detection zone of the video camera and the manner by which the container is inserted at said inlet. Further, there is determined whether the container is moved into the detection zone bottom end first or mouth region end first. If the container is delivered into the detection zone with its bottom end first, the container is transported to said outlet. If, however, the container is delivered into the detection zone with its mouth region end first, then the container is caused to be returned to the inlet.

Method and return vending machine device for handling empty beverage containers

An optical system having a light source means and a detector means for detecting one or more articles which by means of a conveyor move or are temporarily stationary under the means, where said article(s) has/have at least one reflective portion, and where light is emitted towards the article(s) from the light source means and reflected back towards the detector means. The optical system is characterised in that at a distance above the conveyor there is provided a lens, that the light source means and the detector means are located in or essentially in the same plane which is parallel to the plane of the lens and coincident with the focal plane of the lens, and that the optical axis of the lens is coincident with an axis perpendicular to the focal plane and located halfway between the light source means and the detector means.

Growing community of inventors

Kolsås, Norway

Lennart Flem