Process Automation Business Inc.

Other

Thomas O McCanney

Paul Williams

Gary N Burk

Thomas Michael Domin

Steven M Wilson

A light source module for use with a multi-camera array in a video surface inspection system includes a first light emitter which extends lengthwise across the entire width of a sheet to be inspected. Light from the first light emitter, which preferably comprises one or more fluorescent lamps, is received by a light guide and carried by the guide to uniformly illuminate a band extending entirely across the width of the moving sheet. The light guide comprises a transparent thermoplastic such that the light receiving end of the guide can be bent to define a plurality of sections which can be axially aligned with a corresponding plurality of fluorescent lamps. The fluorescent lamps may be powered by individual inverter ballasts which may be driven inturn by one or more variable dc power supplied to control the intensity of light emitted by the lamps. The light source module can also assist the inspection system in overcoming redundant data processing problems by providing second light emitters which illuminate the sheet in overlapping portions of the field of view of adjacent cameras of the multi-camera array to define data dividing points. Accordingly, duplicated data generated by the video cameras can be divided among the cameras at the defined data dividing points such that duplicated data is only processed once by the video surface inspection system.

Light guided illuminating/sectioning device for sheet inspection system

Apparatus for inspecting sheet material having known characteristics is disclosed. The apparatus comprises means for providing a plurality of pixel signals each having a magnitude representing the intensity of electromagnetic radiation received from a corresponding point on the sheet material. The apparatus also comprises signal processing means for comparing the magnitude of each one of the pixel signals to a corresponding reference range defined by the known characteristics of the sheet material and generating a characteristic signal. The characteristic signal includes an event signal for each of the magnitudes falling outside of the corresponding reference range and a data signal for each of the magnitudes falling within the range, wherein the data signal represents the magnitude of the pixel signal. The signal processing means also generates an address signal representing the point on the sheet material at which the characteristic signal is generated. The apparatus also comprises system processing means for storing the event signals and the corresponding address signals to provide an indication of deviation from the known characteristics of the sheet material.

Apparatus and method for inspecting sheet material

The invention provides a method and apparatus for manually counting pills or similar objects. Pills in excess of a required number are deposited in a counting area which has the general shape of an equilateral triangle and is defined by walls which surround all but a small open peripheral range of the area. The excess pills are separated from the required number on the counting area, and the user tilts the apparatus to cause the excess to slide out of the area through the open peripheral range while retaining the required number in the counting area. The user then tilts the apparatus to cause the required number of pills to slide out of the area through the open peripheral range.

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Sunbury, OH, United States of America

Thomas O McCanney