Owens-brockway Glass Container Inc.

Timothy J Nicks

James A Ringlien

John W Juvinall

William H Anderson

Brian A Langenderfer

John L Waugaman

Alan D Ahl

A container inspection apparatus and method measures both warp and off-level of an annular sealing surface of a container. The apparatus preferably has a warp gauge device and an off-level gauge device suspended over a container support and base by at least one column for the warp gauge device and a pillar for the off-level gauge device. When measuring for warp, the off-level gauge device is constructed and arranged to pivot clear of the warp gauge device, and vice-versa when measuring for off-level. The container preferably is held laterally or radially in place by two V-bracket assemblies, and vertically in place by a container support. The V-bracket assemblies are adjustable vertically to accommodate containers of differing diameters and heights. A spring loaded roller assembly supported by the pillar biases the sidewall of the container against the V-bracket assemblies assuring multiple points of contact properly to orient the container for distortion measurements by both the warp and off-level gauge devices. The V-bracket assemblies preferably are associated with a scale for orienting the containers of differing diameter along a common centerline utilized by both the warp and off-level gauge devices.

Container finish inspection

Apparatus for inspecting a container finish includes at least one light source for directing light energy onto the sealing surface of a container. At least one light sensor is disposed to receive light energy reflected from the sealing surface of the container, and is responsive to such reflected light energy to provide signals indicative of the level of the sealing surface at at least four points on the sealing surface spaced from each other around the axis of the container finish. An information processor is responsive to such signals for detecting variations in level at the sealing surface of the container. In the preferred embodiments of the invention, the points on the sealing surface from which reflected energy is received at the sensor are at a nominal angle of 90&#xb0; from each other. The information processor preferably is responsive to such signals for detecting warp, dip, off-level and overall height variations at the sealing surface.

Container sealing surface inspection

Apparatus for inspecting a container for variations that affect commercial acceptability of the container that includes a light source for directing diffuse polarized light energy through a container while the container is rotated about its axis. A first camera is disposed to receive diff-use polarized light energy transmitted from the light source through a portion of the container, so that the first camera receives an image of the container portion in which opaque variations appear dark against an otherwise bright background. A second camera receives light energy transmitted from the light source through substantially the same portion of the container, and includes a polarizer at cross-orientation to the polarizer at the light source. The second camera receives a bright image of stress variations in the container, which alter polarization of the diffuse polarized light energy passing through the container, against an otherwise dark background. An image processor is coupled to both of the cameras to scan associated images of the container portion viewed by the cameras for detecting and distinguishing between and among variations in the container.

Optical inspection of transparent containers using two cameras and a

Apparatus for detecting containers of predetermined diameter that includes a pair of optical proximity sensors positioned adjacent to a container conveyor such that light energy from the sensors is incident sequentially on the containers as the containers pass on the conveyor adjacent to the sensors. The sensors are adjustably positionable with respect to each other such that the sensors are spaced from each other in the direction of container motion on the conveyor. An electronic circuit is coupled to the sensors for detecting passage of containers on the conveyor while ignoring dithering of the containers. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the sensors are mounted on a common support having a scale for measuring separation between the sensors. Printed indicia in units of container diameter, preferably in both English and metric units, is affixed to the support adjacent to the scale. One of the sensors is mounted on the support adjacent to a 'zero' reference point on the scale indicia, and the other sensor is adjustably positionable on the support adjacent to the scale. The support in the preferred embodiment of the invention takes the form of a housing enclosing the sensors and having an elongated window parallel to the conveyor through which containers on the conveyor are exposed to the sensors.

Anti-dither optical container sensor with sensors separation measurement

Apparatus for detecting checks in the sidewall of a translucent container that includes a light source for illuminating an elongated strip of the container sidewall parallel to the central axis of the container in such a way that illumination rays are incident at any point of the strip from multiple differing angles. A camera is positioned externally of the container for receiving light reflected by checks in the illuminated strip, and electronic circuitry is coupled to the camera for detecting checks in the container as a function of such reflected light. Since the light rays at any point in the elongated illuminated strip on the container sidewall are incident from multiple differing angles, planar checks in the container sidewall that are not precisely vertical in orientation will have a greater chance of reflecting light energy from the source onto the detector.

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Maumee, OH, United States of America

Timothy J Nicks