Optical apparatus for sensing clustered package orientation

Abstract

Four six-packs of labeled bottles are picked up and spun while being illuminated by light sources, each of the 24 bottles have an optical sensor focused at a spot through which successive portions of the peripheral surface of the bottle passes as the bottle is spun. The six-packs are fed broadside first; the two center bottles in each six-pack remote from the sensors are illuminated by light, mounted adjacent thereto so that the lights pass between necks of bottles as the assembly approaches the four six-packs to pick them up. Certain of the sensors are longer than others to permit viewing of some bottles underneath the sensors related to other bottles. Each of the bottles is illuminated by a light positioned at an elevation which is substantially different than the elevation of the focus spot on the bottles so that the sensors are substantially insensitive to specular reflection from the shiny bottles, yet provide a substantial amount of light diffusely reflected from labels. Certain of the lights and sensors are arranged in line along the center of the apparatus between adjacent six-packs, and others of the sensors and lights are arranged in lines externally of all of the six-packs. The sensors focus on points which are at least one quarter revolution in advance of the desired stopping position of the bottles with respect to the direction in which the bottle is already spinning.