The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 10, 1990
Filed:
Sep. 11, 1986
Roger Chang, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (US);
Donald Darling, Palm Beach Gardens, FL (US);
Jaime Periera, North Palm Beach, FL (US);
Mark Filipowski, Lake Worth, FL (US);
Tyce Fitzmorris, Lake Park, FL (US);
Trent Francis, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (US);
Dale Kline, Palm Beach, FL (US);
Russell Mortenson, West Palm Beach, FL (US);
Steven R Rowley, West Palm Beach, FL (US);
Timothy Wagner, West Palm Beach, FL (US);
Inex/Vistech Technologies, Inc., Clearwater, FL (US);
Abstract
A comprehensive container inspection system includes axial container examining features, side wall inspection features and a controllable diverter for routing the containers to one of at least two sorting paths. Each stage of the inspection system is adapted to process moving containers, a continuous line of moving containers being processed and controllably diverted without stoppages. In an axial inspection area, containers are carried through rim, energy absorption and base inspection areas by means of side rollers bridging a gap in endless belt conveyor sections. In a side wall inspection area, containers are continuously rolled before a video detector operable to record and analyze images including at least three of the rolling bottles. A downstream mechanical diverter device includes a picker element operable to stop a container ahead of a container to be diverted, and means for positioning the diverted container to be squeezed into a diversion path between the stopped container and a next container, the next container advancing continuously through the diversion process.