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:
Aug. 27, 1991
Filed:
Jun. 18, 1990
John T DiGrande, Columbia, SC (US);
David V Lambert, St. Matthews, SC (US);
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
An pellet diameter inspection system has a laser scanning apparatus for measuring and detecting the outside diameter of the pellets and an apparatus for transferring pellets past the laser scanning apparatus. A stationary support track aligns and guides pellets in a row along a linear path past the laser scanning apparatus with the pellets being advances along the path by the transfer apparatus operating through forward and reverse strokes. The laser scanning apparatus includes a laser beam light source and receiver disposed on opposite sides of the linear path in a non-orthogonal orientation to the common axis of the aligned pellets and operable for respectively emitting and receiving a laser beam directed across the pellets along a directional path extending in a non-orthogonal orientation to common axis of the pellets which will eliminate detection of adjacent ends of the pellets in the row.