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:
Oct. 22, 1996
Filed:
May. 31, 1994
Joseph G LaChapelle, Philomath, OR (US);
Cary S Kiest, Albany, OR (US);
Other;
Abstract
Fill volume of a liquid in a sealed, transparent container is determined by rotating the container about a transverse axis so as to confine the air to a generally cylindrical air pocket about the transverse axis of rotation. Machine vision methods and apparatus are used to capture an image of the container, including the air pocket, for measuring the size of the air pocket. A common volume of the container is defined as a generally cylindrical region intermediate upright and inverted liquid levels. The common volume and the air pocket volume are used to determine the liquid fill volume so that all measurements are acquired in a central portion of the container having a regular geometric shape.