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. 27, 1999
Filed:
Feb. 14, 1996
Andreas Nordbryhn, Oslo, NO;
Tomra Systems A/S, Asker, NO;
Abstract
A device for generating, detecting and recognizing a contour image of a liquid container, such as at least partly transparent, colored or non-colored bottles comprising a light source, light detector means, means for directing light rays received from said light source as parallel rays transversely of a path travelled by said container, and for conveying to said light detector means light rays which are not refracted or hidden by said container, processing means connected to said light detector means for processing signals from said detector means which are indicative of such detected light rays, and means for comparing such processed signals with predetermined container feature data to recognize said contour image of the container. The means for directing light rays suitably comprises a Fresnel lens which is located at a longitudinal side of said path, and a planar mirror located at an opposite longitudinal side of said path, said light source e.g. being a stationary light emitting diode capable of emitting light towards a lens. Said light detector means is suitably a TV camera, e.g. of the CCD type capable of detecting a container contour highlighted by light not hidden or refracted by the container.