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. 02, 2002
Filed:
Jul. 22, 1999
Applicant:
Inventors:
Thomas Spangenberg, Baltimore, MD (US);
Thomas Lamb, Silver Spring, MD (US);
Assignee:
AMBEC, Incorporated, Owings Mills, MD (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 2/186 ; G01N 2/100 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01N 2/186 ; G01N 2/100 ;
Abstract
The invention is directed to an apparatus for detecting and ejecting fallen containers on a conveyor line. The detecting apparatus includes at least three sensors arranged beside the conveyor system. Two of the sensors are positioned to detect the top of a container and a third sensor is positioned to detect the bottom of the container. When a container is judged to be fallen on the conveyor line, a control system sends a signal to an ejector apparatus to remove the fallen container from the conveyor line.