TESTING DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a compact device (1), that can be easily integrated into the system environment of an injection moulding machine, for optically checking objects, wherein the objects to be checked move from the top edge (3.1) to the lower edge (3.2) on an inclined panel (3). The viewing angle of multiple image-recording units (6) capture the entire width of the panel and synchronously record multiple respective digital images of the objects moving on the panel. Ejection fingers (4), which can be pivoted individually by a separate drive, are arranged in parallel next to one another on the lower edge of the panel. A processing unit (7) of the device is programmed to identify all objects fully displayed in the images, to check each identified object for at least one feature, to track said object and to calculate at what time and in which rotational position each identified object reaches a position in the region of the ejection fingers, wherein, depending on this calculation and the result of the test, the drive of at least one ejection finger is actuated in a targeted manner in order to eject the identified object.

Description

[0001]Inspection device The invention relates to a device for the optical inspection of features of elongated, rotationally symmetrical objects, comprising an inclined plate with an upper and a lower edge, wherein the inclination is determined such that the objects to be inspected move from the upper to the lower edge on the plate due to the force of gravity acting on them. The objects to be inspected are, in particular, preforms from which containers, e.g. bottles, are produced in the blow molding process. In order to separate out defective preforms before the blow molding process, if possible, camera-based devices for optical inspection, also referred to as inspection systems, are used, which enable comprehensive inspection of preforms.Typical defects in preforms include cloudiness, impurities, inclusions, unmelted areas, bubbles, burn marks, faulty colors, faulty dimensions and / or shapes, and faulty injection points. EP 2976 204 B1 already discloses a method and a corresponding device for testing the color quality of preforms. In this method, the preforms are transported by a conveyor into a receiving vessel. Upon leaving the conveyor, the preforms are introduced into the receiving vessel in an unordered manner, with an image being taken by the image recording device between leaving the conveyor and the receiving vessel. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 1 of 25The image is processed by a processing device in such a way that the color quality of the preforms is checked and any preforms with color defects are detected. In one embodiment of the known device, the preforms slide over a plate into the receiving vessel after leaving the transport device. The plate positions the preforms in a plane opposite the image recording device without the need for special alignment devices. Furthermore, the plate serves as a background in the images, enabling optimal evaluation of the images. In particular, this plate has a color that contrasts well with the color of the preforms. The known device only allows a visual inspection of the color quality of preforms while they slide along the inclined plate between the transport device and the receiving vessel.The object of the invention is to create a compact device that can be easily integrated into the system environment of an injection molding machine and that can specifically separate out individual, particularly defective, objects depending on the test result, which is not limited to checking the color properties of preforms. This object is achieved according to the invention by a device having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments emerge from the features of the subclaims. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 2 of 25 The device according to the invention is used for the optical inspection of features of elongated, rotationally symmetrical objects, in particular preforms.The device is arranged in the product flow downstream of an injection molding machine and allows the majority of the objects produced by the injection molding machine to be inspected and evaluated in the unoriented object flow, and defective objects to be rejected. The device according to the invention comprises, as essential components, an inclined plate, ejection fingers equipped with drives arranged at the lower edge of the inclined plate, and several image recording devices, in particular digital cameras, aligned with the inclined plate. The aforementioned components can be easily integrated into the existing system environment of an injection molding machine due to their compact dimensions. The inclination of the plate is determined in such a way that the objects move from the upper to the lower edge of the plate due to the force of gravity acting on them.Depending on the inclination and position of the objects placed as bulk material on the upper edge of the plate, these objects to be tested slide or roll across the surface of the plate toward the lower edge of the plate. The ejection fingers, arranged parallel to one another at the lower edge of the plate, can be pivoted from a matching starting position to an ejection position. The pitch between the adjacent ejection fingers is matched to the diameter of the objects to be tested. The preferably flat surfaces of all ejection fingers form an angle of at least 180° with the surface of the inclined plate in the starting position. The angle is preferably exactly 180°, so that the surfaces of the ejection fingers form a continuation of the flat, inclined plate in the starting position.Each ejection finger has a separate drive to pivot the respective ejection finger between the home position and the ejection position, whereby in the ejection position the angle enclosed between the surface of the inclined plate and the surface of the ejection fingers is less than 180°. The multiple image recording devices aligned with the inclined plate, whose viewing angles cover the plate at least across its entire width, contribute to the small size of the device and its easy integration into the system environment of the injection molding machine. The multiple image recording devices each synchronously record several digital images of the objects moving on the plate at different times at a consistent frequency.Due to the desired short length of the inclined plate, it is necessary that the images are recorded at a high frequency, for example in a range between 50 Hz - 100 Hz, preferably with a frequency above 70 Hz. The short length of the inclined plate made possible by the high frequency contributes to a low loss of height in the transport stream of the objects to be tested and thus to a small space requirement of the device. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 4 of 25 A processing unit, for example a personal computer or a distributed system, iea data processing environment in which different components are distributed across multiple computers in a network is programmed to recognize all fully depicted objects in the digital images recorded synchronously at different times, to check each recognized object for at least one feature by comparing it with a reference object, to track each recognized object and to calculate at what point in time and in what rotational position each recognized object will reach a position in the area of ​​the ejection fingers, wherein, depending on this calculation and the result of the check of the at least one feature, the drive of one or more ejection fingers is specifically actuated in order to eject the recognized object.The rotational position describes the orientation of the objects to be inspected on the surface of the inclined plate and the ejection fingers, in particular by a rotation angle of a detected axis of the object relative to an axis in a reference system. The detected axis can, for example, be the longitudinal axis of the preform. The calculation of the times at which a detected and tracked object has reached a specific position is modeled. The modeling can, for example, be based on the motion model of constant acceleration starting from an assumed initial velocity of each object upon transfer to the inclined plate. The assumed initial velocity is based, for example, on the transport speed of a continuous conveyor that transfers the objects to be inspected at the upper edge to the inclined plate. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 5 of 25During modeling, the position, rotational orientation, and speed of the detected object detected in images taken at different times are taken into account. Matching objects in the captured images are detected using an algorithm by comparing them with a reference object of the objects to be examined. Only those objects that are fully recognizable are used in the comparison. For example, if several objects are located close together in the image and therefore cannot be fully recognized, these objects are filtered out.In order to feed the objects in bulk form, in particular preforms, to the inclined plate in a single layer, in one embodiment of the invention the device comprises a belt conveyor with a belt transfer point which is arranged above the upper edge of the inclined plate in such a way that the objects to be tested are transferred from the belt conveyor to the inclined plate. The preforms are transported on the belt conveyor from the injection moulding machine. The inclined plate is preferably connected to the belt transfer point at the end of the belt conveyor in such a way that the preforms do not fall onto the plate if possible, but are transferred almost tangentially. The inclined plate has an angle of inclination to the horizontal of between 30° and 40°, preferably 35°. At an angle of inclination of this type, the preforms, which are round in cross-section, slide predominantly along the plate from the upper towards the lower edge. A flatter angle by Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing.Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 6 of 25 An angle of less than 30° results in transversely positioned preforms rolling and, due to the preform diameter varying along the longitudinal axis, moving strongly towards the left or right side of the inclined plate on the way from the upper to the lower edge of the inclined plate, depending on the rotational position. This makes it difficult to track the preforms in the images taken at different times. The transport speed of the preforms on the belt conveyor is preferably a factor of 2 lower than the average transport speed of each preform moving on the inclined plate from the upper to the lower edge. The preforms are typically transported on the belt conveyor from the injection molding machine at a speed of 0.16 m / s to 0.5 m / s.The average speed of the preforms on a plate with an inclination angle of 35° is approximately 1-1.25 m / s. This factor, or these speed differences, can be adjusted by adjusting the conveyor belt speed and / or changing the inclination angle of the plate, taking into account the geometry and weight of the preforms. This factor causes the preforms to be tested to accelerate while moving on the surface of the inclined plate, thereby increasing the distance between the preforms to be tested. Separating the preforms to be tested increases the number of preforms that can be fully identified in the recorded images. In the images, few or no preforms are located close together, so that the majority of the preforms shown in the images are visible. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx 26.October 2023 Page 7 of 25 preforms are fully detected. The ejection fingers that are not deflected from their starting position form an extension of the surface of the inclined plate, over which preforms are guided to a conveyor belt arranged below the lower edge of the inclined plate, which transports away the non-ejected preforms. The non-ejected preforms slide over the outer end of the non-deflected ejection fingers and fall onto the conveyor belt. The preforms detected as defective are ejected by one or more of the ejection fingers at the time they reach a position in the area of ​​the ejection fingers, depending on the rotational position of the defective preform.The device preferably comprises a collecting hood extending at least across the width of the inclined plate and a cross conveyor. The collecting hood and the cross conveyor are arranged relative to the ejection fingers in such a way that the ejected preforms either reach the cross conveyor directly or, after being deflected by the collecting hood, reach the cross conveyor. To avoid reflections on the preforms to be tested when taking images with the image recording devices, the inclined plate is preferably made of a transparent material, e.g., glass, with a background lighting system arranged on the rear side of the transparent plate. The background lighting system is preferably configured to emit illumination flashes at a frequency of [number of characters]. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx 26.October 2023 Page 8 of 25 that corresponds to the recording frequency of the image recording devices, whereby the generation of the illumination flashes is synchronized with the recording times of the image recording devices. In principle, however, the background lighting can also be designed as permanent lighting. In order to capture the preforms across the entire width of the inclined plate, several image recording devices, for example three digital cameras, are arranged next to one another in a row. To ensure that a preform can always be fully identified in at least one recorded image, regardless of its rotational position, the fields of view of the several image recording devices overlap in the direction of the width of the plate in such a way that the overlap is greater than the length of the preforms to be tested. This overlap ensures that even a preform lying transversely on the surface is always fully identified in the image.Guides on the inclined plate, which separate the preforms according to the respective fields of view of the image recording devices, are thus unnecessary. The provision of a larger number of image recording devices contributes to the fact that the width of the inclined plate can be adapted to the width of the belt conveyor feeding the preforms to be inspected, without having to increase the distance between the image recording devices and the inclined plate and thus the overall height of the device. Since one and the same preform can be simultaneously captured and tracked by two image recording devices in the overlapping area, this must be taken into account and corrected when processing the image data in order to avoid double-tracking this preform.In principle, however, it is also possible to combine the images taken by multiple cameras at one time into a single image. To avoid the associated longer computing times and / or computer capacities, it is advantageous to overlap the viewing angles of the multiple cameras. To ensure that the ejection fingers in question operate at a high speed when ejecting defective preforms, in an advantageous embodiment of the invention, each ejection finger is designed at its end as a lever that is flat on an upper side and mounted so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation. The lever is arranged on an underside with a linkage for an output element of the drive. The linkage is arranged in the first half of the lever, starting from the axis of rotation. The short distance between the axis of rotation and the linkage results in a large lever travel with a small movement of the output element.The length of all ejection fingers is adjusted to the length of the preforms to be tested in such a way that it corresponds to at least half the length of each preform to be tested. For successful ejection, it is sufficient to hit the center of the preform's longitudinal axis in the second half of the ejection finger, starting from the rotation axis, but particularly preferably at a distance of three-quarters of the ejection finger's length from the rotation axis. If this preferred distance cannot be precisely achieved due to inaccuracies, unfavorable rotational positions, and delays, the specified tolerance still helps to successfully eject the preform.In order to be able to reliably inspect and eject different types of preforms with different dimensions and / or weights using the device, the pivot angle between the starting position and the ejection position of each ejection finger is adjustable. Each drive for one of the ejection fingers preferably comprises a double-acting pneumatic cylinder and a control system, wherein the control system is set up such that the piston with the piston rod can be extended with unthrottled air pressure and the actuation time of the air pressure is adjustable. The path of the pneumatic cylinders and thus the pivot angle of each ejection finger can be influenced via the actuation times of the valves for releasing the air pressure. In any case, the actuation time is selected to be short enough that the piston with the piston rod of each pneumatic cylinder does not move to its outer end position in order to protect the pneumatic cylinder from damage.The unthrottled extension is necessary to give preforms identified as defective the necessary impulse for ejection. The return stroke of the double-acting pneumatic cylinder can, however, be throttled. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 11 of 25 The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. They show: Figure 1 a schematic representation of a device according to the invention, Figure 2 a perspective partial view of a device according to the invention, but without showing the collecting hood, Figure 3 a schematic representation of the arrangement of several image recording devices of a device according to the invention, Figure 4 a detailed representation of ejection fingers, Figures 5a - d plan views of some of the ejection fingers arranged next to one another of a device according to the invention.Figure 1 shows a device 1 according to the invention for optically testing features of elongated, rotationally symmetrical objects 2, in particular preforms 2.1. The device 1 comprises, as essential components, an inclined plate 3 with an upper and a lower edge 3.1, 3.2, which has an inclination of 35° to the horizontal, so that the preforms 2.1 move, in particular slide, from the upper edge 3.1 to the lower edge 3.2 due to the force of gravity acting on them. A belt conveyor 10 conveys the preforms 2.1 from the injection molding machine (not shown in Figure 1) to the patent attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 12 of 25 inclined plate 3 of the device 1 according to the invention. The belt conveyor has a belt transfer 10.1, which is arranged above the upper edge 3.1 of the inclined plate 3 and feeds the preforms 2.1 to be tested to the inclined plate 3 in a single layer.The conveyor belt speed of the belt conveyor 10 is at most half the average transport speed of each preform 2.1 moving on the inclined plate 3 from the upper to the lower edge 3.1, 3.2, so that when the preforms 2.1 are transferred from the belt conveyor 10 to the inclined plate 3, the distance between the preforms increases due to the acceleration. Ejection fingers 4 are arranged parallel to one another at the lower edge 3.2 of the inclined plate 3. These ejection fingers can be pivoted from a corresponding starting position 4.1 to an ejection position 4.2, as can be seen particularly in Figure 4. In the starting position 4.1, the flat surfaces of all ejection fingers 4 form an angle of 180° with the flat surface of the inclined plate 3, thus forming a continuation of the inclined plate 3.As can be further seen from the detailed illustration in Figure 4, each ejection finger 4 has a separate drive 5 with an output member 5.1. In the illustrated embodiment, the drive 5 is a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 5.2 with a piston and an output-side piston rod 5.3. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 13 of 25 Furthermore, the device 1 has a plurality of image recording devices 6 aligned with the inclined plate 3, which in the illustrated embodiment are designed as digital cameras 6.1. As can be seen in particular from the perspective illustration in Figure 2 in conjunction with the top view in Figure 3, the viewing angles 6.2 of the three digital cameras 6.1 arranged next to one another capture the inclined plate 3 at least across its entire width 3.4. For digital cameras 6.1 are high-frequency cameras which synchronously record three digital images of the preforms 2.1 moving on the plate at a matching frequency, 72 Hz in the exemplary embodiment, at different times. The viewing angles 6.2 of the three digital cameras 6.1 arranged next to one another overlap in the direction of the width 3.4 of the inclined plate 3 such that the overlap 6.3 is greater than the length of the preforms 2.1 to be tested. The overlap 6.3 ensures that each preform 2.1, regardless of its rotational position 2.2, can always be fully identified in at least one image recorded at a time by the multiple digital cameras 6.1 (cf. Figure 3). In order to avoid reflections of the lighting on the preforms 2.1 to be tested when recording the images with the three digital cameras 6.1, the inclined plate 3 is made of glass and has a backlight 12 on the back, which generates illumination flashes at a frequency that corresponds to the recording frequency of the three digital cameras 6.1. The generation of the illumination flashes is synchronized with the recording times of the digital cameras 6.1. A processing unit 7, shown schematically only in Figure 1, is programmed to recognize all fully imaged preforms 2.1 in the digital images recorded synchronously at different times, to check each recognized preform 2.1 for at least one feature, for example the dimensions and / or shape and / or color, by comparing it with a reference object, wherein the feature check is only carried out in one set of the images recorded by the digital cameras 6.1.1 recorded images, to track each detected preform 2.1 and to calculate at what time and in what rotational position each detected preform 2.1 will reach a position in the area of ​​the ejection fingers 4. Depending on this calculation by the processing unit 7 and the result of the inspection of the at least one feature, the pneumatic cylinder 5.2 of one or more of the ejection fingers 4 is actuated in order to eject the preform 2.1 identified as defective during the feature inspection. A collecting hood 8 extends across the width of the inclined plate 3 (cf. Figure 1). Furthermore, a cross conveyor 9 is located below the collecting hood 8 for conveying away the preforms 2.1 identified as defective. The collecting hood 8 and the cross conveyor 9 are arranged relative to the ejection fingers 4 in such a way that the ejected preforms 2.1 either directly onto the cross conveyor 9 or, after being deflected by the collecting hood 9, onto the cross conveyor 9 and transported away. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 15 of 25 The transport direction of the cross conveyor runs at right angles to the transport direction of the belt conveyor 10. In order to ensure a high speed of the ejection fingers 4 when ejecting defective preforms 2.1, each ejection finger 4, as can be seen in Figure 4, is rotatably mounted at its end about a rotation axis 4.3, wherein a linkage 4.4 for the outer end of the piston rod 5.3 is arranged in the first half of the ejection finger 4. The short distance between the rotation axis 4.3 and the linkage 4.4 results in a large lever travel with a relatively small movement of the piston rod 5.3. The ejection finger at the front in the image plane is in the starting position 4.1, the rear ejection finger in the image plane is in the ejection position 4.2. The control of the ejection fingers 4 by actuating the pneumatic cylinders 5.2 is explained below, taking into account different rotational positions 2.2 of the preforms 2.1 to be ejected, using the illustrations in Figures 5a - 5d. In the illustrations, the preforms 2.1, which are fully recognized in the image, are framed by a box 2.3 which flush surrounds the preform 2.1. The center point 2.4 of the longitudinal axis 2.5 of the box 2.3 is regarded as the geometric center of the recognized preform 2.1. For the sake of simplicity, the longitudinal axis 2.5 of the box 2.3 and the center point 2.4 of the longitudinal axis 2.5 are equated with the longitudinal axis and the center point of the recognized preform 2.1. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 16 of 25 Figure 5a shows a preform 2 identified as defective.1, whose longitudinal axis 2.5 runs parallel to the ejection fingers 4. The preform 2.1 is located above exactly one ejection finger 4, whose pneumatic cylinder 5.2 is controlled to eject the preform 2.1 identified as defective. The ejection finger 4 is controlled when the center point 2.4 of the longitudinal axis 2.5 is located in the second half of the ejection finger 4, starting from its axis of rotation 4.3. Figure 5b shows a preform 2.1 identified as defective, whose longitudinal axis 2.5 runs parallel to the ejection fingers 4. The preform 2.1 is located above two ejection fingers 4, whose pneumatic cylinders 5.2 are controlled to eject the preform 2.1 identified as defective. The two ejection fingers 4 are controlled when the center point 2.4 of the longitudinal axis 2.5 is located in the second half of the two ejection fingers 4, starting from their rotational axes 4.3. Figure 5c shows a preform 2 that has been identified as defective.1, with a rotational position 2.2 in which the longitudinal axis 2.5 is rotated by an angle of 90° to a vertical axis 3.5 of a reference system. The preform 2.1 is located above seven ejection fingers 4. The longitudinal axis 2.5 is divided into four sections of equal length. The two points on the longitudinal axis 2.5 at 1 / 4 and the length of the box 2.3 trigger the control of the ejection fingers 4 closest to the two points. Figure 5d shows a preform 2.1 identified as defective, with a rotational position 2.2 in which the longitudinal axis 2.5 is rotated by Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 17 of 25 a rotation angle of 45° to a vertical axis 3.5. of a reference system. The preform 2.1 is located above seven ejection fingers 4. The longitudinal axis 2.5 is divided into four equal sections. The two points on the longitudinal axis 2.5 at 1 / 4 and the length of the box 2.3 trigger the activation of the ejection fingers 4 closest to the two points. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 18 of 25 List of Reference Symbols. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 19 of 25

Claims

Patent claims:

1. Device (1) for the optical testing of features of elongated, rotationally symmetrical objects (2), comprising 1.1 an inclined plate (3) with an upper and a lower edge (3.1, 3.2) extending across the width of the plate (3), the inclination being determined such that the objects (2) move on the plate (3) from the upper to the lower edge (3.1, 3.2) due to the force of gravity acting on them, 1.2 ejection fingers (4) arranged parallel to one another on the lower edge (3.2) of the plate (3) and pivotable, which ejection fingers can be pivoted from a corresponding starting position (4.1) into an ejection position (4.2), 1.3 the surfaces of all ejection fingers (4) in the starting position (4.1) enclose an angle of at least 180° with the surface of the inclined plate (3), Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx 26 October 2023 Page 20 of 25 1.4 a separate drive (5) for each ejection finger (4), configured to pivot the respective ejection finger (4) between the starting position (4.1) and the ejection position (4.2), wherein in the ejection position (4.2) the angle enclosed between the surface of the inclined plate (3) and the surface of the ejection fingers (4) is less than 180°, 1.5 a plurality of image recording devices (6) aligned with the inclined plate (3), wherein the viewing angles (6.2) of the plurality of image recording devices (6) capture the inclined plate (3) at least over its entire width (3.4) and the plurality of image recording devices (6) are configured to synchronously record a plurality of digital images of the objects (2) moving on the inclined plate (3) at a consistent frequency at different times, 1.6 a processing unit (7) which is programmed to recognise all fully imaged objects (2) in the digital images recorded synchronously at different times, to check each recognised object (2) for at least one feature by comparing it with a reference object, to track each recognised object (2) and to calculate at what time and in what rotational position (2.2) each recognised object (2) will reach a position in the area of ​​the ejection fingers (4). Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx 26 October 2023 Page 21 of 25. is, wherein depending on this calculation and the result of the testing of the at least one feature, the drive (5) of one or more ejection fingers (4) is specifically actuated in order to eject the detected object (2).

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a belt conveyor (10) with a belt transfer point (10.1) which is arranged above the upper edge (3.1) of the inclined plate (3) in such a way that the objects (2) pass from the belt conveyor (10) onto the inclined plate (3).

3. Device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the conveyor belt speed is adjustable in such a way that the transport speed of the objects (2) on the belt conveyor (10) is at least a factor of 2 lower than the average transport speed of each object (2) moving on the inclined plate (3) from the upper to the lower edge (3.1, 3.2).

4. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that below the lower edge (3.2) a further belt conveyor (11) is arranged on the inclined plate (3), designed to transport away the non-ejected objects (2).

5. The device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a collecting hood (8) extending at least across the width (3.4) of the inclined plate (3) and a cross conveyor (9), wherein the collecting hood (8) and the cross conveyor (9) are arranged relative to the ejection fingers (4) in such a way that the ejected objects (2) Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 22 of 25. either directly onto the cross conveyor (9) or, after being deflected by the collecting hood (8), onto the cross conveyor (9).

6. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the angle of inclination (3.3) of the inclined plate (3) relative to the horizontal is between 30° and 40°.

7. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the inclined plate (3) consists of a transparent material and a background lighting (12) is arranged on a rear side of the plate.

8. Device (1) according to claim 7, characterized in that the background lighting (12) is configured to generate illumination flashes at a frequency that matches the recording frequency of the image recording devices (6), and the generation of the illumination flashes is synchronized with the recording times of the image recording devices. 9.Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the viewing angles (6.2) of the plurality of image recording devices (6) overlap in the direction of the width (3.4) of the inclined plate (3) such that the overlap is greater than the length of the objects (2) to be inspected. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 23 of 25.

10. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that each ejection finger (4) is designed at its end as a lever rotatably mounted about a rotation axis (4.3), flat on an upper side, with a linkage (4.4) arranged on a lower side for an output member (5.1) of the drive (5), wherein the linkage (4.4) is arranged in the first half of the lever, starting from the rotation axis (4.3).

11. Device (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the length of each lever is matched to the length of the objects (2) such that it corresponds to at least half the length of each object (2) to be tested.

12. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the pivot angle between the starting position (4.1) and the ejection position (4.2) of each ejection finger (4) is adjustable.Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that each drive (5) comprises a double-acting pneumatic cylinder (5.2) with a piston and a piston rod (5.3), as well as a control system, wherein the control system is configured such that the piston with the piston rod (5.3) can be extended with unthrottled air pressure, and the actuation time of the air pressure is adjustable. Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. Kai Kohlmann S:\Mandanten\INTRAVIS\22202-02\anm 01.docx October 26, 2023 Page 24 of 25.