Container Quality Control Using Multi-Angle Stroboscopic Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current quality control devices for containers, especially those with concave and convex surfaces, suffer from imprecision and reduced productivity due to fixed lighting angles that create shaded zones, making it difficult to accurately reconstruct and inspect sealed closures through mechanical crimping.
Innovation Solution
A continuous quality control device featuring a rotating carousel with multiple housings and synchronized optical reconstruction means, using at least two lights with stroboscopic control to illuminate containers from different angles, capturing sequential images to reconstruct the entire surface, including complex areas, with high precision and productivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a fixed lighting device with a pre-established angle of incidence is used, then the quantity of reflected light is maximized for general inspection, but the optical resolution and precision deteriorate in areas with concave and convex surfaces where reflection angles vary
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting device is divided into multiple independent light sources (first lighting device, second lighting device, third lighting device) positioned at different angular locations around the container. Each light source illuminates specific angular sectors, collectively covering the entire container surface without creating shaded zones. This segmentation allows optimal illumination intensity in each sector while maintaining precision across all surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution transitions from a single fixed-angle lighting approach to a multi-dimensional angular illumination system. Light sources are distributed around the container at various angles (0°, 45°, 90°, etc.), creating a three-dimensional illumination pattern that captures reflected light from all surface geometries, including concave and convex areas that would be shadowed by fixed-angle lighting.
2Device complexity
If a single viewing point with fixed lighting is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to detect surfaces with deeply concave and convex areas deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple imaging devices positioned at different angular locations are merged into a single integrated quality control system. The images captured by each device from different angles are combined and processed together to create a complete optical reconstruction of the container, including all concave and convex surfaces. This merging achieves comprehensive detection precision while managing system complexity through integrated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The quality control system is designed with multi-functionality to handle various container geometries and surface conditions. The same system architecture (multiple light sources, multiple imaging devices, synchronized control) universally applies to containers with different profiles, including those with deeply concave and convex areas, eliminating the need for specialized inspection systems for different container types.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed TV cameras and lighting devices are used in traditional quality control machines, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the productivity and precision of optical reconstruction deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces dynamic elements (rotating carousel, synchronized movement of lighting and imaging devices) to maintain optimal inspection conditions throughout the quality control process. The carousel rotation enables continuous processing of multiple containers, while the synchronized movement of lighting and imaging devices ensures consistent optical conditions, thereby increasing productivity without sacrificing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The quality control system operates continuously through the rotating carousel mechanism that processes containers in sequence without interruption. The synchronized lighting and imaging devices continuously capture images during container rotation, eliminating idle time between inspections and maintaining productive operation throughout the entire quality control cycle.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise optical reconstruction and quality control of container surfaces, including crimped closures, with increased productivity and reduced costs, by capturing overlapping images from multiple angles during a single rotation, effectively addressing the limitations of existing systems.
Implementation Method 1
said lighting means being equipped with stroboscopic control means which allows the lighting and capturing by said capturing device for capturing sequential images of at least two of said images of said container overlapping in the same angular rotation position
Implementation Method 2
a lighting device with a pre-established angle of incidence adapted to maximize the quantity of reflected light and therefore the possibility of resolution of the plurality of images handled for the optical reconstruction of the entire side surface of the container
Data Source
AI summary
A continuous quality control device for containers in a roto-revolutionary movement consists of making said containers pass in front of lighting means, capturing by at least one single sequential image capturing device each of said containers in rotation, obtaining an optical reconstruction of said containers and controlling their quality according to said optical reconstruction, characterised in that said lighting means is equipped with stroboscopic control means that allows the illumination of said containers in counterphase from at least two different angles of incidence and the capturing of at least two overlapping images in the same angular rotation position of said container in its own housing with respect to said image capturing device.