Station for Detecting Glass Defects Without Rotation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for detecting glass diseases in empty glass containers require rotation, leading to productivity losses, equipment wear, and limited inspection rates due to the need for handling systems that are not adaptable to various container formats and speeds.
Innovation Solution
A station with a support system that includes multiple imagers and projectors mounted to cover all points of a container segment without rotation, allowing for simultaneous image acquisition and illumination of all container diameters, enabling efficient detection of glass diseases during linear translation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If containers are rotated about their vertical axis for glass disease detection, then the detection of glass diseases is enabled, but the translation of containers must be interrupted and containers significantly slowed down
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of rotating the container to enable detection from multiple angles, the patent inverts the approach by keeping the container stationary in translation and rotating the detection system (projectors and sensors) around the container. This allows continuous translation while maintaining detection capability, resolving the contradiction between detection precision and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic elements by making the projector and sensor assemblies rotatable around the container while the container itself continues translating linearly. This dynamic configuration allows the inspection system to adapt its detection angles without interrupting the container flow, maintaining both detection accuracy and production speed.
2Measurement precision
If handling systems (guides, star wheels, drive rollers) are used for container rotation, then glass disease detection is possible, but these systems require heavy adaptations to changes in container format
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal inspection system where the rotatable projector and sensor assemblies can detect glass diseases on various container formats (round, square, oval) without requiring format-specific handling mechanisms. The system adapts to different formats through software configuration and angular positioning rather than mechanical modifications, achieving multi-functionality across container types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical handling systems (star wheels, drive rollers, guides) with a simpler optical detection system that rotates around the container. This substitution eliminates the need for mechanical adaptations to different container formats, as the optical system can detect defects on any shape through angular scanning without physical contact or format-specific mechanisms.
3Measurement precision
If handling systems are used for container rotation, then glass disease detection is enabled, but these systems are quite poorly adapted to the handling of containers of non-round section
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical handling systems that physically manipulate containers (star wheels, drive rollers) with an optical detection system that scans around the container. This substitution allows the system to detect glass diseases on non-round containers without requiring them to be mechanically manipulated, as the optical sensors can detect defects on any cross-sectional shape through angular scanning.
4Measurement precision
If containers are rotated for glass disease detection, then detection is possible, but this operation is frequently the cause of breakages, line blockages or stoppages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional approach by keeping the container moving linearly without rotation and instead rotating the detection system around the container. This inversion eliminates the mechanical handling operations that cause breakages and line stoppages, as containers simply pass through the inspection zone on the conveyor without being manipulated by rotation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the rotation function from the container handling system and relocates it to the detection system itself. By taking out the rotation requirement from the container flow, the system eliminates the need for complex handling operations that cause breakages and line blockages, maintaining continuous container flow while achieving multi-angle detection.
5Measurement precision
If handling systems are used for container rotation, then glass disease detection is enabled, but these systems are quite costly in terms of maintenance of wear pieces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical handling systems (star wheels, drive rollers, guides) with an optical detection system that rotates around the container. This substitution eliminates the mechanical components subject to wear and tear, as the detection system uses optical sensors and projectors instead of mechanical contact elements, significantly reducing maintenance costs and improving ease of repair.
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
This solution allows for high-speed detection of glass diseases in various container segments without rotation, reducing productivity losses and equipment wear, while maintaining high inspection rates and adaptability to different container formats.
Implementation Method 1
a region of the container is illuminated, under specific incidences, by means of projectors emitting, in the direction of said region, (convergent or slightly divergent) directed light beams. The directed light beams reach the surface of the container at a specific incidence so that the major part of the beam enters the glass wall and propagates in the glass.
Implementation Method 2
If a glass disease is present on the light path in the wall, then the glass disease reflects the beam which leaves in a modified direction to leave the wall according to a specific output angle, which is a function of the incident angle and of the position and shape of the glass disease.
Implementation Method 3
There is observed, at specific observation angles adapted to the output angles of the beams reflected by the glass diseases, the region illuminated by means of light sensors, for example photodiodes as in patent application EP 0 053 151, photodiode arrays, or image sensors such as linear or matrix cameras
Data Source
AI summary
A station for detecting glass disease-type defects in a segment of containers includes: a non-deformable support on which the projectors and the imagers are mounted by a complete connection so as to fix beam directions of the projectors and the optical axes of the imagers; several sets of projectors each include at least six projectors whose beam direction is tangent to a cylinder with a diameter included in a determined range of diameters; an electronic system configured to inspect the containers falling within all of the ranges of diameters, such that during inspection of the containers whose segment diameter to be inspected is included in the range of diameters of a set, the electronic system ensures acquisition of at least six images of each container when it passes through the inspection area by selectively activating the at least six imagers simultaneously with the associated projectors of said set.