Seal Membrane Inspection Using Vacuum Deformation Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods fail to accurately detect seal integrity in packages that maintain a parabolic shape despite compromised seals due to vacuum loss, often due to punctures or seal failures.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a conveyor with a vacuum plenum and imaging sensor to apply sub-atmospheric pressure to the seal membrane, capturing its deformation to determine integrity, and an electronic processing device to analyze the seal shape for defects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If vacuum is applied to detect seal integrity, then compromised seals should be detected, but packages with punctured seals may maintain parabolic shape and falsely appear intact
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary vacuum pressure to the package before inspection to counteract any potential vacuum loss from seal compromises. By pre-establishing a vacuum environment and then applying additional localized vacuum during inspection, the system ensures that even packages with punctured seals maintain their parabolic shape, allowing true seal integrity to be assessed without false positives from pre-existing vacuum loss
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging sensor captures real-time feedback on the seal membrane shape during vacuum application. The system continuously monitors whether the membrane maintains its parabolic configuration under vacuum stress, providing immediate feedback on seal integrity. This dynamic feedback mechanism allows the system to distinguish between packages that maintain shape due to intact seals versus those that maintain shape despite seal failures
2Ease of manufacture
If visual inspection of parabolic shape is used, then sealed packages can be identified, but compromised packages with lost vacuum cannot be distinguished from properly sealed ones
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pneumatic vacuum application through a controlled vacuum source to create uniform sub-atmospheric pressure on the seal membrane. This pneumatic approach provides precise, controllable vacuum levels that can be dynamically adjusted during inspection, enabling accurate differentiation between sealed and compromised packages based on their response to controlled vacuum stress
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual or simple mechanical inspection methods with an automated imaging sensor and electronic processing system. The imaging sensor optically captures the seal membrane shape, and electronic processors automatically analyze the images to determine integrity, substituting complex mechanical assessment with optical-mechanical-electronic integration for higher precision
3Measurement precision
If automated imaging and vacuum application is used, then detection accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection system is designed as a multi-functional integrated unit that combines vacuum generation, vacuum application, imaging capture, and image analysis into a single universal device. The vacuum plenum serves both as a vacuum source and an application mechanism, while the imaging system serves both inspection and documentation functions, reducing overall system complexity despite enhanced capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the vacuum generation function, vacuum application function, imaging function, and analysis function into an integrated inspection apparatus. By combining these previously separate functions into a unified system with shared components and coordinated control, the overall device complexity is managed while maintaining high detection precision
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
Effectively distinguishes between sealed and compromised packages by analyzing seal membrane deformation post-vacuum application, ensuring quality control and discarding defective items.
Implementation Method 1
a conveyor (18) configured to move a package (12) through a vacuum plenum section (20)
Implementation Method 2
applying a sub-atmospheric pressure to the seal membrane (16)
Implementation Method 3
an imaging sensor (22) configured to acquire one or more images of the seal membrane (16)
Data Source
Figure 1~4
Figure 2
Figure 5
AI summary
An apparatus (10) for inspecting the integrity of a seal of a package (12) that includes a container (14) and a seal membrane (16) carried by the container. The apparatus comprises a conveyor (18) configured to move the sealed package along a path and including a vacuum plenum section (20) configured to create a sub-atmospheric pressure that is applied to the seal membrane of the sealed package as the package moves through the vacuum plenum section. The apparatus further comprises an imaging sensor (22) configured to generate one or more images of the seal membrane following the application of a sub-atmospheric pressure thereto at the vacuum plenum section. The apparatus still further comprises an electronic processing device (24) configured to process the one or more images of the seal membrane generated by the imaging sensor, and to evaluate the integrity of the seal of the package based on the one or more images.