Tablet Inspection and Vacuum Ejection on Carrier Bar Conveyors

The patent replaces traditional mechanical inspection methods with an optical inspection system using cameras and image processing. The system captures images of tablets during conveyance and uses automated image analysis to detect defects, enabling high-speed inspection without compromising accuracy. This substitution of mechanical inspection with optical-digital inspection allows the system to maintain 99%+ rejection accuracy while achieving production speeds of 250,000-400,000 tablets per hour.

The inspection system creates optical copies (images) of the tablets during conveyance and performs inspection on these copies rather than requiring physical handling or stopping the production line. Multiple cameras capture images from different angles, and image processing algorithms analyze these copies to detect defects such as printing errors, coating defects, and physical anomalies, enabling non-contact inspection at high speeds.

The system extracts only the defective tablets from the production stream using a selective removal mechanism. The camera system identifies defective tablets and triggers a removal device (such as a pneumatic ejection system or mechanical pusher) to extract only the defective articles, leaving acceptable tablets to continue on the conveyor. This targeted extraction approach maintains product quality while minimizing the complexity of the removal system.

The system introduces an intermediary control system that coordinates between the inspection cameras and the removal mechanism. The image processing software acts as an intermediary, analyzing captured images and generating control signals for the removal device. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall system architecture by decoupling the inspection and removal functions, allowing each to be optimized independently while maintaining clear communication through standardized control signals.