A device for automatically orienting containers to be labeled entering a labeling machine, which includes at least one emitter device, which is adapted to emit electromagnetic radiation toward the containers, elements of detecting the electromagnetic radiation reflected by the containers, and processing and control elements adapted to identify the position of the optically detectable defects on each one of the containers; the emitter device including a lighting module with an emitting face which has at least one first emitting portion and is associated with a plurality of first sources of electromagnetic radiation of a first type which are designed to activate/deactivate the first emitting portion; the emitting face of the lighting module further including a second emitting portion, and an associated plurality of second sources of electromagnetic radiation of a second type, different from the first type, which are designed to activate/deactivate the second emitting portion.

This invention relates to a machine and a method for labelling and inspecting containers for liquids, automatically applying a label on each container on a seamless zone of it, using an optical inspection device provided with an illuminator having a collimator interposed between a light generator of the illuminator and a carousel of the machine.

An apparatus (1) for optical inspection of plastic parisons (2) intended to be blow molded to form containers, comprises a conveyor (3) for transporting corresponding parisons (2) along a predetermined path; at an inspection station along the path, each parison (2) is positioned with its axis (208) aligned with a longitudinal reference axis. A stationary camera (7) is provided, with its viewing axis (8) coincident with the longitudinal reference axis, to view the interior of the parison (2); an illuminator (9) is positioned around the viewing axis (8) of the camera (7), to irradiate the outside surface of a mouth end (202) of the parison (2). The camera (7) has a wide-angle lens, to capture an image of an inside surface of the mouth end (202) of the parison (2), representing a screw thread (205) and the identification code (207) of the parison (2), shown in transparency.

The invention relates to an installation for observing or illuminating a container (2) section (t) travelling in translation and each having an axis of revolution (S), the installation including optical systems (6.sub.1) translationally guided along a parallel direction an adjustment portion of their respective optical paths, and which have, for containers having a section with a first diameter, their respective work volumes each coincident with a part of said container section having the first diameter, the installation including at least one driving device (15) providing, when the containers have a section with a second diameter different to the first diameter, the movement in synchronous translation of the optical systems along a direction parallel to the adjustment portion of their respective optical paths and as a function of the difference between the first and the second diameter.

A method, device, and inspection line for optically reading portions in relief on a side wall of a container, includes using a light source to light a portion of interest with a peripheral incident light beam comprising non-parallel radial light rays and using specular reflection of the beam on the portion of interest and on the portions in relief through an optical element to form a plane image in the field of view of a two-dimensional photoelectric sensor. The image received by the sensor is processed in order to detect the portions in relief to cause the light source that provides the peripheral incident light beam to move relative to the optical element in translation along the direction of a theoretical central axis to modify the contrast of the image received by the sensor between zones of the image that correspond to the portions in relief and adjacent zones.

An apparatus (1) for optical inspection of parisons (2) intended to be blow moulded to form containers, where the parisons (2) are made of plastic material and have a side wall (201), a closing bottom and a mouth end (202) having on its outside surface a screw thread (205) and an identification code (207) in relief, comprises: a conveyor (3) equipped with a plurality of receiving elements (4) configured to transport corresponding parisons (2) along a predetermined path where, in an inspection station located along the predetermined path, each parison (2) is positioned with its axis (208) aligned with a longitudinal reference axis; a stationary camera (7) mounted in such a way that its viewing axis (8) coincides with the longitudinal reference axis in order to see the interior of the parison (2); an illuminator (9) positioned around the viewing axis (8) of the camera (7) in order to irradiate the outside surface of the mouth end (202) of the parison (2) positioned in the inspection station. The camera (7) has a wide-angle lens and is configured to capture an image of an inside surface of the mouth end (202) of the parison (2) positioned in the inspection station, representing the screw thread (205) and the identification code (207) of the parison (2), shown in transparency.

An apparatus and methods of decorating a metallic container are provided. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods used to provide a decoration on a predetermined portion of a metallic container body. The decorator includes a sensor that senses decorations on metallic containers. A control system receives information related to the sensed decorations from the sensor and then determines if the decorations at least meet predetermined color, density, thickness, orientation, and consistency targets. The control system can automatically adjust elements of the decorator to correct a deficient decoration. In one embodiment, the control system can automatically adjust ink blades associated with a plurality of inking assemblies of the decorator to adjust the color, density, orientation, positioning, and consistency of decorations transferred to the metallic containers. In another embodiment, the control system can adjust a position of an inking assembly, an ink roller, a plate cylinder, a printing plate, a blanket cylinder, and a transfer blanket of the decorator.

The invention relates to an optical-computing device and method for analysing a container (12) made of transparent or translucent material by means of a polarimetric camera (18), comprising: acquiring at least one master digital image (IM) of the container using the photoelectric sensor (22) of the polarimetric camera; computing an intensity image (It) in which the value of each intensity pixel (Pt(n)) is an averaged value of the value of at least two pixels of the master digital image corresponding to two circular analyses in opposite directions to one another, or two linear analyses of orthogonal polarisation axes or two orthogonal elliptical analyses; computing at least one phase-shift image (ID) by calculating, for a series of composite pixels, a phase-shift pixel (Pd(n)) from the value of a set of one or more partial pixel(s) (Ppk(n)) belonging to a combination of one or more partial images (Ipk).

A method and apparatus for inspecting containers, such as bottles or similar containers. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading Abstract of the Disclosure. The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

Method for inspecting a direct print on containers with a relief-like surface contour, where the relief-like surface contour is at least partially printed onto, the direct print applied onto the relief-like surface contour is, with an inspection device, inspected in terms of its quality and/or position.