An apparatus for inspecting containers includes a rotation device which is adapted to rotate the container about the axis of symmetry; a camera sensitive to said predetermined electromagnetic radiation and with the container located in the field of view thereof; a processing unit to control the rotation device to move the container at a first angular speed constant for a first time period; acquiring at least a first and a second series of images of a portion of the container in a rotation thereof through 360°; to identify defective areas having at least one characteristic different from the characteristics of adjacent areas, generating first and second maps of the defective areas; to compare the position of the defective areas of the maps; to establish that first impurities are present in the container or in the liquid contained in the container.

An apparatus for nondestructive detection of transparent or reflective objects in a vessel includes an imager configured to acquire data that represent light reflected from spatial locations in the vessel as a function of time, a memory operably coupled to the imager and configured to store the data, and a processor operably coupled to the memory and configured to detect the objects based on the data by (i) identifying a respective maximum amount of reflected light, over time, for each location in the spatial locations based on the data representing light reflected from the spatial locations as a function of time, and (ii) determining a presence or absence of the objects in the vessel based on the number of spatial locations whose respective maximum amount of reflected light, over time, exceeds a predetermined value.

An inspection system having a light source, a mirror sensor, and an image sensor. The mirror assembly is aligned with the camera; the light is reflected from the container to the camera, and the camera creates multiple images of the container at a viewing angle. The multiple images are analyzed to detect defects.

An inspection device (1) has a particle detector (3) adapted to detect particles (5) in a liquid, a seat (6) adapted to position a container (4) housing the liquid in an area of operation (311) of the particle detector (3) and a vibration arrangement (2) for vibrating the container (4). The vibration arrangement (2) comprises a frequency generator (21) adapted to provide an electrical signal and a transducer (22) adapted to transduce the electrical signal provided by the frequency generator (21) into an acoustic wave (221). The seat (6) is adapted to position the container (4) adjacent to the transducer (22). for inspecting a liquid inside a container (4) with respect to the existence of particles (5). The inspection device (1) allows for an accurate and gentle inspection of the liquid filled in the container and for detecting particles in the liquid.

An inspection apparatus includes a gripping device that grips a container filled with a liquid, a first illumination unit that emits light to the liquid from one end portion side of the container in a longitudinal direction, and a first illumination control unit that is allowed to control an incidence angle of the light emitted from the first illumination unit on the liquid to a freely selected angle, in which the first illumination unit and the first illumination control unit are disposed in the same direction as an imaging apparatus that acquires image data indicating a state of the liquid, as viewed from the container, and the incidence angle of the light emitted from the first illumination unit is made continuously controllable to the freely selected angle with an angle at which brightness in the container is most uniform as a reference.

An article-inspection apparatus includes a light source for directing light energy with multiple wavelengths at the article and multiple sensors to receive light reflected from external and internal surfaces of the wall of the article, with the reflections being used to compute a physical characteristic, e.g., wall thickness, of the container, due to the light absorption characteristics of the material of the wall of the article. A single light sensitive sensor may be used if the light source wavelengths can be selectively transmitted. The apparatus can be used for inspecting transparent plastic containers that are filled (with a liquid) or unfilled. The apparatus may determine the wall thickness of transparent plastic containers even if they have in-molded features or decorations that make their inner and outer walls non-parallel.

An appearance inspection device includes: a conveyance body having a surface and a rear face and conveyed in a predetermined direction; an illumination device that irradiates with predetermined light an inspection area through which a plurality of objects pass, wherein the objects are arranged at predetermined intervals on a first face that is one of the surface and the rear face; a plurality of imaging devices each of which takes, along a predetermined direction, an image of part of side faces of the objects located in the inspection area, wherein the predetermined direction is inclined to both the surface and the rear face; and a processor that inspects an appearance of the side faces of the objects based on image data obtained by the imaging device.

An inspection system having a light source able to illuminate a transparent cylinder, a mask able to block at least part of the light from the light source, the light source and the mask arranged such that, when the transparent cylinder is positioned in the system for inspection, the light source, the mask and the transparent cylinder are substantially aligned along an inspection axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said transparent cylinder and the mask is interposed between the light source and the transparent cylinder to prevent illumination of a first portion of the transparent cylinder having a width smaller than the diameter of the transparent cylinder while allowing illumination of a second portion of the transparent cylinder, the mask configured to provide a contrast with a particle present in the first portion of the cylinder and illuminated by light refracted by the second portion of the cylinder.

A method and a corresponding apparatus for monitoring a drive mechanism of an automated inspection system for inducing motion to a container partially filled with a liquid. The method includes capturing measurement data of a surface of the liquid in the container, extracting form data regarding a form of the surface of the liquid from the measurement data and detecting whether the container is in motion based on the form data. The apparatus includes a measuring device and a processor operationally connected to the measuring device, wherein the measuring device is adapted to capture measurement data of a surface of the liquid in the container, and the processor is adapted to extract form data regarding a form of the surface from the measurement data, to detect whether the container is in motion based on the form data.

The invention is a flexible and configurable inspection system for the inspection of container units that combines and integrates a holding assembly for multiple containers integrating servo-controlled rotation of the units, transport and positioning of the containers that simulate human handling, and camera stations employing automated vision inspection. The system performs horizontal inspection for particulate and any other container defect that promotes particulate to better locate within the inspection area of the cameras. Inspection sequences and product recipes combine the typical manual inspection agitation with automated inspection rotational techniques to optimize detection. The system allows for semi-automatic operation with the operator at the front of the station feeding and out-feeding material manually or fully automated with conveyance system feeding and out-feeding material from the back of the station.