A method can include: irradiating a container with a measuring beam of an irradiation device at measurement points along a measurement direction, wherein a signal indicative of the wall thickness of the container at each measurement point is obtained by means of an optical detector, wherein by means of an evaluation device, the measurement points are compared with a reference curve that specifies the wall thickness of a reference container along the measurement direction, wherein if the comparison results in agreement between the measurement points and the reference curve it is determined that the wall thickness of the container corresponds to a predefined wall thickness and wherein if the comparison does not result in said agreement it is determined that the wall thickness of the container does not correspond to the predefined wall thickness.

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.

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.

The invention relates to a method of optically reading portions in relief on a side wall of a container (14), the method consisting in: using a light source to light a portion of interest with a peripheral incident light beam comprising non-parallel radial light rays; using specular reflection of the beam on the portion of interest and on the portions in relief (12) through an optical element (30) to form a plane image in the field of view of a two-dimensional photoelectric sensor (24); processing the image received by the sensor in order to detect the portions in relief; and causing the light source (34) that provides the peripheral incident light beam to move relative to the optical element in translation along the direction of the theoretical central axis (A1) in order 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.

The invention also provides a visualisation device and a corresponding inspection line.

The disclosure relates to a method for optically inspecting containers, wherein the containers are transported to an inspection unit with an illumination unit and with a camera, wherein the illumination unit emits light from a flat light-emitting surface, wherein the light is transmitted or reflected via the containers, wherein the camera captures a respective at least one of the containers and the light transmitted or reflected via same in at least one camera image, and wherein the at least one camera image is analysed by an image processing unit for intensity information in order to identify foreign bodies and/or defects in the container.

A device and a method for inspecting containers for impurities and three-dimensional container structures comprising a radiation source. The radiation source is designed to emit radiation that radiates through a container to be examined. The device also comprises a detection element designed to detect the radiation that has been emitted by the radiation source and has radiated through the container. The device further comprises an evaluation element designed to evaluate the radiation detected by the detection element in terms of dirt and damage to the container. The radiation source has a plurality of spatially separated radiation zones. The radiation zones of the radiation source are designed to emit radiation of different wavelength ranges or of a different intensity.

The present invention relates to a method and system for determining the manufacture of a glass container with its mold number. The method consists of marking the molds according to a system of pre-established coordinates based on a Fibonacci system or sinusoidal system, for identifying a mold number with the container that has been formed in that mould. Control means are programmed with the sinusoidal or Fibonacci coordinate system according to various coordinate points of each mold. The containers are formed with a bead or protuberance located at the bottom of each container according to the pre-established coordinate system. The recently formed containers are transported on a conveyor belt. Optical means are used to inspect the containers to identify, by means of the position of the bead or protuberance, the mold number related to the container.

The present invention relates to a method and system for determining the manufacture of a glass container with its mold number. The method consists of marking the molds according to a system of pre-established coordinates based on a Fibonacci system or sinusoidal system, for identifying a mold number with the container that has been formed in that mould. Control means are programmed with the sinusoidal or Fibonacci coordinate system according to various coordinate points of each mold. The containers are formed with a bead or protuberance located at the bottom of each container according to the pre-established coordinate system. The recently formed containers are transported on a conveyor belt. Optical means are used to inspect the containers to identify, by means of the position of the bead or protuberance, the mold number related to the container.

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.

A device and a method for inspecting containers for impurities and three-dimensional container structures comprising a radiation source. The radiation source is designed to emit radiation that radiates through a container to be examined. The device also comprises a detection element designed to detect the radiation that has been emitted by the radiation source and has radiated through the container. The device further comprises an evaluation element designed to evaluate the radiation detected by the detection element in terms of dirt and damage to the container. The radiation source has a plurality of spatially separated radiation zones. The radiation zones of the radiation source are designed to emit radiation of different wavelength ranges or of a different intensity.