Visual Characteristic-of-Interest Position Indicator for Machine Conveyable Material

Abstract

A system that visually indicates the position of a characteristic-of-interest of a machine conveyable material. The visual indication comprising direct, indirect and combinations thereof.

Claims

1) A visual indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material, comprising: one or more visual indicators; a structure operable to span the width of and position the visual indicators in proximity to the material, said visual indicators arranged across the structure so that one or more visual indicators are operable to correlate with the position of a characteristic-of-interest of the material; the visual indicators operable to indicate a characteristic-of-interest of the material position by illuminating, not illuminating and combinations thereof the visual indicator correlated with the characteristic-of-interest.

2) A visual indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material claim 1, wherein the visual indicators comprise being normally off and illuminating or flashing when a characteristic-of-interest is detected at the indicator position.

3) A visual indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 1, wherein the visual indicators comprise being normally illuminated and turning off or flashing when a characteristic-of-interest is detected at the indicator position.

4) A visual indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 1, wherein the visual indicators comprise being one color when a characteristic-of-interest is not detected and changing to a different color when a characteristic-of-interest is detected at the indicator position.

5) A visual indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 1, wherein the visual indicators comprise a different color, colors, flashing and combinations thereof to indicate an area of the material not monitored for the characteristic-of-interest.

6) A visual indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 1, wherein the visual indicators are comprised of one or more LED, LASER, incandescent, fluorescent and combinations thereof light emitting devices.

7) A visual direct characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material, comprising: one or more visual indicators; a structure operable to span the width of and to position the visual indicators in proximity to the conveyed material, said visual indicators arranged across the structure so that one or more visual indicators are operable to project light onto the material at a position correlated to the position of a characteristic-of-interest; the visual indicators operable to indicate a characteristic-of-interest position on the material comprising illuminating, not illuminating and combinations thereof an area of the conveyed material.

8) A visual direct characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 7, wherein the visual indicators comprise normally not illuminating the material and illuminating or flashing an area of the material when a characteristic-of-interest is detected at the indicator position.

9) A visual direct characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 7, wherein the visual indicators comprise normally illuminating the material and not illuminating or flashing an area of the material when a characteristic-of-interest is detected at the indicator position.

10) A visual direct characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 7, wherein the visual indicators comprise normally illuminating the material with one color and changing to another color of illumination for an area of the material when a characteristic-of-interest is detected at the indicator position.

11) A visual direct characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 7, wherein the visual indicators comprising a different color, colors, flashing and combinations thereof to indicate an area of the material not monitored for the characteristic-of-interest.

12) A visual direct characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 7, wherein the visual indicators that illuminate the material under inspection are comprised of one or more LED, LASER, incandescent, fluorescent and combinations thereof light emitting devices.

13) A visual combination direct and indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material, comprising: one or more visual indicators; a structure operable to span the width of and position the visual indicators in proximity to the conveyed material under inspection; the visual indicators arranged across the structure so that one or more visual indicators are operable to be correlated with the position of a characteristic-of-interest of a material; one or more visual indicators operable to indicate on the structure the correlated position of a material characteristic-of-interest and one or more visual indicators operable to project light onto the material at a position correlated to the position of a characteristic-of-interest; the visual indicators operable to indicate a characteristic-of-interest position by illuminating, not illuminating and combinations thereof one or more visual indicators correlated with the characteristic-of-interest.

14) A visual combination direct and indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 13, wherein the visual indicators comprise being normally off and illuminating or flashing when a characteristic-of-interest is detected at the indicator position.

15) A visual combination direct and indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 13, wherein the visual indicators comprise being normally illuminated and turning off or flashing when a characteristic-of-interest is detected at the indicator position.

16) A visual combination direct and indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 13, wherein the visual indicators comprise being one color when a characteristic-of-interest is not detected and changing to a different color when a characteristic-of-interest is detected at the indicator position.

17) A visual combination direct and indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 13, wherein the visual indicators comprise a different color, colors, flashing and combinations thereof to indicate an area of the material not under inspection.

18) A visual combination direct and indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 13, wherein the visual indicators that illuminate the material under inspection are comprised of one or more LED, LASER, incandescent, fluorescent and combinations thereof light emitting devices.

19) A visual combination direct and indirect characteristic-of-interest position indication system for machine conveyable material in claim 13, wherein each visual indicator is operable to both indicate the correlated position of the characteristic-of-interest of the material on the structure and project light onto the material to indicate the position of characteristic-of-interest.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The following drawings illustrate the best modes presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention (Preferred Embodiment).

[0027] The direct, indirect and combined direct and indirect indicator illumination configurations are illustrated:

[0028] FIG. 1 Component View of the Indirect Illumination Configuration.

[0029] FIG. 2 Component View of the Direct Illumination Configuration

[0030] FIG. 3 Visual Indicator Drive Circuit Example

[0031] FIG. 4 Component View of Combined Indirect and Direct Illumination Configuration

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Principle of Operation

[0032] Various devices inspect material for characteristics-of-interest. Upon detection of said characteristic-of-interest or multiple characteristics-of-interest, an indication of the event is generated. The indication may be to alert personnel and/or an automated controller. One example of a personnel alert device is an indicator illuminating on the HMI of the device. Another might be an audio alarm. The alert to the automated controller is normally electronic and may take multiple formsdiscrete signal lines or communication networks among them. These forms of alerts may provide indication of a characteristic-of-interest has been detected, but do not provide immediate visual information regarding the position of the characteristic on the material under inspection to an observer of said material.

[0033] The invention utilizes characteristic-of-interest position information from inspection devices capable of providing such position information to indicate said characteristic by direct illumination, indirect illumination and combination direct and indirect illumination.

Refer to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 for the following description.

The Components:

[0034] The preferred embodiments comprise one or more visual indicators that provide direct illumination, indirect illumination or combination direct and indirect illumination. The illumination indicates the position of the characteristic(s) of interest relative to the material under inspection.

[0035] For the indirect illumination preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, one or more visual indicators 1, are located in or on an structure 3 and across the width of the structure, where such structure 3 essentially spans the width of the material under inspection 4. The visual indicators 1, are visible to an observer when illuminated. The illumination of the visual indicators 1 allows indication of the position of a characteristic-of-interest on the material under inspection. FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration where the visual indicators 1 are located above the material under inspection 4 in or on a structure 3 where the visual indicators are able to emit light that is visible to an observer. The active indicator 2 is indicating the position of the characteristic-of-interest 5 on the material under inspection 4. FIG. 1 illustrates the on-off configuration as well as the color configuration as the indicators 1 could all be off (or all on) or all a particular color, e.g. green, and the active indicator 2 could be on (or off) or a different color, e.g. red.

[0036] A variant of the indirect illumination preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 is that an additional color of illumination for the indicators 1 could be utilized to indicate an area of the material not being inspected. Flashing indicator(s) 1 could also be utilized for the same purpose.

[0037] For the direct illumination preferred embodiment of FIG. 2, one or more visual indicators 6, shown as hidden (dashed lines) in the view as they are typically within the structure 3 and not directly visible, are located in or on an structure 3 and across the width of said structure. The structure 3 essentially spans the width of the material under inspection 4 and the visual indicators are configured so as to be capable of illuminating 7 the material under inspection 4 so as to indicate the position of a characteristic-of-interest. The direct embodiment FIG. 2 differs from the indirect embodiment FIG. 1 in that the projected light in FIG. 2 is visible directly 7 on the material under inspection 4 so as to indicate the position. FIG. 2 illustrates the on-off configuration as well as the color configuration as the indicators 6 could all be off (or on) or all a particular color, e.g. green, and the active indication 7 could be on (or off) or a different color, e.g. red.

[0038] A variant of the direct illumination preferred embodiment of FIG. 2 is that an additional color of illumination for the indicators 6 could be utilized to indicate an area of the material not being inspected. Flashing indicator(s) 6 could also be utilized for the same purpose.

[0039] In the combination indirect and direct illumination embodiment of FIG. 4, one or more indirect visual indicators 1 and direct visual indicators 6 are located in or on an structure 3 and across the width of the structure, where such structure 3 essentially spans the width of the material under inspection 4. Although this description depicts separate indirect 1 and direct 6 visual indicators, the function of both could be combined in one visual indicator device. The one light source variant might utilize an optical component that splits the light into different directions so as to form the direct and indirect indicators. The description and function would otherwise be unchanged. The indirect visual indicator 2 illumination is visible on the structure and corresponds to the location of the characteristic-of-interest 5. The direct visual indicator projection 7 illuminates the location of the characteristic-of-interest 5 on the material under inspection 4. FIG. 4 illustrates the on-off configuration as well as the color configuration as the indicators 1 and 6 could all be off (or all on) or all a particular color, e.g. green, and the active indication 2 and 7 could be on or a different color, e.g. red.

[0040] A variant of the indirect and direct illumination embodiment of FIG. 4 is that an additional color of illumination for the indicators 1 and 6 could be utilized to indicate an area of the material not being inspected. Flashing indicator(s) 1 and 6 could also be utilized for the same purpose.

[0041] The visual indicators of the preferred embodiments 1 FIG. 1, 6 FIGS. 2 and 1, 6 of FIG. 4 may be comprised of any light emitting device(s) suitable for the invention. For purposes of illustration, LEDs are used. Said visible light may also be generated by a plethora of sources as described previously.

[0042] Those skilled in the art will recognize that many means are possible to illuminate the LEDs or other light emitting devices that form the indicators. For purposes of illustration, one possible circuit is described. It is not intended to be limiting in any sense.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 3, the IC U1 is a 4 bit shift register of generic type. It is of the 74HCxx logic technology. It is driven by an external synchronous serial source comprising serial data DATA INP, which drives INP of U1 and serial clock CLOCK, which drives CLK of U1. The external source DATA INP data consists of logic 1 or 0 and thereby controls illumination of the LEDs. In the circuit configuration shown, a logic 0 illuminates the LED indicator and a logic 1 does not. When an output of U1-OUT1, OUT2, OUT3, OUT4is set to logic 0, the voltage sourced by VCC is impressed across the corresponding LED1, LED2, LED3, LED4 and the resistors R1, R2, R3 and R4 limit the current through the corresponding LEDs. The current flowing through the LEDs causes them to be illuminated.

[0044] Note that there is no requirement that the circuit that illuminates the LEDs or any other light emitting device, be physically located in proximity to the LEDs or other light emitting devices.