Abstract
Inspecting and/or testing of inline conveyed devices is performed in that a monitoring unit is applied to a device. The monitoring unit is removed in a removing area. Within the timespan the monitoring unit is applied to the device, the monitoring unit is operated in a standalone operating mode. During a timespan information about the device to which the monitoring unit is applied is collected in the monitoring unit. This timespan of collecting includes at least a part of the timespan during which the monitoring unit is operated in standalone mode.
Claims
1. Method of inline inspecting and/or testing devices, comprising: providing at least one monitoring unit capable to be releasably applied to or over one of said devices and, in a standalone operating mode, to collect information from and/or caused by said device; conveying devices inline towards and into an application area; applying on or over a device out of said devices inline conveyed towards and into said application area said monitoring unit in said application area; removing said monitoring unit from said device in a removal area and bringing said removed monitoring unit back to said application area; by said monitoring unit, collecting information from or caused by said device to which the monitoring unit is applied to; transmitting information depending from collected information in said monitoring unit to a remote unit which is stationary with respect to said inline conveying of said devices towards and into said application area; evaluating information dependent from information as collected; wherein: said collecting is performed during a collecting timespan; said monitoring unit is operated in standalone operating mode during a standalone timespan; said monitoring unit being applied to or over said device during an application timespan; said standalone timespan includes at least a part of said application timespan; said collecting timespan includes at least a part of said part of said application timespan; and said monitoring unit is electrically supplied at least during said standalone timespan by an electrical power supply source in said monitoring unit.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said devices with said device on or over which said monitoring unit is applied are inline conveyed from said application area towards and into said removal area.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said device with the monitoring unit applied thereon or thereover is kept stationary during a timespan of said conveying from said application area to said removal area.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein said application area and said removal area are provided at least substantially at the same locus or mutually remote.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein said application area and said removal area are provided substantially at the same locus and at least said device with the monitoring unit applied thereon or thereover is kept stationary during said application timespan.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein said collecting timespan starts before or with said application timespan.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said collecting timespan starts before, with or after start of said standalone timespan.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said standalone timespan of said monitoring unit is ongoing during said application timespan and during said monitoring unit being brought from said removal area back to said application area.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said standalone timespan starts at the latest with start of said application timespan.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said collecting timespan ends with or after said application timespan.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said collecting timespan ends before, with or after the end of said standalone timespan.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein said standalone timespan ends before or after said transmitting.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting is performed before, with or after the end of said application timespan.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein said information collected is at least one of gas pressure, a gas pressure course, an amount of a gas species in a gas, a time course of such amount, a temperature, a temperature course, an optical characteristic in the visible and/or invisible light-spectrum, a time course of such optical characteristic, a reaction upon a radiation, a course of such reaction, electric impedance, a time course of such impedance, a force, a time course of such force.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein said information as collected comprises an amount of a predetermined gas species in a gas surrounding said device, said collecting comprising collecting into and holding in a sample compartment in said monitoring unit a sample of said gas surrounding said device, an evaluating comprising gas analysis, said transmitting comprising establishing a gas flow communication from said compartment to said remote unit.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein said information collected comprises a gas pressure or gas pressure time course, said collecting comprising collecting pressure information by means of a pressure sensor arrangement applied by said monitoring unit to or adjacent to said device.
17. The method of claim 16, said device being a closed container, applying said monitoring unit resulting in a sealed interspace between said closed container and said monitoring unit, said pressure sensor arrangement sensing pressure in said interspace.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising raising pressure in said interspace above or reducing said pressure in said interspace below a pressure prevailing in said closed container at least one of before and of during said standalone timespan.
19. The method of claim 16, said device being an open container, applying said monitoring unit resulting in sealingly applying said pressure sensor arrangement in a sealed flow communication with the inside of said open container and establishing a pressure difference between the inside of said container and the surrounding of said container once said sealed flow communication is established.
20. The method of claim 1, wherein said electric power supply source is at least once wirelessly charged at least one of before, during and after said standalone timespan.
21. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing said collecting at least one discrete time interval and transmitting said information dependent from said collected information during said time interval.
22. The method of claim 21, comprising performing said collecting at more than one discrete time interval and said transmitting during the respective time intervals.
23. The method of claim 21, at least one of said time intervals being in said standalone timespan.
24. The method of claim 1, wherein information dependent from said information as collected is held in said monitoring unit at least up to said transmitting.
25. The method of claim 1, wherein information dependent from said information as collected is evaluated in said monitoring unit, and said information transmitted comprises a result of said evaluation.
26. The method of claim 1, wherein information dependent from information as collected is held in said monitoring unit in an electronic data storage in said monitoring unit.
27. The method of claim 1, said transmitting being wirelessly performed from said monitoring unit.
28. The method of claim 1, wherein multiple of said monitoring units are provided and are subsequently applied to subsequent of said devices as in line conveyed towards and into said application area.
29. The method of claim 1, wherein multiple of said monitoring units are provided and are subsequently applied to all subsequent of said devices as inline conveyed towards and into said application area.
30. The method of claim 1, wherein information dependent from information as collected is evaluated, a result of said evaluating is stored in a storage in said monitoring unit, said stored result is read from said monitoring unit and a selecting unit is controlled by said readout result for selecting further processing of the respective device.
31. The method of claim 1, wherein said devices are inline conveyed from said application area towards and into said removal area, said conveying comprising inline conveying said devices by means of at least one band conveyer.
32. A method for manufacturing devices which have positively passed an inspection and/or a test, comprising providing uninspected and/or untested devices, inline inspecting and/or testing said uninspected and/or untested devices by the method of claim 1, an evaluating result assigned to a device indicating a positive inspection and/or test result establishing such device as having positively passed said inspection and/or test.
33. Inline device inspecting and/or testing apparatus, comprising: at least one monitoring unit adapted to be releasably applied to or over one of said devices and, in a standalone operating mode, to collect information from and/or caused by said device; said monitoring unit being in standalone operating mode during a standalone timespan; an applicator unit adapted to apply said monitoring unit to or over one of said devices; a removal unit adapted to remove said monitoring unit from said device after an application timespan, initiated as said monitoring unit is applied to or over said device; a conveyor adapted to inline convey said devices towards and into alignment with said applicator unit; an arrangement adapted to bring said monitoring unit from said removal unit to said applicator unit; a reception unit, stationary with respect to said conveyer, and adapted to receive information dependent from information as collected in said monitoring unit; a remote unit, stationary with respect to said conveyer and with an input operationally connected to an output of said reception unit; control means adapted to control said monitoring unit to collect said information during a collecting timespan; said standalone timespan includes at least a part of said application timespan; said collecting timespan is controlled by said control means to include at least a part of said part of said application timespan.
34. The apparatus of claim 33 comprising a conveyor adapted to inline convey said devices including a device with said monitoring unit applied thereon or thereover from said applicator unit towards and into alignment with said removal unit.
35. The apparatus of claim 34, comprising a stationary support station for at least one device along a conveying path from said applicator unit to said removal unit.
36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said collecting timespan is controlled by said control means to start before, with or after starting of said application timespan.
37. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said applicator unit and said removal unit are at least substantially provided at the same locus or mutually remote.
38. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said applicator unit and said removal unit are provided at the same locus and comprising a stationary support station for at least one device at said locus.
39. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said collecting timespan is controlled by said control means to start before, with or after starting of said standalone timespan.
40. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said monitoring unit is ongoingly operating in standalone mode during looping of said monitoring unit from said applicator unit to said removal unit and back to said applicator unit.
41. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said monitoring unit is in standalone operating mode at the latest with start of said application timespan.
42. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said control means control said collecting timespan to end before, with or after removing said monitoring unit from said device by said removal unit.
43. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said collecting timespan is controlled by said control means to end before, with or after the end of said standalone timespan.
44. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said standalone timespan ends before or after reception of said information by said reception unit.
45. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said monitoring unit comprises means adapted to collect and hold information representing at least one of gas pressure, a gas pressure course, an amount of a gas species in a gas, a time course of such amount, a temperature, a temperature course, an optical characteristic in the visible and/or invisible light-spectrum, a time course of such optical characteristic, a reaction upon a radiation, a time course of such reaction, electric impedance, a time course of such impedance, a force, a time course of such force.
46. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said monitoring unit comprises means adapted to collect and hold information representing an amount of a predetermined gas species in a gas surrounding said device, said means adapted to collect and hold said information in said monitoring unit comprising a sample compartment in said monitoring unit, said remote unit being adapted for gas analysis, said reception unit comprising an input gas flow line adapted to be controllably connected to said sample compartment.
47. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said monitoring unit comprises a gas pressure sensor arrangement.
48. The apparatus of claim 47, said device being a closed container, said monitoring unit being adapted to be applied over said device and defining with said device a sealed interspace between said closed container and said monitoring unit, said pressure sensor arrangement being in operational connection with said interspace.
49. The apparatus of claim 48, further comprising means adapted to raise pressure in said interspace above or to reduce said pressure in said interspace below a pressure prevailing in said closed container one of before and of during said standalone timespan.
50. The apparatus of claim 47, said device being an open container, wherein said monitoring unit is adapted to sealingly apply said pressure sensor arrangement in a sealed flow communication with the inside of said open container and further comprising means adapted to establishing a pressure difference between the inside of said container and the surrounding of said container.
51. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said monitoring unit comprises an electrical power supply unit adapted to electrically supply said monitoring unit at least during said standalone timespan.
52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein said electric power supply unit is wirelessly chargeable.
53. The apparatus of claim 33, said control means being adapted to control said monitoring unit to collect said information as said monitoring unit is adjacent to said reception unit.
54. The apparatus of claim 53 comprising more than one of said reception units at distinct loci along a path of said monitoring unit, said control means being adapted to control said monitoring unit to collect said information as said monitoring unit is adjacent to respective ones of said reception units.
55. The apparatus of claim 53, said monitoring unit being in standalone mode during at least one of said collecting.
56. The apparatus of claim 33, said monitoring unit comprising a holding means for information dependent from information as collected.
57. The apparatus of claim 33 comprising an evaluation unit at least one of in said monitoring unit and in said remote unit, said evaluation unit being operationally connected or connectable to collecting means in said monitoring unit.
58. The apparatus of claim 33, said monitoring unit comprising an electronic data storage for holding information dependent from information as collected.
59. The apparatus of claim 33, said monitoring unit comprising a wireless transmission unit, said reception unit comprising a wireless receiver unit.
60. The apparatus of claim 59, an input of said wireless transmission unit being operationally connected to an output of an electronic data storage in said monitoring unit.
61. The apparatus of claim 33 comprising multiple of said monitoring units, said applicator unit being adapted to apply, subsequently, to subsequent of said devices as in line conveyed towards and into alignment with said applicator unit a monitoring unit, said removal unit being adapted to, subsequently, remove a monitoring unit from said devices.
62. The apparatus of claim 33 comprising multiple of said monitoring units, said applicator unit being adapted to apply, subsequently, to all subsequent of said devices as in line conveyed towards and into alignment with said applicator unit a monitoring unit, said removal unit being adapted to remove, subsequently, a monitoring unit from each of said devices.
63. The apparatus of claim 33, comprising an evaluation unit, an output of said evaluation unit being operationally connectable to a resettable storage in said monitoring unit.
64. The apparatus of claim 33 comprising a conveyer adapted to inline convey said devices including a device with said monitoring unit applied thereon or there over from said applicator unit towards and into alignment with said removal unit, said conveyor comprising at least one band conveyer.
Description
(1) The invention shall now further be exemplified with the help of the following figures and of even more detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(2) The figures show:
(3) FIG. 1 schematically and simplified, by means of a functional block/signal flow diagram, an embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention operating the methods according to the invention;
(4) FIGS. 2 to 4 Schematically and simplified, three examples of handling the devices with applied monitoring units during the application timespan T.sub.Appl. as of FIG. 1.
(5) FIG. 5 simplified and schematically, a first embodiment of a monitoring unit cooperating with the device to be inspected and/or tested and as may be realized in the frame of the present invention;
(6) FIG. 6 in a representation in analogy to that of FIG. 5, a further embodiment of a monitoring unit cooperating with a device to be inspected and/or tested and as may be realized in the frame of the present invention;
(7) FIG. 7 schematically and simplified, synchronization of collecting information and of transmitting information from the monitoring unit in one embodiment as addressed in context with FIGS. 5 and 6;
(8) FIG. 8 a further embodiment of a monitoring unit in a representation in analogy to those of the FIGS. 5 and 6, cooperating with the device to be inspected and/or tested and as may be realized in the frame of the present invention;
(9) FIG. 9 simplified and schematically, a functional block/signal flow diagram of an example of monitoring within a monitoring unit as realized in the frame of the present invention;
(10) FIG. 10 schematically and simplified, a variant of sealingly applying a monitoring unit over a device to be inspected and/or tested and as may be realized in the frame of the present invention;
(11) FIG. 11 a further embodiment of a monitoring unit in a representation in analogy to those of the FIGS. 5, 6, 8 and cooperating with an aerosol can as a device to be inspected and/or tested and as may be realized in the frame of the present invention;
(12) FIG. 12 a further embodiment of a monitoring unit in a representation in analogy to those of the FIGS. 5, 6, 8, 11, and its cooperation with a device to be tested and/or inspected;
(13) FIGS. 13 to 15 still in representation in analogy to those of the FIGS. 5, 6, 8, 11, 12, further embodiments of monitoring units cooperating with devices to be inspected and/or tested and as may be realized in the frame of the present invention;
(14) FIG. 16 in a simplified and schematic representation, an embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention, operating methods according to the invention in three time phases (a), then (b), then (c);
(15) FIG. 17 in a simplified and schematic representation, an apparatus according to the present invention and operating the methods of the invention and as today realized;
(16) FIG. 18 simplified and schematically by means of a signal flow/functional block diagram, a monitoring unit as applied today to the apparatus and methods as of FIG. 17;
(17) FIG. 19 simplified and schematically, an embodiment in more details of a monitoring unit cooperating with an aerosol can to be inspected and/or tested and as realized e.g. in the embodiment as of FIGS. 17 and 18, and
(18) FIG. 20 over the time axis, three different pressure courses as are collected for testing and/or inspection purposes e.g. by the embodiment of FIGS. 17 to 19.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(19) FIG. 1 schematically shows, by means of a signal flow/functional block diagram, an embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention and thereby of the methods according to the invention.
(20) Devices 1 to be inspected and/or to be tested are inline conveyed by means of a conveyor 3 towards and into an application area 5a of an applicator unit 5.sub.u. With respect to the applicator unit 5.sub.u conveyor 3 conveys subsequently devices 1 into alignment with the applicator unit 5.sub.u.
(21) The conveyor 3 may be a star conveyor, a band conveyor or may comprise a combination of star and band conveyors or of any other type of known conveyors for inline conveying the devices 1.
(22) By the applicator unit 5.sub.u and thus in the application area 5.sub.a there is applied a monitoring unit 7 on or over at least one of the devices 1.sub.a out of the devices 1 inline conveyed by conveyor 3. The devices 1 including device 1.sub.a whereon or whereover a monitoring unit 7 is applied are conveyed by a conveyor 9 out of the application area 5.sub.a towards and into a removal area 11.sub.a of a removal unit 11.sub.u. With respect to the removal unit 11.sub.u conveyor 9 conveys subsequently the devices 1 into alignment with such removal unit 11.sub.u. By means of the removal unit 11.sub.u the respective monitoring unit 7 is removed from device 1.sub.a, whereon or whereover it was formerly applied.
(23) The conveyor 9 may comprise any type of known conveyor as one or more star conveyors, but comprises in a good embodiment one or more than one band conveyors as will be addressed later.
(24) The monitoring unit 7 as removed by removal unit 11.sub.u and, respectively, in the removal area 11.sub.a is conveyed back into the application area 5.sub.a and thus to the applicator unit 5.sub.u as schematically shown in FIG. 1 by means of conveyor 13.
(25) The overall method and thus apparatus is controlled and timed by means of a control unit 15 and thereby especially and as addressed in FIG. 1 the one or more than one monitoring units 7.
(26) The monitoring unit 7 is adapted on one hand to be releasably applied to or over one of the devices 1 as was already addressed and additionally to collect and possibly hold information from and/or caused by the device 1.sub.a to which it is applied. Different examples of collecting and possibly of holding such information by monitoring unit 7 will be addressed later. In FIG. 1, generically, information collecting is represented by the arrows COL and holding is represented by a holding unit HOL in the respective monitoring units 7.
(27) The monitoring unit 7 is operated in a standalone operating mode at least during a part of the time from applicator unit 5.sub.u to removal unit 11.sub.u. Please note that parts and units which are stationary with respect to the movement of the conveyors 3, 9 and 13 are represented in FIG. 1 by dash lines as at B. Further please note that the monitoring unit 7.sub.a in FIG. 1 is operated in standalone mode as any wire-bound connection for energy transfer schematically represented in FIG. 1 at 17, has been removed.
(28) As further shown in FIG. 1 conveying the devices 1 and therewith also devices 1.sub.a with a monitoring unit 7 applied thereon or thereover by means of conveyor 9 from application area 5.sub.a and thus from the applicator 5.sub.u towards and into removal area 11.sub.a and thus in alignment with removal unit 11.sub.u occurs during a timespan T.sub.Appl.. As schematically shown by means of monitoring unit 7.sub.a, during at least a part of the timespan T.sub.Appl. the monitoring unit 7 is operated in the standalone operating mode as shown in FIG. 1 by the timespan T.sub.SA. This timespan T.sub.SA may extend as desired and may e.g. include removal of the monitoring unit 7 from device 1.sub.a. The addressed timespan T.sub.SA may also e.g. begin with the start of T.sub.Appl. or even before, thus extending further to include application of the monitoring unit 7 to the respective device 1.sub.a in the application area 5.sub.a and thus by the applicator unit 5.sub.u.
(29) The monitoring unit 7 is adapted to collect and possibly hold information from a respective device or caused by a respective device it is applied to. The monitoring unit 7 is controlled by controller unit 15 to initiate and terminate a timespan T.sub.COL during which the addressed information is collected COL by the monitoring unit, which collected information is possibly held HOL in the monitoring unit 7. The timespan during which such collecting is performed by the monitoring unit 7 is addressed in FIG. 1 by T.sub.COL. In any case at least a part of the addressed timespan T.sub.COL, is within a part of the standalone timespan T.sub.SA, which latter part is within the application timespan T.sub.Appl. as shown in FIG. 1. Nevertheless, the addressed collecting timespan T.sub.COL may be extended as shown in dash line in FIG. 1.
(30) The monitoring unit 7 has an output by which information, possibly held in the monitoring unit as at HOL, is transmitted to a reception unit 19, which is, as shown by B, stationary with respect to conveyors 3, 9 and 13. The transmission of the information from monitoring unit 7 may be performed as shown in dash line at 20.sub.a wire-bound, if such transmission is performed outside the standalone timespan T.sub.SA. In a good embodiment at least a part of this transmission is performed within the standalone timespan T.sub.SA as shown by wireless transmission at 20.sub.b. In this case the monitoring unit 7 comprises a wireless transmission unit, whereas the reception unit 19 comprises a wireless receiver unit (not shown in FIG. 1). The reception unit 19 has an output 19.sub.o which is operationally connected to an input 21.sub.i of an evaluation unit 21. Evaluation unit outputs at an output 21.sub.o the result of inspection and/or testing of the respective device 1.sub.a. In dependency of such result it is selected how the respective device is further processed downstream the removal area 11.sub.a i.e. downstream the removal unit 11.sub.u.
(31) Handling of the devices 1 and especially the devices 1.sub.a whereat or whereover a monitoring unit 7.sub.a is applied during the application timespan T.sub.Appl. as of FIG. 1 shall be addressed in context with the FIGS. 2 to 4. According to FIG. 2 in the application unit 5.sub.u a monitoring unit 7 is applied to a device 1 as was addressed in context with FIG. 1. The device 1.sub.a with the applied monitoring unit 7.sub.a is conveyed, possibly together with devices 1 without monitoring unit, by means of a conveyor 9.sub.a at a rate r.sub.a of subsequent devices 1/1.sub.a towards and into a retarder unit 10. In the retarder unit 10 the conveying rate or speed at least for devices 1.sub.a with monitoring units 7.sub.a applied thereto is lower than the input rate r.sub.a, along a predetermined conveying path or is even lowered to zero, which means that in this case and within retarder unit 10, the devices 1.sub.a with the monitoring unit 7.sub.a applied thereto come to a complete standstill and are thus stationary. Downstream the retarder unit 10 the devices 1.sub.a still with the monitoring unit 7.sub.a applied thereto are conveyed out of the retarder unit 10 towards and into the removal unit 11.sub.u according to FIG. 1. Thus, by the retarder unit 10 the overall application timespan T.sub.Appl. may be tailored flexibly and as desired and especially lengthened without necessitating long conveying paths as would be the case if the devices 1.sub.a with the monitoring unit 7.sub.a applied thereto were conveyed between the applicator unit 5.sub.u to the removal unit 11.sub.u at constant speed.
(32) As further shown in FIG. 2 and with respect to the application timespan T.sub.Appl. the standalone timespan T.sub.SA preferably includes the timespan during which the devices 1.sub.a with the respective monitoring unit 7.sub.a are present within the retarder unit 10 and the collecting timespan T.sub.COL, preferably includes that part of the timespan T.sub.SA. Preferably the timespans T.sub.SA and T.sub.COL include the timespan the devices and monitoring units stay in retarder unit 10.
(33) Thereby the timespan during which the devices with the monitoring unit applied thereto are present in the retarder unit 10 is exploited especially to collect information by the respective monitoring units 7.sub.a as more such information is required. As was addressed, downstream the retarder unit 10 the combined devices/monitoring units 1.sub.a/7.sub.a are conveyed with the input rate r.sub.a as by a conveyor 9.sub.b.
(34) According to FIG. 3 the devices 1 are conveyed into a combined application/removal unit 5.sub.u/11.sub.u located at least substantially at the same locus in the overall apparatus. The arriving workpieces 1 are loaded as schematically shown with the arrow i with a monitoring unit 7 and leave the combined applicator/removal unit 5.sub.u/11.sub.u on a conveyor loop of desired length and desired conveying speed and are brought back to the combined applicator/removal unit 5.sub.u/11.sub.u where the respective monitoring units 7 are removed from the devices as shown by the arrow o in FIG. 3. Downstream the combined applicator/removal unit 5.sub.u/11.sub.u the devices 1 are removed with a conveying rate r.sub.o equal to the input conveying rate r.sub.i to the applicator/removal unit 5.sub.u/11.sub.u.
(35) With respect to the timespans T.sub.Appl., T.sub.SA and T.sub.COL the same prevails as was already addressed in context with FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
(36) In the embodiment of FIG. 4 the devices 1 are conveyed by conveyor 3 according to FIG. 1 with an input rate r.sub.i to an applicator/retarder/removal unit 5.sub.u/10/11.sub.u. The retarder effect is here realized by keeping the devices 1.sub.a with the respective monitoring units 7.sub.a applied thereto stationary during the application timespan T.sub.Appl. Thus, the devices 1 fed to the unit 5.sub.u/10/11.sub.u are distributed as schematically shown by a distribution unit 12.sub.i to different positions, where the respective monitoring units 7 are applied to the devices 1 kept stationary. After lapse of the desired application timespan T.sub.Appl. the respective monitoring units 7.sub.a are removed from the addressed devices still stationary and the devices 1 are then redistributed by output redistributing unit 12.sub.o onto the output conveyor 16 with an output rate r.sub.o equal to the input rate r.sub.i.
(37) FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 most schematically show two embodiments of a monitoring unit under a most generic aspect. A device 1.sub.a shall be tested and/or inspected. Although testing may include inspecting and vice versa, we rather understand under inspecting optical picture inspection, whereas we understand under testing taking some kind of measurements upon the device.
(38) According to the embodiment of FIG. 5 the monitoring unit 27 is constructed to be releasably applied to or over device 1.sub.a to be inspected and/or tested during the application timespan T.sub.Appl. The monitoring unit 27 is thereby applied to the device 1.sub.a to form therewith a unit 271.sub.a which may be moved as one piece. The monitoring unit 27 is adapted to collect information I from device 1.sub.a or information which is caused by the device 1.sub.a. As an example such information I may be an optical appearance of device 1.sub.a. In such a case the addressed information I is information from such device. On the other hand such information I may be present in the surrounding of the device 1.sub.a as e.g. a gas pressure value or a gas species; such information I is caused by the device.
(39) The monitoring unit 27 collects such information I as schematically shown in FIG. 5 by a collecting unit 25 and holds such information in a holding unit 23. The holding unit 23 is adapted to allow transmission of information as held therein from its output 23.sub.o to the exterior of the monitoring unit 27 as schematically shown at an output 27.sub.o. The holding unit 23 is operationally connected to the collecting unit 25 as shown at the input 23.sub.i of holding unit 23.
(40) According to the embodiment of FIG. 5 the monitoring unit 27 is releasably applied on the device 1.sub.a to be inspected and/or tested.
(41) The difference of the embodiment of the monitoring unit 327 as schematically shown in FIG. 6 to that, 27, of FIG. 5 is that according to FIG. 6 such monitoring unit 327 is releasably applied over the device 1.sub.a, e.g. residing on conveyor 9 as of FIG. 1. In a good embodiment an interspace 324 is thereby defined between the device 1.sub.a and the monitoring unit 327.
(42) As further shown in FIG. 5 as well as in FIG. 6 the output of collecting unit 25/325 may directly be fed to the output 27.sub.o/327.sub.o of the monitoring unit 27/327. In this case the collected information is transmitted to the reception unit 19 as of FIG. 1 substantially at the same time as the information I is collected by the collecting unit 25/325. Thus, the control unit 15 as of FIG. 1 controls in this case collecting of information I at the monitoring unit 27/327 at a moment, at which transmission from the output 27.sub.o/327.sub.o to the reception unit 19 is possible, i.e. at a moment at which at least a part of the reception unit 19 is located adjacent to the momentary position of the monitoring unit 27/327 and of the respective device 1.sub.a. Collecting information I is initiated by the control unit 15 when the monitoring unit 27/327 and the respective device 1.sub.a are adjacent to that part of the reception unit 19. In FIGS. 5, 6 the control input 15.sub.C indicates the operational control connection of the monitoring unit 27/327 to the control unit 15 as of FIG. 1.
(43) As schematically shown in FIGS. 5, 6 by switch S it is absolutely possible to hold a part of the collected information I in the holding unit 23/323 and to directly lead information from collecting unit 25/325 to the output 27.sub.o/327.sub.o e.g. controlled by the control unit 15. Thus, at a monitoring unit 27/327 considered, either all information I collected is held in a holding unit 23/323 and then transmitted via output 27.sub.o/327.sub.o or information I collected by the collecting unit 25/325 is directly fed to the output 27.sub.o/327.sub.o to be transmitted. Alternatively both possibilities are present in one monitoring unit 27/327 and selection of the respective possibility is e.g. controlled by control unit 15 as of FIG. 1.
(44) In context with FIG. 1 there has been described an evaluation unit 21 operationally connected to the output of reception unit 19. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 by dash lines there may be provided in the monitoring unit 27/327 instead of stationary, remote evaluation unit 21 as of FIG. 1 an evaluation unit 21.sub.a/321.sub.a, or there may be provided additionally to the stationary evaluation unit 21 as of FIG. 1 an evaluation unit 21.sub.a/321.sub.a in the monitoring unit 27/327. Such combined solution may e.g. exploit the evaluation unit 21.sub.a/321.sub.a, in the monitoring unit 27/327 for pre-evaluation e.g. based on a plausibility test, and the evaluation unit 21 remote and stationary as final, decisive evaluation unit.
(45) FIG. 7 shows simplified and schematically a device 1.sub.a with a monitoring unit 7.sub.a applied thereto. The monitoring unit 7.sub.a comprises a collecting unit 25, 325 according to FIG. 5 or 6, the output thereof being directly led to a wireless transmission input/output unit 8 via a sampling switch Q controlled, as schematically shown, via a control input 15.sub.c from control unit 15 as of FIG. 1 to wireless input/output unit 8. FIG. 7 shows the addressed device 1.sub.a with monitoring unit 7.sub.a in different positions (a) to (e) during the application timespan T.sub.Appl.. In position (a) the sample switch Q is open. In position (b) the monitoring unit 7.sub.a with the device 1.sub.a is adjacent to a wireless reception unit 719(b). The sampling switch Q is closed, the information from collecting unit 25/325 is fed to the wireless transmission input/output unit 8 and received by wireless reception unit 719(b), which e.g. may be part of the reception unit 19 as of FIG. 1.
(46) In position (c) sampling switch Q is open again as no wireless reception unit according to unit 719(b) is present adjacent to the monitoring unit in that position (c). In analogy in position (d), where a wireless receiver unit 719(d) is present, sampling switch Q is closed and reopened in position (e).
(47) FIG. 7 thus shows an example how information is read out of the monitoring unit as no information holding or storing is performed within the monitoring unit.
(48) At least during the collecting timespan T.sub.COL during which the monitoring unit 27/327 (FIG. 5, 6) collects the addressed information I, at least a part thereof being possibly held in holding unit 23/323 for later output at 27.sub.o/327.sub.o, the monitoring unit 27/327 is operated in the standalone operating mode SA.
(49) The monitoring unit as used by and within the present invention may be constructed in a large number of different variants, on one hand adapted to specific needs of inspecting and/or testing specific devices and on the other hand according to the characteristics of different devices.
(50) A small number of examples of monitoring units shall now be presented and shortly discussed, in that variant according to FIGS. 5, 6 in which information I as collected is held or stored in the monitoring unit before performing transmission of information dependent therefrom to the stationary reception unit.
(51) In FIG. 8 there is schematically shown a monitoring unit 427 which is adapted for a device 1.sub.a to be tested by monitoring a pressure p in the sealed surrounding of the device 1.sub.a.
(52) According to FIG. 8 the monitoring unit 427 is shaped to be applied over the device 1.sub.a, leaving between such device 1.sub.a and the monitoring unit 427 an interspace 424. Within monitoring unit 427 there is provided a compartment 428 with a controlled input 428.sub.i and a controlled output 428.sub.o leading to the interspace 424. The collecting unit 425 comprises a pressure sensor arrangement 429 sensing pressure p in interspace 424 and being operationally connected to holding unit 423. Holding unit 423 is or comprises an electronic storage for storing a multitude of data dependent from output signals of the pressure sensor arrangement 429. As schematically shown in FIG. 9 the monitoring unit 427 may comprise an electronic clock 521 which controls sampling the output of the pressure sensor arrangement 429. Analogue to digital conversion is performed by converter unit 530. The respective sample values are stored in holding unit 423, realized by an electronic storage. A course of the pressure p over time, p(t), may be sampled and stored in holding unit 423.
(53) According to FIG. 8 the monitoring unit 427 further comprises an electric power supply unit 426, which allows operation of all electrically supplied units in monitoring unit 427, as of controllable valves 430.sub.a/430.sub.b, electronic units 521, 530, 423 etc. as of FIG. 9 and possibly also of the collecting unit 425. The electric power supply unit 426 may be a battery arrangement or is, in a good embodiment, a rechargeable battery-unit or capacitor unit. Recharging or charging the battery- or capacitor unit is performed either before initiating the standalone operating SA mode of monitoring unit 427 by a wired connection of unit 426 to a charger unit, or by charging the rechargeable battery- or capacitor-unit of power supply unit 426 by contact-free e.g. inductive charging, especially if such recharging is performed during the timespan T.sub.SA. Charging or recharging the power supply unit may be an ongoing process especially during the standalone timespan T.sub.SA, e.g. by means of an ongoing induction link to an extended inductive loop, and especially if the power consumption of the monitoring unit is relatively high. Nevertheless and generically, wireless charging of the power supply unit 426 may also be performed before and/or after the standalone timespan T.sub.SA.
(54) The compartment 428 is vacuum charged, before initiating the standalone timespan T.sub.SA by means of a vacuum pump (not shown) connected to input 428.sub.i. The monitoring unit 427 is applied over device L. From this moment the standalone timespan T.sub.SA may be initiated. By opening valve 430.sub.b the interspace 424 is evacuated as well, to a vacuum level which is the closer to the precharged level in compartment 428 the smaller that interspace 424 is with respect to the volume of the compartment 428. By evacuating the interspace 424 the monitoring unit 427 is additionally sealingly pressed to the support 9c for device 1.sub.a as schematically shown in FIG. 8 by the seal 432. If valve 430.sub.b is to be opened during the standalone timespan T.sub.SA, a control signal to the valve 430.sub.b is wirelessly transmitted to the monitoring unit 427 (not shown). Clearly it is also possible to open valve 430.sub.b before initiating the standalone timespan T.sub.SA. Then a control signal to the valve 430.sub.b may be applied wire-bound to the monitoring unit 427.
(55) The collecting timespan T.sub.COL may be initiated before or after evacuating interspace 424 dependent whether the pressure course in the interspace 424 is relevant information also during evacuation, e.g. to check on proper seal by seal 432. Irrespective whether evacuation of interspace 424 is performed before or after initiating timespan T.sub.SA, the monitoring unit 427 is operated during at least a part of standalone timespan T.sub.SA subsequent to evacuation, whereby such part is selected so as to register a pressure course over time long enough to be sufficient for the intended testing. If the device 1.sub.a is a closed container to be leak tested, there will occur, if the container is leaky, a significant change of pressure p in the interspace 424, which is indicative for leakiness and which will be recognized in the subsequent evaluation of the pressure course as held in electronic storage according to holding unit 423. The pressure course is evaluated e.g. in an evaluation unit 21 as of FIG. 1 and/or an evaluation unit 21.sub.a/321.sub.a as on FIGS. 5, 6, in the monitoring unit 427.
(56) If the closed container, as the device 1.sub.a, is intensively pressurized it may be possible not to vacuumize interspace 424. In this case and/or if evacuation of the interspace 424 is not necessarily performed during the standalone timespan T.sub.SA, then the compartment 428 may be omitted. In the latter case the interspace 424 is directly vacuumized by applying a pumping line thereto before initiating the standalone timespan T.sub.SA. Again the collecting timespan T.sub.om may be initiated already before or only after the start of the standalone timespan T.sub.SA.
(57) If the device 1.sub.a shall be tested by applying to its surrounding on overpressure with respect to its interior pressure, then the compartment 428 is pressurized and, by opening valve 430.sub.b, the interspace 424 as well.
(58) According to FIG. 10 the sealing action is then inversed and realized by sealing member 432.
(59) FIG. 11 shows in a schematic representation in analogy to that of FIGS. 5, 6 a monitoring unit 727 which is applied to a device 1.sub.a. In analogy to the embodiment of FIG. 8 the pressure p in a surrounding volume 724 of the device 1.sub.a is monitored and held in the holding unit, realized by an electronic storage 723. In opposition to the embodiment of FIG. 8, the monitoring unit 727 of FIG. 11 performs testing only a part of device 1.sub.a. The device 1.sub.a may be e.g. a aerosol can, whereat the top 730 with the spray valve output is to be tested with respect to leakiness. The monitoring unit 727 is sealingly applied upon the top of the aerosol can device 1.sub.a, as schematically shown at 732. An interspace 724 between the top part 730 of aerosol can device 1.sub.a and monitoring unit 727 is formed. The pressure p in that interspace 724 is monitored by collecting unit 725, comprising a pressure sensor arrangement 729. The output of the pressure sensor arrangement 729 is operationally connected to the input of electronic storage 723.
(60) Collecting information and holding same is performed as was explained in context with FIG. 8 e.g. by means of a technique according to FIG. 9.
(61) The monitoring unit 727 is electrically supplied by supply unit 726 in analogy to unit 426 in FIG. 8.
(62) Equally to the embodiment of FIG. 8, if the device 1.sub.a has an interior pressure which is larger than the surrounding pressure, there is no need to evacuate interspace 724 according to the interspace 424. If such overpressure within device 1.sub.a is not sufficient, then and as shown in FIG. 11 in analogy to FIG. 8, a compartment 728 is provided which is controllably loaded to a predetermined vacuum before the standalone timespan T.sub.SA and is controllably put in flow communication to interspace 724 before or after initiation of the standalone timespan T.sub.SA. As was described in context with FIG. 8, the course p(t) of pressure p is sensed by a pressure sensor arrangement 729 of collecting unit 725 and the respective data is held in an electronic storage or holding unit 723. The monitoring unit 727 is electrically powered at least during the standalone timespan T.sub.SA by the power supply unit 726, a battery arrangement or a rechargeable battery- or capacitor-unit, rechargeable either contactlessly e.g. by means of induction charging or by a charging cable or wire.
(63) For certain applications of a monitoring unit 727 as shown in FIG. 11 it might be necessary to apply overpressure in the interspace 724 with respect to the pressure inside device 1.sub.a. In such a case the interspace 724 is put under overpressure, be it by overpressurizing compartment 728 ordirectlythrough a pressurizing line (not shown in FIG. 11), before initiating the standalone timespan T.sub.SA.
(64) The embodiments as shown in the FIGS. 8 to 11, which are based on collecting information about gas pressure in the surrounding of a device 1.sub.a, are especially suited for leak testing containers which are closed used and possibly filled with a product. Nevertheless, it is also possible to tailor the monitoring unit 7 as of FIG. 1 for leak testing open containers. In such case the respective monitoring unit is sealingly applied to the opening of the container. The interior of the container is pressurized and the course of the pressure inside the container, after pressurizing, is monitored and the respective information held in analogy to the embodiments according to FIGS. 8 to 11.
(65) As was addressed above and depending on the type of device to be inspected and/or tested a large variety of techniques for collecting information from and/or caused by the device are possible. In all such embodiments of monitoring units to be exploited in context with the present invention, during a predetermined collecting timespan, which includes at least a part of a timespan T.sub.SA during which the monitoring unit is operated in standalone operating mode, information is collected and possibly held e.g. by electronic storing within the monitoring unit for further evaluation.
(66) Attention is drawn to the fact that if information which, generically spoken, depends from the information as collected is held or stored in the monitoring unit, transmission of information which depends from the stored information to a reception unit as of 19 of FIG. 1 may be done even after the monitoring unit has been removed from the device.
(67) According to FIG. 12 the monitoring unit 827 is applied over the device 1.sub.a, which may be a closed container which contains a pressurized gas comprising a specific gas species. The interspace 824 is, if at all necessary, evacuated either by applying the action of an external pump by means of a wire-bound pumping line to the interspace 824 or by providing, as was explained in context with the embodiment of FIG. 11, a prevacuumized compartment in analogy to compartment 728 of the embodiment of FIG. 11.
(68) The interspace 824 is in controlled flow communication with a holding compartment 833 via a wirelessly or wire-bound controlled valve 832. If a leak is present in the closed pressurized container 1.sub.a the leak will cause gas with the addressed gas species to flow into interspace 824 and through open valve 832 also into holding compartment 833. By having the gas in the interspace 824 flown into holding compartment 833, information as caused by device 1.sub.a about its leakiness is collected within holding compartment 833. After a predetermined collecting timespan T.sub.COL the valve 832 is closed, be it by a control signal wirelessly transmitted to the monitoring unit 827, if such closing is to be performed during standalone timespan T.sub.SA, or by a wire-bound control signal, if such closing is to be performed outside the standalone timespan T.sub.SA. Thus, the collected information, namely the content of the addressed gas species in the gas in interspace 824, becomes held in the holding compartment 833.
(69) This information is fed to an evaluation unit 21 according to FIG. 1 in that, after standalone timespan T.sub.SA, the holding compartment 833 is brought in flow communication with the input of the evaluation unit 21, which in such case is or comprises a gas analyzer as e.g. a mass spectrometer. Establishing the addressed gas flow communication to the evaluation unit 21 is performed by opening a valve 834 in an output line of holding compartment 833. As this is performed in any case when the flow communication to the input of the evaluation unit according to 21 of FIG. 1 is established, the respective control of valve 834 is performed via a wire-bound signal transmission line (not shown in FIG. 8) to the monitoring unit 827.
(70) In this case the reception unit as of 19 of FIG. 1 is in fact omitted or may be said to be realized by the flow communication line from the monitoring unit 827 to the evaluation unit as shown in dash line at 835 in FIG. 1.
(71) By this technique the content of the addressed gas species in the interspace 824 is collected and transmitted to the evaluation unit according to 21 of FIG. 1 as information at one point in time, namely at that point, when valve 832 has been closed.
(72) If it is desired to collect and hold information about the course with which the addressed gas species accumulates over time in the interspace 824, then more than one holding compartments in analogy to holding compartment 833 are provided in the monitoring unit 827 and such holding compartments are loaded subsequently in time with gas from interspace 824 by respectively and subsequently closing control valves in analogy to valve 832 to the respective holding compartment. Then each of these compartments holds information about the amount of the addressed gas species in the gas of interspace 824 at that point in time at which the respective valve to the interspace 824 was closed. Transmitting of the information held in the more than one holding compartments is performed by respective multiple flow communication lines to the evaluation unit according to 21 of FIG. 1 via respectively controlled valves in analogy to valve 834 of FIG. 12 or via a flow-line multiplexer.
(73) The embodiment of FIG. 12 shall show that the information which is collected and possibly held in the monitoring unit and as exploited in and by the present invention, is to be interpreted in broad terms in that such information may be collected and possibly held in form of physical signals, as e.g. in form of gas pressure, gas species content but also as temperature values, visual appearance, reaction on radiation, impedance, force, etc.
(74) FIG. 13 shows schematically and in a representation analogous to that of FIG. 11 or 12 a monitoring unit 927 applied to a device 1.sub.a. The collecting unit 925 comprises, as schematically shown with the camera-symbol, a picturing sensor arrangement by which the optical appearance of the device 1.sub.a may be picture- or video-registered. This may be done according to the specific needs for inspection and/or testing and according to the respective device 1.sub.a in the visual light spectrum and/or in an invisible light spectrum as in infrared light spectrum.
(75) As was amply explained to now, the information, picture or video information as collected by the collecting unit 925, is held in holding unit 923 in analogy to holding unit 723 as of FIG. 11 which is in the case of the FIG. 13 embodiment an electronic storage unit. Clearly and not shown in FIG. 13, there is provided an electrical power supply unit as according to such unit 726 of the embodiment of FIG. 11 and control signals to the monitoring unit 927 are transmitted to that unit from the external either by wire-bound or by wireless connection, dependent whether such signals are to be applied during standalone timespan T.sub.SA or outside that timespan.
(76) In the embodiment of FIG. 14 a collecting unit comprises a radiation source 1028, e.g. an X-ray source, and a radiation receiver 1029. By applying the monitoring unit 1027 to the device 1.sub.a such device 1.sub.a is placed between the radiation source 1028 and radiation receiver 1029 and is thus inspected or tested by collecting and holding in unit 1030 information about the reaction of device 1.sub.a upon transmission of the radiation R through the respectively transparent device 1.sub.a.
(77) In the embodiment as schematically shown in FIG. 15 the monitoring unit 1127 comprises as a collecting unit a temperature sensor arrangement 1128 and the collected temperature information is heldif requiredin holding unit 1130, again an electronic storage.
(78) These examples show the skilled artisan that the monitoring unit as exploited by the present invention may be constructed to suit a large range of different needs for respective inspection and/or testing of different devices.
(79) FIG. 16(a) to (c) show simplified and schematically three status at different times t.sub.1 to t.sub.3 of the method according to the present invention and accordingly of an apparatus performing such method. On a conveyor 1203 devices 1201 are inline conveyed along a path towards an application area 1205.sub.a. In the application area 1205.sub.a a monitoring unit 1227 resides in a stationary waiting position with respect to the movement of the devices 1201 on conveyor 1203. In this position the monitoring unit 1227, embodiments of which having been explained in context with the FIGS. 5 to 15 may be prepared for subsequent operation if required. Thereby, the monitoring unit 1227 may be generically wire-bound connected, 1252, as e.g. by a charging cable connecting an electric power supply in the monitoring unit 1227 to an electric charger, a pressure or vacuum line to a pressure or a vacuum source, etc. As soon as one of the devices 1201 is moved into the application area 1205.sub.a the monitoring unit 1227 is released from its stationary position and is applied as shown in dashed line in FIG. 16(a) to one, 1201.sub.a, of the devices 1201. In a good embodiment, at least from this moment in fact initiation of the application timespan T.sub.Appl., the monitoring unit 1227 is operated in standalone operating mode SA. Forming a unit together with the respective device 1201.sub.a, the monitoring unit 1227 e.g. moves from the application area 1205.sub.a on a conveyor 1209 which possibly could be a continuation of the conveyor 1203. Downstream, the combined unit of device 1201.sub.a and monitoring unit 1127 is conveyed, possibly via a retarder station as 10 FIG. 2, to and into removing area 1211.sub.a. In this area the monitoring unit 1227 is removed from the device 1201.sub.a which latter continues to be conveyed towards a destination on a conveyor 1210, which as well could be realized by the conveyor 1209. The removed monitoring unit 1227 (FIG. 16(c)) becomes now again stationary with respect to the movement of the devices 1201 and may be wire-bound connected to stationary members of the apparatus as shown by the output arrow 1256 in FIG. 16(c), but could also further be operated in standalone mode SA.
(80) Nevertheless, the trajectory path along which the monitoring unit 1227 is operated in standalone operating mode SA is, as a good example shown in FIG. 16, from the application area 1205.sub.a to the removal area 1211.sub.a. This means T.sub.SA accords with T.sub.Appl. The standalone timespan T.sub.SA starts at least substantially when the monitoring unit 1227 is released from its stationary position with respect to the inline conveyed devices 1201. The collecting timespan T.sub.COL may be initiated before such release, together with or after the release of the monitoring unit 1227 in application area 1205.sub.a.
(81) The collecting timespan T.sub.COL, in any case includes at least a part of the standalone timespan T.sub.SA and is dependent on the extent of the application timespan T.sub.Appl. from the application area 1205 to the removal area 1211.sub.a.
(82) The longer that this timespan T.sub.Appl. is selected and thus T.sub.COL may be selected, the longer the monitoring unit 1227 may thus collect and possibly hold information from the device 1201.sub.a or information which is caused by the addressed device. As the collecting timespan T.sub.COL is limited by the application timespan T.sub.Appl. at least a substantial part thereof being standalone timespan T.sub.SA, T.sub.Appl. is that timespan which predominantly limits the timespan T.sub.COL. Frequently the longer that the information collecting and possibly holding timespan T.sub.COL is selected, the more accurate is the result of testing or inspecting. E.g. if according to the embodiment of FIG. 11, where the device 1201 according to FIG. 16 is a pressurized aerosol can to be leak tested, detection of very small leaks shall be performed, this may need a relatively long timespan T.sub.COL to get a significant pressure information.
(83) T.sub.Appl. may flexibly be adapted to the needs with respect to T.sub.COL. If longer collecting times T.sub.COL are needed, T.sub.Appl. is lengthened and vice versa. Thereby, the application timespan T.sub.Appl. is flexibly adaptable because this timespan T.sub.Appl. includes at least a part of the standalone timespan T.sub.SA in which there exists no wire-bound connection between the monitoring unit and stationary parts of the apparatus.
(84) Therefore, in a good embodiment a conveyor or an arrangement of multiple conveyors 1209 between the application area 1205.sub.a and the removal area 1211.sub.a comprises at least one band conveyor, which conveyor type allows to adjust flexibly T.sub.Appl. by lengthening or shortening the at least one band conveyor, e.g. by establishing a compact, serpentine-like band-conveying path. The monitoring unit is operated along such flexibly adapted conveyor in standalone mode SA.
(85) The collection timespan T.sub.COL, may cease before the standalone timespan T.sub.SA ceases. With an eye on FIG. 16 this is the case when collecting information ceases before the monitoring unit 1227 is wire-bound connected to stationary members of the apparatus. In another variant, the collecting timespan T.sub.COL, may be terminated after the standalone timespan T.sub.SA which is then the case, if there is applied a wire-bound connection to the monitoring unit and collecting information continues so as to collect information also upon the behavior during and possibly after application of the wire-bound connection. The standalone timespan T.sub.SA may further completely include the collecting timespan T.sub.COL. This case is particularly interesting as it covers a good embodiment in which the monitoring unit 1227 is always operated in standalone mode SA. As shown in FIG. 16 once the monitoring unit 1227 has been removed from the device 1201.sub.a it is fed back to the application area 1205.sub.a to be reapplied to a next device 1201.sub.a. In one embodiment of the invention as explained to now the monitoring unit 1227 may be wire-bound connected at the application area 1205.sub.a and in the removal area 1211.sub.a. Such connection and removal of wire-bound connections to and from the monitoring unit may be rather complex in construction. If there is no need for wire-bound connections to the monitoring unit 1227, in a good embodiment, the monitoring unit 1227 is practically permanently operated in the standalone operating mode SA. All signal transmission to and from the monitoring unit is performed in wireless technique as by optical free-space transmission and/or transmission of electrical signals by wireless transmitter/receiver technique.
(86) Thus, charging a chargeable battery- or capacitor-unit in the monitoring unit is then performed contact-free inductively as the monitoring unit passes an inductive charging station on its way. This may be done one time or multiple times or ongoingly along the overall loop, or a significant part thereof, which is traveled through by the monitoring unit 1227 according to FIG. 16. Reading out information which has been collected and possibly stored in an electronic storage of the monitoring unit is then also performed wirelessly. Also control signals to and from the monitoring unit 1227 are then transmitted in wireless technique. Clearly, in this case the monitoring unit as well as the stationary part of the apparatus are equipped with respective wireless transmitters and receivers to allow the monitoring unit 1227 to be practically ongoingly operated in SA with the exception e.g. of cleaning or maintenance cycles or timespans. Thus, if the standalone timespan T.sub.SA generically extends beyond the collecting timespan T.sub.COL it becomes possible to wirelessly read out the stored information from the still standalone operated monitoring unit 1227, then to evaluate such information at a stationary remote evaluation unit and to write an indication wirelessly back to a storage in the monitoring unit 1227 still applied to or over the respective device, e.g. information about test passed/test not passed. Thereby, the device 1201.sub.a still applied to the monitoring unit 1227 is in fact indirectly marked by such indication in its monitoring unit 1227. Based on such information in the monitoring unit 1227, devices which have not passed the test may be rejected, whereas devices which have passed the test are further conveyed to a destination for further use.
(87) According to the embodiment of FIG. 16 out of the inline stream of devices 1201 devices 1201.sub.a may be selected randomly or regularly, e.g. every tenth device, to be inspected and/or tested.
(88) Nevertheless and in a good embodiment of the invention all inline conveyed devices are inspected and/or tested. A respective monitoring unit is thereby applied to each of subsequently inline conveyed devices and a monitoring unit is respectively removed from every device at removal area 1211.sub.a, e.g. inline conveyed thereto.
(89) FIG. 17 shows in a representation in analogy to that of FIG. 16 schematically and simplified such a variant of the method according to the present invention and of the respective embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention and as today realized.
(90) Devices 1301 are conveyed on a conveyor 1303 towards and into an application area 1305.sub.a. The conveyor 1303 may be of any appropriate type so e.g. a band conveyor, a starwheel conveyor, etc.
(91) Multiple monitoring units 1327 are ready for operation in an application area 1305.sub.a in standalone operation mode. As schematically shown in FIG. 18 each of the monitoring units 1327 comprises an electric power supply unit 1456 with a rechargeable battery or capacitor arrangement 1460 which may be recharged inductively by an inductively transmitted electric power signal S.sub.P e.g. to a receiver coil 1462 of unit 1456. In the application area 1305.sub.a the monitoring units 1327 are exposed to inductive charging by means of charging unit 1354.
(92) After having been charged or recharged there a monitoring unit 1327 is applied to or over each of the inline arriving devices 1301. Each of the monitoring units 1327 further comprises as schematically shown in FIG. 18 a wireless transmission unit 1464 for wireless control input signals S.sub.Ci. A controller unit 1310 (FIG. 17) for operation of the apparatus generates in the application area 1305.sub.a an initiating control signal S.sub.Ci which initiates information collecting and holding in the monitoring unit 1327 just before being applied to the respective device 1301. Thereby, such control signals S.sub.Ci may also be transmitted inductively via the charging unit 1354. The wirelessly transmitted control signal S.sub.Ci initiates, as by starting a system clock 521 according to FIG. 9, sampling and thus collecting information I (FIG. 18) as e.g. pressure values as was addressed above. Appropriately converted as e.g. analogue to digital converted, this information I is input to an electronic storage unit 1468 which in fact forms in this embodiment the holding unit of the monitoring unit. From the moment of the addressed initiation, the monitoring unit 1327 collects and holds information from or caused by the respective device 1301, e.g. in a table linking the time of collecting an information sample and the sample value.
(93) The devices 1301, now with the respective monitoring units 1327 applied thereto, are conveyed by an arrangement of one or more than one conveyors 1370 which allow to stack flexibly a long conveying path in a minimal constructional volume. Thus, the conveyor arrangement 1370 downstream the application area 1305.sub.a comprises or even consists of band conveyors by which as schematically shown in FIG. 17 such long conveying path may be realized in a relatively small constructional volume. The devices 1301 together with the respective monitoring units 1327 applied thereover or thereon are transported by the conveyor arrangement 1370 at the same speed or rate as conveyed towards and into the application area 1305.sub.a by conveyor arrangement 1303.
(94) Having been initiated as was described, each monitoring unit 1327 collects and holds information from or caused by the device 1301 it is applied to. In an information retrieving area 1372 a read-out initiation signal S.sub.Co is generated and wirelessly transmitted to the respective monitoring unit 1327 having arrived in the retrieving area 1372. Such control signal S.sub.Co may be generated e.g. by optically sensing arrival of a couple of monitoring unit and device in that area 1372. Upon such control signal S.sub.Co e.g. received by the monitoring unit 1327 at the wireless transmissionbidirectionalunit 1464 a control unit 1421 of the monitoring unit 1327 controls, as schematically shown by a switch Q.sub.2 in FIG. 18, transmission of the data content in the electronic storage unit 1468 to the wireless transmission unit 1464. The data content which has been stored in electronic storage unit 1468 and which represents the collected information I sensed by collecting unit 1367 is output, S.sub.I, via wireless transmission unit 1464 to the stationary reception and evaluation unit 1374 (FIG. 17). In reception and evaluation unit 1374 the result of inspection and/or testing the respective device 1372 is evaluated.
(95) As schematically shown in FIG. 17 a result R(S.sub.M) is generated, which includes a marking signal S.sub.M which identifies, if, yes or no, the addressed device 1301 has fulfilled the inspection requirements and/or test requirements. The marking signal S.sub.M is wirelessly applied to the monitoring unit 1327 still applied to or over the respective device 1301 as shown in FIG. 17. The marking signal S.sub.M is e.g. applied via wireless transmission unit 1464 (FIG. 18). Thereby, the marking signal S.sub.M is stored e.g. in control unit 1421 of the monitoring 1327 as a two-state marking, schematically represented in FIGS. 17 and 18 by A/B, e.g. A for device has passed the inspection or the test and B for respectively the device has not passed inspection and/or test. Please note that in FIG. 17 downstream applying the marking signal S.sub.M, the respective monitoring units 1327 are shown with such markings A or B. Still propagating downstream with the stream of monitoring units 1327 now provided with a respective marking A or B and still applied to or over the respective device 1301, the monitoring units 1327 arrive to a selection unit 1380. In this unit e.g. by optically detecting arrival of a respective couple of device and monitoring unit, the marking of the monitoring unit is read by a wireless reception unit 1382. The result of reading out the addressed marking controls by means of a control signal S.sub.A/B the selection unit represented in FIG. 17 schematically by switch Q.sub.3. Devices which have been recognized as not fulfilling the inspection and/or the test are rejectedB, whereas devices which have been recognized as fulfilling the addressed requirementsAare passed to further exploitation.
(96) Shortly before the addressed selection is performed the monitoring unit 1327 is removed from the device 1301 and is conveyed back to the application area 1305.sub.a as schematically shown in FIG. 17 by the arrow of backfeeding m. Due to the fact that reading out the respective marking by wireless reception unit 1382 is performed shortly ahead or shortly after removal of the respective monitoring unit 1327 from its device 1301, the proper selection may be made as shown by switch Q.sub.3 upon the device now void of its accompanying monitoring unit. It is also possible to remove the respective monitoring unit shortly after the selectionQ.sub.3 has been made.
(97) As shown in FIG. 17 the control unit 1310 of the overall apparatus controls proper timing of the overall apparatus. The monitoring units 1327 are always in standalone operating mode SA. The electronic storage unit 1468, the marking e.g. in control unit 1421 etc. at each monitoring unit 1327 moved back along path m, are reset (not shown in FIG. 13) by a wireless resetting unit, resetting the respective monitoring unit via its wireless bidirectional transmitter unit 1464. If the monitoring unit consumes relatively much electric power, it is absolutely possible to electrically charge the rechargeable power unit in monitoring unit 1327 by signal S.sub.P during long timespans, e.g. substantially during standalone timespan S.sub.P or T.sub.SA as by an inductive loop along a major part of the trajectory path of the monitoring unit, as schematically shown in FIG. 17 at 1354a.
(98) FIG. 19 shows the type of devices 1301 and of monitoring unit 1327 which are today applied to the embodiment as shown in FIG. 17. The devices 1301 are aerosol cans whereat leakiness is to be tested at and along the top wherein the spray valve arrangement 1502 is mounted. The cans 1301 are under overpressure so that there is no need to either pressurize or vacuumize the interspace 1515 within the monitoring unit 1327. There is provided in the monitoring unit 1327 an absolute pressure sensor 1505 mounted to a printed board 1527 which carries all the electronics of the monitoring unit 1327.
(99) FIG. 20 represents different courses of absolute pressure in space 1515 as information collected by the absolute pressure sensor 1505 and stored in electronic storage on the board 1527 of the monitoring unit 1327. As initiation of collecting the information I (FIG. 18) is performed before the monitoring unit 1327 is applied with its sealing area 1504 on the can-device 1301.sub.a, a pressure P.sub.p peak appears, which is indicative of whether the monitoring unit 1327 has properly been applied to the can-device 1301. A pressure course qualitatively according to (a) of FIG. 20 is indicative for a leaky can, a course qualitatively according to (b) indicates an unleaky can, whereas a course according to (c) is indicative for a leaky seal between can-device 1301 and the monitoring unit 1327. Please note that for high accuracy, the collecting timespan T.sub.COL indicated with approx. 30 sec. in FIG. 20 is long with respect to the high throughput rate of devices of e.g. 10 devices per second. This reveals the advantage of providing a long distance for information collection and holding as addressed by the conveyor arrangement 1370 of FIG. 17.
(100) As wireless communication technique to and from the monitoring unit as for control signals as well as for reading out the content of the electronic storage unit 1468 of FIG. 14 e.g. Bluetooth or ANT technology may be used.
