公开(公告)号：WO1993022658A1

公开(公告)日：1993-11-11

申请号：PCT/US1993001912

申请日：1993-03-04

Applicant: SIMCO/RAMIC CORPORATION

Inventor： SIMCO/RAMIC CORPORATION ,  SQUYRES, Henry, P.

IPC: G01N21/88

CPC classification number: G01N21/8806 ,  G01N2021/8592 ,  G01N2201/065

Abstract: A shadowless illumination system (10) according to the present invention includes a spherical chamber (14) having a chamber entrance opening (18) and a chamber exit opening (20). The inside surface (32) of the spherical chamber is coated with highly reflective flat white paint. A clear rigid plastic cylindrical tube (22) is positioned in the spherical chamber between the chamber entrance and exit openings. A circular fluorescent ring lamp (36) is positioned inside the spherical chamber to form an annulus around the tube. The lamp and the white inside surface of the spherical chamber provide shadowless illumination for articles (30) that are dropped or otherwise projected through the tube. The articles are inspected as they pass through the tube by at least two video inspection cameras (52 and 62) that view opposite sides of the articles through respective viewing openings (44 and 48). Whenever no articles are present in the image plane of a camera, the lamp provides a saturated background for the camera. A ballast (140) controls the voltage to the lamp to provide constant light intensity.

公开(公告)号：WO1995004612A1

公开(公告)日：1995-02-16

申请号：PCT/US1994005887

申请日：1994-05-25

Applicant: SIMCO/RAMIC CORPORATION

Inventor： SIMCO/RAMIC CORPORATION ,  WALSH, Casey, P. ,  HOFFMAN, Philip, L. ,  DRUMMOND, William, S. ,  SQUYRES, H., Parks

IPC: B07C05/342

CPC classification number: B07C5/365 ,  B07C5/3416 ,  B07C5/3422 ,  Y10S209/938

Abstract: A plastic container sorter (10) moves labeled plastic containers (14, 20, 48, 54, 58) of various colors and transparencies through an inspection zone (18). A pair of line-scanning color cameras (22, 24) capture respective transmittance and reflectance images of the containers and generate raw transmittance and reflectance image data. The raw container data are digitized, normalized, and binarized to provide accurate transmittance and reflectance container RGB image data and binarized image data for differentiating container image data from background data. Container sorting entails eroding (120) the binarized transmittance image and merging (122) the eroded image with the transmittance image data to yield a transmittance image. The eroded transmittance image is analyzed (124, 126) to determine whether the container is opaque. If the container is opaque, color analysis proceeds by analyzing the reflectance image data. If, however, the container is not opaque, transmittance image data are used to classify the container as green transparent (140), translucent (142), or clear transparent (142). Classified containers are transferred to an ejection conveyor (46). Side discharge of a classified container is effected by an air ejector (64) blast that is timed in response to sensing a particular container adjacent to an appropriate side discharge station (60).

Abstract translation: 塑料容器分类器（10）通过检查区（18）移动各种颜色和透明胶片的标签塑料容器（14,20,48,54,58）。 一对线扫描彩色摄像机（22,24）捕获容器的各个透射率和反射率图像，并产生原始透射率和反射率图像数据。 原始容器数据被数字化，归一化和二值化，以提供准确的透射率和反射容器RGB图像数据和用于将容器图像数据与背景数据区分开的二值化图像数据。 容器排序需要侵蚀（120）二值化的透射图像并将侵蚀的图像与透射图像数据合并（122）以产生透射图像。 分析侵蚀的透射率图像（124,126）以确定容器是不透明的。 如果容器是不透明的，则通过分析反射率图像数据进行颜色分析。 然而，如果容器不是不透明的，则透射率图像数据用于将容器分类为绿色透明（140），半透明（142）或透明透明（142）。 分类容器被转移到排出输送机（46）。 分类容器的侧排放通过响应于感测到与适当侧排放站（60）相邻的特定容器而定时的空气喷射器（64）爆炸来实现。

公开(公告)号：WO1995005249A1

公开(公告)日：1995-02-23

申请号：PCT/US1994005832

申请日：1994-05-24

Applicant: SIMCO/RAMIC CORPORATION

Inventor： SIMCO/RAMIC CORPORATION ,  EASON, Neal, P.

IPC: B07C05/34

CPC classification number: B07C5/3416 ,  Y10S209/938 ,  Y10S209/939

Abstract: A sorting apparatus according to the present invention includes a conveyor belt having a solid translucent sheet segment for carrying a stream of randomly-arranged articles, ones of which are translucent and others of which are opaque. Preferably, the translucent articles are pieces of post-consumer plastic products (e.g., beverage containers) and the opaque articles are foreign matter, such as aluminum or polypropylene container tops or caps of the beverage containers. The conveyor belt carries multiple articles simultaneously through an inspection zone. A background light source is positioned in the inspection zone opposite the translucent sheet segment from the articles to direct light through the translucent sheet segment toward the articles. A video camera is positioned to receive light from the background light source transmitted through the translucent sheet segment and translucent ones of the articles. The opaque ones of the articles prevent light from the background light source from reaching the video camera. The video camera generates a video signal from which a system processor identifies the opaque articles and activates a separator to remove the opaque articles from the stream of articles.

Abstract translation: 根据本发明的分选装置包括具有用于承载随机布置的物品流的固体半透明片段的传送带，其中一个是半透明的，其它的是不透明的。 优选地，半透明制品是消费后塑料制品（例如饮料容器），不透明制品是异物，例如饮料容器的铝或聚丙烯容器顶部或盖子。 传送带通过检查区同时携带多个物品。 背景光源位于与物品相对的半透明片段的检查区域中，以将光引导通过半透明片段朝向物品。 摄像机被定位成接收来自透过透光片段的背景光源和半透明片的物体的光。 不透明的物品防止来自背景光源的光到达摄像机。 摄像机产生视频信号，系统处理器从该视频信号识别不透明物品，并激活分离器以从物品流中去除不透明物品。

公开(公告)号：WO1993017841A1

公开(公告)日：1993-09-16

申请号：PCT/US1993002146

申请日：1993-03-09

Applicant: SIMCO/RAMIC CORPORATION

Inventor： SIMCO/RAMIC CORPORATION ,  WILBUR, John, H. ,  WOOD, Gale, M.

IPC: B26D07/22

CPC classification number: G01V15/00 ,  B26D1/0006 ,  B26D7/22 ,  B26D2001/002 ,  B26D2001/006 ,  Y10T83/04 ,  Y10T83/089 ,  Y10T83/4705 ,  Y10T83/4812

Abstract: A detectable cutter knife (100) is useful as a replacement for a conventional cutter knife (12) used in product inspection and cutting systems (2) of the type having a cutting wheel assembly (10). The cutting wheel assembly (10) includes a knife guide (14) having angularly spaced radially oriented knife support slots (16) through which cutter knives (12, 100) having tangs extending therefrom move between a retracted noncutting position and an extended cutting position. The detectable cutter knife (100) includes a shank (102), a tang (114), and an amount of metallic material in the shank sufficient to stimulate a metal detector (13). The use of metallic material in the shank permits automatic and efficient detection of a broken cutter knife (100) and its removal from product flow (7). Preferably, the metallic material takes the form of a ball bearing (152) secured within a hole (150) positioned in a low-stress area (154) of shank (102).

公开(公告)号：WO1994011281A1

公开(公告)日：1994-05-26

申请号：PCT/US1993010708

申请日：1993-11-12

Applicant: SIMCO/RAMIC CORPORATION ,  HOFFMAN, Philip, L. ,  SIGNORELLO, Richard, J.

Inventor： SIMCO/RAMIC CORPORATION

IPC: B65G47/22

CPC classification number: B65G21/2054 ,  B65G2201/0211

Abstract: A stabilizing system (12, 14, 112, 112b, 262) stabilizes articles carried on conveyors for automated bulk processing equipment. In a preferred embodiment, a flow of gas (64, 118b, 278) (e.g., air) is projected along a conveyor belt (18, 18a, 18b, 18c) in a direction generally parallel to that in which articles are carried by the belt. The air flow has a velocity (i.e., speed and direction) substantially the same as that of the belt to reduce aerodynamic resistance that would otherwise bear against the articles. As a result, the articles may be transported on the conveyor belt at high speeds with substantially increased stability or throughput.

Abstract translation: 稳定系统（12,14,112,112b，262）使用于自动批量处理设备的输送机上携带的物品稳定。 在优选实施例中，气体（64,118b，278）（例如空气）的流动沿着传送带（18,18a，18b，18c）沿大致平行于物品由 带。 空气流具有与带的速度（即，速度和方向）基本上相同的速度，以减小否则会对制品产生的空气阻力。 结果，物品可以高速运输在传送带上，其稳定性或产量大大提高。

公开(公告)号：WO1992008322A1

公开(公告)日：1992-05-14

申请号：PCT/US1991007947

申请日：1991-10-28

Applicant: SIMCO/RAMIC CORPORATION

Inventor： SIMCO/RAMIC CORPORATION ,  HEFFINGTON, Jack, C. ,  SQUYRES, H., Parks

IPC: H04N09/097

CPC classification number: H04N9/097

Abstract: A color line scan video camera (50) for inspecting articles (18) includes a prismatic beam splitter arrangement (52) that receives a wide spectrum of visible light from a variable magnification objective lens arrangement (54) to provide improved multi-color inspection capability. The prismatic beam splitter separates the light received from the scanned articles into three preselected spectral bands of light, each of which is imaged upon a different charge-coupled device line scan sensor that generates a corresponding color component video signal. The light transmission characteristics of the lens are "color-corrected" to transmit uniformly the light received from the scanned articles.

Abstract translation: 用于检查物品（18）的彩色线扫描摄像机（50）包括棱镜分束器装置（52），其接收来自可变放大物镜装置（54）的宽范围的可见光，以提供改进的多色检查能力 。 棱镜分束器将从被扫描的物品接收的光分成三个预选的光谱带，每个光谱带在不同的电荷耦合器件行扫描传感器上成像，该传感器产生相应的颜色分量视频信号。 透镜的透光特性被“颜色校正”以均匀地传输从被扫描的物品接收的光。