Patent ID: 11898969
Assignee: I.M.A. INDUSTRIA MACCHINE AUTOMATICHE S.P.A.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  A | IPC A  G

Claim 0:
1. A method to inspect surface quality of an external cylindrical surface of at least one component of inhalers or vaporizers, in particular a cartomizer for electronic cigarettes, said at least one component comprising a hollow cylinder having an internal surface opposite to the external cylindrical surface and delimiting an internal compartment, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
providing said at least one component arranged in a housing seat;
removing said at least one component from said housing seat, by holding it exclusively from the internal surface, thereby keeping the external cylindrical surface freely exposed therearound;
positioning and maintaining said at least one component in an optical inspection zone outside said housing seat;
rotating said at least one component in order to position it in at least two optical inspection positions angularly distinct with respect to each other;
acquiring at least one image of a portion of said external surface in each of said at least two optical inspection positions; and
processing the images acquired in order to verify if said at least one component has at least one surface imperfection on said external surface,
wherein said acquiring step comprises acquiring at least one respective image of said external surface with at least two optical acquisition devices framing said at least one component from at least two opposite positions with respect to said optical inspection zone.