Patent ID: 6256095
Filing Date: 2001-07-03
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
Apparatus for inspecting the finish of a container having a central axis and an open mouth surrounded by an axially facing sealing surface area for sealing engagement with a container cap, said apparatus comprising:a light source positioned to direct a collimated line-shaped light beam onto the sealing surface area of a container in such a way that the line-shaped light beam is incident entirely across the sealing surface area on both sides of the container axis, having a long dimension orthogonal to the container axis and a narrow dimension tangential to the container axis,light sensor means disposed in a common plane with said axis to receive portions of said line-shaped light beam reflected from the sealing surface area of the container,lens means for directing onto said light sensor means light energy reflected by the container sealing surface area only in planes parallel to said common plane, andmeans for detecting variations in level at the sealing surface area as a function of position of incidence of the reflected light energy on said light sensor means.