Patent ID: 7340971
Filing Date: 2008-03-11
Classification: G01M

Abstract:
1. A pallet inspection apparatus, comprising: a mounting plate operable to be positioned in proximity to a pallet; a plurality of detectors mounted to said mounting plate and, when said mounting plate is in proximity to a pallet, operable in analyzing at least a portion of a surface of a pallet and generating an electrical indication of a state of each of said plurality of detectors; and a signal generator electrically connected to said plurality of detectors and operable to receive each of said electrical indications and generate a signal indicative of a defective pallet when said electrical indications indicate that there is a defect in the pallet surface; wherein said plurality of detectors is arranged in a two-dimensional array comprising a first row, a second row, and a third row with said second row located between said first row and said second row and with said second row located immediately adjacent to said first row and said second row; wherein said first row comprising a first detector of said plurality of detectors, said second row comprising second and third detectors of said plurality of detectors, and said third row comprising a fourth detector of said plurality of detectors; wherein a first line extending between said first and fourth detectors traverses and is substantially perpendicular to a line between said second and third detectors.