Patent ID: 6620352
Filing Date: 2003-09-16
Classification: B29C,B29K,G01N

Abstract:
A method for inspecting the material distribution of a sequence of blow molded containers in a continuous production process, the method comprising:providing injection molded axially extending parisons, each parison having at least one indicator of material distribution at a predetermined position along the axial extent of the parison; thermally conditioning the parisons in the continuous production process to a temperature profile suitable for blow molding; blow molding the heated parisons so that each material distribution indicator is transformed to a corresponding axial location along the blow molded container; detecting, from at least some of the blow molded containers in the production process, the axial location of the indicator relative to a control location; determining for the at least some blow molded containers a material distribution outcome based on the detected axial locations of each indicator accumulating data representative of the material distribution outcome for a group of containers; computing an average material distribution characteristic for the group of containers; classifying the average material distribution characteristic for the group of containers in one of a pre-defined set of classes; and providing a signal based on the classification.