Patent ID: 8818755
Filing Date: 2014-08-26
Classification: G01B,G01N

Abstract:
1. A system for measuring a thickness of a container defined by a height parallel to a z-axis direction, a width parallel to an x-axis direction, and a depth parallel to a y-axis direction, the system comprising: a chromatic thickness sensor, wherein the chromatic thickness sensor is configured to provide chromatically separated illumination to the container and to receive a reflection of the illumination from the container, wherein the illumination is directed to the container along a sensor direction; a multi-axis positioning system mechanically coupled to the sensor, wherein the multi-axis positioning system is positioned relative to the container to translate the sensor along the x-axis direction, to rotate the sensor about the z-axis direction and to rotate the sensor about the y-axis direction; and a control device comprising at least one processor and operatively associated data storage, wherein the data storage comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the control device to: based on a surface topology of the container, generate a first instruction to the multi-axis positioning system to position the sensor relative to a first point on a surface of a container such that: a distance from the sensor to the first point is about equal to a first distance; and the sensor direction is about normal to the surface at the first point; based on the surface topology of the container, generate a second instruction to the multi-axis positioning system to position the sensor relative to a second point on the surface of the container such that: a distance from the sensor to the second point is about equal to the first distance; and the sensor direction is about normal to the surface at the second point; and receive a reading from the sensor indicating a thickness of the container at the second point.