Patent Publication Number: US-2020282654-A1

Title: Repairing an Outer Surface of a Glass Product

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application relates to U.S. Patent Application entitled “Three-Dimensional Printing on Glass Containers,” filed Mar. 6, 2019, (Attorney Docket 19439/19449/19450/19550/19570), and U.S. Patent Application entitled “Three-Dimensional Printing of a Porous Matrix on a Container,” filed Mar. 6, 2019, (Attorney Docket 19451), both which are assigned to the assignee hereof and incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This patent application discloses treatment of glass products. More particularly, this application discloses repair of glass products. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many types of glass products may benefit from a process of repairing outer surfaces of the glass products. For example, glass container manufacturing is a process to produce glass containers formed from a wide variety of glass compositions. Once formed, the glass container is highly durable, recyclable, and reusable without a significant loss of quality. One benefit of the glass container is that it can be returned and/or reused many times by various users. Sometimes, after one or more uses of the glass container, it is possible that the glass container can become worn, scratched, damaged, or the like, such that it is no longer useful for reuse. Particular wear areas may occur at any contacts points on the glass container. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can be implemented separately from or in combination with each other. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, there is provided an apparatus for repairing an outer surface of a glass product, the apparatus comprising: an imager positioned to capture one or more images of the glass product; an image processor in communication with the imager, to process the one or more images of the glass product to identify a repairable portion of the glass product; and a printer in communication with the image processor, to apply a durable material to the repairable portion of the glass product. 
     In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a method of repairing an outer surface of a glass product, the method comprising: imaging the glass product to capture one or more images of the glass product to identify repairable portion of the glass product; processing the captured one or more images to identify repairable portion of the glass product; and printing a durable material at the repairable portion of the glass product. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OR THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantages and aspects thereof, will be best understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a glass container in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is schematic side view of an apparatus for repairing the glass container of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 3  schematically depicts a method for repairing the glass container of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A general object of the present disclosure, in accordance with one aspect thereof, is to provide an apparatus that can repair a glass product, for example, to repair a repairable portion. As used herein the term “repairable portion” includes a wear area, cosmetic commercial variations, and the like, of the glass product. Another general object of the present disclosure is to provide a method of repairing the glass product, for example, to repair the repairable portion of the glass product. As used herein, the term “repairing” includes fixing, mending, refreshing, restoring, and the like. 
     Glass products may be manufactured with unintentional cosmetic commercial variations, such as minor chips or improperly molded portions in external surfaces of the products. Accordingly, for example, glass containers are inspected with optical inspection equipment to identify unacceptable commercial variations for immediate recycling of the glass containers and tolerable variations that may be primarily cosmetic in nature and repairable. 
     Also, as discussed briefly in the background, glass containers can be manufactured and reused repeatedly. Reusing the glass containers in this way extends the useful life of the glass containers, saves costs, and reduces waste products. One illustrative reusable container includes a glass bottle or container  10  depicted in  FIG. 1 . The glass container  10  could be reused 10-25 times, for example, being refilled with various contents each time, before the glass container  10  reached the end of its useful life and was taken out of service. 
     However, with each reuse, the glass container  10  is subject to possible wear, including damage, cracking, chipping, scuffing, scratching, or the like. Particularly vulnerable portions for wear are any contact surfaces of the glass container  10  as it is processed or otherwise used. Additionally, the widest dimensions of any given glass container are most likely to contact corresponding widest dimensions of other glass containers, or shelves, boxes, carts, belts, or other similar support surfaces as the glass container  10  is manufactured, transported, displayed, or the like for its sale. 
     Although the degree to which the glass container  10  may experience such wear can vary, any wear can cause potential consumers to avoid reuse of the glass container  10 . For example, even slight scuffing can cause beverage makers not to repackage their contents in the glass container  10 . However, the slightly scuffed glass container  10  may otherwise be structurally acceptable for reuse. This creates a potential situation where the glass container  10  is prematurely taken out of service, before the end of its useful life. 
     As will be discussed in greater detail below, the present disclosure provides an apparatus and method to capture images of glass products and process the images to determine if the glass products include repairable portions and identify the severity and/or locations of the repairable portions, print durable material on the glass products to repair the repairable portions, cure the durable material, and return the glass products to channels of trade for reuse. 
     The glass container  10  of  FIG. 1  may be a typical beverage bottle, having a neck  12  and a body  14  having an external or outer surface  16 . In the illustrated embodiment, the body  14  establishes the widest dimension of the glass container  10 ; therefore, the body  14  may be the most susceptible to wear as the glass container  10  is manufactured, filled, transported, displayed, sold, consumed, or otherwise handled. In the illustrated example, the presently disclosed glass product is round in transverse cross section and having a round, or at least arcuate, outer surface. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, however, that the presently disclosed glass product may be of some other shape in transverse cross section, including rectangular, oval, lobed, or any other shape(s), and having any non-round or non-arcuate outer surface, suitable for glass product manufacturing operations. 
     More specifically, two repairable portions  18 A, B are depicted in  FIG. 1  around a circumference of the container  10 . As one example, these repairable portions  18 A, B could have come into contact with any variety of other objects that can cause them to crack, scuff, scratch, chip, or the like. The wear may impair the aesthetic appeal of the container  10 . Although  FIG. 1  depicts the example glass container  10 , which may be composed of soda-lime-silica glass or any glass suitable for use with glass container manufacturing and with the subject matter of the present disclosure, it will be appreciated that the glass product of the present disclosure, could be formed of any type of glass composition suitable for use with the subject matter of the present disclosure. Additionally, the glass container  10  and/or its composition may or may not include photoinitiators, urethane acrylate resins, cycloaliphatic compounds, nanoparticles, adhesives, leveling agents, metallic inks, embossing, aqueous compositions, or the like, being hydrolyzed or unhydrolyzed. 
     In order to repair the repairable portions  18 A, B,  FIG. 2  depicts an apparatus  20  for repairing outer surfaces of the glass container  10 , more specifically, for repairing the repairable portions  18 A, B. In general, the apparatus  20  may include a material handler or movable support  22 , one or more of any light sources (not separately shown) suitable to shine diffuse and/or concentrated light on the container  10  to facilitate imaging thereof, a light receiver or imager  24 , one or more image processors  25 , a printer  26 , and a curing station  28 . 
     The moveable support  22  can include one or more belts, conveyors, platforms, turntables, or the like to move the glass container  10  through the various parts of the apparatus  20  or move the container  10  at the imager  24 , the printer  26 , and/or the curing station  28 . Alternatively, it will be appreciated that the moveable support  22  could include one or more portions that are not moveable, but rather are stationary, and other parts of the apparatus  20  could move relative to the glass container  10  so that the imager  24 , the printer  26 , and/or the curing station  28  move relative to the stationary container  10  and moveable support  22 . 
     The moveable support  22  can include a first portion  31  that is upstream of the imager  24  and a second portion  32  that is downstream of the imager  24 . The second portion  32  can be forked so that the glass container  10  is routed either on a first path  34  between the imager  24  and the printer  26  or on a second path  36  away from the printer  26 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the second portion  32  is upstream of the printer  26 . If the glass container  10  does have repairable portions  18 A, B, it can be routed along the first path  34  for repair. If the glass container  10  does not contain repairable portions  18 A, B, or the repairable portions  18 A, B are not of a sufficient degree of wear to warrant a material application by the printer  26 , the glass container  10  can be routed along the second path  36  to be reused without repairing by the printing process. 
     It will be appreciated that containers without the repairable portions  18 A, B could also be routed along the first path  34  such that when these containers encounter the printer  26 , no printing is needed or occurs. In other words, the apparatus  20  could be arranged so that containers with or without the repairable portions  18 A, B are routed along the first path  34  to be reused and the printer  26  only prints on containers with the repairable portions  18 A, B. 
     Additionally or alternatively, it will be appreciated that containers with wear that is too substantial to be repaired can also considered containers without the repairable portions  18 A, B. These containers could be routed along the second path  36  to be discarded or rejected. In this case, the second path  36  is a discard path so that any containers routed along this path are not reused. As will be appreciated, various containers can be routed along various paths. 
     The moveable support  22  can also include a third portion  38  that is downstream of the second portion  32  and that extends away from the printer  26 . Once the glass container  10  has been sufficiently repaired by the printer  26 , it can be routed along the third portion  38  to be reused. 
     In one particular aspect, the glass container  10  with a repairable portion is a first glass container or product. The apparatus  20  can also process a second glass container without any repairable portions and that can be reused. The apparatus  20  can also process a third glass container without any repairable portions and that cannot be reused and/or repaired. In this aspect, the first and second glass containers can be routed along the first portion  31 , the first path  34  of the second portion  32 , and the third portion  38  to be reused. The third glass container can be routed along the first portion  31  and the second path  36  of the second portion  32  to be discarded. It will be appreciated that any of the first, second, or third glass containers could also be a first, second, or third group of glass containers, in which each of the first, second, or third groups of glass containers has all of the characteristics of the first, second, or third glass containers, respectively, because the apparatus  20  can process a plurality of glass containers having all or any of the features described herein. 
     The imager  24  may include any suitable device to sense light. For example, the imager  24  may include one or more of an image sensor, for instance, a charge-coupled device (CCD), a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device, or any other suitable image sensor(s). In another example, the imager  24  may include a photodiode device, a photoresistor device, or any other suitable photodetector device, other suitable camera, or suitable imaging device. 
     The imager  24  can include one or more cameras  30 A, B so that the imager  24 , with its various parts, is positioned 360° about a longitudinal axis of the container  10 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the moveable support  22  may translate along its longitudinal axis through the imager  24 . The one or more cameras  30 A, B may be positioned within the interior of the imager  24  and around the moveable support  22  in order to take one or more images of the glass container  10  from various positions. This enables images to be taken of the glass container  10  from anywhere about the glass container  10 , including around its outer surface  16  and/or circumference, in order to view and analyze any possible repairable portions on the glass container  10 . While two cameras  30 A, B are shown, any number of cameras is possible, including three, four, five, six, or more. Further, multiple cameras can be positioned at various heights and act in a sequential order in order to take images about the glass container  10 . 
     It is also possible for the imager  24  to include only one camera. In order for the only one camera to take images 360° about the glass container  10 , the moveable support  22  within the imager  24  may contain a rotator portion (not depicted). The rotator portion can move or spin when the glass container  10  is positioned thereon so that the only one camera can take images of any location on the glass container  10 . The rotator can include various components, such as one or more motors, asynchronous linear belts, swivels, turntables, or the like to cause rotation of the container  10  in front of the camera. With any of the cameras discussed herein, it is also possible for them to be moveable, possibly remotely moveable, such that they can be positioned in different locations at different times for better images of the glass container  10 . 
     Accordingly, the imager  24  may include one or more line-scan cameras, which may be suited to capture an inspection area, for example, of a rotating container  10 , or may include still image capture cameras, for instance, which may be suited to capture an inspection area of a stationary or translating container  10 , where static images are processed so that the images are combined to produce a full image of the container outer surface by a process sometimes called stitching images together. 
     The image processor  25  is coupled to the imager  24  and receives signals therefrom that may be indicative of light detected by sensors of the imager  24 . From these signals, the processor  25  may identify one or more repairable portions of the outer surface of the container  10 , determine whether the repairable portions are within or outside of acceptable limits or thresholds. Different thresholds may be used after a determination is made as to a type of repairable portion, for example, a scratch, scuff, commercial variation, or the like. The processor  25  may send a signal to a reject mechanism to remove from further processing a container for which one or more unacceptable commercial variations or unrepairable portions have been detected. The processor  25  also may provide an output to a display for monitoring by plant personnel, or for any other suitable purpose. 
     The processor  25  may be any suitable information, data, and/or signal processor and may include, for example, one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, discrete logic circuits having logic gates for implementing logic functions on data signals, application specific integrated circuits with suitable logic gates, programmable or complex programmable logic devices, programmable or field programmable gate arrays, and/or any other suitable type of electronic processing device(s). In one example, the processor  25 , and perhaps the entire apparatus  20 , may be part of a glass container inspection system (not separately shown) including computer memory (not separately shown) coupled to the processor  25 , and one or more interfaces (not separately shown) coupled to the processor  25  and coupled to one or more input devices (e.g. image sensors, position sensors, user interfaces, etc.) and/or one or more output devices (e.g. light sources, material handlers, displays, etc.). Of course, the inspection computer further may include any ancillary devices, for example, clocks, internal power supplies, and the like (not shown). The processor  25  may process data and execute instructions that provide at least some of the functionality for the presently disclosed apparatus. As used herein, the term “instructions” may include, for example, control logic, computer software and/or firmware, programmable instructions, or other suitable instructions. 
     The computer memory may include any computer readable medium or media configured to provide at least temporary storage of at least some data, data structures, an operating system, application programs, program modules or data, and/or other computer software or computer-readable instructions that provide at least some of the functionality of the presently disclosed apparatus  20  and that may be executed by the processor  25 . The data, instructions, and the like may be stored, for example, as look-up tables, formulas, algorithms, maps, models, and/or any other suitable form. The computer software may include any computer vision and image processing software suitable for detecting commercial variations and repairable portions of glass containers via edge detection, blob detection, and/or other feature detection methodologies. For instance, the software may include sidewall analysis (SWA) software, which is known to those of ordinary skill in the art and may be improved with any of the presently disclosed methodologies or method steps. 
     After moving past the imager  24 , the glass container  10  can proceed to the printer  26 , for instance, via linear translation along the movable support  22 . Also, the movable support  22  may include a rotator (not separately shown) such that the container  10  is rotated in front of a print head or the like of the printer  26  to apply the material. 
     The printer  26  is in communication with the imager  24  so that information received and analyzed by the imager  24  can be sent to the printer  26 . This communication can occur wirelessly with wireless systems, networks, antenna, and/or signals therebetween, through a wired connection, or various other known communication methods between these parts. The imager  24 , image processor  25 , and/or printer  26  can be configured to communicate wirelessly according to one or more wireless protocols, including short range wireless communication (SRWC) such as any of the IEEE 802.11 protocols, WiMAX, ZigBee™, Wi-Fi direct, Bluetooth™, or near field communication (NFC). 
     The printer  26  can be downstream of the imager  24  so that the printer  26  can receive the information and, subsequently, communicate the information to the printer  26  before the glass container  10  arrives at the printer  26 . In one aspect, the imager  24  identifies the repairable portions  18 A, B of the glass container  10  and, thereafter, the moveable support automatically routes the glass container  10  downstream and to the printer  26  to repair the repairable portions  18 A, B. 
     Although the processor  25  in  FIG. 2  is shown in communication with the imager  24 , it could also be in communication with any part of the apparatus  20  including the movable support  22 , the printer  26 , and/or the curing station  28 . Of course, it is also possible that other processors (not depicted), including remote processors, can also be in communication and/or control any of the parts of the apparatus  20  and provide, or contribute to, any of the functionality discussed herein. The processor  25  can have similar wireless or wired communication as discussed above for the imager  24  and printer  26 . 
     The processor  25  can output instructions to direct movement, imaging, and/or printing of the glass container  10 . In particular, the processor  25  can analyze a degree of wear of each repairable portion  18 A, B. This imaging analysis can be tuned to be ultra-sensitive to scuffing and wear, or de-tuned to allow more aggressive scuffing and wear to be accepted. In any event, the processor  25  and/or the imager  24  can determine if the degree of wear of the repairable portions  18 A, B is sufficiently high to warrant the material application by the printer  26 . In addition, the processor  25  can also analyze a location on the glass container  10  of each repairable portion  18 A, B. By analyzing both the degree of wear and/or commercial variation that make up the repairable portions and the location of the repairable portions  18 A, B, the processor  25  can send information to the printer  26  regarding where to repair the glass container  10  and how much of the repair material should be added to each location for the repair. If the processor  25  determines that printing is needed by the printer  26 , the apparatus  20  can automatically route the glass container  10  along the first path  34 . 
     Additionally, the processor  25  or any other processors in communication with the parts of the apparatus  20  can cause or direct automatic routing of the glass container  10 . For example, the processor  25  can be in communication with the movable support  22 , such that the processor  25  causes the moveable support  22  to direct the glass container  10  to the printer  26  when the processor  25  determines that printing is appropriate. In order to do so, the moveable support  22  can also include various switches, levers, belts, gates, actuators, or the like to route the glass container  10  to either of the first or second paths  34 ,  36 . It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that any part of the apparatus  20  that is controlled automatically could also be controlled manually, for example, by an operator. 
     The glass container  10  can be routed to the printer  26  for printing of the durable material on the container  10 . The printer  26  may be configured such that the container  10  rotates in front of a digital print head where the repair material is applied. The printer  26  can receive the information from the imager  24  and/or the processor  25  so that it can automatically know where and how much of the repair material to apply to the glass container  10 . The printer  26  can include a digital inkjet machine, for example, to print one or more durable materials in order to repair the glass container  10 . Some illustrative durable materials may include a colored or colorless ultraviolet (UV) curable varnish, and/or other UV curable materials that could be developed to improve the repair or add enhanced properties, including: dipropylene glycol diacrylate, 2,4,6 trimethylbenzoyldiphenylphosphine oxide, trimethylolpropane ethoxylated, triacrylate, benzene, (1-methylethenyl) homo-polymer, oligomer, monomer, polymer, polyester, polycarbonate, epoxy, urethane, silicone, styrene, vinyl, nylon, acrylic, acrylate, diacrylate, triacrylate, tetraacrylate, pentacrylate, allylic monomers, multifunctional acrylate oligomer, mutilfunctional acrylate monomer, monofunctional acrylate monomer, acrylated polyester, acrylated epoxy, acrylated urethane, acrylated silicone, acrylated polyester, acrylated oils, thiolenes, plasticizing diluents, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, acrylonitrile styrene acrylate, co-polyesters, fluorinated ethylene propylene, ethylene acrylic acid, polyetherimide, polypropylene, polylactic acid, polyethylene co trimethylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate modified with glycol and various photoinitiators, additives, and/or ar-(2-hydroxy-2-methyl-1-oxopropyl) derivatives. In any case, the durable material should be able to adhere to the glass and have a viscosity suitable to flow into and fill scratches or other voids and be self-leveling with the outer surface of the glass product. 
     The durable material applied can have a variety of desirable properties for the glass container to be reused. For example, the material can have a durability sufficient such that it can withstand processing, for instance, washing, disinfecting, drying, or other processing steps, as well as distribution through the retail trade and meet the needs of the related recycle stream. For glass, the material can be similarly transparent, colored, smooth, durable, hard, or the like. 
     The material that is printed by the printer  26  onto the glass container  10  can be printed as a single layer, or via a multi-layer build-up process, layer upon layer, in order to repair the repairable portions  18 A, B. Through printing, any type of repairable portion can be partially or fully filled in to create a portion of the glass container  10  that appears like new. While it is, of course, possible to apply the material for the repair to the glass container  10  by a variety of methods, the printer  26  prints the material onto the glass container  10 , and may not apply the material by bulk spraying, rolling, brushing, pouring, a combination thereof, or the like. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that at least a portion of the material applied to repair the glass container  10  could be applied by any of the above methods, including a controlled micro spraying technique to limit and accurately apply the material to the repairable portion. 
     Additionally, while it is possible to inspect and/or apply the material to the glass container  10  directly following manufacturing of the container  10 , before it has even undergone one use by a consumer, it is not necessary for the glass container  10  to be inspected and printed thereon at this stage. It is more likely that the glass container  10  will have undergone at least one use, and be ready for a reuse, before the glass container  10  is processed as discussed in this disclosure. 
     The material in the printer  26  can be an ultraviolet (UV) curable composition so that it can also be cured by the apparatus  20 . For example, it may be necessary to cure the material in the printer  26  after the material&#39;s application or printing. 
     Accordingly, the apparatus  20  can also include the curing station  28 , which may include a UV light source  46 , so that the durable material printed on the glass container  10  by the printer  26  can be easily and readily cured or set for reuse of the glass container  10 .  FIG. 2  depicts an illustrative stand-alone UV light source  46 , but the light source  46  could include any quantity and any type known in the art, including being enclosed in a structure in order to facilitate curing. Once the material of the printer  26  is appropriately applied to the glass container  10  and cured, the glass container  10  will contain repaired portions  118 A,  118 B as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . With the repaired portions  118 A,  118 B, a repaired glass container  11  is ready for reuse. 
       FIG. 3  depicts a method  100  of operation of the apparatus  20  of  FIG. 2  with the glass container  10  of  FIG. 1 . Accordingly, any details of either of the glass container  10  or the apparatus  20  are incorporated into the method  100  and may not necessarily be repeated here. The method  100  includes a step  102  of inspecting the glass container  10  with the imager  24  to identify the repairable portions  18 A, B of the glass container  10 . As above, each repairable portion  18 A, B is around the widest dimension of the glass container  10 . although any repairable portion can exist in any location on the glass container  10 . The inspecting step  102  can include inspecting 360° about the glass container  10  with the imager  24 . The imager  24  can include a variety of parts, including the one or more cameras  30 A, B discussed above. The one or more cameras  30 A, B can take one or more images of the glass container  10  in order to analyze the glass container  10  for scratches, scuffs, chips, cracks, a combination thereof, or any similar wear or commercial variation that can impair the function or appearance of the glass container  10 . 
     As part of the inspecting step  102 , the imager  24  and/or the processor  25  can analyze the degree of wear of the repairable portions  18 A, B. The imager  24  can also analyze the location on the glass container  10  of the repairable portions  18 A, B. 
     After identifying the repairable portions  18 A, B, the method can include a step  104  of automatically routing the glass container  10  to the printer  26 . The printer  26  can include a digital inkjet machine that may print a UV curable durable material  111 A, B so that the durable material  111 A,  111 B is applied to the repairable portions  18 A,  18 B. 
     Before or after the automatically routing step  104 , the method can include a step  108  of the imager  24  and/or processor  25  communicating with the printer  26  to send or transmit the information about the degree of wear and the location of wear, respectively, so that the printer  26  can apply, to the location of the repairable portion, the proper amount of UV curable composition  111 A, B which can be printed or applied in either a single layer or multiple layer application. Subsequently in a step  110 , the UV curable composition  111 A, B is cured. In one aspect, the curing step occurs with a UV light source  46  directed onto the UV curable composition  111 A, B on the glass container  10 . 
     After the curing step  110 , the method may result in a repaired glass product/container  112  in which the repairable portions  18 A, B have been repaired and into repaired portions  118 A, B, respectively. The glass container  10  with the repaired portions  118 A, B can be routed away from the printer  26  and returned to the supply stream for reuse. 
     In another embodiment, wherein multiple layers of the durable material  111 A, B may be applied, the method may include curing each layer of the multiple layers such that the container  10  is looped from a location downstream of the curing step  110  back to a location upstream of the printing step  106 . In a further embodiment, wherein multiple layers of the durable material  111 A, B may be applied, the method may include curing all of the multiple layers at once or sequentially printing and curing the multiple layers while the glass container is process by the printing step  106 . In an additional embodiment, wherein multiple layers of the durable material  111 A, B may be applied, the method may include looping the container  10  from a location downstream of the printing step  106  or downstream of the curing step  110  back to a location upstream of the imaging step  102  for further imaging, for example, to verify adequacy of the repair. 
     There thus has been disclosed an apparatus for and method of repairing a glass container that fully satisfies one or more of the objects and aims previously set forth. The disclosure has been presented in conjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additional modifications and variations have been discussed. Other modifications and variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. The drawings provided may not necessarily be to scale. The disclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.