Patent ID: 7582856

Claim:
An inspection machine for determining whether a bottle at an inspection station is “out of round”, comprising: a laser, spaced from the bottle to be inspected, for directing a laser beam perpendicular to the axis of the bottle to be inspected and through the side wall of the bottle toward the axis of the bottle whereby a diffuse spot of energy will be defined on the surface of the bottle to be inspected; rotator means for rotating the bottle to be inspected about its axis; a CCD camera for viewing the spot of energy on the surface of the bottle at a defined angle to the laser beam; and a control for determining a radial displacement perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the spot of energy on the surface of the bottle as the bottle to be inspected is rotated 360 degrees about its axis and for issuing a reject signal in the event the radial displacement exceeds a set limit.