Patent ID: 8135206

Claim:
A machine for inspecting a finish portion of a glass container at an inspection station for defects, comprising: a rotation mechanism configured to rotate a glass container about an axis of rotation of the glass container at the inspection station, a light source operable to illuminate the finish portion of the rotating glass container, a camera operable to image the selected illuminated finish portion of the glass container, said camera viewing the finish portion at an acute angle to the glass container axis of rotation; a control which is configured to control the operation of said camera to capture an image at a predetermined number of angular increments of rotation whereby objects, corresponding to reflections from a defect in the finish portion, in the images captured at the predetermined number of angular increments will follow an elliptical path, to locate the edge of the finish of the glass container and to shift at least one of the imaged objects to the captured images of the objects based on the location of the edge of the finish of the glass container; and to evaluate the objects based on their locations relative to a straight datum.