Patent ID: 7480040

Claim:
Apparatus for inspecting contour of a container having a sidewall and an axis, which includes: at least one light source for directing light energy onto a container sidewall, at least one light sensor disposed to receive light energy from said at least one light source reflected from the container sidewall, and responsive to such reflected light energy to provide signals indicative of position of the container sidewall relative to said sensor at at least two locations on the container sidewall spaced from each other in the direction of said axis, and an information processor responsive to said signals to determine contour of the container sidewall in the direction of said axis as a function of sidewall positions at said at least two locations, wherein said at least one sensor is responsive to said reflected light energy to provide signals indicative of position of the container sidewall relative to said sensor at a first location adjacent to the container shoulder, a second location adjacent to the container heel and a third location between said first and second locations, and wherein said information processor determines contour of the container sidewall as a function of departure of sidewall position at said third location from a line between sidewall positions at said first and second locations.