Patent ID: 8773528

Claim:
An apparatus for inspecting bottles, said apparatus comprising an optical tower structure, a first camera having a first camera axis, a second camera a second camera axis, a third camera a third camera axis, and a fourth camera a fourth camera axis, wherein said optical tower structure comprises an inspection end, a head end located opposite said inspection end, and a side wall extending between said head end and said inspection end, said side wall defining an enclosure, and a longitudinal axis that extends between said inspection end and said head end, wherein said side wall comprises a first opening for receiving said first camera, wherein said side wall comprises a second opening for receiving said second camera, wherein said side wall comprises a third opening for receiving said third camera, wherein said side wall comprises a fourth opening for receiving said fourth camera, wherein said optical tower structure defines a single optical channel that extends through said enclosure and along said longitudinal axis, wherein said longitudinal axis is collinear with a central axis of said optical channel, wherein said first camera is disposed to be in optical communication with said optical channel through said first opening in said sidewall of said optical tower, wherein said second camera is disposed to be in optical communication with said optical channel through said second opening in said sidewall of said optical tower, wherein said third camera is disposed to be in optical communication with said optical channel through said third opening in said sidewall of said optical tower, wherein said fourth camera is disposed to be in optical communication with said optical channel through said fourth opening in said sidewall of said optical tower, and wherein a first pair of said cameras is configured to inspect a first defined region of said bottle and a second pair of said cameras is configured to inspect a second defined region of said bottle.