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DE-102025146337-A1 - Device for inspecting bottles

DE102025146337A1DE 102025146337 A1DE102025146337 A1DE 102025146337A1DE-102025146337-A1

Abstract

A device for inspecting bottles, comprising a conveyor belt, a main structure through which the conveyor belt passes and on which an inspection area of the bottle is defined, and three cameras arranged circumferentially around the inspection area. The cameras are each linked to a telecentric or plano-convex lens and oriented such that their optical axes converge substantially to the same point, forming an angle of substantially 120° to each other. The optical axes are substantially parallel to each other and parallel to a plane defined by the conveyor belt at the inspection area. The device also includes three light diffusers, each aligned with a specific optical axis and positioned diametrically opposite a respective camera with respect to the inspection area.

Inventors

  • Erfinder gleich Anmelder

Assignees

  • Marco Lottici

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20251110
Priority Date
20241111

Claims (10)

  1. Device (100) for inspecting bottles (B) comprising: • a conveyor belt (1); • a main structure (2) through which the conveyor belt (1) passes and on which an inspection area (20) of the bottle (B) is defined; • three cameras (3) arranged circumferentially around the inspection area (20) and each associated with a respective telecentric lens (30), each camera (3) together with the telecentric lens (30) or a plano-convex lens, defining a respective optical axis (V), the cameras (3) being oriented such that the optical axes (V) of the three cameras (3) converge to the same point, forming an angle of substantially 120° to each other, the optical axes being substantially parallel to each other and parallel to a plane defined by the conveyor belt (1) at the inspection area (20); • three light diffusers (4) each aligned with a respective optical axis (V) and arranged diametrically opposite a respective camera in relation to the inspection area (20).
  2. Device (100) after Claim 1 , comprising exactly three cameras (3) arranged around the inspection area (20).
  3. Device (100) after Claim 1 or 2 , comprising a further camera (5) which is arranged above the inspection area (20) and defines a respective optical axis (V') which is oriented substantially vertically to the inspection area (20).
  4. Device (100) according to the preceding claim, comprising a biconvex lens (6) through which the further camera (5) frames the inspection area (20).
  5. Device (100) after Claim 3 or 4 , further comprising a lighting device (7) arranged above the inspection area (20), wherein the lighting device (7) is preferably configured to define three different lighting areas arranged offset by 120° around the inspection area, wherein the lighting areas are preferably aligned with the cameras (3).
  6. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising adjusting means (8) configured to set a vertical distance between the cameras and the plane defined by the conveyor belt (1).
  7. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a control panel (9) arranged laterally to the conveyor belt (1), wherein two of the cameras (3) are arranged on the same side of the control panel to the conveyor belt (1) and the third camera (3) is arranged on the opposite side.
  8. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a programmable unit configured to capture images from each of the three cameras (3) in a subsequent time sequence, wherein this programmable unit is configured to deactivate the light diffuser associated with it after capture by each camera.
  9. Device (100) after Claim 5 and 8 , wherein the programmable unit is configured to turn on each of these lighting areas sequentially, so that the lighting area associated with the camera capturing the image is turned on.
  10. Method for inspecting bottles and similar containers using a device (100) designed according to one of the preceding claims, comprising capturing images from each of the three cameras (3) in a subsequent time sequence, wherein after capture by each camera the associated light diffuser is deactivated.

Description

Technical field The present invention relates to a device for inspecting bottles and similar containers using cameras. State of the art There are known bottle inspection systems that use a camera to capture one or more images, which can then be used to check for defects by special image recognition systems. These inspection systems typically include one or more lighting devices that illuminate the bottle to highlight its features as much as possible and to detect cracks, chips, dirt and other similar defects in the captured images that would render the bottle unusable. To visualize the bottle, and especially its neck, as effectively as possible, various solutions were developed that combine multiple cameras to view the bottle from several angles. For example, the French patent application describes FR3064068 (A1 ) a control system that uses two groups of three cameras positioned at two different locations along a conveyor belt. The cameras are oriented differently towards each other in order to frame a respective section of the bottle and achieve a complete inspection of the bottle. Another example is in the German patent application. DE102012100987B3 described. In this case, there are four cameras arranged around the container to be inspected, and just as many light sources are present, positioned offset from the cameras. However, the applicant pointed out that with known solutions it is particularly difficult to obtain a sufficiently clear and complete view of the bottleneck area. Especially with bottles with screw caps, it is particularly difficult to obtain sufficiently detailed and complete images of both the thread profile and the thread surface unless the inspection is carried out in two separate steps. The solution mentioned above proposes to divide the image acquisition into two different positions, each using a specific group of cameras to obtain a complete representation of the bottleneck. Other solutions, which use four cameras arranged around the bottle, have the disadvantage that defects in the thread profile of the cap cannot be adequately displayed, since only four different profiles can actually be imaged due to the cameras being mirrored two to two times. Furthermore, ensuring sufficient illumination remains difficult, as it is not possible to provide adequate backlighting for each of the cameras. Summary of the invention The technical problem underlying the present invention is to provide a device and a method for inspecting bottles that makes it possible to improve on known solutions and to at least partially eliminate one or more of the identifiable disadvantages in relation to the known technique. Within the scope of this task, one object of the present invention is to provide a device for inspecting bottles that makes it possible to obtain a clear and complete image of the bottle neck with as few cameras as possible. It is also an object of the present invention to provide an inspection device and a method that make it possible to improve the visibility, in particular with regard to the clarity and the details captured, of a section of the bottle and especially the neck and its closure with a structurally and technologically simple, rational solution and with modest effects on manufacturing costs as well as with a particularly small space requirement. This problem is solved and one or more of these tasks are at least partially achieved by the invention through a device for inspecting bottles or other similar containers, comprising the following: • a conveyor belt; • a main structure through which the conveyor belt runs and where an area for bottle inspection is defined; • Three cameras arranged around the perimeter of the inspection area, each equipped with are linked to a respective telecentric lens and/or a plano-convex lens. The cameras are oriented so that the optical axes of the telecentric lens converge to the same point and form an angle of essentially 120° between the optical axes. These optical axes are essentially parallel to each other and also parallel to a plane defined by the conveyor belt at the inspection area. The device also includes three light diffusers, each aligned with a respective optical axis and positioned diametrically opposite a respective camera in relation to the inspection area, to form the respective reflectors. It is estimated that the device according to the present invention enables effective backlighting of the bottle neck, although it is possible to achieve complete framing of the same essentially in a single area along the conveyor belt. The use of telecentric lenses makes it possible to obtain a bundle for viewing with essentially parallel rays, making the image less susceptible to errors related to the positioning of the bottle on the conveyor belt. In fact, the use of cameras with telecentric lenses makes it possible to obtain images of a uniform size even if the bottle is positioned inaccurately on the conveyor belt. Furthermore, the use of te