US 10,025,965 B2Granted

Method, device and inspection line for the optical reading of reliefs on a side wall of a container

AssigneeTiama

InventorLubin Fayolle

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Abstract

A method, device, and inspection line for optically reading portions in relief on a side wall of a container, includes using a light source to light a portion of interest with a peripheral incident light beam comprising non-parallel radial light rays and using specular reflection of the beam on the portion of interest and on the portions in relief through an optical element to form a plane image in the field of view of a two-dimensional photoelectric sensor. The image received by the sensor is processed in order to detect the portions in relief to cause the light source that provides the peripheral incident light beam to move relative to the optical element in translation along the direction of a theoretical central axis to modify the contrast of the image received by the sensor between zones of the image that correspond to the portions in relief and adjacent zones.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A method of optically reading portions in relief forming an identification code, the portions in relief (12) being carried by an outer side wall (16) of a container (14) having a theoretical central axis (A1), the method being of the type comprising the steps of:

using a light source to light a portion of interest (16) of the outer side wall (18) of the container (14), which portion extends around the theoretical central axis (A1), the light source supplying a peripheral incident light beam comprising radial light rays contained in a radial plane containing the theoretical central axis (A1), and the beam including non-parallel radial rays in a common radial plane;
using at least one optical element (30, 31) to form a plane image of the portion of interest of the wall of the container in the field of view of a two-dimensional photoelectric sensor (24);
processing the image received by the sensor (24) in order to detect the portions in relief (12);
the method being of the type in which the incident light beam is reflected at least in part by specular reflection on the portion of interest (16) of the outer side wall (18) and on the portions in relief (12);
the method further comprising causing the light source supplying the peripheral incident light beam to move in translation along the direction of the theoretical central axis (A1) relative to the optical element (30, 31) in order to modify the contrast in the image received by the sensor (24) between zones of the image corresponding to the portions in relief (12) and adjacent zones of the image corresponding to zones of the portion of interest (16) of the wall (18) of the container (14) that are adjacent to the portions in relief (12).

2 more elements

A device (10) for optically reading portions in relief (12) carried by a portion of interest (16) of an outer side wall (18) of a container (14), the device comprising a container installation zone having an installation axis, and further comprising:

a two-dimensional photoelectric sensor (24);
an optical system (28) interposed between the container installation zone and the sensor (24) in order to form on the sensor (24) an image of the portion of interest (16) of the outer side wall (8) of a container (14) placed in the installation zone, the optical system (28) including at least one optical element (30) having a reflection surface of revolution (31) around the installation axis (A′1) and presenting a minimum diameter greater than a maximum diameter of the portion of interest (16) of the outer side wall (18) of a container susceptible of being received in the installation zone;
an optical axis defined by the optical system (28) and extending in the installation zone in order to define the installation axis (A′1);
and
a lighting system including at least a main light source (34) that is peripheral and has the installation axis (A′1) as an axis thereof, and that is suitable for supplying a peripheral incident light beam in the installation zone, the beam comprising radial rays contained in a radial plane containing the installation axis (A′1), said radial rays being directed towards the installation axis (A′1), and the beam comprising non-parallel radial rays in a common radial plane;
wherein the lighting system (34), the sensor (24), and the optical system (28) are arranged below the installation zone;
and
further wherein the main light source (34) supplying the peripheral incident light beam is movable in translation along the direction of the installation axis (A′1) relative to the optical element (30).

5 more elements

An inspection line for inspecting containers (14) each presenting portions in relief (12) carried by a bottom portion of an outer side wall (18), the inspection line being of the type in which the containers are moved along a conveyor line by a conveyor that transports the containers (14) in a horizontal travel direction perpendicular to a theoretical central axis (A1) of each container (14), such that the containers present the bottom portions of their outer side walls (18) facing downwards, the inspection line comprising a device (10) for optically reading portions in relief (12) carried by a portion of interest (16) of an outer side wall (18) of a container (14), the device comprising a container installation zone having an installation axis, and further comprising:

a two-dimensional photoelectric sensor (24);
an optical system (28) interposed between the container installation zone and the sensor (24) in order to form on the sensor (24) an image of the portion of interest (16) of the outer side wall (8) of a container (14) placed in the installation zone, the optical system (28) including at least one optical element (30) having a reflection surface of revolution (31) around the installation axis (A′1) and presenting a minimum diameter greater than a maximum diameter of the portion of interest (16) of the outer side wall (18) of a container susceptible of being received in the installation zone;
an optical axis defined by the optical system (28) and extending in the installation zone in order to define the installation axis (A′1);
and
a lighting system including at least a main light source (34) that is peripheral and has the installation axis (A′1) as an axis thereof, and that is suitable for supplying a peripheral incident light beam in the installation zone, the beam comprising radial rays contained in a radial plane containing the installation axis (A′1), said radial rays being directed towards the installation axis (A′1), and the beam comprising non-parallel radial rays in a common radial plane;
wherein the lighting system (34), the sensor (24), and the optical system (28) are arranged below the installation zone;
and
further wherein the main light source (34) supplying the peripheral incident light beam is movable in translation along the direction of the installation axis (A′1) relative to the optical element (30),
the device arranged on the line with the installation axis (A′1) in a vertical position, such that the incident light beam is upwardly oriented towards the installation zone that is situated between the device and a transport member of the conveyor.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/518,524Filed 9 Oct 2015
Priority: FR 14 6003017 Oct 2014
Published: US 2017/0235985 A117 Aug 2017
Granted: 17 Jul 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

G06K 7/10861
Further details of bar or optical code scanning devices: sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels
B07C 5/3422
According to optical properties, e.g. colour: using video scanning devices, e.g. TV-cameras
G01N 21/9045
In a container or its contents: inspection of ornamented or stippled container walls
G06K 7/10722
Fixed beam scanning: photodetector array or CCD scanning