Device for optically inspecting glass receptacles as they leave a moulding machine

An inspection device for optically inspecting glass containers (2) at high temperature manufactured in a forming machine (3), the containers being placed in succession on a conveyor (5) at the outlet from the forming machine to travel at a high rate past the inspection device (1), which comprises a container lighting system (7) presenting a light-emitting surface (8), at least one camera (10) taking images of containers back-lighted by the light from the light-emitting surface, and a system for controlling the operation of the lighting system (7) and of the camera (10), the inspection device being characterized in that the light-emitting surface (8) of the lighting system (7) is configured for emitting both:

• a “flash” first light flux for a flash duration shorter than 1 ms and at a wavelength longer than 650 nm;
• and also
• a “bottle-scanning” second light flux comprising visible wavelengths shorter than 650 nm and for a duration of not less than 2 s;
• and in that the lighting system (7) is controlled:
• to emit the flash light flux for each container traveling past the device in such a manner as to enable the camera (10) to take images of each container back-lighted by said flash light flux;
• and
• to emit the “bottle-scanning” light flux independently of the flash light flux, so as to be perceived by a human eye as being continuous.