US 12,038,387 B2Granted

Method for the identification of defects in transparent slabs and related system

AssigneeDeltamax Automazione S.R.L.

InventorsChiara Corridori, Matteo Devilli, Leonardo Plotegher

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Abstract

A method (and system) for the identification of defects in transparent slabs comprises at least the phases of supply of at least one transparent slab to be inspected; acquisition of at least one image of at least one portion of the slab along an acquisition line; identification of at least one defect in the slab depending on the acquired image; at least one emission phase of at least one light radiation transmitted inside the slab along an emission line substantially transverse to the acquisition line and adapted to be incident with at least one defect in the slab in order to identify the position thereof, the light radiation incident with the defect being diffused by the latter at least in part outside the slab.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method for the identification of defects in transparent slabs, the method comprising at least the steps of:

supply of at least one transparent slab to be inspected;
acquisition of at least one image of at least one portion of said slab along an acquisition line;
identification of at least one defect in said slab depending on said at least one acquired image, wherein
a plurality of emission steps of at least one light radiation transmitted inside said slab along an emission line substantially perpendicular to said acquisition line and adapted to be incident with at least one defect in said slab to identify the position thereof, said light radiation incident with said defect being diffused by the latter at least in part outside said slab,
said slab comprises at least one pair of faces arranged parallel and opposite each other and defining the width and height of said slab, and at least one perimeter surface placed between said faces to define the thickness of said slab,
said acquisition line is incident to one of faces, and
said emission line is incident to said perimeter surface and substantially orthogonal to said acquisition line;
said method comprising a plurality of lighting steps of at least one portion of one face of said slab along a lighting line, wherein
said lighting line is substantially parallel to said acquisition line;
said method comprising at least one movement step of said slab by a predefined forward movement distance along a work line, and
said identification step comprises at least the steps of:
processing at least one graphic representation of said slab depending on said images acquired during said emission step;
finding out the position of at least one defect on said slab depending on said processed graphic representation;
developing at least one graphic reproduction of said slab depending on said images acquired during said lighting step;
and
determining the size of at least one defect on said slab depending on said developed graphic reproduction.

13 more elements

A system for the identification of defects in transparent slabs, the system comprising:

at least one basic frame;
acquisition means mounted on said basic frame and configured to acquire along an acquisition line at least one image of at least one portion of at least one slab moved along a work line by movement means;
identification means for identifying at least one defect in said slab, operationally connected to said acquisition means and configured to identify at least one defect in said slab depending on at least one image acquired by said acquisition means;
emission means of at least one light radiation along an emission line substantially perpendicular to said acquisition line and adapted to be incident with at least one defect in said slab to identify the position thereof, said light radiation incident with said defect being diffused by the latter at least in part outside said slab, wherein
said slab comprises:
at least one pair of faces arranged parallel and opposite each other and defining the width and the height of said slab;
and
at least one perimeter surface positioned between said faces to define the thickness of said slab;
said emission means are arranged, in use, facing said perimeter surface;
said acquisition means are arranged, in use, facing said face;
said acquisition line is substantially orthogonal to said emission line;
said system comprising lighting means arranged in front of said acquisition means and adapted to illuminate said slab along lighting line substantially parallel to said acquisition line, wherein
said acquisition means are configured to acquire a plurality of images of said slab,
each of the acquired images represents a different portion of said face facing said acquisition means;
said identification means comprise processing means of at least one graphic representation and at least one graphic reproduction of said slab depending on the plurality of images acquired by said acquisition means;
and
said identification means are configured to identity the position and the size of said defect depending on said graphic representation and said graphic reproduction.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/602,890Filed 9 Apr 2020
Priority: IT 10201900000556810 Apr 2019
Published: US 2022/0163458 A126 May 2022
Granted: 16 Jul 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G01N 21/896
Characterised by the flaw, defect or object feature examined: optical defects in or on transparent materials, e.g. distortion, surface flaws in…
G01N 21/958
Characterised by the material or shape of the object to be examined: inspecting transparent materials or objects, e.g. windscreens
G01N 2021/8845
Specially adapted optical and illumination features: multiple wavelengths of illumination or detection
G01N 2021/8962
Optical defects in or on transparent materials, e.g. distortion, surface flaws in conveyed flat sheet or rod: for detecting separately opaque…