US 12,529,659 B2 · Method and apparatus for detecting defects in the surface of curved articles

Abstract

A method for automatically detecting surface defects of curved articles of the food processing industry includes: conveying the articles in a conveying direction by a conveyor belt, illuminating the articles by a line laser light source above the belt such that the laser line is oriented transverse to the conveying direction, line-by-line detection of backscattered light while the articles are being conveyed, using a camera above the belt, by recording a line profile in each case, determining raw line height data representing the cross-sectional heights, from the line profile recorded, determining raw surface height data by compiling the raw line height data determined in the conveying direction, determining smoothed surface height data by filtering the raw line height data and/or the raw surface height data using at least one filter criterion, and determining differential height data by subtracting the smoothed data from the raw data. An apparatus is also provided.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A method for automatically detecting defects in the surface of curved articles of the food processing industry, comprising the steps:

conveying the articles in a conveying direction by a conveyor belt;
illuminating the articles by a line laser light source arranged above the conveyor belt such that a laser line generated by the line laser light source is oriented transverse to the conveying direction;
line-by-line detection of backscattered light while the articles are being conveyed, using a camera arranged above the conveyor belt, by recording a line profile in each case;
determining raw line height data representing the cross-sectional heights from the recorded line profile;
determining raw surface height data by compiling the raw line height data determined in the conveying direction;
determining smoothed surface height data by filtering the raw line height data and/or the raw surface height data using at least one filter criterion;
and
determining differential height data by subtracting the smoothed surface height data from the raw surface height data.

5 more elements

An apparatus for automatically detecting defects in the surface of curved articles of the food processing industry, comprising:

a conveying device adapted to convey the articles in a conveying direction by means of a conveyor belt;
a line laser light source adapted to illuminate the articles which are arranged above the conveyor belt in such a manner that a laser line generated by the line laser light source is oriented transverse to the conveying direction;
a camera adapted to detect backscattered light line-by-line, the camera being arranged above the conveyor belt and configured to record line profiles while the articles are being conveyed;
an evaluation device adapted to determine raw line height data representing the cross-sectional heights from the recorded line profile, wherein the evaluation device is additionally configured;
to determine raw surface height data by compiling the raw line height data determined in the conveying direction;
to determine smoothed surface height data by filtering the raw line height data and/or the raw surface height data using at least one filter criterion;
and
to determine differential height data by subtracting the smoothed surface height data from the raw line height data.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for detecting defects in the surface of curved articles

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for detecting defects in the surface of curved articles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34