Compact apparatus for batch vial inspection
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorAsaf Schlezinger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and apparatus of inspection tools for inspecting impurities in vials are provided herein. In some embodiments, an inspection tool for inspecting impurities in vials includes: a motor; a plurality of carts configured to move via the motor to selectively place each of the plurality of carts in an inspection position, wherein each of the plurality of carts includes a vial holder configured to hold a plurality of vials, and wherein each vial holder is configured to spin the plurality of vials on their own respective axes; and a camera configured to take an image of at least one of the plurality of vials of a corresponding cart of the plurality of carts when the corresponding cart is disposed in the inspection position.
Claims20
An inspection tool for inspecting impurities in vials, comprising:
- a table;
- a conveyor system having a motor;
- a plurality of carts coupled to the conveyor system and disposed outward of a perimeter of the table and configured to move with respect to and around the table via the motor to selectively place each of the plurality of carts in an inspection position, wherein the plurality of carts are coupled to corresponding ones of a plurality of links, wherein the plurality of links are removably coupled to each other to form a closed loop, wherein each of the plurality of carts includes a vial holder configured to hold a plurality of vials, wherein each vial holder includes a plurality of pedestals configured to spin the plurality of vials on their own respective axes, and wherein each vial holder includes a plurality of top covers disposed above the plurality of pedestals and configured to move such that the plurality of top covers are not aligned with respective ones of the plurality of pedestals during loading of the plurality of vials;
- and
- a camera configured to take an image of at least one of the plurality of vials of a corresponding cart of the plurality of carts when the corresponding cart is disposed in the inspection position.
A method of inspecting a plurality of vials for impurities, comprising:
- loading a first plurality of vials at least partially filled with liquid from a vial input line to a cart of a plurality of carts;
- rotating the plurality of carts along a path disposed outward of a perimeter of a table that is stationary, wherein the plurality of carts are coupled to corresponding ones of a plurality of links, wherein the plurality of links are removably coupled to each other to form a closed loop;
- spinning each of the first plurality of vials in the cart about their own respective axes;
- moving the cart via a motor to place the cart in an inspection position for a first duration, wherein the cart is stationary during the first duration;
- illuminating the first plurality of vials via an illumination source disposed between the plurality of vials and the plurality of links;
- and
- taking an image of at least one of the first plurality of vials within the first duration with a camera.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, causes a method of inspecting a plurality of vials for impurities to be performed, the method comprising:
- loading a first plurality of vials at least partially filled with liquid from a vial input line to a cart of a plurality of carts;
- rotating the plurality of carts along a path disposed outward of a perimeter of a table that is stationary, wherein the plurality of carts are coupled to corresponding ones of a plurality of links, wherein the plurality of links are removably coupled to each other to form a closed loop;
- spinning each of the first plurality of vials in the cart about their own respective axes;
- moving the cart via a motor to place the cart in an inspection position for a first duration, wherein the cart is stationary during the first duration;
- illuminating the first plurality of vials via an illumination source disposed between the plurality of vials and the plurality of links;
- and
- taking an image of at least one of the first plurality of vials within the first duration with a camera.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.