# US 2018/0321401 A1 · Method and apparatus for the quantitative mass determination of the content of closed foil packages

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2018/0321401 A1
- Document ID: US20180321401A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/970,649
- Filed: 2018-05-03
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-03
- Assignees: Harro Hoefliger Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH
- Applicants: Harro Hoefliger Verpackungsmaschinen GmbH
- Inventors: Karlheinz Seyfang; Martin Lober; Joachim Fahrian; Jan Rimbach
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180321401A1

## CPC

- G01T 7/005: {calibration techniques (stabilization of spectrometer G01T1/40)}
- A61J 1/00: Containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes (capsules or the like for oral use A61J3/07; specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments A61B50/30; containers for radioactive substances G21F5/00)
- G01G 9/005: {using radiations, e.g. radioactive (analysing materials by the use of wave or particle radiation G01N23/00)}
- G01N 23/04: and forming images of the material
- A61J 1/035: {Blister-type containers (blisters in general B65D75/36)}
- G01T: MEASUREMENT OF NUCLEAR OR X-RADIATION (radiation analysis of materials, mass spectrometry G01N23/00; tubes for determining the presence, intensity, density or energy of radiation or particles H01J47/00)
- A61J: CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
- G01G: WEIGHING (sorting by weighing B07C5/16)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

In a calibration routine, a first set of X-ray recordings of at least one closed first reference package without content is produced, and a mass calibration signature is derived therefrom. A second set of X-ray recordings of at least one closed second reference package having a reference content is produced, and a reference signature is derived therefrom. From the reference signature and the mass calibration signature, a reference measurement value is derived via subtraction. The reference mass of the reference content is ascertained by weighing and assigned to the reference measurement value. In ongoing measurement operation, at least one set of measuring X-ray recordings of closed foil packages each having a content is produced and a measurement signature is derived therefrom. Herefrom, and from the mass calibration signature, measurement values for the individual closed foil packages are derived via subtraction, from which the masses of the contents are quantitatively determined.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for quantitative mass determination of the content of closed foil packages, wherein the foil packages each have filling spaces having a base area and an edge region outside the base area and at least one metallic foil layer, the method comprising the steps of:
x-raying, in a calibration routine, at least one closed first reference package without content using an X-ray source and producing a first set of initial X-ray recordings thereof;
deriving a mass calibration signature from the first set of initial X-ray recordings;
x-raying at least one closed second reference package with a reference content using the X-ray source and producing a second set of initial X-ray recordings thereof;
deriving an initial reference signature from the second set of initial X-ray recordings;
deriving a reference measurement value from the initial reference signature and the mass calibration signature by way of subtraction;
quantitatively ascertaining the mass of the reference content of the at least one second reference package as a reference mass by weighing and assigning the reference mass to the reference measurement value;
terminating the calibration routine, wherein an ongoing measurement operation follows;
x-raying, in the ongoing measurement operation, closed foil packages each with a content using the X-ray source and producing at least one set of measuring X-ray recordings thereof;
deriving a measurement signature from the at least one set of measuring X-ray recordings, wherein a first sum signal is ascertained within the base area, a second sum signal is ascertained in the edge region, and the measurement signature is ascertained by subtraction between the first and the second sum signals;
deriving measurement values for the individual closed foil packages from the measurement signature and the mass calibration signature by way of subtraction; and,
quantitatively determining the masses of the contents of the closed foil packages from the measurement values taking into consideration the assignment of the reference mass to the reference measurement value.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a set of measuring X-ray recordings of a plurality of foil packages together is produced in the ongoing measurement operation; and, in the preceding calibration routine, first and second sets of initial X-ray recordings of reference packages with and without reference content, in the same number and the same spatial arrangement, are produced.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of foil packages are arranged in the form of a matrix.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising performing, at the beginning of the calibration routine, a calibration of an image chain using a prior set of X-ray recordings without reference packages.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising linearizing the first sum signal and the second sum signal.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
deriving image signatures which are characteristic of the position of the base areas of the filling spaces from the set of measuring X-ray recordings; and,
performing position corrections for the ascertainment of the first sum signal and the second sum signal.

### Claim 7

An apparatus for the quantitative mass determination of the content of closed foil packages, wherein the foil packages each have filling spaces having a base area and an edge region outside the base area and at least one metallic foil layer, the apparatus comprising:
an X-ray station having an X-ray source and an X-ray imaging device and having a control unit;
said control unit being configured to:
x-ray, in a calibration routine, at least one closed first reference package without content using said X-ray source and produce a first set of initial X-ray recordings thereof;
derive a mass calibration signature from the first set of initial X-ray recordings;
x-ray at least one closed second reference package with a reference content using said X-ray source and produce a second set of initial X-ray recordings thereof;
derive an initial reference signature from the second set of initial X-ray recordings;
derive a reference measurement value from the initial reference signature and the mass calibration signature by way of subtraction;
quantitatively ascertain the mass of the reference content of the at least one second reference package as a reference mass by weighing and assigning the reference mass to the reference measurement value;
terminate the calibration routine, wherein an ongoing measurement operation follows;
x-ray, in the ongoing measurement operation, closed foil packages each with a content using said X-ray source and produce at least one set of measuring X-ray recordings thereof;
derive a measurement signature from the at least one set of measuring X-ray recordings, wherein a first sum signal is ascertained within the base area, a second sum signal is ascertained in the edge region, and the measurement signature is ascertained by subtraction between the first and the second sum signals;
derive measurement values for the individual closed foil packages from the measurement signature and the mass calibration signature by way of subtraction; and,
quantitatively determine the masses of the contents of the closed foil packages from the measurement values taking into consideration the assignment of the reference mass to the reference measurement value.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said control unit is configured to produce a set of measuring X-ray recordings of a plurality of foil packages together in the ongoing measurement operation, and, in the preceding calibration routine, produce first and second sets of initial X-ray recordings of reference packages with and without reference content, in the same number and the same spatial arrangement.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of foil packages are arranged in the form of a matrix.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said control unit is further configured to perform, at the beginning of the calibration routine, a calibration of an image chain using a prior set of X-ray recordings without reference packages.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said control unit is further configured to linearize the first sum signal and the second sum signal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said control unit is further configured to:
derive image signatures which are characteristic of the position of the base areas of the filling spaces from the set of measuring X-ray recordings; and,
perform position corrections for the ascertainment of the first sum signal and the second sum signal.