Container screening system and method
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsWesley C. Pirkle, Richard L. Shoaf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for interrogating a liquid in a container. In one embodiment, methods are provided to interrogate and identify a container material type and a liquid within a container.
Claims21
1-6. (canceled)
A method for detecting a substance in a container, the method comprising:
- measuring a first diameter of the container prior to bringing delay lines associated with an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver into contact with the container;
- measuring a second diameter of the container when the delay lines come into contact with the container;
- determining a difference between the first measured diameter and the second measured diameter of the container;
- transmitting, at the ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic signal at the container;
- receiving, at the ultrasonic receiver, the transmitted ultrasonic signal;
- and
- evaluating the received ultrasonic signal and the determined difference to detect the substance in the container.
The method of claim 11, wherein the substance is plastic.
A method for detecting a substance in a container, the method comprising:
- measuring a first thickness of the container prior to bringing delay lines associated with an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver into contact with the container;
- measuring a second thickness of the container when the delay lines come into contact with the container;
- determining a difference between the first measured thickness and the second measured thickness of the container;
- transmitting, at the ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic signal at the container;
- receiving, at the ultrasonic receiver, the transmitted ultrasonic signal;
- and
- evaluating the received ultrasonic signal and the determined difference to detect the substance in the container.
The method of claim 21, further comprising positioning the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver and/or the delay lines associated with the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver into contact with the container.
A method for detecting a substance in a container, the method comprising:
- measuring a first thickness of the container prior to bringing delay lines associated with an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver into contact with the container;
- positioning the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver and/or the delay lines associated with the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver into contact with the container;
- measuring a second thickness of the container when the delay lines come into contact with the container;
- determining a difference between the first measured thickness and the second measured thickness of the container;
- transmitting, at the ultrasonic transmitter, an ultrasonic signal at the container;
- receiving, at the ultrasonic receiver, the transmitted ultrasonic signal;
- and
- evaluating the received ultrasonic signal and the determined difference to detect the substance in the container, wherein the substance comprises one of a plastic and a glass.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.