Method and apparatus for detecting flaws and defects in heat seals

A method for detecting the presence of flaws and defects in a heat seal formed between a plurality of translucent sheets, comprising the steps of:

• transmitting electromagnetic radiation through a lateral section of the heat seal;
• detecting the intensity of the radiation transmitted through the lateral section of said heat seal;
• generating a line profile for the lateral section having an amplitude related to changes across the lateral section in detected radiation intensity;
• processing the changes in the amplitude of the generated line profile to identify the location each edge formed in the lateral section of the heat seal;
• comparing the location and number of the identified heat seal edges to a preset location and number seal edge standard defined for a lateral section of a heat seal without a flaw or defect;
• and
• signalling a flaw or defect in the lateral section if the number of edges and edge locations do not correspond to the preset location and number seal edge standard.

A method for detecting the presence of flaws and defects in a heat seal formed between a plurality of translucent sheets, comprising the steps of:

• defining predetermined shape characteristics for a heat seal line profile related to a heat seal without a flaw or defect;
• transmitting electromagnetic radiation through a lateral section of the heat seal;
• detecting the intensity of the radiation transmitted through the lateral section of said heat seal;
• generating a line profile for the lateral section having a shape defined by the changes in detected radiation intensity;
• identifying certain selected shape characteristics in the generated line profile;
• and
• comparing the selected shape characteristics of the generated line profile to the predetermined shape characteristics to detect the presence of an included flaw or defect in the lateral section of the seal.

A method for detecting the presence of flaws and defects in a heat seal formed between a a plurality of translucent sheets, comprising the steps of:

• defining standard line profile spike characteristics relating to spike location and amplitude for a lateral section of a heat seal that does not contain a flaw or defect;
• transmitting electromagnetic radiation through a lateral section of heat seal under examination;
• measuring the intensity of the through transmitted electromagnetic radiation;
• generating a line profile for the lateral section under examination having at least one spike, the line profile having an amplitude related to the measured intensity across the lateral section;
• identifying certain heat seal spike characteristics from the generated line profile according to identified spike location and amplitude factors;
• and
• comparing the identified heat seal spike characteristics for the lateral section of heat seal under examination to the defined standard line profile spike characteristics to detect the presence of a flaw or defect.

An apparatus for examining a heat seal formed between a plurality of translucent sheets to detect the presence of flaws and defects comprising:

• means for illuminating a lateral section of said heat seal;
• means for detecting the intensity of radiation transmitted by said means for illuminating through the lateral section of sad heat seal;
• means responsive to the detected intensity for generating a line profile for the lateral section having a shape related to the integrity of the heat seal and an amplitude proportional to the detected intensity across the lateral section;
• means for processing the generated line profile to identify certain shape characteristics therein indicative of the integrity of the heat seal;
• and
• means for detecting the presence of flaws or defects by comparing the identified shape characteristics for the generated line profile with a predetermined line profile characteristic for a heat seal without a flaw or defect.

Apparatus for examining a heat seal formed between a plurality of translucent sheets to detect the presence o flaws and defects comprising:

• means for illuminating a lateral section of the heat seal;
• means for detecting the intensity of illuminating through the lateral section;
• means for generating a line profile for the lateral section having an amplitude related to changes in the detected intensity across the lateral section;
• means for processing the changes in the amplitude of the generated line profile to identify the location of each edge formed in the lateral section of the heat seal;
• means for comparing the location and number of the identified heat seal edges to a preset location and number seal edge standard defined for a lateral section of a heat seal without a flaw or defect;
• and
• means for signalling a flaw or defect in the lateral section if the number of edges and edge locations do not correspond to the preset location and number seal edge standard.

Apparatus for detecting the presence of flaws and defects in a heat seal formed between a plurality of translucent sheets, comprising:

• means for storing a predetermined shape characteristic for a heat seal line profile, the shape characteristic indicative of a heat seal without a flaw or defect;
• means for illuminating a lateral section of the heat seal;
• means for detecting the intensity of the illumination transmitted through the lateral section of said heat seal;
• means for generating a line profile for the lateral section having a shape defined by the changes in detected illumination intensity;
• means for identifying certain selected shape characteristics in the generated line profile;
• and
• means for comparing the selected shape characteristics of the generated line profile to the stored shape characteristics to detect the presence of an included flaw or defect in the lateral section of the seal.

Apparatus for detecting the presence of flaws and defects in a heat seal formed between a plurality of translucent sheets, comprising:

• means for storing standard line profile spike characteristics relating to spike location and amplitude for a lateral section of a heat seal that does not contain a flaw or defect;
• means for transmitting electromagnetic radiation through a lateral section of heat seal under examination;
• means for measuring the intensity of the through transmitted electromagnetic radiation;
• means for generating a line profile for the lateral section under examination having at least one spike, the line profile having an amplitude related to the measured intensity across the lateral section;
• means for identifying certain heat seal characteristics from the generated line profile according to identified spike location and amplitude factors;
• and
• means for comparing the identified heat seal spike characteristics for the lateral section of heat seal under examination to the stored standard line profile spike characteristics to detect the presence of a flaw or defect.