Method and apparatus for measuring dimensions of objects on a conveyor
AssigneePSC Inc.
InventorMark R. Woodworth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for measuring the length, width, and height of rectangular solid objects moving on a conveyor. The apparatus includes a light curtain, two laser triangulation range finders, and a pulse tachometer mounted on a frame around a conveyor. As an object is conveyed through the frame, measurements from each of the sensors are correlated by a digital computer to estimate the length, width and height of the object. The method and apparatus does not require a break in the surface of the conveyor, and is insensitive to object placement and orientation on the conveyor.
Claims12
An apparatus for determining a size of a first object and a second object on a conveyor on which said first and second objects are travelling, the first object being positioned ahead of the second object in relation to a direction of movement of the conveyor, the apparatus comprising:
- a light source configured to output a light beam along a path from a side of said conveyor towards said first and second objects;
- a CCD camera located above said conveyor and configured to receive light from said light beam reflected off said first object and from said light beam reflected off said second object at a later point in time, said CCD camera including a plurality of light detecting elements for performing an electronic scan to determine a location at which said light beam impinges a first side of said first and second objects;
- a first set of buffers configured to receive and store information related to said first object;
- a second set of buffers configured to receive and store information related to said second object;
- and
- a processor configured to obtain the information of said first and second objects from said first and second set of buffers, respectively,
- wherein said processor is configured to determine the size of said first object based on said information of said first object obtained from said first set of buffers at a same time said information of said second object is being stored into said second set of buffers to be obtained by said processor at a later point in time.
An apparatus for determining a size of first and second objects on a conveyor in a pipelined manner, the first object being positioned ahead of the second object in relation to a direction of movement of the conveyor, the apparatus comprising:
- a light source configured to output a light beam towards said first and second objects;
- a CCD camera located above said conveyor and configured to receive light from said light beam reflected off said first and second objects as different times, said CCD camera including a plurality of light detecting elements for performing an electronic scan to determine a location at which said light beam impinges said first and second objects;
- a measuring circuit configured to determine one of a current speed of said conveyor and a distance traveled by said conveyor, said measuring circuit configured to output a measuring signal indicative thereof;
- a height measuring circuit configured to determine a height of said first and second objects and to output a respective height signal indicative thereof;
- a first set of buffers configured to receive and store information related to the first object as provided by said height measuring circuit and said CCD camera;
- and
- a second set of buffers configured to receive and store information related to the second object as provided by said height measuring circuit and said CCD camera;
- and
- a processor configured to receive said measuring signal and said information of said first object as obtained from said first set of buffers for at least a first time period corresponding to a first time when said light beam is initially incident on said first object up to a second time when said light beam is finally incident on said first object, and said processor configured to receive said measuring signal and said information of said second object as obtained from said second set of buffers for at least a second time period corresponding to third first time when said light beam is initially incident on said second object up to a fourth time when said light beam is finally incident on said second object,
- wherein said processor is configured to determine a first array of locations of said first object and to determine a length of a first side of said first object based on said information stored in said first set of buffers, said processor being configured to determine a second array of locations of said second object and to determine a length of a first side of said second object based on said information stored in said second set of buffers,
- wherein said processor is configured to determine said size of said first and second objects based on said respective lengths of said first sides of said first and second objects and a respective height of said first and second objects as determined from said respective height signals, and
- wherein said processor is configured to determine the size of said first object based on said information of said first object obtained from said first set of buffers at a same time said information of said second object is being stored into said second set of buffers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.