Automatic testing of package content and integrity
OwnerWayne R. Barrinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for testing liquid filled plastic vials for quantity of fill and leakage of contents is disclosed. Packets of six vials are tested in first and second test stations. The first station control program prevents second station testing of “solid” vials that would damage the second test station force measuring load cells. Vials testing outside of predetermined limits cause the packet to be classified as a reject.
Claims17
Apparatus for simultaneously testing for proper filling of and leaks in, a plurality of liquid filled deformable vials which comprises:
- a first test station for receiving a preselected quantity of vials;
- a first quantity of force applying members, at least equal to the quantity of vials to be tested;
- means for detecting displacement of any of said force applying members beyond preset limits and classifying said quantity of vials as a reject upon detecting said displacement;
- a second test station for receiving said preselected quantity of vials;
- a second quantity of force applying members, at least equal to the quantity of vials to be tested;
- means for measuring, recording and storing the force applied by each of said second quantity of force applying members a first time;
- means for measuring, recording and storing a second separate time, the force applied by each of said second quantity of force applying members;
- controller means for comparing to a set of predetermined values;
- said first and second force measurements applied by said second quantity of force applying members;
- second means for classifying said entire preselected quantity of vials as a reject if any of said force measurements fall outside said predetermined limits when compared with said recorded and stored measurements;
- and
- means for rejecting said entire preselected quantity of vials when any one vial of said preselected quantity is classified as a rejects in said first or second test stations.
A method of simultaneously testing a plurality of liquid filled plastic vials for proper content and leakage which comprises:
- placing a quantity of vials on a first test station base;
- simultaneously applying an equal force individually to each of said quantity of vials in said first test station;
- detecting any variation in resistance to the force applied to each individual vial of said quantity of vials relative to the other vials;
- classifying as a reject all of said quantity of vials if a selected number of vials show a resistance outside of preselected limits;
- placing said quantities of vials on a second test station base;
- applying a second equal force individually and simultaneously to each of said quantity of vials if said quantity is classified acceptable at said first test station;
- measuring said second force applied to each individual vial a first time;
- classifying as a reject said quantity of vials if at least one vial measures outside of preset limits;
- measuring said second force then again a second time if said quantity is classified acceptable;
- measuring and recording the force applied to each of said quantity of vials at said first and second spaced apart times;
- comparing said first and second sets of force measurements for each of said quantity of vials;
- classifying as rejects all quantities of vials where at least one of said vials compared applied force measurements fall outside of preset limits;
- ejecting said entire quantity of vials of all quantities classified as rejects.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.