Hot bottle inspection apparatus

A glass bottle production line comprising:

• a) a bottle mold assembly;
• b) a conveyor having a hot end portion positioned proximate said bottle mold assembly and a cold end portion positioned remotely from said bottle mold assembly;
• and
• c) a hot bottle inspector comprising a bottle imager located at a fixed inspection station along said conveyor at said hot end portion thereof and a pressurized housing disposed in enclosing relationship with said imager;
• wherein, said pressurized housing defines a housing interior located within said pressurized housing and a housing exterior located outside of said pressurized housing;
• wherein, said housing interior contains an internal atmosphere;
• wherein, said housing exterior defines an external atmosphere;
• wherein, said internal atmosphere is at a higher pressure than said external atmosphere;
• and
• wherein, said imager is exposed to said internal atmosphere.

A glass bottle production line comprising:

• a) a bottle mold assembly;
• b) a conveyor having a hot end portion positioned proximate said bottle mold assembly and a cold end portion positioned remotely from said bottle mold assembly;
• c) a hot bottle inspector comprising a bottle imager located at a fixed inspection station along said conveyor at said hot end portion thereof and a pressurized housing disposed in enclosing relationship with said imager;
• d) a mold monitor assembly operatively associated with said bottle mold assembly;
• and
• e) a data processor operatively connected to said mold monitor assembly and said bottle imager;
• said pressurized housing defines a housing interior located within said pressurized housing and a housing exterior located outside of said pressurized housing;
• said housing interior contains an internal atmosphere;
• said housing exterior defines an external atmosphere;
• said internal atmosphere is at a higher pressure than said external atmosphere;
• and
• said imager is exposed to said internal atmosphere.