US 6,689,978 B2 · Closure lining and color detector

Abstract

A system is disclosed for detecting or inspecting for a lining of a container closure that is formed of a sheet metal and has a panel on an inside surface of the closure. The panel of the closure has a lining formed thereon. The system according to the present invention includes a conveyor for moving plural closures longitudinally and substantially through the system, a color sensor that inspects the panel of each one of the closures on the conveyor for a predetermined color, and a separator that is capable of removing closures that lack the predetermined color. The system may include an oven downstream from the sensor to bake the lining. Thus, the system automatically identifies and removes the closure having the deficient color from the conveyor. A corresponding method for identifying and removing a closure having a deficient color is also disclosed.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A system for identifying a predetermined color of decorated metal disks that are capable of being formed into container closures, said system comprising:

a conveyor for moving said plural decorated metal disks longitudinally therealong, said decorated metal disks having a colored side that is oriented upwardly on said conveyor;
and
a color sensor that senses said colored side of each one of said decorated metal disks for predetermined color, said color sensor being capable of identifying a sufficient color status that corresponds to a predetermined color on at least a portion of said decorated metal disk and a deficient color status that corresponds to a color that is not said predetermined color, wherein said color sensor senses a predetermined wavelength of light to identify the sufficient color status;
a separator capable of removing from said conveyor a decorated metal disk having a deficient color status;
whereby said system automatically identifies and removes said decorated metal disks that have said deficient color status from the conveyor.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Closure lining and color detector

Life of this patent

Closure lining and color detector

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9