Method and apparatus for monitoring wall thickness of blow-molded plastic containers

A method of inspecting wall thickness of blow-molded plastic containers comprising

• providing a plastic container blow-molder having a plurality of molds and plurality of spindles,
• inspecting said container by impinging infrared light thereon and detecting the portion of said infrared light that passes through said container,
• converting said detected light into corresponding electrical signals which are delivered to a microprocessor,
• comparing in said microprocessor said electrical signals with stored data regarding desired wall thickness and emitting output thickness information regarding said container wall thickness,
• delivering to said microprocessor signals received from sensors associated with said blow-molder relating to said mold and said spindle involved in making the container being inspected, and
• employing two distinct infrared wavelengths in said inspection method.

A method of inspecting wall thickness of blow-molded plastic containers comprising

• providing a plastic container blow-molder having a plurality of molds and a plurality of spindles,
• inspecting said container by impinging infrared light thereon and detecting the portion of said infrared light that passes through container,
• converting said detected light into corresponding electrical signals which are delivered to a microprocessor,
• comparing in said microprocessor said electrical signals with stored data regarding desired wall thickness and emitting output thickness information regarding said container wall thickness,
• delivering to said microprocessor signals received from sensors associated with said blow-molder relating to said mold and said spindle involved in making the container being inspected,
• inspecting a plurality of vertically spaced portions of said container substantially simultaneously,
• said microprocessor providing output thickness information for each said vertically disposed portion, and
• visually displaying at least a portion of said microprocessor emitted output thickness information.

Apparatus for inspecting wall thickness of blow-molded plastic containers comprising

• a blow-molder having a plurality of molds and a plurality of spindles,
• at least one source of infrared light for impinging said light on said container from the exterior thereof,
• at least one infrared detector for receiving infrared light passing through two walls of said container and converting the same into corresponding electrical signals,
• a microprocessor for receiving said electrical signals and comparing the same with stored data and determining the wall thickness of said container and whether it is within desired limits and emitting output thickness information, and
• blow-molder sensors preferably associated with said blow-molder to identify said molds and spindles and provide input to said microprocessor from which it can associate said container thickness information with the mold and spindle which made said container.

Apparatus for inspecting wall thickness of blow-molded plastic containers comprising

• a blow-molder having a plurality of molds and a plurality of spindles,
• at least one source of infrared light for impinging said light on said container,
• at least one infrared detector for receiving infrared light passing through said container and converting the same into corresponding electrical signals,
• a microprocessor for receiving said electrical signals and comparing the same with stored data and determining the wall thickness of said container and whether it is within desired limits and emitting output thickness information,
• blow-molder sensors preferably associated with said blow-molder to identify said molds and spindles and provide input to said microprocessor from which it can associate said container thickness information with the mold and spindle which made said container, and
• said source of infrared light emitting infrared light of two different wave lengths.