U.S. patent number 3,811,567 [Application Number 05/315,827] was granted by the patent office on 1974-05-21 for apparatus for insepction of ampoules.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Takeda Chemical Industries, Inc.. Invention is credited to Tadakazu Karitani, Takashi Ohtsuki, Akio Tomita.
United States Patent |
3,811,567 |
Tomita , et al. |
May 21, 1974 |
APPARATUS FOR INSEPCTION OF AMPOULES
Abstract
An apparatus for inspection of ampoules wherein ampoules to be
inspected are positioned in alignment with a plurality of pairs of
holders having inwardly tapering portions, into and by which the
shoulder or bottom portions of ampoules are inserted and held, and
rotated by the holders without there being any shaking or other
movement to cause formation of bubbles in the liquid in the
ampoules, and any foreign bodies in the ampoules are illuminated by
a source of light without there being reflection of light from
other ampoules with the result that inspection of ampoules can be
carried out accurately, and without misinterpretation, directly by
an operator or by a television camera.
Inventors: |
Tomita; Akio (Tsuneyoshi,
JA), Karitani; Tadakazu (Hyogo, JA),
Ohtsuki; Takashi (Osaka, JA) |
Assignee: |
Takeda Chemical Industries,
Inc. (Osaka, JA)
|
Family
ID: |
14395724 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/315,827 |
Filed: |
December 18, 1972 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Dec 22, 1971 [JA] |
|
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46-104997 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
209/3.1; 209/524;
209/701; 209/914; 356/427; 348/127; 209/644; 209/939 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B07C
5/3422 (20130101); G01N 21/9027 (20130101); B07C
5/365 (20130101); G01N 21/9018 (20130101); Y10S
209/914 (20130101); Y10S 209/939 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B07C
5/342 (20060101); B07c 005/342 () |
Field of
Search: |
;209/111.6,111.7,74,73
;356/240,197,196,198 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schacher; Richard A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Wenderoth, Lind & Ponack
Claims
1. An apparatus for inspection of ampoules each having a bottom, a
shoulder at the upper end, and a tip projecting upwardly from the
shoulder, said apparatus comprising a plurality of pairs of freely
rotatable holders, each pair consisting of an upper and a lower
holder each aligned with the other, and having inwardly tapering
portions into and by which the shoulder and bottom of an ampoule
are inserted and held, said upper holder having a recess therein
into which the tip of the ampoule fits without being engaged by
said upper holder, transportation means on which the holders are
mounted with the upper and lower holders in alignment and in
succession around a set, regular path past an inspection point,
guide means on said transportation means for moving the upper
holder up and down in such a manner that at a first stage of the
transportation means the upper holder is raised to increase the
space between the two holders for permitting an ampoule to be
placed between the holders, at a next stage the upper holder is
lowered for securing the ampoule between the holders in which
condition the ampoule is carried past the inspection point, and at
a last stage the upper holder is raised again so that the ampoule
can be removed from the holders, driving means operatively
associated with at least one of said holders for rotating the
holders and the ampoules secured between the holders about their
axis so that the liquid in the ampoules continues to move, as do
also any glass fragments or other foreign bodies that may be
contained therein, at the inspection point, and a source of light
at the inspection point for illuminating the ampoules at the
inspection point so as to detect any fragments or other foreign
bodies that may be contained therein as the ampoules move past the
inspection
2. An apparatus for inspection of ampoules as claimed in claim 1
further comprising shading means provided between each pair of the
ampoules carried by the transportation means for ensuring cut-off
of light from
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a take-up
assembly for supplying ampoules one at a time to said holders, said
assembly being positioned adjacent said transportation means, said
take-up assembly comprising a substantially horizontal belt
conveyor on which ampoules are placed in a standing position with
the bottoms on the conveyor belt, a star wheel unit at the end of
the belt conveyor for taking ampoules one at a time off the end of
the belt, guide walls at the end of the belt directed diagonally of
the belt and toward the star wheel unit for guiding ampoules toward
the star wheel unit, and a rotary unit between the end of one of
the guide walls and the star wheel unit and having a portion just
above and close to the belt and moving in the opposite direction to
the direction of movement of the belt conveyor for preventing
bridging of the
4. An apparatus for inspection of ampoules each having a bottom, a
shoulder at the upper end, and a tip projecting upwardly from the
shoulder, said apparatus comprising a plurality of pairs of freely
rotatable holders, each pair consisting of an upper and a lower
holder each aligned with the other, and having inwardly tapering
portions into and by which the shoulder and bottom of an ampoule
are inserted and held, said upper holder having a recess therein
into which the tip of the ampoule fits without being engaged by
said upper holder, transportation means including an upper and a
lower disc and a shaft on which the discs are mounted, the upper
disc having a plurality of support rods freely slidably mounted
thereon for sliding movement up and down and at regular intevals
around said upper disc, the upper holders being rotatably mounted
on said support rods, rollers at the upper ends of said support
rods, and the lower disc having the lower holders rotatably
disposed on the periphery thereof at positions corresponding to the
upper holders on the upper disc, means coupled to said
transportation means for rotating the discs in one direction around
the shaft past an inspection point, guide means acting on said
rollers for moving the upper holders up and down in such a manner
that at a first stage of the transportation means the upper holder
is raised to increase the space between the two holders for
permitting an ampoule to be placed between the holders, at a next
stage the upper holder is lowered for securing the ampoule between
the holders in which condition the ampoule is carried past the
inspection point, and at a last stage the upper holder is raised
again so that the ampoule can be removed from the holders, driving
means operatively associated with at least one of said holders for
rotating the holders and the ampoules secured between the holders
about their axis so that the liquid in the ampoules continues to
move, as do also any glass fragments or other foreign bodies that
may be contained therein, at the inspection point, and a source of
light at the inspection point for illuminating the ampoules at the
inspection point so as to detect any fragments or other foreign
bodies that may be contained
5. An apparatus for inspection of ampoules as claimed in claim 4
further comprising shading means interposed between each pair of
ampoules and movable with the transportation means for ensuring
cut-off of light from objects external to ampoules being inspected.
Description
The present invention relates to an apparatus for the inspection of
ampoules, phials or similar containers and more particularly to an
inspection apparatus wherein ampoules, phials or similar containers
to be inspected are illuminated while the liquid within them is
rotated, whereby the presence of glass fragments or other foreign
bodies within the ampoules is easily detected.
There is sometimes unintentional inclusion of glass fragments or
other foreign bodies in ampoules, phials or similar containers,
etc., (hereinbelow referred to generically as `ampoules`), which
must therefore be checked for the presence of such foreign bodies.
In conventional devices this inspection is generally carried out on
ampoules being transported on a conveyor, either directly by an
operator or by a television camera, etc.; however, with such
conventional apparatus it is difficult to determine accurately the
presence of foreign bodies, since they mostly sink to the bottom or
float to the top of the liquid in the ampoules being inspected, in
which position they remain, since during conveyor belt transport
they are static relative to the ampoules.
To overcome this defect in conventional inspection apparatus the
inventors devised means whereby the liquid in ampoules could be
moved by rotation and illuminated in order to make detection of
foreign bodies in the ampoules easy due to reflection of light by
such foreign bodies. During their research many problems were met
with, the most important of which was that a minimum speed of
rotation of ampoules is required in order to move any foreign
bodies that might be present in the liquid therein, and high-speed
rotation can also give rise to air bubbles in the liquid which
could reflect light and be misinterpreted as being foreign bodies.
Also, when ampoules are examined by a lamp this manner there is a
risk of reflection of light on to the wall of an ampoule being
examined from an adjacent ampoule, or next adjacent ampoule, and
this reflected light can be misinterpreted as representing foreign
bodies; reflected light from a next adjacent ampoule is especially
likely to cause confusion: this is apparently since the intervening
ampoule, immediately next to the ampoule being examined, acts just
like a lens.
In addition, known means for the continuous take-up, one at a time,
of ampoules to be inspected standing in any order, have been formed
by guide boards the distance between which, for a certain stretch,
is narrowed so that ampoules move between them in single line on a
belt conveyor, or similar transport means. However, such
conventional apparatus has the disadvantage that smooth, continuous
operation is not usually obtainable in practice, the reason being
that there is a strong tendency for ampoules, due to friction
between them caused by fine striations or unevenness of their
surfaces, to block one another at the entrance to the narrow
portion of the guides. Another disadvantage, consequent on this
jamming, is that a gap is formed in the line of ampoules
transported in the narrow portion of the guides, and ampoules fall
and smash and stop the progress of other ampoules, which again
renders impossible take-up of one ampoule at a time in a smooth,
continuous operation.
Also, known means for the continuous removal of inspected ampoules
separated into two or more groups comprise flap-gates which
effectively act as guides to a flow of ampoules or push-rods or
similar means, for forcibly directing ampoules along another path,
provided at a point where it is wished to separate ampoules into
separate groups. However, such conventional devices have the
disadvantages that when ampoules are separated they are subject to
shock due to impact with the flap-gates, push-rods, etc., and
therefore easily damaged, or that the apparatus is of low
efficiency mechanically due to the fact that considerable
displacement of flap-gates or push-rods, etc., is required for them
to fulfil the function of separating ampoules.
To overcome the disadvantages inherent in conventional apparatus
associated with ampoules, phials and similar containers, the
present invention has as an object the provision of an apparatus
whereby ampoules being inspected are carried close to one another
in a single line, and, during inspection, the liquid contained in
the ampoules is rotated at high speed without giving rise to air
bubbles and reflects light without causing interference
illumination between ampoules so as to make it possible to detect
bodies that may be present in the liquid, the apparatus thus making
possible accurate, correct and efficient inspection of ampoules;
and whereby the smooth take-up of one ampoule to be inspected at a
time from a group of ampoules, and the accurate separation and
distribution of inspected ampoules into two or more groups are made
practically possible.
Accordingly, an essential object of the present invention is to
provide an inspection apparatus comprising a plurality of pairs of
freely rotatable holders which are carried around a fixed circular
path, each pair consisting of an upper and a lower holder each
aligned with the other and having an opening that tapers inwards,
the upper one of which holders can be consecutively lowered to a
definite position and then raised, and both or at least one of
which can be rotated at high speed during a set portion of their
revolution, each ampoule to be inspected being held at its shoulder
and bottom in the tapered portions of a pair of holders, with which
it revolves, and being illuminated by a source of light at a fixed
point in this revolution.
With this arrangement, when the upper holders are lowered to a set
position ampoules are held with their shoulder and bottom portions
inserted in the tapered portions for that purpose in the freely
rotatable holders, in which position they can be rotated at high
speed without air bubbles being formed in the liquid contained in
them, since no up and down movement is permitted, and, unlike
conventional devices wherein ampoules are held at the top and
bottom, the central points between their shoulders and bottoms lie
perfectly self-adjusted along one line, and, the ampoule shoulder
and bottom portions being fitted into tapering portions in the
holders, the ampoules are automatically centered with respect to
the holders, and when the holders are rotated the ampoules are
rotated about a vertical axis without there being anything to cause
shaking or bubbles forming in the liquid in the ampoules.
Ampoules that have thus been rotated at high speed, without
formation of bubbles, are carried past a source of light at a fixed
point, where any glass fragments or other foreign bodies in the
ampoules are illuminated while rotating, and since they reflect the
light, can be detected directly by an operator, or by a television
camera, etc., the present invention thus making possible an
accurate inspection of ampoules without there being any risk of
formation of air bubbles which could be misinterpreted as being
glass fragments or other foreign bodies.
Further, a plurality of pairs of holders as described above are
provided, each pair being carried, in order, around a set circular
path, during a set portion of which one or both holders is rotated
at a requisite speed; at a stage before this rotation the upper
holder is raised by a fixed guide cam or other suitable means,
widening the space between the two holders, an ampoule is
automatically placed between the holders by a rotary table or a
star wheel conveyor or other suitable means, and the upper holder
is lowered, the holders thus securing the ampoule, which is then
carried past the inspection point, after which the upper holder is
raised again, thus releasing the ampoule which is then removed from
the system by a means similar to that used for supplying it. Hence,
in the present invention, supply and removal of ampoules being
automatic, inspection efficiency is improved and economy
obtained.
In order to improve accuracy in determining whether or not glass
fragments or other foreign bodies are present in ampoules, the
inspection apparatus of the present invention further provides
means for braking high-speed rotation of holders almost immediately
after it has been imparted, by which action movement of foreign
bodies relative to the ampoules is made even greater.
Another important object of the present invention is to provide an
inspection apparatus which further includes shading boards which
move together with it and are placed between one ampoule to be
inspected and the next.
Therefore, ampoules are carried, by the rotatory table, in a line
past a lamp which illuminates them successively; any glass
fragments or other foreign bodies present in an ampoule being
inspected reflect light and can therefore be detected, either
directly by an operator, or by a television camera, and the
interposition of a shading board between one ampoule and the next
ensures that there is no reflection of light, that could be
misinterpreted as being due to foreign bodies, from adjacent
ampoules into an ampoule being inspected. Hence, the present
invention offers the advantage that ampoules can be carried very
close to one another and inspection is accurate and very
efficient.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an
inspection apparatus which further comprises a belt conveyor and a
rotary unit the peripheral surface of which is vertical and which
rotates in the opposite direction to the belt conveyor, positioned
near one side of one end of the belt, and a star wheel conveyor
which is in contact with the same end of the belt and rotates from
the side of the belt opposite to the above-mentioned rotary unit is
to the side where the rotary unit is.
With this arrangement, ampoules to be inspected standing in any
order on the belt conveyor are transported thereby to the star
wheel conveyor, by which they are taken up therefrom. At this
take-up stage there is a tendency for ampoules to pile up, since
there is a difference in the number delivered by the belt and the
number taken up in the notched, holding portions of the star wheel
conveyor, which means there are always ampoules at this point.
Therefore, a rotary unit, rotating in the opposite direction to the
belt, is positioned near one side of the belt at this end, i.e.,
above one side of the belt at the end where it comes into contact
with the star wheel conveyor, and, hence, ampoules in the region
between this rotary unit and the star wheel conveyor are carried by
a belt conveyor to a star wheel conveyor, in the notch portions of
which they are taken up, but without any jamming at the take-up
stage, at which, however, there is always a constant supply, and
ampoules can be fed constantly, one at a time, in a smooth,
continuous operation. Also, because ampules are being transferred
from a belt conveyor to a star wheel conveyor, they can be supplied
to a desired location without change of position.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an
inspection apparatus which further comprises a star wheel conveyor
for transport of inspected ampoules in a line and a delivery guide
in contact with the line for removal of ampoules at a main delivery
point, and prior to this point a take-off assembly which is
positioned near the line and for removal of ampoules to another
system, and opposite which is positioned a compressed air ejector
nozzle which ejects compressed air at determined times.
With this arrangement, when the compressed air ejector is not
operative, ampoules carried on the star wheel conveyor are simply
taken to the main delivery point where, directed by the delivery
guide, they are removed from the star wheel conveyor line. However,
any ampoule carried by the star wheel conveyor that comes into line
with the ejector nozzle at the time the latter is functioning is
directed by compressed air from the nozzle to the take-off
assembly, by which it is removed from the system. The manner of
control of the compressed air ejector is by a known means, for
example, comprising a switching valve, that periodically opens or
closes, inserted in the compressed air ejector's air supply circuit
and a solenoid valve controlled by signals emitted at a previous
stage of inspection operations during transport of ampoules on the
star wheel conveyor.
Hence, the present invention has the advantage that it makes
possible the alternate removal of inspected ampoules from a star
wheel conveyor first to one system and then to another, and, unlike
when use is made of flap-gates, push-rods, etc., this is achieved
as a continuous operation without there being any risk of damage to
ampoules due to mechanical shock. In addition, the take-off
assembly consists of rubber rollers, so that even if ampoules are
subjected to a strong blast of compressed air they do not risk
being damaged. The rollers can be a pair of counter-rotary rollers,
but it is also possible to have one of the rollers in direct
contact with a guide board.
These and other objects and features of the present invention will
become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following
description taken in conjunction with the preferred embodiment
thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, in which;
FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an apparatus for
inspection of ampoules embodying the present invention, and
portions thereof being broken away for the purpose of illustration
of various component parts disposed thereunder,
FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partially broken away, of the apparatus
shown in FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the apparatus taken along the
line III -- III In FIG. 2,
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale of a portion
of FIG. 2,
FIG. 5 is a schematic developed view on an enlarged scale of a
guide cam employed in the apparatus of FIG. 1, and
FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view on an enlaged scale of
shading boards employed in the apparatus of FIG. 1.
Before the description of the present invention proceeds, it is to
be noted that like parts are designated by the like reference
numerals throughout the several views of the accompanying
drawings.
Ampoules A are placed standing, but not necessarily in any order,
on a belt conveyor 10 the upper side of which is preferably
inclined slightly downward in the direction of its travel, a
suitable inclination being, generally, about 4.degree. or less, and
has by either side fixed guide boards 11 and 12 which are gently
bent towards one another at a delivery end where the belt conveyor
10 meets a star wheel conveyor 13. Feed of standing ampoules A onto
the belt conveyor 10 is conveniently by advancing them thereto by
any suitable means from a feed-tray (not shown), on which they have
been placed standing, in contact with one end of the belt conveyor
10.
At one end of the guide board 12 there is provided an endless belt
pile-up breaker 14 the vertical board surface of which rotates in
the oposite direction to the belt conveyor 10 and which is
positioned close to, above and at one side of the delivery end of
the belt conveyor 10 in an alignment that is substantially in a
line with the end portion of the guide board 12 and is
approximately symmetrical with an inwardly sloping portion 11a of
the other guide board 11. Ampoules A carried on the belt conveyor
10 under guidance of the guide boards 11 and 12 are arranged
smoothly without any jamming and piling by the endless belt pile-up
breaker 14 and are fed constantly into carrying notches 13a of the
star wheel conveyor 13 which take off the ampoules A one by one by
rotation thereof. Ampoules A are slowly revolved en masse by
operation of the star wheel conveyor 13 and the breaker 14,
clockwise in FIG. 2, and, individually, are taken one at a time
into the notch portions 13a of the star wheel conveyor 13, and
take-off is in a smooth, continuous operation.
The star wheel conveyor 13 is formed like a disc having one end
placed above the delivery end of the belt conveyor 10, and rotates
around its axis 13b from the side of the long guide board 11
towards the side of the breaker 14, and below which is disposed an
underboard 15, and by the periphery of which, over the stretch
where it carries ampoules A, is disposed a guide board 16.
At the side of the star wheel conveyor 13 opposite to the conveyor
10 there is provided a rotary conveyor 17 comprising a pair of
positively rotating discs 18 and 19 rotatably mounted with an
interval between them on a shaft 20 provided perpendicularly on a
base 21 and having disposed on their peripheries a plurality of
holders 22 and 23, respectively, upper holders 22 being held by
journals 24 on support rods 25 held by the upper disc 18 while
lower holders 23 are held by journals 26 in the lower disc 19. The
holders 22 and 23 are disposed at regular intervals around their
respective discs 18 and 19 and opposite one another to form pairs,
and have openings 22a and 23a at their ends which taper inwards and
receive the shoulder and bottom portions, respectively of ampoules
A. Both holders 22 and 23 are free to rotate about their axes in
the respective journals 24 and 26 and the upper holders 22 of
cap-like type are slidingly suspended by the support rods 25 and
are always pressed downwards by compression springs 27 provided
between the shoulder portion 22b of the upper holder 22 and the
journal 24, and the lower holders 23 of cylinder-like type are
supported within the lower disc 19. The support rods 25 are
inserted into journals 28 in the upper disc 18 so as to be free to
slide up and down and to rotate around their axes and are provided
at their lower end with cylinder cases 29 accommodated the journals
24 therein and at their upper end they project beyond the journal
28 of the upper disc 18 and have rollers 30 mounted thereon. The
shaft 20 on which the rotary conveyor 17 is rotatably mounted on
journals 17a is fixedly supported by a bearing 31 fixed on the base
21 and has fixedly mounted thereon above the rotary conveyor 17 a
cam holder 32 having a pair of guide cams 33 and 34 on which
rollers 21 and 28 are riding.
The rotary conveyor 17, the pair of discs 18 and 19 and the star
wheel conveyor 13 are rotated synchronously by any known gear
mechanism G.sub.1 to G.sub.7 and a motor M.sub.1 at such speeds
that the speed of travel between one pair of holders 22 and 23 on
the discs 18 and 19 and the next, and between one carrying notch
13a on the star wheel conveyor 13 and the next, is the same,
successive notches 13a meeting successive pairs of holders 22 and
23. At a suitable distance before each pair of holders 22 and 23
meets a notch 13a, at which time the holders 22 and 23 and notch
13a all lie on one line, the space between the openings 22a and 23a
of the holders 22, 23 is widened by the upper holder 22 being
raised by the roller 30 attached to the support rod 25 from which
the upper holder 22 is suspended riding on a top-cam portion 33a of
the guide cam 33 which is higher over a certain stretch than a
bottom-cam portion 33b of the guide cam 33, as shown in FIG. 5, the
end of the top-cam portion 33a being gradually lowered to the same
level as the bottom-cam portion 33b.
After the roller 30 has passed the top-cam portion 33a, at which
time the space between the holders 22 and 23 is widened so that an
ampoule A can be inserted under guidance of the guide board 16 onto
the lower holder 23, it moves downwards to lower level of its end
33a and the space between the holders 22 and 23 is reduced so that
the ampoule A inserted onto the lower holder 23 is held correctly
aligned between the upper and lower holders 22 and 23 with its
shoulder A.sub.1 and bottom A.sub.2 inserted in the holder taper
portions 22a and 23a, respectively. To avoid damage to an ampoule A
when it is thus held or shaking of the liquid it contains, it is
preferable for this lowering of the upper holder 22 to be carried
out in two stages, which can be a first stage where the holder 22
is lowered to about 1 mm from the shoulder portion A.sub.1 of the
ampoule A and a second stage where it is lowered completely.
When the roller 30 is shifted from the top-cam portion 33a to the
bottom-cam portion 33b and has passed the bottom-cam portion 33b,
the support rod 25 is raised up only by the compression spring 27
provided between the journal 24 and the shoulder portion 22b of the
upper holder 22 the tapered opening 22a of which is engaged with
the shoulder portion A.sub.1 of the ampoule A so that the roller 30
can contact the bottom-cam portion 33b from below. Also, the
support rod 25 is free to slide and to rotate so as to easily
engage the tapered opening 22a of the upper holder 22 with the
shoulder portion A.sub.1 of the ampoule A the bottom of which
portion A.sub.2 is received within the tapered portion 23a of the
lower holder 23, so that the ampoule A is held between two holders
22 and 23 in self-alignment with the axes of the two holders 22 and
23, and is capable of rotating together with the two holders 22 and
23.
As the discs 18 and 19 of the rotary conveyor 17 rotate in the
clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 2 by the gear mechanism
G.sub.1 to G.sub.7 and motor M.sub.1 ampoules A held between the
holders 22 and 23 are carried around a circular path, on part of
which is provided a drive belt 35 which contacts the outer
peripheries of the lower holders 23, and as each ampoule A held in
a pair of tapered portions 22a and 23a of the holders 22 and 23
passes the location of the drive belt 35 driven by any conventional
means C it is rotated with the upper holder 22 by the lower holder
23 being rotated about its axis at high speed through contact
between its outer periphery with the drive belt 35. Although
rotation of the ampoule A by the drive belt 35 is braked at a point
slightly beyond the drive belt 35 by contact of the lower holder 23
with a friction belt 36 fixed near to the drive belt 35, due to
inertia of the ampoule A, the liquid in the ampoule A continues to
move, as do also any glass fragments or other foreign bodies that
may be contained therein.
Beneath the line of travel of the lower holder 23, at a point on
the circular path of the ampoule A immediately after the spot where
the braking operation of the friction belt 36 is carried out, there
is provided a lamp 37 with a hood 38, light from which passes
through a cylindrical central portion of the lower holder 23 and
illuminates the ampoule A held within the upper opening 23a of the
lower holder 23, at which stage glass fragments or other foreign
bodies in the liquid of the ampoule A are easily detected, either
directly by an operator, or by a television camera T through a hood
39, if present in the liquid of the ampoule A, since they are still
moving, as described above, and reflect the light from the lamp
37.
Thus, ampoules A, and the liquid therein, are positioned in
alignment with upper and lower holders 22 and 23 and rotated,
without moving from this alignment, and without there being any
shaking or other movement to cause formation of bubbles in the
liquid in the ampoules A, and any foreign bodies in the ampoule A
are illuminated and reflect light while moving, with the result
that inspection of the ampoules A can be carried out accurately,
and without misinterpretation, directly by an operator or by the
television camera T.
The rotary conveyor 17 also comprises shading boards 40 of U-shape
which are attached to holding rods 41 and so disposed that there is
one shading board 40 between each ampoule A to be examined and the
next two ampoules in either direction therefrom. The holding rods
41 are slidingly mounted in journals 42 in the upper disc 18 which
are positioned inwardly of and correspond to the journals 28 for
the support rods 25 and are provided at their ends beyond the
journals 42 with rollers 43 in pressure contact with the fixed
lower guide cam 34 of the cam holder 32 by spring 44 provided
between the ends of the rods 41 and the upper disc 18, and thus, as
the discs 18 and 19 rotate, the shading boards 40, with their
holding rods 41, move together with it as one unit. To facilitate
the correct positioning and holding of ampoules A between the
holders 22 and 23, the shading boards 40 are similarly raised by
the fixed guide cam 34 at the same time as the holders 22 and 23
are moved relative to one another, at the stage where ampoules A to
be examined are supplied to the discs, and then lowered. Provision
of shading boards 40 between each pair of holders 22 and 23 ensures
cut-off of light from objects external to ampoules A being examined
which could be reflected by the ampoules A themselves or by the
liquid within them and be misinterpreted as being foreign
bodies.
A succession of ampoules A, each held between a pair of holders 22
and 23, is transported and examined, after which the ampoules A can
be examined again in the same manner and then carried to a second
star wheel conveyor 45, or carried to the star wheel conveyor 45
without a second examination.
The portion of the fixed guide cam 33 above where ampoules A meet
the star wheel conveyor 45 is raised, so that at this location
rollers 30, support rods 25 and, hence, upper holders 22 are raised
together, therefore, when an ampoule A reaches the star wheel
conveyor 45, the space between the holders 22 and 23 holding it is
widened, the ampoule A is released from the holders 22 under
guidance of a guide rail 46 and transferred to and removed from the
rotary conveyor 17 by the star wheel conveyor 45. Also, the other
fixed guide cam 43 raises the shading boards 40 at the location
where examined ampoules A are removed, so as to follow the
corresponding upper holder 22.
The star wheel conveyor 45 rotates synchronously with the discs 18
and 19 around its axis 45b and is provided with notches 45a at its
periphery spaced a certain interval between each other for
transport of ampoules A. In addition, there is provided the
underboard 15 beneath the star wheel conveyor 45, a guide rail 46
at the portion of the periphery of the star wheel conveyor 45 and a
delivery guide 46a composed of a pair of fixed guide boards facing
one another at a position near the periphery of the star wheel
conveyor 45, by which examined ampoules held in notches 45a of the
star wheel conveyor 45 are guided as they are taken out of the star
wheel conveyor 45. Also, at the position near the periphery of the
star wheel conveyor 45 at a point before the location of the
delivery guide 46a, there is provided an ampoule take-off assembly
47 comprising a compressed air ejector nozzle 48 having a solenoid
valve 49 controlled automatically by the electric signals generated
by a control box B connected with the television camera T scanning
ampoules A for detecting foreign bodies in the ampoules in the
rotatory conveyor 17, and a pair of rubber rollers 50 and 51 with a
fixed board delivery guide 52 for receiving an ampoule A from the
star wheel conveyor 45 by compressed air blown by the ejector
nozzle and transporting the ampoule to the guide, one roller 50
being driven by motor M.sub.2.
Ampoules A transferred from the rotary conveyor 17 to the star
wheel conveyor 45 are directed by the latter's rotation to the
delivery guide 46. If, when ampoules A come in line with the
compressed air ejector nozzle 48 and the latter's solenoid valve 49
receives no operating signals from the television camera T, the
ampoules A pass to the delivery guide 46, via which they are
removed from the star wheel conveyor 45, such ampoules A being
suitably, ampoules A' which have been passed as good in an
inspection, for example. On the contrary, when the compressed air
ejector nozzle's solenoid valve 49 receives an operating signal, an
ampoule A in line with the nozzle 48 has compressed air blown on
it, either directly from the nozzle 48 or through a passage
provided in the star wheel conveyor 45, and is directed to the
rollers 50 and 51, by which it is removed to the guide 52, such
ampoules A being, for example, ampoules A" classed as rejects in an
inspection of the television camera T which detects the presence or
otherwise of foreign bodies in ampoules A".
If the division of ampoules A is into passed ampoules A' and
rejected ampoules A", the latter A" can be simply disposed of in a
waste box 53, etc., or if it is required to recover ampoules
removed from the star wheel conveyor 45 via the take out assembly,
this is easily done by the provision of a pair of guide boards or
any other suitable guide leading from the take out assembly.
Although the present invention has been fully described in
conjunction with the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be
noted that various change and modifications will be apparent to
those skilled in the art. For example, the present invention also
covers operations where ampoules from the star wheel conveyor 1 are
separated into different batches of determined sizes; in this case
it is merely necessary to adjust the operation, non-operation
changeover to set times.
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