Out-of-round detector

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1 wherein said directed and reflected signals are acoustic signals.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1 wherein said directed and reflected signals are optical signals.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 1 wherein said directed and reflected signals are microwave signals.

Claim 7

The method according to claim 5 wherein said step of rotating said container includes rotating the container while against a contacting surface, and wherein said step of directing said signal to the container surface includes directing the signal to an area on the container surface which is approximately diametrically opposed to the area of contact between the container surface and the contacting surface.

Claim 8

The method according to claim 5 including the step of operating a reject mechanism to eject the container if the threshold value is exceeded.

Claim 11

The method according to claim 8 wherein said incident and reflected signals are acoustic signals.

Claim 12

The method according to claim 8 wherein said incident and reflected signals are optical signals.

Claim 13

The method according to claim 8 wherein said incident and reflected signals are microwave signals.

Claim 17

Apparatus for detecting an out-of-round condition in a container, comprising: means for directing a signal towards a surface of the container, said signal being reflected by said surface, means for causing relative rotation between the container and signal, means for receiving the signal reflected from the surface of the container, means for detecting variations in the phase difference between the directed and received signals, means for detecting maximum and minimum peaks of said detected variations in phase difference, means for detecting the difference between said maximum and minimum peaks, and means for comparing said difference between the maximum and minimum peaks to a pre-established threshold value representative of an excessive out-of-round condition.

Claim 18

Apparatus for detecting an out-of-round condition in a container, comprising: means for directing a signal towards a surface of the container, said signal being reflected by said surface, means for causing relative rotation between the container and signal, means for receiving the signal reflected from the surface of the container, means for detecting variations in the phase difference between the directed and received signals, means for detecting maximum and minimum peaks of said detected variations in phase difference, means for detecting the difference between said maximum and minimum peaks, and means for comparing said difference between the maximum and minimum peaks to a pre-established threshold value representative of an excessive out-of-round condition.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said directed and reflected signals are acoustic signals.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said directed and reflected signals are optical signals.

Claim 21

Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said directed and reflected signals are microwave signals.

Claim 22

Apparatus in accordance with claims 15 or 16 including means for detecting the presence of said container at a test area, and means for resetting the output of said means for detecting the difference between said maximum and minimum peaks if said container is not present at said test area.

Claim 23

Apparatus in accordance with claims 15 or 16 wherein said means for detecting variations in the phase difference between the directed and received signals includes a first counter for counting directed signals, a second counter for counting the received acoustic signals, means for producing a pulse having a width determined by the counts maintained by said first and second counters, and means for integrating said pulse to provide a signal indicative of said variations in phase difference.

Claim 24

Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said means for producing a pulse includes a flip-flop which is set by said first counter and reset by said second counter.

Claim 25

Apparatus for detecting an out-of-round condition in a container, comprising: an oscillator, a transducer for generating an acoustic signal in response to said oscillator, said transducer including means for directing the acoustic signal towards a surface of the container, means for causing relative rotation between the container and signal, a second transducer for detecting an acoustic signal reflected from the surface of the container and generating an output signal in response to the received acoustic signal, means for computing variations in the phase difference between the oscillator signal and the output signal, means for detecting the maximum and minimum values of said variations in phase difference between the oscillator and output signals, means for detecting the difference between said maximum and minimum values, and means for comparing the difference between the maximum and minimum values to a pre-established threshold value representative of an excessive out-of-round condition.

Claim 26

Apparatus for detecting an out-of-round condition in a container, comprising: an oscillator, a transducer for generating an acoustic signal in response to said oscillator, said transducer including means for directing the acoustic signal towards a surface of the container, means for causing relative rotation between the container and signal, a second transducer for detecting an acoustic signal reflected from the surface of the container and generating an output signal in response to the received acoustic signal, means for computing variations in the phase difference between the oscillator signal and the output signal, means for detecting the maximum and minimum values of said variations in phase difference between the oscillator and output signals, means for detecting the difference between said maximum and minimum values, and means for comparing the difference between the maximum and minimum values to a pre-established threshold value representative of an excessive out-of-round condition.

Claim 27

Apparatus in accordance with claim 22 wherein said means for computing the value of the phase difference between the oscillator signal and the output signal includes a first counter for maintaining a count based on the oscillator signal, a second counter for maintaining a count based on the output signal, a flip-flop which is alternately set by said first counter and reset by said second counter, and means for integrating the output of the flip-flop to provide a signal indicative of said variations in phase difference.

Claim 28

Apparatus according to claim 23 including means for detecting the presence of said container at a test area, and means for resetting the output of said means for detecting the difference between said maximum and minimum values if said container is not present at said test area.

Claim 29

Apparatus for detecting an out-of-round condition in a container, comprising: means for directing a transmitter pulse signal towards a surface of the container, said pulse signal being reflected by said surface, means for causing relative rotation between the container and signal, means for receiving the signal reflected from the surface of the container, means for generating a variable pulse width signal based on the time of occurrence of said transmitter pulse signal and the time of reception of said reflected pulse signal, means for generating a variable amplitude signal based on said variable pulse width signal, means for detecting maximum and minimum peaks of said variable amplitude signal, means for detecting the difference between said maximum and minimum peaks, and means for comparing said difference between the maximum and minimum peaks to a pre-established threshold value representative of an excessive out-of-round condition.

Claim 30

Apparatus for detecting an out-of-round condition in a container, comprising: means for directing a transmitter pulse signal towards a surface of the container, said pulse signal being reflected by said surface, means for causing relative rotation between the container and signal, means for receiving the signal reflected from the surface of the container, means for generating a variable pulse width signal based on the time of occurrence of said transmitter pulse signal and the time of reception of said reflected pulse signal, means for generating a variable amplitude signal based on said variable pulse width signal, means for detecting maximum and minimum peaks of said variable amplitude signal, means for detecting the difference between said maximum and minimum peaks, and means for comparing said difference between the maximum and minimum peaks to a pre-established threshold value representative of an excessive out-of-round condition.

Claim 31

The apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said means for generating said variable pulse width signal includes means for reducing the frequency of the received reflected pulse signal by a factor N to increase the range over which said variable pulse width signal is generated despite variations in the time of reception of said reflected pulse signal relative to the time of occurrence of said transmitter pulse signal.

Claim 32

Method of detecting an out-of-round condition in a container, comprising: directing a transmitter pulse signal towards a surface of the container, said pulse signal being reflected by said container surface, causing relative rotation between the container and signal, receiving the signal reflected from the surface of the container, generating a variable pulse width signal based on the time of occurrence of said transmitter pulse signal and the time of reception of said reflected pulse signal, generating a variable amplitude signal based on said variable pulse width signal, detecting maximum and minimum peaks of said variable amplitude signal, detecting the difference between said maximum and minimum peaks, and comparing said difference between the maximum and minimum peaks to a pre-established threshold value representative of an excessive out-of-round condition.

Claim 33

Method of detecting an out-of-round condition in a container, comprising: directing a transmitter pulse signal towards a surface of the container, said pulse signal being reflected by said container surface, causing relative rotation between the container and signal, receiving the signal reflected from the surface of the container, generating a variable pulse width signal based on the time of occurrence of said transmitter pulse signal and the time of reception of said reflected pulse signal, generating a variable amplitude signal based on said variable pulse width signal, detecting maximum and minimum peaks of said variable amplitude signal, detecting the difference between said maximum and minimum peaks, and comparing said difference between the maximum and minimum peaks to a pre-established threshold value representative of an excessive out-of-round condition.

Claim 34

The method according to claim 27 wherein said step of generating a variable pulse width signal includes increasing the range over which said variable pulse width signal is generated by reducing the frequency of said received, reflected pulse signal by a factor N.