Foreign body inspection in filled containers

摘要

An apparatus for inspecting filled containers for foreign bodies that may be contained therein, where the filled container is mechanically excited by vibration or rotation so as to cause the possibly existing foreign bodies to rotate. The acoustic signals produced by the foreign bodies impacting on the inner wall of the container are detected and analyzed. Any signal detection is separated from mechanical excitation, and mechanical excitation is separated from container transport in that the signal-detecting sensor is applied to the container only after the end of the mechanical excitation. The mechanical excitation is executed by an excitation element that is brought into contact with the container independently of the holding elements used for the purpose of transport.

主权项

1. An apparatus for inspecting filled containers for foreign bodies while the container to be inspected is fixed in a transport unit by means of a holding element and transported along a predetermined trajectory, comprising:
an excitation device configured for mechanically exciting the container so that foreign bodies that may be present in the container will be caused to move, a sensor, an application device configured for applying the sensor to the container, the sensor being configured for detecting, when applied, acoustic signals of the foreign bodies that have been caused to move through mechanical excitation, and the application device configured for bringing the sensor into contact with the container only after an end of the mechanical excitation.