AUTOMATED POSITION LOCATOR FOR A HEIGHT SENSOR IN A DISPENSING SYSTEM

摘要

Apparatus and methods of determining a position of a height sensor (21) in a dispensing system (10). The dispensing system (10) includes a dispenser (16), height sensor (21), camera (20), and a calibration device (66) configured to receive a signal (142) from the height sensor (21). The calibration device (66) may include an optical sensor (64) that generates an alignment signal (142) in response to receiving light from the height sensor (21) and/or a fiducial that causes the height sensor (21) to generate the alignment signal (142) in response to a detected height change. The alignment signal (142) is used to automatically determine the position at which the height sensor (21) is aligned with the calibration device (66). The position of the height sensor (21) relative to a camera (20) is determined by aligning the camera (20) with the calibration device (66) and recording its position. The recorded coordinates of the camera (20) are compared to the coordinates of the height sensor (21) when the height sensor (21) is automatically aligned with the calibration device (66).