A method for inspecting a feature applied to a box blank during manufacture of a paper box, comprising the steps of illuminating at least that portion of box blank including the feature with an illumination source, receiving an image of the illuminated portion of the box blank from at least one optical sensor, varying a characteristic of the illumination source for optically distinguishing between the feature a surface of said portion of the box blank to which the feature is applied, comparing the received image to a stored product profile containing an optimal image of the feature to determine if features in the received image are similar to the features in the stored product profile, and using the comparison to indicate when the box blank does not conform to the product profile.

Error detection system for verifying the construction of paper boxes

A nonconforming product removing unit (5) is disposed between a folding unit (4) and a counter ejector (6) of a box making machine, and includes a sort-out unit (53) that conveys a corrugated board box (B) whose joint is judged to be good by a judging unit to the counter ejector (6), and on the other hand discharges a corrugated board box (B) whose joint is judged to be bad by the judging unit. Accordingly, only the conforming corrugated board box (B) can be conveyed to the counter ejector (6). Therefore, the nonconforming board box (B) can be removed easily, without requiring complicated work of taking out the nonconforming corrugated board box (B) from among corrugated board boxes (B) sorted into a predetermined number of batches by the counter ejector (6), and re-sorting only the conforming corrugated board boxes (B) into a predetermined number of batches.

Defective product removal device for box-making machine and box-making machine

A method and device for quality controlling packets of cigarettes, whereby, as a packet is fed, in use, through a quality control station, an optical detecting unit acquires data relative to given portions of the packet, which portions are coated with material optically detectable at wavelengths outside the visible range; the data detected by the optical detecting unit is compared with reference data, and the outcome of the comparison is used to determine acceptance or rejection of the packet; in this way, the condition of the packet can be determined regardless of the graphics on the packet.

Method and device for quality controlling packets

The method is disclosed for checking the accuracy of folding a parallelepiped box made from a cardboard blank ( 1 ) comprising four adjacent panels (P a , P b , P c , P d ), at least some edges of the panels being associated with flaps (R a1 , R a2 , R b1 , R b2 , R c1 , R c2 , R d1 , R d2 ) for closing the top and bottom surfaces of the box. Slots ( 5, 6 ) with parallel edges are formed between the adjacent flaps. In the method, the spacing between the edges of the slots ( 5, 6 ), produced between the flaps (R a1 , R d1 R a2 , R d2 ) when the outer panels are folded together, is compared with a predetermined standard spacing between the edges of the slots ( 5, 6 ) to determine whether the folded box is defective.

Checking the accuracy of folding of parallelepiped boxes

An automatic inspecting apparatus has a function for generating a discharge signal for discharging a defective object at a predetermined position. The automatic inspecting apparatus comprises an imaging device for imaging a moving object, a sensor for detecting the arrival of the object, an image processing unit for processing images produced by the imaging device to detect defective objects, and a discharge signal generating unit for discharging defective objects at a predetermined position. An ID number is assigned to each image produced by the imaging device, and pulses generated by an encoder start to be counted when each ID number is assigned. If the object is determined to be defective after image processing by the image processing unit, the discharge signal generating unit generates a discharge signal when the number of pulses counted for the corresponding ID number reaches a pulse number equivalent to the distance between the sensor position and the discharge position.

Automatic inspecting apparatus by image processing

An apparatus and method for inspecting skived glue, hemming and skew, and backfold of cartons by means of real time image comparison. The apparatus comprises channel sensors, means for measuring conveyor travel distance, a system controller coupled to the channel sensors, a memory for storing images, a processor coupled to the outputs of the system controller and the memory and a bad carton locator means. A known good carton is passed through the channel sensors and a reference synthetic image is stored in a memory. A test carton is passed through the channel sensors producing a real time image which is compared to the stored reference synthetic image for detecting defects.

Alfred L. Girard

Papers

Apparatus and method for inspecting box blanks