초록 ▼

An optical apparatus for determining the level of the contents in a container using a reflected light beam that sweeps across two adjacent photocells while the container is being filled. The light beam is reflected from the surface of the contents in the container so that as the level of the content

An optical apparatus for determining the level of the contents in a container using a reflected light beam that sweeps across two adjacent photocells while the container is being filled. The light beam is reflected from the surface of the contents in the container so that as the level of the contents varies the reflected light beam correspondingly travels from one photocell to the other. The photocells are electrically connected in opposed relationship and the differential output therefrom is arranged to trigger a relay when the level of the contents reaches a predetermined height. The container is rotated about its vertical axis during filling so that the light reflected from the gradually raising upper surface of the contents is reflected from a rotating annulus of said surface thereby providing more effective detection of the level of a particulate or segmented product in the container.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for filling a container to a predetermined level comprising means for supporting a container having a vertical axis of generation, means for filling said container with a product, means for rotating the container and product about said axis, a light source, a first lens for focusing the li

Apparatus for filling a container to a predetermined level comprising means for supporting a container having a vertical axis of generation, means for filling said container with a product, means for rotating the container and product about said axis, a light source, a first lens for focusing the light from said light source upon a spot on a rotating annulus that is concentric with said axis and is formed on the top surface of the product in said container, a second lens positioned so as to receive at least a portion of the light reflected from said annulus, a photodetector means having a pair of photosensitive elements positioned directly adjacent to each other in a plane parallel to the plane of said second lens, said photosensitive elements being electrically connected so that an output signal is provided therefrom which is indicative of the relative amounts of light received by each of the elements, said second lens being positioned with respect to said photodetector means and said rotating annulus so that said light reflected from said spot on said annulus is focused on said photodetector means, said photodetector means being capable of providing a continuous measurement of the angle between said lenses about said spot on said rotating annulus to thereby provide continuous measurement of the level of the top surface of the product in said container, and control means connected to said photodetector means and to said means for filling the container for stopping said means for filling the container in response to said output signal when said top surface of the product in said container reaches said predetermined level.