초록 ▼

A container inspection apparatus and method measures both warp and off-level of an annular sealing surface of a container. The apparatus preferably has a warp gauge device and an off-level gauge device suspended over a container support and base by at least one column for the warp gauge device and a

A container inspection apparatus and method measures both warp and off-level of an annular sealing surface of a container. The apparatus preferably has a warp gauge device and an off-level gauge device suspended over a container support and base by at least one column for the warp gauge device and a pillar for the off-level gauge device. When measuring for warp, the off-level gauge device is constructed and arranged to pivot clear of the warp gauge device, and vice-versa when measuring for off-level. The container preferably is held laterally or radially in place by two V-bracket assemblies, and vertically in place by a container support. The V-bracket assemblies are adjustable vertically to accommodate containers of differing diameters and heights. A spring loaded roller assembly supported by the pillar biases the sidewall of the container against the V-bracket assemblies assuring multiple points of contact properly to orient the container for distortion measurements by both the warp and off-level gauge devices. The V-bracket assemblies preferably are associated with a scale for orienting the containers of differing diameter along a common centerline utilized by both the warp and off-level gauge devices.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. Apparatus for inspecting a container sealing surface, which includes: a support base, a container support on said base for engaging and supporting the bottom of a container such that the container is in vertical orientation over said support base, at least one bracket h

The invention claimed is: 1. Apparatus for inspecting a container sealing surface, which includes: a support base, a container support on said base for engaging and supporting the bottom of a container such that the container is in vertical orientation over said support base, at least one bracket having angulated edges for engaging and locating the sidewall of a container on said container support, a roller for resiliently engaging the container sidewall opposite said at least one bracket to hold the container sidewall against said edges, at least one slide mounting said bracket to said support base for adjustment with respect to said container support to accommodate containers of different sizes, and a measurement head over said support base for engaging the sealing surface of a container on said container support and held by said roller against said bracket. 2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 further including a scale on said at least one bracket and coupled to said support base, said scale bearing indicia in units of container size to facilitate adjustment of said bracket on said support base. 3. The apparatus set forth in claim 2 comprising at least two of said brackets for engaging the container sidewall at vertically spaced positions, each of said brackets having an associated scale. 4. A container inspection apparatus for inspecting a container sealing surface, which includes: a support base, a container support on the support base for engaging and supporting a bottom surface of the container such that the container is vertically orientated over the support base, at least one bracket assembly having angulated edges for engaging and locating a sidewall of the container on the container support, said at least one bracket assembly having a sliding member mounting the bracket assembly to the support base for vertical adjustment to accommodate containers of different sizes, a measurement device oriented over the support base for engaging the sealing surface of the container on the container support, and a scale on the at least one bracket assembly carried by the sliding member; a V-block of the at least one bracket assembly coupled slidably to the sliding member and attached to the scale, wherein the angulated edges are carried by the V-block. 5. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 4 wherein the scale bears indicia in units of container size to facilitate adjustment of the V-block on the sliding member. 6. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 5 wherein said at least one bracket assembly includes at least two bracket assemblies for engaging the container sidewall at vertically spaced positions. 7. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein, in each of said bracket assemblies, the V-block slides horizontally with respect to the sliding member. 8. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 7 comprising at least one column projecting upward from the support base, wherein the sliding member is vertically oriented adjustably upon the at least one column. 9. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 8 wherein each one of the at least two bracket assemblies sliding vertically independently from an adjacent one of the at least two bracket assemblies. 10. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 7 comprising: a first column projecting upward from the support base and through a first bore of the sliding member; a second column disposed parallel to the first column and projecting upward from the support base and through a second bore of the slide member; and wherein the sliding member is vertically oriented adjustably upon and bridges the first and second columns. 11. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 10 comprising a first lock-down lever engaged threadably to the sliding member for lateral contact against the first column within the first bore. 12. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 11 comprising a second lock-down lever engaged threadably to the sliding member for lateral contact against the second column within the second bore. 13. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 12 comprising a warp gauge device supported by the support base and suspended adjustably above the container. 14. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 12 comprising an off-level gauge device supported by the support base and suspended adjustably above the container. 15. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 13 wherein the warp gauge device is supported by and slides vertically with respect to the at least one column above the at least two bracket assemblies. 16. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 15 comprising: a pillar projecting upward from the support base; a spring loaded roller assembly supported by the pillar and opposed diametrically and disposed vertically between the at least two bracket assemblies. 17. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 16 wherein the container is supported vertically by and positioned concentrically to the container support and supported laterally between the at least two bracket assemblies and the spring loaded roller assembly. 18. The container inspection apparatus set forth in claim 17 wherein the container support is a domed apex for producing a point contact with a bottom finish surface of the container. 19. A container inspection apparatus for inspecting a container sealing surface, which includes: a support base; a container support on the support base for engaging and supporting the bottom of a container such that the container is in vertical orientation over the support base; at least one bracket assembly having angulated edges for engaging and locating the sidewall of the container on the container support; a roller for resiliently engaging the container sidewall diametrically opposite the angulated edges to hold the container sidewall against the edges; at least one measurement device oriented over the support base for engaging the sealing surface of the container at least one contact point and a probe contact point; at least one column projecting upward from the support base; the at least one bracket assembly being an upper and a lower bracket assembly both supported by the at least one column, and wherein each angulated edge of each bracket assembly directly contacts a sidewall of the container at two contact points; a warp gauge device of the at least one measurement device supported by the column above the upper and lower bracket assemblies; a pillar projecting upward from the support base; a spring loaded roller assembly having the roller and being supported vertically adjustably by the pillar to align the roller vertically between the upper and lower bracket assemblies; and an off-level gauge device of the at least one measurement device support by the pillar above the roller assembly. 20. A method of inspecting a sealing surface of a container comprising the steps of: adjusting a bracket assembly horizontally by utilizing an indexed scale of the bracket assembly which corresponds with a known diameter of the container; placing a bottom finish surface of the container upon a container support carried by a support base so that the container is in an upright position; moving the container laterally against a V-block of the bracket assembly to center the container upon the container support; engaging a spring biased roller assembly opposed diametrically to the V-block against the container; sliding a warp gauge device engaged slidably upon a column projecting upward from the support base downward toward the sealing surface of the container; contacting the warp gauge device upon the sealing surface at least four circumferentially spaced points wherein one point of the at least four points is a probe contact with an indicator stem of a gauge read-out of the warp gauge device; rotating the container upon the container support; and recording the readings from the warp gauge device. 21. The method of inspecting set forth in claim 20 comprising the additional steps of: raising the warp gauge device along the column; pivoting an off-level gauge device with respect to a pillar, projecting upward from the support base, downward upon the sealing surface and beneath the warp gauge device; rotating the container upon the container support; and recording the readings from the off-level gauge device. 22. A container inspection apparatus for inspecting a container sealing surface, which includes: a support base, a container support on the support base for engaging and supporting a bottom surface of the container such that the container is vertically orientated over the support base, at least one bracket assembly having angulated edges for engaging and locating a sidewall of the container on the container support, said at least one bracket assembly having a sliding member mounting the bracket assembly to the support base for vertical adjustment to accommodate containers of different sizes, a measurement device oriented over the support base for engaging the sealing surface of the container on the container support, a roller assembly opposed diametrically to the at least one bracket assembly and supported by the support base, the container being supported vertically by and positioned concentrically to the container support and supported laterally between the at least one bracket assemblies and the roller assembly, a pillar projecting upward from the support base, a cantilevered structure of the roller assembly projecting laterally from the pillar, and constructed and arranged to slide adjustably vertically with respect to the pillar to accommodate containers of different longitudinal sizes, a roller of the roller assembly engaged operatively to the cantilevered structure, wherein the roller has a rotational axis disposed vertically, and a spring of the roller assembly constructed and arranged to bias the roller against the sidewall of the container.