Steve Darryl Calhoun

US Patent:

8578760, Nov 12, 2013

Filed:

Sep 1, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/874131

Inventors:

Steve Calhoun - Rolling Hills CA, US
David Kriebel - Long Beach CA, US
Andrew Barmeyer - Long Beach CA, US

Assignee:

Industrial Dynamics Company, Ltd - Torrance CA

International Classification:

G01M 3/34

US Classification:

73 493, 738658

Abstract:

Container inspection utilizing a linear actuator. A linear actuator shaft is movable such that the shaft end temporarily contacts the container. A feedback parameter resulting from or related to a change of an electrical property of the linear actuator, is detected or determined by a controller, which determines whether the container satisfies pre-determined inspection criteria, e. g. , whether the container is properly sealed, satisfies pressure criteria and/or has unacceptable vacuum. These determinations are made based at least in part upon one or more detected feedback parameters including or related to at least one of a change of position of the shaft, a change of velocity of the shaft and a force or torque exerted by the container to the shaft. In this manner, high speed leak detection is performed without a load cell or force transducer, without squeezing or compressing bottles and without determining fill level changes.