Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for measuring the kinematic characteristics of free fall of a glass gob with four distinct linear cameras each having an observed linear field intercepting the theoretical free fall path, respectively at a first high point of interception and at a first low point of interception, offset from each other according to the theoretical free fall path, and respectively at a second high point of interception and at a second low point of interception, offset from each other along the direction of the theoretical free fall path, the high respectively low optical axes being distinct from each other in projection on a plane perpendicular to the direction of the theoretical free fall path. The invention also comprises a method for controlling a glass article molding installation.

Abstract: A system is provided for correlating gamma spectrometry measurements and alpha spectrometry measurements of a same sample comprising radionuclides. The system includes at least a gamma detector able to provide gamma spectrometry measurements; an alpha detector able to provide alpha spectrometry measurements, equipped with a collimation grid; and means for acquiring and analysing alpha spectrometry and gamma spectrometry measurements.

Abstract: An inspection device which is compatible with in-line inspection of containers and reliably determines the presence or not of a defect of a container, has a lighting system arranged above an installation zone and being capable of providing an incident light beam, an image sensor connected to an image-analysis unit, and an optical system with a first primary reflection surface arranged above the installation zone and interposed between the installation zone and the sensor for forming on the sensor an image of a container ring surface to be inspected. Also included is a second primary reflection surface in the upstream field of vision of the sensor to reflect light beams, directly or indirectly in the direction of the sensor. The first and second primary reflection surfaces determine first and second portions of a downstream field of vision, which overlap in the inspection zone.

Abstract: A method for measuring the thickness of glass containers includes the following steps: choosing to measure the radiation emitted by the container from a first side and a second side of the container diametrically opposite to each other; choosing to measure the radiation emitted by the container in a first spectral band in a range between 2,800 nm and 4,000 nm and in a second spectral band; simultaneously measuring, from each side of the container, the intensity of the radiation coming from the walls in the first spectral band and in the second spectral band; and determining at least the thickness of the first wall and of the second wall (22), from the measurements of the intensity of the radiation coming from the first wall in the first and second spectral bands and from the second wall in the first and second spectral bands.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method, a device and an inspection line for determining the three-dimensional geometry of a container ring surface, including the formation, by two optical systems (24, 24?), of two images of the ring surface of the container, according to two peripheral observation fields having a first and a second observation elevation angle (?1, ?2) different from each other.

Abstract: An inspection device which is compatible with in-line inspection of containers and reliably determines the presence or not of a defect of a container, has a lighting system arranged above an installation zone and being capable of providing an incident light beam, an image sensor connected to an image-analysis unit, and an optical system with a first primary reflection surface arranged above the installation zone and interposed between the installation zone and the sensor for forming on the sensor an image of a container ring surface to be inspected. Also included is a second primary reflection surface in the upstream field of vision of the sensor to reflect light beams, directly or indirectly in the direction of the sensor. The first and second primary reflection surfaces determine first and second portions of a downstream field of vision, which overlap in the inspection zone.

Abstract: A method of determining a presence of a wire-edge at the site of an internal edge of a ring surface of a ring of a container includes lighting of the ring surface of the container from above using a radial light beam at 360 and observing the ring surface according to a peripheral observation field. A first principal circle is formed in a first image zone. At least one secondary arc of a circle concentric to the first so-called principal circle, and radially offset relative to the latter is also formed in the first image zone. The first so-called principal circle and any first secondary arc of a circle are searched using the first image zone. A device for executing the determining method is provided along with a line including the device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method, a device and an inspection line for determining the three-dimensional geometry of a container ring surface, including the formation, by two optical systems (24, 24?), of two images of the ring surface of the container, according to two peripheral observation fields having a first and a second observation elevation angle (?1, ?2) different from each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a determination process of the presence of a wire-edge at the site of an internal edge of a ring surface (16) of a ring of a container, comprising: lighting of the ring surface (16) of the container from above, by means of a radial light beam at 360 and its observation according to a peripheral observation field formation in a first image zone, of a first principal circle; and of at least one secondary arc of a circle concentric to the first so-called principal circle, and radially offset relative to the latter. search, in said first image zone, of the first so-called principal circle and any first secondary arc of a circle. The invention also relates to a device for executing such a process and a line comprising such a device.

Abstract: A method of visualizing the planeness of a ring surface of a container includes lighting the ring surface from above using a peripheral incident light beam having radial rays with specular reflection on the ring surface. An optical system is used to form a plane image of the ring surface on a sensor, with an optical geometrical transformation that converts a real height difference (dZ) into an image radial offset (dR) on the image, and the image radial offset (dR) corresponding to a unit real height difference (dZ) is greater than the image radial offset corresponding to a real radial offset of the same dimension. A device and an installation implementing the visualizing method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of determining the position and the orientation of at least one interface comprises illuminating the interface that is determined with at least one non-polarized diffuse light source point, using an image-forming device to acquire an image enabling polarization information determined about the reflection(s) of the source point on the interface to be determined, and in the image, locating any reflection of the light source point as reflected by the interface. For each located reflection, the light ray reaching the image-forming device together with at least its degree of polarization as its polarization parameter is calculated. The light ray as reflected on the interface that to be determined is calculated. Using the light ray reflected on the interface, its polarization parameter, and the known position of the source point, the position and the orientation of the surface element is deduced.

Abstract: A method of inspecting containers (3) moving between a linear camera and a light source (7) presents continuous variation of light intensity with a periodic pattern (71) along at least one variation direction (D). According to the method, for each movement increment of the container, a sequence of N successive image lines of the container is acquired cyclically so that for each image line; the container (3) is illuminated by the light source (7); the image line of the container is acquired; and the periodic pattern (71) is shifted for the next line along the variation direction (D). For each increment of the container (3), at least one phase image line is calculated; and the phase image lines (LP(k)) are analyzed.

Abstract: A method of observing and analyzing optical singularities includes illuminating an outside of a container by using a light-emitting surface of axial symmetry around a vertical axis (Z) parallel to the axes of symmetry of the containers, with a property of the emission that is detectable by the acquisition system(s) varying along a generator line of the light-emitting surface. For containers of low transmittance, taking the view image of the container portion by the image acquisition device receiving light beams comes from a portion of the light-emitting surface situated on the same side of the container. For containers of high transmittance, taking the view of the container portion by the image acquisition device receiving light beams comes from a portion of the light-emitting surface that is diametrically opposite relative to the container.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of visualizing the planeness of a ring surface (16) of a container (14), the method consisting in: lighting the ring surface from above using a peripheral incident light beam having radial rays with specular reflection on the ring surface; and using an optical system (24, 124) to form a plane image of the ring surface on a sensor (18), with an optical geometrical transformation that converts a real height difference (dZ) into an image radial offset (dR) on the image, and the image radial offset (dR) corresponding to a unit real height difference (dZ) is greater than the image radial offset corresponding to a real radial offset of the same dimension. The invention also provides a device and an installation implementing such a method.

Abstract: A method for measuring verticality of a container having a base and vertical wall comprises measuring at each rotational position of the container, at least the position along a first measurement axis, of at least one first measuring point located on the base, and a second measuring point located on the base diametrically opposite to the first measuring point, the position along a third measurement axis, of at least one third measuring point located on the vertical wall at a distance from the base. An angle defined between a first segment passing through the first and second measuring points and a second segment intersecting the first segment and passing through at least the third measuring point is selected to be representative of the container verticality. For each rotational position of the container, a quantity depending on the angle is calculated. Verticality is measured from the variations of the calculated quantity.

Abstract: A facility for measuring the thickness of the wall of containers includes an optical system for collecting and focusing on the detection plane of a light sensor and light beams reflected by the outer and inner surfaces of the wall. An optical collecting and focusing system includes a first objective having is object plane located in the vicinity of the impact of the incident light beam with the wall, an at least translucent diffusing screen located in the image plane of the first objective, so as to physically represent the light beams collected by the first objective as hot spots (Ti), and a second objective including, the diffusing screen as an object plane and the light sensor as an image plane.

Abstract: An in-line method for optically inspecting transparent or translucent containers (3) comprises illuminating each container with a light source that presents light intensity variation in a periodic pattern along at least a first variation direction. A number N greater than or equal to three of images of the container traveling in front of the light source and occupying N different respective positions along the travel path is taken. Between taking successive images, a relative shift between the container and the periodic pattern is created. A geometrical transformation is determined and applied in order to put the pixels belonging to the container in the N successive images of the same container into coincidence. A phase image for each container is constructed using the N registered images of the container. The phase image is analyzed in order to deduce therefrom at least the presence of defects or the quality of the container.

Abstract: A method of inspecting articles of transparent/translucent material with a vision system comprises illuminating the articles with a light source having an angular spectrum that is adapted to the contrast selected for refractive items presented by the articles. An image sensor picks up the light that has passed through the articles to make images of the articles. During a stage of referencing the vision system, a reference standard is in the field of view of the image sensor, the standard including at least one standard item that refracts light in a known range of angles. An image of the standard is taken to measure at least the contrast in the image produced by at least one standard item. During at least one stage of qualifying the vision system, the standard is placed once more in front of the light source and in the field of view of the image sensor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of inspecting containers (3) moving between a linear camera and a light source (7) presenting continuous variation of light intensity with a periodic pattern (71) along at least one variation direction (D). According to the invention: for each movement increment of the container, a sequence of N successive image lines of the container is acquired cyclically so that for each image line: the container (3) is illuminated by the light source (7); the image line of the container is acquired; and the periodic pattern (71) is shifted for the next line along the variation direction (D); for each increment of the container (3), at least one phase image line is calculated; and the phase image lines (LP(k)) are analyzed.

Abstract: A method of determining the position and the orientation of at least one interface comprises illuminating the interface that is determined with at least one non-polarized diffuse light source point, using an image-forming device to acquire an image enabling polarization information determined about the reflection(s) of the source point on the interface to be determined, and in the image, locating any reflection of the light source point as reflected by the interface. For each located reflection, the light ray reaching the image-forming device together with at least its degree of polarization as its polarization parameter is calculated. The light ray as reflected on the interface that to be determined is calculated. Using the light ray reflected on the interface, its polarization parameter, and the known position of the source point, the position and the orientation of the surface element is deduced.