US 12,130,172 B2
Device and method for inspecting containers
Andrea Biondi, Bologna (IT); Luca Cavazza, Bologna (IT); Luca Cerati, Bologna (IT); Claudia De Maria, Bologna (IT); Giacomo Noferini, Castenaso (IT); Stefano Sinigardi, Roncoferraro (IT); and Noemi Zordan, Bologna (IT)
Assigned to G.D S.p.A., Bologna (IT)
Appl. No. 17/619,171
Filed by G.D S.p.A., Bologna (IT)
PCT Filed Jul. 8, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IB2020/056404
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 14, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/005518, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 102019000011109 (IT), filed on Jul. 8, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0307888 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
Int. Cl. G01G 9/00 (2006.01); G01G 17/00 (2006.01); G01G 23/01 (2006.01)
CPC G01G 9/005 (2013.01) [G01G 17/00 (2013.01); G01G 23/01 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inspection device for inspecting containers, each containing a dose of a product in powder or granular form for the preparation of a food product; the device comprising:
a conveyor including a plurality of receiving cavities for respective containers and configured to move the receiving cavities along a feed path between a loading station for loading the containers and an unloading station for unloading the containers;
a measuring station located along the feed path between the loading station and the unloading station and configured to inspect each container while the container is being supported and moved by the conveyor;
the measuring station comprising a microwave detector including a measuring zone through which each container passes, the device further comprising a processing unit configured to receive a measurement signal from the microwave detector and to generate an information item relating to at least one property of the container or of the dose contained therein;
wherein the conveyor comprises a transporting element defining the feed path and a plurality of supports extending away from the transporting element transversely to the feed path, each support having two or more of the receiving cavities and being rotatable about a swivel axis to adopt at least a first position, where the receiving cavities of the support are disposed in alignment transversely to the feed path, and a second position, where the receiving cavities of the support are disposed in alignment along the feed path such that they pass through the measuring zone one after the other in succession.