US 12,461,040 B2
Inspection system
Bodo Ergert, Heidelberg (DE)
Assigned to MA Mircro Automation GmbH, St. Leon-Rot (DE)
Appl. No. 18/272,164
Filed by MA micro automation GmbH, St. Leon-Rot (DE)
PCT Filed Jan. 11, 2022, PCT No. PCT/EP2022/050410
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 13, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/152682, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 21, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2021 100 562.0 (DE), filed on Jan. 13, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0142388 A1, May 2, 2024
Int. Cl. G01N 21/95 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/95 (2013.01) [G01N 2201/0636 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inspection system for inspecting elongated workpieces, comprising:
a holding device for holding a plurality of workpieces, wherein the holding device comprises at least two rows of holders spaced apart from each other, wherein each row of holders has several holders, and wherein each holder holds a workpiece of the plurality of workpieces, wherein the workpieces held by holders of one row of said rows are different from and spaced apart from the workpieces held by holders of another row of said rows;
an illumination device comprising at least one light source;
at least one optical detection means, wherein each workpiece to be inspected is arranged in a beam path of a light emitted from the at least one light source between the at least one light source and the at least one optical detection means;
an optical system for directing the light emitted from the at least one light source onto each workpiece to be inspected, and from each workpiece to be inspected onto the at least one optical detection means, wherein the at least one light source and the optical system are configured to generate a shadow image of each workpiece to be inspected from at least one direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of each workpiece to be inspected and to project the generated shadow image of each workpiece to be inspected onto the at least one optical detection means, and wherein the at least one optical detection means detects the shadow image of each workpiece to be inspected generated by the illumination device; and
an evaluation device which is connected to the at least one optical detection means in a signal-transmitting manner and enables evaluation of the shadow image of each workpiece to be inspected, and
wherein the optical system comprises a light deflecting device provided between two of the workpieces of different rows of holders to be inspected and one of the at least one optical detection means, wherein the light deflecting device aligns the shadow images of said two workpieces of different rows of holders to said one of the at least one optical detection means.