Apparatus for measuring glass gobs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9950941-B2
Application number	US-201514639240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 5, 2015
Priority date	Mar 5, 2015
Publication date	Apr 24, 2018
Grant date	Apr 24, 2018

Abstract

An apparatus for measuring speed, the length and elongation of a molten glass gob travelling along a defined path includes at least two optical detectors. A mask having at least two openings through which light passes to each of the optical detectors is disposed adjacent the optical detectors. A lens receives light from the moving glass gob and focuses such light through the openings of the mask. Electronics are coupled to each of the optical detectors for determining the speed of the molten glass gob as a function of timing of light sensed at the optical detectors. In exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, the optical detectors is disposed within the image plane of the lens and comprise different portions of a single light sensing device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus for measuring speed of a molten glass gob travelling along a defined path, said apparatus comprising:
at least two optical detectors to sense light;
a mask having at least two openings through which light passes to said optical detector;
a lens for receiving light from the molten glass gob and focusing such light through said openings of said mask; and
electronics coupled to each of said optical detectors for determining at least one physical parameter of the molten glass gob as a function of timing of light sensed at said at least two optical detectors, wherein the at least one physical parameter includes elongation of the molten glass gob, and further wherein said electronics are configured to determine a first length of the molten glass gob as a function of timing of light sensed by a first of said at least two optical detectors, a second length of the molten glass gob as a function of timing of light sensed by a second of said at least two optical detectors, and the elongation of the molten glass gob based on the determined first length of the molten glass gob and the determined second length of the molten glass gob.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said mask is disposed at an image plane of said lens.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said pair of optical detectors define an axis parallel to the defined path through which the molten glass gob travels.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein said pair of optical detectors comprise different portions of a single light sensing device.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said optical detectors creates a pulsed signal identifying the detection of the travelling of the molten glass gob therepast.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said electronics receives the pulsed signals and calculates the determined speed therefrom.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said optical detectors generates one of the pulsed signals upon detection of a leading edge of the molten glass gob.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said optical detectors is spaced from each other a predetermined distance.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one physical parameter measured also includes a speed of the glass gob.

10. Apparatus for measuring speed of a molten glass gob travelling along a defined path, said apparatus comprising:
an optical detector;
a mask having an opening through which light passes to said optical detector;
a lens for receiving light from the molten glass gob and focusing such light through said opening of said mask; and
electronics coupled to said optical detector for determining at least one physical parameter of the molten glass gob as a function of timing of light sensed at said optical detector, wherein the at least one physical parameter includes elongation of the molten glass gob, and further wherein said electronics are configured to determine a first length of the molten glass gob as a function of timing of light sensed at said optical detector, a second length of the molten glass gob as a function of timing of light sensed at said optical detector, and the elongation of the molten glass gob based on the determined first length of the molten glass gob and the determined second length of the molten glass gob.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said optical detector includes at least two disparate regions of optical sensing.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said optical detector includes more than two disparate regions of optical sensing.

13. Apparatus for measuring a length of a molten glass gob travelling along a defined path, said apparatus comprising:
an optical detector;
a mask having at least two openings through which light passes to said optical detector;
a lens for receiving light from the molten glass gob and focusing such light through said openings of said mask; and
electronics coupled to said optical detector for measuring the time in which said detector receives light from each of said at least two openings, wherein said electronics are configured to determine a first length of the molten glass gob as a function of timing of light received by said optical detector from a first of said at least two openings, a second length of the molten glass gob as a function of timing of light received by said optical detector from a second of said at least two openings, and an elongation of the molten glass gob based on the determined first length of the molten glass gob and the determined second length of the molten glass gob.

14. The apparatus set forth in claim 13 wherein said mask is disposed at an image plane of said lens.

15. The apparatus set forth in claim 13 wherein said optical detector defines an axis parallel to the defined path through which the molten glass gob travels.

Assignees

• Owens Brockway Glass Container

Inventors

• Johnston Karl C

Classifications

• G01P3/36

  Devices characterised by the use of optical means, e.g. using infrared, visible, or ultraviolet light (G01P3/68 takes precedence; gyrometers using the Sagnac effect, i.e. rotation-induced shifts between counter-rotating electromagnetic beams G01C19/64) · CPC title

• G01B11/043

  for measuring length · CPC title

• C03B7/005 Primary

  Controlling, regulating or measuring · CPC title

• G01B11/00

  Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques · CPC title

• G01P5/00

  Measuring speed of fluids, e.g. of air stream; Measuring speed of bodies relative to fluids, e.g. of ship, of aircraft (application of speed-measuring devices for measuring volume of fluid G01F) · CPC title