Detection and Ejection of Leaking Medical or Food Containers on a Moving Assembly Line.

Using the physics of UV emission from a high voltage AC corona provides an indicator of wetted surfaces. A wet surface will not emit a corona, therefore the absence of UV light in a wet region on the container can detect leakage with a sensitive photometer.

Photometers detect UV emission from the corona discharge on surfaces of the plastic and metal foil top containers. UV emission is blocked on the surfaces where there is liquid present, thus a reduced UV emission signature indicates a leaky container.

Any plastic container with a metal sealed top cover can be transported through the region of UV detection by means of rubber O ring belts, while an electromagnetic field is imparted to the container from below by a metallic belt connected electrically to a Tesla Coil.

There are two photometers calibrated to a level that’s consistent with a dry container. When they see a wet container, the UV photometers trigger a reject mechanism on the egress side of the machine.

The containers are thus scanned by the photometers in real time as they pass through the region of the Tesla field energy between the two UV photometers.

This machinery is modular and can be installed into any existing production line that produces small liquid filled metal capped containers.

The container top belt transport mechanism is insulated from the Tesla voltage where the metal cap seals are located.

The bottoms of the containers however are in direct contact with a metallic belt that carries the Tesla electrical energy.