ELECTRO-OPTICAL INSPECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

A system and method for inspecting opaque objects, such as metal beverage containers, is presented including a light source for illuminating the interior surface of the container, an ellipsoidal first mirror for forming a first image of an upper interior portion of the container, a first camera for capturing the first image of the upper interior portion of the container, a planar image-splitting second mirror for forming a second image of the flange of the container, a second camera for capturing the second image of the flange, an image combiner for electro-optically combining the first and second images, whereby a resultant composite image corresponding to substantially the entire upper interior surface of the container can be generated and analyzed for defects, a third camera located at a separate location for viewing directly the lower interior portion of the container and capturing a corresponding third image, and a computer means for analyzing the resulting images for defects. In an alternative embodiment, a fourth camera and a planar image-splitting third mirror may be disposed at the separate location for forming and capturing a fourth image corresponding specifically to the bottomwall of the container, and an image combiner can electro-optically combine the third and fourth images, whereby a second resultant composite image corresponding to substantially the entire lower interior portion of the container can be generated and analyzed for defects.