Tristimulus colorimeter for use in the fabrication of artificial teeth
First Claim
1. A colorimeter, comprising means for illuminating a sample;
- and means for measuring light of at least two different colors from such illuminated sample, said means for measuring including light sensitive means for producing an electrical output proportionally representative of light received thereby from such an illuminated sample, dual slope integrator digital voltmeter means for producing a digital output signal indicative of such electrical output, and display means coupled to said digital voltmeter means and responsive to such digital output signal for at least substantially simultaneously indicating the amount of each color light measured from such illuminated sample.
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Abstract
A tristimulus colorimeter including a modified dual slope integrator digital voltmeter measures the red, blue and green light reflected from a sample and displays the same in digital form as optical density units. The colorimeter includes a light conducting probe with a diffusing member and a movable collar for blocking ambient light, and a rotating color filter wheel is synchronized with the voltmeter for effecting a continuous update of the data displayed thereby. Moreover, a color averaging method provides for prediction of the ultimate color of a mixture of two differently colored porcelains or the like especially used in the construction of artificial teeth or the like.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A colorimeter, comprising means for illuminating a sample;
- and means for measuring light of at least two different colors from such illuminated sample, said means for measuring including light sensitive means for producing an electrical output proportionally representative of light received thereby from such an illuminated sample, dual slope integrator digital voltmeter means for producing a digital output signal indicative of such electrical output, and display means coupled to said digital voltmeter means and responsive to such digital output signal for at least substantially simultaneously indicating the amount of each color light measured from such illuminated sample.
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2. A colorimeter, comprising
means for illuminating a sample; - and
means for measuring light of at least two different colors from such illuminated sample, said means for measuring including light sensitive means for producing electrical output signals respectively proportionally representative of such different color light received thereby from such an illuminated sample, digital voltmeter means for developing respective digital output signals indicative of the amount of each color light measured from such sample, said digital voltmeter means including integrator means for respectively integrating first signals representative of such electrical output signals for each respective color for a timed duration to provide respective integrated signal level outputs and then a reference signal of opposite polarity to such first signals, and means for producing such respective digital output signals indicative of the respective times required for said integrator to integrate such reference signal from such integrated signal level outputs to a predetermined level output, and display means coupled to said digital voltmeter means and responsive to such digital output signals for simultaneously indicating the amount of each color light measured from such illuminated sample. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A colorimeter, comprising
a lamp for producing light in the visible spectrum; -
means for measuring light of at least two different colors, said means for measuring light including light sensitive means for producing an electrical output proportionally representative of light received thereby from an illuminated sample, digital voltmeter means for producing an output signal indicative of such electrical output, and display means coupled to said digital voltmeter means and responsive to such output signal for simultaneously indicating the amount of each color light measured from such illuminated sample; a light pipe including elongate, relatively flexible, substantially solid means for directing incident light from said lamp toward such sample and for directing light reflected from the latter to said means for measuring, and diffusing means optically coupled to said solid means for diffusing incident light prior to impingement on such sample, said diffusing means comprising a longitudinally extending rod having an exposed end for positioning proximate such sample; and an opaque housing substantially surrounding at least part of said solid means and at least part of said diffusing means to facilitate manual positioning of said exposed end toward abutment with such sample. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification