Fingerprinting arrangement

• US 4,152,056 A
• Filed: 09/02/1977
• Issued: 05/01/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Identix, Inc. (Advent International Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Randall C. Fowler
• Inventors: Fowler, Randall C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell E.
• Application Number:
  US05/830,068
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 354/62, 355/47
• US Class Current: 396/15
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1172 using fingerprinting
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/13 Sensors therefor

Abstract

Skin ridge pattern recording apparatus for obtaining and recording skin ridge patterns. A cylindrical transparent element is provided with a central cylindrical bore which, reflects internally. The finger is placed in the bore for producing the skin ridge patterns. The cylindrical element is mounted on a vertical column or post upstanding from a platform which carries a light source projecting a beam of light to the cylindrical element. The light source and a sensitive camera film are carried on a platform which is rotatable with respect to the cylindrical element in which the finger is inserted. The film plane of the camera remains in a fixed relationship with respect to the reflected light from the light source, the angle of incidence being determined by the position of the light source relative to the cylindrical element. The platform is motor driven so that the light source and the film plane of the camera rotate around the cylindrical element to produce the recordation of the skin ridge pattern.

Claims

1. Apparatus for optically obtaining and recording skin ridge patterns comprising:

an arcuate transparent, finger receiving member having an arcuate bore adapted to have a finger having skin ridge patterns thereon inserted therein;

a light source positioned to transmit a beam of light to said finger receiving member and to be reflected therefrom from the interior surface thereon;

a light sensitive film plate positioned in a plane to have the reflected beam of light impinged thereon; and

motion producing means for producing first relative angular motion and second relative motion between said finger receiving member and said sensitive film plate.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further comprising:

a lens means intermediate said finger receiving member and said film plate;

a platform means on which said light source and said lens means are mounted;

said motion producing means further comprises first rotation means for rotating said platform angularly relative to said finger receiving member to provide said first relative angular motion.

3. The apparatus in claim 2, wherein said finger receiving member is cylindrical having a cylindrical bore and said first rotation means rotates said light source and said lens means about the axis of the finger receiving member.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein said sensitive film plate lies in a plane, and said motion producing means further comprises drive means for causing scanning by moving said film plate in the direction of its plane to provide said second relative motion.

5. The apparatus in claim 4, and further comprising:

a secondary platform on which said sensitive film plate is mounted, and said drive means for causing said secondary platform and said film plate to be moved relative to said lens means.

6. The apparatus in claim 5 and further comprising:

a film carrier mounted for linear movement on said secondary platform;

a center column rotatable concentrically with said axis of said finger receiving member; and

a flexible member attached to said film carrier and to said center column in a manner whereby when center column rotates tension is inserted on said flexible member whereby to move said film carrier linearly with respect to said platform and proportionally to the angular movement of said center column.

7. The apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said platform, lens means, light source, secondary platform and sensitive film plate are all supported from an upright center support column.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 4, and further comprising:

a film carrier positioned to carry said sensitive film plate in a plane having a predetermined orientation with respect to both said lens means and said reflected light beam, said sensitive film plate remaining in the same orientation by rotation relative to the lens means to provide said second relative motion.

9. The apparatus as in claim 1, and further comprising means for securely holding the finger in the finger receiving member.

10. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said light source and said sensitive film plate have a predetermined relative oriented position with respect to the finger receiving member, and said predetermined oriented position is maintained while the light source and sensitive film plate rotate about the finger receiving element.