Measuring instruments
First Claim
1. In an optical sensing instrument for inspecting surfaces by detecting reflection therefrom at various different angles of incidence and reflection,a sensing head;
- means defining a plane in which a surface under test lies in use of said instrument;
a plurality of light sources carried on said sensing head;
a plurality of first lenses each associated with a respective one of said light sources, said first lenses directing light from their respective associated sources along respective optical axes towards a common area on said plane;
a plurality of photodetectors mounted on said sensing head;
a plurality of second lenses each associated with a respective one of said photodetectors for directing light reflected from a surface located at said plane to respective associated said photodetectors, the optical axis of each said first lens passing through said common area and lying at an angle, with respect to a normal to said plane, which is equal and opposite to the angle with respect to said normal formed by the axis of a respective one of said second lenses; and
means for selecting which of said light sources and which of said photodetectors is to be energised at any one time during operation of said instrument.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical sensing instrument for detecting specular and/or non-specular reflections of light from a surface under test has a sensor head with a plane face having a semi-circular recess in which are housed a plurality of light sources and a plurality of photodetectors each having an associated lens, the optical axis of which passes through the center of curvature of the semi-circular recess. The photodetectors and the light sources are positioned such that respective source/detector pairs are located on optical axes which form mirror angles with respect to the axis of symmetry of the sensing head. Means are provided for simultaneously energizing one or more selected light sources and one or more of the photodetectors.
-
Citations
10 Claims
-
1. In an optical sensing instrument for inspecting surfaces by detecting reflection therefrom at various different angles of incidence and reflection,
a sensing head; -
means defining a plane in which a surface under test lies in use of said instrument; a plurality of light sources carried on said sensing head; a plurality of first lenses each associated with a respective one of said light sources, said first lenses directing light from their respective associated sources along respective optical axes towards a common area on said plane; a plurality of photodetectors mounted on said sensing head; a plurality of second lenses each associated with a respective one of said photodetectors for directing light reflected from a surface located at said plane to respective associated said photodetectors, the optical axis of each said first lens passing through said common area and lying at an angle, with respect to a normal to said plane, which is equal and opposite to the angle with respect to said normal formed by the axis of a respective one of said second lenses; and means for selecting which of said light sources and which of said photodetectors is to be energised at any one time during operation of said instrument. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10)
-
-
2. In an optical sensing instrument,
a sensing head; -
a plurality of light sources carried on said sensing head; a plurality of first lenses each associated with a respective one of said light sources, a plurality of photodetectors mounted on said sensing head; a plurality of second lenses each associated with a respective one of said photodetectors, the optical axis of each of said first lens lying at an angle, with respect to an axis of said measuring head, which is equal and opposite to the angle with respect to said axis formed by the axis of a respective one of said second lenses; and switching means connected to said light sources and said photodetectors and operating to energise one of a selected one and any selected combination of light sources and detectors. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
Specification