Integrating sphere device for measuring transmission of light in objects
First Claim
1. Apparatus for producing a signal responsive to the transmission of light in object, comprising:
- means for projecting an illuminating beam at each successive object, the beam being wide enough to bathe all the facing surface of the object;
first responsive means for producing a first signal responsive to the total flux of radiation scattered and transmitted through the object in a notional hollow cone optically coaxial with the beam with its apex at the object, the outer surface of the cone having a half-angle substantially less than 90° and
the inner surface of the cone having a narrow half-angle;
second responsive means optically coaxial with the beam for producing a second signal responsive to reduction in flux when the object is in the beam; and
means receiving said first and second signals for producing a third signal responsive to the transmission of light in each successive object.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The apparatus measures the transmission of light in successive falling objects. A beam is projected, wide enough to bathe all the facing surface of the object. An integrating sphere is on the other side of the object and its inlet and outlet apertures provide cut-offs so that only a hollow cone of flux scattered from the object is trapped in the integrating sphere, this flux being measured by a detector. The detector is connected to a micro-processor whose output is a measure of the clarity of the object. When the object is not in the beam, the beam falls on a detector so that the reduction in flux sensed by the detector is a measure of the projected area of the object. The micro-processor divides the signal from the detector by the reduction in flux, thereby making the output substantially independent of the size of the object.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. Apparatus for producing a signal responsive to the transmission of light in object, comprising:
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means for projecting an illuminating beam at each successive object, the beam being wide enough to bathe all the facing surface of the object; first responsive means for producing a first signal responsive to the total flux of radiation scattered and transmitted through the object in a notional hollow cone optically coaxial with the beam with its apex at the object, the outer surface of the cone having a half-angle substantially less than 90° and
the inner surface of the cone having a narrow half-angle;second responsive means optically coaxial with the beam for producing a second signal responsive to reduction in flux when the object is in the beam; and means receiving said first and second signals for producing a third signal responsive to the transmission of light in each successive object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of determining the transmission of light in each of a succession of objects, comprising:
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projecting an illuminating beam at each successive object, the beam being wide enough to bathe all the facing surface of the object; sensing the total flux of radiation scattered and transmitted through the object in a notional hollow cone optically coaxial with the beam with its apex at the object, whose outer surface has a half-angle substantially less than 90° and
whose inner surface has a narrow half-angle;sensing reduction in total flux along the path of the beam when the object is in the beam; and using the detection of the total flux in the hollow cone and the reduction in flux when the object is in the beam to obtain a signal responsive to the transmission of light in the object.
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Specification