Electro-optical instrument with self-contained photometer
First Claim
1. An optical instrument for measuring characteristics of a specimen comprising, a light source, an axial reflective member spaced from the light source to define an optical axis for the instrument along a line between the light source and the reflective member, a non-axial reflector positioned laterally of the reflective member and laterally of the optical axis to receive a beam reflected from the axial reflective member, said non-axial reflector being oriented to reflect the beam onto the specimen, a photosensor, a second non-axial reflector to receive the beam reflected from the specimen and reflect it onto the photosensor, said photosensor being positioned in the instrument to receive the beam from the second non-axial reflector, and means for carrying signals from the photosensor to signal conditioning hardware means to provide information concerning the specimen responsive to said signals from said photosensor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical instrument for measuring characteristics of a specimen comprises a light source and an axial reflective member spaced from the light source to define an optical axis for the instrument along a line between the light source and the reflective member. A non-axial reflector is positioned laterally of the reflective member and laterally of the optical axis to receive a beam reflected from the axial reflective member. The non-axial reflector is oriented to reflect the beam onto the specimen. The instrument also contains a segmented photosensor and a second non-axial reflector to receive the beam reflected from the specimen and reflect it onto the segmented photosensor. The photosensor is positioned in the instrument to receive the beam from the second non-axial reflector. A conductor connected to each segment of the photosensor is provided for carrying current to signal conditioning hardware used to compare the current from the segments of the photosensor to provide information concerning the specimen.
16 Citations
29 Claims
- 1. An optical instrument for measuring characteristics of a specimen comprising, a light source, an axial reflective member spaced from the light source to define an optical axis for the instrument along a line between the light source and the reflective member, a non-axial reflector positioned laterally of the reflective member and laterally of the optical axis to receive a beam reflected from the axial reflective member, said non-axial reflector being oriented to reflect the beam onto the specimen, a photosensor, a second non-axial reflector to receive the beam reflected from the specimen and reflect it onto the photosensor, said photosensor being positioned in the instrument to receive the beam from the second non-axial reflector, and means for carrying signals from the photosensor to signal conditioning hardware means to provide information concerning the specimen responsive to said signals from said photosensor.
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14. An optical instrument for measuring characteristics of a surface of a specimen comprising, a source of light, said instrument directing a beam of light from the source obliquely at a selected angle β
- to an optical axis positioned normal to the surface of the specimen, said specimen reflecting the light beam from the surface to provide a reflected beam having the same angle β
to the optical axis, a first reflective means for deflecting the reflected beam centrally toward the optical axis, a second reflective means for deflecting the centrally directed beam along said optical axis toward the specimen, photosensor means positioned to receive light from the beam after being reflected from the specimen to measure characteristics of the specimen, the beam from the second reflective means being positioned normal to the surface of the specimen to define the location of said optical axis of the instrument, the oblique beam directed from the source toward the specimen intersecting said optical axis and intersecting said surface of the specimen at a selected point when the instrument is at a selected standoff distance from the instrument, but when the specimen is moved toward or away from the instrument on said optical axis in either direction or is tilted, the beam reflected from the specimen is displaced thereby, and a photosensor positioned to detect the displaced beam when the surface of the specimen is moved to a position other than the standoff distance from the instrument or tilted with respect to a line normal to the surface of the specimen. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- to an optical axis positioned normal to the surface of the specimen, said specimen reflecting the light beam from the surface to provide a reflected beam having the same angle β
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21. An optical instrument for measuring the characteristics of a specimen having a light reflective surface comprising, a light source, said instrument having an optical axis positioned normal to the reflective surface of the specimen, the instrument directing a beam for the light source onto the specimen at an oblique angle β
- relative to said optical axis, the optical axis and the oblique beam of light from the light source intersecting at a point which defines a standoff distance from the instrument, photosensor array means positioned to receive said beam of light after being reflected from the specimen at an inclined angle β
to the optical axis when said received beam is in a first position, said specimen and instrument being movable relative to one another along the optical axis, the photosensor array means being constructed and arranged to detect movement of the reflected beam from its first position responsive to changes in the standoff distance that alters the point at which the reflected beam strikes the photosensor array means, said photosensor array mans thereby sensing changes in the location of the beam impinging thereon whereby the deviation between the position of the specimen and the standoff distance can be determined from the displacement of the beam on the photosensor array means. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
- relative to said optical axis, the optical axis and the oblique beam of light from the light source intersecting at a point which defines a standoff distance from the instrument, photosensor array means positioned to receive said beam of light after being reflected from the specimen at an inclined angle β
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25. An optical instrument to be used for projecting a beam of light onto a specimen and for evaluating the specimen, said instrument comprising,
a source of light, said instrument directing a beam of light from the source of light obliquely onto the specimen, said specimen reflecting the light beam from the surface thereof to provide an oblique reflected beam, said instrument having an optical axis normal to the specimen, means for deflecting said reflected beam toward the specimen along the optical axis, photosensor means positioned to intercept one of said beams and being located to receive said beam of light reflected from said specimen for detecting a characteristic of the light received from the specimen, and the photosensor means has means permitting two-way transmission of light past itself proceeding both toward and away from said photosensor in opposite directions when the light source is energized.
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27. The optical instrument for measuring characteristics of a surface of a specimen comprising,
a light source for illuminating a specimen adapted to reflect at least some of the light incident thereto, said instrument including means for directing an outbound beam of light proceeding from the source to the specimen and striking the specimen at a predetermined oblique angle incident thereto, said outbound beam being reflected from the specimen to provide an oblique reflected outbound beam proceeding away from the specimen at the same angle of reflection as the oblique beam incident to the specimen, means for directing the reflected outbound beam back toward the specimen so as to strike the specimen along an optical axis normal to the surface of the specimen and the beam normal thereto then being reflected from the specimen as a returning beam that travels back toward the light source in the opposite direction from the outbound beam, and a photosensor means interposed in the path of the outbound and returning beams for sensing a characteristic of light incident thereto.
Specification