Optical inspection method and apparatus
First Claim
1. A method of preparing a sample of particulate material comprising the steps of placing said material in an open container, providing a reference surface at a predetermined position, moving said container thereby bringing an exposed surface of said particulate material therein into intimate contact with said reference surface, holding said container in the position thus defined, and removing said reference surface, thereby presenting said sample with an exposed surface which is substantially even and located at a predetermined position defined by said reference surface and optically inspecting said exposed surface of said particulate material disposed at said position by optical inspection means disposed in predetermined manner relative to said position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for optical inspection of particulate material such as diamond abrasive comprises a body (1), an open sample container (25) which can rise and fall in the body, a reference member (71) above the container, mounted in a removable compaction head (9) of which the height relative to the body is fixed, and an optical inspection head (11) mountable on the body in place of composition head. The container is raised into contact with the reference member so that the surface of the sample is levelled and placed at a predetermined height. The compaction head is then removed and replaced by the optical inspection head. Consequently, the sample surface is always presented to the optical inspection head in a predetermined relationship and in particular at a predetermined height.
27 Citations
17 Claims
- 1. A method of preparing a sample of particulate material comprising the steps of placing said material in an open container, providing a reference surface at a predetermined position, moving said container thereby bringing an exposed surface of said particulate material therein into intimate contact with said reference surface, holding said container in the position thus defined, and removing said reference surface, thereby presenting said sample with an exposed surface which is substantially even and located at a predetermined position defined by said reference surface and optically inspecting said exposed surface of said particulate material disposed at said position by optical inspection means disposed in predetermined manner relative to said position.
- 3. Apparatus for the optical inspection of particulate material, comprising a support, an open sample container mounted for movement in height relative to said support, a reference member having an undersurface placed at a predetermined height relative to the support and such that a sample of particulate material previously placed in said container can be raised into contact with said undersurface, and means for holding said container in a position defined by such contact said reference member being moveable away from said container at said position to permit subsequent optical inspection of an exposed surface of the sample at said position.
- 10. An optical inspection apparatus for particulate material, comprising a body, a container movably supported in said body for containing a sample of said material, a reference member having a reference and compaction surface on its underside and locatable above said container with said surface at a predetermined position, and means for moving said container containing said sample towards said member when the latter is so located, thereby urging said sample against said reference surface, and means for holding said container in the thus-defined position when said member is removed, so as to leave a compacted and even sample surface exposed for optical inspection.
Specification