Apparatus to assist in the qualitative evaluation of faceted gems

• US 5,430,538 A
• Filed: 12/10/1993
• Issued: 07/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Taico Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Taico Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenberger, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US08/165,167
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 356/30, 356/31, 356/416, 356/419
• US Class Current: 356/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/87 Investigating jewels G01N21/88 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8806 Specially adapted optical and illumination features

Abstract

Apparatus for assisting in the qualitative evaluation of facted gems (i.e., gems having cut facets formed thereon), which magnifies the radiance of cut facets illuminated by colored light beams so as to allow direct viewing or the formation of a color image which can be expressed on a video screen and/or a video printer. The beauty of a gem at the time of its appraisal and sales is thereby increased by use of the apparatus which thereby contributes to gem appraisal and sales by arousing customer interest.

Claims

1. Apparatus to assist in the qualitatively evaluation of a faceted gem comprising:

a holder for holding a faceted gem to be evaluated to thereby establish an evaluation center line of the faceted gem;

a magnifying device positioned in spaced relationship to said holder in coaxial alignment with said evaluation center line for magnifying light transmitted from said faceted gem along said evaluation center line and presenting a visual image of the faceted gem based on such transmitted and magnified light;

a light source positioned between said holder and said magnifying device for emitting light toward the faceted gem; and

a color filter interposed between said light source and said faceted gem for transforming the light emitted by said light source into a spectrum of differently colored light which illuminates the faceted gem held by said holder, wherein

said spectrum of differently colored light is reflected by the faceted gem and transmitted to said magnifying device which responsively depicts a visual image of the faceted gem such that facets of the gem are individually presented in different respective colors to allow borders between adjacent facets to be distinguishable visually based on such different respective colors and thereby permit qualitative evaluation of the faceted gem.

2. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said light source annularly surrounds said evaluation center line.

3. Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said light source includes a cover positioned between said light source and said magnifying device so that light emitted by said light source radiates only toward the faceted gem held by said holder.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said color filter annularly surrounds said evaluation center line.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said color filter is disc-shaped.

6. Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said color filter is cylindrically shaped.

7. Apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said color filter is integral with said light source.

8. Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said magnifying device is a color video system.

9. Apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said color video system includes, a color video camera coaxially positioned along said evaluation center line and a color display system operatively connected to said color video camera so as to receive color video signal therefrom.

10. Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said color display system includes at least one of a color video printer, and a color video monitor.

11. Apparatus for assisting in the qualitative evaluation of faceted gems comprising:

holding means for holding the faceted gem coaxially relative to an evaluation center line;

light source means for emitting light toward the faceted gem held by said holding means;

color filter means interposed between said light source means and said holding means for dividing the light emitted by said light source means into a spectrum of differently colored light which illuminates the faceted gem held by said holding means; and

magnifying means positioned in spaced relationship to said holding means at a focal position of said differently colored light which is incident upon individual facets of said faceted gem for responsively depicting a visual image of the faceted gem such that the individual facets of the gem are presented in different respective colors to allow borders between adjacent facets to be distinguishable visually based on such different respective colors and thereby permit qualitative evaluation of the faceted gem.

12. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said light source means annularly surrounds said evaluation center line.

13. Apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said light source means includes a cover means positioned between said light source means and said magnifying means for directing light emitted by said light source means in a direction only toward the faceted gem held by said holding means.

14. Apparatus as in claim 11, 12 or 13, wherein said color filter means annularly surrounds said evaluation center line.

15. Apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said color filter means is a disc-shaped color filter.

16. Apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said color filter means is a cylindrically shaped color filter.

17. Apparatus as in claim 14, wherein said color filter means is integral with said light source means.

18. Apparatus as in claim 11, wherein said magnifying means is a color video system.

19. Apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said color video system includes, a color video camera coaxially positioned along said evaluation center line and a color display system operatively connected to said color video camera so as to receive color video signal therefrom.

20. Apparatus as in claim 19, wherein said color display system includes at least one of a color video printer, and a color video monitor.