Lighting system for camera

• US 5,450,291 A
• Filed: 12/24/1992
• Issued: 09/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: YOZAN, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ezel, Inc.
• Inventors: Kumagai, Ryohei
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, Y MY QUACH
• Application Number:
  US07/997,124
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 362/3, 362/8, 362/11, 362/32, 362/234, 362/240, 362/294, 354/81, 354/132, 358/457, 358/487, 356/237, 356/416
• US Class Current: 362/3
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/035 Combinations of cameras with incandescent lamps
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/12 with means for supporting objectives, supplementary lenses, filters, masks, or turrets

Abstract

A lighting system for camera comprising light irradiation means which possesses plural luminous objects arranged circularly concentric to a camera lens, and cylindrical shield parts to restrain light from outside arranged between the camera and an object to be photographed.

Claims

1. A lighting system for a camera including light irradiation means, said light irradiation means comprising:

more than two separate luminous objects arranged circularly concentric to and substantially coplanar with a lens of said camera;

a cylindrical shield part to restrain light from outside of said cylindrical shield part, arranged between said camera and an object to be photographed; and

a color filter which is transparent substantially only to light of a complementary color of a color of said object, between said light irradiation means and said object to be photographed.

2. A lighting system as in claim 1, further comprising means for reflecting light on an inner surface of said cylindrical shield part.

3. An input system for obtaining an optical image of data on a surface under observation, comprising:

a cylindrical light shielding means having a first end adapted to be placed on said surface under observation, and a second end opposite said first end; and

a disk-shaped cover, covering said second end, comprising;

an image receiving means, in a central portion of a surface of said disk-shaped cover, and which faces an inside of said cylindrical light shielding means, for receiving an optical image of said data,

an irradiation mechanism, of a circular shape and surrounding said image receiving means, said irradiation mechanism producing light within said cylindrical light shielding means, and

a color filter which is transparent substantially only to light of a complementary color of a color of said surface under observation, between said irradiation means and said surface under observation.

4. An input system as in claim 3, wherein said cylindrical light shielding means has a reflective inner surface.

5. An input system as in claim 3, wherein said irradiation mechanism comprises a plurality of optical fibers, one end of each of said plurality of optical fibers receiving light from a light source, and an other end of each of said plurality of optical fibers being arranged in a circular shape around said image receiving means in said disk-shaped cover.

6. A lighting system for a camera comprising:

an annular casing surrounding a camera lens of said camera;

a plurality of optical fibers each of which is connected with a light source at a first end and fixed to said annular casing at a second end, so that light is transmitted from said light source to said second end and is emitted from said second end toward an object to which said camera lens is facing;

a cylindrical light-shield one end of which surrounds said annular casing in close proximity to said annular casing so as to shield light from outside of said cylindrical light-shield, and an other end of which touches said object so as to shield light from outside of said cylindrical light-shield; and

a color filter with a complementary color of a color of said object, said color filter attached to said lens so that an image of said object is filtered.

7. An input system for obtaining an optical image of data of a circular shape on a surface, comprising:

a cylindrical light shielding means having a first end adapted to be placed on said surface, and a second end opposite said first end; and

a disk-shaped cover, covering said second end of said cylindrical light shielding means comprising an image receiving means, in a central portion of a surface of said disk-shaped cover, and which faces an inside of said cylindrical light shielding means, for receiving an optical image of data of said circular shape; and

an irradiation mechanism, of a circular shape and surrounding said image receiving means, said irradiation mechanism producing light;

wherein

said surface is paper, and said irradiation mechanism further comprises a filter transparent to blue light to maximize a contrast between said optical image of data and said paper.

8. An input system as in claim 7 wherein said cylindrical light shielding means has a reflective inner surface.

9. An input system as in claim 7 wherein said irradiation mechanism comprises a plurality of optical fibers, one end of each fiber receiving light from a light source, and an other end of each fiber arranged in a circular shape around said image receiving means in said disk-shaped cover.

10. A lighting system for a camera, comprising:

an annular casing surrounding a camera lens of said camera;

a plurality of optical fibers each of which is connected with a light source at a first end and fixed to said annular casing at a second end, so that light is transmitted from said light source to said second end and is emitted from said second end toward an object to which said camera lens is facing;

a cylindrical light-shield one end of which surrounds said annular casing in close proximity to said annular casing so as to shield light from outside of said cylindrical light-shield, and an other end of which touches said object so as to shield light from outside of said cylindrical light-shield; and

a color filter, disposed between said plurality of optical fibers and said object and transparent to only light of a complementary color of a color of said object, said color filter filtering light emitted from said second end of each of said plurality of optical fibers so that said object is irradiated with light of said complementary color.