Method of inspecting ophthalmic lenses
First Claim
1. A method of automatically inspecting ophthalmic lenses, comprising:
- continuously moving a transparent lens carrier containing a multitude of lenses along a predetermined path to position each of the lenses, one at a time, into a lens inspection position;
each time one of the lenses moves into the lens inspection position,i) activating a light source to generate a respective one pulse of collimated light,ii) directing the collimated light pulse through said transparent carrier and said lens contained therein and onto an array of pixels,iii) capturing selected portions of said light pulse on said array of pixels and generating a respective one set of digital data values representing the intensity of light incident on said array, said selected portions of said light pulse representing one or more lens defect conditions,iv) processing said set of digital data values according to a predetermined program to determine at least one lens defect condition, andv) generating an output signal representing at least one lens defect condition.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of continuously and automatically inspecting ophthalmic lenses. The lenses are continuously moved along a predetermined path to move each of the lenses, one at a time, into a lens inspection position. Each time one of the lenses moves into the lens inspection position, a light source is activated to generate a one light pulse, that light pulse is directed through the one lens and onto an array of pixels and a set of signals is generated representing the intensity of light incident on the pixel array. The set of signals is processed according to a predetermined program to determine at least one condition of the lens, and an output signal is generated representing that one condition.
-
Citations
59 Claims
-
1. A method of automatically inspecting ophthalmic lenses, comprising:
-
continuously moving a transparent lens carrier containing a multitude of lenses along a predetermined path to position each of the lenses, one at a time, into a lens inspection position; each time one of the lenses moves into the lens inspection position, i) activating a light source to generate a respective one pulse of collimated light, ii) directing the collimated light pulse through said transparent carrier and said lens contained therein and onto an array of pixels, iii) capturing selected portions of said light pulse on said array of pixels and generating a respective one set of digital data values representing the intensity of light incident on said array, said selected portions of said light pulse representing one or more lens defect conditions, iv) processing said set of digital data values according to a predetermined program to determine at least one lens defect condition, and v) generating an output signal representing at least one lens defect condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A method of inspecting ophthalmic lenses, comprising:
-
positioning one or more ophthalmic lenses on a transparent lens carrier containing a fluid solution; continuously moving said lens carrier along a predetermined path to move each of the lenses, one at a time, into a lens inspection position; each time one of the lenses moves into the lens inspection position, i) activating a light source to generate a respective one light pulse of collimated light, ii) directing the collimated light pulse through said transparent cup and said lens contained therein and onto an array of pixels, iii) capturing selected portions of said light pulse on said array of pixels and generating a respective one set of digital data values representing the intensity of light incident on said array, iv) processing said set of digital data values according to a predetermined program to determine at least one lens defect condition, and v) generating an output signal representing said at least one lens defect condition; wherein the directing step includes the steps of i) exposing the array of pixels for a first predetermined time prior to activating the light source, and ii) exposing the pixel array to the collimated light pulse for a second predetermined time after the light source is activated to insure that all pixels on the array are able to receive said light pulse. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A system for automatically inspecting ophthalmic lenses, comprising:
-
a transparent lens carrier adapted to transport one or more ophthalmic lenses; means to continuously move said lens carrier along a predetermined path to move each of the lenses, one at a time, into a lens inspection position; lighting means to generate a respective one collimated light pulse each time one of the lenses moves into the lens inspection position; a pixel array to generate a respective one set of signals representing the intensity of light incident on said array; means to direct the collimated light pulse through the lenses at said inspection position and onto the array of pixels; and processing means connected to the pixel array to receive said sets of signals therefrom, to generate a set of digital data values from each set of said signals, to process said digital data values according to a predetermined program, and to generate an output signal representing at least one condition of each of the lenses. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A system for automatically inspecting ophthalmic lenses, comprising:
-
a transparent lens carrier containing a fluid solution and adapted to transport one or more ophthalmic lenses in said fluid solution; means to continuously move said transparent lens carrier along a predetermined path to move each of the lenses, one at a time, into a lens inspection position; lighting means to generate a respective one pulse of collimated light each time one of the lenses moves into the lens inspection position; a pixel array to generate a respective one set of signals representing the intensity of each light pulse incident on said array; means to direct the collimated light pulses through the transparent carrier and said lens and onto the array of pixels for capturing selected portions of said light pulse incident on said array of pixels; processing means connected to the pixel array to receive said sets of signals therefrom, to process said signals according to a predetermined program, and to generate an output signal representing at least one condition of each of the lenses; and control means to expose the pixel array for a first predetermined period of time prior to generating each light pulse for a second predetermined period of time to insure that all pixels of the array are able to receive said each light pulse. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
-
21. A method of automatically inspecting ophthalmic lenses, comprising the steps of:
-
centering each of said ophthalmic lenses in a respective transparent inspection cup of a lens carrier; continuously moving said carrier to position said ophthalmic lenses, one at a time, into a lens inspection position; each time one of said ophthalmic lenses moves into the lens inspection position, performing the steps of; (a) activating a light source to generate a collimated light beam pulse for illuminating said transparent cup containing a said one ophthalmic lens; (b) limiting a cross sectional area of said light beam pulse to form a light beam having cross-sectional area greater than an area of said ophthalmic lens at said lens inspection position; c) directing said limited light beam through said transparent cup and said ophthalmic lens and to a stop located between said one ophthalmic lens and an array of pixels; (d) capturing selected portions of said light pulse on said array of pixels by directing any portion of said light beam deflected by a defect in said one ophthalmic lens onto said array of pixels, said limiting step substantially reducing light deflected from said transparent inspection cup to improve contrast of an image of deflected light incident on said pixel array; (e) converting said image on said array to digital data; and (f) processing said digital data to determine at least one lens defect condition from said deflected light beam. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A system for automatically inspecting ophthalmic lenses, comprising:
-
transparent carrier means to carry each of said ophthalmic lenses in a centered position within a fluid solution; moving means to continuously move said transparent carrier means to position said ophthalmic lenses, one at a time, into a lens inspection position; a lighting means to generate a light beam of collimated light for illuminating said ophthalmic lens each time one of said ophthalmic lenses moves into the lens inspection position; limiting means to limit a cross sectional area of said light beam to form a collimated light pulse of a limited cross-sectional area greater than an area of said ophthalmic lens at said lens inspection position; directing means to focus said collimated light pulse of limited cross-sectional area through said transparent carrier and said ophthalmic lens and to a stop located between said one ophthalmic lens and an array of pixels, said array of pixels for capturing selected portions of said light pulse deflected by said ophthalmic lens onto said array of pixels, said limiting means substantially reducing light deflected from said carrier to improve contrast of a lens defect image incident on said pixel array; converting means to convert said lens defect image on said array to digital data; processing means to process said digital data for determining at least one condition of said one ophthalmic lens from said deflected light beam. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A method for automatically inspecting ophthalmic lenses comprising the steps of:
-
continuously moving a plurality of said ophthalmic lenses which are each centered in a respective transparent inspection cup containing a fluid solution; activating a light source to generate a collimated light beam pulse to illuminate one of said ophthalmic lenses contained in said fluid solution in said transparent inspection cup when said one ophthalmic lens reaches an inspection position; directing said one pulse light beam through said transparent cup and one ophthalmic lens to a stop located between said one ophthalmic lens and a pixel array; capturing selected portions of said light pulse deflected by a defect in said one ophthalmic lens onto said pixel array to form a lens defect image; generating signals responsive to said lens defect image; and processing said signals to determine a lens defect condition of said one ophthalmic lens. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
-
44. A system for automatically inspecting ophthalmic lenses comprising:
-
means for continuously moving a plurality of said ophthalmic lenses which are each centered in a respective transparent cup containing a fluid solution; means for generating a collimated light beam pulse that illuminates one of said ophthalmic lenses contained in said fluid solution when said one ophthalmic lens reaches an inspection position; means for directing said collimated light beam pulse through said transparent cup and one ophthalmic lens to a stop located between said one ophthalmic lens and a pixel array; means for directing light deflected from said one ophthalmic lens past said stop and onto said pixel array to form an image of said one ophthalmic lens on said pixel array; means for generating signals responsive to said deflected light; means for processing said signals to determine a condition of said one ophthalmic lens. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
-
Specification