Illumination system for use in imaging moving articles
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a system for conveying articles on a conveyor in a direction of travel under a camera, an apparatus for illuminating an upper surface of said articles, comprising:
- an elongated light source positioned alongside said conveyor, with a longitudinal axis of said light source forming an angle from the horizontal;
said light source including a lamp and an elongated reflector positioned to reflect light from said light source toward articles on said conveyor; and
a light directing device positioned between said light source and said conveyor to receive light from said light source and to direct the light toward articles on said conveyor at an angle equal to or greater than forty degrees from an optical axis of said camera; and
a barrier positioned to confine the light illuminating said articles to light passing through said light directing device.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for illuminating articles, such as parcels, moving beneath a camera on a conveyor belt. Multiple light sources are positioned alongside the conveyor to direct light angled downwardly and from the side of the conveyor. Each light source has an elongated lamp angled with respect to the surface of the article and a light directing device, preferably a Fresnel lens, positioned to receive light from the lamp and to direct the light toward the surface at an angle equal to or greater than forty degrees from an optical axis of the camera.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. In a system for conveying articles on a conveyor in a direction of travel under a camera, an apparatus for illuminating an upper surface of said articles, comprising:
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an elongated light source positioned alongside said conveyor, with a longitudinal axis of said light source forming an angle from the horizontal;
said light source including a lamp and an elongated reflector positioned to reflect light from said light source toward articles on said conveyor; and
a light directing device positioned between said light source and said conveyor to receive light from said light source and to direct the light toward articles on said conveyor at an angle equal to or greater than forty degrees from an optical axis of said camera; and
a barrier positioned to confine the light illuminating said articles to light passing through said light directing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus for illuminating a surface of an article being imaged by a camera, comprising:
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an elongated light source positioned alongside said article to direct light from said light source toward said article, a longitudinal axis of said light source forming an angle with said surface; and
a Fresnel lens positioned between said light source and said article to receive light from said light source and to direct the light toward said article at an angle equal to or greater than forty degrees from an optical axis of said camera;
said light source being located closer to said Fresnel lens than the focal length of said Fresnel lens, and the optical axis of said Fresnel lens being offset from an axis of symmetry of said light source. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method for illuminating articles moving on a conveyor in a direction of travel under a camera, comprising the steps of:
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directing a beam of light from the side of said conveyor at a downward angle toward said articles; and
collimating said beam to direct the light at an angle equal to or greater than forty-five degrees from an optical axis of said camera and to form an illuminated strip on an upper surface of said articles transverse to said direction of travel. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. In a system for conveying articles on a conveyor in a direction of travel under a camera, an apparatus for illuminating an upper surface of said articles, comprising:
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an elongated light source positioned alongside said conveyor, with a longitudinal axis of said light source forming an angle from the horizontal;
said light source including a lamp and an elongated reflector positioned to reflect light from said light source toward articles on said conveyor; and
said reflector being part of a cone-shaped figure having a first focal axis approximately colinear with said lamp, and a second approximately horizontal focal axis adjacent to said conveyor.
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Specification