Color measuring device having interchangeable optical geometries
First Claim
1. A device for measuring color of a sample, said device comprising;
- means for illuminating the sample;
modular means, selected from a plurality of modular means each having a different optical geometry, optically connected to said illuminating means, for directing at least a portion of the illumination to the sample and for collecting at least a portion of a sample light reflected from the sample, said modular means having an optical geometry corresponding to that of the sample for determining the distribution of the illumination and the collection of the sample light by said modular means; and
means, optically connected to said modular means, for receiving the sample light from said modular means,wherein said modular means is adapted to be optically separated from said illuminating means and said receiving means and replaced with another one of said plurality of modular means when measurement of the color of a sample having a different optical geometry is performed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is provided a high precision device for measuring the color of non-self-luminous or self-luminous objects having interchangeable optical geometries for conversion from one optical geometry to another. The device interchanges a plurality of modules, each having at least one optical geometry for directing illumination from an illumination source and for collecting sample light reflected from a measured object or sample. Such optical geometries include a 45/0 geometry, sphere geometry, specular included geometry, and specular excluded geometry. Each module is removably attached to the device when measurement of the color of the sample is desired and may be separated from the device when measurement of the color of the sample is not desired. Also, each module may include removable filters for absorbing certain types of light, such as ultraviolet visible light, and blocking elements to determine the source of any reference signal. The device may further include a sensing system that automatically determines which module has been installed and to appropriately configure the device.
123 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A device for measuring color of a sample, said device comprising;
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means for illuminating the sample; modular means, selected from a plurality of modular means each having a different optical geometry, optically connected to said illuminating means, for directing at least a portion of the illumination to the sample and for collecting at least a portion of a sample light reflected from the sample, said modular means having an optical geometry corresponding to that of the sample for determining the distribution of the illumination and the collection of the sample light by said modular means; and means, optically connected to said modular means, for receiving the sample light from said modular means, wherein said modular means is adapted to be optically separated from said illuminating means and said receiving means and replaced with another one of said plurality of modular means when measurement of the color of a sample having a different optical geometry is performed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification