Side light apparatus and method
AssigneeCognex Technology and Investment Corporation
InventorsMichael P. Nettekoven, Darin G. Cerny
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for directing uniform intensity light onto a surface where the light is provided at an acute angle with respect to the surface including a light source that generates initial light rays that are essentially perpendicular to the surface and a guidance member positioned between the source and the surface which receives the initial rays and redirects the rays such that redirected rays are parallel and form acute angles with respect to the surface, the source and guidance member juxtaposed with respect to the surface so that the redirected rays subtend the surface.
Claims20
An apparatus to be used to illuminate an object having an essentially flat surface along a first dimension that extends along a first direction, the apparatus for providing light that is directed onto the flat surface in a direction that has at least some component in the first direction, the apparatus comprising:
- a light source that forms a plurality of initial light rays that are directable along a direction essentially perpendicular to the first direction;
- and
- a guidance member positioned proximate the light source that intercepts and redirects the initial light rays such that redirected rays exit the guidance member along paths that form angles with the respect to the initial rays and which have a lateral component aligned with the first direction and so that the redirected rays subtend an illuminated portion of the flat surface.
An apparatus for generating images of an object having an essentially flat surface along a first dimension that extends along a first direction, the apparatus comprising:
- a line light source having a line surface from which a plurality of initial light rays, the source positionable such that the line surface is essentially parallel to the flat surface and extends in the first direction and so that the rays are directed in a direction essentially perpendicular to the first direction
- a guidance member positioned proximate the light source that intercepts and redirects the initial light rays such that redirected rays exit the guidance member along paths that form angles with respect to the initial rays and which have a lateral component aligned with the first direction and so that the redirected rays subtend an illuminated potion of the flat surface;
- and
- a camera having a field of view and positionable such that the field of view includes at least a segment of the illuminated portion of the flat surface.
An apparatus for generating images of a material web having a first dimension where the images correspond to web segments having the first dimension and a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension, the apparatus comprising:
- a roller that supports the web such that the first dimension is essentially flat and extends along the width of the member in a first direction and the second dimension is perpendicular to the first dimension and is generally aligned with the direction of web movement during winding;
- a line light source having a line surface from which a plurality of initial light rays emanate, the source positioned such that the line surface is essentially parallel to the first dimension and extends in the first direction and so that the rays are directed in a direction essentially perpendicular to the first direction
- a guidance member positioned proximate the source that intercepts and redirects the initial light rays such that redirected rays exit the guidance member along paths that form angles with respect to the initial rays and which have a lateral component aligned with the first direction and so that the redirected rays subtend an illuminated portion of the web on the roller;
- and
- a camera having a field of view and positioned such that the field of view includes at least a segment of the illuminated portion of the web.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.