Optical scanner and method for 3-dimensional scanning

A scanner comprising:

• a. a support bed;
• b. a transparent plate attached to the support bed;
• and
• c. a sensor assembly attached to the support bed under the transparent plate and comprising at least one sensor and a light source, said sensor assembly being configured for three-dimensional scanning of an object placed on the transparent plate by:
• shining light on the object;
• and obtaining at least two scanned images of the object, each of which is from light reflecting off the object at a different angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the scanner and being sensed by the at least one sensor.

A scanner for obtaining multiple stereoscopic views of an object, said scanner comprising:

• a. a support apparatus comprising:
• a support bed and a carriage moveably coupled to the support bed;
• b. a transparent plate attached to the support bed above the carriage and configured to support the object;
• and
• c. a sensor assembly attached to the support apparatus under the transparent plate, said sensor assembly comprising:
• at least one sensor;
• a light source for shining light on the object;
• and an optics system;
• wherein:
• d. the optics system is configured to direct light reflecting off the object to the at least one sensor, said reflected light being from at least two different angles with respect to a path of movement of the carriage and thereby representing multiple stereoscopic views of the object;
• and
• e. the optics system has a deep depth-of-focus wherein images formed by light reflecting off portions of the object lying away from a top surface portion of the transparent plate are in focus when directed by the optics system to the at least one sensor.

A method of obtaining multiple stereoscopic images of an object, said method comprising the steps of:

• a. positioning the object over a transparent plate, said transparent plate being positioned above a sensor assembly comprising:
• a linearly-movable carriage;
• and at least one sensor;
• b. shining light on the object;
• c. obtaining electrical signals that correspond to a first stereoscopic image of the object by electronically sensing, with the at least one sensor, light reflecting off the object at a first angle with respect to a path of movement of the carriage and passing through the transparent plate;
• and
• d. obtaining electrical signals that correspond to a second stereoscopic image of the object by electronically sensing, with the at least one sensor, light reflecting off the object at a second angle with respect to the path of movement of the carriage and passing through the transparent plate.

An imaging process for obtaining multiple stereoscopic images of a three-dimensional object, said process comprising the steps of:

• a. placing the object on a transparent plate, wherein:
• a first portion of the object lies in contact with a top surface of the transparent plate and a second portion of the object lies away from the top surface of the transparent plate;
• the transparent plate has a longitudinal axis;
• and the transparent plate lies above a sensor assembly comprising at least one sensor and a carriage;
• b. shining light on the object, wherein light reflects off the object in a plurality of directions and down through the transparent plate;
• c. moving the carriage, located underneath the transparent plate, along the longitudinal axis of the transparent plate;
• d. electronically sensing light reflecting off the first and second portions of the object at a first angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the transparent plate and passing down through the transparent plate;
• and
• e. electronically sensing light reflecting off the first and second portions of the object at a second angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the transparent plate and passing down through the transparent plate;
• wherein:
• f. once placed on the transparent plate, the object remains stationary during the imaging process.

An imaging process for obtaining multiple stereoscopic images of a three-dimensional object, said process comprising the steps of:

• a. placing the object on a transparent plate, wherein:
• a first portion of the object lies in contact with a top surface of the transparent plate and a second portion of the object lies away from the top surface of the transparent plate;
• the transparent plate has a longitudinal axis;
• and, once placed on the transparent plate, the object remains stationary during the imaging process;
• b. shining light on the object, wherein light reflects off the object in a plurality of directions and down through the transparent plate;
• c. moving a sensor assembly located underneath the transparent plate along the longitudinal axis of the transparent plate and across a scanning area of interest, wherein as the sensor assembly moves along the longitudinal axis of the transparent plate the sensor assembly is configured to:
• d. sequentially focus and electronically sense light reflecting off the first and second portions of the object at a first angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the transparent plate and passing down through the transparent plate, wherein the sequentially focused and electronically sensed light reflecting off the object at the first angle corresponds to a first stereoscopic image of the object;
• and
• e. sequentially focus and electronically sense light reflecting off the first and second portions of the object at a second angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the transparent plate and passing down through the transparent plate, wherein the sequentially focused and electronically sensed light reflecting off the object at the second angle corresponds to a second stereoscopic image of the object.