# US 2017/0184454 A1 · Colorimetry apparatus and image forming apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0184454 A1 - Document ID: US20170184454A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/460,364 - Filed: 2017-03-16 - Published: 2017-06-29 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-30 - Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Tomoaki Nakai; Akihiko Uchiyama - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170184454A1 ## CPC - G01J 3/502: {using a dispersive element, e.g. grating, prism} - G01J 1/0488: {with spectral filtering} - G01J 3/18: using diffraction elements, e.g. grating (gratings per se G02B) - G01J 3/50: using electric radiation detectors - G03G 15/01: for producing multicoloured copies - G03G 15/5062: {by measuring the characteristics of an image on the copy material} - G03G 2215/00257: coloured - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - G03G: ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY ## Abstract The colorimetry apparatus includes a light source for emitting light to a surface of a detected object, a diffraction grating for spectrally separating, for each wavelength, the light emitted from the light source and reflected by the detected object, and a line sensor including multiple pixels, for receiving the light, which is spectrally separated by the diffraction grating, for the each wavelength by the multiple pixels. The light source and the line sensor are arranged on the common substrate. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-11. (canceled) ### Claim 12 A colorimetry apparatus comprising: a light emission device configured to emit light to a surface of a detected material; a diffraction grating configured to spectrally separate light by wavelengths, the light having been emitted from the light emission device and reflected by the detected material; and a light receiving device including multiple pixels, configured to receive spectral light for each of the wavelengths by the multiple pixels, the spectral light having been spectrally separated by the diffraction grating; a substrate including a common surface on which the light emission device and the light receiving device are provided; and a housing that is a different member from the substrate, wherein the light emission device, the diffraction grating, the light receiving device, and the substrate are provided inside the housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising: a control unit for controlling an emission of the light emitted by the light emission device, wherein the control unit is provided on the substrate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the diffraction grating and the light receiving device are positioned so that an optical path in which a light spectrally separated by the diffraction grating and received by the light receiving device is positioned along a virtual surface parallel to a surface of the detected material positioned at a predetermined position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the common surface of the substrate is perpendicular to the virtual surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the substrate includes a portion whose transmission amount of a light is less than a transmission amount of light at another portion, between the light emission device and the light receiving device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising: a first light guide for guiding light emitted from the light emission device into the detected material; and a second light guide for guiding light reflected on the detected material into the diffraction grating, wherein the first light guide and the second light guide are positioned inside the housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the second light guide guides a reflected light to the diffraction grating by changing a first direction in which a light is reflected to a second direction. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the light spectrally separated by the diffraction grating is received by the light receiving device without changing a direction. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image; a colorimetry apparatus according to claim 12; and a control unit for controlling an image forming condition of the image forming unit according to an output of the colorimetry apparatus. ### Claim 21 A colorimetry apparatus comprising: a light emission device configured to emit light to a surface of a detected material; a diffraction grating configured to spectrally separate light by wavelengths, the light having been emitted from the light emission device and reflected by the detected material; and a light receiving device including multiple pixels, configured to receive spectral light for each of the wavelengths by the multiple pixels, the spectral light having been spectrally separated by the diffraction grating; a substrate including a common surface on which the light emission device and the light receiving device are provided; and a housing that is a different member from the substrate, wherein the light emission device, the diffraction grating, and the light receiving device are provided inside the housing. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the substrate is provided at a position where the substrate covers an opening of the housing. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising: a control unit for controlling an emission of the light emitted by the light emission device, wherein the control unit is provided on the substrate. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the diffraction grating and the light receiving device are positioned so that an optical path in which a light spectrally separated by the diffraction grating and received by the light receiving device is positioned along a virtual surface parallel to a surface of the detected material positioned at a predetermined position. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the common surface of the substrate is perpendicular to the virtual surface. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the substrate includes a portion whose transmission amount of a light is less than a transmission amount of light at another portion, between the light emission device and the light receiving device. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising: a first light guide for guiding light emitted from the light emission device into the detected material; and a second light guide for guiding light reflected on the detected material into the diffraction grating, wherein the first light guide and the second light guide are positioned inside the housing. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the second light guide guides a reflected light to the diffraction grating by changing a first direction in which a light is reflected to a second direction. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) A colorimetry apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the light spectrally separated by the diffraction grating is received by the light receiving device without changing a direction. ### Claim 30 (depends on 21) An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image; a colorimetry apparatus according to claim 21; and a control unit for controlling an image forming condition of the image forming unit according to an output of the colorimetry apparatus.