Diffractosight improvements
AssigneeDiffracto Ltd.
InventorsDonald A. Clarke, Rodger Reynolds, Timothy R. Pryor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are improvements in the surface inspection method and apparatus invention of our copending application "Panel Surface Flaw Inspection", Ser. No. 579,971, U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,319, which has now come to be described as "DiffractoSight". Particularly disclosed are semi and full automatic techniques for quantifying and locating localized surface distortions. Applications for determination of scratches, paint finish defects and other surface problems are also described. The primary area of application is to cosmetic defects on automobile bodies, appliances, and furniture, and the dies, molds and models and other surfaces used in their manufacture.
Claims81
A method of inspecting a surface comprising the steps of:
- illuminating an extensive area of the surface with light by directing light onto the surface area in such a manner that the light is reflected therefrom;
- providing a retroreflective member comprising a large number of small retroreflective elements in a position such that light reflected from the extensive illuminated surface area impinges thereon, is then returned to the illuminated surface area, and is re-reflected therefrom;
- imaging light re-reflected from the extensive illuminated surface area;
- scanning the imaged light to determine intensity variations in that imaged light, and determining from the intensity variations in the imaged light a characteristic of said surface.
An apparatus for inspecting a surface comprising:
- illuminating means for illuminating an extensive area of the surface by directing light onto the surface area in such a manner that light is reflected therefrom;
- a retro-reflective member comprising a large number of small retro-reflective elements positioned relative to the surface such that light reflected from the extensive illuminated surface area impinges thereon, is then returned to the illuminated surface area, and is re-reflected therefrom;
- imaging means for imaging light re-reflected from the extensive illuminated surface area;
- scanning means for scanning the imaged light to determine intensity variations in that imaged light;
- and
- detecting means for determining from the intensity variations in the imaged light a characteristic of the extensive illuminated surface area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.