Pulsed-array video inspection lighting system
AssigneePressco, Inc.
InventorsDon W. Cochran, James R. Austin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An engineered lighting system for use in an inspection system is comprised of an array of light emitting diodes. A specimen is brought into the viewing area, and a current pulse is provided to the diodes of the array to selectively flash all or a portion of the diodes of the array. Reflected light from the specimen is sensed and a digitized image is generated therefrom. An illumination level of the digitized image is adjustable, in whole or in part, by varying the effective lighting intensity of one or more of the diodes of the array during a flash period. The digitized image of the specimen is compared to data indicative of acceptability of the specimen, and acceptance or rejection of the specimen is decided on a basis of a comparison therebetween.
Claims22
An engineered inspection lighting system comprising:
- a plurality of directed primary light generating elements directed to a primary light field;
- means for securing the primary light generating elements in a preselected array arrangement to form a primary lighting array;
- means adapted for directing light from the primary light generating elements to the primary light field;
- supply means for providing a single current pulse to selected light generating elements of the primary lighting array to illuminate an associated specimen within the primary light field;
- and
- the primary light field including a plurality of sections, the primary light generating elements being positioned in the primary lighting array such that each primary light generating element thereof does not contribute light equally to each section of the primary light field and wherein light in the light field from at least a portion of the light generating elements of the array is overlapped with light from neighboring light generating elements of the array.
An inspection system comprising:
- a plurality of directed primary light generating elements;
- means for securing the primary light generating elements in a preselected array arrangement to form a primary lighting array;
- means adapted for directing light from the primary light generating elements to a viewing area;
- the viewing area including a plurality of sections, the primary light generating elements being positioned in the primary lighting array such that each primary light element thereof does not contribute equally to each section of the viewing area;
- supply means for simultaneously providing a current pulse to each of selected of the light generating elements of the primary lighting array such that an associated specimen present in the viewing area will be illuminated solely by one current pulse;
- and
- monitor means adapted for sensing reflected light emitted from the primary lighting array after a reflection thereof from the associated specimen.
A method of lighting a specimen in an inspection system comprising the steps of:
- supplying single current pulse to an array of light generating elements to illuminate an associated specimens;
- generating light from each light generating element of the array as a result of the supplying of current thereto;
- generating a primary light field from light from the array, the light field including a plurality of sections in which each lighting element of the array does not contribute equally to an intensity of light in each section;
- directing light from the array to a viewing area;
- exposing a specimen to light from the array;
- sensing light from the array after reflection thereof from the specimen;
- and
- generating data indicative of a physical characteristic of the specimen in accordance with sensed light generated by the single current pulse.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.