Optical measurement and detection system
AssigneeAsahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTakashi Okuyama, Masatoshi Iwama
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical inspection system uses a fluorescent optical fiber to receive detection light and generate fluorescent light which then travels the length of the fiber and is detected at one or both ends thereof.
Claims19
A device for examining an object to determine a characteristic thereof, said device comprising means for translating said object in a predetermined moving direction, irradiation means for irradiating said object with light, said irradiation means emitting light in a direction substantially perpendicular to said moving direction and detection means for detecting light received at a detection station, said detection means comprising:
- a fluorescent optical fiber responsive to said light received at said detection station for generating fluorescent light which travels along said fiber to at least one end thereof;
- photodetection means disposed at said one end of said fiber for generating an output indicating an amount of fluorescent light received at said one end of said fiber;
- and
- detection circuitry for processing the output from said photodetection means to determine said predetermined characteristic of said object.
A device for examining an object to determine a characteristic thereof, said device comprising irradiation means for irradiating said object with light, and detection means for detecting light received at a detection station, said detection means comprising:
- a fluorescent optical fiber responsive to said light received at said detection station for generating fluorescent light which travels along said fiber to at least one end thereof;
- photodetection means disposed at said one end of said fiber for generating an output indicating an amount of fluorescent light received at said one end of said fiber;
- and
- detection circuitry for processing the output from said photodetection means to determine said predetermined characteristic of said object;
- wherein said object is positioned between said irradiation means and said fluorescent optical fiber in an aligned manner;
- and
- wherein said irradiation means comprises a light source for emitting light, a scanning section for receiving said light from said light source and providing a scanning light beam which swings through a range of scanning angles, and a lens receiving said scanning light beam and providing a scanning light beam which traverses a scanning width in a scanning plane while maintaining a constant direction, and wherein said fluorescent optical fiber is substantially parallel to said scanning plane.
A device for examining an object to determine a characteristic thereof, said device comprising irradiation means for irradiating said object with light, and detection means for detecting light received at a detection station, said detection means comprising:
- a fluorescent optical fiber responsive to said light received at said detection station for generating fluorescent light which travels along said fiber to at least one end thereof;
- photodetection means disposed at said one end of said fiber for generating an output indicating an amount of fluorescent light received at said one end of said fiber;
- and
- detection circuitry for processing the output from said photodetection means to determine said predetermined characteristic of said object;
- and
- wherein said detection circuitry comprises level detection means for providing an output corresponding to the level of the output signal of said photodetection means, determining means responsive to an output from said level detection means for generating an output representing the time interval within a scan during which the output of said level detection means is at a predetermined level, and decision means responsive to an output from said determining means and to stored data for determining said characteristic of said object.
A device for examining an object to determine a characteristic thereof, said device comprising irradiation means for irradiating said object with light, and detection means for detecting light received at a detection station, said detection means comprising:
- a fluorescent optical fiber responsive to said light received at said detection station for generating fluorescent light which travels along said fiber to at least one end thereof;
- photodetection means disposed at said one end of said fiber for generating an output indicating an amount of fluorescent light received at said one end of said fiber;
- and
- detection circuitry for processing the output from said photodetection means to determine said predetermined characteristic of said object;
- wherein said object is positioned between said irradiation means and said detection circuitry in an aligned manner;
- and
- wherein said irradiation means comprises a light source for emitting a light beam having a predetermined width in at least one direction, and wherein said fluorescent optical fiber is substantially parallel to said one direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.