Ring illumination reflective elements on a generally planar surface

A ring illumination apparatus, for illuminating a plurality of reflective elements disposed on a generally planar surface of an article to be inspected and disposed within in a field of view of an illumination detection device, said ring illumination apparatus comprising:

• a substantially ring-shaped light source having a predefined diameter, said substantially ring-shaped light source generating a plurality of light beams, said substantially ring-shaped light source including:
• a plurality of light emitting elements, mounted at a predefined angle with respect to a plane parallel to said generally planar surface of said article, for directing said plurality of light beams generated by said substantially ring-shaped light source toward said article in said field of view, wherein said predefined diameter and said predefined angle are defined such that a central light beam area of each of said plurality of light beams is directed across said field of view toward an opposite edge of said field of view on said article to be inspected such that said plurality of light beams provide a substantially even illumination of each of said plurality of reflective elements in said field of view on said article to be inspected without being reflected from said generally planar surface to said illumination detection device.

A method of illuminating an article having a plurality of reflective elements disposed on a generally planar surface, said method comprising the steps of:

• placing said article with said plurality of reflective elements within a field of view of an illumination detection device and beneath a ring illumination apparatus;
• and
• directing a plurality of light beams at said article using said ring illumination apparatus such that a central light beam area of each of said plurality of light beams is directed across said field of view toward an opposite edge of said field of view on said article to be inspected, wherein said plurality of light beams are directed toward said article being inspected at an angle of illumination with respect to said article being inspected such that said light is reflected from each of said plurality of reflective elements toward said illumination detection device and said light is reflected from said generally planar surface away from said illumination detection device.