Benchtop spectrophotometer with improved targeting
AssigneeX-Rite, Incorporated
InventorsBernard J. Berg, Frederick J. Maddage, Jr., Richard Maurice Montminy, Kevin Tougas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A color measurement instrument with improved sample targeting or positioning. The system includes an integrating sphere, a beam splitter, a video camera, and a spectrograph. The beam splitter is aligned with the viewing port of the spectrophotometer to deliver the light reflected from the sample to both the video camera and the spectrograph. The video camera provides an image of the position of the sample with respect to the viewing port of the sphere, enabling the visual observation and evaluation of the sample position prior to use of the spectrophotometer.
Claims20
A color measurement instrument comprising:
- an integrating sphere having a sample port and a viewing port;
- a beam splitter optically aligned with said viewing port and said sample port;
- a camera optically connected to said beam splitter to provide an image of the sample at said sample port;
- and
- a color measurement system optically connected to said beam splitter to measure the color of the sample at said sample port.
A color measurement instrument comprising:
- an integrating sphere defining a sample port and a viewing port;
- a camera optically aligned with said sample port and said viewing port for acquiring an image of a sample at said sample port to determine if the sample is properly aligned with said sample port;
- and
- a color measurement system optically aligned with said sample port and said viewing port to measure the color of the sample at said sample port.
A color measurement instrument comprising:
- an integrating sphere having a sample port and a viewing port, said sphere further including a sample holder for retaining a sample in position at said sample port;
- beam splitter means optically aligned with said viewing port and said sample port for splitting the light reflected thorough said viewing port from a sample at said sample port;
- camera means optically connected to said beam, splitter for acquiring an image of a sample at said sample port;
- a color measurement system optically connected to said beam splitter for determining the color of the sample at said sample port;
- and
- reticule means for providing sample alignment information to said video camera.
A color measurement instrument including:
- an integrating sphere defining a sample port in which a sample may be positioned and a viewing port;
- camera means optically aligned with said ports for capturing an image of the position of the sample within the sample port;
- and
- measurement means for acquiring information regarding the color of the sample within the sample port, said measurement means optically aligned with said ports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.