Method and apparatus for inspecting photosensitive material for surface defects

Abstract

The surface defect inspection method and apparatus are capable of inspecting a photosensitive material for defective surface portions with efficiency by using a reflex-type optical sensor. The surface defect inspection apparatus has a reflex-type optical sensor. A thermal-developable photosensitive material is irradiated with inspection light from a light source. Reflected light from the photosensitive material is received by a light-receiving portion of the optical sensor and a defective surface portion is detected from the reflected light. A mask is attached to the light-receiving portion to cut out specular reflected light, thereby enabling a change in the quantity of diffuse reflected light to be directly detected. Therefore, even a defective surface portion where only a small diffuse reflectance is recognized can be detected with efficiency.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.