Portable reflex comparator
AssigneeHallmark Technologies, Inc.
InventorR. Stephen Mulder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A portable testing device for comparing one reflective part with another to determine whether the reflective part has met quality standards is presented. The portable reflex comparator includes a light source for directing a beam of light to a lock-in amplifier and to a collimating lens. The collimating lens directs light to a reflex part to be tested, for example, one being manufactured by an injection molding machine to be used as an automotive lens. A light beam is reflected back out of the reflective part, through the collimating lens where it converges to the focal plane where it is processed by the amplifier. A voltmeter produces a reading for the operator to see whether the production part meets a certain standardized value.
Claims14
A portable reflex comparator for testing the quality of a retroreflector part comprising:
- a housing with first and second end walls, side walls, and a handle for carrying the housing;
- a light source located at one end of the housing;
- a light modulating device spaced apart from the light source;
- a focal plane offset from the light modulating device;
- a collimating lens positioned parallel to the focal plane, wherein the collimating lens is operable to receive a diverging beam of light from the focal plane, direct said beam of light substantially normal to the surface of a reflex part, receive the light beam back from the reflex part and converge the light beam to the local plane;
- a signal detector for detecting a reference signal;
- a lock-in amplifier disposed in optical communication with said signal detector for filtering out noise;
- and
- a meter operable in electrical communication with said amplifier and operable to output a signal indicative of the part being tested.
A portable reflex comparator comprising:
- a housing having a handle for carrying the comparator;
- a light modulating device located within the housing;
- a focal plane offset from the light modulating device;
- a collimating lens positioned parallel to the focal plane, wherein the collimating lens is operable to receive a diverging beam of light from the focal plane, direct said beam of light substantially normal to the surface of a reflex part, receive the light beam back from the reflex part and converge the light beam to the local plane;
- a lock-in amplifier disposed in optical communication with said collimating lens for filtering out external noise;
- and
- a meter disposed in electrical communication with said amplifier and operable to create a signal indicative of the part being tested.
A method of testing a reflex part using a comparator comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a modulated light beam signal and splitting the signal into a reference signal and an output signal;
- b) directing the output signal to a focal plane;
- c) directing the reference signal to an amplifier;
- d) diverging the output signal to a collimating lens so as to create parallel beams of light engaging the surface of a reflex part to be tested;
- e) bouncing returning beams of light onto the collimating lens and directing the returning beams to an input fiber optic member located at the focal plane to create an input signal;
- f) transmitting the input signal from the focal plane to an amplifier;
- g) processing the input signal and the reference signal so as to create a voltage output indicative of the light characteristic of the reflex part;
- and
- h) indicating on an output device value x which is indicative of the light characteristic of a standardized reflex part.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.