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US 7,256,881 B2Granted
Systems and methods for inspection of ophthalmic lenses
AssigneeCooperVision, Inc.
InventorsKirk Leppard, Mark Hoyle, Chris Townsend, Mike Hazel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated lens inspection system that images the edge and surface of an ophthalmic lens transmits light through the ophthalmic lens to a camera to create a complete digital image of the lens edge or lens surface. The digitized image(s) is(are) analyzed to detect defects or abnormalities of the ophthalmic lens. Methods of inspecting ophthalmic lenses are also disclosed.
Claims29
An automated ophthalmic lens inspection system, comprising:
- (a) an image acquisition system including first and second digital cameras, the first and second digital cameras each having an optical path, and an ophthalmic lens support having a planar lens supporting surface providing the only contact surface for an ophthalmic lens, the image acquisition system being structured to position the ophthalmic lens placed on the planar lens supporting surface of the ophthalmic lens support to allow the first camera and the second camera to focus on the ophthalmic lens at different times, the first camera being positioned at a distance from the ophthalmic lens so that a lens of the first camera is focused on an edge of the ophthalmic lens to obtain a single image of the entire edge of the ophthalmic lens and being positioned so that the optical path of the first camera is parallel to an optical axis of the ophthalmic lens located on the ophthalmic lens support, and the second camera being positioned at a distance from the ophthalmic lens so that a lens of the second camera is focused on a surface of the ophthalmic lens spaced apart from the ophthalmic lens edge to obtain a single image of the surface of the ophthalmic lens spaced apart from the ophthalmic lens edge and being positioned so that the optical path of the second camera is parallel to the optical axis of the ophthalmic lens located on the ophthalmic lens support;
- and
- (b) an image analysis system including at least one computer having one or more programs to inspect the images of the edge of the ophthalmic lens and the surface of the ophthalmic lens spaced apart from the ophthalmic lens edge obtained by the first and second cameras, respectively.
An automated ophthalmic lens inspection system, comprising:
- (a) an image acquisition system including
- (i) a light source,
- (ii) an ophthalmic lens support having a planar lens supporting surface providing the only contact surface for an ophthalmic lens and structured to hold an ophthalmic lens at a predetermined distance from the light source and to pass light from the light source, and
- (iii) a camera having an objective lens positioned to receive light provided by the light source and passed through the ophthalmic lens support along an optical path that is parallel to an optical axis of the ophthalmic lens, the objective lens of the camera positioned a predetermined distance from the ophthalmic lens located on the ophthalmic lens support so that the camera focuses on an edge of the ophthalmic lens or on a convex surface of the ophthalmic lens located away from the edge of the ophthalmic lens, provided that the camera does not focus on both the edge of the ophthalmic lens and the convex surface of the ophthalmic lens located away from the edge of the ophthalmic lens at the same time, to obtain a single digital image of the entire edge of the ophthalmic lens or the entire convex surface of the ophthalmic lens located away from the edge of the ophthalmic lens;
- and
- (b) an image analysis system including at least one computer in communication with the camera of the image acquisition system to receive a digital image of the ophthalmic lens, the computer including instructions to analyze the digital image of the ophthalmic lens.
3 more elements
A method for automatically inspecting ophthalmic lenses, comprising
- (a) providing an ophthalmic lens on an ophthalmic lens support so that an edge of the ophthalmic lens is the only region of the lens contacting the ophthalmic lens support, and the ophthalmic lens is located in a light path between a light source and a first camera having an objective lens focused on a portion of the ophthalmic lens, the light path being parallel to an optical axis of the ophthalmic lens, the portion being either an entire edge of the ophthalmic lens or an entire surface of the ophthalmic lens that is spaced apart from the edge of the lens, but not being focused on both the edge and the surface of the ophthalmic lens;
- (b) obtaining a digital image of the portion of the ophthalmic lens that is in focus;
- (c) positioning the ophthalmic lens under a second camera having an optical path oriented parallel to the optical axis of the ophthalmic lens on the ophthalmic lens support so that the portion of the ophthalmic lens that was out of focus in step (a) is in focus;
- (d) obtaining a digital image of the portion of the ophthalmic lens that is in focus in step (c);
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- (e) inspecting the digital images of the ophthalmic lens for defects.
3 more elements
A method for automatically inspecting ophthalmic lenses, comprising
- (a) obtaining a complete image of an edge of an ophthalmic lens with a camera focused on the edge of the ophthalmic lens and having an optical path oriented parallel to an optical axis of the ophthalmic lens, the edge of the lens being the only contact region between the lens and a lens support structure on which the lens is placed;
- (b) obtaining an image of a convex surface of the ophthalmic lens with a camera focused away from the edge of the ophthalmic lens and having an optical path oriented parallel to the optical axis of the ophthalmic lens;
- and
- (c) transferring the images of steps (a) and (b) to at least one computer for analysis of the images.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.