EP0345949A2 — Sensing a narrow frequency band of radiation and …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 111 words

Apparatus for examining objects or for examining an article, comprising: means for irradiating a line across the objects or articles; and viewing means for viewing all or an extended part of said line and sensing a narrow band of radiation emitted by specific objects or zones of the article on excitation by the radiation, the viewing system comprising narrow band pass filter means which, within a specific angle of incidence, substantially filter out all but said narrow frequency band, sensing means for sensing radiation which has passed through the filter means, and means for preventing rays outside said angle of incidence passing through the filter means and reaching the sensing means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 111 words

Apparatus for examining objects or for examining an article, comprising: means for irradiating a line across the objects or articles; and viewing means for viewing all or an extended part of said line and sensing a narrow band of radiation emitted by specific objects or zones of the article on excitation by the radiation, the viewing system comprising narrow band pass filter means which, within a specific angle of incidence, substantially filter out all but said narrow frequency band, sensing means for sensing radiation which has passed through the filter means, and means for preventing rays outside said angle of incidence passing through the filter means and reaching the sensing means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 57 words

The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein the viewing means comprise collection means which allow to pass through the filter means both rays which are within said angle of incidence and rays which are outside said angle of incidence, and means for stopping any rays which have passed through the filter means outside said specific angle of incidence.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 86 words

Apparatus for examining a large number of objects distributed over an area or for examining an article, comprising: narrow band pass filter means which, within a specific angles of incidence, substantially filter out all but said narrow frequency band; collection means which allow to pass through the filter means both rays which are within said angle of incidence and rays which are outside said angle of incidence; and means for stopping any rays which have passed through the filter means outside said specific angle of incidence.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 86 words

Apparatus for examining a large number of objects distributed over an area or for examining an article, comprising: narrow band pass filter means which, within a specific angles of incidence, substantially filter out all but said narrow frequency band; collection means which allow to pass through the filter means both rays which are within said angle of incidence and rays which are outside said angle of incidence; and means for stopping any rays which have passed through the filter means outside said specific angle of incidence.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of Claim 2 or 3, wherein, as seen looking along said line, the collection means provide an effect substantially equivalent to that of a converging lens.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of Claim 4, wherein, as seen looking along said line, the collection means form radiation from the line into substantially parallel rays.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 52 words

The apparatus of Claim 2 or 3, wherein the collection means, as seen looking at 90° to said line, form radiation from any point on the line, into bundles of substantially parallel rays, and pass at least one of the ray bundles through the filter means wihin said specific angle of incidence.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 37 words

The apparatus of Claim 6, wherein the collection means provide an effect substantially equivalent to that of an array of side-by-side converging lenses so that the lenses form radiation emitted by said points into roughly parallel rays.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus of Claim 7, wherein said effect is equivalent to said lenses being of elongate shape as seen looking along the optical axis, arranged so that in the plane normal to the optical axis, the major axes of the lenses will be generally parallel to each other.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 80 words

The apparatus of Claim 6, wherein the collection means comprise an array of elements, which array is for extending substantially parallel to said line, each element being for receiving radiation from each said point which is substantially opposite the respective element and forming such radiation into substantially parallel rays which are not stopped by the stopping means, and for receiving radiation from other said points and forming such radiation into substantially parallel rays which are stopped by the stopping means.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 34 words

The apparatus of Claim 9, wherein each said element receives a three-dimensional sector which, as seen looking along the line, is substantially larger than the sector as seen looking at 90° to the line.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 23 words

The apparatus of Claim 2 or 3, wherein the collection means provide an effect substantially equivalent to that of a cylindrical converging lens.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 46 words

The apparatus of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the collection means, as seen looking along said line, forms radiation from said points into substantially parallel rays and as seen looking at 90° to said line, does not substantially alter the direction of radiation from said points.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 52 words

The apparatus of any of Claim 3 to 12, wherein the stopping means comprise converging means which, as seen looking at 90° to said line, converge radiation from said points, and a telecentric field stop which stops any rays which have passed through the filter means outside said specific angle of incidence.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of Claim 13, wherein, as seen looking at 90° to said line, the converging means focus radiation from said points substantially onto the transverse plane of the stop.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 30 words

The apparatus of Claim 13, wherein, as seen looking at 90° to said line, the converging means focus radiation from said points substantially onto a transverse plane behind the stop.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 48 words

The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein the viewing means comprise forming means which, as seen looking at 90° to said line, form radiation from any point on said line, or an extended part thereof, into substantially parallel rays, and pass the substantially parallel rays through the filter means.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 90 words

Apparatus for sensing a selected narrow frequency band of radiation which can be received from any point along an extended line, the apparatus comprising: narrow band pass filter means which, within a specific angle of incidence, substantially filter out all but said narrow frequency band; and forming means which, as seen looking at 90° to said line, form radiation from any point on the line or an extended part thereof, into substantially parallel rays within said specific angle of incidence, and pass the substantially parallel rays through the filter means.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 90 words

Apparatus for sensing a selected narrow frequency band of radiation which can be received from any point along an extended line, the apparatus comprising: narrow band pass filter means which, within a specific angle of incidence, substantially filter out all but said narrow frequency band; and forming means which, as seen looking at 90° to said line, form radiation from any point on the line or an extended part thereof, into substantially parallel rays within said specific angle of incidence, and pass the substantially parallel rays through the filter means.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of Claim 17, wherein the forming means comprise a concentrator, the filter means being in a parallel ray zone of the concentrator.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus of Claim 18, wherein the forming means comprise the first half at least of a parabolic concentrator.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 32 words

The apparatus of any of Claim 16 to 19, and comprising collecting means which concentrates the radiation into a substantially smaller cross-sectional area, prior to passing the radiation into the forming means.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 13 words

The apparatus of Claim 20, wherein the collecting means comprise a light pipe.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of Claim 20 or 21, wherein the collecting means include cylindrical lens means.

Claim 26

Independent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of any of the preceding Claims, and comprising means for providing exciting radiation along said line, the exciting radiation causing emission of the radiation which is examined.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 16 words

The apparatus of Claim 23, wherein the selected frequency radiation is that of a Raman emission.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 16 words

The apparatus of Claim 23, wherein the selected frequency radiation is that of an anti-Stokes emission.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 18 words

The apparatus of any of Claims 23 to 25, wherein the selected frequency radiation is that of diamond.

Claim 30

Independent Claim 31 words

The apparatus of any of the preceding Claims, and comprising means for inducing relative motion between objects or an article and said line in a direction generally transverse to said line.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 19 words

The apparatus of Claim 27, for sorting discrete objects on a moving conveyor, said line extending across the conveyor.

Claim 32

Independent Claim 27 words

The apparatus of any of the preceding Claims, and comprising means for sensing the radiation that has passed through the filter means and has not been stopped.

Claim 33

Independent Claim 114 words

The apparatus of any of the preceding Claims, and comprising beam splitter means for splitting the radiation before it reaches the narrow band pass filter means, one beam being directed to the narrow band pass filter means and another beam being directed to second band pass filter means which pass a portion of the radiation at a second frequency close to but different from said selected frequency, second sensing means for sensing said second frequency emitted radiation, and means for comparing said selected frequency radiation as sensed by the first-mentioned sensing means and said second frequency radiation as sensed by the second sensing means to substantially eliminate any background radiation at said selected frequency.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 150 words

The apparatus of Claim 30, and comprising beam splitter means for splitting the radiation before it reaches the narrow band pass filter means, one beam being directed to the narrow band pass filter means, a second beam being directed to second band pass filter means and a third beam being directed to third band pass filter means, which second and third band pass filter means pass portions of the radiation which are of second and third frequencies close to but different from said selected frequency and on either side of said selected frequency, second and third sensing means for sensing said second and third frequency radiations, and means for comparing said selected frequency radiation as sensed by the first-mentioned sensing means and the mean of said second and third frequency radiations as sensed by the second and third sensing means, to substantially eliminate any background radiation at said selected frequency.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 72 words

The apparatus of Claim 30 or 31, wherein the beam splitter means is arranged such that the energy of the first beam is a multiple of the energy of the or of each of the other beam(s), and the second or the second and third band pass filter means pass a frequency band whose width is substantially greater than that of the frequency band passed by the narrow band pass filter means.

Claim 36

Independent Claim 27 words

The apparatus of any of the preceding Claims, and including means for indicating specific discrete objects or zones on said line which emitted the selected frequency radiation.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 71 words

The apparatus of Claim 33, wherein the indicating means comprises further sensing means sensitive to radiation from said line, the radiation reaching the further sensing means without passing through the narrow band pass filter means, the further sensing means being for giving a signal responsive to position along said line, the indicating means indicating an object or zone when said selected frequency sensing means and said further sensing means sense simultaneously.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 29 words

The apparatus of Claim 33 or 34, for sorting objects, wherein said indicating means comprises means for blowing into a different path objects which emitted said selected frequency radiation.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 39 words

Apparatus for examining or detecting a gemstone, for use in association with means for irradiating the stone with radiation which excites Raman emission, the apparatus comprising means for detecting the emission of the anti-Stokes radiation characteristic of the stone.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 39 words

Apparatus for examining or detecting a gemstone, for use in association with means for irradiating the stone with radiation which excites Raman emission, the apparatus comprising means for detecting the emission of the anti-Stokes radiation characteristic of the stone.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 110 words

Apparatus for examining a large number of objects distributed over an area or examining an article, in order to identify specific objects or zones which respond to an exciting radiation by emitting luminescence, the apparatus comprising; means for irradiating a line across said area or article in order to excite luminescence in the objects or zones; means for inducing relative movement between the position of said line and said area or article, to thereby scan said area or article; detecting means for detecting emitted luminescence, the detecting means being responsive to the location from which the luminescence is emitted, to thereby identify the location of the specific object or zone.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 110 words

Apparatus for examining a large number of objects distributed over an area or examining an article, in order to identify specific objects or zones which respond to an exciting radiation by emitting luminescence, the apparatus comprising; means for irradiating a line across said area or article in order to excite luminescence in the objects or zones; means for inducing relative movement between the position of said line and said area or article, to thereby scan said area or article; detecting means for detecting emitted luminescence, the detecting means being responsive to the location from which the luminescence is emitted, to thereby identify the location of the specific object or zone.

Claim 43

Independent Claim 99 words

A method of examining objects or examining an article, comprising: irradiating a line across the objects or article; and viewing all or an extended part of said line and sensing a narrow band of radiation emitted by specific objects or zones of the article on excitation by the radiation, using narrow band pass filter means which, within a specific angle of incidence, substantially filter all but said narrow band, radiation which has passed through the filter means being sensed and rays outside said angle of incidence being prevented from passing through the filter means and reaching the sensing means.

Claim 44

Independent Claim 99 words

A method of examining objects or examining an article, comprising: irradiating a line across the objects or article; and viewing all or an extended part of said line and sensing a narrow band of radiation emitted by specific objects or zones of the article on excitation by the radiation, using narrow band pass filter means which, within a specific angle of incidence, substantially filter all but said narrow band, radiation which has passed through the filter means being sensed and rays outside said angle of incidence being prevented from passing through the filter means and reaching the sensing means.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of Claim 38, and carried out using the apparatus of any of Claims 2 to 37.

Claim 46

Independent Claim 37 words

A method of examining or detecting a gemstone, comprising irradiating the stone with radiation which excites Raman emission and detecting the presence or otherwise of the anti-Stokes radiation characteristic of a stone to be identified or detected.

Claim 47

Independent Claim 37 words

A method of examining or detecting a gemstone, comprising irradiating the stone with radiation which excites Raman emission and detecting the presence or otherwise of the anti-Stokes radiation characteristic of a stone to be identified or detected.

Claim 48

Independent Claim 103 words

A method of examining a large number of objects distributed over an area or examining an article, in order to identify specific objects or zones of the article which respond to an exciting radiation by emitting luminescence, the method comprising: irradiating a line across said area or article in order to excite luminescence in the objects or zones; inducing relative movement between said line and said area or article, to thereby scan said area or article; detecting emitted luminescence using detecting means responsive to the location from which the luminescence is emitted, and thereby identifying the location of the specific object or zone.

Claim 49

Independent Claim 103 words

A method of examining a large number of objects distributed over an area or examining an article, in order to identify specific objects or zones of the article which respond to an exciting radiation by emitting luminescence, the method comprising: irradiating a line across said area or article in order to excite luminescence in the objects or zones; inducing relative movement between said line and said area or article, to thereby scan said area or article; detecting emitted luminescence using detecting means responsive to the location from which the luminescence is emitted, and thereby identifying the location of the specific object or zone.

Claim 50

Independent Claim 34 words

The method of any of Claims 38 to 41, and used in the identification of gemstones in gangue particles moving in a path whose width is capable of accommodating a number of the particles.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 113 words

Monitoring means for an apparatus for performing an examination and which includes scanning means for scanning incident radiation along a line, the monitoring means comprising: a first zone on said line, which first zone emits radiation when it receives the incident radiation; a second zone on said line which second zone absorbs substantially all or a large proportion of the incident radiation and emits little, or substantially no, radiation, at least in a predetermined frequency band, when it receives the incident radiation; and sensing means for sensing radiation emitted from the first zone and from the second zone, and giving a signal when the radiation sensed from either zones differs from predetermined values.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 113 words

Monitoring means for an apparatus for performing an examination and which includes scanning means for scanning incident radiation along a line, the monitoring means comprising: a first zone on said line, which first zone emits radiation when it receives the incident radiation; a second zone on said line which second zone absorbs substantially all or a large proportion of the incident radiation and emits little, or substantially no, radiation, at least in a predetermined frequency band, when it receives the incident radiation; and sensing means for sensing radiation emitted from the first zone and from the second zone, and giving a signal when the radiation sensed from either zones differs from predetermined values.

Claim 53

Independent Claim 108 words

A method of monitoring an apparatus which is performing an examination by a procedure including scanning incident radiation along a line, the method comprising sensing radiation emitted from a first zone on said line, which first zone emits radiation when it receives the incident radiation, and from a second zone on said line, which second zone absorbs a large proportion, or substantially, all, the incident radiation and emits little, or substantially no, radiation, at least in a predetermined frequency band, when it receives the incident radiation, and giving a signal when the radiation sensed from the first zone or from the second zone differs from respective predetermined values.

Claim 54

Independent Claim 108 words

A method of monitoring an apparatus which is performing an examination by a procedure including scanning incident radiation along a line, the method comprising sensing radiation emitted from a first zone on said line, which first zone emits radiation when it receives the incident radiation, and from a second zone on said line, which second zone absorbs a large proportion, or substantially, all, the incident radiation and emits little, or substantially no, radiation, at least in a predetermined frequency band, when it receives the incident radiation, and giving a signal when the radiation sensed from the first zone or from the second zone differs from respective predetermined values.

Claim 55

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to any of the Figures of the accompanying drawings.

Claim 56

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to any of the Figures of the accompanying drawings.

Claim 57

Independent Claim 17 words

A method substantially as herein described with reference to any of the Figures of the accompanying drawings.

Claim 58

Independent Claim 17 words

A method substantially as herein described with reference to any of the Figures of the accompanying drawings.

Sensing a narrow frequency band of radiation and examining objects or zones

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