Patent EP0921381A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0921381A2
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EP
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Optical color sensor
Assignee: Baldwin Japan Ltd
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Filing: 1998-11-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2018-11-19
Abstract
Abstract There is disclosed an optical color sensor 16 comprising a light source 18 which comprises white LEDs for directing a white light onto a product 4 to be inspected, to directly illuminate the product 4 and generate a reflected light reflected from the product. The optical color sensor 16 further comprises first photo detecting element means 22 spaced from the product 4. A blue filter 24 is interposed between the first photo detecting element means 22 and the product 4 so that the first photo detecting element means 22 can receive and detect the reflected light passing through the blue filter 24. The optical color sensor 16 further comprises second photo detecting element means 26 spaced from the product 4. A red filter 28 is interposed between the second photo detecting element means 26 and the product 4 so that the second photo detecting element means 26 can receive and detect the reflected light passing through the red filter 28. The first and second photo detecting element means 22,26 are arranged to receive and detect the reflected light reflected from the product 4 at substantially the same position in a region onto which the white LEDs direct the white light.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshio Tsukamoto
- 👤 Akira Kurachi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 17:49
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01J; G01J3/00; G01J3/46; G01J3/50; G01J3/51; G01J3/513; G01J2003/466
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
An optical color sensor comprising: a light source which comprises white LEDs for directing a
white light onto a product to be inspected, to directly illuminate the
product with the white light and generate a reflected light reflected
from the product; first photo detecting element means spaced from said
product; a blue filter interposed between said first photo detecting
element means and said product so that said first photo detecting
element means can receive and detect the reflected light passing through
said blue filter; second photo detecting element means spaced from said
product; and a red filter interposed between said second photo detecting
element means and said product so that said second photo detecting
element means can receive and detect the reflected light passing
through said red filter, said first and second photo detecting element
means being arranged to receive and detect the reflected light
reflected from said product at substantially the same position in a
region onto which said white LEDs direct the white light to directly
illuminate said product.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
48 words
The optical color sensor as set forth in claim 1 wherein
said blue filter causes the reflected light having a wave length of
nearly 450 nm to pass therethrough, while said red filter causes the
reflected light having a wave length of nearly 650 nm to pass
therethrough.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The optical color sensor as set forth in claim 1
or claim 2, wherein said white LEDs are disposed between
said first and second photo detecting element means.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
256 words
An apparatus for inspecting a color print on a printed
product which is fed in a direction, said apparatus comprising a color
print reading head which comprises a plurality of optical color sensors
arranged in line in a direction vertical to the feeding direction of
said printed product for reading out the color print on the printed
product, said optical color sensors each comprising: a light source which comprises white LEDs for directing a
white light onto the printed product, to directly illuminate the printed
product with the white light and generate a reflected light reflected
from the printed product; first photo detecting element means spaced from the printed
product; a blue filter interposed between said first photo detecting
element means and the printed product so that said first photo detecting
element means can receive and detect the reflected light passing
through said blue filter to read out the color print on the printed
product; second photo detecting element means spaced from the printed
product; and a red filter interposed between said second photo detecting
element means and the printed product so that said second photo
detecting element means can receive and detect the reflected light
passing through said red filter to read out the color print on the
printed product, said first and second photo detecting element means
being arranged to receive and detect the reflected light reflected from
the printed product at substantially the same position in a region onto
which said white LEDs direct the white light to directly illuminate
said printed product.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
296 words
The apparatus as set forth in claim 4 further comprising: reference data memory means for storing the read out data
transmitted from said reading head as reference data; color print data memory means for storing the read out data
transmitted from said reading head as color print data; comparing and evaluating means for comparing said color
print data transmitted from said color print data memory means with said
reference data transmitted from said reference data memory means to
evaluate the difference between said color print data and said
reference data obtained by the reflected light passing through said blue
filters of said optical color sensors, as a first evaluated value, and
evaluate the difference between said color print data and said reference
data obtained by the reflected light passing through said red filters
of said optical color sensors, as a second evaluated value; first flag establishing means for comparing said first
evaluated value with a warning tolerance predetermined with respect to
said reference data for each color to establish a good or no good flag
for each color, and comparing said first evaluated value with a warning
reference value which is the warning tolerance multiplied by a
correction value for each color, to establish a good or no good flag for
each color; second flag establishing means for comparing said second
evaluated value with a warning tolerance predetermined with respect to
said reference data for each color to establish a good or no good flag
for each color; and determining means for determining the color print of each
color to be good or no good in accordance with the result of comparison
of said second evaluated value with said warning tolerance and said good
or no good flags to generate an output signal indicating the
determination.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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