Patent US3814945A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3814945A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus for automatic inspection of materials
Assignee: SIRA INSTITUTE
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Filing: 1972-03-08
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Granted: 1974-06-04
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Expires: 1992-03-08
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for automatically inspecting materials to locate defects or flaws by directing light onto or through the material and by providing an electrical signal from the light influenced by the material. A scanning means serves to scan the material. In one construction the scanning means is a rotatable body with light-reflective surfaces on its periphery the body being used to direct the light from a source onto the material as a line scan. In another construction the scanning means is a rotatable drum with lenses disposed around its periphery, the lenses serving to receive light influenced by the material. A static reflecting means which may comprise a cylindrical mirror or a special arrangement comprising a beam splitting device combined with one or more pieces of retroreflective tape is arranged to direct light to or from the material. The rotatable body and the detecting means producing the electrical signal are located at conjugate positions in relation to the optical system comprising the static reflecting means and the material. Two objects are at conjugate positions, that is in mutual conjugacy, when rays of light diverging from either object will be brought to focus at the other object. Alternatively the source and the rotatable drum are located at conjugate positions in relation to the said optical system.
Inventors
- 👤 A Allnutt
- 👤 B Biddles
- 👤 R Brook
- 👤 R West
- 👤 R Semos
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 21:21
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/84; G01N21/88; G01N21/89; G01N21/8901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
In an apparatus for inspecting materials; said apparatus comprising source means for providing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, means for scanning the material under investigation with radiation produced by the source means, static radiation reflecting means arranged to re-direct radiation from the scanning means onto the material and means for deriving an electrical signal from scanned radiation influenced by the presence of the material, which signal is indicative of defects in the material the improvement characterized by the scanning means and the deriving means being located at conjugate focal positions with respect to the optical system comprising the static reflecting means and the material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
In an apparatus for inspecting materials; said apparatus comprising source means for providing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, means for scanning the material under investigation with radiation produced by the source means, static radiation reflecting means arranged to re-direct radiation from the scanning means onto the material and means for deriving an electrical signal from scanned radiation influenced by the presence of the material, which signal is indicative of defects in the material the improvement characterized by the scanning means and the deriving means being located at conjugate focal positions with respect to the optical system comprising the static reflecting means and the material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
102 words
In an apparatus for inspecting material; said apparatus comprising source means for providing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, means for scanning the material under investigation with radiation produced by the source means, means for deriving an electrical signal from scanned radiation influenced by the presence of the material and indicative of defects in the material, and static radiation reflecting means arranged to re-direct radiation from the material to the deriving means, the improvement characterized by the scanning means and the deriving means being located at conjugate focal positions with respect to the optical system comprising the static reflecting means and the material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
102 words
In an apparatus for inspecting material; said apparatus comprising source means for providing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, means for scanning the material under investigation with radiation produced by the source means, means for deriving an electrical signal from scanned radiation influenced by the presence of the material and indicative of defects in the material, and static radiation reflecting means arranged to re-direct radiation from the material to the deriving means, the improvement characterized by the scanning means and the deriving means being located at conjugate focal positions with respect to the optical system comprising the static reflecting means and the material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
99 words
In an apparatus for inspecting materials; said apparatus comprising source means for producing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, means for scanning the material under investigation to collect radiation influenced by the presence of the material, means for deriving an electrical signal from the collected radiation and indicative of defects in the material, and static radiation reflective means arranged to re-direct radiation from the source means onto the material, the improvement characterized by the source means and the scanning means being located at conjugate focal positions with respect to the optical system comprising the static reflecting means and the material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
In an apparatus for inspecting materials; said apparatus comprising source means for producing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, means for scanning the material under investigation to collect radiation influenced by the presence of the material, means for deriving an electrical signal from the collected radiation and indicative of defects in the material, and static radiation reflective means arranged to re-direct radiation from the source means onto the material, the improvement characterized by the source means and the scanning means being located at conjugate focal positions with respect to the optical system comprising the static reflecting means and the material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the scanning Means is a rotatable body having a plurality of radiation-reflective surfaces onto which the beam provided by said source means is directed with the radiation reflected from said surfaces being in turn directed at the material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the scanning means is a rotatable body having a plurality of radiation-reflective surfaces onto which the beam provided by said source means is directed with the radiation reflected from said surfaces being in turn directed at the material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the scanning means is a rotatable drum having a plurality of lenses arranged around its periphery, the lenses being adapted to collect radiation influenced by the presence of the material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the static reflecting means comprises a cylindrical mirror arranged to re-direct radiation from the rotatable body onto the material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the static reflecting means comprises a beam splitting device and at least one retro-reflective means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the static reflecting means comprises a beam splitting device and at least one retro-reflective means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the static reflecting means has two retro-reflective means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein retro-reflective means is in the form of a strip of tape provided with a multiplicity of shaped reflective particles which act to re-direct radiation back along the incident path.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein retro-reflective means is in the form of a strip of tape provided with a multiplicity of shaped reflective particles which act to re-direct radiation back along the incident path.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a plane mirror is operably disposed between said rotatable body and the cylindrical mirror.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a further plane mirror is operably disposed between said source means and the rotatable body.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there is provided a beam shaping arrangement for shaping the beam of radiation passed to said rotatable body and derived from the source means, said arrangement at least including a system of lenses for expanding the beam from the source means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the beam shaping arrangement further comprises at least one apertured plate receiving the expanded radiation beam.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the beam shaping arrangement further comprises an assembly of prisms for reducing one dimension of the beam emanating from said lens system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the deriving means is in the form of a housing with an ingress for receiving radiation, the housing containing a photomultiplier device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the deriving means is in the form of a housing with an ingress for receiving radiation, the housing containing a photomultiplier device.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein a lens is arranged at said ingress.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein an apertured wall is provided at said ingress.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein an optical filter is disposed between the ingress and the photomultiplier device.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein a diffuser is disposed between the ingress and the photomultiplier device.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the static reflecting means is additionally composed of a plane mirror for re-directing radiation which is derived from the beam and has been re-directed by the beam splitting device and the retro-reflective means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the static reflecting means is additionally composed of a plane mirror for re-directing radiation from the source means to the beam splitting device.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
134 words
In a materIal inspection apparatus, an arrangement for use in re-directing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, said arrangement comprising: a beam splitting device for transmitting a first component of an incident beam of radiation and for reflecting a second component of the incident beam along a different path to said first component, and retro-reflective means having at least two active portions, one of said portions being positioned to generally reflect said first component back to the beam splitting device for reflection therefrom as a third beam of radiation and another of said portions being positioned to generally reflect said second component back to the beam splitting device for transmission therethrough as a fourth beam of radiation, said third and fourth beams combining to provide an emergent re-directed composite beam of radiation from the arrangement.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
134 words
In a materIal inspection apparatus, an arrangement for use in re-directing a beam of electromagnetic radiation, said arrangement comprising: a beam splitting device for transmitting a first component of an incident beam of radiation and for reflecting a second component of the incident beam along a different path to said first component, and retro-reflective means having at least two active portions, one of said portions being positioned to generally reflect said first component back to the beam splitting device for reflection therefrom as a third beam of radiation and another of said portions being positioned to generally reflect said second component back to the beam splitting device for transmission therethrough as a fourth beam of radiation, said third and fourth beams combining to provide an emergent re-directed composite beam of radiation from the arrangement.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
An arrangement according to claim 26, wherein the retro-reflective means is a tape containing numerous small reflective particles.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
32 words
An arrangement according to claim 26, wherein the retro-reflective means is composed of a plurality of reflective elements each shaped to correspond to a corner of a cube and affixed in position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-03 | 1977-12-03 | 1978-06-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-03 | 1981-12-03 | 1982-06-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-03 | 1985-12-03 | 1986-06-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |