Centre De Recherche Industrielle Du Quebec

Denis Lessard

Jean-Luc Lessard

Pierre Poulin

Adrian Barbulescu

Rodrique Boulet

An optical apparatus and method for simultaneously scanning the profile of at least two adjacent surfaces of an article such as a wooden board moving along a travel path axis passing through an inspection area located at a central plane transverse to the travel path axis, involve first and second scanning zones sufficiently spaced one with another along the travel path axis to substantially prevent mutual scanning interference between the profile sensors used, while providing a compact arrangement of profile sensors. For so doing, one the first sensing field and the first laser beam of the first profile sensor is crossing the central plane toward the other one of the first sensing field and the first laser beam, and one the second sensing field and the second laser beam of the second profile sensor is crossing the central plane toward the other one of the second sensing field and the second laser beam.

Optical inspection apparatus and method

A camera calibrating apparatus uses a calibration target in combination with a laser source generating a laser beam defining a calibration plane and intersecting the camera field of view to define an object imaging area. The calibration target includes a frame defining a coplanar arrangement of more than five reference points having known position coordinates within an object reference system. The frame is disposed in a camera calibration position wherein the coplanar arrangement of reference points is substantially parallel to the calibration plane. The target includes an arrangement of light reflecting members protruding from the arrangement of reference points in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto so as to extend within the object imaging area, to allow the camera to capture an image formed by illuminated portions of the light reflecting members. The apparatus further includes image processor means programmed on the basis a calibrated camera model to associate any position coordinates in the object reference system with corresponding position coordinates in an image reference system.

Camera calibrating apparatus and method

A camera calibrating apparatus uses a calibration target in combination with a laser source generating a laser beam defining a calibration plane and intersecting the camera field of view to define an object imaging area. The calibration target includes a frame defining a coplanar arrangement of reference points having known position coordinates within an object reference system. The frame is disposed in a camera calibration position wherein the coplanar arrangement of reference points is substantially parallel to the calibration plane. The target includes an arrangement of light reflecting members protruding from the arrangement of reference points in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto, each said member having a light reflecting surface substantially parallel to said direction so as to extend within the object imaging area, to allow the camera to capture an image formed by illuminated portions of the light reflecting members. The apparatus further includes image processor means programmed on the basis a calibrated camera model to associate any position coordinates in the object reference system with corresponding position coordinates in an image reference system.

The present invention relates to a system and a method of extracting liquid from a humid mass by compressing same. The system comprises a conduit of linear, circular or other shape through which the humid mass is displaced. The conduit is of rectangular cross-section, which cross-section can be constant or variable. Further, the conduit has perforated side walls along at least a liquid extraction working section of the conduit. The system further comprises elements which cause an axial pressure at the interior of the humid mass as well as a mechanism to displace at least one of the perforated side walls to convey the humid mass along the working section of the conduit in such a way as to generate between the interior surface of the perforated side walls and the humid mass a dynamic friction force which defines a pressure zone which is less than the axial pressure created by the pressure creating elements. This difference in pressure causes the liquid in the humid mass to flow out of the mass in a direction substantially transverse to the displacement direction of the humid mass and out through the perforated side walls of the conduit.

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Québec, Canada

Denis Lessard