Ati Systems, Inc.

Amt Pte. Ltd.

Gregory R Wiles

Charles C Prain, Iii

Robert J Matzoll, Jr

An apparatus for measuring the visual characteristics of a surface of a workpiece includes two separate light sources. The first source provides one or more focused beams of light which strike the workpiece at a first angle and are reflected therefrom. The second source provides one or more unfocused beams of light which strike the workpiece at a second angle, different from the first angle, and are reflected therefrom. All of the reflected beams converge onto a single photo detector. The beams are time multiplexed so that the photo detector only reads one beam at a time. The output of the photo detector is processed to provide surface quality measurements of the workpiece such as gloss, distinctness of image and orange peel.

Multi-beam apparatus for measuring surface quality

An apparatus for scanning the visual characteristics of a surface includes an illumination system which scans a beam of light across the surface for reflection therefrom. The reflected beam is split into two parts. A first part goes to a control sensor which generates a control signal in response to the spatial distribution of the intensity of the reflected light. A second portion of the reflected light goes to a measuring sensor. A field mask is disposed in the beam of reflected light and operates to restrict the cross-sectional area of the beam which impinges upon the measuring sensor. Positioning of the field mask is controlled by a driver responsive to the control signal produced by the control sensor. In this manner, the field mask may be positioned so as to select only specularly reflected light for measurement. The system may also be operated to move the field mask in accord with a preselected program so as to determine the slope of the intensity of the reflected light, and this slope may be utilized to calculate the haze value of the surface being inspected.

Multi-parameter scanning system with moveable field mask

A system for measuring optical characteristics of a surface such as orange peel includes a light source and detector retained upon a support block and translatable as a single unit. The light source emits a beam which is scanned across the workpiece surface by a moving mirror so as to produce a scan line. Translation of the light source causes the scan line to move across the workpiece. The associated detector reads the light reflected from the workpiece and produces a signal which may be processed to determine orange peel or other optical characteristics of the surface.

Apparatus for measuring optical characteristics of a surface in two

In a surface reflectance meter for directing light to a surface, receiving light reflected from the surface and measuring the rate of change of light flux upon withdrawal of a light chopper from the optical path, a fault detection means which detects and indicates a fault in the flux rate of change measurement is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment the rate of change of flux is detected by measuring the time for the light intensity to increase from a first to a second predetermined intensity and the fault detector means detects and indicates a fault when the light intensity does not reach the second predetermined intensity within a predetermined period of time. The surface reflectance meter is reset for repetition of the measurement upon indication of a fault. This invention is useful in portable surface reflectance meters which must be hand held to the surface to be measured, because instability in holding the meter to the surface can cause the fault.

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Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Gregory R Wiles