Materials Technologies Corporation

Herbert Kaplan

Yogesh Mehrotra

John Nazarian Pike

An apparatus (10) and method is provided for generating a 360.degree. view of a surface area of a three-dimensional object, such as a wire or cable, and for inspecting the surface area for flaws or imperfections. A receiving lens (12) defines an optical axis (14) extending through the object, and an origin (0) located on the optical axis within the object and spaced a predetermined distance (S) from the receiving lens (12), for generating a direct image of a front surface section of the object. A first mirror (16) is spaced a first predetermined distance (L1) from the origin (0) on another side of the object relative to the receiving lens (12) for generating a first mirror image of a first rear surface section of the object. A second mirror (18) is spaced a second predetermined distance (L2) from the origin (0) on another side of the object relative to the receiving lens (12), and on another side of the optical axis (14) relative to the first mirror, for generating a second mirror image of a second rear surface section of the object. The first and second mirror images are each defined in part by a first and second central ray (18, 22), respectively, and each central ray forms an angle of incidence (.theta.1, .theta.2) on the respective mirror. The first and second predetermined distances (L1, L2) and the angles of incidence (.theta.1, .theta.2) of the mirrors are each selected to simultaneously generate at least three spatially distinct, non-vignetting images forming a 360.degree. view of the surface area.

Apparatus and method for viewing and inspecting a circumferential

An apparatus and method is provided for generating a 360.degree. view of a surface area of a three-dimensional object, such as a wire or cable, and for inspecting the surface area for flaws or imperfections. A receiving lens defines an optical axis extending through the object, and an origin located on the optical axis within the object and spaced a predetermined distance from the receiving lens, for generating a direct image of a front surface section of the object. A first mirror is spaced a first predetermined distance from the origin on another side of the object relative to the receiving lens for generating a first mirror image of a first rear surface section of the object. A second mirror is spaced a second predetermined distance from the origin on another side of the object relative to the receiving lens, and on another side of the optical axis relative to the first mirror, for generating a second mirror image of a second rear surface section of the object. The first and second mirror images are each defined in part by a first and second central ray, respectively, and each central ray forms an angle of incidence on the respective mirror. The first and second predetermined distances and the angles of incidence of the mirrors are each selected to simultaneously generate at least three spatially distinct, non-vignetting images forming a 360.degree. view of the surface area.

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Norwalk, CT, United States of America

Herbert Kaplan