The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 22, 1994
Filed:
Dec. 24, 1992
Ralph D Mayer, Ambler, PA (US);
Len L Picard, Wilmington, MA (US);
Clifford T Fitzgerald, Medfield, MA (US);
Cognex Corporation, Needham, MA (US);
Abstract
A frontal illumination system includes a light source and a finite plurality of reflecting surfaces. The reflecting surfaces can be characterized as the inner surfaces of a set of conical frustums arranged to approximate the illumination coming from the inner surface of a hemisphere. The light source is located within or adjacent to at least one of the reflecting surfaces. It emits light that is reflected off opposing portions of at least one, and preferably all, of the surfaces. The system is capable of illuminating the object from a very large solid angle, even though it is disposed in a substantially short axial space.