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:
Mar. 28, 1995
Filed:
Jul. 28, 1993
John H Wilbur, Medford, OR (US);
Calvin G Gray, Medford, OR (US);
Simco/Ramic Corporation, Medford, OR (US);
Abstract
An optical inspection system (10) has an inspection region (20) through which articles (12) pass and are illuminated by illumination (22) provided by an illumination source (30). The source is shielded from the inspection region by a protective shield or tube (32) transmissive of the illumination. A cleaning element (42), such as a plastic string, contacts a major surface (45) of the tube and dislodges contaminants (63) from the major surface as the tube rotates. The cleaning element has an active portion (60) held in contact with the major surface by tension in the cleaning element applied at tension locations (56, 58). The cleaning element describes part of a spiral or helix; it preferably occupies less than about 360 degrees, more preferably between about 30 and about 270 degrees, and still more preferably about 120 to about 240 degrees, of arc measured about the axis of the tube. The cleaning element flexes significantly under compression but remains taut under tension; it may be a monofilament or of woven construction; it has a maximum cross-sectional dimension D.sub.c that is much less than the maximum cross-sectional dimension D.sub.T of the tube.