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:
Feb. 29, 2000
Filed:
Jul. 17, 1997
Bernard J Berg, Kentwood, MI (US);
Douglas V Baker, Middleville, MI (US);
David R Bowden, Grandville, MI (US);
Thomas J Boes, Rockford, MI (US);
Lawrence D Zandstra, Rockford, MI (US);
X-Rite, Incorporated, Grandville, MI (US);
Abstract
A colorimeter for reading color bars of printed sheets or the like includes a longitudinally extending base including a paper stop along which a sheet to be tested for color may be positioned. An autonomously operating colorimeter head is moved along the base in a direction parallel to the edge of the sheet by means of an electric motor mounted on the base and driving an helical thread lead screw engaging an X-axis carriage supporting the head. The head is moved by operation of the lead screw in a direction parallel to the edge of the sheet, referred to as the direction of the X-axis. The head includes an electric motor and a Y-axis transport supporting an optics unit. The optics unit is moved within the head in a direction parallel to a Y-axis, extending perpendicularly to the X-axis. The optics unit is preferably a spectrophotometer including a rotating wheel provided with a plurality of individual filters, spaced apart along the periphery of the wheel. The individual filters each pass light of a predefined wavelength onto a single photodetector and the signal derived from the photodetector is integrated over a period of time to provide an output signal representative of the intensity of a particular wavelength.