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. 25, 2014
Filed:
Sep. 22, 2009
Carl E. Haugan, St. Paul, MN (US);
Steven K. Case, St. Louis Park, MN (US);
David M. Kranz, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Steven A. Rose, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Mark R. Schoeneck, Bloomington, MN (US);
Beverly Caruso, St. Louis Park, MN (US);
Carl E. Haugan, St. Paul, MN (US);
Steven K. Case, St. Louis Park, MN (US);
David M. Kranz, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Steven A. Rose, Minneapolis, MN (US);
Mark R. Schoeneck, Bloomington, MN (US);
CyberOptics Corporation, Golden Valley, MN (US);
Abstract
An illuminator is described which may be used with large inspection areas and which provides a dark field illumination pattern that is spatially uniform, illuminates from consistent angles, has high efficiency, and is smaller than existing solutions. A light pipe has a first end proximate an object to be illuminated and a second end opposite the first end and spaced from the first end. The light pipe also has at least one reflective sidewall. The first end of the light pipe includes an exit aperture and the second end has at least one opening to allow at least one image acquisition device to view the surface therethrough. At least one light source is configured to provide illumination in the light pipe. The object is illuminated by the first end of the light pipe by illumination at a selected elevation angle and substantially all azimuth angles.