Patent · US Expired

Multiangular color measuring apparatus

US5387977A · kind A · utility

60Cited by
42References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 4, 1991
Grant dateFeb 7, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 4, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2201/126
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A spectrophotometer apparatus (200) is adapted to provide spectral reflectance measurements of an object sample (236) under test, particularly optical characteristics of colored surfaces comprising metallic or pearlescent particles. The apparatus (200) comprises a source light (226) and a reflection optics assembly. Signals representative of reflected light are analyzed and data is generated representative of the spectral response characteristics of the object sample (236). The apparatus (200) employs a plurality of fiber optic bundles (248, 250, 252) for receiving light reflected from the object sample (236), with each of the fiber optic bundles (248, 250, 252) being positioned at one of a corresponding plurality of fixed angles different from the angle of illumination of the source light (226). Reflectance is measured at each angle by sequential switching such that light is impaired from being received by all but a subset of the plurality of multiple angles. Light received from the fiber optic bundles is transferred to a single array of integral interference-filter/photodiode devices (284) which modulate the light and determine the spectral characteristics thereof. With the use o…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.