Electro-optical system for gauging specular surface profile deviations
US5465153A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 13, 1993 |
| Grant date | Nov 7, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 13, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01B15/045
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and system for gauging deviations of a surface of a specular surfaced test object from a preselected nominal surface profile utilizes electromagnetic radiation that is directed towards a direction altering means and through an attenuating medium onto the reflective surface of the test object. An image sensor such as a camera is positioned to receive an image of the radiation reflected by the test object surface back through the attenuating layer, with the Intensity of such radiation varying across the image as a function of the deviation of the test Object surface from the nominal surface profile. The sensor output is digitized to form a set of digital signals indicative of the intensity of radiation associated with each location of the reflected image, and the digitized signals are stored in digital electronic memory and/or displayed on a screen. Methods for correcting optically generated errors in the image are disclosed that, together with the gauging system, provide a quantitative measurement of the deviations in test surface profile from a preselected profile over the entire surface being measured.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.