Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for measuring optical characteristics of an object

US6271913A · kind A · utility

133Cited by
105References
142Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 29, 1999
Grant dateAug 7, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 29, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2021/4747
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Optical characteristic measuring systems and methods for determining the color or other optical characteristics of teeth comprising a probe body (2) wherein the probe provides light to the surface of the object/tooth (20). Perimeter receiver fiber optics (102) are spaced apart from a source fiber optic and receive light from the surface of the object/tooth (20) being measured. Light from the perimeter fiber optics pass to a variety of filters. The system utilizes the perimeter receiver fiber optics (102) to determine information regarding the height and angle of the probe with respect to the object/tooth being measured wherein the numerical apertures of the receiver fiber optics (102) are different.

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