Patent ID: 6798525
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A system for inspecting matt, flat and/or slightly curved surfaces in order to identify defects which are associated with a modification of the course of the surface, in particular for examining matt unlacquered shell bodywork, in which system an illumination device irradiates the surface to be inspected at flat angles, said device having the following combined features:the illumination device is formed from a plurality of elongated luminous surfaces which are disposed substantially parallel to one another, the angle between the normal line of an inspected surface element on the surface and the connecting line between the inspected surface element and a point on one of the elongated luminous surfaces is greater than approximately 60Â°, the light distribution of the respective elongated luminous surfaces is tightly concentrated in planes which lie transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the respective surface, with an aperture angle which is smaller than 15Â°, in such a way that a substantially sheet-type light distribution is produced which covers the surface portion to be inspected, and the observer is located within or at least in the proximity of the angle predetermined by reflection of the light radiated by the at least one elongated luminous surface on the surface portion to be inspected.