Patent ID: 6566673
Filing Date: 2003-05-20
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An apparatus for determining the presence of defects along the edge of electronic media, the electronic media having first and second opposed side edge margins and an outer edge margin extending between the first and second side edge margins, the apparatus comprising:at least one first light source supported to direct light to a first portion of the first side edge margin of the media; at least one second light source supported for delivering light to a first portion of the second side edge margin of the media; at least one third light source supported for delivering light to a first portion of the outer edge margin of the media; at least one first detector supported to detect a portion of the light delivered to the first portion of the first side edge margin that has been deflected by the first portion of the first side edge margin toward the at least one first detector, the at least one first detector providing a first detector output corresponding to the detected light which is detected by the at least one first detector; at least one second detector supported to detect a portion of the light delivered to the first portion of the second side edge margin that has been deflected by the first portion of the second side edge margin toward the at least one second detector, the at least one second detector providing a second detector output corresponding to the detected light which is detected by the at least one second detector; at least one third detector supported to detect a portion of the light delivered to the first portion of the outer edge margin that has been deflected by the first portion of the outer edge margin toward the at least one third detector, the at least one third detector providing a third detector output corresponding to the detected light which is detected by the at least one third detector; a media support adapted for selective coupling to the electronic media and adapted to move the electronic media relative to the at least one first light source, the at least one first detector, the at least one second light source, the at least one second detector; the at least one third light source and the at least one third detector; and a processor coupled to the detector outputs and adapted to process the received outputs to determine the presence of defects at the first and second side edge margins and at the outer edge margin of the electronic media.