Patent ID: 6570662
Filing Date: 2003-05-27
Classification: B24B,G01B,G01N

Abstract:
Apparatus for determining a reflective characteristic of an area of an article, comprising:a machine component having a surface adapted to be contacted by said article, a window forming a portion of said component surface, at least one source of optical radiation carried by the component on a side of the window opposite to the article contacting surface, an optical radiation spreading element carried by the component between the window and said at least one source of optical radiation, said element spreading light from said at least one source of optical radiation through the window over an angle of 45 degrees or more, a first light pipe carried by the component that extends through the spreading element with an end facing the window to gather optical radiation passing through said window from the article area, said first light pipe end having an angle of acceptance of 45 degrees or more, a first photodetector carried by the component to receive optical radiation in the first light pipe and generate a first electrical signal related thereto, a second light pipe carried by the component and having an end positioned between said at least one source of optical radiation and the spreading element to obtain optical radiation from said at least one source of optical radiation, a second photodetector carried by the component to receive radiation in the second light pipe and generate a second electrical signal related thereto, and a processor utilizing the first and second electrical signals for determining the reflective characteristic of the article area.