Patent ID: 6960756

Claim:
A system for providing information on size and/or shape of particles comprising: a) a progressive scan CCD camera having an image plane; b) a vibratory feeder for receiving material consisting of particles to be investigated and for causing the particles in the quantity of material to free fall along the image plane in a controlled manner; c) a light source for illuminating the particles as they fall through the image plane and disposed to direct light in a direction for back-lighting the particles relative to the camera; d) a computer operatively coupled to said camera for displaying images of the particles and information obtained on the size and/or shape of the particles, the computer having a memory and being provided with a frame grabber to deliver consecutive frames of video in real time to the computer memory under control by the computer, the computer containing stored program means for counting the number of particles in each image using a specified intensity threshold and for measuring the size and/or shape of each particle according to a calibration, the computer being operatively coupled to the light source and containing stored program means for controlling operation of the light source and the computer containing stored programs means for controlling zoom and focus of the CCD camera.