Patent ID: 7505124

Claim:
An automated system for illuminating and inspecting at least one inner surface area of a tubular sample, comprising a pair of cylindrical illuminating members, each said cylindrical illuminating member having a respective longitudinal axis, wherein said longitudinal axes of said cylindrical illuminating members are parallel; and an inspection location at which light emitted from the surfaces of said cylindrical illuminating members and reflected by said tubular sample is received forming an image of said tubular sample for inspection; wherein said automated system supports said tubular sample during inspection in a position: (a) which is outside said cylindrical illuminating members and in a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axes of said cylindrical illuminating members, (b) in which a longitudinal edge of an outer surface area of said tubular sample nearest said inspection location is closer to said inspection location that any longitudinal edge of said cylindrical illuminating members, and (c) in which at least one longitudinal edge of said inner surface area of said tubular sample is farther from said inspection location than the respective longitudinal edges of said cylindrical illuminating members which are closest to said inspection location.