Patent ID: 8917312

Claim:
An optical defect detection system for recording an image of a transparency having a contour, comprising: a plurality of lighting elements configured to emit light and arranged in an arcuate cross-sectional profile substantially similar to the transparency cross-sectional profile, each one of the lighting elements having a tubular shape and extending in a lengthwise direction along a length of the transparency, the plurality of lighting elements being arranged in an arcuate pattern; a diffuser interposed between the lighting elements and the transparency and being a physically separate component from the lighting elements and the transparency and providing a background for recording images of the transparency; the diffuser having an arcuate cross-sectional profile being substantially similar to the transparency cross-sectional profile; the arcuate cross-sectional profile of the diffuser and the light source being configured such that the transparency is substantially uniformly backlit by the combination of the lighting elements and the diffuser; a reflector positioned on a side of the lighting elements opposite the diffuser and being configured to reflect light emitted by the lighting elements toward the diffuser; and an image recording device positioned on a side of the transparency opposite the diffuser such that no intervening elements are located between the image recording device and the transparency, the image recording device being configured to record the image of the substantially uniformly backlit transparency for detection of optical defects in the transparency.