초록 ▼

A real-time color comparator which performs color comparisons of sample objects to a reference color for the purpose of identification, sorting or matching. Two optical paths are positioned to collect the light from a reference object and a sample object and the light outputs from the two paths are

A real-time color comparator which performs color comparisons of sample objects to a reference color for the purpose of identification, sorting or matching. Two optical paths are positioned to collect the light from a reference object and a sample object and the light outputs from the two paths are directed onto a spherical dispersive element shown in the form of a concave diffraction grating that decomposes each light signal into its spectral constituents which are imaged on a dual photodetector array. The color signature from the reference and the color signature from the sample are compared.

대표청구항 ▼

Input mechanism to a color comparator apparatus comprising: first optical path means having an input end and an output end, said input end being adapted to collect and transmit the color of a reference object to said output end; second optical path means having an input end and an output end, said i

Input mechanism to a color comparator apparatus comprising: first optical path means having an input end and an output end, said input end being adapted to collect and transmit the color of a reference object to said output end; second optical path means having an input end and an output end, said input end being adapted to collect and transmit the color of a sample object to said output end; spectral dispersive element means in the form of a single concave diffraction grating, said grating including a reference area and a sample area which are spatially separated one from the other on said concave diffraction grating; means positioning said first optical path means output end to direct reference light emanating therefrom to the reference area on said concave diffraction grating; means positioning said second optical path means output end to direct sample light emanating therefrom to the sample area on said concave diffraction grating; a photodetector array, said photodetector array having a reference linear array of photodetectors and adjacent thereto a sample linear array of photodetectors; means directing diffracted light from said reference area onto said reference linear array of photodetectors from a first solid angle and directing diffracted light from said sample area onto said sample linear array of photodetectors from a different solid angle, said reference array and sample array of photodetectors producing a plurality of light intensity signals representative of the spectral distribution of the reference object color and the sample object color.