Illumination device and reflection characteristic measuring device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9429472-B2
Application number	US-201414894821-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2014
Priority date	May 29, 2013
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

An illumination device is provided with a light source, a photodetector, and a support structure. The light source, which emits light, has light distribution in which a reference axis serves as an axis of symmetry or light distribution in which a plane including the reference axis serves as a plane of symmetry. A first light beam in the light is guided to the object to be illuminated. A second light beam in the light is guided to the photodetector. The photodetector detects intensity of the second light beam. The light source and the photodetector are supported by the support structure in positions and postures that allow the first light beam and the second light beam to be guided in an aforementioned manner. A traveling direction of the first light beam and a traveling direction of the second light beam make the same angle with the reference axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An illumination device comprising:
a light source configured to emit light, having a reference axis, and having light distribution in which the reference axis serves as an axis of symmetry or light distribution in which a plane including the reference axis serves as a plane of symmetry, the light including a first light beam and a second light beam, a traveling direction of the first light beam making a first angle with the reference axis, a traveling direction of the second light beam making a second angle with the reference axis, and the second angle being the same as the first angle;
a photodetector configured to detect intensity of the second light beam; and
a support structure configured to support the light source and the photodetector in positions and postures that allow the first light beam to be guided to an object to be illuminated, and the second light beam to be guided to the photodetector.

2. The illumination device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a shield in which a hole is formed, wherein
the support structure supports the shield in a position and a posture that allow the first light beam to be guided to the object to be illuminated through the hole from the light source.

3. The illumination device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
an optical system, wherein
the shield is a shielding plate, and the hole is an annular slit, and
the support structure supports the optical system in a position and a posture that allow the first light beam to be guided to the object to be illuminated through the annular slit and the optical system from the light source.

4. The illumination device according to claim 3 , wherein
the optical system includes a cylindrical mirror including an inner circumferential reflection surface that reflects the first light beam.

5. The illumination device according to claim 3 , wherein
the optical system includes a reflection mechanism including a plurality of plane reflection surfaces that reflects the first light beam.

6. The illumination device according to claim 3 , wherein
the shielding plate includes
an inner circumferential-side plate existing at an inner circumferential side of the annular slit,
an outer circumferential-side plate existing at an outer circumferential side of the annular slit, and
a communication piece that communicates the inner circumferential-side plate and the outer circumferential-side plate, and including a principal plane existing at a side of the light source, the photodetector being connected to the principal plane.

7. A reflection characteristic measuring device comprising:
the illumination device according to claim 1 ;
a spectrometry mechanism configured to perform spectrometry of reflection light from the object to be illuminated; and
a correction unit configured to perform correction for a measurement result of the spectrometry mechanism, the correction resolving an influence of temporal variation of intensity of the first light beam, using a detection result of the photodetector.

8. A reflection characteristic measuring device comprising:
the illumination device according to claim 2 ;
a spectrometry mechanism configured to perform spectrometry of reflection light from the object to be illuminated; and
a correction unit configured to perform correction for a measurement result of the spectrometry mechanism, the correction resolving an influence of temporal variation of intensity of the first light beam, using a detection result of the photodetector.

9. A reflection characteristic measuring device comprising:
the illumination device according to claim 3 ;
a spectrometry mechanism configured to perform spectrometry of reflection light from the object to be illuminated; and
a correction unit configured to perform correction for a measurement result of the spectrometry mechanism, the correction resolving an influence of temporal variation of intensity of the first light beam, using a detection result of the photodetector.

10. The illumination device according to claim 4 , wherein
the shielding plate includes
an inner circumferential-side plate existing at an inner circumferential side of the annular slit,
an outer circumferential-side plate existing at an outer circumferential side of the annular slit, and
a communication piece that communicates the inner circumferential-side plate and the outer circumferential-side plate, and including a principal plane existing at a side of the light source, the photodetector being connected to the principal plane.

11. A reflection characteristic measuring device comprising:
the illumination device according to claim 4 ;
a spectrometry mechanism configured to perform spectrometry of reflection light from the object to be illuminated; and
a correction unit configured to perform correction for a measurement result of the spectrometry mechanism, the correction resolving an influence of temporal variation of intensity of the first light beam, using a detection result of the photodetector.

12. The illumination device according to claim 5 , wherein
the shielding plate includes
an inner circumferential-side plate existing at an inner circumferential side of the annular slit,
an outer circumferential-side plate existing at an outer circumferential side of the annular slit, and
a communication piece that communicates the inner circumferential-side plate and the outer circumferential-side plate, and including a principal plane existing at a side of the light source, the photodetector being connected to the principal plane.

13. A reflection characteristic measuring device comprising:
the illumination device according to claim 5 ;
a spectrometry mechanism configured to perform spectrometry of reflection light from the object to be illuminated; and
a correction unit configured to perform correction for a measurement result of the spectrometry mechanism, the correction resolving an influence of temporal variation of intensity of the first light beam, using a detection result of the photodetector.

14. A reflection characteristic measuring device comprising:
the illumination device according to claim 6 ;
a spectrometry mechanism configured to perform spectrometry of reflection light from the object to be illuminated; and
a correction unit configured to perform correction for a measurement result of the spectrometry mechanism, the correction resolving an influence of temporal variation of intensity of the first light beam, using a detection result of the photodetector.

Assignees

• Konica Minolta Inc

Inventors

• Iida Shinichi
• Yamaguchi Wataru

Classifications

• G01J3/504

  Goniometric colour measurements, for example measurements of metallic or flake based paints · CPC title

• G01J1/42

  using electric radiation detectors (optical or mechanical part G01J1/04; by comparison with a reference light or electric value G01J1/10) · CPC title

• G01J3/50

  using electric radiation detectors · CPC title

• G01J3/10 Primary

  Arrangements of light sources specially adapted for spectrometry or colorimetry · CPC title

• G01J3/42 Primary

  Absorption spectrometry; Double beam spectrometry; Flicker spectrometry; Reflection spectrometry (beam switching arrangements G01J3/08) · CPC title