Optical characteristic measuring device

Abstract

To provide a photo-characteristic measurement device for facilitating attachment / detachment of a mask member.SOLUTION: A photo-characteristic measurement device for obtaining photo-characteristics of a measurement target object includes: a measurement opening 3 for receiving light from the measurement target object; a holding part 6 for detachably holding a mask member 7 where a window 71 which is an opening in a size being the same as or smaller than that of the measurement opening 3 is formed, with respect to the measurement opening 3; and a groove 4 formed in the periphery of the measurement opening 3. An inner edge 41 of the groove 4 is positioned on an inner side from an outer edge of the mask member 7 held in a mounting state by the holding part 6. An outer edge 42 of the groove 4 is positioned on an outer side from the outer edge of the mask member 7.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an optical characteristic measuring device used in a colorimeter or the like that measures the color value of an object to be measured. [Background technology]

[0002] For various industrial products, the surface color is controlled by measuring the surface color with an optical characteristic measuring device such as a colorimeter at some stage from production to shipping so that the surface color is kept consistent among products. This optical characteristic measuring device is provided with an illumination light receiving unit having, for example, a light source that illuminates the surface of an object (measurement target) to be colorimetrically measured, and a sensor that receives light such as reflected light emitted from the surface.

[0003] The size and shape of the portion of the surface of the object to be measured that is the subject of color management, i.e., the portion to be measured, may vary depending on various conditions, such as the shape and size of the object, customer requirements, and manufacturing method, etc. However, preparing a different colorimeter for each condition imposes a significant economic burden on the manufacturer.

[0004] For this reason, an optical characteristic measuring device has been proposed in which the size of the area to be measured (also called the colorimetry target area) can be changed depending on the conditions by disposing an exchangeable mask member between the object to be measured and the main body of the optical characteristic measuring device (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This mask member has a window portion which is an opening that defines the size of the colorimetry target area, is attached to the optical characteristic measuring device so as to cover the illumination light-receiving portion, and functions as a member that comes into contact with the object to be measured when the colorimetry of the object to be measured is performed.

[0005] FIG. 9 shows an example of an optical characteristic measuring device with a detachable mask member as described above.

[0006] The optical characteristic measuring device has a circular measurement opening 101 formed on the front side of the device body 100, and a circular mask member 200 having an outer diameter larger than the size of the measurement opening 101 is removably held to the device body 100 by the magnetic attraction force or the like so that it overlaps this measurement opening 101 from the outside.

[0007] The mask member 200 has, in its center, a window 201 which is an opening (area to be measured) that is the same size as or smaller than the measurement opening 101 of the device body 100. The mask member 200 is attached to the device body 100 with the window 201 overlapping the measurement opening 101. The user can remove the mask member 200 from the device body 100 against the magnetic attraction force and replace it with another mask member 200 having a window 201 of a different size. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005 / 242191 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, in the conventional optical characteristic measuring device as shown in FIG. 9, the following problem occurs when the mask member 200 is replaced.

[0010] That is, when removing mask member 200, it is difficult to know where to hook one's finger, and there is the inconvenience that the user may accidentally hook one's finger on window portion 201 of mask member 200 and pull it. The inner surface of an optical characteristic measuring device is often coated with a white substance such as barium sulfate to promote reflection by the integrating sphere, and inserting a finger into the device can contaminate the inside, making accurate measurements impossible.

[0011] Furthermore, the optical characteristic measuring device may be used with the measurement opening 101 facing downwards, in which case the mask member 200 is located below the device body 100 and is therefore difficult for the user to see. This not only makes it difficult to remove the mask member 200 when replacing it, but also creates the problem that the mounting position of the new mask member must be determined by touch, making the mounting and removal operation time-consuming.

[0012] The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and has as its object to provide an optical characteristic measuring device in which a mask member can be easily attached and detached. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] The above object can be achieved by the following means: (1) An optical characteristics measuring device for determining the optical characteristics of an object to be measured, a measurement aperture for receiving light from the object to be measured; a holding part that detachably holds a mask member having a window portion formed therein, the window portion being an opening the same size as or smaller than the measurement opening portion; and a groove formed around the measurement opening; Equipped with An optical characteristic measuring device characterized in that the inner edge of the groove is located inside the outer edge of the mask member held in an attached state by the holding portion, and the outer edge of the groove is located outside the outer edge of the mask member. (2) The optical characteristic measuring device according to the preceding paragraph 1, wherein the groove has the same outer circumferential shape as the mask member. (3) The optical characteristic measuring device according to the above item 1 or 2, wherein the grooves are formed in a plurality of discontinuous grooves. (4) An optical characteristic measuring device according to the preceding paragraph 3, wherein the grooves are formed at equal intervals. (5) An optical characteristic measuring device according to the preceding paragraph 1 or 2, wherein the groove is continuous except for one location. (6) An optical characteristic measuring device according to the above item 1 or 2, wherein the groove is formed continuously. (7) The optical characteristic measuring device according to any one of the above items 1 to 6, wherein a raised portion is formed on the outside of the groove along the outer edge of the groove. (8) An optical characteristic measuring device according to any one of the preceding paragraphs 1 to 6, wherein the distance between the outer edge of the mask member and the outer edge of the groove is 20 mm or more. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to this invention, a groove is formed around the measurement opening of the optical characteristic measuring device, and the inner edge of the groove is located inside the outer edge of the mask member to be attached and held, while the outer edge of the groove is located outside the outer edge of the mask member, resulting in a recess on the inner side of the outer edge of the mask member that corresponds to the depth of the groove. Therefore, when removing the mask member, the user can immediately recognize that they need to place their fingertips in the groove and hook it onto the outer edge of the mask member to grasp it, making removal of the mask member easier. Furthermore, the presence of the groove makes it easier to guide their fingertips to the outer edge of the mask member. Furthermore, when replacing the mask member with a new one, the groove serves as an alignment guide, making it easy to attach the mask member in the correct position.

[0015] In particular, even when the mask member is difficult for the user to see, such as when the optical characteristic measuring device is used with the measurement opening facing downward, the position of the measurement opening, in other words the attachment position of the mask member, can be easily recognized by touching the groove, making it extremely easy to attach and detach the mask member even when the measurement opening is facing downward.

[0016] Furthermore, if the outer peripheral shape of the groove is the same as the outer peripheral shape of the mask member, the mask member can be attached and detached more easily.

[0017] The grooves may be formed in a number of discontinuous locations, in a number of equally spaced locations, in a continuous location except for one location, or in a continuous location, all of which contribute to facilitating the attachment and detachment of the mask member.

[0018] Furthermore, if a raised portion is formed along the outer edge of the groove on the outside, the raised portion will emphasize the presence of the groove, allowing the user to be more aware of the presence of the groove, which will in turn make it easier to put on and take off the mask member.

[0019] Furthermore, if the distance between the outer edge of the mask member and the outer edge of the groove is 20 mm or more, it becomes easier to insert fingertips into the groove when putting on or taking off the mask member, making it easier to grip the outer edge of the mask member. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1A is a perspective view of an optical characteristic measuring device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the optical characteristic measuring device with an arm member removed. [Figure 2] 1A is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIA-IIA in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the mask member is separated from the device main body. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a front view of the device body with the mask member removed. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are perspective views of the device body when the measurement opening is positioned facing downward, where FIG. 10A shows the state before the mask member is attached, and FIG. 10B shows the state during attachment. [Figure 5] 10 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a perspective view of the device main body and (B) is a front view. [Figure 6] 10 shows still another embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a perspective view of the device main body and (B) is a front view. [Figure 7] 10 shows still another embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a perspective view of the device main body and (B) is a front view. [Figure 8] 8A and 8B show still another embodiment of the present invention, in which (A) is a perspective view of the device main body, and (B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIIIB-VIIIB of (A). [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a conventional optical characteristic measuring device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0022] Figure 1(A) is a perspective view of an optical characteristic measuring device such as a colorimeter according to one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1(B) is a perspective view of the optical characteristic measuring device with the arm member removed, Figure 2(A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line IIA-IIA in Figure 1(A), Figure 2(B) is a cross-sectional view with the mask member separated from the device main body, and Figure 3 is a front view of the device main body with the mask member removed.

[0023] In these figures, the symbol 1 denotes the device main body, and a circular measurement opening 3 is formed on the front side of the device main body 1. A circular mask member 7, which has an outer diameter larger than the size of the measurement opening 3 and contains a metal component, is removably held to the device main body 1 by the adhesive force of one or more (two in this example) magnets (corresponding to holding parts) 6 provided around the measurement opening 3 of the device main body 1, so that it overlaps with the measurement opening 3 from the outside.

[0024] As shown in Figure 2(B), the magnet 6 protrudes from the surface of the measurement opening 3 of the device main body 1, and a recess 72 is formed in the mask member 7 at a position facing the magnet 6.When attaching the mask member 7 to the device main body 1, the magnet 6 is fitted into the recess 2, thereby holding and positioning the magnet 6.

[0025] The positioning and holding of the mask member 7 relative to the device main body 1 is not limited to the magnet 6, but the mask member 7 may be positioned and further held by fitting a positioning pin provided on the device main body 1 or the mask member 7 into a positioning hole formed on the mask member 7 or the device main body 1.

[0026] The mask member 7 has a window 71 in the center, which is an opening (area to be measured) that is the same size as or smaller than the measurement opening 3 of the device main body 1. The mask member 7 is attached to the device main body 1 with the window 71 overlapping the measurement opening 3. The user can also remove the mask member 7 from the device main body 1 against the attraction force of the magnet 6 and replace it with another mask member 7 having a window 71 of a different size.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 1(A), an arm member 2 is connected to the device main body 1 at a position below the measurement opening 3 so as to be rotatable around a fulcrum 22 in the up-down direction indicated by arrow R. A cover piece 21 that protrudes toward the mask member 7 is provided at the tip of the arm member 2, and the arm member 2 is biased toward the mask member 7 by a spring (not shown). Therefore, when the arm member 2 is rotated toward the mask member 7, the cover piece 21 of the arm member 2 blocks the window portion 71 of the mask member 7. On the other hand, during measurement, the arm member 2 is rotated away from the mask member 7 to expose the window portion 71, and the window portion 71 is brought into contact with the object to be measured.

[0028] In this embodiment, an annular groove 4 is formed continuously around the measurement opening 3 of the device body 1, except for one discontinuous portion 5 at the top, so as to be concentric with the measurement opening 3. This groove 4 allows the user to easily grasp the mask member 7 by hooking the outer edge of the mask member 7 with multiple fingertips in contact with the groove 4 when replacing the mask member 7. This facilitates removal of the mask member 7 from the device body 1 and installation of a new mask member 7. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 2(A), the inner diameter of the groove 4 is set smaller than the outer diameter of the mask member 7, so that the inner peripheral edge 41 of the groove 4 is located radially inward from the outer peripheral edge of the currently installed mask member 7. On the other hand, the outer diameter of the groove 4 is set larger than the outer diameter of the mask member 7, so that the outer peripheral edge 42 of the groove 4 is located radially outward from the outer peripheral edge of the mask member 7. With this configuration, a recess with the depth of the groove 4 is present on the inside of the peripheral edge of the mask member 7, allowing the user to easily grip the mask member 7 by hooking the outer edge with the fingertips of multiple fingers.

[0029] Furthermore, it is desirable that the distance L between the outer peripheral edge of the mask member 7 and the outer peripheral edge 42 of the groove 4 is at least large enough to allow an adult's index finger to fit between the outer peripheral edge of the mask member 7 and the outer peripheral edge 42 of the groove 4, and specifically, it is desirable to set this distance to 20 mm or more.

[0030] 1 to 3, a plurality of mask members 7 with different sizes of window portion 71 are provided, and the mask member 7 attached to the main body 1 of the apparatus is selectively replaced according to the size of the object to be measured, etc. Replacement is performed as follows.

[0031] First, to remove the attached mask member 7, the user places multiple fingertips in contact with groove 4 and grasps the outer periphery of mask member 7. Because inner periphery 41 of groove 4 is located radially inward from the outer periphery of mask member 7 and outer periphery 42 of groove 4 is located radially outward from the outer periphery of mask member 7, the user can easily guide their fingertips into groove 4 and smoothly grasp the outer periphery of mask member 7. In this state, the mask member 7 is removed by moving it away from device main body 1 against the attractive force of magnet 6.

[0032] In this way, the presence of the groove 4 makes it easier for the user to grasp the outer edge of the mask member 7, preventing the user from accidentally getting their fingertip caught in the window portion 71 of the mask member 7, and eliminating the inconvenience of inserting a finger inside the device main body 1, which can cause the inside to become dirty and make accurate measurements impossible.

[0033] Next, the user grasps the outer periphery of the mask member 7 to be newly attached with his / her fingertips, moves the mask member 7 to the attachment position on the device body 1, and aligns the recessed portion 72 of the mask member 7 with the magnet 6 to attract and hold it. When aligning the mask member 7, the user simply moves the mask member 7 using the groove portion 4 as a guide so that the user's fingertips fit into the groove portion 4, allowing the user to easily grasp the attachment position and attach the mask member 7 simply and smoothly.

[0034] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device body 1 when the measurement opening 3 is positioned facing downwards, with (A) showing the state before the mask member 7 is attached, and (B) showing the state during attachment.

[0035] When the measurement opening 3 is facing downward, the user cannot see the mask member 7 attached to the device main body 1, making the task of replacing the mask member 7 cumbersome. However, in this embodiment, as described above, the groove 4 exists around the measurement opening 3, and therefore the user can easily determine the location of the mask member 7 using this groove as an index, and can grasp the mask member 7 by hooking their fingertips around the outer edge of the mask member 7, making it easy to remove the mask member 7 from the device main body 1. This prevents the user from accidentally hooking their fingertips on the window portion 71 of the mask member 7.

[0036] After removing the mask member 7, as shown in Figure 4(B), the user grasps another mask member 7 and brings it close to the attachment position of the mask member 7 from below the device body 1, and fits the recessed portion 72 of the mask member 7 into the magnet 6 of the device body 1, thereby holding the mask member 7 in a positioned state. In this case, too, by touching the groove 4 with the fingertip, the attachment position can be easily recognized even if it cannot be seen, and the mask member 7 can be attached to the device body 1 while grasping the outer periphery of the mask member 7.

[0037] In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4, a single continuous groove 4 is formed except for one discontinuous portion 51, but the number and arrangement of the groove 4 are not limited to those of the above embodiment.

[0038] For example, as shown in Figures 5(A) and 5(B), two arc-shaped grooves 43 of the same size may be formed on the left and right sides of the circumference of the measurement opening 3 at equal intervals with discontinuous portions 51 in between. Alternatively, as shown in Figures 6(A) and 6(B), four arc-shaped grooves 44 of the same size may be formed on the top, bottom, left, and right sides at equal intervals with discontinuous portions 51 in between. The number of grooves 4 may be three or five or more, the intervals may not be equal, and the grooves may be different sizes. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7(A) and 7(B), a single continuous annular groove 45 may be formed without any discontinuous portions.

[0039] In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 to 7, the positional relationship between the outer and inner edges of the grooves 4 (41 to 44) and the outer edge of the mask member 7, and the distance L between the outer edge of the mask member 7 and the outer edge 42 of the groove 4 are set to the same as in the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4.

[0040] 8(A) and 8(B) show yet another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the configuration of the groove 4 is the same as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, but an annular raised portion 8 is formed along the outer periphery of the groove 4. By forming such a raised portion 8, the presence of the groove 4 is further emphasized, making it easier for the user to recognize the groove 4. This allows the mask member 7 to be attached to and detached from the device main body 1 even more smoothly.

[0041] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the measurement opening 3 and the mask member 7 are circular, and the grooves 4 are also formed in a circular or arc shape to match the shapes of the measurement opening 3 and the mask member 7. However, the shape of the grooves 4 is not limited to these. They may be linear grooves or a combination of linear and arc grooves, depending on the shapes of the measurement opening 3 and the mask member 7 or separately from the shapes of the measurement opening 3 and the mask member 7. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1. Device body 2 Arm members 21 Lid piece 3 Measurement aperture 4, 43~45 groove 41 Inner edge of groove 42 Outer edge of groove 5, 51, 52 Discontinuous section 6. Magnets 7 Mask material 71 Window 72 recess 8 Ridges

Claims

1. An optical characteristics measuring apparatus for determining optical characteristics of an object to be measured, a measurement aperture for receiving light from the object to be measured; a holding part that detachably holds a mask member having a window portion formed therein, the window portion being an opening the same size as or smaller than the measurement opening portion; and a groove formed around the measurement opening; Equipped with An optical characteristic measuring device characterized in that the inner edge of the groove is located inside the outer edge of the mask member held in an attached state by the holding portion, and the outer edge of the groove is located outside the outer edge of the mask member.

2. 2. The optical characteristic measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the outer periphery of the groove is the same as the outer periphery of the mask member.

3. 3. An optical characteristic measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the grooves are formed in a plurality of discontinuous grooves.

4. 4. An optical characteristic measuring device according to claim 3, wherein the grooves are formed at equal intervals.

5. 3. An optical characteristic measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the groove is continuous except for one location.

6. 3. The optical characteristic measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the groove is formed continuously.

7. 7. An optical characteristic measuring device according to claim 1, wherein a raised portion is formed on the outside of the groove along the outer edge of the groove.

8. 7. An optical characteristic measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the outer edge of the mask member and the outer edge of the groove is 20 mm or more.

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