Aperture for mechanically limiting light entering an opening of a color measuring device, and use of said aperture

Abstract

An aperture for mechanically limiting light entering an opening of a color measuring device, the aperture comprising an elongate aperture body and an opening, is characterized in that, in an operating position, the opening of the aperture is arranged relative to the opening of the color measuring device such that the light entering the opening of the color measuring device is limited.

Description

[0001] Aperture for mechanically limiting the light folding through an opening of a colorimeter and use of the same

[0002] The invention relates to a band for mechanically limiting light falling into an opening of a color measuring device and its use.

[0003] State of the art

[0004] For various applications, it is essential to determine the color of an object's surface. State-of-the-art colorimeters for measuring light color are known for this purpose. However, color determination is only accurate if the measuring device can rest flat on the surface whose color is to be determined. However, if the surface is very small or curved, accurate color measurement cannot be achieved with the current state-of-the-art technology.

[0005] Description of the invention: task, solution, advantages

[0006] The present invention is based on the object of providing an aperture that allows color measurement even of small and / or curved surfaces.

[0007] The above-mentioned task is solved by an aperture for mechanically limiting light falling into an opening of a color measuring device, which aperture has an elongated aperture body and an opening.

[0008] The aperture of the diaphragm can be positioned relative to the aperture of the colorimeter in such a way that the light entering the aperture is limited. The term "diaphragm" is therefore to be understood as a device that limits the incoming light. To measure color, a colorimeter illuminates a sample, measures the amount of light emitted or reflected in the wavelength range from 380 nm to 780 nm, and quantifies this as a color measurement value. Particularly with small and / or curved surfaces whose color is to be determined, the problem arises that a lot of light can enter the aperture of the colorimeter from the sides, thus distorting the measurement or even making a measurement impossible. In addition, some of the reflected light is lost at the sides.However, if an aperture with the aforementioned aperture body and opening is used, the aperture of the aperture can be deliberately used to limit the light entering the aperture of the colorimeter and thus also to determine the color of small and / or curved surfaces.

[0009] Above all, the aperture is designed to be portable and can therefore be arranged in any configuration relative to the colorimeter. The aperture is therefore considered a separate component from the colorimeter. Alternatively, the aperture could also be detachably connected to the colorimeter, for example, using magnetic forces.

[0010] The opening of the diaphragm is preferably designed as a hole. Preferably, no lens or other optical element is introduced into the opening. The opening can have a diameter that is preferably between 5 mm and 25 mm. Further preferably, the diameter is between 10 mm and 20 mm, most preferably between 18.5 mm and 19.5 mm. The diameter can be fixed or adjustable. For example, with an adjustable diameter, the focus can be directed onto a specific, possibly small, point on a surface. The adjustability is primarily achieved mechanically. An iris diaphragm, for example, can be used for this purpose.

[0011] In particular, the visor body has a first end region and a second end region in the longitudinal direction. The opening is preferably arranged in the first end region. Advantageously, the opening is arranged centrally in the width direction of the visor body.

[0012] At the first end region, the panel body preferably has a wall section that protrudes in the thickness direction of the panel body. The panel body can have a plate-shaped base body with a constant thickness, onto which the wall section rests. The wall section can thus correspondingly increase the thickness in the region in which it is arranged. The wall section preferably extends continuously around three sides of the first end region. In other words, the wall section extends in the longitudinal direction on one end side of the panel body and in the width direction on a section of the adjacent end sides, so that the first end region is enclosed by the wall section on three sides. The wall section can, as described above, be formed on the corresponding end sides and thus form the outer edge of the panel in the corresponding directions.Furthermore, the wall section could be designed to be adjustable in the longitudinal and / or width directions. Its position could thus be altered along these directions. This would allow the aperture to be adapted to different measuring devices.

[0013] The thickness of the diaphragm body is in particular between 0.5 mm and 5 mm, preferably between 1 mm and 3 mm, most preferably between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm. In the region of the wall section, the thickness is in particular at least twice as great. The wall section can thus be understood as a section protruding in the thickness direction and can preferably have between twice and three times the thickness of the diaphragm body. The width of the wall section is in particular between 0.5 mm and 5 mm, further preferably between 1 mm and 3 mm, most preferably between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm.

[0014] Preferably, the diaphragm body has a length between 10 cm and 20 cm, further preferably between 12.5 cm and 17.5 cm, most preferably between 13.5 cm and 15.5 cm.

[0015] Furthermore, the diaphragm body can have a width between 2 cm and 4 cm, preferably between 2.5 cm and 3.5 cm. The width of the diaphragm body can be wider in the first end region than in the second end region and / or the entire remainder of the diaphragm body, so that the diaphragm body is widened in the width direction towards the first end region. The width in the first end region can correspond to 1.1 times to 1.5 times, preferably 1.2 times to 1.4 times, the width outside the first end region. The diaphragm body can in particular have a width that is defined with respect to a width of the color measuring device, so that the wall section of the diaphragm body encloses a section of the color measuring device. The section of the color measuring device serves primarily for color measurement and is to be understood in particular as a measuring section.This can, in particular, comprise the aperture of the color measuring device, into which light is to fall to determine the color of the surface. In particular, the width of the aperture is adapted to the width of the color measuring device such that the section of the color measuring device fits, preferably precisely, into the recess formed by the first end section and the wall section.

[0016] The aperture body can include attachment areas for raised portions of the measuring device. These raised portions of the measuring device are located in the section of the colorimeter and are designed to rest on the surface whose color is to be determined. The raised portions are primarily arranged around the opening of the colorimeter. The arrangement of the attachment areas corresponds to the arrangement of the raised portions. The attachment areas can be arranged in the same arrangement so that the raised portions can be placed on the attachment areas. This ensures that when raised portions are placed on the attachment areas, the opening of the aperture and the opening of the colorimeter correspond. These at least overlap, and preferably they are arranged concentrically.

[0017] These can preferably be at least three or four, preferably exactly three or four, elevations to ensure that the colorimeter can be securely positioned. Accordingly, the panel body can comprise at least three or four, preferably exactly three or four, mounting areas. The mounting areas can be recessed so that the elevations of the colorimeter can be placed in them.

[0018] The attachment areas can be arranged symmetrically around the opening. For example, they can form the shape of a triangle or a square. The center point of the aperture of the panel can preferably be located at a center point of the shape formed by the attachment areas. The distance in the longitudinal and / or width direction between adjacent attachment areas can, for example, correspond to at least 1.3 to 1.7 times the diameter of the opening.

[0019] The aperture body is arranged in an operating position, preferably relative to the colorimeter, such that the elevations of the colorimeter can be placed on the attachment areas. By placing the colorimeter on the attachment areas, the colorimeter has a fixed position relative to the surface, while the border of the wall section limits incident light from the side. This allows for optimal color determination.

[0020] Preferably, the aperture consists only of the aperture body, into which the opening is inserted. The aperture body is preferably formed in one piece. The aperture body is preferably made of a rigid, preferably non-compliant, material. The aperture body can be made of a metallic material. Furthermore, the wall section of the aperture can be formed not in one piece, but rather from an elastic material in order to better limit the lateral entry of light on highly curved surfaces.

[0021] Furthermore, the invention preferably relates to a system of an aperture combination described above with a color measuring device.

[0022] In a further aspect, the invention relates to the use of an aperture described above for determining the color of a surface of an object, wherein the aperture is arranged on the surface of the object. The aperture cannot touch the surface or can only touch it at one point, since the aperture ensures a fixed position of the color measuring device relative to the surface. The color measuring device can then be arranged relative to the aperture such that the light incident into the opening of the color measuring device is limited, preferably by the opening of the aperture. Preferably, elevations of the measuring device are placed in corresponding attachment areas of the aperture body so that the aperture and color measuring device are optimally arranged relative to one another. As a final step, a measurement can be carried out using the color measuring device, which is optimized by the mechanical limitation of the incident light.

[0023] Short description of the characters

[0024] They show in a purely schematic representation:

[0025] Figure 1 is a plan view of a diaphragm for mechanically limiting light falling into an opening of a colorimeter;

[0026] Figure 2 is a side view of the aperture of Figure 1;

[0027] Figure 3 is a further side view of the aperture of Figures 1 and 2; and

[0028] Figure 4 is a top view of a colorimeter.

[0029] Preferred embodiment

[0030] Figure 1 shows a diaphragm 10 for mechanically limiting light entering an opening 72 of a color measuring device 70, which diaphragm has an elongated diaphragm body 11 with the length 12 shown in Figure 1 in the longitudinal direction 50. Furthermore, a width direction 51 is shown in Figure 1.

[0031] The visor body 11 has a first end region 20 and a second end region 21 in the longitudinal direction 50. In the first end region 20 there is an opening 17 with a diameter 19, which is designed as a hole 18. In the first end region 20, the visor body 11 has a first width 13, while in the remaining region, in particular in the second end region 21, it has a second width 14 that is smaller than the first width 13. In the first end region 20, the visor body 11 has a wall section 22 that encloses the opening 17 on three sides. Thus, the visor body 11 has a wall section on the end face in the longitudinal direction 50 in the first end region 20 and on the respective end faces in the width direction 51 throughout the entire first end region 20.

[0032] Furthermore, the diaphragm body 11 has attachment areas 23. These are arranged symmetrically around the opening 17, so that the center of the opening 17 is located at the center of the attachment areas. The attachment areas 23 serve to accommodate elevations 73 of at least one section 71 of the color measuring device 70.

[0033] Figure 2 shows a side view of the panel 10 of Figure 1, clearly showing the different thickness resulting from the wall section 22. Due to the wall section 22, the panel body 11 in the side view of Figure 2 has a first thickness 15 in the first end region 20, which is greater than the second thickness 16 in the remaining region.

[0034] Figure 3 shows another side view, specifically of the front end in the longitudinal direction. The larger first width 13 can again be seen in the side view shown, which results from the wall section 22.

[0035] Figure 4 shows a top view of a color measuring device 70, specifically a section 71 having the opening 72 and into which light enters for color determination. Elevations 73 are arranged around the opening 72 and fit into the corresponding attachment areas 23 of the diaphragm 10. The color measuring device 70 and the diaphragm 10 can also be arranged such that their openings correspond and at least overlap or are preferably arranged concentrically. The wall section 22 of the diaphragm 10 can be arranged around the section 71 such that the elevations 73 can rest on the attachment areas 23. Reference numeral Hste

[0036] 10 Biende

[0037] 11 Aperture body

[0038] 12 length

[0039] 13 first width

[0040] 14 second width

[0041] 15 first thickness

[0042] 16 second thickness

[0043] 17 Opening

[0044] 18 hole drilling

[0045] 19 diameters

[0046] 20 first end area in longitudinal direction

[0047] 21 second end area in the longitudinal direction

[0048] 22 wall section

[0049] 23 Attachment area

[0050] 50 Longitudinal direction

[0051] 51 Latitude direction

[0052] 52 Thickness direction

[0053] 70 colorimeter

[0054] Section 71

[0055] 72 Opening

[0056] 73 Survey

Claims

Patent claims 1. Aperture (10) for mechanically limiting light folding into an opening (72) of a color measuring device (70), the aperture (10) comprising an elongated aperture body (11) and an opening (17), characterized in that the opening (17) of the diaphragm is arranged in relation to the opening (72) of the color measuring device (70) in an operating position such that the light folding into the opening (72) of the color measuring device (70) is limited.

2. Aperture (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the aperture (10) is designed to be portable.

3. Aperture (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the opening (17) of the aperture (10) is designed as a hole (18) 4. Aperture (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opening (17) of the aperture (10) comprises a diameter (19), wherein the diameter (19) is between 5 mm and 25 mm.

5. Aperture (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opening (17) is arranged in a first end region (20) of the diaphragm body (11) in the longitudinal direction (50).

6. Aperture (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the diaphragm body (11) in the first end region (20) has a (52) projecting wall section (22).

7. A band (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that the wall section (22) extends continuously circumferentially around three sides of the first end region (20).

8. Aperture (10) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the diaphragm body (11) has a width which is defined with respect to a width of the color measuring device, so that the wall section (22) of the diaphragm body encloses a section (71) of the color measuring device (70) for color measurement.

9. A diaphragm (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the diaphragm body (11) has attachment areas (23) for elevations (73) of the Color measuring device (70), wherein the diaphragm body (11) is arranged in the operating position such that the elevations (73) of the color measuring device (70) are placed on the attachment areas (23).

10. Use of a diaphragm (10) according to one of claims 1 to 9 for determining a color of a surface of an object, characterized by the following steps: Arrangement of the aperture (10) on the surface of the object, and Arrangement of a color measuring device (70) to the aperture (10) such that in the opening (72) the light incident on the colorimeter (70) is limited.

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