Color Confocal Measurement Optics for Low-Reflectivity Peak Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional measurement devices using the color confocal method suffer from reduced measurement accuracy due to chromatic aberration, leading to decreased total reflected light and difficulty in peak detection, especially when measuring materials with low reflectivity.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a dimming member that blocks a part of multi-wavelength light incident on the optical path, allowing adjustment of the area ratio blocked by the dimming member, and using an aperture portion to secure the necessary light amount for peak detection, while minimizing unnecessary light incidence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a light shielding member is arranged on the optical path to block unnecessary lights, then crosstalk is reduced, but the total amount of reflected lights decreases causing deterioration in measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using a dimming member that selectively blocks only the center portion of the multi-wavelength light beam while allowing peripheral lights to pass through. This localized blocking approach reduces crosstalk from unnecessary reflected lights while preserving the total light amount needed for accurate peak detection, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and light quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of blocking all lights and then trying to preserve necessary light, the patent inverts the approach by allowing most lights to pass through and only blocking the specific problematic center portion. This inversion enables the system to maintain sufficient total light amount while eliminating harmful crosstalk, thereby resolving the measurement accuracy deterioration issue.
2Measurement precision
If a light shielding member is arranged on the optical path to block unnecessary lights, then crosstalk is reduced, but peak detection becomes difficult especially for materials with low reflectivity
Solution Approach 1:
The dimming member selectively blocks only the center portion of the light beam where unnecessary reflected lights occur, while allowing peripheral lights to pass through to the spectrometer. This localized approach reduces crosstalk that interferes with peak detection while maintaining sufficient total light amount for detecting materials with low reflectivity, thus resolving the contradiction between peak detection accuracy and reflected light amount.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of chromatic aberration (which causes unnecessary reflected lights) into a beneficial filtering mechanism. By positioning the dimming member to block the center portion where chromatic aberration effects are most problematic, the system transforms the harmful crosstalk into a controlled filtering action that improves peak detection while preserving necessary light for low reflectivity materials.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances measurement accuracy by suppressing unnecessary reflected light and securing the required light amount for peak detection, thereby improving the resolution and reliability of non-contact distance measurements.
Implementation Method 1
a first optical unit configured to introduce chromatic aberration along an optical axis into the multi-wavelength light emitted from the light source
Implementation Method 2
a second optical unit configured to focus the multi-wavelength light, into which the chromatic aberration has been introduced, onto a measurement position of a measurement object
Implementation Method 3
at least one dimming member configured to block a part of the multi-wavelength light incident on the first optical unit
Implementation Method 4
a light receiver unit configured to acquire spectral information of the multi-wavelength light which has passed through the aperture portion
Data Source
AI summary
A measurement device includes: a light source that emits multi-wavelength light; a first optical unit that introduces chromatic aberration into the multi-wavelength light along an optical axis; a second optical unit that focuses the multi-wavelength light into which the chromatic aberration has been introduced onto a measurement position of a measurement object; at least one dimming member that blocks a part of the multi-wavelength light incident on the first optical unit and that is arranged at a position intersecting the optical axis; a dimming adjustment unit that varies an area of the multi-wavelength light blocked by the at least one dimming member; an aperture portion that allows at least a part of the multi-wavelength light that has passed through the at least one dimming member, to pass therethrough; and a light receiver unit that acquires spectral information of the multi-wavelength light that has passed through the aperture portion.