Conical Mirror Imaging for Single-Camera Side Surface Inspection

The patent introduces a conical mirror structure that transforms the spatial arrangement of light paths. By using the conical surface's three-dimensional reflective geometry, light from all around the product's side surface is redirected to converge at a single imaging point, effectively adding a dimensional transformation that allows one camera to capture what would otherwise require multiple cameras positioned at different locations.

The conical mirror acts as an intermediary optical element between the product and the imaging device. It collects light rays from different angles around the product and redirects them to form a complete side surface image on the imaging sensor, serving as a mediating structure that enables single-camera omnidirectional imaging without requiring multiple cameras or complex image splicing algorithms.

The conical mirror merges multiple light paths from different angles into a single imaging path. By combining the optical information that would otherwise require separate cameras to capture, the system achieves complete side surface coverage using only one camera, directly reducing the quantity of imaging devices needed.

The single imaging device, combined with the conical mirror, performs the function that would otherwise require multiple specialized cameras positioned at different locations. The system achieves multi-directional imaging capability with a single device, demonstrating universality that reduces both the number of components and system complexity.