Matter Inspection Apparatus Using Scanning Dark Area
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for inspecting matter, such as meat, chicken, and fish, face limitations due to the need for fixed distances and heights, which can lead to reflection detection issues and physical constraints, and lack the ability to handle varying heights and wide inspection zones effectively.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method utilizing a stop element to block and redirect radiation, eliminating surface reflection and allowing for height variations, with a scanning device and detection device configuration that includes calibration elements for continuous calibration, enabling a wide inspection zone without the need for focusing lenses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a fixed distance between matter and lens is used, then point measurement precision is improved, but the system cannot handle height variations of matter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a rotary polygonal mirror scanning device that dynamically sweeps the radiation beam across the matter surface. This dynamic scanning approach replaces the static fixed-distance lens system, allowing the system to accommodate height variations while maintaining measurement precision through continuous positional updating and scanning across multiple points.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a blackened metallic screen is used to suppress stray radiation, then radiation interference is reduced, but the physical height of matter is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the blackened metallic screen from the system entirely. Instead of using the screen to suppress stray radiation, the invention relies on the scanning device to selectively detect radiation from specific spatial positions, extracting only the relevant signal information while naturally excluding stray radiation through the scanning geometry and dark area projection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical stray radiation suppression method (blackened screen) with an optical scanning and detection method. The scanning device projects a dark area and selectively detects radiation from this region, substituting the physical barrier approach with an optical selection approach that eliminates height limitations.
Solution Approach 3:
The system uses dynamic scanning to selectively illuminate and detect radiation from specific spatial regions. The scanning device continuously moves the radiation beam and detection field across the matter surface, dynamically adapting to height variations without requiring physical constraints like screens that limit matter height.
3Quantity of substance
If surface reflection is detected, then additional information is obtained, but inspection accuracy is reduced due to interference with transflection detection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the radiation detection into two distinct temporal and spatial components: illumination phase and detection phase. The scanning device first projects radiation onto the matter surface, then after a time delay, detects the scattered radiation from the dark area. This segmentation in time and space allows separation of surface reflection (occurring immediately) from internal transflection (occurring after radiation penetrates and scatters within the matter).
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary illumination of the matter surface before detection. The radiation beam is projected onto the matter first, allowing the radiation to penetrate and scatter within the material. Only after this preliminary action is complete does the detection phase begin, ensuring that only internally scattered radiation from the dark area is detected, not immediate surface reflections.
4Illumination intensity
If focusing lenses are used, then radiation concentration is improved, but the system requires fixed distances and cannot accommodate height variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the optical focusing lens system with a scanning-based radiation concentration method. Instead of using lenses to focus radiation to a point, the system uses a scanning device to project radiation along defined paths and selectively detect scattered radiation from specific spatial positions (the dark area). This substitution eliminates the fixed focal distance requirement while maintaining effective radiation concentration through spatial selection.
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
This solution allows for accurate inspection of matter regardless of height variations, reduces surface reflection interference, and provides continuous calibration, enabling efficient and flexible inspection of organic materials like meat, chicken, and fish across a wide inspection zone.
Implementation Method 1
light scattering inside the matter... some of the radiation penetrates the surface of the matter and is scattered within the matter
Implementation Method 2
a stop element adapted to block some of the radiation emitted by the emitting device
Implementation Method 3
a scanning device adapted to project a dark area cased by the stop element onto the matter, and to redirect radiation having passed the stop element towards the matter
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
AI summary
The present invention relates to an apparatus (10) for inspecting matter (12), the apparatus comprising: an emitting device (14) adapted to emit radiation; a stop element (20) adapted to block some (16a) of the radiation emitted by the emitting device; a scanning device (26) adapted to project a dark area (24) caused by the stop element on the matter, and to redirect radiation (16b) having passed the stop element towards the matter, wherein at least some of the redirected radiation is scattered within the matter and passes out of the matter as scattered radiation (42); and a detection device (34) adapted to receive or detect the scattered radiation via the scanning device, wherein the detection device's field of view (36) coincides with the projected dark area (24). The present invention also relates to a corresponding method.