Pinhole Camera Cleaning Chamber for Web Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
In web monitoring systems of paper and cardboard machines, camera lenses become soiled by splashes and impurities, affecting image quality and defect detection, necessitating manual cleaning or compressed air/gas blowing, which can be inefficient and require high air pressure due to large beam volumes.
Innovation Solution
A pinhole camera with a chamber area between the lens and the pinhole wall, where compressed air is blown in to expel impurities through the pinhole, reducing the need for high air pressure and minimizing air volume required for cleaning by focusing on smaller chamber areas around each lens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If compressed air is blown into the large beam volume to clean camera lenses, then impurities are removed from lenses, but high air pressure and large air volume are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large beam volume into smaller cleaning zones by introducing cleaning chambers around individual camera lenses. Each chamber is a segmented space that can be cleaned independently with compressed air, rather than attempting to clean the entire beam volume. This segmentation reduces the air volume required while maintaining effective cleaning of the critical lens areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates local cleaning chambers around specific camera lenses within the beam structure. These chambers concentrate the cleaning action precisely where needed (at the lens location) rather than distributing compressed air throughout the entire beam volume. This local approach improves cleaning efficiency while reducing overall air consumption.
2Reliability
If manual washing is performed to clean camera lenses, then image quality is maintained, but maintenance downtime increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an automated compressed air cleaning system that allows the camera lenses to clean themselves without manual intervention. The cleaning chambers are equipped with compressed air nozzles that can be activated to blow impurities off the lenses, enabling the system to maintain its own cleanliness and reducing the need for manual washing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses compressed air (pneumatics) as the cleaning medium to remove impurities from camera lenses. By directing compressed air through the cleaning chambers and onto the lenses, the system achieves effective cleaning without requiring manual washing, thereby reducing maintenance downtime while maintaining image quality.
3Ease of operation
If compressed air is directed through large beam structures to clean lenses, then impurities are removed, but the system complexity and air pressure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces cleaning chambers as separate, modular components around individual camera lenses rather than attempting to clean through the entire beam structure. Each cleaning chamber is a simple, self-contained unit that can be independently configured and operated, reducing the overall system complexity while improving cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning chambers act as intermediary structures between the compressed air source and the camera lenses. Instead of directing compressed air directly through the complex beam structure, the chambers serve as intermediate cleaning zones that simplify the air delivery path and reduce the complexity of the overall cleaning system.
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 effectively removes dust and impurities from camera lenses with lower air pressure and volume, enhancing image quality and reducing maintenance downtime in high-speed production environments.
Implementation Method 1
Compressed air is blown into these chamber areas in such a way that impurities accumulated in front of the lens in the chamber area are blown with the compressed air through the pinhole out of the chamber area
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a web monitoring beam (10) comprising at least one camera (11) placed therein and being equipped with a camera lens cleaning system with means for generating compressed air. The camera (11) placed inside the web monitoring beam (10) is a pinhole camera with a chamber area (13) between the lens (12) and the pinhole (14) of the pinhole camera. Compressed air is blown into the chamber area (13), which compressed air exits via the pinhole of the pinhole camera, removing the impurities from the chamber area. The invention also relates to a pinhole camera (11) comprising a cleaning system.