Single-Source Specimen Tube Imaging With Reflective Light Routing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sample tube imaging techniques suffer from insufficient illuminance and decreased contrast in captured images, particularly in portions far from the light source, making it difficult to detect the interface of small sample amounts.
Innovation Solution
A sample tube imaging device with a rack conveyor, a camera, a light source positioned on the same side as the camera, and a reflective surface opposite to the camera's optical axis, which folds back light to illuminate the lower portion of the sample tube from an oblique upward direction, ensuring sufficient illuminance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single light source is used to illuminate the sample tube, then the device complexity is reduced, but the illuminance becomes insufficient in portions far from the light source
Solution Approach 1:
A reflective surface is introduced as an intermediary element to redirect light from the single light source to the lower portion of the sample tube. The reflective surface acts as a mediator that redirects obliquely emitted light downward, ensuring sufficient illuminance in areas that would otherwise be poorly lit, while maintaining the simplicity of using only one light source.
2Illumination intensity
If the light source is positioned directly above the sample tube, then the illuminance in the lower portion is improved, but direct light reflection enters the camera causing glare and reduced image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is designed with spatially differentiated light distribution. The light source emits light in specific directions, with the reflective surface directing light locally to the lower portion of the sample tube. This creates localized illumination quality that is bright where needed without causing harmful direct reflections into the camera, as the light paths are carefully controlled to avoid the camera lens.
3Illumination intensity
If multiple light sources are used to ensure sufficient illuminance, then the illuminance distribution is improved, but color unevenness occurs due to multiple light sources and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination function is segmented between the direct light from the light source and the reflected light redirected by the reflective surface. This segmentation allows different regions of the sample tube to receive light from optimized paths: the upper portion receives direct light while the lower portion receives reflected light, achieving uniform illuminance distribution across the entire sample tube without introducing color unevenness associated with multiple independent light sources.
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
The device effectively images the sample tube and its contents with sufficient illuminance even in portions far from the light source, preventing direct light reflection and color unevenness due to multiple light sources.
Implementation Method 1
a reflective surface that folds back light emitted from the light source in a direction away from the sample tube and injects the light to a lower portion of the sample tube from an obliquely upward direction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Provided are a sample tube imaging device and a sample processing unit capable of imaging a sample tube and a sample in the sample tube while ensuring illuminance in a portion far from a light source of the sample tube. A sample tube imaging device includes a rack conveyor that transfers a sample rack storing a sample tube in which a sample is put, a camera that is provided on a side of the rack conveyor and captures an image of the sample tube on the rack conveyor, a light source that is provided on a side of the rack conveyor on the same side as the camera and illuminates the sample tube captured by the camera from above, and a reflective surface that is located on a side opposite to the sample tube imaged by the camera with respect to an optical axis of the light source and outside a space surrounded by an optical path joining points on an outer shape of a cylindrical portion of the sample tube imaged by the camera and a principal point of the camera. The reflective surface folds back light emitted from the light source in a direction away from the sample tube and injects the light to a lower portion of the sample tube from an obliquely upward direction.