Variable-Volume Enclosure for Reflection-Free Photography
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Solution Overview
Problem
Photographing highly reflective objects, such as jewelry, often requires significant time and effort to minimize reflections from the surrounding environment, leading to black spots and shadows in images due to light reflection issues with conventional camera techniques.
Innovation Solution
A portable, variable-volume enclosure with a translucent base and a pliable two-way mirror that creates a temporary, enclosed region for the object, combined with adjustable attachments and lighting sources to control illumination levels, allowing the two-way mirror to function as a partially reflective surface while maintaining object visibility through its transparent top surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional camera techniques are used to photograph highly reflective objects, then the objects can be captured in images, but reflections of the surrounding environment appear in the objects causing black spots and shadows
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful reflective environment by introducing a two-way mirror that separates the camera's field of view from the surrounding environment. The mirror creates an isolated viewing angle where only the object is visible, eliminating reflections of cameras, operators, and other environmental elements from the captured image.
Solution Approach 2:
The two-way mirror acts as an intermediary element between the camera and the highly reflective object. It controls and filters the light paths, allowing the camera to capture the object without direct exposure to reflective surfaces that would cause unwanted reflections and black spots in the image.
2Reliability
If umbrellas or light diffusion screens are positioned to reduce reflections, then reflection-free photographs can be achieved, but considerable time and effort are required for trial and error positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The two-way mirror is pre-positioned at a specific angle (typically 45 degrees) to the camera axis before photographing begins. This preliminary positioning of the mirror creates the optimal light path configuration in advance, eliminating the need for time-consuming trial and error adjustments of umbrellas or diffusion screens during the photography session.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the light path by introducing the two-way mirror at a fixed angle. This parameter change (mirror angle and position) fundamentally alters how light reaches the camera, providing a stable, reflection-free configuration without requiring continuous adjustment of other lighting elements.
3Illumination intensity
If light is used to illuminate highly reflective objects for proper exposure, then the objects can be photographed, but the light reflects into the camera lens causing black spots and shadows
Solution Approach 1:
The two-way mirror serves as an intermediary that controls the direction of illumination light. It allows light to reach the object for proper exposure while preventing reflected light from entering the camera lens, thus eliminating black spots and shadows caused by specular reflection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality control by using the two-way mirror to create a specific viewing zone with controlled lighting properties. In this localized area, the light paths are selectively managed so that illumination reaches the object without creating harmful reflections in the camera's direction.
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
Significantly reduces the time and effort required to capture reflection-free images of highly reflective objects by controlling lighting and reflections within the enclosure, enhancing image clarity and detail.
Implementation Method 1
a pliable, thin, two-way mirror... configured so that it can be contoured so as to create a temporary, enclosed region below the two-way mirror's bottom surface
Implementation Method 2
the two-way mirror's now, partially transparent top surface
Implementation Method 3
a rigid, translucent... base... when the light from this source is passed through the translucent base to illuminate the volume inside the temporarily enclosed region
Data Source
AI summary
A variable-volume enclosure that enables the photographing, from outside the enclosure, of highly reflective, objects placed in the enclosure without the reflections of things in the environment surrounding the enclosure being seen in the objects includes: (a) a translucent, planar base, (b) a pliable, two-way mirror that is configured so that, when its opposing edges are brought towards one another, the mirror's central portion bends upward to create a temporary enclosed region of the enclosure, (c) an attachment mechanism for fixedly attaching said one of the mirror's edges to the base's top surface, (d) an adjustable attachment mechanism that temporarily and adjustably attaches the mirror's other edge to the base's top surface, (e) a translucent covering which is adjustably attached to a mirror end.