Optics: measuring and testing – With sample preparation
Patent
1995-09-01
1997-11-04
Rosenberger, Richard A.
Optics: measuring and testing
With sample preparation
356371, 264 401, B29C 3340
Patent
active
056845731
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for measuring a three-dimensional surface structure.
One application area of such measuring devices is the examination of the skin surface for the skin cosmetic. In this area, it is desired to three-dimensionally map the skin structure as exactly as possible, a very high resolution of the measured values being essential for the purpose of proving the effect of skin treatment preparation in order to be able to detect changes in skin structure at intervals of time.
Other application examples from technics relate to wood surfaces or metal surfaces.
It is already known to make silicone impressions of the skin surface and to subsequently obliquely illuminate the impression to get information on the three-dimensional structure corresponding to the casting of the shadow. Such a measurement has the disadvantage to be dependent on distance and light incidence angle of the light source, the analysis being very time-consuming in addition.
It is also possible to scan the silicone impression by laser, which, however, is expensive.
A further possibility is to scan the impression with a diamond point to generate a three-dimensional image of the skin surface, the accuracy of the three-dimensional image being dependent on the raster resolution of the scanning. Such a measurement is also very time-consuming and not sufficiently accurate due to the dependence on the raster of the scanning. Such a method, for example, is known from DE 27 19 341 C.
In summary, the disadvantage of the known measuring device consists in that the measurements can only be performed by approximation, that the reproducibility of the measured values is low, and that too much time is needed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the invention to provide a device for measuring a three-dimensional surface structure, which provides measured values which are three-dimensionally analyzable and adapted to be reproduced and calibrated to a great extent, with little time consumption.
The invention advantageously provides that the support plate comprises a measurement zone held at a given distance from the measurement surface. The silicone material to be introduced into the measurement zone is uniformly colored, the support plate comprising at least one drainage channel for excess silicone material leading away from the measurement zone. Thus, it is ensured that the measurement surface is not deformed while making the silicone impression, which would result in measuring faults. It is rather guaranteed by the drainage channel leading away from the measurement surface that the silicone impression can be made pressure-free to the greatest possible extent. The measurement zone is held at a given distance from the measurement surface. Thereby, the layer size of the silicone impression is set to a thickness allowing to detect the entire depth of the three-dimensional surface structure and simultaneously guaranteeing that the layer size does not become too thick, which would make the analysis on the basis of a measurement of light intensity and light absorption, respectively, more difficult. Since the silicone material is uniformly colored, the light absorption of the silicone mass is a direct measure of the layer size of the silicone impression. By means of a suitable optical analyzer, it is possible with such a silicone impression to obtain three-dimensional measured values which are quickly analyzable and adapted to be reproduced and calibrated to a great extent.
In one embodiment, it is provided that the support plate consists of a thin transparent pane and a double-sided adhesive sheet which serves as spacer and in which at least one drainage channel is punched out. Such a support plate assembled from two parts can easily be applied onto skin surfaces and is better adaptable to skin surfaces. Particularly, such a support plate can be manufactured in relatively small dimensions, whereby the support plate's influence on the measurement surface is reduced.
In a second embodiment, it is provide
REFERENCES:
patent: 4279482 (1981-07-01), Tyson
patent: 4569358 (1986-02-01), Gormley
patent: 5211894 (1993-05-01), Groh et al.
Courage Wilfried
Khazaka Gabriel
Courage & Khazaka Electronic GmbH
Rosenberger Richard A.
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