Method of hyperspectral imaging using lamp with double-walled housing
A lamp including an illumination source; and a housing structure having an inner wall forming an inner housing with an inner aperture, and an outer wall forming an outer housing with an outer aperture. The inner housing encloses the illumination source, and the outer housing encloses the inner housing with the outer aperture arranged around the inner aperture, so that light produced by the illumination source can exit the inner housing. A space between the inner and outer wall forming a thermal barrier between the illumination source and the exterior of the lamp. A first outlet is connected to the inner housing for air to flow from the inner aperture towards the first outlet. The lamp is used in a method to provide hyperspectral imaging illumination for medicine inspection.
1 . A method of providing hyperspectral imaging illumination, comprising:
providing an illumination source comprising a tube-shaped light source;
containing the illumination source in an inner housing having a rectangular-shape or line shaped inner aperture, the inner housing containing the illumination source such that light produced by the illumination source exits the inner housing through an inner aperture;
containing the inner housing in an outer housing, the outer housing including an outer aperture disposed around the inner aperture and a space between the inner housing and the outer housing to form a thermal barrier between the illumination source and an exterior of the outer housing; and
flowing a cooling fluid through the inner housing in a direction away from the inner aperture toward a first outlet connecting the inner housing and an exterior of the inner and outer housing.
2 . The method of claim 1 , and further comprising flowing a second cooling fluid through the space in a direction away from the outer aperture toward a second outlet connecting the space and the exterior of the inner and outer housing.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the light exiting through the inner aperture is shaped to form a line-shaped illumination area.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the illumination source provides light of a continuous spectrum.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the illumination source provides incandescent light or a high-intensity discharge (HID) light.
6 . The method of claim 1 , and further comprising flowing the cooling fluid through the space in a direction away from the outer aperture toward a second outlet connecting the space and the exterior of the inner and outer housing.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein flowing the cooling fluid through the inner housing and through the space comprises creating a pressure differential away from the inner aperture toward the first outlet and away from the outer aperture toward the second outlet.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the inner housing is configured to reflect near infrared radiation of the illumination source toward the inner aperture.
9 . A method of providing hyperspectral imaging illumination, comprising: providing an illumination source comprising a tube-shaped light source;
containing the illumination source in an inner housing having a rectangular-shape or line shaped inner aperture oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tube-shaped light source, the inner housing containing the illumination source such that light produced by the illumination source can exit the inner housing through an inner aperture;
containing the inner housing in an outer housing an outer housing, the outer housing including an outer aperture disposed around the inner aperture and a space between the inner housing and the outer housing forming a thermal barrier between the illumination source and an exterior of the illumination source; and
flowing a cooling fluid through the inner housing in a direction away from the inner aperture toward a first outlet formed in a wall of the inner housing, the first outlet forming a connection between the inner housing and an outside of the illumination source, such that a first gas flow entering the inner aperture can move towards the first outlet connecting the inner housing and an exterior of the inner and outer housing; and
flowing the cooling fluid through the space in a direction away from the outer aperture toward a second outlet formed in a wall of the outer housing, the second outlet forming a connection between the space between the inner housing and the outer housing and an outside of the illumination source, such that a second gas flow between the inner housing and the outer housing can move towards the second outlet.
10 . The method of claim 9 , and further comprising imaging in a field of view of a hyperspectral imaging camera one or more medicine objects located in the field of view.
11 . The method of claim 10 , and further comprising illuminating with the illumination source the one or more medicine objects that are located in the field of view of the hyperspectral imaging camera.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein illuminating with the illumination source comprises illuminating at least part of the one or more medicine objects with light of a continuous spectrum.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein illuminating comprises illuminating with an incandescent light source, or a high-intensity discharge (HID) light source.
14 . A method of medication imaging with a hyperspectral lamp for high throughput imaging, comprising:
providing a near infrared illumination source;
providing a double walled housing enclosure around the near infrared illumination source, the double walled housing enclosure comprising:
an inner housing containing the near infrared illumination source and an inner aperture through which light passes; and
an outer housing surrounding the inner housing, separated therefrom by a gap, and having an outer aperture disposed around the inner aperture and the gap;
diffusing heat from the near infrared illumination source using the double walled housing enclosure;
illuminating at least a portion of a transport path of a transport structure, the transport structure moving one or more medicine objects on the transport path; and
imaging the one or medicine objects with a hyperspectral imaging camera having a field of view including the at least a portion of the transport path illuminated by the near infrared illumination source.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein diffusing comprises diffusing heat by flowing a cooling fluid in the gap toward a second outlet to an exterior of the near infrared illumination source away from the outer aperture.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein diffusing comprises diffusing heat by flowing a cooling fluid in the inner housing away from the inner aperture toward a first outlet from the inner housing to an exterior of the near infrared illumination source, and flowing the cooling fluid in the gap toward a second outlet from the gap to the exterior of the near infrared illumination source away from the outer aperture.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein diffusing comprises diffusing heat by flowing a first cooling fluid in the inner housing toward a first outlet to an exterior of the near infrared illumination source away from the inner aperture.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein diffusing comprises diffusing heat by flowing a second cooling fluid in the gap toward a second outlet to an exterior of the near infrared illumination source away from the outer aperture.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein diffusing comprises flowing different first and second cooling fluids in the inner housing and in the gap.
20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein diffusing comprises flowing the same cooling fluid in the inner housing and in the gap.