IP Library Granted Patent US 12,372,407
Granted Patent B2
US 12,372,407 · App. 18/641,975 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Color measurement apparatus

Inventors: Toshio Miyake (Shiojiri, JP); Haruki Miyasaka (Matsumoto, JP); Kenichi Furuya (Shiojiri, JP); Hisayuki Akahane (Matsumoto, JP)
Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
G01J3/51G01D5/14G01J3/0232G01J3/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,372,407
App. No.
18/641,975
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A color measurement apparatus includes an opening portion that is formed in an opening portion forming member arranged in a bottom portion of the apparatus and causes light arriving from a measurement target to enter inside the apparatus, a light emission portion that emits light for measurement toward the measurement target, and a shutter unit that is configured to switch between a closed state in which the opening portion is covered, and an open state in which the opening portion is open, and that has a reflection reference surface at a position facing the opening portion in the closed state as a reference of reflectance, in which the shutter unit is disposed such that the shutter unit is configured to switch to, in addition to the closed state and the open state, an exposed state in which the reflection reference surface is exposed outside the apparatus.

Claims (33)

1. A color measurement apparatus comprising:

an opening portion forming member that includes an opening portion, wherein

the opening portion forming member is arranged in a bottom portion of the color measurement apparatus, and

the opening portion is a region that causes light arriving from a measurement target to enter inside the color measurement apparatus;

a light emitter configured to emit light for measurement toward the measurement target;

an incident light processing portion that includes a photo diode, wherein the photo diode is configured to process light incident through the opening portion; and

a shutter unit that is configured to switch between a closed state in which the opening portion is covered, and an open state which is a state when color measurement is performed and in which the opening portion is open, and that has a reflection reference surface at a position facing the opening portion in the closed state as a reference of reflectance, wherein

the shutter unit is disposed such that the shutter unit is configured to switch to, in addition to the closed state and the open state by sliding, an exposed state by rotating in which the reflection reference surface is toward outside and is exposed outside the color measurement apparatus, and

the shutter unit switches to the open state by sliding in a first direction from the closed state and switches to the closed state by sliding in a second direction opposite to the first direction from the open state,

the shutter unit includes:

a sliding member configured to slide along a bottom surface of the color measurement apparatus, wherein the sliding member is a link that is coupled to the shutter unit,

a shutter member that is configured to slide along the bottom surface together with the sliding member, has the reflection reference surface, and is configured to rotate with respect to the sliding member, and

a shutter holding member that holds the shutter member such that the shutter member is configured to be displaced in a direction of approaching to and separating from the opening portion, wherein

two coupling shafts couple the shutter holding member and the sliding member to be relatively rotatable through the two coupling shafts,

the shutter unit switches to the exposed state by rotation of the shutter member with respect to the sliding member through the two coupling shafts, and

the shutter member abuts on the bottom surface in the exposed state.

2. The color measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the shutter member includes

a boss that protrudes in a direction intersecting with a sliding direction,

a bottom first frame that constitutes the bottom surface, and

a bottom second frame that is a member constituting the bottom surface together with the bottom first frame and is positioned in the second direction with respect to the bottom first frame, and

the bottom second frame is configured to be attached and detached, regulates rotation of the boss in a mounted state, and allows the rotation of the boss by being detached.

3. The color measurement apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a first screw that fixes the bottom second frame; and

a second screw that fixes the opening portion forming member, wherein the second screw is covered with the bottom second frame in the mounted state of the bottom second frame and is exposed by detaching the bottom second frame.

4. The color measurement apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

in the mounted state of the bottom second frame, the bottom first frame and the bottom second frame constitute a periphery of the bottom surface, and

the bottom first frame and the bottom second frame alternately overlap with each other in coupled parts.

5. The color measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a pressing member that presses the shutter member toward the opening portion.

6. The color measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the incident light processing portion includes

a variable wavelength optical filter that transmits a predetermined wavelength component of incident light, and

a light reception portion that receives light transmitted through the variable wavelength optical filter.

7. The color measurement apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the variable wavelength optical filter is a Fabry-Perot etalon.

8. The color measurement apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the two coupling shafts slide in the first direction and the second direction together with the shutter holding member and the sliding member.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2021-034466 · Mar 4, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation 17653383 · Mar 3, 2022
Related Publication 20240272003A1 · Aug 15, 2024
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