Thickness measurement of moving webs and seal integrity system using dual interferometer

Patent 7206076 Issued on April 17, 2007. Estimated Expiration Date:

November 4, 2024. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventor

Blalock, Todd F.

Assignee

Lumetrics, Inc.

Application

No. 10981177 filed on 11/04/2004

US Classes:

356/503, Thickness356/479, Having a short coherence length source356/482, For distance or displacement measurement356/497, Having short coherence length source162/198, With measuring, inspecting and/or testing356/504Refraction from surfaces of different refractive index

Examiners

Primary: Toatley, Gregory J. Jr.
Assistant: Lyons, Michael A.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Reed Smith LLP

International Classes

G01B 11/02
G01B 9/02

Abstract

A system and method for measuring the thickness of materials and coatings across a moving length of material such as sheet, film, or web by the use of non-contact optical interferometry is provided. Also, a system and method for evaluating the seal integrity in flexible packaging across a moving web by the use of non-contact optical interferometry is provided. Measurement of optical density and thickness, and the combination of various measurements in the production and process of manufacturing materials such as flexible packaging items that involve moving webs of material is disclosed. The present invention concerns the system and method involved in the collection and interpretation of data for these measurements and inspections.