Abstract: A device for accounting for environmental capacitances caused by an external object when detecting the presence and surface location of an electrically conductive coating on a transparent and/or translucent medium includes: a capacitive sensor that provides multiple capacitances; electronics that are responsive to the capacitances; an excitation source that generates a train of pulses, voltage or current to determine capacitances at the capacitive sensor; a selective indicator; and, a capacitive sensing plate that affects, or is affected by, the pulses, voltage or current from the excitation source.

Abstract: Described are methods and devices for detecting the presence and surface location of an electrically conductive coating on a transparent and/or translucent medium.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for measuring the thickness on at least one transparent or translucent medium and detecting the presence and/or location of any conductive coating on a non-conductive medium surface are described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for measuring the thickness on at least one transparent or translucent medium and detecting the presence and/or location of any conductive coating on a non-conductive medium surface are described.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a fluorescing substance on a test material includes a light source configured to direct light energy toward the test material, and one or more display features configured to display fluorescing light from the test material. When light from the light source contacts the fluorescing material, display features allows the fluorescing material to project a fluorescing glow into an ambient environment near the apparatus.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for detecting the presence and/or location of any conductive coating on a non-conductive medium surface are described.

Abstract: A system for detecting coatings on a transparent or semi-transparent medium includes a conductive sensor and a light reflection sensor which are configured to determine a presence and the conductivity of the coating on the medium.

Abstract: A detection system for measuring glass that has been placed under strain and the resulting stress lines in the glass has a light source of individual elements configured to create a light distribution. The light distribution has a discontinuity which enhances the viewing of a photoelastic effect in the glass. The light source creates a viewable optical interference (i.e., color changes) which results from stress lines in the glass.

Abstract: A system provides a correlation between a field-tested measured light transmission, light reflection and/or light absorption in at least one transparent, translucent or semi-opaque medium to a pre-set measured light transmission.

Abstract: A system of measuring light transmission and/or reflection has a light transmitter(s) and at least one light sensor which are used to generate a defined light environment over a specified light frequency range.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for protecting an optical transmission measurement when sensing transparent materials. Sensing apparatus located in a housing directs a light beam at an upward angle to a sheet of transparent material and detects downward surface reflections of the beam from the transparent material. The light beam and the reflections pass through a transparent protective layer on the housing. A flow of clean air is passed between the protective layer and the transparent material to remove particles and liquid from the protective layer and from the space between the protective layer and the transparent material. Preferably, the protective layer is either made from a hydrophobic material or has a hydrophobic surface coating to facilitate blowing liquid and particles from the surface.

Abstract: A system of measuring light transmission and/or reflection has a light transmitter(s) and at least one light sensor which are used to generate a defined light environment over a specified light frequency range.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optically measuring properties of sheets of transparent material which may be moving. The apparatus includes a non-Gaussian line laser beam generator and a linear sensor such as a CCD array which senses the spacing of reflections of the laser beam from surfaces of the material and the strength of the reflections. The width of the line laser beam extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the linear sensor. The line laser beam is directed at an angle to the surfaces of the material and surface reflections detected by the sensor are used to detect at least one property of the material, such as surface spacings or the presence and location of a surface coating. The line laser beam reflections will strike the sensor even when the material is not precisely parallel to the sensor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting properties of reflective transparent surface coatings on a sheet of transparent material, such as a sheet of glass or a sheet of plastic material. One or more light beams are directed at an angle to the surfaces of the material under test and the energy in surface reflections is sensed. The presence and surface location of a surface coating is determined from the relative magnitudes of surface reflections of the light beam. The type of coating is determined from the magnitudes of reflections from the surface coating of one or more different wavelength light beams. The surface coating may be, for example, a Low-E coating, or a metal or metal oxide coating left on a sheet of float glass.

Abstract: A laser gauge for measuring the thickness of glass panes and the spacing between glass panes in a sealed insulated window. A laser beam is directed at a predetermined angle to a first glass surface. Reflections from the glass surfaces pass through a gauge housing, through a slot in an adjustable slide, and impinge on a matted finished surface of thin scale. The housing and the slide are formed from materials having a predetermined coefficient of friction relative to each other to provide smooth movement to said slide in said housing. The scale is sufficiently thin to avoid false readings from internal reflections within the scale. The scale is adjustable on the slide to align the first reflection with a reference indicia. For each glass pane and for each pane spacing, the slide is adjusted so that a first surface reflection aligns with the reference indicia and a second surface reflection is compared with indicia on the scale to determine the thickness of the glass pane or the glass pane spacing.