Patents by Inventor Trent G. Francis

Trent G. Francis has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7271881
    Abstract: Systems and methods for illuminating a platen are provided. A hybrid illumination system uses both diffusion and collimation to efficiently provide a flat, uniform illumination at a platen. One or more diffusers are disposed between the illumination source array and a collimating lens. An illumination system is provided which uses diffused light to illuminate a platen in a print scanner. The illumination system has an illumination source array and a light wedge. The light wedge reflects light internally which makes the illumination even more diffuse. Sources are divided into at least a center region and a perimeter region. The density of sources provided in the perimeter region is greater than in the center region to correct for natural light falloff in the illumination system. Intensity control can be performed individually or in groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Cross Match Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph F. Arnold, John F. Carver, Trent G. Francis, Richard D. Irving, George W. McClurg, Walter G. Scott
  • Patent number: 6954260
    Abstract: Systems and methods for illuminating a platen are provided. A hybrid illumination system uses both diffusion and collimation to efficiently provide a flat, uniform illumination at a platen. One or more diffusers are disposed between the illumination source array and a collimating lens. An illumination system is provided which uses diffused light to illuminate a platen in a print scanner. The illumination system has an illumination source array and a light wedge. The light wedge reflects light internally which makes the illumination even more diffuse. An illumination source array has a plurality of sources that emit blue/green light. In one preferred example, the blue/green light is equal to or approximately equal to 510 nm. Sources are divided into at least a center region and a perimeter region. The density of sources provided in the perimeter region is greater than in the center region to correct for natural light falloff in the illumination system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Cross Match Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph F. Arnold, John F. Carver, Trent G. Francis, Richard D. Irving, George W. McClurg, Walter G. Scott
  • Publication number: 20030133103
    Abstract: Systems and methods for illuminating a platen are provided. A hybrid illumination system uses both diffusion and collimation to efficiently provide a flat, uniform illumination at a platen. One or more diffusers are disposed between the illumination source array and a collimating lens. An illumination system is provided which uses diffused light to illuminate a platen in a print scanner. The illumination system has an illumination source array and a light wedge. The light wedge reflects light internally which makes the illumination even more diffuse. An illumination source array has a plurality of sources that emit blue/green light. In one preferred example, the blue/green light is equal to or approximately equal to 510 nm. Sources are divided into at least a center region and a perimeter region. The density of sources provided in the perimeter region is greater than in the center region to correct for natural light falloff in the illumination system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Inventors: Joseph F. Arnold, John F. Carver, Trent G. Francis, Richard D. Irving, George W. McClurg, Walter G. Scott
  • Patent number: 5591462
    Abstract: Camera based inspection equipment is used in conjunction with a multiple-station forming device such as a blow molder for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or PEN bottle manufacturing. The inspection system relies on handling devices that present successive bottles for imaging, and due to their operation with the forming device it is possible to correlate inspection data with individual forming elements and/or transfer elements. A seal surface inspection module, a base/neck fold inspection module and a finish gauge inspection module are integrated into the route of preforms and containers through the container manufacturing equipment such that the inspection system is directed to view the passing bottles as they are carried on the transfer devices needed to load and unload the molder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 7, 1997
    Assignee: Pressco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald T. Darling, Trent G. Francis, Brad L. Williams, Harold L. Dewar, David B. Delater, Daniel B. Gold, Jerry Pentel, Paul L. Wright, Peter J. Sands, Phillip Cochran