A lighting apparatus for securing to differently dimensioned objects, in particular mobile devices, is intended to be provided. For this purpose, a lighting apparatus comprising an illuminant and a holding element is proposed, wherein the illuminant is secured to a first end section of a bistable element and the holding element is secured to a second end section of the bistable element, said second end section being situated opposite the first end section. The bistable element is rolled out in a first stable state, such that the illuminant is at a maximum distance from the holding element. The bistable element is rolled together in a second stable state. The lighting apparatus is clampable to the mobile device by spring force of the bistable element.

A monitoring camera having a compound window arranged in a frame of a camera housing, and a camera head arranged inside the housing, is disclosed. The compound window has an inner transparent plate, closest to the camera head, and an outer protective window, arranged in a plane parallel to the transparent plate, on an outside thereof, and the compound window further comprises a heating arrangement arranged and configured to supply thermal energy to peripheral areas of the transparent plate. The transparent plate has a greater heat conductivity than the protective window and is arranged in close proximity to the protective window, so thermal energy will be transferred from the heating arrangement to the transparent plate and then efficiently transferred to the protective window.

Inspection assemblies that include one or more sideview cameras for capturing images of an interior surface of a pipe or conduit include an elongate housing, a sideview camera within the housing and arranged to capture an image of a region within a field of view external to the housing, and a viewport element mounted in the housing and located such that light is transmitted through the viewport element and into said sideview camera, wherein the viewport element has a concave internal surface, closer to the camera, and a convex external surface, further from the camera, and wherein the centre of the radius of curvature of the internal surface is closer to the viewport element than the centre of the radius of curvature of the external surface.

Apparatus for obtaining polarized imagery using a portable device, comprising a light source, a first polarizing filter configured to cover the light source, a second polarizing filter configured to cover the lens of a mobile device's built-in camera, one or more housing to contain the light source and filters, and couplers attached to the housings for coupling the housings to the mobile device. When the housing is coupled to the mobile device and the camera is operated, light from the light source passes through the first polarizing filter, then passes as polarized light through an illuminating path to illuminate an object being imaged. Then light from the illuminated object passes through an optical path, through the second polarizing filter to the camera lens. In embodiments, the axis of polarization of at least one of the polarizing filters can be modified to allow for cross, parallel and variable polarized imaging.

An illumination apparatus includes a case, a plurality of oscillators configured to generate electromagnetic waves, and housed in the case and arranged two-dimensionally, a window unit configured to emit therefrom the electromagnetic waves, and disposed on a first side of the case, a plurality of inflow holes configured to allow fluid to flow into the case, and disposed at positions at which the electromagnetic waves from the window unit propagate, and a discharging unit configured to discharge the fluid, which has flowed into the case, out of the case, and disposed on a second side of the case, which is an opposite side to the first side. When the oscillator is viewed from the window unit, a part of the oscillator is located on an inner side of the inflow hole, and the fluid which has flowed into the case through the inflow hole reaches the oscillator.

This invention provides a vision system with an exchangeable illumination assembly that allows for increased versatility in the type and configuration of illumination supplied to the system without altering the underlying optics, sensor, vision processor, or the associated housing. The vision system housing includes a front plate that optionally includes a plurality of mounting bases for accepting different types of lenses, and a connector that allows removable interconnection with the illustrative illumination assembly. The illumination assembly includes a cover that is light transmissive. The cover encloses an illumination component that can include a plurality of lighting elements that surround an aperture through which received light rays from the imaged scene pass through to the lens. The arrangement of lighting elements is highly variable and the user can be supplied with an illumination assembly that best suits its needs without need to change the vision system processor, sensor or housing.

A mounting base structure used for a photographic lamp or monitor comprises a first connecting rod having an end rotatably connected with one side of a photographic lamp or monitor and an end provided with a connecting part. A second connecting rod to be attached to the first connecting rod is hinged to the connecting part. A first threaded hole to be connected with a connecting bolt on a digital video camera is horizontally formed in the side face of the other end of the second connecting rod. The mounting base structure used for the photographic lamp or monitor is simple and compact and facilitates the connection of the photographic lamp or monitor with the digital video camera.

A mounting base structure used for a photographic lamp or monitor comprises a first connecting rod having an end rotatably connected with one side of a photographic lamp or monitor and an end provided with a connecting part. A second connecting rod to be attached to the first connecting rod is hinged to the connecting part. A first threaded hole to be connected with a connecting bolt on a digital video camera is horizontally formed in the side face of the other end of the second connecting rod. The mounting base structure used for the photographic lamp or monitor is simple and compact and facilitates the connection of the photographic lamp or monitor with the digital video camera.

This invention provides a vision system with an exchangeable illumination assembly that allows for increased versatility in the type and configuration of illumination supplied to the system without altering the underlying optics, sensor, vision processor, or the associated housing. The vision system housing includes a front plate that optionally includes a plurality of mounting bases for accepting different types of lenses, and a connector that allows removable interconnection with the illustrative illumination assembly. The illumination assembly includes a cover that is light transmissive. The cover encloses an illumination component that can include a plurality of lighting elements that surround an aperture through which received light rays from the imaged scene pass through to the lens. The arrangement of lighting elements is highly variable and the user can be supplied with an illumination assembly that best suits its needs without need to change the vision system processor, sensor or housing.

An imaging unit of the disclosure includes: a camera; a holding member configured to hold an imaging target object to be imaged by the camera; a light irradiation device configured to irradiate lights of different wavelengths from multiple light sources towards the imaging target object held by the holding member; and a control device configured to obtain a proper resolving power value for a light or lights of one or more light sources selected from the multiple light sources for use for imaging, irradiate the light or lights of the one or more light sources so selected onto the imaging target object to image the imaging target object using the camera, and make use of the proper resolving power value in processing an image obtained from the camera.