JPH0127381B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for continuously measuring the optical axis direction of a polarizing film, and more specifically, to an apparatus for continuously measuring the optical axis direction of a long and narrow sample to be measured along its longitudinal direction.

When measuring the optical axis direction of a transparent sample, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 1, a light source 1, two polarizers 3a and 3b arranged so that their optical axes are orthogonal to each other,
A chip-shaped sample to be measured 2 is inserted between the polarizers 3a and 3b of the orthogonal Nicol optical system consisting of the light receiver 4 so that its surface is perpendicular to the axis of the optical system. The method used was to rotate the sample and determine the optical axis of the sample from the relationship between the rotation angle and the transmitted light intensity of the optical system. However, with such conventional devices, for example, in the case of a long and slender sample whose optical axis direction changes at each position along its length, in order to know the optical axis direction at each position, it is necessary to It is necessary to divide the sample into pieces of appropriate size and measure the optical axis direction for each sample piece, resulting in a large amount of labor and time loss.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and makes it possible to continuously measure the optical axis direction in the longitudinal direction of a long sample, and also enables smooth supply and discharge of the sample to be measured during the measurement. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an optical axis direction measuring device that can be used to measure the direction of an optical axis.

The present invention will be specifically explained with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention, with a part of the case cut away.

Light source 1, two polarizers 3 whose optical axes are orthogonal to each other
a, 3b, and the light receiver 4 are arranged in a uniaxial direction to constitute an orthogonal Nicol optical system. A case 40 is provided to cover this crossed Nicol optical system. A means for transporting a sample to be measured is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis C of the crossed Nicol optical system.
The conveyance means includes a motor as a driving source, a decelerator 30, a transmission belt 32, pulleys 33, 34, and a conveyance belt 3.
5, backup roller 36, guide rail 37,
The guide roll 38 is connected to the guide roll 38. Guide rail 37
is provided passing through the case 40, and the rail 37
Holder 11 with sample to be measured 10 set along
is transported. Conveyance is carried out by a pair of conveyor belts 35, 3
5 is brought into contact with the frame portion 11a of the sample holder 11 from both sides, and is sandwiched therebetween. The back up roller 36 assists the pinching by the belts 35, 35. The guide rolls 38 are provided in pairs outside the case 40 to maintain the posture of the sample holder 11. A light-shielding hood 50 is provided at the entrance and exit of the sample 10 to the case 40, and a light-shielding screen 51 and a light-shielding roller 52 are provided in the hood 50. The sample 10 to be measured passes on the guide rail 37 and between the guide rolls 38, 38, enters the case 40 from the entrance 70 provided in the hood 50, crosses the orthogonal Nicol optical system, and is placed in the hood 50 on the opposite side. It is expelled from the mouth. The operator places the tip of the holder 11 on which the sample 10 to be measured is set on the guide rail 37.
It is sufficient to insert the holder 11 into the case 40 along the lines, and then remove the holder 11 that has come out from the case 40 after the measurement is completed.

The reference sample 20 is used to provide a reference value for the relationship between the transmitted light intensity I measured on the sample to be measured 10 and the optical axis deviation angle φ, and is used before or after the measurement operation using the sample to be measured 10. A reference sample holder 21 is set and placed on the optical axis C. This reference sample holder 21 has a worm 2
1. First gear 62, second gear 63, transmission shaft 6
4. It is rotated around the optical axis C by an external operating means consisting of an operating knob 65, an angle scale 66, etc.

The operation of measuring the optical axis direction at each position in the longitudinal direction of the sample to be measured 10 using this apparatus will be explained.
First, without setting the reference sample 20, the holder 11 with the sample to be measured 10 set therein is inserted from one side of the case 40 along the guide rail 37.
The sample to be measured 10 is transported by the transport means, continuously crosses the optical axis C of the crossed Nicol optical system, and is discharged from the other side of the case 40. Thereby, the transmitted light intensity I at each position along the longitudinal direction of the sample 10 to be measured is measured. Next, a reference sample 20 cut out from the same lot as the sample to be measured 10 is placed in the holder 2.
1, and the transmitted light intensity I is measured while rotating it around the optical axis C using an external operating means. The following relationship holds between the transmitted light intensity I and the deviation angle φ between the optical axes of the samples 10 and 20 (the deviation angle between the optical axis of the polarizer 3a and the optical axis of the samples 10 and 20).

I∝sin ² (2φ) Since the reference sample 20 is rotated at least 90 degrees, there is always a point where I=0, and the position of this point is the position where the deviation angle φ=0. Therefore, in the reference sample 20, there is a one-to-one correspondence between the deviation angle φ and the intensity I, so by comparing the transmitted light intensity I at each position in the sample to be measured 10 with that of the reference sample 20, it is possible to The deviation angle φ at each position can be determined.

According to the present invention, a reference sample and a sample to be measured are arranged in series between two polarizers, and the data of the sample to be measured can be processed based on the data of the reference sample. Therefore, by using the same material with the same thickness as the sample to be measured as a reference sample, various factors can be eliminated and only the optical axis direction can be measured with high precision. In addition, since the sample to be measured guide rail is provided extending outside the case and the sample to be measured is held in a long holder that is displaced along the guide rail, the size of the case that accommodates the orthogonal Nicol optical system is reduced. However, it has become possible to measure a much larger sample at once and continuously. Furthermore, measurements can be performed automatically by simply holding a membrane-like sample to be measured in a long holder and inserting it from one side of the case, and the sample to be measured can pass through the other side wall without returning to the front. This allows measurement work to proceed with extremely high efficiency.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the prior art, and FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. 1... Light source, 3a, 3b... Polarizer, 4... Light receiver, 10... Sample to be measured, 11... Holder, 3
0...Motor and reducer, 32...Transmission belt,
33, 34...Pulley, 35...Transport belt, 3
6... Backup roller, 37... Guide rail, 38... Guide roll, 40... Case.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Arrange two polarizers whose optical axes are orthogonal to each other between a light source and a light receiver to configure an orthogonal Nicol optical system,
In an apparatus in which a reference sample, which is rotatable by an external operating means and can be freely added to and subtracted from the optical system, and a sample to be measured are arranged in series between these two polarizers, the orthogonal Nicol optical The system is housed in a light-shielding case, and a sample guide rail is provided that extends to the outside of the case through two opposing side walls of the light-shielding case in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the optical system. The sample to be measured is held in an elongated holder that is slidably displaced along a pulley that is driven by a motor and transports the elongated holder in a predetermined direction, at a position abutting the upper edge of the elongated holder;
A conveying means such as a conveyor belt is provided, and when the sample to be measured is supplied from one side of the light-shielding case, it is emitted from the other side of the light-shielding case by the conveying means, and the intensity of the transmitted light is continuously measured during that time. An optical axis direction measuring device characterized by: