Illumination system for use in imaging moving articles

摘要

An apparatus and method for illuminating articles, such as parcels, moving beneath a camera on a conveyor belt. Multiple light sources are positioned alongside the conveyor to direct light angled downwardly and from the side of the conveyor. Each light source has an elongated lamp angled with respect to the surface of the article and a light directing device, preferably a Fresnel lens, positioned to receive light from the lamp and to direct the light toward the surface at an angle equal to or greater than forty degrees from an optical axis of the camera.