Imaging device for assessing sunscreen coverage

Abstract

A device for assessing sunscreen coverage on a person includes a casing a lens assembly extending from about a front facing surface of the casing and allowing transmissivity to light energy in a wavelength range of about 300 to about 400 nm. A filter is in optical communication with the lens assembly and having a high optical density above about 390 nm and a low optical density below about 390 nm. A sensor is in optical communication with the filter, the sensor having a signal/noise ratio that is greater than about 36 db. A controller is configured for receiving input from a user to control the device. A display screen may be in communication with a controller for displaying an image associated with the filtered light.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A kit comprising:
 a container of sunscreen, the sunscreen comprising an ingredient that absorbs light energy in a wavelength range of about 300 to about 425 nm;   a device for assessing sunscreen coverage on a person, the device comprising:
 a casing; 
 a lens assembly extending from about a front facing surface of the casing and allowing transmissivity to light energy in the wavelength range of about 300 to about 425 nm, 
 wherein the lens of the lens assembly is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of fused silica glass, borosilicate glass, fused quartz glass, soda lime glass, magnesium fluoride glass, cyclic olefin copolymer plastic, cyclic olefin polymer plastic, polymethylpentene plastic, silicone, and acrylic plastic; 
 a filter in optical communication with the lens assembly and having a high optical density above about 390 nm and a low optical density below about 390 nm; 
 a sensor in optical communication with the filter, the sensor having a signal/noise ratio that is greater than about 36 db; 
 a controller configured for receiving input from a user to control the device; 
 a display screen in communication with a controller for displaying an image associated with the filtered light. 
   
     
     
         2 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the display screen is carried by the casing. 
     
     
         3 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the display screen is a screen of a mobile device, and the device is configured for communicating with the mobile device to cause the mobile device to display the image on the display screen. 
     
     
         4 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the display screen is a screen external to the casing. 
     
     
         5 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the casing defines a recess for receiving a digit of an operator. 
     
     
         6 . The kit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a polarizer within a light path of the light energy. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the polarizer is one of a Brewster window, a dichroic film, a dielectric film, a laminated film, a birefringent type, Wollaston type, a Glan-Thompson type, Rochon type, Glan-Taylor type, Glan-Laser type, a wire grid, a nanowire grid, a pixelated nanowire grid, a wave plate, or a beam splitter. 
     
     
         8 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured for receiving information associated with UV data at or near the time of imaging. 
     
     
         9 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured for storing the displayed images for review at a subsequent time. 
     
     
         10 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured for providing an alarm indicative of a time that has passed since last use. 
     
     
         11 . A device for assessing a coverage area and/or coverage thickness of an ultraviolet light blocking coating, the device comprising:
 a lens assembly that transmits and images light energy in a wavelength range spanning from about 300 nanometers to about 425 nanometers from an object to an image plane;   the lens assembly having a filter that absorbs and/or reflects light from about 400 nanometers to about 700 nanometers or from 400 nanometers to about 1100 nanometers, such that only light from 300 nanometers to about 400 nanometers is transmitted;   an energy converting plate situated close to the image plane of the lens assembly that converts the ultraviolet light image into visible light.   
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the energy converting plate is a fluorescent plate that converts the higher energy UV light into lower energy visible light viewable by the human eye, camera, or smart phone imaging module. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein the device is configured for being engaged with a mobile device and when engaged, a relay lens directs the visible image from the image plane into a camera of the mobile device. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 13 , wherein computer control code executing on the mobile device is configured to control the mobile device to manipulate a signal received from the light energy. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein the device includes a relay lens to convey the visible image from the image plane to a person for viewing. 
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the energy converting plate is an electronic sensor such as a CCD or a CMOS sensor, wherein the ultraviolet light is converted to visible light for display to a secondary electronic screen such as an LCD screen or an OLED screen. 
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 16 , wherein the device includes a controller having a processor configured for receiving information associated with UV data at or near the time of imaging. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured for storing images displayed on a mobile device for review at a subsequent time on a display. 
     
     
         19 . The device according to  claim 18 , wherein the controller performs a transformation of the image for improved viewing performance on the display. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured for providing an alarm indicative of a time that has passed since last use.