Laser projector, laser shaping element, and electronic device

Abstract

A laser projector and electronic device are disclosed, wherein the laser projector includes: a light source for generating laser light and at least one laser shaping element held in the laser emission path of the light source. The laser shaping element has a specific shape configuration such that the light spot projected by the laser projector is a linear spot, and the laser energy at the edge of the linear spot in the longitudinal direction is greater than the laser energy at the center, which can meet specific application scenarios, such as robot obstacle avoidance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of lasers, and more specifically to laser projectors, laser shaping elements, and electronic devices. Background Technology

[0002] Laser projectors, as devices capable of projecting lasers, are widely used in daily life, medical equipment, industrial production, and other fields. With the development of various optical sensors, different types of light patterns have been proposed according to actual needs, such as homogenized surface light fields, speckle light fields, and linear spot light fields.

[0003] Linear laser projectors, used for projecting linear light spots, are widely used due to their strong anti-interference capabilities and stable performance. However, currently available linear laser projectors are not suitable for some application scenarios.

[0004] Specifically, currently, the light patterns projected by linear laser projectors on the market are mainly of uniform energy distribution or center energy higher than edge energy. However, in some application scenarios, it is desirable for the laser projector to project light patterns where the edge laser energy is higher than the center laser energy. For example, in the obstacle avoidance and edge vision solutions of intelligent robotic vacuum cleaners, the detector used to receive laser information is far from the light spot at the edge, and the angle between the detector's central axis and the light spot at the edge is large. Therefore, the detector receives less reflected information, and thus, a linear light spot with edge energy higher than center energy is needed to compensate for the light intensity of the detector.

[0005] Therefore, a laser projector is needed that can project a linear laser spot with stronger edge laser energy than center laser energy, so that it can be suitable for specific application scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One advantage of this application is that it provides a laser projector, a laser shaping element, and an electronic device, wherein the laser projector is capable of projecting a line of light with edge laser energy stronger than center laser energy to meet specific application scenarios, such as robot obstacle avoidance.

[0007] Another advantage of this application is that it provides a laser projector, a laser shaping element, and an electronic device, wherein the laser projector can control the edge energy and center energy of the line light spot ultimately projected by the laser projector by designing the light shaping element on the laser emission path of the light source and adjusting the shape configuration of the light shaping element.

[0008] To achieve at least one of the above advantages or other advantages and objectives, according to one aspect of this application, a laser projector is provided, comprising:

[0009] A light source for generating laser light; and

[0010] At least one laser shaping element corresponding to the laser emission path of the light source;

[0011] The laser shaping element has a specific shape configuration so that the light spot projected by the laser projector is a line light spot, and the laser energy at the edge of the line light spot in the line length direction is greater than the laser energy at the center.

[0012] In the laser projector according to this application, the ratio of the laser energy at the edge of the laser spot projected by the laser projector to the laser energy at the center along the line length direction is 1.5-5.0:1.

[0013] In the laser projector according to this application, at least one of the laser shaping elements includes a first laser shaping element, the first laser shaping element including at least one serrated portion.

[0014] In the laser projector according to this application, each of the sawtooth portions has a longitudinal central axis, each of the sawtooth portions includes a first straight segment and a second straight segment inclined relative to the longitudinal central axis of the sawtooth portion, and a curved segment extending between the first straight segment and the second straight segment.

[0015] In the laser projector according to this application, the length of the first straight segment is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1.5 mm, and the length of the second straight segment is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1.5 mm.

[0016] In the laser projector according to this application, the first straight line segment has an inclination angle of 30° to 60° relative to the longitudinal central axis of the sawtooth portion, and the second straight line segment has an inclination angle of 30° to 60° relative to the longitudinal central axis of the sawtooth portion.

[0017] In the laser projector according to this application, at least one of the laser shaping elements further includes a second laser shaping element on the laser emission path corresponding to the light source, and the second laser shaping element is located between the light source and the first laser shaping element.

[0018] In the laser projector according to this application, the second laser shaping element includes a collimating lens.

[0019] In the laser projector according to this application, the divergence angle of the laser projector in the line length direction is 90° to 140°.

[0020] In the laser projector according to this application, the linewidth of the light spot projected by the laser projector is 2 mm to 5 mm.

[0021] In the laser projector according to this application, the laser projector includes a substrate, a first connector for maintaining the positional relationship between the first laser shaping element and the light source, and a second connector for maintaining the positional relationship between the second laser shaping element and the light source, wherein the light source is mounted on the substrate, the second connector is fixed between the substrate and the second laser shaping element, and the first connector is fixed between the first laser shaping element and the second laser shaping element.

[0022] In the laser projector according to this application, the second connector has a stepped structure, and the first connector is fixed to the stepped structure of the second connector by an adhesive.

[0023] In the laser projector according to this application, the first connector and the first laser shaping element are integrally formed, and / or the second connector and the second laser shaping element are integrally formed.

[0024] In the laser projector according to this application, the laser projector includes a lens barrel corresponding to the laser emission path of the light source, and the first laser shaping element and / or the second laser shaping element are mounted on the lens barrel.

[0025] According to another aspect of this application, a laser shaping element is also provided, wherein the laser shaping element has a specific shape configuration such that the spot formed by the collimating beam after being shaped by the laser shaping element is a line spot, and the laser energy at the edge of the line spot in the longitudinal direction is greater than the laser energy at the center.

[0026] According to another aspect of this application, an electronic device is also provided, comprising:

[0027] The laser projector as described above; and

[0028] A detector for receiving the laser emitted from the laser projector.

[0029] The further objectives and advantages of this application will become fully apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

[0030] These and other objects, features and advantages of this application are fully apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings and the claims. Attached Figure Description

[0031] These and / or other aspects and advantages of this application will become clearer and more readily understood from the following detailed description of embodiments of this application taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0032] Figure 1The figure shows a perspective view of a laser projector according to an embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 2 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of a laser projector according to an embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 3 The illustration shows a perspective view of a modified embodiment of a laser projector according to an embodiment of this application.

[0035] Figure 4 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the energy distribution of a laser projector according to an embodiment of this application.

[0036] Figure 5 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of the shaping effect of a first optical shaping element of a laser projector according to an embodiment of the present application on the laser in the longitudinal direction.

[0037] Figure 6 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of the shaping effect of a first optical shaping element of a laser projector according to an embodiment of the present application on the laser in the line width direction.

[0038] Figure 7 The illustration shows a schematic diagram of the laser shaping effect of the second optical shaping element of a laser projector according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The terms and words used in the following specification and claims are not limited to their literal meaning, but are used solely by the inventors to enable a clear and consistent understanding of this application. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the following description of various embodiments of this application is provided for illustrative purposes only and not for the purpose of limiting this application as defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0040] It is understood that the term "a" should be understood as "at least one" or "one or more", that is, in one embodiment, the number of an element can be one, while in another embodiment, the number of the element can be multiple, and the term "a" should not be understood as a limitation on the number.

[0041] While ordinal numbers such as "first," "second," etc., will be used to describe various components, there is no limitation on which components are used herein. The term is used only to distinguish one component from another. For example, a first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, a second component may be referred to as a first component, without departing from the teachings of this application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0042] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing various embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular form is intended to include the plural form as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the terms “comprising” and / or “having” as used in this specification specify the presence of the described features, numbers, steps, operations, components, elements or combinations thereof, without excluding the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, elements or groups thereof.

[0043] Application Overview

[0044] As mentioned above, currently, the beam patterns projected by linear laser projectors on the market are mainly of uniform energy distribution or have higher energy at the center than at the edges. However, in some applications, the beam pattern of the laser projector must have higher laser energy at the edges than at the center.

[0045] Therefore, a laser projector is needed that can project a line of light with stronger edge laser energy than center laser energy, so that it can be used in specific application scenarios.

[0046] However, the factors affecting the energy distribution of the light spot projected by a laser projector are complex and require further study. Through continuous practice, the inventors of this application have discovered that special light patterns such as homogenized surface light fields, lattice speckle light fields, and linear spot light fields are usually not directly generated by the light source, but rather formed by shaping the laser emitted from the light source using shaping elements. Furthermore, the energy distribution of the light spot projected by the laser projector can be adjusted by modifying the shape and configuration of the laser shaping elements. In other words, the shape of the laser shaping elements is one of the factors affecting the energy distribution of the light spot projected by the laser projector.

[0047] Based on this discovery, this application proposes a laser projector comprising: a light source for generating laser light and at least one laser shaping element on the laser emission path corresponding to the light source, wherein the laser shaping element has a specific shape configuration such that the light spot projected by the laser projector is a line spot, and the laser energy at the edge of the line spot in the longitudinal direction is greater than the laser energy at the center.

[0048] This application also proposes a laser shaping element, wherein the laser shaping element has a specific shape configuration such that the spot formed after the collimated beam is shaped by the laser shaping element is a line spot, and the laser energy at the edge of the line spot in the longitudinal direction is greater than the laser energy at the center.

[0049] This application also proposes an electronic device comprising: a laser projector as described above and a detector for receiving laser light emitted from the laser projector.

[0050] After introducing the basic principles of this application, various non-limiting embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0051] The following is a basic introduction to the relevant terms used in this application.

[0052] Linear spot: A spot formed by the projection of a laser beam (multiple laser beams) spreads along a straight line.

[0053] Line width: The width of the line when the light spot projected by the laser projector spreads along a straight line to form a line-shaped light field.

[0054] Line length direction: The length direction of the line when the light spot formed by the laser projector spreads along a straight line to form a line light spot field.

[0055] Line width direction: The width direction of the line when the light spot formed by the laser projector diffuses along a straight line to form a line light spot field, and the line width direction is perpendicular to the line length direction.

[0056] Edge-to-center ratio: When the light spot projected by the laser projector spreads along a straight line to form a linear light field, the ratio between the laser energy at the edge (specifically the edge peak laser energy) and the laser energy at the center of the light spot projected by the laser projector along the length of the line.

[0057] Laser emission path: The path the laser travels after it is emitted.

[0058] Schematic laser projector

[0059] like Figures 1 to 7 As shown, a laser projector according to an embodiment of this application is illustrated, wherein the laser projector is capable of projecting a line-shaped laser spot with edge laser energy stronger than center laser energy to meet specific application scenarios, such as robot obstacle avoidance. It should be understood that the laser projector can also be applied to other occasions, and is not limited to this application.

[0060] Specifically, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the laser projector according to an embodiment of this application includes a light source 10 for generating laser light and at least one laser shaping element 20 corresponding to the laser emission path for shaping the laser emitted from the light source 10. The laser shaping element 20 has a specific shape configuration such that the light spot projected by the laser projector is a line-shaped light spot, and the laser energy at the edge of the line-shaped light spot in the longitudinal direction is greater than the laser energy at the center (e.g., ...). Figure 4 (As shown).

[0061] Preferably, the light source 10 is implemented as a VCSEL (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser) type light source. It should be understood that the light source 10 can also be implemented as other types of light sources, such as EEL (Edge Emitting Laser) type light sources, and this is not limited to the present application.

[0062] Accordingly, in a specific example of this application, the light source 10 includes a VCSEL chip. In this specific example, the VCSEL chip includes a light-emitting region comprising 1 to 30 light-emitting points, and the overall divergence angle of the VCSEL chip is 10° to 30°.

[0063] The light source 10 may have only one light-emitting point or multiple light-emitting points arranged in a one-dimensional array. Regarding the number of light-emitting points in the light source 10, it is desirable to use as few light-emitting points as possible while meeting power requirements, in order to reduce costs. The specific number of light-emitting points is not limited by this application.

[0064] Furthermore, in some embodiments of this application, the laser projector further includes a substrate 30, which provides mounting positions for the light source 10 and other components. In a specific example of this application, the light source 10 is mounted on the substrate 30. Specifically, the substrate 30 is implemented as a ceramic substrate, which includes a ceramic substrate and a circuit layer formed on the ceramic substrate, and the light source 10 is electrically connected to the circuit layer. More specifically, the light source 10 can be electrically connected to the circuit layer using conductive structures such as conductive adhesive and electrical connecting wires. In this specific example, conductive adhesive is provided between the first electrical connection portion of the light source 10 and the circuit layer. The conductive adhesive electrically connects the first electrical connection portion of the light source 10 to the circuit layer and also serves to fix the light source 10. A gold wire is provided between the second electrical connection portion of the light source 10 and the circuit layer. The gold wire electrically connects the second electrical connection portion of the light source 10 to the circuit layer. By connecting the first and second electrical connection portions of the light source 10, the light source 10 can be turned on.

[0065] It should be understood that the substrate 30 can also be implemented as other types of substrate 30, and the light source 10 can also be electrically connected to the substrate 30 in other ways, which is not limited to this application.

[0066] In this embodiment, the laser projector includes a first laser shaping element 21 and a second laser shaping element 22, which are positioned along the laser emission path to shape the laser emitted from the light source 10. The second laser shaping element 22 is disposed between the light source 10 and the first laser shaping element 21. Accordingly, after the light source 10 is turned on, the laser emitted from the light source 10 is first shaped by the second laser shaping element 22, and then shaped again by the first laser shaping element 21.

[0067] Specifically, the second laser shaping element 22 includes a collimating lens held in the laser emission path, used to shape the laser beam (multiple laser beams) emitted from the light source 10 into a collimated beam, such as... Figure 7 As shown. The laser beam emitted from the light source 10 forms the incident light of the second laser shaping element 22. It enters the collimating lens from the lower surface and is refracted by the collimating lens to form a collimated beam that exits from the upper surface of the collimating lens. The structural characteristics of the collimating lens will affect the width of the light spot (the diameter of a circular light spot or the major or minor axis of an elliptical light spot), and thus affect the linewidth parameters of the light spot finally projected by the laser projector.

[0068] It is worth mentioning that the second laser shaping element 22 completely covers the light dispersion range of the light source 10, so that all the laser emitted from the light source 10 can enter the second laser shaping element 22.

[0069] In this embodiment, the lower surface (the mirror surface near the light source 10) and the upper surface (the surface opposite the lower surface and farther from the light source 10) of the collimating lens are curved and aspherical. The curvature of the lower surface and the upper surface of the collimating lens are different, and the focal length of the collimating lens is 2mm to 3mm. The distance between the lower surface of the collimating lens and the light source 10 will affect the linewidth parameter and spot quality of the final formed light spot, and needs to be set reasonably according to requirements. Preferably, the distance between the lowest point of the lower surface of the collimating lens and the light source 10 in the direction of the optical axis set by the collimating lens is equal to the focal length of the collimating lens.

[0070] The material of the collimating lens affects the refractive index of the laser beam, which in turn affects the degree of diffusion of the laser beam spot in the line width direction after it is projected, and ultimately affects the divergence angle of the laser projector. In the embodiments of this application, the collimating lens is made of light-transmitting materials such as plastic and glass, for example, PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) plexiglass, EP5000 type polycarbonate resin plastic, etc.

[0071] It is worth mentioning that collimated beams can also be formed in other ways, such as integrating optical elements on the light-emitting points of the VCSEL chip at the wafer level, so that the VCSEL chip emits collimated beams. This is not limited to the present application.

[0072] In this embodiment, the collimated beam can be the incident light of the first laser shaping element 21, entering the first laser shaping element 21 from its lower surface, being refracted by the first laser shaping element 21, and exiting from its upper surface. Figure 5 As shown. The first laser shaping element 21 completely covers the light divergence range of the second laser shaping element 22 in the longitudinal direction, so that all the laser light emitted from the second laser shaping element 22 can enter the first laser shaping element 21.

[0073] As mentioned earlier, in some applications, it is desirable for the laser projector to have a beam pattern where the edge laser energy is stronger than the center laser energy. Through continuous practice, the inventors of this application have discovered that the energy distribution of the beam projected by the laser projector can be adjusted by modifying the shape configuration of the laser shaping element 20.

[0074] Accordingly, in the embodiments of this application, the first laser shaping element 21 has a specific shape configuration, such that the light spot formed after the collimated beam is shaped by the first laser shaping element 21 is a line light spot, and the laser energy at the edge of the line light spot in the longitudinal direction is greater than the laser energy at the center.

[0075] Specifically, the first laser shaping element 21 has a lower surface close to the light source 10 and an upper surface opposite to the lower surface and farther from the light source 10. The lower surface and / or the upper surface of the first laser shaping element 21 are serrated. Accordingly, the first laser shaping element 21 includes at least one serrated portion 211, which corresponds to the light-emitting area of ​​the light source 10, so that the light emitted from the light source 10 can be shaped by the first laser shaping element 21. Each serrated portion 211 has a longitudinal central axis L (e.g., ...). Figure 1 As shown), preferably, the longitudinal central axis L of at least one of the serrated portions 211 corresponds to the middle of the light-emitting area of ​​the light source 10. More preferably, the longitudinal central axis L of at least one of the serrated portions 211 coincides with the light transmission axis of the light-emitting point located at the center of the light-emitting area in the light source 10.

[0076] like Figure 1As shown, each of the serrated portions 211 includes a first straight line segment 2111 inclined with respect to the longitudinal central axis L of the serrated portion 2111, a second straight line segment 2112 inclined with respect to the longitudinal central axis L of the serrated portion 2111, and a curved segment 2113 extending between the first straight line segment 2111 and the second straight line segment 2112. In this embodiment, the first straight line segment 2111 and the second straight line segment 2112 are symmetrical about the longitudinal central axis L of the serrated portion 2111. It should be understood that the first straight line segment 2111 and the second straight line segment 2112 can also be set to asymmetry. The cross-sectional shape of the first straight line segment 2111 and the second straight line segment 2112 is a straight line, and the cross-sectional shape of the curved segment 2113 is a curve. The specific shape of the cross-section of the curved segment 2113 is not limited to this application and can be an arc, a parabola, a sine curve, or a cosine curve. Accordingly, the lower surface of the first laser shaping element 21 is formed by a combination of a straight surface (i.e., a plane) and a curved surface (a curved surface). This surface shape facilitates the lateral refraction of more laser light, causing it to be refracted to the edge, thereby enhancing the edge laser energy of the light spot projected by the laser projector. It is worth mentioning that in this application, while the edge energy of the linear light spot is high, the energy decreases rapidly in the outward direction, resulting in a clear edge contour of the light spot.

[0077] Accordingly, in the embodiments of this application, the laser energy at the edge of the light spot projected by the laser projector is greater than the laser energy at the center in the line length direction, and the ratio between the laser energy at the edge and the laser energy at the center in the line length direction (i.e., the edge-to-center ratio) of the light spot projected by the laser projector is 1.5:1 to 5.0:1. Figure 4 The image shows the shape and energy distribution of the light spot projected by the laser projector at a distance of 300mm from the laser projector. Figure 4 As shown, the light spot projected by the laser projector is dark in the middle and bright on both sides along the length of the line (i.e., the sides are brighter than the middle part). The energy distribution curve corresponding to the light spot projected by the laser projector shows that the laser energy of the light spot in the middle is lower and the laser energy of the light spot at the edge is higher along the length of the line.

[0078] In this embodiment, the first straight line segment 2111 and the second straight line segment 2112 affect the degree to which light diverges towards the edge. The longer the first straight line segment 2111 and the second straight line segment 2112, the smaller the radius of curvature of the curve segment 2113, which is more conducive to the light diverging towards the edge and improves the edge-to-center ratio of the linear laser. In this embodiment, the length of the straight line segment and the curvature of the curve segment 2113 are inversely proportional. The curve segment 2113, located between the first straight line segment 2111 and the second straight line segment 2112, mainly serves as a transition. The length of the first straight line segment 2111 or the length of the second straight line segment 2112 is much greater than the length of the curve segment 2113. To achieve a smooth transition between the curve segment 2113 and the first straight line segment 2111 and the second straight line segment 2112, preferably, the first straight line segment 2111 and the curve segment 2113 are tangent, and the second straight line segment 2112 is tangent to the curve segment 2113. In this embodiment of the application, the length of the first straight line segment 2111 is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1.5 mm, and the length of the second straight line segment 2112 is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1.5 mm.

[0079] In a modified embodiment of this application, no curve segment 2113 for transition is provided between the first straight line segment 2111 and the second straight line segment 2112 of the sawtooth portion 211. That is, the sawtooth portion 211 only includes the first straight line segment 2111 and the second straight line segment 2112, and the slope of the first straight line segment 2111 is opposite to the slope of the second straight line segment 2112.

[0080] The tilt angle of the straight segment can be used to adjust the degree of light diffusion, that is, to control the divergence angle of the line spot along its length. In this embodiment, the tilt angle of the first straight segment 2111 relative to the longitudinal central axis L of the serrated portion 211 is 30° to 60°, and the tilt angle of the second straight segment 2112 relative to the longitudinal central axis L of the serrated portion 211 is 30° to 60°. Under the shaping action of the first laser shaping element 21 and the second laser shaping element 22, the divergence angle of the laser projector along the line length is 90° to 140°.

[0081] In this embodiment of the application, the height of the serrated portion 211 is 0.5mm to 1.0mm, and the width of the serrated portion 211 is 0.5mm to 1.0mm. The height of the serrated portion 211 refers to the dimension of the serrated portion 211 in the direction of its longitudinal central axis L. The width direction of the serrated portion 211 is consistent with the line length direction. Accordingly, the width of the serrated portion 211 is equal to the dimension of the serrated portion 211 in the line length direction.

[0082] In this application embodiment, the number of sawtooth portions 211 of the first laser shaping element 21 is not limited to this application. For example, in some embodiments of this application, the number of sawtooth portions 211 is 2 to 5. When the first laser shaping element 21 includes at least two sawtooth portions 211, that is, when the number of sawtooth portions 211 of the first laser shaping element 21 is greater than or equal to 2, the at least two sawtooth portions 211 are arranged sequentially in the line width direction, and the distance between the longitudinal center axis L of two adjacent sawtooth portions 211 in the line length direction is 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm. The at least two sawtooth portions 211 form staggered inner convex surfaces and outer concave surfaces in the line length direction. The inner convex surface is the portion of the upper or lower surface of the first laser shaping element 21 that protrudes in the direction facing the light source 10 and is relatively close to the light source 10. The outer concave surface is the portion of the upper or lower surface of the first laser shaping element 21 that is recessed in the direction away from the light source 10.

[0083] It is worth mentioning that the first laser shaping element 21 has no shaping effect on the laser in the line width direction, such as Figure 6 As shown, the linewidth of the light spot projected by the laser projector mainly depends on the width of the incident light spot of the first laser shaping element 21. In this embodiment, the linewidth of the light spot projected by the laser projector is 2mm to 5mm.

[0084] In this embodiment, the laser projector further includes a first connector 40 for maintaining the positional relationship between the first laser shaping element 21 and the light source 10, and a second connector 50 for maintaining the positional relationship between the second laser shaping element 22 and the light source 10. In some embodiments of this application, the second connector 50 is fixed between the substrate 30 and the second laser shaping element 22, and the first connector 40 is fixed between the first laser shaping element 21 and the second laser shaping element 22. In this way, the first laser shaping element 21 and the second laser shaping element 22 are held on the laser emission path of the light source 10. At least a portion of the first connector 40 and at least a portion of the second connector 50 extend along the axial direction set by the light source 10. By controlling the size of the second connector 50 along the axial direction set by the light source 10, the distance between the second laser shaping element 22 and the light source 10 along the axial direction set by the light source 10 can be controlled. By controlling the size of the first connector 40 along the axial direction set by the light source 10, the distance between the first laser shaping element 21 and the light source 10, or between the first laser shaping element 21 and the second laser shaping element 22, along the axial direction set by the light source 10 can be controlled.

[0085] The specific implementation of the second connector 50 being fixed between the substrate 30 and the second laser shaping element 22, and the first connector 40 being fixed between the first laser shaping element 21 and the second laser shaping element 22, is not limited to this application.

[0086] In a specific example of this application, the first connector 40 includes a first support wall 41 extending downward from the first laser shaping element 21, and the second connector 50 includes a second support wall 51 extending downward from the second laser shaping element 22. An adhesive 60 is provided between the bottom end of the second support wall 51 and the substrate 30. The second connector 50 is fixed to the substrate 30 by the adhesive 60, which can be implemented as glue. An adhesive 60 is provided between the first support wall 41 and the second connector 50, and the first connector 40 is fixed to the second connector 50 by the adhesive 60.

[0087] In particular, in this specific example, such as Figure 1 As shown, the second connector 50 has a stepped structure 52. The first connector 40 is fixed to the stepped structure 52 of the second connector 50 by an adhesive 60, which can prevent glue from overflowing or overflowing. Specifically, the second support wall 51 of the second connector 50 is formed on the outside of the first laser shaping element 21, and at least a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the top of the second support wall 51 is recessed inward to form the stepped structure 52. The portion of the outer peripheral surface of the second support wall 51 that is recessed inward forms the outer peripheral surface of the stepped structure 52.

[0088] During the process of the first connector 40 being fixed to the stepped structure 52 of the second connector 50 by the adhesive 60, the adhesive 60 has fluidity. When the first connector 40 is pressed against the adhesive 60 disposed on the stepped structure 52, the outer peripheral surface of the stepped structure 52 prevents the adhesive 60 from flowing to the second laser shaping element 22 located inside the second connector 50.

[0089] In this specific example, the first support wall 41 of the first connector 40 has an outer inclined side extending inward and downward from its outer periphery to its bottom surface, and / or an inner inclined side extending outward and downward from its inner periphery to its bottom surface, thus forming an accommodating space below the outer inclined side and / or the inner inclined side. When the first connector 40 presses against the adhesive 60 disposed on the first stepped structure 52, the accommodating space increases the accommodating space of the adhesive 60, which can prevent the adhesive 60 from overflowing or overflowing to a certain extent.

[0090] In this specific example, the first connector 40 is integrally formed with the first laser shaping element 21, the second connector 50 is integrally formed with the second laser shaping element 22, the first connector 40 extends integrally from the first laser shaping element 21, and the second connector 50 extends integrally from the second laser shaping element 22.

[0091] It should be understood that in other specific examples of this application, the first connector 40 and the second connector 50 may also be connected to the first laser shaping element 21 and the second laser shaping element 22 in other ways, for example, by connecting the first laser shaping element 21 to the first connector 40, and the second laser shaping element 22 to the second connector 50 by means of adhesive 60, studs or other connectors.

[0092] In another specific example of this application, the second connector 50 has a groove formed between the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the second support wall 51. The bottom end of the first support wall 41 of the first connector 40 is fixed to the groove of the second connector 50 by the adhesive 60. When the first connector 40 presses against the adhesive 60 disposed in the groove, the peripheral wall of the groove will prevent the adhesive 60 from flowing to the second laser shaping element 22 located inside the second connector 50, or to the outside of the groove, that is, prevent the adhesive 60 from overflowing inward or outward.

[0093] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 3 As shown, the laser projector includes a lens barrel 70 fixed to the substrate 30 and held in the laser emission path of the light source 10. A first laser shaping element 21 and / or a second laser shaping element 22 are mounted in the lens barrel 70, thereby holding the first laser shaping element 21 and / or the second laser shaping element 22 in the laser emission path of the light source 10. The lens barrel 70 covers the light source 10 and extends along the axial direction set by the light source 10. The distance between the first laser shaping element 21 and the second laser shaping element 22 and the light source 10 along the axial direction set by the light source 10 is controlled by controlling the mounting positions of the first laser shaping element 21 and the second laser shaping element 22 within the lens barrel 70.

[0094] In summary, the laser projector is described as being able to project a line of light with edge laser energy stronger than center laser energy, thus enabling it to meet specific application scenarios, such as robot obstacle avoidance.

[0095] Schematic laser shaping element

[0096] According to another aspect of this application, a laser shaping element is also provided, the laser shaping element comprising the first laser shaping element as described above, the specific structure and function of the first laser shaping element having been described above. Figures 1 to 7 The description of the first laser shaping element of the illustrated laser projector is detailed therein, and therefore, its repeated description will be omitted.

[0097] Indicative electronic devices

[0098] According to another aspect of this application, an electronic device is also provided, comprising a laser projector as described above and a detector for receiving the laser emitted from the laser projector. The laser projector is capable of projecting a line-shaped laser spot with edge laser energy stronger than the center laser energy to compensate for the edge light received by the detector and optimize detection performance. The specific structure and function of the laser projector have been described above. Figures 1 to 7 The laser projector shown is described in detail in the description, and therefore, its repeated description will be omitted.

[0099] The electronic device can be implemented as a robotic vacuum cleaner, or as other devices that require a laser projector capable of projecting a line of laser light with edge laser energy stronger than center laser energy.

[0100] In summary, the electronic device is described, and its laser projector is capable of projecting a line-shaped laser spot with stronger edge laser energy than central laser energy, which helps to improve the detection performance of the electronic device.

[0101] The basic principles of this application have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this application are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this application. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the application to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.

Claims

1. A laser projector, characterized by, include: A light source used to generate lasers; and At least one laser shaping element corresponding to the laser emission path of the light source; The laser shaping element has a specific shape configuration so that the light spot projected by the laser projector is a line light spot, and the laser energy at the edge of the line light spot in the line length direction is greater than the laser energy at the center. At least one of the laser shaping elements includes a first laser shaping element, the first laser shaping element including at least one serrated portion; each serrated portion has a longitudinal central axis, each serrated portion includes a first straight segment and a second straight segment inclined relative to the longitudinal central axis of the serrated portion, and a curved segment extending between the first straight segment and the second straight segment; the length of the first straight segment is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1.5 mm, the length of the second straight segment is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1.5 mm; the inclination angle of the first straight segment relative to the longitudinal central axis of the serrated portion is 30° to 60°, and the inclination angle of the second straight segment relative to the longitudinal central axis of the serrated portion is 30° to 60°.

2. The laser projector of claim 1, wherein, The ratio of the laser energy at the edge to the laser energy at the center of the laser spot projected by the laser projector along the line length is 1.5-5.0:

1.

3. The laser projector of claim 1, wherein, At least one of the laser shaping elements further includes a second laser shaping element on the laser emission path corresponding to the light source, and the second laser shaping element is located between the light source and the first laser shaping element.

4. The laser projector of claim 3, wherein, The second laser shaping element includes a collimating lens.

5. The laser projector of claim 4, wherein, The laser projector has a divergence angle of 90° to 140° along the line length direction.

6. The laser projector of claim 4, wherein, The laser projector projects a light spot with a linewidth of 2mm to 5mm.

7. The laser projector of claim 4, wherein, The laser projector includes a substrate, a first connector for maintaining the positional relationship between the first laser shaping element and the light source, and a second connector for maintaining the positional relationship between the second laser shaping element and the light source. The light source is mounted on the substrate, the second connector is fixed between the substrate and the second laser shaping element, and the first connector is fixed between the first laser shaping element and the second laser shaping element.

8. The laser projector of claim 7, wherein, The second connector has a stepped structure, and the first connector is fixed to the stepped structure of the second connector by an adhesive.

9. The laser projector of claim 7, wherein, The first connector and the first laser shaping element are integrally formed, and / or the second connector and the second laser shaping element are integrally formed.

10. The laser projector of claim 4, wherein, The laser projector includes a lens barrel corresponding to the laser emission path of the light source, and the first laser shaping element and / or the second laser shaping element are mounted on the lens barrel.

11. A laser shaping element, characterized by, The laser shaping element has a specific shape configuration such that the collimated beam, after being shaped by the laser shaping element, forms a line-shaped spot, and the laser energy at the edge of the line-shaped spot is greater than the laser energy at the center in the longitudinal direction; the laser shaping element includes at least one serrated portion; each serrated portion has a longitudinal central axis, each serrated portion includes a first straight segment and a second straight segment inclined relative to the longitudinal central axis of the serrated portion, and a curved segment extending between the first straight segment and the second straight segment; the length of the first straight segment is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1.5 mm, and the length of the second straight segment is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 1.5 mm; the inclination angle of the first straight segment relative to the longitudinal central axis of the serrated portion is 30° to 60°, and the inclination angle of the second straight segment relative to the longitudinal central axis of the serrated portion is 30° to 60°.

12. An electronic device, comprising: include: The laser projector as described in any one of claims 1 to 10; and A detector for receiving the laser emitted from the laser projector.

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