3D Printing Imaging System with Microlens Array and Light Blocking Matrix
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional 3D printing imaging systems using liquid crystal panels suffer from low light utilization and high power consumption due to polarizer absorption and long light paths, leading to reduced efficiency and shorter device lifespan from UV irradiation.
Innovation Solution
An imaging system with an active light-emitting display panel, a microlens array, and a light blocking matrix, which eliminates the need for polarizers and backlights, enhancing light directivity and reducing optical losses, and includes a control component to manage pixel states for efficient curing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a liquid crystal panel with polarizers is used as the imaging system, then the light curable material can be cured, but the polarizers absorb light greatly causing low light utilization ratio and high power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the polarizers from the imaging system, extracting the harmful light-absorbing components while retaining the essential curing function through direct UV-LED illumination of the light curable material
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the passive liquid crystal shuttering mechanism with active UV-LED light emission, substituting a mechanical/optical control system with a direct light curing approach that eliminates polarizer dependency
2Reliability
If a liquid crystal panel with backlight is used, then imaging can be performed, but the light path is long causing optical loss and reduced light utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the backlight unit and liquid crystal layer, extracting unnecessary optical components that contribute to light path length and optical loss, leaving only the essential UV-LED emission and material curing function
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a backlight to illuminate through the liquid crystal layer, the patent inverts the approach by having the UV-LEDs emit light directly onto the light curable material from below, eliminating the need for a long light path through multiple optical layers
3Reliability
If conventional liquid crystal imaging system is used, then light curable material can be cured, but long term UV irradiation accelerates aging of liquid crystal material reducing device lifetime
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the liquid crystal material from the system, extracting the component that degrades under UV irradiation, and replaces it with a direct UV-LED to material curing approach that eliminates the degradable intermediary layer
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the expensive, long-lived but UV-sensitive liquid crystal material with a simpler, more durable UV-LED emission system that directly cures the material without requiring protective liquid crystal layers
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution improves light utilization, reduces power consumption, shortens curing time, and enhances the quality and efficiency of 3D printing by minimizing optical losses and light leakage, thereby increasing the overall output and lifespan of the 3D printing device.
Implementation Method 1
The display panel is an active light emitting panel... the display panel performs imaging on an interface of the light curable material so as to enable the light curable material to be cured at the interface to form a pattern
Implementation Method 2
The microlens may perform convergence or collimation to the light emitted by each pixel of the display panel
Implementation Method 3
The light curing method performs material accumulation for molding by using the principle that the light curable material is cured after being irradiated by light
Data Source
AI summary
A 3D printing device is provided, which includes a display panel including a plurality of pixels; a storage apparatus arranged in a light path of the display panel for storing a liquid light curable material, and a control component for controlling the display panel to perform imaging. The 3D printing device further includes a microlens array arranged in the light path between the display panel and the storage apparatus for adjusting the light path. The display panel further includes a light blocking matrix arranged at a non-pixel area of the display panel to separate the plurality of pixels from each other. The microlens array includes a plurality of microlenses arranged on the light blocking matrix, each microlens of the plurality of microlenses covers a single pixel of the plurality of pixels and light blocking layers of the light blocking matrix adjacent to the single pixel.