Athermal Parallel-Path Optical Imaging With Overlap Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical imaging systems for gas detection face challenges in being compact, lightweight, and easy to manufacture while maintaining clear images across a wide temperature range, and they suffer from image overlaps and underutilization of the image sensor due to complex alignment and separation walls.
Innovation Solution
An optical imaging system with a thermal compensation device and a vignetting screen that adjusts the spacing between the imaging matrix and the matrix image sensor, eliminating image overlaps and supporting the vignetting screen, allowing for single-piece lens matrices and reducing the need for separation walls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If separating walls are extended to near or very near the surface of the matrix image sensor to prevent image overlaps, then image overlap prevention is improved, but the system complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
A vignetting screen is introduced as an intermediary element positioned in the optical path between the imaging matrix and the matrix image sensor. This screen prevents image overlaps by blocking stray light and defining the optical cone for each imaging optic, thereby eliminating the need for complex separating walls that extend to the sensor surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the image overlap prevention mechanism from the lateral dimension (separating walls between optical paths) to the longitudinal dimension (vignetting screen positioned upstream in the optical path). This dimensional shift simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining effective prevention of image overlaps.
2Manufacturing precision
If separating walls extend across the entire imaging matrix to prevent image overlaps, then image overlap prevention is improved, but alignment complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vignetting screen serves as a mediating structure that simplifies manufacturing by providing a single alignment reference point upstream in the optical path. This eliminates the need for multiple precise alignment points along the entire length of separating walls, thereby reducing alignment complexity and manufacturing cost.
3Manufacturing precision
If the distance between the imaging matrix and the matrix image sensor is increased to reduce image overlaps, then image overlap prevention is improved, but the system becomes less compact
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the longitudinal distance between the imaging matrix and the image sensor to prevent overlaps, the vignetting screen is positioned upstream in the optical path. This approach prevents image overlaps by controlling the optical cone at its origin, thereby maintaining system compactness while achieving the desired prevention effect.
4Manufacturing precision
If guard bands are provided between useful areas to prevent image overlaps, then image overlap prevention is improved, but image sensor utilization decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The vignetting screen acts as an intermediary that prevents image overlaps at the optical path level, thereby eliminating the need for guard bands in the image sensor array. This allows all pixels in the image sensor to be utilized for useful imaging data, maximizing sensor utilization while maintaining effective overlap prevention.
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
The system achieves clear images across a wide temperature range, is compact and lightweight, and maximizes image sensor utilization by preventing image overlaps and simplifying alignment, while maintaining a large aperture and wide field of view.
Implementation Method 1
a meander composed of two segments each consisting at least in part of a material whose thermal expansion coefficient value is different from that for the other segment... a difference between the values of the coefficient of thermal expansion and the respective lengths of the two segments being adapted to produce the variable spacing between the imaging matrix and the matrix image sensor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an optical imaging system which comprises multiple optical paths (21, 22) arranged in parallel, and which is athermalized. It is further suitable for preventing image overlap occurring inside useful areas of a matrix image sensor (1) that is common to the optical paths. A thermal compensation device (3) for effecting the athermalization is also used to support a baffle (4) which removes image overlap in the useful areas. As a result, the system can be quite compact. It can be used to search for a specific gas in a scene.