Camera Illumination Device with Common Lens Array
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cameras used in automated placement machines for detecting electronic assembly parts require a large installation space for illumination devices, which reduces the rotation angle range and affects placement performance due to the need for multiple LEDs and optics, leading to increased size and reduced efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A camera design with a compact illumination device utilizing a microlens array that collimates light from multiple LEDs at different angles, reducing the number of optical components and allowing for well-collimated, bright illumination within a smaller space, using a combination of first and second illumination structures with individual lenses and light sources arranged on a common circuit board.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If multiple LEDs and illumination optics are used to achieve high brightness and different illumination angles, then illumination quality is improved, but installation space increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple illumination structures with different illumination angles are merged into a single compact illumination device. The patent integrates several LED sources and their corresponding illumination optics into one unified structure, allowing different illumination angles (e.g., 0°, 30°, 60°) to be achieved within a small installation space by combining the optical paths and structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination device is designed to perform multiple illumination functions simultaneously using a single compact structure. Each illumination structure within the device can provide different illumination angles and lighting conditions, making the device universal for various detection requirements without needing separate illumination systems for each angle.
2Illumination intensity
If a large number of LEDs are used to achieve high brightness, then illumination quality is improved, but the number of components and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple illumination structures into a single integrated device, reducing the overall number of separate components. By merging the LED sources and their corresponding optics into one unified illumination device, the system achieves high brightness through multiple LEDs while minimizing the total component count and simplifying the overall device architecture.
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 compact camera design enables reliable detection of electronic assembly parts with homogeneous illumination, improving placement performance by reducing the camera's size and weight, thus increasing the number of parts that can be picked up and placed within a certain period.
Implementation Method 1
an optical lens array (354) having a plurality of individual lenses (355) for collimating the first illumination light and for collimating the second illumination light
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a camera (130) for detecting objects (192), the camera (130) comprising (a) an illumination device (240) for illuminating an object (192) which is located in an object plane (230a) of the camera (130); and (b) a camera sensor (285) for capturing an image of the object (192) illuminated by the illumination device (240). The illumination device (240) has (a1) a first illumination structure (350) with a plurality of first light sources (351) for illuminating the object (192) with a first illumination light (352) at a first illumination angle; (a2) a second illumination structure (360) having a plurality of second light sources (361) for illuminating the object (192) with a second illumination light (362) at a second illumination angle that is different from the first illumination angle; and (a3) an optical lens array (354) with a plurality of individual lenses (355) for collimating the first illumination light (352) and for collimating the second illumination light (362). Each individual lens (355) is assigned at least a first light source (351) and each individual lens (355) is assigned at least two second light sources (361). The invention further relates to a camera system (125) with two such cameras (130) and an automated placement machine having at least one such camera (130).