Collimator Lens Beam Expansion for Projector Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In projector illumination devices using solid-state light sources and collimating lenses, alignment errors lead to significant deviations in the emission direction of laser beams due to short focal distances, affecting the efficiency of light emission and image quality.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a beam width expansion element, such as an afocal optical system with lens arrays, to increase the composite focal distance and reduce beam direction deviations, which can be formed using concave and convex lenses or anamorphic lenses to correct the light beam shape and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a collimating lens with short focal distance is used in the packaged illumination device, then the device structure is compact and easy to manufacture, but the emission direction of the laser beam significantly deviates from the design direction due to alignment accuracy issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the optical parameter by replacing the short focal distance collimating lens with a telecentric lens system that has an infinite focal distance. This parameter change fundamentally resolves the sensitivity to alignment errors while maintaining the compact packaged structure. The telecentric lens system ensures that the chief rays are parallel to the optical axis, making the system insensitive to axial and lateral misalignments.
2Manufacturing precision
If the focal distance of the collimating lens is increased to reduce beam direction deviation, then the alignment error impact is reduced, but the device size increases and packaging becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical alignment approach with an optical solution using a telecentric lens system. Instead of relying on precise mechanical positioning to achieve alignment tolerance, the optical design inherently provides alignment insensitivity through its telecentric property, where the chief rays remain parallel to the optical axis regardless of small misalignments.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a telecentric lens system is used to achieve infinite focal distance and reduce alignment error impact, then the emission direction stability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The telecentric lens system performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a collimating lens to produce parallel beams, provides infinite focal distance to eliminate alignment sensitivity, and maintains a compact form factor suitable for packaged devices. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional optical components that would otherwise be required to achieve the same performance.
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 configuration effectively suppresses beam direction deviations, enabling efficient overlap and generation of bright illumination light, resulting in improved image quality and reduced mounting error impacts on light emission.
Implementation Method 1
a beam width expansion element adapted to expand a beam width of the light beam from the collimator lens
Implementation Method 2
a collimator lens that receives a light beam emitted from the solid-state light source
Implementation Method 3
the beam width expansion element is formed of an afocal optical system
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a light source device including a solid-state light source, a collimator lens that receives a light beam emitted from the solid-state light source, and a beam width expansion element adapted to expand a beam width of the light beam from the collimator lens.