Compliant Backlight Mounts for Thermal-Stable 3D Camera Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
3D light field displays experience diminished video quality due to thermally induced camera motion, which causes geometric distortion and flickering or blurred features, as the expansion of the display's backplate leads to uneven warping and loss of precision in camera positioning.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of compliant mounts, or flexures, on the backplate of the display to absorb thermal strain, allowing for expansion while maintaining camera precision by deflecting in response to thermal expansion, thus reducing distortion and camera motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the backplate is made rigid to maintain structural stability, then structural strength is improved, but thermal expansion causes warping and camera positioning precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the mechanical parameters of the mounting system by replacing rigid mounts with compliant mounts that have controlled flexibility. The compliant mounts are designed with specific flexure characteristics that allow them to deform elastically under thermal stress, accommodating backplate expansion while maintaining camera positioning within acceptable tolerances. This parameter change transforms the mounting system from rigid to compliant, resolving the contradiction between structural strength and positioning precision under thermal conditions.
2Manufacturing precision
If compliant mounts are added to absorb thermal strain, then camera positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs compliant mounts constructed from flexible materials and thin-walled structures that inherently provide the necessary compliance through their geometry and material properties. These mounts use elastic deformation of thin structures rather than complex active control mechanisms, thereby achieving improved camera positioning precision while minimizing the increase in device complexity. The flexibility is built into the mount structure itself through careful design of the compliant elements.
3Ease of manufacture
If rigid mounting is used to reduce device complexity, then ease of manufacture is improved, but thermal expansion causes geometric distortion and video quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The compliant mounts are designed to automatically compensate for thermal expansion effects without requiring external control systems or active adjustment mechanisms. The elastic deformation of the compliant mount structures occurs passively in response to thermal stress, self-regulating the camera positioning to maintain video quality. This self-service capability achieves reliable video quality while keeping the manufacturing process relatively simple, as the compliance is built into the passive mechanical structure rather than requiring complex active control systems.
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 compliant mounts effectively absorb 30-40% of the strain on the backplate, reducing thermal distortion and camera motion by 40%, thereby enhancing the stability and image quality of the 3D video communication system.
Implementation Method 1
in response to expansion of the backplate relative to the fixture point, the compliant member compresses by absorbing strain from the backplate
Implementation Method 2
the compliant member compresses by absorbing strain from the backplate
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are described for reducing thermal distortion in an optical display for use in a 3D stereoscopic video conferencing system. The thermal distortion can arise from operation of an array of LEDs in a back light unit of the display. Elements with compliance are included in a load path between a structure used for precision camera array mounting and its fixture points to reduce sensitivity to thermal cycles. The compliant elements, or flexures, can allow for linear expansion and prevent buckling of the backplate during thermal cycling, thus reducing motion of the cameras.