Confocal Displacement Measurement Device Using Phosphor-Converted Laser Light
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multi-wavelength photoelectric measurement devices face challenges in achieving high accuracy due to the insufficient wavelength width of super luminescent diodes and the large spot diameter of white light sources, leading to inaccurate measurements of thickness, distance, and color, especially in confocal and interference displacement meters.
Innovation Solution
A multi-wavelength photoelectric measurement device utilizing a laser light source, a phosphor excited by concentrated light, an optical fiber unit, and a head optical member to concentrate light efficiently onto a measurement object, allowing for precise wavelength conversion and measurement, while using a frame body and optical filter to enhance light transmission and reflection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a super luminescent diode (SLD) is used as a light emitting source, then the device structure is simplified, but the wavelength width of emitted light is insufficient for desired measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines an SLD (single wavelength source) with a phosphor material to create a composite light emitting system. The phosphor absorbs the monochromatic light from the SLD and re-emits it as broadband light, achieving both structural simplicity and sufficient wavelength width for measurement
2Adaptability or versatility
If a white light source such as a halogen lamp or xenon lamp is used, then sufficient wavelength width is achieved, but the light emitting area is large causing a large spot diameter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary function (broadband light emission) from traditional white light sources by using a phosphor converter. This allows the system to achieve sufficient wavelength width while using a compact SLD as the primary light source, thereby reducing the spot diameter on the measurement object
3Device complexity
If a white LED is used as a light emitting source, then the device structure is simplified, but the light emission amount per unit area is small restricting measurable objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a phosphor material with specific optical properties to convert SLD light into broadband light with enhanced emission intensity. This composite approach maintains structural simplicity while significantly increasing the light emission amount per unit area, enabling measurement of various objects including those requiring higher light intensity
4Area of stationary object
If a diaphragm is added to reduce the spot diameter, then the spot diameter is reduced, but the light path is blocked and measurement accuracy is deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for a diaphragm by using a phosphor converter that inherently produces collimated broadband light. The phosphor's optical properties allow the system to achieve both small spot diameter and unobstructed light path, maintaining measurement accuracy while reducing the spot size
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
Enables high-accuracy measurement of thickness, distance, and color by efficiently concentrating and transmitting light through the optical fiber, overcoming the limitations of previous technologies by providing a smaller spot diameter and increased light intensity.
Implementation Method 1
a light source optical member for concentrating light from the laser light source
Implementation Method 2
a phosphor excited by light concentrated by the light source optical member
Implementation Method 3
an optical fiber unit that includes one or a plurality of optical fibers and the phosphor disposed on a first end, receives light emitted by the phosphor from the first end, and transmits the received light toward a second end
Implementation Method 4
a head optical member that concentrates light emitted from the second end of the optical fiber unit toward a measurement object
Implementation Method 5
a light receiving element that selectively receives light from the measurement object according to wavelength and photoelectrically converts the received light to a signal corresponding to a light receiving amount
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a multi-wavelength photoelectric measurement device, a confocal measurement device, an interference measurement device, and a color measurement device capable of measuring the characteristic amount of a measurement object such as the thickness, distance, displacement, or color with high accuracy using multi-wavelength light such as white light. The multi-wavelength photoelectric measurement device includes a laser light source, a light source optical member for concentrating light from the laser light source, a phosphor excited by light concentrated by the light source optical member, an optical fiber unit that includes one or a plurality of optical fibers and the phosphor disposed on a first end, receives light emitted by the phosphor from the first end, and transmits the received light toward a second end, and a head optical member that concentrates light emitted from the second end of the optical fiber unit toward a measurement object.