Curved Light Guide Imaging for Filter Cartridge Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Counterfeit and substandard filter cartridges in water purification systems pose a risk to operational quality and user health, and existing anti-counterfeiting methods face challenges due to limited space and insufficient lighting within water purifiers, making code scanning difficult.
Innovation Solution
An image acquisition device with a light guide assembly and light supplement element is integrated into the water purification apparatus, providing sufficient light for anti-counterfeiting identification and optimizing space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a code scanning device with a scanning lens is mounted inside the water purifier, then anti-counterfeiting identification can be performed, but the device requires a long shooting distance which is incompatible with the limited space inside the water purifier
Solution Approach 1:
A light guide assembly is introduced as an intermediary component between the light supplement element and the lens. This light guide assembly redirects and transmits light from the light supplement element to the target area (filter cartridge), enabling the lens to capture clear images of anti-counterfeiting marks without requiring a long shooting distance. The light guide assembly acts as a mediator that solves the spatial constraint problem while maintaining effective illumination and imaging capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide assembly changes the dimensional arrangement of optical components by creating a non-linear light path. Instead of requiring a straight-line (one-dimensional) path from light source to target, the light guide assembly uses reflective surfaces to create a multi-dimensional light transmission path, allowing the optical system to fit within the limited three-dimensional space inside the water purifier while maintaining effective imaging distance.
2Length of stationary object
If the water purifier is designed as a closed space for compactness, then the dimension of the water purification apparatus is reduced, but the closed space has insufficient light resulting in poor imaging quality for code scanning
Solution Approach 1:
A light supplement element is installed inside the water purifier to pre-provide illumination before image acquisition. This preliminary lighting action ensures that when the lens captures the anti-counterfeiting mark on the filter cartridge, sufficient light is already present in the closed space, thereby achieving clear imaging quality without compromising the compact closed-space design of the water purifier.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide assembly serves as a light transmission mediator that efficiently directs light from the light supplement element to the target area. This intermediary light guide structure maximizes light utilization within the closed space, ensuring adequate illumination intensity for anti-counterfeiting identification while maintaining the compact dimensions of the water purification apparatus.
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 solution enables effective anti-counterfeiting identification of filter cartridges by improving space efficiency and reducing the apparatus' dimensions while ensuring accurate authentication and simplified replacement operations.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide assembly having a first optical surface and a second optical surface that are arranged to not directly face each other to cause a curved optical path of the light guide assembly
Implementation Method 2
The light guide assembly is configured to guide a light ray to be transmitted between the first optical surface and the second optical surface
Implementation Method 3
The lens is configured to acquire an image of the anti-counterfeiting mark area through the light guide assembly
Implementation Method 4
The light supplement element is disposed adjacent to the lens to provide sufficient light for the anti-counterfeiting identification
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4
Figure 5~8
AI summary
An image acquisition device and a water purification apparatus, which belong to the technical field of water purification apparatuses. The image acquisition device comprises: a lens and a light adding device; and a light guide assembly comprising a first light surface and a second light surface, wherein the first light surface and the second light surface do not directly face each other so that a light path of the light guide assembly is a curved light path; the lens and the light adding device face the first light surface; the second light surface is configured to face an anti-counterfeiting label area of a filter cartridge; the light guide assembly is configured to guide a light ray to be transmitted between the first light surface and the second light surface; and the lens is configured to acquire an image of the anti-counterfeiting label area by means of the light guide assembly.