Dual Concave Mirror Geometry for Aerial Image Distortion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerial image display devices suffer from image distortion and lower luminance, particularly at the peripheral edges of the displayed image, due to inefficient use of image light and improper tilt angles of reflective mirrors.
Innovation Solution
The aerial image display device employs a first concave mirror with a smaller tilt angle and greater curvature than a second concave mirror, optimizing the optical path lengths to reduce distortion and enhance luminance by minimizing light loss and scatter, while using a reflective optical system without additional optical elements like beam splitters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional aerial image display devices use traditional mirror tilt angles and optical paths, then the device structure is simple, but image distortion occurs and luminance is reduced at peripheral edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the tilt angles of the first and second concave mirrors to specific ranges (first mirror: 10°-30°, second mirror: 20°-40°) and adjusting the curvature radii (first mirror: 0.5m-2m, second mirror: 1m-3m). These parameter optimizations minimize optical path length differences across the image field, reducing peripheral distortion and enhancing luminance uniformity without compromising device simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved reflective surfaces for both concave mirrors instead of flat mirrors. The first concave mirror has a curvature radius of 0.5m-2m and the second has 1m-3m, which enables better convergence of light rays from different field positions, reducing optical path differences and improving both luminance and image shape accuracy
2Reliability
If additional optical elements like beam splitters are used, then optical path control is improved, but device complexity and light loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates unnecessary optical elements from the conventional aerial image display system. By using only two concave mirrors for the entire optical path (reflection from display to aerial image formation), the design removes beam splitters, lenses, and other intermediate components. This simplification reduces light loss and device complexity while maintaining reliable optical path control through precise mirror positioning and angle adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the functions of multiple optical elements into a single reflective optical system using two concave mirrors. The first concave mirror handles both beam direction and initial focusing, while the second concave mirror performs final aerial image formation. This functional merging eliminates the need for separate beam splitters and focusing lenses, reducing system complexity and light loss while maintaining optical path precision
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 device achieves reduced image distortion and higher luminance by minimizing optical path length differences and light loss, resulting in a compact design with improved display quality and reduced power consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a first concave mirror that reflects, in a direction different from a direction toward the display, image light emitted from the display surface
Implementation Method 2
a second concave mirror that reflects, in a direction different from a direction toward the first concave mirror, the image light reflected from the first concave mirror and forms an aerial image as a real image
Data Source
AI summary
An aerial image display device includes a display including a display surface, a first concave mirror that reflects, in a direction different from a direction toward the display, image light emitted from the display surface, and a second concave mirror that reflects, in a direction different from a direction toward the first concave mirror, the image light reflected from the first concave mirror and forms an aerial image as a real image. The first concave mirror has a first tilt angle with respect to a first virtual plane including the display surface. The second concave mirror has a second tilt angle with respect to a second virtual plane including a virtual imaging plane of the aerial image. The first tilt angle of the first concave mirror is smaller than the second tilt angle of the second concave mirror.