Ellipsoidal Illumination Optical System Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Illumination efficiency in existing optical systems using ellipsoidal reflection surfaces is sensitive to light source arrangement errors, leading to a sharp decrease in light collection when the light source is not arranged at the nominal dimension, particularly with LED sources where positional tolerance is difficult to control.
Innovation Solution
An illumination optical system where the light source is positioned farther from the first focal point of the ellipsoidal reflection surface in a direction perpendicular to the light emitting surface, using a light guiding member with an ellipsoidal reflection surface to maintain efficient light distribution even with non-nominal arrangements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the light source is arranged on the focal point of the ellipsoidal reflection surface, then the illumination efficiency is improved, but the system becomes highly sensitive to arrangement errors causing sharp decrease in light collection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the position parameter of the light source from the focal point to a location farther from the ellipsoidal reflection surface. This parameter modification reduces the sensitivity to arrangement errors while maintaining effective illumination, resolving the contradiction between high illumination efficiency and reliability against positioning errors.
2Device complexity
If the LED is used as the light source, then the device complexity is reduced, but the positional tolerance becomes difficult to control leading to variation in illumination efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the position parameter of the LED to be farther from the ellipsoidal reflection surface, the patent reduces the impact of positional tolerance variations. This allows simple LED structures to be used while maintaining stable illumination efficiency despite manufacturing variations in positioning.
3Quantity of substance
If the light source is arranged at the nominal dimension, then the light collection amount is maximized, but any deviation from this position causes sharp decrease in detected light amount
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the light source position parameter to create a more stable optical configuration. By positioning the light source farther from the ellipsoidal reflection surface, the system maintains relatively stable light amount on the illuminated surface even when the light source position deviates from the nominal dimension.
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 ensures that the light amount detected on the illuminated surface is not sharply decreased due to arrangement errors, maintaining detection performance and preventing production yield decreases and performance variations in sensors.
Implementation Method 1
an ellipsoidal reflection surface configured to reflect the light flux from the incident surface
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an illumination optical system includes: a light source; and a light guiding member configured to guide a light flux emitted from the light source to an illuminated surface, the light guiding member having: an incident surface into which the light flux from the light source enters; an ellipsoidal reflection surface configured to reflect the light flux from the incident surface; and an exit surface from which the light flux reflected by the ellipsoidal reflection surface exits, in which the light source is arranged so as to be separated from a first focal point of the ellipsoidal reflection surface at a position farther from the illuminated surface, in a direction perpendicular to a light emitting surface of the light source.