Articulated Fiber-Optic Periscope for Vibration-Safe Wide Viewing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rigid and flexible image guides for optical monitoring in vehicles and protected rooms suffer from design complexity, high cost, limited field of view, vulnerability to vibrations, and risk of injury or damage due to fixed positioning and exposure to torsional forces, making them unsuitable for flexible and safe use in various environments.
Innovation Solution
A modular viewing device with a distal module, proximal module, and connection unit, featuring a rotatable bearing and flexible fiber-optic image guide, allowing for a 180° panning view without electricity, decoupling the observer from vehicle movements, and enabling detachable and portable use outside the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid periscopes with corner mirrors are used for protected monitoring, then a fixed view direction is achieved, but the device becomes heavy, bulky, and vulnerable to vibrations and impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The periscope is divided into modular components: a rotatable distal module with objective lens mounted on a rotatable bearing, a flexible fiber-optic image guide, and a proximal module with eyepiece. This segmentation allows the heavy rigid structure to be replaced with lightweight flexible components while maintaining protection through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The rigid periscope structure is replaced with a flexible fiber-optic image guide that transmits images from the distal module to the proximal module. This flexible light guide eliminates the need for heavy rigid housing while providing equivalent protection against vibrations and impacts.
2Reliability
If rigid periscopes with fixed lens positions are used, then structural stability is achieved, but the field of view is limited and blind spots occur
Solution Approach 1:
The distal module with the objective lens is mounted on a rotatable bearing, allowing it to rotate and change the viewing direction dynamically. This enables the system to adapt to different observation angles and eliminate blind spots while maintaining structural stability through the bearing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotatable distal module can be positioned to monitor multiple directions and areas, making a single device capable of performing multiple observation functions. The flexible fiber-optic image guide further enhances adaptability by allowing the eyepiece to be positioned at various locations.
3Ease of operation
If the observer's head is positioned close to the corner mirror for tracking views, then targeted observation is possible, but the risk of injury increases due to fixed positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible fiber-optic image guide acts as an intermediary that transmits the image from the distal module to the proximal module where the eyepiece is located. This allows the observer to maintain a safe distance from the distal module while still achieving targeted observation through the rotatable bearing mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
By separating the image capture function (distal module) from the image observation function (proximal module) using the flexible fiber-optic image guide, the system allows the observer to be positioned safely away from potential impact zones while maintaining operational control through the rotatable bearing.
4Reliability
If complex integration of lenses, prisms, and fiber rods is used, then image transmission is achieved, but the design becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The complex integration of multiple optical components (lenses, prisms, fiber rods) is simplified by extracting the image transmission function into a single flexible fiber-optic image guide that connects the distal module with the objective lens to the proximal module with the eyepiece, eliminating the need for complex intermediate optical components.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible fiber-optic image guide serves multiple functions: it transmits images, allows flexible positioning, and eliminates the need for complex rigid optical assemblies. This multi-functional component simplifies the overall design while maintaining image transmission capability.
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 modular device minimizes the risk of injury and damage, reduces weight and space requirements, and provides a flexible, safe, and efficient optical monitoring solution with a wide field of view, suitable for use in vehicles and other environments with limited space.
Implementation Method 1
a proximal module (40) with at least one movable light guide (41), wherein the movable light guide (41) is designed substantially as a flexible fiber-optic image guide
Data Source
AI summary
A modular viewing device for observation through a wall of a protected space is provided. The device includes a distal module with an objective lens, a proximal module having a movable light guide, a connection unit having with a first coupling device, and a rotatable bearing. The first coupling device releasably couples, optically and mechanically, the proximal module to the connection unit so that an image captured by the objective lens is directed to and transmitted by the image guide. The rotatable bearing rotatably mounts the distal module on a side of the connection unit opposite to the proximal module so that the distal module is rotatable relative to the proximal module and the connection unit is mountable on the wall. The rotatable bearing has an articulation device configured to allow articulation of the rotatable bearing by an observer looking at the exit end.