Large-Area Optical Element Using Fluid-Filled Monolithic Container
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Solution Overview
Problem
As display systems grow in size, conventional manufacturing processes for optical elements face challenges in producing large-area optical elements with desirable optical properties, leading to molding errors and increased weight, which hinders their application in various fields.
Innovation Solution
The development of large-area optical elements (LAOEs) using a container filled with a fluid of lower density than the container material, allowing for reduced weight while maintaining desired optical properties, and incorporating an insert to achieve specific optical effects, with manufacturing processes involving Finite Element Analysis to determine optimal container dimensions and shape.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If conventional molding processes are used to create larger optical elements, then the area of the optical element increases, but the weight increases proportionally and molding errors increase leading to degraded optical properties
Solution Approach 1:
The optical element is divided into two segments: a solid container structure and a fluid filling. The container provides the structural framework while the fluid provides the optical properties, allowing the element to be large in area but light in weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the optical material from solid to fluid. This allows the optical element to maintain desirable optical properties while significantly reducing weight, as the fluid density is lower than the container material density.
2Area of stationary object
If conventional molding processes are used to create larger optical elements, then the area of the optical element increases, but molding errors increase leading to degraded optical properties
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into forming the container structure separately and then filling it with fluid. This avoids the molding errors associated with creating large solid optical elements in one piece, as the container can be formed with precise dimensions and the fluid simply fills the predetermined space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the optical material from the molding process entirely. Instead of molding the optical material itself, only the container is molded, and the optical material (fluid) is introduced separately, eliminating molding errors from the optical material formation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If solid materials are used throughout the optical element, then uniform material composition is achieved, but the weight becomes excessively large for large-area applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the density parameter by replacing solid optical material with a lower-density fluid that has appropriate optical properties. This maintains the functional composition needed for optical performance while reducing weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical element becomes a composite structure combining a solid container material and a fluid optical material. This composite approach allows each material to be optimized for its specific function: the container for structural integrity and the fluid for optical properties with reduced weight.
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 the creation of lightweight, high-quality large-area optical elements with improved optical properties, overcoming the limitations of conventional solid optical elements in terms of size and weight, thus expanding their application possibilities.
Implementation Method 1
a container (410) made of a first material and filled with a fluid (420) made of a second material, wherein the density of the second material is lower than the density of the first material
Data Source
AI summary
A large-area optical element is described. The large-area optical element includes a monolithic container fabricated from a transparent material, wherein the monolithic container has a plurality of optical surfaces. A liquid is positioned within the monolithic container, wherein the liquid has a density substantially less than a density of the monolithic container.