Illuminating Device Light Guiding Member Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional illuminating devices for image reading apparatuses suffer from light loss due to inefficient light distribution and instability in light path alignment, leading to uneven illumination and increased light loss when the condensing body's position is displaced.
Innovation Solution
An illuminating device with a light-guiding member and a reflective member, where the light-emitting elements are positioned between the direct and indirect emission units, allowing light to be transmitted through either a direct or indirect path, with different light incidence faces and orientations to optimize light distribution and reduce light loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a condensing body with incident-side lens is disposed near light-emitting elements to reduce light loss, then light transmission efficiency is improved, but the system becomes highly sensitive to positional displacement causing great deviation in light path
Solution Approach 1:
The light-guiding member is divided into multiple light-guiding units, each independently guiding light from specific light-emitting elements. This segmentation allows each unit to maintain stable light paths independently, reducing the overall sensitivity to positional displacement while maintaining high light transmission efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The light-guiding member acts as an intermediary between the light-emitting elements and the document, providing a stable optical path. The light-guiding units with their specific geometric configurations (prism surfaces, flat surfaces) serve as mediators that maintain consistent light guidance even when there are slight positional variations.
2Use of energy by moving object
If light-guiding body is used to condense light toward reading range, then illumination efficiency is improved, but dispersed light cannot enter reflective plate resulting in insufficient light loss reduction
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the light-guiding member have different optical properties and functions. Some regions are designed to guide light directly to the document, while other regions are configured to reflect light toward the document. This local differentiation allows efficient utilization of both condensed and dispersed light, maximizing illumination efficiency while minimizing light loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes multiple spatial dimensions and angles for light guidance. By configuring light-guiding units with various surface orientations (prism surfaces at different angles, flat surfaces), the system can capture and redirect light from multiple directions, including dispersed light that would otherwise be lost, thereby improving overall illumination efficiency.
3Loss of energy
If incident-side lens is positioned close to light-emitting elements to minimize light loss, then light transmission is improved, but any displacement causes great deviation in light path increasing light loss
Solution Approach 1:
The light-guiding member is divided into multiple light-guiding units, each independently guiding light from specific light-emitting elements. This segmentation allows each unit to maintain stable light paths independently, reducing the overall sensitivity to positional displacement while maintaining high light transmission efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the light-guiding units, specifically incorporating prism surfaces and flat surfaces at specific angles. These parameter changes create light paths that are less sensitive to small positional variations, effectively reducing the precision requirements for assembly while maintaining low light loss.
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 stabilizes illumination while minimizing light loss by combining direct and indirect paths, ensuring consistent illumination even when the light-guiding member is displaced, and effectively addressing the issues of uneven illumination and light loss in conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
a direct emission unit that is disposed between the irradiated object and the light-emitting element, and through which light emitting from the light-emitting element to the irradiated object is transmitted
Implementation Method 2
an indirect emission unit that is disposed between the reflective member and the light-emitting element, and through which light emitting from the light-emitting element to the irradiated object via the reflective member is transmitted
Data Source
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AI summary
An illuminating device capable of stably illuminating an irradiated object such as a document while suppressing light loss with a simply structure is provided. An LED array (71) and a reflective plate (73) are disposed sandwiching a slit (St) through which light reflected by a document MS passes and a light-guiding member (72) is disposed on the side of the LED array (71). The light-guiding member (72) includes a direct emission unit (77) disposed between an illumination range y centered on a document reading position and the LED array (71) and an indirect emission unit (78) disposed between the reflective plate (73) and the LED array (71), a light incidence face of the direct emission unit (77) and a light incidence face of the indirect emission unit (78) are disposed at mutually different position around the LED array (71), and the LED array (71) is disposed on a side of an interior angle formed by the light incidence faces.