Integrated Illumination-Aimer Optics for Offset-Stable Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging apparatuses require multiple separate components for illumination and aimer optics, leading to increased size, material costs, and irreparable component offsets, complicating alignment and increasing complexity.
Innovation Solution
An integrated illumination-aimer optics system that combines near-field and far-field illumination lenses with aimer pattern projection into a single-piece component, reducing the need for separate structural supports and alignment components, and minimizing component separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate components are used for illumination and aimer optics, then each component can be independently optimized, but the overall device size increases and alignment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate optical components (illumination lenses and aimer optics) into a single integrated optical assembly. This merging reduces the overall device volume by eliminating the need for separate structural supports and reducing the total space required for multiple discrete components while maintaining the ability to optimize each optical function independently through careful lens design and positioning within the unified structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are used for illumination and aimed optics, then functional flexibility is maintained, but alignment precision deteriorates due to irreparable component offsets
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating multiple optical components into a single assembly, the patent eliminates the irreparable offsets that occur when separate components are mounted on different structural supports. The integrated design ensures precise relative positioning of illumination lenses and aimer optics, improving alignment precision while maintaining functional flexibility through the ability to design different lens configurations within the unified structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated optical assembly is pre-configured with precise alignment between components during manufacturing. This preliminary action of establishing accurate relative positions during assembly eliminates the need for post-assembly adjustments and ensures consistent alignment precision across production batches, avoiding the irreparable offsets that would occur with separate components mounted after assembly.
3Ease of operation
If separate structural supports are used for each optical component, then component accessibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate structural supports into a single unified structure that holds all optical components. This reduces structural complexity by eliminating redundant support elements while maintaining component accessibility through carefully designed mounting interfaces and positioning features within the integrated assembly, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly of the optical components.
4Ease of manufacture
If multiple separate components are used, then manufacturing flexibility is maintained, but material costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By combining multiple optical components into a single integrated assembly, the patent reduces the total quantity of materials required. Fewer separate structural supports, mounting brackets, and alignment components are needed, directly reducing material costs. The integrated design maintains manufacturing flexibility by allowing different lens and optical element configurations to be manufactured as unified assemblies using standard manufacturing processes.
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 integrated system allows for a smaller form factor, reduced material costs, and improved alignment without separate adjustment components, minimizing irreparable offsets and simplifying assembly.
Implementation Method 1
a single-piece, integrated illumination-aimer optics optical component including at least one or more illumination lens (e.g., a near-field illumination lens and a far-field illumination lens) and an aimer pattern projection optics
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~2D
AI summary
Various embodiments described herein provide multi-projector (i.e., two or more) imaging apparatuses utilizing integrated illumination-aimer optics. Embodiments of the present disclosure minimize irreparable component offset to improve overall accuracy associated with the functioning of the apparatuses. Additionally, the integrated illumination-aimer optics enables embodiments disclosed herein to be provided in a significantly smaller form factor than conventional multi-projector imaging apparatuses. An example apparatus includes a near-field imaging lens and a far-field imaging lens, an integrated illumination-aimer optics positioned between the near-field imaging lens and the far-field imaging lens, a near-field illuminator source and a far-field illuminator source positioned for projecting via the integrated illumination-aimer optics, a near-field imaging sensor associated with the near-field imaging lens, a far-field imaging sensor associated with the far-field imaging lens, and an apparatus chassis to align the various components for operation.