Lens Mirror Array Holder Structure for Bending Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The rigidity of the SELFOC lens array in existing solid-state heads is insufficient, leading to bending issues, which affects image quality due to defocus, and increasing the holder's size to enhance rigidity complicates close proximity to the photoconductive drum.
Innovation Solution
A lens mirror array is integrated with a holder having a constricted shape, where the constricted portion of the lens mirror array is positioned within a slit in the holder, reducing the slit width to maintain high rigidity without increasing the holder's size, and the lens mirror array is fixed using adhesives to prevent bending and distortion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the holder size is increased or a reinforcement member is attached to the holder to increase the rigidity of the holder, then the rigidity of the holder is improved, but the width of the holder increases to make it difficult to dispose the solid-state head close to the photoconductive drum
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is divided into a main body portion and a reinforcement portion. The reinforcement portion is selectively attached to the main body portion only where needed to provide additional rigidity, rather than uniformly reinforcing the entire holder. This segmentation allows the holder to maintain high rigidity while keeping the overall width compact for close proximity to the photoconductive drum.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of uniformly increasing the holder width or adding reinforcement members throughout, the patent applies reinforcement locally at specific positions on the holder main body. The reinforcement portion is attached only to the main body portion where additional strength is needed, preserving the compact width of the holder while providing targeted rigidity enhancement.
2Ease of manufacture
If the SLA is made of long resin, then the SLA can be formed with the required optical properties, but the SLA is easily bent by an external force
Solution Approach 1:
The holder acts as an intermediary support structure between the SLA and the external environment. By providing a rigid holder with selective reinforcement, the SLA is supported in a way that prevents bending while maintaining its optical properties. The holder mediates the conflict between the long resin SLA's flexibility and the need for bending resistance.
3Length of moving object
If the solid-state head is disposed close to the photoconductive drum, then the depth of field requirement is met, but the holder rigidity becomes insufficient to prevent bending
Solution Approach 1:
The holder is segmented into a main body portion and a detachable reinforcement portion. This allows the holder to maintain a compact width for close proximity to the photoconductive drum while providing additional rigidity through the selectively attached reinforcement portion, enabling both close positioning and sufficient structural strength.
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 ensures high rigidity and compact size, preventing bending and maintaining image quality by securely attaching the lens mirror array to the holder, allowing the solid-state head to be positioned close to the photoconductive drum without distortion.
Implementation Method 1
the optical elements include incident-side lens surfaces on which light emitted from the light emitting section is made incident, emission-side lens surfaces that emit the incident light, and reflection surfaces that reflect the light made incident from the incident-side lens surfaces toward the emission-side lens surfaces
Implementation Method 2
the lens mirror array is fixed using adhesives to prevent bending and distortion
Data Source
AI summary
An optical device according to an embodiment includes a lens mirror array and a holder. The lens mirror array is opposed to a light emitting section. The lens mirror array includes a plurality of optical elements. The optical elements include incident-side lens surfaces, emission-side lens surfaces that emit incident light, and reflection surfaces that reflect incident light. A cross section orthogonal to a first direction of the lens mirror array has a constricted shape. The holder includes a slit having width smaller than width of both the ends in the cross section of the lens mirror array and larger than width of the center in the cross section and extending in the first direction. The holder holds the lens mirror array in a state in which a constricted portion in the center in the cross section of the lens mirror array is disposed in the slit.