Lens-Mirror Array Travel Blocking Coplanar Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing lens-mirror arrays face challenges in maintaining shape accuracy of reflection surfaces due to level differences caused by projecting portions, which disrupt resin flows during molding, affecting the optical performance and image quality in image forming apparatuses.
Innovation Solution
A lens-mirror array design with optical elements having an incident surface, a reflection surface with positive optical power, an exit surface, and travel blocking portions, where the travel blocking portions are designed without level differences and equipped with a reflectance reduction unit to reduce light reflectance, ensuring improved shape accuracy and optical performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If projecting portions are added to the optical elements to block light travel, then light blocking function is improved, but level differences are created that disrupt resin flows and reduce shape accuracy of reflection surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light blocking function from the optical element's main body by introducing separate travel blocking portions. These portions are designed to be substantially coplanar with the reflection surface, eliminating level differences that would disrupt resin flows during molding. This separation allows the optical element to maintain high shape accuracy while the travel blocking portions perform the light blocking function independently.
2Productivity
If the lens-mirror array is formed by integral molding of transparent resin, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but shape accuracy of reflection surfaces deteriorates due to disrupted resin flows from level differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the problematic projecting portions from the optical element structure and replaces them with travel blocking portions that are substantially coplanar with the reflection surface. This design modification eliminates level differences that would disrupt resin flows during integral molding, thereby maintaining both manufacturing efficiency and shape accuracy of the reflection surfaces.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If travel blocking portions are designed with level differences to block light, then light blocking function is improved, but resin flows are disrupted during molding affecting manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light blocking function from the optical element's main body by introducing separate travel blocking portions. These portions are designed to be substantially coplanar with the reflection surface, eliminating level differences that would disrupt resin flows during molding. This separation allows the optical element to maintain high shape accuracy while the travel blocking portions perform the light blocking function independently.
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 enhances the shape accuracy of reflection surfaces, improves optical performance by reducing light reflectance in travel blocking portions, and increases the depth of field and contrast, while maintaining smooth resin flows during molding.
Implementation Method 1
The incident surface transmits and focuses an incident light
Implementation Method 2
The reflection surface has positive optical power, reflecting and focusing the light entering via the incident surface
Implementation Method 3
The exit surface outputs the light reflected by the reflection surface
Data Source
AI summary
A lens-mirror array includes a second optical element arranged adjacent to a first optical element in a main-scan direction. The first optical element has an incident surface, a first reflection surface, and an exit surface. The incident surface is shaped to transmit and focus a light incident on the incident surface. The first reflection surface has positive optical power and is configured to reflect and focus the light entering through the incident surface. The exit surface outputs the light reflected by the first reflection surface. The second optical element includes a second reflection surface. A travel blocking portion is provided between the first reflection surface and the second reflection surface. A reflectance reduction layer is provided in the travel blocking portion to set light reflectance in the travel blocking portion to be lower than that of the first reflection surface.