LED Exposure Lens Mount Using Differential Adhesive Shrinkage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional lens holders in LED-based image forming apparatuses are prone to deformation, leading to shifts in focal position and potential focus failure due to warpage.

Innovation Solution

An exposure device with a holding member and lens adhering via adhesive regions of differing shrinkage rates, specifically a first adhesive region with a lower shrinkage rate and a second adhesive region with a higher shrinkage rate, to counteract warpage and maintain focus.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a single adhesive is used to bond the lens to the holding member, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the holding member warps due to uniform shrinkage, causing focus failure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadhesive application simplicityVSAvoidlens focal position accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different shrinkage rates of adhesive at different locations on the holding member. Specifically, a first adhesive with a first shrinkage rate is applied to a first region and a second adhesive with a second shrinkage rate is applied to a second region, creating local variations in adhesive properties to counteract warpage while maintaining manufacturing feasibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the holding member is made more rigid to prevent warpage, then focus stability improves, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefocus position stabilityVSAvoidholding member structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the adhesive material by using adhesives with different shrinkage rates at different locations. This allows the holding member to maintain its original structural simplicity while achieving warpage compensation through parameter variation in the adhesive, thereby improving reliability without increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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

Reduces warpage of the holding member, preventing focus failure by adjusting adhesive shrinkage rates to stabilize the lens position.

Implementation Method 1

A shrinkage rate differs between the first adhesive region and the second adhesive region

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectShrinkage: Thermal Contraction

Data Source

PatentUS20260064028A1Exposure device and image forming apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.03.05 SHARP KK
  • US20260064028A1 patent drawing
  • US20260064028A1 patent drawing
  • US20260064028A1 patent drawing

AI summary

An image forming apparatus includes: a panel member opposing a photoreceptor drum and having plural light-emitting elements; a lens focusing light emitted from the light-emitting elements onto the photoreceptor drum; and a holding member holding the lens. The holding member and the lens adhere to each other in a first adhesive region located at a center in a longitudinal direction (width direction) and a second adhesive region located at an end in the longitudinal direction. A shrinkage rate differs between the first adhesive region and the second adhesive region.