Light Guide Box for Uniform Remote Object Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing portable illumination boxes for remote object display suffer from non-uniform illumination and dark zones, making it difficult to achieve high-quality remote viewing and manipulation of objects, especially those with reflecting surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A box design with a light-transmitting bottom and diffusing cover, where the entire envelope acts as a light guide, providing homogeneous illumination and allowing for manipulation through symmetrically positioned openings, ensuring light reaches the object from all directions and enabling faithful remote viewing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the box includes a large opening for object introduction and camera access, then ease of operation is improved, but illumination quality deteriorates due to dark zones
Solution Approach 1:
The envelope is designed with differentiated optical properties: the cover and bottom use light-transmitting and diffusing materials to create uniform illumination, while the lateral sides use light-reflecting materials to redirect light onto the object. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction by providing both access openings and uniform illumination across different regions of the box.
Solution Approach 2:
The envelope acts as an intermediary light guide that distributes light uniformly throughout the housing. By using specific materials (light-transmitting cover, light-reflecting sides, light-diffusing bottom), the envelope mediates between the light sources and the object, ensuring uniform illumination even in the presence of access openings.
2Illumination intensity
If light sources are arranged around the housing for uniform illumination, then illumination quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The envelope structure is merged with the illumination function. Instead of separate illumination devices, the envelope itself becomes the light guide through strategic material selection: light-transmitting cover, light-reflecting lateral sides, and light-diffusing bottom. This merging simplifies the overall device while achieving uniform illumination.
Solution Approach 2:
The envelope serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the housing structure, guides and distributes light uniformly, and the light-reflecting lateral sides actively contribute to illumination. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for separate illumination components.
3Strength
If the bottom is made opaque for structural integrity, then strength is improved, but illumination quality deteriorates due to dark zones
Solution Approach 1:
The bottom is designed with a specific local quality: light-diffusing material that maintains structural integrity while transmitting and diffusing light uniformly. This resolves the contradiction by providing both structural strength and illumination quality through the bottom surface.
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 uniform illumination and allows for comfortable manipulation of objects within the box, providing high-quality remote viewing conditions similar to direct examination, with reduced dark zones and improved visibility for both the operator and remotely located observers.
Implementation Method 1
the cover being made of a material transmitting at least some of the light emitted by the light sources toward the interior of the housing
Implementation Method 2
having an internal surface for diffusing the light transmitted to the interior of the housing
Implementation Method 3
its bottom is also made of a material transmitting at least some of the light emitted by the light sources toward the interior of the housing
Implementation Method 4
having an internal surface for diffusing the light transmitted to the interior of the housing
Implementation Method 5
the envelope serves as a light guide over the entirety of its extent to produce substantially homogeneous illumination of the housing
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a lighting box for taking an exposure of an object, having a casing defining a closed housing for an object to be examined and including a bottom and a cover, a lighting system including a plurality of light sources disposed around the casing, the casing acting as a light guide over its entire extent in order to ensure substantially uniform lighting of the housing.