Light Guide Protrusion for Positional Stability in Illumination Apparatus
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing illumination apparatuses face challenges in maintaining the relative positional stability of the light guide, covering member, and housing during transportation and use, which affects reading accuracy due to vibrations.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a protruded portion on the light guide that engages with a receiving portion in the housing via an opening in the covering member, preventing shifts in the longitudinal direction and maintaining positional stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the light guide is fixed in the housing without additional engagement structures, then the device complexity is reduced, but the relative positional stability between the light guide, covering member, and housing deteriorates due to vibrations during transportation and use
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is divided into a main body portion and a protruded portion that extends in the longitudinal direction. The protruded portion serves as an engagement feature that fits into the receiving portion of the housing, providing stable positioning without requiring complex additional fastening mechanisms. This segmentation allows the light guide to be securely fixed while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruded portion extends in the longitudinal direction (first direction) of the light guide, creating a new dimensional feature that engages with the receiving portion in the housing. This dimensional extension provides engagement capability without adding complexity to the overall structure, as the protrusion utilizes the existing longitudinal axis of the light guide.
2Measurement precision
If the light guide is freely positioned without engagement features, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the reading accuracy deteriorates due to positional shifts caused by vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is segmented into a main body and a protruded portion that serves as an engagement feature. This segmentation provides a simple mechanical engagement interface between the light guide and housing, ensuring reading accuracy while maintaining ease of manufacture through straightforward assembly of the protruded portion into the receiving portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruded portion of the light guide automatically engages with the receiving portion of the housing during assembly, providing self-positioning and self-alignment functionality. This self-service mechanism ensures accurate positioning without requiring complex alignment procedures or additional adjustment steps, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while improving reading accuracy.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the covering member is attached without engagement structures, then the device complexity is reduced, but the relative positional stability between components deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is segmented into a main body and a protruded portion that extends in the longitudinal direction. The protruded portion serves as an engagement feature that fits into the receiving portion of the housing, providing stable positioning without requiring complex additional fastening mechanisms. This segmentation allows the light guide to be securely fixed while maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruded portion of the light guide is nested within the receiving portion of the housing, creating a nested structure that provides stable engagement. The covering member is attached over this nested arrangement, securing the light guide in place without adding complex external fastening structures. This nesting approach maintains compactness and structural simplicity while ensuring positional stability.
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
This arrangement effectively suppresses relative positional shifts among the light guide, covering member, and housing, ensuring consistent reading accuracy and reducing the impact of vibrations on the apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a rod-shaped light guide (11) that guides light from the light source unit (14A, 14B) and emits the light from a light emitting surface
Implementation Method 2
configured to reflect, toward the light emitting surface side, light from the light guide to the covering member
Data Source
AI summary
An illumination apparatus, comprising a light source unit, a rod-shaped light guide configured to guide light from the light source unit and emit the light from a light emitting surface, a covering member configured to contain the light guide, and a housing configured to contain the light source unit, the light guide, and the covering member, the light guide including a protruded portion configured to suppress a shift in a longitudinal direction, the covering member including an opening, and the housing including a receiving portion configured to receive the protruded portion of the light guide, wherein the protruded portion of the light guide is engaged with the receiving portion of the housing via the opening of the covering member.