Light-Pipe Adjusting Device Ball Joint Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The alignment of light-pipes in projectors is often affected by assembly errors, leading to misalignment between the light entrance and exit sides, which results in a deflected projection image due to the limited accuracy of existing adjusting devices.
Innovation Solution
An adjusting device comprising an outer tube, a rotatable ball, and an inner tube with an adjustment member that allows the inner tube to swing around the rotatable ball, providing high positional accuracy and reducing the likelihood of misalignment by using a ball joint coupling and adjustable screws for precise alignment of the light-pipe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a traditional adjusting device is used to align the light-pipe, then the assembly can be adjusted, but the alignment precision is insufficient due to assembly errors causing deflected projection images
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a ball joint structure where the inner tube is hinged on a rotatable ball, allowing multi-directional adjustment to compensate for assembly errors. The spherical geometry enables precise angular positioning in multiple degrees of freedom, achieving accurate alignment between the light-pipe and optical components while preventing projection image deflection.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the light-pipe position is made adjustable to compensate for assembly errors, then alignment flexibility improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static light-pipe mounting into a dynamic adjustable structure. The inner tube can rotate and swing around the ball joint center through the adjustment member, enabling real-time position correction. This dynamic mechanism provides alignment flexibility while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure through controlled degrees of freedom.
Solution Approach 2:
The light-pipe is nested within the inner tube, which itself is hinged on the rotatable ball within the outer tube. This nested arrangement allows the adjusting device to be integrated into the existing projector structure without requiring completely separate adjustment mechanisms, thereby increasing adaptability while limiting excessive complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the inner tube is allowed to swing freely around the ball, then adjustment range increases, but position stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment member changes the positional parameters of the inner tube relative to the ball joint by controlled rotation. As the adjustment member rotates, it alters the angular position parameters of the inner tube, enabling precise positioning within a specific range while maintaining stability through controlled parameter variation rather than free movement.
Data Source
AI summary
An adjusting device for a light-pipe includes an outer tube, a rotatable ball, an inner tube and an adjustment member. The inner tube is configured to accommodate the light-pipe. The outer tube comprises a first end and a second end disposed oppositely, and a receiving cavity constructed to receive the rotatable ball is formed in the first end of the outer tube. The rotatable ball is hinged in the receiving cavity, and a through-hole is opened in the rotatable ball. One end of the inner tube is fixedly connected to the through-hole, and the other end is disposed inside the second end of the outer tube through the adjustment member. The adjustment member is configured to drive the inner tube to swing along the center of the rotatable ball within the outer tube.