Light Source Unit Thermal Expansion Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In electrophotographic printers, the existing light source units experience optical axis deviation due to thermal expansion differences between materials, leading to image distortion and increased component complexity and costs.
Innovation Solution
A light source unit configuration where the light emitting substrate, light shielding body, and lens array are positioned without a fixing member, such as a case or holder, ensuring synchronization of thermal expansion and reducing the number of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixing member (case or holder) is used to position the light emitting substrate, light shielding member, and lens array, then the components can be assembled and fixed, but optical axis deviation occurs due to thermal expansion differences between materials
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the fixing member (case or holder) from the system. By eliminating this intermediate component, the light emitting substrate, light shielding member, and lens array are positioned directly relative to each other, eliminating the source of thermal expansion-induced misalignment while maintaining assembly capability through direct positioning features
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the positioning function directly into the component interfaces. The light emitting substrate, light shielding member, and lens array are designed with integrated positioning features that allow them to be fixed directly to each other without an intermediate fixing member, combining multiple functions into the components themselves
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple components (case, head substrate, light shielding member, micro lens array) are used to construct the light source unit, then the structure is stable, but the number of components increases leading to increased time and cost burdens
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of multiple separate components into a more integrated structure. By eliminating the case or holder and having the light emitting substrate, light shielding member, and lens array positioned and fixed directly to each other, the overall structure maintains stability while reducing the total number of discrete components
Solution Approach 2:
The components in the invention are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously. For example, the light emitting substrate serves as both the light source carrier and a positioning element for the light shielding member and lens array, eliminating the need for separate positioning fixtures or holders
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
Prevents optical axis deviation and reduces the number of components, thereby improving image clarity and lowering manufacturing burdens and costs.
Implementation Method 1
a head substrate (450; glass substrate) provided with a group of light emitting elements (410)
Implementation Method 2
a light shielding member (440) in which light guiding holes (4410) are formed
Implementation Method 3
a micro lens array (430) are fixed to a case (420) in a state of being stacked in this order
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A~4D
AI summary
This light source unit (30) is provided with: a light emitting substrate (40) that includes a plurality of light emitting elements; a light shielding body (50) for shielding unnecessary light from the light emitting elements; and a lens array (60) that includes a plurality of lenses. With the light shielding body (50) positioned between the light emitting substrate (40) and lens array (60), the lens array is fixed directly to the light emitting substrate (40).