Modular Optical Package with Controlled Microenvironment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical modification pathways for high energy light in medical and scientific equipment are sensitive to orientation, thermal stress, and contamination, leading to degradation and failure, and existing solutions are large, expensive, and difficult to manufacture and maintain.
Innovation Solution
A modular optical package with integrated optical elements and a controlled microenvironment, featuring a releasable mounting mechanism and dynamic thermal control, which maintains humidity, atmospheric composition, and temperature to prevent contamination and thermal stress, allowing for easy removal, repair, and replacement while maintaining alignment and performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If optical elements are positioned in an open environment for easy access and maintenance, then ease of operation and repair are improved, but contamination and thermal stress increase leading to degradation and failure
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is divided into modular optical packages that can be independently removed and replaced. Each package contains specific optical elements housed in a separate enclosure, allowing maintenance personnel to access and replace individual modules without disassembling the entire system, thus maintaining ease of operation while protecting elements within controlled environments
Solution Approach 2:
A controlled microenvironment enclosure acts as an intermediary between the optical elements and the external environment. This enclosure filters contaminants and regulates thermal conditions while allowing the optical package to be mounted in accessible locations for easy maintenance through standardized interfaces
2Reliability
If optical elements are enclosed in a controlled microenvironment to prevent contamination and thermal stress, then reliability and optical clarity are improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The modular optical package enclosure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical housing for optical elements, creates a controlled microenvironment, enables thermal management, and provides standardized mounting interfaces. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity compared to separate systems for each function
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure design allows for controlled changes in environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, contamination levels) within the microenvironment while maintaining a simple external structure. Standardized mounting interfaces and modular designs simplify manufacturing despite the controlled environment requirements
3Volume of moving object
If optical elements are integrated into a singular unit for compactness, then device size is reduced, but ease of repair and replacement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is segmented into discrete modular packages that are compact when mounted but can be independently removed. Each module contains specific optical elements in a self-contained enclosure with standardized interfaces, enabling replacement of individual modules rather than entire systems, thus maintaining compactness while improving repairability
4Stability of the object's composition
If thermal control is implemented to manage microenvironment temperature, then thermal stress on optical elements is reduced, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Thermal control functionality is merged into the modular optical package enclosure itself rather than being a separate system. The enclosure integrates thermal management features directly with the housing that provides mechanical support and environmental control, simplifying the overall system while maintaining thermal stability
Solution Approach 2:
The enclosure structure serves dual purposes: mechanical housing and thermal management. By integrating these functions into a single component rather than separate systems, the thermal control complexity is reduced while maintaining effective temperature management for the optical elements
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 modular optical package effectively maintains optical clarity and thermal stability, reducing contamination and thermal stress, enabling efficient and cost-effective modification of high energy light with improved alignment and longevity of the system.
Implementation Method 1
The temperature within the enclosure is partially maintained while the modular optical package is removed from the substrate to as to protect the emission source from adverse temperature effects
Implementation Method 2
at least one anamorphic prism pair to adjust the cross-sectional elliptical nature of a coherent light beam to a more circular value
Implementation Method 3
at least one semi-transparent window by which a predefined percentage of an incident coherent light beam is reflected to a photodiode sensor
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention pertains generally to a combination of optical elements integrated into a singular unit to perform one or more functional operations upon an electromagnetic radiation emission conveyed through said unit, and more particularly, a plurality of optical elements that are durably integrated into a modular optical package, wherein said modular optical package is adaptive to a releasable mounting mechanism and has the capability to maintain an independently controlled microenvironment. An electromagnetic radiation emission in introduced into the modular optical package through at least one ingress portal and upon modification by the internal optical elements, exits the modular optical package through at least one egress portal. A microenvironment is maintained within the enclosure of the modular optical package such that humidity, temperature, atmospheric composition, particulates, and out-gassing contaminants are controlled.