Optical Apparatus Housing Support Member Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In existing optical apparatuses, the use of adhesive agents can limit the freedom of component layout and lead to optical components falling due to thermal curing, resulting in inconvenience and suboptimal optical properties.

Innovation Solution

An optical apparatus design featuring a housing with a support member that includes openings for accommodating optical components, allowing for secure attachment via adhesive agents while preventing component displacement during curing, and enabling more flexible layout configurations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If adhesive agents are used to attach optical components to housing components, then the optical components can be securely fixed, but the degree of freedom of component layout is reduced and inconvenience occurs during adhesive application and curing processes

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure fixation of optical componentsVSAvoidfreedom of component layout and ease of adhesive application

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The support member is divided into a plate portion and a protruding portion that extends into the housing. This segmentation allows the adhesive to be applied specifically to the protruding portion, separating the adhesive application area from the optical component mounting area, thereby maintaining layout freedom while ensuring secure fixation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protruding portion of the support member acts as an intermediary element between the housing and the optical component. It provides a dedicated adhesive application surface that mediates the bonding process, allowing the adhesive to cure without the optical component being in direct contact with the adhesive application area, thus preventing displacement during curing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If adhesive agents are used to attach optical components, then fixation is achieved, but optical components may fall down due to thermal curing of the adhesive agent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefixation of optical componentsVSAvoidalignment of optical components during curing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The protruding portion is designed to extend into the housing before the optical component is installed. This preliminary positioning structure ensures that when adhesive is applied to the protruding portion and the optical component is mounted, the component is pre-positioned in the correct location, preventing displacement during the thermal curing process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The protruding portion serves as an intermediary that separates the adhesive curing process from the optical component positioning. By applying adhesive to the protruding portion rather than directly to the component mounting surface, the optical component can be positioned accurately without being affected by adhesive application or curing movements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If adhesive agents are applied directly to mount optical components, then attachment is achieved, but component layout flexibility is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment of optical componentsVSAvoidlayout flexibility of components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The support member is segmented into a plate portion for structural support and a protruding portion for adhesive application. This allows the adhesive to be applied to the protruding portion while the optical component is mounted on the plate portion, separating the attachment function from the positioning function and thereby maintaining layout flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The protruding portion extends in a direction toward the housing, creating a three-dimensional structure that allows adhesive application from a different spatial dimension than the optical component mounting plane. This dimensional separation enables flexible component layout while ensuring reliable attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 design enhances the reliability of adhesive application and curing processes, maintains optical component alignment, and allows for a more compact and flexible optical apparatus configuration, reducing the risk of component failure and improving optical performance.

Implementation Method 1

a second member fixed to the first member and including at least one opening configured to accommodate a part of the optical component, the second member being configured to support the optical component via an adhesive agent

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentUS20240255724A1Optical apparatus

Publication Date: 2024.08.01 FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO LTD

AI summary

An optical apparatus includes: a housing including a first member constituting at least a part of the housing; an optical component accommodated in the housing and configured to transmit or reflect light; and a second member fixed to the first member and including at least one opening configured to accommodate a part of the optical component, the second member being configured to support the optical component via an adhesive agent.