Optical Reading Path With Diffusion Plate for Uniform Light Reception
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing document reading apparatuses face issues with reduced light reception and uneven light distribution due to light scattering from the end surface of the light guide body, which affects the detection of document tilt angles and dust on the transparent plate.
Innovation Solution
The optical device incorporates a mirror surface reflecting plate with a diffusion plate that includes a backing coat layer and a light diffusion layer, configured to reduce light scattering and enhance light reception, and a lens unit to guide light to the light receiving unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a scatterer is disposed in the light guide body to scatter light from the end surface, then light distribution is improved, but the amount of light received by the light receiving unit decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a diffusion plate as an intermediary component between the light guide body and the light receiving unit. This diffusion plate receives the scattered light from the light guide body and redistributes it, ensuring that sufficient light reaches the light receiving unit while maintaining improved light distribution characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is segmented into distinct functional components: the light guide body for light generation, the scatterer for light distribution, and the diffusion plate for light redistribution. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function while working together to resolve the contradiction between light distribution and light quantity.
2Quantity of substance
If the amount of light is increased by adjusting the scatterer, then light reception is improved, but uneven amounts of light received by the light receiving unit occur
Solution Approach 1:
The diffusion plate serves as a mediator that receives uneven light distribution from the scatterer and transforms it into uniform light distribution. This intermediary component effectively decouples the light generation function from the light distribution function, allowing the scatterer to maximize light quantity while the diffusion plate ensures uniformity.
Solution Approach 2:
The diffusion plate changes the optical parameters of the light, transforming the directional and uneven light from the scatterer into diffuse and uniform light. This parameter change in light distribution characteristics resolves the contradiction between light quantity and uniformity.
3Productivity
If a mirror surface reflecting plate is used to reflect light, then light reception efficiency is improved, but focal depth issues affect the light receiving unit
Solution Approach 1:
The diffusion plate acts as an intermediary between the mirror surface reflecting plate and the light receiving unit. It receives the reflected light and redistributes it uniformly, preventing the light receiving unit from being positioned within the focal depth of the lens unit while maintaining high light reception efficiency.
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 configuration increases the light reception and reduces uneven light distribution, enabling accurate detection of document tilt angles and effective dust correction, thereby improving the performance of the document reading apparatus.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide body that scatters light incident from an end surface with a scatterer disposed in a direction in which a side surface extends and emits the light
Implementation Method 2
a mirror surface reflecting plate that mirror-reflects the light emitted from the light guide body
Implementation Method 3
a diffusion plate that diffuses and transmits the light emitted from the light guide body and emits the light onto the mirror surface reflecting plate
Implementation Method 4
diffuses and transmits the light reflected by the mirror surface reflecting plate and emits the light to the light receiving unit
Data Source
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AI summary
An optical device includes: a light guide body that scatters light incident from an end surface with a scatterer disposed in a direction in which a side surface extends and emits the light; a mirror surface reflecting plate that mirror-reflects the light emitted from the light guide body; a light receiving unit that receives the light reflected by the mirror surface reflecting plate; and a diffusion plate that diffuses and transmits the light emitted from the light guide body and emits the light onto the mirror surface reflecting plate, and diffuses and transmits the light reflected by the mirror surface reflecting plate and emits the light to the light receiving unit.