Orthogonal Light Guide Lens Coupling for Uniform Display Notification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display devices in multifunction peripherals and laser-beam printers lack efficient light distribution and flexibility in design, leading to uneven light emission and increased component count, which affects notification effectiveness and cost.
Innovation Solution
A display device with a light guide and lens configuration that guides light from a point source to the edge of a housing, allowing for uniform light emission and reduced component count, featuring a coupling surface orthogonal to the light guide direction and integrated light guides and lenses for improved light distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a conventional light source and lens arrangement is used in display devices, then the structure is simple to implement, but the light emission becomes uneven and notification effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A light guide is introduced as an intermediary component between the light source and the lens. The light guide receives light from the light source and guides it to the lens, enabling uniform light distribution across the notification area while maintaining a simple overall structure. This mediator component solves the contradiction by decoupling the light source position from the light emission pattern.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are used for light emission, then design flexibility is reduced, but component reliability may be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide and lens are integrated into a unified structure where the light guide is coupled to the lens. This merging of components provides design flexibility for arranging notification lamps at various positions (including corner positions) while maintaining reliability through the integrated design that ensures proper light coupling and transmission.
3Productivity
If the light guide direction is not orthogonal to the coupling surface, then assembly may be easier, but light distribution efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling surface between the light guide and lens is designed to be orthogonal (at 90 degrees) to the light guide direction. This parameter change in the angular relationship optimizes light distribution efficiency by ensuring proper alignment of light rays with the lens optical axis, maximizing the effectiveness of light transmission while the modular design maintains assembly ease.
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 solution achieves uniform and efficient light emission with reduced component complexity and cost, enhancing notification visibility and flexibility in design, while minimizing the impact of static electricity and ensuring consistent radiation intensity.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide to guide the light emitted from the light source to the lens
Implementation Method 2
a lens that makes up the light emitter of each one of the plurality of display lamps
Data Source
AI summary
A display device includes an operation screen attached to an apparatus to accept instructions for the apparatus, display lamps each including a light emitter to provide notification of a state of the apparatus, a light source to emit light, a substrate on which the light source is mounted, a lens that makes up the light emitter of each one of the display lamps, a light guide to guide the light emitted from the light source to the lens, and a housing that covers the substrate. In the display device, the housing has an opening at which the lens is exposed, at an area including a corner formed by an edge of a top face on which the operation screen is disposed and a side face. In the display device, the lens and the light guide is coupled to each other at a coupling surface, and the coupling surface is orthogonal.