Projection Optical System Using Environment-Conscious Materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virtual image display devices face challenges in replacing optical materials with environment-conscious materials due to issues with thermal resistance and disposal, and ensuring easy detection of luminance degradation for maintaining video quality, especially in large-scale applications like sightseeing and amusement.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating environment-conscious materials into at least part of the projection optical system and reflection member, and using a dimming member made of environment-conscious material on the optical path to visually indicate the end of the display element's lifetime by changing its quality, such as clouding or deforming, to facilitate regeneration and easy user notification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If environment-conscious materials are used in optical members, then carbon dioxide emission is reduced and environmental impact is minimized, but thermal resistance performance deteriorates and disposal becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The optical member is divided into multiple layers: a base layer made of environment-conscious material (PLA) and a functional layer containing the optical film. This segmentation allows the base layer to provide environmental benefits while the functional layer maintains optical performance and thermal resistance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical member uses a composite structure combining environment-conscious material (PLA base layer) with conventional optical materials (optical film). This composite approach enables the system to achieve both environmental consciousness and adequate thermal resistance by leveraging the strengths of each material type.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If environment-conscious materials are used in optical members, then environmental impact is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases due to disposal difficulties
Solution Approach 1:
The optical member is segmented into a reusable functional layer (optical film) and a disposable base layer (PLA). This segmentation enables simplified disposal where only the PLA base layer needs to be removed and discarded, while the valuable optical film can be recovered and reused, reducing overall manufacturing complexity for disposal processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The design enables selective discarding of the environment-conscious PLA base layer while recovering and reusing the optical film. This approach simplifies disposal procedures compared to disposing of entire optical members, as only the biodegradable base layer requires special handling while the functional optical components can be recovered.
3Loss of information
If a dimming member is added to indicate luminance degradation, then user awareness of device lifetime is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dimming member changes its optical properties (transparency/dimming effect) as it degrades over time, providing visual feedback to users about the device's lifetime status. This passive indication method avoids the need for active sensors or electronic indicators, maintaining simplicity while effectively communicating luminance degradation.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the dimming member is made of environment-conscious material, then environmental impact is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The dimming member is made from environment-conscious material (PLA) whose optical transparency naturally changes as it degrades. By utilizing the material's inherent property changes over time rather than requiring precise manufacturing control of optical properties, the design achieves environmental benefits while managing manufacturing precision requirements through material selection rather than process control.
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 solution allows for the regeneration and reuse of environment-conscious components, ensures easy detection of the display element's end-of-life by users, and maintains video quality until the predetermined lifetime, addressing the challenges of material replacement and luminance degradation.
Implementation Method 1
a reflection member configured to reflect the image light emitted from the projection optical system and project a virtual image
Implementation Method 2
a dimming member disposed on an optical path between the image forming unit and the virtual image, the dimming member having optical transparency and being configured to dim the image light
Data Source
AI summary
A virtual image display device includes an image forming unit, a projection optical system on which image light formed by the image forming unit is incident, and a reflection member configured to reflect the image light emitted from the projection optical system and project a virtual image, wherein at least a part of the projection optical system and the reflection member is an environment-conscious member formed of an environment-conscious material.