Reflector-Based Laser Printing Light Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser printing apparatuses have complex structures and higher costs due to the use of multiple components, including lenses, which complicate the printing process and increase expenses.
Innovation Solution
A simplified printing apparatus design that uses a light-emitting device, a reflector, and a light-sensing device, where the reflector is positioned to reflect printing light at different angles, creating evenly spaced light spots on the light-sensing surface without the need for refracting lenses, thereby reducing component complexity and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a laser printing apparatus uses multiple components including lenses and polygon prisms to achieve uniform light distribution, then printing quality is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the lens component from the traditional laser printing apparatus structure. By using a reflector with a specifically designed reflective surface instead of a lens, the system achieves uniform light distribution without requiring refractive optical elements, thereby simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining printing quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the optical refraction mechanism (lens) with a reflective mechanism (reflector with specially designed surface). This substitution changes the fundamental optical path control method from refraction to reflection, eliminating the need for lenses and reducing device complexity while achieving the same functional outcome of uniform light spot distribution
2Manufacturing precision
If a laser printing apparatus uses lenses and multiple optical components to control light paths, then light distribution uniformity is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the lens component from the system, eliminating the need for expensive precision optical glass manufacturing and alignment procedures. The reflector can be manufactured using conventional reflective coating techniques on standard substrate materials, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining light distribution uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a reflector that can be manufactured more economically than precision lenses. The reflective surface can be applied to various substrate materials at lower cost, making the overall system more affordable while achieving the required optical performance for uniform light distribution across the printing medium
3Device complexity
If a printing apparatus uses a simplified structure without lenses, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but light spot spacing uniformity may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing the reflector surface with spatially varying reflective properties. Different regions of the reflector surface are configured with specific angles and curvatures to redirect light rays from the light source to create uniformly spaced light spots on the printing medium, compensating for the absence of a lens while maintaining spacing uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a reflector with a curved reflective surface rather than a flat one. The specific curvature profile of the reflector is designed to focus and distribute the reflected light rays in a manner that produces equally spaced light spots, achieving uniform light spot spacing without requiring a lens through geometric optimization of the reflective surface shape
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 printing with equally spaced light spots, simplifies the apparatus structure, reduces weight, and lowers production costs while maintaining high printing quality.
Implementation Method 1
the reflector is at least partially located in an irradiation region of the printing light, and has a surface reflecting the printing light at different positions to generate reflected light having different exit directions
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a printing apparatus. The printing apparatus includes a light-emitting device, a reflector, and a light-sensing device. The light-emitting device emits printing light. The reflector is at least partially located in an irradiation region of the printing light, and has a surface reflecting the printing light at different positions to generate reflected light having different exit directions. The light-sensing device includes a light-sensing surface. The light-sensing surface is at least partially located in an irradiation region of the reflected light and senses the reflected light to generate a plurality of continuously-distributed light spots on the light-sensing surface with any adjacent light spots equally spaced apart.