Rotatable Rainbow Prism Structure for Adjustable Arc Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing prisms face difficulties in adjusting light entry and exit directions without blocking the light path and cannot easily change orientation with changes in sunlight height, limiting the formation of diverse rainbow orientations and positions.
Innovation Solution
A rainbow-generating prism with a cylindrical shape and an elliptical bottom surface, supported by rotatable means, allows easy adjustment of orientation to form arc-shaped rainbows by spectrally dispersing sunlight, enabling various rainbow positions and shapes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the prism is held by hand to form a rainbow, then the rainbow can be formed, but adjusting and fixing the directions of light entry and exit becomes difficult and blocks the light path
Solution Approach 1:
The prism is mounted on a rotatable support structure that allows dynamic adjustment of the prism's orientation. The support means includes a rotation mechanism that enables the prism to be tilted and rotated to different angles, allowing easy adjustment of light entry and exit directions without needing to hold it by hand, thus avoiding light path blocking.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the prism orientation is fixed, then the structure is simple, but the orientation cannot be changed in accordance with changes in the height of the sun
Solution Approach 1:
The support means incorporates a rotation mechanism that allows the prism to be adjusted to different orientations. This dynamic structure enables the prism to adapt to changing sunlight angles throughout the day, allowing the rainbow to be formed at different positions and orientations without requiring a completely different device for each orientation.
3Ease of manufacture
If the prism is made with a simple cylindrical shape, then the manufacturing is easy, but forming diverse rainbow orientations and positions requires complex adjustment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into two main parts: a simple cylindrical prism body that is easy to manufacture, and a separate support means that provides the adjustment functionality. This segmentation allows the prism itself to remain simple and easy to fabricate, while the adjustment capabilities are provided by the independent support structure with rotation mechanisms.
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 prism enables easy formation of diverse rainbow orientations and positions, including upright and inverted rainbows, by rotating the prism body to adjust sunlight entry angles, enhancing visual enjoyment.
Implementation Method 1
light entering through the cylindrical side surface undergoes total reflection on the elliptical bottom surface
Implementation Method 2
a prism for generating a rainbow by spectrally dispersing sunlight
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2(a)~2(b)
Figure 3
AI summary
Provided is a rainbow-generating prism capable of easily changing the shape of a rainbow. In a rainbow-generating prism 100 of the present invention, sunlight is spectrally dispersed to form an arc-shaped rainbow for enjoyment. The rainbow-generating prism 100 includes a solid cylindrical prism body 1 made of a transparent material and support means 2 that supports the prism body 1. The prism body 1 includes, on one end side in the direction of an axis, a bottom surface 11 inclined with respect to the axis. The prism body 1 is provided symmetrically in the direction of a minor diameter 11a of the bottom surface 11. The support means 2 is configured to rotatably support the prism body 1 around an axis parallel to the symmetry direction of the prism body 1. The rainbow-generating prism 100 can easily change the shape of the rainbow to be formed because the prism body 1 can be easily rotated to change the orientation while placed on a desk or a similar surface.