Rotatable Scanner Optical Assembly in Sealed Enclosure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Scanners often produce streaks in scanned images due to dust, debris, or foreign matter on the scan window or calibration strips, which existing technologies fail to effectively address.
Innovation Solution
A scanner device with a rotatable optical assembly housed within a sealed enclosure, where the optical assembly can be slightly rotated to avoid scanning foreign matter, using an actuator to change the target scan line and maintain a sealed environment to prevent intrusion of debris.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the optical assembly is made rotatable to avoid scanning foreign matter, then image quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical assembly is made rotatable about an axis to dynamically adjust the scan line position, allowing the system to adapt to foreign matter on the calibration strip or scan window by rotating to a different angular position, thus maintaining image quality without requiring multiple fixed optical assemblies
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning function is segmented into multiple angular positions, where the optical assembly can be rotated to different angles to scan different portions of the calibration strip or different scan lines through the scan window, enabling the system to bypass foreign matter by selecting an alternative angular position
2Reliability
If the optical assembly is sealed to prevent debris intrusion, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical assembly is extracted and placed within a separate sealed enclosure, isolating it from the external environment where dust and debris may accumulate, while the sealed enclosure itself becomes a distinct manufacturable component that can be produced and assembled separately
Solution Approach 2:
The sealed enclosure acts as an intermediary barrier between the optical assembly and the external environment, preventing direct contact between sensitive optical components and contaminants, thus protecting reliability without requiring complex sealing mechanisms integrated into the optical assembly itself
3Measurement precision
If the scan line is adjusted to avoid foreign matter on calibration strip, then calibration accuracy is improved, but measurement precision may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs periodic calibration by rotating the optical assembly to scan a calibration strip with known features at predetermined angular intervals, allowing calibration accuracy to be maintained through repeated periodic measurements while the rotation mechanism provides sufficient precision to resolve the calibration patterns
Data Source
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AI summary
An example scanner device includes a sealed enclosure including a scan window to allow light to enter the sealed enclosure, and an optical assembly including a light source and an image sensor. The light source is to emit light through the scan window onto a medium to be scanned. The image sensor is to capture light reflected by the medium through the scan window. The optical assembly is rotatably positioned within the sealed enclosure. An actuator is disposed within the sealed enclosure to rotate the optical assembly to aim the optical assembly at different locations on the scan window.