Sample Imaging with Plane Light Source for Stable Housing Temperature
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sample imaging apparatuses face issues with heat generation from light sources causing temperature changes in the housing, affecting the sample's environmental conditions and requiring prolonged imaging times due to multiple light type changes.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus features a sample loading door that can be opened and closed, and a filter turret with multiple filters, with the filter turret drive stopped when the door is open for safety, and a plane light source using a light guide plate to reduce heat generation and maintain a consistent imaging environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a light source with high light output is used for imaging, then imaging quality is improved, but heat generation increases causing temperature changes in the housing that affect the sample
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful thermal effect from the light source function by introducing a heat reflection plate that redirects heat away from the sample chamber. This allows the light source to maintain high output while separating the beneficial light function from the harmful heat effect, thus improving imaging quality without causing temperature changes that would affect the sample.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat reflection plate acts as an intermediary element between the light source and the sample chamber. It mediates by reflecting heat away while allowing the light source to continue providing high illumination intensity for imaging, thus resolving the contradiction between light output and temperature control.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple light types are used for different imaging conditions, then imaging versatility is improved, but imaging time increases due to repeated door opening and filter turret changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-positioning multiple filters on the filter turret before imaging begins. This allows different light types and filtering conditions to be prepared in advance, enabling rapid switching between imaging modes without requiring door opening or mechanical turret changes during the imaging process, thus maintaining versatility while reducing imaging time.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter turret is designed as a universal component that can hold multiple filters for different light types simultaneously. This multi-functional design allows the system to handle various imaging conditions with a single integrated mechanism, eliminating the need for repeated door openings and filter changes, thereby reducing imaging time while maintaining adaptability.
3Ease of repair
If the filter turret is made accessible for filter replacement, then ease of maintenance is improved, but safety risk increases due to potential user contact with moving parts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a key-operated locking mechanism that creates a controlled access system. The key acts as a copying mechanism that duplicates the authorized access function, allowing only authenticated users to open the door and access the filter turret. This maintains ease of maintenance for authorized personnel while preventing unauthorized contact with moving parts, thus reducing safety risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The door structure incorporates a key-operated lock at a specific location, creating localized controlled access. This allows the majority of the housing to remain closed and safe, while providing authorized access points for maintenance. The local quality of controlled access maintains ease of repair through key-operated unlocking while minimizing safety risks by restricting access to when and where it is needed.
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 design suppresses heat generation, maintains a stable imaging environment, and reduces the time required for multiple light type imaging, ensuring high-quality images with minimal environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide using a reflective diffusion plate and a transmission diffusion plate is formed
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
Provided is a sample imaging apparatus that suppresses heat generation of a light source so as to reduce environmental changes in a housing due to heat generation of the light source. The sample imaging apparatus includes: a housing that forms a closed space; a transparent tray on which a sample is placed in the housing; a plane light source that is formed by using a flat light guide plate, which propagates light emitted by a light emitting element in a plane direction, so as to illuminates the sample with illumination light through the tray in the housing; a lens that is disposed in the housing so as to face the plane light source with the tray interposed between the lens and the plane light source and is used for imaging the sample; and an imaging control unit that adjusts a focal length of the lens and performs imaging in a case of imaging the single sample.