Scanner Module Light Guide Mounting Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional scanner modules with light guides suffer from damage during assembly, thermal expansion, and non-uniform light distribution, leading to reduced scanning performance and quality due to bending or bowing of light guides and inadequate mounting structures.
Innovation Solution
A scanner module design featuring a guide holder with a mounting recess and supporting protrusions to securely position and stabilize the light guide, along with elastic members and spacers to manage thermal expansion, ensuring straightness and minimizing deformation, and a light source holder with snap-fitting mechanisms for easy assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the light guide is inserted lengthwise into the case during assembly, then the light guide can be mounted in the illuminator, but damages such as scratches occur to the light guide
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing a guide holder with a mounting recess and supporting protrusions before the light guide insertion process. The guide holder pre-establishes the correct insertion path and positioning, preventing scratches and damages during assembly. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that the light guide is properly guided and supported throughout the insertion process, eliminating the need for forceful or imprecise manual insertion.
2Stability of the object's composition
If both ends of the light guide are fixedly supported, then the light guide is securely mounted, but the light guide bends or bows when it lengthens due to thermal expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the support structure adjustable rather than fixed. The guide holder includes supporting protrusions that can be positioned at different locations along the light guide, allowing the support points to adapt as the light guide expands or contracts thermally. This dynamic adjustment capability prevents the light guide from bending or bowing while maintaining secure mounting, as the support structure can accommodate length changes without causing deformation.
3Area of stationary object
If the light guide is made elongated to cover the scanning area, then adequate light distribution is achieved, but the light guide becomes prone to bending or bowing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the guide holder as an intermediary structure between the light guide and the illuminator case. This intermediary component provides multiple supporting protrusions that act as intermediate support points along the elongated light guide, preventing it from bending or bowing while maintaining its full length for adequate illumination coverage. The guide holder serves as a mediator that allows the light guide to remain straight despite its elongated shape.
4Illumination intensity
If higher current or voltage is supplied to enhance luminous intensity, then the light emitting diodes produce brighter light, but the temperature increases and deteriorates the luminous intensity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the electrical operating parameters of the light emitting diodes. Instead of continuously increasing current or voltage to enhance brightness, the system adjusts the operating parameters to achieve optimal luminous intensity at a lower temperature. This may involve operating at reduced current with optimized pulse width modulation or duty cycle, thereby maintaining adequate brightness while preventing thermal deterioration of the light emitting diodes.
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 enhances the assembly process, reduces damage to light guides, maintains uniform light distribution, and improves scanning performance by preventing bending and bowing, thereby ensuring consistent image quality.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide having an elongated shape with its length extending along a first direction, the light guide being configured to receive the light from the light source, and to change a direction of the received light
Implementation Method 2
a supporting protrusion formed at the entrance portion of the mounting recess to protrude into the mounting recess to, when the light guide is received ion the mounting recess, be in an interfering contact with the light guide to restrict movement of the light guide in at least a second direction perpendicular to the first direction
Data Source
AI summary
An illuminator, a scanner module and an image scanning apparatus are provided. The scanner module includes an illuminator that includes a light source, a light guide extending in a main scanning direction to change a direction of the light from the light source, a guide holder recessed with a light guide mounting portion in which the light guide is mounted, and at least one supporting protrusion protruding from an entrance of the light guide mounting portion into the light guide mounting portion to support the light guide received in the light guide mounting portion. As the light guide is supported by the supporting protrusion formed at the entrance of the light guide mounting portion, it is possible to reduce deformation of the light guide and/or to prevent the light guide from being falling out of the light guide mounting portion when subjected to, e.g., a shock.