Segmented Optical Housing for Thermal Alignment of Imaging Elements

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing image reading devices face challenges in maintaining positional accuracy between optical components and imaging elements due to differences in linear expansion, leading to misalignment issues despite improvements in component processing and assembly accuracy.

Innovation Solution

The image reading device is designed with a housing composed of multiple components arranged along the scanning direction, featuring clearances between them, which allows these components to adjust to thermal expansion and contraction, ensuring precise alignment with imaging elements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If an integrated housing is manufactured to hold multiple optical components with high positional accuracy, then component processing accuracy and assembly accuracy are improved, but misalignment occurs due to difference in linear expansion between components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent processing accuracyVSAvoidpositional accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple separate housing components instead of a single integrated housing. These components are arranged along the scanning direction with clearances between them, allowing each component to independently accommodate thermal expansion and contraction, thereby preventing misalignment between optical components and imaging elements while maintaining manufacturing precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Manufacturing precision

If an integrated housing is assembled with high accuracy to ensure proper alignment, then assembly accuracy is improved, but misalignment occurs due to difference in linear expansion between components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveassembly accuracyVSAvoidpositional accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is segmented into multiple components with clearances between them, allowing the assembly to accommodate thermal expansion and contraction without requiring ultra-high assembly accuracy. The clearances provide flexibility that maintains positional accuracy despite material expansion differences

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The design changes the physical parameter of the housing structure by introducing clearances between components, which allows the system to adapt to thermal expansion and contraction. This parameter change enables the maintenance of positional accuracy without demanding extremely tight assembly tolerances

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If housing components are arranged with clearances to accommodate thermal expansion, then positional accuracy is maintained, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositional accuracyVSAvoidhousing structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is divided into multiple components arranged along the scanning direction with clearances between them. This segmentation allows thermal expansion accommodation while maintaining positional accuracy, and the modular structure actually simplifies manufacturing and assembly compared to a monolithic integrated housing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 configuration effectively reduces misalignment between optical components and imaging elements, allowing for relaxed processing and assembly accuracy requirements while maintaining high positional accuracy, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and improving productivity.

Implementation Method 1

a change in relative positions between the optical components and the imaging elements due to a difference in linear expansion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLinear expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentUS12363237B2Image-reading device comprising a plurality of optical components arranged along the scanning direction board components arranged to have a second clearance therebetween and board components fixed to the housing

Publication Date: 2025.07.15 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

An image reading device includes a board including a plurality of imaging elements arranged along a scanning direction, and a housing including a plurality of optical components that are arranged along the scanning direction and a plurality of housing components that are arranged along the scanning direction. Each of the plurality of optical components focuses light reflected by a reading target onto a corresponding imaging element, and each of the plurality of housing components holds at least one optical component. The plurality of housing components are arranged to have a clearance therebetween and each of the plurality of housing components is fixed to the board at a position to transmit light through the optical components to focus onto the corresponding imaging element.