Sensor Head Optical Path Folding for Compact Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sensor heads face challenges in reducing size while maintaining measurement accuracy, as minimizing the length of the sensor head along the optical axis often results in increased size due to the overhang of case sections and potential decreases in lens diameter leading to accuracy issues.
Innovation Solution
The sensor head design incorporates a case with cylindrical sections and a mirror member to bend light, minimizing the longitudinal length and overhang, while maintaining measurement accuracy through a diffraction lens and objective lens configuration within cylindrical case sections connected via a third case section with a mirror member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the sensor head is reduced in size by minimizing the longitudinal length, then compactness is improved, but the case sections overhang outward further than the lens, increasing the size in transverse direction
Solution Approach 1:
The optical axis is bent to change the spatial arrangement from a straight longitudinal configuration to a folded path. This allows the optical path length to be maintained while reducing the longitudinal projection of the sensor head, preventing case sections from overhanging beyond the lens diameter.
2Length of moving object
If a small lens is used to reduce the sensor head size, then compactness is improved, but the effective diameter of the lens is reduced, causing a decrease in measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
By bending the optical axis, the patent decouples the relationship between lens diameter and sensor head longitudinal length. This allows maintaining a large effective lens diameter for measurement accuracy while reducing the overall longitudinal size of the sensor head through the folded optical path.
3Length of moving object
If the optical axis is bent to reduce longitudinal length, then compactness is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional mirror members and bent case sections
Solution Approach 1:
The case is designed as an integrated bent structure that accommodates the folded optical path. The mirror member is positioned within the bent case section, merging the housing and optical routing functions into a unified compact design, reducing the number of separate components and assembly steps.
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 allows for a reduction in size without compromising measurement accuracy by minimizing overhang and maintaining the effective diameter of the lenses, thus achieving a compact sensor head with preserved performance.
Implementation Method 1
a diffraction lens configured to emit light entering from a light source side along an optical axis and generate chromatic aberration with respect to the light
Implementation Method 2
a third case section having a mirror member disposed therein and configured to bend light entering from the diffraction lens side toward the objective lens side
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a sensor head capable of reduction in size while securing measurement accuracy. A sensor head includes a first case section and a second case section each having a substantially cylindrical shape and an end portion of which is open, and a third case section configured to connect the first case section and the second case section, a diffraction lens is disposed in the first case section, an objective lens is disposed in the second case section, and a mirror member is disposed in the third case section and configured to bend light entering the diffraction lens side toward the objective lens side.