Square Lens Array for Uniform Linear Light Exposure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing linear light exposure devices with lens arrays suffer from fluctuations in light quantity due to non-uniform light distribution, leading to reduced image resolution and quality.
Innovation Solution
A lens array design featuring square-formed effective optical regions and light blocking units with specific dimensions and arrangements to control light transmission, ensuring uniform light distribution and minimizing ghost images, comprising a light source side and image side lens array unit with parallel optical axes and aspheric surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional lens arrays with circular lenses or rod lenses are used, then light can be transmitted through the lens array, but fluctuations in light quantity occur due to non-uniform light distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by changing the lens shape from circular or rod-like to square-shaped, where each lens in the array has a square effective optical region. This local geometric change ensures that light from adjacent light sources is properly directed without overlapping, creating uniform light distribution across the image surface while maintaining high image resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameter of the lens effective optical region from circular or cylindrical to square shape. This parameter change in the lens geometry directly addresses the light distribution uniformity issue by ensuring that the effective optical regions of adjacent lenses do not overlap, thereby eliminating light quantity fluctuations and improving overall illumination uniformity.
2Quantity of substance
If lens arrays with overlapping effective optical regions are used, then more light can be captured, but ghost images are generated due to light from adjacent light sources mixing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing each lens with a square effective optical region that precisely matches the arrangement pitch of the light sources. This ensures that light from each light source is captured only by its corresponding lens without spilling into adjacent lenses, thereby preventing ghost images while maintaining adequate light quantity for image formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces asymmetry by using square-shaped effective optical regions instead of the conventional circular or rod-like shapes. This asymmetric geometry, when combined with the specific arrangement pitch relationship (DX≦P≦2DX), creates a configuration where adjacent lens fields do not overlap, eliminating the harmful effect of ghost images while preserving light quantity.
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 significantly reduces light quantity fluctuations, enhancing image resolution and uniformity by optimizing lens cell arrangements and light blocking structures, resulting in improved light distribution and reduced aberrations.
Implementation Method 1
a lens array including: an image side lens array unit in which a plurality of lens cells are arranged in one line or a plurality of lines along an arrangement direction and arranged having optical axes thereof parallel with each other
Data Source
AI summary
A lens array, a linear light exposure device, and an optical apparatus including the linear light exposure device. The lens array includes: an image side lens array unit in which a plurality of lens cells are arranged in at least one line along an arrangement direction to have optical axes parallel with each other; and a light blocking unit provided on an incidence surface of the image side lens array unit, the light blocking unit having light transmission regions, through which light is transmitted toward each lens cell, and blocking regions in regions other than the light transmission regions, wherein each lens cell of the image side lens array unit has a square formed effective optical region.