IMAGE PICKUP LENS UNIT AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

• US 20140016215A1
• Filed: 03/27/2012
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Original Assignee: Konica Minolta Inc.
• Inventors: Mori, Hajime, Miyazaki, Takemi, Akutsu, Dai
• Granted Patent: US 9,632,277 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/811
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/0074 Production of other optical elements not provided for in B29D11/00009- B29D11/0073
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/006 Filter holders
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/02 for lenses supports for magnifying lenses G02B25/002
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/021 for more than one lens
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/022 lens and mount having complementary engagement means, e.g. screw/thread

Abstract

A small, high-performance image pickup lens unit having an IR cut filter that can be incorporated reliably therein while avoiding an increase in processing complexity. A sealing portion 14 is disposed between a lens 11 and an IR cut filter 12 in order to seal an internal space IS sandwiched between the lens 11 and the IR cut filter 12, and therefore a holder 40 can be molded integrally with the lens 11 and the IR cut filter 12 incorporated therein while preventing liquid resin MP from flowing in between the lens 11 and the IR cut filter 12. By molding the holder 40 integrally with the lens 11 and the IR cut filter 12 incorporated therein in this manner, an image pickup lens unit 100 can be reduced in size, and reductions in the number of components and the number of assembly man-hours can be achieved.

Claims

1. An image pickup lens unit comprising:

a lens;

a filter;

a holder that holds the lens and the filter in an interior thereof; and

a sealing portion disposed between the lens and the filter in order to seal an internal space sandwiched between the lens and the filter.

2. The image pickup lens unit according to claim 1, wherein the sealing portion includes a contact surface that makes close contact with a filter frame surface of the filter, which opposes the lens.

3. The image pickup lens unit according to claim 2, wherein the sealing portion is formed integrally with the lens.

4. The image pickup lens unit according to claim 2, wherein the sealing portion is formed separately from the lens and is formed from a different material from the lens.

5. The image pickup lens unit according to claim 4, wherein the sealing portion includes a contact surface that makes close contact with a lens frame surface of the lens, which opposes the filter.

6. The image pickup lens unit according to claim 1, wherein the sealing portion includes a positioning portion that aligns the lens with the filter.

7. The image pickup lens unit according to claim 6, wherein the positioning portion is a fitting portion including a step.

8. The image pickup lens unit according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of lenses are held in the interior of the holder.

9. The image pickup lens unit according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of lenses include a positioning portion for aligning the plurality of lenses with each other.

10. The image pickup lens unit according to claim 1, wherein the holder is formed from at least one of LCP resin and PPA resin.

11. The image pickup lens unit according to claim 1, wherein the filter is constructed by forming a filter membrane that blocks infrared rays, on a substrate formed from a glass material.

12. A manufacturing method for an image pickup lens unit including a lens, a filter, and a holder that holds the lens and the filter in an interior thereof, the manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

holding the lens and the filter using a first mold and a second mold, and forming a molding space on a periphery of the lens and the filter; and

molding a holder member that holds the lens and the filter in an interior thereof by charging a resin into the molding space and hardening the resin.

13. The manufacturing method for an image pickup lens unit according to claim 12, wherein when the molding space is formed on the periphery of the lens and the filter, a sealing portion for sealing an internal space sandwiched between the lens and the filter is disposed between the lens and the filter.

14. The manufacturing method for an image pickup lens unit according to claim 12, wherein before the molding space is formed by closing the first mold and the second mold, the lens is held by the first mold and the filter is held by the second mold.

15. The manufacturing method for an image pickup lens unit according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the first mold and the second mold includes a displacement mechanism for adjusting a position of at least one of the lens and the filter in a mold opening/closing direction.

16. The manufacturing method for an image pickup lens unit according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the first mold and the second mold includes a fixing mechanism that suctions at least one of the lens and the filter using negative pressure in order to hold the lens or the filter.

17. The manufacturing method for an image pickup lens unit according to claim 12, wherein at least one of the first mold and the second mold includes a positioning holding portion for positioning at least one of the lens and the filter relative to the mold while holding the lens or the filter.

18. The manufacturing method for an image pickup lens unit according to claim 12, wherein the lens and the filter are positioned and attached to at least one of the first mold and the second mold in an open condition using an attachment jig.

19. The manufacturing method for an image pickup lens unit according to claim 12, wherein the lens and the filter are attached to at least one of the first mold and the second mold while being temporarily assembled.

20. The manufacturing method for an image pickup lens unit according to claim 12, wherein in order to hold a first lens and a second lens in the interior of the holder, the first lens is held by the first mold and a temporary assembly of the second lens and the filter is held by the second mold, whereupon the first mold and the second mold are clamped such that the first lens contacts the second lens.

21. The manufacturing method for an image pickup lens unit according to claim 12, wherein the holder is formed from at least one of LCP resin and PPA resin.