MINIATURE OPTICAL ZOOM LENS

• US 20150316748A1
• Filed: 05/08/2015
• Published: 11/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DynaOptics, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Dynaoptics Pte Limited A Singapore Private Limited Company
• Inventors: Cheo, Koon Lin, HOU, Chang Lun
• Application Number:
  US14/708,163
• Publication Number:
  US 20150316748A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/004 having four lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0045 having five or more lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0065 having a beam-folding prism or mirror
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/007 the beam folding prism having at least one curved surface
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0075 having an element with variable optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/0085 employing wafer level optics
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/009 having zoom function
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 15/1421 the first group being positive
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0081 having one or more elements with analytic function to create variable power variable magnification in general G02B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/005 Motorised alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/026 using retaining rings or springs G02B7/027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/04 with mechanism for focusing or varying magnification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/102 controlled by a microcomputer cameras with interchangeable lenses G03B17/14

Abstract

Miniature zoom lens systems and methods of manufacturing thereof are described. An exemplary system includes a first prism positioned to receive incident light from an entrance to the miniature lens system, at least a first varifocal lens positioned to receive the light that exits the prism, at least one base lens positioned to receive the light after passing through the first varifocal lens, a detector positioned to receive the light after passing through the base lens, and a first actuator configured to move the first varifocal lens in at least a direction perpendicular to propagation axis of the light passing through the first varifocal lens. The miniature lens system has a small z-height and can be implemented in mobile devices such as mobile phones.

Claims

1. A miniature zoom lens system, comprising:

a first prism positioned on an optical axis to receive incident light from an entrance to the miniature lens system through a first face of the first prism and to bend the received light by approximately 90 degrees before allowing the light to exit from a second face of the first prism;

a pair of varifocal lenses, each comprising at least two optical elements and each optical element having at least one optical surface defined by a polynomial, and wherein at least one of the pair of varifocal lenses is positioned to receive light that exits from the second face of the prism;

each of the optical elements being formed integrally with a frame,

at least one base lens positioned substantially along the optical axis to receive light after passing through the pair of varifocal lenses; and

a first actuator configured to connect to the frames of the optical elements to move the pair of varifocal lenses in a direction substantially perpendicular to optical axis.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the lens and frame are formed integrally by injection molding.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first varifocal lens is one of the following:

a liquid crystal lens, a liquid lens, or an Alvarez-like lens.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein at least two surfaces of at least one of the optical elements are defined by polynomials.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator comprises one of a coil or a magnet.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a structural platform to allow one of the following to be directly molded onto, fabricated onto, or integrated with the structural platform:

the first prism, a second prism, the first varifocal lens, or a second varifocal lens.

7. The system claim 6, wherein the structural platform comprises a spring flexure element.

8. The system claim 6, wherein the structural platform includes a frame and an arm.

9. The system claim 8, wherein:

the structural platform frame comprises a lead frame metal structure that is one or more of;

a metal-stamped structure, a laser-cut structure, a milled structure, an etched structure, or a molded structure;

the arm is molded on the lead frame structure; and

one or more of the first prism, a second prism, the first varifocal lens, or a second varifocal lens is molded onto the lead frame.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein a wafer-level optical component with a preformed lens element is bonded to the platform.

11. The system claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a voice-coil actuator with a bidirectional drive.

12. The system claim 1, comprising second actuator configured to move an optical component other than the first varifocal lens within the miniature zoom lens system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second actuator and the first actuator are configured to displace both the optical component other than the first varifocal lens and the first varifocal lens by the same distance and in the same direction.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the optical component other than the first varifocal lens is one of:

a second varifocal lens, the at least one base lens, the first prism, or a second prism.

15. The system claim 1, wherein the first varifocal lens has a rectangular or an oval-shaped cross section encompassing only an essential active area of the first varifocal lens.

16. The system claim 1, further comprising a second varifocal lens positioned to receive the light exiting the first varifocal lens before reaching the at least one base lens.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the second varifocal lens has a rectangular or an oval-shaped cross section encompassing only an essential active area of the second varifocal lens.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the optical elements of both the first and the second varifocal lenses are movable with respect to one another so as to provide optical zoom capability for the lens system.

19. The system claim 1, wherein the at least one base lens is configured to move along the optical axis of the system to provide optical focusing ability for the lens system.

20. A miniature zoom lens system, comprising:

a first varifocal lens positioned to receive incident light from an entrance to the miniature lens system, the first varifocal lens comprising at least two optical elements, each formed integrally with a frame;

a first prism positioned to receive light from the first varifocal lens through a first face of the first prism and to bend the received light by approximately 90 degrees before allowing the light to exit from a second face of the first prism;

a second varifocal lens positioned to receive the light that exits the second face of the prism, the second varifocal lens comprising at least two optical elements, each formed integrally with a frame;

at least one base lens positioned to receive the light after passing through the second varifocal lens;

a second prism positioned to receive the light that exits the at least one base lens through a first face of the second prism and to bend the light received by the second prism by approximately 90 degrees before allowing the light to exit from a second face of the second prism; and

at least one actuator configured to connect to the frames of the optical elements to move the optical elements of one or both of the first varifocal and second varifocal lenses in at least a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the system.