LIQUID LENS

• US 20190324346A1
• Filed: 01/05/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Innotek Company Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: LEE, Kyu Tae
• Granted Patent: US 11,392,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/14 of variable focal length
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/29 for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/294 Variable focal length devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/08 light absorbing layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/12 electrode
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/02 Lateral adjustment of lens
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 5/04 Vertical adjustment of lens; Rising fronts

Abstract

A liquid lens may include a first plate which accommodates a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid, has an opening formed therein and having a predetermined inclined surface, and is formed from silicon; a first electrode disposed on the first plate; a second electrode disposed under the first plate; a second plate disposed on the first electrode; a third plate disposed under the second electrode; and a light s blocking layer disposed between the first plate and the third plate.

Claims

1. A liquid lens, comprising:

a first plate formed of a silicon material, the first plate accommodating a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid, including an opening formed therein, and the opening having an inclined surface;

a first electrode disposed on the first plate;

a second electrode disposed under the first plate;

a second plate disposed on the first electrode;

a third plate disposed under the second electrode; and

a light-blocking layer disposed between the first plate and the third plate.

2. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein the light-blocking layer comprises a hole formed at a position corresponding to the opening in the first plate.

3. The liquid lens according to claim 2, wherein the hole in the light-blocking layer is located within the opening in the first plate when viewed from above the opening in the first plate.

4. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein the inclined surface is inclined at an angle of 55°

to 65°

.

5. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein the second plate and the third plate are formed of a glass material.

6. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode comprise chrome (Cr), and

wherein the first plate, the second plate, and the third plate are bonded to each other via the first electrode and the second electrode comprising chrome (Cr).

7. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein the inclined surface comprises a lower end having an uneven or rounded shape.

8. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode is disposed between the first plate and the light-blocking layer.

11. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein the light-blocking layer includes a light-absorbing material, which is disposed on at least one of the second plate or the third plate and defines an open surface.

12. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein the light-blocking layer is formed in the shape of a ring, which is disposed between at least one of the second plate or the third plate and the first plate and defines an open surface.

13. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein the light-blocking layer includes a plate structure including a hole formed therein, which is disposed between at least one of the second plate or the third plate and the first plate and defines an open surface.

14. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein the opening is formed in the shape of a hole that has a circular-shaped cross-section.

15. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein an inner side portion of the light-blocking layer is disposed so as to be closer to the optical axis than an inner side portion of the inclined surface formed in the opening.

16. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein a portion at which an upper surface or a lower surface of the first plate is connected to the inclined surface formed in the opening in the first plate has a rounded shape.

17. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein a region occupied by the opening that is defined by an upper side or a lower side of the first plate has a circular shape.

18. The liquid lens according to claim 17, wherein a boundary of the region occupied by the opening includes an uneven portion.

19. The liquid lens according to claim 18, wherein the light-blocking layer is disposed at a position corresponding to the boundary including the uneven portion.

20. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein a region that is located at an upper side of the first plate among a region occupied by the opening is larger than a region that is located at a lower side of the first plate among the region occupied by the opening.

9. A liquid lens, comprising:

a first plate accommodating a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid, the first plate comprising an opening formed therein;

a first electrode disposed on the first plate;

a second electrode disposed under the first plate;

a second plate disposed on the first electrode, the second plate being formed of a glass material;

a third plate disposed under the second electrode, the third plate being formed of a glass material; and

a light-blocking layer coupled to the first plate, the light-blocking layer comprising a hole having a size smaller than a minimum size of the opening.

10. A liquid lens, comprising:

a first plate in which a conductive liquid and a non-conductive liquid are disposed, the first plate comprising an opening formed therein;

a first electrode disposed on the first plate;

a second electrode disposed under the first plate;

a second plate disposed on the first electrode;

a third plate disposed under the second electrode; and

a light-blocking layer disposed between the second plate and the third plate,

wherein the opening comprises one side and an opposite side having a larger size than the one side, and

wherein the light-blocking layer is disposed at the one side of the opening, and has lower light transmittance than the first plate.