Positioning wafer lenses on electronic imagers
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for positioning a lens relative to an imager without use of a lens holder, comprising:
- disposing an accumulation of an adhesive having a viscous form, outside an optical imaging region of said lens and said imager, so that said adhesive exclusively bridges a distance between the lens and the imager;
positioning said lens adjacent to said imager a spaced distance apart, separated by at least a portion of said adhesive;
aligning said lens at a precise distance from said imager based on a focal length of said lens, by selectively displacing a portion of said adhesive.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A low cost manufacturing method (300) and assembly (100) for positioning a lens (106) relative to an electronic imager (102). A viscous adhesive (104) is applied to the lens (106) or the electronic imager (102) outside of the optical path. The lens (106) is disposed on the electronic imager (102) exclusively with the adhesive (104) disposed between them.
16 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for positioning a lens relative to an imager without use of a lens holder, comprising:
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disposing an accumulation of an adhesive having a viscous form, outside an optical imaging region of said lens and said imager, so that said adhesive exclusively bridges a distance between the lens and the imager; positioning said lens adjacent to said imager a spaced distance apart, separated by at least a portion of said adhesive; aligning said lens at a precise distance from said imager based on a focal length of said lens, by selectively displacing a portion of said adhesive. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An imaging system, comprising:
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an electronic imager having an imaging surface comprising a plurality of pixels; a lens configured for focusing an image on said imaging surface, said lens having a lens position a predetermined distance from said imaging surface axially aligned with said imager so that a focal plane of said lens is generally parallel to said imaging surface; and a positioning structure securing said lens in said lens position relative to said imager, said positioning structure comprising an adhesive that fixes said lens in position relative to said imager without use of any intervening mechanical structure for positioning the lens. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for positioning a lens relative to an imaging surface defined by an imager, the lens having no lens barrel, comprising:
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applying an adhesive in an uncured state to a portion of the lens or the imager outside an optical imaging region of said lens and said imager, wherein the adhesive has a viscosity selected such that the adhesive provides for an adjustable support and positioning mechanism for the lens while in the uncured state; positioning said lens relative to said imager at a spaced distance apart, separated by said uncured adhesive; evaluating an image produced by said imager and said lens combination, while said adhesive is in an uncured state; selectively adjusting a position of said lens relative to said imager responsive to said evaluating step by repositioning said lens to displace a portion of said uncured adhesive; and curing the adhesive to fix a position of the lens relative to said imager.
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23. An imaging system having a lens and imager fixed relative to each other without use of a lens holder, comprising:
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an electronic imager having an imaging surface; a lens that is configured to focus an image on the imaging surface; an adhesive material disposed about the imaging surface of the electronic imager that secures the lens in axial alignment with the imaging surface; and wherein the adhesive operates as a positioning structure for maintaining orientation of the lens with respect to the imaging surface so that a focal plane of said lens is generally parallel to said imaging surface. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. An imaging system, comprising:
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an electronic imager having an imaging surface; a lens for focusing an image on the imaging surface; and means for securing and orienting said lens with respect to said imager, said means comprising primarily of an adhesive selectively displaced about the imaging surface through active alignment of the lens. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A method for manufacturing a camera module, comprising the steps of:
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disposing an accumulation of uncured adhesive on an imager and on a lens, such that the adhesive is outside an optical imaging region of said lens and said imager, the adhesive having a viscous form that maintains a spaced apart distance between the lens and imager; and actively aligning the lens by selectively displacing a portion of said adhesive to adjust position and orientation of the lens relative to said imager thereby focusing the lens with respect to the imager; and after the step of actively aligning, curing the adhesive to fix the position and orientation of the lens relative to the imager. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. An imaging system, comprising:
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a lens stack having no lens barrel; an electronic imager having an imaging surface, and a region outside the imaging surface; an adhesive material disposed on the electronic imager on the region outside the imaging surface; and wherein the lens stack is secured directly to the electronic imager by the adhesive material, without an intervening mechanical structure, and the lens stack is positioned by the adhesive relative to the imager such that a focal plane of said lens stack is generally parallel to said imaging surface. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification