Lens barrel

Abstract

An optical lens barrel includes a barrel body, a multilayer interference film, and a stain-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer. The multilayer interference film is disposed on the outer surface of the barrel body, and includes alternating stacked high-refractive-index films and low-refractive-index films. The stain-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer is disposed on the multilayer interference film, with the multilayer interference film positioned between the barrel body and the protective layer. The reflectivity of the outer surface of the barrel formed by the combination of the refractive index and thickness of the stain-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer and the multilayer interference film is less than or equal to 0.2%.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an optical element, and more particularly to a lens barrel. Prior Technology

[0002] With the rapid increase in visual imaging demands for consumer and commercial products, miniaturized lenses are being used more and more widely across various fields. Users have increasingly higher requirements for the concealment of lenses in end products, hoping that the lens's presence on the device is as low as possible. Therefore, the demand for low-reflection treatment technology for lens barrel surfaces continues to increase.

[0003] A conventional technique involves spraying black paint or applying a black film to the outer surface of the lens barrel. However, traditional black paint spraying or black film application processes are inconsistent in thickness and lack precision, which cannot meet the high standards of surface flatness and thickness required for consumer and commercial miniature lenses.

[0004] Another known technique involves applying a black coating to the outer surface of the lens barrel. While this black coating technique has improved some optical performance, its reflectivity is still not low enough. Furthermore, the coated surface is prone to dirt and wear, making it difficult to maintain the long-term quality and stability of the lens barrel's appearance. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention provides a lens barrel that has low reflectivity, good protective performance and good long-term stability, and has a precise appearance.

[0006] One embodiment of the present invention provides a lens barrel, comprising a lens barrel body, a multilayer interference film, and a stain-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer. The multilayer interference film is disposed on the outer surface of the lens barrel body, wherein the multilayer interference film comprises alternating stacked high-refractive-index films and low-refractive-index films. The stain-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer is disposed on the multilayer interference film, wherein the multilayer interference film is disposed between the lens barrel body and the stain-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer. The reflectivity of the outer surface of the lens barrel formed by the combination of the refractive index and thickness of the stain-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer and the multilayer interference film is less than or equal to 0.2%.

[0007] In the lens barrel of this invention, a multilayer interference thin film and a dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer are disposed on the outer surface of the lens barrel body. The combination of the refractive index and thickness of the dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer and the multilayer interference thin film, based on the principle of thin-film interference, causes the reflected light to form destructive interference, thereby significantly suppressing the intensity of the reflected light. Therefore, the reflectivity of the outer surface of the lens barrel formed by the combination of the refractive index and thickness of the dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer and the multilayer interference thin film is less than or equal to 0.2%. In other words, the outer surface of the lens barrel can thus have extremely low reflectivity, thereby giving the lens barrel excellent concealment. Furthermore, because a dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer is disposed on the multilayer interference thin film, the lens barrel can have good protective performance and good long-term stability, and can also have a precise appearance. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0008] Figure 1A is a perspective view showing the appearance of the lens barrel according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the lens barrel of Figure 1A cut along the optical axis A1. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the surface structure of the lens barrel in Figure 1B. Figure 3 is a graph showing the reflectance spectrum of the outer surface of the lens barrel in Figure 2 and the reflectance spectrum of the outer surface of the lens barrel body without the coating of multilayer interference film and anti-fouling and anti-scratch protective layer. Figures 4A and 4B are cross-sectional schematic diagrams of the surface structure of the lens barrel in two other embodiments of the present invention. Implementation

[0009] Figure 1A is a perspective view showing the appearance of the lens barrel according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1B is a cross-sectional view of the lens barrel of Figure 1A cut along the optical axis A1, and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the surface structure of the lens barrel of Figure 1B. Referring to Figures 1A, 1B and 2, the lens barrel 100 of this embodiment can be used to accommodate at least one lens 50 to form an optical lens, wherein the lens barrel 100 may have a accommodating space 104 to accommodate the lens 50, and may have an opening 106 to expose the lens 50. Light from the outside can enter the lens 50 inside the lens barrel 100 through the opening 106 and be refractively affected by the lens 50. The lens barrel 100 of this embodiment includes a lens barrel body 110, a multilayer interference film 120 and a dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer 130. The multilayer interference film 120 is disposed on the outer surface 112 of the lens barrel body 110, wherein the multilayer interference film 120 includes alternating stacked high refractive index film 122 and low refractive index film 124. A dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer 130 is disposed on a multilayer interference film 120, wherein the multilayer interference film 120 is disposed between the lens barrel body 110 and the dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer 130. By appropriately utilizing the principle of thin-film interference, the reflectivity of the outer surface 102 of the lens barrel 100 formed by the combination of the refractive index and thickness of the dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer 130 and the multilayer interference film 120 is less than or equal to 0.2%.

[0010] In this embodiment, the lens barrel body 110 is a lens barrel component in consumer electronics, commercial monitoring systems, or optical instruments, such as the lens barrel component of a mobile phone, tablet computer, or camera lens. In this embodiment, the material of the lens barrel body 110 is plastic, such as black plastic, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the lens barrel body 110 may also be made of other suitable materials.

[0011] The refractive index of the high-refractive-index film 122 is, for example, in the range of 2.16 to 2.3, and the refractive index of the low-refractive-index film 124 is, for example, in the range of 1.38 to 1.54, with the high-refractive-index film 122 having a higher refractive index than the low-refractive-index film 124. In this embodiment, the material of the high-refractive-index film 122 is, for example, tantalum trioxide, titanium dioxide, or titanium pentoxide, and the material of the low-refractive-index film 124 is, for example, silicon dioxide or aluminum oxide. In this embodiment, the thickness T2 of the multilayer interference film 120 is in the range of 240 nanometers to 410 nanometers.

[0012] Furthermore, the refractive index of the anti-fouling and scratch-resistant protective layer 130 is, for example, in the range of 1.3 to 1.45. In this embodiment, the material of the anti-fouling and scratch-resistant protective layer 130 is a fluorinated compound or a fluorinated polymer, such as C₈F₁₇CH₂CH₂Si(OCH₃)₃, CF₃(CF₂)₉CH₂CH₂SiCl₃, CF₃(CF₂)₇CH₂CH₂SiCl₃, or polymers or compounds having other chemical formulas, and the present invention is not limited thereto. Fluorinated polymers, for example, have hydrophobic and oleophobic properties. Moreover, in this embodiment, the thickness T1 of the anti-fouling and scratch-resistant protective layer is in the range of 5 nanometers to 50 nanometers.

[0013] In this embodiment, the low reflection effect (e.g., reflectivity less than or equal to 0.2%) formed by the combination of the refractive index and thickness of the anti-fouling and anti-scratch protective layer 130 and the multilayer interference film 120 is suitable for the visible light band, for example, for light with wavelengths from 420 nanometers to 700 nanometers.

[0014] Figure 3 is a graph showing the reflectance spectrum of the outer surface of the lens barrel in Figure 2 and the reflectance spectrum of the outer surface of the lens barrel body without the multilayer interference film and anti-fouling and anti-scratch protective layer. Referring to Figure 3, the curve labeled "uncoated" refers to the reflectance spectrum of the outer surface 112 of the lens barrel body 110 without the multilayer interference film 120 and anti-fouling and anti-scratch protective layer 130, while the curve labeled "this embodiment" refers to the reflectance spectrum of the outer surface 102 of the lens barrel 100 in Figure 2. Figure 3 verifies that the lens barrel 100 of this embodiment, after adopting the multilayer interference film 120 and the anti-fouling and anti-scratch protective layer 130, can indeed significantly reduce the reflectance of the outer surface.

[0015] In the lens barrel 100 of this embodiment, a multilayer interference thin film 120 and a dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer 130 are disposed on the outer surface 112 of the lens barrel body 110. The combination of the refractive index and thickness of the dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer 130 and the multilayer interference thin film 120, based on the principle of thin-film interference, causes the reflected light to form destructive interference, thereby significantly suppressing the intensity of the reflected light. Therefore, the reflectivity of the outer surface 102 of the lens barrel 100 formed by the combination of the refractive index and thickness of the dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer 130 and the multilayer interference thin film 120 is less than or equal to 0.2%. In other words, the outer surface of the lens barrel 100 can thus have extremely low reflectivity, thereby giving the lens barrel 100 excellent concealment. Furthermore, because the dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer 130 is disposed on the multilayer interference thin film 120, the lens barrel 100 has good protective performance, good durability, and good long-term stability, enabling it to have a precise appearance, and the appearance color of the lens barrel 100 can remain stable and consistent over a long period.

[0016] In addition, in this embodiment, the multilayer interference film 120 and the anti-fouling and scratch-resistant protective layer 130 can be deposited on the outer surface 112 of the lens barrel body 110 using a precise vacuum coating process. Utilizing optical design principles (i.e., thin-film interference principles), a film structure of alternating stacked high-refractive-index films 122 and low-refractive-index films 124 is constructed to effectively interfere with and eliminate reflected light from the outer surface 102 of the lens barrel 100, significantly reducing surface reflectivity to extremely low levels. For example, the multilayer interference film 120 can reduce the reflectivity of the lens barrel surface from the original 4.5% to 0.3%, achieving excellent optical performance. Furthermore, with the addition of the anti-fouling and scratch-resistant protective layer 130, the reflectivity of the lens barrel surface can be further reduced to over 0.2%, achieving an ultra-low reflectivity effect. Moreover, the use of a nano-level anti-fouling and scratch-resistant protective layer 130 can achieve excellent waterproof and oil-proof performance and enhanced surface hardness, significantly improving the surface stain resistance and scratch resistance of the lens barrel 100. Furthermore, this coating scheme takes into account mechanical stability, environmental tolerance, and long-term reliability in the design and fabrication of the film structure, ensuring stable and continuous performance of the lens barrel's appearance. In one embodiment, the aforementioned vacuum coating process may include electron beam evaporation and ion-assisted deposition to ensure uniformity of film thickness and adhesion.

[0017] The lens barrel 100 of this embodiment is significantly superior to traditional processes in terms of optical performance, protective performance and durability. The lens barrel 100 of this embodiment solves the problems of poor film thickness control, wear and dirt that are common with traditional spray painting or black coating. The lens barrel 100 of this embodiment achieves a perfect combination of ultra-low reflection, anti-fouling and anti-scratch performance on the lens barrel surface. Moreover, the lens barrel 100 of this embodiment meets the requirements of modern consumer products for high quality, precision appearance and long-term stability.

[0018] In this embodiment, before coating, the surface of the lens barrel 100 can be cleaned and pretreated to remove dust, grease, and other contaminants, ensuring adhesion between the coating layer and the surface of the lens barrel 100. Common treatment methods include using ultrasonic cleaning to remove surface particles and organic matter, and may include using plasma treatment to activate the lens barrel surface and improve the adhesion of the coating layer.

[0019] The coating conditions for the multilayer interference thin film 120 include controlling the vacuum level, coating temperature, and deposition rate to ensure uniformity of film thickness and stability of optical performance. The anti-fouling and anti-scratch protective layer 130 can be coated by vacuum evaporation process to uniformly cover the anti-fouling and anti-scratch protective layer 130. In one embodiment, the coating thickness can be ensured to be in the range of 10 nanometers to 30 nanometers.

[0020] After the multilayer interference film 120 and the anti-fouling and scratch-resistant protective layer 130 are deposited, performance and reliability tests can be performed to verify whether the product achieves the expected results. Test items may include optical performance testing, reliability testing, and process flow testing. Optical performance testing measures whether the reflectivity meets the standard of less than 0.2%. Reliability testing may include high-temperature and high-humidity storage testing, low-temperature storage testing, thermal shock testing, and vibration testing. Process flow testing verifies the product through processes such as lens assembly, testing, washing, packaging, shipping, module encapsulation, and module baking.

[0021] Figures 4A and 4B are cross-sectional schematic diagrams of the surface structure of the lens barrel according to two other embodiments of the present invention. Referring first to Figure 4A, in the lens barrel 100a of this embodiment, the multilayer interference film 120a includes a high-refractive-index film 122, a low-refractive-index film 124, another high-refractive-index film 122, a low-refractive-index film 124, another high-refractive-index film 122, and another low-refractive-index film 124, stacked sequentially from the outer surface 112 of the lens barrel body 110 away from the lens barrel body 110. Referring then to Figure 4B, in the lens barrel 100b of this embodiment, the multilayer interference film 120b includes a low-refractive-index film 124, a high-refractive-index film 122, a low-refractive-index film 124, another high-refractive-index film 122, and another low-refractive-index film 124, stacked sequentially from the outer surface 112 of the lens barrel body 110 away from the lens barrel body 110. The film layer design of lens barrels 100a and 100b helps to achieve a good reflectivity reduction effect. In the multilayer interference films 120a and 120b of the mirror tubes 100a and 100b, the interference film farthest from the mirror tube body 110 is the low refractive index film 124.

[0022] In summary, in the lens barrel of this embodiment, a multilayer interference film and a dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer are disposed on the outer surface of the lens barrel body. The combination of the refractive index and thickness of the dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer and the multilayer interference film, based on the principle of thin-film interference, causes the reflected light to form destructive interference, thereby significantly suppressing the intensity of the reflected light. Therefore, the reflectivity of the outer surface of the lens barrel formed by the combination of the refractive index and thickness of the dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer and the multilayer interference film is less than or equal to 0.2%. This means that the outer surface of the lens barrel can thus have extremely low reflectivity, resulting in excellent concealment. Furthermore, because a dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer is disposed on the multilayer interference film, the lens barrel can have good protective performance and good long-term stability, and can also have a precise appearance.

[0023] 50: Lens 100, 100a, 100b: Lens tube 102, 112: Outer surface 104: Storage space 106: Opening 110: Lens barrel body 120, 120a, 120b: Multilayer interference thin films 122: High Refractive Index Film 124: Low Refractive Index Film 130: Anti-fouling and scratch-resistant protective layer T1, T2: Thickness

Claims

1. A microscope tube, comprising: One lens tube body; A multilayer interference film is disposed on the outer surface of the mirror tube body, wherein the multilayer interference film includes alternating stacked high refractive index films and low refractive index films; A dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer is disposed on the multilayer interference film, wherein the multilayer interference film is disposed between the lens barrel body and the dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer, wherein the reflectivity of the outer surface of the lens barrel formed by the combination of the refractive index and thickness of the dirt-resistant and scratch-resistant protective layer and the multilayer interference film is less than or equal to 0.2%.

2. The lens barrel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the high refractive index film is made of tantalum trioxide, titanium dioxide, or titanium pentoxide, and the low refractive index film is made of silicon dioxide or aluminum oxide.

3. The lens barrel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material of the antifouling and scratch-resistant protective layer is a fluorinated compound or a fluorinated polymer.

4. The mirror barrel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multilayer interference film comprises high, low, high, low, high and low refractive index films stacked sequentially from the outer surface of the mirror barrel body in a direction away from the mirror barrel body.

5. The mirror barrel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multilayer interference film comprises low, high, low, high and low refractive index films sequentially stacked from the outer surface of the mirror barrel body in a direction away from the mirror barrel body.

6. The lens barrel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the antifouling and scratch-resistant protective layer falls within the range of 5 nanometers to 50 nanometers.

7. The lens barrel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material of the lens barrel body is plastic.

8. The lens barrel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lens barrel body is a lens barrel component in a consumer electronics product, a commercial monitoring system, or an optical instrument.

9. The lens barrel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the low reflection effect formed by the combination of the anti-fouling and scratch-resistant protective layer and the refractive index and thickness of the multilayer interference film is suitable for light with wavelengths from 420 nanometers to 700 nanometers.

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