Liquid lens and optical module comprising same

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of optics, and provides a liquid lens and an optical module comprising the liquid lens, the liquid lens comprises a fixing ring with a first ring body, the first ring body is provided with an accommodating area, the accommodating area is sealed by an elastic film, and the accommodating area is filled with optical liquid; in the direction from the bottom interface to the top interface of the containing area, the radial distance between the inner wall face of the first ring body and the center axis of the first ring body is gradually decreased, and a lyophobic layer is arranged on the inner wall face; the actuating ring is arranged on one side of the bottom interface. According to the invention, the inner wall of the accommodating area of the first ring body is in a specific inclined state and cooperates with the lyophobic layer, so that when liquid is injected and packaged from one side of the top interface, the phenomenon of liquid packaging overflow can be effectively prevented, the difficulty of the packaging process is reduced, the manufacturability of the liquid lens is improved, and the production efficiency is improved. And the packaging quality and the optical performance of the liquid lens are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of optical technology and relates to a liquid lens and an optical module containing the same. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of optical technology and microelectronics technology, thin-film deformable liquid lens, as a new type of optical element, has the advantages of fast response, low power consumption and high integration, and is widely used in smart phones, autofocus cameras, biomedical imaging, optical communications and machine vision.

[0003] The basic structure of a liquid lens usually includes a sealed liquid chamber, one or more deformable elastic films, and a drive device. The liquid chamber is closed by an elastic film and filled with a transparent liquid. The focal length is tuned by changing the shape of the liquid. Common types of liquid lenses include electrowetting liquid lenses, piezoelectric driven liquid lenses, and mechanically driven liquid lenses. Among them, mechanical drive is to directly deform the liquid chamber through the mechanical force applied by the driver to adjust the shape of the liquid.

[0004] In the manufacturing process of liquid lenses, the filling and packaging of closed liquid chambers is a key link. In the prior art, closed liquid chambers mainly adopt straight wall structures, or straight wall structures with chamfers; due to the difference in wettability of the elastic film to the liquid and the chamber wall to the liquid, the liquid tends to overflow along the chamber wall to the chamber mouth during liquid injection, which easily leads to the problem that the liquid overflows the chamber mouth before filling the chamber. This problem not only increases the difficulty of the packaging process, but also reduces the manufacturability of the thin film deformable liquid lens, and even affects the performance of the liquid lens.

[0005] CN111936893A discloses a method and assembly related to the manufacture of a variable focus diopter optical device, specifically a method for filling a package of a compression type adjustable optical device, wherein the compression type adjustable optical device may be a liquid lens or a reflector, wherein an expandable film is matched with an overflow device, a liquid overflow conduit is provided to guide excess liquid to overflow from the package, and at the same time, the supply of liquid to the package is slowed down or stopped to gradually relax the film until the diopter of the monitored matching optical device drops to a predetermined value, thereby achieving the package requirements and target optical performance. Since a specific overflow device is required and the process is coordinated, the use cost is high and the operation is complicated.

[0006] From the above, it can be seen that in order to further improve the manufacturability and performance of liquid lenses, new solutions need to be continuously explored and developed. Summary of the invention

[0007] In view of the problems existing in the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a liquid lens and an optical module containing the same, wherein the liquid lens comprises a fixed ring having a first ring body, the first ring body having a containing area, the containing area being sealed by an elastic membrane and filled with an optical liquid; along the direction from the bottom interface to the top interface of the containing area, the radial distance between the inner wall surface of the first ring body and the central axis of the first ring body gradually decreases, and the inner wall surface is provided with a liquid-repellent layer; and the actuating ring is provided on one side of the bottom interface. That is, the present invention configures the inner wall of the containing area of ​​the first ring body to be in a specific inclined state and cooperates with the liquid-repellent layer, so that when the liquid is injected and packaged from the top interface side, the liquid packaging overflow phenomenon can be effectively prevented, the difficulty of the packaging process is reduced, the manufacturability of the liquid lens is increased, and the packaging quality and optical performance of the liquid lens are guaranteed.

[0008] To achieve this object, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:

[0009] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a liquid lens, comprising:

[0010] A fixing ring, comprising a first ring body, the internal space of which is a containing area; in the axial direction of the first ring body, two opposite interfaces of the containing area are a top interface and a bottom interface respectively; along the direction from the bottom interface to the top interface, the radial distance between the inner wall surface of the first ring body and the central axis of the first ring body gradually decreases.

[0011] The liquid-repellent layer is arranged on the inner wall surface of the first ring body.

[0012] The elastic membrane comprises a bottom elastic membrane arranged on one side of the bottom interface and a top elastic membrane arranged on one side of the top interface, and the elastic membrane is used to achieve sealing of the accommodating area.

[0013] The optical liquid is arranged in the sealed containing area.

[0014] The actuating ring is arranged on a side surface of the bottom elastic membrane away from the accommodating area; the internal space of the actuating ring is the light-through hole of the liquid lens; in the orthographic projection to the actuating ring, the inner wall surface of the first ring body does not overlap with the light-through hole.

[0015] In the present invention, it can be understood by those skilled in the art that the containing area sealed by the elastic membrane is a closed liquid chamber filled with optical liquid, and the actuating ring is arranged on the bottom side of the closed liquid chamber, so the liquid injection for the liquid lens is on the side opposite to the actuating ring, that is, the top side of the closed liquid chamber as the chamber opening when the liquid is injected before sealing. For this liquid injection and packaging process, the present invention adjusts the inner wall surface of the first ring body of the fixing ring to a non-"vertical wall surface" and a specific tilted state, which can be understood as changing the shape of the containing area from a column hole to a specific cone hole. At this time, because the contact angle between the liquid and the container wall surface is fixed, compared with the straight wall structure, the specific tilted state can make the liquid gather more inside the container, and the "inclined wall surface" structure is used in conjunction with the synergistic effect of the liquid-repellent layer arranged thereon to achieve the standardization and restriction of the liquid injection process, avoiding the problem of liquid overflow due to insufficient filling, thereby effectively reducing the difficulty of the packaging process, increasing the manufacturability of the liquid lens, and ensuring the packaging quality and optical performance of the liquid lens.

[0016] It should be noted that the inclined wall surface is a specific inclined state, which means that in the cross section through the central axis of the fixing member, the inner wall surface closer to the top side of the sealed liquid chamber is closer to the central axis, and the inner wall surface closer to the bottom side of the sealed liquid chamber is closer to the outer edge of the ring body. At this time, the cross-sectional shape of the sealed liquid chamber or the containing area is an upright non-right-angled trapezoid, the short bottom side of the upright trapezoid is the top interface of the containing area, and the long bottom side is the bottom interface of the containing area. If the cross-sectional shape of the sealed liquid chamber or the containing area is an inverted non-right-angled trapezoid, that is, the top interface is the long side of the trapezoid, and the bottom interface is the short side of the trapezoid, although the inner wall surface is also a non-vertical wall surface at this time, this inclined structural feature cannot achieve the effect of solving the overflow problem.

[0017] It should also be noted that, those skilled in the art can understand that, the present invention is limited to the situation that the inner wall surface of the first ring body does not overlap with the light through hole in the orthographic projection onto the actuating ring, which means that, in order not to affect the optical performance of the liquid lens, the space on both sides of the light through hole of the liquid lens should not be blocked by the inner wall surface of the accommodating area or the liquid-repellent layer provided thereon, and therefore, the dimensions of each component and / or structure should be reasonably adjusted.

[0018] The following are preferred technical solutions of the present invention, but are not intended to be limitations of the technical solutions provided by the present invention. Through the following technical solutions, the technical objectives and beneficial effects of the present invention can be better achieved and realized.

[0019] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the fixing ring also includes a second ring body in contact with the first ring body. On the side of the bottom interface away from the accommodating area, the second ring body is coaxially arranged with the first ring body, and the internal space of the second ring body is the bottom additional area.

[0020] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the actuating ring is arranged in the bottom additional area and contacts the bottom elastic membrane.

[0021] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the diameter of the bottom additional area is smaller than the diameter of the bottom interface, so that the second ring body has a bottom radial protrusion extending from the surrounding outer edges toward the central axis of the second ring body; the bottom elastic membrane is arranged on the surface of the bottom radial protrusion on the bottom interface.

[0022] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the fixed ring also includes a third ring body in contact with the first ring body, and the third ring body is coaxially arranged with the first ring body on the side of the top interface away from the accommodating area, and the internal space of the third ring body is a top expansion area; the top expansion area is connected with the accommodating area to accommodate the optical liquid; and the diameter of the top expansion area is smaller than the diameter of the top interface, so that the third ring body has a top radial protrusion extending from the outer edges of the four sides to the central axis of the third ring body; the top radial protrusion is used to block the liquid from flowing outward.

[0023] It should be noted that, similar to the inner wall surface of the accommodating area, in the orthographic projection onto the actuating ring, neither the bottom radial protrusion nor the top radial protrusion overlaps with the light-through hole.

[0024] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the two opposite outer surfaces of the fixing ring in the axial direction are respectively an outer bottom surface and an outer top surface; the top elastic membrane is arranged on the outer top surface.

[0025] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the liquid lens further comprises a light-transmitting plate, and the light-transmitting plate is arranged on a surface of the top elastic membrane on a side away from the accommodating area.

[0026] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the material of the liquid-repellent layer includes at least one of Teflon, PS or PTFE; the liquid-repellent layer is arranged on the inner wall surface of the first ring body by at least one of chemical plating, deposition or coating.

[0027] Furthermore, as described above, the contact angle between the liquid and the container wall surface is fixed, and the size of the contact angle depends on the material of the container wall surface, namely, the liquid-repellent layer material in the present invention; through the reasonable selection of the liquid-repellent layer material, the size of the contact angle can be changed, thereby cooperating with the tilt avoidance structure to further achieve control of the morphology of the liquid on the wall surface, thereby preventing the liquid package from overflowing.

[0028] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an optical module, comprising the liquid lens described in the first aspect.

[0029] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, the optical module includes a lens driver, which includes a fixed part and a movable part; an actuating ring connector connected to the movable part is arranged at the center of one end of the lens driver, and the lens driver includes a fixed ring connector surrounding the actuating ring connector, and the fixed ring connector is connected to the fixed part; the actuating ring connector is connected to the actuating ring in the liquid lens, and the fixed ring connector is connected to the fixed ring in the liquid lens.

[0030] Compared with the prior art solutions, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0031] The present invention adjusts the inner wall surface of the first ring body of the fixing ring to be a non-"vertical wall surface" and to be in a specific inclined state, and utilizes the synergistic effect of the "inclined wall surface" structure and the liquid-repellent layer arranged thereon to achieve standardization and restriction of the liquid injection process, thereby avoiding the problem of liquid overflow due to incomplete filling, thereby effectively reducing the difficulty of the packaging process, increasing the manufacturability of the liquid lens, and ensuring the packaging quality and optical performance of the liquid lens. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present invention and the liquid lens in Example 1.

[0033] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 3D exploded view of the liquid lens in Figure 1.

[0034] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Side view of the liquid lens in Figure 2.

[0035] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 Side view of the liquid lens in Figure 1.

[0036] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 Exploded side view of the liquid lens in Figure 1.

[0037] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of a fixing ring in one embodiment of the present invention and Example 1.

[0038] Figure 7 It is a side cross-sectional view of a liquid lens in one embodiment and Example 2 of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 8 It is a schematic assembly diagram of a lens driver, a fixing ring connector and an actuating ring connector in one embodiment of the present invention and Application Example 1.

[0040] Fig. 9 yes Figure 8 Exploded diagram.

[0041] Fig.10 yes Figure 8 Side view of.

[0042] Fig.11 yes Figure 8 sectional view of .

[0043] Fig.12 yes Fig.11 Exploded diagram.

[0044] Fig.13 It is a schematic diagram of the assembly of an optical module containing the liquid lens of Example 1 in one embodiment of the present invention and Application Example 1.

[0045] Fig.14 It is a side cross-sectional view of an optical module including the liquid lens of Example 1 in one embodiment of the present invention and Application Example 1.

[0046] Fig.15 It is a side cross-sectional view of an optical module including the liquid lens of Example 2 in one embodiment of the present invention and Application Example 1.

[0047] In the figure: 100-fixed ring, 110-first ring body, 111-accommodating area, 112-top interface, 113-bottom interface, 120-second ring body, 121-bottom additional area, 122-bottom radial protrusion, 130-third ring body, 131-top expansion area, 132-top radial protrusion, 141-outer top surface, 142-outer bottom surface, 150-inner wall surface, 200-liquid-repellent layer, 300-elastic membrane, 310-bottom elastic membrane, 320-top elastic membrane, 400-optical liquid, 500-actuating ring, 510-light hole, 600-light-transmitting plate, 700-lens driver, 800-fixed ring connector, 900-actuating ring connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The technical solution of the present invention is further illustrated below through specific implementation methods.

[0049] It should be clear to those skilled in the art that the embodiments are only intended to help understand the present invention and should not be considered as specific limitations of the present invention.

[0050] In the prior art, a common thin-film deformable liquid lens mainly includes a closed liquid chamber, a deformable elastic film, and an actuating ring. External pressure is applied through the actuating ring to change the pressure of the liquid in the chamber on the elastic film, causing it to bulge or concave, thereby changing the focal length of the lens. The closed liquid chamber is composed of related structural parts and an elastic film. During the actual manufacturing and assembly process, the liquid needs to be encapsulated in a closed liquid chamber. During the encapsulation process, liquid overflow occurs during liquid injection due to the unsatisfactory chamber structure and the difference in wettability of the film to the liquid and the chamber wall to the liquid. This phenomenon increases the difficulty of the encapsulation process and reduces the manufacturability of the thin-film deformable liquid lens.

[0051] To solve the above problems, in some specific embodiments, the present invention provides a liquid lens, such as Figures 1 to 6 As shown, including:

[0052] A fixing ring 100, the fixing ring 100 includes a first ring body 110, the internal space of the first ring body 110 is a containing area 111; in the axial direction of the first ring body 110, the two opposite interfaces of the containing area 111 are a top interface 112 and a bottom interface 113 respectively; along the direction from the bottom interface 113 to the top interface 112, the radial distance between the inner wall surface 150 of the first ring body 110 and the central axis of the first ring body 110 gradually decreases.

[0053] The liquid-repellent layer 200 is disposed on the inner wall surface 150 of the first ring body 110 .

[0054] The elastic membrane 300 includes a bottom elastic membrane 310 disposed on one side of the bottom interface 113 and a top elastic membrane 320 disposed on one side of the top interface 112 . The elastic membrane 300 is used to achieve sealing of the accommodating area 111 .

[0055] The optical liquid 400 is disposed in the sealed containing area 111 .

[0056] The actuating ring 500 is arranged on a side surface of the bottom elastic membrane 310 away from the accommodating area 111; the internal space of the actuating ring 500 is the light-through hole 510 of the liquid lens; in the orthographic projection of the actuating ring 500, the inner wall surface 150 of the first ring body 110 does not overlap with the light-through hole 510.

[0057] In one embodiment, the fixing ring 100 further includes a second ring body 120 in contact with the first ring body 110 , and the second ring body 120 is coaxially arranged with the first ring body 110 on the side of the bottom interface 113 away from the accommodating area 111 , and the internal space of the second ring body 120 is a bottom additional area 121 .

[0058] In one embodiment, the actuating ring 500 is disposed in the bottom additional area 121 and contacts the bottom elastic membrane 310 .

[0059] It can be understood that the bottom elastic membrane 310 in contact with the actuating ring 500 is deformed by mechanical action.

[0060] In one embodiment, the diameter of the bottom additional area 121 is smaller than the diameter of the bottom interface 113, so that the second ring body 120 has a bottom radial protrusion 122 extending from the surrounding outer edges toward the central axis of the second ring body 120; the bottom elastic membrane 310 is arranged on the surface of the bottom radial protrusion 122 on the bottom interface 113.

[0061] In one embodiment, the fixing ring 100 also includes a third ring body 130 in contact with the first ring body 110, and the third ring body 130 is coaxially arranged with the first ring body 110 on the side of the top interface 112 away from the accommodating area 111, and the internal space of the third ring body 130 is a top expansion area 131; the top expansion area 131 is connected with the accommodating area 111 to accommodate the optical liquid 400; and the diameter of the top expansion area 131 is smaller than the diameter of the top interface 112, so that the third ring body 130 has a top radial protrusion 132 extending from the outer edges of the four sides to the central axis of the third ring body 130; the top radial protrusion 132 is used to prevent the liquid from flowing outward.

[0062] In one embodiment, two opposite outer surfaces of the fixing ring 100 in the axial direction are respectively an outer bottom surface 142 and an outer top surface 141 ; the top elastic membrane 320 is disposed on the outer top surface 141 .

[0063] In one embodiment, the liquid lens further includes a light-transmitting plate 600 , and the light-transmitting plate 600 is disposed on a surface of the top elastic membrane 320 that is away from the accommodating area 111 .

[0064] In one embodiment, the material of the liquid-repellent layer 200 includes any one of Teflon, PS (polystyrene), PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) or other fluorine-containing coatings, or a combination of the above materials.

[0065] In one embodiment, the liquid-repellent layer 200 is disposed on the inner wall surface 150 of the first ring body 110 by at least one of chemical plating, deposition or coating.

[0066] It can be understood that the wettability of the lyophobic layer 200 and the optical liquid 400 is poor, and the optical liquid 400 is not easy to adhere to the surface of the lyophobic layer 200; the wettability of the lyophobic layer 200 and the optical liquid 400 is lower than the wettability of the elastic film 300 and the optical liquid 400, and the optical liquid 400 is more easily adhered to the surface of the elastic film 300.

[0067] The present invention does not limit the material selection and size selection of each component of the liquid lens except the material selection of the lyophobic layer 200, which should be reasonably adjusted according to the actual design and needs. In accordance with the purpose and connotation of the present invention, the material selection and size selection that have been used in the art can be applied to the present invention. The connotation of the present invention is to set the fixing ring 100 so that the accommodating area 111 of the optical liquid 400 in its internal space has a specific inclined inner wall and other structural features and set the lyophobic layer 200, and the fixing ring 100 with the lyophobic layer 200 with the specific structural features and other necessary components, such as the elastic membrane 300, the optical liquid 400 and the actuating ring 500, are matched by setting positions and connection relationships to obtain a liquid lens with corresponding optical functions, and the specific structural features of the fixing ring 100 can be used to improve and solve the problem of liquid overflowing when the liquid lens is filled and packaged, effectively reduce the difficulty of the packaging process, increase the manufacturability of the liquid lens, and ensure the packaging quality and optical performance of the liquid lens, which is in accordance with the purpose of the present invention.

[0068] Exemplarily: In one embodiment, the material of the fixing ring 100 includes any one of metal iron, iron alloy, metal copper, metal zinc, copper alloy, zinc alloy, copper-zinc alloy, metal aluminum or aluminum alloy, or any one of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), PC (polycarbonate), PS (polystyrene), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PI (polyimide), PP (polypropylene), COC (cyclic olefin copolymer), ABS (acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene copolymer), PEN (polyethylene naphthalate) or PVC (polyvinyl chloride), or any one of glass, silicon, or it can also be a combination of the above-mentioned multiple materials.

[0069] In one embodiment, the fixing ring 100 is obtained by CNC machine tool processing, sheet metal or mold forming, etc.

[0070] It is understood that the material of the fixing ring 100 should be selected to support effective combination with the corresponding elastic membrane 300 so that the elastic membrane 300 plays a sealing role.

[0071] In one embodiment, the material of the elastic membrane 300 includes any one of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), hydrogenated styrene-butadiene block copolymer (SEBS) or platinum silicone (Ecoflex), or a combination of the above materials.

[0072] It can be understood that in order to achieve that the elastic membrane 300 can be effectively combined with the fixing ring 100 / actuating ring 500 under a certain pressure and play a sealing role, and under the action of external mechanical force, the elastic membrane 300 can be stretched and deformed to change the lens surface shape to achieve the zoom function, the elastic membrane 300 should not only have a low elastic modulus and a large tensile elongation to meet the light passage conditions, but also the elastic properties and thickness at all positions thereof should be uniform and equal.

[0073] In one embodiment, the optical liquid 400 has a certain transmittance to light, and its refractive index may be close to that of the material of the elastic film 300 .

[0074] In one embodiment, the material of the actuator ring 500 includes any one of metal iron, iron alloy, metal copper, metal zinc, copper alloy, zinc alloy, copper-zinc alloy, metal aluminum or aluminum alloy, or any one of PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate), PC (polycarbonate), PS (polystyrene), PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PI (polyimide), PP (polypropylene), COC (cyclic olefin copolymer), ABS (acrylonitrile-styrene-butadiene copolymer), PEN (polyethylene naphthalate) or PVC (polyvinyl chloride), or any one of glass and silicon, or it can also be a combination of the above-mentioned multiple materials.

[0075] In one embodiment, the actuating ring 500 is obtained by CNC machine tool processing, sheet metal or mold forming, etc.

[0076] In one embodiment, the surface of the actuating ring 500 is activated.

[0077] It is understandable that, due to direct contact with the elastic membrane 300, the material of the actuating ring 500 should be selected to support effective combination with the corresponding elastic membrane 300, for example, the surface activation treatment can be performed to support the elastic membrane 300 to play a sealing role.

[0078] In one embodiment, the material of the light-transmitting plate includes glass or resin.

[0079] It is understandable that the light-transmitting plate should be made of a material that satisfies the conditions for light passage, can be flat or have other specific optical surface shapes, have a high degree of chemical and physical (structure and performance) uniformity, and have specific and precise optical constants.

[0080] In some specific embodiments, the present invention provides an optical module, which includes the liquid lens described in the first aspect.

[0081] The present invention does not limit the selection and connection method of each component in the optical module except the liquid lens, and reasonable adjustment and setting should be made based on the ability to assemble into a complete optical module and achieve its normal functions.

[0082] Exemplarily: In one embodiment, Figures 8 to 15 As shown, the optical module includes a lens driver 700, and the lens driver 700 includes a fixed part and a movable part; an actuating ring connector 900 connected to the movable part is arranged at the center of one end of the lens driver 700, and the lens driver 700 includes a fixed ring connector 800 surrounding the actuating ring connector 900, and the fixed ring connector 800 is connected to the fixed part; the actuating ring connector 900 is connected to the actuating ring 500 in the liquid lens, and the fixed ring connector 800 is connected to the fixed ring 100 in the liquid lens.

[0083] In one embodiment, the corresponding elements in the optical module are connected by gluing.

[0084] Example 1

[0085] This embodiment provides a liquid lens, such as Figures 1 to 6 As shown, the liquid lens comprises:

[0086] The fixing ring 100 includes a second ring body 120, a first ring body 110 and a third ring body 130 connected sequentially from bottom to top ( Figure 1The two opposite outer surfaces of the fixing ring 100 in the axial direction are respectively the outer bottom surface 142 and the outer top surface 141; the inner space of the first ring body 110 is the accommodating area 111; in the axial direction of the first ring body 110, the two opposite interfaces of the accommodating area 111 are respectively the top interface 112 and the bottom interface 113; along the direction from the bottom interface 113 to the top interface 112, the radial distance between the inner wall surface 150 of the first ring body 110 and the central axis of the first ring body 110 gradually decreases; on the side of the bottom interface 113 away from the accommodating area 111, the second ring body 120 is coaxially arranged with the first ring body 110, and the inner space of the second ring body 120 is the bottom additional area 121; the diameter of the bottom additional area 121 is smaller than the diameter of the bottom interface 113, so that the The second ring body 120 has a bottom radial protrusion 122 extending from the outer edges of the four sides to the central axis of the second ring body 120; on the side of the top interface 112 away from the containing area 111, the third ring body 130 is coaxially arranged with the first ring body 110, and the internal space of the third ring body 130 is a top expansion area 131; the top expansion area 131 is connected with the containing area 111 to jointly contain the optical liquid 400; and the diameter of the top expansion area 131 is smaller than the diameter of the top interface 112, so that the third ring body 130 has a top radial protrusion 132 extending from the outer edges of the four sides to the central axis of the third ring body 130; the top radial protrusion 132 is used to prevent the liquid from flowing outward; the first ring body 110, the second ring body 120 and the third ring body 130 are divided by a dotted frame;

[0087] The liquid-repellent layer 200 is disposed on the inner wall surface 150 of the first ring body 110; the material of the liquid-repellent layer 200 is Teflon;

[0088] The elastic membrane 300 includes a bottom elastic membrane 310 and a top elastic membrane 320; the bottom elastic membrane 310 is disposed on the surface of the bottom radial protrusion 122 on the bottom interface 113; the top elastic membrane 320 is disposed on the outer top surface 141 of the fixing ring 100; the elastic membrane 300 is used to achieve sealing of the accommodating area 111 and the top expansion area 131;

[0089] The optical liquid 400 is disposed in the sealed containing area 111 and the expansion area;

[0090] The actuating ring 500 is disposed in the bottom additional area 121 of the bottom elastic membrane 310 away from the accommodating area 111 and in contact with the surface of the bottom elastic membrane 310; the internal space of the actuating ring 500 is the light-through hole 510 of the liquid lens; the central axis of the actuating ring 500 is the central axis (optical axis) of the light-through hole 510 and coincides with the central axis of the fixing ring 100; in the orthographic projection of the actuating ring 500, the inner wall surface 150 of the first ring body 110 does not overlap with the light-through hole 510;

[0091] The light-transmitting plate 600 is disposed on a surface of the top elastic film 320 that is away from the accommodating area 111 .

[0092] Example 2

[0093] This embodiment provides a liquid lens, such as Figure 7 As shown, the fixing ring 100 of the liquid lens only includes the first ring body 110 and the second ring body 120, and the first ring body 110 and the second ring body 120 are divided by a dotted frame, but there is no third ring body 130 and the top expansion area 131 and the top radial protrusion 132 corresponding to the third ring body 130. Except for the above, other conditions are exactly the same as those in Example 1.

[0094] Comparative Example 1

[0095] This comparative example provides a liquid lens, in which all inner wall surfaces 150 of the fixing ring 100 of the liquid lens are unified as vertical wall surfaces, that is, all inner wall surfaces 150 are perpendicular to the top interface 112, the bottom interface 113, the outer top surface 141 and the inner top surface. Except for the above, other conditions are exactly the same as those in Example 1.

[0096] Comparative Example 2

[0097] This comparative example provides a liquid lens, in which all inner wall surfaces 150 of the fixing ring 100 of the liquid lens are unified as vertical wall surfaces, that is, all inner wall surfaces 150 are perpendicular to the top interface 112, the bottom interface 113, the outer top surface 141 and the inner top surface. Except for the above, other conditions are exactly the same as those in Example 2.

[0098] Comparative Example 3

[0099] This comparative example provides a liquid lens. The liquid-repellent layer 200 is not provided on all inner wall surfaces of the fixing ring 100 of the liquid lens. Except for the above, other conditions are exactly the same as those of Example 1.

[0100] Comparative Example 4

[0101] This comparative example provides a liquid lens, in which the liquid-repellent layer 200 is not provided on all inner wall surfaces of the fixing ring 100 of the liquid lens. Except for the above, other conditions are exactly the same as those of Example 2.

[0102] Application Example 1

[0103] This application example provides an optical module, such as Figures 8 to 15 As shown, the optical module includes the liquid lenses provided in Example 1, Example 2, Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2, respectively, and also includes a lens driver 700. An actuating ring connector 900 is provided at the center of one end of the lens driver 700. The lens driver 700 includes a fixing ring connector 800 surrounding the actuating ring connector 900. The actuating ring connector 900 is connected to the actuating ring 500 in the liquid lens, and the fixing ring connector 800 is connected to the fixing ring 100 in the liquid lens. The fixing ring 100 in the liquid lens is glued to the inner cylindrical surface of the fixing ring connector 800, and the lower surface of the fixing ring connector 800 is glued to the fixed part of the lens driver 700. The actuating ring 500 is glued to the upper surface of the actuating ring connector 900, and the lower surface of the actuating ring connector 900 is glued to the movable part of the lens driver 700.

[0104] Compared with the optical module containing the liquid lens of comparative examples 1-4, in the optical module containing the liquid lens of embodiments 1 and 2, by adjusting the inner wall surface of the first ring body of the fixing ring to be a non-"vertical wall surface" and to be in a specific inclined state, the synergistic effect of the "inclined wall surface" structure and the liquid-repellent layer arranged thereon are utilized to achieve the standardization and restriction of the liquid injection process, and avoid the problem of liquid overflow due to incomplete filling, thereby effectively reducing the difficulty of the packaging process, increasing the manufacturability of the liquid lens, ensuring the packaging quality and optical performance of the liquid lens, and further ensuring the acquisition of an optical module with excellent performance.

[0105] The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific details in the above embodiments. Within the technical concept of the present invention, a variety of simple modifications can be made to the technical solution of the present invention, and these simple modifications all belong to the protection scope of the present invention.

[0106] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above specific embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. In order to avoid unnecessary repetition, the present invention will not further describe various possible combinations.

[0107] In addition, various embodiments of the present invention may be arbitrarily combined, and as long as they do not violate the concept of the present invention, they should also be regarded as the contents disclosed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A liquid lens, characterized in that: include: A fixing ring (100), the fixing ring (100) comprising a first ring body (110), the interior space of the first ring body (110) being a containing area (111); in the axial direction of the first ring body (110), two opposite interfaces of the containing area (111) are respectively a top interface (112) and a bottom interface (113); along the direction from the bottom interface (113) to the top interface (112), the radial distance between the inner wall surface (150) of the first ring body (110) and the central axis of the first ring body (110) gradually decreases; A liquid-repellent layer (200) is disposed on the inner wall surface (150) of the first ring body (110); An elastic membrane (300), comprising a bottom elastic membrane (310) disposed on one side of the bottom interface (113), and a top elastic membrane (320) disposed on one side of the top interface (112), wherein the elastic membrane (300) is used to achieve sealing of the accommodating area (111); An optical liquid (400) is disposed in the sealed containing area (111); An actuating ring (500) is arranged on a side surface of the bottom elastic membrane (310) away from the accommodating area (111); the internal space of the actuating ring (500) is a light-through hole (510) of the liquid lens; in an orthographic projection onto the actuating ring (500), the inner wall surface (150) of the first ring body (110) does not overlap with the light-through hole (510).

2. The liquid lens according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixing ring (100) further comprises a second ring body (120) in contact with the first ring body (110); the second ring body (120) is coaxially arranged with the first ring body (110) on a side of the bottom interface (113) away from the accommodating area (111); and the internal space of the second ring body (120) is a bottom additional area (121).

3. The liquid lens according to claim 2, characterized in that: The actuating ring (500) is disposed in the bottom additional area (121) and is in contact with the bottom elastic membrane (310).

4. The liquid lens according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The diameter of the bottom additional area (121) is smaller than the diameter of the bottom interface (113), so that the second ring body (120) has a bottom radial protrusion (122) extending from the outer edges around it toward the central axis of the second ring body (120); the bottom elastic membrane (310) is arranged on the surface of the bottom radial protrusion (122) on the bottom interface (113).

5. The liquid lens according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixing ring (100) further comprises a third ring body (130) in contact with the first ring body (110); the third ring body (130) is coaxially arranged with the first ring body (110) on a side of the top interface (112) away from the containing area (111); the internal space of the third ring body (130) is a top expansion area (131); the top expansion area (131) is connected to the containing area (111) to contain the optical liquid (400); and the diameter of the top expansion area (131) is smaller than the diameter of the top interface (112), so that the third ring body (130) has a top radial protrusion (132) extending from the outer edges around to the central axis of the third ring body (130); the top radial protrusion (132) is used to prevent the liquid from flowing outward.

6. The liquid lens according to claim 1, wherein: The two opposite outer surfaces of the fixing ring (100) in the axial direction are respectively an outer bottom surface (142) and an outer top surface (141); the top elastic membrane (320) is arranged on the outer top surface (141).

7. The liquid lens according to claim 6, characterized in that: The liquid lens further comprises a light-transmitting plate (600), wherein the light-transmitting plate (600) is arranged on a side surface of the top elastic film (320) away from the accommodating area (111).

8. The liquid lens according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material of the liquid-repellent layer (200) includes at least one of Teflon, PS or PTFE; the liquid-repellent layer (200) is arranged on the inner wall surface (150) of the first ring body (110) by at least one of chemical plating, deposition or coating.

9. An optical module, characterized in that: A liquid lens comprising the liquid lens described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The optical module according to claim 9, characterized in that: The optical module comprises a lens driver (700), wherein the lens driver (700) comprises a fixed part and a movable part; an actuating ring connecting member (900) connected to the movable part is arranged at the center of one end of the lens driver (700); the lens driver (700) comprises a fixing ring connecting member (800) surrounding the actuating ring connecting member (900), and the fixing ring connecting member (800) is connected to the fixed part; the actuating ring connecting member (900) is connected to the actuating ring (500) in the liquid lens, and the fixing ring connecting member (800) is connected to the fixing ring (100) in the liquid lens.

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