Achromatic Projection Lens Molding Without Inter-Lens Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing projection lenses for motor vehicle headlights, composed of separate partial lenses cemented together, suffer from gaps that lead to optical losses and increased assembly complexity, necessitating a method to eliminate these gaps and enhance efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The method involves producing a projection lens using two partial lenses with different materials, where the first material has higher temperature resistance and a specific wavelength-dependent refractive index, and the second material has a different refractive index, allowing them to be directly molded together without melting, using polycarbonate and polymethyl methacrylate, and configuring them as a converging and diverging lens pair to achieve achromatic properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate partial lenses are cemented together to form a projection lens, then the optical system can be assembled with individual lenses, but gaps between lenses cause optical losses and increase assembly complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges two separate partial lenses into a single integrated lens component manufactured by injection molding. This eliminates the gap between lenses that causes optical losses and removes the need for cementing operations, thereby reducing assembly complexity while maintaining achromatic optical properties through the combination of different plastic materials
2Ease of manufacture
If two partial lenses are molded together using injection molding, then gaps are eliminated and assembly effort is reduced, but melting of the lenses may occur during production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects plastic materials with significantly different melting temperatures - specifically a first plastic with higher temperature resistance and a second plastic with lower melting point. This parameter difference allows the molding process to be conducted at temperatures below the melting point of the first plastic while still enabling proper bonding, thus preventing melting issues during production
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material construction with two different plastics having complementary properties. The first plastic provides structural integrity and temperature resistance, while the second plastic enables easy molding and bonding. This composite approach allows the lenses to be molded together as a single piece without melting, combining the advantages of both materials
3Reliability
If different materials are used for partial lenses to compensate for dispersion properties, then achromatic properties are achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple lens functions into a single injection-molded component while using different plastic materials in different regions to achieve achromatic properties. This merging approach maintains the optical benefits of multi-material construction while eliminating the complexity of assembling and cementing separate lenses, as the entire achromatic lens system is produced in one molding operation
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach eliminates gaps, reduces assembly effort, and enhances optical efficiency by achieving achromatic properties through the combination of materials with distinct refractive indices, ensuring high optical quality and reduced installation space.
Implementation Method 1
the first material has a first wavelength-dependent refractive index and the second material has a second wavelength-dependent refractive index, wherein the second wavelength-dependent refractive index differs from the first wavelength-dependent refractive index
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a projection lens for a motor vehicle headlight, comprising a first partial lens and a second partial lens, is presented. The first partial lens is produced from a first material having a first material composition, and a second partial lens is then produced from a second material having a second material composition. The second partial lens is injection-molded onto the first partial lens. The projection lens is characterized by the fact that the first material exhibits a higher temperature resistance than the second material.