Asymmetric Lens Barrel for Compact Camera Module
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to further reduce the size of a front-facing camera in terminals with narrow bezel and bezel-less screen designs, while ensuring optimal imaging and minimizing occupied space.
Innovation Solution
The camera design features a lens barrel with a first segment and a second segment, where the first lens has a side face with specific perpendicular distances to the optical axis, allowing for a stacked arrangement that reduces camera size by positioning the display panel closer to the optical axis, and includes light shielding films and dual-material injection molding for reduced space occupation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the wall thickness of lens barrel, diameter of lens, and other components are reduced to achieve size reduction effect, then the camera size is reduced to some extent, but the occupied space cannot be further compressed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the dimensional approach by making the first lens asymmetric in the radial direction rather than uniformly reducing all dimensions. The first face is positioned closer to the optical axis while the second face maintains larger distance, creating an incomplete circular structure that reduces the lens barrel's radial thickness in specific regions without compromising optical function.
Solution Approach 2:
The first lens is designed with asymmetric geometry where the perpendicular distance from the first face to the optical axis is less than that from the second face to the optical axis. This asymmetric design allows the lens to occupy less space in the radial direction while maintaining adequate optical effective area, thereby reducing overall camera size without hitting manufacturing thickness limits.
2Volume of moving object
If the display panel is positioned closer to the optical axis to reduce camera size, then occupied space is reduced, but imaging quality may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different radial distances for different faces of the first lens. The first face is positioned closer to the optical axis in the non-optical effective area region, while the second face maintains larger distance. This local differentiation allows space reduction near the display panel without affecting the optical effective area's imaging quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The asymmetric design positions only part of the lens structure (the first face) closer to the optical axis, while the second face and optical effective area maintain adequate distances. This partial action achieves space reduction without excessively compromising imaging quality, as the critical optical path remains intact.
3Volume of moving object
If the first lens is designed with incomplete circular structure to reduce size, then the camera size is further reduced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lens barrel is divided into segments with the first lens having a specific asymmetric shape. The first face and second face are defined with clear geometric relationships to the optical axis, creating a segmented structure that is easier to manufacture with standard precision than a completely custom asymmetric lens. The incomplete circular structure is achieved through controlled segmentation rather than complex free-form surfaces.
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 configuration effectively minimizes camera size, reduces occupied space, and enhances the screen-to-body ratio by allowing the display panel to be positioned closer to the middle frame, while maintaining complete refraction paths and preventing imaging interference.
Implementation Method 1
The first lens includes an optical effective area and a non-optical effective area disposed on a periphery of the optical effective area
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
Figure 1e~2a
AI summary
This application provides a camera and a terminal. The camera and a display panel are disposed on a same side of the terminal, the camera includes a lens barrel and a plurality of lenses disposed in the lens barrel in a stacked manner in a direction of an optical axis of the camera, the lens barrel includes a first segment, a lens accommodated in the first segment is a first lens, the first lens includes a light incident surface, a light exiting surface, and a side face connected between the light incident surface and the light exiting surface, the side face includes a first face and a second face that are connected, a perpendicular distance between the first face and the optical axis is less than a perpendicular distance between the second face and the optical axis, a shape of the first segment matches a shape of the first lens, and a part, of the first segment, cooperating with the first face is disposed adjacent to the display panel. Through the foregoing disposing, the display panel at a position, of the first segment, corresponding to the first face may be disposed closer to the optical axis, to further compress a size of the camera, and reduce occupied space of the camera.