Crushable Lens Adapter Ring for Controlled Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional adapter rings for camera lenses often engage improperly, making it difficult to apply precise force and potentially damaging filters or protective lenses when attempting to disconnect them, due to their material and thickness.

Innovation Solution

A crushable lens adapter ring with a frame featuring crushable portions and force application portions that allow for easy disconnection by applying an external force, enabling the ring to be broken and torn along specific directions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the adapter ring is made with sufficient thickness and strength to protect lenses, then the structural strength is improved, but it becomes difficult to break and remove when engagement fails

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidease of removal
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter ring is divided into a strong main body structure and separate crushable portions with reduced thickness. The crushable portions are positioned at specific locations where force application will cause controlled breaking, allowing the ring to be removed when engagement fails while the rest of the structure maintains sufficient strength for normal use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the adapter ring have different thicknesses and mechanical properties. The main body maintains sufficient thickness for strength and protection, while specific crushable portions have reduced thickness to enable easy breaking. This local variation in quality allows the ring to provide both protection and easy removal capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If the adapter ring is made thin and easy to break for easy removal, then the ease of operation is improved, but the structural strength and protection capability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of removalVSAvoidstructural strength
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter ring structure is segmented into protective main body portions and removable crushable portions. The main body retains sufficient thickness for strength, while the crushable portions are deliberately thinned to enable easy breaking for removal when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The adapter ring exhibits local quality variation where different regions have different thicknesses. The majority of the ring maintains sufficient thickness for structural strength, while specific localized portions have reduced thickness to facilitate easy breaking and removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Force

If conventional force is applied to break the adapter ring, then the force magnitude is sufficient, but the force cannot be applied precisely and may damage the lens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebreaking forceVSAvoidforce application precision
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The crushable portions act as intermediaries between the applied force and the adapter ring structure. These portions are designed to concentrate and direct the applied force precisely at the breaking point, ensuring that force is applied accurately without damaging the lens or filter.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The crushable portions are extracted as separate functional elements with reduced thickness positioned between the force application point and the main ring structure. This extraction allows precise force application to be concentrated at the crushable portions rather than being distributed across the entire ring structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4478127B1Crushable lens adapter ring
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 MENG TIEN PEI
  • EP4478127B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4478127B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4478127B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

A crushable lens adapter ring includes a frame. The outer wall surface of one end of the frame has a first connecting portion for being connected to a first lens having a first diameter. The inner wall surface of the other end of the frame has a second connecting portion for being connected to a second lens having a second diameter. The frame has at least one force application portion and at least one crushable portion. At least a portion of the force application portion is adjacent to the crushable portion. When the force application portion is subjected to a force and displaced in a direction, the force application portion can force the frame to be broken and torn along the extension direction of the crushable portion.