Five-Element Lens System Balancing Refractive Power and Yield
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional compact optical lens systems for mobile electronic products face challenges in achieving high image quality and manufacturing yield due to the limitations of four-element lens structures and the inability of five-element lens systems to effectively balance refractive power and yield.
Innovation Solution
A five-element image capturing optical lens system with specific refractive powers and surface shapes, including aspheric surfaces and inflection points, is designed, where the first lens element has positive refractive power with a convex object-side surface, the second lens element has negative refractive power with a concave image-side surface, the third lens element has positive refractive power with a convex image-side surface, the fourth lens element has negative refractive power with aspheric surfaces, and the fifth lens element is made of plastic with a concave image-side surface and inflection points, optimizing refractive power distribution and manufacturing ease.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional four-element lens structure is used, then the device complexity is low, but the image quality and resolving power are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The lens system is divided into five independent non-cemented lens elements with different refractive powers and surface shapes. Each lens element is segmented to perform specific optical functions: the first lens element provides positive refractive power with a convex object-side surface, the second lens element provides negative refractive power, the third lens element provides positive refractive power with a convex image-side surface, the fourth lens element provides negative refractive power with aspheric surfaces, and the fifth lens element provides positive refractive power with a concave image-side surface. This segmentation allows each element to be optimized independently for image quality while maintaining overall system manageability.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens elements employ various surface curvatures including convex and concave surfaces, aspheric surfaces, and inflection points. The first lens element has a convex object-side surface, the third lens element has a convex image-side surface, the fourth lens element has aspheric surfaces with inflection points, and the fifth lens element has a concave image-side surface with inflection points. These curved surfaces are designed to correct optical aberrations and improve image quality while controlling the overall system complexity through systematic application of curvature principles.
2Manufacturing precision
If a five-element lens structure is used, then the image quality and resolving power are improved, but the manufacturing yield is reduced due to inability to balance refractive power
Solution Approach 1:
The refractive powers of the five lens elements are carefully balanced through parameter optimization. The first lens element has positive refractive power with focal length f1, the third lens element has positive refractive power with focal length f3, and the fourth lens element has negative refractive power with focal length f4. The axial distances between lens elements (T12, T23, T34, T45) and central thicknesses (CT1, CT2, CT3, CT4, CT5) are optimized to achieve proper refractive power distribution. This parameter balancing reduces sensitivity to manufacturing variations and improves manufacturing yield while maintaining high image quality.
3Manufacturing precision
If the lens elements are made with aspheric surfaces and inflection points, then the aberration is minimized and image quality is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Aspheric surfaces and inflection points are applied locally to specific lens elements where they provide the most benefit for aberration correction. The fourth lens element has aspheric surfaces with inflection points to correct coma and astigmatism, while the fifth lens element has a concave image-side surface with inflection points to control field curvature and distortion. Not all lens elements require the same level of surface complexity, allowing for optimized aberration correction while managing manufacturing complexity through selective application of advanced surface geometries.
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
The system achieves improved image quality, reduced sensitivity, and increased manufacturing yield by balancing refractive powers and minimizing aberrations, while maintaining a compact size suitable for portable electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
a first lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface... the third lens element with positive refractive power has a convex image-side surface... the fourth lens element with refractive power has a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface... the fifth lens element with refractive power has a concave image-side surface
Data Source
AI summary
An image capturing optical lens system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element and a fifth lens element. The first lens element with positive refractive power has a convex object-side surface. The second lens element has negative refractive power. The third lens element with positive refractive power has a convex image-side surface. The fourth lens element with refractive power has a concave object-side surface and a convex image-side surface. The fifth lens element with refractive power is made of plastic material, and has a concave image-side surface, wherein the fifth lens element has at least one inflection point formed on at least one of the surfaces thereof. The surfaces of the third lens element, fourth lens element and fifth lens element are aspheric.