Five-Lens Optical Imaging System for TOF Miniaturization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to develop an optical imaging system that achieves high pixels, small size, and lightness while ensuring image quality, specifically for Time of Flight (TOF) technology applications, which requires a lens assembly with unique anti-interference capabilities.
Innovation Solution
The optical imaging system consists of five lenses with specific refractive powers and configurations, including aspheric surfaces, optimized for compactness and high image quality, with parameters such as entrance pupil diameter, center thickness, and spaced intervals along the optical axis carefully defined to enhance workability and image correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the number of lenses is increased to improve image quality and resolution, then the imaging performance is improved, but the system size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is divided into five distinct lens groups (first lens E1, second lens E2, third lens E3, fourth lens E4, and fifth lens E5), each with specific refractive power characteristics. This segmentation allows for optimized light control and aberration correction while maintaining a compact overall structure suitable for TOF imaging applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for each lens including refractive power relationships (f1, f2, f3, f4, f5), radius of curvature ratios (R1/R2, R3/R4, R5/R6, R7/R8), and thickness-to-focal-length ratios (CT1/|f1|, CT2/|f2|, etc.). These parameter optimizations enable high image quality with a compact lens assembly that minimizes weight while maintaining imaging performance.
2Volume of moving object
If the lens assembly is miniaturized to reduce size for portable devices, then the device compactness is improved, but the image quality and resolution deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs aspheric surfaces on multiple lens elements (object-side and image-side surfaces of E1, E2, E3, E4, and E5) that dynamically adapt the light path control across different field zones. This allows the compact lens assembly to maintain high image quality by dynamically optimizing ray convergence and aberration correction throughout the imaging field.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the radial dimension through aspheric surface design, where the surface curvature varies with distance from the optical axis. This dimensional approach allows compact lens elements to control off-axis rays effectively, maintaining wide field-of-view and high image quality without increasing overall lens assembly volume.
3Reliability
If the refractive power of individual lenses is increased to improve focusing capability, then the imaging performance is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent distributes the total refractive power requirement across five lens elements rather than concentrating it in one or two elements. Each lens has moderate refractive power with specified relationships (e.g., f3/f ≥ 0.1, f/|f4| ≤ 0.3), which reduces the manufacturing precision burden on individual elements while maintaining overall focusing capability and imaging performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies different refractive indices and Abbe numbers for different lens elements (e.g., E1: n=1.6332, ν=20.4; E2: n=1.6332, ν=20.4; E3: n=1.6332, ν=20.4; E4: n=1.6332, ν=20.4; E5: n=1.6332, ν=20.4), creating a composite optical system where material properties are optimized for each element's specific function, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining reliability.
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 miniaturization, high image quality, and improved processing consistency, making it suitable for infrared band imaging and TOF applications with enhanced field-of-view and resolution.
Implementation Method 1
a first lens E1 having refractive power; a second lens E2 having refractive power; a third lens E3 having positive refractive power; a fourth lens E4 having refractive power; and a fifth lens E5 having refractive power
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure discloses an optical imaging system including, sequentially from an object side to an image side along an optical axis, a first lens having refractive power; a second lens having refractive power; a third lens having positive refractive power; a fourth lens having refractive power; and a fifth lens having refractive power. Half of a diagonal length ImgH of an effective pixel area on an imaging plane of the optical imaging system and an entrance pupil diameter EPD of the optical imaging system satisfy: 0.5<ImgH/EPD≤1.0.