Five-Surface Wide FOV Compound Lens for Endoscope Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional compact wide-FOV camera modules formed of molded glass are costly and not compatible with high-volume production methods, making them unsuitable for mass production, particularly for medical devices like video endoscopes that require high-quality imaging with a wide field of view.
Innovation Solution
A five-surface wide FOV compound lens design incorporating a plano-concave first lens, plano-convex second, third, and fourth lenses, and a plano-gull-wing fifth lens, along with biplanar substrates, which are formed using materials with specific Abbe numbers and focal length ratios to minimize aberrations, and can be manufactured using solder-reflow compatible materials for cost-effective and durable production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional molded glass camera modules are used to achieve wide field of view and high image quality, then imaging performance is improved, but manufacturing cost increases and compatibility with high-volume production methods deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from molded glass to injection-molded plastic, and modifies the lens structure parameter by introducing a five-surface compound lens design with specific Abbe number relationships. This allows achieving wide FOV and high image quality through optimized optical parameters (refractive indices, curvatures, thicknesses) while using cost-effective plastic materials compatible with high-volume injection molding production
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the lens system into five distinct lens elements (first through fifth lenses) with specific geometric configurations (plano-concave, plano-convex, plano-gull-wing). This segmentation allows each element to contribute to correcting specific aberrations while maintaining manufacturability through standardized injection molding processes for each component
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional molded glass camera modules are used to achieve wide field of view and high image quality, then imaging performance is improved, but compatibility with high-volume production methods deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from molded glass to injection-molded plastic, and modifies the lens structure parameter by introducing a five-surface compound lens design with specific Abbe number relationships. This allows achieving wide FOV and high image quality through optimized optical parameters (refractive indices, curvatures, thicknesses) while using cost-effective plastic materials compatible with high-volume injection molding production
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical glass molding process with an injection molding process. This substitution enables high-volume production compatibility as injection molding is a high-speed, automated process suitable for mass production, whereas conventional glass molding is labor-intensive and time-consuming
3Ease of manufacture
If standard lens designs are used to simplify manufacturing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but field of view and image quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lens system into five distinct lens elements (first through fifth lenses) with specific geometric configurations (plano-concave, plano-convex, plano-gull-wing). This segmentation allows each element to contribute to correcting specific aberrations while maintaining manufacturability through standardized injection molding processes for each component
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different geometric configurations and material properties to different lens elements based on their specific optical functions. The first lens is plano-concave, the second and third are plano-convex, and the fifth is plano-gull-wing, with each configuration optimized for its local role in achieving wide FOV while remaining manufacturable
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 design achieves high-quality images with a wide field of view while being cost-effective and durable enough to withstand sterilization processes, enabling efficient mass production for medical devices like video endoscopes.
Implementation Method 1
The Abbe number of the first lens is greater than the Abbe number of the second lens
Implementation Method 2
The design achieves high-quality images with a wide field of view while being cost-effective and durable
Data Source
AI summary
A five-surface wide field-of view compound lens incudes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, a first biplanar substrate, and a second biplanar substrate. The first lens is plano-concave; the second, the third lens, and the fourth lens are plano-convex; the fifth lens is a plano-gull-wing lens. The first biplanar substrate is between the second lens and the third lens. The second biplanar substrate is between the fourth lens and the fifth lens. The first lens has a first Abbe number. The second lens has a second Abbe number less than the first Abbe number. A camera module includes the five-surface wide FOV compound lens and a glass substrate having a planar surface adjoining a first planar surface of the first lens, the first lens being between the glass substrate and the second lens.