Optical Imaging Lens with Folded Rays for Compact Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to design an optical imaging lens that is compact enough for slim portable electronic devices while maintaining good optical performance, which existing designs struggle to achieve by simply scaling down traditional lenses.
Innovation Solution
The optical imaging lens is designed with specific convex and concave surface shapes and refracting powers for its elements, along with the use of reflective elements to fold imaging rays, ensuring the lens meets the demands for slimness and optical quality through careful control of parameters like thickness, air gaps, and focal lengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If traditional lenses are scaled down to fit slim portable devices, then the device size is reduced, but optical performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The optical lens is divided into multiple lens elements (first lens element, second lens element, third lens element, fourth lens element) with different refracting powers and surface shapes. Each element contributes to correcting specific optical aberrations, allowing the system to maintain high optical performance while keeping the overall lens length short (TTL ≤ 12.0 mm).
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the lens elements have different surface shapes tailored to correct specific aberrations. For example, the first lens element has a convex object-side surface and concave image-side surface, while the second lens element has a concave object-side surface and convex image-side surface. This localized optimization of surface geometry ensures excellent optical performance in a compact form factor.
2Reliability
If lens elements are designed with complex surface shapes to correct aberrations, then optical performance is improved, but manufacturing difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies specific surface shape configurations to different regions of lens elements. For instance, the third lens element has a concave object-side surface and convex image-side surface, while the fourth lens element has a convex object-side surface and concave image-side surface. These localized surface geometry optimizations correct optical aberrations effectively while maintaining manufacturability through clear, specific design specifications.
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 design effectively corrects longitudinal spherical aberration and field curvature, reduces distortion, and accommodates the lens within the constraints of portable devices, achieving a telescopic function while maintaining high imaging quality.
Implementation Method 1
The first lens element to the fourth lens element may each comprise an object-side surface facing toward the object side and allowing imaging rays to pass through and an image-side surface facing toward the image side and allowing the imaging rays to pass through
Implementation Method 2
The optical imaging lens may further comprise at least one reflective element, which could fold the imaging rays
Data Source
AI summary
An optical imaging lens may include a first, a second, a third, and a fourth lens elements positioned in an order from an object side to an image side along an optical axis. Through designing concave and/or convex surfaces of the four lens elements, the optical imaging lens may provide improved imaging quality and optical characteristics, and have the ability to cooperate the demand of present smaller-sized electronic product while the optical imaging lens may satisfy TTL/TL≥1.700 and EFL/ImgH≥2.500, wherein a distance from the object-side surface of the first lens element to an image plane along the optical axis is represented by TTL, a distance from the object-side surface of the first lens element to the image-side surface of the fourth lens element along the optical axis is represented by TL, an effective focal length of the optical imaging lens is represented by EFL, and an image height of the optical imaging lens is represented by ImgH.