Four-Element Optical Imaging Lens Miniaturization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The design of optical imaging lenses for portable electronic devices faces challenges in achieving a balance between miniaturization, imaging quality, and field of view, while also considering manufacturing and assembly complexities.
Innovation Solution
A four-lens element optical imaging lens design with specific surface shapes and thickness relationships, including convex and concave regions, air gaps, and refracting powers, is proposed to achieve a smaller F-number, smaller volume, larger field of view, and excellent imaging quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the optical imaging lens is miniaturized to reduce volume, then the lens size is reduced, but the field of view and f-number deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The optical imaging lens is divided into four distinct lens elements, each with specific refracting powers and surface shapes. This segmentation allows each element to contribute differently to the overall optical performance, enabling the system to achieve a larger field of view and smaller f-number despite the reduced total volume of 0.8mm to 1.2mm.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the lens elements have different surface shapes (convex or concave optical axis regions) and refracting powers. The first lens element has negative refracting power with a convex object-side surface, while the second has positive refracting power with a concave object-side surface. This local differentiation of optical properties enables optimized light control within the compact volume.
2Volume of moving object
If the lens elements are made thinner to reduce volume, then the lens size is reduced, but the manufacturing precision and assembly difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for lens element thicknesses (T1, T2, T3, T4) and air gaps (G12, G23, G34) to maintain manufacturing feasibility. By controlling the average thickness Tavg within specific ranges and defining relationships between individual thicknesses, the design balances miniaturization with manufacturability, ensuring that even thin elements can be produced and assembled with acceptable precision.
3Measurement precision
If the lens design is optimized for imaging quality, then the imaging quality is improved, but the device complexity and production cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lens elements feature asymmetric surface shapes with distinct convex or concave optical axis regions rather than uniform spherical surfaces. This asymmetry is strategically designed to correct specific aberrations and improve imaging quality across different field regions, achieving superior optical performance without requiring additional complex optical elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs aspheric surfaces with specific curvature characteristics on the lens elements. The object-side and image-side surfaces of each lens element have controlled curvature profiles that differ from simple spherical shapes, enabling better aberration correction and improved imaging quality while maintaining a compact four-element structure.
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 effectively improves distortion and aberration correction, reduces lens size, and enhances optical performance, while maintaining good imaging quality and fabrication yield.
Implementation Method 1
Each lens element of the first lens element, the second lens element, the third lens element and the fourth lens element in the optical imaging lens of four lens elements of the present invention respectively has an object-side surface which faces toward the object side to allow imaging rays to pass through as well as an image-side surface which faces toward the image side to allow the imaging rays to pass through
Data Source
AI summary
An optical imaging lens includes a first lens element, a second lens, a third lens element and a fourth lens element from an object side to an image side in order along an optical axis. An optical axis region of the object-side surface of the first lens element is convex, and an optical axis region of the image-side surface of the third lens element is concave. The lens elements included by the optical imaging lens are only the four lens elements described above. Tavg is an average of four thicknesses from the first lens element to the fourth lens element along the optical axis, an Abbe number of the first lens element is υ1, and an Abbe number of the second lens element is υ2 so that the optical imaging lens satisfies: Tavg≤300 μm, and |υ1−υ2|≤30.000.