Interchangeable Lens Structures for Wide-Field Underwater Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Image capture devices face issues with optical distortion and degradation due to lens damage, particularly for wide field-of-view lenses that protrude and are vulnerable to impact, leading to reduced image quality.
Innovation Solution
Implement interchangeable lens structures with replaceable outer lenses designed for underwater and in-air use, featuring mechanisms like press-fit, transition-fit, and threaded connections to maintain optical compatibility and alignment with the lens barrel, allowing for easy replacement and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If a wide field-of-view lens protrudes from the body to capture images, then the field-of-view is improved, but the lens becomes vulnerable to impact damage and scratching
Solution Approach 1:
The lens system is divided into a fixed inner lens assembly and a replaceable outer lens. The outer lens can be removed and replaced independently when damaged, while the inner lens remains protected inside the housing. This segmentation allows the protruding wide-angle lens to maintain its field-of-view advantage while enabling easy replacement to restore functionality after impact damage.
2Reliability
If the entire lens barrel is replaced when the outer lens is damaged, then the image quality is restored, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lens system is divided into a fixed inner lens assembly and a replaceable outer lens. The outer lens can be removed and replaced independently when damaged, while the inner lens remains protected inside the housing. This segmentation allows the protruding wide-angle lens to maintain its field-of-view advantage while enabling easy replacement to restore functionality after impact damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows the outer lens to be discarded when damaged and replaced with a new or spare outer lens. The inner lens assembly and other components are recovered and retained, avoiding the need to replace the entire lens barrel. This reduces both complexity and cost while restoring image quality.
3Area of moving object
If an underwater hyper-hemispherical lens is used, then the field-of-view underwater is improved, but the lens causes optical distortion when used in air
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows dynamic selection of lenses based on the operating environment. Users can attach an underwater hyper-hemispherical lens when operating underwater to maximize field-of-view, and switch to a standard optical lens when operating in air to maintain optimal image quality. The replaceable lens design enables the system to adapt its optical characteristics to match the operational context.
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
Preserves image quality by enabling the use of hyper-hemispherical lenses with a wide field-of-view without distortion, reducing the need for replacing the entire lens barrel and maintaining alignment with the image sensor.
Implementation Method 1
the first set of two or more stacked lenses is configured to collimate light incident on the first outer lens when the first outer lens is underwater at an interface between the lens barrel and the first replaceable lens structure; a second set of two or more stacked lenses is configured to collimate light incident on the first outer lens when the second outer lens is in air at an interface between the lens barrel and the second replaceable lens structure
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are disclosed for replaceable outer lenses for use in water. For example, an image capture device may include a lens barrel in a body of the image capture device; a replaceable lens structure mountable on the body of the image capture device, the replaceable lens structure including a first set of two or more stacked lenses, including a first outer lens, and a first retaining ring configured to fasten the first set of two or more stacked lenses against a first end of the lens barrel in a first arrangement, wherein the first set of two or more stacked lenses is configured to collimate light incident on the first outer lens when the first outer lens is underwater at an interface between the lens barrel and the first replaceable lens structure; and an image sensor mounted within the body at a second end of the lens barrel.