Imaging Lens Cut Traces Overflow Outlet Molding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Molding defects such as welding lines within the optical effective section of imaging lens elements can degrade image quality in compact imaging lens modules used in personal and mobile communication devices, affecting light convergence and resolution.
Innovation Solution
The imaging lens element design includes an optical effective section with cut traces and clearance surfaces, where the cut traces are shrunk from the outer diameter surface toward the center, and specific curvature radii and angles are defined to prevent molding defects from occurring within the optical effective section, allowing for a single-molded process and improved injection quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the imaging lens element is molded without an outlet for releasing the molding article, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but welding lines appear within the optical effective section degrading image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful welding lines from the optical effective section by providing a dedicated overflow outlet. The overflow outlet allows excess molding material and形成的 welding lines to be discharged outside the optical effective section, separating the harmful byproducts from the critical optical area.
Solution Approach 2:
The overflow outlet serves as an intermediary structure between the molding cavity and the external environment. It provides a controlled path for excess material and welding lines to exit, preventing their formation within the optical effective section while maintaining the simplicity of the single-mold process.
2Device complexity
If the imaging lens element uses a conventional molding process without overflow outlet, then the device structure is simplified, but molding defects affect light convergence and image resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful welding lines and excess molding material into a beneficial outcome by directing them through the overflow outlet away from the optical effective section. The overflow outlet transforms what would be defects into a controlled discharge mechanism, improving image quality without significantly increasing device complexity.
3Productivity
If the imaging lens element is molded with single-mold process, then the productivity is improved, but welding lines appear within the optical effective section
Solution Approach 1:
The overflow outlet is pre-designed into the molding structure before the molding process begins. This preliminary structural arrangement ensures that welding lines and excess material are directed away from the optical effective section during the single-mold process, maintaining both high productivity and optical quality without requiring post-processing steps.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging lens element includes an optical effective section, an outer diameter surface, at least two cut traces and at least two clearance surfaces. The optical effective section has an optical axis. The outer diameter surface surrounds the optical effective section. Each of the cut traces is shrunk from an outer diameter reference plane of the outer diameter surface toward a center of the imaging lens element. The clearance surfaces are connected between each of the cut traces and the outer diameter surface, respectively. At least one of the cut traces includes a first surface, and a curvature center of the first surface is closer to the center of the imaging lens element than the first surface to the center of the imaging lens element thereto.