Lens Holding Member Optical Axis Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Imaging devices used in vehicles and monitoring cameras face defocusing issues due to expansion or contraction of adhesive agents, causing shifts in the optical axis and lens position, which degrade image resolution.
Innovation Solution
The imaging device design includes a lens holding member with a perpendicular end face, a base member with a contact surface and an opening for the optical axis, and a substrate secured to the base member, along with a securing material between the lens holding member and the base member, to prevent shifts and maintain focus accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If adhesive agent is used to secure the base member and substrate, then the components can be easily assembled, but the adhesive agent expands or contracts with environmental changes causing defocusing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the adhesive agent from the optical path between the base member and substrate. Instead of using adhesive to secure these components, the design allows them to be mechanically positioned without adhesive, eliminating the source of expansion/contraction that causes defocusing while maintaining assembly feasibility through alternative positioning mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than using adhesive to join the base member and substrate (conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by positioning these components without adhesive and using the lens holding member's end face contact to establish the precise optical position, making the adhesive unnecessary for the critical optical alignment.
2Ease of manufacture
If the lens holding member is secured to the base member with adhesive, then assembly is simplified, but the adhesive expansion/contraction shifts the lens position and optical axis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the adhesive from the critical interface between the lens holding member and base member. The lens holding member is positioned and secured without adhesive, eliminating the source of position shifts caused by adhesive expansion and contraction, thereby maintaining lens position accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of securing the lens holding member to the base member with adhesive (conventional method), the patent inverts the approach by using direct contact between the lens holding member's end face and the base member's contact surface, eliminating adhesive-related position instability while simplifying the assembly process.
3Measurement precision
If the substrate is moved to align the imaging element center with the optical axis, then centering accuracy is improved, but the adhesive agent causes subsequent position shifts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the adhesive agent from the interface between the base member and substrate, eliminating the source of position shifts that would compromise the achieved centering accuracy. The substrate can be precisely positioned and maintained without adhesive-induced movement.
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than relying on adhesive to maintain the precisely aligned position of the substrate and imaging element, the patent inverts the approach by using mechanical contact and positioning structures that inherently maintain alignment without adhesive, ensuring both centering accuracy and position stability.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging device has a lens holding member; a base member for holding the lens holding member; and a substrate to which the base member is secured. The lens holding member holds at least one lens. The base member has a contact surface that is perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens, and contacts an end face of the lens holding member in a state wherein the lens holding member is held; and an opening portion through which passes the optical axis of the lens, provided in the contact surface. The substrate has an imaging element on which light that has passed through the lens and through the opening portion of the base member is incident.