Negative-Positive Lens Pair for Thermal Focus and Aberration Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing optical systems for imaging apparatuses face challenges in controlling focal position variations due to environmental temperature changes while also correcting various aberrations, as they often require lenses with limited material selection due to specific refractive index and Abbe number requirements.

Innovation Solution

An optical system is designed with a negative lens and a positive lens adjacent to each other, where the interval between them and their curvature radii satisfy specific inequalities, allowing for temperature compensation and aberration correction regardless of the sign of the temperature coefficient, enhancing material selection flexibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a pair of positive lens and negative lens having large differences in refractive index and Abbe number is employed to control focal position variation, then temperature compensation is achieved, but material selection freedom is reduced and aberration correction becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefocal position controlVSAvoidmaterial selection freedom
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the approach from using large differences in refractive index and Abbe number to using specific relationships between curvature radii and interval. By defining the relationship between the curvature radii of facing surfaces (R1 and R2) and the interval (d1) through specific inequalities, the patent achieves temperature compensation without requiring extreme material property differences, thus maintaining material selection freedom while achieving reliable focal position control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If lenses with specific refractive index and Abbe number requirements are used to control focal position variation, then temperature compensation is achieved, but aberration correction becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefocal position controlVSAvoidaberration correction
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent shifts from controlling focal position through material properties (refractive index, Abbe number) to controlling it through geometric parameters (curvature radii R1, R2 and interval d1). By establishing specific relationships between these geometric parameters through inequalities, the patent simultaneously achieves both focal position control and aberration correction, as geometric parameters can be optimized independently of material selection

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a dynamic relationship between the interval d1 and temperature changes. The interval is designed to vary with temperature in a controlled manner, allowing the optical system to maintain focus across different temperatures. This dynamic adjustment of the interval compensates for thermal effects while maintaining aberration correction through the established geometric parameter relationships

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 system effectively controls focal position variations and corrects aberrations across varying environmental temperatures, maintaining good image forming performance as demonstrated by modulation transfer function curves at different temperatures.

Implementation Method 1

An optical system includes a negative lens and a positive lens adjacent to each other, in which an interval on an optical axis between the negative lens and the positive lens satisfies the following inequality (1)... curvature radii of facing lens surfaces of the negative lens and the positive lens satisfy the following inequality (2)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP4246200B1Optical system including negative lens and positive lens, imaging apparatus including the same, in-vehicle system including the same, and moving apparatus including the same
Publication Date: 2025.01.15 CANON KK
  • EP4246200B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4246200B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4246200B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An optical system includes a negative lens and a positive lens adjacent to each other, wherein the following inequalities are satisfied: 0.00 ≤ DAB ≤ 1.00, and 0.80 ≤ RA/RB ≤ 1.20, where DAB[mm] denotes a distance on an optical axis between the negative lens and the positive lens, and RA and RB denote curvature radii of facing lens surfaces of the negative lens and the positive lens, respectively, and wherein specific inequalities are satisfied.