Lens Assembly Spacer Geometry for Reducing Optical Flare
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-circular shaped lenses and spacers in optical zoom cameras cause unintentional flare phenomena due to light diffraction and interference, which degrade image quality.
Innovation Solution
A lens assembly design featuring a spacer with an inner surface that alternates between protruding and recessed shapes, varying in size and curvature, to minimize light diffraction and interference, thereby reducing flare phenomena.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If non-circular shaped spacers are used to enable miniaturization of camera modules, then device size is reduced, but flare phenomena occur due to light diffraction and interference
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer's inner surface is designed with locally varying properties - alternating convex and concave shapes with different curvatures and distances from the optical axis. This local variation in geometry disrupts the regular diffraction pattern while maintaining the overall non-circular compact form factor of the camera module.
Solution Approach 2:
The spacer employs asymmetric geometry with alternating convex and concave shapes that are not uniform in their dimensions or positions. The distances between adjacent inflection points vary circumferentially, creating an asymmetric pattern that prevents systematic light interference while preserving space efficiency.
2Ease of manufacture
If regular alternating shapes are used on the spacer inner surface, then manufacturing is simplified, but light diffraction patterns remain consistent causing flare
Solution Approach 1:
The spacer design varies key geometric parameters along the inner surface - the distances between adjacent inflection points change in the circumferential direction, and the curvatures of convex and concave shapes differ. These parameter variations disrupt uniform diffraction patterns while remaining manufacturable through standard molding or machining processes.
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 enhances image quality by effectively mitigating flare phenomena, ensuring clearer and sharper images.
Implementation Method 1
This may cause an unintentional flare phenomenon to occur due to light diffraction and interference
Implementation Method 2
This may cause an unintentional flare phenomenon to occur due to light diffraction and interference
Data Source
AI summary
A lens assembly includes a lens barrel, a plurality of lenses disposed in the lens barrel and sequentially arranged along an optical axis, and a spacer disposed between two adjacent lenses among the plurality of lenses and comprising a hole formed in the spacer in an optical axis direction, wherein an inner surface of the spacer surrounding the hole formed in the spacer includes first shapes protruding toward the optical axis, and second shapes protruding away from the optical axis, the first shapes and the second shapes alternate with each other one by one in a circumferential direction of the inner surface of the spacer, and a distance between vertices of two first shapes among the first shapes separated from each other by one second shape among the second shapes varies in the circumferential direction.