Liquid Autofocus Lens for Thin Smartphone Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in developing optical imaging lens assemblies for smartphones is to achieve a balance between miniaturization, thinness, and high imaging quality while maintaining autofocus functionality, as existing solutions often compromise on one or more of these aspects due to mechanical zoom limitations.
Innovation Solution
The optical imaging lens assembly incorporates a flexible film, a liquid material, and a light-transmitting module with a variable radius of curvature in the autofocus assembly, allowing for adjustable focal length without changing the total track length, combined with a distribution of refractive power across multiple lenses to optimize imaging performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical zooming is used to improve imaging performance in different shooting scenarios, then imaging quality is improved, but device complexity and thickness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical zooming system with a liquid lens autofocus assembly that uses liquid material deformation to change focal length. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical zoom components while achieving variable focus through electrical control of the liquid material, thereby improving imaging quality without increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameters by using a liquid material whose refractive index and surface curvature can be dynamically adjusted. By changing the focal length parameter of the liquid lens through electrical signals, the system achieves different shooting scenarios (macro, portrait, landscape) without mechanical movement, thus improving imaging quality while maintaining simple device structure
2Reliability
If mechanical zooming components are added to satisfy different shooting scenarios, then imaging performance is improved, but the lens assembly becomes thicker and heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces heavy mechanical zoom components with a lightweight liquid lens assembly. The liquid material contained in a deformable container provides zoom functionality through electrical actuation rather than mechanical movement, dramatically reducing the weight of the lens assembly while maintaining imaging performance across different shooting scenarios
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a flexible film as the container for the liquid material in the autofocus assembly. This flexible shell allows the liquid material to deform and change shape when actuated, enabling focal length adjustment without adding rigid mechanical components. The flexible film structure is extremely lightweight compared to traditional mechanical zoom mechanisms, thus improving imaging performance without increasing lens assembly weight
3Reliability
If mechanical zooming components are added to satisfy different shooting scenarios, then imaging performance is improved, but the lens assembly becomes thicker
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces thick mechanical zoom mechanisms with a thin liquid lens assembly. The liquid material between the flexible film and light-transmitting module provides the necessary optical power variation without requiring the space needed for mechanical zoom components. This substitution enables the lens assembly to achieve different focal lengths while maintaining a thin profile, thus improving imaging performance without increasing thickness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible film as the structural container for the liquid autofocus assembly. This thin flexible film replaces thick rigid mechanical components, allowing the liquid material to change shape and provide zoom functionality within a minimal thickness envelope. The flexible film structure enables the lens assembly to maintain a thin profile while achieving variable focus for different shooting scenarios
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
This configuration results in a compact, ultra-thin lens assembly with stable image quality and good imaging performance across various distances, achieving a large field-of-view and reducing aberrations, thereby enhancing the imaging capabilities of portable electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
A radius of curvature of an object-side surface of the autofocus assembly is variable
Implementation Method 2
a first lens having refractive power; an autofocus assembly; a second lens having refractive power
Data Source
AI summary
An optical imaging lens assembly is provided, along an optical axis from an object side to an image side, sequentially includes: a first lens having refractive power; an autofocus assembly; a second lens having refractive power, and an image-side surface of the second lens being a concave surface; a third lens having refractive power, and an image-side surface of the third lens being a convex surface; a fourth lens having refractive power, an object-side surface of the fourth lens being a concave surface, and an image-side surface of the fourth lens being a convex surface; and at least one subsequent lens having refractive power. A radius of curvature of an object-side surface of the autofocus assembly being variable.