Optical Sub-Lens Assembly With Imaging Feedback Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current camera module manufacturing processes face challenges in achieving high imaging quality due to cumulative errors in lens element assembly, stringent tolerance requirements, and low process capability index, leading to increased production costs and defective rates.

Innovation Solution

An assembly device and method that includes a grasping mechanism for multiple-degree-of-freedom movement of sub-lenses, fixing mechanisms for precise alignment, and a data acquisition system to optimize imaging quality through real-time adjustment and material connection, allowing for improved assembly accuracy and aberration correction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If dimensional tolerance and rotation of each lens element are controlled with high sensitivity to compensate for cumulative errors, then imaging quality is improved, but manufacturing difficulty and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelens assembly accuracyVSAvoidlens processing difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism by using a photosensitive assembly to capture test images and a processor to analyze imaging quality. Based on the analysis results, the system automatically adjusts the position and orientation of lens elements in real-time, creating a closed-loop control system that compensates for cumulative errors without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameters of lens elements dynamically during assembly by adjusting their positions and orientations based on measured imaging quality. This allows the system to optimize the optical performance of the entire assembly rather than relying on each individual element meeting strict specifications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the number of lens elements is increased to improve imaging quality, then resolution is enhanced, but cumulative errors increase and make assembly more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimaging qualityVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The feedback system measures the actual imaging quality of the complete multi-element lens assembly and uses this information to adjust the relative positions of all elements together, compensating for cumulative errors that arise from having multiple elements rather than addressing each element in isolation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If active calibration process is used to compensate for sensor chip inclination, then imaging quality is improved, but compensation capability is limited when optical system aberrations are severe

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimaging qualityVSAvoidcompensation effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary measurement of imaging quality using the photosensitive assembly before final assembly is completed. This allows the system to pre-adjust lens element positions to compensate for potential issues, including both sensor inclination and optical aberrations, before the assembly is finalized

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback on the actual imaging quality achieved and uses this information to make further adjustments to lens elements, enabling compensation for both sensor inclination and optical aberrations based on actual performance rather than theoretical calculations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3711897B1Assembly device and assembly method for optical assembly
Publication Date: 2023.10.04 NINGBO SUNNY OPOTECH CO LTD
  • EP3711897B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3711897B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3711897B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

An assembly device for an optical assembly comprises: a grasping mechanism (310) configured to grasp a first sub-lens to be assembled, and to move the grasped first sub-lens in multiple degrees of freedom; a first fixing mechanism (320) configured to fix a second sub-lens to be assembled, wherein the grasping mechanism (310) is movable relative to the first fixing mechanism (320), so that the first sub-lens and the second sub-lens form an optical system capable of imaging; a second fixing mechanism (330) configured to fix a photosensitive assembly; a data acquiring assembly (340) configured to be electrically connected to the photosensitive assembly fixed by the fixing mechanism (330) and acquire image data output by the photosensitive assembly; and a material connecting assembly (210) configured to fix the first and second sub-lenses together.