Plastic Lens Assembly with Integrated Infrared Filtering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical lens assemblies for electronic devices face challenges in miniaturization due to the use of coated planar elements and blue glass for infrared filtering, which are costly, difficult to miniaturize, and prone to light leaks.
Innovation Solution
The optical lens assembly incorporates at least two optical lens elements, one with a long wavelength absorbing material evenly mixed with plastic and another with a long wavelength filter coating made of plastic, featuring high and low refractive index coating layers in alternation, to effectively filter out long wavelength light without the need for blue glass or coated planar elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If coated planar elements and blue glass are used for infrared filtering, then infrared filtering capability is improved, but device size increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the infrared filtering function with the existing optical lens elements by integrating long wavelength absorbing materials directly into the plastic lens material. This merging eliminates the need for separate coated planar elements and blue glass components, thereby reducing the overall assembly size while maintaining infrared filtering capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical lens elements are designed to serve multiple functions: they provide optical focusing capability while simultaneously incorporating long wavelength absorbing materials that filter infrared rays. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated infrared filtering components, reducing device size and complexity.
2Reliability
If coated planar elements and blue glass are used for infrared filtering, then infrared filtering capability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the infrared filtering function into the optical lens elements themselves by incorporating long wavelength absorbing materials during the plastic lens manufacturing process. This eliminates the need for separate expensive coated planar elements and blue glass components, thereby reducing overall manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive coated planar elements and blue glass with more cost-effective plastic lens materials that have integrated long wavelength absorbing properties. This substitution uses cheaper materials and simpler manufacturing processes while achieving the same infrared filtering function.
3Reliability
If blue glass is used for infrared filtering, then infrared filtering capability is improved, but light leak problems occur at large incident angles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters by using long wavelength absorbing materials with specific absorption characteristics that are uniformly distributed throughout the plastic lens material. This parameter change ensures consistent infrared filtering performance across all incident angles, eliminating the light leak problems that occur with blue glass at large angles.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements uniform distribution of long wavelength absorbing materials throughout the entire volume of the plastic lens elements. This local quality ensures that infrared filtering is effective at all locations and incident angles within the lens, preventing light leak issues that occur with surface-coated solutions.
4Volume of moving object
If thinner blue glass is used to reduce size, then device size decreases, but the glass element becomes fragile and prone to breaking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces fragile blue glass elements with durable plastic lens materials that have integrated long wavelength absorbing properties. This substitution eliminates the strength and fragility issues associated with thin glass while maintaining the infrared filtering function and enabling miniaturization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite plastic materials that combine optical lens material with long wavelength absorbing additives. This composite material approach creates a durable, integrated solution that eliminates the need for separate fragile glass elements while maintaining infrared filtering capability in a compact form.
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 solution enables a compact optical lens assembly with high color uniformity, improved imaging quality, and reduced manufacturing costs, while eliminating the risks of light leaks and material fragility.
Implementation Method 1
an infrared filter element needs to be disposed to prevent the image sensing element from sensing infrared rays and causing color shift
Implementation Method 2
A traditional method for filtering infrared rays is to coat a planar element, so as to filter out near-infrared light by reflective interference
Data Source
AI summary
An optical lens assembly includes at least two optical lens elements. At least one of the optical lens elements includes a long wavelength absorbing material, the optical lens element including the long wavelength absorbing material is made of a plastic material, and the long wavelength absorbing material is evenly mixed with the plastic material. At least one of the optical lens elements includes a long wavelength filter coating, the optical lens element including the long wavelength filter coating is made of a plastic material, and the long wavelength filter coating is arranged on an object-side surface or an image-side surface of the optical lens element. The long wavelength filter coating includes a plurality of high refractive index coating layers and a plurality of low refractive index coating layers, and the high refractive index coating layers and the low refractive index coating layers are stacked in alternations.