Prism-Folded Optical Layout for Wide-Angle Thin Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical systems face challenges in achieving a compact size while maintaining wide-angle capabilities and reducing thickness, particularly in imaging devices and image-projecting devices.
Innovation Solution
An optical system incorporating a prism with free-form transmissive and reflective surfaces, positioned on the magnification side of multiple lenses, ensures a reduction conjugate point and a magnification conjugate point, allowing for wide-angle operation without increasing the system's size or thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a conventional optical system is used to achieve wide-angle capabilities, then the field of view is improved, but the system size and thickness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a prism component that redirects light paths in three-dimensional space, allowing the optical system to achieve wide-angle coverage without proportionally increasing the physical footprint. The prism utilizes spatial dimensionality to fold the optical path, enabling compact integration while maintaining broad field of view capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system integrates multiple functional elements including lenses, a beam splitter, and a prism in a nested arrangement where components are positioned to share space efficiently. The imaging sensor is arranged to receive light through the beam splitter and prism, creating a compact nested structure that reduces overall system volume while maintaining optical functionality
2Area of stationary object
If a conventional optical system is used to achieve wide-angle capabilities, then the field of view is improved, but the system thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The prism component redirects light paths by utilizing angular deviation in three-dimensional space, allowing the optical system to achieve wide-angle coverage without increasing thickness. The beam splitter and prism arrangement folds the optical path in directions that minimize the z-axis dimension, enabling thin-profile design with broad field of view
3Volume of moving object
If a compact optical system is designed, then the system size is reduced, but distortion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs free-form surfaces on the prism and beam splitter components, where the local surface geometry is precisely controlled to compensate for distortion introduced by the compact optical path. Different regions of the optical surfaces have different curvatures and orientations, locally correcting image distortion while maintaining the compact overall structure
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system utilizes variable refractive index materials and adjustable surface curvatures in the prism and lens elements to dynamically compensate for distortion. By changing optical parameters such as surface curvature and material properties, the system maintains image quality in a compact configuration
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 solution enables a compact optical system that maintains wide-angle capabilities, reduces thickness, and minimizes distortion, while also allowing for contact imaging and projection applications.
Implementation Method 1
a first reflective surface; a second reflective surface
Implementation Method 2
a first transmissive surface; a second transmissive surface provided on the reduction side with respect to the first transmissive surface
Data Source
AI summary
An optical system includes lenses and a prism. The prism includes a first transmissive surface, a first reflective surface, a second reflective surface, and a second transmissive surface. A first rectangular region at a reduction conjugate point: has an imaging relationship in which the first rectangular region is conjugate to a second rectangular region at a magnification conjugate point; and does not intersect with an optical axis. When a space is divided into a first space and a second space, all principal rays passing through the first rectangular region pass through the first rectangular region, the first transmissive surface, and the first reflective surface in the first space, and pass through the second reflective surface and the second transmissive surface in the second space.