Seven-Lens Optical Module for Driverless Vehicle Cameras
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical lenses fail to meet the requirements of low manufacturing costs and high performance, necessitating an optical lens with improved light transmission, thermal stability, and clarity for driverless vehicle systems.
Innovation Solution
The optical lens design includes a sequence of lenses with specific refractive powers and configurations, such as cemented lenses, a stop, and aspheric surfaces, optimized for light collection, distortion correction, thermal stability, and aberration control, ensuring effective light transmission and imaging across varying temperatures and wavelengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current optical lens designs are used, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but imaging performance and thermal stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The optical lens is divided into multiple individual lens elements (first lens through seventh lens) with different refractive powers and surface configurations. Each lens element can be independently manufactured and optimized, allowing for better control of thermal expansion and aberrations while maintaining reasonable manufacturing costs through modular production.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs lens elements with different refractive indices and Abbe numbers (e.g., first lens with negative refractive power, fourth lens and fifth lens with positive refractive power and specific Abbe number relationships). This composite approach allows compensation for thermal effects and chromatic aberrations by combining materials with complementary optical properties.
2Reliability
If simpler lens configurations are used, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but light transmission and imaging clarity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Different lens elements are assigned specific functions: the first and second lenses with negative refractive power for light collection and distortion correction, the third lens for eliminating aberrations and converging light, the fourth and fifth lenses for thermal stability and achromatism, and the sixth and seventh lenses for final aberration correction. Each element's local optical properties are optimized for its specific role in the overall imaging system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs aspheric surfaces on multiple lens elements (first lens with convex object side surface and concave image side surface, second lens with concave object side surface, third lens with convex object side surface). These curved and aspheric surfaces improve light transmission and reduce spherical aberrations compared to simple spherical surfaces, enhancing imaging clarity.
3Reliability
If more lens elements are added, then aberration correction and thermal stability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fourth lens and fifth lens are cemented together to form a cemented body, merging two lens elements with positive refractive power and specific Abbe number relationships into a single structural unit. This reduces the number of air-glass interfaces, simplifies alignment, and maintains the thermal stability and achromatic benefits of having multiple elements with different optical properties.
Solution Approach 2:
Each lens element is designed to perform multiple functions: the first lens collects light and corrects distortion, the third lens eliminates aberrations and converges light to reduce aperture requirements, the cemented body of fourth and fifth lenses provides both thermal stability and achromatic correction, and the sixth and seventh lenses finalize aberration correction and control exit angles. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional dedicated elements.
4Use of energy by moving object
If larger aperture is used, then light collection is improved, but lens size and manufacturing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the third lens with positive refractive power to converge incident light, which allows the system to achieve adequate light collection with a smaller effective aperture. The aspheric surfaces and specific curvature radii of the first, second, and third lenses are optimized to efficiently guide and concentrate light onto the imaging sensor, reducing the need for large aperture dimensions.
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 provides an optical lens with a large field of view, high imaging clarity, and thermal stability, enabling reliable performance in driverless vehicle systems by enhancing light transmission and correcting aberrations and thermal issues, thus meeting the demands of driverless vehicle technology.
Implementation Method 1
a first lens L1 having a negative refractive power, an object side surface S1 being a convex surface and an image side surface S2 being a concave surface; a second lens L2 having a negative refractive power, an object side surface S3 being a concave surface
Implementation Method 2
a third lens L3 having a positive refractive power, an object side surface S5 being a convex surface
Implementation Method 3
a fourth lens L4 having a positive refractive power, a fifth lens L5 having a positive refractive power, an object side surface S7 and an image side surface S8 of the fourth lens L4 each being convex surfaces; a sixth lens L6 having a negative refractive power, an object side surface S9 and an image side surface S11 of the sixth lens L6 each being concave surfaces, the fifth lens L5 and the sixth lens L6 being cemented into an cemented body
Implementation Method 4
the fourth lens and the cemented body formed by the fifth lens and the six lens can eliminate heat difference
Implementation Method 5
a seventh lens L7 having a positive refractive power, and the optical lens further includes a stop, disposed between the second lens and the third lens
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure provides an optical lens, from an object side to an imaging surface, the optical lens sequentially includes a first lens having a negative refractive power; a second lens having a negative refractive power; a third lens having a positive refractive power; a fourth lens having a positive refractive power; a fifth lens having a positive refractive power; a sixth lens having a negative refractive power; the fifth lens and the sixth lens being cemented into an cemented body; a seventh lens having a positive refractive power; and the optical lens further include a stop, disposed between the second lens and the third lens. The optical lens provided in the present disclosure has a wide-spectrum imaging function. The disclosure further provides an imaging device.