Six-Lens Imaging System with Aspheric Elements for Compact Wide-Field Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional image capturing systems face challenges in achieving a compact size while maintaining a wide field of view and short total track length, making them unsuitable for compact electronic devices like mobile phones and wearable recorders.
Innovation Solution
An imaging lens system comprising six lens elements, with at least three made of plastic, arranged to have air spaces between each pair, featuring specific refractive powers and surface shapes to optimize field of view and compactness, including a first lens with negative power, a fourth lens with positive power, and a sixth lens with negative power, along with specific focal length and axial distance conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the image capturing system is miniaturized, then the device size is reduced, but the field of view becomes narrower and the total track length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The imaging lens system is divided into six distinct lens elements with different refractive powers and surface shapes. Each lens element contributes differently to the overall optical performance, allowing the system to achieve a wide field of view while maintaining a compact form factor. The segmentation of the optical system into multiple specialized elements enables independent optimization of each component's function.
Solution Approach 2:
Different lens elements have different refractive powers (positive and negative) and different surface shape characteristics (convex, concave, aspheric). The fourth lens element has both object-side and image-side surfaces that are aspheric, while the fifth lens element has specific concave/convex configurations in different regions. This local differentiation of optical properties allows the compact system to achieve wide field of view performance.
2Volume of moving object
If the image capturing system is miniaturized, then the device size is reduced, but the total track length increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lens elements are arranged with air spaces between them, allowing for flexible spacing optimization. The axial distances between adjacent lens elements are carefully controlled to minimize the total track length while maintaining proper optical function. This dynamic arrangement of spaced elements rather than cemented elements enables compactness.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses specific focal length ratios between lens elements (|f1/f2|≤0.5, |f5/f2|≤0.3) and controlled axial distances (T56/T12≥1.05) to optimize the overall track length. By changing and optimizing these critical parameters, the system achieves miniaturization without excessive track length.
3Adaptability or versatility
If more lens elements are used to achieve wide field of view, then the optical performance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes specific parameter ranges and relationships to control system complexity: the focal length ratios (|f1/f2|≤0.5, |f5/f2|≤0.3), the axial distance ratio (T56/T12≥1.05), and the refractive power distribution across six elements. These parameter constraints provide a systematic design framework that achieves wide field of view without arbitrary complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
At least three of the six lens elements are made of plastic materials, combining different material properties (glass and plastic) to achieve the desired optical performance. This composite material approach allows for cost-effective manufacturing while maintaining the complexity needed for wide field of view performance.
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 imaging lens system with a wide field of view and reduced total track length, improving image quality and manufacturing efficiency, suitable for compact electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
The first lens element has negative refractive power. The fourth lens element with positive refractive power. The fifth lens element with negative refractive power.
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging lens system includes, in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens element, a second lens element, a third lens element, a fourth lens element, a fifth lens element and a sixth lens element. The first lens element has negative refractive power. The fourth lens element with positive refractive power has an object-side surface and an image-side surface being both aspheric. The fifth lens element with negative refractive power has an object-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof and an image-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof, wherein two surfaces of the fifth lens element are aspheric. The sixth lens element has an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof and comprising at least one convex shape in an off-axial region thereof, wherein two surfaces of the sixth lens element are aspheric.