Six-Lens Imaging Assembly for Vehicle Cameras
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical systems in vehicle recording cameras suffer from poor resolving power, distortion, and high-order aberrations, particularly in the peripheral regions, due to their six-lens element structure which is not optimized for reducing incident angles, illumination, and maintaining a compact size with wide viewing angles.
Innovation Solution
A compact imaging lens assembly comprising six lens elements with specific refractive powers and surface shapes, including aspheric surfaces, is designed to improve resolving power, reduce aberrations, and maintain a compact size, with at least three lens elements made of plastic material to enhance manufacturing efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional six-lens element structure is used, then the device complexity is maintained at a standard level, but the resolving power and distortion correction in peripheral regions deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by giving different surface shapes to different regions of the lens elements. Specifically, the first lens element has a convex object-side surface and concave image-side surface, while the second lens element has concave object-side surface and convex image-side surface. The sixth lens element has an inflection point on its image-side surface in the off-axis region. These localized surface variations improve peripheral resolving power without requiring a complete redesign of the entire optical system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs curved surfaces extensively to improve optical performance. The lens elements feature convex and concave surfaces with specific curvatures, and the sixth lens element includes an inflection point on its image-side surface. These curvature variations enable better correction of distortion and high-order aberrations while maintaining a compact six-element structure.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the optical system is designed for wide viewing angle, then the viewing angle is improved, but the back focal length increases making the system less compact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses asymmetric surface configurations to achieve wide viewing angles in a compact form. The first lens element has asymmetric convex-concave surfaces, the second lens element has concave-convex surfaces, and the sixth lens element has an inflection point on its image-side surface. These asymmetric designs allow light rays from wide angles to be properly focused without requiring a long back focal length.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves compact wide-angle design by optimizing specific parameters of the lens elements. The refractive powers are carefully selected: first lens element has negative refractive power, second and third have positive refractive power, fourth has negative refractive power, fifth has positive refractive power, and sixth has refractive power with an inflection point. These parameter optimizations enable wide viewing angles while maintaining short back focal length.
3Reliability
If the surface shape and refractive power arrangement are conventional, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the incident angle reduction and high-order aberration correction deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent improves aberration correction through localized surface quality variations. The sixth lens element specifically features an inflection point on its image-side surface in the off-axis region, which targets correction of high-order aberrations and distortion in peripheral areas. This localized approach maintains manufacturing feasibility while significantly improving optical performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses sophisticated curvature designs to correct aberrations. The lens elements feature convex and concave surfaces with specifically optimized curvatures, and the sixth lens element includes an inflection point. These curved surface designs enable effective reduction of incident angles and correction of high-order aberrations while remaining manufacturable with current molding technologies.
4Productivity
If plastic material is used for lens elements, then the manufacturing efficiency and cost are improved, but the manufacturing precision control becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for plastic lens elements to ensure manufacturing precision. The refractive powers are constrained within specific ranges: first lens element negative, second and third positive, fourth negative, fifth positive, and sixth with specific power and inflection point. These parameter specifications guide the molding process to achieve the required surface accuracy despite using plastic materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses plastic material limitations by focusing precision requirements on critical local features. The inflection point on the sixth lens element's image-side surface is a key local feature that requires precise control. By concentrating precision efforts on these critical local areas rather than requiring uniform high precision across all surfaces, the patent achieves excellent optical performance with cost-effective plastic materials.
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 effectively corrects distortion, high-order aberrations, and maintains a compact size while providing a larger viewing angle and improved illumination in the peripheral regions, enhancing the image quality of vehicle recording cameras.
Implementation Method 1
The imaging lens assembly includes six lens elements with specific refractive powers and surface shapes, including aspheric surfaces
Implementation Method 2
both of an object-side surface and the image-side surface of the sixth lens element are aspheric
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging lens assembly 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 with negative refractive power has an object-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof and an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof. The second lens element has an object-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof and an image-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof. The third lens element has an object-side surface being convex in a paraxial region thereof. The fourth lens element has negative refractive power. The fifth lens element has positive refractive power. The sixth lens element has an image-side surface being concave in a paraxial region thereof.