Six-Lens Photographic Optical System for Ultra-Compact Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional photographic optical systems for portable electronic devices face challenges in achieving a balance between large image surface, large aperture, ultra-small thickness, and high imaging quality due to advancements in Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) or Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors, which require higher imaging performance.
Innovation Solution
A photographic optical system comprising six lenses with specific refractive powers, surface types, and center thicknesses, along with carefully configured on-axis spaces, is designed to achieve ultra-small thickness, large aperture, and high imaging quality, with each lens having positive or negative refractive power and specific surface curvatures, ensuring optimal imaging performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the number of lenses is increased to improve imaging quality and achieve large image surface, then the device complexity and thickness increase, but the requirement is ultra-small thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is divided into six distinct lens groups with specific positive and negative refractive powers, where each lens has predetermined surface curvatures and thickness ratios. This segmentation allows complex imaging functions to be distributed across multiple simpler components, achieving high imaging quality while controlling overall thickness through optimized individual lens designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies specific parameter constraints including TTL/ImgH ratios, curvature radius relationships (R1/R4, R3/R11), thickness ratios (CT1/(CT2+CT3), SAG52/CT5, ET6/CT6), and spacing ratios (T56/T23). These parameter changes optimize the balance between imaging performance and compact form factor, resolving the contradiction between quality and thickness.
2Illumination intensity
If the aperture is enlarged to improve light gathering ability, then the lens size and system complexity increase, but the requirement is large aperture with miniaturization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs asymmetric lens designs with specific surface curvature relationships (R1/R4=1, R3/R11=-2.5) and varying thickness distributions across the lens elements. This asymmetry allows optimized light path control that enables large aperture for improved light gathering while maintaining compact overall system volume through non-uniform geometric distributions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the optical system by transitioning from two-dimensional aperture considerations to three-dimensional spatial arrangement, utilizing specific spacing ratios (T56/T23=0.6) and thickness ratios to distribute optical functions across multiple dimensions. This dimensional optimization enables large aperture performance within miniaturized system volume.
3Area of stationary object
If the image surface is enlarged to accommodate more pixels, then the optical system size increases, but the requirement is large image surface with ultra-small thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic optical design where the six lens groups with alternating positive and negative refractive powers create flexible light path control. This dynamic configuration allows the system to achieve large image surface coverage while maintaining ultra-small thickness through optimized curvature relationships and spacing arrangements that adaptively manage optical path length.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediate lens elements (particularly the negative power lenses acting as field flatteners) that serve as mediators between the object side and image plane. These intermediary components enable the system to achieve large image surface area while controlling thickness by redistributing optical power across multiple intermediate stages rather than requiring a single thick element.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple lenses with complex surfaces are used to improve imaging performance, then the manufacturing difficulty increases, but the requirement is high imaging quality with manufacturability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies concrete parameter ranges and relationships (TTL/ImgH, R1/R4, R3/R11, CT1/(CT2+CT3), SAG52/CT5, ET6/CT6, T56/T23, f/EPD) that standardize the design process. These parameter constraints transform complex manufacturing challenges into controlled variable optimization, improving manufacturability while maintaining high imaging performance through systematic design rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent assigns specific local characteristics to each lens element, including predetermined refractive power signs, surface curvature relationships, and thickness ratios. This local quality specification allows each component to be manufactured with focused precision requirements rather than requiring all lenses to meet uniform complex specifications, thereby improving overall manufacturability while achieving high system-level imaging 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 system effectively reduces size, improves manufacturability, and enhances imaging quality, achieving a large image surface, large aperture, and miniaturization while maintaining high imaging performance.
Implementation Method 1
a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens and a sixth lens, wherein the first lens has a positive refractive power, an object-side surface of the first lens is a convex surface, and an image-side surface of the first lens is a concave surface; the second lens has a negative refractive power
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure discloses a photographic optical system, sequentially includes from an object side to an image side along an optical axis: a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens and a sixth lens. Wherein the first lens has a positive refractive power, an object-side surface thereof is a convex surface, an image-side surface is a concave surface. The second lens has a negative refractive power, an object-side surface thereof is a convex surface, an image-side surface is a concave surface. The sixth lens has a negative refractive power. TTL is a distance from the object-side surface of the first lens to an imaging surface of the photographic optical system on the optical axis and ImgH is a half the diagonal length of an effective pixel area on the imaging surface of the photographic optical system, and TTL and ImgH satisfy TTL/ImgH<1.5.