Telecentric Lens Units for Multi-Part Camera Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Achieving suitable alignment between multiple camera parts of multi-part electronic devices for image capture and light projection is challenging due to relative movement, affecting focusing options and image quality.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating telecentric lens units with a telecentric image or object plane, allowing optical alignment and maintaining consistent image size despite variations in distance between lens units, using a combination of refractive and meta-optical elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple camera parts are used to provide additional focusing options, then focusing capability is improved, but alignment difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary optical element (the second lens unit with telecentric image plane) that acts as a mediator between the first lens unit and the image sensor. This intermediary component enables additional focusing capabilities while maintaining stable alignment by focusing light rays at an intermediate plane that is insensitive to minor positional variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameters of the lens system by incorporating a telecentric lens unit with specific focal plane characteristics. This parameter change allows the system to maintain consistent image size and focus quality across different object distances, thereby improving focusing capability while reducing alignment sensitivity.
2Volume of moving object
If lens units are positioned close together to reduce device size, then device compactness is improved, but alignment sensitivity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The second lens unit serves as an intermediary that creates an intermediate image plane between the two lens units. This intermediary plane allows the lens units to be positioned close together while maintaining optical stability, as the telecentric design ensures that minor misalignments do not significantly affect image quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The telecentric lens design creates an equipotential optical field where the chief rays remain substantially parallel to the optical axis. This equipotentiality ensures that the image size and focus quality remain consistent across small variations in lens unit positioning, thereby reducing alignment sensitivity while allowing compact device design.
3Stability of the object's composition
If telecentric lens units are used to maintain consistent image size, then image quality stability is improved, but optical complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the optical system into distinct lens units, each with specific telecentric characteristics. The first lens unit has a telecentric object plane and the second lens unit has a telecentric image plane. This segmentation allows each unit to be optimized independently while working together to maintain image size consistency, managing the overall optical complexity through modular design.
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
Ensures consistent image capture and light projection quality by maintaining parallel chief rays and minimizing image size variations, even with slight changes in distance between lens units, providing more design flexibility for optics in electronic devices.
Implementation Method 1
at least one of the first or second lens units includes a refractive lens
Implementation Method 2
light rays passing through the second lens unit are focused on an intermediate image plane located in the space
Implementation Method 3
The image sensor is operable to acquire an image based on light signals passing through the first and second lens units
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure describes, among other things, an image capture apparatus that includes a first lens unit, a second lens unit operable to be placed into optical alignment with the first lens unit, and an image sensor operable to acquire an image based on light signals passing through the first and second lens units when the first and second lens units are optically aligned with one another. At least one of the first or second lens units has a telecentric image plane or a telecentric object plane. Optical illumination devices such as light projectors that include at least one lens unit having a telecentric image plane or a telecentric object plane also are disclosed.