Vacuum Chamber Micro Lens Array Manufacturing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing micro lenses with complex structures require elaborate molds and result in lenses with unsmooth surfaces, making it difficult to produce lenses with various shapes efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum chamber-based apparatus and method that uses a master plate with molding grooves and a heater to form micro lenses by adjusting the vacuum condition and lens forming time, allowing for the production of micro lens arrays with smooth surfaces and various shapes without the need for elaborate molds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional mold is used to manufacture micro lenses, then the lens shape can be controlled, but the mold must be elaborately manufactured and changed whenever the lens shape is changed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the lens-forming function from the complex mold structure and transfers it to a simple master plate with basic grooves. The vacuum environment and polymer material properties do the heavy lifting of shaping the lens, eliminating the need for elaborate mold tooling while maintaining shape control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical mold system with a vacuum-based forming system. Instead of using a physical mold cavity to shape the lens, the patent uses vacuum pressure differential to pull the polymer material into the desired shape defined by simple master plate grooves, substituting mechanical constraint with vacuum pressure control.
2Manufacturing precision
If a conventional mold is used to manufacture micro lenses, then the lens shape can be controlled, but the lens surface becomes unsmooth and requires separate UV hardening
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical mold contact system with a vacuum-based forming system. The vacuum environment eliminates mechanical contact friction and allows the polymer material to flow smoothly into the master plate grooves without surface defects, producing smooth lens surfaces without requiring separate UV hardening steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state and environmental parameters during the forming process. By controlling vacuum pressure, temperature, and polymer material properties, the system achieves smooth surface formation directly during the forming process itself, eliminating the need for post-processing UV hardening steps.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional mold is used to manufacture micro lenses with complex structures, then the lens shape can be controlled, but it becomes difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic control through vacuum pressure adjustment to enable flexible lens shape formation. By varying the vacuum pressure level and forming time, the same master plate can produce different lens shapes and curvatures, providing adaptability without requiring different molds for each lens type.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a universal master plate that can form multiple types of micro lenses with different shapes and specifications by simply adjusting the vacuum conditions and forming parameters. This single master plate replaces the need for multiple specialized molds, providing multi-functionality and ease of manufacture across different lens types.
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
Enables the efficient manufacturing of micro lens arrays with smooth surfaces and various shapes by controlling the vacuum conditions and lens forming time, improving production efficiency and surface quality.
Implementation Method 1
forming a vacuum inside the vacuum chamber
Implementation Method 2
forming the lens by separating the substrate from the master plate after cooling down the master plate and the substrate
Implementation Method 3
heating the substrate to 100° C. to 300° C. by using the master plate as a medium
Implementation Method 4
heating the substrate to 100° C. to 300° C. by using the master plate as a medium
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for manufacturing a micro lens array, wherein lenses having various standards are easily manufactured by forming a micro lens array by adjusting a vacuum condition in a vacuum chamber. The apparatus including: a vacuum chamber including a vacuum space therein; a vacuum unit for forming a vacuum inside the vacuum chamber; an upper frame disposed inside the vacuum chamber and to which a substrate is installed on a lower surface of the upper frame; an elevator for ascending and descending the upper frame; a lower frame disposed below the upper frame; a master plate disposed on the lower frame and includes a plurality of molding grooves on an upper surface of the master plate; and a heater installed to a side of the master plate to heat up the master plate.