Variable Aperture Imaging Lens Without Moving Parts
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional imaging lenses with variable apertures require moving parts to adjust aperture size, leading to increased volume and contradicting the trend of miniaturization in electronic products.
Innovation Solution
A two-piece or one-piece formed aperture using a substrate and light-shielding component materials that allow infrared light to pass through while shielding visible light, allowing for variable aperture control without moving parts, achieved through spraying, printing, or mixing materials and subsequent cutting or printing processes to form a light-shielding element with specific transmittance properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a moving part is used to adjust aperture size, then variable aperture control is achieved, but the imaging lens volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical moving part system with a fixed aperture structure that uses optical properties of materials. The aperture is formed by a substrate with a light-shielding layer that has different transmittance for visible light and infrared light, eliminating the need for mechanical adjustment components while maintaining variable aperture functionality across different wavelength ranges.
Solution Approach 2:
The aperture structure uses composite materials consisting of a substrate and a light-shielding layer with specific optical properties. The light-shielding layer is designed to shield visible light while allowing infrared light to pass through, creating a multi-functional aperture that achieves wavelength-selective light control without mechanical moving parts.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the aperture thickness is increased to improve light shielding, then visible light shielding is enhanced, but focal length offset increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the thickness parameter of the aperture to fall within the range of 0.01 mm to 0.3 mm. This parameter optimization balances the light shielding capability with the control of focal length offset, ensuring that the aperture is thin enough to minimize focal length impact while still providing effective visible light shielding through the light-shielding layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The aperture structure implements local quality by having different regions with different optical properties. The light-shielding layer is selectively applied to specific regions of the substrate, creating areas with high visible light shielding capability while maintaining overall aperture thinness. This localized approach allows effective light control without requiring uniform thickness increase throughout the entire aperture.
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 variable aperture control across different wavelength ranges without increasing lens volume, maintaining high image quality by controlling light entry and avoiding focal length offset, while conforming to miniaturization trends and offering a simple, high-freedom manufacturing method.
Implementation Method 1
a material of the light-shielding component is a material that allows infrared light to substantially pass therethrough and substantially shields visible light
Data Source
AI summary
An imaging lens including an aperture and a lens with refractive power arranged from a zoom-in side to a zoom-out side along an optical axis is provided. The aperture includes a substrate and a light-shielding layer. The substrate includes a first middle region and a first outer edge region surrounding the first middle region. The first outer edge region allows visible light and infrared light to substantially pass therethrough. The light-shielding layer includes a second middle region and a second outer edge region surrounding the second middle region. The second outer edge region allows infrared light to substantially pass therethrough and substantially shields visible light. A thickness of the aperture is between 0.01 mm and 0.3 mm along a direction of an optical axis. Furthermore, an imaging lens and a manufacturing method of a light-shielding element are also provided.