Patent ID: 7853139
Filing Date: 2010-12-14
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An optical device comprising: a housing that has a first sidewall member, a second sidewall member opposed to the first sidewall member, a third sidewall member that connects one edge of the first sidewall member and one edge of the second sidewall member, a fourth sidewall member that connects another edge of the first sidewall member and another edge of the second sidewall member, a top plate attached to top surfaces of the first sidewall member, the second sidewall member, the third sidewall member, and the fourth sidewall member, and a bottom plate attached to bottom surfaces of the first sidewall member, the second sidewall member, the third sidewall member, and the fourth sidewall member; and (M−1) partition members arranged parallel to and between the first sidewall member and the second sidewall member, wherein M lens chambers are arranged in a side-by-side manner, wherein each lens chamber is filled with a first liquid and a second liquid that form a liquid lens functioning as a columnar lens whose axis extends parallel to a direction in which the partition members extend, wherein a first lens chamber is defined by the first sidewall member, the third sidewall member, a first partition member, the fourth sidewall member, the top plate, and the bottom plate, wherein a part of an inner surface of the top plate that defines the first lens chamber is provided with a first electrode, wherein a part of an inner surface of the first sidewall member that defines the first lens chamber is provided with a second electrode, and wherein a part of an inner surface of the first partition member that defines the first lens chamber is provided with a third electrode, wherein an (m+1)-th lens chamber is defined by an m-th partition member, the third sidewall member, an (m+1)-th partition member, the fourth sidewall member, the top plate, and the bottom plate, m being equal to 1, 2, . . . , or M−2, wherein a part of the inner surface of the top plate that defines the (m+1)-th lens chamber is provided with a first electrode, wherein a part of an inner surface of the m-th partition member that defines the (m+1)-th lens chamber is provided with a second electrode, and wherein a part of an inner surface of the (m+1)-th partition member that defines the (m+1)-th lens chamber is provided with a third electrode, and wherein an M-th lens chamber is defined by an (M−1)-th partition member, the third sidewall member, the second sidewall member, the fourth sidewall member, the top plate, and the bottom plate, wherein a part of the inner surface of the top plate that defines the M-th lens chamber is provided with a first electrode, wherein a part of an inner surface of the (M−1)-th partition member that defines the M-th lens chamber is provided with a second electrode, and wherein a part of an inner surface of the second sidewall member that defines the M-th lens chamber is provided with a third electrode.